Time for a Wake-up Call

Thank goodness for time to reflect. Last week I was feeling pretty lousy. Worthless, actually.

My daughter needed a few immunizations to be up to date with school. While at the doctor, they performed the various battery of tests for her 11-year checkup. I was thrilled that her weight was well within the “normal” range for her height, despite her genetic obstacles from both sides.

However, we were told she had glucose in her urine, which prompted a blood sugar test. It was higher than it should be. I was told that since this was not a fasting test, that we should not be too alarmed, but something to be careful about. A myriad of excuses went through my head: they fed her a bad lunch at school, she wasn't drinking enough water, and maybe she is just intolerant of refined carbs. Of course not one of these was based on any medical expertise, but I just could not muster that it was anything I had any control over.

The doctor then said that if any of the other tests were concerning, they would call and let us know.

I got a call the next day. Her cholesterol level was just a few points shy of being “high.”

My heart sank. I felt like a worthless parent. It had to be me. I got lax. I slowly started to let too much fast, fatty, highly-processed food back into our diet because we are just too busy. I wasn't encouraging play time and exercise as much as I should, because I was not making time for myself. I was doing exactly what I write about not doing. What a fraud I had become.

Now I guess anyone can see why this blog has taken a back seat for the last year. My heart just was not in it. I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. And it shows. I worked very hard to lose 35 pounds by just eating better and exercising more over the course of 18 months. Fifteen of those pounds have crept back on the past 12 to 18 months. And I am weak. I could easily do 25 push-ups (real ones) and run three miles. I can no longer get through my favorite Jillian Michaels video taking periodic breaks. She would be screaming in my face.

But this is not about me. Who cares if there was no way in Hades I was going to take a bathing suit to my trip to South Africa earlier this year. This is about my children. They are so important to me. To feel I have contributed to their bad health make me feel as if I am the worst mother in the world.

While I really wanted to crawl in a hole, I have instead pulled on the muck boots to make a plan. Or, I guess, revisit the old plan (Reinventing Our Plate) . There was absolutely nothing wrong with what we were doing before. I just let too many other not-as-important things move their way to the top of the list.

So here’s to a rebirth and unfailing commitment. My daughter seems to be all for it. She’s not fighting the healthier dinners, and we have a plan for one cheat meal a week, as long as we keep portions under control. The little one is happy no matter what food I put in front of him.

Last night we had turkey burgers sans bun, baked sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli. I will need to be creative tonight, as we have Karate practice (something new for son, but daughter said she also enjoyed the trial class), a small window for dinner, followed by a 4-H meeting. But I’m up for the challenge, again. 

Reinventing Our Plate

All of the information about portion size and what we should be eating must be sinking in, because I’ve got a new way of loading up my family’s’ plates. Vegetables and fruits take center stage while the meat, dairy, and grains play side dishes.

The sweet potato and fresh-from the garden squash and beans play the main role on this plate.
We got a few more veggies in by adding a small salad.

As I became more concerned about the nutrition in our household, I realized that we may not be getting enough of the recommended vegetable servings in our diet. I try very hard to always provide something plant-based and colorful at lunch and dinner, but I’m thinking it’s time to step it up and at least follow the USDA MyPlate suggestion: Half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. I’ve been consciously doing this for a little over a year now.

Here are a few ways that we have increased on fruit and veggie intake:

• You can’t leave the breakfast table without having at least one fruit, but two is better. I always try to keep bananas and berries on hand. I like grapefruit and usually eat it 3 times a week. I’m not a juice person, but will drink it if I’m running behind on time.
• Have a serving of fruit at lunch and one at dinner or for a snack. I always have 4-5 different kinds of fruit on hand depending on what is in season or on sale. Bananas and apples are always around (my husband gets very unhappy if they are not), and I will pick others depending on what is in season or on sale. Frozen fruit is great for smoothies, and canned fruit is a last resort, but I keep it in the cupboard just in case.  When buying apples, I like getting the bags of small apples. Occasionally, I can only find the large apples that are worth eating. In those cases, we share. I also keep dried cranberries or raisins around; they are a great substitute for candy.
• Think "Veggies" at lunchtime. Load sandwiches with spinach and other vegetables like cucumbers, pickles, peppers and more. Then add a baked sweet potato or a few baby carrots instead of chips. If chips are easy, opt for corn chips and chunky salsa (limit the chips – don’t let your kids eat out of bag). I also make sure my kids finish the salsa (1/2 cup serving). You can also serve a salad as the meal with different types dark green lettuces and 2-3 other veggies or fruit.
• At dinner, serve at least two colorful vegetables. White potatoes and sweet corn are counted as starches in my kitchen, but a better option than white bread. Sweet potatoes have become a family favorite and very easy to cook. I actually prefer to cook them in the microwave.  In fact, the microwave or steamer is my preferred way to cook most my vegetables.
• Figure out how to add more veggies to your standard recipes. I have started adding squash, peppers and onions to my spaghetti sauce. I add a can of black beans and onion to my taco meat. Fajitas are a favorite because you can cook the meat with onions, peppers, squash and more, and then add salsa and avocado to finish. Stir-fry dishes are also easy to add lots of veggies to. Think about trying veggie-full soups. On pizza night, I limit my kids to one slice, and we add a salad or baby carrots and a fruit.

