A survey report from a provincial cancer hospital shows: In recent years, not only has the incidence of common childhood cancers, such as lymphoma and leukemia, risen, but cancers that are more common in middle-aged and elderly people, like nasopharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, and brain cancer, are also frequently seen in children under 14. However, medical experts have found that the occurrence of these diseases in children is closely related to their diet. I. Food Pollution
The reasons for today's situation are multifaceted, including environmental degradation, radiation from home appliances, changes in children's lifestyles, and high-protein, high-fat diets. Experts have particularly noted the harm caused by food pollution, with nitrates, aflatoxins, pesticides, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium being the main culprits.
Analysis reveals: Nitrates in food can be converted into carcinogenic nitrites in the body; Aflatoxin is a major "culprit" in inducing tumors (especially liver cancer). When some people fed small animals with moldy feed (rich in aflatoxin), they developed liver cancer in just three months; Residual pesticides in food can enter the human body and accumulate, causing mild damage to organs like the liver, brain, and kidneys, and in severe cases, can lead to acute poisoning and death. You see, the harm of food pollution is terrifying. ...Hot Topic: Seven Foods Not Suitable for Babies
Solutions: The primary measure is to be selective about a child's food, choosing those that are free from pesticide contamination, not moldy, low in nitrates, and fresh and clean, such as rice, flour, beans, celery, onions, garlic, chives, potatoes, radishes, and sweet potatoes. For vegetables suspected of pesticide contamination, use an ozone detoxification machine, or soak them in a vegetable cleanser or baking soda before rinsing thoroughly with plenty of water. Root vegetables and fruits must be peeled before cooking or eating directly to protect the child's health. II. Tonic Supplements
Lingling had just turned 5, lively and cute, but the only concern was that she was a bit thin. Her parents went to great lengths to find a secret to help her gain weight. Later, they saw an advertisement in the newspaper claiming that pollen supplements not only nourish the body but also boost brainpower and intelligence. Overjoyed, they bought it and gave it to their child according to the instructions on the label. Unexpectedly, after 20 days, the child's breasts began to develop... Frightened, the parents rushed their daughter to the hospital. The expert's diagnosis was precocious puberty, and the pollen supplement was the main culprit.
Solutions: Maintain a normal attitude towards supplements and be misled by advertisements. Experts suggest that children under 5 should not take supplements, and those over 5 should only take them under a doctor's guidance based on their specific situation. III. Western Fast Food
In recent years, Western fast food has been all the rage in China. Due to its pleasant dining environment, novel dining experience, and tempting flavors, it is very popular with children. And some parents, in order to cater to their children's tastes, are willing to spend generously to satisfy their requests. But problems arise: many children have become overweight "chubby kids" because of excessive weight. And these "chubby kids" are prone to "civilized diseases" such as high blood pressure, diabetes, fatty liver, and obesity-related brain issues, seriously harming their physical and intellectual development. IV. Sweets
Sweets taste good, and with exquisite packaging and craftsmanship, all kinds of sweet pastries and snacks are everywhere, becoming another "irresistible temptation" for children. However, long-term indulgence in sweets can cause mental health problems in children, leading to emotional instability,表现为 agitation, crying, tearing books, destroying objects, bad tempers, and fighting, which is medically termed "sugar-induced mental irritability." Research shows that excessive sugar consumption leads to the depletion of large amounts of vitamin B as it helps metabolize sugar, causing a deficiency of vitamin B1 in the nervous system and the aforementioned symptoms. ...Diet: Which Types of Sugar Are Suitable for Children
Solutions: Limit sweets, reduce snacks, and maintain the ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in the three daily meals at 1:3:6. V. Acidic Food
Autism is a psychological disorder, characterized by being solitary, uncommunicative, and having poor adaptability to the environment. Why do experts link it to acidic foods? To understand the mystery, one must first understand what acidic foods are.
The acidic foods mentioned here do not refer to their taste but to their nature, such as various meats, eggs, and sugars. These are exactly the "high-nutrition foods" that people value, often chosen by parents as the first choice for children's diets. However, their final metabolic products in the human body are acidic, which can make the blood acidic, changing its normal weakly alkaline state and leading to an acidic constitution. This causes the massive depletion of elements like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which are essential for normal brain development and function, leading to disordered thinking and causing children to develop autism.
Solutions: Adjust the structure of the three meals, appropriately reduce the proportion of so-called "nutritious foods" like protein, fat, and sugar, and increase foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vegetables and fruits. VI. Refined Food
Nowadays, many families pursue "refined food," considering the consumption of polished white rice and refined flour a fashion. Medical experts, however, disagree. They believe that long-term consumption of overly refined foods not only reduces the intake of B vitamins, affecting nervous system development, but also affects vision due to the loss of excessive chromium. It is now confirmed that a chromium deficiency is a major cause of myopia.
