Note: the following will be periodically updated and reviewed for the latest information.
Nothing is more important to the vibrant health of your child as is what he or she eats and drinks. With all the array of fast food restaurants and continuous advertising of processed and junk foods in the media it is easy to succumb to the temptation and the constant nagging of our children. Our children’s peers are also constantly influencing the food choices of our children. There are also times when we don’t even have good food choices available (such as in schools, amusement parks, social gatherings, etc.) and our children may have to go hungry if we want them to only eat healthy foods.
I feel it is important to always remember that it is not what your child eats on occasion, but what he/she regularly eats that is most important. An occasional deviation from a healthy diet will be readily detoxified by a healthy child. God designed our bodies to detoxify reasonable amounts of harmful substances if we don‘t overburden them. We therefore tell the parents of the children we see at The Rydland Pediatric Wellness Center to maintain the following dietary guidelines as much as possible, preferably at least 90% to 95% of the time. When we are dealing with children we also have to be flexible at times and try to remember what it was like to be a child.
I’ve also found that, for most children, adhering to dietary guidelines too strictly may cause a great deal of difficulty. In addition, children will be invited to parties and sleepovers, etc., and are not likely to ask for spinach or broccoli and stay away from habmurgers, hot dogs, pizza, cake and ice cream. Whenever these situations happen and your child then develops symptoms because of failure to eat properly, you can use this as an opportunity to gently educate both your child and any skeptics (especially family members) about the importance of eating for wellness.
One more important note. The change to a healthy program is a process. It will progress at different speeds for different children and families. This will not, and should not, be a rapid or radical change for any child or family unless a severe underlying illness dictates otherwise. Take time to try many different healthy foods from the list later in this section so that you know what your child likes the best. Modify your recipes a little at a time. Some of the changes will be easy, but others may be hard and take some time to implement. You have to be patient with children because they are ruled internally by tastes and externally by peers, not necessarily by logic and reasoning.
The following dietary program is meant to be sufficient for most children to regain and maintain their health. Some children may need a more specific or strict dietary program for their specific health challenges. It is not tailored to specific cultural or religious needs, nor is it meant to replace dietary programs prescribed by physicians, dietitians or nutritionists. It can also be modified to fit a vegetarian program if desired. (Vegetarian diets in children should not be undertaken without considerable education regarding the specific needs of children and only then with proper planning.) Our findings, based on limited experience, is that a strict macrobiotic diet, while very sound in its principles, is simply too extreme for preadolescent children.
Lastly, this general program does not address potential food allergies, toxicities or sensitivities. If you suspect your child has symptoms related to specific foods, either modify this diet further to eliminate those foods, or do food sensitivity testing. Two excellent books with detailed information regarding food and inhalant allergies are Is This Your Child? by Dr. Doris Rapp and Detecting Hidden Food Allergies by Dr. William Crook, available through most book stores, our wellness center or our web site. Testing is also available through The Rydland Pediatric Wellness Center and other wellness-oriented physicians and nutritionists to evaluate food and inhalant allergies by blood sampling. Please contact us if you wish to pursue this further.