For additional tips, I found these resources at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/ten-tips.html:

• Add More Vegetables to Your Day
• Focus on Fruits
• Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits
• Liven Up Your Meals with Vegetables and Fruits
• Kid-Friendly Veggies and Fruits

Size Matters

One thing that we all need to be careful to do as we are adding vegetables and fruits is to decrease the portions of the other foods. Taking a cue from the 250 to 400 calorie frozen meals like Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I serve most of our meals on a 7-inch plate or a soup bowl (daddy is excused from this). I get the bigger plates out when I want to add more veggies, but know that I don’t have to cover it entirely – keep food out of the outer rim.

For anyone who needs a visual guide to help them fill a healthier plate, there are several “portion” plates on the market:

Find your Zen when eating: www.thebalanceplate.com

Functional and beautiful: www.slimware.com

For the educational approach: www.theportionplate.com

Last year I rated USDA’s new My Plate, and did not give it a very good review - I Give the New USDA Dietary Guidelines a C Minus - but now realize that the My Plate is a good place to start for better eating, and is best used with the store of healthy eating tips on its website: www.choosemyplate.gov

Sugar in the Landfills

Since it is Halloween, I am going to refrain from preaching about giving kids too much candy today. I do allow my kids to go trick or treating, and they are allowed to eat a few pieces of their treasured loot (after I go through it to find the good stuff, that is). But in about a month I am sure I will be tossing about three quarters of their candy in the trash. Not because I am that mean mommy all the time, but thankfully because they forget about it.

At our house, Halloween is all about the costumes and making a show for all to see. Since we do not live in a great “trick or treating” neighborhood, we travel to Nana’s each year where there are more people to impress. And when Eden dresses up, she plays the part. Since she is a peacock this year, I am sure she will be making that awful peacock cry and fanning her tail. Little Lane will be happy just walking around and seeing everyone.

When the candy comes home, there are rules attached. Eden has been my daughter long enough that she knows to ask before getting into her bucket. I let her have a piece or two of candy a day, usually after she has had something good to eat. After the fourth day, she quits asking, and it just sits on top of the refrigerator. Daddy will go through and find the things he likes – anything made out of chocolate. I am bit pickier; it has to have both chocolate and caramel (I’m so glad that candy costs more and people are less likely to buy it to give out).

So now I am wondering if my family is atypical, or if most families end up tossing a lot of the candy in the trash. I’m also wondering if we should be doing something different these days if our candy money is wasted. Should we be giving quarters to every great costume that comes knocking on our door? I think Unicef used to give kids boxes in order to collect donations during Halloween, but I have not seen that lately. Could we be collecting for local children in need to good food? It would take a great deal of effort to change the tradition, but I am all for it. Now who’s with me? Mars and Hersey’s, please don’t send me any hate mail!

Food Day & Learning to Say “NO”

While I appreciate the efforts of FOOD DAY organizers, I have a few issues and will attempt to address them in time. (Initially I wanted to tackle one each day this week, but I am a busy mom.)

Food Day Principle #5 - Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing aimed at kids

Food, Mommy Principle #1 - Promote health by providing your kids better food choices and teach them to say "No" to poor food choices

I think it is very ironic that everyone is pointing their fingers at “junk-food” producers and marketers for making our kids fat, when they don’t have any real buying power. Who buys it for them? WE DO!

“No” may be the most important word you ever teach your child. My kids hear it at least 50 times a day, and at least half of those “no’s” are aimed at their food choices.

“Mommy, can I pick a cereal that I want?” And I say, “No, we are not going to get a cereal with that much sugar.”

