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Whole Foods Are Gifts from Nature
Processing the Importance of Whole Foods
By Donna Smith
5. Practice the 90-10 Rule"We don't have to be fanatical to raise healthy children," Gordon says. Children can still enjoy treats and candy. Just make it 10 percent of the time instead of all the time. The other 90 percent of the time eat whole foods. "I let my children eat candy, cakes and total junk once in a while. If I didn't they would feel deprived and then probably rebel later on in life. So instead, I let them have what they want once in a while, just not all the time."
When Gordon does let his children eat junk food, he explains why it's bad for them and tells them as they get older, they will have to make their own choices for healthy eating. "When they eat healthy I explain the benefits of the foods they are eating," he says. "I tell them that it gives them great energy and makes them big and strong. I teach them that the good foods they eat help them run faster and do better in school. I tell them certain foods make them smarter, which is the truth. The more I say it, the more the message sinks in."
And have your children read them too, Gordon says. "You should know everything you are ingesting into your body and allowing into your children's bodies," he says. The more you read labels the less likely you will eat the bad stuff. For instance when you read ice cream labels you may see diethyl glucol, which is also used in antifreeze and paint removers, or piperonal (used to exterminate lice), some artificial cherry flavors (used in rubber dyes and plastics) and nut flavorings (used in rubber cement).
