Youth Action Council member follows healthy lifestyle as part of 41 Developmental Assets

Try substituting fresh food for unhealthy fast food

Published in the December 11-25, 2013 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Colin Domnauer

Colin Domnauer

That which is easier is not necessarily better, especially in the case of one’s own health. Although sitting on the couch is easier than playing your favorite sport, and eating packaged food is easier than making a nutritious meal, it is not better.

My family and I have adopted a healthy lifestyle by buying fresh foods and exercising daily. Developmental Asset number 31 states that parents tell their child it is important to have good health habits.

All my life, my parents have always encouraged me to be active in team sports.

Everything in playing sports or simply just exercising is beneficial. I participate in at least one sport a year and in doing so I make friends, have fun, and stay healthy. Sports do not have to be competitive. In fact, 90 percent of high school students who play sports said they would rather play on the losing team than not play on the winning team. This statistic reveals that sports are meant to be a fun way to exercise.

Another component of a healthy lifestyle is what you eat. Many families favor eating processed and packaged food for two primary reasons: it’s cheaper and faster. However, these are the worst foods to eat. Instead of having a McDonald’s burger for dinner, try buying your own meat, roasting some potatoes and having fresh vegetables. You will find within a few days it will taste better than your old meal. After all, eating natural food is how humans were made to live.

Eating junk food may give you a minute of satisfaction, but really is only going to shorten your lifespan. As crazy as it sounds, eating fresh food that grows from the earth gives me a satisfactory gustatory feeling of eating what my earliest human ancestors hunted and cultivated for their own survival.

Colin Domnauer is a sophomore at Ann Sobrato High School and is actively involved with Morgan Hill’s Youth Action Council. He is interested in attending Cal Tech after he graduates from high school. This column is one in an occasional series written by YAC members describing the 41 Developmental Assets that promote a better life experience for young people.