We were just barely into the month of August, when I noticed that stores were already setting out Halloween candy. Trick-or-treating is one tradition that did not make sense when I was a child, nor does it make any sense now. There are many healthier ways that we can celebrate the Day of the Dead. In lieu of trick-or-treating, I once threw a Halloween party for my kids and their friends. The children carved pumpkins, bobbed for apples, and played a game of Pin the Wart on the Witch. We made a witch’s brew by adding dry ice to it. It only takes a little imagination to change old, worn out traditions with new, healthier ones.
The only products that seem to have stood the test of time are those things that do not offer any health benefit. Things like Hostess Twinkies®, Tootsie Rolls®, and M&M’s® are apparently here to stay, along with the artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives that they contain. Did I mention sugar? I have been in grocery stores that have entire food isles devoted to candy. People then wonder why there seems to be a diabetes epidemic in this country.
Nearly one out of five American children is overweight or obese. Obesity in adults is nearly 40% in certain areas of the country. Diabetes and other disease associated with it, is on the rise. So why do we continue to participate in an outdated custom that only perpetuates an ongoing health crisis? As a child, I found trick-or-treating to be a miserable time, because it was always bitterly cold outside. I had to wear a coat over my costume, so what was the point? I am sure this was the case in many parts of the country. We need to create something new that will be aligned with a deeper sense of who we are as human beings. It will require originality and a willingness to let go of what no longer serves us, because our children are depending on us to steer them into a healthy adulthood. If you are a parent of young children, what will you do to implement change, not only for your own family, but also for your community? I wish you a healthy Halloween because a healthy child is a happy child.
