Tis the Season

I haven't done a Health Notes post in a while.  This one is going to be to the point.  

Do you see this??  This is what my children chose (yes, on their own) as an appetizer last night when we went out to dinner at a local, super healthy eatery.  When the waitress brought it to our table, she even commented, "I have never seen kids so excited about this appetizer."  They ate every single bite, and I think we could have polished off another one.

With "sugar season" now upon us - it is time to bring this up again.  Patrick had numerous kids out of his Bible Study and home school class this week - already sick.  Even if you pay attention to your child's sugar intake, you have to realize that the vast vast majority of parents do not - so the illnesses are going to start floating around and their immune systems have to be ready.  

Did you know that just 100 grams of sugar decimates the immune system for up to five hours? 

Below is a break down of the amounts of sugar in some commonly consumed foods.  Think about what most children eat for lunch or snack.

Motts Apple Juice - 28 grams

15  gummy bears - 19 grams

Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich - 16.8 grams

Soft drink - 44 grams

If you consume the foods listed above in a day - you have destroyed your immune system for the vast majority of the time you are at work or your kids are at school.  This doesn't include candy, multiple soft drinks in a day, and other snacks and lunch items that many children and adults consume in a day.  Even when trying to eat healthy you have to realize that sugar is "hidden" everywhere.  Most bottled salad dressings contain anywhere from 5-9 grams of sugar per serving and a serving is only 2 tsp and most people put WAY more than that on their salad, thereby kind of defeating the purpose.

So - how do you support your child's immune system to be strong enough for the onslaught that is coming?  You all know how I feel about my oils and whole food supplements, so today I just want to remind you about food.  When I am counseling people in nutrition and I use the word "whole food" - other than the name of the grocery store, many people can not define that term.  Whole food is simply food in its complete and "whole" state.  As close to the way God made it as possible.  That bowl of veggies up there is a huge serving of whole food.  Local and organic - veggies at their best!  

Anything in a box or a can has been adulterated.  Anything that can stay on your shelf for years is dead.  Some dead food contains small amounts of nutrients, but living food is what heals and supports the immune system.  Our family strives to eat 85% raw or lightly steamed or roasted vegetables and fruits and only 15% of our food comes from sources that are "dead."  Animal protein is very healthy as long as the meat is organic and grass fed for beef and we eat non-gluten grains like quinoa - but even still, the majority of your food should be fruits and vegetables.  

The vast majority of immune system support for your body is centered in your gut.  I could write a book about gut damage in our culture - what has caused it and how we can heal it.  But, suffice it to say that unless you eat 100% raw and fermented foods and never ever take an antibiotic or any other type of medication or vaccine - you have gut damage.  Probiotics are an absolute must for optimal immune function.  Also, eating a diet that contains lots of good fats and fermented foods is imperative.  Good fats include avocado, coconut oil, raw olive oil, grass fed butter, plain yogurt, raw milk and cheese, grass fed beef and bone broth.  These things will coat the gut and repair the damaged villi.  Fermented foods include sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, and homemade pickled veggies.  

Now, the question - will your kids eat all of these things?  The answer is a very simple YES.  Is it easy to change ingrained habits?  Of course not, not for you or for them.  Starting them eating this way from day one is obviously easier for everyone.  My older kids remember the day that the Pop Tarts and NutriGrain bars went in the garbage.  It was a sad day.  We all cried.  Pop Tarts are easier to whip up and serve than veggie omelets.  But, 13 years and three antibiotics later (yep - three total, not each, for all seven of us in 13 years, which clearly means that over half of us have had none) and we are more than happy to have made the change.  

Moms (and Dads if you are the one in charge of the food) - this is a change that you have to model.  Eating healthy yourself is the best way to get your kids to do it.  Include them in the meal prep and teach them to make healthy foods and present them.  That bowl of veggies is beautiful - Patrick looked like he had won the lottery when it was served.  Once you get into the habit of healthy eating you realize that you can make anything in the "whole food" version.   I can make pizza, cheeseburgers, and even cookies - all amazingly healthy and free from refined and dangerous sugar or sugar substitutes.  

In the "Health Notes" tab on the blog is a seven day eating plan - three meals a day, snacks, and a dessert.  Try it - and have a contest to see who can drink the most water in a day - add some Lemon oil to it for taste -- you will feel better.  It would be absolutely impossible to eat sugar free and whole foods, with hydration, for two weeks and not feel a difference in your health and energy.  

I dare ya!!!