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Chocolate Protein Pudding for Teen Athletes {Recipe + Review}

Chocolate protein pudding made with eggs and goat whey – a simple snack or breakfast for teen athletes!

My oldest son has always been active. I felt his first kicks when I was eleven weeks pregnant. From the day he was born he was up and ready for action at 6:00 am. And when he was three years old, he would come down the stairs bright and early and shout, “Where’s my breakfast?!”

It was a very busy and very cute season. We decided to channel some of his high energy into sports. At four years old he played both soccer and t-ball (he loved every minute of it).

As my son got older, he chose to continue with soccer.

Now, in high school, he still loves playing soccer (year-round!). But one thing has definitely changed – his appetite and nutrition needs!

Protein pudding made with Naked Nutrition goat whey.

How Much Protein Does A Teenager Need?

Nourishment from real, whole food is important at all ages. But during the teenage years the need for protein goes up. This is especially true for serious athletes.

In the early teen years, aiming for 50-70 grams of protein daily is sufficient. But as kids get older and want to put on muscle, their needs can go up to 100 grams (or more) daily.

The key to assessing your teen’s protein needs is figuring out his or her goals. Does he want to put on muscle to become stronger and faster? Then he needs to combine an increase in protein with an increase in muscle-building activity.

Simply increasing protein will not equate to more muscle. In fact, more protein plus a sedentary lifestyle may lead to increased fat stores.

Protein and movement go hand-in-hand for athletic performance.

Chocolate protein pudding for teen athletes

Protein for Teen Athletes

There are many great sources of protein. These include:

  • Meat: chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, pork, etc.
  • Seafood
  • Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
  • Eggs
  • Nuts and seeds (note that these are better sources of fat than protein)

The tricky part is having quality sources of protein on hand for quick snacks and meals.

Which is why protein powders come in handy. You can add them to just about anything to increase the protein content.

Naked Nutrition Goat Whey Protein

My entire family has been using collagen for many years. But we recently tried goat whey protein from Naked Nutrition.

Many protein powders come from cow dairy. That really limits options for a teen with a dairy allergy!

So, my son was very excited to find goat whey protein. He loves the vanilla flavor added to goat yogurt, oat cups, and smoothies.

Chocolate protein pudding for teen athletes

Protein Powder for Teen Athletes

It is important to be choosy when it comes to protein powders. They are not all created equal. My family loves the goat whey protein because it comes from small-herd, pasture-raised goats in WI.

Not only do the ingredients meet high standards, but the nutrition is great too! One serving of Naked Goat Protein contains 23 grams of animal protein! This makes it an excellent source of protein for teen athletes that doesn’t require extra work.

Protein Snacks for Teens

After working hard at soccer practice or a game, my son is HUNGRY. And he knows that loading up on protein will help him feel full and meet his fitness goals. So he likes to add Naked Nutrition Goat Whey Protein to yogurt or dairy-free milk. I even add it to muffins and oatmeal sometimes.

Some other simple snacks for teen athletes include:

Chocolate protein pudding for teen athletes

Creamy Chocolate Protein Pudding Recipe

There are many options for healthy snacks. But one of my son’s absolute favorite snacks is protein pudding. With allergies to both dairy and nuts it’s hard to find easy options with complete protein for my son. But protein pudding meets his needs perfectly!

This simple pudding combines multiple sources of protein for a delicious, prep-ahead treat. It includes:

  • Eggs
  • Sunbutter (or nut butter if you tolerate it)
  • Naked Nutrition Goat Whey Protein
  • Milk (whatever milk you tolerate)

You can make the pudding a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge. Dish up a serving whenever you need it, or take it on the go.

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Chocolate Protein Pudding (with goat whey and eggs)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled these can be cold or warm
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 3 Tbsp. sunbutter or nut butter
  • 1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
  • 3 scoops Naked Nutrition vanilla goat whey
  • 3 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a high powered blender.

  2. Blend until smooth.

  3. Serve immediately or chill and serve cold.

  4. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

Protein:

6 eggs = 36 grams

3 scoops goat whey = 34.5 grams

3 Tbsp. sunbutter = 10.5 grams

Milk ~ 4 grams

Total = 85 grams/4 servings = 21.25 grams of protein per serving.

Using 4 scoops of whey protein would equate to 24 grams of protein per serving.

Chocolate protein pudding for teen athletes

How to Incorporate Protein Pudding for Teens

Thanks to the nutritional boost from Naked Goat Whey, a serving of protein pudding contains up to 24 grams of protein (depending on what milk you use and how much protein powder you add). That’s enough for a meal!

Protein pudding is great plain. But there are other ways to serve it as well.

  • Mixed into goat yogurt
  • Used as “frosting” on a muffin
  • Topped with sliced bananas
  • Used as a dip for pretzels or apple slices

I tend to serve protein pudding for breakfast alongside energy balls. It keeps all of my kids full and fueled for hours! Plus it’s all ready to go when they get up in the morning. It’s pretty much a weekly staple in my house.

Benefits of Whey Protein

In addition to boosting protein intake, Naked Nutrition Goat Whey contains Vitamin A, medium chain fatty acids, and triglycerides that all help with healthy skin. Teenagers can always use help in this area!

And for those that struggle to break down lactose from cow’s dairy, goat whey is a great alternative that is easier on the gut.

goat whey protein is a great option for boosting protein for teen athletes. And this delicious chocolate protein pudding is our favorite way to incorporate it.

Have you tried goat whey? What is your favorite way to use it?

Chocolate protein pudding for teen athletes

Easy Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe and Tutorial

If you’ve been searching for an easy way to make freshly milled wheat sourdough bread, your search is over! No weighing. No strange ingredients. Ready by dinnertime. But all the benefits of fresh grains and fermentation. Problem solved!

Easy Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

I can still remember the day I watched Sue Becker’s video “Only Real Bread: Staff of Life.” It was the summer of 2023. God led me to this video after a fellow NTP had posted a link about an unrelated topic on her podcast. When I checked out the podcast, I also happened to see her interview with Sue Becker. As I listened to Sue talk about the Biblical significance of wheat and the numerous health benefits, something inside me stirred. Despite my hesitation, I knew we had to try it.

You see, my family had been gluten-free for over ten years. I had been gluten-free for at least fifteen years myself due to hypothyroidism. So taking this leap back to wheat was a big (actually huge) step. But I felt the Holy Spirit nudge. And when God says go, you listen!

Benefits of Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

I ordered some wheat berries. I found a recipe. And I used my Vitamix dry blender to make flour (not the finest grind, but it got the job done). My first loaves of freshly milled wheat bread were not fancy by any means. But they tasted great (especially after ten years of gluten-free bread!).

Thankfully God blessed my family for following His leading. We didn’t have any negative reactions to the wheat. In fact, quite the opposite. We have only seen health improvements.

Sometimes we joke and say, “It must be the bread.” For example, my husband has always struggled with seasonal allergies. But over the past year he noticed they were significantly less severe.

Once I was convinced there were no reactions and that I was committed to milling my own grains, we bought a grain mill. And I’ve never looked back.

Easy Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

Baking With Freshly Milled Grains

As someone that has always enjoyed baking (just browse my recipes…most of them are baked goods), my world had just expanded immensely. I wanted to experiment with everything!

Cookies, pancakes, muffins, yeast bread, cinnamon rolls, cakes (THIS is our favorite),…the possibilities were endless! And my family loved every second of it.

But it wasn’t until about a year after switching to freshly milled grains that I got serious about baking sourdough bread.

I already had a mature sourdough starter. So I jumped right in!

Can You Make Sourdough Bread With Freshly Milled Grains

My first loaves were either rock hard or flat as pancakes. I didn’t realize it would be so much different to make sourdough bread with freshly milled grains than with all purpose flour. But it makes sense. AP flour is mostly starch, whereas freshly milled wheat has all the fiber as well.

I made a few decent loaves by doing half freshly milled wheat and half AP flour. But I wanted the real deal. It had to be possible…in spite of what my experiment after experiment was proving.

So I read tons of recipes, watched tons of videos, and my experiments continued.

Easy Sourdough Bread With Whole Wheat

I’ll spare you the details of my failures. There were a lot. But the good thing about these failures is that they still tasted good enough to eat. So nothing went to waste.

My goal was to create a loaf that tastes good, looks good, and is not complicated. No added ingredients. No weighing everything exactly. Just a simple, nourishing bread.

