Health

Kid's Digestion

WORDS BRONWYN LOWE

In our work we find there is plenty of awareness about the implication of poor gut health and digestion for adults, but what about kids?

Here at the Herbal Dispensary, it is not uncommon to have parents coming in and telling us that their child seems to have trouble with their digestive system, but they are not sure how to help them and what the implications of poor digestion are or what the benefits of addressing this could be.

So why should you care?

Good gut health for your children may help to contribute to a stronger immune system, as well as offering long-term benefits for physical and mental wellbeing. Improvements that you may see in the short term are with bowel and digestive functions, improved sleep, mood and general wellbeing. You may also notice an improvement in conditions such as allergies and skin conditions like eczema. When starting to look at gut health for your children, it is important to look at what is going in, i.e. what are they actually eating and how?

How many pieces of fruit have they eaten?

How many servings of green vegetables?

Where did their protein come from? What about iron and zinc rich foods?

Did they drink enough water each day?

Are they overeating at mealtimes or running around eating?

Are you serving balanced meals, but they only eat a portion and the rest goes in the bin?

Keep a record of what they are eating, you could even jot down over a week what they have eaten and see if you can pick up where the gaps in nutrition might be.

Once you have identified that you would like to change some of

the foods that they are eating, or add in some new foods, start slow with a few simple changes.

Let them play with their food — make eating fun

Depending on their age, allow your children to be involved in meal preparation. If they are a little young for active involvement, they love to watch and be with you; create games with colours, shapes, textures and tastes.

Bright coloured fruits and vegetables are usually high in antioxidants, which remove free radicals from our body, protecting our cells. If your child is not a fan of fruits and/or vegetables, try cutting them into fun shapes, making fruit kebabs and coming up with fun names for foods. My children always loved their broccoli trees.

Keep them hydrated

It can be difficult to keep children hydrated but it is important, and in fact is a crucial component of good gut health. Again, bring in a fun element, give them their own water bottle. They can decorate it or have them pick out their own special one. Add in some bright coloured frozen fruits, or make some funky shaped ice blocks. You can also make herbal teas and have the kids drink them; good, flavourful herbs to choose from could be lemon balm, lemon verbena, rosehips and lime blossom.

Breathe deeply

Deep breathing helps to detoxify the body, burn fat, improve relaxation and increase mental focus and clarity. Teaching your children to take a moment and focus on their breath is such a crucial life skill; they will thank you for it one day!

Get them moving

For some children, this won’t be a challenge, for others though it might be about reducing screen time, going for a walk with them, adding in family activities that are fun and provide exercise such as outings to the playground, beach, local parks, bike parks and skate parks.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

If they occasionally have the odd treat, a birthday party to attend or go off your idea of ideal meals, just accept it and let them enjoy it. The stress for them and you of eating the ‘wrong food’ can do more damage than just eating and enjoying the moment.

It can be challenging when you are up against some of the advertising and enticement that comes from larger food businesses (free toys with a meal) and also peer pressure, but you can have your own fun plan at home so your children don’t feel like they are missing out.

Be a role model

It is true that children love to mimic those around them. They are also absorbing and learning at a rapid rate, so share stories about food and fun facts with them.

Allow time for your children and the rest of your family to sit and enjoy your meals with no distractions.

Beneficial foods and supplements to consider for your child (depending on age) include

Leafy greens for fibre and B vitamins

Avocado for potassium and magnesium

Fish oils for essential fatty acids for brain health

Free range eggs for protein and B vitamins

Coconut yoghurt for probiotics, vitamins and minerals

Chia seeds and hemp seeds for omega-3 and fibre

Probiotic supplements if indicated

A possible herbal tea blend to help with stomach upsets and stress can easily be made at home. Try equal parts by weight of dried lemon balm, chamomile and fennel. If desired, add a little honey to taste (again depending on age). They can drink this at room temperature.

If you would like to explore natural options for supporting your child’s health, please contact us at The Herbal Dispensary, Raglan.

by Bronwyn Lowe Medical Herbalist MNZAMH

The Herbal Dispensary 6 Wallis Street, Raglan

www.theherbaldispensaryraglan.co.nz

GREEN UP YOUR GreenThumb

Tips to ensure your garden and shed are earth conscious.

maintain your tools toextend theirlife

Maintain your tools to extend their life. Try to clean tools after use and perform regular maintenance following manufacturer’s recommendations and store them in a weatherproof place.

Tap into the sharing economy.

Borrow from a mate or a tool library. If you don’t have a tool library in your community, consider setting one up.

Menzsheds bring men together in one community space to share their skills, have a laugh, and work on practical tasks individually or as a group. Most sheds around New Zealand take on some community projects, like building playgrounds for pre-schools, repairing toy library stock, repairing old bikes for distribution or those in need, or building planter boxes for the main street of the local central business district. Find out more at www.menzshed.org.nz

THE MENZSHED HUNTLY has been going for a number of years, and run by interesting and creative characters. Go down, check them out and give it a go. Join up for a yearly sub of $20. They can be found working away on Tuesday and Thursday mornings on various community projects as well as projects that bring in a little coin, which subsidises their local enterprise. Keep an eye out for the little libraries around Huntly Made by the Menzshed.

Natural spider repellent.

Spiders are great for the garden but not always welcome inside. All spiders have their taste buds on the tips of their legs. There are certain natural oils they hate, including peppermint, spearmint, citronella, cinnamon and cloves. Use this natural, waste-free spider repellent for those nooks and crannies you want cobweb-free.

Add up to 5 drops of essential oil and up to 5 drops of dish washing liquid to 1 litre. of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake well.

Spray the mixture around doors and windows and on any surfaces where you don’t want spiders.

Oils may stain or cause spots, so be sure to test the mixture on a small section of carpet or upholstery before spraying an entire surface.

Reapply the spray once a week during peak ‘spider seasons’.

Learn how to compost

Through a system that suits your needs, like bokashi, worm farming or a traditional compost bin. With practice, these can add nutrients back into your soil and reduce the need to buy bagged compost.

re-use your plant pots

Plant pots can’t be recycled in municipal collection. Saving seeds and reusing last year’s punnets will reduce the need for new plastic punnets and seed packs. Save the seeds of heirloom or open-pollinated plants (not hybrids) that can self-pollinate or cross pollinate resulting in plants similar to the parent plant. Collect dry, brown seeds and store in a dry place like in an envelope then in a drawer or cupboard. Then sow next year!