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Archive for: School Age

Natural Treatment Options for Summer Cold and Flu

Posted by gesund on Monday, May 30th, 2011 | Comments (0)

The last thing that anyone thinks about in the summer is getting a cold. But, cold viruses don’t know a season so you can still be the victim of one when the weather gets warm. Here are some ways to naturally treat them.

A sniffle or cough can be bothersome in the summertime. The first thought is that it is allergic rhinitis. Consulting a doctor can help you determine if you are suffering from allergies or if you have been bitten by the cold bug. Treatment is different so you want to be sure that you are fighting back in the right way.

What Are the Symptoms of a Summer Cold or Flu?

The symptoms are very similar for a winter cold or flu. You may present with a stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, sneezing and/or chest congestion. With the flu, there is also the addition of a possible fever, fatigue and a general malaise that can go on for days.

Before you reach for medicine, try using natural remedies first. For one thing, viruses have no cure. What you are treating are the symptoms and not the disease itself. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses and overuse of them can lower their efficacy.

Treatments

A cold and the flu will resolve itself in several days or a week or two. Treatment options can reduce the severity of the symptoms and the duration of the condition. Boosting the immunity can help also, and helps prevent future colds and flu symptoms.

  • Neti pot – Nasal congestion can lead to sore throat and sleepless nights. Using the warm water can wash out bacteria from the nasal passages and help shrink swollen membranes.
  • Humidifier – Dry air can make a dry and itchy nose worse. Adding moisture to the air can reduce your cold symptoms. Try a cool mist humidifier.
  • Herbal remedies – There are over-the-counter remedies like Zicam and Airborne that contain zinc, Echinacea and vitamin C to help boost your immunity. Take them when you are exposed to cold viruses at work or at home to help you to avoid contracting a cold. Some are used at the first sign of a cold to reduce the duration.
  • Wash your hands often – The first line of defense against disease is hand washing. It can reduce germs on your hands that can be transmitted to mucus membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Rest – Most of us continue to work at present levels when we get sick. Rest like sleep gives the body a chance to recharge and repair itself. Allow yourself a couple more hours to sleep and take breaks during your day to avoid overexertion which can make your symptoms feel worse.

Have you been bitten by the cold bug? There are some ways that you can naturally help yourself to feel better.

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Categories : Cold and Flu, School Age
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Delicious Dinner Ideas for Kids with Lactose Intolerance

Posted by gesund on Sunday, May 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Some of us are born with a problem called lactose intolerance. It means that we have a tough time eating dairy products. If your child has been diagnosed, here are some ways that they can still enjoy delicious meals.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance means that the body displays a negative reaction to the sugar lactose. Lactose is found in milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt. Because the body lacks the enzymes to break it down, it has to be eliminated. The experience of this can be quite uncomfortable.

Those who are lactose intolerant often find out after repeatedly eating dairy products and suffering the ill effects. This includes diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, bloating and gas. It can occur anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after eating a dairy product.

If you’ve ever thought about it, this can eliminate a lot of foods from your dietary list. It also means reading a lot of food labels to see what contains any form of dairy and what does not. For children, this can mean watching their friends enjoy pizza and knowing that they can’t have any or it will make them feel really bad.

Healthy Delicious Dinners

But, there is another way. Kids can enjoy some of the same foods that their friends eat but without the lactose sugar that can make them feel sick. It takes a bit of creative thinking, but it will be beneficial to your child and the entire family.

Other members of the family need to watch what they buy when there is a lactose intolerant child in the house. Any dairy products need to be clearly labeled so the child doesn’t eat them.

This is also an opportunity to get your kids involved in cooking in the kitchen. You are not only having fun but showing them how to create meals that they love that won’t hurt them.

Here are some ideas for lactose-free dinner meals.

  • Macaroni and cheese – Who doesn’t love Mac and Cheese? Instead of using regular milk to make the cheese sauce, try plain soy milk. There is a product on the market called nutritional yeast. It has a nutty flavor and the consistency of a powder, and can be used as a kind of thickener for sauces instead of cheese. It can also be added to cheese substitutes for better flavor.
  • Pizza – Pizza is an incredible food and your children will probably want to eat it. You can use or make your own pizza dough for the crust. Since cheese is out of the question for a topping, create a cheese sauce using soy milk and nutritional yeast. Add pizza sauce to your dough and then cover with your dairy-free cheese sauce. Top with your favorite toppings and bake.
  • Lasagna – Your cheese sauce will come in handy again. There is also dairy-free ricotta cheese to add as a filler between the layers. Don’t forget to add your favorite pasta sauce and meat or vegetables to the layers of the lasagna.

