Kids Eat Real Food!

Kids need REAL food to grow and thrive. The biggest pet peeve of mine is the assumption that kid & adult food is different and that they will only eat processed food. Of course mac n’cheese, chicken nuggets, and pizza are acceptable to most kids if you buy into that logic and that’s all you feed them. These manufactured meals offer tons of calories, but very little nutritional value. A child raised on this diet is likely to become overweight but at the same time be severely malnourished.

The increase in chronic disease and health challenges of children in this country are largely do to nutrient deficiencies, poor digestion, and toxic overload (also lack of exercise, sleep, and play).

It takes more time and persistence, but continually offering your child real homemade food is the most loving thing you can do for them. I understand the challenge. Some kids are very picky and their tastes continually change. But it’s still wise to be persistent in offering them a variety of whole food, knowing that they will one day make better choices.

My son still doesn’t eat kale and spinach (unless they’re in smoothies), but he will eat broccoli, peas, carrots, and sweet potatoes. And now that he’s a reasonable 8 year old, we’re able to get him to eat even more veggies in an Asian stir fry or noodle dish. You need to be persistent and continue to model what a healthy diet looks like and your kids will come around eventually!

Dietary Advice For Healthy Kids

Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates are the basic macrobiotics for balanced nutrition.

If you are under the impression that fat is bad, I’m sorry, but you have been greatly misled by our government and the American Heart Association. Read The One Surprising Thing You Need To Add To Your Diet to learn about why good quality fat is essential for our health and why you should reconsider it’s worth.

Basic dietary guidelines/macrobiotics by age:

~ Complex carbohydrates should consist of mostly organic vegetables and fruits in a 2:1 ratio with no more than 3 servings of whole grains per day. Try seasonal vegetables & fruits, oatmeal, rice, polenta, and buckwheat.

~ Protein should be organic and sourced naturally. Animal sources contain the highest amount of protein per serving. Make sure the animals were fed organic food diets without hormones or processed feeds. Try organic grass fed beef, organic chicken, wild caught salmon, organic whole fat yogurt, organic eggs, nuts and nut butter, and beans/lentils.

~ Fat is the main source of energy for infants from breastmilk. It continues to be important for a child’s brain to develop as they start to explore different foods. Try avocados and their oil, coconut and it’s oil or milk, flax oil, olives and their oil, egg yolk, organic butter, organic nuts & butters, and deep sea fish.

You don’t need to be super strict about the percentages of each macrobiotic, but just be sure that each group is represented and that your child is eating lots of vegetables, protein, and plenty of natural fat.

Dietary Supplements for Kids

Vitamins and minerals are the micronutrients that we all need for our cells to function at their optimum. Unfortunately, farming practices in this country have severely depleted the soil. Even organic fruits and vegetables do not have the nutrients they once did decades ago. Either we need to grow 100% of our food, making sure to feed the soil continuously through organic fertilizers & composting, or we need to supplement.

Choosing supplements can be challenging. A good place to start is visiting your local health food store and speaking to a clerk who has experience using the supplements. My son currently takes dōTERRA’s A2Z chewable multivitamin and IQ Mega Omega-3 oil (he actually asks to have his fish oil everyday!)

Gut Health Basics

My son admiring our homegrown kombucha

I’ve already written about gut health extensively, so revisit these articles to understand what damages gut health (more than most people realize!) and how you can get it back on track. It’s the basis of strong immunity, so an aspect of nutrition you don’t want to ignore!

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 1

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 2

Ideally, try to add fermented vegetables to your child’s meals 1-2 times per day. Pickled cucumbers and carrots, yogurt with no added sugar (add in bananas for the sweetness), and kombucha are usually well accepted. I also suggest supplementing with a probiotic. My son loves dōTERRA’s PB Assist Jr.

I hope these suggestions are clear and get you off to a good start! If you need more help, please post in the comments or reach out to me personally with questions.

You can also revisit these blog posts:

What Does It Mean To Be Healthy?

A Simple Guide To An Organic Lifestyle

3 Quick, Healthy Breakfasts That Will Set You Up For Success

And here’s my favorite websites for kids’ nutrition that will give you even more guidance:

Nourishing Meals – Alyssa Sergersten

Weelicious – Catherine McCord

Weston A. Price Foundation – Children’s Health

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References:

Children’s Health Technique Seminar, Annette Schippel, DC & Doris Kutz-Compton, DC, July 22-23, 2017

Do you have any dietary advice for healthy kids that would benefit other parents?  Please let us know in the comments!

Well wishes to you all…

I often hear myself saying, “sometimes it needs to get really bad before it gets better”.

I might be referring to politics or a sticky social situation that prompts change. I’ve said it to clients too who have a health condition that they’ve let go, but are now committed to resolving. But last week was the first time I found myself saying it to my family.

