Fussy Girl Overcomes Vegetable Phobia and Now Loves Brussels Sprouts Thanks to Eating Disorder Specialist

Emie Williams at home -SWNS

A fussy five-year-old girl has overcome her phobia of vegetables and now loves Brussels sprouts–just in time for her mother’s Christmas dinner.

Emie Williams would scream and cry if her mom, Hayley, tried to give her anything except crackers, french fries, or other beige-colored foods.

It meant family meals were fraught with conflict—Emie wanting different food and refusing to even taste hot dinners.

“She’d just refuse to eat any vegetable or any meat. We took her for check ups and health visits for advice but they just said give her what she wants because it’s probably a phase.”

But Hayley suspected that she may have ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), believing she had “all the signs”.

Emie’s energy levels dipped, and she would get really tired at the end of the day.

“I explained (to doctors) that if I don’t give her what she wanted then she wouldn’t eat.”

Last month, Emie had a routine health check-up and a blood test revealed she had erratic sugar levels, so Hayley and her husband took their daughter to the hospital where doctors warned them Emie was in danger of developing diabetes unless she changed her diet.

In desperation, Hayley decided to take drastic action and contacted David Kilmurry, who specializes in obsessive eating conditions.

“We were pretty desperate when we contacted David but the results have been amazing,” the mother-of-3 from Coventry, England, told the SWNS news agency.

After a series of two-hour sessions, Emie now counts 30 foods that she willingly eats. Her favorite is Brussel sprouts, which she even enjoys raw.

Emie Williams eating her new favorite food, Brussel sprouts – SWNS

Due to her age, Emie was not hypnotized, but David, a cognitive behavioral hypnotherapist, sat with the youngster and gradually encouraged her to try different foods.

Hayley attended all the sessions and just watched Kilmurry at work.

“He’d do magic tricks and talk to Emie to gain her trust, and then brought out different foods.

“Slowly, she tried more and more until she was really enjoying apples and oranges.

“She’s really taken with Brussel sprouts, especially eating them raw. I can’t wait to see her enjoying her first ever Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.”

David, who runs practices in Coventry and London, said: “ARFID isn’t taken seriously enough.“It doesn’t just go away.” Fussy Girl Overcomes Vegetable Phobia and Now Loves Brussels Sprouts Thanks to Eating Disorder Specialist

Read More........→January 01, 2026

Feeding Blueberries to Babies May Reduce Allergy Symptoms and Improve Gut Health

Blueberries on the shrub – SWNS

Feeding blueberries to babies may reduce allergy symptoms and improve their gut health, according to new research.

The ground-breaking clinical trial shows consuming the fruit early in life can improve immunity and support long-term health.

Feeding blueberries to babies as one of their first solid foods may help strengthen their immune systems, reduce allergy symptoms and support healthy gut development, says scientists at the University of Colorado.

To safely introduce the “superfood” to younger infants, the research team recommend pureeing them.

For older babies and toddlers, they say blueberries should be mashed or cut into small pieces to eliminate choking hazards.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, is the first of its kind to rigorously test the effects of a specific food on infant health using a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

“For parents beginning to wean their infants, it’s incredibly difficult to find solid, research-backed advice on what foods to introduce,” said the study’s senior author Professor Minghua Tang, from the University of Colorado in Anschutz.

“This study is a critical first step in filling that gap by offering real data on how a specific food like blueberries can improve your infant’s health.”

The researchers followed 61 babies in the Denver area from five to 12 months of age.

Each day, participants consumed either freeze-dried blueberry powder, or a placebo powder with no blueberries.

Parents were free to feed their children as they normally would, simply adding the powder to their daily routine.

The research team collected stool and blood samples every two months to monitor changes in the infants’ gut bacteria, immune system biomarkers and allergy-related outcomes. They also tracked growth and dietary habits.

Key findings included improved allergy symptoms in babies who consumed blueberry powder, reduced inflammation and signs of a stronger immune response, and “positive” shifts in gut microbiota—with changes considered beneficial for immune health.

“This research supports the idea that blueberries are not only safe for infants but also offer meaningful health benefits,” added Professor Tang.

“Just a few blueberries a day could make a difference in supporting long-term health.”

“We view infancy as a critical window of opportunity and what we introduce during this time can have lasting effects as children grow.”The research team is continuing to explore what other early foods might help support healthy gut bacteria and a strong immune system as babies grow to ensure there’s better guidance in place for parents. Feeding Blueberries to Babies May Reduce Allergy Symptoms and Improve Gut Health

Read More........→September 30, 2025