“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow”. – Aeschylus

The following was written by Jordan Travers, and is Chapter 13 of his new book, Man Alive: Free your mind. Reclaim your health. Discover your true nature. The book is to be released on December 1st and is available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle here.

I strode in to greet my regular Friday 6 p.m. client who was warming up on the rowing machine. “How are you?”, I said. He was quite gleeful this evening; he replied that he was fantastic, and super excited to take his sons to a notorious pancake restaurant for dinner. My heart sank. Looking to understand why he felt this was alright, I reminded him that he had been working with me for nearly 18 months; exercising, experiencing the benefits of nutrition, cultivating a new lifestyle, and developing healthy habits. He was setting such a great example for his kids at home, and they were proud.

He said to me, almost asking for forgiveness, “But Jordy, they’re just kids”.

With a smile, I rebutted,“If they’re just kids, why are they eating the ‘food’ that will cause them to end up in the same position you were, whilst you get to eat only the best nutrition available? If all you want is a good sleep, a stable mood, steady energy and the ability to fight of disease, don’t your kids deserve to have that same level of health? Think about what good nutrition means to you, it means the same to them, especially because they’re kids. We can’t forget that they have a human body that is fuelled in just the same way as ours. They just have more potential”.

He looked off into the distance for a few moments, quietly weighing up the consequences of a pancake-less evening, then turned back to me and said, “You’re right”. It definitely struck a pain point for me discussing this with my client. My own parents, like most, did their best with the knowledge they had at the time. Evidence for the connection between a child’s nutrition and physical or psychological dysfunction is becoming more and more apparent. With the vastly different knowledge we have now, one can’t help but consider the potential of lives fueled properly, and also the cost to those who miss out.

The knowledge we have now can potentially save a child (who will be an adult hopefully 90% of their life) from chronic illnesses, disabilities, mental disorders and even sporting injuries. We are so incredibly fortunate to have this evidence now at our fingertips. We mustn’t ignore the evidence, especially because ‘they’re just kids’.

One of the most common problems that children suffer is an inability to manage blood glucose levels. The typical child is tortured with a wild see-saw between hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) all throughout the day. Dr. Campbell-McBride reports in her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome, “It has been proven that a lot of hyperactivity, inability to concentrate and learn, aggression and other behavioral abnormalities in school children are a direct result of this glucose roller coaster. The hyperglycemic phase produces a feeling of a “high” with hyperactive, manic tendencies… While the hypoglycemic phase makes them feel unwell, often with a headache, bad mood, tantrums, aggression and general fatigue…”.

Taking the same approach for us adults, I believe a lot of marital arguments may be prevented by the simple act of having some food. When our blood sugar drops, we become irritable and frustrated quickly, and this can lead to unreasonable and unnecessary (hangry) quarrels. But it’s not just about having some food to stabilise our blood sugar, it’s also about what food we ate, three to five hours earlier. Was it strawberry jam on toast, or a slow-cooked lamb shoulder with vegetables? And yes, the latter option is breakfast meal guaranteed to set you up for a successful day – don’t let the cereal companies convince you otherwise.

Another leading cause of disease and dysfunction in children is the inflammatory conditions that arise from out-of- control intestinal bacteria. Overgrowth of specific bacteria such as Candida species and Clostridia species have been linked with autism, A.D.H.D, schizophrenia, and depression.

These bacterial complications stem as early in the child’s life as birth. Dr. David Perlmutter shows in his book Brain Maker that there is evidence that newborns from cesarean births are deprived of life-enhancing bacteria that arise from the mother’s vagina, and are much more likely to develop digestive issues and neurological dysfunction later in life. It’s also likely that an unhealthy mother gives birth to a sick baby, even if the birth was natural. It’s with this understanding that we realise our health not only impacts ourselves but our closest loved ones too.

To alleviate digestive dysfunction, we must heal the intestinal microbiome and also the gut lining. The best-known method is through diet. Foods high in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates (particularly starch), have been shown to improve digestive disorders and also neurological symptoms in children. It’s important to recognise that children can often tolerate more carbohydrates than adults, so this low carbohydrate approach should only be used with children suffering digestive or neurological dysfunction.

A much safer blanket approach is to remove all processed foods including bread, pasta, sugar, dairy, soy, and especially anything containing artificial colours and flavours. As early as 1975, a study showed “a rapid improvement in behaviour and learning abilities in ADHD children following dietary management eliminating artificial food colours, flavours, and naturally occurring salicylates”. These foods cause a myriad of problems concerning the human body from neurological and DNA damage to chronic inflammation.

Another family that I work with only consumes foods from organic health food stores and local farmer’s markets. On one exceptional occasion, they needed to visit a supermarket chain. Whilst cruising down an aisle, their eight-year-old boy exclaimed, “Mum! This is it!”

“This is what, honey?” his mum replied.

Wide eyed, he responded, “THIS is where my friends get all that stuff from!”

The two were in the confectionary aisle, and this school boy had never seen the items in their packaging on the shelves, let alone in his own pantry. His parents and I are open and honest about their child rearing experiences. They’ve never had complaints about poor mood or hyperactivity, he’s never been out of control, or struggling to learn in school. If you’re questioning whether theirs is a healthy approach to parenting, I would invite you to
challenge your own approach.

Returning to the pancake story, the real issue was that the father honestly just didn’t realise the implications of what his children were eating. Even though his middle son had learning disabilities, and he often complained to me that all three were playing up, he didn’t connect the dots on his own. When you’ve been misinformed all your life, you almost can’t blame him.

To better regulate your family’s blood sugar levels, intestinal microbiome, and overall health, you must apply the same rules as we discussed earlier. What’s healthy for you is healthy for them. Yes, there can be some variances in genetics and physiology depending on the phase of one’s life. But for the most part, if you remove processed foods and takeaway meals, and instead cook and prepare your food together, not only are you ensuring your child’s success in sport and school (and therefore life), but you are also teaching them vital food-specific skills and knowledge for them to teach the next generation.

Chef Pete Evans is spearheading the healthy food in schools crusade in Australia that Jamie Oliver so successfully kick- started throughout the UK. Pete says it best in his blog: “Variety is the spice of life, so I encourage you to continue to be bold and brave with the foods you introduce your kids too. By encouraging adventurous palettes, you’ll ensure they have a lifelong love affair with what they put in their mouths, and their physical and emotional health can benefit tremendously. Ultimately, as a parent, it’s all about trusting that the invaluable food knowledge you give your kids will pay off when they are on their own and that they will be well equipped to easily make the right choices”.

Understanding and delighting in food as medicine is indeed an empowering prospect that will serve us all now and for generations to come.s

Changing your perspective on your family’s nutrition is a cornerstone on which to build your investment in lifelong health and happiness. With your loved ones, I also invite you to explore the other tricks and tips throughout this book, and have fun with it. From meditation and breathing, to cold showers and movement, experience these with your children or your loving partner. Learning and exploring together will strengthen your relationships.

Watching one another flourish is the ultimate reward.

If you resonate with this message and want to support Jordan’s book, feel free to leave a review here.