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Five Things I {Try To} NEVER Feed My Kids.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Health+ Nourishing Traditions

Please don’t call me a hypocrite if you ever see me and my kids out at McDonald’s happily chowing down on man-made, processed, genetically modified, deep fried MSG, ok?

In this crazy, chaotic world in which we live, sometimes… we eat junk food. And it’s just gonna happen.

I’m just sayin’, is all, that my goal is to feed my kids zero of this crap. I’m a long way from a perfect score, but this is my list of the top five things I wish my kids never ate:



1. SOY
I once read a book called The Whole Soy Story (because I’m a geek like that) and to save you from having to snore through it (you’re welcome), just know that the moral of the story is that soy is not a health food. 


I know your first argument is “but what about those healthy Asians…” and to THAT I say, 1) Asians primarily eat soy in fermented form {natto, miso, tempeh}, and 2) in small amounts as in condiments or appetizers. 


They do not typically sit down in front of the TV with a jumbo bag of edamame and scarf it like popcorn. 


60% of packaged food and 100% of fast food contains soy, which is scary because 100 grams of soy equals the effect on hormones of one contraceptive pill.


As a mom to two girls, I have a problem with that. Is it just me, or does it seem like so many friends are having lots of miscarriages, or trouble conceiving, or hysterectomies, or …? My theory is that all the soy in our modern-day diets is totally screwing up our sex hormones.  I could go on and on. But you can read the book if you want to know more.



2. MSG
Monosodium gluatmate, also known as hydrolyzed protein, also known as yeast extract, textured protein, protein isolate, and calcium caseinate. MSG may even be labeled using very vague terms such as “natural flavors” or “seasonings.” The big red flag to me is that MSG GROWS TUMORS. Please, I beg you, don’t feed it to my kids.

On this website I found a list of all the health problems caused or made worse by MSG:

  • Allergic reactions
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Asthma attacks
  • Burning, numbness, or tingling in or around your mouth
  • Brain damage
  • Cancer
  • Chest pain
  • Confusion
  • Damage to your unborn child
  • Death due to an MSG reaction
  • Diarrhea
  • Eye inflammation
  • Flushing
  • Free radical damage to your blood vessels (this can lead to a heart attack or a stroke)
  • Headaches (including migraine headaches)
  • Heart disease
  • Memory loss
  • Nausea
  • Pressure or tightness in the muscles in your face
  • Fertility problems (for both men and women)
  • Rapid, fluttering heartbeats
  • Seizures
  • Shortness of breath
  • Stuttering or speech problems
  • Sweating
  • Swelling of the brain (brain edema)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Weakness
  • Weight gain (the weight you gain from eating MSG is very difficult to lose)


And did I mention it grows tumors? Don’t ask me where I got that info, but as a mom to a beautiful child I love more than life who was once diagnosed with a brain tumor, just the RUMOR that it MIGHT grow a tumor was enough for me to HATE MSG. Ranch dressing is really the only big deal for us, but one day soon I’ll post a recipe for healthy, homemade NON-MSG Ranch Dressing. Stay tuned…




3. LOW-FAT or FAT-FREE FOODS.
Being a student of Nourishing Traditions, I’m a huge advocate of good fats.   



Brains are made of fat and water. And what with my child’s history, I’m all about researching what builds healthy brains, and it ain’t fat free potato chips or (shudder) low-fat cheese.

My children are lean and fit, witty and sharp as tacks, above average academically, happy, healthy, and well-adjusted. If you THINK eating fat makes you fat, consider that my kids eat butter and whole milk and coconut oil EVERY SINGLE DAY, and then look at these pictures. Fat kids? I think not.

A few more things fat in your diet is good for:

  • Allowing your body to absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, thus preventing deficiencies of these vitamins.
  • Providing energy.
  • Preventing fatty acid deficiency.
  • Helps taste of food, and keeps food in the stomach longer, providing a greater feeling of satisfaction from the foods eaten.
  • Helps your body produce endorphins and prevents essential fatty acid deficiency.

4. TRANS-FATS.
Hydrogenated oils. Crisco. Trans fats are in all commercially-produced baked goods, fried foods, restaurant foods… etc., because its cheap to use and makes the food have a long shelf life. They’re KILLING US to make profit, darn that mass-produced food industry. Health risks include heart disease, obesity, cancer, clogged arteries, high cholesterol, diabetes, birth defects, allergies in children, etc. My source? The University of Google, gosh. Research it for yourself. The facts are out there.

