Building Your Child’s Resilience

Did your child have a bad day at school? Is there a friend situation they are anxious about? Are they stressed about getting good grades? 

There are many aspects to building foundational resilience in kids. To start, parents and kids must move from a prevention mindset (which displays fear and avoidance) to a growth mindset. A growth mindset creates a thriving mindset, which, in turn, builds cellular resilience. Cellular resilience does not mean one would never get sick. It is the cell’s ability to cope with stress and recover rapidly and completely. Even if kids get sick, we want them to have the ability to bounce back and be even stronger for the next “hit.” Building resiliency takes knowledge.

Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Kids

Did you know the most common nutritional deficiencies in kids are zinc, magnesium, vitamin D and iron? 

Zinc

Zinc is closely associated with protein intake and affects normal growth and development. It maintains healthy brain function. Some signs of zinc deficiency could be picky eaters, low appetite, impaired taste and smell, skin issues that don’t heal (such as diaper rash or eczema), chronic diarrhea, attention/focus issues, anxiety/OCD, and depression. Zinc supplementation directly stimulates the appetite and can help resolve leaky gut. Top zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds, beans, grass-fed beef, cashews, quinoa, eggs, spinach, garlic, and peanuts. 

Magnesium

Magnesium’s main role in the body is to regulate smooth muscle relaxation. Some signs of magnesium deficiency could be headaches, constipation, asthma, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. Foods that would help with a magnesium deficiency include pumpkin seeds, avocado, bananas, oats, brown rice, pinto beans, and quinoa. Epsom salt baths are also a source of magnesium intake. 

Iron

Iron is the essential component of hemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen. Some signs of iron deficiency could be high consumption of cow’s milk, weakness, fatigue, cold intolerance, and craving for ice or other nonfood items such as dirt, clay, chalk, and paper. Also described are mood changes/irritability, breath-holding spells, and restless legs. Pale skin and dark circles under the eyes could also be noticed. Iron-rich foods include green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef, chickpeas, asparagus, liver, or organ meats. Cooking in a cast iron skillet is also a way to promote iron intake. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays many roles in the body. It resolves inflammation, supports brain function, and supports the immune system, to name a few. Signs of deficiency could be frequent illnesses, food allergies, asthma, dental caries (decay), ADHD, exclusively breastfed (with a Vit D deficient mom). The best source of vitamin D is sunlight. There are very few food sources of this nutrient, but some are eggs, mushrooms, salmon, and cod liver oil. Since these items are usually not very kid-friendly, supplementation is usually needed. 

Supporting Your Child’s Resilience

Elisa Song, MD a leader in pediatric functional medicine once said, “We as parents must hold and manifest a vision of our children thriving- body, mind and spirit. Not a vision of the sick child we want to prevent.” We can help build cellular resilience in our kids in many ways. Supporting their nutritional needs is one of the most important, foundational avenues to do that!