"Nothing
will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on earth
as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
--Albert
Einstein
While
looking through Vero Beach Press Journal's weekly inserts of good
works by good people, I always notice the photos of people where all or almost
all of the people have obesity. Large
groups of large people. They never look
happy to me.
Last
weekend I ran into a classmate of my kid from high school and the marching band. This young woman was always obese in high school but
she has gained much more weight since graduation. According to Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, kids who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.
A friend
recently posted pictures on Facebook with some of her “before” weight loss clothes
and commented that she still feels obese in her mind even though she clearly is
at a healthy weight now. I have heard
the same comment from others who have lost weight after bariatric surgery. Even though they are thin now, they still
think of themselves as obese. That
mental stigma did not go away for my friend and other people I know who have had the same weight loss surgery.
The
psychological effects of childhood obesity are rarely discussed. All parents know how cruel kids can be. When a child is obese, they become subjects
of bullying and name calling by other kids.
They become socially isolated. They
may have lifelong effects from being overweight or obese as kids.
Foods
containing added sugars, sodas containing high fructose corn syrup, highly
processed foods like Pop Tarts and Honey Buns, fast foods from McDonald's and
Burger King loaded with saturated fats, salt, sugar, and white flour are what I
call “the Evil Empire.” Sugar has become a
legal addiction and our kids are addicted.
Robert Lustig, MD, pediatric endocrinologist at University of California
San Francisco, calls this "the hacking of the American mind" and he has written a
book about it. Reliance by parents on processed foods filled with added sugar must end, for the sake of the present
and future health - and lives - of children.
Transitioning
to a plant-based way of eating based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains is good for the health of people AND the
planet. Factory farming of animals for
human consumption is a cruel and inhumane practice that is a leading cause of degradation
of water and air quality. Cows are given antibiotics to keep them healthy and now people are becoming increasingly antibiotic-resistant. Cows are given hormones to increase their
milk production and people are developing cancers at increased rates.
Improving
the health – and lives – of America’s kids is our mission at Growing Healthy
Kids. Plant-based eating can be the
difference for your kids!
Together, with education and the commitment to do whatever we need to do to protect the health of children, you and I can be the difference so that obesity is NOT forever.
Together, with education and the commitment to do whatever we need to do to protect the health of children, you and I can be the difference so that obesity is NOT forever.
With
love and gratitude,
Nancy L.
Heinrich, MPH
Founder,
Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
