| TRUE, TRUE, TRUE. I just look in the mirror
and the truth hits me square between
the eyes. I just recently listened
to a women speaking about obesity
in our children. She made me think
back to my childhood and the way
I raised my two children. Today
food choices and nutritional value
are very different from when I
was in charge of the food consumption
of my children. Today food is
loaded with chemicals and when
we eat this food where is the
nutritional value? Vitamins supplements
are walking out the doors of the
stores that sell them. It is now
a multi-billion dollar business.
I know for myself I would try
to heal myself of whatever ailment
I have naturally than take a prescription
or over the counter drug. What
does this have to do with our
children and their food choices?
Plenty if you ever watched your
children eat and see what they
select to put into their mouths,
which goes down through the throat
and then settles into their stomachs,
you would want to vomit. SODA,
SODA, SODA, SODA, SODA, SODA,
SODA, SODA, and SODA. Soda our
children’s best friend it tastes
great, and it comes in so many
flavors: STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP!
STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP!
How do we stop this avalanche
of soda drinkers that start in
childhood and continue on into
adulthood? We can start buy removing
it from our homes. This would
be one less place the child can
receive this sugar and caffeine
fix. We can not control what they
spend money on when they are with
their friends but we have to start
somewhere. When my son was about
eight years old he was all ready
for bed. Somehow, he sneaked into
the refrigerator and ate a piece
of pie. I though he had gone crazy.
He was running around the house
and jumping off the furniture.
Just minutes before he was half
asleep on the living room floor.
I had just purchased that morning
a five pound bag of sugar I took
the full bag and flushed it down
the toilet. Good Riddance. When
I explained this to his doctor
the doctor said, "There is no
conclusive studies that prove
sugar can cause children to become
hyperactive." I am just a parent.
I have eyes and ears and know
what I witnessed. When is the
medical world going to wake up
and realize that some of these
children, which are paraded into
their offices with attention deficit
and hyperactivity might not need
medication. Just remove the sugar
and caffeine from there daily
diet. WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER!
WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER! The
last few years I have stopped
drinking soda and caffeinated
coffee. I am now drinking bottled
water. I do not miss the sugar
or caffeine and feel so much better.
But I am an adult; children need
to be helped to make the correct
decisions. MILK! MILK! MILK! MILK!
MILK! MILK! MILK! MILK! MILK!
What is wrong with drinking milk?
It is food for our bones and teeth.
It is only a thought. FRENCH FRIES,
CHEESE AND CHIPS: Who doesn't
want to eat french fries and chips
instead of vegetables and salad.
We need the fat, the salt and
the cheese after all it only clogs
our arteries. This is another
huge problem parents must face
today. French fries, cheese and
chips are not going to go away
as long as the income from these
products are astronomical. How
can we change this or at least
balance it between fruits and
vegetables? Everybody has an opinion
and the only person that can implement
this change is you. As an adult
I find it hard to control what
I eat. I recently attended a wonderful
dinner at a friend’s house. The
menu was not what I ordinarily
eat because of the content of
the ingredients. But I was with
friends we were all sitting around
the table laughing and talking
and enjoying each others company;
consequently, I ate too much of
the wrong food. Our children are
put into this situation everyday
and they have less control of
what they eat and I am the mature
adult. WHAT DO WE DO? If there
was an easy answer to this question
I would be a millionaire. We need
to stand back and take a look
at this problem from a child’s
prospective and then make changes.
SCHOOLS: The schools are where
are children daily are consuming
their meals. Sometimes breakfast
and definitely lunch everyday.
The food choices available are
all the child can choose from
unless they bring boxed lunches.
Maybe that is what is needed.
Maybe all children should start
bringing their own lunches to
school and the parents can send
a message to the school cafeteria
STOP POISONING OUR CHILDREN. (1)
These are our children. Our own
flesh and blood. They are precious
to us and we could not live without
them. (2) Why is it so hard for
you to understand good nutrition
make for healthier minds and bodies.
(3) We take precious time off
our employment for their medical
care. (4) We take care of them
when they are ill. (5) You are
creating massive medical and dental
problem from which the snowballing
effect is now being felt. CHILDREN’
HEALTH: Believe it or not children’s
health issues are now stair climbing
to the top floor faster than this
problem can be fixed. (1) Heart
Problems (2) Diabetic Problems
(3) High Cholesterol (4) Asthma
(5) Obesity These are just a few
stairs that lead up spiraling
out of control. Let us find a
solution to this massive problem
and step down. FAST FOOD: Fast
food is wonderful for busy families
and as a treat on occasions. Fast
food restaurants have made a huge
start in catering to the children
and adults who do not want to
eat sandwiches and french fries
with every meal. Now you can substitute
a salad. Good job fast food restaurants!
