When my son was born, I was completely overwhelmed.
After the nurse left and the euphoria of delivery was gone, I looked at this little being I had just pushed out of my body and thought,
“Oh CRAP!”
I instantly thought of all the ways he could possibly get hurt and/or die and went into “new mom freak out mode.” I micromanaged every little thing about my son’s care and found myself stressing about every little thing. I remember wondering if I was going to be this worried for the entire 18 years that I was responsible for him. I assured myself that I was only feeling this way because he was in the “infant stage”. I was sure when he reached, I don’t know, 2 or 3 years old, I wouldn’t worry so much.
How naive I was to think there would be a time when I’d stop worrying about my son! He’s 10 now, and I still worry about all aspects of his life and hope I’m doing the best for him.
We want the best for our kids, right?
As parents, we do everything we can to provide a good, healthy environment for our kids. Sometimes though, even with our best efforts, our children can suffer from nutritional deficiencies. I’ve experienced this myself. I don’t blame myself or feel guilty. I just try to learn and do better. I can’t be perfect, but for the sake of my children, I can keep an open mind and try to change some things in our diet to help my kids perform at their best.
Many of the following signs are labeled as “genetic” or pre-determined. But I believe that although we are born with certain tendencies, our nutrition throughout our lives can determine whether they will manifest themselves or not.
10 Signs of Nutritional Deficiencies in Children
1. Depression/Anxiety
Depression and anxiety all starts in the brain, and can be brought on by nutritional deficiencies. Protein, for example, contains amino acids. Most protein from plants contain an incomplete number of amino acids. Protein from animal foods are more likely to contain all amino acids and they are more easily absorbed by the body.
Why are amino acids so important? Well, the brain uses amino acids to create neurotransmitters. Ever heard of Serotonin, Endorphins, Catecholemines, and GABA? A proper balance of these neurotransmitters helps to keep us feeling happy and calm instead of depressed and anxious. A diet with a good amount of complete protein is the answer to correcting this nutritional imbalance. We don’t count protein, or even try to eat high protein, but we do eat whole meat with cuts that include fat and make broth out of the bones to give ourselves a good dose of gelatin (another good source of protein). For severe cases, you may need to supplement directly with specific amino acids to help support the body. You can take a test here to determine which amino acids you may be deficient in.
2. Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity is related to the brains ability to process information and remain calm at the same time. Children with hyperactivity tend to have poor bacterial flora and digestion. This can make it hard for the body to absorb many different nutrients. Some doctors will recommend removing processed food along with food dyes to help combat hyperactivity. While I agree that these recommendations are a good start, hyperactivity is often a problem with digestion. I would recommend that adding some good digestive natural treatments will help. Besides eating a good amount of gelatin and broths, a good gut healing protocol involves a good source of homemade probiotics.
3. Delayed Speech
Delayed speech can be related to a deficiency in B12. Children shouldn’t be supplemented with B12 unless first tested for a deficiency, but an increase of natural foods of B12 is a good alternative to supplementation. Foods high in B12 are organ meats, beef, chicken, fish, shellfish, pork, dairy, and eggs. There are no plant/grain sources of B12.
4. Dry Skin/Hair
Dry skin and hair can be related to a deficiency in fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K2. My own daughter suffered from this as well. Her hair was dry and coarse no matter what we did. When I finally added some high quality fat-soluble vitamins to her diet, her hair became shiny and her skin became soft. I chose to supplement with Fermented Cod Liver oil. We purchase the cinnamon flavor and she takes a 1/2 tsp. a day without any fuss.
5. Crowding of teeth
This is a sore subject for a lot of people, because honestly, nobody wants to feel responsible for their child’s crowding of teeth. However, the relationship between crowded teeth and nutritional deficiencies is well-recorded in Dr. Weston A. Price’s book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. His travels around the world, visiting traditional cultures untouched by modern foods, helped him discover the link between good dental spacing and good nutrition. He found that even twins who ate different foods developed different dental spacing depending on the foods they ate. Those who ate modern, processed foods or whose mothers ate poorly during pregnancy, had children who developed poor dental structure and spacing. Those who ate a traditional diet full of rich fats, complete animal proteins, and properly prepared carbs across the board developed even spacing of teeth and even had enough room for wisdom teeth.
6. Cavities
Cavities are often thought to be from a result of too much sugar or candy in the diet. While this certainly doesn’t help, it’s not so much about the sugar the person is eating and more about what the person is NOT eating. Dr. Price found that those with cavities were mostly likely to be deficient in proper minerals, and also deficient in fat soluble vitamins needed to absorb and assimilate the minerals. Conversely, Dr. Price found that those who were not deficient had no cavities.
All groups having a liberal supply of minerals particularly phosphorus, and a liberal supply of fat-soluble activators, had 100 per cent immunity to dental caries. – Dr. Weston A. Price
My kids have a few cavities that we are healing naturally with this protocol here.
