Handout #1- Nutrition for Children with Developmental Disabilities

BLUE BOX on the handout:
It’s more important what you don’t eat than what you do eat.  Heck, eat as much broccoli as you want!   Most importantly, you want to avoid S.N.A.C.C.s which stands for Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, and
Chemicalized-processed junk food.  (Obviously the N. and A. are N/A for children, but it’s a good acronym!)

I’m imagining that a parent is thinking, “How the heck do I get my kids to avoid sugar?!  I can’t even get through a day caring for my child without feeling exhausted.  Who has time for food?”

My reply is, “Who doesn’t have time for food?”  Without food, we have no energy whatsoever to function.  The real question is what the readers consider food which is usually food products.  I like to distinguish between these.  A food is something you can eat that has one ingredient like an artichoke or an apple whereas a food product has multiple ingredients and is man-made.  To keep it simple, I like what Michael Pollen basically says:
“buy food from a plant not made in a plant.”

As far as “advice” on how to avoid S.N.A.C.C.s, I emphasize the concept of “crowding out.” Don’t focus on the negative, that is, don’t focus on not letting Sally have that popsicle like she usually does after dinner, but chop up fruit that is lower in sugar (like berries are much lower than bananas or pineapples) and add some nuts like almonds.   Heck, throw in some pieces of 85% cacao dark chocolate, (it’s high in magnesium,)(See link: $1.49 at Trader Joes) and maybe some organic, unsweetened shredded coconut and Goji berries. (My favorite brand, click on the link, create a free account and use coupon code DIC339 to save $5.)  Yum, yum, yum on that bowel together as a family. Maybe Sally will forget about the popsicle for one night.  So “crowd out” the less nutritious food with better alternatives to start.  Over time, you can make more strict changes to diet as you’ve increasingly cut-out the foods that have addictive properties that make eating more compulsive.  I’ll talk more on these “addictive foods” in my next handout.

Besides the “avoid S.N.A.C.C.s advice,” if you remember anything else from this article, remember that eating healthy is about planning, planning, planning ahead and habits, habits, making good habits through practice
over time.  I am here to help your learning process, so please ask.

RED BOX on the Handout:

I am an advocate for “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Natasha Campbell-McBride. To learn more “gaps.me” is a good website. I’m in the process of being trained specifically as a GAPS Practitioner.

Questions? Contact me at [email protected]

Remember, I want to help you live the healthiest life possible! –GreenLightHeidi