Tentative Parenting : You are what you eat!

I love the weekends - the time to slow down a tad bit, get over the week's madness and regroup - walks with  the 2K's and catch up on my DVRed  TV shows (what's up with The Good Wife, Scandal and Grimm -- why so many twists and turns), cook a little bit -- I absolutely adore Sundays - I make breakfast  for the boys and me and enjoy it with a cup of Chai (hot chocolate for K2)  (here's what we had today - Waffle Omelette with a slice of multi-grain toast) and then head out to the Farmer's Market.

K2 and I have been watching a documentary Fed Up the past week and it's been very educating for us - it showed K2 that calories in fruit are not the same as those in soda  --it included  touching video self-portraits by some young people who belong to the almost 17 percent of children and adolescents, 2 to 19, who are considered obese. K2 learnt that - at this rate, in twenty years, 95 % of the population will be obese, a crisis that affects every aspect of our country's stability from health care spending to national defense. What struck me was :  40 percent of thin people are also fat, their internal organs padded with enough damaging blubber that they may as well be clinically obese. Behold, our new national paranoia: TOFI or Thin Outside, Fat Inside.

Reality is this applies to us working moms, executives, product managers and managers too - it isn't about grabbing a quick bite to satisfy the hunger - we are athletes at work - confronting challenging mental tasks and dealing with stress -- our brain and bodies need the right nutrition and hydration. I don't just believe it - I live it -- it definitely is not easy but once it is a habit, you usually are more mindful and aware of what you put into your body. Every weekend , I do an inventory of my refrigerator  (after shopping in the Farmer's Market) and come up with a loose meal plan. Here's a view of what's in my fridge 

( Flat of Organic ) Strawberries, 2 lbs of Organic Super Greens, Milk, Coconut Water, Organic Apple Sauce, Blue Moon (gotta have the beer right K1), Lotus Elixirs, Coconut Yogurt, Noosa, Home made Wheat Bran/Vanilla Cake, Grated Beets, Cooked Lentils, Eggs, Bread, Cashew Butter, Ravioli (stuffed with shrimp & asparagus); Produce Section : Beet Tops ( I add them to my lentils), Beets, Carrots, Eggplant, Brussel Sprouts, Fresh Corn, Tomatoes, Lemon, Mandarins, Pears, Blood Orange, Raspberries, Apples; Condiments, Wines (got to have my Prosecco!) 

 What's in your Fridge?

Here are some of things I do to take care of our family's health -

# Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate - I begin the day with 1/2 a liter of water followed by a warm cup of water with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). 

# Dish out the healthy Fats - a handful of almonds and walnuts for snacking is a GREAT idea. Omega-3 fatty acids--found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed are the perfect brain and heart food.

# Think Anti Oxidants - berries, green tea, kombucha, apples, black beans,greens should be a constant in your diet

# Add natural caffeine to your diet - preferably in the afternoon when you need a pick me up - Green Tea, Runa Tea or Pink Lotus Elixirs are my libations of choice

#Cut out Fatty Foods - Chips, Fries and fried desserts may taste good for just a second and harm you in the long run. Science bears this out. According to a Cambridge University study, after five days on a high-fat diet, the treadmill performance of lab rats declined by half. Moreover, the rats eating fatty chow began to falter on a maze test they had been trained on--finding only five treats before making a mistake. The healthier rats were able to find six or more treats. 

# Sugar = Bad  - A recent UCLA study found that a diet high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning. 

I want to leave you with a thought -