7. Frequent colds and flus
We used to get sick all the time, but once we changed our diets, we noticed changes in our health as well. I noticed that my kids had a higher immunity, and could play around other kids who were sick without getting sick themselves. If your kids are getting sick frequently, again, instead of focusing on one specific nutritional deficiency, try adopting some of the practices of our family here. A good diet is always going to be the best prevention for sickness. I would also encourage you to move away from the germ-a-phobia lifestyle and embrace dirt a bit:)
8. Cranky or sporadic emotions
Julia Ross from The Mood Cure, points out that fats (especially Omega 3s found in wild salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, and mackerel) are vital for good mood stabilization. She also states that good saturated fats from butter and coconut oil help keep and protect the Omega 3s in our brain. I would also add that hormones need to be balanced as well. Did you know that carrots help absorb any extra estrogen in the body? A high amount of estrogen in the body can make us feel irritable and moody. I am sure to have my kids eat a carrot a day to help balance their hormones naturally.
9. Poor cranial structure or “flat-head” syndrome
This one also links back to Dr. Weston A. Price’s research. He found that the development of the palate (teeth crowding) as well as the development of the cranial bones were greatly improves when the mother ate a diet high in good fats (including rich saturated fats from animal products), whole proteins from seafood/animal meat, and properly prepared grains. Vegetables and fruits were also included in these diets depending on what was available during the season, but fats and animal foods were especially held sacred and given to pregnant and nursing mothers. Those who avoided processed food (including seed and vegetable oils, canned, and packaged food) were immune to this problem.
10. Obesity
You wouldn’t think that obesity is related to malnutrition but it is exactly why they person is obese. When we eat foods that aren’t nutrient dense, our bodies are hungry. They become starved for good nutrition and that’s why you won’t feel satisfied when eating highly processed foods and/or foods devoid of nutrients. Our bodies were meant to feel satisfied with a balance of all foods, including seafood, animal products, raw milk, cheese, butter, coconut oil, fruits, vegetables, and properly prepared grains. When we sway from this diet and start to eat more processed food, or restrict any macronutrient like fat, carbohydrates, or protein, that is where we start to become malnourished.
So what has improved the health of my children drastically?
It’s really as simple as trying to incorporate more real food in your diet! My life is busy, and what I’ve found that works the ABSOLUTE BEST are these meal plans!
Raise your hand if you’d like customizable meal plans, easy shopping lists, and REAL FOOD meals for your family!
Check out the meal plans I use here!
What ways have you found to improve your child’s health?
Your post is full of misqinformation. We take a completely plant based source of B12 and are vegan. Our kids are happy and healthy. There is no naturally occurring source of B12 in animals. They used to get it from the ground and water. Now they are supplemented with it. You are eatting a secondary or further source in animal products, we just take a more direct plant based source and avoid the cholesterol and other non good parts of animal products.
We also get ample amounts of fats from plant foods without the bad side of animal foods.
Plants foods are perfectly complete, and come without the awful cholesterol, animal a proteins our bodies don’t process well, among other things.
We supplement D3 as almost everyone should because even if we go outside a lot, we may not obsord enough. We also take DHA/EPA like many should, but instead of dangerous fish oil that is not only depleting the oceans but also risking giving us doses of murcury, ours comes from algea.
Please educate yourself on how good a healthy plant based diet is, don’t just take the word of the meat/egg/dairy industry. They will tell you anything and hide the truth if it means they make money.
All these symptoms are due to all the vaccinations and the chemicals they contain.
It was really nice how you suggested trying to change the diet of the kids if ever we notice that they get colds and flue easier than normal. I will surely suggest this to my mom give that a try because my younger siblings are far more sickly than I was. However, I will still look for a family doctor seek help from so as to be sure that we really are doing the right thing for the kids. Thank you.
Just your newest, biggest fan, blog-stalking over here!! Thank you so much Danelle, for the encouragement and inspiration! Changing things slowly but surely for my family (I’ve even got wheat berries sprouting on my counter right now!)… and heading over to buy that cod liver oil 🙂
You know what else causes many of these problems?? Vaccines
That’s what I was about to say!
My two older kids were vaccinated to a point ( 5-6 years old ) and then we stopped , got pregnant again and our third child was NEVER vaccinated for ANYTHING , he is the healthiest of all three .I see the connection and glad that others do also.
One can also use a device called Vitastiq as mentioned here > http://www.giftick.com/raj/80/ to measure the level of all the essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, etc .This device can even be used for your kids on your own at home. So no need to go to doctors for testings. This device is like a pen and you need to put this device on different accupuncture points on the hands and feet to meaure the level of different nutrients in the body and it will send all the measured data on your smartphone.
I don’t think over crowding of teeth has anything to do with diet!
I would like a professional to respond to this!
My daughter has over crowding but no cavities at 7 yes. !
Hi Navi, I’d recommend you read these two dentist’s books, Weston A. Price’s book, Nutrition & Physical Degeneration or Ramiel Nagel’s book, Cure Tooth Decay.
I am in the dental profession….25 years now. There is no question regarding the link between nutrition and dental “crowding”. I work with a dentist who studies this subject deeply. He provides dental orthopedics/orthodontics (non-conventional) to his patients with amazing results. Please DO read Weston A. Price’s research, as well as well as Ramiel Nigel’s book, as recommended. It will enlighten you…I promise. It’s not JUST about tooth decay. There are many components involved. 🙂
I read over crowding is thyroid hormone ddeficiency
Yes! Great article! Simms it all up 🙂
Thank you!
I couldn’t agree more! Proper nutrition is soooo important and affects so many different aspects of life. Unfortunately, we live in a nutrient deficient time. Unless you are buying whole foods organically (which is crazy expensive) it is very difficult to eat “healthy”. My family and I are lucky enough to have the help of Zija nutrition! Zija is packed with the botanical, Moringa Oliefera (aka the miracle tree). Of course we still try to eat healthy and live an active lifestyle but Moringa gives us the nutrients we would otherwise be lacking. Please feel free to message me and I’ll tell you more about this incredible product. Myself, my husband, and our baby (11 months old) all consume SuperMix (Zija’s most Moringa rich product). Many people have tried going directly to Moringa supplements, but again the way plants are cropped and produced makes a huge difference! Zija’s Moringa is grown in its natural enviornment. The company even air dries the plant so no nutrients are lost being sun dried. Not all Moringa is created equal. Telling people about Zija and Moringa has become a passion for my family. We have see the different proper nutrition can make in the lives of so many! #naturalhealthrevolution #moringa #SuperMix
If every meal is fraught with questions (Did they eat enough meat? Enough veggies? Enough altogether?), take a step back. “Kids’ appetites fluctuate with their level of activity, their mood and their growth,” says Stephanie Jamain, a registered dietitian with ATP Nutrition in Montreal. “Don’t stress over a couple of unbalanced meals — or days.”
Sure, it’s good to strive for balance, adds Melanie Stokes, program development coordinator for the Kids Eat Smart Foundation in St. John’s. “You can aim for three of the four food groups at breakfast, and four at lunch and dinner, but don’t worry if it doesn’t happen every time.”
Over the course of a week, most kids will eat what they need, agrees Jennifer House, owner of First Step Nutrition in Calgary. A parent’s job is to decide what’s for dinner; a kid’s job is to decide how much of it to eat. “Many parents try to control how much their kids eat, but this just leads to power struggles,” says House. Letting kids learn their own satiety signals means they’re less likely to grow up with appetite control issues or disordered eating. “If your child is healthy, has energy and is an appropriate weight, don’t waste time worrying about how much they eat at a meal.”
Hi! I just ran across this and have been worried about my 6 year olds nutrition ever since he started baby food. I do think that many of the problems we are dealing with are caused by his diet, however this is where I run into a problem: He is a picky eater-and I don’t mean the typical picky eater kid. He has sensory processing disorder which, for him, greatly affects what he eats. We have done therapy, and tried everything under the sun to get him to try new things-it’s like he is deathly afraid of trying new foods. Any advice on getting these nutrients down him? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Haley, you might like my post here: https://www.weedemandreap.com/from-picky-eater-to-food-feaster-how-i-got-my-stubborn-kid-to-love-all-foods/
Haley ,
We are in the same boat with our son . It’s so difficult.
ALLH You may need to check into homeopathic. I have also had a struggle every fall/winter while doing a lot of the same things you do ( raw milk, homemade kefir, kombucha, bone broth, laundry soap, toothpaste…) This is the doc. we went for some more help: http://www.holzewellness.com They use muscle testing to fine allergies, problems with digesting/breaking down the healthy things eaten… even electromagnetic “solution” in your home.
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You mention “natural digestion treatment for hyperactivity. Are u referring to any particular homeopathic remedy? If so, I would be interested to know what that is. Thanks!
Hi Marta, a good gut healing protocol includes eating a good amount of gelatin & broths and a good source of homemade probiotics. You can also look into the GAPS diet for severe issues.
I did all of these things for quite awhile with my children, including a complete Weston A. Price diet while pregnant and nursing my 4th child. He has THE smallest mouth of all of my children, and was born with a horrendous rash all over his body. He was no more healthy than any of the rest of my children, and wasn’t vaccinated either. The only thing that has helped us get sick less often and less severe is by avoiding our allergens (milk for all, eggs for some), juicing, and eating probiotic rich food. The AVOIDANCE of those foods was more important than the addition of good things. It also solved behavior problems, depression and tummy aches as well.
Hi Charise! I’m a Cherise too!
It’s interesting that you say the avoidance of foods is what helped get you all healthy. I have found that in myself too! I could not get well until I knew what was making me sick. Kudos to you for figuring it out.
I wanted to mention too that reading Pottinger’s Cats was eye opening for me. My sister and I had a lot of tooth crowding and I had 8 teeth removed as a child, 4 before braces and 4 wisdom teeth. Yet my paternal grandmother and my father have perfect teeth. I believe there are a lot of genetic things going on with that. With Pottinger’s Cats it took three generations to deteriorate and four generations to return to health. I can see how that might be similar with humans. I hope you didn’t give up on the WAPF diet. I do believe it the key to future healthy generations. Blessings!
