by Raw Body Foods

It was just six years ago that, through some fasting and research, I had what I call, a spiritual, moral and philosophical awakening. This brought about changes in my own eating habits and lifestyle; how I defined my role as a chef and set me on a mission to spread the message of wellness to all of those around me.

I find myself following the latest studies on the growing obesity epidemic and how it is crippling our nation. I dig to the root of the problem and there I find that there is a solution I can offer in my role, now as a private chef to a family with two small children, one of which I fed her first solid food to, and part time “progressive modern” restaurant consultant.

Looking at studies, I see that the eating habits of children begin long before they are able to choose the foods that they desire. It is proven that in the womb they are gaining a palate to their mothers diet and obviously will only know the foods that are being spoon-fed to them and put on their high chair trays. These rations of nutrient rich whole foods or nutrient deficient food-like products will either nourish their cells and maximize their growth potential or require their bodies to work overtime to fight off toxins and be to their detriment.

I don’t want to get too far into the dangers of not only eating processed foods but also Genetically modified, sprayed crops, I would like to focus on a happy solution.

Here are three suggestions:

1) Prioritize! Food is not a luxury or something that we can live without like a pair of shoes or an expensive toy. We need to invest in stocking our homes with foods that will nourish our bodies and maximize our health. This means the utensils, containers, Dealing with dietary diseases does not look like fun and is surely preventable.

2) Make your own snacks. Replace your microwave with a dehydrator. Dehydrating fruits and other snacks are, and should be the only options for you and your kids. Sugar with fiber attached, as in nature, is the goal when it comes to sweet options.

3) Plan ahead. Create a menu and a “cook” schedule for the week and stick to it. Running around on a daily basis, not knowing what’s for dinner is tiresome and getting old fast. If you have not taken the time to research cooking techniques or even a class, it is surely a life skill that everyone, parents or not, should be in tune with. If we needed to learn how to breathe to obtain oxygen, would we make time to learn? Of course we would.