Feeding the Family: What You (And Your Caregiver) Need to Know

A recent article in the New York Times discussed the difficulty in feeding children. In particular, the article was about the dietary restrictions that parents often give a child’s caregiver.

Caregivers can easily become frustrated or overwhelmed by these seemingly random instructions. And a lack of understanding can breed resentment or mistrust.

Parents want their kids to be healthy. And being a parent and particular about my child’s diet, I can relate. Difficulties in communicating dietary needs can crop up with other family members (spouse, grandparents, and relatives) as well as nannies, teachers, and daycare workers. With a little help (and maybe even having them read this article) you will be able to prevent some stress and provide your child a healthy diet.

Eating is one of the most fundamental things that we do. Yet it is often appalling how little thought goes into the health consequences of what we eat. Many Americans fill their diet with foods that never even existed until the advent of companies that “made” food.

These include processed meats, breakfast cereals, condiments, sauces, toppings, chips, boxed food, plastic wrapped food, etc - basically everything that’s not on the perimeter of the grocery store. In order to make food more profitable we have added chemicals, mixed in bulk or flavor, and concocted new things to eat.

But you may ask, what’s wrong with that? It’s not necessarily all bad, but most of these foods are virtually guaranteed to be lower in nutritional value than the real thing – the food prior to processing. And processed foods are often full of items that our bodies were never meant to ingest – preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, nitrites, sulfites, artificial sweeteners and other additives.

Processed foods are also typically high in salt or sugar. A huge number of processed foods contain sugar – ketchup, mayonnaise, peanut butter, jam, breakfast cereal, bread, and the list goes on. Read the labels and you’ll get the idea.

All of these negatively impact our health and the health of our children. If you don’t think that these things have anything to do with health, then consider that in America we spend far more than any other country on health care, and we have one of the most technologically advanced medical systems in the world. Yet we are not even ranked in the top 35 countries in the world when it comes to overall health.

But avoiding processed foods and eating healthier foods is really just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to health there are generic recommendation such as the ones above, and then there are recommendations specific to the health of each individual. We are each unique, and the way our body responds to food is dependent upon our unique genetic makeup and other factors.

This brings up the issue of food intolerances and food allergies. This is one of the most complicated and misunderstood issues in health and nutrition.

Food allergies and intolerances are far more common than most people realize. In fact, at least half the population probably has a food allergy or intolerance. Food allergies and intolerances cause all variety of health problems, including behavioral changes, both in kids and adults.

These include asthma, acne, anxiety, colic, eczema, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, migraines, poor growth, heartburn, irritability, and many other problems.

Many people are surprised to learn that the symptoms of a food allergy can be something other than what we typically think of, such as itchy skin, hives, or swelling of the lips or tongue. In fact, most people who have food allergies do not have these symptoms, but have long-lasting or recurring symptoms including those mentioned above.

Parents are often the first to notice the relationship between their child’s health and their diet. Occasionally they are fortunate enough to have a physician who also recognizes these problems.

But physicians are poorly trained in this area and all too often do not appreciate the relationship between food and health. And unfortunately, conventional skin testing for food allergies often misses what is in fact an allergic reaction to food.

Once you know that your child has a reaction to a food, it is obvious to you that your child’s health is much better when he or she is avoiding that food. This improvement may not be evident to everyone else, especially when it is something subtle such as a behavioral change or is a difficult to notice symptom such as constipation.

An extremely important part of avoiding a reactive food is being consistent. People often don’t realize the extent to which a food should be avoided if it makes someone ill, even if it is not a life-threatening allergy. For example, say your child needs to avoid dairy. Dairy involves more than milk and cheese. Dairy includes butter, sour cream, casein and whey. It is found in bread, chocolate, muffins, soups, and hundreds of other food items.

The full benefit of avoiding a food won’t be realized unless there is 100% avoidance. And frequently it takes 100% avoidance of a food to know that it is (was) the cause of the problem. Quantity is also not necessarily the issue. Many kids (and adults) are affected by tiny amounts of a food. Just because it is hidden in another food and you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. You can’t see a virus either, but you know it’s bad for you.

Of course, avoiding a food comes can come with social consequences. Friends and relatives may take it personally if you don’t want to eat their food, or if you don’t want your child to eat their food. And they may find it difficult to believe that it is truly an important health issue.

It is not uncommon for people to say, “A little bit won’t hurt.” “You can eat it just this once.” When people say that, they don’t necessarily realize that they are doing you or your child harm. And when you make it clear that a little bit is not OK, they may act temporarily offended, but they will also get the message. And usually you will both be happier in the long run.

Of course, they may try the same tactic again and again. And you’ll have to remain strong, because if a little bit is OK, then they can challenge you with “what’s wrong with a little more.” And before you know it you’ve lost all credibility and they’ve lost all interest.

So be strong and trust your instincts. As a parent you generally know what’s best for your child. And if you need some help, find a physician who can support you and help you track down the problem.

--------------
This article originally posted on the IBS Treatment Center's e-newsletter. Click HERE to subscribe.

Image used with permission from Stock.xchng.com