“Mommy, can I have some ice cream?” Me, “What did you eat today at Nana’s house?” Kid, “Well, we had pancakes for breakfast, macaroni and cheese and a popsicle at lunch.” Me, “No, not today. If we make better food choices tomorrow, then I will consider letting you have some ice cream.”

“Mommy, I’m starving. Can we go by McDonald’s or Taco Bell.” Me, “No, I have something to cook for dinner. Eat an apple when we get home.”

As marketing tactics become increasingly aggressive, we the adults need to put on our fighting gear and quit asking the government to step in or stop filing silly lawsuits against the best food marketers. Slick advertising does not make our kids fat. They may ask for it, but adults are giving in. I will even be so bold to say that parents are worse than the marketers. We get lazy or blame the fact that we just don’t have time to do better.

On more occasions than I can count in the last few months, I have seen adults making very poor food choices for our children. Pizza, hot dogs and sodas were the main fare at a juvenile diabetes research fund raising walk this weekend. Every time my child is sent home with a fundraising form, it is for selling doughnuts or treats or cookie dough. Upcomoing Halloween and fall festivals will be filled with bags of candy and food our kids just do not need. How often do our kids have an extra-curricular activity and pizza, cookies, cupcakes, sodas and sugar-filled drinks aren’t on the menu? The kids aren’t shelling out the cash for these things, and I bet they aren’t even asking for it. We just assume that is what they want to eat and we provide it for them.

I am not opposed to pizza and treats on occassion, but let’s get off our duffs and show our kids that we care about their health. Just say, “NO,” and give them a good meal for a change.

Eating by Example

When you are a parent, even the smallest milestones make you jump for joy. My most recent jubilation came this past Sunday night; my 2-year-old son ate an entire piece of raw broccoli. What was even more amazing was that I did not even offer it to him. He just took it off of my salad plate and in his mouth it went. I told him that I was so very proud of him and gave him a big hug.

My daughter sat their staring at me wondering why I didn’t give her the same hug, but she has always been a great vegetable connoisseur. I do try to tell her on a regular basis however that I am so happy that she enjoys nutritious food.

My son, on the other hand, has been a bit pickier about his food choices. I was beginning to think that I had done something differently in raising this child since anything green usually hit the floor. I had resorted to “hiding” vegetables in his food. And since I discovered that he is very fond of “salads,” which I am sure is mostly due to the fact there is some kind of dressing masking the taste, I started sharing my salads with him on a regular basis, and he was none the wiser of me including bell peppers and onions in his bites. I also make a chopped broccoli salad quite often that includes many of his other favorites like Craisins, cheese and nuts. And the last few times we have had asparagus, I asked him if he wanted to eat a little tree, and he replied, “Roarrrrr. I eat like a dinosaur.” He did take a couple bites. And carrots and sweet potatoes have also become a few of his more recent favorites.

While these new eating habits did not occur overnight, I am now a true believer that we must show our kids how to eat properly by example. A dose of patience also goes a long way. Now that I feel that I have a true success story, here are a few of my tips to help you steer your kids to eating a larger variety of nutritious foods:

1 – Do not get into the habit of cooking your kids separate meals, especially at dinner time. It’s hard on you and sets your kids up to think they can always eat exactly what they want. And make sure to put a little of everything on their plates.

2 – Do not force your kids to try something new, but bribery works pretty well. Tell your kids they can eat something you know they like if they try what is on their plate. I always try to hold back the bread until after they have eaten an ample supply of veggies.

3 – Dramatize! It may sound silly, but if you make a big deal about how good the vegetables are, they might eventually want try it on their own to satisfy their curiosity.

4 – Get your kids involved in selecting things at the grocery or market. My daughter loves getting her own grocery cart and filling it with all of the fruits and vegetables, especially if she knows she will be eating it later. She is also pretty good at selecting the produce on her own. Nothing makes her more proud then to hear another customer compliment her on her choices. To get my toddler son involved, I make sure to have a conversation with him about all of the different things we buy.

One of the biggest failures I have seen with parents/caregivers is that they think kids won’t like certain foods because they are kids. I have also seen parents/caregivers give up too easily and resort to not-so-healthy choices so the kids have something to eat. But be persistent. If they see you eating and enjoying healthy food choices and also providing good choices, maybe they will learn to love good food as well.

Food Marketing Mayhem

Produced the way God intended.

That was the first thing that popped into my head when Eden was trying to come up with a slogan to put on a carton to sell her eggs. For the chickens are free to go wherever and can eat anything they want.

