Partially Hydrogenated Oil Overload!!!

I too am often really shocked at people's diets, especially children's diets. I mean, we are definitely not pure, but dh often brings me back to the reality of stories like yours when I get upset that ds has eaten 3 organic fruit leathers instead of any real lunch, or whatever the specific instance is.

We were laughing the other day because I offer fruit leather as a treat, and usually limit it to 1 or 2 a day. I was at a friend's house for dinner, and her child wanted some ice cream but hadn't eaten any vegetables at dinner, so his mom said that he could have some ice cream only if he ate a fruit leather first. And it was a good reality reminder for me that ds does eat well overall, so those rare days when it seems like he eats nothing but snack food and some sugar, I should just let it go.

But seriously, I get so worried for the health of these children. My neighbor was just telling me that she got a letter from her friend telling her that her son had been diagnosed autistic. As we discussed it, I mentioned to her that I had seen a lot about diet affecting the symptoms of autism, and certain changes that can really help. She replied that her friend had done a lot of research and talked to a lot of doctors, so she was sure that she was aware of any dietary considerations. I let it go, but in my mind I was thinking that I wouldn't be so sure about that. The doc I have now is the very first one in my 31 years on this earth (besides my acupuncturist) who talks about diet as a crucial component of our health and well being. So I felt sad for this woman at the possibility that she did not have information about specific diet changes that could possibily help her child.

My dad had a rule when we were kids about being in the grocery store and asking for a treat. He asked us to read the ingredients, and if we couldn't pronounce them, then we couldn't have the item we were asking for.

A little OT: Bebeluna - how do you handle these things being eaten in front of your son? Does he ask for them? What do you tell him? I always feel like it's so unfair to ds to have to watch everyone else eat something that he can't, and he doesn't yet understand about me explaining that it isn't good for him (plus I don't want to insult the person eating it), but yet I just can't stand for him to eat most of that crap. So what do you do?

Quote:
I cannot believe that! I let my girls have a fruit leather maybe once a week - when we go to the health food store. I definitely wouldn't consider it healthy - plus the stickiness is really bad for teeth. It is really sweet too - I can't believe a child could eat one and then ice cream - it just boggles me.

Food marketed for kids is really scary - between the hydrogenated oils, sugars, and abnormal colors - well, that's why obesity, diabetes, behavioral disorders, etc. are out of control.

Anyway, oceanbaby - you had a really good question about what to do at other children's houses. My oldest is 4 1/2 so of course we are doing more solailizing. If I leave her somewhere, I ask the mom to please not give my kids anything with sugar in it or any juice - just water to drink and MOST OF THE TIME they are happy to agree. They have fruit, cheese, crackers for snacks (though probably hydrogenated in the crackers).

However, my daughter was at a neighbors house the other day and when I picked her up she was acting hyper and strange and I found out she had brownices, breakfast bars and who knows what else. I don't even allow my kids chocolate! I was so upset. This woman thought it was cute to feed my poor, sugar-deprived kids this junk. Needless to say, they're not going over there again.

Anyway, when we're at a friends or a party and they have sweets, I just allow my kids to have one cookie or one small piece of cake etc. That way they don't feel left out but they don't overdo.

Anyway - thanks for letting me vent.

I also began being extra conscious of "trans" fats (hydrogenated oils) about 1 year ago after reading Sears' Family Nutrition book. it is in EVERYTHING! I've always been a label reader, but I didn't realize how bad this type of unsaturated (good) fat is for human bodies.

I now don't bring it into the house. We switched to "natural" peanut butter, olive oil margerine, and cut out some cereal and crackers.

It is scary how much of this stuff kids are eating, and b/c of the marketing, parents think that they are feeding kids soundly. For instance, I know moms who think of "fruit chewies" as a type of fruit.... "better those than candy", they'll say

Also, I recently got a free sample of some Gerber Graduates... you know the "toddler" food that is expensive and marketed as "more nutritious" for their growing bodies. It's "special", fortified with the extra vitamins and minerals that older babies need..... Both items were full of sugar and contained hydrogenated oils. I know that I could buy the regular kids brand that at least wouldn't have hydrogenated oils in it. ANd you know, most moms think they are doing something good for their kids buying it and paying the premium price.

Drives me NUTS!!!

Quote:
Well, they leave around 8:15 AM (and don't eat before they leave) and usually aren't back until 6 or 7 PM. So they usually are only here eating in the evenings, which helps some.
My ds has asked me for specific things that are Arielles (the little girl), I think mostly because he likes the packaging. But I just give him an alternative, and fortunately he likes what I feed him. He was kind of stuck on wanting her Go-Gurt (tubes of red-died 'yogurt"), so I went and got him the version of those made by Stonyfield Farms, and he had one a couple times and since has lost interest. I try to make sure he has had a good dinner before they get home, and that way he isn't really too interested in eating much when they get home.
I told them not to share their snacks with him and they seem to be respectful of that.

_____________________________________________

I'm almost afraid to ask... what's "magic cracklin" yogurt?
_____________________________________________

Oh yeah, this is really gross stuff! It is "yogurt" w/ partially hyd. oils & red die added. It comes with a little packet of blue and red pebble-looking things that crackle and pop (like "pop rocks") when added to the yogurt crap. YUCK!

