Building Healthy Habits for My Kids (Without Going Extreme).

I have been a bad eater. One that loves sugar, loves a good too many beers, loves pasta, breads, all of it. I've also been on the other extreme, where I was ultra healthy — and that has its own mental effect over time. Sure, you lose weight, you look good, but for me I need a better balance. I just love a good beer from time to time. I've grown a real appreciation for black coffee, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I love a good white chocolate mocha done right, or a Vietnamese coffee. A good croissant, pizza, a delicious In-N-Out burger. Give me a Cinnabon anytime.

So that's the guy trying to build healthy habits for his kids. No medical degree, just a parent — one who has been on both extremes and doesn't want either for them.

The daily questions are always there: am I giving them the right nutrients, did I feed them enough, are they drinking water regularly — how do I do right by their health without overwhelming myself? Since my youngest was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, I've leaned even more heavily into diet and nutrition. And over the years I've had to adapt my thinking. If they get sick, it isn't because I didn't do my best — it's a natural part of being human. We get sick. Does that make it easy when they do? No, of course not.

As a homeschool parent, I have the opportunity to give them hot fresh meals daily. A variety of fruits and vegetables, limited sugar, no juices or sodas, mostly organic, balancing the gluten, not much dairy. Fresh meat and fish when we can. I'm always tweaking the process to give them the best meals — but in a way that doesn't stress me the hell out.

Breakfast has a system now. Two days a week it's frozen blueberries on the bottom of the bowl, oatmeal mixed with coconut milk and honey poured over the top. Monday and Thursday. Now I only have three other days to worry about — usually an egg wrap with hummus spread, turkey and cheese, or a simple bake of egg, coconut milk, hashbrowns on the bottom, spinach on top, which stretches two days. If I'm lazy, I serve it as is. I used to try to make something different every day, but man, that just took so much time.

Can it get boring for them? Possibly, but they haven't complained. Let me correct that — my son doesn't complain. My daughter is a tad more picky, and I told her you need to eat it, it's good for you, and I can't make individual meals for everyone. For the most part, having a plan and sticking to it keeps me consistent and, most importantly, keeps me sane.

They hardly get snacks — what I'd call things in bags. I got to the point of asking myself why they'd even need them. Chips and things of that nature — how nutrient dense are they, what value do they have for their body? If they're hungry, I try to find things that support them. I've been trying rice cakes with liver spread, or more fruit. Mostly, though, if breakfast, lunch, and dinner have enough protein, meat or fish, it keeps them pretty full until the next meal.

Do we give them dessert or treats? Of course! It's hard not to — we all love sweets, and I love a good croissant or baked good. They should partake. There are times we go grab a hot chocolate, a baked good, some dessert. We just can't do it all the time, because of the effects it has on our body. I tell my kids the same thing I tell myself: be good, be disciplined, and those treats become so much more meaningful.

The part I didn't expect was how hard it would be to find a doctor to do this with. I'm looking for someone who looks at things from a medical perspective but is conservative when it comes to medication. I'm not opposed to traditional medicine — there are times it's needed. I just want to know first: if I change the diet, add a certain food or even a natural supplement, would that work? What I've found is that doctors who work this way are hard to afford, and a lot of them don't take insurance. Well, the ones I've searched for.

So this journey is incomplete, a work in progress. Right now I'm looking into whether my kids even need a multivitamin — one that isn't a gummy — and I wish I could get them a complete blood panel, though my wife tells me our doctor says they don't usually do those for kids. For now, by our current doctor's account, the kids are healthy, growing well, and eating well.

If you've been down this road, or know a doctor who works this way, I would love to hear from you.

Cheers to you and your family.