Living in a tourist destination, I have the opportunity to observe a broad cross section of Americans on holiday. And broad is the operative word. As a nation we are grossly overweight, and it’s most noticeable in summer clothes—what is worn even in January in the Caribbean.

The saddest subjects of the obesity epidemic are children. Last week I watched a young girl, 8 or 9yo, at the beachside café eating only a tray of breaded, fried chicken strips. She was already pudgy, and dad, in his late 20s, matched her with an extra 20 pounds. Not yet obese, but heading there with their choices of food.

This past year has seen some positive changes in the American diet:
• With 1 in 8 New Yorkers having diabetes, the New York City government has banned the use of hydrogenated oils in the city’s restaurants. On average, Americans eat one in three meals out so restricting what restaurants serve is significant. And forcing the food industry to use alternative oils even in NYC will have a ripple effect through the food industry.
• Schools are removing sodas and snacks without nutritional value, aka junk food, from vending machines. Still, my niece reports, “The school cafeteria is intent on making us fat with its pizzas and all fried foods.”
• MacDonald’s fare is improving with choices of milk or juice instead of soda and fruit instead of ice cream. The producer of the film Supersize Me, who risked his life by eating only MacDonald’s food for 30 days, should be given an award for public service to public health. MacDonald’s corporate will never admit its significance, but the menu was changed within weeks of release of the documentary.

While these improvements in the nation’s diet are good news, the greatest impact on our children’s diet and health is made at home. The choices we parents make at the grocery store are not only what fuels our children today and sets the course for their health, their nutritional knowledge, or lack of, is being set by our choices.

A recent study showed that while we may look at the list of ingredients on the box, most of us don’t know what they are (i.e., they’re chemical names), and we throw it into our grocery cart in any case. There’s a simple rule regarding Contents of anything in a box or can: The shorter the list of Ingredients the better the product is—I choke to use the word “purer”. For example, before Breyer’s Ice Cream was purchased by a large food conglomerate, it had four ingredients: milk, cream, eggs, vanilla (or other flavoring). It was as good as homemade ice cream, and everyone in Michigan knew it. Now the ingredients are as long as the carton is tall, and it is NOT a substitute for the homemade.

Instead of processed luncheon meats, eliminate the nitrates and other chemicals by preparing meats at home and using them for sandwiches.

With the same food budget pay more for Organic produce but buy less. Vegetables and fruits grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticide sprays have to be healthier for you.

Pass up the sugared cereals. Starting out the day with a bowl full of sugared fluff would set anyone up for Attention Deficiency, Fatigue, and hunger within an hour and therefore more snack/junk food.

Bypass the aisles of snack foods (chips, candy, soda, junk drinks passing as juice—look at the contents!). Popcorn is a healthy, economical snack if made in a frying pan. Don’t use the microwaveable type; there’s toxins in the packaging, and microwaving any food destroys the nutrition—another subject (see July’s editorials).

In the bakery aisle look for muffins or cookies are made with UNBLEACHED WHOLE GRAIN flour and without Hydrogenated oils. If they pass these tests, serve them cut into halves or quarters as serving sizes.

There’s considerably more to choosing healthy food, but this is a good start for the New Year. These changes in grocery shopping not only will lead to better health, you’ll save money and time shopping. And discuss the changes with your children (or grandchildren) so that their understanding of nutrition improves.

Also, resolve in the New Year to get outside and PLAY with the kids—play that involves physical exercise—daily or several hours a week. Regardless of the weather, even if it’s shoveling sidewalks together, find something physical to do together. It’s good for their health, your health, and your relationship with them.

Finally, enforce limits on the time they can spend on electronic devices. That may mean one hour/day with no phone conversations, no electronic games, no computer work of any type and no television. One hour a day for their Spirit, one hour doing exercise, reading a book, or sitting quietly by themselves contemplating the cosmos. Downtime will uplift their Spirit. You can set an example in this. Attention to the soul (and improved nutrition) lessens the need for the drugs we’re giving our children to improve their attention, decrease their hyperactivity (food allergies are a cause), etc, etc.

To your health (Salud!) in the New Year!

Beverly A. Jensen, Ph.D.
President, WomensMedicineBowl.com