This one’s for the kids

Good morning beez in peez, let me tell you a story.  It involves a little guy named ‘Mini-B’.  Over the last few months since the shoulder problem, I have spent much more time with Mini B than anyone else.  We chase birds, watch skaters, throw rocks, play games, hang out at book stores, and pretty much just act like buddies.  As couples walk by holding hands, he is by my side.  As they file into the bars, we throw rocks into a puddle.  He is not my ‘own child’, but I feel like he is.  There has been a bond created that nobody can break.  There is nothing that I would not do for this guy.

When you have a child, there is a bond.  Many people experience it…but cannot describe it.  It is the type of relationship that makes you realize different things.  Many things I stood for and wanted to accomplish are meaningless to me now.  Creating a better future for him is my only desire.

A new sense of responsibility consumes you.  Deep inside I know; his life is more important than the one I live.  I would have no problem giving my life, or taking another- in order to preserve his.

So what the f**k is your point, Mike?  We all love our kids.

True.  Although, I do not question the love for your child…I am, however, very concerned with the lack of knowledge about food amongst the common parent.

Everyone already knows how bad junk food is for you…but, I still have my cheats with Mini-B.  To be honest, they happen way more often than they should.  I know how it is, who wants to deprive the child of a donut, cookie, ice cream…or whatever your favorite treat is. I probably want it just as much as he does.  I always tax his treats. Hmmm…where should we cheat at today, Mini-B?

Brilliant marketing producers, and crazy looking cartoon characters plague the ads of sugary snacks.  Trust me; these people know what they’re doing when it comes to getting your child to notice what they’re offering.  A child is very persistent, and just a short time of sugared down meals will create long term addiction if you don’t get it under control.

Childhood obesity is more and more common now.  Doctors and society can blame it on genes, but it’s always followed up with a recommendation of better diet and activity to keep it under control.  We are not willing to accept the fact that WE HAVE CREATED THIS PROBLEM with our own habits.  It is not genes, folks… I know what’s going on, it’s not our fault.  As I previously mentioned above, the concern lies in the lack of knowledge.

The health of your children is your responsibility.  I am tired of seeing fat little kids run around the park.  The addiction gets worse each year…and if you think ‘not having’ junk food now is tough on your kids…wait until they get into school.  Kids these days can be quite vicious to one another.

Here are a few tips to save the children.

1.  Breakfast Cereals: If you’re like all the rest, cereal is a staple for breakfast.  It’s easy, it’s fast, and they usually like the taste.  ‘Don’t worry, your kids will eat it’ because it has a whopping 12 teaspoons of sugar…and that’s before you add any.  This doesn’t even count the HFCS or other fake sweeteners they put in.  Oh yeah, and the serving size…it is usually a small coffee cup size suggestion.  o, every time they load up on a bowl of cereal….you are simply prepping them to crash in about an hour or so.

Solution:  Wake your lazy ass up earlier.  Make a big pan of eggs, spinach, bell peppers, cabbage, or some other form of vegetable.  My nephew went from demanding cereal at 2 years old…to loving eggs and spinach every morning.

Still no time?  Put some eggs on to boil as soon as you wake up.  My nephew has also adapted to the taste of boiled eggs.  Organic, cage free eggs, are one of the perfect foods in my opinion.

FYI:  Toast, and or a bagel for breakfast is not a good option.  Oatmeal is OK, but try to get steel cut oats…or at the least, raw organic oats.

2.  Sports Drinks. Congrats, your kid is an athlete.  He or she plays basketball, baseball, volleyball, tennis, cricket, or whatever else you want to toss in here.  Awesome!   Guess what?  They still don’t need that drink your favorite star chugs down at the end of a golf championship, (or latest sex scandal) after a buzzer beating 3 point shot, or even after running up and down the court a few times.  So during non-sport activity time, they DEFINITELY do not need it.  Gatorade, Powerade, Sugar Ade, Diabetes Ade, whatever you want to call it.  Electrolytes? Huh?!

Check the label, that Gatorade probably has about 28g of sugar…or roughly 7 teaspoons….packed into it.  What is so sporty about that?  Instead, try water.  Or squeeze some lemons, oranges, or make your own smoothies with fresh fruit and water.  Remember, kids develop taste buds thru choices we allow.  They didn’t just wake up one day demanding sugar.

3.  Fast Food Meals.  I should not have to write this, but…FAST FOOD IS HORRIBLE for you.  I don’t care what you order, and don’t tell me your 9 year old is eating salads with no dressing.  Bullshit!  Actually, you may get some BS if you’re eating burgers.  McDonalds is the #1 beef customer in the world.  They demand all the hamburgers to taste the same worldwide.  Every burger you consume is made up of over 30 different cattle types.  They demand the meat to be processed in such a way, and money talks.  This also opens up the door for disease or mass spreading of food poisoning.  Don’t believe me?  Just do a google search of McDonalds and the bionic burgers.  Or better yet, watch FOOD, INC.  You can see it HERE until April 29.

4. Education. This is where the problem is.  From crap school lunches, to no nutritional value being taught in schools…it is a mess.  Don’t blame the teachers tho, they do what they’re told.  We have 20,000 teachers in Cali being laid off…how are they concerned with food?  Not very much.

This here is a tough one.  You must get involved.  Understand what is being served for lunch, what is in it?  Can you pack your child a lunch?  The sad thing is that most of these problems are much higher in low income levels.  It is much cheaper to send Jimmy off to school with a lunch ticket, or a couple bucks, rather than buy wholesome foods and pack it in a lunch.

If you have a child in school, you are on the ‘front lines’ of this fight against a lethargic, obese, future for our children.

Below you will find a couple of links to help fight this problem.

Click here to read a blog of a teacher who has decided to eat the school cafeteria lunches everyday…and report them to us.

This next Show has made it to prime time TV.  Click here to sign the petition and read about Jamie Oliver and his mission to help kids eat healthier.

You can click here to visit Hulu and see the last few episodes as well.

I am not a do gooder, tree hugging, hippy.  Actually, I am quite pissed off.  I think it is bull$h** this is going on right under or noses and we choose to ignore it.

You have been informed, you have been warned.  These are your children, our future…it is time we take control.

-Mike.

Related posts:

1. Week 1, Day 3..and Fat Kids
2. New Beast10: Nutrition is fuel. Part 1
3. Sample Food Logs
4. Fast Food Bites, Vol. III Tips
5. The Answer is YOU