Helping Your Baby Sleep Through the Night: Part 2

Helping Your Baby Sleep Through the Night: Part 2
Nourishing Foods Help Your Toddler Sleep Better

Question:
My 14 month old continuously wakes up throughout the night. What can I do to help him sleep better?

Answer:
A traditionally prepared diet focusing on unprocessed, organic foods and plenty of healthy fats encourages better sleep at night. Well-nourished toddlers tend to get sick less, have better attention spans, less temper tantrums and most importantly - sleep better!

Fat is Where It's At
As with infancy, fats remain the number one nutrient when it comes to a toddler's diet. Fats and cholesterol provide critical nourishment for growth and brain development. According to Dr. Mary, Enig, author of Know Your Fats, saturated fatty acids are especially important for generating myelin in the brain (myelin is the fatty material that surrounds nerve fibers).

Sally Fallon, founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation, explains that a generous amount of natural animal fat in the diet will support a happy disposition and a strong immune system, as well as help children build strong muscles and sturdy bones. These animal-based fats also offer vitamins A and D, says Dr. Mary Enig, which are absolutely essential for protein and mineral assimilation, normal growth, and hormone production.

The appropriate amount of fat for children has been the subject of some debate over the years. Dr. Enig, often hailed as a world expert on the subject, suggests that natural dietary fats should provide approximately 50-55 percent of calories in a child's diet from birth to two years. High levels of fat are especially important for toddlers whose brains and bodies are being formed.

Let's put a toddler's needs of this most valued nutrient in usable terms for your everyday life. Instead of counting calories, it is easier to estimate fat consumption in terms of tablespoons. If the average toddler takes in approximately 1500 calories each day, he needs about six tablespoons of fat per day to obtain 50-55 percent of his calories as fat. See the sample menu at the end of the article for a clear idea of how to plan your toddler's meals.

Your toddler's calories should come from:

Recommended Foods:
(Animal foods should be from organic and local sources)
* Raw (unpasteurized) organic whole milk
* Organic, grass-fed or pasture-raised meats, including chicken, turkey, lamb, beef
* Organic/cage-free egg yolks
* Organic dairy products like butter, yogurt and kefir
* Liver from the cleanest animal source available (i.e. organic)
* Sustainably sourced or wild-caught seafood
* Organic chicken and grass-fed beef broths (use constantly when cooking rice or any other grain dishes, and in soups and stews)
* Coconut oil
* Extra virgin olive oil
* Avocado
* Nuts and seeds (see note on proper preparation)

Veggies
Vegetables are wonderful choice for your toddler, as long as they're eaten with a generous amount of healthy fat like butter, coconut or olive oil:
Veggies usually best tolerated during the first year are primarily:
* Squash
* Zucchini
* Carrots
* Sweet potatoes
* Beets
* Turnips
* Rutabagas

Leafy green vegetables, make sure they are very well steamed or cooked:
* Swiss chard
* Kale
* Cabbage
* Collard Greens

Raw “salad” veggies are best accompanied with fats from olive oil, avocados or a simple dip made from organic cream:
* Tomatoes
* Cucumbers
* Bell peppers

Using fats, oils and full-fat raw dairy ensures that the nutrients in your delicious veggies are properly absorbed. According to Sally Fallon, your body's absorption of vitamins and minerals requires sufficient levels of vitamins A and D to be present in your diet. In fact, nutrition pioneer Weston A. Price describes these fat-soluble vitamins to be "activators" upon which the assimilation of all other nutrients (protein, minerals, and vitamins) depends.

"But My Kid Refuses to Eat Veggies!"
In his article Feeding Our Children, Tom Cowan, M.D., explains "Children have a relative paucity of the enzyme that converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, [therefore] children younger than five years generally do not do well with vegetables. So there is really no reason to worry about your children not liking vegetables, as this is normal in this stage of life. In fact, because children are slow in this enzymatic conversion, perhaps it is best left to the cow to do this conversion and for the child to eat butter and cream. This is actually probably more as nature intended it anyway."

Well, well, that sure helps alleviate some dinner time battles!

With that said, veggies, especially those in the cruciferous family (think broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts), do offer an abundance of nutrients, and properly prepared varieties should be incorporated into family meals in a balanced way.

