Simply Salt and Soul

When we talk about kids and mental health, we usually talk about things like screen time, school stress, sleep, or therapy. But there’s another part that flies under the radar, nutrition.

There’s also a growing amount of research looking at how what kids eat may affect things like mood, stress and how they handle everything they have going on. Food isn’t going to fix every bad day, and it’s definitely not the only thing that matters when it comes to mental health. But it is part of the picture. What they eat regularly can play a role in how they feel, how much energy they have and how well they handle the ups and downs of everyday life.

This is something that’s getting more attention now. Universities are studying it, and it’s showing up more in research. We’re also seeing more clinicians include nutrition as part of the bigger picture when it comes to mental health. There’s also growing research looking at the gut-brain connection. The gut and brain are connected in a lot of ways, and the bacteria living in our gut can play a role in things like inflammation and the chemicals involved in mood. So when we talk about what kids eat, we’re not just talking about their physical health. Food can be part of how we support their brains and how they feel day to day too.

Where Canadian Children’s Mental Health Stands

First, just a bit of context, when it comes to children’s mental health in Canada, the numbers are significant… and they’ve been getting worse in recent years.

The numbers around kids’ mental health in Canada are hard to ignore. A lot of families are dealing with anxiety, low mood, ADHD and other mental health challenges, and this was already happening before COVID. The pandemic added another layer to what was already a growing concern, and parents are still trying to figure out what support actually helps. When you look at how many kids and families are dealing with this, it makes sense to look at all the things that can support them. Food isn’t going to be the answer on its own, but it can still be one part of the picture.

The 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth found that among children aged 5 to 11:

7.6% had been diagnosed with ADHD
3.4% had an anxiety disorder or depression
2.5% had autism spectrum disorder
Overall, 10.9% had at least one diagnosed mental health condition

Those numbers were from before the pandemic. More recent data still shows high rates of mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental conditions in kids. Anxiety continues to come up as one of the most common long-term concerns, especially in school-age children. Overall, it’s still around 1 in 5 kids in Canada, and for some, it affects their day-to-day life in a noticeable way.

What is happening in our kids’ brains is totally connected to what they are eating, and people are finally starting to pay attention to this. But when you actually look at the numbers, there’s a pretty big gap. Only about 2% of kids are eating what you would call a high quality diet. Pretty much everyone else falls into the “needs improvement” category. So we are looking at a pretty massive gap between the nutrients kids actually need to feel good every day, and what they are realistically eating.

The Gut-Brain Connection

Here’s something that can help make sense of it. Your child’s gut and brain are constantly talking to each other. This is what we call the gut–brain connection, or gut–brain axis. Basically, it’s a two-way connection between the digestive system and the brain, and the vagus nerve plays a big role in helping those signals travel back and forth. You’ve probably heard the gut called the “second brain,” and there’s actually a reason for that. The gut has its own nervous system built right into it, with hundreds of millions of nerve cells. It can handle a lot of things on its own, but it’s also constantly communicating with the brain. So what’s happening in your child’s gut can be connected to what’s happening in their brain too.

Most people don’t realize just how much communication happens between the gut and the brain. The gut is involved in producing and regulating chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA, which are involved in things like mood, focus and how we respond to stress. The gut also plays a role in the body’s immune system and inflammation. That doesn’t mean the gut controls every emotion your child has, but it is one piece of the bigger picture when it comes to how they feel and function over time. And food plays a role in the environment inside the gut. When kids eat a lot of highly processed foods and don’t get much fibre, they may be missing some of the things that help support a healthy mix of gut bacteria. On the other hand, foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds provide fibre that gut bacteria can use. Since the gut and brain are constantly communicating, what’s happening in the gut is one of the things that can influence those signals between the two.

There’s also some really interesting research looking at the relationship between the gut and the blood–brain barrier. The blood–brain barrier is basically a protective system that helps control what can and can’t get from the bloodstream into the brain. Researchers are finding that the gut, immune system and brain are all connected in ways we’re still learning about, and changes in the gut may influence some of these processes. It’s definitely not as simple as saying, “gut problem equals brain problem.” There are a lot of things involved, and researchers are still figuring out exactly how all of these connections work. But it does give us a better understanding of why the gut and brain shouldn’t be thought of as two completely separate systems.

So when we talk about feeding kids well, we’re not just talking about their growing bodies. We’re also giving their bodies the nutrients, fibre and other building blocks they need to support the gut and everything that communicates with it, including the brain.

