Dr. Bill Sears is one of America’s most renowned pediatricians, father of eight children, and author of over 40 books on childcare. He is the Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Dr Sears Lean has a series on this blog that covers many aspects of raising healthy kids. Dr Sears shared many tips in this Singapore workshop ‘Keeping Your Child Healthy’.
- Healthy Child with Dr Sears – Health Q&A
- Healthy Child with Dr Sears – Parenting Q&A
- Attachment Parenting with Dr Sears
- Healthy Child with Dr Sears – Baby Nutrition Q&A
- Healthy Child with Dr Sears – 10 Tools for Success
Diabetes in Children
Diabetes is an increasing and worrying condition among children. The risk of diabetes decrease with healthy choices and conversely, increase with unhealthy ones. Although genes play a role, recent studies show that whether that gene is expressed is determined by healthy choices, including those at pregnancy. Eating too much junk food and lack of exercise contributes to the rising diabetes problem in children in the US.
Exercise for Children
Exercise can help the baby to be healthier as recent studies found that the body’s internal ‘medicine’ is released from the endothelium, the inside lining of blood vessels. Exercise creates an energy field and the glands along the endothelium open up, releasing ‘medicines’ for growth and regulating mood into the blood vessels, which in turn are circulated. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise clogs the endothelium, preventing these ‘medicines’ from being released.
Effect of Omega 3 in Children
Increase intake of omega 3, such as fish oil with EPA and DHA during pregnancy has been associated with reduced post-partum depression, less premature births, fewer incidences of pre-eclampsia and less gestational diabetes. Numerous times during the talk, Dr Sears recommended that we stick to the Asian diet which is typically higher in fish and other safe seafood.
Stick to the Asian diet which is typically higher in fish and other safe seafood
Dr Sears also shared the theory that post-partum depression is linked to Omega 3 deficiency – the theory is that the baby drains the mother as their brain grows most during pregnancy and the first year. A baby’s brain is 60% fat and uses glucose and oxygen. Therefore, appropriate intake of omega 3, carbohydrates and antioxidants are required. Dr Sears illustrated that omega 3 is to brain like calcium is to bone, responsible for brain cell membrane fluidity and myelin development. Omega 3 has also been associated with improved cognitive abilities of children and improved visual acuity.
Smoking – Smoking is not recommended and linked to many risks for the baby, including sudden infant death syndrome, affecting the breathing of babies via the paralysis of cilia (found in windpipes for sweeping dirt from lungs), doubling the risk of respiratory infection and causes higher nicotine levels in breast milk. Moreover, smoking also lowers prolactin, which stimulates mammary glands in preparation for milk production.
Dr Sears’ Eating Tips for Pregnant Moms
- Eat twice as often
- Eat half as much
- Chew twice as long
- Take twice the time to dine
I didn’t get to have Dr Sears vet through this post before publishing, any and all mistakes mine. Next week, we will cover more of Dr Sears’ talk, including on attachment parenting and (the mysterious) colic.
