Ohhh tummy issues. They always hit at the worst times, and the little ones in our lives aren't always the easiest patients to soothe. We have all been there, and we all know that this area is one where we need tools that work well and work quickly! Thankfully we have a whole toolbox of natural options when it comes to all things kids and tummies!

QUICK TIPS FOR ALL THINGS KIDS & TUMMY

• Stock your wellness cabinet before hand so you're prepared when the issues arise - DiGize, TummyGize, AlkaLime and Peppermint
• Think proactively! AddMightyPro to your child's daily routine for a healthy gut.
• Consider proactively using TummyGize, MightyZymes, and AlkaLime when traveling, eating rich foods or foods that you normally don't consume.
• Add enzymes to your child's daily routine with KidScents MightyZymes. Enzymes are a huge boost to health as they help us digest our food and extract nutrients. (Try the chewable MightyZymes for kids or those needing a chewable form!)
• To keep things healthy and moving, add NingXia Red and MightyPro to your child's daily wellness routine.

A lot of stomach health relies on effective daily habits like a good probiotic, eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, providing your body with good nutrients, and moving your body daily.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEALTHY STOMACHS High quality digestive supplements can go a long way when it comes to having healthy stomachs. Probiotics are the foundation of digestive health, and we can build from there. These following supplements are the keys to creating and sustaining a healthy tummy.

KidScents MightyPro One of the most powerful things we can do for our health is to balance and support our gut! Many today consider regularly taking a high quality probiotic to be one of the core pieces to a healthy gut which in turn is a key to brain, immune, skin health and more. Everything we eat or drink is sent through our digestive system. Every single thing we put into our bodies to give our cells energy passes through this system, so supporting it daily can give us huge benefits!

KidScents MightyPro is a great-tasting blend of prebiotics and probiotics featuring over 8 billion active, live cultures specially formulated to support gastrointestinal, digestive, and immune health in children.

KidScents MightyZymes Enzymes are crucial to our health and digestion, and in an ideal world our foods would be rich in natural enzymes. Unfortunately the average diet and even the soil quality of our produce lead us to be sorely depleted in enzymes at an early age. Without these little workers, we are not assimilating the nutrients that we need, and we all know that growing bodies need those nutrients!

KidScents MightyVites They're a great choice for a kid's multivitamin! These chewable tablets include a full range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that deliver whole-food multinutrient support to your child's general health and well-being.

NingXia Red NingXia Red is a foundational supplement for the whole family! This daily red drink is rich in ellagic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, it has 18 amino acids, 21 trace minerals, beta-carotene, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E. It is an excellent whole-food source of nutrients that gives energy and strength to the body without harmful stimulates.

Digestive health, immune systems, energy levels, nutrition and antioxidants – is there any body system this yummy drink doesn't support?!

HANDLING BUMPS IN THE ROAD Healthy habits go a long way towards preventing or mitigating a lot of common digestive issues, but when the bumps in the road occur, we have tools for that as well!

TummyGize TummyGize is a pre-diluted, kid-specific version of the popular DiGize blend! This blend is perfect for your little ones age 2 and older, and they can grab it themselves and apply to the belly as needed. This carefully blended combination of Ginger, Tangerine, Fennel, and other belly-loving essential oils is naturally comforting to tiny tummies. We love to keep one in our wellness kit and one at home where the kids can always find it when they need it!

• Roll over the belly before big events or school days
• Some moms of younger children have chosen to use TummyGize either as is or further diluted for common infant digestive needs. Use to your own comfort level!

DiGize The DiGize essential oil blend is formulated specifically to provide a calming, soothing digestive experience. Well known digestive-supporting oils like Tarragon and Ginger help soothe and settle while Juniper and Patchouli calm. DiGize is our go-to when we need to get things moving! Dilute and apply to the belly with a gentle massage.