Or maybe we can say, “all natural” when we sell our eggs; they are of this earth, at least to my knowledge. Free-range, raised with integrity, from a small family-farm, home-grown, gluten-free, sugar free, no high-fructose corn syrup, raised with no added hormones, no steroids, no antibiotics, local, and proceeds from all sales will go to a college fund. Who wouldn’t want to buy Eden’s eggs?

But this is exactly the kind of marketing mayhem that is making my head spin. Food companies are playing on our emotions and lack of knowledge to sell their products.

The tactic I like the least is saying a food is free of some ingredient or additive, when it never had it to begin with. In the late ‘80s and ‘90s, when the newest diet crazes required eating less fat, everything became “fat free.” Remember seeing sugar candies labeled “fat free?” Oh, yea. I can eat all I want!

Fast forward 25 years, fat is no longer the enemy; it’s sugar. Even worse in some minds is high-fructose corn syrup, which is silly. But I admit that I have hopped aboard the “sugar is bad” train. I caught myself looking at several yogurts at the store wanting to find the one that had the least sugar, but without aspartame… because that’s really bad? Oh, trans-fats are still bad. Yes? I haven’t seen a label that says no trans-fats in a while, so do we care anymore? It seems that you now need to know the difference between Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Both are naturally-occurring. Which one am I looking for, again?

The chicken companies have started to add “no added hormones” and “no steroids” to their labels. But just in case you didn’t know, chicken producers have not been allowed to use hormones and steroids since 1954. But would you buy the chicken labeled as such above a brand that is not labeled that way? I also think it is funny that they place “cage free” on packages of chicken cuts. Most all chickens produced for meat are raised cage free. Chickens from cages that have exceeded their maximum egg producing years may end up in a can of chicken noodle soup, but who would eat that anyway? Have you seen the sodium content? Wait, the soup now has “a 1/3 less sodium which is ‘heart healthy’?”

While I have not seen it as much lately, “hormone free” really gets me going. If it has ever been alive, plant or animal, there are hormones. Unless you are eating synthetic food, get used to consuming them.

My next least favorite tactic is food companies trying to make less than healthy foods seem more healthful. Jars of spaghetti sauce and canned pastas contain “two full servings of vegetables.” Wait a minute. I thought tomatoes were technically fruits. We may next be seeing that veggie slogan on a bag of potato chips. If you eat the whole bag, you may be getting several day’s worth of veggies. Yes! And while I do appreciate the breakfast cereal companies using more “whole grains” which many of them have done for years, that does not change the fact that they are still full of sugar. Hmm? Some say that cows fed corn are less healthy than cows only fed grass and hay. Will corn--which is a whole grain--make me unhealthy and fat, too? Suzanne Somers says so. What’s next? “Contains no corn” or “no grains?” Actually, I have seen that on bags of dog and cat food. Those bags also read, “Real meat.”

Since Paleolithic man did not eat grains, they must not be an ideal food choice. However, I just saw a magazine cover that says Dr. Oz swears by eating for your blood type. Since my blood is A-, I am supposedly a perfect candidate to go vegetarian, and I digest grains very well. I expect that very soon we will see frozen meals that will list blood types: “Type A approved!”

Lastly, I have been seeing foods marked, “farm-grown.” Are there so many synthetic food ingredients out there that people honestly think their food was created in a laboratory?

Or better yet, I recently saw bins full of vegetables marked “Home Grown.” I stood there with my mouth open for a few seconds. I really had a hard time believing that this mound of produce came from a local person’s back yard. The logistics alone did not make since for a large grocery chain to buy from small, very local producers.

Then I saw another store chain advertise the same in their weekly flyer and an explanation followed. The produce came from X Farms: they are family-owned, grow produce on 2,500 acres and are located in Ohio. Nothing against Ohio, but that is not close to my home, 2,500 acres is a very large operation requiring lots of labor, and most all the farms I know of are family-owned. Why isn’t the corn bread mix in the next aisle labeled “home grown” then, or the steaks in the meat aisle. I know for a fact that those came from family farmers in Kentucky, even though they are sold at a regional store chain. Maybe I need to put a bug in their marketers’ ears.

The list of food marketing tactics goes on and on. While some can claim it is a better understanding of food and nutrition that makes food companies want to cater to our desires and aim to eat better, I also believe it plays into a lot of people’s lack of understanding and fear. I am also inclined to think that these marketing buzz words give food companies justifiable reason to up the price on our food. Are you willing to pay more for the same food that is perceived as being better? I am not.

