For certain, Mrs. Michelle Obama's health initiative, aptly called "Let's Move," is raising awareness to childhood obesity. She should be applauded for her commitment to the health of America's children. Her exhortation to become active and to be mindful of what children are eating is a much needed, high profile call to action, by one mom, to parents everywhere. Recently, in a conversation with a friend, he mentioned his concern for his eleven year old.
"I'm terrified about what she's eating," he confided.
My response, "Talk to your daughter about her diet, much the same as you would about sex or drugs."
I went further to suggest that he make use of his time with his daughter by shopping for food. By selecting fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies, with whole grains, he's helping to instill a sense of intentionality and discretion in food choices. What I mean here is, by shopping purposefully we can determine both what we eat and avoid unwanted additives. That can't be achieved when eating from the drive-thru.
My next posting will give you a better idea about how and where to shop for the freshest whole foods.
Be well.
P.S., You can follow me by selecting "Follow" in the upper right corner of the page.
You are quite right that we should talk to kids about health the same way we talk to them about drugs and other things. I also believe that we should try to make the effort to eat healthily sound fun, not a list of "not this, not that." Some discussion on negative effects of bad food should go beyond, "Well, if you eat all that junk food, you'll get fat." Children need to be educated that staying skinny is not the only reason they should try to eat wholesome food.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest "kickers" for me when it comes to thinking about what kinds of food we're putting in our bodies is not the fear of getting "fat," as Maria pointed out, but the fact that the human body is in a constant state of regeneration, replacing new cells every day. These cells are built out of nothing but the substances we consume, and if most (or even a large portion) of those substances are artificial and lifeless, it's easy to see what kinds of new cells we'll construct for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI also support talking to children about their health, but I also feel that it is mainly the parent’s responsibility to make sure that the child is eating healthily. I am probably the healthiest eater in my family only because my parents taught me what was good for me and what was not. Today, there are many young adults that are not fully educated on nutritional eating and the children are the ones who end up affected by this negatively. Whether the parents are doing the talking or not, I am glad to know that someone like Michelle is supporting such a good cause.
ReplyDeleteI commend you on your initiative to start a blog about great and especially healthy foods. For so long, society knew about America's growing waistline yet, nothing was done for prevention. We only acknowledged and accepted our unhealthy diets! I most definitely come to agreement with JJE in that, essentially, we are what we eat but it is expensive and also time consuming to eat as we should! I for one am appalled by the food choices our campus offers so i normally don't eat until i get home in the evening and by then i'm so starved i wolf down everything in sight!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria, JJE, Taryn and Kelsey. Your perspectives are all helpful. I've been immersed in food culture for a while, so fresh ideas give me an idea about what concerns other omnivores. JJE, I completely agree with your statement the human body is built on the cellular level by what we consume. If we want optimal health, a diet of whole or unrefined foods absent of additives is key.
ReplyDeleteWhile the nation is divided over universal health care, a more fundamental issue is the adulteration of our food supply. From food safety to re-localization (think locavore movement) to food deserts and The Unity Gardens, we need food to become a greater part of the discourse of our nation.
I hope to address these issues and more here in this blog. Please continue to offer your input, questions and bright ideas.
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ReplyDeleteKelsey,
ReplyDeleteI'm concerned about the offering at The Grille and other campus eateries, too. It seems that despite the hallowed position that universities (Indiana University South Bend, in particular) have for scholarship, we are woefully uninformed or grossly motivated by conformity when it comes to the correlation between diet and health.
In recent months, Alesia Gallejos, formerly of The South Bend Tribune, wrote an article in response to a USDA study that reported that Hoosiers were among the least healthy of all residents in the United States. 'Let's Move' if we're going to enjoy healthy, disease-free, long lives.
Please tell someone you know about my blog and encourage them to "follow me." What they'll get in exchange for their following is accurate, understandable information about food.
I hope to hear from you again soon.
I really enjoyed this post because of its timeliness in relation to what's happening in the world of restaurant dining. While many of the big chains still reduce their costs by buying cheaply from food service providers, a slim few have pledged to buy their ingredients fresh and even buy local when in season. I have a friend in a major culinarty institution in New York that says the trend will become a major movement, but not for a few years still. Chipotle would be the best example; nothing is frozen or processed that's put into a single burrito, and the chicken, pork, and beef are all natural (no hormone and pasture fed). Eating out isn't always the most healthy option, but the positive note is that some of the forward establishments are starting to think healthy like you!
ReplyDeleteExpanding knowledge about the health benefits of fresh ingredients is a fantastic cause. I hope more restaurants will start purchasing their ingredients fresh and promoting healthier choices. It's important to open up discussion about this topic; a lot of people are very much left in the dark about what goes into the food they eat.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Stephanie and to all who have concerns about what we consume in our bodies. I truly agree with JJE that our bodies do regenerate new cells every day. So as the saying goes "we are what we eat." This brought a concern to me about my daughter and the food she consumes during her critical growing era. I'm going to follow the teachings and great knowledge Stephanie has to offer. I will strive to improve the health of myself and those close and dear to me. Keep up the great work and thank you for offering a better way to being healthy. You're the best...
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