Miracles come by working on your fussy eater or food sensitivities

‘She’s just happier’, ‘he can concentrate now’, ‘he doesn’t get into trouble at school anymore’, ‘my relationship with my daughter flows easier now’, ‘he doesn’t have redness ‘down there’ anymore’, ‘they just look so…well!’.

For most parents, they might see the outwards signs :

• the eczema, the dark circles/pinkness under the eyes, red swipes across the cheeks, pale/uneven skin tone
• the naughty child, the hyperactive one, the ‘silly’ voice
• the runny poos, the constipation
• the child who has difficulty winding down at night, the one that wakes more often than they should be
• the one that is always run down and sick, the constant snot or ear infections, antibiotics…
• the asthma, the bedwetting, the red/itchiness in the genital area
• other developmental issues such as speech and language delay, learning issues, trouble with reading and more

These ‘symptoms’ usually make us as parents sit up and pay attention.  Often, they confuse us.  Where to start?  Who can help?  When will these problems go away?

It can be so overwhelming that we leave it in the ‘too hard basket’.  And that is VERY understandable as many parents are given misinformation or only bandaid solutions, which never help the problem in the long run.

The problem is, I have this thing about feeling into the children and seeing things from their point of view.  It can be so easy to forget, as parents, what the child is going through.  To feel what the child is going through with these issues.

For some parents, they also get thrown :

• the fussy eater – the sensitive little one who finds it hard to fathom many foods.  It may be just vegetables, it may be just ones that are slimy or sticky, it may be more, many more.
• the child with food sensitivities – maybe allergies, maybe intolerances, maybe a combination.  Some parents know in their heart their child probably has some food sensitivities (they are rarely wrong!) but hasn’t had these confirmed.
• and often both… (you’re the extra-exhausted mums right!?)

These children, who are not eating a good variety of nutritious foods and/or eat foods that their body can tolerate, are not allowing their body to be well and function at it’s best.  And hence, they end up with any number of the health issues (the symptoms), that parents know very well.

Our children are what they eat

Way back, I used to hear the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ and used to think ‘glad I don’t eat doughnuts’ or ‘lucky I don’t eat McDonald’s’.  But actually, this phrase is just so misunderstood.  It actually means, our bodies and brains can only function as well as the food that we give it.  This does also include any chemicals and experiences that we ‘feed’ ourselves but that is a conversation for another day!

So maybe the phrase should be ‘your child is only as healthy as the exact right foods, for their body, that they intake‘.

And that means, a child who is fussy and therefore eats a less-than-nutritious diet, is more likely to experience the health and/or developmental issues that come with not receiving adequate nutrition.  Or the child whose body is aggravated by eating foods that they are sensitive to, will also be leaving their body and brain open to the above ‘symptoms’.  

That is big isn’t it!  Remember my No Guilt Oath?  Let’s say it together :

“I did the best I could with what I knew at the time.  I can do better, when I know better.”

This means, that you do not have to hold any guilt for the parenting you have done until this day, including anything around food.  You have done the best you could with what you knew and you should be nothing but proud!

These sensitive children are really tricky and you have been dealt a decent challenge by receiving one (or more!) of these gorgeous children to nourish!

Back to the miracles

What if you knew how to move your fussy eater onto the nutritious foods?

What if you knew how to respect your child’s food sensitivities?

What if you were serving your child foods that were exactly right for their bioindividuality…and they ate them all up?!

Well, it depends on your child’s current symptoms, health issues or even developmental delays as to what will happen next.  But you can be sure those issues will start to shift and disappear.  Some slowly and subtly, some overnight and like a true miracle! 

One thing is for sure, your child’s health and development will certainly prosper, given half a chance!  You will certainly see the ‘symptoms’ drop off.  But the magic is the other ‘miracles’ that pop up.  Your child sprouts amazing motivation, their temperament changes, their energy levels to ‘just right’, they become creative, they take on new interests…they see the world through vibrant eyes.

And imagine it from your child’s point of view.  This is the true miracle – where your child literally feels different, better, because of the nutrients.  They don’t have to deal with all of the above ‘symptoms’.  

And guess what?  You are that positive change-maker that can take stand for your child!  You have the power to do better, when you know better.  

And of course, dedicated mum, I know that is SO easy to put onto you and expect that you magically have the skills to breakthrough crazy mealtimes, get food testing done, change a pantry of foods or just start introducing new, nutrient-dense foods to your child….successfully!  But you can take the small steps.

For our family, we have done this over what is now four years.  And I am STILL getting to things like no more tinned foods, let’s get rid of the processed gluten-free bread etc.  I just took the first step that was right for my child.  Actually, I took many ‘wrong’ steps that made our path a lot longer.  But it was all a wonderful (???!) learning curve.

And this is why I have decided to make my mission to help more parents to change the trajectory of their child’s future by working with them – fussy eater therapy, coaching and helping parents to make every single step successfully.

In strong mums and thankful children

Heidi