Certified Nutritionist, Jen Allbritton recommends trying "some fun ideas to make these colorful foods part of a meal, yet be gentle and don't become overly worried when few are consumed. Blending veggies into bone broth-based creamed soups is a tasty way for the whole family to enjoy these foods. Try sautéing chopped cabbage, onions, garlic, and carrot bits into your morning egg scramble. Make zucchini rounds sautéed in butter with a touch of salt or chili powder. Creatively cook veggies right into your meat dinners, such as shredded carrots and zucchini in meat loaf or chopped red peppers, carrots, and onions into sloppy joes. Into that next roast you put in the crock pot, add in some broccoli and cauliflower along with potatoes and carrots, during the last 30 to 45 minutes."

Finger foods
Simple, easy-to-access foods, especially portable choices, are a necessity during this phase of life, but eliminating processed store bought snacks may improve your toddler's chances of sleeping better. Several ideas that you may have not thought of yet include freeze dried berries (available from your local natural food grocer or Wilderness Family Naturals (www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com), homemade Arrowroot cracker bites (see recipe below), or homemade Popsicle made with raw yogurt, raw cream, and fruit.

Grains
These foods make up the last foods that should be introduced into baby's diet, since they are most likely to cause digestive woes. Production of digestive enzymes gradually increases as babies grow. Dr. Emory Thurston, author of The Parents' Guide to Better Nutrition for Tots to Teens, explains that the last enzymes to start working are those that break down carbohydrates – and often times these digestive enzymes aren't fully functional until your child is three year's old!

Therefore, any kind of cereals, grains, and breads are still challenging for toddlers to digest. However, with proper preparation through soaking and sour leavening, your toddler can start to enjoy a range of grains. It is a common traditional practice to soak grains in water and a little yogurt or buttermilk for up to 24 hours, which jump starts the enzymatic activity in the food and begins breaking down some of the harder-to-digest components. This slow-cooked porridge can be eaten with butter and egg yolks mixed in or combined with other foods.

Proper Grain, Nut and Seed Preparation
Foods should be properly prepared to maximize digestibility and nutritional density. For instance, sprouting and sour leavening essentially "pre-digest" grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This process helps convert starch into simple sugars, proteins into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids, thus allowing the food's nutrients to be more easily assimilated and metabolized. Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods, explains that this is why sprouted foods are less likely to produce allergic reactions in people who have food sensitive.

Instinctively, traditional peoples soaked or partially sprouted their nuts and seeds. These foods contain enzyme inhibitors which, when neutralized by soaking or sprouting, allow for optimal digestion and absorption of the food's nutrients. For nuts and seeds, soak them 6-8 hours in salt water in a warm place. The salt helps activate enzymes that neutralize their anti-nutrients. After soaking, drain the nuts in a colander, rinse (if desired), then dry them in a warm oven (no higher than 150° F) or a dehydrator until crispy (which may take 12 to 36 hours). Add some tamari to the soaking water to add a little flavor.

As for grains, phytic acid is present in their outer layer or bran and attaches to minerals, such as magnesium and zinc, and prevents their absorption (44). This mineral-robbing acid is greatly reduced by soaking grains in slightly acidic liquid, such as water with a little yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, whey, lemon juice, or vinegar. Generally, use the same volume of liquid as whole grain flour (preferably freshly ground) and soak in a warm place (room temperature) at least seven hours, but preferably 24 hours.

See www.westonaprice.org for more details and recipes using these soaking methods.

Foods to Avoid

Avoid commercial dairy products, especially ultra-pasteurized
This commercially available food is frequently tied to allergic reactions and symptoms such as recurrent ear infections and eczema just to name a few(21, 22). What is often misunderstood by most parents is that pasteurized/homogenized milk is a vastly different product than nourishing, nutrient-dense, enzyme-filled raw milk from animals roaming on pasture. Not only are there healthy bacteria in raw milk that keep it clean, the intact enzymes the raw variety contains are essential for its digestion and assimilation. Ron Schmid M.D., author of The Untold Story of Milk, explain that this is exactly why so many people who are labeled "lactose intolerant" can usually tolerate raw milk from cows or goats beautifully. However, there are those who still do react adversely to dairy even if it is raw, so evaluate your child's individual response. Your best choice is raw milk and milk products from cows or goats allowed to roam the range of fresh grass, without the addition of hormones or steroids. Check out www.realmilk.com for more details on this nourishing whole food as well as contact information for quality raw milk dairies across the country; or, contact the nearest local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, posted at www.westonaprice.org.

