Child nutrition from age 6 months to 5 years Growth and development of a child depends on the nourishment received by the child right from birth. Healthy diet and proper eating habits are essential to be inculcated in a child as early as possible. A balanced diet given to the child at the earliest provides all nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Nutritional value of every food item introduced in the child s diet should be gauged prior and then given to the child. 

Nutritional requirement of children varies in accordance to the age group. It is necessary that the parents should have knowledge about the age-specific requirements of the diet, which will benefit the child in their growing years. 

Following is the ideal child nutrition ranging from the age group of 6 months to 5 years. 

1. 6 months to 12 months

A. Right from the birth of a newborn child, it is necessary to begin breastfeeding for the baby. It should begin within an hour of the child s birth. It is the ideal way of providing proper nutrition to the child. 

B. Breastfeeding is beneficial by providing nourishment and also by improving the immunity of the baby. 

C. From birth to 6 months, only breastfeeding is advised. It is a critical source of nutrition for the child even during illness. 

D. After the baby turns 6 months old, solid food can be introduced in the child s diet.

E. Breastfeeding can be continued and supplemented with other food items.

F. Usually, fruit juices are introduced first in the diet.

G. Feeding bottle should be avoided and the child should be fed with a spoon and cup. Proper hygiene and good handling of the food is required. 

H. It is necessary to wipe the gums and developing teeth clean with a wet gauge to prevent any decay that can be caused by sticking of the food on the teeth surfaces fed to the child.

2. 1 year to 3 years

A. Children in this age group can tell when they feel full after feeding. It is necessary to listen to their demand for food and also avoid overfeeding children.

B. This age group requires children to eat all types of nutrients, so parents should focus on providing a variety of food items to replenish their child s nutritional requirements.

C. Children in this age group require fat-rich foods and should be given dairy products for calcium requirements.

D. Processed foods should not be given to children in this age. Calories intake should be monitored to the optimum level. 

E. Since children at this age are involved in activities like walking, running around and playing it is essential to keep feeding them at regular intervals to maintain the energy levels of their bodies.

3. 3 years to 5 years.

A. Children belonging to this age group require to eat a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet. 

B. Grains should be included on a routine basis. They provide the child with carbohydrates, fibers and minerals. All these nutrients provide energy to the child s body. 

C. Inclusion of whole wheat grains provides fibers in adequate quantity. 

D. Refined foods should be avoided, whole grain breads should be included in the diet. 

E. Fruit intake should be increased, as they are an important source of various vitamins. Fresh fruit should always be preferred over juices for growing children. 

F. Sugar intake should be kept to a minimum quantity, since refined sugars do more harm to the child s health than any good. 

G. Vegetables should form a considerably greater part of the child s daily diet, with the inclusion of a variety of vegetables. 

H. Protein sources of food include meat, poultry, pulses, beans and nuts. Along with protein, these food items also provide iron, zinc and minerals to the body. 

Apart from the above specified food items, daily intake of milk is necessary for children of growing age. It provides the body with sufficient calcium to facilitate bone growth in growing children. Also, nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews are advised to be given to the children daily.

Nutrition Tips For Children From Age 6 Months To 5 Years!

Homeopathy and its role in treating ADHD

A brain disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a continuous pattern of hyperactivity and inattention, resulting in interference with normal development and functioning. The term is applied to both adults and children who exhibit these two characteristics over a long period of time. The condition is usually discovered during a child's early school years, between the third and sixth year (during which he or she may display problems associated with attention) and can go on into adulthood. Although medications are available under western medical science for treating this condition, they aren't free from any side effects.

Which remedies are generally used for treating ADHD?

Homeopathic remedies can help in easing some of the symptoms of this condition, making it easy for children to take part in normal school and social activities. A homeopath prescribes the relevant remedies after having a clear understanding of your characteristics. Some of the medicines that are used for treating the condition are Cina, Hyoscyamus Niger and Stramonium. While Cina is prescribed for alleviating aggressive behavior, Stramonium is recommended for treating fears or PTSD and Hyoscyamus Niger for sexualized or manic symptoms. But the one remedy that is most preferred for treating the varied symptoms of ADHD is Tarentula Hispana.

How is homeopathy different from conventional medicine?

