Children and young people’s health
Nutritional problems normally occur because of a deficiency in vital nutrients needed by a growing body. This can be as simple as the food on offer being very high in sugar or highly processed; this results in nutrient deficiency and in fact robs the body of more vital nutrients needed during the digestion process.
There are many children suffering from malnutrition because the food they are given is lacking the many vitamins and minerals needed for a growing body. This lack of nutrients can cause symptoms seen in children such as ‘growing pains’ mainly in the legs and sometimes causing the child to be very fidgety. There are many other indicators of nutritional problems such as learning difficulties, aggression, depression, lack of interest generally, hormonal issues causing very spotty skin and many more …
We think of malnutrition as being a problem for people in developing countries where there is not enough food to supply the body with all the chemical requirements to function – but we are now finding this problem in industrialised nations where there is quite the opposite – in fact a plentiful supply of food, but nutritionally deficient. What is happening is that the processing of foods is eliminating the vital vitamins and minerals and replaced with added salt, sugar and other additives to put back flavour – both of these activities in food production are causing major health issues. (see ‘what is nutritional therapy?’)
It is quality not quantity that is the important element here
Children are more vulnerable as their bodies as they are in a growth stage and need the correct combination of the vital nutrients to allow the cellular structure to develop i.e. skeleton, muscles, brain etc. we should ask ourselves the question – why are we seeing learning difficulties, aggression, anger and depression, under and over weight issues and generally poor health in our children?
Food allergies
An allergy is a disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur to environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable and rapid.
Strictly speaking, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type 1, or immediate.
Hypersensitivity is characterised by excessive activation of white blood cells (WBC) by a type of antibody known as IgE, this results in extreme inflammation.
Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma, food sensitivities and reaction to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.
In my clinical setting I see food and environmental allergies as the most common form, with dairy and nut allergies heading the list. It has been suggested that about 60% of the population suffer with some form of allergic response. This figure is slowly rising as we subject our bodies and our immune systems to ever more stress.
Any factors which impair the immune function will predispose the body to allergies, eg stress (emotional or physical), poor nutrition, tobacco, recreational or prescription drugs, over reliance on artificial or processed foods.
The digestive tract and the digestive process play a very big part in the case of food allergies. Many foods such as dairy, wheat and sugar are introduced into the infant’s diet before the body is adequately equipped to handle them. Prior to one year of age the integrity of the digestive lining is very poor and large molecules can cross the lining to enter the blood stream where they prime the lymphocytes against them. Ideally a baby should be weaned onto gluten-free grains (millet, buckwheat, rice), fruits and vegetables and should not be fed cows’ milk, sugar or wheat products until at least one year of age.
I offer allergy testing in my clinic to determine the foods most likely to be causing a reaction – but my main aim is to get the digestive and immune systems back to balance to enable the body to step down the from the state of hypersensitivity.
If you would like to discuss nutritional issues please contact me:
Tel: 01954 204828
email: peter@graysnutrition.com