How Food Impacts Your Child's Mood During the Holidays: The Gut-Brain Connection
The information here is strictly educational and not medical advice. It should not substitute professional medical consultation.
The holiday season is a time of joy, excitement, and family gatherings. Yet, for many parents, it can also be a period of heightened stress, particularly when it comes to managing their children's moods and eating habits. What if the key to a more peaceful holiday season lies not in willpower, but in understanding the intricate relationship between your child's gut and brain?
Understanding the Gut-Brain Axis: More Than Just Digestion
Nutrition and what our kiddos eat is not just about calories or macronutrients—it is about giving your body the tools it needs to function optimally. What we eat can have profound effects on our health, not only preventing and treating disease but also fostering resilience in our body, particularly in areas like gut health
The gut is often referred to as the “second brain” because it is intricately connected to both physical and mental health. The foods we consume have the power to either support or disrupt this complex ecosystem of microbes, enzymes, and hormones that make up our gut. These microbes in our kiddos’ tummies actually send signals to the brain that can dramatically influence your child’s mood, behavior, and even emotional resilience. (1, 7)
When we focus on nutrition as a tool for healing and prevention, we tap into the body's ability to restore balance and support its natural healing processes and our kiddos’ moods.
The Tiny Messengers
The microbiome refers to the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in our digestive system. A rich variety of beneficial microbes helps digest food, produce important nutrients, regulate inflammation, and protect against harmful bugs that can make us sick and keep us sick. Research has uncovered a fascinating communication highway between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis (2). This means that the state of your child's gut microbiome and the microbes that are living in their tummies can directly impact their:
Emotional regulation
Stress response
Anxiety levels
Overall mental well-being
Foods that Support Microbial Diversity and a Balanced Gut:
Fiber-Rich Foods: Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These feed beneficial bacteria, which, in turn, produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that promote not just gut health but health for our whole body! (3). Certain foods like garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and bananas contain prebiotics, which act as food for good gut bacteria, helping them thrive.
Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, miso, and other fermented foods introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut, enhancing microbial diversity making sure we have a nice balance of the “good” guys to keep the “bad” guys in the tummy in check.
Holiday Challenges and How it Impacts the Gut
The holiday season, while full of joy and festivities, can bring about unique challenges for both adults and children in terms of gut health. Between disrupted schedules, an abundance of sugar-laden treats, and increased stress, the gut microbiome—our body’s ecosystem of bacteria and other microbes—can become imbalanced. This imbalance can lead to a variety of digestive issues, mood swings, weakened immunity, and even long-term health concerns.
Irregular Eating Patterns
Irregular schedules: Holidays often come with irregular schedules—sleeping in, late-night parties, travel, and family gatherings—which can lead to inconsistent eating times. A child’s gut thrives on routine, as regular meals help maintain stable gut motility (the movements that push food through the digestive system).
Reduced fiber intake: While holiday meals may be full of rich foods, they often lack adequate amounts of fiber, which is essential for promoting gut health and digestion. Fiber-rich foods like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains support beneficial gut bacteria and regular bowel movements, while holiday treats (such as cookies and pies) often lack this important nutrient. (3) Dietary fiber is the key nutrient for maintaining the diversity of gut microbes. Fiber is also known as “prebiotics” which act as the “food” for the good guys in our microbiome to grow and keep our kiddos’ tummies happy. Low intake of fiber is associated with constipation, chronic health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and irritable bowel disease (3) Although adequate intake of all types of fiber is associated with many health benefits an estimated 95% of American adults and children do not consume recommended amounts of fiber. (4)
Increased Processed Foods & Sugar Overload
Holidays are synonymous with desserts, candy, sweetened drinks, and ultra-processed snacks. While tasty, these foods can wreak havoc on the gut microbiome. Here’s how:
Sugar overload: The abundance of sugary foods during the holidays can significantly alter the gut microbiota. Studies show that high sugar intake encourages the growth of opportunistic bacteria (which thrive on sugar) and suppresses the growth of beneficial microbes. This leads to an imbalance that can compromise digestion and immunity (3)
Feeding harmful microbes: When sugar feeds harmful bacteria, it can cause a condition known as dysbiosis, where the balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut is disturbed. This imbalance can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gas, and constipation. (3)
Mood swings and crashes: Sugary foods cause blood sugar spikes followed by rapid crashes, which can affect a child’s energy levels, concentration, and mood. These fluctuations often trigger irritability or even tantrums. Additionally, sugar overload can contribute to emotional dysregulation, potentially leading to meltdowns or anxiety, especially in children who may be sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations.
