3 Everyday Supplements Nearly Every Kid Needs

• Fish oil - It’s very unlikely that kids get enough essential omega 3’s from fish, and caution should be taken with the quality of the fish for potential mercury contamination.  So, for their developing brains and nervous system, for healthy skin, good mental and emotional health and many other reasons, Fish Oil is a kid essential.  Choose high quality and keep it in the fridge.  Brands like Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals have children’s lines that are lemon or berry flavored.  You may need to experiment to find your child’s “favorite” way to drink it.
• Probiotics - Children are naturally born with un-developed digestive systems;  In utero, they eat via the umbilical cord, and after birth are designed to consume mostly breast milk for much longer than the average American mom nurses.  Probiotics help to populate the digestive tract with healthy bacteria that is often in deficit due to early introduction of dairy, wheat, soy, and/or other potential allergens, consumption of processed and low-quality foods, minimal or no breastfeeding, mom’s personal dietary choices, weakened immune system (frequent colds or tummy bugs), ect.  Popular probiotic drinks and yogurts for kids should be relied on with caution… They are often full of sugar, low on probiotic potency, and often don’t contain the right strains (bifidus) of the healthy bacteria.  Instead, choose a high quality probiotic powder from the fridge section of your health food store or health practitioner (such as Jarrow’s “Baby Jarro-Dophilus” or Klaire labs’ “Infant” probiotic).
• Greens powder - Skip the gummy multi-vitamins that are packed with sugar and artificial ingredients.  Instead experiment with different organic greens powders which pack tons of vitamins and minerals in a form that your child’s body will actually absorb and use.  I like Berry Greens by New Chapter Organics which is actually quite yummy just stirred into water.  This dark green dust may seem intimidating at first, but mixed with juice or into a smoothie (depending on disguise-level required) most kids will happily gulp it down.