• Dilute and rub over the abdomen for helping things get moving, if you're not feeling great after eating or during travel or anytime you need things to be soothed. See the dilution ratios below that are specific for children!
• Pair with Lemon and Peppermint in a 10mL roller - 10-20 drops of each - and roll around the belly button as needed.
• Add 1 drop of DiGize Vitality to a large glass of water (you can add Lemon as well if you don't' love the taste) - this is a great way to get the effects quickly! If one drop is too much, dip a toothpick into the oil bottle, then swirl it around in the glass of water.

“One of the ways I used to feel the most powerless when taking care of our health prior to oils was with any type of stomach discomfort. Then we found DiGize. Now every member of my family knows to grab that red bottle at the first signs of rumblings.” - customer testimony

Peppermint If you take a walk down the digestive aisle at a store, you'll find that almost all the products are mint-flavored. There is a good reason for that! The mint family, peppermint especially, has long been known for its ability to soothe digestive needs. This is definitely one oil you want in your wellness arsenal! Peppermint is great for travel needs, for nerves that bring digestive discomfort, for first trimester struggles or anytime you need the crisp, soothing scent of Peppermint.

• Dilute and apply Peppermint topically on its own or in the roller blend listed above
• Inhale Peppermint directly from the bottle (great to do if traveling is a trigger for you!)
• Drop or roll Peppermint on the back of the neck to help soothe queasiness and bring alertness/center yourself when feeling bad
• Take an epsom salt bath with 1 cup of epsom salt + 3 drops Peppermint

AlkaLime So many modern foods are loaded with (often hidden!) sugars and stimulants, impeding the body's ability to foster a healthy pH balance. AlkaLime works to combat this with its array of high-alkaline salts and other yeast-fighting elements such as citric acid and lemon and lime essential oils! AlkaLime also helps soothe digestion and occasional upset stomach. This is also a wonderful supplement for those who have dietary sensitivities and experience exposure to a food that is pro-inflammatory for their body!

WHEN THE DREADED ‘YOU KNOW WHAT' HITS When the stomach bug is going around we want to do all we can to avoid it and all we can to support ourselves if the worst happens! We focus on bolstering immunity as much as we can, then if we go down, we reach for all our digestive tools. Here are a few things we reach for during these times:

• Thieves Essential Oil Blend - topically, diffused, ingested as Thieves Vitality - get this oil in, on and around you for immune support
• Oregano, ImmuPower - great immune support oils to diffuse or apply or add a couple drops to some epsom salts for a bath.
• Inner Defense - these capsules help reinforce your immune defenses! For children, use a safety pin to poke a hole in the capsule, then apply it to the spine and/or bottom of the feet.
• Peppermint, DiGize, Lemon - for all the digestive things we mentioned above when you go down. Peppermint diffused or inhaled is great for feeling queasy!!
• NingXia Red with AminoWise and/or Lavender Lemonade Vitality drops for nutrients and rehydrating after you can keep things down.

OTHER DIGESTIVE SUPPLEMENTS These supplements provide even more support to the digestive system for older children and adults. Simply use them as needed or for more acute issues.

• Allerzyme, Essentialzymes, DetoxZyme - enzyme supplements with targeted support
• Comfortone - fiber and gentle cleansing agents for daily use, great for colon support
• Digest & Cleanse - essential oils for cleansing and digestive health
• Cleansing Trio (ICP, Comfortone, Essentialzyme) - great for doing an intestinal cleanse and eliminating waste by specifically supporting normal liver function.

DILUTION RATIOS FOR KIDS We almost always recommend diluting on little ones, especially if you are just getting started with oils! You can always apply more if needed! These are the suggested dilution ratios straight from Young Living.:

• Age 0-1: dilute at 1/8 the labeled concentration
• Age 2-6: dilute at 1/4 the labeled concentration
• Age 7-11: dilute at 1/2 the labeled concentration
• Age 12+: full labeled concentration

For more digestive supplements and health, check out the Supplement Field Guide from Growing Healthy Homes.