I don't know about you but I grew up eating mostly unhealthy foods. Things like Eggo waffles for breakfast, chicken nuggets for lunch, sugary crap for snacks, I drank mostly soda and meat and potatoes for dinner. Yes, all of these foods are delicious but are also not good for your health. I have been overweight my entire life and struggle with it every day. I became a vegetarian about 6 years ago and just this month switched to being vegan (no animal products what so ever) I feel great and have already lost a few pounds.
The reason I became a vegetarian and vegan was for animal rights. The animals are treated horribly and I told myself that if I was going to continue to eating animal products the LEAST I could do was see how it was made and that did it for me. It bothers me when people tell me that animals are meant to be eaten and can not think or feel. Why do most people feel as though humans are the only species that deserves a chance at a fair, happy life? Now I could see if I were stranded in the wild and needed to hunt down a rabbit to survive. Sure, I would do that but now a days people can survive without any animals products what so ever and be very health while doing so.
Soon after becoming a vegetarian I realized that I was not only doing it for the animals, I was doing it for my health as well. Studies have shown that vegans live very long and healthy lives. Even vegan kids have been shown to develop more muscle mass and often have higher IQs than kids who eat animal products. My daughter is one year old and has been a vegetarian ever since she was growing in my belly and she is now a vegan too.
Most people are shocked when I tell them that I am a vegan and they usually assume that I only eat fruits and vegetables but that is not true. Since going vegan I have eaten a lot of yummy foods like french fries, sandwiches, pastas, stir frys and so much more. Many people also think that by not eating animal products that they will be mineral and vitamin deficient but this is also not true.Vegetarians and vegans usually eat many more foods that are high in vitamins and minerals that common meat eaters do. I heard a lady say recently that she believes that if you put fear into your body in the form of animal products (because they lived a scary, sad life) that the fear and sadness will effect you too. I believe her now because I am relaxed and happier.
Did you know that soy milk is healthier than cows milk and that cows milk became "the healthy milk" because of successful advertising? We are the only species that drinks the milk of another animal too, WEIRD! You don't see a beaver nursing on a gorilla do you? American television has been advertising unhealthy foods to us ever since we were kids and ever since our parents were kids as well. Sugary cereals, deserts for breakfast, and saturated fats are just a few. I REFUSE to raise my daughter on the foods that I ate growing up. I feed her healthy whole foods with no added salt, sugars, chemicals or colors and she is one healthy little girl. So am I actually, I get over colds within a few days and haven't gotten sick in years. I take no medications at all and am perfectly healthy.
Before becoming a vegetarian I had all kinds of problems. I had irritable bowl syndrome which caused terrible stomach pain, anxiety, depression, bad skin, borderline diabetes and more. I also had many "lady problems" and was struggling with that. About three years later I got pregnant while being a vegetarian and had a wonderful pregnancy and gave birth naturally to a healthy little girl.
I titled this post Stopping The Cycle because that is what I am doing for my daughter Lily. I still have a very hard time resisting the foods that I love so much Pizza, Chinese food, deserts, cheeseburgers and pretty much everything I don't eat now. It is not easy for me to be a vegan I struggle with it every day. I believe that being vegan is one of the healthiest diets that there is and plan on raising my daughter vegan as long as she will let me. However I want to make it easier for her by feeding her all the vegan foods now so that she will develop the taste buds for healthy whole foods. I am hoping that when she grows up that she will crave strawberries instead of strudels and tasty vegetables instead of meats. I am trying to raise the healthiest little girl that I can and not pass my unhealthy eating habits down to her.
I need to Get This Out Of My Head...It bothers me when I see parents feeding there kids "junk food" Especially when the child is not old enough to speak ans ask for it. I also don't understand why people don't link food to health. If you build a building with twigs and glue it will not stand long. If you fuel your body with unhealthy food what makes you think that you will live a long life? Or do they not care about how long they live? I don't know about you but I want to stay in this world for as long as I can and will fight to do so. I will not take my body for granted anymore, I will not feel invincible and wait until it is too late, I will fill my body and my families bodies with good food so that we can have as many days together as possible. I will Stop The Cycle and do what I feel is best for my family and myself.
I have created a website to help families find fun ways to lead healthy, happy lives. Its is called
ChildhoodObesityInAmerica.com. There you can find fun ideas like
cooking games for kids,
Lawn Games for the whole family,
dance video games.
kids exercise equipment,
an inflatable water park,
seltzer makers for kicking soda addictions and much much more. I am trying to spread the word about childhood obesity because it is a deadly epidemic that is plaguing the American kids of today. Obesity can lead to an early grave for many of its victims so parents need to provide there children with fun ways to beat this terrible epidemic.
Other Great Ways To Get Kids healthy
Sprinklers For Kids
A Kids basketball Hoop
Family Cookbook
Plug and Play Dance Video games
An Under Sink Water Filter
Breastfeeding and Pumping
The Breville juice Fountain Elite Juicer
A Kids Punching Bag
Indoor Trampoline
Aerobics For Kids
A Tumbling Mat
Balance Bikes
Rollerblades For Kids
The Flexible Flyer Swingset
BestBalanceBikes.com
InflatableWaterSlidesForSale.net