Ok, so I am going to sound like your typical doting parent here, but stick with me because I do have a point;
A few weeks back I was sitting looking at my five year old son thinking how lucky I was that, touch wood, he has been such a healthy kid. Rarely sick, beautiful skin, thick shiny hair, not an ounce of fat on him. I thought, "gee, he obviously didn't get my genes".
But then I thought, "seriously, look at his diet!"
Through his own choices he is basically a vegetarian/vegan;
For breakfast he has a high fiber cereal (he doesn't like any of the colourful, sugary variety). He has it dry because he doesn't like it with milk (I tried him with milk and he didn't eat it).
Then for lunch he will have a wholegrain sandwich (I buy wholegrain to at least pretend I am healthy) with nut paste. He doesn't like butter or margerine, he calls it "that icky yellow stuff" and he doesn't like ham or cheese, but we found a natural nut paste he loves.
Then for dinner he has pureed vegetables. Now, he and I both get alot of flack for him liking his vegies pureed, but considering what goes into the puree, I don't care what everyone else thinks.
I make up his vegie puree every second night. In it goes 1/2 pumpkin (baked), 1 onion (baked), 4 carrots (boiled), 2 potatoes (boiled), 1/2 head cauliflower (boiled), 1/2 knob garlic (baked), 1 cup microwave peas, a handful of chopped almonds and either a cup of rice or pasta (gluten, egg & wheat free, mainly because it feels lighter on the tummy), sometimes I even chuck in a cup of lentils or chickpeas. ALL of this will last him only the two nights.
Then, team all that with water only (because he has tried softdrink and juice and doesn't like them) and you have a really good diet.
Of course he eats a chocolate here and there at Grandma's house, and he might have some chicken nuggets on the odd occasion we go out to a restaurant. But all in all, he eats pretty well.
So, thinking about this, I then looked at myself. I eat everything that isn't nailed down. I am 26, I have bad skin, I am overweight, and I am lethargic alot of the time. Luckily for me, it hasn't shown any damage so far. I had a blood test and my cholesterol, sugars, etc are fine. But that luck can only last so long.
This is why I am going to try to go vegetarian/vegan. If he can have this diet and be so happy and healthy, I know I can too.
I bought Alicia's book after seeing her videos on Youtube, and I think her approach to living a "Kind Life" is the best way for me to try to achieve my personal goals.
I want to live a happier, healthier life.
I recently built a vegie patch, and I also compost now. When those first vegies are ready to munch, I will be like a kid at Christmas!
Lets hope I can stick too this. There are times I would love a big pork chop, but nut loaf is pretty darn good too!
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