Peanuts
This "nut" is actually not a nut at all, but rather a legume from the pea and bean family that happens to be uniquely endowed with fat(24). Peanuts are also rich in B vitamins such as pantothenic acid and biotin, calcium, vitamin E, and potassium. Due to the highly allergic nature of this food, Naturopathic doctor Konrad Kail, suggests that those with a high potential for an allergic response wait until age three to try them. Even then, be sure to purchase only organic varieties, since peanuts tend to be a crop that is heavily sprayed with toxic pesticides. According to Sally Fallon, peanuts should never be eaten raw because of aflatoxin, a carcinogenic mold, which is occasionally found in peanuts. Luckily, this mold can be virtually eliminated by cooking or soaking. It is important to note that children who are allergic to peanuts are not necessarily allergic to tree nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, since they come from separate plant families.

Gluten
Gluten is a collection of hard-to-digest proteins (namely gliadins and glutenins) that give bread its springy texture and "glue-like" qualities. There are several theories about why gluten causes trouble for so many. First, grains are usually not prepared properly by soaking or sour leavening, as previously mentioned. Secondly, it is believed our bodies were not designed to handle the quantity of gluten found in most foods today, which are overly-processed convenience foods contain a lot of white flour from high-gluten wheat varieties.

Evidence indicates that high-gluten diets alter the normal lining of the small intestine in healthy people, which opens up the possibility that gluten, particularly in large amounts, is unsuitable for many of us(27). Those with celiac disease, the most well-known gluten-sensitivity condition, suffer with inflammation and damage to the lining of the small intestine resulting in diarrhea, malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies (28,29). Gluten troubles have been linked to failure to thrive in infants and delayed growth in older children (30). Research reveals that non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or immune reactions to gluten, may affect as many as 90 million Americans (28). Kenneth Fine, MD, director of the Intestinal Health Institute in Dallas, Texas believes 60-70 percent of the population possesses the genes that make a person susceptible to developing gluten sensitivity.

Acording to the Textbook of Natural Medicine, wheat contains the most gluten of any grain, and the more closely related a grain is to wheat, the greater its ability to cause trouble. Troublemakers include spelt, rye, barley, and triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid). On the other hand, rice and corn contain no gluten, thus are easier to digest, particularly for those sensitive to gluten (32,33). Other gluten-free grains and alternative flours include sorghum (millet-like grain), amaranth, quinoa, almond, arrowroot, flax, potato and tapioca. Although oats contain a substance similar to gluten, modern research suggests that eating moderate amounts of oats (not contaminated with other grains from processing in the same factory) does not cause problems for most people, including people with celiac disease(34,35).

Remember, proper preparation is at the core of one's ability to digest a food. It has even been suggested that the long fermentation of traditional sour dough bread-making may break down a good portion of this hard-to-digest component in gluten-containing grains (3,36). Bottom line--use caution with gluten-containing grains and when serving them to your family, be sure they are thoroughly soaked or sour leavened so those enzymes and bacteria can do what they do best!

Avoid Soy Foods, such as soy milk and soy protein
Although touted as health foods, they are quite deleterious to health. (See the article "Ploy of Soy" at www.westonaprice.org and The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniel for more details.) Eating small quantities of traditionally prepared soy products such as miso, tempeh, natto, shoyu, and tamari is acceptable. Miso is a fermented soybean paste used as a soup base. Shoyu and tamari are traditionally fermented soy sauces. Look for high quality, raw brands that still contain active bacteria and enzymes. A cup or two a week of miso soup made from properly prepared and well-aged miso is fine if that is something your family enjoys; in fact, properly prepared miso is an excellent source of vitamin K. Along the same lines, a small serving or two of tempeh or natto can also be nourishing. These soy foods are even better consumed with makings of a traditional Asian meal, such as fish broth, organ meats, rice, fermented vegetables (such as kimchee) and sea foods (40).

Avoid Margarines, Shortening, & Refined Oils
These ingredients are readily found in processed foods. Damaged oils can in fact be found right out of the bottle. Although some of today's companies utilize traditional extraction methods, Dr. Mary Enig explains that most commercial oils are processed in large factories with new "technology" that exposes the food to excessive temperatures (often up to 450°F), high pressure, light, oxygen and solvents. The result is oil that has been bruised and battered, filled with harmful, cancer-causing free radicals. This is how a majority of commercial oils become rancid before even hitting the grocery store shelves! Instead, focus on the traditional fats such as butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and lard.

Avoid Fruit juices
Due to the high sugar content and lack of fiber in these readily available beverages, the whole fruit is much preferred. In fact, when compared to the average soda, the common fruit juices--apple and orange (fresh or from concentrate)--contain the same amount of sugar, (approximately six teaspoons per 8-ounce serving.)If your child is used to drinking sugar-laden fruit juices throughout the day, try filling his or her sippy cup with a relaxing beverage instead, for instance chamomile tea lightly sweetened with honey.