After a year of trial and error I’ve created a really good loaf of freshly milled wheat sourdough bread that meets all of my requirements. Of course that means my family wants me to make several loaves a week. The other day my oldest told me that I’ve ruined her…now no other bread even comes close to comparing. Not even regular freshly milled wheat bread. Not sure if that’s a good or bad problem to have.

Easy Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

Once you get the hang of the recipe, you’ll see how making sourdough bread can easily fit into your day. Whether you are home on a weekday or you want to do some baking on the weekend, it only takes a few minutes to get the bread started. Then you do a quick stretch and fold every thirty minutes (give or take, it doesn’t have to be exact) for a few hours. Rest, shape, and bake. That’s it.

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Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fed and active sourdough starter
  • 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 3 1/4 - 3 2/3 cup freshly milled hard red and/or hard white wheat flour may need up to 3 2/3 cup, depending on the variety of wheat; hard white tends to need more flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt may use up to 2 tsp. if you like it salty

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine the water and starter. Mix.

  2. Add the flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms (no dry flour left).

  3. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

  4. Stretch and fold and gently knead. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

  5. Repeat this process until you have completed 8 stretch and folds (approximately 4 hours).

  6. Cover and let rise 1-2 hours, until about doubled in size.

  7. Lightly flour surface. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a ball, pulling toards you to create surface tension (see video). Don't overwork the dough.

  8. Place in a floured banneton basket or tea towel-lined collander upside down (top of dough goes in first). Seal bottom of the dough so there are no holes.

  9. Cover and place in the refrigerator to ferment for 1-3 hours.

  10. 30 minutes before baking place a Dutch oven in the oven at 450 degrees F to preheat.

  11. Gently flip dough onto parchment paper or a bread sling. Score if desired.

  12. Place dough (on the parchment or slng) into the hot Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

  13. Reduce heat to 425 degrees F and remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Continue baking for 20 minutes, or until desired darkness and crust.

  14. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Cook completely before slicing.

  15. Store cooled bread in a sealed bread bag or bread box.

Recipe Notes

  • Using all hard red wheat will give a darker, stronger tasting bread. It will require less flour (about 3 1/4 - 3 1/3 cups).
  • Using all hard white wheat will give a lighter bread. It will require more flour (about 3 1/2 - 3 2/3 cups).
  • You can use a combination of hard red and hard white. Other varieties of wheat may require different amounts of flour.
  • This makes one boule-style loaf.
  • You can bake the bread in a loaf pan as well. Let it rise in the fridge in the loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven.

How to Make Sourdough Bread Without Weighing Ingredients

Every time I read a new sourdough bread recipe I gained a bit more insight. But it wasn’t until I watched others making bread that I really got the hang of it.

I must admit, many videos were over my head talking about autolyse, hydration and grams. I just wanted a recipe that I could quickly and easily follow. So I created what I’ve been searching for.

Here is my super simple freshly milled wheat sourdough bread tutorial with step-by-step instructions. You can follow the video and pause as needed.

Can You Make Sourdough Bread in One Day

One of the things I absolutely love about working with freshly milled grains is that the fermentation happens quickly. Which means you don’t have to wait forever for a loaf of sourdough bread. In fact, by the time you complete the stretch and folds half of the fermentation is already complete.

I typically start a loaf of sourdough bread around 7:00 or 7:30am. I am done with stretch and folds just before lunch. Then after lunch I shape the dough. Mid-afternoon I bake it.

The bread is out of the oven before 4:30pm. So you can actually eat it for dinner the same day!

It’s not super sour, which is great for kids. But if you like it more sour you can definitely leave the dough in the refrigerator longer.

Alternatively you can make the dough in the evening and let it ferment in the fridge overnight. Then bake the bread in the morning. Just note it will be pretty strong by then.

I personally don’t like to get my kitchen dirty in the evening. But if that fits better into your schedule then do it!

Sourdough Bread With Hard White Wheat

When it comes to wheat varieties, the possibilities are endless. But I mentioned that I’m all about simplicity (and budget too). So I typically stick to hard red or hard white wheat for my yeast breads.

For freshly milled sourdough hard white wheat will likely give a better crumb. But hard red wheat has amazing flavor. Sometimes I do all hard white. Sometimes I use a combination of the two. It’s really all about personal preference.

The same goes for salt. I like a salty bite to my bread. So I generally go a little heavier on salt (close to 2 tsp.). But 1 1/2 tsp. is definitely enough to make good bread.

One final point of preference is the crust. Some like it softer, some like a really hard crust. For a softer crust you can keep the lid on longer when baking. For example, bake for forty minutes with the lid on and only ten mintues with the lid off.

If you really want a good crust you can stick the loaf back in the oven for a few mintues after removing it from the Dutch oven.

Easy Freshly Milled Wheat Sourdough Bread

Is Sourdough Bread Healthy

Sourdough bread tastes amazing! And it looks good too. You can use this same method for making sourdough bread even if you are using all purpose flour. You just won’t need as much flour (about three cups) and won’t need to do so many stretch and folds.

But deep down we all want to eat sourdough for its health benefits. So, the question is, are there any benefits to eating sourdough bread?

Absolutely! The fermentation breaks down the gluten, making the bread easier to digest.

But I do have some bad news. The recent sourdough craze has everyone thinking that it is a super food. Well, it really depends. All purpose flour has no real nutritional value. As I mentioned it is all starch and protein. The vitamins, minerals, and fiber have been stripped away. A few are replaced with synthetic versions that don’t offer actual benefits.

If that is your starting point, fermenting it won’t really help much. It will break down the gluten. But it won’t generate the lost nutrients.

If you want to get real benefits from sourdough bread, you’ll want to make it with freshly milled wheat.

Sourdough Bread Supplies

Sourdough bread does not require any fancy supplies. But if you’re like me and enjoy kitchen gadgets, you can step up your sourdough game with these tools.

Simple 100% Freshly Milled Sourdough Bread

I once thought making sourdough bread with 100% freshly milled wheat was impossible. But that’s simply not true! Whether you like basic yeast bread or you love the artisinal look and taste of sourdough, you can make delicious real bread the way God intended.

Do you use freshly milled grains? Have you tried making sourdough bread?

Quick Protein Oat Parfait for Busy Mornings

Protein Oat Parfaits – your busy morning solution!

Life with kids is busy. That’s a given. Young children need your attention non-stop. It’s such a full season of life.

But what you may not realize is that as your kids get older the busyness doesn’t decrease. It actually increases! Sorry to burst your bubble if you’re a mom of littles.

True, you won’t be changing diapers, getting up multiple times a night, and reading the same book thirty times in a row. Instead, you’ll be driving your kids here, there, and everywhere. I miss those days of being home with toddlers.

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

Busy Morning Breakfast Ideas

As a homeschooling mom of four I know just how hectic life can feel. I have one child about to head off to college, one just starting high school, one in the tween stage, and one in full-on elementary mode.

My kids participate in co-ops three days a week plus plenty of other activities. Which means we are coming and going often and have a lot of early mornings.

And while I’m a morning person, I don’t have time (or the desire) to cook breakfast most mornings.

Healthy Breakfast for Busy Mornings

But I always make nutrient-dense food that includes protein, fiber, and healthy fat a priority for my family. That’s why I’ve become the queen of prep-ahead breakfast.

It’s also why I was so excited to try the Naked Nutrition Protein Oats! They are so easy to make the night before. Just add the oats to milk, stir, and stick it in the fridge. The flavor, protein, and fiber are already in there! One serving of Naked Protein Oats contains 20 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber! Plus no added sugar.

In the morning just grab and go for a nourishing breakfast.

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

Naked Nutrition Protein Oats

There are many great flavors of Naked Nutrition Protein Oats to choose from. They include:

  • Blueberry cobbler
  • Cinnamon roll
  • Chocolate peanut butter banana
  • Green apple cinnamon
  • Chocolate peanut butter
  • Double chocolate
  • Strawberry cream

I honestly want to taste them all. But to start, my family tried blueberry cobbler and chocolate peanut butter. Something fruity and something chocolatey!

My first thought is that they are so easy. My kids enjoy overnight oats, but I honestly hate making them. So this is a super quick way to make delicious oat cups.

My second thought – both flavors are great, but they have a bitter aftertaste. I was disappointed, but not done experimenting.