5. NON-ORGANIC DAIRY PRODUCTS.
Raw milk and raw milk products would be IDEAL… Dairy cows in nature produce enough milk to nourish one calf. Seeing as how producing so little milk would not be profitable for dairy farmers, they pump the suckers full of hormones to get milk churning out faster than one set of udders can keep up with, leading to infections… unless, of course, they also give the cows prophylactic doses of antibiotics to ward off infections.

WHEN YOU DRINK NON-ORGANIC MILK, you’re basically drinking hormone-laden, milk-flavored pus. And I just threw up in my mouth a little. And that’s all beside the fact that all those massive doses of hormones CaNNoT be good for little girls with growing bodies! GAH!


And that concludes my list. What’s on yours? 

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Comments

  1. Jenn says

    May 31, 2012 at 3:16 am

    I like to feed my kids turkey weiners stuffed in cornbread mix. Is that bad?

    Reply
  2. Melissa Taylor says

    May 31, 2012 at 6:48 pm

    Oh so bad… but if turkey weiners stuffed in cornbread mix are wrong, I don't wanna be right. Did you come up with that creatively delicious recipe on your own?! Bon Apetit magazine will be calling any day now!

    Reply
  3. Gail A says

    May 31, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    Good info.  Where do you shop for your healthy foods here in Tyler?  What brand milk do you buy?

    Reply
  4. Melissa Taylor says

    May 31, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    I like the Granary at the west loop and 5th street across from El Charro! Prices on most things are better at Drug Emporium, but I like the chickens they have at the Granary and usually just get everything else there! I usually get my milk there in 1/2 gallons. Sam's has Horizon organic milk way cheaper than Brookshire's, but it's reduced fat and I like for my kids to drink whole milk

    Reply
  5. Sandra says

    May 31, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    wow! that's a lot to take in, but I appreciate the info…now I have to go empty my cabinets and refrigerator 

    Reply
  6. Jenn says

    May 31, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    Naw, girl, I'm not that creative!!  There's this awesome blog for foodies where you learn how to make corn dogs and pizzas and stuff.  

    Reply
  7. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 1, 2012 at 10:24 pm

    I guess you have to be *uber-creative* to appreciate a magical dish like turkey weiners served up in cheap cornbread mix, when you're not busy stealing other people's recipe ideas. Sigh. 

    Reply
  8. Jenn says

    June 1, 2012 at 10:26 pm

    well i did learn how to make a good white chili.  just don't leave out the massive hunks of celery.  that ALWAYS tastes good.  

    Reply
  9. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 1, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    You know what a *foodie* somewhere should do? A blog post on what to do with those infernal ready-made pizza crusts you see in the grocery store. I mean, what are those for?!??! It baffles me every time. <br /><br />Wait. Do you THINK… you could really make your own PIZZA? That just came to me!!<br /><br />Surely NOT. If only I were uber-creative enough to figure that one out. Please, foodie

    Reply
  10. Jenn says

    June 1, 2012 at 11:54 pm

    OMG&gt;  you could TOTALLY do, like, a VARIETY of toppings so….ok, give me sec….  YOUR KIDS COULD CHOOSE THEIR OWN TOPPINGS!!!!!  Give me my own food network show, guys!!  or better yet, my own food blog..  😉

    Reply
  11. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 2, 2012 at 12:07 am

    You are TOTALLY smart enough to write your own food blog. I bet you even know how to assemble a lunchable.  I mean, is it cracker-cheese-ham? Or cheese-ham-cracker? Or WHAT? I REALLY hope an uber-creative foodie blogger will write about that soon!!!

    Reply
  12. Jenn says

    June 2, 2012 at 12:14 am

    ok, i&#39;m on a roll now.  i am just racking my brain.  what oh what can i do next to be uber creative??  hmm.  grilled cheese??  like, literally, grill up some cheese?  but i better go to FRESH and buy something totally trendy and cool sounding and slap it on the grill~

    Reply
  13. Jenn says

    June 2, 2012 at 12:16 am

    and let me get out my 7th grade <br /><br />AP language arts writers&#39; guide to find every adjective i can think of to describe a slab of ham as it hits the palette, so i can then answer your question of cheese-ham-cheese.

    Reply
  14. Kerry @ Made For Real says

    June 2, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    Just lost my comment… But I loved this, some new info to me. Thanks for your digging work!

    Reply
  15. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

    Reply
  16. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:35 pm

     Ha! I know… it&#39;s overwhelming, isn&#39;t it? I&#39;ve become an obsessive label-reader, not that we eat like we should near as much as I&#39;d like, but I just can&#39;t be oblivious about what my kids eat anymore!

    Reply
  17. Melissa from the Blue House says

    June 4, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    I think you have to have a master&#39;s degree to fully answer that one or to be a real &quot;foodie.&quot; Good luck. 

    Reply

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About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

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Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
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