If you don’t know my Dad, then I’ll let you in on one of his many charming eccentricities. About every six months or so he adopts a new method for healthy living and he shares his newfound knowledge ad nauseum with those around him…

Well, much of the time I grin and nod and tease him about these little tidbits for improving life, but recently I’ve noticed that I should actually start listening to him~~that perhaps my dad is a “healthy living” trendsetter.

About a year ago he was on a no trans fat kick. This meant that anything that said partially hydrogenated should be avoided. For me this was difficult as many of my favorite snacks included the dreaded words partially hydrogenated in the ingrediant list, including my cereal and my beloved salt and vinegar Pringles. I ignored my father’s pleas for me to rid my diet of these two words and even proudly chomped my trans fats in front of him. I don’t have the will power to give up favorite foods.

Recently I’ve noticed more and more that certain food items are now advertising that they have no trans fats. I read about the harmful trans fats in magazines and hear about it on the Food Channel. Now, it’s everywhere. So, of course, now I’m paying attention. Dad, you’ll be proud to know that I have given up my favorite cereal for a new one which is free of the dreaded words partially hydrogenated soybean oil. And my salt and vinegar Pringles are now trans fat free! (Now if only they were fat free) Who knows, next I might start eating fish, taking Avatar courses and avoiding the addictive Starbucks Mocha Frappucino, but don’t be too sure…

I see now that while my fab Dad may not be a trendsetter in fashion, he’s a trend setter in far more important things, like health!