Focusing on the Pediatric Gut Microbiome with Dr. Elisa Song

Conversations for Health

Dr. Elisa Song is a Stanford-, NYU-, UCSF-trained holistic pediatrician. She founded Whole Family Wellness (formerly Whole Child Wellness), an integrative pediatric practice in Belmont, CA – one of the first and most highly regarded holistic pediatric practices in the country. She also created Healthy Kids Happy Kids – dedicated to empowering parents to take charge of their kids’ health by integrating conventional and functional pediatrics with an evidence-based approach. Dr. Song is a holistic pediatrician, integrating conventional pediatrics with functional medicine, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and essential oils. She is also a lecturer for the Center for Education and Development in Clinical Homeopathy (CEDH), Academy for Pain Research, Institute for Functional Medicine, and Holistic Pediatric Association.

Together Dr. Elisa and I examine the importance of supporting children’s gut microbiome from their very first days to support a long life of health and wellness. She covers the full spectrum of holistic pediatric care, from stress-reducing prenatal care and first solid foods to effective and appropriate supplements and probiotics in the teen years. She offers a practical approach for practitioners to effectively support their patients and their children’s gut. Elisa also highlights the dangers of inappropriate levels of antibiotic use and shares a host of supplement recommendations that parents can consider when finding the right balance of functional and traditional medicine for their children.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Elisa Song - https://healthykidshappykids.com/

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Research Blog: Staying Up-to-Date on Probiotics for Pediatric Health - https://www.casi.org/node/1295

Research Blog: Functional roles of Zinc - https://www.casi.org/node/1193

Research Blog: Benefits of Fiber Intake in Children - https://www.casi.org/node/1631

Research Blog: Potential Benefits for Bovine Colostrum in Pediatric Health - https://www.casi.org/node/1564

Research Blog: Probiotics May Support Pediatric Gastrointestinal Health and Colic in Infants - https://www.casi.org/node/1454

Nutrition Blog: Supporting the Pediatric Allergic Response with Quercetin - https://www.casi.org/node/1630

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:26 Dr. Elisa’s steps to incorporate holistic and functional medicine into her pediatric practice.

5:05 Known areas of impact in children’s gut microbiome including the gut-brain connection, the effects of antibiotic use, and the impact on every system in a child’s body.

9:09 The critical importance of a healthy gut microbiome in the first 1,000 days of a developing immune system.

14:31 Timelines for introducing solid foods and the dangers of not properly managing stress while supporting a healthy gut microbiome.

21:08 Tactics for practitioners to effectively support patients through gut-friendly stress management.

26:02 Important facts about the impact of glyphosate and antibiotics on the gut microbiome.

38:14 Tactics for supporting gut health during times when antibiotics are necessary.

42:58 Supplement dosing recommendations for zinc, omega-3, glutamine, and quercetin.

53:26 Elisa’s recommendations for probiotics and daily fiber requirements from infancy through childhood and what she has changed her mind about through her years of practice.

1:01:25 Tactics for supporting a healthy gut microbiome through fermented foods in the diet and flavor learning.

1:07:30 Elimination diet tips and tricks and timelines for success.

1:12:40 Antimicrobial recommendations for children.

1:15:20 Elisa’s personal favorite supplements and top health practices that keep her well.