gpmpediatricspc

The 3Rs: Removing, Replacing, and Restoring

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:18 GMT

As previously mentioned, nutrition is directly tied with our children’s health and wellbeing. There are 3 main restorative actions we can implement to build and maintain a cleaner, healthier lifestyle. You can read more in-depth about all 3 steps below.

The first R stands for removing. This means removing or discovering any allergens or intolerances from your diet or medications that could potentially cause inflammation. Some common irritants that can cause symptoms are soy, dairy, gluten, sugar, peanuts, and GMOs. Some people can also get irritated by coffee or alcohol.

Many children have food allergies, which is common and can actually change over time. If you suspect your child has a certain allergy, talk to your child’s doctor and we can run some tests for you.

The second R signifies replacing aka replacing the nutrients or vitamins you cut out . By changing your diet, you might lose certain nutrients which is why it’s important to always have a balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein and fat. This can also be done by taking certain supplements depending on your body’s needs.

Children (and adults) need daily servings of vegetables and fruits, whole grains such as bread, pasta, rice or oats, and proteins such as eggs, chicken, or even legumes. Additionally, milk products such as cheese or milk can be a great source of healthy fat and protein. Our children typically eat small portions throughout the day yet use a lot of energy, so it’s important to keep them fueled up.

Lastly, the third R stands for restoring . This step can be done by consuming probiotics and prebiotics, which both work to insert good bacteria back into your body. Probiotics are live microbes that can be ingested through certain drinks, foods, and supplements. On the other hand, prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that help regulate your GI tract.

Here are some examples of some probiotic-rich foods and prebiotics:

Probiotics:

yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, aged cheese
fermented veggies (kimchi, sauerkraut)
sourdough, kombucha

Prebiotics:

bananas, apples, watermelon
mushrooms, garlic, cabbage
chickpeas, oats, whole-grain wheat

Attention: Always seek the guidance of your G.P. and ask questions regarding certain supplements and your child’s diets to make sure they are receiving a balanced diet. If you suspect your child has certain food allergies or intolerances, please contact your G.P.

What is Dysfunction?

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:17 GMT

What is Dysfunction?

Dysfunction describes a problem that disrupts the functioning of an internal system or a body part. It can also refer to a disorder that affects the normal operations of one’s body. This can happen due to many different reasons including illness, injury, genetics, and even environmental factors.

Dysfunction can cause asthma, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and developmental disorders. By understanding a patient’s dysfunctions and illnesses, we can work together to alleviate the root cause and get rid of the pain, discomfort, or sickness altogether.

There are 4 main areas to focus on, which are: gut health, oxidative stress, inflammation, and methylation.

Gut health describes issues such as constipation, diarrhea, gas, acid reflux, and other symptoms that emerge from the gut area. Typically, people purchase medicines to relieve these specific symptoms but they don’t alleviate the root cause of their gut problems.

Oxidative stress is a condition that occurs when there’s an imbalance between oxygen-containing molecules known as free radicals and antioxidants. Free radicals are able to react with other molecules in a process known as oxidation, which can either benefit or harm you.

Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism the body activates to protect the body against foreign substances or injuries and repair any damages. This is done by inserting more white blood cells into your blood and your tissues.

Lastly, methylation is a chemical process that is important to regulate the development and function of the body. This process is responsible for functions such as neurotransmitter production, hormone regulation, DNA production, and detoxification.

In order to build and maintain healthier lifestyles for our children and ourselves, we need to focus on the 3 Rs: R emoving, R eplacing, and R estoring, which is directly tied in with nutrition. Nutrition is extremely important and affects every aspect of your body functions, which is why we, as parents have to establish a balanced diet for our children from a young age.

If you would like to read more about the 3 Rs, click here.

The first R stands for removing meaning removing or discovering any allergens or intolerances from your diet, medications, etc. that could potentially cause inflammation in the gut. Some common irritants that can cause symptoms are soy, dairy, gluten, sugar, and GMOs. Recently, many food establishments have become more courteous to tailor to customers. Other people can also get irritated by coffee or alcohol.

The second R signifies replacing aka replacing the nutrients or vitamins you cut out. By changing your diet, you might lose certain nutrients which is why it’s important to always have a balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein and fat. This can also be done by taking certain supplements depending on your body’s needs.

Lastly, the third R means restoring. This step can be done by consuming probiotics and prebiotics, which both work to insert good bacteria back into your body. Probiotics are live microbes that can be ingested through certain drinks, foods, and supplements, such as yogurt, pickles, miso. On the other hand, prebiotics are fibers that help regulate your GI tract and can be found in garlic, whole grains, apples, and lentils.

To learn more about improving and establishing a healthy lifestyle for your children, subscribe to our page to stay updated.

Gut Health

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:17 GMT

Gut Health

Did you know that many American food products are actually banned in other countries?