Just because your kids can’t eat dairy, doesn’t mean they can’t still eat delicious foods. Try these examples above.

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Categories : Recipes, School Age
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Nutrition and the Healthy Child

Posted by gesund on Sunday, May 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

We are what we eat, and that includes our children. The food and snacks they put into their bodies each day are what make up their cells and fuel their energy.  Healthy eating aimed at children is designed to increase their energy, their health and their potential for a healthy life as they grow older.

The US Department of Agriculture publishes the Food Guide Pyramid to promote healthy eating in children over six years.  This is a general guideline for daily food choices and not a strict listing.  The main emphasis is on the five major food groups and it emphasizes a decreased amount of fat, oils, sweets and salt.

Many people find the Food Pyramid helpful for standardized guidelines but others find it difficult to understand and follow.  Some theorize that this is the cause of obesity epidemic in children.  However, this is an easy explanation for a much more complex problem that involves a lack of education about the need for good nutrition, adequate exercise and a lower number of television hours for children.

Nutrition and the healthy child requires a few guidelines.  Children should eat a variety of foods.  This includes vegetables and fruits as well as nuts and seeds.  Children usually are able to eat enough processed foods filled with sugar and artificial colors and flavors.

Healthy eating aimed at children also includes balancing the foods they eat with physical activity.  School systems have declining budgets and physical education programs are being drastically slashed.  Even recess is being cut in some areas of the country.  If a child doesn’t participate in a school sport then it’s likely they’ll go from sitting at their school desk all day to sitting and studying and then in front of the television at night.

Nutrition and the healthy child means that parents help to chose a diet that has enough whole wheat grains, vegetables and fruit.  This should be the basis of the foods that they eat.  The majority of their food should consist of those three food groups. And it should be low in fats, saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol.

Sugar is a favorite food group of both children and adults but eaten in moderate to large amounts it can do damage to your health, immune system and weight.  Because sugar and salt is a favorite of children and adults – and because children require good role models in the home – both children and adults should refrain from over eating from these foods.

A healthy child also requires the minerals and vitamins that their growing bodies need – such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and complete proteins.   Another aspect of using the Food Pyramid to judge healthy eating aimed at children is that the serving sizes may be confusing.  A serving of meat is actually 1-2 ounces so with a ¼ pound hamburger they’ve eating 2-3 servings of meat in one meal.

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Categories : Balanced Diet, School Age
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Healthy Eating Tips for Kids

Posted by gesund on Friday, April 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Healthy eating for both adults and kids isn’t as tricky as you might think.  It does require energy and the understanding that parents are in charge.  Parents are able to create the rules but the child has ultimate control over what they put into their mouths.

Healthy eating should be enforced for the child and the whole family.  Children thrive and learn through role models.  If they are being told one thing, and their parents are doing quite the opposite, they will mimic the parents.  It’s the old “Do what I say and not what I do” theory.  It just isn’t practical and it doesn’t work.

That said, your first task is to establish a routine.  It may be difficult at first but sitting down together for breakfast, lunch and dinner together goes a long way toward developing healthy eating habits.  And eating together as a family has also been found to help children build good character as well.

The trick to this task is to be consistent.  Children need routine in their lives; just as they thrive on a consistent bedtime routine they also do well with a consistent meal time habit.  That meal time habit should include fruit for dessert after dinner and a way to integrate vegetables each day through salads, steamed vegetables and included in the main course.

Some parents, seeking a way to reward their children for their good works, will offer candy or ice cream for work well done.  Instead parents should offer other rewards such as their attention – hugs, kisses and smiles – and your time.  Children learn habits around their behavior.  In other words when children grow up they learn to reward themselves with food each time something goes right in their lives or comfort themselves with food when things go wrong.

Parents can help to develop healthy eating habits in kids and adults by stopping the arguments about sugar and processed food snacks before they start.  Leave these snacks at the store.  They aren’t helpful to either of you.

When kids are thirsty use water.  If they crave flavored water use a squirt from a real lemon or lime.  Add ice and you have a great drink with flavor, nutritionally needed by your body and is cheap.

