Do you ever experience sticker shock when you check out at the grocery store? That amazing shock when you just run in for a few apples, milk, bread, eggs, "snacks" for the kids and oh, yeah…just one more thing. Gosh, you hardly bought anything and the price still blows you away. As parents, we spend some serious money on our children for necessities such as food and clothing, and also on extras such as various lessons, sports, tutors or whatever your choices are for your child. We invest in their education and social life to no avail with both time and money to make them "successful". How much time do we give to our children’s health? Their health is everything. It is the greatest investment you can make as it will pay off the rest of their lives.
Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it.
Proverbs 22:6
How do we know the choices we make at the grocery store are good for our family’s health? Lisa, a mother of two does a pretty good job weeding through the junk foods in the grocery store. At least that is what she believes. Lisa buys snacks that have little sugar and little fat and keeps them available for her kids when they are hungry between meals. She buys sports drinks for them, because she rationalizes that these are better than soda. Her children also enjoy the flavored waters because she can’t seem to talk them into drinking enough good old fashioned water. For school lunches and snacks she feels it is OK for her kids to have an individually wrapped package of crackers, chips or cookies. Every now and then they fall into the fast food trap, about once a week and her children have come to expect it. Besides, it tastes good and it is a treat for her children! Once a week isn’t too bad is it?
If any of these situations sound familiar, there is probably room for improvement. There always is…such is life.
When looking at direct and indirect medical costs, our children today are more harmed by junk food than from alcohol, drugs and tobacco combined. The ADA (American Diabetes Association) reports the total economic cost of diabetes in 2007 was an estimated $174 billion, and $116 billion of those were medical costs. What used to be called "adult onset type 2 diabetes" is being diagnosed more frequently in children and adolescents. Two (2) million adolescents (or 1 in 6 overweight adolescents) aged 12-19 have pre-diabetes. We know for certain that type 2 diabetes is usually associated with older age, obesity, and physical inactivity to name a few risk factors, and that diet plays a significant role in prevention. In a sampling of 5-17 year old children that are overweight, 60% of them already have one cardiovascular disease risk, as reported by he CDC (Centers for Disease Control). Our children are being diagnosed with what is typically considered adult diseases.
If anyone destroys God’s temple….God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:17
What changes can we make at that will not throw your entire family into a tailspin? Make subtle changes and pick your battles. Baby steps are better than no steps at all. Here are ideas that can help you make a difference in the health of your child and family. Pick at least one and start today…then choose another…and another…
Eat more plant foods: Study after study and I mean clinically proven time and time again, through the years show you will reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Eat whole foods which are your fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
WHY?
Plant foods have fiber: Fiber reduces your risk for all of those diseases I just mentioned and it makes you feel full longer. Insoluble fiber found in whole grains and vegetables slow down your body’s absorption of sugar and helps digestion all the way down to your…"B.M." Soluble fiber found in fruits, oats and legumes also helps steady blood sugar levels and helps rid your body of cholesterol. Now you see why we need plant foods to meet your fiber needs to help prevent heart disease and diabetes
Phyto-chemicals: We know so much about these now. You cannot get them in a store bought vitamin. They are in whole foods, fruits and vegetables, and are believed to protect against some cancers, and improve your body’s immune function. Variety counts
ALSO:
Drink water: It is what you are made of. If you or your child has a hard time with this, dilute juice until you work your way to pure water
Read Ingredients and labels:
When buying whole grains/whole wheat: Make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat or whole grain
Avoid any product that has hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil, or palm oil-clinically proven to be artery clogging (try to get your child liking the taste of REAL peanut butter and back to popping popcorn on the stove)
Buy whole fruits. If you decide to buy pre-packed fruits, make sure the only ingredient is the fruit
Do the same thing when selecting vegetables
If you cannot buy fresh, the next healthiest choice is frozen
Do not buy anything with high fructose corn syrup. Many studies link HFCS to obesity and diabetes (because it is in everything our children eat) but the government hasn’t put its verdict out yet. Think of HFCS as a chemical. It is corn syrup modified through processing. You will notice the food industry is moving away from it with some new packaging that specifically says "now made without HFCS". Yes, something’s up!
Same applies to artificial sweeteners. They are chemicals and sometimes found in those flavored waters I mentioned. The government says they are OK, but there is enough compelling information available to avoid the artificial
Stay away from food dye’s-think "artificial" and the clinical association to behavior issues in children
For FUN-Let your children choose their breakfast cereals. BUT-mom gets to set the criteria. This will help them learn to read ingredients. Tell them they may choose their cereal as long as it has NO numbers, colors, HFCS, or hydrogenated oil. They will quickly become aware of what is healthy and what is not and it will narrow their choices
Hear
my son, your father’s instruction, and reject not your mother’s teaching; a graceful diadem will they be for your head; a torque for your neck. Proverbs 1: 8-9
The old cliché is true. You are what you eat. Every cell in your body is designed a certain way to build, maintain and repair every part of you. Some vitamins need other vitamins to activate each other and they all perform very specific functions in your body. That is why variety is important. Your child goes to bed each night with more new cells than what he started the day with. Children are growing. Give your child healthy choices.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Your body will crave what you eat. Think about something you have eaten in the past and you want it again and again. It is probably something made with sugar. Take this example and believe it to be true, and eat more fruits and vegetables. You will crave them and so will your child.
This is the greatest investment you will ever make and the returns will last your child’s lifetime.
