The first thing on my mind today are parents who smoke around their children. We are all painfully aware that smoking leads to health problems, the biggest one being death. This is something that is not refuted by anyone, smokers and non-smokers alike. It is a hard fact. So my question is, why on earth would we want to pass those health problems on to our most precious? In the past month, I have seen so many parents light up with their kids near, or even in the vehicle with them, that I am absolutely heart broken! By smoking around your kids, whether you are outside or you have the window cracked, you are allowing your children to breathe in poisonous chemicals such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, arsenic and DDT, to name a few. Would any parent who loves their child pour ammonia or arsenic into their bottle? Would they add a little DDT to dinner? NO! So why, oh why would they allow their children to breathe it in?
Some people think that if they smoke outside with their children near it isn't a big deal. The fact of the matter is if you can smell the smoke, you are inhaling it, regardless of how much open air and space surrounds you. They think that if they crack the window in the vehicle that the smoke will go outside, affecting the children strapped into this torture chamber very little. Wrong. Once again, if they can smell it, they are breathing it. There is also the factor that these toxins don't just evaporate and disappear. They cling to fabrics like clothing and upholstery as well. Again, if you can smell it, it is there. I would absolutely implore any parents out there who smoke around your children to reconsider! Not only are you putting them at physical risk for a ridiculous amount of diseases (many of which are fatal), but you are providing a bad example for them as well. Children of parents who smoke are twice as likely to become smokers themselves. Twice as likely. Wow. I understand that smoking is a difficult habit to quit - really, I do. But if your child's life isn't motivation for you, what is?
The next thing that has really been bothering me is the epidemic in North America of childhood obesity. Recently, I have become somewhat obsessive over health, mainly because I want to be at my healthiest before my body begins to decline with age, and because I have two children who I want to set the best example for. This is one reason my family rarely eats fast food, and why we have limited processed food in our diets. Don't get me wrong, I am not going to deny my kids the occasional treat, but I prefer to give them as many healthy choices as I can. If you ask my five year old what her favorite food is, her answer will be "vegetables." This is because she has always been expected to eat them. There was never a question as to whether or not my kids would eat their veggies. They have to. Now, they both absolutely love them, and often these are the first things that get eaten in a meal.
As a society of instant gratification, we rely heavily on fast food to sustain us. Often we don't think of what is actually in that food, and how much benefit it is actually doing our bodies. Check out this link to see something disturbing about McDonald's, http://gizmodo.com/5662271/watch-six-months-of-a-happy-meals-eternal-life. If food doesn't decompose on the plate, it is not going to decompose in our arteries. Yet every kid I know is very aware of those golden arches, my own included. We go there maybe two or three times a year, and honestly, my stomach hates me every time I do. Not to mention that for the same price, I can prepare a wholesome and nutritious meal at home and feel much better after eating. I can only imagine how many products and preservatives are in fast food! Have you ever read the labels on common canned or packaged items at the grocery store? I have started doing this more and more often, and when I don't recognize an ingredient, I will try to opt for something else.
That's my little rant for today. I sincerely hope we as a society of instant everything can take a step back and see what we are doing to ourselves and to our children. I'm not saying we need to switch to eating everything organic and homemade. I am just saying we should be more aware of what we put into our bodies and make a decision now to make healthier choices. If we're not going to make those choices for ourselves, can we consider making them for our kids? What's more important, that next cigarette and a convenient meal, or the health and wellness of our children?
The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active & Feeling Great for Monsters & Kids!
Winning the Food Fight: Every Parent's Guide to Raising a Healthy, Happy Child
How To Quit Smoking Even If You Don't Want To
The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-smokers Using Allen Carr's Easy Way Method
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