A MOTHER DECIDED TO PUT HER NEWBORN DAUGHTER ON A STRICT DIET, THE RESULTS WERE AMAZING!

 

Shannon Cooper is a health and wellness coach. She has been living on a Paleo diet for a very long time and when she gave birth to her daughter she decided to make her follow that diet too. Despite mass criticism, she continued putting her on that diet. Is it a  good decision or was going to lead her and her daughter in a big trouble? Well, things did change!

You Are What You Eat

The secret behind Shannon Cooper’s amazing body is her healthy eating habit. whoever stated that “you are what you eat” is absolutely right. Shannon Cooper very much believes in it. According to Shannon food, just like other thing has two aspects the positive and the negative one. It either work as a fuel or turns out a poison for the body if not used properly. 

 You Are What Your Food Ate

So, there is one more thing that Shannon believes in and that is ‘you are what you eat ate.” Did you know this lesser popular belief plays a very vital role in keeping you in shape? Not only what you eat makes an impact on you but also “what your food ate” has a part to play. For instance, Free kept hens lays eggs that have 19 times the Omega 3 content than the imprisoned ones. Same is the case with the free range cattle.     

A Shocking Decision

Shannon Cooper has done her major in agricultural science. The subject is a branch of biology that specifically deals with the growth and treatment of plants that are consumed by humans. No need to say the knowledge she gained during her graduation helped her a lot in shaping her thoughts regarding the food. When Shannon gave birth to her baby girl named Grace, just like every other mother she decided to give her baby the best and healthiest life. However, her idea of healthiest lifestyle was different a big time from other mothers. Her idea whereas put some in disbelief, there were some who got highly offended by it. 

The Expert

Being a health and wellness coach Shannon knows a great deal about the foodstuff along with their merits and demerits. She has had her entire life moving around the human body and their food requirements. That is why she knows very well what kind of food is good for humans or not. She got on Paleo when she reached her adulthood and now she was putting her own daughter on that diet even when she is just an infant.       

A Health Nut

As they say with a bigger position comes the bigger responsibilities. Shannon was all set to take the responsibilities of a mother. And when she brought her little angel to the world, she made a promise to herself. The baby girl was going to have a very extraordinary childhood. She had planned everything for her. From her wardrobe to her food. Shannon who herself was very conscious about her food, decided to put her little angel on a strict diet.   

Gut Health

Well, just like you, her decision baffled many people. Who puts a newborn on a diet? Was the girl overweight? No, she wasn’t! Shannon chose the Paleo diet for her daughter. Shannon herself was on the Paleo diet for a big part of her adult life. Shannon, who used to call herself “gut health enthusiast,” had decided to not to feed her daughter foods that are overly processed. She also sidelined the preserved baby food. Instead of it all, she chose the healthy and natural food.     

The Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic diet derives its name from the Paleolithic age. As the name suggests, in this diet the people eat food that the Paleolithic people used to eat. So, the Paleolithic diet includes meats and fish in abundance and also fresh vegetables and fruits. Shannon Cooper started following the diet in 2010 and is sticking to it since then. According to her, the diet has transformed her life completely. This diet is all about unprocessed and natural food. Well, adhering to a diet like this is an easy thing for a fully grown adult but how an infant like Grace was going to respond to that, was yet to be seen.

Health Issues

Well, it is not she adopted Paleolithic lifestyle all of a sudden. Shannon suffered from food allergies. The food that she used to take in never made her feel good. It felt more like a poison. The food was ailing her instead of filling her with energy. Consequently, she started looking for alternatives. She tried many different types of diets but unfortunately, none of them worked for her. 

Out with the Sugar!

After exploring many options, Shannon finally tried a Paleolithic diet and it worked wonderfully for her. Not only the diet ditches preservatives, processed foods, carbs, sugar along with the additives, the list of abstinence also includes dairy products, legumes, and grains. Shannon described, “I just got sick of not feeling great.” She continued, “That had become my normal, and [I decided] that it wasn’t going to be normal anymore.” Now, this is what Shannon has to say about the diet but what about the experts? What is their opinion? Let’s find out! 

