Children's Gut Health : Building a Healthy Microbiome with Synbiotics

HOST: Dr. Sarah Clarke, DC, IFMCP GUEST: Mimi Hernandez, MS, RH (AHG) Dr. Sarah Clarke and Mimi Hernandez discuss the trending gut-first approach in holistic pediatric care. Mimi emphasizes the critical window in childhood to tend to the terrain, or landscape, of the microbiome which builds a foundational layer of health that is carried into adulthood. They discuss common childhood concerns such as eczema, respiratory conditions, diarrhea, constipation, and more. Mimi highlights clinical studies that show promising results to mitigate or resolve many of these conditions with the use of children's synbiotics, which include fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics that help a child's gut microbiome flourish. Mimi Prunella Hernandez is a clinical herbalist with a passion for research-based applications and experience in the natural product industry. She has educated students and medical practitioners in herbal medicine through various platforms, integrating traditional knowledge with scientific insights. She is currently an Herbal Therapy Liaison and clinical educator for Standard Process. She is the author of the National Geographic Herbal and coauthor of the National Geographic Backyard Guide to Edible Wild Plants. PODCAST SUMMARY 2:00 A gut-first approach to children's gut health 3:00 Tending to the microbiome – prebiotic inulin and fermented foods 4:40 Metaphor from an herbalist's perspective: Tending to the flora in the landscape of the microbiome 5:27 The state of the terrain, or landscape, of children's microbiomes today – how children's gut health is affected by their environments 6:58 How parents can support the terrain of their children's microbiome – the gut-brain connection 9:00 The importance of fiber to the gut landscape – types and diversity 10:39 Critical window of development in childhood to develop a healthy microbiome 12:17 Beta-glucans that feed gut microbes – found in mushrooms and ancient oat varieties 13:40 How polyphenols found in colorful foods encourage the microbiome to develop 15:25 Constipation in children – fiber is not the whole story: soluable vs insoluable fibers, the gut-brain connection, dysbiosis and more 18:56 Lack of biodiversity in microbiome due to low fiber and how it contributes to constipation 19:36 Short-chain fatty acids, or microbial metabolites – signals that communicate with the nervous and immune systems 23:40 Connection between skin conditions and the microbiome 26:52 Bifidobacterium lactis – will thrive when given the right fiber 27:30 Benefits of children's synbiotic combinations 30:12 Early antibiotic use and the impact on microbiome health 31:20 Sacromyceses boulardi – probiotic yeast that has benefits post-antibiotic use 33:58 Best forms of children's synbiotic supplements – are probiotic gummies really effective? 35:05 Using clinically studied microbes in pediatric research 39:25 Supplementing with fibers in children's synbiotic blends to help bridge the fiber gap in children's diets 40:43 Setting a strong foundation in childhood for optimal health into adulthood with microbiome support