Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a kick out of feeding her one of her meals of squash. Okay, so not all of it got in her mouth, but she was pretty cooperative overall.
I was curious as to what else she was eating, and my sister-in-law showed me an assortment of baby food jars containing green beans, carrots, bananas and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.
It was at this moment the following thought hit me. When we come into this world we are "NMP" (a healthy eating style) and then some! We don't start off eating meat, poultry and the various other junk food we become accustomed to later on. The craving for these items is something we learn. And if we can learn it, we can also "unlearn" it. That's what I did when I used my unique Fallback Methods to make the easy, gradual transition to my healthy "NMP" eating style. By the way, I coined the acronym "NMP" for my book "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" to describe my healthy eating style. It stands for "no meat or poultry", but unlike vegetarian diets, includes fish, and its emphasis on converting favorite comfort foods we all grew up on and like to eat out, into more healthful meatless forms.
You can do your children a huge favor by bringing them up "NMP", or at least as "NMP" as possible, and letting them continue with the non-meat/poultry diet they naturally started when they first were introduced to solid food. You can also help the other children in your life--grandchildren and nieces and nephews by teaching them when you have time with them that good food choices are their friends.
There is an epidemic of overweight and obese kids in the United States due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle (too much television, video games and computer time). So diseases like Type II diabetes which are supposed to be "adult onset" are starting to show up even in teenagers. Researchers have shown that arteries can begin being clogged by poor diet from the early years of childhood on. It's never too soon to adopt healthy eating habits that can put a child in the best possible position to have a very long and healthy life.
So does this mean that as your kids grow they cannot have all the "traditional" kid fare that all of us love like hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken nuggets? Not at all! There are healthy and delicious non-meat/poultry versions of all of these foods that you can use, and feel good about giving your child. So your kids can definitely "have their cheeseburger and keep their health too!" There's even one company, Yves, that has introduced a line of "lunchable"-type meals that mimic those incredibly unhealthy, heavily-advertised meals that kids are often sent off to school with.
And, just because you're not a kid (at least in numeric age) anymore yourself, it doesn't mean that you can't asily "unlearn" and improve upon your current eating habits. "NMP" eating is designed to allow you to eat healthfully, yet still have all your favorite comfort foods. "NMP" also teaches you to avoid hidden food dangers. It's the unique combination of the two that gives you the best of all possible worlds when it comes to diet and your health. So why not make "NMP" the healthy eating style of choice in your household? It's never too early and it's never too late!
Note: Please check with your pediatrician or other healthcare professionals to determine the best way to incorporate healthy "NMP" eating in your child's diet and it's applicability to his or her particular needs.
(c) Copyright 2002 By Melanie R. Jordan E-Publishing
About The Author
Melanie is the author of "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" This Booklocker.com print best seller uniquely shows how healthy eating achieved with favorite comfort foods is deliciously possible! Melanie also publishes a free monthly e-zine called "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! Update" (subscribe by e-mail to healthycoach@aweber.com). Visit her web site Healthy Eating Coach's Corner at http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com
http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com
affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
How many times have you tried to diet/lose weight in... Read More
Most red and white meats are very fatty and are... Read More
Beverages - and not just alcohol - are a significant... Read More
Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power. Over... Read More
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them... Read More
You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made... Read More
It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a long,... Read More
The reason I remember the first time I was served... Read More
For most people, the concept of capsulized food? usually conjures... Read More
(ARA) - By now you probably think you've heard all... Read More
Your face turns flush and your skin starts to itch.... Read More
All carbohydrates are not the same. Generally it is assumed... Read More
For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance... Read More
Spring in New York City is a really magical time.... Read More
Initially discovered as a new element in 1811 by Barnard... Read More
Scandinavian fishermen are a healthy bunch. It had long been... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Aging occurs when the body's cells die at faster rates... Read More
Today we're shifting our focus from wealth to health. First... Read More
Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG, was thought of as... Read More
Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More
Essential fatty acids are the number one recommendation for anyone... Read More
affordable house cleaning Mundelein ..Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
1880s - Characterization of monosaccharides by Emil Fischer.1952 - Fresh,... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
With new research, new products and new skin protection advice... Read More
Understanding What a Low Cholesterol Diet isBasically, in order to... Read More
The factors that affect the nutritional requirements of an individual... Read More
Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG, was thought of as... Read More
The adrenal or "stress glands" are small, triangular shaped glands... Read More
Do we really need a home water filter? Can't we... Read More
The above foods contain high antioxidant capacity. These foods were... Read More
I want to tell you about the most healthful and... Read More
Having a large amount of such "visceral fat" is associated... Read More
The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More
With the release of the new dietary guidelines, in the... Read More
I am sure you have heard you have to build... Read More
Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food.... Read More
If you have a business trip tomorrow morning, you've probably... Read More
Unfortunately, it has been proved beyond doubt that a large... Read More
The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news,... Read More
Chances are you may have had a food product that... Read More
Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic... Read More
Apart from eating many of the wonderful vegetables and fruits... Read More
Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug... Read More
Nutrition |