Monday Message for August 6th

Does My Child Need a Gluten Free Diet?

by Karen Ansel, MS RD

 

Lately, gluten free diets are getting a lot of attention. Going gluten free has been rumored to increase energy and concentration, cure digestive ills, and even improve symptoms of autism and ADHD in children. With so much hype it’s hard not to wonder if your child might not benefit from a g-free diet.
Gluten is a protein found in certain grains like wheat, barley and rye. Because gluten helps make foods taste better and improves their texture, it’s also added to everything from deli meats to French fries. For most children gluten is completely harmless, with two exceptions. “Children should be following a gluten-free diet if they’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or with non-celiac gluten sensitivity,” says Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, co-author of Easy Gluten Free: Expert Nutrition Advice with More than 100 Recipes.

What exactly are celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity? Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue, is an autoimmune condition that affects one in 133 people. For children with celiac, even the slightest morsel of gluten can spell trouble, triggering the release of antibodies which mount an assault on the intestines. These attacks damage the intestine, making it difficult to absorb many of the nutrients children need to grow and thrive. They also cause many unpleasant symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and weight loss or weight gain. Untreated, celiac can also lead to complications such as anemia, neurological disorders and osteoporosis. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (or NCGS) is believed to be more widespread that celiac, affecting an estimated 18 million Americans. It’s similar to celiac in that it also involves an immune reaction to gluten. But unlike celiac disease, that reaction doesn’t cause the body to produce damaging antibodies. So while a child with NCGS may have many celiac-like symptoms, he or she won’t experience the same intestinal damage, nutrient deficiencies or long term complications.

Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease or NCGS is a gluten free diet. “A gluten free diet is extremely restrictive so it can be difficult for a child to follow,” says Dee Sandquist, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It can also be psychologically and socially challenging.” Birthday parties, sleepovers, eating out and even snack time at school can be difficult to navigate. But the good news is that when children with celiac disease do give up gluten their growth returns to normal and their symptoms quickly improve according to a 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association (now Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) review article.

If you suspect your child has celiac or NCGS, experts recommend having your child screened by your healthcare provider before going gluten free. In fact, testing for these conditions only works if your child is eating a gluten containing diet. Because gluten is found in so many foods, unnecessarily restricting it can actually cause your child to miss out on important nutrients like iron and B vitamins children normally get from enriched and fortified foods like cereals, bread and pasta. If, after testing, you do find that your child needs to go gluten free, working with a registered dietitian can help develop a plan that ensures he or she gets all the nutrients needed for optimal health.

Monday Message for July 30th

Exercise with Your Baby

Physical activity is important during every stage of life, even infancy. Activity can encourage rolling over, crawling and walking as well as cognitive development and can lead to a preference for active play.
Try these activities to get your child moving:

• Spend part of each day with active baby games (babies love peek-a-boo).
• Hold playtime on the floor and help your infant explore his or her surroundings.
• Join a parent-infant play group.
• Choose activities that allow movement of arms, legs, hands and feet.

Remember, always avoid rough play, and consider talking to your child care provider about how much time your infant should spend moving.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/bday/celebrateIE.aspx

ChooseMyPlate- toddler style

  Spending way to much time (and money!) in Walmart the other day, I found these great plates from Munchkin following the ChooseMyPlate guide. They are made from toddler friendly melamine and provide a guide suggesting a fruit, vegetable, protein, grain, and dairy serving at each meal. They also have place mats that show what foods fall into each category. Find all of the budget friendly products here for a pretty nice price: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Munchkin-Toddler-Balanced-Meal-Feeding-Set/19487796?findingMethod=rr


have you checked out ChooseMyPlate.gov?  The Food Guide Pyramid is so 5 years ago  :)  Take some time to check out all of the great info and areas fod

Monday Message from May 14th

Feeding Vegetarian and Vegan Infants and Toddlers

 

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agree: Well-planned vegetarian and vegan eating patterns are healthy for infants and toddlers.
Time and attention are necessary to make certain young children, vegetarian or not, get all the nutrients they need for normal growth and development.
For the first four to six months, all babies do best with breast milk. Use iron-fortified formula (soy for vegans) if breast feeding is decreased or stopped. Cow’s milk, soymilk, rice milk and homemade formulas are not appropriate for babies during the first year because they have the wrong ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrate. They are also missing important nutrients for health, growth and development.
Solid foods can be introduced in the same order as for non-vegetarian infants. Replace meat with mashed or pureed tofu or beans and soy or dairy yogurt and cheese. (See Introducing Solid Foods.)
Since breast milk is such a rich source of nutrients, vegan mothers may want to breast feed for more than one year. Wean vegan infants with soymilk fortified with calcium and vitamins B12 and D. For toddlers, rice milk should not be used as a primary drink because it is low in both protein and energy.

