Build a Healthy Immune System with FOOD! ~Part 2~ SuperImmunity for KIDS!!

Yup that's me as a little girl!:-)

What a perfect time of year to make a change in the way your family eats!  Remember that YOU have the power to influence your kids' health destinies by changing what they eat!  So, if you have any children in your life--this second post in my kids series is for you!!!   And before you stop reading my non-parent readers, children in many ways are biochemically little adults so pretty much everything in this post is relevant to all of us adults as well! So you might find some good information here after all!  


I have been featuring Dr. Leo Galland's outstanding book: "SuperImmunity for Kids" and last time I talked about nutritional assessment when treating common childhood ailments.  Now lets continue with Part 2--my best effort at a condensed summary of some key points in the book.


After reading Dr. Galland's book "SuperImmunity for Kids" from cover to cover multiple times I have gleaned the following random pearls of Dr. Galland's wisdom to make kids as healthy as possible:


1) Chronic yeast or mold in children's bodies can weaken their immune system significantly and cause recurrent infections that never completely resolve.  If your kids go on antibiotics or if they have had recurrent infections after going on antibiotics in the past, ask your pediatrician about whether treating them with a prolonged course of Nystatin (yeast eliminator) is appropriate.  Dr. Galland appears to recommend a yeast-elimination diet + anti-yeast medication after all antibiotic use in kids.


2) As much as possible, kids should not eat sugar.  It causes significant behavior & medical problems and sets kids up for a lifetime of health issues.  Toxicity from sugar can mimic ADHD, can prolong bacterial infections, and cause kids not to absorb other nutrients in their diet.  Dr. Galland suggests that kids who crave sweets are nutrient-poor and need a more nutrient-dense diet with antioxidants and EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids).  This is not to mention the other effects of sugar on kids' immune systems and inflammatory states--childhood obesity is massively on the rise and I've seen way too many kids under the age of 12 with Type 2 Diabetes!!!  Now I know all you parents out there are rolling your eyes right now saying "Yeah, right, how am I ever going to get my kid to not eat sugar!" Well next time I'll post Dr. Galland's advice on how to encourage nutrient-dense eating in kids along with a few suggestions of my own & other blogs to reference that may be helpful! 


3) Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are the magic missing ingredient in diagnosing a LARGE variety of illnesses in toddlerhood and childhood.  Dr. Galland recommends the following daily flaxseed oil dose regimen for kids to boost their immune system's ability to function: 

1 to 2 years old	1 teaspoon daily
2 to 3 years old	2 teaspoons daily
3 and up	1 Tablespoon daily

Instead of flaxseed oil he notes that you can use walnut oil as well.  Per Dr. Galland, whole food plant-based EFA sources include walnuts, beans (especially soy, kidney and navy), tofu and freshly ground flaxseed meal.

4) Providing kids with a nutrient-rich diverse diet with a focus on anti-oxidant foods is the KEY to improving their immune system!  Now you know I am a fan of anti-inflammatory eating and using anti-oxidant foods to your best advantage as adults.  Well the same applies to kids.  Here is a list of whole food plant-based sources for the anti-oxidant building block vitamins and minerals kids desperately need!  (Of note, Dr. Galland's list in his book SuperImmunity does include animal sources of these vitamins/minerals.  I have chosen to exclude those since I only eat a plant-based diet and supplement his list with other plant-based sources, but if you do have your children eating meat,etc, then you can get this information in his book!)

Vitamin A	carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, red peppers, pumpkins, broccoli
Vitamin C	citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers and broccoli
Vitamin E	oatmeal, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, almonds and unrefined EFA-rich oils
Vitamin B-3 (Niacin)	whole grains (except corn), beets, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, cayenne peppers, peanuts
Copper	sesame seeds, tofu and kidney beans
Manganese	brown rice, oatmeal, split peas, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts and blackberries
Selenium	oatmeal
Sulfur	high-protein foods like legumes
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)	mushrooms, soybeans, almonds
Zinc	avocados, raspberries, apricots, blackberries, dates, longan berries, and pomegranates, asparagus, brussels sprouts, peas, pumpkin, and chard

Ok, so thats all for now!  Next week I'll share Dr. Galland's advice on HOW to actually get your kids to eat healthy!  He talks in his book "SuperImmunity for Kids" about how to protect your kids and fight the "junk-food junkies" in our world of processed food so I'll share that with you along with a few Mom & Dad written blogs to help support you parents along the way!

Coming Up:

• How I Deal With Temptation!
• The Clear Skin Diet and My New Soy-Free Life!
• Treating Pain with Food--more thoughts
• Foods That Make You Feel Good (A New Series Featuring Individual Foods & Their Nutrient Power)

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

SuperImmunity for KIDS (Calling All PARENTS!) ~Part 1~

Healthy Kids!  Yup, that's me as a little girl (age 3):-)

Have you ever wondered why your child won't sit still, or why they always catch every cold going around school?!  

ADHD & other behavioral problems, recurrent ear & upper respiratory tract infections, asthma, eczema, headaches (including migraines, tension & sinus types), acne, fatigue, obesity, and frequent stomach aches are all common childhood ailments.  Maybe the solution is as simple as a nutritional deficiency! 

I'm not a pediatrician or an expert in this (and my medical disclaimer below applies especially in THIS post because it is about kids!), but I do know from what I have read that we as physicians are missing nutritional deficiencies or allergies as a diagnosis quite frequently.  And this is particularly true in kids.

