Artificial Food Colors & its effects in Children

All parents ideally wanted to give their child the Best possible diet which will eventually lead them to encounter many dos and don’ts while doing so. It is always best analyze on the opinions and discuss before taking forward.  These days’ mothers prefer more of ready-to-eat kind of food rather than home-made kind for various reasons. There are so many Ready-to-eat foods available in the market, and so are the companies.

Check for AFC (Artificial Food Colors):

                It is always the best practice to check for the ingredients printed at the back of the packet along with the expiry date. If not all ingredients, check for any artificial food colors (AFC’s) added in the food.  Few new brands which may not need to undergo much standardization checks by the concerned departments may claim to add only natural food colors in their packets. So always better to go for trustable or reliable brand which doesn’t add much AFC’s.

Why AFCs in particular?

                Artificial Food Colors (AFC’s) are known in creating many health problems in children especially.

·         AFCs are known to affect the body cells predominantly and serve as a major cause for cancer world wide

·         AFCs also cause lot of breathing problems in children and doctors claim that chocolates with artificial food color even cause chronic and acute wheezing in children.

·         Some studies also reveal that artificial food colors can stimulate more hyperactivities in children.

 Have a Happy Parenting

 

 

4 Day Wait Rule

                4 Day Wait Rule is the one that every parent must know before introducing their babies to solids foods. Getting introduced to solids is one Big Big Milestones for all babies. Click here to read many articles about introducing solids to babies. 

                 The little ones can be prone to more types of allergies and other digestion related problems when they are being introduced to solid foods. Every parent has the responsibility to support their little one during this phase. To do that you should be aware of few rules, one among the list is this '4 Day Wait Rule'.

•   Always introduce one new food at a time to the baby. Never introduce two new foods(not even one new fruit and one new vegetable in one single day). 
• Always introduce your baby to a new food in the day time. Never introduce a new food after 3 pm.
• Check for any rashes being developed in parts of the body especially the lower part.(which unlike the upper part may not derive our attention immediately)
• Ensure the little one's digestive system has got adopted to process the new food and he is able to poop without any difficulties(neither constipation nor dysentery).
• Start giving the food in small amounts and keep increasing it day by day(for instance when starting with Raagi Porridge don' t make the baby drink one full bowl on the first day itself. Instead just offer 2 -3 tea spoons for first day, 5 -  6 for second and keep increasing it. )
• Keep giving the same introduced food for 4 days by increasing the amount day by day to help the baby's digestive system adopt slowly.
• If some other new food(s) is introduced in between these 4 days, if any allergy is developed you will end up getting confused to find the exact cause for the problem. 

                Have a Happy Parenting!!

"Vitamin C Rich fruits should be avoided when the child has cold or fever" - A False Myth

                Fruits rich in Vitamin C like Guava, Papaya, Kiwi, Strawberry, Orange, sweet lime and lemon are commonly believed  to be the main cause for cold and fever in Children. I have personally encountered few people who had stopped me from giving those fruits when my son is having cold or fever. Even few doctors used to advise to avoid those fruits during fever or cold. I would strongly say that this is a false myth that's still prevailing among our generation.

             Apart from the studies and researches, in general the fruits that have bright colors are said to have high anti-oxidants that prevent the body from infection and also helps in developing the immune system. Vitamin C rich fruits are crucial for the child's development because it helps in curing the cuts and wounds they encounter while playing.

            So its obvious that anti-oxidants are essential to fight the anti bodies like virus, bacteria, etc., that has caused fever and cold in the child's body. So it is always good to add some constant amount of Vitamin C rich food daily to the child's Diet.

Note : Citric fruits like lemon, orange should be given only after your child's first birthday since it may cause digestion problem, if given before that. However other fruits like kiwi, guava, papaya which are also rich in Vitamin C can be given after 8 Months.

Click here to read other articles under the Food Category.

Reader's Comments and Suggestions are highly appreciable for the benefit of the Other Mothers.

Have A Happy Parenting

              

Introducing salt and sugar in a Baby's Diet

Salt and sugar is the required in minimum amount for the babies below one year. This minimum amount is already present in the mother's Breast Milk, so adding it in solids and supplements is really not required until the baby is being breast fed. What would happen if  added?would be the question that comes into all our mind. Doctors suggest to avoid salt and sugar until their first birthday, because your little one's Kidney is very small, making it difficult to process high amount of salt and sugar.
  

