The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products featured herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and the content hereof is not medical advice. Always consult a physician before beginning any weight loss program. Weight loss results illustrated herein are not representative of all participants. In an independent medical study of the Hollywood Cookie Diet the 22 participants lost between 3 and 11 pounds in two weeks. The average weight loss was 6 pounds. The participants were instructed to eat four (4) cookies per day in place of breakfast and lunch and to eat a dinner consisting of no more than 900 calories. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-based scientific trial of the Hollywood 48-Hour Miracle Diet 73.3% of the thirty (30) subjects lost 6 pounds or more and 13.3% lost 10 pounds or greater. In an independent medical study of the Hollywood 24 Hour Miracle Diet the 35 participants lost between 2 and 9 pounds, and the average weight loss was 4.5 pounds. Of course every individual is unique and results will vary based on many factors. An increase in exercise will usually help increase weight loss.

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Hollywood Diet Store | Hollywood Cookie Diet | 48 Miracle Diet

Find a diet that's right for you and start.

Top popular diets for last week based on FatSecret member registrations:

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customized diets that FatSecret members are following:

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Diets - FatSecret

Healthy Diet for Men

This Diet for Men is a healthy, calorie-controlled eating plan. It includes three meals and three snacks, all of which should be eaten at intervals throughout the day. Total energy content is about 1800 calories.

If you are male and weigh 185 pounds or more, this type of diet plan should help you lose about 2 pounds of fat per week. If you are male and weigh less than 185 pounds, you should lose about 1 pound per week.

Breakfast [440 calories]

- Half-cup granola cereal, with chopped banana and fat-free milk. [400 calories] - Large slice of melon, or serving of any berries. [40 calories] - Tea/Coffee.

Morning Snack [230 calories]

2oz bagel with 2 tbsp cream cheese

Lunch [420 calories]

- Wrap or Pita, with tbsp low-fat mayo, any lean meat, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, lettuce, beets. [300 calories] - Glass (8 fl oz) of orange juice. [120 calories]

Afternoon Snack [175 calories]

- 1 slice whole wheat bread. [75 calories] - 1 tbsp peanut butter. [105 calories]

Dinner [425 calories]

- 4oz turkey fillet, or 3oz lean steak (broiled or boiled). - Cup of cooked rice, or pasta. - Cup of spinach (microwave). - Half cup carrots (or any other microwave vegetable). - Tea/Coffee.

Evening Snack Options [About 130 calories]

Choose one snack and eat it at least 2 hours after dinner.

- Half-cup fat-free yogurt, with 6 chopped walnuts. [136 calories] - Scoop of any low-fat ice cream, with any berries. [125 calories]

Total calorie content of the Diet For Men is about 1800 calories.

The above diet for men does not require any dietary or nutritional supplements. However, if you are tired or under stress, a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement might be appropriate.

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Diet for Men - 1800 Calorie Diet Plan for Men

June 28, 2017

Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) was featured in a recent Medscape article titled, Online Clinical Guide for Pediatric Celiac Disease Released by NASPGHAN, Celiac Disease Foundation. Prompt and accurate diagnosis of celiac disease is an ongoing concern for both adults and children. A recent study by Dr. Edwin Liu of Childrens Hospital Colorado indicated that as []

Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) works tirelessly year-round to educate the public about celiac disease and non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity. Raising awareness of celiac disease has been a founding principal of CDF since our inception 27 years ago. As we come to learn more about celiac disease and non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity and their impact, the urgency of []

Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) is proud to announce that Sheila E. Crowe, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, AGAF of University of California, San Diego (UCSD), a member of CDFs esteemed Medical Advisory Board, is the new President of the American Gastroenterological Association. A clinician-scientist and Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine []

The pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration, and disease advocacy organizations like Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) are all seeking meaningful patient engagement in the drug research and development process. There is considerable evidence that when patients are active participants in disease research, the drug development process is not only more cost and time efficient, []

