Off The Record
This Is How A Kid Who Has Never Eaten A Gram Of Sugar In Her Life Looks Like Today
“You are what you eat” became the fitness mantra after Gillian Mckeith ran a BBC TV series with that name, in which she advised people on how to eat appropriate healthy diets.
With the ever increasing number of fitness fads and crash diets that the internet is filled with, it is important to choose the correct one after consulting with your dietitian.
Like every other mother on Planet Earth, Shan Cooper too worries about her family’s diet and wants them to be “healthy, wealthy, and wise”. For this exact reason she has put her daughter Grace on a strict Paleo diet since her birth.
I know your mind is filled with innumerable number of questions – is it safe to put a baby on a diet? Is this actually good for a kid who is growing up? How will it affect her immune system? Well, read on to find your answers.
Author of the extremely popular blog My Food Religion, Shan describes herself as someone who is “not vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, carb-free or any other food “denomination” in its entirety.”
She picks and chooses “from different food approaches and recipes” and adapts it to suit what makes her feel good.
Her beautiful daughter Grace has been a part of the same diet since she was born. Shan once said about her daughter’s eating preferences, ‘She spends a lot of time around other kids who are sick all the time – who have snotty noses, coughs, colds – but she just doesn’t pick it up,” Cooper added, “I absolutely think a nutrient-dense diet is giving her a strong immune system.”
Related article: 18 things you need to get rid of Immediately
There is nothing like finding a suitable diet for yourself. It is a lengthy process of trial and error unless someone takes the call for you.
Do not under any circumstances get swayed by the popular diets overlooking your body type, age, environment and most importantly, resistance power. Cooper states on her website: “I have a background in science and animal health & have done a wellness coaching course. I have done my certificate IV in Fitness, taught boxing classes and the occasional boot camp”. She clarifies that she is no doctor or specialist, “the Information presented on myfoodreligion.com along with Facebook, Pinterest, and other social sites is for educational and informational purposes only. None of the information presented on myfoodreligion.com is intended to treat, diagnose or treat any medical or nutritional illness”. It is a space for sharing healthy food alternatives and a record of her personal journey.
Kids can be stubborn and Cooper too is, after all, a mother. She does expect her child to be disciplined, but can’t become a dictator! She doesn’t want her child to feel excluded and allows her to eat whatever there is at a birthday party or other social gatherings. She does not carry food for her, but instead she urges her to try new things.
Shan Cooper calls her daughter her “Saving Grace” on her Instagram profile (@myfoodreligion). She is not a toddler anymore and her mother writes in the blog, “I have a huge passion for gut health & cannot get ENOUGH of learning all about the gut microbiome and how it affects so many aspects of our body!”
New York Times published an article with 11 studies, Dr. Elsie M. Taveras, chief of general pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, opined that children have sharp memories and remember tastes specifically.
Dr. Taveras further explains: “Our early taste preferences, particularly for fruits and vegetables, and on the flip side for sugary beverages, are lasting.” thus, healthy eating habits have to be instilled from the very beginning.
Once your child ventures into the territory of instant noodles and fries for lunch, it is difficult to get her to eat healthy. To keep up with Shan and Grace Cooper, follow their Instagram account @myfoodreligion and their informative website myfoodreligion.com.
