With the holidays fast approaching and a brand new year just around the corner, now is as good a time as any to get your household on a healthy track.

Eat healthy this during the holidays without missing out.

We understand that holiday traditions are important, and that there are certain not-so-healthy dishes you and your family simply can’t live without. Good news, you don’t have to. There are many ways you can have your festive cake and eat it too. For instance, here are some helpful tips from the Mayo Clinic on how to modify traditional recipes with healthy ingredients. You can also pack in additional vitamins and nutrients by sneaking in pureed vegetables. Click here to learn how.

Another great way to ensure that you and your family stay holiday healthy is to choose organic fruits and vegetables for every dish you make. Also, if you can, make sure the meat you buy comes from an organic farm. As we covered previously, organic farming methods can make all the difference to you and your child’s health.

If you’re in the mood to start new healthy holiday traditions, check out this collection of delicious organic food recipes from Organic Authority.

Make your 2012 resolution a healthy one.

Don’t let leave these tips behind–bring them with you into the New Year! Resolve to make more informed choices about what your child eats, and create a healthy household by making organic meals at home. After all, establishing a nutritious diet early on will set your child up for a lifetime of healthy eating for many New Years to come.

From all of us at Getzwell Pediatrics, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

Please call us at 415.826.1701 to discuss how to improve your family’s health through eating healthy and other preventive strategies we specialize in.

For those who have been following GetzWell’s Facebook posts, you know we have been delving more deeply into how human health is inextricably linked to the health of our food supply and the sustainability of our planet.  As Dr. Hyman tells us, “The ecology of eating — the importance of what you put on your fork — has never been more critical to our survival as a nation or as a species.”  I couldn’t agree more.

Let’s harness the power of our forks and “vote” by purchasing local, sustainable and organic food whenever possible.  The “extraordinary thing is that we have the ability to move large corporations and create social change by our collective choices,” says Dr. Hyman.

In Health,

Julia Getzelman, MD

In the short-term, kids in the kitchen are:

• More likely to try a diverse array of healthy foods, thus decreasing the risk of developing food allergies and ensuring the consumption of bioavailable vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and other building blocks.
• Likely to feel that they are accomplishing something and contributing to their family’s well-being.
• More likely to sit down to a family meal when they helped prepare it.
• Avoiding time spent in front of the TV or computer while they’re cooking.
• Typically not eating junk food when they’re cooking a meal at home.

In the long-term,

• Learning to cook is a skill your children can use for the rest of their lives.
• Kids who learn to eat well are more likely to eat healthfully as adults, reducing their chances of developing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
• Positive cooking experiences can help build self-confidence.
• Kids who cook with their parents and develop positive relationships and open lines of communication along the way may be less likely to abuse drugs as teenagers.

Starting with simple dishes like pasta, sandwiches, salads, or smoothies with children as young as 2-3 years of age can set the stage for success and confidence in the kitchen.

Children under 5 years of age can help:

• Spread peanut butter on bread.
• Cut banana slices with plastic knife.
• Wash and scrub fruits and vegetables.
• Wipe off the counter top.
• Tear lettuce or snap beans.
• Shake plastic bags full of different ingredients.
• Pour ingredients from pre-measured cups.
• Stir or mix ingredients.
• Whisk ingredients.
• Place food on baking sheets or trays.

Older children can grow into many tasks like:

• Cracking and separating eggs.
• Reading some recipes by themselves and inventing their own.
• Using the electric mixer.
• Stirring food over the stove (with adult supervision).
• Grating cheese.
• Cutting vegetables and fruits (with adult supervision if needed).
• Setting the table for dinner.

Dr. Nasta’s Kid-Friendly “Chicken Fingers” Recipe (without the chicken!)

Prep time 15-20 mins.  Cook time 10-12 mins.

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp unprocessed salt, divided
• 2 free range eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 1 lb extra firm organic/non-GMO tofu, drained and patted dry
• 2 tbs olive oil

parent + child: Gather 3 medium size bowls and put them on the counter.

child: Measure the flour and 1/4 tsp of the salt.  Mix together in one of the bowls.

parent + child: Crack the eggs into the second bowl and then whisk gently.

child: Measure the bread crumbs, cheese, basil, thyme, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and sage in the third bowl and mix.

parent + child: Slice tofu into 8 rectangles by cutting the block into 4 equal pieces and then cutting each piece in half.

parent + child: Roll each piece of tofu in the flour, then coat them with egg, and finally cover them with the bread crumb mixture.  Set aside on a separate plate.

parent: Heat a large saute pan or skillet over low-medium heat.  Add the olive oil, then place each piece of tofu in the pan.  Flip after 4-5 minutes.

child: Prepare for the cooked tofu fingers by putting a paper towel on a plate.

parent: When tofu fingers are crispy, place on the paper towel.  Serve hot, with marinara dipping sauce!

A: My goal in counseling parents about solids is to emphasize healthy eating and to teach them how to positively shape their child’s taste preferences. A growing body of research shows that babies’ palates are influenced before birth. Maturing in the “amniotic soup” infants taste the foods their mothers eat. This process of “sampling” foods continues for breast-fed children, as mother’s milk takes on the flavors of what she consumes.

While processed rice cereal is a common first food, it has limited nutrients and can be constipating. Minimally manipulated and tasty whole foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, and meats are superior. A variety of organic and richly colored foods tastes better and ensures more nutrients, antioxidants and fewer toxins. Exposing children to variety early on will encourage interest, acceptance and openness to trying new foods and flavors.

