Articles On Gut Health In Newborns From A Pediatrician

The Beauty of Bacteria and Your Baby’s Health

We are all are teeming with natural gut bacteria (a.k.a. gut flora) that have myriad functions including facilitating digestion and safeguarding against harmful diseases and allergies. In fact, nearly 75-80% of immune function originates in the gastrointestinal tract.

In this post we’ll give you the inside scoop on the inner workings of good gut health and helpful tips on keeping your child’s intestinal tract in tiptop shape.

The Scoop on Antibiotics: What Every Mom Needs to Know.

Last month the International Journal of Obesity published a report revealing that “infants given antibiotics within six months of birth were 22 percent more likely than those given none to be overweight at age 3.”

This new link to obesity is only the latest study to cast a critical spotlight on the potential long-term effects antibiotics can have on babies. Other studies in recent years have linked antibiotics to the rise of type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma in children.

From Superbugs to Super Weeds: Just How Safe are Genetically Modified Foods?

Last month we alerted you to the health hazards associated with conventionally farmed meat. In this post we’ll continue the conversation with a closer look at the role of genetic modification in farming methods and the potential health risks these practices have on your child’s health.

How organic meats can save your child from superbugs!

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, just how important is it to go with the organic option? The answer to this question is far more serious than you might think.

A World of Flavor within the Womb

We’re all familiar with the old adage ‘you are what you eat’. Well, that’s not all. New studies shed light on just how influenced your baby is by what you eat, too!

This fascinating article from NPR reveals exciting research about how what you eat during your pregnancy can help shape your baby’s taste buds and flavor preferences.

Arm your child with a lifetime of healthy eating habits

“Eat your vegetables!” — a classic, and common plea from desperate parents to kids with turned up noses. And yet many could argue that our hectic lifestyles and the convenience of packaged foods have quieted this age-old battle.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

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 been informed that formula-fed babies are at higher risk for developing lower respiratory infections, asthma, atopic dermatitis, obesity, necrotizing enterocolitis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In fact, the Surgeon General estimates that if 90% of mothers breastfed exclusively for 6 months, nearly 1,000 deaths among infants could be prevented annually!

How Eating at Home Can Save Your Life

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 in part because what is on your own and your child’s plate is very important to you. I advocate a whole foods, organic diet and encourage parents to offer a variety of colors and flavors in children’s diets as soon as babies begin to eat solid foods. Many of GetzWell’s kiddos shun juice, sweets and empty carbs preferring veggies and other whole foods, and they enjoy the fantastic health benefits that come from eating well.

ADD & ADHD: Does diet make a difference?

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 disorder diagnosis. Treatment of the telltale symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (including chronic inattention, frequent distraction, impulsivity, fidgeting and difficulty controlling behavior) now accounts for a significant proportion of all drug use in children between the ages of 4-17. In fact, there are now 17 different drugs approved to treat ADHD, contributing to a multibillion dollar ADHD industry. However, a new study conducted by Radboud University Medical School and the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands1, presents compelling evidence that this blanket pharmacological approach to ADHD is misguided. According to Dr. Lidy Piesser, the author of the study published in last month’s The Lancet medical journal, up to 64% of children who experience symptoms of ADHD might actually be experiencing sensitivity to foods.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria and yeast that live in our intestinal tracts and help support not only good digestion and optimal absorption of nutrients but our overall health and well being. It sounds strange, but these single cell organisms affect us in ways we can hardly imagine and which modern science is now beginning to elucidate. Probiotics may help promote healthy mood, keep us from sniffling and sneezing, and bind toxins and heavy metals (like mercury) in order to better excrete these poisons. By the time we are adults, 3-4 lbs of our body weight is accounted for by these organisms alone! However, most of us in modern industrial society do not have an optimal mix of intestinal bacteria due to antibiotics, antacids, stress, lack of sleep, fast food, and hydrogenated oils, among other culprits.

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