Health

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

Daddy, We Should Pour Soda Over The Heads Of The Bad Guys

March 9, 2014 at 8:19 am , by 

3 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Friday morning as we were on our way to school, sitting at the red light, you looked over and saw what you assumed was a tanker truck delivering gas to the gas station.

“Actually, that’s a soda truck. Soda makes people sick. It’s not healthy for people to drink it,” your health nut dad explained.

Your immediate response:

“Daddy, we should pour soda over the heads of the bad guys.”

Now, maybe if an outsider somehow heard that conversation, they might suggest it’s a prime example of a parent brainwashing their child.

I don’t know, though. I don’t know if it’s common knowledge that drinking soda leads to diabetes (type 2), like it is common knowledge in our family. Fortunately, Diabetes.org recognizes this on their website:

“The American Diabetes Association recommends that people should limit their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages to help prevent diabetes. Sugar-sweetened beverages include beverages like: regular soda, fruit punch, fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweet tea, and other sugary drinks.”

Plus, I don’t know if this is common knowledge either, like it is for our family, that diet sodas are no better for a person who is trying to avoid cancer or disease. Even WebMD doesn’t outright deny or dismiss these claims:

“The most recent headlines have raised concerns that diet sodas boost stroke risk. Diet and regular sodas have both been linked to obesity, kidney damage, and certain cancers. Regular soft drinks have been linked to elevated blood pressure… Observational studies like these can point to possible concerns, but they can’t prove that sodas do, or don’t, pose a health risk.”

But over time, like smoking cigarettes, regularly drinking soda is the sort of like playing Russian roulette.

The way I see it, it would be an act of mercy to pour soda over the heads of the bad guys. Better on them, than in them.

Honestly, I would be very upset if I found out that someone let you drink soda when I wasn’t around. That would be extremely offensive to me; even if you only had a few sips.

Aside from the overdose of sugar, and the mysterious chemicals, there’s also the caffeine to take into consideration.

Caffeine is the mostunregulated, psychoactive drug in the world; not to mention it’s addictive. An article from The Journal Of Young Investigors: The Premier Ungraduate Science Journal puts it this way:

“According to a study conducted by New Scientist magazine, 90% of North American adults consume some form of caffeine on a daily basis, making this legal, psychoactive substance the world’s most widely used drug.”

As for you, you just drink water all day, then almond milk with dinner.

Soda is not for drinking. It’s for pouring over the heads of bad guys; at least, according to you it is.

You’re nicer than I am, though. Again, I think making the bad guys drink that stuff would be a lot worse.

 

Love,

(Your health nut) Daddy

 

Top image: Shutterstock, Evil Soda.

Bottom image: Shutterstock, Soda Cans- Sugar and Caffeine.

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

I Survived A Year Of Being A Vegan, Part 2

March 8, 2014 at 12:34 am , by 

3 years, 3 months.

Continued from Part 1…

Dear Jack,

A few weeks ago, I pitched an idea to an infographics company about creating an infographic regarding the the rise of veganism; specifically explaining how Netflix documentaries have contributed to this movement in America.

My goal was to have something to back up this letter, in advance, for my one year vegan anniversary; which is obviously today. To my surprise, they actually used my idea!

Even better, before I could even type this letter, I found that this “Rise Of Veganism” infograph that I pitched and contributed to, was already showing up on my Facebook feed from other people.

I take that as a major compliment that I could be involved in creating something that people are sharing right now on Facebook and Twitter.

(Good word gets around, before I can even get the chance to spread it myself, in this case.)

So I finally took a minute to actually check out the findings of this infographic.

Son, it turns out, I’m one in a million after all… literally.

There are now about one million vegans in America, or 2.5% of the population. This infographic shows that only 21% of us vegans are male, only 11% of us follow a major religion, only 33% are not political, and only 10% of us are raising our children to be vegan.

Those findings tell me that I’m the minority among the minority: Of that 2.5% of American vegans, I am a non-political, religious male parent who is raising his son as a vegan… or at least mostly vegan.

Clearly, I do not fit the stereotype. I realize now, that makes my veganism stand out even more in the crowd. Oh well, I’ve been living outside the box my whole life; I’m used to it.

Like I’ve been saying this whole time, I have no desire to convert anyone else; nor did anyone pressure me into it a year ago.

Yet, the conversions are still happening. That’s obvious, considering that the number of vegans in America has more than doubled in the past 3 years. There’s something that’s contagious about the “vegan gospel” and, for lack of a better phrase, the alternative lifestyle that accompanies it.

It has nothing to do with social pressure. In fact, it’s the opposite of social pressure. In my opinion, being a vegan is one of the most outright rebellious things a person can do in our society.

Especially if you’re a guy, who is supposed to like meat and potatoes. (Or specifically in my case, as a Southerner, of Italian and Mexican heritage… then it would be fried chicken, pepperoni, and queso.)

Your daddy is a non-politcal, religious vegan. Yep, that’s me all right, the perfect rebel.

 

Love,

Daddy

Note: This is an opinion piece of the author and does not reflect Parents magazine or the medical establishment.

 

Veganism
Source: TopRNtoBSN.com

1 Comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

I Survived A Year Of Being A Vegan, Part 1

March 8, 2014 at 12:17 am , by 

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

Do Little Boys Want To Eat Spiders, Shovels, & Cookies?

March 2, 2014 at 10:58 pm , by 

3 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Last Saturday morning while we were grocery shopping at Whole Foods, we were informed that a cookie decorating class was about to start and that we were invited.

What it basically meant is that I used the plant-based icing (not from petroleum or crushed bugs) to draw pictures on your cookie, while Mommy did the shopping on the other end of the store.

When I asked you how you wanted me to decorate your cookie, you responded, “A spider!”

So I drew a spider in the center of the cookie.

But there were clearly other cool colors of icing on the table, which you saw as an opportunity for me to draw other random objects- apparently the first ones that came to mind.

Therefore, I also drew you a shovel underneath the spider… as well as a picture of a cookie, on the cookie itself.

Wow.

Even now, I catch myself trying to read into your artwork: What do a shovel, a spider, and a cookie all have in common?

The only answer I can come up with is that they are all things that you believed should be on a cookie.

I mean, seriously, what 3 year-old little boy wouldn’t want to eat a food in the likeness of  spiders, shovels, and cookies.

Turns out, a few days later, at school you chose to make an art collage with spiders. Why? We’re nowhere near Halloween?

In fact, I think I need to Tweet out this idea to Annie’s Homegrown…

Thanks to you, they may have just stumbled upon the next great marketing idea: Little boys want to eat food that is decorated or shaped like spiders, shovels, and cookies.

What if Annie’s Homegrown made a special edition mac-and-cheese where the noodles were shaped like those three things?

It could be the 3 Year-Old Little Boy edition. All the other boys your age would be so grateful for your clever and relevant idea of eating pasta shaped like spiders, shovels, and cookies.

Keep these creative marketing ideas coming… you never know what might happen.

Spiders, shovels, and cookies.

I dig it.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting

New Infographic: The Importance Of Playing Outside

February 24, 2014 at 7:28 pm , by 

3 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Last Friday was the last day that you and your best (and first) friend, Sophie, will ever spend together at school. (You’ve both been attending KinderCare since you met there in July 2011.)

As I officially explained to you last week in the car, you won’t be seeing her everyday at school anymore, since she and her family are moving to Alabama.

Sophie’s mommy threw her a sort of princess-themed going away party in which she brought cupcakes for your class- and dresses for your friends to try on in the theme of Frozen, I assume.

You even told me that you tried on one of the dresses, though I’ve yet to see a picture proving it.

However, Sophie’s mommy did snap a few shots of Sophie trying to give you a good-bye hug.

Yeah, you don’t look so enthused…

However, in this next photo collage you look a lot happier. That’s because Sophie gave you a good-bye gift: a motorized Mater scooter that she didn’t have room to take to her new home!

Mommy and I took you to your gymnastics class Saturday morning where you got to burn off energy like an American Gladiator (circa 1992). Then for the afternoon, while the sun was briefly out, we got to take a family walk around the neighborhood in the fresh air.

It was the perfect opportunity for you to give Mater a spin; outside of our house- since the only “road” you had previously been down was our hallway. I can’t look at these pictures without laughing, by the way.

Though the Mater scooter is electric, I think it will actually serve as an added motivation for you to want to go outside to play at parks on the weekend.

Again, you’re used to just driving Mater down the hallway, so the great outdoors is a much more exciting backdrop.

And while you’re already near a playground, we’ll make sure you’re actually burning your own energy too; in addition to your indoor gymnastics class.

I am pleased that your school is very proactive to make sure you and your friends go outside and play in the fresh air; given that the temperature is reasonable, even if it’s just a for a little while each day.

Coincidentally, I happened to come across this infographic on how many children aren’t as privileged as you, in regards to being able to play outside regularly.

Also, I like how it points out the social benefits, like negotiation skills, of recess. I had never thought about that before.

You are going to miss Sophie; that is for sure. You have known her since before either of you could even walk. Now the two you of can run and jump… and negotiate on the playground.

Fortunately, she happened to leave you a very special (and relevant) token of your special friendship. We will look forward to seeing Sophie again.

 

Love,

Daddy

Playing Outside

Source: TheNursingBible.com