Pomegranate Elderberry Gummies

These gummies are a great way to boost the immune system in a variety of ways. The elderberry is a powerful immune booster and anti-viral. Both the elderberry and pomegranate are loaded with antioxidants which helps support a healthy immune system. This gelatin-based gummy also provides the digestive tract with the beneficial amino acids that promote a healthy gi tract. I often sprinkle our WellBelly probiotics and WellDaily multivitamin after the gummy blend has cooled a bit for an even bigger boost. These gummies are tart and some might like adding a little raw honey to the slightly cooled blend as well.

Ingredients:

16 ounces pomegranate juice

8 Tbsp of gelatin (I prefer the cleaner grass-fed brands like Great Lakes and Vital Proteins)

4 tsp of elderberry syrup

¼-1/2 cup of raw honey (optional)

4-5 scoops of WellDaily multivitamin (optional)

4-5 scoops of WellBelly probiotics (optional)

Heat pomegranate juice until slightly warmer than lukewarm. Warm enough to dissolve the gelatin but not hot enough to break the bonds- warm to the touch but not too hot is the best way I can describe. Play with it, it’s easy to find the right temperature.

Mix in gelatin slowly, a small amount at a time until it completely dissolves. Add optional ingredients to finish.

Pour into greased mold or small casserole dish, chill for 30-60 minutes and ENJOY!

Can be stored in the fridge for a week or frozen for 3-4 months although the texture is much softer after being frozen.

What are your favorite gummy recipes?

– Dr. Catherine Clinton ND

Leaky gut is something we are hearing more and more about. The term leaky gut refers to a condition also known as intestinal permeability which can lead to immune dysregulation and inflammation. Leaky gut is associated with several diseases and symptoms such as allergies, autoimmunity, fatigue, migraines and muscle pain. Leaky gut is not just something that adults deal with, it is a condition that deeply impacts babies and children. Let’s explore what leaky gut is, where it comes from and what to do about it.

What is leaky gut?

Leaky gut or intestinal permeability is when the tight junctions that keep the gastrointestinal tract intact become looser than usual. These tight junctions hold the cells of the gut lining together and under ideal conditions they are tight and intact. The lining of the gut is a semi-permeable lining that allows for the transfer of nutrients across the gut lining. The tight junctions serve to keep those epithelial cells together and helps form a barrier. The barrier that the tight junctions create prevents the passage of molecules and ions through the plasma between cells so materials are required to enter the cells by diffusion or active transport in order to pass through the tissue. This is an important function of tight junctions as the barrier allows for transport of nutrients into the cell but not into the tissue and bloodstream at large. When there is intestinal inflammation present that inflammation causes the tight junctions to open ever so slightly, allowing microscopic particles of food to pass into the bloodstream of the person. This creates a situation where the body can mount an inappropriate immune response to these microscopic particles of food like allergy or autoimmunity. For example, with a leaky gut when you eat green beans microscopic pieces of the green beans can get into the bloodstream. Then the body goes into overdrive, attacking the green beans as an invader because it doesn’t recognize the whole, undigested particles of green beans. This leads to the immune dysregulation that is associated with leaky gut. Intestinal permeability in itself creates inflammation that in turn incites more intestinal permeability, a vicious cycle. 

How do you get leaky gut? 

Many things can cause the inflammation in the gut that creates intestinal permeability. Chronic inflammation from a poor diet, overconsumption of alcohol, infections, stress, chronic constipation, food allergens, aspirin, NSAIDs like ibuprofen, antibiotics, and chemotherapy can all create the intestinal irritation that sets the stage for leaky gut. 

How do you heal leaky gut?

Avoidance of food allergens, antibiotics, NSAIDs and alcohol is important in the healing of leaky gut. Making sure to get plenty of fiber and probiotics from fermented foods or supplements helps to repopulate the gut microbiome which is essential for healing intestinal permeability. L-glutamine is a helpful amino acid for healing the permeability in the gut. Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid found in coconut oil/milk, fuels the cells that line the gut and can also be helpful. Healing herbs such as marshmallow and slippery elm are soothing to the inflamed lining of the gut and are a great addition to a treatment for intestinal permeability. Addressing any digestive issues and intestinal infections is also critical for healing leaky gut.