Our supermarkets are filled with processed foods and foods with high levels of artificial sugar. A lot of our foods in the United States are infused with unhealthy or even dangerous “ingredients”, such as artificial dyes, oil substitutes, and carcinogenic chemicals, which are used by food manufacturers for various reasons. Even foods that could be moderately healthy such as salmon and apples are not as healthy as you think! Unfortunately for us – the consumers, the foods we consume on a daily basis have been majorly affecting our gut health.

What is gut health?

Gut health describes issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, acid reflux, and other symptoms that emerge from the gut area. Typically, people purchase medicines to relieve these specific symptoms but they don’t alleviate the root cause of their gut problems. A healthy gut can help you absorb nutrients better and prevent sicknesses including infections.

It’s been known that the U.S. struggles with obesity, especially since we have quite a high level of child obesity. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol problems can also potentially be issues that our children will face, either at a younger age or when they become adults.

What can we do?

A healthy gut needs to have balanced gut bacteria, which can be attained in a number of ways. Nutrition, adequate sleep, and regular exercise are 3 ways to maintain a strong immune system. Nutrition is one of the hardest factors for many people because there are so many unhealthy choices in the market and as mentioned before, even the healthy foods available aren’t always so healthy. Hence why we need to balance our gut health by intaking a good amount of probiotics and prebiotics.

What does that mean exactly? Probiotics are live bacteria that can be consumed through supplements or through certain foods. They work to improve digestion, boost the immune system, and can help prevent certain diseases. On the other hand, prebiotics are carbohydrates that act as a source of food for your gut’s bacteria. By consuming probiotics and prebiotics, your gut health and your immune system will then improve.

Actions You Can Take

To learn more about certain actions you can take to revitalize your body, probiotics and prebiotics, read more here . In addition, you can check out our shop to buy some of our recommended supplements.

Attention: This blog is purely informational and shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your G.P. for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and before undertaking a new regimen. Contact your child’s doctor for further information regarding their nutrition and overall wellbeing.

Oxidative Stress

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:16 GMT

Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress can lead to serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Our children are actually more prone to the effects of oxidative stress because they are still developing. They can affect children in a number of ways.

Here are a few examples on how oxidative stress can affect our children:

Asthma and allergies: oxidative stress can damage the cells of the respiratory system and increase inflammation
Developmental delays: oxidative stress can lead to delays in cognitive abilities, motor abilities, and behavioral development
Cancer: oxidative stress can lead to damaged DNA, cause inflammation, and weaken the immune system

In addition, when your body stimulates oxidative stress, it can cause a negative effect with methylation and can cause chronic inflammation.

In order to reduce oxidative stress in your body, it’s recommended to always eat a healthy balanced diet, getting regular exercise and sleep, and manage stress levels. It’s also important for our children to eat – in particular, fruits and vegetables, which are antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidant-rich foods work to reduce oxidative stress.

Inflammation

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:15 GMT

Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism our bodies activate to protect us against foreign substances or injuries and repair any damages. Simply put, this process is done by inserting more white blood cells and other cells into your blood and your tissues – the affected area – in order to start the healing process. In children, inflammation usually occurs as a result of injury, infection, or allergies.

There’s two types of inflammation: acute inflammation which is short-term and can act as a necessary response, and chronic inflammation. Symptoms of acute inflammation include redness, swelling, pain, fever, or itching. Chronic inflammation can be linked to conditions such as cancer, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, and other diseases. Other conditions include dermatitis, bronchitis, and psoriasis. For children in particular, inflammation can happen due to obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise. These long-term conditions can last for years or forever, depending on each person and severity.

In order to reduce inflammation, we should maintain a healthy weight through our diets, manage stress, get physical exercise, and take supplements if necessary. Some anti-inflammatory foods include oranges, spinach, olive oil, and tomatoes. We should also avoid smoking, environmental toxins, and consume anti-inflammatory supplements such as turmeric and omega-3 such as fish oil.

Methylation

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:22:14 GMT

Methylation

Methylation is a complex chemical process that is important to regulate the development and function of the body. This process is responsible for regular functions such as neurotransmitter production, hormone regulation, DNA production, and detoxification.

Methylation is also important for the development of our bodies and our cells, therefore irregular methylation patterns can lead to many issues. Irregular methylation patterns can prompt a number of diseases and medical issues such as cancer, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, and more. Some examples are leukemia, autism spectrum disorder, and multiple sclerosis.

Many factors can impact methylation such as our diets, genetics, lifestyle habits, and toxins in the environment such as air pollution. Eating healthy, nutrient-rich foods such as fish, fruits, vegetables, and legumes can have a positive effect on methylation. Consuming certain vitamins such as B12 and folate or absorbing them through supplements can be beneficial as well.