Multivitamins: Friend or Foe

Multivitamins: Friend or Foe

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Just when you thought you could not fit another thing on life’s plate… PLOP! Are you getting the recommended daily dose of all the needed vitamins and minerals? Are you eating a healthy well-balanced diet? Have you been caught coming out of McDonald’s drive-thru several times this week? Do you choose not to worry about recommended daily dosage because you supplement with a daily multivitamin? Which is worse… not enough or too much?

Before you make the decision to change your diet, or supplement it with a vitamin, talk to your doctor. Do some research regarding the levels you need for your specific gender and age. Go to WebMD for a listing of the daily required levels. You can also visit WebMD to determine what vitamins and minerals are in the food you consume. Research the products you put into your body at Consumer Search. Read those all-important food labels, which we often take for granted. Be mindful that the added colorings and sugars, often found in multivitamins, could do more harm than good.

Nothing can replace a healthy well-balanced diet. Not only is food better for you than a pill, but the body can also break down the food much better and easier than swallowing a pill. Per Dr. Scott Olson, “Typically, many one-a-day supplements are packed tightly in a capsule form for easy swallowing. Many times these compressed pills are too hard to actually digest in your stomach. X-ray technicians often see these pills far from the stomach, never having dissolved. A pill that is not digested is worthless and simply increases the nutrient content of your toilet water.”

Now, that doesn’t mean that you should not take multivitamins. It simply means that you need to understand what vitamins and minerals you are not receiving from the food you eat. Once that is determined, you will then need to figure out what supplements you need, and in what amount. Too much of a supplement can be just as dangerous as not enough. Maybe you don’t need every vitamin or mineral found in a multivitamin. You may just need a calcium supplement. Discuss your eating habits and any deficiencies you think you may have with your family doctor.

What about our children? Should we be giving them those cute little gummy bear vitamins? Just like an adult, the major source of vitamins and minerals should come from the food they eat. Baylor College of Medicine published an index chart, which you can use, to calculate your child’s calorie intake and determine the levels of vitamins and minerals that may be lacking. The USDA created a program called ChooseMyPlate.gov to help you plan and prepare a healthy well-balanced meal for your child. If you determine that your child is lacking in nutrients and requires a supplement discuss your concerns with your family physician.

Remember to buy age appropriate vitamins. Children’s vitamins come in liquid and the gummy version. Which would be more appropriate for your child? Most importantly, vitamins look like candy to a child. Explain to your child it is NOT candy, keep them stored out of the reach of a child, and explain they can only take this vitamin when given by an adult. If a child takes more than the prescribed daily allowance you may need to call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at (800) 222-1222 to be automatically redirected to your local poison control center. If the child is experiencing difficulty breathing, severe throat pain, burns on the lips or mouth, convulsions, unconsciousness, or extreme sleepiness call 911 for emergency services.

Your health, and your child’s health, should be a priority and you are the master of your body and the caretaker of your child’s. Take control and discuss any change in diet and the need for supplemental vitamins and minerals with your family physician. As Thomas Jefferson said, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

Belinda @ Kids Matter

“During the last decade, pediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has reached epidemic proportions, becoming one of the most frequent chronic liver diseases in the global child population,” says MedScape. “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S.,” reports WebMD.

Just when you thought you were doing everything you could to protect your child… BAM… out comes another disease and you have to re-evaluate your child’s medical needs. NAFLD is NOT a new disease. It is a GROWING disease. Why? Because, childhood obesity is at an all-time high. It has now reached a critical level and we, as parents, grandparents, and custodians, must take back control. We must insist on healthy diets and physical activity. Unless you plan to donate your liver or wait patiently as your child sits on the liver transplant waiting list, you must realize that the time to act is NOW. To get information on liver transplants please visit the American Liver Foundation.

What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

As defined by the Mayo Clinic, “NAFLD is a term used to describe the accumulation of fat in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. In some people with NAFLD, the fat that accumulates can cause inflammation and scarring in the liver. This more serious form of NAFLD is sometimes called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. At its most severe, NAFLD can progress to liver failure.” “NAFLD occurs when the liver is overloaded with more sugar than it can process. When this happens, the process of de novo lipogenesis starts – the conversion of carbohydrates into ‘new fat’, also known as triglycerides. As you may be aware, elevated triglycerides are not a good sign, and when this chronically happens at the liver, it can lead to hepatic cirrhosis (scarring of the liver),” says Evolutionary Health Systems.

Who is at risk?

·       The overweight – Check your child’s weight/height ratio using the appropriate graph found on About.com.

·       Those with high blood fat levels, either triglycerides or LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

·       Those with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

·       Those with high blood pressure.

·       Those with a family history of fatty liver disease.

How is it diagnosed?

·       Through blood tests that check the liver enzymes for fat content.

·       Through an ultrasound of the liver.

·       Through a liver biopsy. (Inserting a needle into your child’s liver and withdrawing tissue.)

How is it treated?

At this time there is no cure for fatty liver disease. The good news is, however, that with proper diet and exercise you may be able to reverse the condition in your child.

·       Losing weight and eating healthy.

·       Lowering your cholesterol and triglycerides.

·       Controlling your diabetes.

·       At least 60 minutes a day of physical activity.

How do we prevent it?

·       Take back control over all the electronic devices.

·       Prepare healthy meals and encourage better eating habits. Lead by example.

·       Encourage in, and participate in, physical activities with your child.

·       Limit television and gaming activities.

·       Take your child for an annual physical.

Now that you know what fatty liver disease is and understand that it is quickly becoming an epidemic in our children; you are armed with the information you need to fight this disease. Protect your child now! A medical waiting list is never where you want to see your child’s name.