Gut health is the foundation of overall health. Leaky gut is such an individual condition with each person’s microbiome reacting differently to the varied triggers and treatments, that healing times can vary. This can make leaky gut hard to treat, but with a little persistence leaky gut is something that can be healed in children and parents alike. Talk with your healthcare provider if you suspect you are suffering from leaky gut.

– Dr. Catherine Clinton

In 2017 the National Health Institute changed their recommendations on peanut introduction in infants. Swayed by recent research that shows early introduction of peanut into the diet dramatically reduces peanut allergy, the NHI are now recommending:

• All babies should try other solid foods before peanut-containing ones, to be sure they’re developmentally ready.
• High-risk babies (defined as having severe eczema and/or egg allergy) should have peanut-containing foods introduced as early as 4 to 6 months after a check-up to tell if they should have the first taste in the doctor’s office, or if it’s safe to try at home with a parent watching for any reactions.
• Moderate-risk babies have milder eczema. They should start peanut-based foods around 6 months, at home.
• Most babies are low-risk and parents can introduce peanut-based foods along with other solids, usually around 6 months.
• Building tolerance requires making peanut-based foods part of the regular diet, about three times a week.

The New Research

Research from 2008 observed lower levels of peanut allergies within the Jewish population in Israel where early peanut introduction is the norm compared to the Jewish population in Britain where delayed peanut introduction is common. (1) 
These same researchers later enrolled 640 infants who were between 4 and 11 months old and at high risk of developing a peanut allergy (severe eczema and/or egg allergy). One group was given a peanut containing snack three times a week until age five while the other group stayed peanut free for the entire study. Five years later, the research team gave each child an oral peanut challenge. They found 17 percent of children on the peanut-free diet had developed a peanut allergy, compared to only about 3 percent of the peanut eaters. Among participants who started the study with a slight peanut sensitivity (as measured by a skin test), 35 percent of the peanut avoidance group developed a full-blown allergy, compared with just 10 percent of the peanut eaters. The study found that adding peanut-based foods to an infant’s diet reduced the risk of peanut allergy between 70 and 80 percent. (2) Additionally, no deaths during the study and no significant differences in serious adverse events between the peanut avoidance and peanut consumption group were reported.


Are Other Food Allergens Safe?

The NHI has not announced any changes to other food allergens but the research on inducing other potential allergens looks much like the research on peanut introduction. Numerous studies have shown that introducing solids before 3-4 months can increase the risk of eczema, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, childhood wheezing and increased body weight in childhood. (4,5,6,7,8) These and other studies have led many to adopt a, “the later the better,” approach to food introduction- particularly potential allergens. However, new research shows that delaying the introduction of certain foods (including peanuts) can actually raise the risk of allergy to that food. One study found that children first exposed to wheat between 4 and 6 months versus after 6 months had a 4-fold decreased risk of wheat allergy. (9) Another found that children who first had cooked egg at 4-6 months had the lowest incidence of egg allergy, whereas those starting egg at 10-12 months had a 6-fold increased risk of egg allergy. (10)

An interesting study from April of 2016 showed the delay of solids increased the risk of the most common childhood cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. [11] Researchers suggested that the increased risk of cancer was a result of not exposing the immune system to food and leaving the immune system uneducated.

Your Body and Food Allergies

At around 6 months the gastrointestinal tract changes from a semi-permeable membrane to a lining with more integrity and less permeability. Babies are born with digestive tracts that are slightly permeable to microscopic particles of food that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and promote an allergic reaction or inflammation. This is similar to leaky gut or intestinal permeability that we see in older children and adults, but the intestinal permeability in infants serves a purpose. The microscopic openings in the gut allow immunoglobulins and other immune stimulating molecules from breast milk to enter into baby’s circulation. As the infant gut matures it becomes less permeable and secretes more mucin, both of which help ensure a healthy digestive lining. It also seems that introducing foods in this time when the lining is permeable but on its way to maturity reduces the risk of allergies.

