A sugar bug vein isn’t as sweet as the name sounds! This may be a term that you are not familiar with, however, its a term used in Chinese Medicine.
What is a sugar bug vein?
The sugar bug vein is used in Chinese Medicine as a diagnostic tool, to help direct you towards an area of the body that requires extra support. In a lot of cases when there is a visible sugar bug vein, the child has or is more susceptible to digestive weakness. Sugar bug babies can cry more, have challenges with sleep, short tempers, and potential attention and hyperactivity issues when they get older.
All babies and young toddlers do have weak digestion, as this is something that is strengthened with time and age. A sign of the vein does not mean there is necessarily a problem or an issue that needs to be fixed right away, or that something will occur down the road. However, it is something to be aware of, as the gut flora may still be off, and building a strong digestive system is important with all kids regardless. Common childhood issues such as anemia, congestion & tummy troubles are tied back to digestion, so the stronger we can help build it, is always going to benefit the child.
What does it mean?
When a child has a sugan bug vein, it will appear on the tip of the nose or between their eyes. It also can appear in a blue, purple, or green hue. What it means, depends on the color of the hue and also the darker the vein, generally means the greater the likelihood that the child will encounter problems.
Green: This points mostly towards digestive weakness and can be tied to asthma, food allergies, or the tendency to be obsessed with sweet foods down the road.
Blue: This points mostly towards the kidneys and in Chinese medicine, kidneys are tied to growth and development. This might be a warning sign of failure to thrive/meet milestones.
Purple: This points mostly towards the liver and in Chinese medicine, overactive liver energy can affect digestion, be a sign of restless and strong emotions where sleep patterns can be affected.
What to do if you see the vein?
This diagnostic sign is much like a curvy road sign. It warns you to drive ahead with caution to prevent an accident. The Sugar Bug also provides us with some convenient street sign warnings – that most parents should follow anyway!
Limit consumption of sugar and sweets and also note they may crave these foods a little more than others. A few other foods besides sugar that you may want to avoid, as they can be hard on digestion are raw and dairy foods. For mom’s diet ( if breastfeeding) or child, overall you want to limit sugar ( even fruit), reduce inflammatory foods, and focus on a nutritionally balanced, wholefood diet. You also may want to focus on consuming nutrients such as essential fatty acids, B vitamins, amino acids, and zinc as these are all important in helping to reduce the chances of ADD/ADHD down the road (regardless of the vein).
Create routines especially with meals, bath, and bedtime. Don’t stay up late or skip naps. Also, keep note to reduce over-stimulation from electronics, loud noises, or bright lights. Consistency is going to be very important.
Keep a note on when the child has melt-downs or gets overly frustrated. Try to adapt to these situations such as if they get cranky in the evening, make an earlier bedtime, etc.
If you are looking for a little something more, herbs are my favorite tool to help support babies and children (you hear me talk about them a lot). In this case, I’m a fan of Gentle Warriors Grow and Thrive, which gives basic digestive support and can really help with blistering digestive energy.
Again just because your child has the vein, does not mean they are going to encounter problems. However, it is possible so its something to note in your head in case other symptoms arise. These techniques can also help reduce the appearance of the vein but in most cases, it does fade as they get older and develop a stronger digestive system on their own.
XO