Happy Halloween – keeping little tummies happy despite all the sweets…

How to keep those little tummies healthy?

Striking the balance between kids enjoying Halloween with all the feast of sweets available and ensuring their little tummies don’t suffer, is no mean feat. From too much sugar to bloating and erratic behaviour, as a parent you have a lot to manage to ensure your little ones remain healthy.

Kids love Halloween – walking the streets, knocking on doors, scaring the neighbours and most of all collecting and eating as many sweets as they can…and parents and those handing out the ‘treats’ are susceptible to temptation too.

If you are sitting waiting for the Trick or Treaters with a big bowl of sweets in front of you, the chance of snacking on one or 10 is high. And once the little ones are in bed, the temptation to devour your favourites from the bucket is almost impossible to resist.

And all that sugar will have an effect on little (and big) tummies, providing food for the not-so-friendly bacteria and potentially contributing to gas, bloating, imbalanced digestion and other tummy troubles for some time after Halloween.

Below, our nutritionist, Adrienne Benjamin at ProVen Probiotics has put together her top six tips to try and minimise the Halloween candy binge and its associated symptoms.

1. Have a healthy, filling meal before sundown – include protein, healthy fats and fibre in the form of vegetables to ensure you stay full for longer.

2. Water – remaining hydrated is the most effective way to remove toxins from your body via the kidneys and can also help to fill us up, so we don’t crave as many sweets.

3. Support detoxification – as well as water, leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, cabbage and watercress,  can help to support detoxification.
Other detoxifying vegetables include onions and garlic and any brightly coloured veg such as red peppers, butternut squash and carrots.
Good quality protein (eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, nuts, seeds) can also help, as can essential fatty acids found in oily fish (salmon, sardines) and seeds (flax, pumpkin, chia).
Herbs and spices can also help – and herbal teas will also contribute to hydration.

4. Take friendly bacteria – To help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut, take friendly bacteria – it can be helpful to take these for at least a week before and a week after Halloween or any holiday that involves eating.

5. Fibre – whilst fibre helps to support detoxification, it also helps to maintain the gut bacterial balance and keeps us full for longer. Both vegetables and whole grains provide fibre but remember to drink lots of water as the fibre will absorb it as it travels through the body.

6. Follow your normal lifestyle once the binge is over – don’t beat yourself up and don’t be tempted to skip meals to make up for the amount of chocolate you ate. Eat healthy, balanced meals three times a day, exercise (any physical activity will help) and rest to allow your body to recover and return to balance.

Want to know more?

Pro-Ven Probiotics aim to provide the best support for both you and your health. If you wish to know more about gut health and keeping your kids healthy, please do not hesitate to call us on 01639 825107 or alternatively, learn more via our blogs or in-depth proven research.

ProVen Probiotics, Unit 2 Christchurch Road, Baglan Industrial Park, Port Talbot, SA12 7DJ. Tel: 01639 825107