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Is your child a finicky eater?

Have you ever wondered if there was something you could to do to help your child learn and function better?

If so, you’ve come to the right place! 

This week’s blog originally came from an article I wrote for Nature’s Fare Markets. It appeared in the September/October 2020 edition of their magazine - The Good Life. 

Read on to discover important information about your child’s brain health and development, including how you can help support your child with the right supplements.

Neuronutrition For Kid’s Brain Health

In order to keep our kids healthy, strengthen their immune systems, and provide a solid foundation for their optimal brain health, your child needs the right stack of nutrients. In fact, healthy development in children - including a good memory, improved learning ability, stable mood, and better focus - is directly linked to adequate levels of essential nutrients. 

This is what I’ve dubbed neuronutrition.

As a former public school teacher, I have seen firsthand the effects a poor diet, fast food, and sugary soda have on the academic performance and behaviour of students. Their concentration, ability to focus, capacity to learn, and memory all suffer. When they skip breakfast or consume mostly refined white flour products and processed foods, we also see a decline in grades and, for kids susceptible to the effects of sugar, behaviour problems or aggression. 

As a nutritionist and brain health coach, I get it. Kids are finicky eaters when it comes to certain foods and can be challenging to feed. There’s also no guarantee that the healthy lunch or snack you’ve provided for your child will actually be eaten (or be eaten by your child!).

For these reasons, and the fact that proper nutrition is required for healthy brain development in children, sometimes, we need to supplement our kid’s diet.

Adding the right quality supplements to their regime can make all the difference!

Supplements that support kid’s brain health

To ensure your child’s brain is receiving the proper nutrients, here is a list of a few top supplements your child may benefit from and why:

Omega 3 fatty acids - Omega 3’s are crucial building blocks that your child’s brain needs for development and growth. In fact, it’s one of the absolute best nutrients for your child’s overall brain health, as it works to improve learning, memory, and mood in kids. Omega 3 fatty acids are also often lacking in kids with ADHD tendencies. To improve attention and nervous system function, adding more Omega 3’s to your child’s diet is key. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds. So if your child balks at the sight of fish on the dinner table, then a quality omega 3 supplement is in order!

Multivitamin-multimineral - Regardless of how many nutrient-dense foods we try to feed our kids, the truth is many of them are just not getting all the vitamins and minerals their developing brains and bodies need. Plus, a lack of certain nutrients can adversely affect a child’s thinking, behaviour, and emotional state. It’s not uncommon for kids with ADHD, for example, to have deficiencies of certain nutrients. Even though supplements cannot replace the natural nutrients found in real food, sometimes we need to ensure our child is receiving all necessary nutrients they need to function optimally. Adding a quality multivitamin-multimineral supplement to your child’s regime can ensure you’ve got all your basis covered!

Choline - Choline is an essential nutrient that all bodies require for healthy brain development and normal function. In children, it plays an important role in developing their nervous system and cell membrane integrity. Choline is found predominantly in egg yolks, grass-fed meat, and dairy. In conjunction with vitamin B12 and folate, choline works to improve your child’s focus and boost their memory.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is vital for optimal cognitive health. Your child’s brain uses vast amounts of vitamin C each day to form healthy connective tissue and blood vessels. It’s also used to protect healthy brain function and convert dopamine into serotonin to boost your child’s mood. Luckily, vitamin C can be found in many delicious foods like oranges, strawberries, guavas, thyme, kale, and Brussels sprouts. But because of its importance in daily brain function and how quickly it gets used up when our bodies are under stress, you might want to consider adding a vitamin C supplement to your child’s daily routine. As an added bonus, vitamin C works to strengthen immunity - making it extra helpful during cold and flu season!

Probiotics - Our gut is also referred to as our second brain, and for good reason. A healthy gut that contains a variety of beneficial bacteria species (called probiotics) builds the foundation for a healthy brain. Among their many jobs, the bacteria in our gut produce most of the neurotransmitters our brain needs to function optimally and keep us happy. This is no different for our children. Healthy bacteria also prevent nasty micro-organisms that can make our kids moody or irritable from taking over. So if lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut are not a regular part of your child’s diet, then consider a quality probiotic supplement to support a healthy nervous system.

Conclusion

If you’ve ever wondered if anything could support your child’s brain health, now is the perfect time to take action - as a new school year gets underway.

There’s nothing more important than protecting our child’s brain health and helping them develop their brain’s capacity. After all, we all want our children to excel in every possible way. If that means we can help them improve their focus, learning, memory, behaviour, and mood with the right nutrients or supplements, then why wouldn’t we?

Did you know that I have an additional affiliation with Nature’s Fare Markets? 

I am one of their in-house nutritionists. Though I am not working in-store at the moment, their nutrition program is still running strong! To book a FREE 30-minute on-line nutritional consultation with me, Kelly Aiello, please check the on-line schedule and sign up to speak to me today! 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below. Of course, if I can help you or a loved one with your nutritional needs, make an appointment to see me today!