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

How to Make Protein Oat Parfaits

Instead of throwing in the towel, I got creative and turned the Naked Protein Oats into delicious parfaits! We all enjoyed the flavor much better when mixing the oats into Greek yogurt. Plus, it bumps up the protein content! And I can add some extra fat for the kids by using MCT oil or melted coconut oil.

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Blueberry Cobbler Protein Oat Parfait

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 - 1 scoop Naked Nutrition Blueberry Cobbler Protein Oats
  • 1-2 tsp. maple syrup
  • Optional Add-ins: chia seeds, flax seeds, salt, extra collagen. MCT oil

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Mix well.

  2. Refrigerate at least one hour or up to overnight.

Recipe Notes

  • Dairy-free alterantives can be used for the yogurt.

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Oat Parfait

Servings 1

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 - 1 scoop Naked Nutrition Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Oats
  • 1 - 2 tsp. maple syrup
  • Optional Add-ins: chia seeds, flax seeds, salt, extra collagen. peanut butter powder
  • Optional: 1 tsp. mini chocolate chips
  • 1 - 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, almond butter, or sunbutter

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients (except nut butter). Mix well.

  2. Refrigerate at least one hour or up to overnight.

  3. Top with favorite nut or seed butter if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Dairy-free alterantives can be used for the yogurt.

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

How to Use Protein Oats

I’m completely sold on our delicious protein oat parfaits using Naked Protein Oats. I’m adding these parfaits to our regular breakfast rotation.

My protein oat experimentation didn’t stop there. I also tried adding the Naked Protein Oats to a quick bread. I made freshly milled wheat blueberry cinnamon bread. The protein oats gave great texture and a burst of flavor to the bread (in addition to the protein and fiber)! All four kids devoured it. So I made a second loaf. We almost finished off the whole loaf in one meal!

I simply replaced about one half cup of the flour with two scoops of protein oats.

Next on the agenda is chocolate peanut butter muffins! Topped with a simple, nourishing peanut butter frosting they’ll be a real breakfast treat.

The cinnamon roll flavored oats would make amazing cinnamon bread too!

Naked Nutrition Protein Oat Parfait

Nourishing Breakfast with Naked Nutrition

Protein oats can simply be mixed with milk for a quick grab-and-go breakfast. Or you can get creative with parfaits, breads, or muffins. The possibilities are endless. My oldest and I are already brainstorming other ways to enjoy Naked Protein Oats. Maybe we’ll try adding some to smoothies or stir them into a warm bowl of oatmeal.

Which flavor of Naked Nutrition Protein Oats would you try first?

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids

How and What to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain

Feeding kids with any degree of pain or oral dysfunction can be a huge challenge. Learn how and what to feed a child with mouth pain.

If you have a teenager, you probably know the ups and downs of orthodontics and how hard it can be to feed a child with mouth pain.

My oldest utilized Bioblock Orthotropics to reshape her jaw, straighten her teeth, and help reduce mouth breathing. She started the process at age seven and was done just after her tenth birthday. It was expensive and difficult. But her teeth are impressive…and she never needed braces.

How do I stop mouth breathing in my kids

My 13-year old started orthodontics young as well. Probably too young. We went the more traditional route with him – expander and then braces. He got his braces off in fifth grade.

Now he is in eigth grade…and is back in braces. It’s very frustrating for all of us as he was really excelling at his trumpet playing. Now it’s a challenge to play well.

The orthodontist was hoping the initial round of braces would be sufficient. Unfortunately, his lower jaw did not move forward as they had hoped. So he’s back in full braces, trying to adjust the lower jaw (I think their office has adjusted their practices since then – they won’t start my younger daughter until she has lost all of her baby teeth.).

In addition to getting full braces, he also got a bite plate. It keeps his top teeth from hitting his bottom teeth (that slant inwards) and knocking off the braces. He started wearing rubber bands as well to pull the jaw forward. This equated to a lot of pain at first.

How and What to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain

Why it’s Important to Chew Your Food

While I know it’s necessary for proper jaw formation and that the pain does subside, there is a problem that really stresses me out. My son can’t chew!! His top and bottom teeth don’t touch with the bite plate in. So how is he supposed to chew his food? It’s a critical part of the digestive process!

One of the best things you can do for digestion is chew your food really well (turn an apple into applesauce is what I tell students in my Nutritional Navigation course). This really helps your stomach break down food so you can fully utilize the nutrients.

I’m trying not to get overly stressed. I know it is temporary. And the whole point is to help his teeth get into the right position so he can chew better than ever. And he’ll get better at it as he gets used to the appliance.

In the meantime, I’m trying to be intentional with his food. I know so many kids struggle with mouth function. So I’m sharing some of my go-to nourishing foods for kids that have a sore mouth (whether it’s from dental work, losing teeth, grinding teeth, or something else) or struggle with chewing.

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids

Foods That Don’t Require Chewing

Obviously I’m a fan of chewing your food. But I know there are times when it’s just not possible. These foods can be eaten no matter what the oral struggle.

The important thing to remember is that the food must be held in the mouth for the same amount of time you would have chewed (ideally about 20 seconds). This helps the body still produce saliva and enzymes to break down the food.

How and What to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain

Soft Foods for Braces or Tooth Pain

For the less extreme cases, here are soft foods that can easily be mashed, whether with teeth, gums, or the tongue.

How to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain

This is all nourishment the whole family can enjoy. 

It’s tempting to let your child live on store-bought ice cream and popsicles when they are struggling with mouth pain. But it’s more important than ever to focus on nutrient density when the mouth is reshaping and healing. That takes a lot of cellular energy!

If you’ve ever had surgery or even recovered from a bad illness, you know just how tired you feel. Anytime the body is healing it takes a tremendous amount of energy. The same goes for changing the shape of the jaw. The body is working overtime. So eating nutrient-dense, real food is essential.

Feeding a child with mouth pain does not have to equate to junk food or lack of nourishment.

How and What to Feed a Child With Mouth Pain

How Nervous System Regulation Impacts Feeding a Child

Also, remember that mouth pain can be very overwhelming for some kids. So make sure nervous system regulation is part of the equation as well. Thankfully my teen has always been my biggest/best eater. Not much deters him from food. But the pain/nervous system factor is why I’ve been so hesitant to even consider orthodontics for my youngest daughter. You can read more about her story HERE. She is so healthy and thriving now. I don’t want setbacks.

When a child that easily goes into the freeze response is struggling with mouth pain, it’s helpful to do regular somatic exercises in addition to a parent or primary caregiver being present and regulated when the child is eating. It all boils down to safety!

Easily Feed a Child With Mouth Pain or Tooth Pain

Finally, when it comes to children struggling with mouth pain, don’t overcomplicate it. Stick to simple foods. This will make feeding less stressful on you and create less overwhelm in the child.

It can be a challenge to feed a child with mouth pain or who struggles with chewing or oral function. But soft, nutrient-dense, simple foods combined with nervous system regulation will go a long way to keep your child well-fed and thriving.

Add a boost to your drinks with Naked Nutrition Collagen Creamer

Naked Nutrition Collagen Creamer Review

I’ve never been a coffee drinker. I tasted black coffee once when I was younger (back when I knew nothing about nutrition and had a big sweet tooth). It was so bitter. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to consume coffee, and I told myself I would never drink coffee again.

Fast forward to my forties, and I started to enjoy an occasional coffee drink. The flavored kind, of course.

That was a fun, once-in-a-while treat…until it wasn’t. The last few times I drank coffee it really made my histamine intolerance flare. I felt awful. So, no more coffee for me.

It’s OK. Like I said, I was never a coffee drinker anyway.

Add a protein boost with Naked Nutrition Collagen Creamer

Naked Collagen Creamer

So, why would I want to try a collagen creamer?

One – because creamer isn’t just for coffee.

Two – because I still love hot drinks with flavor!

I’ve been drinking salted hot chocolate with collagen (healing hot cocoa as I call it) daily for over ten years now as part of my hydration strategy. I have yet to find anything that works as well.

But lately I’ve been craving some different flavors. I’ve tried things like matcha, moringa, and maca. They aren’t bad…but they don’t taste that great.

So, when I came across Naked Nutrition collagen creamers I knew I had to give them a try!

Naked collagen creamers come in three flavors – chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. I’ve been doing the chocolate thing for a long time, so I went straight for vanilla and caramel.

Add a boost to your drinks with Naked Nutrition Collagen Creamer

How to Easily Add Protein to Your Day

I’m not giving up on my hot chocolate. I’m just elevating it to a new level.

