J.38/ Support your little ones wellbeing
Have you ever been curious about your child’s health and wondered if there was more you could do to support them? It’s important to treat each child as an individual to ensure they’re getting exactly what their little body needs, it’s also important to know when they need extra support with supplements and not assume they need supplements all the time.
Having two children of my own I know how challenging it can be raising little humans, from the picky eating, high emotions, immune health concerns and general wellbeing, they definitely test us! With children’s health from a Naturopathic perspective, I always try to keep things as simple as possible, their little bodies are wonderful at healing themselves if given the right tools and time. I like to go back to basics and use my main principles, sunlight, clean water, physical activity, stress management and healthy eating, of course there are times and certain conditions that do require specific supplementation of nutrients and herbs, but these are best prescribed from a qualified Naturopath after an in-depth consultation.
I know implementing a healthy lifestyle can be difficult with children but a great way to inspire them is to be a great role model and show them how to live healthy. If you’d like them to be more active and outside then take them outdoors, go for a walk, play sport with them, do something that you both enjoy. Healthy eating can be tricky, it’s normal for children to go through a picky stage but it’s important to stay strong and wait it out, I like to recommend offering platter style meals with lots of options including safe foods and foods they aren’t their favourites. It’s also important to not offer a second option if they decide to not eat the food you’ve offered. Remember it’s your job to offer healthy food choices and it’s their job to choose what they’d like to eat and how much. I also find something else that is important for your child’s wellbeing is to model a healthy response to stress, which I know can be hard, but it does teach them healthy ways to deal with those emotions and can lessen outburst and anxiety levels in school years. Teach them breathing exercises, how to be proactive and talk about their feelings and how to deal with certain situations can be helpful.
There are a few common health concerns I find with children in my clinic, gut issues, anxiety, skin conditions and immune health are all common. For something specific happening with your child it’s a great idea to reach out that way we can come up with a plan that is suitable for everyone and get your child feeling more like themselves again. Depending on the age of the child determines what form of supplements I can give them, for younger children I stick to powders and liquids for ease of administration and for older children such as teens we can be more flexible with tablets and capsules. Some of my favourite supplements for children are simple such as Magnesium, Fish oil, Probiotics or Multivitamins but it really depends on the individual and what they need.
