Nourish Me

Has anyone else noticed a change in mood or behaviour of their 7 and 8 year olds? In our house we certainly have, with more tears, getting upset or angrier quicker and more extreme mood swings. It could certainly be down to a new school year – years 3 and 4 definitely denotes a step change in expectations and learning outcomes. But it could also be down to a much less know stage of hormonal development called adrenarche, where children start experiencing a pre pubescent surge of hormones released from the adrenal glands. This natural rise in adrenal androgens happens to all children, although not everyone shows mood or behavioural changes.

Adrenarche is a separate developmental stage that typically takes place at least two years before puberty itself. Adrenarche is mainly a period of psychological and emotional development and the hormones coursing through your child's body may have a significant impact on how they feel, but they're less likely to cause physical symptoms like pubic and armpit hair or acne

Scientists are becoming interested in adrenarche as an important phase of development in which children set in place some of the emotional and metabolic foundations for adolescence. It is during these years that a child really begins to develop that concept of self that they carry forward into adolescence and adulthood. Adrenal androgens are neurosteroids which appear to have an effect on some of the pathways involved in emotional processing.

Apart from talking to our children about how they are feeling, there are things we can do nutritionally to help our children when they are experiencing emotional changes:

First of all think of things that can adversely affect mood – too much sugar, ultra processed foods, preservatives in foods. Children need protein, good fats and complex carbs to help balance their hormones and mood. So giving them a whole foods diet where possible is vitally important.

Breakfast is always a good place to start, as it will set them up well for the school day to help manage energy and emotions. Make sure you are adding protein and good fats to your child’s breakfast, so they are not going to school simply fuelled on sugar and carbs, which can lead to energy and emotional crashes. Some good tips include:

· Adding nuts and seeds or nut butters to porridge or cereal

· Having dippy eggs and toast for breakfast

· If your child is wedded on supermarket cereal, give them a smaller portion and then offer something more nutritionally dense on the side such as toast and nut butter or a handful of nuts

· Don’t be afraid of savoury breakfasts – there is nothing wrong with humus, veggies and toast for breakfast

Omega 3 is vital for children’s mood and brain health. Omega 3 is best obtained from oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies. Try making fish cakes, pâtés or your own fish fingers for those children who are not massive fans of oily fish as you want them to eat it twice a week. It can also be found in some nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia and flax. If your child really wont eat oily fish, you might want to consider a good quality Omega 3 supplement.

Magnesium also gets used up more quickly in times of stress and anxiety, so including lots of magnesium rich foods such as oats, leafy green veg, and cashew nuts in the diet is great. Also try Epsom salt baths for those children who find it hard to wind down at night, as Epsom salts are a great source of magnesium which is highly absorbed through the skin.

Let me know if you have a child you think is going through this right now and how you are helping them.

Eat Well and Feel Well