It's the Little Things

Holiday Greetings Everyone,

Before you settle into that giant double helping of egg nog, this just in from Time Magazine.
Yes, that's right - they are having a go at chocolate milk.

Chocolate milk was a mainstay when I was a kid growing up in public school in suburban Chicago.
We had it EVERY DAY, sometimes twice or three times a day. It sure tasted better than the usual milk. Now, they want to get rid of it. Thank God.

Guro has lectured before on why cow's milk in general is very bad for us. Humans of course being the only animal that dares to drink the milk of another species (other animals, like cats, do this when humans force feed it to them). Chocolate milk goes one sinister step further than that. It loads sugar and extra calories and fat into the already unhealthy milk to create a drink which is the equivalent of uncarbonated Coca Cola. Giving this to kids (and making them think it is a healthy food choice) is simply WRONG.

This link illustrates what I mean. You can see arguments FOR chocolate milk, or "better than nothing" white milk...listen to them and decide for yourself. By now, your common sense should tell you the answer. How sad that kids can be manipulated like this. How sad that soda, fast food, and dairy lobbyists can spend money to promote products to kids which we all know are unhealthy. Raise my hand for chocolate milk? I choose to raise my middle finger instead.

The argument that children do not get nutrients without milk is BULLSHIT. Anything you think you can get from milk you can easily get from any combination of green leafy vegetables, tofu, soy and nuts.

It is the responsibility of care givers to educate children about correct life choices and protect them from harm. Care givers include parents, teachers, coaches, doctors, and other adults who spend time supervising and influencing children. These groups are primarily responsible for establishing the health habits that children develop and follow into adulthood. As in previous posts I have mentioned that our habits are the kings of our lives - this means it is critically important to develop good habits in our children if we want them to lead happy, healthy lives.

As my title suggests, it's the little things that matter. Be aware, get involved. Do not trust any care givers of your children to have correct information on nutrition and health habits and to pass this information along to your kids. Be the parent that takes control of your life and the future of your children. Help them develop good habits that will promote their longevity and help them avoid adolescent obesity, the threat of diabetes, heart disease, and other nutritional maladies.

I am not suggest all our kids be strict vegans and avoid even a piece of birthday cake on their birthday (although I am not opposed to that). I am however, suggesting that good health guidelines can be followed most of the time with an occasional exception, rather than the reverse. It is all too common now for kids' meals to be fast-food centric, and only the rare sugar laden juice included so parents can feel good about themselves.

Teach your kids about nutrition, and work on meal plans together. Get your kids into the kitchen with you and let them be "hands on". Discuss menus in restaurants and at school cafeterias together. Help your kids make healthy choices that they can feel good about. Chocolate milk is not one of them. Cow's milk can go too, as far as I am concerned.

Like Guro says, "water water water". Even for kids this is important and it is never too early to get them used to the taste of good, clean, pure mineral water.

Got Milk? For your sake and the sake of your kids I hope not.