I hate to reveal professional secrets, but the truth is most of us (including me!)  did not get any specific nutrition classes during our medical training!!  In a 2006 UNC survey of 126 medical schools, only 32 had seperate nutrition courses as part of their curriculum.   Everything I know about nutrition I have learned by reading independently during my medical training.  And much of what I practice & recommend nutritionally is only based on my own experiences.  I'm still learning with you all!

So when you go to your pediatrician keep this in mind.  If they attended one of the 94 schools without a free-standing nutrition curriculum, they MIGHT say something along the lines of:  "Oh no, that nutrition stuff might help some but it won't fix ADD or Chronic Fatigue or Eczema or Migraine Headaches or Chronic Sinusitis or Acne or frequent Sore Throats/Upper Respiratory Tract infections!" Your doctor may be right or they may be wrong.  But you can play an important role in your child's health by asking your pediatrician to either do a nutritional workup or refer you to a doctor who does specialize in allergies & nutrition as the first diagnostic step. 

As always, your child's safety comes first and you should follow your doctor's recommendations for treatment, particularly if it is an emergency.  I'm just sharing with you a few other options to consider AFTER your doctor is sure that any emergencies have past! NEVER hold off on treatment that could be life saving while waiting for a nutritional work-up to be completed!

Those caveats out of the way, I think that focussing on kid's nutrition is a fascinating idea.  The idea that if we feed our kids the right food than we can improve their health and their behavior--perhaps for the rest of their lives--is amazing!  As an added bonus, by tackling nutritional issues at an early age, we will be making a major impact on reducing future health care costs!! 

Even if your child is healthy & happy, nothing is lost by trying to give them more nutritionally dense food.  You will be giving them the greatest gift I believe a person can receive in adulthood--health.

I began to get interested in the ability of nutritional interventions to improve children's immune systems & heal common ailments of childhod by reading Dr. Leo Galland's brilliant book "SuperImmunity for Kids" about 15 years ago!  This is a book I think that EVERY parent should read.  Talk about healing with food--the cases he presents in his book are so powerful.  

The original edition was published in the '80's and my book has been read so often that its literally falling apart!  That should tell you something about how much I admire and apply the advice in this book!!!  A new edition has been published since then and you can get it here (another book for only $11!) The book takes you through a child's life--from pregnancy through teenage years and tells you what is best to feed your kids and how to treat comment ailments of childhood/teenage years with nutritional interventions.  


Have YOU noticed if specific foods effect YOUR health and behavior? What are these foods and what happens when you eat them?  If you have kids have you noticed whether specific foods effect THEIR health & behavior?  Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments below!  I can't wait to hear what you have to say!!

To give you a flavor of what we are going to talk about in the next two Thursdays, check out Dr. Leo Galland's articles on nutritional treatments for:

1) ADHD and ADD

2) Childhood Migraine

3) Chronic Sinusitis, Chronic Otitis Media, Allergic Rhinitis, Asthma

And check out this recent study published in The Lancet (a peer-reviewed medical journal):  The Lancet: ADHD Elimination Diet may Ease ADHD symptoms (2011).  Then, check out the comments on this study on one of my favorite blogs:  Prescribing Yoga.  The blogger, Christina is a medical student with an inspiring awareness of the power of holistic approaches to health. Her reflections on her first clinical experiences are so much fun to read--and really give me hope for the future of medicine!

Other great resources on nutrition and kids include:

1) The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Nutrition for Kids Website

2)  Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Blog Post on "Plant-Strong Kids!" ("The Daily Beet!")

Next Thursday I'll go through some key portions of Dr. Galland's book to highlight three often overlooked culprits in kids' chronic illnesses or behavioral issues:  yeast, dairy and essential fatty acid deficiency!   I'll also share what he says about antioxidant foods for kids! 

Coming Up THIS Week!

• RECIPES & Ideas: Snacks!  YUMMY & Portable Plant-Based Snack Food--all sugar-free, gluten-free & without adding oil or fat!!

Coming Up on Medical System Tuesday: 

• Tip #8 For The Best Hospital Care:  Be Nice ~ Insider Tips on How to Get the BEST Medical Care in the Hospital ~

Coming Up Next Week:

• BOOK REVIEW:  "29 Gifts!"
• SuperImmunity for Kids ~Part 2~!

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.

RESOURCE: Find out how your Medications & Vitamins Interact with a FREE Online Tool!!

Have you ever wondered how the medications and the vitamins/supplements you take interact?  There is a fantastic FREE resource on the web--its a tool designed by one of my favorite authors:  Dr. Leo Galland! Its called :"Pill Advised":  http://pilladvised.com/.  I'm all about freeeee awesome information and this webpage is so helpful! 


Basically you can enter your medications and supplements (after registering FREE) and the program will tell you GOOD & BAD interactions and which additional supplements would help maximize the GOOD effects of medications (from anti-depressants to allergy meds!).  Not only that but it can tell you how different VITAMINS and SUPPLEMENTS interact together!  Ever wondered whether your multivitamin was really giving you the benefits of all the vitamins listed on the bottle? It also tells you interactions with food & sun!


Check it out! Hope this is a resource that helps!


You can also check out Dr. Galland's facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pill-Advised/271060899666

The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. The Happy Rehab Doc expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site.  By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions.