What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a kick out of feeding her one of her meals of squash. Okay, so not all of it got in her mouth, but she was pretty cooperative overall.

I was curious as to what else she was eating, and my sister-in-law showed me an assortment of baby food jars containing green beans, carrots, bananas and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

It was at this moment the following thought hit me. When we come into this world we are "NMP" (a healthy eating style) and then some! We don't start off eating meat, poultry and the various other junk food we become accustomed to later on. The craving for these items is something we learn. And if we can learn it, we can also "unlearn" it. That's what I did when I used my unique Fallback Methods to make the easy, gradual transition to my healthy "NMP" eating style. By the way, I coined the acronym "NMP" for my book "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" to describe my healthy eating style. It stands for "no meat or poultry", but unlike vegetarian diets, includes fish, and its emphasis on converting favorite comfort foods we all grew up on and like to eat out, into more healthful meatless forms.

You can do your children a huge favor by bringing them up "NMP", or at least as "NMP" as possible, and letting them continue with the non-meat/poultry diet they naturally started when they first were introduced to solid food. You can also help the other children in your life--grandchildren and nieces and nephews by teaching them when you have time with them that good food choices are their friends.

There is an epidemic of overweight and obese kids in the United States due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle (too much television, video games and computer time). So diseases like Type II diabetes which are supposed to be "adult onset" are starting to show up even in teenagers. Researchers have shown that arteries can begin being clogged by poor diet from the early years of childhood on. It's never too soon to adopt healthy eating habits that can put a child in the best possible position to have a very long and healthy life.

So does this mean that as your kids grow they cannot have all the "traditional" kid fare that all of us love like hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken nuggets? Not at all! There are healthy and delicious non-meat/poultry versions of all of these foods that you can use, and feel good about giving your child. So your kids can definitely "have their cheeseburger and keep their health too!" There's even one company, Yves, that has introduced a line of "lunchable"-type meals that mimic those incredibly unhealthy, heavily-advertised meals that kids are often sent off to school with.

And, just because you're not a kid (at least in numeric age) anymore yourself, it doesn't mean that you can't asily "unlearn" and improve upon your current eating habits. "NMP" eating is designed to allow you to eat healthfully, yet still have all your favorite comfort foods. "NMP" also teaches you to avoid hidden food dangers. It's the unique combination of the two that gives you the best of all possible worlds when it comes to diet and your health. So why not make "NMP" the healthy eating style of choice in your household? It's never too early and it's never too late!

Note: Please check with your pediatrician or other healthcare professionals to determine the best way to incorporate healthy "NMP" eating in your child's diet and it's applicability to his or her particular needs.

(c) Copyright 2002 By Melanie R. Jordan E-Publishing

About The Author

Melanie is the author of "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" This Booklocker.com print best seller uniquely shows how healthy eating achieved with favorite comfort foods is deliciously possible! Melanie also publishes a free monthly e-zine called "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! Update" (subscribe by e-mail to healthycoach@aweber.com). Visit her web site Healthy Eating Coach's Corner at http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com

healthyeatncoach@aol.com

---

Do You Eat Breakfast?

It is not a myth. Eating breakfast is an important part of attaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The morning meal enables your body to refuel itself... Read More

The Four Cornerstones of Nutrition

What is nutrition? We hear so many reports today on different foods containing them, but the reporters rarely provide any context in which the informaiton can be... Read More

Healthy Eating Habits

I read a lot about the topics of health and especially diets. I have been experimenting with diets since 1990 and keep journals about my observations. Over... Read More

Nutrition For Your Young Athlete

Nutrition is extremely important for any young person, especially an athletic one, and even more so during the developmental years of their life. Whether your child is... Read More

Allergy Approaches through Nutrition

Spring in New York City is a really magical time. Flowers and tree buds bring so much beauty to our coveted parks. I was walking through the... Read More

Time Line of the Development of GlycoBiology and GlycoNutritionals

1880s - Characterization of monosaccharides by Emil Fischer.1952 - Fresh, not aged, Aloe gel heals radiation burns on rabbits (Clarence C. Lushbaugh, Cancer 1953 vol. 6)1970 -... Read More

When Is The Penny Going To Finally Drop For People?

Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt to many of you. Our body's function very similar to a motor car and I see so... Read More

Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction

Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main... Read More

Finding the Elusive Complete-Protein Source

Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their labels help inform consumers that protein is a critical macronutrient in strength training success. Yet what is... Read More

Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen

The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has a profound affect on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD. For many people, nutrition alone can effectively work... Read More

Salads Take Center Stage

The reason I remember the first time I was served a main-course salad, easily 15 years ago, is that it was such a revelation.It was served to... Read More

Combat Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion

Today, more than ever, consumers over the age of 50 are on some type of Pharmaceutical drug regimen, many of which promote healthier, longer lives. Unfortunately, many... Read More

Refrigerator Water Filters vs. Bottled Water: Round 1

Water is the single most important element for human existence, yet many people do not know much about water. Water comprises 60% of a human's body weight,... Read More

Face Check Up

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them all? Here is your handy-dandy checklist for a healthy you. Discover how your face reveals your health.____1.... Read More

Odd Fact or Oxymoron: Learning How To Cook Will Help You Drop a Few Pounds and Gain a Few Friends

Finding simple ways to reduce my waistline is always a personal objective. I am by no means a health expert, and I have not always been too... Read More

Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.Bananas: Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre, a... Read More

Ocular Nutrition and Eye Health Food

Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of the ways to support your vision. As early as in our 30's, our eyes and vision can... Read More

The coq10 Benefit

Coq10 is also known as Coenzyme Q10.This co q10 is produced naturally in the human body, and is a source of various coq10 benefit. Co q10 is... Read More

Chocolate Splendor: Food For The Gods; Bodybuilding Nutrition

A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma's Fine Dining.Hi, I'm your waitress, Flo. How are you two doing tonight? Just come from the gym? Whew, one of... Read More

The Joys of Being Healthy

It is amazing to be able to say I am a whole, happy, healthy, loving woman. I was sick for the first 40 years of my life.... Read More

Got Sprouts?

They're not only good for you, but they taste good, too. Sprouts are also a great source of vitamins, fiber, protein, anti-oxidants, and enzymes. A sprout is... Read More

Glutamates

Approximately 30 years ago, food manufacturers were competing against the American Homemaker for consumable dollars. Women, traditionally prepared food fed to the family and the food prepared... Read More

Discover Which Fruit and Vegetables Help Relieve Arthritic Pain

If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. If you haven't walked a mile in those... Read More

Carrots : The Master Key For Healthy Living!

It slows ageing, promotes healthy vision, has anti-cancer properties, increases immunity towards various chronic diseases. Yes, carrot does it all for you. This natural health booster enhances... Read More

The Two Faces of Chlorine

If you are like most people, you don't enjoy the taste of chlorine in your drinking water. Nevertheless, you're willing to put up with it because it... Read More

Changing Your Eating Habits

Because all of us have been brought up eating junk food, well most of us, it is not easy to change our eating habits. Your eating habits... Read More