When it comes to the homeopathic treatment approach for ADHD, it differs from conventional western medicine in two very different ways. Firstly, the treatment is personalized to suit your needs and health condition. For this reason, the remedy that is suggested to you differs from the one that is suggested to another individual. Such an approach allows a homeopath to better help you by addressing your specific symptoms compared to the conventional treatment of ADHD. Secondly, it treats the condition using smaller doses of the remedies and not higher doses so as to not aggravate the symptoms of ADHD.

In addition to being safe and non-toxic, when these homeopathic remedies are taken along with dietary modifications and lifestyle changes, they can bring about vital improvements in your health.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

How Hyperactivity of ADHD can be Controlled by Homeopathy

Are you looking for an ideal treatment and management for various kinds of headaches? Do you suffer from migraine headaches? You should opt for Ayurvedic treatment, which is considered to be very effective in dealing with headaches of various types.

Migraine headaches

Migraine is a form of headache that is known as Sooryavata according to Ayurvedic principles. Such headaches worsen during sunrise, peak during the afternoon and tend to reduce during evening. Migraine occurs because of an excessive stimulation of blood vessels in the brain. A person affected with migraine is likely to experience nausea and vomiting, along with a throbbing headache on one side of the head. Migraine headaches can be caused due to hormonal changes, allergy from certain food items or excess stress. Apart from regular exercises and a proper diet, the most effective Ayurvedic remedies for dealing with migraine headaches are as follows:

Shirolepa or the applications of herbal pastes on the head is effective for pacifying pitta dosha. Camphor, jatasmansi, and sandalwood are also effective.
Shiro Dhara, an Ayurvedic therapy, where a thin stream of liquid is poured over your scalp is helpful.
Taila dhara is effective for migraine headaches as well, in which oils such as chandanadi taila and ksheerabala taila are used for treatment.
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches refer to headaches on one side of the head. It is known as Suryavartham according to Ayurveda. These consist of a series of short, but painful headaches, stretched over weeks or months together. Such headaches occur because of disruptions in the nervous system. Usually, the pain starts early in the morning in the eyes. There are several Ayurvedic remedies for the management of cluster headaches. Some of them are as follows:

Use an ointment or paste made of dried ginger and Kermpferia.
Use a paste of Indian aloe vera, asafoetida and coriander for pain relief.
Grind cumin seeds and mix it with lemon juice. Keep the mixture on the painful area of your head for quick relief.
Have coconut water.
Recurrent headaches
Any form of headache, which tends to reoccur after some time instead of ending is referred to as recurrent headache. There are several Ayurvedic remedies for the effective management of recurrent headaches. They as are as follows:

Boil one teaspoon of haritaki powder in water and drink it.
Massage your neck gently using warm calamus root oil.
Lie down with your nostrils parallel to the ceiling, and apply sesame oil in your nostrils. This is known as nasal therapy.
There are several other Ayurvedic remedies that are effective in dealing with all forms of headaches. You should consult an Ayurvedic practitioner for getting the most ideal remedy for your problem.

Migraine - How Ayurveda Can Help You Treat it!

Coughing during the night can really wreak havoc for your sleep and cause inexplicable discomfort in the throat and chest region. Thankfully, you can manage it by soothing your tickling throat as well as sensitive airways before you go to bed at night. 

Drink herbal tea: A mugful of non-caffeinated tea mixed with a teaspoon of honey before going to bed can help you to a considerable extent. This is because any warm liquid has the power to break down the formation of mucus in the throat region and with a bit of honey, the herbal tea becomes even more powerful.
Try to sleep in an inclining position: Gravity is your greatest enemy while combating night-time cough. When you lie down flat on your back at night, all the mucus and dust particles, which you have swallowed all through the day, would accumulate in the throat area and aggravate it making more cough. But you can easily defy gravitational force by piling up some pillows and prop yourself on them while sleeping. You may also keep a wooden block of 4 inches height under your head, which would keep the acids in the stomach so that they don t come up to irritate your throat.
Make sure you use the steam cautiously: When your airways are dry, it can make you cough harder. Therefore, you may find relief if you take a warm shower or a bath before going to bed. But you have to be sure that you don t have asthma as steam can prove harmful for you.
Check the level of humidity: Humidifiers are known to soothe the problem of persistent coughing when the surrounding air is dry. But too much of moisture during the night can also make you cough. This is because dust mites, mold and other allergens thrive well in the damp air and they could conspire to make your cough even worse. So, pick up a cheap hygrometer from a hardware store and see that the humidity level stays within 40 to 50 percent.
Equip yourself at night: Keep all the things from drops to water to cough syrup or anything that soothes coughing at your bedside so that you can help yourself in case you wake up in the middle of the night and start coughing.
By following these few tips every day, you can manage the night time cough and have a good night s sleep without any interruptions.