Dr. Mercola is another great reference.
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Another contentious point with parents, similar to the burden of feeling responsible for children’s cavities and dental spacing – but I’ve read in many places that the need for childhood vision correction is also a nutritional status marker in a majority of cases. I don’t know yet if I’ve succeeded or not (my kids are 9 and 5) but I’ve been feeding them with the aim of “no braces, no glasses” as a benchmark of overall success.
Ooh, thanks for sharing that. This is really helpful to me, and easy to remember!
I’m going to call your bluff on the first two medical conditions you claim can be cured with dietary changes. You are correct in saying that amino acids are essential to the creation of neurotransmitters, however dietary changes alone would not be significant enough to treat depression or anxiety. I was unable to find a single scholarly article that cited legitimate sources to support your theory, and you may be leading parents down the wrong road by suggesting dietary changes for the treatment of very real, sometimes very serious and dangerous mental health issues. The best treatment for depression and anxiety disorders is one that comes from a medical professional, typically in the form of medications and therapies such as CBT or DBT. These illnesses are not something to play with nor are they something that can be brushed off as a nutritional issue.
When it comes to hyperactivity, (i assume you are talking about ADHD here, as it is normal for children to be “hyper” to an extent) there is very little evidence to support a positive correlation between food dyes or preservatives and ADHD. I was unable to find any scholarly articles relating poor digestion to ADHD; as of now, researchers have been unable to pinpoint one single cause of ADHD. Instead it is believed that many different factors may play a role, including genetics. Once again this is a serious mental health issue that requires the assessment of a medical professional to tailor a treatment plan to each child individually. Simply giving a child a digestive aid is not going to help a child with ADHD one bit.
i am not trying to cause any kind of issue bu posting this, but as someone who works in pediatric psych, i do feel the need to provide clarification when i feel it is justified.
I am bi-polar along with several other of my family members. Changing my diet and eating mostly raw and organic and cutting out the crap has helped me more than all of the medication, therapy combined. As a matter of fact after two years of eating well and living well I was able to completely go off of all of my medication for bi-polar. I have been medicine free for over a year now and never been more mentally healthy. Almost every illness we have is due to lack of nutrition while filling our bodies with preservatives and garbage. While I don’t think symptons of depression and anxiety should be ignored, I think as parents we should feed our children to promote health and then give them a stable life, I don’t the cases of anxiety and depression and attention deficit in children would be almost non existent. There is a reason all of these mental illnesses were almost unheard of 50 yrs ago and so prevalent in today’s society.
I do wish that some place like a pediatric psych hospital would adopt a traditional, nutrient dense diet and then report on what changes it has made in the population there. I’m sure every single employee would be shocked at the difference. It may not help everyone but shouldn’t we give a tree good soil to grow before supporting it with wires and stakes?
There may not be many “scholarly studies” as you say but there are plenty of anecdotal stories where parents have changed their children’s diets and saw great changes in behavior. (My sister removed red dye from my 6 yo niece’s diet and she no longer stood jumping at the side of her chair during dinner.) “Scholarly studies” on good nutrition don’t happen because no one makes money on them. No patent = No studies.
Tiffany & Cherise,
I am glad you both replied to this and I totally agree that you can’t find studies because they won’t produce money is some form or fashion!
I read many of the posts on this site and there are several recommendations for natural and homeopathic modalities. One that is not mentioned is glyconutritionals. Although there may be many good things you are doing, if you do not have the operating system for the body and the is the actual communication system for all 60 trillion cells in the body, you can not truly experience optimal health and wellness. These nutrients also help support and improve the function of the immune system. We should get these 8 vital glyconutrients from our diet, but they have been almost completely processed out and some of them come from some uncommon food sources that we do not have easy access to. This science is validated in Harper’s Bio Chemistry, a medical student text book and there has been extensive third party research and double blind placebos done on the science. The specific product I’m referring to is a NSF certified product that is
plant sourced and proven to be safe for people of all ages and all health conditions to supplement into their diet. The product that contains these specific nutrients is also listed in the PDR for nonprescription therapies. I am a Certified Glyconutrient Consultant and through the research and discoveries of these vital nutrients, we have seen the body heal in ways that almost more than the mind can comprehend.
This is completely ridiculous. As a health care professional with a child that has hyperactivity and occasional meltdowns(due to exhaustion) I find this so far from the truth. You are listing every common current issue with today’s youth and blaming it on malnutrition. My children eat clean, sit in our organic garden and eat right from the source. They have well balanced nutrition and rarely get junk. So to have my child who has something genetically passed on from my husband and I blamed on malnutrition it just shows you really can post anything on the Internet and we as readers need the common sense to see these articles for what they really are. Which is nothing more than filling a page with some letters.
Thank you for this very comprehensive article on nutritional deficiencies in children. Many parents are simply not aware that a lot of behavioral and learning difficulties can be successfully treated, if not eliminated, by a more nutrient-dense diet and high-quality supplements.
Lana,
Thank you for pointing out the importance of adult vaccines! They are as important as infant and childhood vaccines in keeping the communication of these diseases down!