I tried both caramel hot cocoa and vanilla hot cocoa. They are both delicious! It just depends what mood you are in.

Honestly, it tastes like a fancy coffee house drink, but without the high price tag, excess sugar, and toxins. Instead, you get hydration and a protein boost. That’s a drink you can feel good about!

Collagen creamer is a great way to squeeze in a little extra protein if you are working on building muscle. One scoop contains 9 grams of protein from European pasture-raised cows. That’s my favorite thing about collagen.

How to Use Collagen Creamer

If you like to add a little flavor to your coffee, Naked collagen creamer is the perfect solution. But you can enjoy collagen creamer even if you wouldn’t touch coffee with a ten-foot pole. In fact, I’m pretty sure my kids like the creamers more than I do. They each had to try some as soon as it arrived.

Naked Nutrition collagen creamers can be added to smoothies, tea, muffins, oatmeal, or yogurt. We’ve enjoyed the vanilla creamer in banana muffins. My oldest likes to add collagen creamer to protein oats or Greek yogurt. And my younger kids love it mixed into raw milk. Just blend it with a milk frother or blender and let it sit for a few minutes to fully absorb the collagen.

I do have to “warn” you that the flavor intensifies over time. So, start with a small amount. You can gradually increase based on your taste preferences. But a little goes a long way.

All of these are great strategies for getting picky eaters to consume more protein. Plus, it’s just plain fun! For kids, you can adjust the quantity to a fourth to a half scoop.

Vanilla and Caramel Naked Nutrition Collagen Creamer

Benefits of Collagen

Naked Nutrition collagen creamers contain high quality amino acids in addition to a small amount of healthy fat from MCT oil. In addition, each serving contains 0 grams of sugar!

I also love that it is made in the USA and free of GMOs, soy, gluten, and dairy! Which means my dairy-free kiddo can even enjoy it.

Most people using collagen see improvements in their hair, skin, nails, and joints. I know I have.

In general, adding collagen to drinks, oatmeal, or yogurt is a great way to boost protein and give your body essential amino acids.

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner I do have to mention that collagen is a supplement (a food-based supplement with no additives – my favorite kind!). So, make sure you start with a small amount and gradually work up to the dose that works for your body.

My body is quite sensitive to new products, so I started with a quarter scoop. It still provided plenty of flavor and a little extra protein. Use what works for your bio-individual needs.

An easy protein boost for kids.

Naked Nutrition for Your Health

Naked collagen creamers make a great addition to your daily hot drinks. Just remember they are additions. It’s still important to focus on high-quality protein in your diet.

Naked Nutrition also offers products such as fiber, peanut butter powder, greens, protein powders, sand shakes. Lots of delicious options!

If you’re serious about making positive changes to your health this year, check out Naked Nutrition.

I am working with Naked Nutrition for this review post. I have been compensated for my time commitment to use these products. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Mineral Balancing for Kids: Is it Right For Your Child?

Conventional medicine only looks for evidence of disease. But if you want to go deeper to truly help your child thrive and prevent disease, learn more about mineral balancing for kids.

Learn more about mineral balancing for kids.

 

Has your child ever had a mysterious symptom or illness pop up out of nowhere? That’s exactly what happened to my oldest son in 2023.

Everything was fine. Then all of a sudden, he started getting sick every two-to-three weeks. It would start with a headache and fatigue, then progress to a fever for a few days. The first few times I assumed he had caught a little virus.

But as he continued to get sick throughout the summer while the rest of the family was fine, I knew there was something going on.

We went to the pediatrician, who ran a few tests. Nothing. Then we moved on to a pediatric infectious disease specialist. He ran a myriad of tests – checking everything from cancer to bacterial infections spread from animals (since we raise chickens and lambs).

Then we got the all too familiar words,

“Everything looks good. If you’re still having problems, talk to your pediatrician.”

In other words, he thought my son was fine because he couldn’t find any out of range blood levels or evidence of disease (the only thing that conventional medicine treats). As a Nutritional Therapist that specializes in kid’s health, I knew that was not true.

Why do kids have low minerals?

Can Kids Have Low Minerals?

How did I know? Because I know my child. And I know the power of mineral balancing for kids.

You see, a few years earlier I had run a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) on my son and found that all four of his macro-minerals (calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) were depleted. This is called a Four Lows state. In other words, total burnout.

But life was super busy. Even though I knew how serious it was, I didn’t do as much as I should have (funny how that works when it’s your own child versus a client).

We worked on replenishing a bit. Life went on, as it does. He seemed OK. Until he wasn’t.

So, when the doctor said there was no disease or infection (and even practically laughed in my face when I showed him my son’s hair test because clearly that was a joke), I knew exactly what to do.

I ran a new HTMA and got my son started on a mineral balancing program immediately.

Mineral balancing for kids

The Root Cause of Illness in Kids

I knew exactly what was “wrong” with my son. It was a two-fold issue, as it is with pretty much every client I work with.

It was a combination of mineral imbalance/depletion and nervous system dysregulation.

This is the root cause of just about every symptom/condition I see in my clients.

I noticed that my son got sick every time there was a stressful event.

  • Band audition…sick the next day.
  • Soccer tryouts…sick the next day.
  • Marching band camp…sick the next day.
  • Youth group event…sick the next day.

You get the idea.

How Stress Affects Minerals in Kids

But why? What’s the connection between minerals and stress?

There is actually a really big connection.

Stress, or any triggering of the nervous system, utilizes a lot of cellular energy. It also uses some of the most significant minerals in the body, such as magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

So, if a child’s nervous system is dysregulated, he or she will be using a lot of cellular energy. This depletes key minerals and creates an imbalance. This, in turn, causes physical symptoms, including full blown illness such as fevers.

The same can happen with physcial stressors such as lack of sleep, high or low blood sugar, excessive exercise, and spinal misalignment.

Mineral balancing for kids.

What Does Mineral Imbalance Look Like in Kids?

But a mineral imbalance in kids is not limited to acute illness. It can contribute to many symptoms, conditions, and disorders such as:

  • ADHD
  • Brain fog
  • Mood swings
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Dandruff
  • Eczema
  • Asthma
  • Constipation
  • Food sensitivities
  • Picky eating
  • Acne
  • Gluten intolerance
  • Histamine intolerance

The list could go on. This is why it’s so critical to use mineral balancing to support growing kids!

Mineral balancing for kids.

Why Do Kids Need Minerals?

Now, you may be wondering why kids would have low or imbalanced minerals to begin with. You’d expect it in a stressed out forty-year-old mom. But kids should be strong, healthy, and well-nourished, right?

Unfortunately, we live in a world with a lot of lifeless food (meaning, void of many vitamins and minerals). This includes the typical “kid food” that is overly processed and heavily marketed towards both parents and children for convenience.

Also, children are born to depleted mothers. If Mom doesn’t have mineral reserves, there is not much passed on to the child. So, kids are depleted from day one.

There are also more toxins in the environment than ever before. This puts a high stress load on the body and requires more energy and minerals for detoxification.

Finally, we live in a unique culture where kids spend much less time outside while also putting high levels of demand and stress on them, from activities around the clock to more and more schoolwork. This equates to low minerals, low resiliency, and a dysregulated nervous system.

Minerals are literally your body’s sparkplugs. Without them, a child will not feel his or her best.

Mineral Balancing for Kids

I know so many parents have had an experience similar to ours. You know your child is struggling. Yet, doctors are no help. They run a few tests and tell you, “Everything is fine,” when it’s clearly not.

This is why I love mineral balancing for kids! It actually helps your child! No brushing symptoms under the rug. No telling you that it’s “normal.” Instead, you get actual data and an understanding of what’s going on with your child at a cellular level. More importantly, you get a plan of action to help your child feel better.

Mineral balancing utilizes HTMA, a non-invasive test, to assess a child’s mineral and heavy metal status. Both the individual minerals and the mineral ratios give invaluable information about how the systems of the body are functioning at a cellular level.

This can show disease trends before any actual disease is present. Which makes it one of the best preventative tools available. In other words, mineral balancing helps get your child’s health back on track at a young age to prevent more serious problems in the future.

When minerals are at ideal levels and in balance with each other, the body can function optimally. This provides adequate cellular energy and also helps remove toxins and pathogens. Balanced minerals are a critical key to good health.

Mineral balancing for kids

Mineral Balancing for Teens

I work with many younger children. The great thing about starting mineral balancing at a young age is that the process is much faster.