Kids are highly influenced by radio, tv and their friends.  When they are begging for sugary, high fat foods they probably learned about them from their friends and the media.  It will take persistence, diligence and good role models at home to overcome the influence of people outside the family.  The grass is always greener on the opposite side of the fence – even for parents.  Those snacks may look good but they don’t fit into healthy eating habits for kids and adults.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but watching television doesn’t fit into a program for healthy eating habits for kids or adults either.  How does television affect your eating habits?  Sitting in front of the television encourages snacking and definitely doesn’t expend any calories from exercise.

Part of having healthy eating habits includes spending time together as a family.  Eating together is important but eating at home consistently is really important.  It is so much more difficult to have healthy eating habits when faced with appetizers, fried foods and desserts that no one has to prepare.

Eating at home requires a bit of planning and smart grocery shopping.  Before leaving for the store make out a menu and prepare a list from the menu.  Leave the high fat, high salt, high processed foods off the list and out of the house.  You will be thankful at 10 pm when you are craving the potato chips and they aren’t there to tempt you or the kids.

When you do go shopping find substitutes for the high calorie snacks because snack time will come and without food in the fridge the kids will be left to eat whatever they find.  Keep plenty of seasonal fruit cut, cleaned and cubed so kids can reach into the fridge and grab a handful of grapes, cantaloupe or watermelon.  An apple core slicer will be a hit to slice and dice an apple quickly.  With a spoonful of peanut butter the kids will think they’ve bitten into a carmel apple.

Try getting your kids involved in the meal planning, grocery shopping and snack plans.  If the kids are involved they’ll have a vested interested in making the process work.  When you are beginning healthy eating tips for kids don’t expect them to like something new immediately.  Introduce things slowly and encourage them to keep trying.  Show them a good example by eating them yourself!

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Categories : Balanced Diet, School Age
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What to Do If Your Ears Become Infected from Piercings

Posted by gesund on Monday, February 28th, 2011 | Comments (0)

While people get their ears pierced every day, it is not uncommon for infections to occur. Even from a small opening, bacteria entering the body are a serious thing which requires immediate attention. Here are some steps that you can take to clear up an infection from ear piercing.

When you decide to have your ears pierced, know that there is risk involved. Many don’t think about it because it is such a simple procedure, but you are introducing a foreign object into your body. Whether the earring is 24-karat gold or surgical steel, it is still not part of your natural tissue.

The lobe is different from the cartilaginous portion of the ear when it comes to incidence of infection. Most piercings take place in the lobe of the ear. The blood supply here is rich. When piercings are done further up the ear, the blood supply is not as good in the cartilage. It needs to pull blood from nearby vessels. This can create a more extensive infection if it occurs here.

Dealing with an Infection

But, even with precautions an infection can still occur. Clearing it up as soon as possible is best to avoid pain.

  • Remove the earring – This is advised when the ear is not newly pierced. If it is, removing the piercing can seal the infection in the ear tissue. This can stem the source of the infection.
  • Cover the ear in a solution of salt – Using balanced salt solution or Epsom salts will flush the wound and promote healing. Do this at least twice a day.
  • Squeeze the ear – This might be painful, but it is necessary to remove any pus and bacteria from the ear that is forming there. Constantly removing infected fluid and irrigating with salt solution will clean it out.
  • Use warm compresses – It will bring more blood supply to the area to speed healing. Try it twice a day for several minutes. Be sure to completely dry the ear afterwards. Bacteria love moist places and you don’t want to spread the infection.
  • Apply antibiotic ointment – This ointment can seal the wounds and keep other bacteria out. Just apply a small amount around both sides of your ear.
  • Still turn your earrings daily – The infection has interrupted the healing process. As it is stopped, the ear will recommence closing. Turning the studs will prevent the tissue from attaching to the piercing.
  • See a doctor – If the infection seems to be getting worse instead of better after a few days of at-home treatment, seek medical attention. A doctor can take a look and prescribe an oral antibiotic for more aggressive bugs.

An infection doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying pierced ears. Wear pure metal earrings to avoid allergic reactions that can contribute to an increased risk of infection.

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Categories : School Age, Women
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Fit Kids for Life

Posted by gesund on Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Have you ever heard a kid say that they were bored? It takes constant stimulation to keep them motivated. And, to keep them fit for life, it will take just that if you don’t want boredom to set in.

This nation is facing an epidemic. Obesity has not only taken over the lives of adults but children as well. Technology in part has helped us to become a society that sits rather than moves. This is good for the electronics industry but bad for a healthy long life.