Increased Stress
The holidays often bring a host of exciting events, family gatherings, and travel, all of which can contribute to increased stress—especially for children who thrive on routine. Stress is a well-known disruptor of gut health. Here's how:
Elevated stress hormones: The body’s stress response triggers the release of hormones such as cortisol, which, when chronically elevated, can harm the gut. Stress increases intestinal permeability, leading to leaky gut, where the lining of the gut becomes damaged, allowing harmful substances to leak into the bloodstream. This can result in systemic inflammation and negatively impact the immune system.
Stress-induced inflammation: Chronic stress contributes to inflammation in the gut, which can worsen conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, or even food intolerances. In children, stress can also manifest physically, such as in abdominal pain or poor digestion.
Stress can also negatively impact appetite regulation, leading to overeating or the opposite—loss of appetite—further complicating healthy digestion.
Decreased physical activity and more time spent indoors
With the busy time of year, often comes less time spent outside or actively moving our bodies.
Decreased physical activity can negatively impact the gut by slowing down digestion, leading to constipation, bloating, and discomfort due, and can also negatively affect the diversity and function of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome (5)
More Diverse Gut Bacteria: Exercise has been shown to help increase the number of "good" microbes in the gut and make the microbial community more diverse. This is great because a wide variety of microbes helps with digestion, keeps us healthy, and can even improve our mood! (5,6)
Growth of Good Bacteria: There are certain "good" bacteria in our gut called commensal bacteria. These bacteria help maintain balance in the gut by keeping bad bacteria in check. Exercise helps these good bacteria grow and thrive. When good bacteria are strong, they help protect the gut lining, reduce inflammation (swelling or irritation), and stop harmful bacteria from taking over. These good bacteria also help us digest food better and absorb important nutrients, which keeps us feeling healthy. (5)
Signs of an Imbalanced Gut in Children
How can parents tell if their child’s gut microbiome is out of balance? Children may not always be able to articulate their discomfort, but several signs can indicate gut issues, often linked to disrupted digestion and microbiome health during the holidays:
Frequent mood swings: The gut-brain connection is powerful. An imbalance in gut bacteria can directly affect mood and emotional regulation, leading to irritability or unexpected mood swings.
Increased irritability: Digestive discomfort, such as bloating or constipation, can make kids cranky or more difficult to soothe.
Digestive discomfort: Complaints of stomach aches, bloating, or nausea after meals can indicate an imbalance in the gut microbiota or a sluggish digestive system.
Constipation or irregular bowel movements: Skipping meals, eating too many ultra-processed foods, and reduced fiber intake can lead to constipation, a common holiday gut complaint.
Weakened immune system: The gut plays a central role in immune function. An imbalanced microbiome can impair immunity, leading to more frequent colds or other illnesses.
Unexplained food sensitivities: An imbalance in the gut can trigger new food sensitivities or exacerbate existing ones, making certain foods more difficult to digest.
Persistent sugar cravings: An overgrowth of harmful microbes in the gut, particularly those that thrive on sugar, can lead to persistent cravings for sugary foods, creating a vicious cycle that further impacts gut health.
Building a Resilient Gut This Season: A Holistic Approach
Nutrition as Medicine
Amid the festive chaos, focusing on nourishing the gut can help maintain balance and mitigate the holiday disruptions. A holistic approach to gut health during the holiday season emphasizes nourishing foods that support digestion, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity.
Incorporate gut-boosting foods: Aim to provide a steady supply of fiber, healthy fats, and fermented foods to your child’s diet. Foods like roasted vegetables, lean proteins, and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut can support digestive health.
Focus on whole foods: While having some of your favorite holiday foods, try pairing them with foods that will help fill you up, keep your blood sugar regulated, prevent the sugar crash, and support your gut. These foods include proteins (meat, eggs, cheese, fish, etc), fiber (fruits, veggies, beans, lentils, grains, etc), and fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, etc).