Some Nutrients Needing Special Attention

When feeding vegetarian or vegan children, pay close attention to the following nutrients:

• Vitamin B12: Vegetarians can get plenty of B12 from milk products and eggs. Vegans, both breast feeding moms and children, need a good source of B12. Options include a supplement or fortified foods like soy or rice beverages, cereals and meat substitutes.
• Vitamin D: The AAP recommends all breast-fed infants receive 400 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D starting shortly after birth. This should continue until your child consumes the same amount of vitamin D from fortified milk: at least one quart per day of cow or soy milk.
• Calcium: Breast and formula-fed babies, as well toddlers who eat milk and dairy foods, usually get plenty of additional calcium from foods such as yogurt and cheese. For vegan toddlers, calcium-fortified foods and beverages or supplements may be necessary. See a registered dietitian for advice.
• Iron: The iron content of breast milk is low, even if moms are eating well. Babies are born with enough iron for four to six months. After this age, vegetarian and vegan infants need an outside source. Options include iron-fortified cereals or supplements.
• Protein: Babies need plenty of protein for rapid growth during the first year. Protein needs can be met with breast milk or formula until about 8 months. After that, add plant proteins from beans and cereals and fortified soy milks. Lacto-ovo toddlers can get protein from yogurt and eggs.
• Fiber: Lots of fiber can fill toddlers up quickly. Provide frequent meals and snacks. Use some refined grains, such as fortified cereals, breads and pasta, and higher-fat plant foods like sunflower butter and avocadoes to help vegetarian children meet their energy and nutrient needs.

Monday Message from April 30th

Wash Your Grocery Tote!

 

Reusable grocery totes are great for the environment, but they might be making you sick. How often do you wash your bag? Unwashed totes increase your risk for food poisoning and cross-contaminated food.
General Maintenance:

• Frequently wash your tote in the washing machine or by hand with hot, soapy water.
• Store totes in a clean, dry location.
• Avoid leaving totes in the trunk of a vehicle.

While Shopping:

• Put meat, poultry and fish in separate plastic bags before placing in the tote. This will help prevent juices from leaking and contaminating your reusable totes and food.
• Place fresh or frozen raw meat, poultry and fish in separate totes from produce and ready-to-eat foods.

Transporting:

• Clean all areas where you place your totes, such as kitchen counter or table, to reduce cross contamination.
• Make sure to wash your tote if used to transport non-food items before placing produce and ready-to-eat items inside your tote.

For more tips on reusable grocery totes visit HomeFoodSafety.org

Monday Message from April 23rd

Exercise with Your Kids

by Monique Ryan, MS LDN RD CSSD

 

 

When today's grandparents were kids, there were no computers, video games, cable TV and few fast food restaurants. Most of them spent free time riding bikes, climbing trees and playing tag. Today's kids watch an average of 20 to 30 hours of TV per week. Parents can support their kids in being more active by getting in the exercise game themselves.

Support Your Kids' Activities

• Be a role model for your kids. Present physical activity as an important time to take care of your body and health, rather than a chore. Find activities you enjoy and be active for at least 30 minutes five days a week. Remember, adults need at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, and children need 60.
• Praise, reward and encourage your kids' physical activity with activity related equipment, games or outings.
• Plan time in your kids' schedule to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Kids can accumulate their 60 minutes in shorter chunks during the day.
• Head for the nearest park, swing set or jungle gym after school.
• Jump rope with your kids or organize a neighborhood jump rope group.
• When foul weather strikes, play active indoor games.
• Organize your family room or living room for more activity. Think kid's yoga or dancing to music after dinner.
• Make time for half a day of family activity each weekend, such as a family walk, bike ride or tennis match. Ask your kids which activity they most want to do.
• Play a backyard game such as freeze tag or Frisbee.
• Set up a backyard net for badminton or other net ball sports.
• Play catch or soccer with your kids or organize a neighborhood game.
• Encourage kids to participate in active chores such as light housework, raking leaves, sweeping the walks or cleaning the garage. Make the chores fun to do—turn on the radio in the garage—and do the chores with them.
• Take a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks to make a collage.
• Walk or bike to the local library to borrow a book. during the day.
• Encourage fun physical activity time during kids' free time. Next time your kids say, "I'm bored," offer to shoot hoops or jump rope.
• Enroll your kids in organized activities. They are a great way for kids to get fit. Encourage them to participate in a variety of activities such as soccer, swimming or dance.

Get Active as a Family

• Gather the family together and play interactive computer games that require physical activity.
• Get up early with your kids to walk the dog before school and have them walk the dog after school.

Ways to Reduce Screen Time

• Limit the extracurricular time your kids spend in front of a computer or TV to less than two hours daily.
• Use dance DVDs for some physically active TV time or encourage dance video games that involve the whole body to play.
• Keep the TV in the living room and not in kids' bedrooms. This will help decrease how much TV kids watch and also help to control what they watch.
• Turn off the TV while eating.