We have some issues with vaccine, I was a rabid pro-vaxer until my first son almost died from his MMR. Forget Autism I don’t even care about that. My kid nearly died. if he hadn’t still been in the dr’s surgery he would have suffocated as he had an anaphylactic response. He then endured body shaking seizures for weeks, he had suffered eczema since his hep B shot at birth, and had screaming fits and burning fever every time he was immunized as an infant. Which made me more and more reluctant to continue. It was the anaphylaxis at 12 months that sealed it for both me and my Dr. My 2nd child was delayed vaxes until 12 months and then we did only the most deadly diseases and widely spaced. he did react but not too badly as pain relieving medications took care of it.
I don’t care if you choose to immunize or not- it’s your right to do so. But it should be a parents choice that they do not have to justify either way.
And to anyone who is a rabid pro-vaxer like I was please take notice of this last statement:
The number of children not immunized in Australia (where I am from) and also the US is less than 1%. there aren’t even enough of them to have one non-vax family per town and city in your country. So cool your heels. They aren’t the problem. If low vax rates really are the problem you should look at the adult population because childhood immunization wanes over time and if it’s been more then 10 years since you last had a booster then technically you’re unvaccinated and more likely putting people at risk because you go more places than a child who most likely goes to school or kindergarten, maybe a friends place, the park and a supermarket vs all the places adults go all the time. check yourself before you look at others.
I’m into whole foods and green living etc, but one thing that has been bugging me is that so many of these bloggers rely on only ONE reference point – Weston Price. I’m not saying he isn’t on to something, but good science relies on repeatability. This is my call to Real Food bloggers – research! Make your info more believable and more reliable by broadening your source base.
Thanks for allowing me to express this on your webpage as this comment isn’t just aimed at weedem and reap, but at all Real Food bloggers.
I do enjoy your posts!
Hi Lauren,
You got me, I’m a Weston A. Price lover;) I think the reason most of us follow his principles is because his work is has stood the test of time and since his book was written in the 1930’s SO many generations have benefited from his research.
In this article, I have also featured the work of Dr. Julia Ross & Dr. Sally M. Pacholok.
Hi my name is Grace. I have a boy who will turn four this year. He has had problems since birth everything from breathing problems to developmental delays. My question how do I know if it is his diet or other reasons that may b causing him problems.
I always start with symptoms, and work backwards with those. Also, naturopaths are super helpful!
I’m facing some of these problems with 2 of my children. One has struggled with depression, hyperactivity, exhaustion, and brain fog. We have him on vitamin and mineral supplements, amino acids, and all of us are on probiotics, cod liver oil, and a WAP diet. My daughter I’m sure has absorption issues, has dark circles under her eyes, and has some speech issues. When she was 9 mos. and exclusively breastfeeding, her toenails were curling up- a sign of malnutrition. I just started my kids today on diatomaceous earth for possible parasites. I know I was low thyroid when pregnant, and that is a huge cause of speech delays and brain function issues. We all take J. Crow’s Lugol’s Solution, because all of these can be assoc. w/ iodine deficiency. This article could not have come at a better time. I’m learning even from some of the comments here. Thanks!
I think lack of sleep is the most important factor for causing someone to feel bad
Not sure about your article in its entirety, but I do believe that our food has a great affect on our health. That being said, the shape of peoples heads is also affected by how the are handled as babies. For the first six months, a babies head is very soft and if you leave your baby on its back to much or in the same sleeping position; it can cause the back and sides of the head to become misshapen. A baby should have plenty of tummy time and should have their sleeping positions changed about every week to prevent this from happening. Another way to prevent it is for a mother to spend time holding and bonding with her baby.
I am in a similar situation as ALLH. My 2 year old son seems to always be sick despite a whole foods diet supplemented with lots of CO, FCLO/BO blend, probiotics, etc. We aren’t fortunate enough to raise our own animals yet but we buy only pastured animals to eat and use a berkey filter for our water. I just recently started using Prescipt Assist probiotics and Pure Radiance Vitamin C powder to see if that makes a difference. I know his regular ped just says it is normal (and in her eyes he is very healthy and thriving but I KNOW something isn’t right). I would like to get him evaluated by an ND so see if it is an absorption problem because i’m confident he is getting enough nutrients. He is even still breastfeeding!!
It is as simply as letting your child be a child be getting dirty, not over sanitizing your home, and not killing all the germs. God made our bodies to fight infections, disease, and germs; but the more we try and helps sometimes we hurt. I do not do all you do, and thankfully God has blessed me with very healthy children. I do clean and sanitize my home, we wash our hands regularly, and even get vaccines. The more your child is exposed to germs and sickness the better his body becomes at handling it unless he has some disease or illness that has compromised his immune system.
I’m wondering…I read all the talk about healthy fats like coconut oil and butter, and I use them lots, but it seems that no one talks about EV olive oil – good or bad – which I use as much as coconut oil. What have you researched on it?
