SMART IMMUNE
Your Child Deserves the Best
Even with a bountiful of choices in the world, we are often at a loss when it comes
to making decisions. Each decision we make as parents, will affect our children’s
future, therefore we need to make the best choices for them.
Our Child’s Food
To ensure that children develop and grow well, it’s essential that their diet is
controlled at an early age. It is important that children receive a balanced diet
consisting of a variety of nutrients as is illustrated in the Malaysian Food Pyramid, provided by the Ministry of Health,Malaysian . The pyramid is a good guide on how to eat healthily.
source: www.infosihat.gov.my
The following are some tips from the Ministry:-
a.) Your child needs between 8 – 12 servings of grain and root vegetables a day.
b.) Grains and root vegetables are high in carbohydrate, which is our body’s primary source of energy.
c.) Fruits and vegetables should make up 3 – 5 servings within our daily diet.
d.) Parents should be creative when preparing their child’s meals, by including various colourful vegetables and fruits.
e.) We should consume between 2 – 3 servings of fish, chicken and beef, which are rich in protein and helps in building new cells.
f.) 1 – 2 servings if milk and dairy products a day are essential as children require calcium to grow and build strong and healthy bone and teeth.
g.) Salt, fat and oil are at the highest level of the food pyramid and should be consumed sparingly.
h.) Children are able to build and maintain a healthy immune system and grow well if they establish and maintain healthy eating habits from a young age.
Start from the top
The immune system is our body’s main frame which helps fight off bacteria and disease, therefore a healthy immune system has to be cultivated from early on. Aside from a balanced and healthy eating habit, parents also need to abide by the scheduled inoculations stipulated by the ministry of health. In addition, parents are also advised to monitor their children’s activities and environments, so as to encourage positive and productive activities and to deter negative ones.
Wise parents will only do what’s best for their children. There are many useful tips for Malaysian parents within the guide book entitled ‘Children between 1 – 6 years, their eating habits’. Some of them are:-
1. Meal times should be adhered to and food should be prepared on time
2. Avoid snacking near meal times
3. Cut your children’s food into small pieces to avoid chocking
4. Allow your child to savour the natural flavours of the foods you’ve prepared without the contamination of salt or other additives
5. To monitor your child’s developmental progress, weigh your child every month
References:-
www.infosihat.gov.my
The guide book, ‘Children between 1 – 6 years and their eating habits,’ Ministry of Health, Malaysia
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