How Your Childhood Diet Influences Your Health Today: (And What To Do If You Were A Junk Food Kid)

Your diet began in the womb

Your first meal wasn’t in the high chair; it was in your mom’s womb. Research has shown (1) that if your mother ate a diverse diet while pregnant, she is less likely to have a picky eater. At the time of conception, if your mom had nutritional deficiencies, they had the power (2) to influence your genetics, increasing risk factors for health problems such as diabetes, mental health problems, and autism.

Your microbiome forms at birth

The trillions of bacteria in your gut and on your skin make up 80 percent of your immune system, and most health problems are linked to this microbiome, which was initially established on your trip through the birth canal. Many things can influence its formation. For example, a majority of women in America are prescribed antibiotics during pregnancy and delivery. Many antibiotics are able to cross (3) the placenta and end up reaching the growing baby, negatively influencing many of the newly minted good bacteria trying to grow. Also, babies that are born vaginally have different microbiomes (4) than little ones born via C-section. With 32 percent (5) of all births Caesarean today, we do not yet fully understand the long-term impact this has on our microbiome and future health.

Breastfeeding makes a difference

Breastfeeding begins to positively affect eating behaviors because it exposes babies to a variety of different foods and flavors from the mother’s diet through her breast milk, especially if the mother eats a healthy and diverse diet. Research has associated breastfed babies with a willingness to eat a wider range of different foods when they start eating solids, and that early foundation of eating can establish patterns that could influence your health throughout your life.

Your early childhood diet sets the stage

During the first two to three years of your life your microbiome’s diversity increases (6) to match that of an adult’s microbiome. Everything you eat, and even the kind of life you live, during those years influences which bacteria will populate the microbiome you will carry throughout life. The bacteria from breast milk, the foods you ate, the dirt you played in, the pets you had, were all forming your growing gut garden. Chronic antibiotic use in childhood, or poor eating habits with lots of sugar and very few vegetables, can set the stage (7) for problems like obesity, food sensitivities, allergies, and autoimmune disease later in life – all before you even had much of a choice about the foods you ate!

Your cravings are already established

It’s not just about what you ate as a child – it’s about when and where and how. Fascinating research (8) looked at the link between the smell of food, nostalgia, and our cravings, and found that scent is tied psychologically to memory. Foods such as warm apple pie, pastries, and candy can subconsciously remind us of happy memories from our past and ignite serious cravings for comfort food.

Vegetables are always important

Studies have also shown (9) that up to 33 percent of kids eat almost no servings of vegetables, and when they do, the most common source is french fries! When young children rarely eat vegetables, this pattern tends to continue as they get older, and in many cases the quality of their diets continues to decline with an increased intake of processed snacks, soda, and fast food. Polyphenols from vegetables, fruits, and extra-virgin olive oil play a significant role in the prevention (10) of degenerative diseases by improving the composition of the microbiome, which in turn influences future health.

What can I do to rescue my health from childhood transgressions?

You couldn’t control what your mother ate while pregnant, how you were delivered, whether you were breastfed, or what foods you ate as a baby and toddler. You probably didn’t have that much control over your childhood diet, either. However, it is never too late to influence your future health by establishing new habits. If you ate tons of junk food as a kid (like I did), that has probably influenced your health today in some negative ways, but what you do starting right now can still have a big influence on your future health. Your body is amazingly resilient and wants to thrive. You can’t change the past, but you can change the future. Here are some ways to start.

1. Adopt a diet free of processed foods

Old habits are hard to break, but phasing out processed foods will have a beneficial effect on your microbiome condition. The more natural whole foods you eat, the more your microbiome will favor the immune-enhancing “good guys” and the more inhospitable you will make it for the more pathogenic bacteria to thrive in there.

2. Evaluate your medications

Turn a critical eye to any medications you’re taking. Many people regularly take medications like antibiotics, antacids, and NSAIDs without recognizing the health and microbiome side effects.

3. Take probiotics

An overgrowth of yeast or bacteria can be extremely detrimental to your health. Probiotics – specifically a combination of bifidobacteria, enterococcus, and lactobacillus – have been shown to have a positive (11) effect on gut health and can help you heal any damage caused by a childhood full of ice cream and cheese puffs.

4. Work on your stress levels

Chronic stress can hurt your health in all kinds of ways, and managing that stress can have a noticeably positive impact on your health. Try adopting a yoga or meditation practice, to get back on track.

5. Move your body

Exercise is good for your body and your mind. It’s also a great place to start if you’re looking to increase energy levels, balance blood sugar, and even reduce the effects of aging.

6. Take a B vitamin

B vitamins are uber-important for many reasons, but they are specifically needed for methylation, a biochemical process that influences a wide range of vital functions in your body, like thinking, digesting, detoxing, and protecting your DNA. Stress, a poor diet, and many types of medications can deplete your B vitamin levels, so supplementing is an important step in the right direction.

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