However there is a very common myth stating that giving salty and sweet foods would refrain the little one from eating the other tastes. This is absolutely false because at this stage the baby's taste buds are not fully grown and thus it cannot identify the differences in tastes to some extent. But what we need to consider is both sugar and salt are being manufactured by processing it in various stages and what we all know is that the baby should not be given processed foods.


Please Note that it is highly recommendable to give the normal day-to-day diet that is being followed at home once your little one has turned one. So salt and sugar can be added in normal propositions in all foods after their first birthday.

Have A Happy Parenting

How will Water help a New Born?

       Isn't it quite common for a New Born also to feel thirsty, like how we do? If so shouldn't they also be given water like how we drink when we feel thirsty? Few mothers would have given it also. But have you ever asked a pediatrician about giving water for a New Born? Those who have asked would have got a Big NO as an answer. But very few Doctors would have given the reason for the No(Like how my son's doctor did). So I am sharing here the various reasons why not to give Water for a New Born.

• Almost all the New Born would be given Breast Milk which contains all the water a New Born would need. Its being said that the Initial portion of the breast milk is nothing but the water(Not just water!!The most purest and healthy form of liquid that no one can get through any purification process) that will wrench the baby's thirst immediately.  
• Water is said to be the main source of infection and it serves as a easy medium for transmitting all the disease. Regardless of whatever purification process implied to the water, there are few anti-bodies that could not be killed.
• Giving excess water that is not needed, would flush the vitamins and minerals from the baby's body before absorption. This would lead vitamin deficiency and lot more troubles.

So never Give water for the New Born until you start with the Solids. Once you start with Solids it should always be accompanied with water which will help the baby to digest the food.

Have A Happy Parenting

'When can I Introduce Honey for my Baby?' - Read this article Before Deciding

          
I feel it is Highly important to mention two Myths, that almost every Mother would hear, before going into the actual topic.
             1. Honey would aid in the speech abilities of the infant, when applied on his tongue regularly.
             2. Honey would help the baby latch better, when applied on the mother's Nipple.(If you have Latching problem please refer this article about  Latching Problem)

Not discussing into the Myths let's see what will honey actually do to the children, that will wipe out both these myths regardless they are correct or wrong!
        Honey contains botulism spores named clostridium bacteria that is said to cause Infant Botulism which may cause muscle weakness in Infants(less than 1 year). The Honey is neither Pasteurized nor sterilized and that is the reason the disease causing bacteria is not destroyed. The bacteria is said to be destroyed only when cooked at very high temperature and not in household cooking methods. So refrain from using those products that are said to contain pasteurized honey in it.

What is the right age to Introduce Honey?

                Never think about it till you celebrate her first birthday!!!!!!!!  

Own Ideas and Experience being commented here is highly appreciable, so that other mothers also benefit out of it.

'My Toddler has quit eating his/her all time favourite' - Tips to Overcome The Situation Easily

      The most difficult time for a mom is when she says 'My Toddler has quit eating his/her all time favourite', especially when that particular food has high nutritional value.Yes!!!!! It hurts for sure. But there is always a better way to handle this problem than simply worrying.

     Having a two year old toddler at my home I have crossed this situation many times. For instance, when My Son was eight months old he was a lover of avocado. He would often skip his regular meal and instead have half of the avocado for his lunch. Trust Me!!! It's is very difficult for us to eat the avocado raw without sugar, since it does'nt hold any taste at all, ANY. But having not introduced to other tastes babies less than one year will Happily eat it. I used to pat myself whenever I read some articles about avocado and it's positive effects on baby's growth. But my happiness did'nt sustain for a very long time. When he turned one year old, he started to show aversion for many foods that included Avocado. He started to run away whenever he sees me bringing avocado for him. I tried diverting him by playing some videos and then giving him avocado. He simply used to spit it out as soon as he recognized the taste(of course tastelessness!!!) Not wanting to force him much I gave up and put a full stop to Avocado(But soon I recognized it was simply a comma).


    Initially I kept blaming him for not eating those that was his favourite, some time back. But suddenly something flashed in my mind, that changed my attitude towards this. I have a aunt of mine who always used to blame her sons for not eating Any Vegetables. I keep telling her that she should take the responsibility and do something to change them. But Why did I forget this when I was in need of such an Attitude. That's Human Nature!!!!!!

Few Tips To Help Your Toddler and You Overcome This Situation Easily.

    1. If your toddler is showing a sudden aversion to some food stop giving it for few days(say 3 to 4 days), until they forget that they have said No to it once. It can also be a temporary one, which may turn into a strong aversion when you try to do force feed.

