Family Health - Parent Directory - Natural Awakenings

n Make cells more permeable to theinflux of bacteria and viruses.Tracee Yablon-Brenner, a registereddietitian, holistic health counselor andco-founder of RealFoodMoms.com,offers a few tips to get kids enthusiasticabout healthy eating:n Ask kids to help prepare the foodand set the table, with tasks appropriateto their ages.n Cut vegetables in small pieces and“hide” them in favorite foods; forexample, add zucchini and broccolito spaghetti sauce.n Grow a garden (even a containergarden) and engage children in thefun of growing food.n Take them to a farmers’ market tohelp pick out meal ingredients.Any food high in vitamin C isgreat for strengthening immune systemsand improving overall health.Sources include citrus fruits, berries,bell peppers, cruciferous vegetableslike broccoli, cauliflower and Brusselssprouts and all dark, green, leafyvegetables, especially kale.Yablon-Brenner thinks that juice istoo high in sugar (even natural sugars)and instead favors fiber-rich wholefruits. She encourages eating lots ofwild-caught fish (avoiding farmedfish, which can be contaminated withmercury and other toxic substances)and plenty of foods rich in vitamin Eand zinc, such as pumpkin seeds andsunflower seeds.Probiotics are also important forkeeping the immune system strong.For some kids, eating all-natural yogurtis enough, but for others, probioticsupplements may be necessary.“I’m really passionate about educatingand teaching families about thebenefits of eating real food and helpingthem recognize that food is really thebest medicine,” says Yablon-Brenner.Exercise: Daily exercise is a keycomponent of any health regimen.“Sometimes, I literally write a prescriptionfor family exercise,” says Rosen.Outdoor exercise is beneficialbecause it also exposes children to thesun, helping them to manufacture thevitamin D that is essential for a strongimmune system. Other highly recommendedexercise programs includeyoga for stress reduction, which can beadapted even for small children.Supplements: Rosen and Hamiltonboth favor select supplements forchildren, especially during cold andflu season.Rosen recommends a whole-foodmultivitamin for kids every day, as wellas vitamin D supplements, as follows:400 IU daily for babies, 1,000 IU foryoung children, 2,000 IU for tweens and4,000 IU for teens and adults. A bloodtest may check levels of vitamin D.Hamilton adds 15 milligrams ofzinc daily and likes targeted herbalpreparations for preventing and treatingcolds.Sanitation: The experts’ advicehere may be surprising: They all recommendletting kids get a little dirty.“Kids are a little too sterile,” saysHamilton. “We used to play in the dirt,get dirt under our nails and expose ourimmune systems to bacteria that madethem stronger. Our focus on antibacterialproducts today has actually led tothe growth of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.”As a postscript, she recommendsavoiding hand sanitizers; not only areKale CrispsRecipe Kids Like1 bunch of organic curly kaleSea salt to tasteGarlic powder to taste2 Tbsp lemon juicePreheat oven to 350° F.Line a baking sheet with parchmentpaper.Wash and dry kale leaves, place ina single layer on baking sheet andsprinkle with sea salt.Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, untilslightly browned and crispy.Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.Source: Tracee Yablon-Brenner, fromRealFoodMoms.comthey less than effective, but their alcoholcontent can cause dry skin.Kathleen Barnes is a natural healthadvocate, author and publisher; 10Best Ways to Manage Stress is her latestbook. Visit KathleenBarnes.com.POSITIVE NEWBeginningsYour Holistic Centerfor the Mind, Bodyand SpiritREIKI TREATMENTSSPIRITUAL COUNSELINGGIFTS & METAPHYSICAL ITEMSTAROT & ANGEL CARDREADINGS877 BroadwayEast Providence, RI401.432.7195www.positivenewbeginnings.comAQUIDNECK ISLAND ACUPUNCTUREShawna E.M. Snyder,D.Ac., M.A.O.M.Provider for BCBS,United Healthcare,Aetna andTufts Health PlanAbdominal Pain,Bloated, Irregular?Acupuncture helps torelieve digestive issues.170 Aquidneck Ave., Middletownwww.AquidneckAcupuncture.comInfo@AquidneckAcupuncture.com401-297-1642natural awakenings August 201227