Kids' Virtual Nutritionist For ADHD & Picky Eating
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Private Coaching (picky eating and/or adhd)
  • group program (ADHD)
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Private Coaching (picky eating and/or adhd)
  • group program (ADHD)
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • đŸ’Ș Sometimes the smallest changes bring a big im đŸ’Ș Sometimes the smallest changes bring a big impact. Just committing to positive conversation at the table and having dessert presented with dinner brought Meredith a win. Dinners are less stressful and there’s no longer a kid only thinking of dessert during dinner 
 💣 That’s the key with picky eating
it’s really not THAT complicated, we just make it complicated in our minds. We wonder: If he never eats a veggie, how will we get him eating one with every meal? Or: If he’s never willing to try new foods, how will he ever eat 3 balanced meals a day? I’m here to tell you he doesn’t have to. đŸ—“ïž At least not today or tomorrow. 👉We need to start small, with easy tweaks and a mindset shift that flips food from negative to positive. 👉That get small wins like a peaceful meal, that shows you things are working. We have to crawl before we walk. And we have to take small steps with picky eaters before we expect them to eat perfectly. For guidance and those first small steps, let’s chat. Book your free assessment call today (link in bio) and discover how peaceful meals with adventurous eaters happen 📞
    đŸ”„A Sneaky Trigger For Inattention and Emotional đŸ”„A Sneaky Trigger For Inattention and Emotional Dysregulation: Constipation! 😼If you’re not asking your kids about their poop, you might be missing a BIG part of the behavior problem. 💯Kids can go from perfectly pleasant to absolute terrors seemingly overnight due to constipation. A client recently shared that since her daughter’s bowel movements have become regular, she no longer fights with her sister - literally, the only thing we did was fix constipation! 👏And the fighting stopped overnight. This is why it’s so much simpler to forego the Google rabbit holes and work with a professional to find out what might be impacting behavior. That mom thought the issue was a new teacher at school after wasting hours online. Turns out the problem was in the bathroom...not the classroom 🙃 Constipation is almost always caused by: -->Not enough fiber - try dates, figs, or prunes (in moderation) along with chia pudding or adding flax seeds to a smoothie to get things moving. -->Dehydration - especially when the weather gets warm. Ask your child if their urine is light yellow or dark. Dark = dehydration, so bump up the water and water-y foods like watermelons and cucumbers throughout the day -->Lack of exercise - trust me, this is HUGE. Just 20 minutes of any cardio like walking, running, or sports can have a massive impact. Crummy weather? Try Just Dance on YouTube. Want to know more about what makes ADHD symptoms worse? Follow along for tips and info on how to bring smoother days to your home (and bathroom - sorry I couldn't resist!đŸ˜č).
    It’s been a while so I’d like to reintroduce m It’s been a while so I’d like to reintroduce myself to all the lovely new followers. I’m Shawna. I’m obsessed with a few things, including: -Food -Mental Health -Making Boring Things Fun Which is why I studied Nutrition, Psychology, and Recreation. And, it’s what makes me so effective at helping parents of kids who are struggling. Struggling with inattention, emotional dysregulation, hyperactivity, aggression. Struggling with a limited menu - we all know Kraft Dinner isn’t enough for a healthy brain
but picky eating isn’t as simple as people think. I know the methods that work to resolve picky eating. I know the foods and supplements that help (and hinder) mental health. And I know how to explain and guide you in a way that’s positive and doesn’t overwhelm you. Because who needs more overwhelm, right? If you’re dying for a peaceful dinnertime, a calm home, and days that just run smoothly because you’ve finally slayed the picky-eating dragon and introduced the best menu for ADHD brains, I’d love to meet you and see if we’d be a good fit to work together. Book your free assessment via the link in my bio.
    Is Your Picky Eater a Goldilocks? Last week a cli Is Your Picky Eater a Goldilocks? Last week a client told me her daughter is a real “Goldilocks” when it comes to food textures. Her chicken is too mushy. Mom cooks it a few minutes more. Now her chicken is too dry. Unfortunately, mom can’t uncook chicken until it’s “just right” so, her daughter won’t eat the chicken. It’s a story I hear from A LOT of you. You jump through hoops trying to make your child’s food “just right”... -->Not too hot, not too cold. -->Not too hard, not too soft. -->Not too spicy, not too bland. -->Not too dry, not too wet. 😖And they STILL won’t eat it. They won’t even try it half the time! 😼Truth Bomb: The secret isn’t getting that food “just right” The secret is getting to the roots of those food aversions, which are normally: →Control issues - kids need a bit of control around food - try inviting them to be part of food planning and prep in your house. →Highly Sensitive to Smells/Textures - try exposing them to those textures in a playful way that doesn’t involve taste like rolling, squishing, cutting foods, or feeding them to dolls. →Stress at meals - Always, ALWAYS aim for mood over food at the table - stress cancels curiosity and kids need to get curious about food before they eat it. If you’re ready to find the root cause of picky eating and yank it out - for good - let's chat about how clear guidance from a picky eating expert (that's me!) can help you: -->See consistent increases in the number of foods your kid eats -->Create healthy attitudes around food so mealtimes are happy, connected moments -->Stop working at "Mom's Diner" and start preparing ONE meal for everyone at dinnertime. Book your free assessment via the link in my bio. đŸ”„Because it's time to kiss Goldilocks good-bye!
    🧐Why do we use curiosity to crush picky eating? 🧐Why do we use curiosity to crush picky eating? Simple: đŸ€“Kids are naturally curious đŸ’ȘCuriosity kills fear. Anytime a picky eater REALLY doesn’t want to try a new food, odds are they’re a little afraid of it. 😧The texture, the smell, the look of it is kinda freaking them out. So we need to use their innate curiosity to conquer the fear. It may take a while before they taste the food - but once food becomes more interesting than intimidating, you’ll see a shift in mindset. Suddenly, dinner is a fun place to play with and examine foods. Foods are more normalized because they’re being interacted with all the time. And kids will eat more things because they’re the new “normal”. Try this tip out tonight and let me know how it goes below!
    Follow on Instagram

    • COPYRIGHT © 2023 SHAWNA HUGHES NUTRITION.  TORONTO KIDS' NUTRITIONIST.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. HEADSHOTS BY JIBBER MEDIA.  FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUCY TRAN PHOTOGRAPHY. THEME BY LAUNCH IT