It's back to school time! For many kids, the start of a new school year means back-to-school jitters and excitement. Herding a large group of children indoors creates the perfect storm for illnesses to spread like a wildfire. Out of all the possible illnesses, diarrhoea is one of the most common illness among kids due to food allergies or intolerances, digestive tract problems, bacterial infection and more.
Here are 5 tips to improve your child's gut health and stay 'stress-less'
1. Feed them good "bugs". Here is a fun science fact: The human body has more than 100 trillion organisms. Most of them are "bugs", but the good bacteria do lots of good things like help digest food and prevent infections. Fiber in grains, fruits, and vegetables helps in making sure those good bugs stay healthy. Getting plenty of fiber from food can also help to reduce the odds of constipation among kids.
2. Reduce processed food and artificially sweetened food. A diet packed with junk food, fast food, packaged cookies, and processed meat can contribute to constipation and may prevent beneficial gut bugs from thriving. Research shows diet drinks and artificial sweeteners can also mess with good bacteria.(1)
3. Add Beneficial Bacteria to the Mix. Fermented food can add good bacteria to your child's gut. Non-dairy fermented food like kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt may be beneficial for children who are lactose intolerant because beneficial bacteria in these food will help to break down some of the lactose in the body.
4. Say "NO" to unnecessary antibiotics. Antibiotics can cure raging ear infection and strep throat. However, they can also kill off beneficial gut bacteria at the same time. Use these drugs only when needed.
5. Know when to see your pediatrician. If your child has constipation for more than a few days, or any ongoing digestion-related symptoms that concern you such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating or gas, make an appointment with your pediatrician. He or she may refer your child to a pediatric gastroenterologist who can diagnose and treat digestive concerns in children and teens.
Set your child up for a lifetime of good health by bolstering healthy bacteria in their belly!
Related product
Probiotics and prebiotics are widely used for gut health maintenance and improvement; and has found to be especially helpful in times of diarrhoea.
Vitamode® Kids iBiome Powder contains a combination of 2 probiotics and 2 prebiotics which act synergistically to reduce diarrhoea duration and restore the natural balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut. The bacteria (L. rhamnosus) are cultured using a patented technology - Activator Hybrid Culture (AHC™) where the friendly bacteria are stored in a dormant phase until it is consumed. It is packed in a convenient sachet and no refrigeration is required.
(1)Ruiz-Ojeda FJ, Plaza-Díaz J, Sáez-Lara MJ, Gil A. Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials. Adv Nutr. 2019 Jan 1;10(suppl_1):S31-S48. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy037. Erratum in: Adv Nutr. 2020 Mar 1;11(2):468. PMID: 30721958; PMCID: PMC6363527.