And, if adults aren’t moving about, how are kids going to be expected to? They follow the example set for them. Let’s break the cycle of a sedentary lifestyle and teach our kids how to be fit for life.

Here are some ways that you can get your kids up off the couch and moving each and every day.

  • Do something you love – For anyone this is the biggest boost to motivation. If you try an activity and it doesn’t work for you, then don’t be afraid to try something else. Kids will be quick to tell you that they don’t like something and probably won’t do it again. Ask them what activities they like to do and strive to choose one each day to participate in. When you like what you do, it feels natural to do it all the time.
  • Don’t think of physical activity as exercise – Instead of saying “Let’s go exercise,” say “Let’s go have fun.” Exercise sounds like work. Make it fun and kids will forget to be bored and just enjoy themselves. It could be as simple as shooting hoops in the driveway after dinner or riding bikes in the park after school.
  • Exercise with your kids – It’s easy to sit back and tell your kids what to do, but what kind of example would that be? Get going with them. Ride bikes together; hike in the woods; play kickball in the backyard. Before you know it, you’ll feel like a kid again. Not only is your child staying motivated but you are as well.
  • Invite their friends along – Exercise is great when you have a partner. If you are getting up a pick-up game of basketball, invite your kids’ friends to participate. Activities like this are more fun when you have lots of people. Form a neighborhood team or get involved with a church team. This promotes competitiveness and keeps kids motivated to get moving.
  • Set goals – If your child is a little bit heavier than others their age, the goal could be to slim down a bit. Goals give us something to work towards, a motivation for staying fit. Kids can be motivated by the same types of things as adults.

Want to keep your kid fit and break the epidemic of obesity? Use these ideas to make it happen.

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Categories : Fitness, School Age
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How to Prevent Ticks

Posted by gesund on Friday, October 15th, 2010 | Comments (0)

When the weather gets warmer, the insects get moving. The heat is ripe for creatures like ticks to start showing up in the grass and on you. Here are some ways to prevent ticks from ruining your summer.

With growing deer populations, ticks that carry Lyme disease are more prevalent than ever. When you are out and about enjoying the sunshine, be careful. While Lyme disease doesn’t immediately prove fatal and can resolve itself in most cases given enough time, it can become serious.

Practical Tips to Keep Ticks at Bay

For those who are wondering about ticks, here are some facts. They are actually related to arachnids – spiders. They have eight legs and can be as small as the head of a pin or a sesame seed. Most have round bodies with distinctive markings and small heads.

Ticks do not fly. While this is good news for those who don’t like insects, they still pose a problem. These pesky critters love to hang about in tall grass, on hanging branches, shrubs and other vegetation. When you walk by and brush low-hanging leaves, they simply move on over to you without the slightest interruption.

Now, for the tips:

  • Stay on the path – Sticking to the asphalt roads and stone paths of trails can keep your contact with ticks to a minimum. If you must leave the trail, look for areas where the grass is not overgrown for your trek.
  • Wear light-colored clothing – Since ticks are so small, they can disappear like a needle in a haystack. White, khaki, beige or pale colors can make seeing these small black dots a lot easier. Ticks are so tiny that they are rarely felt when they transfer to your clothing or skin. The best way to catch them is by visual inspection.
  • Wear socks and close-toed shoes – Ticks can hide in places on your body that you don’t think to check regularly: between toes, on ankles, under arms and behind knees. Since it is the lower leg that mostly makes contact with grasses, white socks can keep them away from your feet and also stop them from slipping down into your shoes.
  • Wear bug repellent – Ticks won’t want to stay long if you are protected with something that can kill them. Spray your clothing and exposed skin with a bug spray containing DEET. Test a small area of clothing first to be sure that it won’t stain before general application.
  • Perform a comprehensive scan of your body – After being outside all day, check over your body as soon as you get inside. Use a mirror of the help of another person to be sure you have not missed any areas.

Summer brings fun but also ticks. Here are some practical ways to keep them away from you.

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Categories : At Home, School Age
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Preparing Your Teen for Menstruation

Posted by gesund on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Most teens start menstruating when they are 11-13 years old but the first period can start as early as 9!  So when do you start to talk about teen menstruation?  How early is early enough?

You can generally predict the start of a girls menstrual periods by the development of her breasts.  Girls develop breast buds, or small nodules below the nipples as the breasts begin to grow.  This development happens approximately 2 years before she will start her period.