We have more information about the food we eat than ever. But while I cannot make claims on the overall health of our population, I know for a fact that we are definitely a heftier nation than we were before we knew the simplest calorie, fat and sugar content of our food. So, what is really making us fat: the food or our tendencies to embrace fancy words and slick packaging? I am still a believer that food with the least amount of frill, plastic, cardboard and ink is still best. Wash the dirt off and enjoy.

You may also enjoy - Hormones, Steroids, and Antibiotics. Oh, My! or Silly Chefs, High Fructose Corn Syrup is not the Enemy.

Chocolate Milk Continued

The day following my blog post, "The Great Chocolate Milk Compromise," I saw a story in the Baltimore Sun that calories and sugar content are being reduced in flavored milk products. This is great news, and I'm glad the milk processors are thinking more about our children's health.

I also this week ran into my good friend Denise who is a dairy farmer and works for the Kentucky Dairy Development Council. She confirmed that my child was probably not exagerating about the white milk tasting funny at school. She said milk packaged in paperboard cartons can pick up odors from other foods quite easily. Denise also told me that one milk company is trying to get schools to purchase milk in recyclable plastic bottles and will then pick up the bottles to recycle them. One more "mooovelous" idea.

The Great Chocolate Milk Compromise

Thank goodness school is back in session, and my family is settling back into a regular schedule. But one thing is different this year. I am packing my child’s lunch every day.

I had not done that the last three years. I generally felt that what her school provided her was fine, and I am still convinced it is an economical, as well as time-saving way to go. However, since I have dedicated myself to be a bit more conscious of what my children are putting into their mouths, “fine” was not good enough.

Here are my biggest issues with the school lunches:

1) A few too many convenience foods – frozen pizza, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, etc.

2) Too few fresh fruit and veggie options.

3) The fact that I have no idea of the ingredients, calorie and nutrient content of those foods.

4) Chocolate milk.

Yes, I said it. I am sure my dairy farmer friends are not happy with me, but I don’t like the added sugar. What I don’t like even more is the fact that I could not convince my child to not drink the chocolate milk at school when she has been/is perfectly happy drinking regular skim milk at home. She says the school’s white milk tastes funny. I have a hard time believing this, and she is making the least favorable choice because it is available to her. On this issue, I have to agree with what Jamie Oliver (http://www.jamieoliver.com/) is trying to do with his “Food Revolution” at our schools.

Therefore, I am taking more control of my child’s diet by sending my food choices to school with her. They are usually full of fresh fruits and veggies, varying proteins, a light serving of grains, and water to drink. To date, she has been very happy with what I have been sending, and she has created her own menu list so she can request the different combinations. (Look for these lunches on this blog and on my Facebook page.)

HOWEVER, I am not a stalwart food mom all of the time, and I am open to compromise. So I told her she could pick one day a week to eat the school’s lunch. Since the school system has changed to a consistent weekly menu throughout the semester, she has decided that Thursday is her day. She will be eating chicken nuggets, a whole-grain roll, applesauce and (pain) chocolate milk. They do offer mashed potatoes and asparagus (canned), but she is not a fan of either. I can’t say that I blame her on the asparagus. Since she eats green veggies such as spinach, broccoli and fresh asparagus on a regular basis, I feel she can go without a veggie this one meal. We’ll make up for it at dinner.

After I started writing this blog, originally titled “Improving the School Lunch,” I decided to think about chocolate milk a little more. The average calorie content of an 8 oz. chocolate milk carton served at school is about 160. The average 12 oz. non-diet soda has about 155 calories. If those are my choices, I’ll gladly suggest the chocolate milk, for it actually has some good nutritional qualities: protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, energy-inducing fat and carbs, and a number of other vitamins and minerals. The difference in calories between the chocolate milk and the plain milk we drink at home is about one Dove dark chocolate, which I would have let her eat after dinner anyway.

Jamie Oliver makes a very compelling argument against chocolate milk – filling the school bus with the sugar a child consumes in a school year if drinking only flavored milk – but I fear many kids are getting much more sugar from candy, cookies, toaster breakfast foods, cereals, and sodas. While chocolate milk may not be the best choice, there are much worse things for our kids to consume in my mind, and I am glad I decided to take a more critical look. (Have you thought about how much sugar your child consumes in an average week and the foods that sugar comes from?) Thinking about parents who may not be able to send lunch to school with their kids, I am fine with schools continuing to serve flavored milk as it may be one of the more nutritious things they have all day. But could they maybe work with the stevia folks to reduce the sugar? Just a suggestion.

