As we face another in the seemingly endless stream of holidays that seem more like excuses for marketing exercises and enhancing bottom lines, I am struck by the fact that:
Even when we give our children poison without realizing it, the result is the same.
In Poisoned Profits: The Toxic Assault on Our Children, Philip Shabecoff and Alice Shabecoff give a detailed analysis of several communities that experienced extreme toxic exposure due to negligence in environmental waste disposal. Parents and children were drinking toxic water and breathing toxic air without knowing it – and the children suffered. They recount high cases of birth defects and serious illness among children exposed to toxins whose parents had no idea that the location of the home they were providing for their children, was poisoning them.
As you face the onslaught of very creative marketing, ‘food’ industry giants and peer (and kid) pressure tempting you to buy delicious ‘treats’ for your kids, do you ask yourself any questions?
- What is in this?
- Is it good for my kids?
- What is the long-term impact it could have on their health?
Dr Mark Hyman explains that excess consumption of HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and/or sugar are causing an epidemic of illness and obesity – especially among children.
He sums up his concerns regarding the extraordinary amounts consumed in the USA.
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We are consuming HFCS and sugar in pharmacologic quantities never before experienced in human history–140 pounds a year versus 20 teaspoons a year 10,000 years ago.
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High fructose corn syrup is always found in very poor-quality foods that are nutritionally vacuous and filled with all sorts of other disease promoting compounds, fats, salt, chemicals, and even mercury. 5 Reasons…
As parents we face decisions about what is best for our children on a regular basis. We are the guardians of their health. The food industry is concerned about one thing – their bottom lines and their continued success. They are not concerned about your child’s health and well-being. Don’t let them call the shots in your home. Protect your children and give them natural, safe foods. You can make family memories without having to resort to purchasing processed food-like products loaded with sugar or HFCS. You do not have to participate in organized events which promote highly processed treats for your children.
You are not being a ‘mean mom’ when you choose to limit your child’s exposure to poison. You are being smart. Find other moms who desire to protect their children and brainstorm together about how you can model safe food choices.
Healthy moms unite! This is a war and the target is your children. It is your job to protect them. Don’t think that just because “everyone else is doing it” it is safe. Don’t think that just because it is for sale in your local supermarket it is safe.
Protect your child from greed. You’ll be glad you did.
I’m just a mom, but I love to see healthy children and my heart aches with every account of illness, especially serious unnecessary illness caused by longterm toxic exposure, in children. I just witnessed, with shock and horror, a group of moms setting up an Easter Egg hunt for a large group of pre-school children. I watched as loving moms, dads and grandparents accompanied their children to experience the fun and excitement of filling their baskets with Easter Eggs – at a church.
I’m so glad I found this post. Especially when we live in a world that says we should be grateful for the “food” offered to us. I have started sending my kindergartner with a healthy snack she can have during “snack time” yet she still eats what the other kids bring. She doesn’t understand, so I’m contacting her teacher soon, and hope it doesn’t come off as rude.
On another hand, how do you deal with church dinners (esp when your own husband is the pastor, so we can’t skip), youth functions once a week (at a different church where the pastor almost begs you to eat), school functions, family gatherings, when friends ask you to go out, travel/vacations (may not have kitchen or need a break from kitchen), etc. knowing most of the items are processed, or filled with refined sugar or flour, or non-organic? My husband goes off of Paul’s teachings of not offending your brother when food is offered (he’s having a hard time with the new healthy stuff too). I’ve even had a fellow Christian say that though he doesn’t eat cake for meals, when he prays, no food has power over the God he serves. And my husband’s 84-YO aunt who says we got to eat something to survive.
I continue to hear more and more people say they would rather eat what they like and be happy even if it is a shorter life, than to eat healthy and not be happy about what they eat. And others say “Well, we are all going to die one day any way.” So in a sense, not really looking forward to visiting my mom and brother this weekend, due to the food that will be served or where they will want to go out to eat . And what they will put in the Easter baskets. Even though Mom isn’t a Christian, she thinks we should still be grateful for whatever food is cooked and will probably say it hasn’t killed us yet. So, anyway, thanks for your time again and for reading. Think I will go read something by Paul!!
Shalimar
Thanks for your thoughtful comments! I think we could discuss this topic for hours! We have so much in common. Some things I often need reminded of:
1. Processed foods contain addictive properties. The highly educated PhD food scientists working for large corporations which sell ‘food like substances’ work hard to find the bliss point – that unique mixture of sweet, salty and fat that will keep people eating more. So when people crave foods, they are truly physically and psychologically addicted.
2. I’m not better or superior because God has opened my eyes and given me wisdom and insight to understand this complex topic. I thank God for His grace. I need to show that same grace and compassion as I try to share information – oftentimes in small bits at a time.
3. There is widespread deception and we are in a spiritual battle. See further Ephesians 6. The enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10) and one way he works is through our appetites (1 John “lust of the flesh’). Paul expressed it well (notice his tears) in Philippians 3:18-20 “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
4. For Christians often the only ‘free pass’ of indulgence is through food. Many avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and other bad lifestyle choices, but give themselves total abandonment when it comes to food. Gluttony is certainly a prevailing sin among church attenders. Pastor Rick Warren wrote about his awakening to this relaity in his book The Daniel Plan, written with Dr Daniel Amen, and Dr Mark Hyman.
5. I have found that making clean, healthy food choices results in my feeling BETTER. The motivation is quick and apparent. I have more energy and am in better physical shape. I sleep well, enjoy life, and can eat whatever I want without a weight or health issue. I choose to eat foods without poisons in them and I feel better.
6. Many Christians find themselves with either longterm chronic illness or life threatening illness long before they reach their senior years. Sometimes they experience a wake-up call and dramatically alter their food intake and find a new level of healing. For some it is too late, or they don’t make the effort. It breaks my heart to see sick Christians who don’t understand that their illness is most likely caused by a lifetime of giving a poor quality grade of fuel to their body. Most would never knowingly put poor fuel in their vehicles, yet don’t give much thought to what they put into their body!
Again, thanks for commenting so that I could go on another rant! I think I need to try to figure out how to convey this information using story. Jesus used story to give truth directly to our hearts!
Becky
Well said.