One of the leading causes of suffering in the celiac disease community is the significant time gap between when a patient first presents disease symptoms and a correct diagnosis by a physician. Studies show the average delay for a correct celiac disease diagnosis is 6-10 years. Furthermore, we estimate that 2.5 million Americans suffer from []

The U.S. Senate is currently deciding how to handle healthcare reform and potentially crafting legislation to repeal and replace or otherwise modify the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Celiac Disease Foundations Legislative Action Center empowers you, your family, and your friends to quickly and easily contact your elected Representatives and Senators about issues of concern to []

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Celiac Disease Foundation

The Grapefruit Diet has apparently been around for a long time and is also known as the Hollywood Diet with no specific owner to its name. It has obviously stood the test of time, meaning there probably is some truth to it.

No one knows where it started but it has been passed on through the years by word of mouth.It was said that a magical ingredient, found only in grapefruits, will trigger fat burning and thus weight losswhen eaten with protein.

If taking medication, however, seek medical advice before consuming lots of grapefruits as they interfere with the absorption of certain medication and it could lead to dangerous side effects.

The Grapefruit Diet can take many forms. The bottom line is that you eat grapefruit before every meal during the diet.

I have to point out that the following methods are purely examples of what I have researched and is in no way what I would personally recommend.

Apparently you will lose ten pounds in twelve days. They state that this diet is low in calories and that it is the enzymes in the grapefruit that help reduce insulin levels and encourage weight loss. They also speed up the way our body burns fat and also can reduce appetite. Each day of the 12 day Grapefruit Diet you eat prescribed meals that are similar every day:

1/2 grapefruit 2 eggs, 2 bacon strips and coffee

1/2 grapefruit salad with low fat dressing. As much meat as you want.

1/2 grapefruit green and red veggies no starch vegetables like peas, beans corn or potatoes and no onions and celery. Again, unlimited meat.

1/2 grapefruit or skimmed milk

You can eat until youre full; they even state that the more you eat the more you will lose! Youre advised not to eat between meals and not to consume any sugars and starches but to eat a variety of foods.

According to this diet plan you should follow the following:

-1/2 grapefruit -2 eggs (boiled or scrambled) -1 slice of toast -a little butter or a little jam to the toast but not both

-1/2 a grapefruit -3 ounces of chicken or turkey or fish (grilled or steamed never fried)

-fat free salad

-1/2 a grapefruit -3 ounces of chicken or turkey or fish (grilled or steamed never fried) -fat free salad

Even though there is no mention of the quantity of the meat you eat when doing the Grapefruit Diet, there is mention to keep the diet under 1,000 calories and drink 64 ounces of water. The idea is that since there are very few calories consumed you would have a caloric deficit and therefore would lose up to one pound per day.

Personally I have never counted calories and do not believe in this approach to eating healthy.I absolutely agree with the fact that grapefruit is very good for you and you should definitely include it in your diet; however, the idea that you should eat loads of meat and eat till you basically feel stuffed is one that simply does not add up for me. You are much better off sticking to a healthier plan and ensuring you eat some grapefruits or grapefruit juice throughout the week.

Let me know your success stories, if you have any, following this diet. As always, happy, healthy living from me.

Read the rest here:
The Grapefruit Diet - The Master Cleanse

Published: Sat, July 8, 2017 @ 12:00 a.m.

On June 26, I observed my 93rd birthday, something I never thought would happen since I believed it was out of reach. Only one of my close relatives ever became a nonagenarian. People ask to what I attribute this milestone. I really dont know maybe luck of the Italians.

I have eaten a Mediterranean diet all my life featuring spaghetti and pasta and very little meat and great northern beans with pasta and spaghetti sauce. Generally weekly, without fail, I like to leave the table still hungry, due to my starvation regimen of the Great Depression.

I like to think I have been dodging bullets all my life, like diphtheria and scarlet fever of Great Depression days. My 3- year-old sister died from diphtheria, and I almost kicked the bucket from the scarlet fever scourge.

