How Can I boost my Child’s Gut Health?

Boosting a child’s microbiome sounds like a fight a lot of parents don’t want to take on. Especially if your kid is a picky eater. But did you know that there are more ways to boost your child’s gut health than just what they eat? Today you’ll learn about the child microbiome and what you can do to boost your child’s gut health! How Can I boost my Child's Gut Health

Why should I care about boosting my child’s gut health?

This is a fair question to ask as a parent. Does a child’s gut health matter? Or is it something that will change as they grow up anyway?

Honestly, it’s a little bit of both. It absolutely does matter what your child’s gut health is like. But they are able to make positive health changes as they grow up that can balance out some of the damage they may have done as children.

However, getting your child’s gut microbiome under control while they’re young does present them with benefits that you might not expect.

Dysbiosis (an unhealthy balance of microbes in the gut) in children can present as:

Digestive disturbances (constipation, diarrhea, etc.)
Anxiety or depression
Skin reactions/rashes
Allergies
Asthma
Weakened immune system
Behavioral issues (ADHD, autism, out-of-control emotions, attitude, etc.)
Poor cognitive function/brain fog

If these issues continue long-term there can be additional disease development, an inability to fight off infections, and even autoimmune disorders.

So it is important to keep an eye on any abnormalities in your children’s health. Sometimes it stems from an imbalanced gut microbiome and should be taken care of before it becomes a bigger issue.

What foods boost your child’s gut health?

Just like you should be eating, they should have a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy items. Oftentimes kids aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets and this is largely what their growing bodies need. They also often have too much sugar and too many preservatives/additives.

So make sure your children are getting:

Berries
Nuts (obviously as long as there are no allergies)
Citrus fruits
Seeds
Proteins (poultry, beef, fish, lamb, etc.)
Beans (try them different ways: whole, refried, mixed into a dip, as a burger patty, etc.)
Whole grain breads and oats
Healthy fats and oils (avocados, olives, etc.)
Yogurts that are lower in sugar and have probiotics in them
Veggies in any form (carrot and celery sticks are great)

And really anything else that would be in a healthy diet!

Tips to get your picky eater to eat healthier

Now, we know some kids don’t like any of this stuff and will live off of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. Just because they’re a little difficult does not mean they are a lost cause, you usually just have to be a little more creative to try and get them to test new foods and textures.

First figure out what is causing them to avoid all other (usually healthy) foods. Work with your doctor to see if they have any suggestions. And try some of these while you’re at it.

Get them to eat with or like their favorite animal. Sometimes if a kid finds out their rabbit likes carrots they’ll be a little more willing to eat them. So when it’s time to feed the bunny, have them take a bite or two of the carrot before handing it off.
Have them help prepare or pick the food. Sometimes getting your child involved in the cooking process helps them feel more adventurous because they have a hand in the food being made. It becomes more of a game and less of something they’re being forced to do.
Help them to grow food for themselves. Learning where food comes from might help your child eat more vegetables. If you show them the part of the garden they helped water, their sense of pride might help nudge them towards trying the food.
Explain to them in a fun way why eating healthfully is important. Some children just need to understand why eating healthy is important. Cookies taste better than veggie sticks, but if they understand how veggie sticks help their cells in their bodies work better so they can be healthier to play more they might be more willing to eat it.
Show them a YouTube video about eating healthy. Explaining this kind of stuff can be difficult to do. Find a video online that helps explain it in a more fun way.
Pair the food with a story. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and stories like this might help your child want to try the foods. So as the caterpillar eats a tomato have your child eat a cherry tomato to see what they think.
Make the food into a silly face, picture, favorite character, or animal. Pinterest is an amazing place to find cute and fun foods like this. Bluey toast with blueberries and bananas might be the hit food you need to get your child to eat more fruit.
Balance out the foods they don’t like with foods they do like. Does your child LOVE pancakes in the morning but you feel guilty about all of the sugar? Try adding some fruits or eggs to the pancakes. This helps fill them up with healthy fiber or protein and adds “healthy” to what they want. Maybe add some whipped cream or yogurt to the mix and see if they like it.

A lot of dealing with a picky eater is experimentation until something helps. And sometimes it’s just a matter of getting them to grow out of the difficulties. If your child is still resistant after trying these suggestions or what their doctor offers, here are some other ways you can boost your child’s gut health.

How can I boost my child’s gut health?

These are the best ways for both you and your child to get your gut health back on track.

Let them play in the dirt. Dirt exposes you to microbes in the soil that help boost the immune system and microbiomes.
Have a set sleep schedule and stick to it. The body has its own clock and when it becomes disrupted by staying up too late, it can wreak havoc on the gut. Sticking to a normal sleep/wake schedule helps to get the gut on track too because it takes cues from the sleep cycle.
Avoid hand sanitizer if you can. Hand sanitizer is great for killing germs, but it doesn’t discriminate what germs are unsafe from the healthy bacteria in our skin microbiomes. This highly affects the gut microbiome and can deplete the healthy microorganisms needed to sustain health.
If possible, avoid antibiotics. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary, but some doctors tend to over-prescribe them. Multiple prescriptions per year can lead to detrimental changes in the gut microbiome. So talk to your pediatrician about alternatives when it comes to your child’s visit.
Get outside and play in the sunshine. Sunshine and fresh air do wonders for the gut microbiome. So whether it’s a daily walk, playing an outdoor sport, or just exploring nature, being outside for at least an hour a day helps boost gut health.
Help your child regulate their nervous system. Sometimes anxiety is a factor in microbial gut changes. Helping your child to learn ways to cope with anxiety can help them to maintain a healthy gut.
Keep pets in the house. A study revealed that children who have pets in their house during the first year of life have fewer allergy sensitivities.
Try to avoid processed foods. We know these are probably your saving grace on a busy day and they’re also probably your kid’s favorite foods, but processed foods should be limited since they cause so much dysfunction within the gut microbiome.

Basically, live a healthy lifestyle and your gut health should follow. Some cases need doctoral assistance, but for the most part, making healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to keep your child’s gut health in check.

Want to learn more about children’s gut health? Check out these articles to learn more!

Children’s Behavior and the Gut Microbiome

Gut Health for Kids

Trick-or-Treat: Friend or Foe

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