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Gut Health Tips for Busy Parents
Improve your gut health with these 5 simple steps.
With work, family and household chores to juggle, most parents, like yourself, will hardly have the time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Between work, nutrition, physical activity and other healthy lifestyle habits tend to be low on the priority list. After all, family comes first, and maintaining a household requires commitment. We understand that parenting is a full-time job, and you need quick, simple ways to maintain a healthy digestive system for all the long-term benefits it brings. Here are 5 easy-to-follow steps that you, as parents can practice daily, together with your family, to maintain a healthy digestive system.
1. Take 30-Minute Brisk Walks
In today’s connected world, it wouldn’t be surprising if you spend much of your free time on your mobile device, browsing social media websites or surfing the internet. Did you know that Malaysians are among the top in the world for hours spent online in a day? Studies have found that being physically active may encourage good bacteria to thrive in your digestive system, while inactivity could bring about the opposite.
The next time you find yourself with some free time, put that smartphone aside and take a walk for at least 30 minutes, daily. In fact, why not bring the kids along? It’s great for their health, plus it instils in them the habit of physical activity!
2. Finish Your Greens
Actually, not just the greens, but try to get in a wide spectrum of fruits and vegetables, as each colour carries its own set of vitamins and minerals. Although, make sure to include cruciferous, or “flower-shaped” vegetables in your diet such as cabbage, bok choy and broccoli. This type of vegetable, in particular, basically feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
At the same time, 3–5 servings of varied fruits and vegetables daily contain enough fibre and nutrients essential for a healthy digestive system. Explore recipes that creatively use fruits and vegetables as main ingredients. Also, whenever you ask your kids to finish their fruits and vegetables, lead by example!
3. Take Time to Relax
Asking a parent not to worry about their child is like asking a person not to breathe – it’s impossible! Here’s the thing: studies have shown that not only does stress physiologically affect the gut, it actually changes the composition of the microbiota within, and not in a good way.
In turn, this could make your immune system more susceptible to invading pathogens and diseases, resulting in ulcers, food sensitivities and constant heartburn. Try to get a babysitter once in a while for a couple’s night out, and schedule a family vacation every so often. No doubt you love your children, but they do take a toll on you!
4. Get 6–8 Hours of Shut-Eye
Between worrying about children and your smartphone habits, it’s no wonder so many Malaysians aren’t getting enough sleep at night. Irregular sleep causes your gut to have less energy, which is required to digest foods and absorb nutrients.
During the day, fatigue gets us going for coffee and sugar for that much-needed energy boost, which can irritate the digestive tract, as well as lead to poor sleep quality. Hence, repeating the torturous loop. When you put your kids to bed at 9pm, try to do the same for yourself. Here’s a tip: charge your mobile devices out of reach from where you sleep.
5. Drink Cultured Milk Drinks
Drinking cultured milk every day such as VITAGEN can help suppress the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines. VITAGEN contains billions of live, active cultures for better digestion and a stronger immune system. The dual combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei in each bottle helps increase resistance to harmful bacteria in your body.
This aids in reducing the likelihood of intestinal disturbances such as constipation, diarrhoea, ulcers, bloating, bad breath and heartburn. You can also make it a routine drink for the kids every morning, or during dinner time as well. Cultured milk drinks such as VITAGEN are usually popular with the little ones, so this shouldn’t be much of a chore. In fact, you might have to place them higher in the fridge!