You see, my son has found Minecraft.

I love seeing him so passionate about something, I’m awed by his creations, pleased with how engaged his is with other online players, and proud of his growing confidence (he’s even talking about doing Minecraft YouTube tutorials!).

But…it’s becoming a bit much. That was obvious when he had a meltdown at the end of a day that featured way too much screen time.

After he cooled down and we talked about what happened, he admitted that the game was negatively affecting him. He also suggested that I write a blog post about it to help other parents! So here I am, following through.

I try to encourage autonomy for my son whenever possible. I do my best to educate him on healthy food choices, dental hygiene, and bathing, but for the most part, we trust that he will either make the best choice for himself or learn from decisions that weren’t in his best interest. But now with this digital obsession, it is clear that he cannot self-regulate and is relying on us to provide limits to avoid anymore physical, mental, and emotional harm.

Because of the meltdown, my son is more aware of the negative effects of screens, so I suppose allowing this consequence did work. But I felt horrible that we had to get to that place in order for him to appreciate our screen limits and I had never intended for him to actually learn the lesson this way.

After reflecting on this for awhile, it seems to me that natural consequences are worthwhile only if the person…

1. Understands cause and effect and is mindful of what they are experiencing.

2. Has the maturity to learn from the mistake.

3. Is not permanently damaged from the consequence.

4. Actually cares about their health!

I see examples of this issue coming up in the clinic in different ways. I have a few parents right now dealing with wonderfully willful children who are not making the best decisions. The parents are concerned about chronic infections or behavior problems and are needing to change their lifestyle choices, encourage their children to follow through with our treatment plan by taking some herbs/supplements, and to establish healthy habits like dressing warmer. For if they continue to get sick often or have emotional imbalances, it negatively impacts other areas of their life. The children are not yet making the connection that their poor choices are worsening their condition.

Should you allow natural consequences for unhealthy habits? Will your child learn better this way? Or will the message be lost on them? Of course this is totally up to you to decide, and your answers maybe different depending on the situation.

Perhaps the next question you should ask though is:

Do you really want the situation to get bad before you implement positive changes?!

Please let us know what you think in the comments!

You like to…

(A) … pack your own food because it’s way better than what they’re offering at the event.

(B) … buy the best quality food of what’s offered.

(C) … let go of all the rules! You buy what your kids want because this event is so special!

I would love to be the mom who adopts (C)! But I know too much about the devastating effects of sugar and how easily our gut health can be damaged. So I’m a mixture of (A) and (B), and as I’m reminded everyday by my 7 year-old son, that’s not very fun.

Just last night, our family of 3 attended the Giants vs. Brewers game at AT&T Park. Usually it’s just my husband and son who go to the games. But we bought an extra ticket last night so I could attend too. It became clear pretty quickly though that my presence was cramping their style.

I gasped at the grocery food choices they made for the train ride up to San Francisco. We had to negotiate juice drinks, for the ones they picked were too sweet. And once we arrived at the ballpark, my son headed straight for the kettle corn booth. I begged him to get clam chowder or something more substantial. This was his dinner! But it was part of the routine he had with his dad. He did not want to deviate and I did not want to get in the middle of it (yet again), so I let it go, but put my foot down about no churros or cotton candy.

There was a time when the choices were: momma’s milk or avocado?

I kind of miss those days!

Going to games now 6 years later, my son has many choices of not-so-great food.

Now that I gave up on my son & husband, what was I going to eat? I was overwhelmed with the dilemma of whether to remain the health conscious mother who models what is best for the whole family or to let loose with the rules. I decided to make a huge trek across the park and down to field level (we were at the very top). And at the very bottom after passing booth after booth of fried foods and questionable meat products I found:

Vegetables!

That’s right, there’s a little oasis among the vendor maze called The Garden that sells antipasti and salads. I was so happy, I didn’t even ask if they were organic vegetables. Ignorance is bliss when your choices of healthy food are this limited!

I hiked back to to the top level with a huge smile. On the way, I noticed a Ghirardelli vendor waving a picture of ice cream at toddler-height as the large family in front of me passed him. “Interesting”, I thought, “they’re marketing to the kids!” On I went, but the ice cream stayed on my mind.

I gleefully wolfed down my meal, satisfied that I was getting a lot of filling fat from the marinated olives that made up the majority of the bowl. Before I finished, I talked my son into having some mushrooms & tomatoes.

Then something in me shifted.

I really wanted that ice cream.

I got some.

I didn’t get just a scoop of ice cream.

I got a hot fudge sundae.

My son couldn’t believe it! Mom’s eating ice cream and sharing it too!

I was cool again, just for dessert. We had our fill and put the rest down. I didn’t have any guilt because I had such a healthy dinner. My only regret was not insisting that my son have olives before getting ice cream – he had a mild sugar surge that could’ve been prevented. But it passed and he ended up being fine too.