Hydrate and support digestion: Encourage water intake to keep the digestive system moving smoothly. You can also offer digestive teas, like ginger or peppermint tea, which are known to soothe the digestive tract.
Practical Tips for Picky Eaters check out this blog for 5 holiday survival tips for picky eaters.
Stress Management
Holidays can be exciting, but they can also be stressful. Finding ways to help children cope with the excitement, changes in routine, and family gatherings can reduce gut-disrupting stress.
Routine and relaxation: Try to maintain as much of a routine as possible, especially around meal times and bedtime. Incorporate relaxation practices, such as deep breathing, family walks, or reading together, to help manage stress.
Quiet time: After a busy holiday schedule, ensure your child has time to unwind and relax, allowing their gut to function properly.
Exercise + Physical Activity
Exercise is not just beneficial for physical fitness—it also plays a significant role in gut health. Studies have shown that regular physical activity can enhance the diversity of beneficial gut microbes, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and even influence mood and behavior (5,6) In essence, exercise serves as a powerful tool for fostering a resilient gut, particularly during the stress of the holiday season.
Exercise can be an excellent way to reduce the stress that often comes with the holiday season. Engaging in activities like walking, yoga, or even playing sports can trigger the release of endorphins, which help reduce feelings of anxiety and promote relaxation.
For children, exercise and movement are especially important. During the holidays, kids often have more unstructured time, and their routines may be disrupted. This makes it more challenging to maintain a healthy gut. Incorporating regular physical activity can help mitigate some of the negative effects of the holiday season on the microbiome, as well as, regulate blood sugar levels.
Tips for Incorporating Movement This Holiday Season
Make It Fun: Physical activity doesn’t have to be formal exercise. Encourage your children to play outdoors, take part in family-friendly activities, or engage in holiday-themed games. Activities like building snowmen, going on treasure hunts, or even holiday-themed scavenger hunts can get kids moving while keeping them engaged.
Create a Routine: While holiday schedules may be unpredictable, try to incorporate some form of exercise into each day. A morning walk, a 10-minute dance break, or a short yoga session before bed can help maintain gut health throughout the season.
Use the Holidays as an Opportunity to Try New Activities: With the winter season comes unique opportunities for exercise, such as skiing, sledding, or ice skating. These activities are not only fun but can also offer significant benefits to the gut and overall health.
Encourage Relaxation Movement: In addition to more intense physical activities, don’t forget the power of relaxation-based movement. Gentle activities like yoga or tai chi can help reduce stress and promote balance in the gut.
Key Insights
The gut microbiome directly influences children's mood, emotional regulation, and mental well-being
Holiday disruptions can negatively impact gut health through irregular eating, sugar intake, stress, and reduced physical activity
A holistic approach involving nutrition, stress management, and exercise can support gut health
Main Recommendations
Prioritize whole foods, fiber, and fermented foods
Maintain consistent routines
Encourage regular physical activity
Manage holiday stress through relaxation techniques
Looking for personalized Gut Health Support for Your Child
Book a Comprehensive Nutrition Consultation for Your Child
1:1 Strategic Gut Health Assessment
Customized Nutrition Plan
Holiday Wellness Strategy Session
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Medical/General: The content, information, opinions, and suggestions listed here have been created with typically developing children and babies in mind. The information here is generalized for a broad audience. The information here should by no means be used as a substitute for medical advice or for any circumstance be used in place of emergency services. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. If your child has underlying medical or developmental differences, including but not limited to prematurity, developmental delay, sensory processing differences, gastrointestinal differences, cardiopulmonary disease processes, or neurological differences, we strongly recommend you discuss your child's feeding plan with the child's doctor, health care provider or therapy team. By accessing this site and the information in it, you acknowledge and agree that you are accepting responsibility for your child’s health and well-being. By using and accepting the information on this site, the author (Cierra Crowley) is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions discussed. It is important to talk to your child’s pediatrician or medical provider to start anything new or make any changes.
Affiliation: this page contains affiliate links from which I can earn small commissions (at no additional cost to you).
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