Originally, chromium is a cofactor for an important hormone in the human body—insulin. A deficiency can reduce insulin's activity and its ability to regulate blood sugar, causing sugar in food to not be metabolized properly and to remain in the blood. This leads to changes in the eye's refractive power, ultimately causing myopia.
Solutions: Appropriately include a certain amount of coarse grains and brown rice in a child's diet to provide an adequate supply of chromium. [NextPage] VII. Instant Noodles
Instant noodles are one of the popular fast foods today, and their preparation method was also introduced from abroad. To distinguish them from Western fast food like McDonald's and KFC, let's call them "local fast food." This "local fast food" is made of fried noodles with salt and monosodium glutamate. Its biggest drawback is the lack of protein, fat, vitamins, and trace elements, which are essential nutrients for children's growth and development.
Solutions: Instant noodles should not become a child's staple food, as it can lead to malnutrition and harm their physical and intellectual development. VIII. Chocolate
Although chocolate has a long history, it has become increasingly popular as a fashionable food due to the successive discovery of its various health benefits (such as protecting the heart, preventing cancer, aiding weight loss, and boosting mood). However, it should be noted that children should limit their intake, otherwise, it may be linked to enuresis (bedwetting).
An American medical doctor explains that chocolate can cause allergic reactions in children, making the bladder wall expand, reducing its capacity, and making the smooth muscle rough and spasmodic. At the same time, this allergic reaction causes the child to sleep too deeply, preventing them from waking up in time when the bladder is full, thus causing bedwetting. As the child enters puberty, chocolate no longer causes this allergic reaction, and the bedwetting stops.
Solutions: During childhood, children should eat little or no chocolate before bedtime. IX. Coffee
Coffee contains a relatively high amount of caffeine, which has an adverse effect on infant bone development. Therefore, children who often drink coffee or eat coffee candies or cookies are at risk of becoming "short-statured," a concern parents should not take lightly.
Solutions: It is recommended that children drink more plain water and have less or no contact with coffee. X. Dried Fish Fillets
Dried fish fillets are made from processed sea fish and are rich in nutrients like protein, calcium, and phosphorus. With their delicious taste, parents are happy to buy them and children love to eat them. But it should be noted that dried fish fillets often contain excessive amounts of an element called fluorine.
According to measurements, the fluorine content in dried fish fillets is over 2,400 times that in beef, pork, and lamb, and over 4,800 times that in fruits and vegetables. The human body's daily physiological requirement for fluorine is only 1-1.5 mg, so the safe daily intake from food should not exceed 4-6 mg. If this limit is exceeded, fluorine will accumulate in the body. Over time, it can cause chronic fluorine poisoning, making teeth rough and dull.
Solutions: For a child to have a set of white and neat "jade teeth," dried fish fillets must be limited in quantity. It is absolutely not permissible to let children consume large amounts of them year after year. XI. Soy Milk
For many years, soy milk has been unquestioned as the best alternative for infant feeding. However, in recent years, research reports have emerged pointing out its drawbacks. First, researchers in the United States studying genetically modified agricultural products and human health found that children raised on soy milk have an increased risk factor for thyroid and reproductive system diseases in adulthood. This is because an infant's reaction to the high levels of phytoestrogens in soy is different from an adult's. Only 5% of the plant estrogen ingested by an infant can bind to estrogen receptors, while the rest accumulates in the body, potentially laying the groundwork for future sexual development problems. Data shows that children raised on soy milk have a 2-3 times higher probability of developing breast cancer later in life. Subsequently, another report pointed out that the manganese content in soy milk and soy-based infant formulas is 50 times higher than in breast milk. Excessive manganese absorption will affect brain development in infants under 6 months old, increasing the likelihood of future attention deficit, hyperactivity, and adolescent violent impulses.
Solutions: Breastfeeding is advocated, and infants, especially those under 6 months old, should not drink soy milk. XII. Cold Drinks
Once summer arrives, many children can't live without cold drinks like popsicles and ice cream. What they don't realize is that a child's intestinal tract is relatively longer and thinner than an adult's, with a mesentery that is loose and has poor fixation. Once stimulated by cold drinks, it can cause spasms and increased peristalsis in the intestinal smooth muscle, which can further induce intussusception, causing intestinal obstruction and endangering life.
Solutions: Children should be cautious about eating cold drinks in the summer and must not be indulged, to prevent accidents. If symptoms such as abdominal pain and vomiting occur, seek medical attention immediately.
Finally, although our living conditions and nutritional status have improved greatly compared to 10 years ago, the nutritional status of some children has not improved accordingly, and some "high-end junk foods" have even emerged. Therefore, parents must be very careful when choosing food for their children in their daily lives.