August 6, 2014 – Margo Gasta, MS, RD, CCN, CHom
with Judy Converse, MPH, RD
It’s not so easy to figure out what to feed our kids anymore. Just when you think you’ve gotten it down, you learn there’s new research implicating a true staple in your family’s diet; something you would’ve sworn was healthy and unassailable.
What happens when “China Study mom” mixes it up with “Paleo dad” and each plants a seed of doubt in the other?
Join host Judy Converse and fellow nutrition expert Margo Gasta for a lively discussion on what parents are trying, what works, what doesn’t, and what evidence and clinical experience say about how we feed our children.
They’ll discuss many questions we wrestle with on our own, including:
- What way(s) of eating are best and why?
- Does milk really make bones strong?
- Are animal fats good or bad?
- Can vegetarian diets work for children?
- Or are animal foods critical to their growth and development?
And they’ll discuss what they feed their own kids!
Bonus: if you send your questions ahead of time, as a reply to this blog post, Judy and Margo will address them on the air!
Margo Gasta, MS, RD, CCN, CHOM, owner of Sante Vie Nutrition and Homeopathy, is an integrative and functional medicine dietician and a certified homeopath. Margo provides individualized assessments and protocols addressing a wide range of health concerns, including gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune disease, mood and cognitive support, emotional eating, and infertility. She holds degrees from from California Polytechnic University and Texas Woman’s University.
Judy Converse, MPH, RD, LD is a licensed, integrative nutritionist in practice for over 20 years. She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition from the University of Hawaii, and a bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Vermont. A pioneer in her field, Judy is a sought-after speaker on infant and child nutrition, growth and feeding, and the potential of nutrition tools for children with special needs.
what do you feed 5 year old child on dialysis? I’ve tried raw food and it works the best but it is so dificult to persuade my husband that he does not need protein or any animal products.
I have RA and very overweight. My husband is Italian and loves all things pasta. I am finding my weight loss a losing battle. I do love all vegetables, legumes and healthy fresh foods. All over social media I see vegan, Paleo etc but in a pasta and bread home what is the happy medium and not an extreme? Weight watchers? Help!
@ Nancy – I have an Italian husband who used to love pasta, bread, etc. and I have a mom with RA so I can relate to what you are going through. 5 years ago we took gluten out of our diets (son was diagnosed with autism – he is now fine – taking gluten and casein out made a world of difference) and slowly transitioned to more of a paleo template (did GAPS/SCD for 2 years first). We just try to make our diet as nutrient dense as possible and avoid 99% of processed foods (we do eat nut butters, good quality dark chocolate, high quality raw dairy etc.). For us it was easiest to transition into a healthier diet in small steps – since I do most of the cooking, I picked out grain-free nutritious recipes that I knew my husband would like and we built our new lifestyle one meal at a time. With time, he didn’t miss any of the breads or pastas as he feels so much better (he lost 50 lbs 5 years ago and has kept it off without effort – his severe back pain also disappeared). Look at nutrient density – think good fats (coconut oil, olive oil, pastured lard, grassfed butter, ghee, etc.), high quality meats (pastured/grassfed, lots of vegetables, wild fish, etc. I personally do not think a vegan diet is sustainable unless it is done the right way – and it depends on the person (I think I was a vegan for one day years back and remember being very hungry – I need animal protein but there are those that can do better without it). I’d run away from Weight Watchers or any diets where any heavily processed/GMO foods are allowed and (good) fat & calories are restricted as a means to lose weight.