James Sears, M.D. is a board-certified pediatrician known for his contribution to improving the health, nutrition and child rearing practices of families throughout the country. He frequently gives lectures about the importance of good family nutrition, and his advice has been featured in magazines such as Parenting and BabyTalk, and on shows such as Today, Dr. Phil, and the PBS parenting series, Help Me Grow. Dr. Sears is an active contributor to the content of AskDrSears.com, and is co-author of several books about health, nutrition and children, including The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood (Little, Brown 2006). Currently, he is at work on the new syndicated TV show, The Doctors, currently in development. The show features a panel of renowned physicians chosen by producer Dr. Phil McGraw of the series Dr. Phil, and will include former star of The Bachelor, Travis Stork.
Dr. Sears is currently in private practice with his father and two brothers in Capistrano Beach, California. He shares his thoughts on the new show, how to help children choose carrot sticks over cupcakes, and why eating Wild Blueberries is one of the best things you can do for your brain.
- In The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood, you say we have lost our taste for real food. How did this happen?
- One of the things that happens with kids is when they first start eating foods at 6 to 7 months of age, they get mainly rice cereal and crackers, and they don’t get enough fruits and vegetables introduced to them. So, when they are hungry, the think they are supposed to eat something that tastes like rice cereal. For my young patients in the office, I’ve been handing out a little food list of things to introduce to their children when they are eating, and I’ve crossed out the rice cereals and the crackers, and I say don’t even go with the cereal, just go with fruits and vegetables. I’ve seen many kids and parents that do that — they eat fruits and veggies from day one, and when those kids get hungry, that’s what they crave. It’s a simple concept — whatever you’re eating is what you’re going to ask for.
- How do we help our children develop these tastes?
- It’s so much easier if this starts early. My niece is a great example of this. She was always a good eater — or, you could say her mom was a good server — she only ever offered healthy food. Now she’s around five years old, and recently at a birthday party I saw her reach over the cupcakes to get to the carrot sticks. It’s just what she likes to eat.
- The Sears family is responsible for coining the term “grow foods” to describe foods that help kids grow bigger and taller. What constitutes a great grow food?
- It’s a food that’s low in sugar, is a good source of protein, and hopefully has some healthy carbs. When we talk about sugar, we always want to pair sugar with either fiber or protein — that usually makes for a better food for you. Yogurt is a great example of a “grow” food. It’s kind of its own perfect meal.
- How does introducing the idea of grow foods help our kids get excited about healthy eating?
- Kids like that because most kids want to grow. I also call a lot of healthy foods “fast running foods” or “pretty hair foods”. It can get hard to argue with a preschooler when you say, “We’re only going to eat healthy foods,” or “You’re not going to eat junk foods.” I just say—hey, is that a grow food or not? It usually helps the child understand.
- Are the behavioral effects of good nutrition as dramatic as the physical effects?
- When kids have learning problems or attention or hyperactivity problems, it’s surprising how much sugar those kids are getting. If I can convince them to try a low sugar diet, it can often make a big difference. I tell parents, I know you want the prescription for the Ritalin, but, let’s try a low sugar diet first, and the ones that try it usually get a good payoff.
- As a pediatrician, is this something you often see in your practice?
- I do see that the kids that eat the best in my office tend to not get sick as much. It’s almost like I have two separate populations in my office. I’ve got the healthy kids that I see once a year for their check ups, and the kids I see all the time that are getting sick. And there does seem to be a difference in how educated those parents are in terms of nutrition.
- Are we simply not as aware of the benefits of nutrition as we should be?
- I don’t think most people are, unfortunately. I tell this to patients dozens of times a day, and most of them act surprised. They’ll say, “Really I should be eating fish?” Yes! The people that live long, healthy lives in this world tend to live in populations that eat a lot of fish. A diet rich in fish is probably the main common denominator in healthy people. Too much sugar is the other thing. For instance, right now a high school student just walked out of the coffee shop, and she has a big drink — a double, full of whipped cream, chocolate shavings and chocolate syrup on top. She’s basically having several days’ worth of dessert for breakfast. And the parents are wondering why their kids are overweight.
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