Getzwell Pediatrics

More and more people are ‘going organic’ these days as studies continue to shed light on the benefits of organically grown produce and meats. We’ve previously touched on this topic with respect to exposing your baby to fresh fruits and vegetables from the get-go. But, when it comes to incorporating meat into your child’s diet, [...]

This past January Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin announced the The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding.  Due to mounting evidence of breastfeeding’s myriad health benefits she declared its promotion a national priority.  Indeed, most people have heard about the passage of immunities from mothers to their breastfed infants, but few parents have [...]

I just finished reading How Eating at Home Can Save Your Life and am moved to share this striking article by Mark Hyman, MD, a brilliant and forward-thinking functional medicine physician.  Most of you know that I have a passion for nutrition, gut health, and food as medicine, and many of you have chosen GetzWell [...]

Although Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the most studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorders affecting children, there is still little consensus about the root causes of the disorders and their appropriate treatments.   According to the CDC, almost 10% of all children in the United States have received an attention deficit [...]

Researchers in the field of “fetal origins” propose that the 40 week gestation period may be one of the most significant times of our lives.  The 9 months before birth may shape our susceptibility to disease and the functioning of our major organs as well as influence our temperament and intelligence.(1) Over the last fifty [...]

Cold Hard Facts Colds are caused by viral infections of the nose and throat. The average healthy child will experience between 6-10 colds a year. While colds are not serious, about 5-10 % of children will develop a bacterial complication (e.g. ear infection). Typical Cold Symptoms Runny or congested nose—it’s okay for mucus to be [...]

Acute constipation is a common problem for children and adults alike.  The causes can vary from excess cow milk consumption or dehydration to more involved issues like gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in bacteria and/or yeast in the digestive tract) or stress.  Ideally, we think that children should have at least one soft bowel movement per [...]

Gastroenterologists at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center have recently reported a 30 percent increase in the number of serious or chronic bouts of constipation experienced by American children between 2008 and 2009. While it’s unclear if the rise in severe cases is related to delayed diagnosis or insufficient treatments, Hopkins researchers contend that a lack of [...]

Most parents avoid letting their kids get involved in the kitchen because of the negative images they conjure up: giant clouds of flour, eggs smeared from one end of the counter to the other, peanut butter hair-do’s. However, a whole host of studies from organizations as diverse as the American Heart Association and the National [...]

There is no question that in California the green movement is the ethos of our time, impacting all elements and stages of life. At every turn, families, communities, and businesses are beginning to make decisions that seek to minimize environmental degradation and facilitate a more synergistic and balanced relationship with the natural world. In San [...]