On the heels of the Great Depression, I survived 33 months in World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, two typhoons that almost sunk our U.S.S. LST 582 ship and a Japanese Kamikaze (suicide plane) that dived directly at my 20mm anti-aircraft gun station and missed my gun, me and my two gunners mates. It was no higher than a telephone pole.

I also survived the D-Day invasions of Luzon, Philippine Islands and Okinawa.

Our Mahoning Valley is fortunate to have great doctors, dentists, nurses, etc., and at my age super caregivers. I feel my major hobbies have contributed to my milestone, such as photography, gardening, garage sales and, last but not least, writing.

As my oldest grandson Michael Krieger often relates, My Grandpa Michael Lacivita is going to leave his grandchildren a legacy of wisdom not money.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

Original post:
Diet, hobbies contribute to life after 90 - Youngstown Vindicator

In the diet world, a new buzzword is emerging: lectins. Have you heard of lectins? Ten years ago, you probably hadnt heard of gluten, either. Going lectin-free is primed to become the next big thing in dieting, but this diet seems more fad than fact.

Lectins are a type of protein found in many foods including grains and beans. As isolated compounds, they have been researched for many years and can have positive and negative health effects. While some lectins are highly toxic, others are benign.

The problem is that online health gurus are painting all lectins with the same brush, and playing up the negative effects without the evidence to back it up. Saying all lectins are poison is akin to saying that you shouldnt eat button mushrooms because some foraged mushrooms are toxic. It makes no sense.

What the online rhetoric doesnt mention is that North Americans actually dont ingest a lot of lectins, so the problems they cite linking lectins to obesity, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammation may be way overblown. Before you fall for any pseudo-advice, here are the facts.

Theres more than one type of lectin, and different ones can do different things. Scientists are still trying to map out all of the lectins and what they are capable of. And unlike handy lists of how much iron or vitamin C is found in certain foods, there arent easy-to-access lists of the amount of lectins in food, and what each one does.

Without getting too technical, lectins help cells stick together. Research shows that lectins may have some benefits they are antimicrobial, help the immune system and have anti-cancer potential. But the same stickiness also makes them act as anti-nutrients, which hinder the bodys absorption of certain vitamins. High intake of lectins may damage the lining of the intestine, which lets proteins cross into the bloodstream undigested. This could cause an allergic reaction or increase risk of developing autoimmune diseases.

Its critical to note that the majority of lectin studies have been done with isolated lectins, not actual foods, and have been conducted in test tubes or in animals, not in people. So how can these online health gurus conclusively link lectin-containing foods to certain health issues when clinical trials in humans have not even been conducted yet?

Many rely on what we know for sure: Some lectins are toxic. But no one eats those! For example, lectins in raw or undercooked kidney beans can cause symptoms that mimic food poisoning, such as vomiting and diarrhea. But that doesnt mean no one should eat any beans it just means we cant eat raw kidney beans.

Have you ever crunched into a raw kidney bean? I didnt think so. Hard as rocks, all beans and lentils would be inedible in their raw form. Boiling beans for 30 minutes eradicates most, if not all, of the lectins. Note that soaking beans overnight does not remove enough lectin, and dont rely on slow cookers when cooking beans from scratch the machine doesnt get hot enough to destroy lectins. Prepared properly, beans have low lectin levels and are safe to eat.

Grains can also be boiled to reduce lectin content. Think about quinoa, rice and barley boiled first, then eaten, right? Fermenting and sprouting foods can also help reduce lectin content. Friendly bacteria in the fermentation process digests the anti-nutrients, and can reduce lectins by up to 95 percent.

Articles that promote the lectin-free diet cite it as a miraculous cure-all for arthritis, multiple sclerosis and even cancer. Thats the first sign its a fad overblown promises of astonishing health benefits before any clinical proof exists.

