Using common sense seems at times a lost art in the modern
world of expert opinions, certifying agencies and
advertising. It can be difficult to know what to believe
when it comes to safely caring for yourself and your
children. As such, I advocate an approach to health and to
life based in common sense rather than suppressing what
seems obvious and intelligent in favor of what someone else
says you should do. Nobody has a greater sense of
responsibility to your child than you do as a parent or
future parent.
As one example of sensible parenting, I would ask whether
it seems more appropriate first to change a child’s diet or
to use medication for symptoms. There are compelling and
well-researched ways that particular nutrients strongly and
positively affect brain development and function as well as
many other systems in the body. To some who promptly forgot
biochemistry after medical school, this sort of approach
might be called “alternative” even in the face of
supporting biochemical pathways and basic scientific
literature. Yet the proof is in the successful outcome in
children. As a physician, I believe in always being open to
new ideas, particularly those that are low risk and high
yield. As such, I believe that well-designed,
individualized nutrition programs are the basis of the most
sensible, initial approach.
