Weighing weight issues at 5?

My daughter is five years old. And is worried about being fat.

There, I said it.

After weeks of increasing pickiness that have peaked this week with my formerly healthy eater injesting only a bite or two at a meal, we're worried. And just a few days ago, we found out why: she's worried if she eats too much, she'll be fat.

The interesting part is that mom, who is more than a little overweight, is "just right" in her eyes. And I've been careful to never breathe a word about weight worries or dieting in our house, instead focusing on how we need to take a family walk or eat healthier instead.

And because we've tried to shelter her as much as possible, my only guess is to look at the messages she's exposed to elsewhere. Dieting messages are rampant in the media. Billboards, radio, television, you can't escape it. Even the ads on the Food Network - the ultimate celebration in food - focus heavily on what you should take when you eat too much of it.

The idea that my daughter has weight worries in kindergarten terrifies me. Granted, I've had close experience with watching a coworker's son battle an eating disorder in middle school. I expected to have discussions about the media and messages about health in a few years; I'm not naiive. I just wasn't ready for that talk yet.

However, now we're having to ramp up our talks, focusing on the positive (lots of foods are healthy and make us grow and be strong) and sadly, dabbling in the negatives of getting sick. And we've been trying to give lots of reinforcement and addressing her questions, reassuring her that we're not going to give her so much food that she gets fat, and really too much junk food is a big instigator of it all (in many cases).

We've decided to tap in my daughter's love of cooking and having her start helping me plan meals again, seeing if that won't spark her interest at mealtime. And we've decided the TV will stay off unless we're in the room and able to discuss what's on. Because little minds are curious minds, and you never know what ideas will stick.

Making sense of eco-confusion: An open letter to an op-ed writer

Dear Kelly Jones Sharp,

Today I finally caught up with the stack of newspapers in our break room, and your column jumped out from me on the op-ed page. Trapped in a mix of politics and who's to blame for the economy, the headline "Even being green can be too much of a good thing" truly stood out.

But after reading 15 inches or so your writings, I'm convinced that you've succummed to the mass confusion and hype about being green.

Being green isn't about buying the latest, greatest, greenest product on the market. And it's not about flogging yourself for not springing for organic milk or eggs grown down the street.

Being green is about being mindful. It's about making small choices that, combined with the efforts of others, paves the way for a healthier community now and for years to come.

Maybe you're tired of all the hype. Sure, it seems that every label out there has slapped the word "green" in there somewhere, but I for one appreciate the fact that companies are starting to wake up and realize that environmentally friendly products may be a priority for some of us. And if you're still confused, there are plenty of green, simple and inexpensive choices for cleaning out there. Like baking soda or vinegar, to get you started.

Even if you're burnt out on the jargon - making sense of organic vs. locally grown vs. labelling, I'm worried you're on the cusp of giving up completely. Your column has me worried. You write:

Is my salad just a Bigfoot Audrey sucking down the carbon ("Feed me, Seymour!"),
with ingredients shipped from California, Florida, South America and New
Zealand?

How can I eat the way I'm supposed to if I give up over-fished tuna
and salmon and fruits and veggies from afar? It's not as though Central Indiana
is a hotspot for banana trees, orange groves and fish full of omega-3 fatty
acids.

Here's where you forget that being green is working with nature, not against it. The great thing about living seasonally is that we can still eat outside the "traditional" culinary box. You don't have to just eat corn to eat local Indiana foods. There are many, many local producers in Indiana - and things you may not consider. Just visit localharvest.org or pick up a copy of Home Grown Indiana if you don't believe me. Check out a late fall farmers market and enjoy something new for your Thanksgiving table.

Being green is about a culmination of simple steps. In the end, it's about consuming less and doing more with what you have.

Fewer kids - save the planet?

"Fewer kids - save the planet?" is headlining the Wall Street Journal's Juggle Blog right now. In it the writer wonders aloud whether there's an ethical requirement to balance family size against environmental impact.


Blogger Katherine Meyer quotes a recent article in the Chicago Tribune that seems to argue favorably for population control in Western countries, citing such statistics as "each child born in a rich country like Britain or the United States is likely to be responsible for 160 times as much carbon emitted as a child born in Ethiopia."

British physicians are considering just that. A British Medical Journal editorial recently stated:

Should we now explain to UK couples who plan a family that stopping at two children, or at least having one less child than first intended, is the simplest and biggest contribution anyone can make to leaving a habitable planet for our grandchildren? ... doctors should help to bring family size into the arena of environmental ethics, analogous to avoiding patio heaters and high carbon cars.

