Increasingly, children are developing digestive problems that were once reserved for adults. Digestive problems such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and even inflammatory bowel diseases can result from a multitude of factors, but the underlying cause is often inappropriate eating habits.
The role of good nutrition in health is unfortunately still underemphasized in North America. Although we recognize a relationship between food and the body’s functions, there is still a tendency to assume that the mechanics of the body are malfunctioning due to other reasons.
We need to realize that if digestion is impaired, that means the food we eat is not being broken down and absorbed properly. Digestion is how your body takes food and makes it usable in the form of energy and nutrients. In many healing modalities, it is believed that problems with digestion are at the heart of all other health conditions.
To help improve your children’s digestion and their body’s access to nutrients, it is best to implement some of the strategies listed below. Oftentimes, even modifying some of the harmful habits that overwhelm children’s systems can be enough to bring about change.
1. Avoid Overeating
In today’s world of supersizes, it is easy to lose sight of what a proper portion is. This is especially true when eating out because restaurants dish out larger portions to give a sense of value to customers.
Children do not have a sense of how much food is appropriate, so it is up to parents to show them how much they should be eating. Overeating puts a lot of pressure on the digestive system and should be avoided. When too much food is eaten, it taxes the body’s ability to properly break down and assimilate nutrients.
Since parents are in control of food preparation and serving, it is recommended to serve out smaller portions on plates and keep extra in the kitchen so that children do not overeat. In addition, this method can help slow down children’s eating pace, which is another factor in digestive problems.
2. Drink Away from Meals
When most children sit down to eat, they expect to drink something. This combination of food and liquid can lead to slower digestion as the digestive juices are diluted by the liquids consumed. It is best to keep the amount of fluids around mealtime to a minimum. Have children drink their water before meals—up to 15 minutes prior or about 30 to 45 minutes after meals.
3. Eliminate Processed Foods