ALLH, you have probably already looked into this but what about the pH levels of the body and the overall balance of acid forming vs alkaline forming foods each person intakes? We aim for 80% alkaline forming foods overall each day and our family remains fairly healthy. The other possibility is of course given each person is unique and has different DNA, one size does not fit all. Perhaps there are some DNA performance challenges that have been passed down from your line into your kids, eg inflammation regulation, toxin removal etc. I have found through DNA sequencing with our DNA doctor that my line has passed down DNA that is not quite up to scratch with regulating inflammation in the body. This has caused no end of illness with my mother and us kids but not so much for my father. There are natural whole food organic supplements you can take as well as targeting specific foods for each individual to ensure immunity is optimised. Start having a look into nutrigenomics if you haven’t come across this yet. Best of luck. I think you’re fabulous, such a positive role model for your family. Well done!!
Thanks Bel, I will look into that. Nutrigenomics is not a word I’m familiar with. Wondering if it’s got anything to do with epigenetics… going to look now!
This is a very interesting post! I am especially interested in number 3 and the relation between b12 deficiency and speech delays. Could you provide me some further research supporting this? Anything you have to point me in that direction would be great! Thank you so much for your wonderful posts and contributions to leading healthier lifestyles.
Hi Lisa,
I have my sources links at the end of the article:)
I will look into that. Thank you very much!
ALLH,
How often is your family exposed to animals, dirt, and germs? I’ve often wondered if the increase in our immunity can be attributed that we allow dirty hands at the dinner table and allow our kids to kiss all of our pets…even our pet worms;)
This sounds like an iodine deficiency to me. I see it all the time in my practice. I suggest taking an 24 iodine loading test for at least yourself. A great laboratory to use is: http://www.hakalalabs.com
Hi Bret
Just curious as to your type of practice? I’m intrigued by the suggestion of iodine deficiency.
Not a one, not ever. We use primarily coconut oil for cooking, snacking, etc, as well as using coconut flakes, milk, flour, and butter. We also brew 10+ gallons of organic, grassfed bone broth twice per week, raise our own goats and chickens for milk, meat, and eggs. Our water is clean as we live at 8300 ft on the peak of a mountain and share no groundwater with any polluters of any kind. I’m truly at a loss. We use home ferments as well as Bio-Kult, and the FCLO/BO blend. I’ve never read anything, and thought, “oh crap I didn’t know about that!” since we’ve been long time subscribers to the WAPF and NT lifestyle. I just don’t know what to think, and this last bout of illness is crushing my faith a little bit. I even make our toothpaste, bath products, and house cleaners. Crushed by frustration.
Hey hun- we live pretty high in elevation too, and have family that lives higher. While I would never trade it, it is dry up here, causing hair and skin issues. The lowered oxygen does impact you some, although it goes unnoticed most of the time. Sounds like you take excellent care of your family, it would be pretty hard to do better. 🙂
It’s probably a worthy trade-off, I wouldn’t move. But, it’s something to consider.
This is a great article with which I wholly agree. I have practiced all of the principles and suggestions you have outlined here for the past 8 of my 11 years as a parent. However, my 3 kids and I (but not my husband) get positively slammed with illness in the winters, and myself and one of my daughters continue to experience extremely dry hair and skin despite all efforts. I’m baffled by these problems and also a bit distraught by the winter illness and am wondering if you have any thoughts you could share, or resources I may not have seen yet. Thanks!
Do you vaccinate your children? If so, this is why they are getting sick.
As for hair, feed them coconut or the organic oil derived thereof. It has fantastic effects on smoothing skin and creating illustrious, shiny, healthy hair.
Please show me the research that supports your claim that kids are getting sick because they were vaccinated. My child has been vaccinated and even gets the flu mist every year. She is rarely sick and when she does catch something, she gets over it very quickly. She actually has only missed school twice (preschool through 5th grade) due to illness. One ear infection and one upper respiratory infection. I clearly remember these days because those were the only times that she was sick.
Personally, I would try to rid the children of parasites that are preventing absorption.
I’ll give you one link about vaccines to pique your curiosity. You should do independent research. Vaccines are the leading cause of autism.
http://www.wanttoknow.info/060215vaccinesmercurydangers
Parasites? What kind? Could I have them tested at a regular MD for this, or is there a lab kit to order? This is not something that I had considered. If myself and three kids had them wouldn’t my husband have them too? He never gets sick. Ever. Even when we all had the flu.
Cam,
Vaccines do NOT lead to autism, that botched theory has since been disproved. Not vaccinating your children is leading to a new epidemic of what was once dormant diseases (MMR). Do people even realize the side effects of these diseases?? They can be a whole lot worse than autism anyway. If you get any of the MMR diseases you could have any of the following outcomes: hearing loss (mild to profound), intellectual disabilities (mild to profound), heart disease, vision loss, cerebral palsy, microcepaly, behavioral problems, and not to mention death! So if you are not vaccinating your children you are not only endangering them you are also endangering the public as a whole.
Ashley,
Excellent reply!