 Medical Opinions

The experts speak about its pros and cons both. Just like any other diet, this one too is a subject of many merits and demerits. Well, to begin with, the main purpose of the diet is to include food items in your meal that cavemen used to have. If we draw comparison the earlier men were way healthier than us and one of the main reason behind it is their healthy eating habits. The cavemen used to eat more omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fat, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins than an average American. No doubt, this diet helped them live a long life but was it going to fit a baby of today’s generation?  

The Cons

So, you must be wondering what could be the demerits of this great diet? Paleolithic ancestors were prone to numerous infectious diseases, parasites, and hardening of the arteries. As many other healthy food items like legumes, eating grains, and dairy foods are prohibited, that are extremely important for a body as they contain several vital nutrition. 

Something’s Working

Keeping the pros and cons aside, the diet was doing magic for Shannon. Thanks to this amazing diet that the woman used to feel energized and fresh throughout the day. And it was only because of her unbreakable confidence on this diet that she decided to raise her child on it. Perhaps she forgot that her child was too small to get on a strict diet like this. Before going ahead on it, Paleo thought of consulting a doctor.  

Caution

The doctor too was taken aback by Shannon’s decision. Her doctor had never heard of anything like this before and most importantly not many details were available on this topic. Consequently, the doctor suggested her not to go with it. At least not for a year. Shannon who had planned to put her daughter on a diet from day one was left confused. But she knew that going against the doctor would only pose problems. However, she continued the Paleo diet but made a very important exception.

The Exception

So, the newborn Grace was going to be put on Paleo diet from the day one with one exception. The baby girl would have breast milk. As infants can’t consume meat and raw vegetables, Shannon would breastfeed her for the first few months. It was indeed a wise decision considering the delicate condition of the infant. You may assume that every newborn baby who is put on this diet goes for breastfeeding but too much to your surprise that rarely happens. Usually, people who put their kid on the Paleolithic diet make sure their kid does not have anything odd on their plate even the milk. During the diet, Shannon had to consult the doctor.  

DIY

It is not that Paleo does not have infant formulas. There are many Paleo DIY infant formulas but not necessarily they work fine for newborns. Celebrity chef Pete Evan went on to say that some of the formulae even can “cause permanent damage and possibly result in death.” Fortunately, chef Evans had made necessary changes in his recipes before the book got published in order to comply with the legal standards. The original recipe he had featured in his book had an extremely high amount of nutrients that would have proven fatal for infants.    

Baby Food

After having the baby off the breast milk, parents usually opt for factory manufactured baby food. But the mother of baby Grace had different plans for her. She never supported the processed mush in a jar for children. She knew the importance of eating healthy and fresh and so decided to provide the required nutrients to the baby with natural and healthy foods that she would be preparing on her own. Well, cooking food for children is not a new thing but for someone like Shannon who was going to feed her child on Paleo diet, it surely was going to be a bit more difficult. And also what if the Paleo diet does not go well with the kid.    

Paleo Guidelines

Shannon cooked her meal in line to the Paleo diet guidelines. But before having her on the Paleo diet she used to feed her healthy food. However, even during breastfeeding, she would feed her small bites of organic chicken and vegetables. No need to say, the food made by Shannon Cooper used to be free of sugar, preservatives, and unnatural processing. Naturally, the food prepared by her was much healthier than the regular commercial baby foods. However, still, she had no idea how Paleo diet was going to affect her baby.   

Not Your Average Baby

Thankfully, Shannon used to upload the pictures of the meal that she used to prepare for her daughter on Instagram. In one picture, Grace is chewing on a piece of broccoli! It is indeed a big thing as children of her age hardly put vegetables of this kind in their mouth. By the time, Grace turned 13-months-old she had been consuming foods that were way healthier than the ones that adults eat. So, for now, Paleo was doing great with Grace but was it going to be the same way in the long run.    

