Healthy Diet Turns Out To Be Kidstuff

The right advice about the right diet and the right supplements can turn a life around. Just like that.

Susan was worried about her 12-year-old son Jason. He seemed underweight and small for his age – smaller than his younger brother. His appetite was poor and he wasn’t sleeping well. Jason had been diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and had been taking Ritalin for several years.

Susan went to Planet Organic Market and got more than groceries, she got advice.

Sheryl Jeffrey, the Calgary-based natural living coordinator for POM, suggested that something as simple as a change of diet could held reduce the symptoms of behavioural disorders such as ADHD, which is on the rise in youngsters, especially boys.

Once Jason started eating organic and whole foods and regularly started taking natural supplements, his overall health improved dramatically. Jason’s appetite improved, he gained weight, he began sleeping better, and his powers of concentration improved immensely.

Long-term diet and nutrition choices do more than effect how we look. They effect how we think. The stomach-mind connection is backed by research that suggests that emotional, mental, and psychiatric disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and even ADHD may be more about diet than genetics.

A deficiency of omega-3 oils — those essential-for-us fatty acids found in cold-water fish — might just be to blame.

In a clinical study of 100 boys, those with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated more learning and behavioral problems (temper tantrums, sleep irregularities).

Too few omega-3s mean lowered concentrations of brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, resulting in lowered attention spans and motivation.

Children with ADHD greatly benefit from diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids as it nourishes the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Research shows improvements in reading, spelling, and behaviour (less physical aggression) in ADHD children given regular omega-3 supplements over a three-month period.

Jeffrey knows it can be tough getting kids to take fish oil, though, so Planet Organic has a solution.

Nordic Naturals’ Children’s DHA Cod Liver Oil has no fishy aftertaste and can be added to a smoothie or juice.

“They won’t even know it’s in there,” says Jeffrey.

The Natural Factors Smoothie Mix, rich with protein and the essential fatty acid DHA, plus other nutrients like B complex vitamins, is a delicious, nourishing choice.

“It just helps make kids grounded and centered.”

Essential fatty acids can alter bad eating habits because they help the body chemistry reduce the physical craving for food.

“When we eat empty calories our bodies keep craving more so before you’re even done eating you’re hungry again,” says Jeffrey.

Changing the way a child eats might mean changing the way the whole family eats.

tart by eating less and slowly introducing a couple of nutritional supplements into a child’s diet. Stick to schedules like the regular family meal that can be a comforting ritual for everyone. Kids like the predictability of the occasion and are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains, and are less likely to snack on junk. Family meals are also an opportunity to introduce kids to new foods and give parents the chance to act as role models for healthy eating.

“Lifestyle is a hard thing to change,” says Jeffrey. “But it’s not as big as people think and we shouldn’t think of it like large changes never work, they’re too daunting.”

A few tips for ensuring your kids eat a healthy diet:

• Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine
• Make healthy snacks readily available (all-natural yogurt, EFA-rich almonds, carrot sticks, almond butter and celery)
• Give your child a fish oil supplement - they are not like the cod liver oils of yesteryear. Healthy fats are essential for brain and hormonal development.
• Serve lean meats and other protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, beans, and nuts.
• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals for their fibre content.