When We Know Better…

If you know me personally or keep up with me online then you know that working with children is

one of the major parts of my life. I talk a lot about how much I love them, the lessons I teach them and the lessons they teach me. I could go on for hours about this but I won’t bore you that way. What I will do is address something that has been weighing heavily on my mind for a while now. I am extremely concerned about what is being fed to so many of our youth. Usually, if I say something like that I’m speaking in a psychological or spiritual capacity but right now I literally mean what is being put into their bellies. I am noticing a pattern of unhealthiness that is most alarming and could have negative long-term effects.

In no way am I writing this to condemn anyone. I understand that we all lead busy lives and I also

understand that money trees have not been invented yet so I recognize the struggle. Many parents are giving it their all as they maneuver between their children’s school and extra-curricular activities, sometimes multiple jobs and their own educational goals all the while trying to stretch a dollar like spandex. I get it and I respect it. But sometimes it’s a matter of not realizing the true ramifications of our actions or shortcuts. On a daily basis I witness children and teenagers inhale packs of Top Ramen like it is their life source. I see large quantities of soda, cookies and candies devoured as if it’s nothing. I’ve seen children given candy as a means to get them to comply. I have yet to see one child consume anything green and unprocessed nor have I seen them drink water beyond the few sips that are taken after a bout of physical activity. The physical activity part is definitely a good thing but I fear the unhealthy diets almost negate the benefits of the exercise.

Obviously I’m no doctor nor am I the epitome of a healthy eater. Maaan, them Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups still be callin’ me like Pookie. However, there are lifestyle changes I made many years ago in relation to my diet and I continue to make more healthy choices along the way. But I’m good and grown and I have the power to control what I consume. The babies don’t. So, I want to drop a few facts about these processed foods and what they contain. One package of Top Ramen contains 1580mg of sodium. The recommended DAILY intake of sodium is 1,500mg. Yikes! Oh, but Top Ramen is not the only problem. That bangin’ Chic-fil-a sandwich that I most certainly used to covet and possibly could have been bribed with contains 1390mg of sodium. Laaawd, and Chic-fil-a poses itself as the “healthy” fast food alternative. I dare you to go look up your favorite McDonald’s Wendy’s Taco Bell and KFC items yourself. They're all bad I tell you. It’s time to ring the fast and processed food alarm!

You may be thinking, “I ate McDonald’s and Top Ramen growing up and I’m ok.” Two things we must ask ourselves.  Am I really ok health wise?  Do my children lead as active of a lifestyle as I did as a child? I know back in my day, we lived outside. Many youth of today are X-Box and Playstation babies which means a more sedentary lifestyle. I know that I did eat fast food at times but at one point KFC was called Kentucky Fried Chicken and though it was fried, it was actually chicken. McDonald’s once sold real beef(I think) but again, I ate much more home cook meals than fast food or processed ones. I definitely did not have as much interaction with a microwave as a child as children do these days. The bottom line is fast foods and processed foods are loaded with sodium and fat.

Too much sodium is Evil! Sodium leads to high blood pressure. Peep the illustrations to the right to

understand the severity. Since I am not a doctor or a health guru I only hope to be a catalyst for change and further research. It was a few pages from the book “From the Browder File” by Anthony Browder that caused me to start thinking about what I put into my body well over a decade ago. That’s when I gave up the pork and beef and never looked back. I’ve only been eating fish for a while now though I’ve had an occasional chicken relapse. It takes our bodies longer to process the beef and pork and pork is high in sodium. Chicken and turkey are leaner meats. There really is nothing good to say about fast food besides it can fill you up but at a high cost. Fried, fast and processed need to be cut back on as much as possible.  Don’t give in to the Happy Meal requests!! Cut back on the salt, ketchup and hot sauce too. I no longer use table salt. On occasion I may cook or order fries and they’re always salt free. The point is that we have to start somewhere and something has to be the spark.

Well dang Clever, what can we eat? Lol. You can eat what you want to but I would suggest packing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for your child’s snack rather than some Ramen noodles. Peanut butter with apples or celery is great too. Cut back on or eliminate soda and sugary drinks and increase the amount of water the children drink. We have to retrain our taste buds to enjoy the actual foods we’re eating and work on curtailing salt and sugar cravings. For example, at one point I didn’t like sweet potatoes. I felt they were bland because they looked like a yam but didn’t have that sweet taste. Then I began to like sweet potatoes with honey and some brown sugar. Now I eat them plain. I like the taste of the sweet potato and I no longer need it to taste like a candied yam. I used to put hot sauce on almost all of my vegetables. Yeah, I’m a southern woman. Now I don’t even get down with Texas Pete. I never thought he and I would part ways but we did. I outgrew him.  Yes, the children will protest in the beginning but ummmm, who’s buying the food??? Fresh fruits and veggies do cost a little more but doctor’s visits are expensive as well.

This post started out from my concern about what we’re feeding the children but the truth is unless 

parents and the community begin to take this seriously it will not change. We have to set an example. It wouldn’t be fair to buy a Circus Burger for yourself and fix grilled chicken and asparagus tips for the babies. The process of eating better and becoming more active can be one the family enjoys together. This creates a norm for the children that they will carry with them and pass on to their children. People say high blood pressure is hereditary but an overlooked truth is that diet and lifestyle are what we typically pass on through generations. We can break the cycle for ourselves and for the children. It requires some time, discipline, research and sacrifice but as an adult we know by now that most of the good things do. I know that I’m not cool with complacency and I hope you aren't either. We think of how we want to provide our children with love, educational opportunities, spirituality and the likes but we overlook their health. We don’t want college students or young entrepreneurs on high blood pressure pills. Therefore, when we know better, we DO BETTER.

Peace & Love

(My apologies for the length but there’s so much to be said about this topic and I’m wordy! Links on high blood pressure, sugar intake and healthy alternatives are listed below. Feel free to share any of your "Do Better" Stories).

More on diets high in sodium: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-fuhrman-md/high-salt-diet-_b_821323.html

How much sugar is a gram: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/how-much-sugar-is-a-gram

Signs of too much sugar in children with alternatives: http://www.advantage4parents.com/article/5-signs-your-child-eats-too-much-sugar/

Processed sugar and death by heart disease: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021