It's important that we set our kids' digestive tracts up for success from the start...and if we happen to have dropped the ball along the way, there's still opportunity to course-correct and support their stomachs + intestines beyond just moving things along.
This is more than just keeping kids regular; good digestive health is also about absorbing all the nutrition you're trying to get those stinkin' kids to (unwillingly) eat, keeping their immune system healthy, supporting behavior + mood, and how well they sleep. (Do you remember sleep?)
At least 70 percent of their entire immune system is located in their digestive tract, and their gut has been nicknamed their "second brain" (no, not by their schoolmates, but by scientists) because of the extensive network of neurons lining the gut. There's also the little fact that 95 percent of the body's serotonin is found in the bowels. You probably know that serotonin is considered a happy hormones, but did you know that it enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other? That means their serotonin levels not only affect mood + social behavior, but also things like their appetite + digestion, sleep, memory, and their reproductive health. A healthy gut is the start to improving our overall wellness.
Keeping Our Kids' Digestive Systems Healthy
First: remember that "bacteria" isn't all bad! Yes, there are bad bacterias out there...but we need a thriving microbiome of good bacteria for our optimal wellness. We have healthy bacteria in our gut to break down our foods into dissolvable nutrients (micro-nutrients), making those nutrients easier to digest. These micro-nutrients are the building blocks needed for a healthy immune system.
With all the toxins our kids have been exposed to from the time of their development in the womb + what they continue to be exposed to every day along with stress, their bodies can end up damaging or depleting the good bacteria. Has your child ever taken an antibiotic? They deplete the good bacteria while also giving bad bacteria the opportunity to grow. A decrease in healthy digestive function, means their bodies cannot utilize nutrients as efficiently + their ability to rid themselves of yucky stuff is affected. Do your kids have symptoms of chronic inflammation or other chronic conditions and diseases? This could have started in the gut. And a healthy gut needs good bacteria - both prebiotics + probiotics - to thrive.
The Difference Between Pre- + Probiotics
Prebiotics: Food for the healthy microbes in the gut. Found in certain supplements + foods. Cannot be normally digested by the gut, helping to nourish + promote beneficial probiotic bacterial growth.
Deliver much-needed fiber. May make calcium absorption easier, supporting healthy bones. A good support for hunger + fullness hormones in children, making healthy eating choices a little bit easier. Aaaand prebiotics also support a healthy metabolism. It's really just all a win!
Consist of compounds like oligosaccharides, which is found in human breast milk; added into some formulas. Occur naturally foods like bananas, onions, garlic, asparagus, and whole wheat.
Probiotics: Living microorganisms in supplements + foods (like the lactobacillus in yogurt) that change the bacterial balance in the human body. You want to support the helpful bacteria in the body, allowing the body to destroy harmful bacteria + reduce infection.
Choose Quality
Many companies cut corners with their sourcing, efficacy of their ingredients, and instead of pure + natural options opt for synthetic or lab-manufactured copycats that are cheaper to get. That's no different for pre- and probiotics; some manufacturers will select specific bacterial strains for because they can grow them in large numbers, not because they are beneficial to our optimal health or even adapted to the human gut at all.
Because of their sourcing + testing practices (I've seen this at work for myself on more than one occasion) I know I can completely trust the products + supplements Young Living offers. Young Living's Seed to Seal practices give me the peace of mind to use their Life 9 probiotic and KidScents MightyPro as a part of my family's healthy lifestyle. And even my special needs son loves MightyPro!
KidScents MightyPro
This supplement is a blend of prebiotics + probiotics specially formulated for kids, with Ningxia wolfberry fiber and over 8 billion active, live cultures to help support digestive system + support the immune system!
Packaged in easy, single-dose packets that can be taken almost anywhere you go, you can add them to water, juice, or shake it straight out of the packet and into your mouth. There's really no need to hide it, either; MightyPro is basically like the best Pixie Stix ever. One grandma even shared how her grandkids like to add it to spaghetti!
Because they’re single-serving packets, they don’t need to be refrigerated...so if you have a hard time remembering to take your Life 9 because it’s in the refrigerator (this is me), keep some of KidScents MightyPro in your desk drawer, purse, nightstand, or anywhere else in the house where you'll remember to take it. This trick makes it easier for me to get some probiotics in my own body every day, too.
Picky Eaters
Check out some testimonies from families using Young Living's KidScents MightyPro + Life 9 supplements:
"The twins LOVE it! They literally have a 'probiotic dance' they do and it’s legit." Hollie G.
"Mine, they call them 'your favorite Pixie Stix.'" Kristina G.
"My 4 y/o always reminds us of ours lol. She is the official vitamin and supplement distributor and she will tell you when she takes her probiotic that the good bacteria is winning." Stephanie F.
"My 8 yr old loves MightyPro. Helps keep her regular and hasn't missed school due to illness* in 2 yrs!" Karen T.
"We are B E Y O N D obsessed!! My little girl has an immune-allergic disorder and suffered from severe eczema from birth on. She can only eat about 10 foods and is allergic to almost everything -- topical, environmental, all of it. As many of you know, both of these issues can stem from the gut. If something is manifesting itself on the outside, it's a reflection of what's happening on the inside.
We decided to brave it, and pray that she wouldn't have an allergic reaction. Not only was she NOT allergic, but her eczema* was almost ALL cleared up after just a week of using MightyPro once a day!!!! Cue the happy tears!!
She is still doing well with it and if it's within my power, we will NeVeR be without it!!!" Jacque L.
"I open Life 9 capsules and give a pinch of powder to babies from day 1 of life! And then move them to MightyPro around 18 months or whenever they start getting FOMO that the other kids get it." Madison V.
"I open up a capsule of the Life 9 and give a little of the powder to my 5 month old on my finger. Started around 2-3 months. She has always loved it!" Jennifer S.
"From personal experience, the MightyPro is sour (like a Pixie Stix) and probably not something a newborn would love tasting, lol. The Life 9 capsules don’t have much flavor so we put a little on our finger and swab it in their mouths and they hardly notice it!" Hannah N.
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*I am not a doctor. I am not here to diagnose, treat, or prescribe things to you and neither is Young Living. Testimonies shared on this website are the opinions + personal experiences of those sharing their stories and experiences may include other health + lifestyle choices to produce the results they express in their statements; they are not guaranteed or implied claims about the products themselves.
MightyPro is vegan friendly. Take with food. Use with caution in children who are chronically or seriously ill or who have compromised immune systems. Speak with your pediatrician or doctor before starting a new supplement.
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