Parenting
Drugs for ADHD – Side Effects and Repercussions
You will notice that many of these behaviours are commonly found in children as well as adults! Unfortunately, 90% of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) are prescribed Ritalin or similiar drugs. Ritalin is actually a class 2 controlled narcotic, in the same category as cocaine, and is highly susceptible to abuse and dependence. The two most common side effects of Ritalin are insomnia and lack of appetite – lack of sleep and lack of nutrients, pretty major side effects. And most of the children that are prescribed Ritalin, end up becoming a shell of their former selves because a type of numbness sets in. Other side effects of Ritalin include:
Read More3 Things Doctors Don’t Tell You About the Flu Shot
This mother had contacted me after the first dose of the shot, describing similar symptoms. After that dose, the children were sick and miserable for 3 weeks. It wasn’t until the children had the second shot, that their mother realized it was the flu shot that had paralyzed their household for so many weeks.
Read MoreDelicious, Easy and Healthy Recipes for Kids Created by Nutritionists
I decided that it was time to provide you with some DELICIOUS, EASY and HEALTHY recipes created by Nutritionists for your children! The first two recipes came from my book The Resourceful Mother’s Secrets to Healthy Kids and the last one came from my wonderful friend, a fellow nutritionist, Nancy Morency.
Read MoreUsing Love to Discipline Your Child
So, there is the approach that employs fear and makes your child fearful of making mistakes or fearful of others or even worse, fearful of you. Do you need to instill fear in your child? No, that is a choice you make. A fearful child does not believe in themselves. A child that does not believe in themselves has a hard time getting through any aspect of life. But then, there is this whole other approach – the approach that employs love. Which approach raises a stronger, happier child? Which approach provides a child with tools from which to draw upon for the rest of their lives? Which approach brings you and your child closer? The one that employs love.
Read MoreGenetic Roulette – Avoid Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods
The sales of products with GM free labels have increased from 348 million to 1.5 billion in the United States because the research on the horrific effects of genetic modification on the human population is becoming known. The movie talks about and provides numerous studies on the link between GM foods and increased sickness, infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, autism, conditions and diseases caused from inflammation and weakened immune systems (allergies, hypothyroidism, Parkinsons, cancer etc.) in North America.
Read MoreSports Nutrition for Kids – 20 Superfoods and 5 Key Questions Answered
A few months ago, I was in a radio station with a hockey coach, waiting for my turn to be interviewed. The hockey coach was told that I would be up next, providing tips on how nutrition can improve one’s hockey game. The coach said that he didn’t see how nutrition would improve one’s game. Well, isn’t that the way of things? Why is it so hard for people to see that food and supplements are our fuel and that without them, we cannot perform to full capacity? Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to provide information on 20 superfoods and answer the top 5 questions to explain the power of nutrition when it comes to sports:
Read More5 Tips to Appreciating the Christmas Holiday Season With Your Young Family
Is it any wonder that I began to dread the Christmas season??? I have learned from experience that even though we feel alone when we go through challenges, we are never alone. But I remember trying to find others at the time that felt the same way I did but came up empty-handed, which made my challenges seem even worse. No one wants to be a Grinch and eagerly wait for the holiday season to end! But some of us end up feeling that way. This article is written for those of you that are in “survival mode” at this time of year; I do not want you to feel alone as I did, nor do I want you to miss the magic of Christmas.
Read MoreBeing Misunderstood by Others When Eating Differently than the Majority
And you know what we all face when we go about things differently than the majority? Contempt, anger, labels of “crazy” or “obsessed” or “ignorant” or we are told to ‘live a little’ or ‘you only live once.’ For some of us, relationships end because of our food choices! Some of us end up extremely isolated because attending social functions is too difficult emotionally. Some of us forfeit careers because we end up home schooling, due to the fact that our children cannot eat the foods that other children eat.
Read MoreChlorine and Health Risks – Little Known Facts About Chlorine
According to a study in the January issue of American Journal of Epidemiology, drinking, bathing or swimming in chlorinated water may increase the risk of bladder cancer, Reuters Health reported. The findings are the first to suggest that the chemicals can be harmful when they are inhaled or absorbed through the skin, as well as when ingested, Dr. Cristina M. Villanueva of the Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain and colleagues noted. Study participants who drank chlorinated water were at 35 percent greater risk of bladder cancer than those who didn’t, while use of swimming pools boosted bladder cancer risk by 57 percent. Those who took longer showers or baths and lived in municipalities with higher trihalomethane levels were also at increased cancer risk.
Read MoreJuicing – Maximum Nourishment For You and Your Child
Certain fruits, vegetables and spices can be combined to assist in the healing of certain ailments. Juicing carrots, celery, garlic and parsley can treat the flu and other infections. Parsley is a good source of zinc, which promotes healing and boosts the immune system. Garlic is a natural antibiotic (no need to juice more than one clove per glass of juice). Carrots and celery are high in potassium and sodium, which are nutrients that can be lost if one has a fever or diarrhea. Carrots also provide energy and help sweeten concoctions.
Read MoreNew Canadian Guidelines for Introducing Solids to Babies
As a pediatric nutritionist, I am deeply concerned by these new guidelines. No babies are born with mature digestive systems. And the digestive systems of today’s babies are at even more risk than the digestive systems of babies born in previous generations, due to the toxicity of the world we live in today. And more babies than ever are being born by caesarian, which means these babies are already born with less good bacteria in their digestive tract than babies who go through the vaginal canal and collect good bacteria there. Because a baby’s digestive system is rapidly developing in their first year, the last thing a parent would want to do is to introduce hard-to-digest foods to a baby. All of the new recommended first foods for baby are hard to digest compared to other foods i.e. meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes and cereal!
Read MoreThe Impact of Nutrition on Oral Health
What factors contribute to oral health? Genetics, diet and dental hygiene all contribute to the health of the teeth. Children born to parents who have poor teeth are more susceptible to cavities. So are children who consume foods and drinks that are high in refined sugars and starches (breads, pasta and baked goods), sweetened carbonated or non-carbonated drinks and acidic foods. These provide a food source for bacteria, which produces the tooth-damaging acid, contributes to plaque build-up and inhibits the ability of the white blood cells to fight off bacteria. A child’s diet should focus on vegetables, legumes (green peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans), whole grains and healthy protein sources.
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