Shan Cooper feeds her daughter Grace a Paleo Diet, which eliminates wheat and dairy in favor of items that cavemen could scavenge for, such as meat, fish, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.
Grace’s diet consists of eggs cooked in coconut oil with roasted vegetables, organic roasted chicken with roasted and steamed veggies, and fruit throughout the day.
Shan credits her daughter’s immune-boosting and nutrient-dense diet for her daughter’s good health, as Grace has only had one cold in her short life.
However, Shan worries about her daughter consuming sugary and grainy foods one day, particularly with birthday celebrations full of cake and soda on the horizon.
Shan believes that eating a nutrient-dense diet is crucial for her daughter’s health, but she doesn’t want there to be any disordered eating around food.
She wants Grace to eat whatever makes her happy, and Shan eats in the same manner to set an example.
Despite the amount of planning that goes into Grace’s diet, Dr. Rosemary Stanton, a noted dietician, warns against putting a child on such a restricted diet, especially when there are no valid reasons for it. Dr. Stanton encouraged parents who were concerned to consult with an accredited nutritionist.
Shan dismisses criticism of her daughter’s healthy diet and questions why parents who habitually give their children harmful foods are not encouraged to “tread lightly.” She believes that limiting processed sugars and foods and introducing more whole, natural foods into one’s child’s diet cannot go wrong.