Happy, healthy kids

The good news is that, to a large degree, these can be tackled by dealing with the underlying health of the body, which in turn leads to a healthier, better functioning young person.

This applies with every child, not only those experiencing overt difficulties, and the first step is to take control of what the family eats –  the whole family!

So, no junk food! No processed food, no fizzy drinks, less fried food! Kids need the simple stuff, prepared at home.

It’s challenging, but it’s our job as responsible parents to ensure that important nutrients are on board – every day! And honestly, I found that with the best will in the world, I was unable to do this job adequately through diet alone.

My two sons were the ENT specialist’s dream as we spent so much time trying to tackle seemingly endless infections and problems with their ears, noses and throats specifically. And then I decided to try certain supplements for my kids (when I was dealing with a health challenge of my own) and miraculously things turned around for us, and those ailments faded into history.

A good supply of vitamins and minerals is essential. So is a daily dose of antioxidants from the brightly coloured fruits and vegetables and the ‘good’ oils. Also protein and whole grains. We know that these are nutrients needed by all kids and indeed all adults as well. We also know they come from our foods – but in reality we might not be getting enough in these challenging days. The result is children who are not developing to their full capacity.

But as an example, let’s take a look at a situation which is pretty commonplace in our modern world, namely ADHD.

Deficiencies in Vitamins A and D have been linked to behavioural and learning difficulties. Vitamin B complex is also absolutely critical. For example, Vitamin B12, and folate, another of the B vitamins, are essential for energy production, nervous transmission, allergy responses, and levels of neurotransmitters.

Zinc and magnesium are critical minerals. In the brain, zinc regulates neuronal excitability. It helps in the production of serotonin, important for social behaviour as well as mood and happiness. It also determines ‘executive function’ – the ability to get organised, remember things, complete projects, do homework and so on.

As you can see, behavioural issues of all kinds, not necessarily as debilitating as ADHD, can benefit from ensuring that the right vitamins and minerals are on board in adequate amounts.

For a full supply of the daily requirements of these, and other important nutrients, my recommendation is to add a daily supplement and my product of choice is VitaSquares. Using these transformed my kids’ health, and consequently the happy functioning of our household!
You can explore more here: https://neolifeafrica.com/positiveoptions/shop/childrenshealth

For the immune boosting antioxidants I also used and highly recommend VitaGuard. No more ENT infections for us! Again, you can find out more here: https://neolifeafrica.com/positiveoptions/shop/childrenshealth

And Grandma was right! Fish is brain food! Omega 3, obtained from rich, fatty fish, is essential for the development and functioning of the brain, the nervous system, and the sensory organs such as the eyes.

Most kids (and many adults) are short of these exceptionally important nutrients. If you want them to be able to perform at their best you will have to do something about it!  As it turns out, not all fish is created equal as far as a source of Omega 3 oils is concerned! White fish such as hake, and the fish found in fish fingers and the like, are very poor sources of those important oils. We need the fatty, dark fleshed fish like salmon, mackerel, pilchards and sardines to provide brain food. These were not common foods in our household at all, so supplementation was the only option.

But remember, not all fish oil supplements are equal. There is a very real danger of products being contaminated with heavy metals and other toxins if the fish are grown in polluted waters. If you want to learn of the products that I use and recommend unreservedly please take a look at Childrens Health on my website: https://neolifeafrica.com/positiveoptions/shop/childrenshealth

Something else that I personally would add to the mix is a protein shake. When I started giving my sons a small shake each morning together with their ‘normal’ breakfast it changed their lives. They could manage the school day better, and were no longer inclined to eat junk food to satisfy hunger pangs. In addition, when it seemed that a treat was in order I used the protein shake to make a really nutritious smoothie by adding some fruit or berries, and they were really happy with that. So a nutritious treat was possible too.

My protein supplement of choice (for all sorts of really good reasons) was Nutrishake which you can explore further here: https://neolifeafrica.com/positiveoptions/shop/childrenshealth

As I’ve already said, all these nutrients should be in our normal diet, but sadly, this is unlikely to be true. With our own kids, my best efforts were not enough.  However, their health and general ability to cope with life improved dramatically when I started giving them some whole food supplements.

Contact me if you would like to talk about some supplementation to help boost your child’s health.

084 506 3643

andre.positiveoptions@gmail.com