So what’s my point here, besides a little venting?

Balance.

We could all use a bit more balance in our lives, right? Especially since my son is pretty healthy (we were back on track with wholesome meals today), splurging is not so bad as long as we know how to tend to our gut to prevent imbalance.

But I think there’s a lesson in here for parents in group C too as we shift perspective. I believe that you make up the majority of parents and I’d bet that your family could use a bit more balance with healthier eating in general – eating traditional whole foods, limiting treats to very special occasions, and supporting your child’s gut health. And even if you’re aware that you don’t eat as healthy as you should, you give up easily since many places you go to with your kids have low quality food and you may not even know what to ask for.

If my child had ADD/ADHD, autism, allergies, or any inflammatory condition that suggest poor gut health, I would lean more toward being the parent in group A of our list at the top of the post. I would have complete control over the food we eat. And, I would be more vocal about the lack of real, high quality food at fun places like the ballpark.

Obviously AT&T park hears that many of it’s customers would like fresh food. The Garden is a great start, but there is major room for improvement. If concerned parents all put their voices together asking for change, it would happen!

So what do you think parents? Want to join me in asking for change?! Or do you need help making good choices at concession stands? Let’s talk about this in the comments!

Practicing Gratitude

We’ve already discussed the importance of gratitude in Grateful Heart, Joy-filled Life. You may want to look back at it to learn about other ways you can experience gratitude throughout your day.  The following guided meditation will really help you.  If you’re feeling like your days are monotonous, overwhelming, and that life is unfair, this can dramatically alter your perspective.

If you have children, this is a wonderful practice to introduce to them. Depending on their age and temperament, you may want to do it with them or just model it for them.

Sitting still and listening in a classroom is challenging for most kids and is just one of the many reasons why school is not a great fit for my family (we’ve been homeschooling for a year). But for kids with ADHD, time in the classroom can be unbearable. They tend to:

• daydream

• fidget

• talk out of turn

• engage in impulsive behavior

They also tend to get in trouble for these behaviors because they distract the other kids from focusing and make it hard for the teacher to manage the whole group. As a result, these kids can start to dislike school, get lower grades, and they often lose self-esteem. It is a serious issue because if not treated, these kids have a harder time finishing school and can grow into adults who have a greater chance of:

• Experiencing depression

• Abusing drugs & alcohol

• Job failure

• Incarceration

• Obesity

• Divorce

• Alzheimer’s disease

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The CDC reports that as of 2012 approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD.

You can use the checklist in this link to determine if your child has a problem with inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity that would fit their definition of ADHD.

What do I know about ADHD?

I know quite a lot, actually! My brother (who is 15 years younger than me) was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in high school. I tutored him quite often because homework and special projects were always a challenge for him. I was a grounding presence, constantly teaching him how to organize his thoughts and how to focus on the present moment.

He was tested for learning disabilities, but it was clear that was not the problem. Still, tests were hard for him to complete in time, his grades were low and school counselors were urging my mom to medicate him.

We just wanted him to be successful, so my mom did get a prescription filled for Ritalin, the standard medication for ADHD. He refused to take it. So instead, she focused on reducing sweets, managing his screen time, and making other lifestyle changes. It was hard and he barely made through high school, but he did make it. He is now a responsible grown man, doing great at a job he loves, while he supports his wife and 3 kids.

I learned great deal, through my brother’s experience, about how lifestyle choices can affect the brain (though I wish I knew then what I know now about natural remedies).

I also saw how easy it was to succumb to the pressure of school authorities to medicate and dampen the symptoms of the problem just to fit certain standards and make the teacher’s job easier.

Standard Treatment for ADHD

Ritalin and Adderall are the most common medications prescribed for ADHD. They are very effective in helping children focus better, but the side effects are pretty horrible for both:

Common side effects:

• trouble sleeping
• loss of appetite
• dry mouth
• anxiety
• increased heart rate
• irritability
• headache
• dizziness

Serious side effects can include:

• addiction
• heart rhythm problems
• psychosis, hallucinations, or feeling like bugs are crawling on your skin
• Raynaud’s syndrome
• slowed growth in children

Can you imagine a young child dealing with psychosis and addiction? There are dozens of other medications doctors can prescribe too, some of them classified as non-stimulants, but they have a reputation for not working as well. Luckily, there is much you can do before considering medication!

Natural Solutions For ADHD

1. Identify The Cause And Remove Triggers

If your child has signs of developing an attention disorder, determining the triggers and addressing them should be your first step.

Known causes of ADHD include birth trauma, maternal drug use, premature birth, and low birth weight. Environmental toxins definitely have an impact as well though. The CDC cites lead exposure as being a culprit in some cases, though mercury and aluminum exposure have a strong correlation with ADHD too and are way more predominant in our culture these days (through food, dental fillings, and an increasing load of vaccines).

