Complementary feeding

Key thought: The food we begin to eat with determines our destiny.

Brief: Food. It comes in every variety to entice us. Different shapes, sizes, textures, tastes and packaging. Each unique. The perfect mango, yellow, succulent, juicy, tasty. The king of fruits. What about a plate full of steaming hot white basmati rice. The circular, blown up, crisp rotis just out of the tawa. The aroma of spicy dal with a twist of butter on the top. The list could go on about food glorious food.

Yes, and there is more to it. In every food is a treasure house of nutrients that will go a long way in giving us energy, building our bodies, transforming our minds, carving our futures and destinies. The rice and roti we eat will break down into glucose and then to Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which will fuel our cells and tissues to do their day-to-day work; to walk, to sit, to stand, to hold, even to breathe. The protein in the dal will become amino acids, which will soon make our muscles stronger, our bones healthier, our skin glow and even our hair black and shiny. The beta-carotene from the mango will enrich our vision and enable us to see clearly. Every food has a hidden treasure, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be unlocked.

The best time to begin this discovery is when we reach the age of six months. The time to let our tongue curl up to the variety of food that is in store for us. A few spoon-fulls to begin. Mixed and cooked, mashed and softened. So that our toothless mouths can savour and relish the delight of this amazing thing called food. Each new day, newer variety added, a little more consumed. Mother’s milk alone is not enough for us now. We are growing. Our body needs every variety of nutrient. The carbohydrates from the cereals, the proteins from pulses, the vitamins from vegetables, the minerals from fruits and even animal sources like milk, egg and meat rich in proteins and a host of micronutrients. A little bit of oil and fat too.

The big danger is when we miss-out on the right variety of food at the right time. In the right quantities and frequencies that out bodies need. The danger that without the right mix of nutrients, beginning six month of age, vital cells like that of our brain may never grow. The developing cells of our muscles, bones other organs may never get the best start they deserve. They get impaired for life. They sap out our potential. Complementary food does not just complement mother’s milk; they are the elemental ingredients to our marvellous destiny.

Points to ponder: Do communities in my area begin complementary feeding at six months? Is their sufficient variety and quantity in the complementary feeding given to children between 6 -12 months?

Action: Would you review the complementary feeding practices of mothers with young children and find the good practices and possible barriers.

Resources:
http://www.who.int/elena/titles/complementary_feeding/en/
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/complementary_feeding/en/

http://aliveandthrive.org/technical-focus/complementary-feeding/




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