Opinion: Strengthen a child's environment for optimal health
- Flo Lavallie, DNM | April 21, 2014
Optimal health is much more than the absence of disease: it is a state of complete physical, mental, and emotional well being, where you can easily adapt universally to your internal and external environment.
Many parents seek convenient, safe, products that won't stress baby's health, mom's well being and the planet's resources. Cloth diapers can be reused over 75 times, laundered less than a dollar a load in about six months. Cloth diapered babies are changed more often. (Bonding Time). Potty training may be faster as baby feels the wet and discomfort in cloth. More air circulation can reduce rashes.
Make sure your home is safe for your child as they explore, look around your rooms, think about what can be hazards in your child's path, and remove them.
Babies should be allowed to move freely in a supervised environment. As babies eat in high chairs and are placed in car seats when in a moving vehicle, they figure out appropriate behaviours and gain new skills, hand eye movements while eating and safety in a car while vehicles are moving and they soon learn that they have places to go and people to see.
Child safety is an important health issue. Babies depend on adult protection.
Air quality is most important, never allow anyone to smoke around your child.
It's up to everyone around your baby to help reduce the risk of your child being exposed to colds, flus and bugs. Family and visitors should practice good hand washing hygiene.
When your baby gets sick, some conditions can be managed at home with information and advice from your doctor. Healthy babies recover quickly from minor illnesses, but be sure to contact your health care provider if you have concerns about your baby's health.
Preparing nutritious foods is essential for healthy children include the baby at the table, encourage baby to feed themselves even if they make a mess always have a wet face cloth handy choose plain food with no sugar or salt or spicy food. Lentils are a good protein, green and yellow beans in the blender (pureed). Slowly introduce different vegetables, brown rice baby cereal for breakfast.
Avoid feeding nuts, peanut butter, processed meats, seeds and gum. When feeding fish, be cautious of the bones.
Stop feeding when your baby has had enough food.
For morei nformation, visit Companion Health Oasis' website.