To jazz up clean water, add a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime or orange. Lemonade made with fresh lemon juice and liquid stevia is a nice treat. Herbal teas can also be refreshing and many brew right in a glass of room temperature water. In the book Eat Fat Lose Fat, Mary Enig and Sally Fallon recommend Kombucha, ginger beer and water kefir sodas as healthful alternatives to fruit juice.

Avoid "Reduced-fat" or "low-fat" foods
Opt for the full-fat versions, which provide the fat that allows for better absorption of their many nutrients. Furthermore, sugar often takes the place of the fat that was removed, and sugar is a damaging ingredient to consume in excess.

Avoid cold breakfast cereals, puffed cereals, or rice cakes
You're probably thinking "what's the harm in Cheerios or rice puffs"? Basically, these processed products are made of extruded grains. Not only do these over-heated and pressurized foods cause rapid death in test animals, but the processing they are subjected to destroys their original nutrients and makes the end product exceedingly difficult to digest (43). Opt for steel-cut oatmeal (pre-soaked), and home-mdae cold cereal & granola (there are great Breakfast Cereal and Coconut Granola recipes in Eat Fat Lose Fat). Experiment by making pancakes or crackers using soaked unbleached whole wheat flour. Or try some homemade baked tortillas.

What About Desserts and Sweeteners?
Your toddler will undoubtedly join the rest of the family in occasional sweet treats. Focus on simple, properly prepared options, such as fresh peach slices with a dusting of Rapadura (evaporated cane juice sugar) or berries topped with whipped cream made with a little maple syrup and arrowroot powder. Always stick to home-made treats and be sure to infuse your cookies and breads with plenty of healthy fats, including organic egg yolks and raw cream. Home-made goodies made with natural sweeteners like honey, are not only delicious, but are also one of the easiest ways to add quality fats to your child's diet. Once your baby reaches the eighteen month mark, try using unrefined raw honey in your desserts - not only is it wonderfully sweet and delicious, but raw honey is really nutritious and full of beneficial compounds. Even better is lacto-fermented honey, which develops a richer flavor and is an even better aid to digestion than just the raw variety. It is important to note that all forms of honey contain naturally occuring bacterial botulinum spores, which cannot be removed during honey processing and cannot be detected my sight, smell or taste. A baby's immature digestive system is not yet acidic enough to inhibit toxins from being produced as a result of these spores, but an older baby (18 months plus) or an adult can digest the spores with ease.

Sweets to Avoid
Foods that enhance wakefulness include colas, processed snacks, certain herbs, and caffeinated teas. Babies and toddlers are more sensitive to caffeine than are adults, and while most of the caffeine-containing foods listed can make it difficult to fall asleep, the type of caffeine in chocolate can bring about night-time waking, with difficulty getting back to sleep. Never give your toddler any foods with artificial sweeteners (sometimes labeled "low-sugar") - they can be quite toxic and have no place in a wholesome, nutritious

Should I avoid all processed foods?
Here is a trick: do a double-take any time you are opening a bagged or boxed product of any kind. Make sure you are making a conscious decision about what you are about to serve the family. And if you are still hesitating, read the ingredients list out loud, if you can't pronounce some of the ingredients - you probably shouldn't let your toddler (or the rest of your family) eat it.

Example Toddler Day of Meals With Six Tablespoons of Fat
The following one-day meal plan follows Dr. Enig's recommendation for approximately 1500 calories and 87.5 grams of fat, mostly from saturated sources with moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat and small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This menu should give you a clear idea of what approximately six tablespoons of fat looks in a toddler's day of meals.

Breakfast
1/2 cup soaked oatmeal 3 g
1 egg yolk 5 g
1 tablespoon butter 14 g
1 teaspoon honey 0 g
1/2 cup blueberries 0 g
1 teaspoon cod liver oil 4.5 g
4 ounces raw milk 4.5 g

Snack
medium avocado with dash of sea salt 4.5 g

Lunch
1/2 cup grass-fed meatloaf 14 g
1/4 cup sweet potatoes 0.5 g
4 ounces raw milk 4.5 g

Snack
half of a banana fried in 2 teaspoons coconut oil 9 g
4 ounces full fat yogurt 4 g

Dinner
1 cup cream of veggie soup 6 g
hash browns fried in 1 tablespoon coconut oil 14 g
¼ cup raspberries 0 g

TOTAL FAT 87.5 g


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References

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2.Alfin-Slater, R B, and L Aftergood, "Lipids," Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 6th ed, R S Goodhartand M E Shils, eds, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, 1980, 131
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Based on an article by Jen Allbritton, originally published in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Winter 2006.