How to keep a healthy digestive system<\/p>\n
By Maria Endah Hulupi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Maintaining a healthy digestive system is
\nespecially crucial for children aged one year and above to
\ndevelop their immune system and to ensure optimum nutrient
\nabsorption, necessary for growth and brain development.<\/p>\n
\"It's their growth period so optimal absorption for all
\nnutrition is important to support their development,\" said Betty
\nSri Laksmi Jenie, a professor from the school of Food Technology
\nand Nutrition at the Bogor Agricultural Institute.<\/p>\n
The digestive system, especially the colon is the living
\nenvironment for billions of micro-organisms, comprising disease-
\ncausing pathogenic bacteria and good bacteria, called probiotic,
\nwhich include species of bifidobacteria and lactobasillus.<\/p>\n
Probiotic bacteria control the harmful growth of pathogenic
\nbacteria by producing acetate and lactate, Betty said during the
\nlaunching of Dancow milk enriched with Prebio1 for children under
\nfive years.<\/p>\n
Infants are exposed to bacteria: on the floor, covering their
\ntoys, and in their efforts to explore things in their
\nsurroundings with their hands and mouth.<\/p>\n
\"In their early years, a child's immune system has not yet
\nfully developed and this makes them prone to health problems,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Once the pathogenic bacteria find their way to the colon and
\nproliferate, they create digestive problems, like diarrhea, which
\nfurther reduces the number of probiotic bacteria due to fluid
\nloss.<\/p>\n
\"This problem will, in turn, hamper a child's growth and brain
\ndevelopment. It can be fatal if left untreated,\" Betty cautioned.<\/p>\n
To maintain a healthy digestive system, children need a
\nbalanced nutritional diet which contains oligosaccharide. This
\nnutrient, called prebiotic, provides nutrition for probiotic
\nbacteria. It is not ingested and absorbed before reaching the
\ncolon so as to nourish and promote the growth of probiotic
\nbacteria in the colon.<\/p>\n
Breast milk is the best nutrition for babies and naturally
\ncontains prebiotic nutrients called galactoligosaccharide.
\nProperly breast-fed children have a higher number of good
\nbacteria in their colon compared to those who receive formulated
\nmilk, said Jose M. Saavedra, an associate professor of pediatrics
\nwith the John Hopkins University School of Medicine and School of
\nHygiene and Public Health.<\/p>\n
Children, entering their first year will need a balanced daily
\ndiet, containing another type of probiotic booster called
\nfructoligosaccharide to maintain a healthy digestive system.<\/p>\n
Banana, garlic, honey, onion, brown sugar, tomatoes,
\nasparagus, artichoke and cereals are sources of
\nfructoligosaccharide.<\/p>\n
Daily consumption required for children under the age of five
\nyears weighing 10 kilograms is 1.7 grams and 10 grams for adults
\nweighing 60 kilograms.<\/p>\n
Saavedra, who is also medical and scientific director of the
\nnutrition division with Nestle USA, said that boosting the growth
\nof good bacteria will also help develop a child's immune system
\nand give them a better chance to protect themselves against bad
\nbacteria.<\/p>\n
\"With the presence of good bacteria, a child's immune system
\nwill respond better to infection,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He quoted medical research showing that children who consume
\nfoods, containing lactobasillus recover faster from diarrhea
\ncompared to those who do not receive the treatment.<\/p>\n
Aside from ensuring a healthy digestive system and boosting
\nthe immune system, bifidobacteria help ease the problem of
\nlactose intolerance by breaking down the lactose, making it
\neasier to absorb. In adults, this good bacteria can help restore
\nflora in the colon after antibiotic therapy as well as reduce the
\nlevel of ammonia and cholesterol in blood.<\/p>",
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