My Story: Inspired by the Children

Cake, with sugary frosting, white flour, and food coloring, is a food any kid will be willing and happy to eat – but wait – are you feeding your child foods that will make them sick?

Just after my now-husband and I were engaged, we joined a neighborhood family for a festive holiday meal. The hosts were part of a large family with many siblings, one of whom was visiting with her husband and baby. We watched as she fed the baby all sorts of dangerous foods – white bread, sugary juice, and oatmeal with plenty of sugar stirred in. This baby was not even one year old and yet she was addicted to sugar.

Her parents admitted to us that her health was very poor. They claimed she was allergic to many things, and that she was constantly ill. When we asked about her diet, they told us that she was a picky eater and would not eat most foods. She would not eat mashed peas, carrots, potato, or pumpkin. No pureed green beans or mashed zucchini. No fresh fruits or vegetables. She would turn her nose up at all of them. The parents feared that she would starve if they did not get her to eat what was provided, so they made what was provided as appealing to her as they could – by dissolving as much sugar as possible into anything being proffered.

We were aghast. Although we were not yet married and did not yet have children, we knew immediately that we never wanted our children to grow up with such an unhealthy diet. But not only did we not want to raise our children this way – we did not want any parents to raise their kids this way. These parents had no idea how dangerous certain foods were for their beloved baby girl – whether it was something as innocent seeming as white bread or as common as Coca-Cola – they simply believed that by coaxing her with one nutrition-devoid sugary food after another, they were doing what was best for her. But the truth is, they were causing her ill health themselves and they had no idea.

From this experience the idea for my life’s work was born.

It also got a kick-start when we visited some close friends of ours. I have known their children since they were very young – some even since birth. All of the children are hyperactive, wild, and difficult to discipline or control. Yet, when we watched them eat, we noticed that they would push the healthy food around on their plates, eat as little of it as possible, and then beg for dessert – which they were then given. These kids are addicted to sugar and their parents have no idea. Instead of cutting out sugars and refined and processed foods, they respond by giving their kids “medicine” – Ritalin and the like. They “treat” the symptoms, often with little success, rather than address the cause, because this is what big business, popular culture, and even the medical profession tells them to do. They simply do not know any better.

Melatonin is a natural sleep aid safe to use for kids. Sometimes it can be really helpful – but if your child needs it on a regular basis, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

This experience was replicated when visiting another family we know. We observed the exact same situation, but this time we stayed over at their house and at bedtime noticed something even more shocking. The parents had to give the kids melatonin to get them to go to sleep. These kids were so pumped up on all the sugars and chemicals in their diets that they were physically unable to fall asleep without having yet more drugs dumped into their systems. To us, this was tragic.

These families are not alone. Almost every day I meet other parents and grandparents – on the playground, at the library, or at mother’s groups – who have no idea that what they are feeding their kids is unhealthy. They simply do not know much about health and diet. Unfortunately, what we don’t know CAN hurt us. And our kids.

I hope this blog will give people a place where they can learn nuggets of information to take home and put in place in their own lives. Information about health, diet, and nutrition that can improve their own lives, the lives of their loved ones, and especially the lives of the children who will inherit our world.