Cultivate your kid's gut microbiota
The takeaway
Loss of microbial diversity in the gut is linked to several chronic health conditions, including allergies, depression and cancer
Eating fiber and taking probiotics can support the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut
Avoiding antibiotics and sanitizing less will help maintain proper diversity and abundance of our microbiota
Spending time outdoors exposes us to soil-based microbes that support overall health
Read on for more!
The loss of microbial diversity is related to inflammation and can contribute to various chronic health conditions, including atopic disorders like asthma and allergies, psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety and cancer [1, 2, 3]
Children living in rural Burkina Faso have higher gut microbial diversity than European children living in urban areas [4]. Several factors, including a carbohydrate-rich diet, environmental exposure to soil microbes, and a longer breastfeeding period likely contribute to higher microbial diversity in the African children. Similarly, the gut microbiota in native Papua New Guineans is higher than individuals living in the U.S. [5]. Again, higher gut microbial diversity in Papua New Guineans may be due to a higher carbohydrate diet in Papua New Guineans; in contrast, industrialization and Western lifestyle practices, such as low-fiber diets, hygiene, sanitation, urbanization and antibiotics may contribute to lower gut microbial diversity [5, 6].
Here I discuss some ways to cultivate beneficial microbiota and to support higher microbial diversity in your child’s gut.
Feed the good bacteria
Eat plenty of fiber. Dietary fiber is an important source of energy for intestinal bacteria. Low fiber diets can cause chronic low-level inflammation, which can contribute to autoimmune disorders such as IBD, allergies and asthma [7]. On the other hand, high-fiber diets support the growth of beneficial gut microbes, which help maintain the integrity of the intestinal wall, train the immune system, and produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids.
To increase fiber intake in your child’s diet, try incorporating high fiber vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes and grains. And don’t be afraid to try something new—sometimes kids will surprise you!
Foods to try
Carrots, cucumber or red pepper dipped in hummus
Steamed edamame
Black bean and avocado on a whole wheat tortilla
Jicama sticks or chips dipped in mashed avocado
Turnip or celery dipped in sunflower seed butter
Frozen peas
Fesh high-fiber fruit including berries, guava, kiwi, citrus fruits, pears, and apples.
Artichokes dipped in lemon and olive oil
Roasted broccoli or asparagus
Whole grain bread instead of white bread
Oatmeal instead of breakfast cereal
Ingest good bacteria
Include fermented foods in your child’s diet and give them a probiotic supplement. Studies show that probiotics can help with certain health conditions, including bowel disorders like IBS, metabolic diseases like diabetes, and allergic diseases like eczema, among others. I discuss these in more detail in a previous post.
Foods to try
Unsweetened yogurt (made with cow, goat or sheep milk, or a non-dairy version)
Unsweetened kefir (also from any milk)
Sauerkraut or other fermented veggies (fresh, not pasteurized)
Kimchi
Miso
tempeh
Fermented foods aren’t necessarily what kids gravitate towards, but you can always offer them and find ways to include them in your daily diet—again—your kid’s taste buds might surprise you!
Try using plain, unsweetened whole-fat yogurt or kefir in smoothies or simply blending either with some chopped, mashed or pureed fruit to sweeten naturally (and increase fiber!). Alternatively, sweetening with quality honey (after age 1) or maple syrup are better options than buying the pre-sweetened varieties which are loaded with refined sugar.
My daughter actually loves sauerkraut so I always offer it when I’m eating some. I find fresh sauerkraut, which contains live and active cultures, in the refrigerated section of the natural foods area in most standard grocery stores. There is a wide variety at natural markets like PCC or at farmer’s markets. There are so many varieties of fresh fermented veggies now, including beets, carrots and variations on sauerkraut.
Kimchi tends to be spicy, so I haven’t offered it to my daughter yet, but some kids love spice so they might enjoy kimchi with other food, like Korean beef and rice. Tempeh and miso can be used in stir fry or soups.
Avoid unnecessary antibiotics
Since I studied antibiotic resistance and novel antibiotic compounds for over 10 years, this is my soap-box, so allow me to climb on for a moment. Antibiotics are amazing compounds that have revolutionized our healthcare: Infections that used to be death
sentences are now usually easily managed and treated with effective antibiotics. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics has resulted in two major consequences.
Collateral damage, meaning antibiotics can kill the beneficial bacteria of the microbiome right along with the pathogenic bacteria that is causing the infection.
