Eating Habits & Food Allergies

By Elvian and Jacinta, from Mullum Herbals

In issue 9 we discussed basic nutritional guidelines. Food is always a big topic when it comes to children. Cultural and societal backgrounds will influence many families. 

One of the biggest problems we are faced with as parents is excess sugar and chemical additives to foods. Sugar is added to nearly every processed or pre-made food. It is very important to take note of how much sugar your child is having and when. Sweets must be kept as treats, special times and not every day. Train taste buds early to not need excess sugar and you’ll be rewarded with a healthy child.

Diabetes, behavioural disorders, obesity, hypoglycaemia, immune suppression, food allergies, constipation, tooth decay are all illnesses that can develop from high sugar consumption. I feel children under the age of three don’t need to eat lollies or chocolate. Certainly big extravagant birthday parties with lots of junk food are unnecessary. We can celebrate our love with delicious home-made sugar-free treats. Carob, stevia, maple syrup, apple and pear concentrate and honey, in moderation, are all healthy sugar substitutes. 

Over the last fifty years or so, we have had many food additives added to our diets. Many health problems can be reduced or cleared with elimination of these preservatives and additives. Our own gut bacteria and digestive juices can react with these chemicals and create substances that can affect our digestion and bowel transit time. This can lead to skin disorders, allergies and asthma.

Sulphites are common food preservatives that many children could be sensitive to if they suffer any of the above conditions. Get a good food preservative book, check the numbers given to these additives and be sure of what you’re eating.

Question: I have a child that is a fussy eater, what can I do?

In our busy clinic we are often asked questions about children’s eating habits. With a fussy eater they may not like eating at set meal-times, they may prefer to graze during the day. Our view is that individuality must always be allowed for wholistic health. Keep a selection of healthy accessible snacks available; celery sticks, fruit, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, grilled tofu chips, pieces of anything wholesome and natural. Do not give in to sugary, processed foods. Keeping the foods in small bite sizes encourages the child that may ordinarily be daunted by big meals. Children are mostly in tune with their own rhythms and cycles; forcing children to eat when they are not ready sets up digestive disturbances. Healthy happy children do not starve themselves.

It is often good to look at our own conditioning around food. Is there any emotional charge? Were you forced to eat when you were not hungry? Or forced to eat foods you didn’t like? Food is nourishment, to be eaten in a happy, enjoyable, relaxed atmosphere to ensure maximum absorption.

Offer a variety of food choices and colours in a meal. Colour pigments in food contain plant nutrients and antioxidants so a rainbow-coloured meal is healthy and beautiful. Other ways of producing fun health promoting nutrition for those picky eaters is to blend up veggies and make a smoothie or fresh juice. Include your child in food preparation; they often love to sample and eat what they have created. If your child has been unwell or not eating a balanced diet for more than a few days, a herbal tonic or supplement may be necessary. Herbs are concentrated foods that provide power packed nutrition. Keep food simple, fresh, organic and as close to the form as mother nature gives it to us, with a selection from all the food groups to provide the building blocks of a balanced child.

Question: My child is allergic to dairy. Will she suffer from calcium deficiency and what can I do?

Often the true allergy is to the chemicals in the milk or preparation of the milk. We have seen cases of milk allergy clear with a change to organic, non-homogenised milk. Now, how does milk come out of the cow? Whole and WARM! Cold milk can chill the mucus membranes of the digestive system and produce excess mucus causing congestion and possible illnesses like rhinitis, glue ear and asthma. If a true allergy exists, supplement the diet with calcium rich foods like tahini, parsley, carob powder, nuts, seeds, peas, green vegetables, lima beans and a host of fresh foods.

We often see children that do not put on weight no matter what they eat. There are a few things to look at. Health of the digestive tract controls food absorption. We must look at hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach, enzyme activity, liver function and even bowel health. Dysbiosis or unbalanced gut flora can affect many levels of nutrition absorption. Parasites and amoeba can result from lack of correct bowel flora, affecting weight gain, immune regulation and creating allergies.

Published in byronchild/Kindred, issue 10, June 04