Let Your Voice Be Heard

Obesity in children has tripled in the last 20 years. America’s current generation is the first in our history expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Of the children born in the year 2000, one-third to one-half will develop type 2 diabetes. While not entirely to blame, the food our kids are given at school is not helping. Loaded with fat, processed grain, sugar, and salt and nearly absent fresh fruits and vegetables, current menus are anything but nutritious. If parents are trying their hardest at home to feed their children healthfully, does it make sense to undermine those efforts by having only poor options at school? On the flip side, if there is never anything decent for kids to eat at home, why not at least make good food available to them during school lunches? The battle against childhood obesity and chronic disease needs to start somewhere, and it makes sense for it to be at our schools.

The Child Nutrition Act is up for renewal in Congress, and now is the perfect time for an overhaul. A bill has been introduced, the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870, that would give incentives to schools that offer a plant-based (this means high-fiber) option to students at meal time. Eating high-fiber, naturally low-fat foods is one of the easiest ways to lose weight, and this legislation could be a first step to doing something meaningful in the fight against childhood obesity. To learn more about the bill, or to send your representative an email of support, go to http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/legislative/hsma.cfm.

Or, call Congress today, at 202-224-3121. Ask the operator to direct you to your representative and senators, and tell them you support the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870.

For five easy steps regarding how you can do even more, go to http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/fivesteps/five_steps.cfm.

Let your voice be heard, whether it be for your kids, grand-kids, your community, or your country. There is no better time than now.

The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

Revolutionaries Needed!

 If you missed the premier of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution on ABC, March 26^th, go to http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution to download and view.  Jamie is taking on American nutrition, and he begins at the most unhealthy place in the nation – Huntington, West Virginia.  Don’t be too quick to point a finger at Huntington, though, or think that their eating habits aren’t typical.  Instead, recognize the show for what it is.  It’s a wake-up call for everyone in this country, that we had better change our ways now, or we will suffer health and financial consequences for generations to come.  Hats off to Jamie for taking on this gorilla of a problem, and if nothing else, illuminating it for all to see.

The title of Jamie’s show is appropriate, for truly a revolution needs to happen.  When kindergarten students can’t identify fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, and eggplant, it means parents aren’t serving fresh foods such as these at home.  That’s where good eating habits and food preferences  need to start.  The USDA should then support parents’ effort by scrutinizing, and changing, nutritional qualifications that allow what is essentially rubbish to be served at school breakfasts and lunches.  School administrators, and also taxpayers, must stop looking at only the financial bottom line and start offering real food that is freshly prepared and healthy.  Food manufacturers have an obligation to make products free of harmful processed ingredients and excess calories.  Marketers shouldn’t make children the target of  ads promoting junk food.  The list goes on. 

Suffice it to say that everyone in this country is needed in this revolution, because revolutions don’t take place with people sitting on the sidelines.  This includes you.  Take a look at your personal habits regarding eating and exercise.  Are you the role model you need to be in order to make this revolution happen?  If not, start making changes today.  Eat 5 servings of veggies , 4 servings of fruit, and take a walk around the block every day.  Start slow and simple, then go from there.  The important thing is to at least start.  You owe it to yourself, and this country’s future.

The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.