by Meredith Deasley
Back in 1999, I was abruptly thrown from the corporate world into the even scarier world of a new mother.
From the time my eldest was born, until she turned two, Taylor experienced colic, a rash all over her body, projectile vomiting, frequent colds and eventually constipation, where she remained in pain for the better part of six months. A critical job for every parent is keeping your child healthy.
I knew I needed to make Taylor healthier and FAST! It was the eventual healing of my daughter that led me to having the vast understanding of children’s nutrition that I am now grateful to possess.
If your young child is catching a cold every other month, they are building their immune system. If he or she is catching a cold every other week, it is time to look into things further.
What are other instances where you may want to look into your child’s health further? When your child experiences colic/fussiness, infections of any kind i.e. yeast, ear, bladder, chronic diaper rashes or other rashes, constipation (meaning not having a good sized bowel movement every day), frequent loose stools, behavioural issues or health challenges of any kind.
The children of today are the sickest of any generation prior. Why is that? They are exposed to more sources of bad bacteria than ever before – from food, air, water, and drugs.
The number one way to get more good bacteria into your child is to give your child probiotics, which are the opposite of antibiotics, drugs that remove both good and bad bacteria from the body. Probiotics, the most common of which is called acidophilus, is best purchased from a health food store.
Next, you’ll want to look into the specific foods that are problematic for your child. Whichever food your child eats the most of is usually the culprit. And if you are exclusively breastfeeding, what food can you not live without?
How can life be so cruel, you ask, as to make us addicted to the foods that are our worst enemies? It needed to be easy for us to spot the culprits and as a result, it usually is.
For more information on keeping your children healthy and happy, visit www.theresourcefulmother.com.
Meredith Deasley is a Pediatric Nutritionist and teacher of Pediatric Nutrition and Allergies at The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. She conducts seminars and meets with parents individually to help them prevent or overcome any health challenge. She has recently authored “The Resourceful Mother’s Secrets to Healthy Kids.”
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