Children & Eating For Health by Kelly Hayford, C.N.C. provided by the ICPA

Factoid:  Researchers say that for the first time in a century, today’s children will have a shorter life expectancy that their parents.  - Texas Children’s Hospital Study

The food industry aims their heaviest marketing artillery at children, the most impressionable segment of our society, with the intention of creating lifelong consumers of their fake-food products.  And they’ve been very successful.  Diet-related health statistics that have emerged in recent decades for children are the scariest of all.

For the first time in history, conditions that were previously associated with aging are now showing up in children at younger and younger ages.  Major diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks have now reached unprecedented numbers among our youth.

As the stewards of this next generation we must do everything possible to turn this trend around and give our children every opportunity to live healthy lives.  We’re not only robbing them of their childhoods, but the quality of their adulthoods, and sometimes their very lives as well.

Despite the troubling predictions and burgeoning health crisis that is emerging, an abundant supply of soda and junk food continues to flow into the mouths of our youngsters.  One of the most alarming dispensaries of these anti-nutrients is in the very place children should be safest from manipulative marketing maneuvers– our public schools.

The good news is, you have complete control over what comes into your house and makes its way into your cupboards.  This is also where you have the most influence.  The more you clean up your own diet and restore your own health and energy, the more you’ll be an energetic dynamo and role model for helping your children.  You can also join with other concerned parents in speaking out at your children’s school and community activities.

Factoid:  At Texas Children’s Hospital, the percentage of children and adolescents diagnosed with type 2 diabetes increased from less than 1% twenty years ago to 27% in 2002.

Same Guidelines Apply

When considering what to feed your children, the same universal Eating-for-Health Guildeines apply (see our March newsletter).  Because their bodies are smaller and still developing you’ll want to be even more vigilant, as children are extra sensitive to low-quality anti-nutrient foods and the many noxious substances they contain, such as MSG, food colourings, and preservatives.  They’re also hypersensitive to stimulants such as sugar and caffeine.  Unfortunately the fake foods made especially for kids are loaded with all of the above.

So many children’s delicate systems aren’t able to function properly because they’re not getting the nutrients they need.  At the same time they’re consuming anti-nutrients and stimulants that further interfere with their ability to function normally.  There are millions of children today though to have a host of conditions who are in fact, merely lacking proper nutrition.

Take any child off processed, packaged fake foods, sugar, caffeine and any common food allergens to which they may be sensitive and you will see significant improvement in their behaviour and physical well-being no matter what conditions they may have.  Feed them lots of whole, fresh, natural foods and be sure they’re getting an adequate amount of essential fatty acids and green foods (the two things missing from the Standard American Diet) and the changes you’ll see will astound you.

Factoid:  A study at the ADHD Research Center in the Netherlands, found that 64% of the children diagnosed with ADHD are actually experiencing a hypersensitivity to food.

Make Nutrition a Priority

Unless your child is having an acute situation that demands urgent intervention, please explore safe, natural approaches that emphasize nutritional factors before you subject your little ones to dangerous, traumatic surgeries, procedures, and toxic drugs.

There are thousands of surgeries performed every year on children who have had recurrent ear infections, for example; surgeries that frequently could have been prevented by identifying and eliminating offending foods from the child’s diet.  Either do some research and experimenting on your own or work with a chiropractor or other holistic practitioner who is knowledgeable about food sensitivities.  Also be sure to have your child’s spine checked by a chiropractor, as nerve interference is often at the root of childhood conditions including ear infections and bed wetting.

By now  I hope you are convinced that helping your children to eat well is essential, and have a pretty good idea of what to feed them.  But I know many of you are probably thinking at this point—actually getting them to eat better is another story.  We’ll address that topic in an upcoming article, Tips for Helping Kids Eat Healthier.  So stay tuned!

September Calendar

September is an exciting month for most of us and it's important to keep your health a priority! Check out our September calendar so you can plan your check-ups! 

August Meal Planning Contest

Toxins in Your Tea

Tea is renowned for numerous health benefits, and can be a calming and warm morning ritual, however closer examination of popular tea companies reveals a little more might be in your cup.  Many brands contain pesticides, toxins, artificial ingredients, flavours, and GMOs.

