Two Simple Health Hacks for Calmer Kids
There are so many ways to help calm a nervous system, improve focus and concentration, create better behaviour and a more balanced stress response, but I am keeping it super simple today and offering you just two to start with.
1. Switch to a savory breakfast (good fats and protein with little to no sweet foods).
2. Add in a magnesium supplement daily.
My very top advice would be to DITCH CEREALS FOREVER!! Seriously, I recommend walking into your pantry right now and throwing out every box of cereal you have. And as of tomorrow making sure the very first foods that you and your children eat in the morning consist of good fats such as avocado, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, seeds, olive oil and a protein such as eggs, meat, baked beans, smoked salmon, good quality bread with seeds, mushroom, spinach or a super smoothie loaded with both – basically you want to eat dinner for breakfast.
The reason this is so important all comes down to how our body reacts to sugar and glucose spikes. When we eat carbohydrates, nature’s carbs being fruits and vegetables or processed carbs, being breads, pastas and cereals we get a glucose spike in our blood steam. Now we need this glucose everyday for energy for our brain and body BUT ultra-processed foods (cereal being one of the top offenders not far off energy drinks), give us such a huge spike that our body can not use up all of that glucose for energy and so it basically becomes toxic. Plus, the higher the spike the stronger the come-down and once that come-down hits we are tired and hungry and wanting more sugar!!
However, fats and proteins help stabilize our blood glucose by reducing these spikes while still providing us with a longer lasting energy source so we can focus, problem-solve, feel full and reduce craving and be a much calmer human and nicer person to be around.
Switching to a savory breakfast will take a bit more effort on our part as eating real foods requires a little more time than the ultra-quick, ultra-toxic and ultra-processed foods do. But trust me, the benefits are amazing and I can guarantee both you and the teachers will notice the difference very quickly.
The other very simple health hack for creating calmer kids (and adults) is Magnesium. If I could only give everyone on the planet one supplement to take Magnesium would be it! Its benefits to the human body just don’t stop – energy production, immune function, muscle and nervous system support, cardiovascular system and heart health and so on… If you or your kiddies are struggling with anxiety, concentration issues, hyperactivity and restlessness or poor sleep and fatigue, introducing a small dose of a gentle magnesium supplement can work wonders.
Basica Active is one of my top picks as it is very high quality, easily absorbable and alkalizing magnesium supp and taste good enough that most kids will take it. For the super fussy kiddies you can try starting with Mag Phos Tissue salt chew or spray, it is not a supplement but it will at least get the ball rolling and help calm down our busier kiddies which might make them more open to trying something new.
So lets all try our best to say goodbye to ultra-processed foods that make billions off our poor health and instead give big warm, welcoming, farmer’s market hug to all that mother earth has already provided for us and that our bodies absolutely love and thrive on.