Miss E won’t be drinking chocolate milk every school day, but I won’t feel guilty about our compromise for 36 days out of the year. I think this agreement has actually made her more excited about making her own good food choices.

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Silly Chefs, High Fructose Corn Syrup is Not the Enemy

My husband came home from work yesterday with an article from The Wall Street Journal that a co-worker had given him about chefs replacing high fructose corn syrup with other forms of sugar in their food (Sweet Revenge, Chefs Pour on the Sugar). The co-worker knew I worked for a corn and grain association and wanted my opinion.

I provided him with the following:

Even though I work for corn farmers, I don’t tell people it’s okay to eat a bunch of HFCS. However, if you want to eat it, it’s as safe as other forms of sugar. If you look at the chemical make-up of HFCS, it is almost identical to table sugar.

Sucrose (table sugar from sugar cane) is a disaccharide of a glucose and fructose molecule. So 50:50 glucose fructose. Fructose and glucose molecules are free floating in HFCS. The most popular form of HFCS is 55% fructose/41% glucose (few extra sugars floating around) because it has a similar sweetness as sucrose. There is another form that actually has less fructose – 42% fructose and 53%, and this is used for baked goods in most applications. 90% fructose syrup is made, but is usually only used to increase the fructose levels of HFCS-42.

Once the sucrose hits your mouth, the weak bond between the glucose and fructose is broken down, so again, almost identical to HFCS.

Many of the studies that say that HFCS is metabolized differently, or grows pancreatic cancer cells, etc. is actually research done comparing fructose to glucose. Fructose does affect us differently than glucose… BUT there is also fructose in sugar from sugar cane and sugar beets and even fruit. So, should we not eat fruit?

(Side Note: I know for a fact that fructose does a number on my system... I get absolutely ravenous after I eat an apple and some other fruits - according to Dr. Oz, the fructose is affecting my appetite hormone ghrelin and making my belly growl - but I still eat the apples. I just add a little peanut butter to help fuel my leptin - the "I'm full" hormone.)

Here is where the long chemical name gets HFCS in trouble. When you have a name that sounds like a “chemical,” people will look at it as a “chemical.” Even though all of our food is a conglomerate of many molecules, “chemical” usually conjures images of unnatural liquids in a laboratory. I appreciate the Corn Refiners Association trying to change the name to corn sugar, but it may be too late for that. Even "corn syrup" sounds better, but the corn sryup you buy at the grocery is primarily glucose and not as sweet.

Most all processed sugars are created the same way. The starch or sugars in their raw form have to be converted by enzymes to more simple sugars. In sugar cane and sweet sorghum, they add enzymes to the juice from the plants and then cook it down, evaporating the water. To make HFCS, they add enzymes to the corn syrup, to yield more fructose. Even bees add enzymes from their saliva to convert the nectar into honey. And guess what? Honey contains more fructose than glucose.

HFCS is also in a bad spot because it is used in a lot of processed foods: 1) it is easier to transport and blend, 2) has better preserving benefits, 3) provides a better texture for some products, and 4) may enhance fruit flavors. Since it is in a lot of stuff that may not be good for us to begin with, it usually gets a finger pointed in its direction for causing obesity. But processed foods have a whole host of ingredients that are not on the nutritionally-beneficial list. Replace HFCS with sugar, as many are doing, your problem is not solved.

As a mom concerned about nutrition for myself and my family, I try to reduce all forms of processed sugar from our diets. BUT come treat time, I don’t prohibit things made with HFCS. It’s no better or worse in my mind as any other sugar.

If you are interested in further reading, I will obviously direct you to http://www.sweetsurprise.com/ which is a site of the Corn Refiner’s Association, but also check out the Fructose entry on Wikipedia. This is the best “scientific” explanation of fructose I have seen. I read through the HFCS entry on Wikipedia, and I think there is a lot of biased information. Good luck in your endeavors to discover the truth.

I Give the New USDA Dietary Guidelines a C Minus

While I applaud the USDA for trying to make their new dietary guidelines, which can be found at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/, much simpler for a “growing” population, I think this new approach is just too dumbed-down for my taste. In fact, it made me ask more questions:


1 – What size is the plate? 9 inches or 12 inches? Does it depend on the size, age and activity level of the person?

2 – Where do foods like nuts and dry beans fall? Should a starchy potato be considered a vegetable? And what about sweet corn? Technically it’s a grain, but most people treat it as a vegetable. Does a salad covered in cheese, bacon bits and Ranch dressing count as my “vegetable?”

3 – How much fat should you consume, and what types of foods should it come from?

