Whole family's fat? Can your kids blame you?

Latest edition of Australia’s The Biggest Loser is about “family fat” - in other words “like father, like son”, or “like mother, like daughter.” Yikes - what a legacy!  One of TBL 's personal trainers has gone on record as being inspired by one of the Dads on the show, while being appalled at the behaviour of some of the young towards their parents ... whom they often blame.

As well they might ... the studies are relentless in their confirmation. The negative effects of a preconception/pregnancy junk food diet, high-sugar intake, obesity, Caesarean-sections and formula feeding are trans-generational, or at the very least, have the potential to consign a child to a lifetime of poorer health and weight management issues from birth. 

Don’t let your kid point the finger of blame at you ... there are enough pitfalls in being a parent, enough genetic effects over which you can exert little or no control, to be stuck with those about which you can do something. And it’s never too soon to get started. 

It’s a simple program, involves both prospective parents equally and should be in place for at least four months before you plan to conceive. Prebiotics and probiotics are an essential foundation but also ongoing step in your preconception preparation, lots more sound advice in my latest mini ebooks. And believe me, whatever effort you both make before you conceive, will pale into insignificance alongside the gut-busting exercise and gut-wrenching food restrictions (or worse) that might otherwise become your offspring's lot.

A generation of fat kids - who's really to blame?

Researchers confirm that junk food consumption during pregnancy will program your unborn child for the same unhealthy preferences. 

If you watch the latest edition of Australia’s The Biggest Loser, even if you only watch the pre-screening ads, you’ll be seeing the trans-generational effects of poor dietary choices at first hand. Now the researchers shed some light on the mechanism and I can’t help but say “I told you so!”

Junk food addiction is indeed an addiction! The consumption of junk food stimulates the opioid receptors and just as with heroin, morphine and other opioid substances, tolerance develops ... more junk food is required to give the same “feel good” effect! And just as a heroin-addicted mother bequeaths the addiction to her infant, the same story applies in the case of junk food!

Good news is, you can program your baby for a different outcome, program her to enjoy a wide range of healthy tastes in exactly the same way. Even better, consumption of things like cruciferous vegetables during pregnancy can confer cancer-protective effects on your baby. 

So get rid of the high-sugar, high-fat, fried, additive-laden and get some clean, green, whole, in season fruit and vegies into you! Where to begin? Try some of the simple, truly nutritious recipes that my very own healthy baby (now 27 years old) has created for you. 

After all, you know that a baby addicted to narcotic drugs is a tragedy, but equally tragic is one addicted to junk food. Do you really want to be the one to blame for your fat family?