When microscopic food particles are absorbed through the permeable intestine of an infant, the infant’s immune system responds. Our body’s immune system has many different responses to keep us healthy. There are the Th1 responses that fight infections and cancer. It is the Th2 responses that mount allergic responses or help to fight parasites. Then there are the Th3 responses that help the body recognize and tolerate antigens. Whether they be airborne or ingested allergens, our body’s Th3 responses help dampen allergic reactions and promote an environment necessary for tolerance. Tolerance is an important piece of health because it helps decrease inappropriate allergic reactions as well as autoimmune reactions. It is exactly what we want when introducing foods to baby.
When we look at the Th3 tolerance branch of the immune system, oral tolerance is something we should look at. Tolerance is the principle behind injection immunotherapy or allergy shots. Similarly, oral tolerance is the idea that introducing small amounts of the potentially allergenic food can help train the body to not react to the food. Some studies have shown the potential for oral tolerance in the prevention and/or treatment of food allergies. [12,13,14,15,16] Tolerance is essential for baby’s transition to solids and potential food allergens.

Breastmilk For the Win

One of the major protective factors of immune tolerance is the presence of breast milk. Breast milk has so many immune boosting and stimulating components in it that are important for baby’s digestive, neurological and immune development and health. When combined with food introduction, breast milk seems to help increase the tolerance of food antigens or potential allergens as recent research highlights. 1140 infants in the UK were followed to see if the timing of food introduction in infants was connected with food allergies. Again, the study found that food introduced before 16 weeks increased the risk of allergy whereas introduction of solids after week 17 decreased risk of developing an allergic disease. [17] The study also highlighted the importance of the presence of breast milk when food is introduced because it helps promote the tolerance immune response that we want during food introduction. Recent research also shows us that introducing gluten while breastfeeding reduces the risk of celiac disease by 52%. [18] It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and turn the exploration of solids into mini meal sessions as breastfeeding fades into the sunset. But it turns out that breastmilk is too important for overall health to let fade away. For the first year baby should, if possible, be breastfed as the main source of nutrition. This helps promote immune tolerance, trains the immune system and promotes digestive tract health.

The Take Home

The new guidelines about introducing peanuts from NHI highlight a distinct departure from the old advice of delaying potential food allergen introduction. This new research echoes other studies illustrating the importance of exposing baby to germs to let the immune system properly develop. The immature immune systems of infants need the education that new foods bring. Food informs, guides and educates our immune system, our digestive system and our DNA. It is important to have a balance. Our babies are born into this world and need to be introduced and fully enveloped by this world. They need contact with dirt and animals and food. Introducing foods to our babies should be gradual with plenty of rotation. Introducing a food and then having it become a daily fixture of babies diet is not the best method. They need to be exposed to a variety of foods and spices regularly. The research is clear that breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for infants and should be part of introducing solids. Food introduction needn’t be about nourishment. A little bit of food as a gentle introduction to the world will help prime their immune system and is a great way to bond with baby as well.


