Do your children need nutritional supplements? Part II

Saturday, May 07, 2011 by: Randall Neustaedter OMD
Tags: children, nutritional supplements, health news

(NaturalNews) You know the perfect diet for your children. Breast milk for the first year at least. Then solids in the form of pureed fruits and vegetables starting at six months until twelve months. Then fresh fruits and vegetables all through the day, whole grains, clean protein products in the form of eggs, dairy products, and poultry, nuts, and maybe some grass fed beef, and all preferably organic. Do your kids eat that diet?

Most of us are lucky if our kids will eat one or two favorite vegetables. And once they leave the protected nest of your organic home, then they will be exposed to processed foods. If they are school age, then they probably want pizza and hot dogs and fast food and candy. Plus they have cravings that drive us all crazy. And some kids limit themselves to just eating a few starchy white foods no matter how much cajoling and bribery we use to broaden their diets.

Children should not eat fish or other seafood. The dangers of possible exposure to mercury, pesticides, and radioactive elements far outweigh the possible benefits. Children should also not eat seaweed, kelp, or algae supplements for the same reasons unless parents are certain they are not grown in areas with high radiation levels.

Some cooperative kids will eat a wide range of fresh foods. If you have one of those, then rest assured they are getting most of the nutrients they need. But most kids will benefit from some supplements. And picky eaters need supplements to prevent deficiencies. Vegetarian families have specific needs. And kids who have food sensitivities or allergies may also require some specific supplements.

Some supplements are suitable for every child regardless of the quality of their diets.

All kids need to take vitamin D3 in the winter months to ensure proper immune function. The dose is about 35 IU per pound of body weight. Infants need 400 IU, toddlers 800-1,000 IU, and school age kids 2,000 IU.

Omega-3 fats in the form of fish oil, krill oil, or organic flax seed oil will ensure proper brain development and help prevent inflammation that takes the form of nasal congestion or allergies. All children could use an omega-3 fat supplement. Be sure that fish or krill sources are from Arctic or Antarctic waters.

Most children would also benefit from a multivitamin and mineral supplement. The ideal is organic, food-based nutrients, rather than gummies and synthetic vitamins. IntraKids by DruckerLabs.com and Children's Chewables by mercola.com are some of my favorites.

If children have limited dairy products because of choice, allergies, or sensitivity to dairy then they need a calcium/magnesium supplement. Children under two years of age can take a liquid mineral supplement. MRM (Metabolic Response Modulators) Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc is a good one. Preschool and school age children can take chewable calcium tablets. Kids need at least 500 mg of calcium per day. Older children need 800 mg.

Vegetarian children will need additional fats. Organic coconut oil will provide saturated fat, and a supplement with vitamin B12 is also necessary.
Try packing some nutrition into healthy smoothies with coconut oil, flax oil, whey protein powder, and fruit.

At this time of exposure to radioactive fallout, older children can take a chelating supplement in the form of powdered fruit pectin (econugenics.com) or zeolite to eliminate heavy metals. Antioxidants such as reduced glutathione, vitamin E, CoQ10, or alpha lipoic acid taken either through a multivitamin or a separate supplement will help to detoxify radiation and its resulting damage. Of course antioxidants from fresh fruits are a welcome source for kids as well.



About the author:
Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD, has practiced and taught holistic medicine for more than thirty years in the San Francisco Bay area, specializing in child health care. He is a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese medicine, author of The Holistic Baby Guide, Child Health Guide and The Vaccine Guide. Visit his website, www.cure-guide.com, to register for a free newsletter with pediatric specialty articles and follow him on Facebook, at Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD.