HEALTHY EATING
I like to think of my mom as a "woman before her time" with
"wisdom beyond her years." I regret my own selfish teenage years
when I would sneer at her advice. Thankfully, I grew to appreciate
her intellect and common sense, and now I cherish every moment with
her.
A champion of nature, my mother strives to "give back to the
Earth what we take." She was composting and recycling refuse long
before it was fashionable. I remember hauling garbage to the garden
to dig it under, and rinsing out plastic jugs to be used as bird
feeders to the shock of my teenage friends. Now I bring my own bags
to the supermarket and, with a wink to my mom, I hold my head high
when the bagger sighs at me.
As her birthday nears - a significant one - I'd like to share
with you her sage advice, coined "momisms" by my family:
Eat your bread crusts! Heads up to moms who make neat, crust-
less sandwiches for their children. According to a study in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, bread crusts, especially
whole wheat and pumpernickel, contain eight times the antioxidants
as the inside.
Shut off the boob tube! Well before a link between childhood
obesity and too much TV was found, my mother was defaming "The Three
Stooges" and the Road Runner and let us know we would be "Lost in
Space" if we didn't get away from the TV. Good advice that sticks
today.
Fresh air and sunshine are good for you! Allowing children
outside play time not only encourages physical activity, but also
promotes proper bone growth with the formation of vitamin D from the
sun's rays.
Finish your milk! Good for bones and blood pressure. Disregard
the propaganda against it; take it from my mom, milk was and is
still good food.
Breast milk is best for baby. With the birth of her first baby in
the 1950s, baby formula was considered superior. With the support of
her mother, she went against the medical establishment and nursed
seven children. Today the American Academy of Pediatrics whole-
heartedly recommends breast feeding.
Dark bread is better for you! Long before we understood the
benefits of whole grain, she knew.
Eat your vegetables; they're good for you! Simple wisdom.
Move it or lose it! Ditto for simple wisdom.
I have eyes in the back of my head! I still believe this but
can't prove it (must have something to do with how many carrots she
eats).
Never get old! Something she lives by every day! Happy birthday,
Mom!
Joan Endyke is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in
nutrition and food science, and also a certified personal trainer.
She is the nutrition director at Fitness Unlimited.
Readers may send questions about nutrition to Endyke at Fitness
Unlimited, 364 Granite Ave., Milton, MA 02186 or by e-mail to
jendyke@fitnessunlimited.com.
The information in this column is not intended to diagnose
individual conditions. Readers should see their doctors about
specific problems.
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