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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Vitamins and other nutrients are critically important for the proper physical, cognitive and even emotional development of your baby.

For the next three years, he will experience rapid growth, so it is essential that his diet has all the essential nutrients for each growing body cell. A healthy and nutritious diet is wonderful, however, you can never be sure that it contains all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals which can spark the healthy beginning. 

Certain super nutrients that should be part of the daily nutrients intake of a child deserve your attention.

Adding fish oil and essential fatty acids to the regular diet for the child can aid in further development during the crucial younger years. Because the most growth in the brain and nervous system is happening in childhood, adding these kinds of supplements will allow the body to develop normally and to its fullest potential.

Food – good food – is the building material your child’s brain needs to grow and run properly. It needs carbohydrates for energy, and proteins and healthy fats to build connective pathways between the brain cells. Vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients help create the neurotransmitters that relay signals between these brain cells.

Your child’s brain grows its fastest from about the 10th to 18th week of pregnancy and again just before birth and for the first two years of life. It continues to grow during teenage years. Good nutrition is absolutely critical at all stages and the effects will last a lifetime.

Children who do not get adequate nutrition in their first few years of life are more likely to have problems throughout life. This includes lower IQ, slower language and motor development, and poorer school performance.

Most of us cannot be really sure if our children are getting all the essential nutrients from their foods. Some of the vitamins are lost in the process of cooking. For instance, those like vitamin A are lost as a result of exposure to air and water. Soluble vitamins like B1 and folic acid are lost due to exposure to heat. Some foods contain preservatives that result in the destruction of vitamins.

What's more, the present techniques of harvesting have resulted in some fruits and vegetables not having the nutritional content that they used to. Even choosing organic produce is still not a guarantee of perfect nutrition.

Iron is a common concern for babies because several factors can lead to its deficiency in infants. If a mother was anaemic during pregnancy, the cord was cut too early during birth, or if the baby is fed with formula instead of breast milk - all these can lead to poor iron status. Babies can absorb up to 50% of the iron in breast milk, but only 4% of the iron in fortified formula. If the mother's iron levels are sufficient, a child which is breast-fed for 12 months will maintain normal iron levels.

Whole grains, especially the more nutrient-dense grains like Quinoa and millet, have naturally occuring iron.

Mushy millet and Quinoa are excellent first grains to introduce to baby with grated organic vegetables or grated apple / pear.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin mostly made by bacteria in the gut and is needed for blood clotting. Newborn babies have low levels of vitamin K, because only a little vitamin K goes through the placenta to the baby, and at birth a baby's gut is sterile. Breast milk has very low levels of this vitamin, so most babies can be deficient in vitamin K for several weeks until the gut bacteria starts to make it.

Acidophilus supplements produce a broad spectrum of B vitamins (folic acid, B5, niacin, biotin, B12 and B6). Billions of bacteria live in your intestines. Some of them build your health while others tear it down. One of the most important bacteria in the beneficial category is Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Folate, or Vitamin B9, helps in the making of DNA, helps in the growth and division of cells, ensures a healthy nervous system and is essential for the growing body. High levels of the component - homocysteine - can result in blocks in arteries and thus lead to a higher risk of diseases like strokes and heart ailments.

Folate plays a major role in reducing the homocysteine level found in the blood.

Surprisingly, folate is one the most common deficiencies in the world and is a requirement for expecting mothers. Supplementation with folate during pregnancy minimises the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTD) by up to 70 per cent. Foods high in folic acid include dark green leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach, oranges, beans, asparagus, avocado and berries.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are the omega-3 and omega-6 fats found in vegetable oils. These are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesise and they most be obtained through diet. EFAs are vitally important for healthy cell membrane structures and are involved in the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like chemicals that are produced by many tisues and found in every cell of the body. EFAs support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous system. Fish oil is an excellent source of omega-3, providing many health benefits.

If you really want to give your child an edge in the classroom, you may want to start by eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury while you’re pregnant.

A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that exposure to omega-3 fatty acids in the last months of pregnancy can be linked to visual acuity, cognitive and motor development in infants between six and 11 months.

According to a study published in the April 2008 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, preschoolers whose mothers regularly consumed low-mercury, high omega-3 fish during pregnancy outperformed their peers on verbal, visual, and motor development tests.

According to a study published in Pediatrics in 2005, fish oil might be a good addition to a child’s diet for a number of reasons. This study suggested that learning problems and behavioural problems at schools might be directly related to the amount of essential fatty acids (as found in fish oil) in the child’s diet. By studying over a hundred children between the ages of 5 and 12, the study found that children improved their intelligence and behaviour within three months of consistent supplementation. In fact, this study proved to be so persuasive that some schools considered implementing a supplement program as a part of the UK school curriculum.

Pregnant women that take fish oil supplements during their pregnancy will more likely have children that score higher on tests and have more fully developed brains and nervous systems. This development reduces the risk of ADHD and other learning disabilities, while also helping to keep moods balanced and positive for the child. The mother can also help the child with their development by taking in supplements of fish oil when they are breast feeding. These essential fatty acids can also be fortified into a formula for the baby as well.

