G et C o o k i n g - I S S U E 07
Follow your GUT
Nutritionist Anna Mapson explains why our children’s gut health could be having an effect on more than just their digestion and why good gut health is so important.
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ould your child’s behaviour, sleep and weight be influenced by their digestion? We are learning more about gut health all the time and a growing body of research highlights an interaction between our gut microbes and our immune health, skin health, and mood.
You can support your child’s gut health through diet and lifestyle Living inside our digestive tract are trillions of microbes made up of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. These microbes help us extract energy from our food, create our neurotransmitters and also create important vitamins within the gut. Children’s gut microbes populate their gut from the moment of birth. The bugs either come from the mother as the baby travels through the birth canal, or in the case of a C-section, by skin to skin touch as we hold and feed our babies. You can support your child’s gut health through diet and lifestyle. Here are five reasons why supporting your child’s digestion is so important:
SKIN CONDITIONS LINKED TO GUT HEALTH
Common childhood conditions such as eczema may be linked to issues with digestion. You might want to look at possible food intolerance triggering symptoms or whether they
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need help to absorb dietary nutrients. Improving digestion can often alleviate symptoms on the skin.
GUT MICROBES INFLUENCE WEIGHT GAIN
Bacteria in the gut interact with our metabolism and affect the levels of energy we extract from our food. Chronic health conditions on the rise in children, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, are linked to certain strains of gut bacteria. You can feed the beneficial gut microbes with fibre from vegetables, wholegrain carbohydrates, nuts and seeds and pulses.
GUT BACTERIA AFFECTS MOOD AND BEHAVIOUR
There is a superhighway of information between the brain and the gut. Many of our important hormones and neurotransmitters are actually made in the digestive tract. Anxiety and mood issues can be related to imbalances in gut health.
Switch from white to brown bread, rice and pasta to increase fibre content PROPER DIGESTION
This breaks down our food and helps us absorb nutrients. If your child has inflammation in the gut they may not
absorb certain vitamins or minerals, leading to insufficiency. This could impact on their immune health, energy levels or memory, even if their diet is well balanced.
A HEALTHY GUT SUPPORTS A HEALTHY BODY
Increasing the amount of fibre in your child’s diet will help to feed the healthy bacteria that support our health. The beneficial microbes will create an environment to fight off incoming bad bugs and help to reduce inflammation.
GOAL-SETTING TIPS Encourage your child to eat their 5 a day. Vegetables and fruit are important sources of fibre.
Playing outside in nature to get more exposure to bacteria.
Switch from white to brown bread, rice and pasta to increase fibre content.
Add pulses like beans and
lentils to stews, sauces and chilli for a cheap way to bulk up the health content of dinner and add fibre.
Allowing your child
unscheduled downtime, to relax and play will help to manage stress hormones, which can interfere with gut microbes.
Anna Mapson is a registered nutritionist mBANT working with families on fussy eating, gut health and happier mealtimes. She runs The Gentle Touch (www.the-gentletouch.com), which offers holistic sleep coaching, baby massage courses and baby weaning classes online.
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