Most preteens are too embarrassed to start the discussion themselves so it is up to you to begin the conversation.  There is too much information to cover all of it in one conversation and one talk will discourage your girl from asking questions later.

To introduce the topic you may want to ask her what she already knows and has heard from her friends.  You can also start the conversation with health issues, which may be less embarrassing for her.  Answer any of her questions honestly and at her maturity level.

This ‘talk’ about menstruation is just another piece of the sex talk puzzle.  She needs honest information from an adult she knows and can trust – often her mother.  If the only information she ever receives is from her friends she will hear nonsense and believe it as fact.  That is why it is so important to talk with your child early and answer questions often.

Be sure to give your child some biological explanations before launching into the information she is really looking for – the practical advice.  First the biology.  Menstruation means a girl’s body is maturing and preparing each month to get pregnant.  Each month an egg matures and is released to travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus.  If pregnancy doesn’t happen then the extra lining in the uterus isn’t needed and it breaks down into a mixture of blood and tissue that comes out through the vagina during her period.

Most girls want to know about when it will happen, what it will feel like and what they’ll need to do when their period starts.  Although no one can truly predict the exact timing very commonly it happens about two years after breast bud development.  Girls can experience thick white discharge in the months just before their period.

Does it hurt?  Most girls have cramps but during the first periods they aren’t severe.  Cramps are usually in the lower abdomen or lower back and thighs.  The cramps usually last only one or two days.  Pain relievers to use can be anti-inflammatory drugs, hot baths and a hot water bottle to relieve the uterine cramping and pain.

It is normal to start your period anywhere from 10 to 15 years old but most girls feel left out if their friends have started and they haven’t.  She might worry that she isn’t normal but she should be reassured that unless she is 16 and hasn’t started there isn’t a problem.

She should also be aware of what the normal parameters are, such as periods last approximately 4-7 days but if they go longer than 10 she should see a doctor.  If periods are very heavy (needing more than 2 or 3 pads each day) or are very painful she may also need to see the doctor to rule out any problems.

These changes in her body can be exciting but also scary.  Girls are afraid of the unknown but much of the scariness can be lessened through education of what really will happen.

Open communication with her will encourage your daughter to ask you more questions and to be sure that she sees you as someone she can come back to with issues related to menstruation and sex.  Friends should never be the source of her information since the information will be wrong.  You are her resource and you can do it!

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Categories : School Age, Women
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Stuttering – How You Can Help Your Child

Posted by gesund on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Stuttering does not have to derail your child’s learning or social development. If you notice that your child is suffering from a stutter, there are ways that you can help.

What is Stuttering?

Stuttering is a disorder that involves obstacles to the flow of speech. It can involve repetition of sounds, prolonged sounds or even periods of silence between words. Another word used to describe it is stammering.

There are many different causes for stuttering. The first is genetics. Those who have relatives who stutter are more likely to suffer from the impairment themselves. Secondly, research shows that people who stutter process speech differently in their brain from people who do not have a stammer.

Developmental delays of other kinds can influence stuttering. Problems with language may be secondary to other problems that the child is facing.

Many children stutter. It can be a part of the process of learning language for some children. Just because your child shows this attribute early on doesn’t mean that it will stay with them into adulthood. However, scientists believe that children who stutter after age three and persist for more than six months may not grow out of it.

But, there is still much that can be done. Early intervention can help to eliminate or reduce the prominence of a stutter in children.

Tips to Help Children Who Stutter

One of the ways stuttering children are negatively affected is in the area of self-confidence. They may see themselves as unattractive or unpopular because they do not speak like their friends. Methods to assist a child are geared towards showing them acceptance.

  • Speech therapy – In school, therapy of this kind can teach children to speak slower to reduce the incidence of their stutter. Even if the stutter doesn’t disappear, knowing that they are actively doing something to improve their speech can build confidence.
  • Speak slowly to your child – The pressure to answer quickly can bring on a stuttering episode. Show calmness in your speech to encourage your child to slow down and think first.
  • Listen to them speak – If you ask multiple questions of your child, it can lead to anxiety and confusion when it comes to giving the answers. Ask an open-ended question and wait for their response. Try to minimize interruptions so they can process thoughts clearly.
  • Set aside time with your child – When things are hectic and rushed, it is harder for stuttering children to communicate. Give them time to be themselves by setting aside some time to talk and listen to their issues. Don’t draw attention to their stutter by trying to hurry them up or asking them to speak slowly. Even good-natured advice like this can cause anxiety.

