Being healthy

Laila's shed a few pounds. I just know it.

She's plump as ever. And nobody agrees with me that she's lost weight. But I just know it.

Laila's not as heavy as she was before her bout with toncilitis.

It could be because we stopped giving her Pediasure as a milk supplement. Pediasure's rich in protein and it's a good meal replacement. We--mostly I--were worried that she'd become obese. And I was worried that she'd get heart problems one day.

And so we stopped giving her Pediasure. She's still taking Promil 3 and it's good milk as well. But I guess her protein intake got cut significantly as well.

It's not good obsessing about her weight. She's such a healthy eater I shouldn't worry this much.

But I do.

Being overweight when I was young, I know it would be a rough ride is she grows up overweight. I should stop obsessing about her weight. I don't want her to get the vibe and start on it herself. Keeping my weight has become a lifelong preoccupation for me. I don't want her to go down the same path.

She's quite conscious of how she looks now. No thanks to everyone else who keeps exclaiming how big she's gotten. Not to mention being teased about her deliciously protruding belly.

Adults can be mean and insensitive. I try to block off those nsensitive comments. But I can't protect her as much from my own obsessions.

She's eating healthy--passing up a slice of chocolate cake to nibble on greens from sinigang--and that should be that.

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Research data show that 1 percent of young children are overweight. During our last trip to the pedia, Laila was as big--in height and weight--as a big four year old. Her pedia isn't worried about it but she recommended that we don't let Laila get any bigger.

Why? Because obese children ten to have higher blood pressure and higher cholesterol levels that chldren with normal weight. There's also a higher risk of developing heart problems and diabetes.

Laila comes from a family where we have everything in terms of health problems. Heart disease. Diabetes. Asthma. High blood pressure. Athritis. Kidney failure.

That's the other reason why I'm worried about her becoming overweight.