Get Shot By Ella was working on a photo shoot of new products for Nancy Heinrich, M.P.H. founder of the non-profit Growing Healthy Kids recently. GHK creates and delivers innovative garden-based education to children and their families as a means of halting and reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. Nancy is the author of the book “Healthy Living with Diabetes: One Small Step at a Time” (www.ourlittlebooks.com) and the video “Healthy Living, Healthy Eating, Healthy Diabetes,” as well as the creator of www.HealthyDiabetesCoach.com, an easy-to-understand diabetes education course. An epidemiologist, Nancy transforms the lives of people with diabetes and their families with simple-to-use tools that show people how to begin controlling their disease. When it comes to combating obesity and diabetes, she is always on board. Nancy has agreed to be an occasional guest blogger for Get Shot By Ella. The following is Nancy’s first blog:

By Nancy Heinrich, M.P.H.

Nancy Heinrich is pictured in 'Get Shot By Ella' Growing Healthy Kids Chef Apron

Childhood obesity is a global problem. Think about this: Where ever high fat, high salt, high sugar and white flour foods are found, obesity follows.

Growing Healthy Kids creates and delivers solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic. Working with Kiwanis, Boys and Girls Club, educators and others, we strive to improve the health and lives of the world’s children, one child and one garden at a time.  The Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store in Vero Beach, Florida helps support our efforts.

My Russian friend, Luda, and I have been busy today with a big native plant sale and Garden Play shop at the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store. I took a break and looked up where readers of www.GrowingHealthyKids.blogspot.com are located. Pinch me!! People in Canada, Russia, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, and many other countries are reading. Thanks to Get Shot By Ella for this opportunity to add their blog readers to our audience!

Solving the problem of childhood obesity requires that we ALL take responsibility for the solutions. Kids are smart. They know if we say one thing and do another. They are watching when their teachers words say, “Eat plenty of fruits and veggies,” while their actions demonstrate having a coke and a sandwich on white bread. We can no longer sit on the sidelines and hope that the problem of kids being overweight will just evaporate. We must act deliberately every day to teach adults, to lead by example, and to care enough about our children’s health to do the right thing.

Are you a good role model for healthy eating? The Nancy Rule says choose breads and pastas with 4 or more grams of dietary fiber per slice or per serving and the first ingredient includes the word “WHOLE.” Do you choose breads that meet The Nancy Rule? Are you getting at least 150 minutes of exercise every week?

Be a positive role model for healthy eating. Work on getting to a healthier weight. Lead by example. Failure to reverse childhood obesity is not an option.