The Fab 5 - Peter Lee's Top 5 Supplements to Help keep your little ones Vibrant and Healthy!

Are your little ones getting sick easily, developing allergies, not sleeping well, constipated or hyperactive? Look no further as I have come up with a basic program of supplements that can be used as a framework to help support optimal health and immune functioning in our little ones. Children like adults need to consider supplementation as well if optimal health is the goal. Children's needs may vary in the way of dosages and perhaps dosage forms but most of the core nutrients will be the same as what adults should be considering.

#1. Vitamin C

With Vitamin C we have one of the most established and potent anti-oxidants of all time to lead the way in The Fab 5 for Kids!

This nutrient has been studied extensively by the famous Linus Pauling who raised the awareness of the importance of this essential nutrient. Vitamin C has many short term and long term health benefits to our bodies. With small children their immune systems are rapidly developing and vitamin C in my opinion should be at the forefront to help with this development. In addition to helping with building a balanced and robust immune system against colds and flus, vitamin C may also serve as a natural antihistamine. Thus allergies and sensitivities to foods and environmental allergens can be kept at bay with daily regular intake of vitamin C supplementation.

Other key uses for vitamin C would be for maintenance and healing of connective tissue, ligaments and tendons especially if one has injured themselves physically. Excess stress will rapidly deplete the body of vitamin C and hence it is important to consider including this in any supplement program as even our little ones can be stressed at times.

There are many different forms and brands of Vitamin C out there. Therefore please make sure you consult a practitioner experienced with Vitamin C dosing and monitoring to help your child stay healthy!

#2. Magnesium

Magnesium is responsible for well over 300 activities in our bodies, making it absolutely essential for good health. It is arguably one of the most powerful nutrients out there!

For our little ones magnesium can potentially have a dramatic impact on calming the mind and improving sleep quality. If you have an overly active child or one that does not sleep well, magnesium is a great place to start. In children of all ages magnesium also helps to promote proper muscle functioning (i.e. relaxation of the muscles) which would be very important especially if your child is very active in sports. In addition magnesium can be very helpful for relieving anxiety, improving bowel regularity and supporting optimal functioning of the nervous system.

Magnesium comes in many different forms and strengths so it is important to consult an experienced practitioner as to what may be the best choice for your child and how to monitor the treatment. This mineral is very natural and in general very effective and can work amazingly quick to calm down little minds!

#3. Vitamin D

Generally speaking vitamin D supplementation provides much bang for the buckas it is relatively inexpensive and provides a whole host of health benefits not only for adults but also for our children.

Vitamin D has endless short term and long term health benefits which would be impossible to list all of them here. For children it would be essential to take to help with healthy bone, skeleton and teeth development. In addition it helps to build a strong and robust immune system. Vitamin D has also been shown to help with improving the muscle to fat ratio in toddlers. Kids with ADHD may also benefit from this important nutrient and by maintaining optimal levels it can also help with improving and maintaining a more stable mood in our children.

In the long run, maintaining the right levels of vitamin D will decrease your child's risk of developing cancer, autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions and clinical depression amongst many other illnesses.

Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin. Therefore consider giving your child some vitamin D daily and reap the health benefits of enjoying a sunny day every day. Come in and speak to one of our staff to see how this powerful nutrient can help keep you and your family more healthy!

#4. Probiotic

Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria that naturally reside in our bodies and are a huge factor in our digestion, immunity and hence overall health. They prevent disease by stopping "bad" bacteria, viruses and yeast from overgrowing in our digestive tract. They also assist in the digestive process, allowing our body to absorb nutrients much more easily.

Children may also benefit from probiotics for managing colic, constipation, diarrhea, eczema, reflux and various intestinal problems. Giving a probiotic daily can help keep the digestive system in balance and potentially help children establish a more robust and balanced immune system. It is also believed that probiotics can help prevent food allergies and decrease the risk of respiratory problems.

Children who have a history of frequent antibiotic use, regular consumption of packaged/processed foods, consuming sweets frequently and subjected to excess stress will likely have their sensitive digestive systems thrown out of balance.

Probiotics help keep the digestive system working at its' peakby boosting the immune system which is ironically located mostly in the gut. We have to keep in mind there is the old saying "good health begins with good digestion"!

#5. Omega 3s

Omega 3s are considered essential fats in the sense that the body is not able to manufactureit and must be obtained through the diet. Typically we get plenty of omega 6 fats in our diet and the ideal ratio of omega 6 to 3 should be 1:1. The reality is in the North American diet the ratio is closer to around 20:1!

Omega 3s help make up the walls of the cell membranes. They also surround the cells of the brain and nervous system providing protection and supporting optimal functioning. As a result there is very good evidence that Omega 3s can potentially help children with mood, attention, learning and behavioural issues. The proper amount of these essential fats around the brain and nervous system is necessary for healthy nerve transmission and learning patterns to occur.

Other potential health benefits of Omega 3s in children are managing eczema, allergies and constipation. Further they can benefit the heart, immune system and reduce inflammation.

It is important to source out a good quality brand of Omega 3s as all formulas are not alike. They will vary in quality and potency and the amount of DHA and EPA in them. Please speak to one of our staff to see which product would be the best fit for your child's needs.

Ready to Start the Fab 5? - Four Factors to Consider when Taking Supplements

If you are interested in implementing "The Fab 5" as part of your child's health and wellness plan, please speak to our pharmacy staff and they can assist you further. We can help you customize a supplement program specific to your child's needs.

The following 4 factors should be considered when taking any supplement if you want to get the most out of them and not waste your hard earned money. Ideally an individual may want to consult with an experienced healthcare practitioner to help optimize their situation:

Dosage: Is this the right dose for my child? One child's needs may be different from another depending on their age, weight and personal health situation.

Quality: Is this a good quality brand or form of the supplement? NOT all brands are created equal.

Timing: Am I giving my child the supplement at the right time of day? Sometimes timing can be important depending on the specific supplement or condition being treated.

Compliance: Am I giving the supplements regularly or as directed? Non-adherence is the number one failure to taking supplements. There will be supplements intended to be taken every day and then there will be times where something may be used more acutely or on a as needed basis. Have you been diligently following the instructions from your healthcare practitioner?

Whether your child is already on an existing supplement regimen or looking to begin one, we can help you re-assess some of the above considerations when you are visiting our pharmacy.

If your child's situation is more complex or you are interested in a more thorough review, our pharmacy provides private one-on-one consultations for a fee. Please speak to a pharmacy staff member for details and go to Pharmacy Fee Schedule for more information.

Balanced Health Integrative Pharmacy offers a unique and true holistic approach to health care as we do not discount western medicine altogether and acknowledge it has a place in therapy. Although we do encourage a more natural approach whenever possible to managing and treating health issues, we do not hesitate to recommend and support the use of pharmaceutical drugs where we see fit.

"I created the Fab 5 program to help keep my little girl Calista happy, healthy and full of calm energy – this in turn I hope can serve as a framework of reference for other parents looking to optimize their children's health and vitality from a supplement perspective."

Peter Lee, Integrative Health Pharmacist
Founder of Balanced Health Integrative Pharmacy

"Balancing Your Health as Naturally as Possible"