The next sign of a fad is a long list of foods to eliminate. Whats not allowed on the lectin-free diet? Whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, dairy, eggs and fruit theyre all out. Thats pretty much my entire grocery list. Obviously, this diet is not sustainable, and it unnecessarily cuts out a wide range of nutritious ingredients.

Its also a likely fad when everyone regardless of age, health status or medical needs is advised to follow the same diet. How can one diet work for everyone? Finally, its a fad when scare tactics persuade you to spend money on supplements. Of course, anti-lectin advocates sell expensive pills (just $79.95 a month) that claim to neutralize or reduce the negative effect of lectins.

If you have digestive issues and are particularity sensitive to beans or grains, avoid them. But please, dont suddenly eliminate all lectin-containing foods from your diet because an online article told you that they are bad for you. The amount of lectins found in the normal food supply is too low to be a real health concern.

The rest is here:
'Lectin-free' the latest bad diet fad - Concord Monitor

Whats better than the aroma of fresh coffee brewing in the morning? How about the notion that the deep dark elixir of the dawn may actually be the key to losing weight. Oh yeah.

In his book, The Coffee Lovers Diet, Dr. Bob Arnot finds that coffee may well be a super food because it can boost weight loss by giving your metabolism a good, strong jolt in addition to a sense of alertness. He says it can also reduce the impacts of fatty foods and help you burn more calories than a non-coffee drinker.

Sure beats the heck out of kale, eh?

First, theres an increase in metabolic effect, Arnot said in an interview with People. Youre going to burn 100 more calories a day by drinking coffee than if you havent.

Arnot says consumers should drink hot, black coffee right after each meal, before bathing and just before exercising. He says this practice should be coupled with a sensible diet.

Some nutritionists caution that the effects of that cup of joe dont last forever, as the New York Post noted.

Caffeine can boost athletic performance, both in terms of measurable exercise outcomes such as speed, power and endurance, as well as psychological benefits in terms of making exercise seem more achievable, said nutritionist Kristen Beck. Coffee can suppress appetite simply by providing a boost of energy, but (the trouble with) relying on coffee as a source of energy is that it is only short-term.

Other health experts note that coffee has also been associated with reducing the risks of conditions such as Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers disease, not to mention type 2 diabetes. It may even blunt the danger of several kinds of cancer.

Theres limited but emerging evidence that coffee is associated with lowering the risk of several cancers including colorectal, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, esophageal and endometrial, says Alex Hodge, a gastroenterologist specialist at Monash Health in Melbourne, Australia. It has all those beneficial associations.

All of these perks makes sense to Arnot, who believes that the consumption of coffee helps the body break down fat.

Coffee at the end of a big fatty meal decreases the amount of fat thats absorbed and decreases the amount of sugar thats absorbed, says Arnot. If you give somebody a high-fat meal, their vascular function deteriorates, which over time can be a great risk. With a very high-phenol coffee, we blunted that response and actually improved vascular function.

Certainly ending a meal with an espresso has long been a time honored practice in Italy, where the day is marked by very distinct coffee rituals.

Of course, health officials are quick to note that the use of coffee is like the spark plug in a car. If you dont also put some fuel into the body, it will still run out of gas. A little common sense can go a long way.

Experts also caution that if too much coffee makes you stressed, anxious or sends your heart racing, you may need to scale back, as ABC reported.

Not everyone can handle drinking coffee all day long, especially if they have trouble falling asleep at night. If coffee makes you jittery, this may not be the diet for you.

Also, before you dash out the door in search of double carmel mocha drizzled with chocolate syrup, remember that we are talking about the health benefits of java, not sugar and cream and all the other goo we now adorn our coffee drinks with. If you pile on all that stuff, its more like having dessert, no?

See original here:
Coffee diet: Can you slurp your way to slim? - The Mercury News

Professional athletes dont get to the top by accident. It takes superhuman levels of time, dedication, and focusand that includes paying attention to what they put in their bellies. In this series, GQ takes a look at what athletes in different sports eat on a daily basis to perform at their best. Heres a look at the daily diet of soccer star Jozy Altidore.