(1) Du Toit G, Katz Y, et al. Early Consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with low prevalence of peanut allergy. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol 2008:122:984-991.
(2) Du Toit G, Roberts G, Sayre PH, Bahnson HT, Radulovic S, Santos AF, Brough HA, Phippard D, Basting M, Feeney M, Turcanu V, Sever ML, Gomez Lorenzo M, Plaut M, Lack G; the LEAP Study Team. Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy. N Engl J Med. 2015 Feb 23.
(3) Hong X, Hao K, Ladd-Acosta C et al. Genome-wide association study identifies peanut allergy-specific loci and evidence of epigenetic mediation in U.S. children. Nature Communications 2015 Feb 24;6:6304.
(4) Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J. & Shannon, F. T. Early Solid Feeding and Recurrent Childhood Eczema: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study. Pediatrics 86, 541–546 (1990).
(5) Norris, J. M. et al. Risk of celiac disease autoimmunity and timing of gluten introduction in the diet of infants at increased risk of disease. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 293, 2343–2351 (2005).
(6) Norris, J. M. et al. Timing of initial cereal exposure in infancy and risk of islet autoimmunity. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 290, 1713–1720 (2003).
(7) Wilson, A. C. et al. Relation of infant diet to childhood health: seven year follow up of cohort of children in Dundee infant feeding study. BMJ 316, 21–25 (1998).
(8) Cohen, R. J., Brown, K. H., Dewey, K. G., Canahuati, J. & Landa Rivera, L. Effects of age of introduction of complementary foods on infant breast milk intake, total energy intake, and growth: a randomised intervention study in Honduras. The Lancet 344, 288–293 (1994).
(9) Poole, J. A. et al. Timing of Initial Exposure to Cereal Grains and the Risk of Wheat Allergy. Pediatrics 117, 2175–2182 (2006).
(10) Wells, J. C. et al. Randomized controlled trial of 4 compared with 6 mo of exclusive breastfeeding in Iceland: differences in breast-milk intake by stable-isotope probe. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 96, 73–79 (2012).
(11) Jeremy M. Schraw, Michael Scheurer, Michele R. Forman, Age at introduction to solids is associated with the odds ratio of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. AARC Annual Meeting 2015.
(12) Petalas, K; Durham SR (2013). “Allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis”. Rhinology 51 (2): 99–110.
(13) 2- A.D. Buchanan, T.D. Green, S.M. Jones, A.M. Scurlock, L. Christie, K.A. Althage, P.H. Steele, L. Pons, R.M. Helm, L.A. Lee, A.W. Burks Egg oral immunotherapy in nonanaphylactic children with egg allergy J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 119 (2007), pp. 199–205
(14) 3- P. Meglio, E. Bartone, M. Plantamura, E. Arabito, P.G. Giampietro A protocol for oral desensitization in children with IgE-mediated cow’s milk allergy Allergy, 59 (2004), pp. 980–987
(15) 4- Fernandez-Rivas M, Garrido FS, Nadal JA, et al. Randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of sublingual immunotherapy with a Pru p 3 quantified peach extract. Allergy. 2009;64(6):876–883
(16) 5- Dupont C, Kalach N, Soulaines P, Legoue-Morillon S, Piloquet H, Benhamou PH. Cow’s milk epicutaneous immunotherapy in children: a pilot trial of safety, acceptability, and impact on allergic reactivity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;125(5):1165–1167
(17) http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2013/11/20-introducing-solid-foods-could-prevent-child-allergies.page
(18) 7- Akobeng AK, Ramanan AV, Buchan I, Heller RF. Effect of breast feeding on risk of coeliac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Arch Dis Child. 2006;91(1):39–43

We love homemade gummies at our house for a fun way to get an extra protein boost as well as some gut healing from the gelatin. These Sparkling Ginger Gummies are hands down the best gummies I’ve made at home. We often use fruit juice or kombucha and fruit purees but it can take a lot of fruit to mask the flavor of the gelatin. Ginger bug soda (fermented ginger and sugar to create a feremented soda) or a quality, store bought ginger ale can really cut the taste of gelatin while providing the wonderful health properties of ginger to this already healthy snack. Ginger is high in gingerol which has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has long been known to help with digestion. I often add minced crystallized ginger and probiotics to the mix for even more digestive support. These are the perfect gummies after a weekend of indulging or holiday fun. My patients and my family all love these gut healing gummies!

Sparkling Ginger Gummies:

12 ounces of fermented ginger bug soda or quality, high ginger content ginger ale

3 Tbsp of grass fed gelatin

1 Tbsp minced crystallized ginger (optional)

3 grams or 30 billion CFUs of probiotic powder (optional)

1-2 Tbsp collagen (optional)

Heat ginger soda until slightly warmer than lukewarm. Warm enough to dissolve the gelatin but not hot enough to break the bonds- warm to the touch but not too hot is the best way I can describe. Play with it, it’s easy to find the right temperature.

Mix in gelatin slowly, a small amount at a time until it completely dissolves. Add optional ingredients to finish.

Pour into greased mold or small casserole dish, chill for 30-60 minutes and ENJOY!

Can be stored in the fridge for a week or frozen for 3-4 months although the texture is much softer after being frozen.

What are your favorite gummy recipes?

