POP Culture
Hey Parents, welcome to Energy Up’s Parents Of Power page!
You may be here because your daughter is in our Energy Up! program, or because you’ve recently become aware of the foods behind America’s obesity epidemic. You may be confused, you may be angry, or you may be looking for answers and information. (Our POP Culture page is also a great place for Pis*ed Off Parents to vent!) Whatever it is you are feeling, we want you to know you’re in the right place. This page is about parents supporting each other, sharing information, and learning how to support their children in the Energy Up! program. There is a very real obesity epidemic raging out there, and together we can put an end to it.
Here are some decisions I’ve made regarding my children’s health:
I buy milk from a local farm, where the cows graze on grass and aren’t given antibiotics and hormones. Why? Many cows making the milk in stores today are living in terrible conditions, pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, hooked up to pumps for so many hours a day their udders are oozing pus into the milk. This is true. Google if you want more info—there’s tons out there.
I buy organic foods whenever possible. Why? Because I don’t want my children to eat pesticides. Would you let your child eat an apple coated in poison?
I don’t buy any foods that contain Partially Hydrogenated Oils. Why? They are a leading cause of Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. They’ve also been linked to cancer, and many other diseases. Once again, Google for more info.
I’ve been called a “crunchy” mom, which makes me laugh, because the truth is that I’m the farthest thing from a treehugger you could ever find. But when I pull out organic granola bars or Earth’s Best cookies at a playdate, I always seem to get, “Oh you’re into organic.” (Organic being said in the same tone of voice that breast-feeding Nazis say “formula.”) And this is what I can’t understand—I’m just trying to be a good mom, like everyone else out there, and I’m being made fun of because of it.
How does your child’s school raise money? At my daughter’s school, popular fundraisers are candy sales and cookie dough sales. Basically, it’s sugar, sugar and more sugar. If you want to look like a “good parent” you buy a lot of whatever they’re selling. I’ve done it too — bought king-size packages of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or Kit Kats so that my daughter looks good.
Ever since I started reading food labels, I’ve been amazed at how much sugar is in EVERYTHING we eat! The American Heart Association guidelines for sugar consumption are 25 gram for women and 37.5 for men (4g equals 1 teaspoon of sugar.)
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