Brain Power!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids-Sound Fishy?

           

            Omega-3 Fatty Acids? Seem like a boring topic?  Well, read further because Omega-3 Fatty Acids are the BRAIN POWER of the nutrition world.  Do you want your child to be able to improve in their thinking skills?  How about reducing hyperactivity?  Improvement in their behavior?  Still not interested?  Well, how about helping your child read better or have an easier time with spelling?  Do I have your attention yet?  Let me throw this in to make it a clincher… Omega-3 Fatty Acids also help reduce dyslexia (difficulty with reading), dyspraxia (difficulty speaking), depression, and anxiety. And one more thing:  it aids in eye and brain development! The benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids are huge and many people do not recognize their value.

As a critical factor in brain and body development, omega-3 fatty acids function in several ways including but not limited to increasing blood flow which influences hormones and the immune system.  This in turn affects brain function.  It does this by supporting the neurotransmission among brain cells which then impacts memory and ability to learn by providing good cognitive functioning.  Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary especially during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy due to the rapid brain development in the fetus, infant, and child.

Unfortunately, most children do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their natural diets.  Some good sources of omega-3 fatty acid rich foods include the following:

Flaxseed Oil

Canola Oil

Soybean Oil

Walnuts

Fish (including salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, flounder, halibut, cod, haddock, sardines, trout).

            Should be easy to get your toddlers to eat those things right?  Not always, I agree.  And then, let’s not forget that many fish have exposure to methylmercury which is not so good for brains.  So, here are a few ideas:

            Consult your doctor on good sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acid foods/fish in your area.

            Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

            Take caution with albacore ‘white’ tuna.

            The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends eating salmon, shrimp, pollock, tuna (light canned), tilapia, catfish, and cod.  These are the most commonly eaten fish and are lower in mercury.

            You can also find DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) enriched eggs.

            And Supplements are also an option.

            One particular supplement that I use personally and also give to my nephew who is 9 years old, is Ultimate EFA from Youngevity.  My sister in law also gives this to her daughter and has done since she was about 2 years old.

The product is a blend of essential fatty acids from Borage, Flax, and Fish Oils.  As always, I encourage you to consult your doctor before taking any supplements or giving them to your child.  

          This particular product does not have too strong of a flavor and for children who do not yet swallow pills very easily, it can be pierced and squirted into a food that your child loves such as yogurt or pudding.  I have also know of children simply chewing on the capsules rather than swallowing them whole.

If you are interested in how to contact Youngevity to obtain this product, please contact me and I will walk you through it.  There are also other products but my experience is with this particular one.  I encourage you to study out what is best for you and your family.

Baby's Food - When and What

What Should My Baby Eat In the First Year of Life?

                Our children are most precious in our lives so of course we want the best for them.  We desire their happiness and their health.  Infants require basic needs from their parents such as feeding, keeping them clean, and providing safety.  Getting the right nutrients during infancy can effect an entire life time.  Some infants have difficulty with eating, but for the sake of this particular post, we will stick with the average infants first year of experiencing foods.

                Babies will want to explore.  For the first one to four months, likely all your infant will want is breast milk, but watch out, once they start moving, they will seek more.  Be prepared, your infant will start putting everything in their mouths.  Don’t be alarmed, it is actually a key developmental milestone that is very important.  While making sure they are not placing toxic or choking hazard items into their mouths, allow them to explore with appropriate toys, teething rings, and foods such as celery (that won’t break apart).  Food is a big deal in the first year of a child’s life.  Below is a general guideline to help you know what your baby needs.

                For Newborns and Infants through about age four months, the ideal diet is breast milk.  Whenever possible use breastfeeding for the primary source of food.  A mother’s milk is packed full of vitamins and nutrients that your infant requires.  Not only does it provide nutrients that could sustain your infant during the first several months of life, but it is also full of disease fighting, immune substances that give your child protection from a long list of diseases.  If breast feeding is not an option, consult with your pediatrician for the most appropriate formula to fit your situation.

