Children's Health & Back To School

Let's face it; kids do not eat what they should to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet. Today it is nearly impossible to get 100% of the nutrients in foods from the farmers market to your table. Factors such as busy schedules (fast food), food preparation, rapid ripening and preservatives all influence the recommended daily value of nutrients your child is getting each day. Without a balanced diet, your child may be more likely to succumb to the common cold, flu, virus or infection.

Teaching Your Child the Benefits of Good Nutrition

Taking an active role in your child's nutrition and their understanding of the difference between good foods and bad, will affect your child's outlook on the benefits of good health. We can't all assure that our children will love vegetables the first time they eat them, but with these tips, you might be able to influence their food choices later in life.

• Encourage your child to drink orange juice, spring water, tea and eat fish, broccoli, green peas, green beans, apples, 100% organic whole grain pancakes/waffles and other healthy foods, by explaining how fast foods, soda and candy can make him/her sick.
• Provide your child with a natural multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. Most mass market products contain sweeteners, fillers, artificial colors and very low levels of essential nutrients. Look for all natural ingredients for your child's multi-vitamin, ensuring he/she will get the best nutrients to maximize their overall health.
• Your child may need an additional calcium/magnesium supplement to help ensure strong bones and a healthy growth rate. The levels in the diet and multi-vitamin are generally inadequate alone.
• A pro-biotic (this means pro-life and promotes a healthy digestive flora) and Ester-C (a superior form of vitamin C that is retained longer and absorbed better are recommended to strengthen the immune system.

By starting young, your child will grow up appreciating good health, developing healthy eating habits and improved general health. There are many children's vitamins on the market - be sure you do your research, making certain that your child is getting the nutrients he needs.