However, I also work with many teens. This is a critical age for balanced minerals as hormones are added to the mix. What is required for healthy hormone production? Minerals!

Teenagers have added factors to consider:

  • Energy required for rapid growth.
  • Higher stress levels that come with a heavier workload and life changes such as learning to drive, getting a job, and making decisions about life after high school.
  • Hormone production and detoxification.
  • Circadian rhythm changes.

The most common mineral imbalance I see when working with teens is copper, especially in girls. This can have far-reaching effects from ADHD to OCD to eating disorders to mood swings to chocolate cravings! These are just a few of the symptoms.

As an adult struggling with copper imbalance and now going through it with my own daughter, I wish I had known about this many years ago. I could have not only helped myself sooner. But I could have given my daughter a better start instead of passing on this imbalance.

Is Mineral Balancing Right for Your Family?

This post contains a small glimpse of the benefits of mineral balancing for kids. You could write an entire book on the topic (and many already exist!).

Hopefully by now you are starting to wonder if mineral balancing using HTMA is right for your family.

My honest opinion is that mineral balancing is important for all kids! Whether you are just starting your health journey or you have been on it for many years, HTMA will give you the insight and guidance you’ve been looking for.

Do Kids Need Supplements?

When most people hear about mineral balancing, they envision a mountain of supplements. But that is not the path to true health!

Mineral balancing for kids involves dietary strategies, lifestyle adjustments, targeted nutrition, and nervous system regulation. Yes, a few targeted supplements are typically included in the program based on a child’s bio-individual needs. But supplements are secondary, not the primary focus.

Instead, the focus is simple, doable steps that become habits and eventually a lifestyle. For example, going outside during sunrise to expose your eyes to the sun is a simple habit with profound benefits.

I always tell my clients that diet and lifestyle are the foundation, the lead. Supplements only play a supporting role. And generic multi-vitamins are never the solution.

Mineral balancing for kids.

Does Mineral Balancing Work for Kids?

It’s been almost a year since my son started having recurring fevers. The best the doctors could give us was a diagnosis of recurring fevers since they couldn’t find anything else. But with the help of a mineral balancing program and nervous system regulation, he has now been fever-free for about four months.

We shifted his diet to be more in line with a fast oxidizer. We also added in key minerals that his body was lacking, such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Digestive support was also key in helping him absorb his nutrients.

Yes, my son still gets sick sometimes as all kids do. But he is not getting sick due to a mineral imbalance and total burnout. In fact, there have been illnesses that have hit multiple family members, while my son stayed healthy!

But the benefits of mineral balancing don’t end there. He has better posture, his confidence has grown tremendously, and his energy has improved.

In addition, it’s been a while now since he has complained about digestive upset, which used to be frequent.

My son’s reflux is gone. He can think more clearly. And one of the biggest impacts has been his mood and anxiety. My son used to have angry outbursts almost daily due to anxiety. Now he is happy and even-tempered most of the time. If he does have a rough day, he recognizes it and can tell that he is more stressed and tired than usual. His own body and nervous system awareness is amazing at twelve years old.

His sleep has improved as well. When he was getting sick frequently, he struggled to sleep. This turned into a vicious cycle of anxiety about not sleeping. He’s back to his usual deep sleep.

It’s such a blessing to see my son thriving instead of fighting to get through each day. Mineral balancing was a huge part of his healing journey and will continue to be going forward.

Mineral balancing for kids.

How Long Does Mineral Balancing Take?

When it comes to your child’s health, you want to see progress immediately! However, every child’s body is unique. You can’t predict in what order or how quickly any child’s body will start the healing and balancing process.

Most kids see at least some improvement within a few weeks. But deeper healing can take months to years.

This is why it’s important to have the mindset that health is a journey, not a destination. It’s an ongoing process.

The journey begins with the initial HTMA. This gives great insight into where the child’s minerals are and where to begin mineral balancing.

Depending on the degree of depletion or imbalance, it is recommended to run an HTMA retest every 4-6 months. This is when the deeper work really happens. We can see how minerals are moving, how systems of the body are shifting, and whether or not heavy metals are being eliminated.

An HTMA retest is so important because minerals and metals move! That’s the whole point of mineral balancing. The goal is to not be stagnant. So, a mineral balancing protocol needs adjustment as the body shifts. Since my son was in such a depleted state, we have been retesting his minerals every three months to keep making adjustments and to monitor progress.

How Do You Get Started with Mineral Balancing for Kids?

Now that you understand more about mineral balancing for kids, you may be wondering how to get started or what your next step should be.

I have several options to fit your needs, your time, and your budget.

First, continue to learn more about minerals and foundational health. Some posts that may be helpful include:

Second, help your kids learn more about nutrition and caring for their bodies through my course Nutritional Navigation.

Finally, get started on a mineral balancing program for kids! I offer one-on-one nutritional therapy plus HTMA. You can learn more about my programs HERE. If you are considering testing more than one child, the HTMA Family Plan might be a better fit. Learn more HERE.

Book a clarity call!

Mineral balancing for kids using Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is one of the best modalities to help your child heal at a deeper level and truly thrive.

Mineral Balancing for Kids.

Do kids need multivitamins?

Should My Child Take a Multivitamin?

If you were a child of the eighties like me, you probably took Flintstones Vitamins at some point. They were shaped like cartoon characters and tasted like candy. Plus they reassured Mom and Dad that you were getting all of your vitamins. Sounds great, right?

As processed foods were becoming more and more common, vitamin supplements were also growing in popularity.

It’s quite brilliant if you think about it.

Food manufacturers could produce cheap, lifeless food. Then add a few cheap synthetic vitamins and market the products as nutritious!

Do kids need multivitamins?

Do Kids Need Vitamin Supplements?

The cereal industry is the king of this strategy. Take cheap, GMO grains, overprocess them, add synthetic vitamins and minerals, sugar, and some food dyes – you have the ideal product to market to both parents and children. Maybe add a character to the box and a toy inside. Now they may also add fiber and a low-fat or heart-healthy stamp. Marketing genius. A highly processed food that takes up an entire aisle is a problem.

The milk industry is another big one. Confined cows are fed a slew of grains and antibiotics. The milk is is then ultraprocessed to remove the harmful bacteria. Which in essence kills the milk itself. This lifeless white water is then fortified with synthetic vitamins. Then even doctors get on board with telling parents that children should drink milk every day…low-fat of course. And while you’re at it, pair it with cereal!

If this is how a child starts each day, he or she will definitely be lacking nutrients like essential vitamins and minerals. So should kids take a vitamin supplement?

Do kids need multivitamins?

Are Vitamins Worth Taking for Kids?

It is very common for my clients to ask about a multivitamin to ensure their child is getting enough, especially if they have a picky eater.

The answer is always no.

It’s a hard answer to accept for many parents. They want that assurance, that safety net. But multivitamins for kids can actually do more harm than good.

Vitamins are considered micronutrients because we need them in smaller quantities, like milligrams instead of grams.

Vitamins are organic compounds obtained from living bodies – plants and animals. You must get them from food. They are also very fragile and heat sensitive, which means they don’t hold up well to processing.

We won’t analyze every vitamin in this post. But we’ll go through some of the most important ones.

Have you ever really looked at the label on kids’ multivitamins? There is a lot in them!

Do kids need multivitamins?

One of the first vitamins on the list is Vitamin A. Look in parenthesis. Nine times out of ten it will say beta carotene. While this is technically Vitamin A, it is not a very absorbable form since it comes from plants. It is considered pre-formed Vitamin A. The body has to take the beta carotene and convert it into retinol – the usable form. Which means if you are taking 100% of your daily value of beta carotene, you are getting far less actual Vitamin A (retinol) since the conversion is so poor.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient. It’s most important role is assisting copper. However, it must come from animals to be effective. Which means a vegan diet is out. Cod liver oil, butter, and liver are all great options for high quality Vitamin A.

Should My Child Take A Multivitamin?

As you go down the label, Vitamin C is next. This is another crucial vitamin for both the immune system and for supporing copper regulation (in conjunction with Vitmain A).

There’s just one problem. Just as with Vitamin A, most multivitamins for kids use a non-beneficial form of Vitamin C – ascorbic acid or citric acid. These both contain only the outer shell of the Vitamin C molecule. Instead of supporting copper regulation, this will actually impede it.