4 – Are all of these foods really necessary three times a day?

My feeling is that this simple rendition of a “meal” could be misinterpreted by many people to “fit” what they like. It would be very easy to have a large plate filled with fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, apple pie and a big scoop of ice cream. Based on the guidelines, this meal meets the criteria.

Therefore, as I am not the kind of person to just criticize without offering solutions, I am developing my own guidelines for myself and my family:

ALL of our calories should be guilt free! I will always feel confident in the food I provide my family. Treats are okay some of the time, and they should be enjoyed. We designate 1 day a week as “dessert day” and have something really yummy.

MOST of our calories should come from “whole foods,” that is foods that come as they are straight from nature. This leaves some room for breads, pastas, cereals (which I also try to make sure most are whole grain) and processed dairy like cheese and yogurt.

SOME of our calories should come from a variety of plant-based foods, and SOME of our calories should come from animal-based foods. I try to get a lot of variety in our diet. As far as plant foods, we eat foods every color of the rainbow and all kinds: grains, nuts, legumes, leafy, cruciferous, fruits, roots, etc. I also try to vary our meat choices. I will rarely cook chicken two days in a row. I’m an equal opportunity animal consumer.

FEW of our meals should come from restaurants. I want most of our food to be cooked and eaten at home, 1) because I know I can do better than most restaurants (at least the ones I can easily afford), 2) it allows us to better appreciate our food, and 3) I know the ingredients used.

Yes, this is also a simple approach and does not address age, activity level and dietary needs, but that is something people need to go over with a dietician or health care provider. I am convinced there is not a one-size fits all plan. Aside from talking with our doctor, it may come down to good old trial and error.

Again, I am thankful that our government is trying to watch out for our health, but I wonder if the MyPlate approach is really going to change the eating habits of those that need it the most. Good luck, Mrs. Obama.

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How Can We Best Tackle Childhood Obesity?

I saw story on NBC’s Today last Friday morning about Georgia’s Children’s Health Alliance Child Obesity Campaign, and some believe the ads are alienating overweight children further. I am not completely convinced that they crossed that line. I see more kids than ever who are overweight or obese, and I don’t like it. But how do we effectively tell our kids (and their parents) that they are not healthy without making them feel bad?

Unfortunately, this is something I struggle with in my own family. I was never a thin child; I was always a little heavier (and taller) than most of the kids in school, but never to the point that I was teased about it. And yes, I admit, I am still about 30 pounds heavier than what my doctor would like me to be (but I’m successfully working on it). My husband struggled more with his weight as a child and a young adult – his mother said it’s because he is a member of the “keg” family. In both of our cases, bad genetics aside, our ability to hold on to extra pounds was nearly 100% due to the facts that we ate too much and we didn’t get enough physical activity. I hate to blame our parents and grandparents, but 1) kids don’t eat what they can’t get a hold of, and 2) they learn eating and exercise/activity habits from the people in their lives.

My husband was finally able to drop 50 pounds about 12 years ago when he adamantly asked his late grandmother, whom he visited daily, to stop providing him chips and chocolate to snack on. (Don’t you hate that it is just that easy for men to drop weight).

So, two “easy keepers” produced some offspring. In this current world of health-consciousness, image-consciousness and our easy access to food (thank you, God, farmers and our great country) you can imagine that I am concerned that my children may also one day worry about their weights and appearance like I did and still do. And unfortunately, this issue is already creeping into my relationship with my eight-year-old daughter. Like me at the same age, she carries some extra weight for a kid her height. It does not seem to bother her in the least right now, but I worry it may in the future. I don’t want that for her. Unfortunately, people judge others on their appearance. Being heavy is an automatic sign that you are not in control of your health or life.

No one can accuse me of not being aware of what healthy eating is, or not caring, or continually shoving high-sugar, high-fat treats into my kids mouths to make them happy. She has always been a wonderful eater – lots of green and yellow veggies, fresh fruits, fish, lean meats, nuts, etc. My food philosophy is “good stuff most of the time, treats some of the time.” I think it is mentally healthy to allow yourself some happy eating, just not every day. I also encourage more activity: we ride our horses (but not nearly enough), we play active games on the Wii, we go for walks, and she will occasionally work out with me if it isn’t too hard. This is all a good start, but I think we could do more.

I really, really want to blame grandparents right now – Sorry, Granny and Nana. I spent a lot of time with a doting, spoiling grandmother who let me eat as much of whatever I wanted. My daughter also has a grandmother that does just the same, even though she won’t admit it. My husband and I try to have regular conversations with Nana about what appropriate meals and snacks should be, but it just isn’t being understood to the extent we would like. My child gives me reports on what she eats on a visit, and I am usually very disappointed.