Cam,
That link proved to me that you have no idea what you are talking about. Any site that request donations and has all of there info linked to newspapers and television shows is not going to be one that I trust. I prefer (as most knowledgeable people) to believe in research from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals, not a conspiracy theory site. That site is biased and if that’s where you get your information, I feel for you! Did you even notice that the most current “research” they cited was from 2006?
Sorry~ I was so irritated that I didn’t proofread my most recent reply. I know that I should have typed *requests* and *their* in the second sentence below.
I have a question: If the public as a whole is vaccinated against said diseases, and the vaccines are as effective as the insustry states they are, then why are those who do not choose to vaccinate putting the public as a whole at risk for contracting the said diseases? Just wondering. Also whabout the theory of “Herd Immunity”?
I did vaccinate my children with the usual childhood shots, but my family has never had a flu shot, nor intend to. My son and I both got H1N1 4 years ago and we were sick only 4 days, (my son has actually only missed a total of 5 days of school due to illness and he is in his last semester of 12th grade)
I think it is very important to focus on vitamin D3 and other immune building foods and suppliments, fresh air, plenty of fluids and sleep to build and keep our immune systems strong enough to fight off these everyday illnesses like colds and flu.
I respectfully disagree. Vaccines have been shown to potentially trigger autism, so much so that the family of Hannah Poling was given money to cover vaccine injuries. How dare you say it’s been proven! I first became leery of vaccines after my own horrendous, nearly life-ending reaction to a flu shot at age 18. Then, despite having had 3 rubella vaccinations within years, I apparently couldn’t develop immunity and declined another vaccination. I wasn’t taking, and I would get flu-like symptoms and weird autoimmune symptoms (like a very high SED rate) after vaccination. Being a biomedical engineer yet having a personal negative experience, I vaccinated my first child. I was told the ear infections, fever, eczema, and general sickness following each set were just coincidental, but it was like clockwork. He was diagnosed with autism at age 2, but it was not the regressive autism that other parents describe after vaccination, so I may never know if they caused or contributed to that. I got more concerned about vaccines with my second pregnancy (having once again tested negative for rubella immunity), but I still chose to vaccinate at 10 weeks (having been assured by the doctor that my son’s issues were probably due to his pre-existing medical issues and that this baby girl was amazingly healthy). Well, I have never before witnessed a more clear-cut reaction to anything: 102.4 degree fever by the time we got home, high-pitched crying with arched back (she ended up with an umbilical hernia 2 days later, which was deemed coincidental), seizures during wake and sleeping, vomiting, and her stools went from the seedy, yellow breastfeeding stools to green liquid within hours. She alternated the mucousy, green stools and severe constipation for 9 months. She developed instant and previously unobserved allergies to foods I was ingesting, and I had to go on an extreme elimination diet. That first night, when I called the pediatrician’s after-hours line, the doctor determined my very ill infant had the flu, and I just needed to breastfeed her round the clock and keep her hydrated. When I mentioned she had been vaccinated and it seemed to be a reaction, we were dropped from the patient list. When I asked them to see her and report the symptoms, I was asked to look elsewhere. I was dumped by my doctor with a very sick infant and forced to pursue ER care.
After all this, I am not completely anti-vaccine. I have friends and family who never seem to have one reaction and get their annual flu shot because if they don’t, they seem to get sick. I respect them, and some of them have been with me through this very long, 10-year nightmare of vaccine issues, and they are now willing to understand that we don’t all have the same reactions to the same things put into our bodies. What is medicine for one can be poison for another.
So before you talk about how safe and necessary vaccines are, remember there are plenty of legitimately vaccine-injured children and adults out there, some receiving pretty big settlements and payments from the government and all forever changed by a shot. Before you preach about herd immunity and the return of the horrible childhood diseases, think for a moment about putting some of the money toward research to identify kids who may have vaccine reactions before they do and protocols for kids who have those reactions or are at risk.
But, please, whatever you do quit dismissing the risks. It’s like a sucker-punch to the gut of those of us who have to deal with them.
Typo. That first sentence should be disproved, not proven.
Hello Ashley, I disagree with the statement that if parents who don’t have their children vaccinated is endangering others. I know that all parents have differing views about vaccines based on how far their research…and every parent has the right to choose what they believe is best for their own children. The ingredients in the vaccines do not belong in the human body. The increase in the quantities of vaccines are parallel to the quantities of autism cases. This is alarming, and it’s no coincidence. Mary Tocco’s website (www.childhoodshots.com) is one of those great resources with hard facts about vaccines, influenza shots, etc. I’ve also found that the resources that push vaccines also have other negative agenda’s.
If vaccinations are effective and work, how than could unvaccinated children be a threat?