– Dr. Catherine Clinton

As parents in today’s world we are inundated with possibilities for our children. Music lessons, sports, chess club, swimming lessons and the list goes on and on. Extracurricular activities have become a major part of parenting and childhood. I just watched a woman on a popular morning news show talk about tips for picking the right activities for children. I was not surprised that she completely left off the most important activity for children- not even a mention. With our current race to get our children involved in the most promising activities, we have forgotten the one activity that can enrich, teach and heal our children; nature.

A recent two year study out of England showed the dismal relationship our children have with nature. Researchers found that more than 10 percent of children haven’t spent time in any natural setting for at least one year. A natural setting was described as a park, forest, beach, or other natural environment. (1) Nature has so much to offer our children and we need to prioritize it.

Nature Is Filled With Health Promoting Microbes

First of all, being immersed in nature allows children to come into contact with a variety of microbes that benefit their health and development. Our gut microbiome has a dramatic impact on our overall health. Making sure our children have a diverse and healthy population of gut bacteria will go far in supporting the health and development of our little ones. One of the best ways to do this is to allow your child to be introduced to the trillion+ microbes that reside in the soil. Microbes found in nature have been shown to act as natural anti-depressants and even powerful antibiotics. (2,3) Even opening the windows and getting fresh air inside can help expose little ones to more diverse gut bacteria. (4) Their developing immune systems need this introduction to nurture a robust and diverse population of gut bacteria.

Is Nature Good For The Brain?

In Japan and Sweden forest schools are becoming more popular. Forest schools are outside based schools where children spend a significant time outside, rain or shine. This time outside has been shown to improve children’s mental and physical health including their concentration, cognitive and executive function. (5) Forest baths are also becoming more popular with people of all ages. Initial research out of Tokyo found that forest baths, time in nature ranging from a day to 2-3 days, can increase NK cells which boosts the body’s immune system responsible for fighting infections and cancer. (5) Recent research has shown that forest bathing can decrease blood pressure, heart rate, sympathetic nerve activity as well as lower anxiety and depression. (6)

Time in nature has been shown to improve healing and outcomes in hospitals, improve cognitive/executive function in children playing in natural settings, and to decrease pain and anxiety in adults as well as lower cortisol and inflammatory levels in the body. (7,8) Microbes in the dirt have been found to activate neurons in the brain to produce serotonin, the feel good neurotransmitter. (9) It has even been shown to increase feelings of empathy and love. People shown nature images had the areas of the brain that are responsible for empathy and love light up. (10)

Our Connection With Nature

It is clear that there is a much deeper connection here at play than just the gut microbiome. We need to honor that connection and make sure our children are out in nature daily. It doesn’t have to be hard. Having the kids play outside daily, going deeper into nature as a family once a weekend, even bringing more plants into our home all have a big impact on our health and the health of our children. If there is one truly must-do activity for your children have it be time spent in nature.

– Dr. Catherine Clinton

(1) https://www.childrenandnature.org/2016/02/18/study-reveals-too-many-children-in-england-are-losing-contact-with-nature/

(2) Matthews DM, Jenks SM. Ingestion of Mycobacterium vaccae decreases anxiety-related behavior and improves learning in mice. Behav Processes. 2013 Jun;96:27-35.

(3) Losee L. Ling, Tanja Schneider, Aaron J. Peoples, Amy L. Spoering, Ina Engels, Brian P. Conlon, Anna Mueller, Till F. Schäberle, Dallas E. Hughes, Slava Epstein, Michael Jones, Linos Lazarides, Victoria A. Steadman, Douglas R. Cohen, Cintia R. Felix, K. Ashley Fetterman, William P. Millett, Anthony G. Nitti, Ashley M. Zullo, Chao Chen, Kim Lewis. A new antibiotic kills pathogens without detectable resistance. Nature 517,455–459,22 January 2015

(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22278670

(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793341/

(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24858507

(7) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041614001648?np=y

(8) Park, S., & Mattson, R. (2009). Ornamental indoor plants in hospital rooms enhanced health outcomes of patients recovering from surgery. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 15(9), 975-980.

