Reading food labels

It all started 7 years ago when my dear sweet baby boy was born. This addition to our family of three was just what my husband needed after being raised by mom & sis, and then having me and daughter. A boy who, as he began to grow, was "all boy." You know what that means. He's masculine, he's daring, he's compassionate, he's not shy, he's not afraid to dance, and he's a huge fan of superheroes and StarWars.

This boy, as my daughter who is six years older, were the product of two full time working parents. Because of our financial situation, we both must work, and I found loving home daycares for each of them in their toddler years. And, we'd come home every night, cuddle up on the couch after a home cooked dinner, and laugh and sing and play. Weekends were made for my pretend-to-be-a-stay-at-home-mom time. We bake, we cook, we shop, etc. I love cooking for my family.

So...as my boy grew, parts of that "all-boy" were not the best behaviors in a school setting. We noticed that he indeed had a high energy, and that he "vibrates on a different frequency" as his chiropractor said. After a friend mentioned that the chiropractor that she worked at was helping many children become more calm and relaxed through chiropractic adjustments...I thought I'd check around our area and see if there's someone who treats kids. I found an amazing wellness center that has not only put him on a plan to straighten out his spine, neck (infant torticollis) and hips...but she asked us to try giving up a few food items as well.

I didn't think much about it when she felt he should give up peanuts/peanut butter, eggs, and anything containing Red 40. Artificial colorings & flavorings are something that have been linked to hyperactivity in children...and I had no idea!! Why wasn't I paying more attention to my upbringing of whole foods? Mom had a huge garden in the suburbs of Minneapolis as I was growing up. We always had fresh veggies, and my children love to eat veggies. In fact, my boy has been known to sneak sweet red pepper slices as I'm cooking, and down a whole pint of cherry tomatoes in one sitting.

In December, we began watching labels and avoiding the above culprits, and found that his learning and attention in school indeed did improve. We've got a great 2nd trimester report card to prove it. I chose to give up sugar and white flour, potatoes and white rice for Lent. It's almost Easter, and I must say I do feel better. An interesting experiment in food awareness may just have me for good. Wondering if this food awareness will continue...stay tuned.