Spoiling grandparents aside, the bigger reason we are more overweight as a society than ever is because of technology. I am a true believer in making things more efficient, but many of us don’t have to exert any real physical energy to do our jobs. Same goes for kids. Instead of running the neighborhood they are glued to the TV, computers and video games. I will take some blame for that aspect of my child’s health. I don’t limit “sitting” time at my house like I should. I guess I feel it is “okay” since most of her activities are mentally enriching.

So, again, how do I and the many other caring parents out there attempt to make our children healthier without making them—or their caregivers—feel as if they are less than perfect or accepted and loved?

First, I think we need to apologize to our kids. After watching the ads of the aforementioned campaign, I believe parents and caregivers will and should feel some shame for contributing to their kids’ weight problems. (Just so someone doesn’t jump down my throat for that comment, I do realize that some weight gain is a symptom of other more serious health problems, and is not anyone’s fault. That is not the case for most people.) We should be honest about why there is a problem.

Second, we need to be committed as parents and caregivers to do what is best for our children, even if it makes them unhappy. Learn all you can about nutrition and healthy activity from the right sources: registered dieticians and certified health professionals … not self-proclaimed, celebrity experts trying to sell you something. Yes, I know it is overwhelming these days, but I always look to good-old common sense. I hate always telling my child that she can’t have a desert after every meal, or she can’t have a snack because she just ate an hour ago, but I have to.

Third, walk the talk. If we aren’t doing what we want our kids to do, why would they adopt that behavior? Make your child your accountability partner. It is fun for them to catch you doing something you shouldn’t, and it makes them more conscious of their actions.

Better health is a work in progress for my family. Writing this helped me reevaluate my tactics about healthy eating and exercising. I try to never, ever approach the subject as if I have a problem with my daughter’s appearance, but I just hope that she does not equate “healthy” with thin. I have been losing weight, but I try to say things like, “I just love being stronger,” or “I am so proud of the fact that I was able to run a mile without stopping,” instead of, “look how much skinnier I am.” We have also signed up for a competitive swim team for the summer. That may just be what the doctor ordered.

A quick note before I close – I feel very blessed to have more than enough food to get fat on in the first place. So many people across the world are not that fortunate. I can understand why some say that we need to have less cheap, processed foods available to us, but I don’t think only buying local, banning high-fructose corn syrup and suing McDonald’s is the answer. We just need to better educate those that need help and learn to treat food as a wonderful gift of fuel and nourishment rather than something that makes us feel good.

I am one of those MEAN Mommies!

My oldest had her second GS Brownie meeting yesterday evening. We didn't have much time for dinner, so I strongly encouraged her to eat a microwave dinner (at my house they always have something green in them). She protested wanting pizza, but conceded since there was not another option. All in all, I felt it was a pretty good dinner aside from part of it coming from a box: roasted chicken breast, green beans, a small yogurt and one piece of dark chocolate. I even told her when she got home she could have a tangerine for a before-bed snack. Unfortunately my own nutrition suffered in my effort. I had no time to make my own microwave creation and ended up eating the mashed potatoes she left behind.

Since we are new to Girl Scouts, I was not aware that "snack" time is provided at the beginning of every meeting. They brought out sugar cookies covered in a half-inch of icing. Luckily there was nothing else to drink but "nature's Kool-aid," aka water. One of the leaders told the girls they could each have two. My daughter instantly turns to me, knowing I would be less than thrilled with this snack choice. I mouthed that she could have one cookie. Of course I got a pouty lip. She better be glad I said she could have any at all. They then passed the cookies around a second time, and I again, said the first was plenty.

After the other moms and kids saw this little conversation occur, it reminded them of our first meeting which happened to be on Valentine's Day. They brought in pizza, soda and cupcakes. At this meeting, too, I limited the pizza to one slice and vehemently denied the sodas. In both instances I immediately got the, "Oh we usually don't serve this type of stuff" response from the other parents. Yeah, right.

So, I guess I need to take this matter into my own hands. Our children learn by good example. I am going to offer to bring "snacks" for the next couple of meetings, and I will plan to share some good nutrition advice and a message about where are food comes from in the process.

Fun treats are fine once in a while, but we had a plan that evening for healthier choices. I did not want to budge in hopes of earning respect from the other moms. I'll let you know how it goes.