Let’s Protect Our Children
Among our most precious gifts. Do we shield them? Do we arm them? Should we shield them? Can we? One of our deepest desires is their health and well-being - spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. And we know human beings thrive in community. Even at a cellular level, cells that are isolated via dehydration or other means become more prone to illness in their isolation (Superlife, pg.54). We are our cells.
So what does this mean during a pandemic? What is in our locus of control? Do we focus on others’ healthcare choices or our own? While there are many decisions to make, one of the most important is what our children (and we) are digesting. Fear? Love? Friendship? Faith? Food? Nature? News?
And while each of these and more are critical considerations, I am grateful for the resources available to help us to ‘arm’ our children and empower their God-given bodies to, God-willing, grow through illness and become stronger as a result. What is in our refrigerator, pantry and set before our families on our dining table plays a huge role in building high functioning immune systems in ourselves and in our children.
I am blessed by my brother, Michael, who recommended to us a book full of time-tested nutritional wisdom, The Nourishing Traditions of Baby and Child Care, while I was four months pregnant with our daughter, Audrey. I read it upon receiving it and was inspired to immediately begin incorporating much of what it recommended into my diet. Amazingly, throughout my pregnancy, Audrey began to grow exponentially - first measuring in the 33rd percentile when I began the book, growing into the 66th a few months later and finally, several months later, born healthy and in the 92nd percentile. Of course size is not everything, but it was incredible how a shift in my diet impacted my pregnancy, our child, in such a noticeable way. During Audrey’s infancy and toddlerhood the only time she appeared severely ill was after her first round of vaccines (she had a very adverse reaction), which we ceased after such a scary experience. Audrey caught colds every so often as a baby and toddler, however, once we incorporated the recommended cod-liver oil into her diet, she went eight months before getting another one and it was mild at that. All of this is a blessing, but I know that one of the biggest blessings was the guidance we received to be and how to be thoughtful with hers and our diet during pregnancy and beyond.
Another incredible resource is Disease-Proof Your Child - Feeding Kids Right, by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. In it he states, ‘The concept that we are in control of our own health destiny as a result of what we eat is discussed in scientific research papers but has not been appreciated by the medical profession or made widely known to the general public. As a result of this lack of awareness, we are a nation suffering from premature degenerative and life-shortening diseases. We are also burdened by escalating health care costs. We futilely attempt to deal with the tragic consequences of poor nutrition too late.’ While I would add that God is in control and will not claim this entire amount of self-sufficiency, He has given us free will to make our own choices, nutritionally and other, and I find it incredibly empowering that we can take an enormous amount of personal responsibility for our health and the health and well-being of our family and that these efforts support God’s will for our lives.
“God saw everything He had made. And it was good.” Genesis 1:31
”I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19
“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.” Ephesians 5:29-30
While a long and healthful life is never a guarantee, I find peace in knowing I am doing my best to nurture and nourish our children physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. I feel gratitude in watching Audrey and Paul both playfully engaging with others, even during this time. I feel joy in sharing what has been shared with me and I pray for you and your families as you navigate this inconceivable, challenging, incredible time in all of our lives.