Jozy Altidores name has been synonymous with American soccer for a decade-plus, so it might come as somewhat of a surprise to learn that he is still only 27-years old. Twelve years of competing in La Liga, the Premier League, the Eredivisie, Sper Lig, and MLS, though? That will put some mileage on a body. So we sat down with the Toronto FC forward to learn the secrets to sustaining a professional career, plus the best Turkish dish for your cheat days and how he stays motivated with a new generation of American soccer stars nipping at his heels.

GQ: I have to admit, I was a little shocked when I realized before interviewing you that youre only 27 years old. Ive been watching you play professionally since I was in high school!

Jozy Altidore: Yeah, 12 years, man. Its my twelfth season.

So in terms of diet, how key is that for you in order to have that type of longevity?

Its important. You always hear people talk about it: What to eat and what not to eat. To be honest, though, Ive never had to be really conscious of it. I come from a Haitian background. My parents are Haitian and Dominican background, and so I always ate fresh seafood. I grew up eating pretty well, so Ive never had to focus in too much on it.

Yeah, its a lot easier when you grew up eating healthier foods as opposed to hitting the drive-through or chowing down on snacks. Its just ingrained into you.

Definitely. And the past few years Ive focused a little bit more and more on it.

Youre a pretty big guy, too. By that I mean tall and muscular. With you playing up in Toronto now, one of my favorite things is seeing you and Sebastian Giovinco celebrating goals, because the size difference between the two of you is hilarious. Now, hes a pretty small dude, but it made me realize just how big you are compared to a lot of other players. Has that been part of your focus with your diet these past few years? To keep that size?

Ive definitely started to lift moremore to maintain, not really to gain bulk or anything like that. I still want to keep my mobility. You dont want to be too big because then simple movements become difficult and you strain other parts of your body. But I definitely do try to maintain my figure and keep strong with what makes me a dangerous player. You know, being able to shield defenders, being able to go into battles and win them.

With the diet, its just trying to eat green. You want to be lean, you got to eat green. Thats the motto the trainers and I came up with in Toronto. Towards the second half of the season, I always start to eat even more green, just because the season You get to the point in the season when your bodys a bit worn down and youre getting a bit more tired. All the games, the wear and tear starts to get at you, so anything I can do to help myself become even more agile and get a little bit of an edge I do. Playing the MLS is a challenge. You have to travel five, six hours. Theres a lot of tough stretches. Like, were going to have something like six games in 14 days.

"You want to be lean, you got to eat green. Thats the motto the trainers and I came up with in Toronto."

Thats actually something I wasnt even thinking about beforehand, but just in terms of the traveling when youre playing in the MLS compared to the Premier League or somewhere else in Europe. The travel aspect has to be even more of a demand on your body.

Yeah, traveling in England was easy. Everything was a 45-minute flight. This week is okay; we travel 40 minutes to Montreal. But then next weekend we are flying to Dallas, which is four hours. Then from Dallas weve got to go to Orlando. Im not complaining about it. It is what it is. You know what you sign up for, but it just becomes all the more important about what you put in your body and the rest that youre getting. You lose a little bit when you have to make those trips, right? You land and its almost like you played a little game. I mean, your body is going to be sore. Sometimes, in cases, youre going to be dehydrated. So theres a lot of challenges in it that a lot of people dont really know about that make away games and playing on the road so much tougher in MLS.

Especially for you guys up in Toronto. I mean, Toronto is an amazing city, but in terms of the travel, aside from the north-east

Exactly. Aside from the stadium teamsNew York, DC, and Boston, every trip is a pretty lengthy trip. Like I said before, you have to make sure that youre eating right and taking care of yourself.

Do you have any little life hacks for when youre facing one of those long flights?

