Your child’s digestive system converts every apple slice, chicken nugget, and a spoonful of peanut butter they consume into absorbable energy and essential nutrients. For children to thrive, their gastrointestinal (GI) tract must be in good health. Therefore, it’s crucial to look after toddlers’ gut health.
Your child’s gut microbiota is crucial for maintaining their physical and mental health. Find out more about how the gut works and how you can promote your child’s gut health!
What Does The Gut Do?
The gut has many important functions such as:
- aiding digestion
- the absorption of nutrients
- waste removal
Additionally, your gut communicates with the rest of your body, especially the brain, and has an impact on your immune system, which is necessary to fight off bugs.
Absorption Of Nutrients
Almost all of the nutrients we consume are absorbed through the gut. As a result, kids who have healthy guts get the most nutrition from the food they eat. The key nutrients absorbed in the gut are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and iron. These nutrients are essential for growing bodies.
Elimination Of Waste
Body waste is eliminated by the gut. To support the function of the liver, this is crucial. Therefore, promote a diet rich in fiber to keep your child’s bowel movements regular (and avoid uncomfortable constipation).
For instance, add fruit, vegetables, and whole grains to their diet. This will support the development of healthy gut bacteria and maintain regular bowel movements. Water is necessary to maintain soft, regular bowel movements.
The Immune System
70% of the body’s immune system is housed in the gut. Additionally, it serves as the primary point of entry for bugs into the body. Because of this, your child will be more likely to contract harmful bugs if their gut acts as a weak barrier. Infection may result from this.
According to research, gut-related allergies like asthma and eczema can be more likely to develop in children if their gut bacteria are not balanced. By supporting the good bacteria in your child’s gut, you can help them develop their immunity. Children will remain healthy and active as a result of this.
The Gut-brain Axis
Your gut and brain are linked by a physical and chemical pathway known as the gut-brain axis. To be clear, it is a network of millions of nerves that communicate in both directions. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that travel to and from the brain, including serotonin and GABA (which regulate feelings of fear and anxiety).
These are created in the gut in large quantities. The production of chemicals and signaling messages for your child’s good mental and physical health is facilitated by a thriving, healthy gut microbiome.
Foods That Positively Impact Gut Health
- Yogurt contains prebiotics and probiotics which promote good bacteria growth in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Water keeps you hydrated, aids in digestion by helping move foods along, and helps prevent constipation
- Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Apples, beans, or fruits with skin support a healthy digestive system, and berries and tomatoes contain antioxidants. By modeling appropriate behavior and using creative approaches, parents can most successfully encourage their children to eat fruits and vegetables.
- Paired snacks like carrots and ranch or apples and peanut butter help kids feel full and energized from fat and protein.
- Low-fat cheeses are a good source of calcium if a child cannot tolerate milk. Lactose levels in cheese are naturally lower.
Foods That Negatively Impact Gut Health
- Foods containing dyes, like candy and bright-colored snacks, tend to be unhealthy by nature. They typically have high sugar content and refined carbs, which are poor sources of fiber.
- Sodium is stressful on the kidneys and can cause dehydration. It is concealed in processed foods like chips.
- Sauces like gravy, cheese dip, and soy sauce have hidden sodium and unhealthy fat.
- Fried foods extract the nutritional value and don’t provide as many nutrients as their raw or baked counterparts, like baked potato with skin versus french fries.
- Sugary drinks should be limited or avoided altogether. Only intended for athletes after exercise, sports drinks also contain sugar. Even with juice, it is still preferable to eat an apple than to drink apple juice.
10 Tips To Maintain A Healthy Gut In Kids
Breastfeed
The best possible start you can give for future gut health is breastfeeding because your newborn’s gut is sterile. For the first six months and as long as you can after that, breastfeed exclusively. Breast milk will always be beneficial to the baby because it can adjust to their age and needs.
Include More Fiber
The main factor affecting gut health is diet. In order for food to have enough bulk to pass through the system properly and for bowel movements to be easier, it is crucial to include enough soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet. Beans, quinoa, oats, lentils, and other legumes are healthy options.
Cut Down Fatty Foods
Avoiding all types of junk food, caffeinated beverages, and the candy is advised because too much fat can harm the good bacteria in the gut. For optimal digestion, combine wholesome fats with high-fiber foods.
Include Lean Meat
Protein that is simple to digest aids in improved nutrient absorption and digestion, keeping the gut area hygienic and active. One of the best and most easily digestible types of lean meat to serve to children is chicken.
Include Probiotics
In essence, probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial to health. Different fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, contain probiotics. If these foods are difficult to find, the next best choice is a probiotic supplement like Enterogermina. The best probiotic for reestablishing healthy gut flora in children is Enterogermina, which is the number one probiotic that pediatricians recommend.
Opt For Small And Frequent Meals
Make small, frequent meals your priority when planning your child’s diet. First of all, if meals are smaller, kids are more likely to eat without feeling overwhelmed. Second, frequent meals provide them with continuous energy that keeps them going all day.
Most importantly, eating small, frequent meals helps to keep the digestive system in good working order while also reviving the gut.
Hydration
In the event of dehydration, consuming extra protein and fiber can backfire. Make sure the child drinks enough water throughout the day. The best choice is water, but you can also experiment with fruit-infused water, fruit juices, tender coconut water, and watery foods like melons and cucumbers.
Regular Activity
Regular exercise is essential for overall health, but it’s even more important for stomach health. Regular exercise provides stimulation to get waste moving through the body and encourages the intestines to speed up a sluggish digestive system. Additionally, certain yoga postures can ease stomach discomfort.
Avoid Unnecessary Antibiotics
Antibiotic abuse is receiving a lot of attention these days. Many parents insist on them at the first sign of watery stools without realizing that they’re permanently damaging their child’s gut health. Although it’s best to avoid them whenever possible, not all loose motions call for an antibiotic course.
Encourage Outdoor Exposure
Increased exposure to germs is one of the best ways to promote a healthy gut and immune system in children. For this reason, older generations of children did not require antibiotics as frequently as younger generations do today. Don’t over-sanitize, but do practice good hygiene. Allow the kids to play in the mud and around animals outside. No medication can replace the natural immunity that will be cultivated as a result.
When To See The Doctor?
If your child experiences prolonged constipation or any other ongoing digestive symptoms that worry you, such as stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, or gas, schedule a consultation with your child’s pediatrician. A pediatric gastroenterologist, a specialist in digestive diseases who can identify and treat a wide range of gastrointestinal health issues in kids and teenagers, may be recommended by the pediatrician for your child.
Conclusions
The human microbiome, unlike the human genome, which is fixed at conception, is largely a result of lifestyle and environment, and it is most malleable during infancy and childhood. By the time children are of school age, the basic composition of their microbiome has been established and will stay with them for many years, even their entire lives.
By making early investments in your child’s gut health, you not only enhance their short-term health but also position them for long-term health.