According to the Chicago Tribune:

Limiting family size is "the simplest and biggest contribution anyone can make to leaving a habitable planet for our grandchildren," the [British Medical Journal's] editorial's authors said. Family planning as a means to reduce climate change has been little talked about in international climate forums, largely because it is so politically sensitive. China's leaders, however, regularly argue that their country should get emission reduction credits because of their one-child policy, and many environmentalists—and even a growing number of religious and ethics scholars—say the biblical command to "be fruitful and multiply" needs to be balanced against Scripture calling for stewardship of the Earth.

I agree that we're called to care for our planet and its creatures, but I have a serious ethical problem in saying we should issue population control for the sake of saving the environment. People are not cars. They are not patio heaters. They are individuals who have the power to make individual, positive impacts on our society and our environment through individual actions. And who is to say that one person should get that choice on who lives or not, based on a carbon footprint?

Shouldn't we be teaching us - and our children - how to better care and manage the resources given to us instead?

Writes Taiyyab Mehmood, Medical Doctor Trainee Surrey, UK/Riga, Latvia, on the BMJ's Rapid Response page:

...don't be shy to have babies. Educate them to not overbuy food (as in UK 25% food bought is binned) and not to overindulge one's desires and ego to have a plasma TV in every room with 4 cars per house - big engines also etc. But don't forget to give them lots of sincere love, protection, care and the gift of wisdom to be ready for the big world.

My luck (or lack thereof) at the farmers market

Farmers market visits are a standing appointment for Saturdays in our family. We usually choose one of two in the area, and my oldest is known by many of the vendors (so well that they ask about her 'matoes.)

Of course, today was no different. Running behind, I opt to race out the door, sans shower, hair haphazardly slicked back into a ponytail, ratty T-shirt on. By the time we'd get there, it'd be close to 9:30, when your options start to radically drop off.

Today, of course, was the day the local newspaper's photographer came by. And, being an ex-journalist, I know far too well that the cute babies and puppies shots never fail. So yes, the happily shopping toddler and disheveled mom have been captured for all posterity. Nice!

Going green with Emeril

The demise of "Emeril Live" on the Food Network brought much sadness to my husband and 3 year old. The pair had made a tradition of watching "Live" - fondly known as "Man's Cooking Show" in our household - each night.

This week, though, I made two discoveries: One, we have TV on demand, and it doesn't cost anything extra. Two, Emeril is on it.

Emeril has launched "Emeril Green" on the fledgling Discovery Green network, which is finally bringing a few more shows on the air. Rather than his usual "event" shows like "Emeril Live," this show brings a person one-on-one with Emeril to solve a cooking dilemna, from shopping at Whole Foods to cooking and sampling the dishes.

I haven't been brave enough to attempt any of the meals yet, but they're definitely caught our interest. I think my family's found a new show to watch, and the great thing is, we don't have to push back our bedtime to enjoy it.

Feeling like a foodie? Find his recipes here.

Photo from Google image search.

What are the best farmers' markets?

Eating Well has published its list of the best farmers' markets in the country. While I wish they shared details about them, it's a starting point for singling out great stops when you're traveling or simply doing your weekly shopping.

Personally, I can vouch for two: the Lawrence Farmers' Market in Lawrence, Kan., and Trader's Point Creamery in the Indianapolis suburb of Zionsville.

The Lawrence Market I frequented as a broke college student at the University of Kansas in the early 90s, back in the day when people asked quizzically, "What's a farmer's market?" I remember roaming the stands of produce, soaps and quirky homemade goods that were so prevalent in the then-bohemian college town.

The market is the oldest in the state, dating back to 1976, and has exploded to more than 80 members. I'm just a decade too late!

Trader's Point, affectionately known in our home as the "horse farmer's market," is an all-organic market held at the dairy form just northwest of I-465 and 86th Street in Indianapolis. I love that it's year-round and provides a great variety of goods, from sausages to salsas, from bouquets to breads, from coffees to cleaning products. It's a great treat for us to attend, though it usually requires a trip to the dairy bar for a chocolate or mango milkshake.

What do you think? Do you agree with the list? Are there others that warrant a mention?

Golf carts? Go for it…

Golf carts are going beyond the green these days to become a greener alternative to your car.

