Little Red Bus

Using food as a medicine is not a new idea- many traditional remedies involve giving specific foods for particular ailments. For example, homemade lemon barley water and chicken soup are recommended to relieve a cold. Many old wives tales learnt from our parents, like 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' focus on using everyday foods to prevent and treat common ailments.

Kitchen-based home cures are pleasant to use and some are indeed very successful! In recent years, scientists have found a basis for many of these traditional remedies. You can help prevent and treat certain common health problems simply by encouraging your children to eat more of certain foods, or less of others, as outlined here.

Generally...

Do seek medical help for any new or unfamiliar ailment that is serious or doesn't soon get better.
Do continue to use other remedies, medicines or therapies.
Don't worry if your child doesn't want to eat something different. If yo get stressed, your child will get upset too, which might hinder recovery. So do not insist unless your doctor explains that you must.
Do not make any major changes to your child's diet- such as cutting out milk or wheat- without seeking advice from your doctor or other competent health professional, or your child could go short of vital protein, fats, vitamins, calcium, or calories.

Anaemia
Help to prevent and treat iron-deficiency anaemia by giving more foods that are rich in iron, vitamin C, and copper.

liver, fish, shellfish, cheese, egg yolk, green vegetables, apricots, cherries, figs and orange juice
avoid tea & cola

Anxiety
If your child seems anxious or depressed, yet there's nothing wrong, offer more foods that are rich in vitamins B, C and E, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 fats, and tryptophan (an amino acid).

bananas
avoid too much meat and drinks that contain caffeine (tea & cold)
avoid long gaps between meals

Asthma
To help prevent asthma, offer more foods that are rich in beta-carotene; vitamins B, C, and E; magnesium, selenium and zinc; and plant pigments.

Onions, berries, oily fish and buckwheat
Encourage a good balance of essential fats by cooking with rapeseed (canola), olive or walnut oil
Green leafy vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes and wholegrain foods.

Bed Wetting
Never let your child go thirsty, but do not encourage them to drink a lot in the evening. Make sure they do not have drinks that contain caffeine, such as cola or tea, after 4pm.

avoid food with added colourings, strawberries, spinach and rhubarb (these sometimes irritate the bladder and encourage accidents) if not eaten with calcium rich foods

Behaviour Problems
Sometimes anxiety or tiredness triggers behavioural problems. Offer foods rich in vitamins B and E; calcium, magnesium, and zinc; omega-3 fats.

Good balance of essential fats
avoid too much animal protein, refined carbohydrates
favour unrefined carbohydrates: oats

Iron deficiency and anaemia or food sensitivity are occasionally to blame; if you suspect one of these, check with a doctor.

Cold Sores
Follow the general advice under infection. Favour foods that are rich in the amino acid called lysine, and cut down on foods that are rich in argine- another amino acid.

Offer more potatoes
avoid food containing wheat, grains, seeds & chocolates.

Colds & Flu

See the advice under infection, and offer plenty to drink. A homemade lemon drink is ideal:
Pour boiling water over a sliced lemon and sweeten with a little honey for children over one; leave until cool enough for your child to drink.

Homemade chicken soup is a proven remedy too; it speeds up the flow of nasal mucus, boosts immunity and counteracts inflammation in the nose.

Colic
Food sensitivity, Indigestion, or Constipation may be the cause of colic; refer to the advice under the appropriate entry if you think it is relevant. If your breastfed baby tends to be colicky, make sure you eat something nutritious between breastfeeds and, if you feel stressed, follow the advice under Anxiety yourself.

Constipation
Try to prevent constipation, but if it occurs, deal with it promptly. The pain when a hard, bulky bowl motion is eventually passed may make your child put off going the next time for as long as possible, which makes things worse.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids; the urine should be very pale yellow. Offer plenty of foods that are rich in fibre.

avoid white bread and other food made with refined white flour.
avoid food that contains concentrated bran

Diarrhea
Do not confuse this with the normal, frequent loose bowl motions of a breastfed baby. And do not be alarmed when you see bits of food such as seeds in an older baby' motions. This is sometimes called "toddler diarrhoea", but is perfectly normal. Sometimes diarrhoea occurs when softer bowel motion leaks around a hard motion is a constipated child.

Dry Skin Offer more foods that are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and omega-3 fats. Beta-carotene is particularly important.

Eczema
Full breastfeeding for the first 4 to 6 month may delay the onset of eczema or at least, if it does appear, make it less severe. For babies under one with allergy in the family, removing certain foods from the diet of breastfeeding mothers, can reduce the risk of eczema significantly.
Once eczema develops, changing the diet usually makes no difference. If your child's eczema always worsens after one particular food, consider eliminating it for 3 months and see if there is any improvement. However, do take guidance from a doctor or dietitian on maintaining a balanced diet without this food.
To help soothe inflamed skin, offer more foods that are rich in vitamins A & B, zinc and omega-3 fats; and help counter allergy with foods rich in beta carotene, vitamins C & E, selenium and plant pigments.

celery, citrus fruit, parsley, parsnips and watercress may also help

Fits
The frequency of some types of seizure can be reduced by eating foods that are rich in vitamins B6 and E, copper, magnesium and selenium.

liver, shellfish, avocados, nuts, olive, beans, peas, wholegrain foods

Food Sensitivity
If you suspect your child may be sensitive to a particular food, seek medical advice. Food allergy is one sort of food sensitivity; it is most likely to occur if there is a family history of allergy. Boost your child's immunity with more foods that are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C & E, selenium, zinc and omega-3 fats.

Fungal Skin & Nail Infections
Refer to advice under infection.

avoid food with added sugar & white flour.

Indigestion
Help prevent this by avoiding rushed meals. Start main meals with a little salad- the fibre will line the stomach and help protect it from any excess of acid. Offer more foods that are rich in vitamins B, C and zinc, and slightly bitter foods such as lettuce, cabbage, watercress, turnips and rosemary.

Try adding a little vinegar or lemon juice to meat and fish.
Treat by offering some pineapples/papayas/ginger, chamomile or mint tea.

Infection
Boost immunity by giving your child more foods that are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and plant pigments. Many herbs are useful in boosting immunity as well as easing the symptoms of infections, including oregano with its potent anti-oxidants, and sage which contains a natural antiseptic.
Give your child enough drinks to keep urine pale yellow.
Garlic has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties; onions are good too, especially eaten raw.

Mouth Ulcers
Encourage your child to eat slowly so as to avoid biting the insides of their cheeks. Avoid giving sugary and acidic foods and drinks.

Tiredness
Offer more foods that are rich in vitamins B,C, and E, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium, and omega-3 fats. Cut down on refined carbohydrates such as bread, biscuits and cake made with white flour.