From the Editor

Welcome to the kids’ health issue! To be honest, I don’t know a lot about kids … other than that if all goes well, they’ll be adults one day. And if we help kids get off to a good start (for example, by showing them how to eat well), the odds they’ll grown into adults equipped to deal with any challenge they encounter are a whole lot higher.

Our feature this issue is on fellow Canadian (and fellow vegan) Kara Lang Romero and her family. Kara and I have been friends for nearly a decade, going back to just after her Olympic soccer days. She transitioned from being one of the top soccer players in the country to a broadcast career that included commentating at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Her latest role is as a mother and holistic nutritionist. From all that, it’s clear Kara is multitalented. We talk with her and her equally amazing husband, former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero, about raising their son, Sebastian, in the healthiest way imaginable.

We also catch up with my good friends Rebecca Soni and Caroline Burckle, who happen to be Olympic medalists in swimming. Together, they founded a company called RISE Athletes that helps mentor young athletes. They’re sharing tips on how parents can help their kids cultivate a healthy relationship with sports. They’ve both got valuable insights into using sports to develop life lessons.

Are you looking for ways to spend more time with your family while improving fitness, learning teamwork and overcoming challenges together? We’ve scored advice from the experts at Tough Mudder on fun family workouts. (P.S. This quickly growing obstacle course series just might be the challenge you and your family are looking for!)

Finally, Kathy Freston, a longtime friend and tremendous voice for the plant-based movement, has written an excellent new book called Clean Protein: The Revolution that will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy—and Save Our Planet, co-authored with Bruce Friedrich. We bring you her thoughts on building healthy, sustainable proteins into your family’s diet … so your kids get that good start to life.

To a prosperous future, Brendan Brazier Editor-in-Chief @brendanbrazier