Indy has done incredibly well with her development, both physically and cognitively. I attribute this to many things but her diet is at the top of the list. I feel that having her on a plant based, whole food diet from the start is making all the difference in her development.
Everything we put in our body either makes us healthier or makes us sicker. This holds true for all of us, but how important is this concept when it comes to taking care of our children? We want our children to be healthy, strong, and intelligent. We want them to feel good, have strong immune systems that fight off sickness, and have the opportunity to develop to the best of their ability.
When it comes to a child with limited cognitive abilities, a pure, whole foods diet can be the difference between an IQ of 60 or an IQ of 75. A diet high in anti-oxidant foods, omega-3 fatty acids, and healthy fats can really optimize brain function.
“We now know that particular nutrients influence cognition by acting on molecular systems or cellular processes that are vital for maintaining cognitive function. This raises the exciting possibility that dietary manipulations are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities and protecting the brain from damage, promoting repair and counteracting the effects of aging.” Study done by NIH.
People with Down syndrome have accelerated aging and a high risk of early onset Alzheimer’s. Their brains are more susceptible to damage from free-radical toxins, and the quality of cellular repair is much lower. The exciting thing is that a diet rich in whole foods & void of processed foods can help combat these effects of having an extra 21st chromosome.
So what foods am I talking about specifically?
Anti-oxidant foods help counteract the effects of free radicals (toxins). All fruits and vegetables have anti-oxidant properties, so you can feel good about any fruits and veggies your child eats. Some in particular have very strong healing abilities and high levels of anti-oxidants, like frozen wild blueberries, spinach & dark leafy greens, pomegranate, potatoes, papaya, asparagus, and raw honey to name a few. We eat most of these things every day at our house. Every morning we blend up wild blueberry fruit smoothies and have raw honey in our herbal teas. Don’t be afraid to eat a lot of fruit. The sugar in fruit is the sugar our brains need to function- especially children!
Omega-3 fatty acids make up a large volume of our brain and aid in the development of cognitive function. They help improve motor skills, memory, and speaking abilities. Adequate levels of Omega 3 are important for all of us, but especially children and pregnant or nursing mothers as they help develop a healthy brain. Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include chia/flax/hemp seeds, walnuts, spinach, and fatty fish such as salmon and halibut. Since high quality, safe fish is hard to come by, getting omegas from plant sources is the easiest daily option and shows just as much benefit. I blend 1-2 TBS of chia seeds in our smoothies every day, and use hemp and flax seeds often in my cooking to add omega’s in our diet.
Healthy fats such as those found in avocado, coconut, olive, and nuts & seeds really improve the functions of the brain. Our brains are composed of almost 60% fats. These fats, in addition to fruit sugars, give our brain cells energy. Incorporate these in your diet daily to support brain function. Keep in mind however, fats are fats, and you can over-do it. Reasonable amounts of healthy fats are great as part of your daily diet.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as Vitamin C and Folate are very common in DS. A diet rich in whole foods can help combat these deficiencies and give your child the best possible outcome.
So how do I apply this to Indy? When I say “Indy’s diet”, what I mean is the diet she gets through me (by breastfeeding), and the baby food I make for her (using the twister jar on my blendtec). Her baby foods consist of high anti-oxidant fruits and vegetables pureed with breastmilk. I have not given her any grains yet in an effort to avoid allergy development. We eat a diet free of gluten, dairy, soy, and processed fats & sugars because it is important for the health of Indy’s brain.
A whole food diet increases strength by fortifying the muscles and bone structure, improves cognition and brain function, balances hormone glands like the thyroid, improves cellular energy and detoxification, and creates beautiful hair-skin-and nails. When it comes to Indy, a diet rich in whole foods is going to make all the difference. It already has!
I am so blessed to be this little girls mama.
Much love,
Terah
It’s always exciting to read the things you do for Indy 👶🏼to insure optimum health for her and your family. Good information for us all.😍
Thanks Sharon! Thank you for taking the time to read 🙂 Much love!
I completely agree with this. We’ve noticed great cognitive development with Kara and I believe it’s because of what I put into my body and give to her through my milk. Please keep sharing, this is the key to a brighter future for our wonderful babies!
Yay! I am so glad you are into to clean eating and have noticed a difference too. Our babes will do amazing 🙂 you keep sharing too! xoxo
What great information. I have been finding your blog and instagram very inspiring. Right now I am 22 weeks pregnant and expecting a little boy with DS. I could totally relate to your orangesocks interview. We too suffered from infertility and went through several rounds of IVF. We had finally given up. We had decided the answer was no. IVF is so hard and emotional on its own especially if you tend to be more of a holistic person. I probably tried everything I could find to get pregnant naturally. So you can imagine how excited we were when we found out we had gotten pregnant on our own just 1 month after our final failed IVF. But all of that excitement was over taken by fear and sadness after a series of events led us to a prenatal diagnosis. I am not going to lie it has been hard to cope. I still have a ways to go in my pregnancy and it can feel very lonely at times. I am so grateful for your blog and posts. It gives us hope that there is light at the end of this dark tunnel. It feels very unfair sometimes that the fertility struggles and pregnancy losses all add up to a prenatal diagnosis of DS. I hope my feelings will drastically change and I will be over the sad part by the time our sweet baby arrives. Anyways I just wanted you too know that your posts and sharing your life with Indy is doing good and bringing hope to others. I hope you do not take offense to my sadness. I think it’s just part of the journey. Mostly brought on by the fear of the unknown and nasty Internet trolls.
Okay- I am so glad you commented. I am going to email you!
Hi Jen, I have a 6 week old baby boy with DS. Mine was a post natal diagnosis and it was through IVF..so I am yet to accept the diagnosis..still grievinf I guess…how are you now? Have you accepted the fact? No offence..I am asking for myself..such stories are what is giving me motivation and hope.
Thank you
Love this post Terah!!! Thanks!
Thank you so much for your blog. I especially appreciate you sharing about eating plant based whole foods and their positive effect on Indys cognitive development. I have an 8 month old daughter with DS and your article inspires me to know there is something significant I can do to help her cognitive development. Any website or book recommendations? I would love to learn more. Youre the first person who has spoken about this. Thank you
Hi! Thank you for your kind comment. I have learned about nutrition from many sources over the past 10 years. Last year I attended a medical conference about DS and treatment options, called Down syndrome innovations or Down Syndrome OPTIONS. It was great. There is a blog called “Down syndrome: A day to day guide” that I really like and you might find helpful. Lately I really love the information about nutrition medicalmedium.com. It is amazing information! Sending love to you and your daughter, I love knowing that you want to help her reach her full potential. Ask questions any time! XO
Thank you for your response and the information. I will check out those websites and look into future conferences.
Hi Terah,
I really can’t remember how I found your blog but I can tell you I am so grateful I did. This post is the first one I opened because I live as holistically and eat as healthy as I can.
As I scrolled to the bottom of the page I was shocked to see a comment from another “Jen” echoing my exact feelings right now. I am 18 weeks and our little boy has been diagnosed with DS. The range of emotions is immense and I just hope and pray we can be the parents this baby needs.
Thank you so much for your blog. It is helping me see there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Oh my goodness hi!! Congratulations! I am so happy you found us ❤️ I know the immensity of feelings that are present in those first few months, hang in there. Once that baby is placed in your arms everything will change. And you being very health conscious and taking a more natural approach with your little guy will make all the difference! He is lucky to have you 😊. Please please reach out at any time- I am here if you want someone to talk to who understands & someone who can calm your fears a bit. I honestly wouldnt change our little girl for the world. “The good life isn’t over” ❤️
Much love,
Terah
Hi from Down Under! My wife and I are the parents of 4: 3 beautiful girls and our youngest, a precious 2.5 year old boy with DS. I found your blog whilst searching about nutrition for him. My wife and I have been keen to optimise his health through diet and have been encouraged by this blog post to continue our efforts to help our son be as healthy as possible.
We send our love, best wishes and prayers to you all as Indie has her treatment for MDS.
This makes me so happy! Thank you for your comment- I’m so glad you found our blog. I love hearing from like minded parents ❤️. Your son will do amazing because of you! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers on Indy’s behalf 😊. Sending love to your family!
My little guy is four now and he’s been whole food plant based for three years since he stopped formula I’m his grandma and his sole caregiver. We both eat this way. I’ve searched far and wide for any other people with DS who eat this way and I’m all my groups and organizations there is none I can find. So I searched this morning online and found your blog in sooooo happy you can’t understand. Why is this not more widely discussed for families with DS children it’s bizarre. I want his best self and best future and I started him this way for optimal health for his future and disease prevention not knowing now that it can also help his cognition and development. I’m so happy to find you. I’m going through all the lessons currently on TNI therapy and so excited. Where else can I find you so I can follow? Thank you and best to you and Indy