Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health
Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss
Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources |
HOME PAGE

Health Club 101 DIRECT
Natural Supplements | HGH Energizer | Eazol Natural Pain Relief | Revitol Cellulite Solution
IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Menopause Symptoms Relief | Insomnia Sleeping Aid


Articles & Information

Medicine | Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness Equipment | Pregnancy
Bodybuilding Supplements | Weight Loss | Breast Cancer | Diabetes
Category Site Map



How to Help Your Picky Eater


One of the most common questions I am asked is how to help a picky eater.  If you're worried that your child won't get enough nutrients from a limited selection of foods, the good news is that because the American food supply is super-fortified, nutrient deficiencies are rare.

If your child is growing normally according to your pediatrician, you can almost always assume that he or she is well-nourished.  With the notable exception of calcium, most nutrient deficiencies are easy to spot - you would notice poor growth, low energy, slow development, and unhealthy-looking skin and hair.  If you notice these symptoms in your picky eater, mention your concerns to your pediatrician.  Often a multivitamin supplement can solve the problem and reduce your worry.  Kids often grow out of picky eating if it isn't given too much attention, so while you wait, here are some options to try. 

1. Eat together as a family and let your children see you try new foods (even if you're not sure you'll like them).  Children often identify with a parent's eating style, so if you don't like something, it's not fair to expect your children to eat it.  The opposite is also true - children's tastes are more sensitive than adults, so just because you like something doesn't mean they will.

2. Include your children in writing your shopping list, food shopping, and meal preparation.  These can be fun ways to teach kids practical skills, while giving them some say in what foods they see on their plates.

3. Walk away from power struggles.  When your terrible two-year old crosses his or her arms and says, "NO!" to food, don't let it rattle you.  This is one way kids show independence.  Next time, try offering two different foods so that your child has the ability to assert him or herself without resorting to not eating at all.

4. Don't go fat free.  Fat in foods carries flavor and it really does improve taste.  In reasonable amounts, it doesn't make kids fat, it gives them energy and helps their brains grow.  Adding butter or cheese to cooked vegetables and salad dressing to raw ones actually helps their bodies absorb the nutrients.

5. Some kids are naturally suspicious of new things, including foods.  If you continue to include unfamiliar items in your regular family meals without forcing your child to try them, he or she may eventually feel more comfortable and willing.  Don't get upset if your child eats around the new food - just encountering it is helpful.

6. Trust your child's sense of hunger and fullness.  Children have small stomachs and need to eat smaller amounts and more frequently than adults.  Never force your children to finish everything on their plates, because appetites change with growth, and sometimes children really do need less to eat than they did at an earlier stage. Serve them small portions at first and then provide more if they're still hungry.  Large amounts on the plate can overwhelm some children and turn them off from trying a new food, especially if they think they'll have to eat it all.

7. Avoid bribing picky eaters with dessert.  This just makes dessert seem even better and the other food even worse.

8. Buy and provide nutrient-fortified foods, as well as foods that are naturally higher in nutrients (for example 100% fruit juice instead of fruit punch), so that you can feel confident that when your kids do eat, they are getting bang for their buck.

No one likes to eat everything.  Exposure to lots of foods without pressure is the best way to help kids find the nutritious foods that they like best.  That's why they come home from a friend's house raving about a dish they won't even consider at home. 

Finally, if mealtime has become stressful in your home for any reason, it will be difficult for children to eat appropriately.  Changes in eating behavior are sometimes a reflection of stress or anxiety.  In these cases, counseling and an overhaul of mealtime may be necessary.  Consult your pediatrician for advice or try one of Ellyn Satter's books.  A healthy relationship with food is one of the best gifts you can give your child, far more important than the one food that they will or won't eat.

Jessica Setnick is a registered dietitian in Dallas, Texas who travels the world spreading nutrition wisdom. As an accomplished speaker and writer, Jessica's passion is promoting a positive relationship with food and eating as a key component of a healthy and happy life. Find out more or contact Jessica to speak at your event by visiting her website at www.understandingnutrition.com.
© 2004 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to www.understandingnutrition.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health
Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss
Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources |
HOME PAGE

Health Club 101 DIRECT
Natural Supplements | HGH Energizer | Eazol Natural Pain Relief | Revitol Cellulite Solution
IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Menopause Symptoms Relief | Insomnia Sleeping Aid


Articles & Information

Medicine | Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness Equipment | Pregnancy
Bodybuilding Supplements | Weight Loss | Breast Cancer | Diabetes
Category Site Map


Market Wire (press release)

San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine ...
MarketWatch - 15 hours ago
World Day helps to raise awareness about the practice of palliative medicine, in an effort to bring effective medical practices that aid in preventing and ...
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine ... International Business Times
all 13 news articles