Nothing too fancy. Most of the time me and a few of the guys will do yoga, just to loosen up and make sure that we stretch out areas that you typically dont stretch. I dont necessarily eat different, I just make sure Im hydrated even more. To the point where I have to piss every 20 minutes. Being on a plane, its dangerous. If you dont get the right hydration in, and youre going to play a game the next night, you could be in a lot of trouble. Its not like the NBA when were traveling on these big, big airplanes, so you have to make sure that every little thing counts.

I was going to say, Ive started trying to make sure I get in at least a gallon to a gallon and a half of water, especially if I am hopping on a flight somewhere. I always feel bad for the person sitting next to me because I have to get up and pee about four times throughout the flight, but its the only way I feel good the next day.

I always request an aisle seat. That way when Im in and out I dont bother the person next to me and I can still keep my routine. After playing in the league a while, you start to learn what works.

Never get that window seat.

Yeah, that window seat doesnt work at all for me.

You mentioned playing in England. Youve also spent time over in Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands. What country had your favorite food?

I love Spain. I enjoyed Spain so much. Just with it always being so fresh and living by the beach and getting fresh fish was so amazing. I took that for granted. I didnt know how good I had it when I was there. And I actually really enjoyed Turkey. The food there was really, really good. You know, a lot of different spices, a lot of different tastes. Holland was good, as well. I mean, I cant complain, man. Everywhere Ive beenthe worst was probably England. You can only eat fish and chips so many times, you know?

England has that reputation. Are there any specific meals youve taken from your time in Turkey or Spain that you still incorporate into your diet today?

I still cheat every now and again on Iskender, which is a Turkish dish. I wouldnt think its the best thing to eat for your diet, but sometimes on an off day I will reward myself and go eat some at a Turkish restaurant in Toronto?

Okay, so what is Iskender?

Its beef on top of buttered bread. Its delicious, and the bread is baked all together and then you roll the beef on top and you eat it with special sauce or cream. I loved it so much that Ive kept eating it ever since.

For your day-to-day diet, when youre just training up in Toronto, what does that typically look like?

So I wake up in the morning at eight oclock and I have breakfast by nine. Breakfast will be some toast, oatmeal, probably some granola with yogurt, and then water. Nothing too special. Ill mix some scrambled eggs in every now and again, just to have some variety. But I stick to that every day and it gives me a balance of everything I need to start the day and have a good, energetic training session. As the day goes onso my biggest meal is probably lunch. After practice is when I get everything in that I lost during training, and thatll be my biggest meal where I focus in more on getting some proteins and carbs. And then dinner is fairly light. Maybe some type of fish or a salad, and then a type of fruit salad for dessert.

Youre coming off of another big match with the USMNT against Mexico at the Azteca. That is such a massive rivalry. Is there anything you do a differently beforehand or maybe even afterwards when youre down there?

This is the second time in a row that I have gone down there and got a good result, and both times I had authentic Mexican tacos. Thats my way of celebrating a good, hard-earned point and a good team performance.

That might have to become your new tradition now.

Yeah, theyre really good. I really enjoy the tacos. Theyre delicious.

With the national team specifically, were starting to see an influx of fresh faces and new players. You know, Christian Pulisic is obviously the big name that comes to mind. How much do those kids coming up now push you to have to keep that competitive edge, whether its through diet or training? Is that something where its actually good for your career because you have these new, young kids who are hungry and pushing you guys to the limits?

Oh, for sure. A guy like Christian, hes young, hes energetic. Hes pushing everybody to want to play a little bit longer and to make sure we make ourselves a little bit better because you want to be playing with those guys. They make our team better. Theyre the players that the country is excited to have, and theyre the guys that are helping raise the profile and help our team improve. I mean, theres nothing really crazy Id change, but its just when you see them and you see how good they are, and how good they could become, it makes you want to stay at that level all the much longer. You want to be a part of the future and the good things that are still to come.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE

Read the original here:
The Real-Life Diet of Toronto FC's Jozy Altidore - GQ Magazine

Because summer is barbecue season, its the time of year when children are most likely to eat a meal cooked by their father. Where are fathers the rest of the year? Ive spent three years studying this question, speaking with more than 100 mothers, fathers and teenagers in the Bay Area. I found that dads not only do less meal-preparation work; they also put moms in a nutritional and emotional bind.