Now that you have taken the first
step maybe you can take another
baby step. Have fresh fruit available
to be purchased, if desired. You
might be surprised that your customers
will actually eat it. Maybe you
could take a look at your menu
with a parent’s eye. What would
I like my child to eat in the
way of nutritional value? Maybe
you could become creative and
develop some tasty, attractive,
dish the children will love. ACTIVITIES:
There are many positive activities
your children can get involved
in. Listed below are a few: l.
Sports 2. Dancing 3. Music 4.
Reading 5. Instrument 6. Swimming
7. Drama PARENTS AND CHILDRENS
ACTIVITIES TOGETHER: (1) Taking
a walk (2) Flying a kite (3) Playing
catch (4) Bicycle riding (5) Roller
blading (6) Swimming - A day at
the pool or beach. (7) Reading
a book followed by a discussion.
(8) Try writing a short story
or poem together. (9) Write a
cookbook together. (10) Cooking
(11) Try cutting out food groups
together from magazines and making
a colorful picture you can post
on your refrigerator or other
places around your home. The ideas
are endless since each child and
parent has their own special interests
and they do not need to cost a
fortune. In the long run your
children want to spend time with
you. When your children are healthy
and busy they are less likely
to get themselves into trouble.
For children and teenagers trouble
is lurking everywhere if they
choose to look for it. PARENTS:
As a parent I could have improved
my food choices for my children
and myself. As I am maturing I
now notice for myself that I make
better choices. But I am older
and wiser with high cholesterol
and slightly overweight. I find
when I am grocery shopping and
eating in a restaurant I am overwhelmed
at the food choices. LABELS ON
CANS AND BOTTLES: Reading labels
on cans and bottles in the grocery
stores is confusing. I read, and
read and read and in the end I
don't know which item to buy?
Do you feel that way too? Maybe
the food industry should try using
plain English in labeling their
food. What really is in it? Do
you not want us the consumers,
which buy and consume your food,
to know the truth in the ingredients
in your products? In a restaurant
it seems that each enticing dish
has excessive fat, cheese and
salt. All the ingredients that
make your palate dance with enjoyment
but oh what it does for your internal
and external body. As a parent
you need to set an example in
your daily diet and exercise.
You may not think your children
are noticing but they are. When
my children were growing up my
husband did not care for vegetables.
I loved vegetables and I wanted
my children to eat them. My husband
would constantly complain every
time I would incorporate vegetables
into the main dish. My daughter
a very picky eater to this day,
now a young lady will not eat
vegetables. GET KIDS COOKING:
Let your children, depending on
their ages, help you in the kitchen.
Let them choose the menu and let
them prepare it. Most children
who have a hand in the preparation
of the food will eat it. IN CLOSING:
This subject is so large and vast
it makes my head spin just thinking
about it. As a mother, and grandmother
I am not a professional in anyway
but these are my thoughts. If
your child is not receiving a
well balanced diet daily make
sure they are getting a good vitamin/mineral
supplement. I feel many problems
children face today with attention
deficit problems, behavior problems
and medical problems stem from
not having a nutritional balanced
diet. Let us not make the Doctors
and Dentists richer. Let us keep
our hard earned money in our own
pockets. That is my opinion. What
is yours? Please feel free to
check out my other articles. I
would love to hear from you. Copyright
2006 Linda Meckler Linda has wonderful
memories of the years her children
were young. Obesity in children
is such a huge issue now and needs
to be addressed immediately. Our
children are precious! Currently
she is the author of "Ghost Kids
Trilogy," three books in one book.
CHRISTY 12, AND HER BROTHER BRAD,
16 MOVE INTO AN OLD HOUSE ON TOP
OF A MOUNTAIN AND MEET TWO GHOST
KIDS. Meet a Magical Blue Vase.
Join Christy and Brad on a Pirates'
Treasure Hunt. ADVENTURE/MYSTERY
Love, Family Values and Charity
burst off the pages. Visit my
website at http://www.lmeckler.com
my email lmecky@tns.net. Order
my book at http://www.amazon.com
or http://www.buybooksontheweb.com
With an order of 5 books = 40%
discount. An order of 20 books
free shipping and handling. ISBN
0-7414-2273-5. |