Sugary Treats

Do you want to know what type of food she was consuming at the age of a year? She used to eat sauerkraut, chia pudding, and quinoa porridge. Ever heard a kid eating all this? Now, here is what she never tasted. Grace has never in her life ever munched on foods that have carbs or sugar as its nutrients. It means there is a wide range of food that she has never tasted in her life. What does Grace think of it? Shannon says “she loves it.” However, it seemed normal in the beginning but there is more to it. 

The Results

So, how does Shannon know that Paleo diet is actually good for her daughter? According to Shannon the little Grace has fallen ill only for once in her life that too was a mild cold. Ordinarily, children get sick very easily. Her mother explains, “She spends a lot of time around other kids who are sick all the time – who have snotty noses, coughs, colds – but she just doesn’t pick it up.” She believes the good health of Grace is all because of the Paleo diet that she is following. But is it exactly the case?

 A Strong Immune System

Many people would take her as an overprotective mother but Shannon axes all those claims by saying that instead of securing her from her way Shannon clarifies that  “It’s certainly not because I’m not shielding her from any of that stuff.” She backs her statement by saying “I absolutely think a nutrient-dense diet is giving her a strong immune system.” The Paleo diet has impressed her to an extent that she even wrote a cookbook instructing her followers on how to prepare healthy meals. 

A Potpourri Diet

There is always an exception! And Shannon might sound very strict mother to you but in reality, she isn’t. She says, “vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, carb-free or any other food ‘denomination’ in its entirety.” She also opened up about her habit of picking bits and pieces from different food items. She explains, “I take what I like from different food approaches and recipes and adapt it to suit what makes me feel good.” After all, children can easily get bored with the same diet. And what about the day when Grace would break her diet? When she’ll be eating out with her friends in birthday parties? Has Shannon prepared for that day?

Being Realistic

Though Shannon is having her daughter on the Paleo diet, she knows that she wouldn’t be following it all her life. Being a part of society she can’t keep to the Paleo diet only. Shannon is aware of that and is well prepared for those days. She says, “If she eats a piece of bread, I’m not going to have a conniption. I’m not going to not let her go to kids’ parties. She’s going to go to kids’ parties and eat what’s there.” But there are more things that Shannon needs to put her attention towards. What if Grace decides to take charge of her diet when she grows up?        

Happy and Healthy

Shannon is positive that the diet she has put her daughter on is only going to help her in the future. She is even educating about its positive results to her daughter about the diet. And yeah, she would let her little angel makes a dietary decision when she grows up. She knows there would be days when Grace would come home with her stomach full of cupcakes and other junk food. Everything has two sides the positive one and the negative one. Shannon was getting feedback from all corner of the world. Some were positive and some were very negative. 

Accepting Feedback

Shannon stands firmly by her parenting tactic but there is a large group of people who consider her method extremely unfair and wrong. Many people did  not like the idea of putting an infant on a “strict diet.” In fact, a large fraction of people who provided their feedback only criticised her. No doubt, the criticism did bother Shannon a bit but she was too confident to give a damn about them.  

A Little Puzzled

Shannon has her own reservations. She criticizes those parents who let their children munch on junk food and those with next to no nutritional content but they all have a problem with her feeding her daughter nutritional diet. She opened up, “If you want to feed your kid one of the most nutrient-void pieces of [nonsense] ever, knock your socks off. [But] people think that it’s offensive to eat a plate of vegetables [over] a piece of bread. That’s bizarre.”  

A Media Storm

In no time Shannon and her idea of putting her child on Paleo diet hit the news worldwide. There were some experts who too questioned her unusual parenting tactic. One of them was Dr. Rosemary Stanton, who not only spoke against the idea but also warned other parents from taking inspiration from it. She said,  “It’s not usually a good idea to put a child on such a restricted diet, particularly when there are no valid grounds for it.” She even went on to suggest Shannon add grains and legumes in Grace’s diet. 

Not Weird

However, Shannon did not follow her suggestion completely. According to her, Grace is in her possibly best condition and she could not have been healthier than this, had she been on some other diet. She also clarified that everything that she feeds to Grace is nothing like weird and everyone eats that. She said,“[What Grace eats now] is not weird, or anything that normal people wouldn’t eat. She loves it. I don’t feed her toast or cereal or anything like that. [But] I think, ‘That stuff is not going to kill her.’ If she eats a piece of bread, I’m not going to have a conniption fit.” 