Feeding a family is hard work. For one, it takes time. Grocery shopping, planning and cooking meals, packing snacks these tasks consume hours each week.

But time is just one part of the story.

In the families I met, moms and dads often thought differently about feeding kids. Both parents wanted their children to eat healthy. But moms were more likely to see themselves as the parent responsible for achieving that goal.

Feeding a family is psychologically and emotionally draining. Day after day, someone has to plan what everyone will eat, coordinate schedules and mealtimes, navigate allergies and taste buds.

In the United States, that someone is almost always mom. Even in families where both parents work full time, mothers still spend significantly more time than fathers doing food-related work.

When it came to modeling good eating habits, dad was the fun parent. Dad didnt force Brussels sprouts down anyones throat, and children could always count on dad for junk food. As one teenager told me, If I want some chips or cookies, Ill ask my dad to get them for me. Then, my mom usually finds out and gets mad.

Dads willingness to give kids unhealthy foods frustrated the moms I met. It also put moms in a tight spot.

Many moms wished they could give dads more food responsibilities. But moms feared that the more that children dined with dad, the more french fries they would eat and the fewer greens they would get. Rather than offering relief, the idea of fathers being in charge only made moms more anxious.

Its not that dads were deliberately trying to make moms lives harder or compromise their childrens diets. The fathers I spoke with were loving, committed caregivers who wanted the best for their children.

So then why did they feel off the hook for their childrens diets?

One reason is that food means different things to moms and dads.

Feeding and caring for childrens health is central to motherhood. Moms are continually judged by themselves and society by how they feed their families.

Feeding kids traditionally has been less central to fatherhood. Being a good father is about many things, but getting kids to eat vegetables is not generally one of them. As one mom told me: My husband will go through the drive-through because its quick and its easy to do. He thinks he did what he needed to do.

Most families considered fathers absence from the kitchen normal. Dads said that moms did the cooking because their maternal instincts made them better attuned to childrens dietary needs. As one father explained, My wife is more aware of recommendations and what should be followed. Im much more if you can keep it down and it doesnt make you obviously ill, then its fine.

Similarly, moms saw dads nonchalance about healthy eating as typically male. As one mom described her husband, He is just like every father. He just buys whatever the kids ask. ... He wouldnt even read the label.

Do fathers just have the wrong biology for feeding families? Of course not.

No one is born knowing how to shop and cook for a family. The mothers I spoke with also had to learn these skills. Even the most natural-seeming feeding activity, breastfeeding, must be learned.

Whats more, when cooking is a profession, men dominate. How can fathers be incapable of cooking a healthy meal at home when most of the top chefs in the world are men?

There are many reasons why mothers have long been responsible for food in families. But I encountered an alternative when I met families where fathers and mothers shared this work. I spoke with fathers who were seasoned grocery shoppers and healthy-meal aficionados. And because they saw themselves as responsible for their kids diets, they approached feeding in a way that offered moms relief rather than grief.

Feeding a family is about nutrition and health. What parents feed their children sets them up for a lifetime of eating habits. But feeding a family is also about gender equity.

Children watch what their parents do. Many daughters observe that being a mother means cooking and caring for the health of others. Sons learnbeing a father means leaving that work to your wife. If we want our children to grow up believing that men and women are truly equal, then its time to consider modeling something different at home.

This summer, lets reimagine how parents can share the responsibility of feeding families. Fatherhood may mean barbecuing one season of the year. But wouldnt it be great if it meant working together with mothers to feed kids healthy meals year-round?

Priya Fielding-Singh is a doctoral candidate in sociology at Stanford University. To comment, submit your letters to the editor at http://bit.ly/SFChronicleletters.

View original post here:
Dads should take more active role in families' healthy eating - San Francisco Chronicle