Raising Smarter Children

To continue with more information on the previous post about smarter foods and smarter kids:

The numbers of kids today labeled with ADD – ADHD, hyperactiviy and a whole host of other learning challenges, have reached epidemic proportions.  However, there are things that doctors say can help and many studies show can reduce or even eliminate certain disabilities like ADD ADHD.

One of the most significant things that can help your child is fat – not the doughut or chicken skin kind, but  good fats called essential fatty acids.

According to Sydney Walker III, M.D., the brain is 60% fat with 30% of it in the front part of the brain where focusing and attention takes place.

DHA and Omega 3 oils are known as essential fatty acids, and according to Dr. Walker, dyslexia, dyspraxia (motor coordination, hyperactivity, ADD/ADHD, Bi-Polar disorder and depression are all conditions with essential fatty acid deficiencies.

Essential fatty acids are called good fats because they are important to nearly every function in your body, including handling stress, sleeping, attention, thinking, and your immune system.  So it stands to reason that essential fatty acids are just that – essential to your well being.

Your child will act as he feels – and the tip here is to supply the necessary kinds of good fats needed for great brain function, visual development and even a calmer acting child.

We like and use Omega 3 essential fatty acids from Norway, where the purity is best and safety standards the most stringent in the world.  These Omega 3’s can be purchased from your local store, although they don’t contain the same amounts of essential fatty acids we have, so you’ll need to take more of them.

Remember, always check with your doctor before taking any supplements and the information here is not intended to provide medical advice or take the place of any advice of your health care practioner.

Our goal is to educate you on steps to a smarter child in mind, body and spirit.

Remember, all children are smart,

Pat Wyman and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.

Food and kids.  Have you ever wondered how to get them to eat their veggies and the other things that make them healthy?

Three quick tips:  1.  Take them on a field trip to their favorite fast food restaurant.  Make sure the manager brings out the menu of the ingredients in the foods they love. Check out the sugar, fat and calories.  If they happen to like fries, did you know a lot of places put sugar on them to make them brown better?

If you can, visit the kitchen.  Check out the stuff food is fried in?  How is the rest of the food prepared?  Nothing like a wake-up call to make the food and body connection real for your child.

2.  As a doctor who sees very sick children, see if you can make arrangements to have your child "volunteer" to cheer up some sick kids.  Make sure these kids are severely overweight (and it could have been controlled by better food choices) and check the side effects of the obesity epidemic.

Next stop – go and see some kids with type II diabetes.  Ask them about their day, taking their blood sugar and what effect it has on their lives.  Another great wake up call for your child.

Then have a chat about food and health.  Just a short one – but now you have some "reality" to add to the mix.

Finally, if your child is taking a test at school, or at home, eat more protein – things like fish, cheese, lean meats, eggs, etc. so their blood sugar stays more stable and they can concentrate longer.

Sugary snacks leave them hungry for more sugar in about twenty minutes, and brain fog can set in, making it tough to think. 

Think about what’s in the fridge and what things your kids snack on.  After they have taken their field trips, maybe they can make the grocery list for a few days.  See if anything changes – you may be very surprised and happy at what they choose.

Remember, every child is smart in their own way,

Pat Wyman, M.A. and Erin Mavredakis, M.D.