Doing Something Right

What matters the most for Shannon is her daughter’s health. And she is doing perfectly fine with the diet. She explains, “I don’t want there to be any disordered eating around here. Females particularly have enough problems with eating disorders. I want Grace to eat what makes her feel good.” 

Helping Others

As mentioned earlier, Shannon is a health and wellness coach and is also an owner of a website named ‘myfoodreligion.’ Thanks to her extensive knowledge that she gained during her studies, she knows that what changes a human life completely is food. Apart from running her website she also gives private classes and holds workshops teach people about different healthy recipes. So, what Grace and Shannon are doing today? Is Grace still liking the food?   

Off to Kindergarten

Grace made her way to kindergarten in August 2018 and it was nothing short of a special day for Shannon Cooper. She shared her overwhelming feelings with her followers by expressing her ecstasy and bewilderment at seeing her baby growing so fast. Shannon said, “Slow down bebe. How is my baby girl almost off to Kindy. As much as she drives me nuts some days I know this time will be gone in the blink of an eye.” 

Vacationing

Shannon has no intention of forcing her way of life on her daughter when she grows up. But for now, Grace is really enjoying her Paleo diet and sticks to it even when she goes off for vacationing in  Mykonos, Greece. In the picture, the duo is eating strawberries. Shannon Cooper maintains that the Paleo diet is equally fun as compared to the regular diets. She has compiled many mouth-watering recipes on her blog and social media account that makes us believe that Paleo diet is actually fun.   

A Foodie Connoisseur

Instagram is the place where she enlightens the world with her yummy food recipes. One of them is  “Nut Free No Bake Fig & Quinoa Bars” that is not the only carb free but extremely delicious too. Additionally, you don’t have to go through the pain of baking quinoa Bars.   

Meditation and Things

So Paleo is not limited to food only but according to Shannon is a way of life. She through her channels has also rooted for meditation. She also encourages her followers to use innovative products to help other in sleep as according to her consuming good food is not enough for keeping the body healthy. She makes optimum use of her social site account in educating others on health, food, and lifestyle.   

Healthy Bonding

Shannon can’t wait to share her thoughts and things with her daughter when she grows up. She will keep her daughter well informed about the different type of diets so that she could choose the best one for herself. She is confident once her daughter would know about all the diets out there she would go for the Paleo diet only and would be proud of her decision.  

Shannon’s Favorite Health Brands

Shannon Cooper is not one of those who supports any old health brand just because they are old. Before expressing her opinion about a product she tries and tests that. It is only when she is satisfied with the product she gives them a space on her website. Shannon has a huge trust on health websites like PrimalThenics, Cleanse Skincare, Crema Coffee Garage. 

Writing Guru

Shannon is a multitalented woman. Besides being a mother, bacon addict, health and wellness coach, coffee lover, she is a writer too. She loves to share her recipes with her follower on her ebooks. The woman has written three ebooks that are filled with tasty Paleo recipes. She wants to let people know that a person can actually lead a healthy life by sticking to gluten-free, no dairy, and no grains and sugar diet.   

Workshops with Shannon

She is a traveler too. She loves to travel around Austrailia in order to inform others about her Paleo diet. She also collaborates with other health professionals and bloggers to make people more aware of the diet. She has a belief that the Paleo diet has indeed cleansed her body from within and has imbued a sense of confidence in her.   

 Matching Unicorns

The mother and daughter love to look same to same. They have a similar cooking apron, sleepwear attire, and same habit of healthy eating. She uploads many pictures of Grace on her social media and one of the reason is to show her critics how happy Grace is after being a part of Paleo diet.    

Positive Testimonials

Though there are a great number of critics the number of her fans are not lesser. Her fans keep admiring and encouraging her for doing such a good thing. Her website named My Food Religion is full of her fan’s praise for her. Shannon believes that people should follow what they want to do instead of following the other’s advice. However, she is confident that once people began to get on this diet they get hooked to it.