Most tea is not washed prior to being put in bags, meaning any pesticides the plants were treated with can end up directly in your cup.  For this reason, it makes sense to consider buying organic tea when possible.  An independent lab revealed that 91% of Celestial Seasonings teas tested had pesticide residues that exceeded US limits.  Some of the residues included propachlor and propargite, which have carcinogenic properties.  Steeping your tea bag in hot water increases the leaching capabilities of anything on the tea itself.

Teas listing artificial flavours may be using products derived from the fractional distillation of crude oil or coal tar.  Unfortunately natural flavours may not be much better as that term is vague and may apply to anything that is chemically derived from a natural substance.  Some teas even list cornstarch or soy lecithin—typically genetically modified crops that you wouldn't even think to associate with tea.

Aside from the ingredients it is also important to consider the packaging.  Silky mesh bags may contain plastics that could leach phthalates in to your tea when exposed to boiling water.  Paper bags may be treated with epichlorohydrin, a chemical mainly used in production of epoxy resin and as a pesticide.  Lab tests show that when in contact with water, this chemical becomes carcinogenic, and has also been shown to interfere with male fertility and suppress the immune system. 

For a more detailed analysis of your favourite brand check out this blog post.

Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa

(Serves 2)

3/4 cup diced mango

1 TBSP cilantro, minced

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice, divided

2 roma tomatoes, seeded & diced

1/8 tsp sea salt

Ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp paprika

2—6 oz fillets of halibut or other firm white fish

salt and pepper to taste

1. Salsa:  combine mango, cilantro, 2 TBSP lemon juice, tomatoes, salt, pepper and onion.  Combine and set aside.

2. Combine 1 TBSP lemon juice, olive oil, and paprika in a shallow glass dish.  Place fillets in dish, turning once to coat.  Let sit 15 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to med-high heat.  Coat with olive oil and season fish with salt and pepper and place on grill, about 3 minutes a side.

4. Serve with mango salsa.

Bug Bite Relief (for all those itchy bites we got last month!)

It seems pretty much impossible to enjoy the summer without sustaining at least a few bug bites.  Relief is around the corner with these suggestions:

· Apply cooled tea bags to the bite, the tannins act as an astringent to reduce swelling.

· For a body covered in bites soak in a warm bath with 2-3 cups of apple cider vinegar to relieve itching.

· Make a paste with witch hazel and baking soda to relieve swelling and itching.  Apply to site of bite.

· Swelling is relieved by ice.  If itching is the trouble try heating a metal spoon under hot water and applying to bite—make sure the spoon isn't hot enough to burn.

· Apply peppermint oil to the bite.  The tingling, cooling sensation provides relief. Ask us about Tei Fu oil.

Back to School is Just Around the Corner… Time to Get Organized

It’s hard to believe the school year is mere weeks away from beginning again.  As much as it feels like a chance to renew, and it’s exciting to start something new, September is often a source of stress and calamity for many.  However, a little planning and preparation in August can go a long way.

Þ Organize supply lists and any class schedules you may already have and any documents needed for registration—also include those needed for extracurricular activities.

Þ Set up an begin filling in a family calendar if you do not already have one.  Keep a copy visible where everyone can see it.  Use colour coding for each family member or activity type.  If you’re a tech savy family consider an electronic version that syncs between each family member’s phone or device.

Þ Mornings can be the most hectic time, see where the load could be lightened by night before preparation:

· lay out dishes or ingredients needed for breakfast the night before.

· where possible prep breakfast food and lunches ahead of time.

· for young children, decide together on outfits the night before.

· gather backpack items the night before—shoes, gym clothes, permission slips, homework.

Þ Homes with multiple children may wish to employ a bathroom schedule for the morning.

Þ If children are attending a new school, or you have recently moved plan out and time the route to school ahead of time.  The first day of school is not the time to realize you haven’t accounted for morning traffic.

Þ Go through clothing and school supplies to avoid over or under buying.  Make a list and budget before going to the stores and stick to it.  Donate, store or discard clothes that do not fit, or are in bad repair.

Þ Get in the habit of creating weekly meal plans, prepping what you are able to on less busy days.

Þ Set up a filing system to keep track of school paperwork and volunteer activities.

Þ If your summer routine has relaxed bedtimes and waking times, take a few weeks to re-establish school year routines.

Þ Young children may benefit from eating and snacking at times that correspond to the school schedule to avoid any surprises.

Þ Follow Dr. Chelsea’s care recommendations.  Maintaining your care is of utmost importance during busy and stressful times.  Keep your appointments!