The CDC also states that although they haven’t been proven to cause ADHD, eating too much sugar, eating junk food, watching too much TV, playing video games, and long periods of inactivity can make symptoms worse, so are recognized as triggers.

Avoiding the causes and removing the triggers can help immensely, even if there’s a history of ADHD in the family.

2. Heavy Metal Detoxification

Purging your child’s body of heavy metals is a good idea, even if you don’t think it’s the main cause of his/her symptoms. This is a great article explaining more about the prevalence of metals in our environment, in our bodies, and how we pass on this toxic load through the generations.

Detox can be done through diet, incorporating these foods into a daily smoothie:

• cilantro
• wild blueberries
• celery
• barley grass juice
• spirulina
• Atlantic dulse

You can also give your child a detox bath with these ingredients:

• 1 cup epsom salt
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 10 drops of essential oil, optional (citrus oils like wild orange, mint oils like spearmint, rosemary, clove, and myrrh are well-known for their detoxifying properties)

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine

Many of you may be puzzled as you imagine your hyperactive child laying still for several minutes with a dozen acupuncture needles. Is that even possible?! You may actually be surprised at how receptive your child is to acupuncture once they know how relaxing it can be! And with younger kids, needle retention is very brief.

But even for kids who are needle shy or cannot sit still, there are many other treatment options available: Tuina massage, cupping, cold laser, microcurrent, and shonishin (Japanese acupressure).

Side story here:

I was seeing an 8-year-old patient for his attention disorder and there was no way he would let me use needles. Even though his mom was urging me to assert my authority and do it anyway, I respected his wish and reassured her that other methods of treatment were just as effective as acupuncture.

We did Tuina massage instead. Every time, he would be squirmy and silly for the first 15 minutes and I’d engage him with jokes. But when I’d start working on his back and especially when I would massage his feet, he would fall asleep – every – single – time!

He looked forward to our treatments together and said that he could focus a little better in school, but the problem was that all the triggers for his behaviors were not being addressed.

His parents were divorced and he was constantly shuffled between the two homes. His dad was not supportive of what we were doing and the boy ate junk food, was constantly in front of the TV, and didn’t get enough sleep at his house. But his mom and I were happy that he was getting a much needed break when he was in her care and that he appreciated this natural approach to healing.

4. Balance Blood Sugar Levels

Riding the roller coaster of a sugar high and the subsequent crash can make matters much worse for a child with ADHD. To have the greatest success, decreasing the load of sugar in their diet is very important. Check out my post Have a Sweet Summer Without the Excess Sugar to learn how to balance blood sugar levels and make better choices (not just in the Summer, but for life!)

5. GAPS Diet & Rebuilding Gut Biome

The Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet is something you may want to explore for your child. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has had a great deal of success healing children and adults with not just A.D.D./A.D.H.D., but also autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, and many autoimmune disorders.

GAPS children and adults all have digestive problems – colic, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and malnourishment – to different degrees. McBride and many other researchers believe that all disease begins in the gut and these are digestive disorders, not behavior disorders.

The focus of the diet is to eliminate grains (which are abrasive to the intestines, break down to considerable amounts of sugar and contribute to poor gut flora levels) and refined sugar, and then restore gut flora with healing broths, fermented foods, and supplements.

It’s not as hard as it sounds. I’ve done it for myself and did not starve. There are a lot of yummy recipes, including many bread substitutes, that your family will enjoy.

You can Follow my Pinterest GAPS Board for ideas.

If the GAPS diet sounds too daunting, then at least try the other methods of restoring gut health that I’ve outlined here: Improve Your Family’s Gut Health to Increase General Health, Part 2.

I know it’s challenging to eat a basic diet like this when we’re so used to stimulating processed food, large amounts of sugar, and artificial ingredients that make up the Standard American Diet. But this is one of the main reasons why Americans have one of the highest rates of chronic disease in the world and why our children are suffering. It’s important to go against the grain (pun intended) and make your child’s health a priority, even if it’s inconvenient!

6. Behavior Therapies/Mindfulness Practices

Managing ADHD will be easier if your child is aware of his/her behavior and what affects it. Psychologists, licensed counselors, and social workers can all provide behavior therapy that trains both children and their parents on how to control behavior.

The CDC has a directory for behavior therapists, including online resources.

Your family can also engage in mindfulness practices on your own that will help ground your energy, teach body awareness, and to provide insight about behavior and what brings you out of balance and out of control.

Walking meditation is perfect for kids with a lot of pent up energy, and especially for those with ADHD. Here’s a simple, fun, walking mediation practice from Jaclyn Long at Mind Body Moms: