Growing Pains

I had growing pains when I was a kid – bad enough that I would head to my parent’s bedroom at night as ask them to beat on my legs hard enough to block the pain. Sure I was “growing” but I wasn’t having pain for that reason. Growing pains is one of those conditions that I love to treat because it is usually so easy to resolve as long as the kid follows the dietary recommendations. It’s like Osgood-Schlatter’s Syndrome – a lot of kids have it and it’s so unnecessary for them to deal with for months, sometimes years. Growing pains are typically due to either a toxicity or a deficiency. The toxicity often is from hydrogenated “trans” fats which most kids eat a lot of. I did at that age. The toxicity can also be from histamine, which the body makes when there is an allergy – food or environmental. So food allergies are common reasons for this toxicity. Gut toxicity from unhealthy bugs in the digestive tract can also result in growing pains, and this is many times fueled by a high carbohydrate/sugar diet. So since a lot of kids eat a high sugar and hydrogenated fat diet, you can see why they may get those “growing pains”. The other reason is the deficiency. So the other side of the coin here in respect to trans fats is the good fats – meaning a deficiency of healthy fats such as omega 3 (fish, flax, walnuts) and omega 6 (nuts & seeds) fats. Sometimes a deficiency in the saturated fats from dairy are the answer too. I see many kids deficient in these fats because their pediatrician or parents think they are bad for them. Heavy cream, butter, cheese, and to some extent ice cream provide fats kids need, (adults too, but lower amounts). My kids eat a lot of butter, cream, and whole raw milk. Coconut milk is great too. Only once did one of them get “growing pains” and it was because she needed more fat in her diet. If you’ve read about trans fats on my website you know that if you ever take an anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) and feel any improvement, it means you have a fatty acid deficiency and/or a trans fat excess in your diet. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus that are lacking in the diet can also be the reason for growing pains. Interestingly, these minerals are responsible for healthy bone growth but it is just a coincidence that their deficiency can result in growing pains.