    2. When you notice a strong aversion, divert your toddler by showing any videos, and then feed them with that food. If that does'nt work hand over the food to your toddler in a plate and allow them to eat on their own without bothering much about the mess they are going to create. Toddlers always love to eat on their own which also helps them improve their hand-eye coordination.  

   3. If your toddler is still holding a BIG NO, then you really have to give a break(say for a month), the time that you can utilize to find out the best way to give the food in other form. For instance if your toddler is not eating raagi porridge anymore, you can give raagi dosai or 'Upma/Kitchidi' made out of raagi vermi cell.
        In my case, I started to sprinkle some sugar all over the avocado and feed him, for which he was convinced for quite some time. Sometime later he didnt like that also, after which I decided to change the texture totally. Now a days I make a puree out of it by adding some quantity of milk and sugar and then pour the content to a cup and hand it over to him(sometimes I hold it for him) with a straw that is big enough to suck the puree.

    4. Finally, this is for moms who have tried all the above and have reached the stage of giving up. Yeah!!! You can give up  trying to feed that particular food. But not your Positive Attitude. Try to compensate those nutrients, in some other way. Feel Happy that your kid has got the unique nutritional value of that food for quite some time.

      As the babies grows their Taste Buds also gets developed and that is the simple reason for them to show aversions at each stage. When handled properly it could to be changed in favour of the baby as well as mom.

Have a Happy Parenting

Contact me if any suggestion is needed in changing the form of a food.
Click here for Healthy Eating Habits to get more such tips.

'Healthy Eating Habits' For Our Next Generation

Here are few important tips for moms before starting solids and also few important points for moms with toddlers.

1. Try to introduce all the foods to your baby that can be given in each particular stage. The baby should be introduced to all the tastes in appropriate stage. If not, it may have higher possibility that the baby will never eat food in that taste even after growing up.

For example: A baby is capable of eating bitter guard around the eighth month.

2. Introduce only one food at a time. Keep giving it for continuous 3 days. Check for any digestion problem before proceeding to next food. If any symptoms exists stop giving that food and add it to the next stage list.

3. While feeding a new food for the first time give it in the day time preferably before noon. Few more foods may be allergic for the baby. If those foods are given in the night you may not notice any allergic symptoms the baby shows.

4. From the first day you start giving them solids make them sit in one place and feed them. If your baby is yet to sit on own, make them lie in your leg or lap and feed them. At the end, point is, the baby should be in one place while eating. They get easily distracted while roaming here and there and lose interest in eating. By the time they finish the meal they would have digested half of the meal(and of course your full meal) and may lose all the energy they obtained.  

     You may have a feel that your baby is eating less. But Trust Me!!! Quantity of the food is never a matter for them. All we have to give them is the Healthy Eating Habits. 

       When your baby grows into a toddler, one fine day you may notice that, as soon as your toddler sees you taking his/her food he/she may go and sit in the place where you usually feed them. The happiness that a mother will get at that moment is indefinable.

5. Give more importance for diary products(except cheese) including yoghurt, which helps in physical growth as well as mental growth.

6. Never give the food in the form of puree always. Yes!! Giving food in the form of puree is ok in the earlier stage. But the transition should happen at appropriate stage. Do consult with your baby's paediatrician at each stage who may suggest you the texture of the food, based on the baby's digestion capacity and teeth growth.

7. Here comes the most important point everyone should have in mind. Your baby's kidney is too small to process high amount of sugar and salt. So add very less amount of sugar in your baby's food. For the babies being mother fed, sugar and salt can be totally avoided, since they get the required amount of sugar and salt from the mother's milk itself.

8. When your baby is not interested in eating for one day, all that we have to do let them go without forcing, so that they will have their food the next day. If you try force feeding your baby, it may end up in creating a aversion for food in them.

Always Remember!!! It is not only that 'Each Baby Is Different' but also 'All Babies Are Different On Each Day'

Note : For moms who have older kids, just dont worry. Trying To Do Something Is Much Better Than Not Doing Anything. Do contact me if you really think that you have to change any of the routine for your baby through my official page in facebook' https://www.facebook.com/eachbabyisdifferent '. I can share with you my personnel experience, 'what I have done when I went wrong' . No One Can Be Perfect Always.

