Nutrition is important at any age but the earlier we can adopt a nutritious diet the better. For children good nutrition is vital to support their growth and as a preventative measure to help them to fight infections.  Also if children develop good habits at a young age and are educated about the food that they eat they are more likely to adopt a healthier lifestyle as they grow older.

It is not always easy to get children to eat the food that is good for them but there are some keys to success;-

• Persevere – you’ve probably heard this before but if you offer a food on a number of occasions you may find that your little one will suddenly start to eat it, especially if they are hungry!

• Get creative - blend vegetables into sauces (my daughter hates broccoli but her favourite food is chicken and broccoli in a cheese sauce!)

• Make food fun – involve your children in preparing food such as making pizza toppings.

• Variety – it’s sometimes easy to opt for the easy meal which you know they will eat but it is important that they experience lots of different foods to get the range of nutrients they need. They are also likely to be less fussy eaters if they have tasted lots of different tastes and textures.

• Relax – it can be difficult but keep a relaxed attitude about food. If a child won’t eat don’t offer alternatives and don’t force them to eat. If you get uptight about their eating they will pick up on it.

In the same way that I tailor nutritional programmes for adults I also do the same with children.

A growing incidence of health conditions such as allergies, asthma, eczema, glue ear, learning disorders and autism has been observed in children. If you would like to know whether nutritional therapy can help your child and what’s involved then please contact me.