The other night the little girl was crying for another can of pop, her mom was saying no. Arielle yells "but I am thirsty mom!". So her mom says, "well go drink some water then, or get a glass of chocolate milk" :

She also has these awful popsicles. They are pink, red, and blue... and have bubble gum at the center. How gross! My son did ask for one when Arielle was getting one and I just said "okay I will get you a popsicle" and gave him one of his 100% juice popsicles instead. He was happy, especially since popsicles, even the juice ones, are a rare treat for him.

Then there was the Blues Clues Mac & Cheese. same old Kraft mac & cheese, except it had a bunch of blue (yes, BLUE) paw print shaped pasta added. That was Arielles dinner the other night. Followed by chocolate milk.

The mom doesn't eat the same stuff as Arielle, but really not much better. She eats instant oatmeal w/ artificial flavors, Special K cereal w/ skim milk, eggs w/ cheese on a white bagel, turkey and cheese w/ mayo on white bread, white flour tortillas w/ cheese and sour cream, Ben & Jerrys, bananas, and plenty of pop.
I think they eat out at McDonalds a few x a week as well.

I have offered them some of my meals, but most were politely turned down. I made a roast w/ a bunch of vegis and potatos. Arielle did have some meat, but refused the vegis & potatos. I also made some spaghetti one night that Arielle ate. I offered some of the Minestrone I made~ they looked scared.
The other night I made a shitake-miso based soup w/ buckwheat noodles, hijiki, shitakes, tofu, and shredded carrots added. As I was eating it Arielle came and looked over my shoulder and yells "Gross! I don't want any of that!". I said, "That's fine, I wasn't going to offer you any."

I just feel that if they don't make some big dietary changes that she'll be in for a life of health issues. The mom has cancer currently and is going through chemo for the 3rd time. She is having her spleen removed next month because it is extremly enlarged. She has had a heart attack and kidney failure, as well as 2 dnc's. Oh, and she is only 26! Now I know that not all of that is directly from diet, but it just seems that w/ all the health issues she has had that she would have more concern for hers and her daughters health.
The daughter is 5 and weighs 82 lbs, which seemed kinda much for a 5 year old.

Quote:
I also try to feed my son very healthy food, and am shocked sometimes at what other people are feeding their kids. But then I remember what I ate when I was a kid- and honestly, most of it wasn't much better, and I lived. Certainly many people are drastically affected by their diets for life, but I think for most of us, good food increases our potentials, but bad food isn't going to make us drop dead at 25.

My son's diet has noticeable effects immediately; if he eats junk, or only sugar (even fruit!) without enough protein, he's a mess. For me, it did not when I was a kid; I was an athletic, straight-A student in grade school when all I ate for lunch was 2 ice cream sandwiches. So I try to convinve myself that the poor kids whose parents are feeding them whatever's advertised on TV have hardier metabolisms, as I did.

srain,
I agree with you to a degree. But I also think that nowadays it is even more important for us to be health-conscious, especially with our diets. With the use of pesticides even more widely used, the air, soil, and water quality more polluted than ever, the over-use of antibiotics in humans and animals leading to more "super bugs" and resistant illnesses, more people & cars on the planet, and the more widespread use of carcinogens in food such as red die, artificial flavors, partially hydrogenated oils, etc ... and the introduction of radiated food and genetically modified organisms...
well our world and our health just is not the same as it was 10, 20, 30 years ago.
I saw the effects of diet and immune system just recently here in our home. Both Arielle and my ds, Talin, came down with a cold that included runny nose and cough. Talin remained full of energy even w/ the illness and all symptoms disappeared w/in 3 days. Arielle was lethargic and her cough increased in severity and her runny nose and cough hung on for almost 2 weeks. she was going to bed early every night because she was so tired and her mom was giving her cough suppressent every night because she was up all through the night w/ a hacking cough.

sort of along these lines...

We are taking a trip to visit my in-laws. We will be there for two weeks, and although I'm really looking forward to the trip--I have SO much anxiety about how we will eat.
Many times these people show their love by feeding you. And the list follows:
overload of meats, the cheap, really terribly fat-laden kinds, boxed frozen chicken pieces
Spam and eggs
sugar cereals
TONS of soda and their version of juice (basically sugar and water with 5% actually fruit juice--it sure tastes good, SO bad tho)
white rice
processed american cheese
hotdogs loaded with nitrites, etc.
chips
white marshmellow bread
take-out chinese (it's very different over there, and I think the quality of food is even worse if that's possible)
canned brisket
However, they do eat a lot of local fruits.
And I can just picture them wanting so badly to love on their grandkids and ordering Mcd's and pizza.

My in-laws are the sweetest, humblest, most loving people. I could not ask for better. They just are not aware, and it's more of a cultural thing, too.
I'm so worried I will offend them by either delining their food, and subsituting different food....ah! I think I will try hard to be the one cooking dinner...
Dh just says to tell them that the kids are sensitive and will get sick if they eat certain things.
This is true, their digestive systems will totally freak out if they suddenly eat this way, and their overall health would suffer...and I don't want to be sick on this trip!
I don't know what to do.
We are planning to shop for groceries at the local health market, but it is not something we could 'slip' into the plans as it is an hours drive away, and we won't have our own car.

What would you do, what have you done?
I can't turn down everything, it would be way to offending.
What should I be more lenient about and what have any of you done in this situation?