Solid Foods For 4 - 6 Months Old Baby

   

There is always a known fact that solids should be introduced only after 6 Months and also until then Only Mother's Milk should be fed for the baby. But we have to consider another fact also. 'Babies that are introduced to solids earlier are better eaters.' Whether to introduce solids (supplements) at this stage or not purely depends upon the Babies Growth and for sure the Pediatrician will be the best person to tell this. However for Mom's who have decided to start giving supplements at this stage, it is always confusion what to give and how to give. Here are the few suggestions for the moms who have doubts.

What to Give

•  Avocados/Butter Fruit
• Apples
• Bananas
• Sweet potato
• Carrot
• Green Peas
• Rice 
• Oats
• Ragi 

      

Even after seeing the list some may have doubt on what to start with. Here is the detailed description of everything. Based on the nutritional value decide the order.

Avocado/Butter Fruit

    Avocados are the nature's best gift which is rich in 'good fats' which is primarily needed for baby’s brain growth and also for physical development. It also has a high Nutritional Value.

   How to Give

       Avocado does not need to be cooked. If the avocado is yet to ripe you can place it in a paper bag and place it in the table. Check it for every 12 hours. Once it is ripen you can cut it into two like mango and remove the hard seed in the centre. Then you can simply peel off the skin and feed it since the fully ripe avocado itself is like a purée. Don't worry if you have cut the fruit in prior, you can simply blend it and make it as a purée and feed your baby happily.

   Why to Give

       Avocado is the perfect first food for the babies because it is tasteless. While introducing supplements to the babies in earlier stage you must be very careful. If they are introduced with sweetened and salted food they may get a aversion with Mother's Milk. Also it develops the central nervous system and brain.

Apples

     As soon as we think of giving fruits to our babies first fruit comes to our mind is Apple. Apple is rich in fiber, both insoluble and soluble. So it helps in the bowel movement of the babies and prevents constipation.

 How to Give

      Raw Apples are difficult for babies to digest. Cut the apple into pieces and then either steam it or boil it (in sparse amount of water). Boiling apples with excess water and then draining the excess water may cause loss of nutrients. Make the puree out of the boiled apple and feed your baby happily.

 Why to Give

      It is as simple as that.  'To Keep the Doctor Away'.

Bananas

    Yes!!!! Yet another favorite fruit for both the mom and the kid. Apart from the fact that they are rich in fiber they are also rich in Potassium it serves as a perfect first food for the baby.

 How to Give

     Bananas do not need to be cooked. A ripen banana can be fed directly. Make sure that it is not given in excess amount, which may cause constipation. And if the baby gets constipation even if given in fewer amounts, try giving some amount of water after giving banana.

  Why to Give

        Bananas are high in potassium that is good for the heart and also helps in maintaining blood pressure level

 
Sweet Potato/Carrot/Peas
     It is the known fact that these vegetables are rich in vitamins. All these vegetables have to be boiled and made as a puree and then it can be fed to the baby happily.

Rice

    Boiled rice is too early in this stage. Hence rice can be powdered and with that porridge can be prepared which can be fed to the baby directly.

Oats

    Similar to the rice the oats can also be powered and made used to make porridge. There is a common myth that oats is meant for weight loss and if given for babies it may reduce their weight. Not at all!! Oats is too good for babies, that when given regularly may reduce the possibility of getting blood pressure in future. So enjoy giving your baby Oats Porridge.

Ragi 

    It is one of the best foods in the world. Have any one thought why athletes from countries like kenya are always on the top in athletics. The most common food in those countries is Ragi/Pearl Millet (Kambu) that gives stamina which is mainly needed for athletics

Why to Give.

     As soon as we decide to start to start with solids the first suggestion from our family will be Rice porridge. But I personally suggest you to start with ragi porridge since i have started with that. No other food contains so much calcium in it like that of Ragi.

How to Give

     Ragi can be powdered and made a porridge out of that and can be given to baby. Ragi also contains high fiber that may be difficult for the baby to digest. If any symptoms of indigestion is seen in baby just don't worry. There is another way to give Ragi without causing digestion problem.

      Soak few tea spoons of ragi in water for full night (around for 10-12 hrs). Drain the water from the Ragi and grind it using mixxie by adding small amount of amount. Now extract the milk (like we do for extracting coconut milk) alone from that and repeat the procedure if needed. Now add some water to the milk and boil it in simmer. Boil until it reaches a texture of Ice-Apple (Nungu). Feed it happily to the baby and help them grow with strong bones.

Hope you would have found this blog useful. Soon I will post Few Tips to Start Solids that all moms need to know.