Many vitamins actually come in a citrate form. They are all problematic. so whether it’s zinc citrate, potassium citrate, magnesium citrate, calcium citrate, or any other citrate or ascorbate, you’re better off avoiding it.

The best way to give your child Vitamin C is with a wholefood Vitamin C. This simply means it comes directly from food. You can do this by eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Or you can use a freeze-dried and powdered food source such as acerola or camu powder.

So far the multivitamin for kids is zero for two.

Do kids need multivitamins?

Should Kids Take a Multivitamin Daily?

As you move down the label you come to Vitamin D. Pretty much everyone has heard of Vitamin D supplements, whether you are into natural health or not.

Vitamin D is touted as a miracle cure for everything from mental health issues to the common cold.

But if you dig into the research a bit, you’ll find that there is more to the story. Vitamin D is actually a pre-hormone – a group of secosteroids. Vitamin D is synthesized by the body when sunlight hits your skin. Your body creates it. Just like your body creates estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, etc. Nobody calls those vitamins.

Excess Vitamin D will pull calcium from your bones. When analyzing Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis I can usually tell which clients have been supplementing with Vitamin D – their calcium is very high. This means their body is pulling calcium from the bones and dumping it into the tissues. Calcium hardens concrete, so imagine what it does in your tissues! Vitamin D supplements are a great option if you’re looking to slow yourself down and be arthritic.

I do not recommend Vitamin D supplements to anyone. You can read more about why HERE.

Do kids need multivitamins?

Children’s Mutlivitamin with Iron

Probably the most damaging nutrient added to many supplements for kids is iron. While this is not a vitamin, it is an essential mineral.

Iron is the most abundant mineral on the planet. We are surrounded by iron. Yet it is one of the most common minerals added to processed foods, especially grain products.

Have you looked at a cereal label recently? Chances are it has iron added. That may sound innocent. But it is literally iron shavings. Your breakfast is magnetic!

Iron becomes toxic quickly when a child does not have the co-factors to direct it. A couple important co-factors include Vitamin A from retinol (from animals) and Vitamin C (from whole foods).

If you or your child has ever been diagnosed as anemic, most of the time that’s not true. You don’t have a lack of iron. You have a lack essential vitamins and minerals putting iron where it belongs – in your blood, not in your tissues.

Iron causes oxidative stress in the body when it is not in its proper place. So skip the mulitivitamin with iron and the iron-fortified food.

What Are the Most Important Vitamins for a Child?

All vitamins are important for kids. But one of the most common vitamin deficiencies I see is B vitamins. Vitamin B is actually a complex of eight vitamins that are essentail for a host of processes in the body. These include:

  • B1 (thiamine) – regulates appetite, produces energy from carbohydrates, promotes cell growth, supports nervous system/mood/mental health
  • B2 (riboflavin) – deficiency causes cracks in mouth, skin irritations, tongue inflammation, sore throat, sensitivity to light; helps break down fats
  • B3 (niacin) – metabolizes sugar and fat, helps skin, brain, spinal cord, sensory organs, and digestive system; deficiency causes weakness, aggression, dementia
  • B5 (pantothenic acid) – deficiency causes fatigue, greying hair, numbness/tingling in limbs, supports hormone regulation
  • B6 (pyridoxine) – deficiency causes water retention, supports nervous system health, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure
  • B7 (biotin) – deficiency causes hallucinations, supports strength of hair and nails, breaks down fatty acids
  • B9 (folate) – creation of DNA – especially important in pregnancy
  • B12 (cobalamin) – break down all 3 macros, synthesis of bone marrow and nerve cells, cognitive function, cardiovascular system

The best source of all of the B vitamins is food, not supplements. 

Do kids need multivitamins?

Why Your Child Does NOT Need a Multivitamin

You’ve been told that kids need to supplement nutrients, all while filling their bodies with processed, lifeless food. Food manufactureres love this strategy so much they add the vitamins for you! Then tell you it’s healthy.

Unfortunately, the vitamins added to foods and used in many multivitamins are mostly man-made, synthetic vitamins that a child’s body does not recognize. Which means they are useless. And really they are more like toxins – something for the body to expend energy removing.

As mentioned above, many vitamin supplements contain unusable or even harmful forms of vitamins. This is in addtion to extra ingredients like colors, flavors, and various forms of sugar to make the vitamins taste good.

One of the biggest problems with mutlivitamins for kids is that they create imbalance in the body. Every child has unique nutritional needs. So a generic mutlivitamin will have too much of one vitamin and not enough of another that they need. This will only make a child’s health worse.

Finally, vitamins and minerals do not work in isolation. That is why it’s important to get them through food. The food will have synergistic vitamins and minerals that help each other and are in the right balance.

Do kids need multivitamins?

What Vitamins Should My Child Take?

At the end of the day, the most important thing to know is that kids should get vitamins through real, whole foods as much as possible. This requires intentionality for parents. But eating a wide variety of proteins, complex carbohydrates with fiber, and healthy fats will give your child a solid foundation of nutrition and essential vitamins and minerals.

Due to poor farming practices our soil, our grass, our produce, and our animals are less nutritious than they used to be. So be intentional about food sourcing and quality. Growing your own food in mineral-rich soil is one of the best ways to get nutrients in your food.

Another way to ensure your kids are getting sufficient vitamins and minerals is through nutrient-dense food sources like animal products, aceraola (use code TAKE10), cod liver oil (use code Mary10), desiccated liver (use code TAKE10), bee pollen, and non-fortified nutritional yeast. These contain a lot of nutrition in a small package.

In addition to key vitamins, focus on macro-minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Minerals are just as important as vitamins.

You and your child can learn all about minerals in the Nutritional Navigation eCourse HERE!

Both vitamins and minerals are essential to your child’s health and well-being. Multivitamins for kids are not the solution. Real, nutrient-dense food is!

Do you use any vitamin or mineral supplements? Share in the comments!

Nervous System Regulation for kids!

Nervous System Regulation for Kids

About twenty seconds after getting home from a visit to the orthodontist, my son was criticizing his sister. Before I even had my shoes off he was starting a fight.

I sighed. Here we go again. I had to admit it was impressive speed this time.

As I paused for a moment to collect myself before joining the situation, it dawned on me.

It’s not one of his food reactions. It’s not his blood sugar. He’s not even actually mad at his sister. In fact, it has nothing to do with her. It’s his nervous system!

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Signs of a Dysregulated Nervous System in Children

How did I kow my son’s nervous system was dysregulated? I’ve been studying the nervous system for a while now. And there are some key signs of nervous system dysregulation to watch for. These include:

  • angry outbursts
  • hiding
  • mood swings
  • coping behaviors like OCD, escaping reality in books and video games
  • mysterious pain or repeated illness
  • sensitivity to lights, sounds, touch, or crowds
  • constant fatigue
  • insomnia
  • stomach pain or upset
  • diarrhea or constipation
  • food cravings or appetite changes
  • difficulty focusing or completing tasks
  • frequent urination
  • hormone imbalance
  • anxiety or panic
  • constant slouching
  • withdrawl from normal activities

Any of these can happen periodically with no cause for concern. But if you start noticing any of these happening regularly or in relation to certain events, situations, or environments, it could be nervous system dysregulation.

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

What is the Autonomic Nervous System?

Nervous system regulation in kids refers to the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).

Some functions of the body happen by choice. Like deciding to get up and walk or playing the piano. But some functions happen without you even thinking about them. Nervous system regulation focuses on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) – the automatic body functions, such as breathing, heart beat, body temperature, sweating, and digestion – the stuff happening all the time to keep you alive without needing to think about it. Can you imagine trying to tell your heart to beat all day long?!

The ANS is sort of like a ladder. You want to spend most of your time on the middle rung, where you feel safe – not too high, not too low. This is called the parasympathetic state. Some refer to it as the rest and digest state or social engagement state where you feel calm and relaxed yet fully alive and energetic…and all of those automatic functions run smoothly.

When you encounter something your body perceives as stressful or overwhelming, your body initially goes into the stress resposne (up) and then either stays there or goes down the ladder to handle the situation.

Going up means you enter a fight or flight state (also called a sympathetic state). This is a HIGH energy state. It should be short-lived, so you can get back to the middle of the ladder and feel calm.

Going down can mean you are really scared, and instead of fighting or running, you simply freeze. You don’t know what to do, so you do nothing. This can also be referred to as trauma or overwhelm. It is the opposite of the high energy state. The bottom of the ladder is a place of exhaustion, a very LOW energy state.

