Seeing the Connection

By Linda Hansen

People often comment to me that I have very good looking children, and my reply is something to the effect that we always try to eat healthy.  I usually get a puzzled look.  What is the connection?  That is the problem.  Our health is in a great part, a function of what we do, and what we put into ourselves.  In addition, our health is not some dark secret deep in the hidden recesses away from sight.  It is reflected in the brightness of our eyes, the color of our cheeks, the softness of our skin, the readiness of our smile, and so many other things we see every day we look in the mirror.  Some say we shouldn’t focus on beauty, and I agree.  It is not the do all and end all by any means, but it is an indicator.  If we see dark circles under our eyes, it is a sign that we have something to discover about ourselves, and to work on. We must learn to make the connection between what we put in and what we get out.

Next time you go to the grocery store, take a little time to see what people have in their carts.  Look into the carts, and look at the people.  Look at their faces, look at their bodies, and their energy.  It is easy to see.   I see many sick people buying health destroying food items at my grocery store.  I talk with my children about this connection over and over. We have loved ones who have suffered with their health. We talk about their choices.  I feel it is absolutely imperative for my children to see that the lifestyle choices they make for themselves are powerful for their own lives.

What if we don’t see our children care about what they eat or do as we wish they would?  First, we ask ourselves a few questions.  Are we doing a do as I say, not as I do?  Are there things we are eating and drinking that obviously do not build health, and we wouldn’t tolerate for our children to take, but we excuse for ourselves?  Are we complaining about healthy eating?  Do we have only healthy selections available for them at home?  Is there enough variety available to keep it interesting and fun? Are we listening to their likes and dislikes?  If they are growing, or especially with teenagers, is there actually enough prime food around?  They can eat a lot, especially boys.

My Grandmother used to talk constantly.  And she talked to me about food and health more that I wanted to hear when I was a girl.  I remember wishing she would just let me eat my chocolate cake or drink my soda in peace.  But you know, she had a real affect on me.  Now it is my passion.  When she passed on at ninety-four, I was the one who inherited her water distiller, her Vitamix, and her library of health books with her handwritten notes, and I remember what she told me about the connection between our choices and our lives.

What works best for me is to have a lot of fresh produce on the counter.  Today, I have baskets with avocados, lemons, and sweet potatoes, onions and garlic, and fresh ginger, and organic apples.  In jars of water are standing bunches of kale, parsley, and cilantro. On a shelf above, are clear canisters of nuts and seeds, and there is another row of seaweeds and herbs. Everything is in sight. In the icebox, are carrots, a box of spring mix, collards, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and celery.  I often have a pot of lentils and one of cooked quinoa or something similar available, and we each assemble our own dishes according to what is most appealing to us that day.  I think that is very important.  Each person has his own needs, and appetite.  If we have a variety of healthy foods available, it works to start with the most appealing food, and eat that until something else presents itself as more appealing.

Parents often fuss that their children don’t eat enough of different foods, and set themselves up for problems with the child, trying to force him to eat something when he has no appetite for it.  Be comforted, studies have shown that when  children are presented with a variety of healthy foods and are allowed to eat as their appetite dictates, over time, they will get a balance of nutrients.  My suggestions are: First, let the child get hungry.  Food tastes better when we are hungry.  Second, let the child taste it.  A large serving can be overwhelming, even to adults.  Let him decide when he is full.  It is no problem as long as there is not junk around that will take its place as soon as you leave the table, if that is where you eat.

I try to do this with my older children, also.  I have two who drive an hour to University every day, leaving early in the morning, and returning home sometimes after dark.  They are usually in a rush to get on the road, and they have to be able to grab stuff they can pull out of their packs to nibble on during the day.  I try to have something ready for them when they get home.  If there are enough choices, and everything is good for them, it is usually successful.  I think the only reason this works is because they know that what they do to take care of their health makes a big difference.  I have been talking about this with them for years.  When I homeschooled them, I read them articles, and abstracts of nutrition studies ad nauseum.  When I had health challenges, they saw me up the nutrition for myself.  They saw the foods in our house gradually change and refine, and they know why.  And now, it has come full circle.  My daughter especially often didn’t seem very interested in listening to me read endless studies aloud.  But now she and her brother, are both studying the science of it, and can be caught reading the chemistry of enzymes or cellular water absorption just for fun, and that makes it all worthwhile.