back-to-school/nursery immunity: how to prep your child’s gut for the new term
with PrecisionBiotics
It’s that time of year again, and September only means one thing in our households – back to school! Whilst this may come with a few (ahem) benefits, it also comes with the unwanted rise of colds and sniffles, which let’s face it, we could all do without when we’re all trying to get back in the game.
But wait, don’t fret just yet, there may be something you can do about it, and you guessed it, it all starts in the gut (shocker we know!). How so? Did you know that around 70% of your immune system resides in your gut, specifically in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (or GALT for us tired mums). This is a pretty big deal for the whole family’s immune system.
We like to think of your gut as the body’s first line of defence. Simply put – what happens in the gut doesn’t stay in the gut! In fact, it can affect the functioning of the immune system throughout the body, influencing many aspects of health.
gut health and immunity – what’s the link?
Looking after your immune system is one of the most important things for good health, but contrary to social media’s beliefs, this doesn’t mean just downing a few lemon & ginger shots each morning to “boost” your immunity. Unsurprisingly, it’s a wee bit more complex than that. Your immune system is determined by everything you’re exposed to throughout your life (not just genetics), and you can build (not boost) a strong immune system. This includes the microbes that live on and around you, aka your microbiota.
Think of your microbes as immunity teachers, giving your immune system an education from early doors. The types you’re exposed to throughout your life (and the resident pals in your gut) are going to influence how well your immune system works. Fundamentally, what happens early on in life has a big impact on how your immune system develops as you age.
back-to-school immunity checklist
We’d love to have the blueprint for what a ‘healthy microbiota’ looked like (we’d be rich!), but unfortunately, we’re not quite there with the science yet. However, from all of the studies done so far, we do now believe that a diverse microbiota is good, and a thriving ecosystem is key to our health, even though the research is complex, looking after our little ones microbes doesn’t have to be
There are a few things that support your child’s immunity that we can’t always control e.g. whether they were born via C-section, to whether they were formula fed, many of you reading this are likely to already be past this stage too. As always, though, we bring ‘gut’ news, and there are many things you can do to help build your little sprogs immunity.
1.fibre-rich breakfast
Fibre is fuel for your gut bugs, so chomping down on a diverse range of fibre-rich foods is key. We find breakfast is the easiest time to do this as kids tend to be nice and hungry and less fussy!.
If you’re anything like us, you’re a little short on time in the morning, so here are 3 quick fibre brekkies you can whip up the night before:
-overnight oats (think rolled oats, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit etc.)
-maybe banana and oat pancakes – great for the weekends
-fibre muffins – great to pop in their bags if they aren’t too hungry first thing
p.s. fibre needs change as your child ages, so have a quick check in before you get in the kitchen.
2. reset sleep schedule
As well as ensuring they wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, a good night’s sleep is key for overall health and well-being. To make sure you all wake up feeling rested and ready for the day, take this opportunity to reset their bedtime routine – same rules apply to them as they do to us, limit screen time in the lead up to bedtime, keep the room cool and create a “wind down” environment.
3. gut-friendly lunchbox swaps
Lunchtime is another great time to make a few gut-friendly swaps. To support their gut (and ultimately immunity), try to add in a few more whole plant foods, think whole fruits and veggies, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes etc.
Here are a few easy swaps we’ve done for our little ones:
-crudites instead of crisps – bonus points for hummus
-plain yoghurt and fresh fruit instead of sweetened yogs
-wholegrain wraps, pasta, rice etc. over white
4. outdoor time and movement
Although not ideal for those whites, dirt is good for your child’s immunity – by dirt we mean mud etc. essentially re-connecting with nature. The more time spent in natural environments, the more we let its microbiome infiltrate our systems and nurture our own.
5. daily supplement
Bacteria supplements contain beneficial bacterial strains that, when you consume them, can positively influence your gut microbiome, which, as we know from above, plays a crucial role in your immune system – they can definitely be a quick effective tool in our armoury.
probiotic power: when, why and how
Already nailing steps 1-4, and want to go the extra mile? PrecisionBiotics®– Alflorex® Children is specially formulated for children and contains Bifidobacterium longum 35624™, a mouthful we know, but for us mere mortals, what you need to know is this particularly wordy strain has been scientifically studied to and complement their good guys that may already be in there.
When we first heard this, we thought great, but there’s no way I’m getting them to swallow a capsule every morning – we’ll never make it out of the door! Fortunately, PrecisionBiotiocs® Alflorex® Children can be easily added to their breakfasts in its unique powder form, easily dissolved in milk, yoghurts or smoothies (or chia pudding if you’re like us) – it’s also proven to reach their growing guts in peak condition, result!
beyond september
Just like Lisa’s dog Blue, is for life, not just for Christmas, or back to school in this case. Whilst getting back into your back-to-school routine is the perfect time to shoehorn in those gut habits, to really support their growing guts, you need to keep em’ going all year round. Think small changes every day, for big changes along the way.