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Uh-oh. Your child sneezing in a row could only mean one thing: the onset of a cold. A mighty cold. Or not. While every child’s illness symptoms escalate in hisher unique way, the point is that of ten, the occurrence of illnesses can either be mitigated or staved off entirely depending on their nutrition.

In other words, what your kids eat can be the solution for a whole host of child-related maladies ­ right from mood swings to constipation to the management of colds, coughs or viruses.

BUILD IMMUNITY

While protein is a beautiful immunity builder it does wonderful work to combat dis ease in your children along with bolstering their resistance and repairing general wear and tear -it is important to choose the right protein, like egg whites, lean white meats, fish, dals and quinoa.

Vitamin C is another fantastic booster of immunity and can be found in amla or kiwi or even in multivitamins, on a doctor’s prescription, of course.

Vitamin B12 is a brilliant way in munity levels can be raised in a child.

It positively influences the speed of recovery too. However, it’s important for vegetarians vegans to take note here: as B12 is found mainly in animal products, like dairy and eggs, children may need to take a B12 supplement on the recommendation of their paediatrician.

IMPROVE CONSTIPATION

Constipation is painful for children or adults for that matter. Foods with fibre can help your child. If he she is constipated, feed them raw vegetable juices, chia seeds, papaya and kiwi. And lots and lots of water: hydration is very important for a happy, smiling and fully functional digestive system.

TACKLE MOOD SWINGS

Is your child an angel one moment and a devil the next? While it’s tempting to blame your in-laws for all the character traits you don’t like, sometimes mood swings may not be part of a child’s personality, but have its roots in gluten intolerance. The best way to check would be to eliminate all sources of gluten, and see if the symptoms persist.

Having said this, no matter how much information is out there, nutrition’s role in maintaining the health of your child remains underestimated and misunderstood. Why cure when prevention is possible? Why miss school or exams or vacations if it just means smarter eating? When the remedy for so many things can be found in the plate, why take the pill?
Keep in mind that food is the most natural way to heal your child.

Foods have personalities too, just like us. Take the case of caffeine, it revs up your engine and gets you all riled up! Water, on the other hand, gently lays down a blanket of calm inside your body. This summer, learn about the foods that should get a VIP access pass to your plate and those which should be struck off the list.

ON THE VIP LIST
Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, salads:

Summer heat could lead to dehydration, which, in turn, could lead to electrolyte loss. It makes you feel lethargic, nauseous, exhausted and may even cause diarrhoea and constipation. Raise your intake of fresh fruits and veggies in ways that are creative and tasty like finger foods.

Lush liquids and sorbets:


Have kokum water, coconut water, chaas, fruit slushes and frozen iced sorbets. These foods work well to restore electrolyte balance and also provide healthy and interesting ways to pack in nutrients.

Water, Infused water:

Apart from increasing your water consumption to about 10-12 glasses per day, why not try killing two birds with one glass by infusing your water? Take care of both dehydration and nutrition by adding a small piece of fresh fruit like kiwi or strawberry or even basil to your water container.

Sautéed greens: 

Give a nod to sautéed greens this season. These are light, can be made very appetising and always bring nice gifts with them like reduced cholesterol, cancer-fighting abilities, antiaging benefits, powerful vitamins and energy.

Cold soups: 

Team up fresh salads with the perfect escort: hearty cold soups that include gazpachos, cold cucumber soups, tomato soups for flavour and a feeling of fullness.

OFF THE LIST

Excess protein:

Proteins are harder to digest in general and coupled with heat and dehydration, they leave you feeling uncomfortable and nauseous. The recommended daily intake of protein is one gram per kilo of ideal body weight (the appropriate weight for your height). So, no matter what you currently weigh, if your ideal body weight is supposed to be 57-58 kg, your protein in take should not exceed 57-58 gm.
Alcohol:

Alcohol adds heat. It’s is a va sodilator, which means that more blood gushes through your system leaving you feeling hotter and sweatier. Alcohol is also dehydrating.

Oily food:

When the body is not hydrated, it can’t expel the byproducts of heavy, oily foods through the kidney, which is why urination is not as frequent when you are dehydrated. The oily food then reaches your skin, the second largest excretory organ in your body, which makes you sweat more, dehydrates you further, kick starting a vicious cycle. It’s your body, your health, your life. Only food that is good must make the cut.