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5-12 years: Elementary School

Prebiotics and probiotics are likely words that you’ve come across while reading a magazine, watching the news, or browsing the supplement aisle at the store. But do you know what they actually are or what they do? Prebiotics and probiotics have been recognized through nutrition research as “functional foods.” Simply put, “functional foods” provide benefits that may improve health, wellbeing, and/or reduce risk of disease. An example of a functional food is live-culture yogurt that contains probiotics and prebiotics. Many supplement manufacturer utah companies make probiotics and other supplements that are a source of these “functional foods.” Though keep in mind that this is not the only way to incorporate prebiotics and probiotics into your diet. Prebiotics and probiotics can easily be incorporated into your daily diet with a variety of natural, everyday food sources. In fact, your body is often better able to absorb and digest the prebiotics and […]

When the school year starts, things suddenly get much, much busier. In the rush to get the kids up, dressed, packed and out the door, sometimes lunchboxes are stuffed with whatever’s most convenient. The problem: Too many snack foods, desserts and sugar-sweetened beverages are sneaking into our kids’ lunchboxes, and not enough fruits, vegetables and dairy products are being packed. So start this school year off with nutrition in mind. Think ahead and plan menus for healthy school lunches that will wow your kids and give them the nutrients they need to be the best students they can be. 7 Tips for Building Healthy School Lunches A nutritionally complete lunch is essential to promoting peak academic performance. If your kids bring lunch from home, here are some tips for building a healthy, well-balanced mid-day meal: 1. Choose a healthy item from each food group. Include fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and […]

Many parents wonder: “Is my child’s anxiety normal? Should I be worried?” While anxiety in young kids can be nerve-wracking for parents, it has a lot to do with age and development. Anxiety about a certain trigger can be completely appropriate at one stage and inappropriate at another. For example, it’s entirely normal for children up to age 2 to have some degree of separation anxiety, but we hope that kids are able to separate without too many tears around ages 3 or 4. Being worried about dogs, bees, storms and sudden loud noises is totally understandable for 3- and 4-year-olds because they’re starting to understand that the world can be scary sometimes. It’s also expected that kids of this age will go through a phase when they’re exercising mastery of their environment – when it’s “my way or the highway,” which can often be mistaken for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). For […]

Did you know that your children’s adolescent years are critical for building bone mass? On average, peak bone mass is achieved at 12.5 years of age for girls, and 14 years of age for boys. By the age of 18, nearly 90 percent of peak bone mass has been acquired. This means that our kids must make the most of their diets and physical activity prior to becoming an adult, as they will rely on their acquired bone mass for the rest of their lives! Why Calcium and Vitamin D? Calcium and vitamin D are the two most important nutrients when discussing diet and bone health. Calcium is a mineral that makes up the bone structure (along with phosphorus). Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is necessary for our bodies to absorb calcium. Calcium is mainly found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. The United States […]

As the days get longer and warmer, kids will naturally be spending more time outside — many of them on bicycles. Before they ride off, though, take the time to make sure your kids are riding safely and smartly. Dress for Safety Before your kids even leave the house, they should be dressed to ride. The Clothes Dressing for safe bike riding means children should: Most importantly, wear a helmet. Wear brightly-colored clothing so that other vehicles and pedestrians can easily see them coming. Avoid wearing loose clothing that can get caught in the pedals or chains. The Shoes Kids should wear shoes: with grips (like sneakers) with tightly tied laces. If laces are really long, they should be tucked into the shoe so they don’t get caught on the bike that can be snugly fastened on their feet — no flip-flops or slide-on shoes that could fall off or […]

We don’t usually think of blood pressure as a matter of concern during childhood — and for most kids, it’s not. But blood pressure is an important vital sign and one that your child’s physician should be taking at every check-up. Babies’ blood pressure measurements are taken at birth as part of routine newborn screenings. After that, expert guidelines, including those of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), call for measurements to be taken at well-child visits and sick visits in the pediatrician’s office, starting at age 3. What’s Considered “Normal” Blood Pressure for Kids? Determining normal or optimal blood pressure for children is a bit complex because it depends on a number of factors including age, height and gender. A simplified approach is to use these thresholds: A child from 3 to 11 years should have blood pressure at or below 110/70. From age 12 upward, a measurement of […]