Exploring Nutritional Structure

Structure takes a close look at meeting nutritional needs, dependant on age, gender, physical activity and habitual diet, and is the central topic in every nutritional assessment appointment. Structure considers what foods are eaten, as well as when and how, throughout a typical school or non-school day. The structure of the diet takes a deep dive into the balance of macronutrients ie. carbohydrates, proteins and fats; also, the balance of fibres and sugars; fluid intake and key nutrients. Key micronutrients are vitamins and minerals required for particular functions of growth needed at different stages child development. Calcium needs for example are high during infancy and again at puberty, reflecting rapid growth of bones and body size. A wide range of nutrients including iron, zinc, magnesium, iodine and vitamins A, B complex, C and D are assessed by a structured dietary history during the first appointment. Other aspects of structure include, meal times, snacking, physical growth, the cycles and rhythms of the body including sleep, menstruation and bowel habits. Birth, early feeding, medical and family history are also part of structure, and together create a unique nutritional story for each child.

Nutritional Assessment

Understanding the Essence of Nurture

Parenting is both the hardest and most valuable job! As well as providing nourishment, nurture is also noticing, listening, acknowledgment. It also includes the timing, tone and quality of your interactions. The art of listening to your child starts in early infancy; eye contact between a parent and baby is so nurturing, it actually grows more nerve connections in the brain!

A nurturing tone helps when children are behaving in ways that are worrying or triggering – helping to reduce tension and strain, and fosters good relationships. Nurture is about learning to observe and respond rather than reacting without thinking.

Finding ways to be calm and attentive will assist parents in managing the moment, creating just enough space to choose how to respond. Longer-term it provides a valuable modelling, promoting emotional stability and self-regulation for children. Meditation or breath work is a great tool for this.

Nurture is using tools like positive reinforcement and effective praise, naming, recognising and rewarding what children and teens are doing well. Recognising the activity helps demonstrate the value of what is being done rather than who is doing it. Promoting safe agency for teens whilst letting them know you are noticing, actively listening and giving encouragement.

A parent’s ability to regulate their own emotions plays a significant role in their children’s ability to regulate theirs. Being or becoming more aware of your own feelings allows you to recognize how your child’s behaviour can affect your feelings, and learn to disengage negativity faster. Less yelling, and more listening, will help cultivate a better quality of parent-child relationships, and a higher level of parenting satisfaction.

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The Importance of Boundaries

Boundaries are about keeping safe and protected and are helpful for children of all ages. Very useful for parents too! They help us define limits, what’s negotiable, what’s non-negotiable; boundaries can help to bring some clarity. Necessary also for creating the right conditions to work on making dietary change, boundaries can be when we say yes or no to something. How and when is it possible to work at the edge of the comfort zone in such a way that boundaries can be maintained? Individual by nature, boundaries are useful in a variety of ways towards recognition, respect, negotiation, compromise, tolerance, time out. Importantly, when modelled calmly by parents, boundaries show children and teens how to self-regulate both with food and other aspects of behaviour. Boundaries are needed at all stages of life, and the art of listening of huge value from infancy to adolescence and beyond.

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Online Workshops for

Happier, Healthier Mealtimes!

Carine offers accessible online workshops on a variety of topics, designed to provide a space alongside others to listen, learn, share, practice and develop tools and strategies for nutritional health.

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