Several studies have shown that using fish oil supplements in children with ADHD, dyslexia and ADD issues is nearly as effective and even more effective in some traditionally used medications – like Ritalin. Because the supplements help the body with cellular function, it stands to reason that fish oil might be able to help with deficiencies that are leading to problems with attention. In the study published in Pediatrics, children that took the fish oil supplements showed increases in good behaviour, while those that took placebos did not show any improvement. When the children that were given the placebos were then given the fish oil, they began to have fewer problems with ADHD issues.

It is safe to conclude that fish oil is a safe and effective supplement to give to children that are still growing and developing. In those with ADHD or ADD issues, this supplement may be able increase the child’s attention and focus, while also improving their intelligence and test scores. It is important to note that fish oil supplements should be free of excessive levels of mercury to prevent any toxicity issues – especially in the smaller bodies of children.

Adding fatty fishes like organic mackerel, tuna, herring, kipper, and salmon to the diet a few times a week can help to make your child another star pupil.

First bites brain food - sustainably-fished sardines, mashed on sprouted bread toast fingers. Sardines mixed with cooked mashed pumpkin / sweet potato.

Vitmain C is known to combat cold and flu symptoms and boost immunity, but it has many functions in our bodies. Vitamin C helps in synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters, and is involved in support of connective tissues and production of collagen. The most important role of this nutrient for children is its role in proper lung function.

Increasing the intake of Vitmain C in the diet has shown to benefit bronchial tubes, thus reducing any breathing problems and making breathing easier.

Excellent sources are organic green leafy vegetables, oranges, strawberries and parsley (add parsley to freshly juiced organic vegetable juice).

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, gets particular attention for its role in keeping bones strong. It is also a key mineral needed for muscular contractions, beating of the heart, is involved in wound healing and proper function of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain.

Fractures reported among children and young adults is on the rise due to calcium deficiency. The reason? Preference of soda / soft drinks. Dairy products are at the top of  the calcium content list, but including green leafy vegetables and switching from sugary drinks to water and natural organic juices will also give children's bodies additional calcium.

Protein provides the building block for nerves and brain, helps build and repair body tissues and is needed for growth and development of children.
        
Super Nutrients for Kids

There are a number of preparations of nutritonal supplements that contain important components that help in boosting children's overall immunity.

Acidophilus is a natural antibiotic, produces B vitamins, improves digestion, and reduces risk of colon cancer. Antibiotic therapy will destroy it. That's why we need a probiotic supplement.

Children – capsules are ok if able to swallow, otherwise give 1 teaspoon of the powder once a day in milk, juice, or food or use chewable children's tablets.

Infants – make a paste using water or breastmilk and rub this once a day in baby’s mouth, or put 1 teaspoon of the powder in formula once a day if bottlefeeding.

There may be some acidophilus in fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir.However, most commercial yogurts are made with Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus. Although these two organisms possess some health benefits, they will not colonize in your intestines.

On the other hand, the highest quality supplements are made with "super strains" of Lactobacillus acidophilus. These strains are designed for maximum clinical effectiveness. They also do not die as easily and are more likely to survive the digestive process in your stomach. So if you are looking for positive results, an acidophilus supplement is a better choice than yogurt. Yogurt is still mildly beneficial, but make sure that it is organic and unsweetened, because sweetening agents may destroy beneficial bacteria. After purchasing your acidophilus product, it's prudent to keep it in your refrigerator in order to ensure the organisms stay alive as long as possible.

In addition to an organic diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, fresh juices and whole grains add  fish oil supplements from a reputable brand.

There are a variety of fish oil supplements but it is important to get a formula that provides a combination of DHA, GLA and AA which help in learning ability, concentration and coordination. A daily intake of 140-280mg of DHA is beneficial.

What's more you can even better nutrient insurance for your baby - try a wholesome bounty of nutrients from foods like kelp, barley and wheat grass, sprinkle some crushed chia on fruit and cereals or mix these into juices or smoothies.You may also incorporate organic spirulina 500mg in his/her diet.

Organic spirulina, a blue-green algae, is a rich source of complete protein, vitamins and minerals essential for health.

Organic virgin coconut oil, add to fruit smoothies (make extra and freeze in iceblock moulds for the best coconut icecream)  add to juices, stir-fry, baking, or just eat straight from the bottle. It's fat and it is good for you. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Eat a rainbow of food. Blueberries, red cherries, yellow peppers, dark leafy greens, creamy cauliflower, brown mushrooms, and orange carrots. Each color of food contributes nutrients necessary for good brain health.

Feeding your baby organic food is a good investment in his / her health. Children eat more food relative to body mass than adults, and they eat foods higher in pesticide residues—such as juices, fresh fruits and vegetables. A recent University of Washington study found that pre-school children aged 2-4 years who ate organic fruits and vegetables had 6 times less pesticide residues in their bodies than children who ate conventional produce.

Balance your food choices. Eat a variety of foods from each of the food groups.

Don’t skip meals, and give kids a healthy snack between meals. This gives the continuous nutrients required for growth and development.

Experiment and let everybody in your family enjoy the delicacy of new tastes for a healthy daily boost!