Food is the best medicine for your vibrant child
Posted by Andrea Nakayama
What’s on my plate this month? |
food is the best medicine for your vibrant child
“The #1 medicine for my patients? Food. If I could find something better, I’d use it.” ~ functional medicine pioneer Mark Hyman, MD at the Institute for Functional Medicine Conference, September 10th, 2012 |
Sadly we’re not a culture that’s tapping into this pharmacy.
As parents, we’ve become complacent, indulgent and (let’s face it), too busy to turn our attention to true healing on a meal-by-meal basis. The current societal swing brings a lot of pressure and we as parents are concerned that our child will be “different” among their peers. As a result, we may very well be overlooking the fact that we’re the ones, right here, right now, that have a strong hand in informing the health, longevity and disease prevention for our kids. Is it our fault, as parents, that 1 in 4 teens today is either pre-diabetic or diabetic? And before we allow ourselves to get off the hook, just because of the way our child looks (ie. not overweight), a good number of that diabetic population is thin! These kids are developing what’s called metabolic obesity. Their inside physiological genetic make-up is like a little switch just waiting to be turned “on”. Here are a few key factors that light up the switch board in our little ones in all the ways we wish we could prevent down the line: * allergens * infections * toxins * stress * and, you guessed it, nutrition These factors can be known to us parents and quite visible, or they can be little underlying and niggling factors that we chalk up to being part of who our child is. . . . * bags under the eyes * chronic runny noses * difficulty sleeping or falling asleep * chronic constipation * belly aches * skin irritations, like rashes or eczema * difficulty breathing * sensory issues * behavioral challenges (at home and school) * sassy attitudes and more Whatever your child is telling you. Listen. With their voice they may be telling you that they want bagels or mac & cheese or even a daily cupcake from the gluten-free bakery. But what are they telling you otherwise? What are their signs and symptoms telling you? |
It’s to address the concerned parent, like you, that I created the comprehensive Your Vibrant Child course a few years ago with my good friend, colleague and favorite chef, Andrea Livingston.
The best news is that we’ve been working like dogs to repackage the whole program so that you could have the education and resources at your fingertips to learn the Whys and Hows of fine-tuning your listening ear and making the best decisions for your family. That’s what you want after all, to make the best decisions for your family. What I’d like to invite you to do is Be the Change. Provide disease prevention for your kids now. Your Vibrant Child awaits you. Warmly, |
|
EXPERIENCE A FREE TRAINING SERIES WITH ANDREA NAKAYAMA TO HELP YOU
Begin practicing functionally today!
MORE TO EXPLORE
You Might Also Like
A Functional Understanding of Microflora and Candida
I’m a firm believer that you are not what you eat, but what your body can do with what you eat. In other words, you are what your body can break down and absorb. In many ways you are also the sum of your parts. Sure there’s the usual digestive parts – your mouth and […]
Read MoreStart with the Gut
It's been several months since I've written a Consumer's Report. Please don't let that fool you into believing that I'm not a consumer. Like you, I get caught out-and-about and also just appreciate being able to buy a pre-packaged thing or two that meets my exacting standards and serves my gut intentions. I especially love to get my hands on a product that simultaneously passes the grade, is gratifying to the taste buds and fuels my health. That's what these pages are all about! Today I raise a glass to KeVita, my favorite drink on-the-go.
Read MoreGraduate Spotlight: Salomey Adomako
Salomey Adomako is a registered nurse (RN) and a Functional Nutrition Alliance Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor (CFNC) in Simsbury, Connecticut. She is originally from Ghana, West Africa, and devotes a great deal of time to her Ghanaian community in Connecticut. Salomey specializes in working with women struggling with chronic health issues to support their health […]
Read MoreFood, Mood, Poop Journal (and the real scoop on poop)
While poop provides some great clues, poop data alone becomes much more relevant when we gather input on food intake as well. That’s why the Food, Mood, Poop Journal is your first step in clinical data capture.
Read More