6 Ways To Boost Your Child's Immune System By Improving Their Gut Health
It's better to start caring for them at a young age!
Published for AptaGro, 07 Dec 2022, 11:16 AM
Did you know that a healthy gut leads to a healthy immune system?
Children are more prone to infections than adults, especially since a child's immune system only fully matures at the ages of seven to eight years old.
One of the ways to boost a child's immunity is by embracing good digestive health, which has a lot to do with the gut microbiome. When your child has a healthy gut microbiome, they're set up for future wellness, such as fewer colds and less severe stomach bugs.
1. Introduce supplement probiotics into your child's diet through foods such as yoghurt
Eating foods containing live active cultures, such as probiotics, will help the body with digestion and immune system function. Probiotics are live microorganisms that give health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts.
They are commonly found in a range of fermented dairy products, including yoghurt and kefir (fermented milk drink). Yoghurt is one of the supplementary probiotics that can be gradually introduced to your child in small amounts.
Additionally, yoghurt could also ease irritable bowel movements such as diarrhoea or constipation, which is likely to occur when your child starts potty training.
2. Include more fibre-rich foods
Since gut health is closely tied to diet, what you feed your child is important. Make sure to include enough fibre, both soluble and insoluble, to help build a thriving and diverse gut biome.
Foods like oatmeal, lentils, and beans are good sources of fibre. Fresh vegetables like broccoli, as well as fruits like raspberries are good sources of fibre too that can help feed the good bacteria in your little one's gut.
3. Keep your child active with regular exercise
Staying active means your child's body will remain resilient, and it also encourages the intestines to speed up a sluggish digestive system by providing stimulation to get waste moving through the body.
It doesn't have to be strenuous activities such as going to the gym or anything like that, think of simple activities such as going for a walk or cycling around the park. If your child prefers indoor activities, plan a scavenger hunt around the house or get them to follow simple yoga poses.
4. Feed them small but frequent meals
From roaming around exploring new things to chasing their friends during playtime at school, children burn off their energy easily. According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, a child eats from two to three times, to five times a day depending on their age.
Give your little one a variety of food and gradually increase the quantity to ensure all nutrient needs are met. Make sure to include food like grains, fruits, vegetables, meat or poultry, fish, and legumes, as well as milk and dairy products in their meals.
5. Cut back on processed or fast foods
Although kids love munching on things like chips, cookies, or chicken nuggets, having too much of these foods might contribute to constipation and reduce the diversity of good bacteria in the gut.
Instead, introduce a balanced diet of lean meat like chicken, high-fibre foods like beans, whole grains, and berries, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables. Preparing home-cooked alternatives to fast food items like nuggets could also be a healthier choice since you'll be able to use lean meat instead of processed meat.
6. Keep them hydrated throughout the day
In humid and tropical climate countries like Malaysia, it is especially important to make sure your child drinks enough fluids, as they'll get dehydrated more easily. It is essential they stay hydrated as it will help support efficient digestion for a healthy gut.
Water is the best option, but if your child is fussy about drinking it, you can opt for fruit-infused water, fresh fruit juices, milk, or coconut water given in moderate amounts. Since children at this age are active, they would need sufficient amount of liquid in their bodies.
As a parent, it is natural to feel worried about your child's nutritional needs.
To help support your child's body and learning development even further, you can introduce Aptagro growing up milk formula into their diet along with their three main meals.
With 40 years of pioneering research, AptaGro is formulated with one billion probiotics^* combined with a unique mix of prebiotics**. This combination of both has greater benefits to ensure a healthy gut for your child, which leads to stronger immunity.
What's unique about their milk formula is that it contains the highest Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)*** to help with your child's brain development for smarter learning.
Plus, it also has ActiveDuoBio+, the combination of probiotics and prebiotics which boosts the army of good bacteria in children's bodies.
Now, you won't have to worry about exposing your child to the world, as they will be resilient and ready to explore more!
^1 Billion (1x10⁹ cfu) of probiotics from 100g milk powder.
*B.Breve M-16V.
**A unique mix of prebiotics GOS/lcFOS (9:1).
***AptaGro consists of 101mg/100g DHA, the highest among all cow's milk based growing up milk brands in Malaysia as of July 2022.
Want to give this growing up milk formula a try? You can get a pack of Aptagro 600g at just RM20!
To enjoy this exclusive promo code, just drop Aptagro a message via Facebook Messenger to purchase! Type Aptagro RM20 pack with the code SAYSAPTA20. The promotion is only valid for a limited time, so hurry to grab it*!
*Terms and conditions apply.
The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader's own medical care.
