Grow Strong, Little Ones!

Build A Strong Foundation for Children!

All the great reasons to give your child yummy and nutritious supplements!

As your children start to grow older, it is important to set strong foundations for them to reach their fullest potential. A healthy lifestyle coupled with a balanced diet is essential for their development especially their eyes, immunity, bones and teeth.

Strong Immunity = Healthy Child

The key to a healthy child is a strong immune system. Young children will need time to build up their immunity and children must receive adequate nutrients to fortify their immune system.

During the toddler stage, they tend to explore the world by putting things they find into their mouths and some of these items may not be as sanitized as we hope they are. As children grow older, they get increasingly exposed to other environments such as daycare and playgroups where germs are abundant, making it virtually impossible to germ-proof them.

While being exposed to germs and viruses is a part of life, it does not mean that we cannot take active steps to fortify their immune system to help reduce the frequency and severity of bugs that they might catch especially during this post-pandemic season.

In order to maintain a healthy immune system, having a balance of gut bacteria is key, both in children as well as adults. They help protect your children’s digestive tract and support their immune systems. When gut bacteria become imbalanced, the body’s ability to fight off infections weakens, increasing the chances of experiencing colds and flu.

Foods like yogurt contain probiotics that can boost your child’s friendly gut bacteria. Opt for plain or greek yogurt instead of flavoured ones to reduce your child’s sugar intake. Instead, add honey, maple syrup, or fruits for some sweetness.

Avoid highly processed foods such as instant noodles and fast foods as they can be challenging for the digestive system to break down, robbing the nutrients from the body rather than providing any.

A 360° Visual Protection for Kids

It is extremely important to keep your children’s eyes healthy and safe while they are still young and developing. Activities such as reading, writing and using computers are among the visual tasks which students will perform daily. If certain visual skills have not developed, or are poorly developed, learning can difficult and stressful for them.

Nowadays, children and technology are practically inseparable. The increasing screen time is fueled by the increased availability of smartphones and tablets around them, be it in school or at home. According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's Internet User Survey 2020, the number of internet users who are aged between 5 and 17 has increased from 18.4% in 2016 to 47.0% in 2020[1].

While your child is still young, cultivate these good practices on them such as limit the amount of screen time, ensure bright surrounding when doing their homework or reading, do not encourage them to read while lying down on the bed. Also, set time aside for the entire family to unplug from all technological devices and bring them out to a park or playground.

Aside from that, it is also important to eat right. Eye-nourishing foods such as avocado, spinach, broccoli, and kale are high in Lutein, Vitamin A, and B12 can help protect your child’s eyes from within. On top of that, parents may opt for eye-nourishing supplement that combines antioxidants-rich berries, lutein, zeaxanthin, eyebright extract and fish oil to further support macular their function.

Obtain Sufficient Calcium & Vitamin D

Strong bones make strong bodies. Bones provide structure to the body and play an important role in protecting your organs. The irony is that we only care for our bone health as we grow older, but do you know that the earlier your child builds their bone health, the stronger their bones will be later?

Skeletal development happens most rapidly in infancy and strengthens during childhood. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, about 90% of peak bone mass is achieved by the age of 18 to 20, making youth the best time to build strong bones.

Building strong bones and teeth require intake of calcium on an ongoing basis. The calcium absorbed into our bodies creates some sort of calcium bank. Each day our body loses calcium through our skin, nails, sweat, urine and faeces. As we are unable to produce calcium on our own, it is important to get it from the food we eat. If daily calcium is not met, your body will start taking calcium from the bones instead.
 

According to the dietary assessment, more than 50% of Malaysian children did not fulfill the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for calcium and vitamin D with 50% of them having vitamin D insufficiency[2].

A well-balanced diet consisting of milk, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, and cheese can build up your child’s calcium bank. Give your child at least 2 – 3 cups of low-fat milk every day. Other types of calcium sources can also come from bread, almonds, tofu, and soybean products.

It is also important for your child to receive the recommended amount of Vitamin D as it helps the body absorb and retain calcium. If your child is not getting enough sunlight, foods such as cheese, egg yolks, and fishes high in omega-3 can also help.

Opt for Supplements
Unfortunately, with today’s hectic lifestyles, a balanced, home-cooked meal might not be a luxury that is readily available to all daily. While we can try to make healthier choices to avoid takeaway foods that are high in salt and MSG, it is still a challenge to make meal choices that allows us to obtain all the nutrients we need from food alone. When it comes to children, some might be picky with certain foods making it an even greater challenge for children to adequately obtain all the essential nutrients they need to meet healthy growth milestones from just food alone.

Who says ensuring a balanced diet cannot be tasty and fun? With our wide range of LAC Junior, parents can now give children something they will enjoy eating with much relish and more importantly know that their child is getting the nutrients they need to maintain healthy vision, boost their immunity, and build strong bones.