Night Time Cough - 5 Tips to Manage it

Insulin is the most common treatment prescribed for people affected with diabetes. Diabetes is condition where high amounts of glucose prevail in the blood for an extended period of time. However, there are some drugs that offer an alternative to insulin in treating diabetes, which are:

1. Liraglutide: Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug that causes the body to release greater amounts of insulin so as to facilitate the movement of glucose from the blood to the cells. People with type 2 diabetes generally use this treatment. It slows the digestion process and can cause symptoms of headache and nausea. 

2. Pramlintide: It's an artificially produced version of amylin. It is taken by both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, facilitates slower digestion of food and therefore, controls release of sugar in the blood. It can cause tiredness and nausea.

3. Dulaglutide:This treatment is for people affected with type 2 diabetes and it is administered once a week. It causes more insulin to be released and pass the glucose to the cells. It can cause loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal cramps as side effects.

4. Albiglutide: This treatment facilitates pancreas to release insulin and limits the glucagon hormone production. It is used by type 2 diabetes patients who have not taken well to other treatments. The side effects are skin reaction, respiratory tract infection and nausea.

5. Exenatide: It is a drug that causes pancreas to release insulin that facilitates movement of glucose to cells. It is a treatment for type 2 diabetes and it restricts release of glucagon in the body. The possible side effects are acidity, constipation and vomiting.

Common Insulin Alternatives

5 Easy ways to prevent obesity in your child

Research shows that overweight children have a higher chances of developing chronic health problems such as hypertension, asthma, high cholesterol, and even cancer as they grow up. Apart from these health conditions, being obese can cause severe self-esteem problems as well. In short, obesity in children, more specifically childhood obesity, can affect the overall physical, mental and emotional health of your child.  

Here are 5 easy ways to prevent your child from falling into the perils of obesity.

1. Develop healthy eating habits in your child
Encouraging your little ones to develop healthy eating habits is vital for maintaining optimum body weight. Instead of high sugar and high fat foods, a child’s diet should consist of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods (such as oats, quinoa and wheat). Proteins such as lean meats, lentils, beans and fish should be included in his/her eating plan as well. Most importantly, serving food in the right portion sizes will ensure your child is getting the right amount of nutrients, while preventing him/her from consuming empty calories. Inculcate these eating habits in them right from the time they are toddlers so that it stays with them as they get older.

2. Make your child avoid calorie-rich foods
Getting your child to avoid fatty, sugary and salty foods can also prevent him from tipping over the weighing scale. Present before your child low sugar and low fat alternatives that he/she would enjoy eating such as apples, bananas, carrots, etc. 

3. Encourage your child to pursue physical activity
Try to encourage your child to engage in some form of physical activity for about 60 minutes every day. From brisk walking, swimming, dancing to skipping - your child could opt for any of these physical activities. Having your child lead an active life can see him/her enjoying a number of health benefits like respite from stress, strengthening of his/her bones and muscles and decrease in blood pressure, to name a few. 

4. Put a limit on your child’s TV time
When it comes to the time that your child may spend before the TV, computer or other gizmos, it should be not more than 2 hours a day. Instead, devise fun activities wherein your child as well other members of the family can take part in or ones in which your child does not need a company.

5. Ensure your child gets enough sleep
Lastly, a good night’s rest that lasts about 9-12 hours is vital for optimal weight maintenance. Studies reveal that children who slept for fewer hours were more at risk of being obese. This is because less sleep causes fatigue, leading to a decrease in physical activity and therefore, use of energy. 




5 Practical Ways to Prevent Obesity in Children

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