(9) Lowry CA, et al., Identification of an immune-responsive mesolimbocortical serotonergic system: Potential role in regulation of emotional behavior, Neuroscience (2007), doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.01.067

(10) Weinstein, N. (2009). Can nature make us more caring? Effects of immersion in nature on intrinsic aspirations and generosity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1315.

We’ve grown up trying to get the dirt off our clothes, our counters and off of everything we can think of. In an effort to fight the germs we’ve learned to fear we may have been doing more harm than good. With an epidemic of allergies, autism, asthma and autoimmune conditions shaping the lives of our children, it is time we rethink our relationship to dirt and the healthy microbes it offers.

Exposure to dirt allows little ones to come into contact with trillions of different microbes that help shape the developing immune system. Children need this introduction to educate their growing immune systems. Growing up in an ultraclean environment deprives the child of this essential immune education because they lack this critical introduction. Researchers exploring the hygiene theory have found that the trillions of microbes that enter the body actually help develop a healthy immune system. We’ve seen that children that grow up on farms have fewer allergies than the urban, city dwelling children. (1) This decrease in allergies is associated with a more diverse population of gut bacteria. Both sets of children, whether growing up in the city or on a farm, had the same amount of gut bacteria but the children raised on a farm had a much more diverse population of gut microbiota. (1) The diversity in gut bacteria is key to a healthy microbiome and dirt provides exactly that.

We need to let our children play in the dirt. We need to let them play in the dirt and not be immediately ushered to the nearest sink. They should be allowed to walk barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt and encouraged to garden. Let your kids eat dirt. Really. There’s no need and plenty of reasons to leave that organic dirt on fruits or vegetables. Especially with food pulled from your garden with your hands, there is no reason to wash that dirt off. Dirt has actually harbored some of the world’s most powerful antibiotics, including a new antibiotic found in 2015. (2) Good, organic, microbe rich dirt should have a place in children’s lives.

We’ve got to loosen up with our definition of clean. We’ve been told over and over again that cleanliness is the absence of germs and dirt. But germs and dirt are all around us everywhere at all times. The need to sterilize our counters and sanitize our pacifiers have real impacts on our health for the worse. Recent research demonstrated this very thing when researchers found that parents who cleaned their baby’s pacifier by sucking on it rather than washing it had lower rates of allergies in the child due to the immune stimulation from the germs in the parents’ saliva. (3) Harsh chemical cleaners that remove the potentially harmful germs as well as the beneficial germs and leave a ton of chemicals behind are not what we need. We need to be ok with a little more dirt in our lives.

The microbes in soil offer more than just immune education, they also provide key components necessary for mental health. Microbes in soil have been found to activate neurons in the brain to produce serotonin. (4) Serotonin is one of our feel good neurotransmitters and it is the target of SSRIs medications that are common for anxiety and depression like Zoloft, Paxil or Prozac. Not only does this activation increase our serotonin and mood but research shows it also helps increase the learning experience. (5) There is some deeper connection with dirt at work here and that’s exactly why we need our children playing in it.

Now there are some germs we should be wary of. Be sure to wash your hands after handling raw meats, before preparing food and after using the bathroom or changing a diaper. I’d also recommend washing hands during cold and flu season before eating or after social outings like playing at the park or going to the mall. But there’s no need to overdo it, simply use good old fashioned soap and water. Avoid anti-bacterial soaps because they contain toxins like triclosan and work to deplete the bacterial diversity we so desperately need to support health.

It can be hard to undo a lifetime of learning that we must fight germs to stay healthy. Accepting the idea that those same bacteria are responsible for many aspects of our health is important. I cringe a bit on the inside when I see my little one stick a dog toy in her mouth or my son eats something with dirty hands. But it is a just a passing cringe and it is quickly replaced with appreciation for my kids’ explorations and hopes that it shapes their immune system for the better. Get your little ones and go outside today!

