Evie and I headed out to Mom's Together this morning! Our program was on nutrition and it was very enlightening. Unfortunately, Evie got a fever so I had to leave but let me tell you that I need to do a better job feeding Evie.
The presenter became interested in nutrition because her son was allergic to wheat, milk, nuts and something else that I cannot remember! He had eczema so badly that it bled which caused her to change her families diet. She said that parents spend more time worrying about the best preschools, the most appropriate enhancement class or even the cutest Easter outfit than they do thinking about their child's nutrition. YIKES! Evie eats lots of fruits and vegetables but loves her sugar just like Mommy. We both need to cut back a little but I am not going to totally eliminate sweets from either of our diets. Nutrition has a greater impact on a child's life than alcohol or drug use!
I was amazed at the facts that the presenter listed - children consume more junk food than real food, 1/3 of all children are overweight, chocolate milk can have more sugar than coke, 10% of toddlers drink soft drinks daily and 70% of toddlers eat fast food more than three times per week. It was quite evident that this is a huge problem in our country. Young children are being diagnosed with high cholesterol and have plaque in their arteries as young as 3. I am a HUGE proponent of everything in moderation but this mornings talk got me thinking about ways to improve Evie's diet.
One tip that was especially helpful to me was that a tablespoon of sea salt in the kitchen sink can remove most of the pesticides off the food we serve our children. It takes 10 minutes for softer fruits and veggies and 20 minutes for firmer fruits and veggies.
My SIL always says that it's not a treat if you have it everyday and that is certainly true! I am planning to learn more about this important topic but don't worry I am not going to go on a health craze either! Please share any tips that you have on eating healthy as a family.
God’s Presence Equips Us
3 hours ago
I can't wait to see any comments you get, and please share anything else you find because we need improvements. Avery's sweets/snacks are very limited at home but it is a different story at the sitter's. Our biggest problem is that I cook but my recipes are not the healthiest. And the chicken nuggets or mac and cheese I turn to for her at lunch sometimes is not too high on the healthy list either.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip about the sea salt! My favorite cookbook is Cooking Light's Fast, Fresh, and something else. You can get it at Costco. Super easy recipes, very healthy, and my girls love it!
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