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Everybody Needs Nutrition.
Nutrition is feeding your body healthy meals, snacks and vitamins. While everybody needs nutrients to keep their body healthy and running smoothly - kids with CF need to pay special attention to their nutritional needs.
Why Do I Have To Pay Attention To What I Eat?
If you don't give your body the nutrition it needs - it can't grow. Kids with CF need the right foods for "fuel" and "energy" especially for:
Lungs - they need to stay strong and healthy so you can breathe easier
Immune System - the part of your body that fights infections and bacteria
Heart - helps deliver nutrition to the rest of your body
Growth - if you eat healthy foods - your body gets the right ingredients to grow big and strong - and keep you healthy.
Three Keys to Nutrition
1. Lots of Calories
2. Enzymes
3. Vitamins
Eating enough calories each day is important for growth and health. Kids with CF need extra calories to help their body fight infections, grow and develop. Also, the daily activities that we do, like going to school, playing and exercising - all need extra calories? Did you know that even when you cough and breathe hard - to help your lungs clear away the icky sticky mucus - that this burns calories? It does! So you must keep your body fueled with energy by giving it extra calories every day. Visit our high-calorie recipes and snacks for fun, great tasting ideas! Visit our high calorie recipe page.
Help the body to digest food. Kids with CF sometimes have trouble digesting food and if enzymes are taken with the food - they can help break down the food you eat and deliver the nutrients to the whole body so it can grow and fight infections.
Vitamin A - helps in overall growth and fights infection
Vitamin D - is important for strong bones and teeth
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