– Dr. Catherine Clinton

(1) http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(12)00519-2/fulltext

(2) http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v517/n7535/full/nature14098.html

(3) http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/04/30/peds.2012-3345

It is that time of year again! Time to start planning those back to school lunches. As the year wears on, it is an easy option to reach for those prepared lunch box foods. But this can cause leaky gut in your little one!

school lunch

Our Microbiome Says Skip the Processed Foods

Prepared, processed foods offer such convenience but most processed foods offer little in the way of nutrition compared to the abundance of sugar, unhealthy fats, chemicals and additives they contain. Processed food have been linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart disease and autism/neurological behavioral changes. New research is highlighting how our gut bacteria don’t like processed food either.

The gut microbiome relies on the fiber in our diet to ferment into butyrate for fuel. A recent study showed that a two week change in diet has a notable impact on the gut microbiome. Researchers compared African-Americans eating a standard American diet to South Africans eating a traditional diet. The traditional diet was much higher in fiber while the Western diet was higher in industrial fats, refined carbohydrates, and animal proteins like those found in processed foods.

Researchers gave the Africans a Western diet for two weeks, and the African-Americans a traditional African diet for two weeks. The gut microbiome changed dramatically in this short time. The healthy gut microbes that make butyrate increased 2.5 fold in the Americans on the African diet, whereas butyrate levels dropped by 50% when the Africans switched to the Western diet. Researchers also found greatly increased markers of intestinal inflammation after the two week Western diet while the inflammatory markers in the American guts dropped after two weeks on a traditional diet. (1) Our microbiome is intimately tied to the food we eat and processed food is not only empty nutrition but it actually changes the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

The Additives in Processed Foods Can Cause Leaky Gut

A diet high in processed foods exposes the gut bacteria to an array of chemicals, additives, fillers, binders, emulsifiers and more that irritate the gut lining. This irritation can lead to leaky gut or intestinal permeability. Tight junctions hold the bases of the cells that line the gut together making the lining impermeable so that food cannot enter the bloodstream. They do a great job when they are functioning properly but they can also lose integrity and become permeable when exposed to inflammatory conditions. The inflammatory cytokines that are released in response to irritation promote the loss of integrity of the tight junctions and promote the intestinal permeability in leaky gut. Research has shown how the chemical emulsifiers in processed food changes the diversity of the gut microbiome for the worse. Emulsifiers in food have been shown to promote bacterial translocation across epithelial cells. Now they have been shown to increase the inflammatory state of the gut. (2)

Researchers fed mice two very commonly used emulsifiers, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulsose, comparable to amounts found in processed foods. They found that mice that consumed the emulsifier had changes pro-inflammatory changes in the gut microbiota. The pro-inflammatory microbiota had an enhanced capacity to infiltrate the dense mucus layer that lines the intestine, which is normally harbors few bacteria. (2) The mucin layer houses the gut microbiome and acts as a barrier to the lining of the gut. Disturbances in the mucin layer affects the balance of beneficial bacteria and makes it easier for the gut to get inflamed and leaky.

What Should We Put in Our Children’s Lunches?

Pre-prepared, processed foods have already been associated with several chronic diseases and, combined with this new research highlighting the impact processed food has on the gut microbiome and gastrointestinal tract, it becomes clear that we need to make an effort to limit processed foods for our children. A varied diet packed full of whole foods or processed foods with minimal ingredients is the best foundation for a healthy gut microbiome. Some easy ways to get those whole foods into lunches include hummus or nut butters with veggies and crackers, sandwiches of all kinds and bento lunches like the ones we’ll be featuring for the next few weeks on this blog. I can often recruit help from my little ones to gather the ingredients, do the cutting and assemble the lunches. They really enjoy it and it helps foster a healthy relationship to food and food prep. My three year old and almost seven year old often eat more of their packed lunches when they help make them too. With a little planning, packing healthy lunches that help nourish the body and the microbiome are a simple step to help create a solid foundation of health. Comment below with your favorite lunches to pack!

– Dr. Catherine Clinton

 (1) O’Keefe, S. J. D. et al. Fat, fiber and cancer risk in African Americans and rural Africans. Nat. Commun. 6:6342 doi: 10.1038/ncomms7342 (2015).

(2) http://news.gsu.edu/2015/02/26/widely-used-food-additive-promotes-colitis-obesity-metabolic-syndrome-research-shows/