Focusing on the Pediatric Gut Microbiome with Dr. Elisa Song

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..css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}