Does your child show signs of stuttering? Early intervention is the key to building self-confidence as you work towards a solution.

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Symptoms of Stress in Children

Posted by gesund on Friday, April 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Children are not immune to feeling the effects of stress. We often overlook the signs because we don’t expect to see it. If you suspect that something is wrong with your child, here are some of the symptoms.

It is not a myth that kids suffer from stress. Think of all that they have to deal with: classwork, school activities, friends and growing up. Going through the changes that occur with each age level can bring about enough anxiety to lead to stress in children.

Remember back to your childhood. What did you worry about? Many of the issues you dealt with may not have even involved books but friends, self-image and the opposite sex.

Here are some ways to recognize stress in kids.

Symptoms of Stress

  • Irritability – When kids have a hard time figuring things out it can lead to frustration. This may show itself in the simplest of tasks at home. After only one try, they may throw their toy or project aside and storm off.
  • Sleeplessness – Your child may wake up early in the morning or come to the breakfast table with dark circles around their eyes. This is more than likely not because they are staying up to play video games, but because stress is leading to insomnia. Another symptom of sleeplessness could be an increased incidence of nightmares.
  • Change in appetite – Kids love to eat. If your child is showing less than their usual interest in meals or they skip meals due to a stomach ache it could be stress related.
  • Withdrawal – Stress can lead to a withdrawal from friends or pleasurable activities. Kids rarely stay inside if they have a good reason to be outside.
  • Dropping grades – This is almost a sure sign that something has changed especially if your child is used to gaining high marks. Talking to a teacher may shed some light on the cause. Also, check their book bag for hidden test papers with low grades that they may have been keeping from you.
  • Whining – Kids may do some of that but as they assert their independence, less and less is exhibited. A child who seems needier than normal could have a stress issue.
  • Mood swings – Kids experience these too. A generally happy child may become angry or manic for no reason. If the change continues to occur, they may be overwhelmed in some area of their lives.

Children are people pleasers. They do not want to disappoint parents or their teachers. Trying to live up to expectations placed on them can be a catalyst for stress. Talk to your child. Assure them that you want to help them avoid stress as much as possible.

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Vegan Nutrition in Childhood

Posted by gesund on Monday, March 1st, 2010 | Comments (0)

If you are a vegan, then it makes sense to want to raise your child that way as well. For a child’s nutritional standards, know what to consider in a vegan diet so they stay healthy.

Veganism is different from vegetarianism. Vegetarians don’t eat meat, but they may eat fish, dairy and/or eggs. It all depends on your category.

Vegans are opposed to eating any animal products – period. You’d be surprised how many foods out there contain some form of animal matter. Even regular gelatine can contain substances like beef broth. All meats, fish, milk, dairy, eggs and cheese are off the list of allowable foods. Many vegans only consume fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes.

It can be a challenge to eat in this manner but for children of parents who have done it, there is usually little issue. What can be most challenging is making sure that all of the required nutrients for a child are met with the vegan lifestyle.

Many foods don’t take much tweaking to make them vegan friendly. For instance, babies usually drink breast milk or formula. You can buy formula that has no milk solids in it. Experts say that breastfeeding is better for kids because they pick up extra immunity from mom.

When it comes to introducing solid foods, rice cereal is often used. It doesn’t contain meat or dairy so it is just the same as what any child would eat.

When your child is ready to move on to solid foods, choose mashed fruits and veggies. Mashing your own can avoid the extra sugars added to store-bought varieties. Usually the most important nutrient that causes concern is protein. Without meat, it can be hard to get enough protein each day for proper body function.

Introduce nuts, legumes and soy. Soy is a plant protein. It has less fat than animal protein. Beans are also a low-fat protein alternative. Tofu is a soy material that can be used as a meat substitute to make dishes.

Know what your child needs to eat every day. This includes examining the food pyramid for kids to be sure you are keeping their diet healthy.

Vitamins and minerals are also crucial to proper development. To find these in foods, you just need to know where to look.

  • Calcium – Eat green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans and even soy milk.
  • Vitamin D – This vitamin helps synthesize calcium in the body. It is normally found in dairy but you can get it from fortified soy milk and also from time spent out in the sun.
  • Vitamin B12 –The B vitamins are great for boosting metabolism.

With a vegan diet, your child will enjoy the tastes of whole foods like grains, vegetables and fruits. They get all of the nutrition with very little fat as long as you plan well.

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Categories : School Age, Vegetarian
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