Good bacteria are essential to foster a healthy immune system and for reducing disease risk and illnesses like tummy aches, digestion issues, and so on. Childhood is the best stage to build a healthy immune system to provide a lifetime of good health. So, make these changes in your kid’s diet to improve their gut health and help them thrive.
1. Breastfeed
Breastfeed your baby as much as possible. Newborn babies’ gut are sterile, and breastfeeding is the best way to give them good gut health for the future. Breastfeed your babies exclusively for the first six months and then continue for as long as you can for their good gut.
2. Eat Fibre-Rich Food
Diet plays a very important role in good gut health. It is important to include both soluble and insoluble fiber so that food moves through the system properly and reduces the odds of constipation. Oats, quinoa, lentils, beans, fruits, and vegetables are good choices for fiber sources. Fiber in whole grains like whole wheat bread and brown rice, bananas, and berries also helps keep the gut healthy.
3. Say No to Fatty Food
Avoid giving junk food or fatty food to kids. Too much fat can affect the good bacteria in the gut, making their gut health weak. This will make them prone to illness and they might have to rely on medicines to recover completely.
4. Give Good Bacteria to Kids for Consumption
Feed good bacteria to your kids. Yes, live and active cultures aka good bacteria, will help in reducing the frequency of illness in your kids, especially related to gastrointestinal infections like tummy aches. Giving yogurt is one of the easiest ways of adding good bugs to your child’s gastrointestinal tract. However, do not give store-bought or flavored yogurt to kids as they are mostly loaded with sugar, and often don’t contain live cultures at all.
You can even give fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and nondairy yogurt that contain live and active bacteria.
5. Cut Back on Processed or Packed Food
Refrain from giving packed chips, fast food, and processed meat to your kids. It can lead to constipation and may prevent good bacteria from thriving. Even research has shown that diet drinks and artificial sweeteners harm good bacteria.
Also, limit the intake of sugar for your kids as they feed on bad bacteria and might suppress their immune system. So, avoid giving too many sugar treats and drinks like packed juices, candies, chocolates, donuts, cakes, etc. to help good bacteria thrive.
6. Keep Kids Hydrated
When you give your kids a fiber and protein-rich diet, make sure your kids drink water at regular intervals throughout the day. Water is the best option to keep dietary fiber moving through the system. Other than that, you can also give fruits infused with water to your kids such as homemade fresh fruit juices, and coconut water. Even juicy fruits and foods like melons, oranges, and cucumbers will work well.
7. Keep Your Kids Active
Let your kids play outside under the sun, in the mud with their friends, or with their pets, and let them get exposed to germs. This is one of the best ways to get a healthy gut and increase their immunity.
8. Avoid Antibiotics
Avoid using antibiotics unless extremely necessary. Antibiotics fight bacterial infections by slowing the growth of the bacteria or by killing them directly. They can destroy good bacteria along with bad ones, weakening the immune system of your kids. So, don’t give antibiotics until advised by the doctors.
Good gut health is essential for kids to perform their day-to-day activities now and after. So, follow these tips and improve the gut health of your kids.
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