Raising Healthy Children

I am very thankful that I understand the value of health, after all we only have one body and if we treat it right, our body will do us good, if we treat it wrong? Well... the same goes. The difference with internal vs. external is that years of abuse cannot be erased with plastic surgery when it comes to your internal organs or your immune system... it just won't happen. I am honestly baffled when I drop my kids off at school, when I go to the local mall, or the grocery store and see the amount of children; YOUNG children who are well on their way to morbid obesity. I often look at the parent wondering "what are you thinking?"  It is very hard to understand how they can look at their child and not at some point realize what is happening. Sometimes it's obvious that the parents are unhealthy while other times they are strutting their yoga pants; each of those scenarios tell a different story but the stories have the same ending; an unhealthy child with an unfair road ahead trying to erase the neglect of their parents. If that last sentence was too harsh for you, don't stop reading, because if it struck a chord perhaps this is just what you need to hear that nobody else will say to you, and since you don't know me it won't hurt as badly.

We have a responsibility as parents to teach our children. What we teach them becomes involuntarily "hereditary" and is passed down from generation to generation; yes, eating habits included. We use McDonald's as a "treat" when in reality its not a treat at all... it's an unhealthy decision that we should probably surpass, at maximum allow them to get the ice cream, not the entire meal. It's hard to do the right thing... it more expensive, it's inconvenient... I get it, but it all comes down to a few questions. What price do you put on your child's health... their life, their well being and their self esteem? What about your grandchildren? I am not fanatical...  I do allow my kids "treats" from time to time but I make sure that they are as healthy as possible simply because I care about their future... for the days when I won't be here to kiss their boo boo's or take care of them if they become sick. 

It is proven that artificial ingredients (aka chemicals) as well as petroleum based ingredients, GMO's, and parabens contribute to this epidemic we seem to have of cancer, they disrupt endocrine systems causing hormonal imbalances, they create erratic behavior and disrupt the brain's ability to focus on tasks, but the worst thing of all is that they break down our natural immunity which enables us to fight disease when it does come into play. Does any of this strike you as bad? 

I remember the day when school lunches were home cooked, and if you did not eat it you went hungry. There were no options other than to perhaps have fish instead of chicken. We did not have Dominos on demand in the cafeteria nor did we have french fries available every day. We got one meal and one meal only. We did not have an option to buy more if we had the money in our account. We had recess to burn calories and gym class for physical fitness... all of which has ended leaving an even bigger responsibility on us... the parents. 

In a way, I feel that I have been blessed with children who have dietary restrictions due to allergies and sensitivities, as well as my own sensitivities that have now been discovered, because it has made me even more aware than I already was. Not to say it's not frustrating and downright annoying at times... because it is, however when flu season rolls around, we don't have to get shots because our immune systems work VERYwell. We have had a few 24 hour stomach bugs and a handful of allergy scares but at the end of the day, out of all 4  of my 4 children the oldest being almost 21 years old, I can count on one hand how many times I have had antibiotics in this household. In this day and age... that feels pretty amazing, and I KNOW it has everything to do with what I allow them to eat. 

Do they feel deprived? No... perhaps at times my son wishes he could have the "made with real juice" artificially flavored and colored "fruit snacks" that they hand out at school... but it's more the  feeling of not being included instead of not being able to taste it. They have been raised on healthy, organic, naturally flavored and colored things that taste good so they really are okay with it. It's never too late to switch, and I will promise you that you will feel better inside knowing you are being a better, proactive parent. You are doing your child a HUGE favor, trust me.

I am going to share some of my kids favorite things... 

Instead of cheetos:

http://piratebrands.com/products/piratesbooty/agedwhitecheddar

Instead of Doritos:

http://www.foodshouldtastegood.com/

Skip the fruit juice: go for water with fresh lemon, lime or orange:
Myth vs. truth: http://www.topendsports.com/health/myth-fruit-juice.htm
A great thing to have: http://alturl.com/j8yqm

Skip the cow's milk AND the soy milk:
(Cow's milk can create respiratory issues by causing an overproduction of mucous, Soy mimics estrogen once it enters the body,  disrupting the endocrine system... too much estrogen=cancer)

http://www.tastethedream.com/products/rice_dream.php

No nut allergy? Then you have this option too:
http://silk.com/products?category=130&gclid=CP3AjK-OnrUCFQ0GnQodAyIA4A

Yes, they eat brownies, cupcakes and cookies: There are many pre-made mixes that are SOOO yummy! We use sunflower oil, agave nectar and Earth's balance butter when baking from scratch.
http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-brownie-mix.html
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gluten-free-chocolate-cupcakes/

Other snacks:
Homemade Chex mix (recipes on box of chex)
Natural popcorn
Snyder's gluten free pretzels with hummus or for a sweet treat go for almond butter (unless there is a nut allergy)
Celery sticks with organic/natural salad dressing, hummus or almond butter (unless there is a nut allergy)
Carrots
Fruit ; but if you choose berries of any kind, go organic!!! The porous flesh absorbs the chemicals which won't come out with washing.
Smoothies made with fresh fruit, kale and rice milk (they will never taste the kale)
Black bean salsa with corn tortilla chips
Raw unsalted nuts for those without a nut allergy

The point is... do your homework, make it fun... explore new ideas. It does not have to cost a fortune, it just may take a bit more time to prepare.

Until next week!

STAY HEALTHY!

~Shelley Giard~