Loss of efficacy, in terms of infectious bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics and therefore becoming more difficult to treat, which means more rounds of more potent antibiotics may be necessary to clear the infection.
As parents, it is our desire and responsibility to protect our children. When our kids are sick, we want to take care of them the best we can. Many desperate parents ask their kids’ pediatricians for antibiotics, and unfortunately many doctors comply, even if antibiotics won’t help. Furthermore, sometimes doctors turn to antibiotics when they are not needed. Antibiotics are not effective against infections caused by viruses, like the common cold and even many ear infections. Viral infections typically run their course, and symptoms can be managed to make that time tolerable. Antibiotics only kill bacteria. So they should be reserved for when they are truly needed.
Ok, climbing off my soap-box now.
Sanitize less
I appreciate the advice of Erica Sonnenburg, Ph.D., microbiome researcher and author of The Good Gut: Taking Control of your Weight, Your Mood and Your Long-Term Health. She writes that if kids have been playing out in a pesticide- and herbicide-free area, like her backyard, she feels comfortable skipping their handwashing before a snack. But after being at a public place, which may expose kids to contagious viruses or bacteria, hand washing before meals can protect their health.
Both Dr. Sonnenburg as well as Dr. Josh Axe, author of the book Eat Dirt, recommend a simple rinse to clean organic vegetables, like carrots, especially if they were grown in your own garden. Exposure to soil allows soil-based microorganisms to colonize us, both on our skin and in our guts.
Also, avoid antibacterial soap and all antibacterial cleaning products. Plain soap effectively washes away microbes on the hands. In fact, antibacterial soap is no more effective than plain soap at removing the bacteria from hands [8]. Regular use of antibacterial agents, such as triclosan, the most common antibacterial in hand soap and household cleaning projects, increases the population of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Spend time outdoors
Aside from the many other benefits, like physical activity, fresh air, Vitamin D synthesis, and an opportunity to explore and use the imagination, being outside also exposes us to nature’s microbiome. Soil contains bacteria, viruses and fungi which can help populate and balance our own microbiome and train our immune system [9]. Let your kids get dirty, involve them in planting and maintaining your garden, and take regular nature walks. If you can, check out a local farm; exposure to farm environments, including livestock, has been shown to protect against the development of allergic diseases [10]. Probiotics containing soil-based organisms (rather than the standard lactic-acid bacteria) have been shown to effectively treat symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome [11].
Do you incorporate any of these microbe-promoting practices into your life? I'd love to hear what you have focused on!
References
Sjogren, Y.M., et al., Altered early infant gut microbiota in children developing allergy up to 5 years of age. Clin Exp Allergy, 2009. 39(4): p. 518-26.
von Hertzen, L., I. Hanski, and T. Haahtela, Natural immunity. Biodiversity loss and inflammatory diseases are two global megatrends that might be related. EMBO Rep, 2011. 12(11): p. 1089-93.
Gimeno, D., et al., Associations of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 with cognitive symptoms of depression: 12-year follow-up of the Whitehall II study. Psychol Med, 2009. 39(3): p. 413-23.
De Filippo, C., et al., Impact of diet in shaping gut microbiota revealed by a comparative study in children from Europe and rural Africa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2010. 107(33): p. 14691-6.
Martinez, I., et al., The gut microbiota of rural papua new guineans: composition, diversity patterns, and ecological processes. Cell Rep, 2015. 11(4): p. 527-38.
Sonnenburg, E.D. and J.L. Sonnenburg, Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell Metab, 2014. 20(5): p. 779-786.
Conlon, M.A. and A.R. Bird, The impact of diet and lifestyle on gut microbiota and human health. Nutrients, 2014. 7(1): p. 17-44.
Kim, S.A., et al., Bactericidal effects of triclosan in soap both in vitro and in vivo. J Antimicrob Chemother, 2015. 70(12): p. 3345-52.
Rook, G.A., C.A. Lowry, and C.L. Raison, Microbial 'Old Friends', immunoregulation and stress resilience. Evol Med Public Health, 2013. 2013(1): p. 46-64.
Rook, G.A., C.L. Raison, and C.A. Lowry, Childhood microbial experience, immunoregulation, inflammation and adult susceptibility to psychosocial stressors and depression in rich and poor countries. Evol Med Public Health, 2013. 2013(1): p. 14-7.
Bittner, A.C., et al., Prescript-assist probiotic-prebiotic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome: an open-label, partially controlled, 1-year extension of a previously published controlled clinical trial. Clin Ther, 2007. 29(6): p. 1153-60.[if supportFields]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]