More and more people are toying with this mode of transportation beyond the golf course. I’ve seen it just blocks from my house, even though we’re far from a grocery store or other retail and about a mile from the nearest gas station.

Several Indiana towns allow golf carts as alternative forms of transportation, and others are debating the safety. Four states actually have on their books laws against golf-cart usage on public streets, according to the Indianapolis Star.

If a cart has safety lights, then why is this any more of a safety concern than the casual cyclist, or someone on a scooter?

Writes Star reporter Tim Evans:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does not recognize golf carts as on-road vehicles, so they don't have to meet the same federal safety standards as automobiles. McGwin said he isn't opposed to expanding the use of golf carts but said safety must be addressed. That includes requiring operator training and seat belts.

…Dennis Rosebrough, spokesman for the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles, concedes the law is unclear. He said the BMV's stance is that golf carts cannot be registered with the agency, "so, in theory, they should not be on the roads."

So why are bicycles allowed to share those same roads, but not golf carts?

According to the Associated Press, citing studies reviewing U.S. emergency room records, 1,000 Americans are injured each month while riding golf carts.

Males aged 10 to 19 and people older than 80 had the highest injury rates….
falling or jumping out of carts accounted for the largest number of injuries, 38
percent.

Only half occurred on streets or residential property. The report continues:

... golf cart injuries are hardly an epidemic. According to the database from which the studies were derived, there were 35 times as many injuries blamed on bicycles in 2006, and golf carts were also far outstripped by injuries blamed on vacuum cleaners, roller skates and swing sets, among others.

Cyclists must ensure they follow safety rules, whether it’s proper hand signals, reflectors or helmets. With a little common sense on the part of the riders and similar safety features for golf carts, there’s no reason why this mode of transportation shouldn’t be an option. In Gas City, Indiana, the Star reports:

Carts must be equipped with head-, tail- and brake lights, a windshield and a triangular slow-moving-vehicle emblem. Drivers must be at least 16 and provide
proof of insurance when they register their carts each year with the police department. The carts may not be used on state highways and may cross them only
at designated intersections with traffic lights.

Still, if you’re looking to save costs, you’ll need to weigh the cost of acquiring a cart with the benefit of the gas you’ll save over the long term. According to the Star, golf carts can be found for as little as $2,500, and can cost about 3 cents a mile to operate.

If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, there’s the Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, which retail around $8,000, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

The vehicles run on batteries, carry license plates, and can be legally operated on thoroughfares with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour – at least for now.

Before you hop on board the golf cart trend, make sure it meets your lifestyle. If you’re currently facing a heavy commute, live long distances from retail, your church or workplaces or other places you often frequent, or have small children, this might not be right for you just yet.

Not ready for a golf cart? Find other ways to save gas on your commute and daily living.

Is oil a 'divine gift'?

Today's opinion page in the Indianapolis Star includes an interesting letter. In it, the writer recaps the story of the man trapped by a flood and offered rescue three times. Each time, he refuses, stating God will rescue him. At his death, he questions God, who replies that he did provide the assistance, but that it was refused.

This writer takes the analogy and applies it to the American oil crisis:

I liken this to our complaining about the cost of gasoline and about OPEC. God
provided the bounty. All we have to do is go after it. But we waste time looking
at other sources, making silly excuses, when his supply was right in our
backyard all along.

(You can read the complete letter here.)

It's an interesting theory, that oil is a "divine gift" that we can use for our benefit. But I have to wonder, is it not then like many other gifts we may have been given by the higher power of your choice, that we might squander it?

Your thoughts?

Do we need 'Green TV'?

I casually was flipping channels the other night when I noticed a new station in the channel guide: Green. Yes, there is now a television station devoted to all things environmentally friendly: Planet Green.

Brought to us by the Discovery Channel people, Planet Green is dubbed as "the first green channel." Its programming includes such topics as green renovations, green vehicles, televised green dinner parties with celebrities and strangely, American Chopper.

Looking at the programming schedule, it seems that the station is trying to buy into green trends and simply be entertaining rather than give its viewers information they can dig into. I hope I'm wrong.

Is it me, or is it kind of ironic that people would sit there, watching television about being more environmentally friendly instead of reading a book, doing a quick Google search or even, I don't know, getting their hands dirty and actually doing something? Do we need a "Green TV" station if that's what's being offered? If so, what programming changes would you make?