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Why Children Have a Dysregulated Nervous System

Each of these positions on the ladder is essential for survival. They keep a child’s body safe. But sometimes the ANS gets stuck at the top or the bottom of the ladder and struggles to get back to the middle – the calm state. Sometimes a child’s body completely skips the middle and goes from the bottom to the top and back again. A child’s body is not sure what to do. Whether they are stuck at the top or the bottom, this is when a child feels the symptoms of dysregulation. 

Why does this happen? An event or experience is the trigger for nervous system dysregulation. But it is an individual’s response to that experience that determines whether or not it will cause dysregulation.

For example, Jill and Tina are building a tower of blocks together. Lisa walks over and knocks the tower down for no reason. Jill laughs and thinks it’s funny. She’s ready to start the tower again. However, Tina feels sad and angry. She shouts at Lisa and then runs away crying.

Two kids in the same situation with very different responses. Jill remained in the middle of the ladder – the social engagement state. While Tina went into the fight or flight stress response. It wasn’t the event that caused the dysregulation. It was how the event was experienced by each child’s body and nervous system.

We are all created uniquely and have had different experiences in life. So what will cause nervous system dysregulation for each child is unique.

Practical Ways to Help Kids Regulate Their Nervous System

What’s important is not so much what triggered the dysregulation but how it is handled. Let’s look at two endings to this story.

Scenario 1: Tina runs away and finds her mom. As she stands there crying her mother says, “You don’t need to cry about that! It’s just some blocks. Go back over there and play.” And her mother goes back to talking with other moms.

Scenario 2: Tina runs away and finds her mom. As she stands there crying her mother pulls her close and holds her tight. She lets her cry as long as she needs. Then when Tina starts to settle down she asks her what happened. After listening to the full story her mother validates her feelings, “That made you feel sad to see your hard work undone. Sometimes I feel sad like that too.” Then they walk back to the blocks together and her mother sits and plays with her until she feels comfortable on her own.

In the first scenario Tina is left by herself with big emotions and feels shame about them. She might go into the freeze state and just sit by herself, alone and tired. She might also go back into the fight or flight response and try to get even with Lisa. Either way her body is learning not to feel sadness. It’s not safe and it will not allow her to be close to her mother.

In the second scenario Tina learns that she can express big emotions safely and her mother will help her come back to the middle of the ladder.

The key component here is safety. Feeling safe is the most important part of nervous system regulation for a child. And adults need to help young children experience that safety.

When my four-year-old is upset I never tell him, “That’s enough crying.” Instead I hold him and let him cry until he has fully experienced and expressed that emotion while feeling safe. Then we can talk about it and shift back to the calm state together. If you’ve ever experienced this with your child it’s a beautiful thing.

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

How Nervous System Dysregulation Can Cause Picky Eating in Kids

As you can probably gather by now, nervous system dysregulation is at the heart of many behaviors and symptoms. Picky, or selective, eating is no exception.

While picky eating seems like a personality issue or defiance, there is much more to it.

Kids are not born picky. There could be a physical reason a child can’t eat well, such as tongue tie or oral sensory processing disorder. You can learn more about this in my Mouth Assessment Guide.

But if the mechanics are working well, there is usually something that triggers the nervous system to create the symptom of picky eating.

When my youngest daughter was born she struggled with breastfeeding. She reacted to so many foods (that I was eating) that eating meant pain. She began to fear eating. And it created a downward spiral into the freeze/trauma state. She and I were both very dysregulated.

It took many years to get her to not fear food. She is a good eater now; however, she still goes into the overwhelm state very easily. If anything is hard she shuts down and says, “I can’t!” Which is true. In the overwhelm state the logical/reasoning part of the brain stops functioning.

So the next time your child refuses food, don’t get angry. That will perpetuate the dysregulation. Instead, try to figure out how your child’s nervous system is responding.

  • Are the lights too bright?
  • Is there too much noise?
  • Are there too many textures?
  • Are there too many new foods?
  • Is everything mixed together?
  • It may simply be too much food on the plate!

Eating can be a very overwhelming experience for a child. Help make it a safe space and watch the picky eating subside.

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Somatic Experiences for Kids

The most effective way to help a child become regulated is by allowing him or her to experience safetey and containment. This is done through somatic experience exercises.

I recently heard a doctor say, “You have to feel in order to heal.” This is such a profound statement. A child can not talk their way to safety or think their way to safety. They have to actually feel safety in the body. This is accomplished through somatic experiences.

What makes a child feel safe? A common experience is receiving a hug. This may come from a trusted adult. But sometimes even that does not feel safe, depending on the relationship and the degree of dysregulation. And that’s OK.

A child can give himself or herself a hug in order to allow the body to feel a sense of safety and support.

Another option is to support the heart. Simply place the child’s hands over his or her heart to feel loved and supported.

There are many simple somatic exercises that kids can do on their own. Try this Superhero exercise with your kids!

 Helping Kids With Parts Work

Another nervous system regulation concept is parts work. Some refer to it as Internal Family Systems.

A child may feel conflicting emotions in certain circumstances. For example, Max sees the neighbors playing baseball. Part of him wants to go join them. But part of him is too scared and wants to stay home where it feels safe.

These opposing parts can be confusing. Which one is right? Which do I choose?

Each part has a purpose. Helping your child understand his or her parts can be helpful for decision-making and for avoiding coping behaviors.

Nervous system regulation for kids - how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Self-Regulation Strategies for Kids

Nervous system regulation is so important for kids. It’s also important for the caregivers to be regulated. Parenting or caring from a place of dsyregulation will impact the child’s nervous system. So what are some simple strategies for self-regulation in kids?

There are quite a few! These include:

  • Tapping (EFT) (learn how HERE)
  • Spinal flush (learn how HERE)
  • Somatic exercises (like THIS and THIS)
  • Parts work
  • Deep breathing
  • Dancing
  • Singing
  • Rhythmic movement
  • Gargling water
  • Going barefoot outside or wearing barefoot shoes
  • Humming
  • Jumping on a trampoline or rebounder
  • Receiving long hugs
  • Weighted blanket
  • Sensory swing
  • Wrap up in a warm blanket
  • Listening to music

Allow your child to decide what nervous system regulation tool or practice sounds best to him or her.

How to Help Your Child with Nervous System Regulation

As an adult you can be the silent observer. You can help figure out what triggers your child’s nervous system and sends it into the fight/flight or freeze state.

While we were at the orthodontist my son told me his stomach hurt because he was so nervous. Of course he was able to hold it together while we were there and for the car ride home where he was contained. But as soon as he walked into the house, into a familiar environment, his stress response kicked in.

He went into the high energy fight state and needed to take action instead of feeling the uncomfortable nerves any longer. Unfortunately his big sister was the first person he saw. So she took the brunt of his dysregulation. This happens often. And it’s not fair to her.

I am working on teaching my son how to recognize his own dysregulation and what he can do about it. He is eleven, so he is old enough to start recognizing things himeself. In the mean time I help facilitate his nervous system regulation.

I remove him from the situation. Then we talk through what he feels would be most helpful in the moment. One of his favorite practices is to get cozy in bed with a weighted blanket. This allows him to feel safe and supported while his body comes down from the stress response.

It is often followed by the freeze response, meaning he has very little energy. He is learning how to come out of the freeze response as well. It’s a learning process, and he is gradually becoming more and more aware of his own reactions to triggers and events. This anger actually comes out whenever he has been around other people and then comes back home. So teaching him how to stay regulated while in social settings will help prevent the stress response afterwards.

Kids will not be perfect at nervous system regulation. But starting at a young age will give them the tools to continue learning as they grow.

A great place to begin teaching your child about nervous system regulation is the Nutritional Navigation eCourse! There are seven modules dedicated to the nervous system. It’s that important! Learn more HERE.

Do you see signs of nervous system dysregulation in your kids? Did you learn something new or have any lightbulbs go off? Share in the comments!

Healthy Breakfast Butterscotch Milkshake

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch “Milkshake” for Kids

When it comes to great recipes I have a theory – most of them are created by accident. And this nutrient-dense butterscotch milkshake is no exception!

As an Analytical Eater I get in food ruts very quickly. Just ask my family. But one day as I was making lunch I was just sick of my usuals. Instead I was in the mood for something cold and creamy. Ice cream sounded awfully good. Back in high school I would have just eaten ice cream and called it a meal. But being a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner I knew I also needed nourishment.

