The art of navigating choices and making healthy food decisions
I had the pleasure to give a health talk to a group of parents recently. The following is a summary, which I hope would be beneficial to you too.
As much as free play is essential to the development of a child, good nutrition is vital to support the health and growth of the child too. In this time of information overload, the challenge is in evaluating which information is useful, reliable and more importantly, safe to be applied.
If studies show that Omega-3 fatty acid are good for brain development, calcium is good for bone health, then milk enriched with Omega-3 and calcium must be good. Is that true?
I would like to share the concepts that ground me in making decisions in relation to food choices for my family.
Food has to be nourishing to the mind and the body. To me, this means food as close to their original form as possible with the least processing. Excessive processing strips food of their nutrition value, warranting fortification by adding back lost nutrients which usually are less easily absorbed by the body.
Food has to be safe to consume. At the very basic, this means clean and free from germs or harmful substances that cause illness in the short or long term. To take this a step further, it has to be safe to our environment (think about the impact of unethical animal/plant farming to our ecosystem) and to the welfare of people involved in producing it (eg: the farmers).
Food has to be consumed consciously. Eating and feeding go beyond the means of staving off hunger. This is a ritual that we do at least thrice daily, and imagine the impact on our body and mental health if we are to embrace the process consciously. Studies have shown that conscious feeding prevents over eating, maintain a healthy appetite and improves emotion control. Conscious feeding also means thoughtful consumerism towards a more sustainable living. As much as possible, I choose food that is sustainably produced, and give my full attention to the food when eating.
Food is an informed choice. This means making food choices after proper evaluation, instead of taking it at the surface value as marketed. When deciding to buy a loaf of commercial bread after reading the label, I understand and have to accept that while it does contain nutrients that may nourish my body (as marketed), it also comes with additives to improve flavour, appearance, preservation, as well as additional waste from the packaging. If I can’t accept that, I find alternatives or make my own bread. This is what it means by an informed choice.
Food reflects our attitude to life. Careful consideration towards food and its origin, emphasis on the nourishing quality it has on my wellbeing, taking time while enjoying the process of preparing and savouring a meal is one of the practical applications of living a full life, reflecting self care. When one of the vital elements of living – feeding is taken care of in the most respectful manner, I believe all other aspects of life would be well taken care of as well.
Above all, food should not cause tension and conflict. In the process of upholding our ideals, there comes a time when we need to strike a balance between expectation and reality. When organic, dairy products from 100% grass fed cow are not possible, a cheese without artificial colouring or other additives may be a more practical option. When resources are scarce, fresh vegetables from a local farm are a better financial option than the tired-looking imported organic vegetables. While it is always great to share and encourage others about healthy eating, it is also important to respect that they have a choice to disagree with our views and ideal about food.
At the end of the day, we are our children’s role model. How we live our life is reflected in our daily actions and decisions in the simplest thing including but not limited to meals. I want my child to learn self care, appreciate the inter-relatedness of conditions that brings a seed to the table as food; and to embrace life in all its fullness by starting with the most basic nourishment to the body – good food and nutrition.
