Did you know that a healthy gut works wonders for our child’s growth and development?
Not only do healthy gut contribute to a strong immune system but also support mental, physical and emotional well-being.
Why is gut health important?
Our gut is home to more than 100 trillion microorganisms known as gut microbiota where both good and bad bacteria reside.
A good balance between these bacteria can help our digestive system to break down the food we consume into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth and cell repair.
The ideal balance for gut microbiota is 85% of “good” bacteria and 15% of “bad” bacteria.
However, when the balance is disrupted (a condition known as gut dysbiosis), this could lead to various complications such as food allergies and digestive issues, which include among others:-
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Colic
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Skin irritation
Superheroes and supervillains affecting your child’s gut health
Just like what we see in movies, there are actually heroes – and to some extent, villains – playing their roles towards your child’s gut health.
Maternal gut microbiota (The MIGHTY superhero)
Children not only inherit DNA from their parents but also their gut microbiota. As such, how parents look after their own health can have an impact on their child’s gut health.
Breast Milk (The COGENT Superhero)
Breast milk contains more than 700 species of bacteria and is a key factor in shaping the early gut microbiota composition and function. In fact, breast milk protects babies against gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhoea, as well as, jaundice.
Bacteria in the surroundings (The CHAOTIC NEUTRAL character)
Exposure to bacteria that linger all around us is unavoidable. However, keeping the environment too clean or too dirty could prove to be a double-edged sword as this determines the type of bacteria children are exposed to in early life. Remember, it’s okay to have a little bit of germs to help build up the immune system.
Antibiotics (The WICKED supervillain)
Antibiotics are usually used for medicinal proposes. Yet, its consumption may result in dramatic changes in the balance of gut microbiota by reducing bacterial population – both good and bad – in the gut. These changes can result in symptoms such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. This is why doctors would recommend taking antibiotics with food to reduce the symptoms.
Parents (The ULTIMATE superheroes)
Parents are the main protagonists in their child’s life – keeping them safe from harm not only on the outside but inside as well.
With regards to how parents can protect their child’s gut health, it is important to pay close attention to their food intake as what they feed on can have a huge impact on their gut microbiota development.
For instance, parents should introduce a variety of foods in the right proportions comprising fruits, vegetables, grains or cereals (including beans and legumes), and dairy products. Note that these foods can act as prebiotics, which are the fuel for good bacteria to grow.
Apart from that, when introducing solid food to babies for the first time, there are possibilities of them experiencing food allergies or digestive issues – factors that can be attributed to poor gut health.
Probiotics (The UNASSUMING sidekick)
As with any superhero flicks, there is always someone or something to back us up. When it comes to gut health, parents can also provide probiotics to provide the right balance for the gut microbiota.
Studies have shown that probiotics can help to prevent or alleviate digestive issues and certain skin conditions such as eczema and acne, which are usually associated with food allergies.
While most probiotics are derived naturally from fermented foods such as yoghurt or kimchi, there are probiotics in the form of supplements that are backed by research with clinically-proven strains.
These clinically-proven probiotics strains can help to:-
- Increase good bacteria count in the gut
- Restrict bad bacteria growth
- Support digestion
- Improve nutrient absorption
- Strengthen immunity
This article is brought to you in collaboration with Biogrow.
For more info, visit their website or shop here.