Turn to 10.com

An industry takes its medicine
Baltimore Sun, United States - Oct 10, 2008
Just in time for cold and flu season, manufacturers of popular over-the-counter cold and cough medicines have said they will stop marketing their remedies ...
Leading Homeopathic Medicine Provider, Hyland's Inc., Offers ... MarketWatch
Editorial: FDA warns against giving over-the-counter cold medicine ... The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com
Health Matters: Cough Medicine and Your Child WCTV
Newsinferno.com - Medical News Today (press release)
all 384 news articles


Canada.com

Sometimes 'new breakthroughs' in medicine are too new
Southtown Star, IL - 8 hours ago
And I gave them over-the-counter cold medicine when they had persistent, hacking coughs and sore throats. Turns out that wasn't a good idea, either. ...
Latina teens lag in vaccinations for cervical cancer Los Angeles Times
US Vaccine Use Increased in 2007 eFluxMedia
HPV infection rates similar in men and women TheMedGuru
InjuryBoard.com - Seattle Times
all 503 news articles


Politics of Health Care Explored in New Issue of Stanford Medicine ...
MarketWatch - Oct 10, 2008
... Yorker cover illustration of Barack and Michelle Obama, created the cover for the new issue of Stanford Medicine magazine on politics and health care. ...
Reforming Health Care New York Times
all 8 news articles


Keeping Herpes Infection in Check: Pitt School of Medicine ...
PR-USA.net (press release), Bulgaria - 2 hours ago
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is one of the nation’s leading medical schools, renowned for its curriculum that emphasizes both the science ...


TAXUS(R) Express(R) Stent Shows Similarly Low Re-Intervention ...
MarketWatch - 1 hour ago
... and repeat procedures in the patients studied," said Dr. Lasala, Professor of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. ...


HealthNews

Alternative Medicine Under the Microscope
HealthNews, CA - 6 hours ago
Alternative medicine has long been valued as an option to healing the body through unorthodox methods, herbs, oils, and meditation. ...


Ex-employee, Cardinal both profited in buying discounted medicine
Columbus Dispatch, OH - 7 hours ago
It also retains its Medicine Shoppe International pharmacies and its outsourced pharmacy management services, although it is considering shedding these ...


DocTalk, Inc. Provides Physician Review For US Preventive ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 9 hours ago
DocTalk, Inc. announces an agreement to provide physician review for health risk appraisals completed by subscribers to US Preventive Medicine's The ...


CHEWILIEN cancer medicine available at Kohima
MorungExpress, India - 28 minutes ago
Kohima, October 10 (MExN): A CHEWILIEN Cancer medicine from Saikot, Churachandpur, Manipur is now available at Creative Line, Khedi Market Complex, ...

Medicine - Google News

home | site map
Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health
Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss
Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources

health, health insurance, health club, health care, women's health, man health, mental health, health and beauty, health fitness, health insurance quote, health food, affordable health insurance, health club gyms, health health, health spa, low cost health insurance, health food vitamin, mental health services, individual health insurance, health care jobs, dental health, woman health, sexual health, health food store, health insurance plan, home health care, health insurance coverage, health news, health service facility, student health insurance, health insurance company, man's health, health care equipment, health information, family health insurance, health article, group health insurance, woman's reproductive health, cheap health insurance, world health insurance, travel health insurance, health product, health and wellness, health plan, alternative health, international health insurance, health clinic, public health, senior health insurance, temporary health insurance, mental health clinic, health and safety, short term health insurance, department of health, health nutrition, free health insurance quote, health net, cardinal health, department of health, woman's health, national institute of health, discovery health, child health, health savings account, kid health, self employed health insurance, health medicine, accident health insurance, small business health insurance, health services, man health magazine, man health magazine, health supplement, prostate health, health center, yahoo health, free health insurance, elderly health, health magazine, home health, health club, health care, woman's health, man health, mental health, health and beauty, health fitness, health insurance quote, health food, affordable health insurance, health club gym health health, health spa, low cost health insurance, health food vitamin, mental health services, individual health insurance, health care jobs, dental health, cancer screening, cancer diagnosis, cancer prevention, holistic health, heart attack, heart monitoring, health club, health club 101, holistic, holistic medicine, holistic health, holistic healing, holistic health care, holistic therapy, holistic cancer treatment, holistic doctor, diabetes, symptom, diabetes diet, diabetes supply, diabetes mellitus, diabetes care, american diabetes association, diabetes information, type 2 diabetes, disease heart, disease heart kidney, stroke symptom, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, american cancer society, skin cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer symptom, bone cancer, bladder cancer




web design / voice overs / scooters website design