                Between the ages of 4-6 months is a good time to introduce rice cereal.  By this age they are starting to lose the tongue thrust reflex (which makes them spit out anything but a nipple), they should have good neck strength to hold their heads up well, be able to sit with support, and be able to turn their heads from side to side.  Start by adding a teaspoon of rice cereal to some breast milk or formula and increase the amount as your baby tolerates.   Initially, it should be thin enough that your baby can drink it through a bottle, but as you thicken the cereal, use a soft baby spoon and introduce it that way.  Don’t give up if your baby doesn’t want to take it right away, they are getting used to a spoon rather than sucking a nipple.  Just keep working on it.  Give your baby many opportunities to get this technique learned.  Hold off on other types of cereal until they are at least 6 month old.

                Once your baby is used to the cereal, you may introduce pureed foods around 6-8 months.  Green and/or leafy vegetables (such as spinach) cooked and pureed in a blender are good starters - or stage one baby foods are a pureed texture.  I suggest using the green vegetables first because they are good sources of iron.  Also, babies tend to lean to sugary foods more if they get that first, so avoid them as long as you can.  Otherwise it is more difficult to introduce vegetables later because they won’t like the lack of sweetness.  Give one food for several day (at least 3) so that your child has the opportunity to get used to it.  Again, don’t give up if they spit it out a time or two or even twenty.  Keep offering it, usually, they will eventually accept it.  Another reason introducing foods slowly is so that if there is a food allergy, it is easier to identify.

                After you have introduced several green vegetables, give the orange and yellow vegetables such as squash.  They are sweeter and still full of good vitamins and nutrients.  Wait to start fruits until your child is eating vegetables well.     

                Between 7-10 months old, you can start to introduce lumpy, chunky foods that are still soft.  Examples would include soft cooked vegetables, soft fruits like cut up bananas, well-cooked pastas, etc.  Don’t be surprised if your child starts trying to get food off your plate.  They are ready to explore.  By now they should have been introduced to many different foods so they likely will tolerate most what you have on your plate.  Take caution with foods that could be choking hazards.  Your baby will want to try most foods so take care with foods such as nuts, grapes, hotdogs, etc. that could cause choking.  If you chose to introduce these foods, break or cut them up in small pieces and keep an eye on them.  Some foods such as nuts could be difficult if your baby does not have enough teeth to chew with.  Stick with soft foods that they can mash up easily in their mouths.

                By 10-12 months your baby is probably showing some independence in feeding.  They should be able to eat anything you are eating as long as it is soft enough for them to handle.  Most casseroles should be good because they provide a variety of foods and generally they are well cook and the ingredients are soft and easy to manipulate in the mouth.  Nearing the one year mark, babies are less reliant on milk and are leaning more on foods for their nutrition.

Cow’s milk – Why wait until my baby is one year?

Cow’s milk can be difficult for a baby to digest.  Due to high protein and mineral levels, a baby’s kidneys may have difficulty breaking down cow’s milk to be used efficiently.  Also, the proteins in cow’s milk can be irritating to a baby’s digestive track causing blood in their bowel movements.  Cow’s milk is also lacking in sufficient iron, vitamin C, and other nutrient levels to compensate for your child’s needs.

When to start meat?

You can actually start meats when you start pureed vegetables.  Soft meats are good sources of protein.  Make sure they are well cooked and blended to a pureed consistency much like the vegetables you are giving.  You can also add some salt for flavor.  Babies have taste buds too and adding an appropriate amount of salt for flavor may help them eat it better.

Why not honey?

Honey is a healthy food but hold off giving it to babies until at least one year old or even two.  Honey contains spores that, although harmless to adults and children, can be harmful for infants and toddlers.  The FDA has tested other sweeteners and not found these spores, but honey has them so avoid until two.

What about Fish?

Fish is an excellent nutrient source for your child.  You can start giving your child fish as early as 4 months old as long as you make sure it is pureed. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish may have high levels of mercury and it is recommended that you avoid giving them to your child.

Breastfeeding – how long?

