Many of you have likely seen the new inverted food pyramid published recently by the Department of Health and Human Services. If you haven’t seen it, it looks like this: Copy of the new, inverted food pyramid per the USDA, compared to an old pyramid below. Note the inversion where grains were the base with the most servings but now are minimized. I will highlight the positives and negatives, particularly in relation to children.  First, the positives. The emphasis is on whole

As parents we all want our children to grow up healthy and active. Building strong bones in kids  starts with the right nutrition and healthy habits from an early age before the critical growth years are over. On a recent holiday road trip, my husband and I listened to Dr. Radio and an interview with a pediatric bone expert. I researched further and decided the topic would make a good blog article. Picture of a human skeleton waving. I have written a couple of times about vi

Childhood hypertension has been on the increase worldwide. From 2000 to 2020, the incidence of high blood pressure in children and adolescents nearly doubled. Estimates are that about 1 in 25 children, ages 12-19, have hypertension, and 1 in 10 has prehypertension (elevated blood pressure but not yet high enough to classify as hypertension). Child getting his blood pressure measured at the doctor's office. What are the Causes? Blood pressure ranges vary with age. For teens an

Nutrition plays a role in maintaining your and your child’s health during the winter. There are ways you can use food to offer protection, in addition to frequent handwashing, covering your mouth with coughing and sneezing, and/or mask-wearing. Eating healthy during the colder months can be challenging for numerous reasons - The holidays offer too many appealing high-sugar, high-fat, and high-calorie treats Some of your favorite fresh produce may be more limited during these

The last two decades have shown a surge in the cases of youth-onset type 2 diabetes. This used to be a disease of adults only and was called adult-onset diabetes, since it was not seen in children. It is now a pediatric disease. Type 2 diabetes in children is rising at a faster rate than type 1 and is a global problem. The word diabetes written on a chalkboard surrounded by a scale, glucometer, stethoscope, exercise equipment, and healthy foods. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is cause

A child’s vegetable intake often declines with age. Achieving the recommended daily vegetable intake of 2-4 servings is difficult. There are things a parent can do that is the focus of this article. Why are vegetables important? Vegetables provide multiple health benefits including fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and plant-based antioxidants not provided by other foods. They help in preventing constipation and feed the gut microbiome. Eating vegetables adds fiber a

Children eating a plant-based meal. There are many variations of eating: Vegetarian: excludes animals Vegan: excludes animals, dairy, and eggs Lacto-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk and milk products Ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes eggs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk, milk products, and eggs Pescatarian: excludes meat and poultry but includes fish, milk, milk products, and e

Increasing the nutrient density of meals  is easier and more affordable than most people think. Making meals that are nutrient dense rather than energy dense is easy and affordable. Nutrient dense refers to foods high in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals and relatively low in calories — think vegetables, fruits, and grains. Energy dense foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, usually from fats or sugars. There are numerous ways to improve the nutrient density o

Group of young multi-cultural women. I recently returned from a Culinary Medicine conference in New Orleans, the birthplace of the program. Dr. Timothy Harlan, both a chef and internal medicine doctor, first helped develop this program at Tulane Medical School. He recognized the importance of food in preventing and treating disease, initiating a movement that many medical schools have now adopted. One of the more interesting topics, and relevant to what I write about, is the

Understanding the difference between omega 3 versus omega 6 fatty acids  is essential for making smarter dietary choices. You hear a lot these days about PUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. These two PUFAs are essential fatty acids, meaning our bodies do not make these and we have to get them through our diet. How do we do this? What are the differences? Is one better than the other? All of these questions are answered when you tr

Many parents are asking about probiotics and prebiotics for kids  and whether their children truly need them. What are probiotics and prebiotics? Are they different? Do we need to take them as supplements or can we get them through diet? Are they beneficial for children? Should they be taken all the time or only sometimes? All of these important questions about probiotics and prebiotics for kids  are answered in today's blog. Let's start with definitions. Probiotics : a food

The dangers of raw unpasteurized milk children  should never be given is a warning every parent needs to hear. I read a newspaper article last month regarding raw, unpasteurized milk and its potential benefits, but that it also can contain the bird flu virus. As a pediatrician, I wish to warn parents regarding unpasteurized products, whether milk, cheeses, or juices. Raw milk can come from cows, goats, sheep, or buffalo. Pasteurizing extends the freshness and shelf-life of m

Young children love to spend time with their parents and do the things that they do. Cooking is a novel activity for them, even though the novelty may have worn off for the parent. Cooking with your child and giving them tasks helps you discover joy in a shared project. Father and young daughter cooking together. Studies show that when a child is involved in meal preparation, they are more likely to eat what they have helped to prepare. Having your child involved in cooking g

You are likely familiar with growth charts and have been told of your infant’s/child’s growth percentiles. These are critical pieces of...

Now that we discussed improving the nutrient density of meals - let’s use that information to create meals and snacks for home and on the...

(Influencing Your Child's Taste Preferences) Once your baby is over a year and enters toddlerhood, they often become picky eaters. Foods they previously loved, they now do not want; they may eat the same thing for days, then suddenly will not touch it. Toddler girl covering mouth and refusing to eat - part of toddler territory! What’s a parent to do? Sometimes, we just want them to eat… anything ! This article will help you through this phase to keep your sanity, keep them on

Are you familiar with the gut microbiota? Research shows that there are more microorganisms living in our gut than there are cells in our...

Feeding your child table food and what the rest of the family eats is exciting. This article is a reminder that little ones don’t chew...

During infancy, babies get all the protein they require from breast milk or formula. Meat and seafood provide an additional protein...

I have stated in many posts that little ones should not have whole nuts before the age of four since these are a choking hazard. Nuts in...