Children’s
Daily Nutrition and Supplements
What
our children eat – especially today’s American
diet – will never give them enough vitamins, minerals
and other nutrients their bodies need to stay healthy and
grow. However, all the proper nutrition in the world won’t
help without good digestion.
When
children develop poor digestion, it can affect their health
for a lifetime. Here are some essential rules to follow
for both good nutrition and digestion for your children.
- Children
need the “Antioxidant” family of vitamins and
minerals – especially the Big Five – A, E, C,
Zinc and Selenium. Antioxidants ward off atom particles
floating in the air without partners. These are called “free
radicals”, and can damage our tissue cells that make
the immune system work and fight infection. Växa Buddies
Multivitamin provides the daily nutrition requirement of
these five vitamins, minerals and others.
- Lipids (good fats) and “essential fatty acids”
(EFA’s) help the body’s neurotransmitters to
function well with the brain. Improper neurotransmission
is a huge factor in the behavior of children (and adults)
suffering from ADD or ADHD. Essential fatty acids –
called Omegas 3, 6 and 9 – are present in a lot of
foods children may eat like nuts and eggs – but they
may not eat enough fish, flaxseed or green vegetables which
are loaded with them. Vaxa’s Omegacin+ provides these
lipids and EFA’s.
- Boost your child’s Immune System. If you haven’t
already, see the page Avoiding and Resolving Children’s
Ear Infections – there’s a great section on
how to boost their immune system. B-complex vitamins also
boost immunities and soothe stress, which both help nutrition
absorption.
- Limit fast food intake. Not just because of calories and
fats, but because:
- Many times the grease for frying potatoes, chicken nuggets
or fish may sit overnight or even be used for 2 to 3 days
and can become rancid. Rancid oils can stay in the digestive
system and draw bacteria.
- Hasty eating makes us swallow without chewing, which is
the beginning of digestion. Proper mastication uses our
saliva to initiate the process of absorbing nutrition well.
- Quick eating of greasy food promotes acid indigestion,
bowel problems and blood sugar irregularities.
- Children
need to be sternly taught the benefits of all food groups.
Even if you take them off wheat or dairy due to allergies,
there are substitutes to replace these groups. Dark green
vegetables absolutely must be served, and sugary foods and
beverages limited.
- Speaking of beverages, the phosphates in carbonated colas,
including sugar free, can rob the bones of calcium and should
be restricted.
- Mental and emotional factors and our environment play
a huge part in a body’s efficient use of nutrition.
Children will best absorb nutrients if meal time is calm,
fun and the family is together. With today’s schedules,
this happens less and less. Try this a few times a week
– you might like it!
- Get your children moving! Nutrition from both food and
supplements is best absorbed with an active lifestyle. Brief
rest or a walk after a meal is good, but laying around or
sitting in front of TVs and computers pretty much guarantees
that most of the nutrients you ate or took will come right
back out “in the wash” – in the urine.
- Be sure to visit other pages in Växa’s Children’s
Health Section for additional integrated information on
various aspects for your child’s best health.
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