Supplement eating with breast feeding as long as you want to.  It is healthy and bonding.  In much of the world mothers breast feed between 1-2 years.

Milk - Does It Do A Body Good?

Milk – Does it do a body good?

I grew up being taught that milk was good for my health. It would give me strong bones and teeth. Later in life, I just started avoiding milk as much as possible. The reason was that it caused me to have so much phlegm in my throat that it just wasn't enjoyable to drink. After that, I continued to use it in baking and on cereal and occasionally with a cookie, but no more glasses of milk with dinner.

What I began to learn about milk later made me feel alright that I wasn't drinking it anyway. First of all, most of the milk available in stores is cow's milk. Well, I'm not a cow. Most mammals including bovine, stop drinking milk once they are weaned. They don't drink it again in their lives. Humans are the exception.

Cow's milk isa actually for calves, and is especially designed to fit their needs. Human milk is especially designed for humans as well. Maybe that difference is not widely known, but it is not the same thing. Cow's milk, although containing calcium, is not a good source of that mineral for human bodies. Because of the breakdown of cow's milk in the human body, we actually do not benefit from the calcium in cow's milk. For more details on that I suggest you look up the following link.

http://saveourbones.com

There have been studies that show that cow's milk can actually be detremential to our bones as well as to our hearts. You can also find some of those studies mentioned in the above link. Perhaps raw milk would be better for the human body, although with moderation, but most of the available milk has been pastureized or otherwise processed, or the cows have received hormones – neither of which is good for humans.

Our best form of calcium is through our food – plant derived calcium. Unfortunately, the soils that grow the majority of our food have been so depleted of minerals by use of poor fertalizers or over use of the land.

People have turned to suppliments for calcium replacement therapy, but most perscription and over the counter calcium products are made of rocks or sea shells – neither of which our bodies know what to do with. Ususally it is just excreted through urine or potentially causes health issues.

Yet our bodies need calcium for strong bones and teeth, and proper function of heart and muscles to start with. I would suggest you consult a dietician for more ideas, however, here is a list of some calcium rich foods:

1. Salmon

2. Broccoli

3. Oranges,

4. Oatmeal

5. Beans

The best forms of calcium are through our foods. If you are concerned that you and your family need more calcium, you may leave me a message and I can direct you to more ideas for calcium consumption. Thanks for reading. Have a great day!

SUGAR - MASTER OR FRIEND?

               

               Mary Poppins coined the phrase, “A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down,” and right she may be.  Before giving all the negatives on sugar I would like to point out a positive or two.  Sugar in moderation is not necessarily harmful.  In fact, using a little sugar with some foods may actually be beneficial.  Just a little sugar in a bowl of oatmeal, for example, may encourage a child to eat a healthy food that otherwise they would reject. 

                One of the basic tastes babies acquire is a liking for sugar which draws them to breast milk for nutrition.   Milk contains lactose, or milk sugar.  Fruits contain fructose which is also sugar.  Many foods actually contain a type of sugar, even when you get as basic and natural as possible.

                If truth be told, we actually need some sugar.  Sugar provides ready energy for our muscles and assists in keeping our brains active.  So there are benefits to limited amounts of sugar.  The key is to use it as a positive tool rather than abuse it.

                And that is where the problem lies.  Unfortunately, because sugar is so appealing to the tongue, it has too often been abused.  So many processed foods contain a lot of sugar.  Check out labels and you will be surprised at how many foods have sugar as one of the main ingredients.   

                No longer is a treat a treat.  Because of the easy access to sugar in our society today, that brownie after dinner is just not a dessert any more.  We have acquired such a taste for sugar that we require more all the time.

                When sugar is over used, our bodies begin to have problems.   Commonly known sugar related health problems include diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity, and tooth decay.  Those are all serious enough concerns whose red flashing warning lights should cause us to halt our attraction to them.  Somehow though sugar, in all its glory, usually wins that battle and lures us in.

                So, let’s look at a few other side effects of sugar.