Actually the CDC was recently forced to release documents showing a strong correlation between vaccines and autism.
http://therefusers.com/refusers-newsroom/cdc-forced-to-release-documents-showing-they-knew-vaccine-preservative-causes-autism/#.Uw4ZeX_Tkv4
Ashley,
You need to watch the new documentary “Bought”. Actually, EVERYONE needs to watch it. We have been LIED TO by the CDC, FDA and everyone else you THINK are watching out for you and your children. And how many of your adult friends are up to date on their boosters?? It’s not about science anymore. Pharm companies are doing their own research and making the results favor their vaccine. Merck is currently being sued by two of it’s own scientists b/c they were forced to lie about the MMR vaccine being SAFE and EFFECTIVE!!
http://fearlessparent.org/bought-film-will-blow-your-mind/
When you don’t vaccinate your child, you are not only putting those too young to vaccinate at risk, as well as those vaccinations that come in multiple doses, but other unvaccinated kids, that can’t because they are allergic to the ingredients, at risk, too. Why do you think ALL of these diseases are making a comeback? ANYONE who thinks autism is caused by vaccinations should do some serious research. It may trigger it, at an early age, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t there to begin with. They are NOW thinking autism is something developed in the womb. All of us were vaccinated, besides the flu shot and we have never been real sick. We’ve shared the occasional strep throat or cold, but nothing really bad. My son, vaccinated and breastfed, he’s NEVER had an ear infection or been sick besides from weather changes and allergies when the rain kicks up stuff. That’s it. Keep on being a sheeple though. Everything is on the rise because parents are choosing not to vaccinate, not the other way around. 🙂
Hey Ashley,
I’m wondering if you have read the information on the vaccine inserts, your doctor is supposed to go over with you before vaccinating?
Here is just one: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm101580.pdf
Vaccine Insert
Adverse Events from DTap
Sids/autism see pg. 11
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
Tripedia vaccine has not been evaluated for its carcinogenic or mutagenic potentials or impairment of fertility. pg.6
As with any vaccine, vaccination with Tripedia vaccine may not protect 100% of individuals. pg. 4
WARNINGS on pg 5 are worth the read for other possible injuries.
Sorry for a double post, but here is info on Herd Immunity:
http://www.naturalimmunityfundamentals.com/herdimmunity
I will leave out of here with a tidbit for all to think about it, Medicine is an ART based on science, we know from various studies that science is always changing, so the studies on vaccines and nutrition are always changing. It is never settled and we should always be asking questions which is the whole foundation of Science. To not ask the hard questions and keep asking them when some children are being injured is not sound science, nor is it caring for our children.
Thanks and have a great evening.
Dear Allh,
I know how frustrating it can be as a parent to try to give your children the healthiest experience possible and feel like your coming up short and can’t figure out why. I was having this same problem until a friend recommended JuicePlus for myself and my children. JuicePlus is a consentrated, whole food, plant based nutrition system. It is NOT a supplement or vitamin. It provides whole food based nutrition from a wide assortment of nutritious fruits and vegtables. JUICEPLUS helps “bridge the gap” of what we want to eat but what we often fall short of doing.
I hope this has help. Visit http://www.boyce.juiceplus.com for more information
Maybe your family is facing a sunshine deficiency? (Don’t laugh, I’m going somewhere with this) In the winter times we tend to cover our skin and stay indoors more. Less sun exposure means less Vitamin D. If you have a farm and I assume you drink up fortified milk, you don’t have the added Vit D in your diet that traditional American diets have. Also, UV rays sanitize things by killing germs. Like outdoor play toys, gardening/farm tools, driveways, sidewalks, and the general outdoors that I assume your kids play in during the rest of the year. Being cooped up together in your house is creating a concentrated Petri dish of germs that you and your kids aren’t used to through the rest of the year. Anyway, it’s just a thought. I hope you get it figured out!
Supposed to say unfortified milk.
Hi, I would like to offer some suggestions, I have gone from a situation similar to yours to now being free of illness for three years. I recommend broad research into homoeopathic treatments to neutralize the effects of immunization. It is an individual who has the genetic pre-disposition to do so, who will react to the immunization, and this is why your husband stays well while everyone else gets ill. Nature identical vit C is important, and this means sourced from nature father than coal tar, and presented with co-factors like bio flavonoids like hesperidin or Eason.
Do any of the family have mercury fillings? My own health has improved beyond sight since these were removed from my mouth 20 years ago.
Now attention to diet. My diet is dairy and soy free. The rule with soy is unless you actively avoid it you accidentally consume it. I did the research three years ago, made the changes after I found the truth about how dangerous it is, and the illnesses disappeared after that. I really don’t care who tries to say soy is okay, the fact is it has never been approved as safe by the FDA.
If you can’t bear to be free of dairy (except butter) all the time, then at least lift this rule into place… No milk, cheese, chocolate, icecream, yoghurt, etc for anyone who is ill, from the first sniffle. I have now removed it completely, there are substitutes, and I find it is worth it.
I also found on the internet tissue salts made by a company called martin and pleasance, they work very well, are mild homoeopathic, and one of them kills sore throats and another dries up runny nose very fast.
Nothing is more miserable than sick kids… hope this helps.
You could test for vitamin D levels during the winter. If it’s you and the 3 kids and not your husband you can look for environmental differences between you like if he stays out in the sun more or is eating some different foods. The other possibility could simply be a difference in how much vitamin D each of your bodies need for protective health effects. If you’re currently supplementing for vitamin D during the winter, you might try increasing the amount for you and the kids.