What I really wanted was something chocolate. But my body does not tolerate cocoa well. So I tried to create a carob smoothie, hoping my odd concoction of various forms of protein and frozen fruit would satisfy my craving.

I wasn’t sure it would taste good at all. But to my surprise the end result was the most amazing smoothie that tastes like butterscotch!

My kids all insisted that they had to try it. I only ended up with half of my smoothie. But my protein-packed butterscotch “milkshake” was born.

Healthy Breakfast Butterscotch Milkshake

Healthy Drink for Kids

Nutrient-dense drinks are one of my favorite tools for nourishing under-eaters and selective eaters. Smoothies loaded with desiccated liver and collagen (use code TAKE10 for 10% off) literally saved my daughter’s life! Read more about her story HERE and HERE!

So I’m always trying to create new healthy drinks for kids.

When I say healthy, I mean a drink has a balance of complete protein, complex carbohydrates (think fiber!), and unprocessed fats. This combination is essential for blood sugar reguatlion in kids.

But it also has to taste good. I’ve definitely made my share of smoothies that were loaded with nutrition but were not very palatable. Think way too many greens. Kids need the right balance of nutrition and flavor.

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids

Easy Protein for Picky Eaters

Hands down the most difficult macronutrient to get selective eaters to consume is protein. This is a top concern for many of my clients – especially when it comes to snacks and breakfast.

This easy butterscotch milkshake is your solution!

The recipe starts with hard-boiled eggs. Yes, you read that correctly. It sounds crazy, but you can’t taste them. The eggs add thickness in addition to nutrients like protein, B Vitamins, and healthy fat.

The second ingredient is sunbutter (or any nut butter you like). More protein and healthy fat!

The next two ingredients are whole milk and collagen. Even more protein! This breakfast butterscotch milkshake is a protein powerhouse. Using two eggs, two tablespoons of sunbutter, three fourths cup of milk, and two scoops of collagen gives you 44 grams of protein!

It serves two-to-four kids. So each child gets 11 to 22 grams of protein in one drink!

Adults, you can drink this as well. Even if you only drink half of this you’re still getting a great start to your protein goals for the day. And you can always add an extra scoop of collagen or an extra egg to boost it even more.

Dairy-Free Butterscotch

Don’t feel disappointed if your child is dairy-free. This butterscotch milkshake can definitely be made dairy-free! Simply use your favorite milk substitute (like homemade rice milk) in place of the whole milk.

If you don’t have any milk substitutes simply use water. It will still taste great. And there will still be 38 grams of protein!

Delicious dairy-free butterscotch is possible.

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids | Loaded with proatein and healthy fat!

Breakfast Butterscotch Milkshake Recipe

Many kids struggle with breakfast. It can be a sign of low blood sugar, low stomach acid, or even nervous system dysregulation. Whatever the cause, serving an easy-to-consume, highly palatable breakfast can help things turn around.

The healthy dose of protein will help a child with low blood sugar. The easily absorbed nutrients will help a child with low stomach acid. And comforting food will help a child with nervous system dysregulation.  You really can’t go wrong with a butterscotch milkshake for breakfast.

It can be a stand-alone breakfast. Or you can serve it alongside other nutrient-dense options like:

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Smoothie

Whether you call it a milkshake or a smoothie, the taste and the nutrition is the same. If you have a selective eater, butterscotch milkshake probably sounds more appealing.

My kids like it really thick. By adding extra ice it gets so thick it’s almost like ice cream! Sometimes I even serve it with a spoon.

While I do love serving smoothies with breakfast, my kids love this nourishing drink any time of day. Sometimes we have it for a snack. Sometimes we have it with lunch. The other day I even made a batch for the whole family to go with our Friday breakfast-for-dinner meal.

No matter when you serve this nutrient-dense butterscotch smoothie, it’s a kid-pleasing way to nourish your child!

Do you ever serve milkshakes for breakfast?!

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids

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Butterscotch Milkshake

Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2-3 hard-boiled eggs
  • 2-3 Tbsp. sunbutter or any nut butter
  • 3/4 cup whole milk or milk substitute or water
  • 2 Tbsp. collagen
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. carob powder
  • 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Real Salt
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen, sliced bananas
  • 1/2 - 1 cup ice

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients in a high-power blender until smooth. The milkshake will be thick.

  2. Add more ice if desired for extra thickness.

Nutrient-Dense Butterscotch Milkshake for Kids

Blueberry Pie Ice Cream

Gluten-Free Blueberry Pie Ice Cream | Dye-Free & Naturally Sweetened!

Blueberry pie ice cream is rich and creamy, using fresh, raw cream. Packed with  blueberries and pieces of gluten free pie crust, it makes a real treat.Blueberry Pie Ice CreamOne of my absolute favorite things about summer in Michigan is the abundance of fresh blueberries.  It has been my favorite fruit since I was little.

Blueberry pie has always been my favorite kind of pie as well (I’m normally not really a pie person). I used to request it for my birthday instead of cake.

While blueberry pie is quite perfect on its own, it can get better. There is only one way I can think of to improve blueberry pie…by making it into blueberry pie ice cream!

Gluten-Free Blueberry Dessert

When my oldest was little she requested blueberry pie ice cream. Being an Adventurous Eater she loves to come up with new recipe ideas.

Together we created a rich, creamy ice cream that is packed with blueberry flavor and has bits of real pie crust mixed in. An added bonus is the brilliant purple color of the ice cream. Nothing artificial here. Just pure blueberry goodness.Blueberry Pie Ice Cream

What to Make With Blueberries

When fresh blueberries are in season, this blueberry pie ice cream is a must! As different fruits are in season you can swap them for the blueberries – strawberry, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, or even peach! You can also make this dairy-free using coconut milk.

But there are plenty of other amazing blueberry desserts and treats to try as well. Which is why you’ll want to freeze plenty of blueberries so you can make them all year long!

Fresh or frozen blueberries work interchangeably for just about any blueberry dessert.

Blueberry Pie Ice Cream

Gluten-Free Blueberry Pie Ice Cream

Blueberry pie ice cream is a super simple dessert. Kids will want to help with this one!

The pie crust can be made in advance. And since it’s going to be crumbled anyway there is no need for perfection. Let the little ones have a blast rolling dough.

The ice cream batter is ready in minutes. Simply add the ingredients and blend.

It’s fun to watch it all come together. So be sure you have your kids in the kitchen for this project.

Are you ready for the perfect summer treat? Blueberry season just got a little sweeter with blueberry pie ice cream.

Blueberry Pie Ice Cream
Blueberry Pie Ice Cream

Blueberry Pie Ice Cream
A rich, creamy ice cream packed with blueberries and pieces of pie crust. It is gluten free and can be made both egg and dairy free.
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Pie Crust
  1. 1/2 cup any combination of gluten free flours (i.e. tapioca, rice, amaranth)
  2. 2 Tbsp. organic palm shortening or butter
  3. 2 Tbsp. cold water
  4. 2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
Ice Cream
  1. 2 1/2 cups cream (preferably raw) (can be replaced with coconut milk)
  2. 1/2 cup whole milk (preferably raw) (can be replaced with coconut milk)
  3. 1 - 3 egg yolks (optional)
  4. 1 Tbsp. tapioca flour (optional)
  5. 3 tsp. organic vanilla
  6. 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  7. 1/2 cup any combination of sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, coconut sugar)
  8. 3/4 - 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  9. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
  10. 1/4 cup blueberries (optional)
Pie Crust
  1. Heat oven to 400*F.
  2. Combine the flour and sugar.
  3. Cut in the shortening/butter until crumbly.
  4. Add the water and mix until a dough forms.
  5. Spread the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until golden brown.
  7. Cool and crumble.
Ice Cream
  1. Combine the cream, milk, egg yolks, flour, salt, vanilla, sweetener, cinnamon and 3/4 cup of blueberries.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Taste and add more blueberries if stronger flavor is desired. Blend.
  4. Process ice cream in an ice cream mixer according to manufacturer's directions.
  5. Transfer ice cream to a freezer safe container.
  6. Mix 1/4 cup blueberries and pie crust pieces into the ice cream.
  7. Freeze ice cream until firm.
Notes
  1. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can beat the batter in a chilled bowl until it thickens.
  2. It is best to use one "white" flour for half of the flour in the pie crust (tapioca or white rice).
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Blueberry Pie Ice Cream