               Dr. Julie L. Wei, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida indicates that many of the colds, coughs, and allergies in children may be linked to the consumption of too much sugar.  Allergy medications are prescribed by doctors and so many parents are frustrated that those medications appear to be ineffective.  Sugar can cause recurrent episodes of coughing that resemble croup and cause breathing troubles.  In many cases, with cough, cold, and allergy concerns, remove the sugar, or at least dramatically reduce it, and symptoms may very well subside. 

                Acid Reflux is another problem that is copycatted by too much sugar consumption.  More and more children seem to have stomach issues and in reality, it is just that the sugar intake by children today is about 10 times what it used to be.  Children are given medications to reduce acid in the stomach when actually that is not the problem.  These medications then reduce the acid, which then effects the digestion of foods.  It becomes a vicious cycle which leads to many more stomach and health problems.

                Sugar will also weaken the immune system.  Sugar can alter the balance between good and bad bacteria in the digestive track.  A weakened immune system exposes the body to illness and disease. 

                When children become accustomed to so much sugar in their diets, they will begin to reject healthy foods.  I believe that, with sugar as an exception, children will eat the foods their bodies need because they will crave the nutrients they require.  Sugar however, will alter that natural craving for healthy food and replace it with a craving for sugar.  A poor appetite is the result.

                One other negative effect, which is rarely considered and widely disavowed, is yeast.  Yeast is fed by sugar.  Any person who makes homemade bread will attest that in order to get the yeast to work in their bread, they add sugar.  And what does the sugar do to the yeast?  It feeds it.  The yeast expands or grows exponentially when it is given sugar.  The same thing happens in our bodies.  In this article, I will not go into great detail about this problem.  It is an article all on its own.  Yet, sugar is a contributor to many issues that are yeast based. 

                In conclusion, sugar can be our friend as long as we use it in moderation.  Because of the prevalence of sugar available today, it unfortunately rules many of us.  We all want to be in control of our own lives, yet we are all too often slaves to a simple thing called sugar.

How to Get a Picky Eater to Eat (Toddler)

Mom's worry about their children getting enough nutrition when they are not eating well.  Here is a great video that gives some great ideas on how to address picky eating. 



Most kids will out grow picky eating.  A picky eater will generally have about 30 foods they will eat, while a problem eater may only have about 20. 

Don't get discouraged if your picky eater does not respond to your efforts right away.  It takes patience.  Also, remember their bodies are developing rapidly and sometimes they need to experience something several times before they will accept it. 

If your child does not eat a particular food the first time, try it again.  Give them many tries (20-30) at that food before you give up on it.

And also, if you want your child to eat certain foods, be willing to do so yourself.  Even if you don't like a certain food, they will follow your lead.

Protein is a crucial part of a child's diet.  If possible, a toddler should get 16 ounces of protein per day.  While other foods provide good nutrients, it is protein that is the best source for energy.  Toddlers are growing and need every bit of that energy.  There are other foods that will give energy, most commonly sugar, but protein is the best source.  Sugar burns fast, giving a short energy burst, but no positive lasting effects, and nothing to help the body while it is growing.  About 16 ounces of milk and an ounce of meat will often provide the protein needed.  A list of some of the best proteins is provided as follows:

Chicken:  About 9 grams of protein are in an ounce of chicken.
Fish:  About 5-6 grams of protein in an ounce of salmon
White cheeses (cottage cheese):  About 3.2 grams of protein in an ounce of cottage cheese.
Pork Chops:  About 7.5 grams of protein in an ounce of pork chop.
Lean Beef:  About 7.5 grams of protein in one ounce of lean beef.
Tofu:  About 2.3 grams of protein in one ounce of tofu.
Beans:  About 5.2 grams of protein in one ounce of beans.  This may vary with bean types.
Eggs:  One eggs has about 6 grams of protein.
Milk/yogurt:  About 8 grams protein per half cup of milk.
Nuts and seeds:  8 grams of protein per ounce of peanut butter.

This might give you some ideas, especially for those kids that don't like meat.