How To Talk To Your Kids About Gut Health

Earlier this month I was invited into my daughter Navy’s first grade classroom to talk about our amazing microbiomes (ie YOUR GUTS!).

As a wellness expert for over 14 years in the gut health space, it’s so important to me that my girls grow up knowing about the magic that exists in our very own bodies. Learning about gut health helped me change my chronic dieter perspective and mindset around my gut from something I always needed to hide or “make smaller”, to an integral, powerful part of my body’s ecosystem. 

But how can we share this info with our kiddos at a young age so they can get it too? The body is super complex, and so how do we break that down in a way our littles can understand?

Today I’m sharing my tips for talking to kids about gut health, plus how to get them on board and excited about their own magical bodies. 

How to get them interested: 

To kick start the convo, introduce the concept that our bodies are teeming with trillions of bacteria. I explain that we are more bacteria than we are human, which never fails to capture their attention. I describe how our bodies host both bad bacteria (like germs that make us sick) and good bacteria (the ones that keep us healthy and nourish our microbiome).

To share how these bacteria play a crucial role in helping us feel better when we are unwell, I draw parallels between our gut bacteria and a superhero team that fights off invaders and keeps our bodies strong. 

I also love reading the book “The Magical World Inside of You” by HyperBiotics. It’s really amazing, my kids both love it and ask for it weekly. 

How to get them involved:

To empower kiddos to love up their own microbiome I share this list: 

• Sleep – a rested body allows our bacteria to thrive.
• Hugs – physical contact exposes us to a diverse range of bacteria and strengthens our immune system.
• Getting dirty – outdoor play (especially in the dirt!) introduces beneficial microbes to our bodies.
• Eating probiotic rich foods, like yogurt and sourdough bread, as well as sauerkraut, fermented veggies and kombucha. 

You can make this even more fun by having some different fermented foods for your kiddo(s) to taste test. And encourage them to ask all the questions, including talking about poop!

By sharing this info in a fun way we can empower our kids to understand the importance of nourishing our microbiomes. Through conversations, books, tastings, and embracing the wonders of our very cool bacterial world, we inspire them to take care of their bodies in all these amazing ways. 
What ways do you like to talk to your kids about their microbiome? Let me know with a comment on this reel!