Feeding your baby can be a fun process of introducing the many different flavors and textures of whole foods. You can gradually add seasoning with herbs and spices, garlic or onion.  Our little ones love tasty food as much as we do!

Q: Shouldn’t I only give one new food every 5^th day?

A: The rule of “one new food every 5^th day” has not resulted in fewer allergies in kids. While the American Academy of Pediatrics says not to limit any first foods, this conflicts with the advice most pediatricians give. In fact, emerging research suggests that introducing more variety from the get-go results in babies liking more things. Don’t be discouraged if your baby makes faces or seems not to like something on the first try. Sometimes kids need to be exposed to a certain flavor 15 to 20 times before liking it! Stay the course, continue to offer the same food (perhaps prepared a little differently) every few days, and your patience will pay off.

Q: My two-year-old is a terrible eater. I’m afraid I cave in to his bad habits by giving him things like bananas, crackers and pasta. How do I change?

A:  It’s our job as parents to provide nourishment so our child grows and thrives. Because we fear our child may “go hungry” when he won’t eat what we’ve offered, we risk giving in to the notion that allowing something highly processed–and usually white–is better than nothing at all.

Healthy children don’t starve themselves. If they eat less one day, they typically consume more the next. Providing consistent limits and structure, even with foods and meals, helps your child feel safe and secure. While it will require a lot of patience and conviction up front, this approach will be better for everyone in the long run.

Gather as a family for dinner and model enjoyment of the food you’ve cooked. Take your child to the grocery store or farmers’ market and invite him to participate in the selection of ingredients. Sticking to the periphery of the store and avoiding the center aisles will ensure exposure to whole, fresh food rather than packaged/processed stuff. At home, involving your kids in meal preparation can be a fun and new way of engaging them with food.

Wean yourself off the “fallback” snacks and foods. If your child refuses a food you offer, require him to take a single bite. If he decides not to eat what you’ve cooked for dinner, that’s OK. Remind him that he’ll be extra hungry for breakfast and let him know what his morning food options will be (e.g. eggs prepared just the way he likes them, whole cooked oats with a little maple syrup, almond butter and cinnamon, fresh fruit and plain yogurt, or a healthy smoothie).

A picky eater’s behavior won’t change overnight, but you may be surprised by what happens if you set some ground rules, consistently stick with them and involve your child more in the kitchen.

Author: Julia Getzelman, MD

Checking your vitamin D level is accomplished via a simple test your doctor can order.  Once you know your vitamin D level, your doctor can help you with a supplementation plan, if necessary, to ensure you and your baby are getting adequate amounts of this vitamin.

At GetzWell, we provide nutrition counseling for pregnant women in order to optimize nutritional status at this crucial time in your baby’s development.  We believe whole kid care starts before your baby is born and want to be involved as early as possible in your child’s health.

Here’s what the American Academy of Pediatrics is saying:

“Given the growing evidence that adequate maternal vitamin D status is essential during pregnancy, not only for maternal well-being but also for fetal development, health care professionals who provide obstetric care should consider assessing maternal vitamin D status by measuring the 25-OH-D concentrations of pregnant women. On an individual basis, a mother should be supplemented with adequate amounts of vitamin D3 to ensure that her 25-OH-D levels are in a sufficient range (>32 ng/ml). The knowledge that prenatal vitamins containing 400 IU of vitamin D3 have little effect on circulating maternal 25-OH-D concentrations, especially during the winter months, should be imparted to all health care professionals.” (Pediatrics. 2008 Nov;122(5):1142-52.)

Inadequate vitamin D has also been associated with rickets in children, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and depression.  One recent study conducted by Harvard researchers showed that if mothers take vitamin D while they are pregnant, their children are less likely to have wheezing illnesses during the first 3 years of life.  Another study indicated that the median adult intake of vitamin D in the US is only 230 IU per day versus the 2000 IU daily dose which is recommended by the Mayo Clinic and the Vitamin D Council.

Vitamin D is not found in many foods, but we are able to make lots of vitamin D in our skin when we spend just 10-15 minutes in the sun (without sunscreen).  The lower back is an ideal part of the body to expose to the sun so that we make plenty of D vitamin but don’t need to worry about wrinkles!  Unfortunately, between October and March in San Francisco the sun is too far away to allow us to make vitamin D and much of the summer in SF is foggy, preventing the sun’s rays from reaching us.  So, for most of us a vitamin D3 supplement is necessary.

The Vitamin D Council contains a wealth of information: www.vitamindcouncil.org.

Before refrigeration, people throughout the world ate fermented foods rich in probiotics on a daily basis.  In contrast, our modern diet often lacks such foods (except yogurt, miso and kimchi, for instance).  Some experts say we can make up for the dearth of dietary sources of probiotics by taking a daily supplement (in addition to eating fermented foods and a high fiber diet on a regular basis).  There are reputable companies making probiotic supplements that are available for purchase at Whole Foods, Rainbow Grocery, and other health oriented stores.  At GetzWell Pediatrics we carry pharmaceutical grade probiotic supplements manufactured by Klaire and Pharmax.  We believe the universe in our bellies needs careful tending, just like a garden.

For more information and scientific references on probiotics go to the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH: www.nccam.nih.gov.