Diet and Teen Mental Health

Here’s a study worth paying attention to. Researchers from the University of Toronto, University of Alberta, University of Waterloo and Brock University looked at nearly 14,000 Canadian adolescents to see how their eating habits were connected to things like depression, anxiety and overall well-being. The study followed the kids over time, rather than just looking at what they were eating and how they felt on the same day.

What they found is actually pretty interesting. Teens who reported drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages also reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety and lower overall psychological well-being. The association with anxiety was particularly noticeable among boys. On the other hand, teens who reported eating more fruits and vegetables tended to report better psychological well-being.

What stood out to me was that these patterns were still there after the researchers took a number of other factors into account, including things like physical activity, sleep, screen time and other lifestyle habits. Of course, this doesn’t prove that sugary drinks cause anxiety or that eating more fruits and vegetables prevents it. But it does add to the growing research looking at the connection between what kids eat and how they feel. (Dabravolskaj et al., 2024)

The researchers suggested that diet deserves more attention when we’re talking about teen mental health, including things like cutting back on sugar-sweetened drinks and getting more fruits and vegetables into their diets. It shouldn’t necessarily be the only thing we look at, but it can be one part of the bigger picture, and then there’s the issue of actually having access to good food in the first place. Canadian research has found a connection between food insecurity and mental health in children and teens. Kids living in households where there isn’t always reliable access to enough food have been found to have higher rates of mood and anxiety-related conditions.

That doesn’t mean food insecurity is the only reason a child may develop anxiety or depression. There are so many factors involved in mental health. But it does show that what kids have access to, and whether their families can consistently provide enough food, is connected to their mental well-being too.

The Nutrients That Matter Most for Children’s Mental Health

This is where we can finally get a little more specific. The whole gut and brain connection is super important, but at the end of the day, actual nutrients are the raw building blocks. So let’s actually walk through exactly what the brain needs to function, what each of these nutrients does, and most importantly, what foods you can actually find them in.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA and EPA)

Did you know your brain is made up of a lot of fat? In fact, fat makes up a big part of the brain, and one of the important types it uses is DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. DHA is a major part of the membranes around brain cells and helps support how those cells communicate with each other. Then there’s EPA, another omega-3. It plays a different role and is involved in regulating inflammation and other processes throughout the body. Both DHA and EPA are important fats to include in the diet, and they’re especially worth paying attention to while kids’ brains are still developing.

Omega-3s are one of those nutrients that have been studied quite a bit when it comes to kids and mental health. Research has found associations between lower omega-3 intake or status and things like attention difficulties, mood and anxiety, although the findings aren’t always consistent. There’s also been research looking at whether adding EPA and DHA to the diet can help with things like attention, behaviour and mood. Some studies have found benefits, particularly in children who are already experiencing certain difficulties, but the results have been mixed. So I wouldn’t look at omega-3s as a magic fix, but they are an important part of the diet and something worth paying attention to, especially while kids are growing and their brains are still developing.

When omega-3 levels are lower, research has found associations with things like attention difficulties, impulsivity, mood and emotional regulation, and the timing matters too. DHA is especially important during periods of rapid brain development, including infancy, early childhood and the teenage years.

So where do we actually get these fats? Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout are some of the best food sources of EPA and DHA. Including fish regularly is a great way to get them through food. But if we’re real, a lot of kids want absolutely nothing to do with fish. If that sounds like your house, there are other options, including omega-3 supplements, although it’s worth talking with your child’s healthcare provider before adding one, especially if you’re thinking about using higher doses.

You can also get omega-3s from plant foods like walnuts, ground flaxseed and chia seeds. These contain ALA, another type of omega-3 that the body can convert into EPA and DHA, but that conversion is limited. So while plant sources are still really nutritious and absolutely worth including, they aren’t a direct replacement for the EPA and DHA found in fatty fish.

Magnesium (Calming Mineral)

Magnesium is one of those minerals that quietly helps with hundreds of different processes in the body. But when it comes to kids, one of the areas that makes it especially interesting is the nervous system. Magnesium is involved in how nerve cells communicate and in processes that help the body regulate stress and stay balanced. When kids aren’t getting enough magnesium, it can be one piece of the bigger picture when it comes to things like sleep, mood and how well they handle stress. That doesn’t mean low magnesium automatically causes anxiety or irritability, but it’s another nutrient worth paying attention to when we’re looking at the bigger picture of a child’s health.

Here’s the part that often gets overlooked. You usually find magnesium in foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and leafy greens, and those are exactly the foods a lot of kids could probably use more of. Stress makes this a little more interesting, too. Our bodies use magnesium as part of all kinds of processes involved in the stress response, but that doesn’t mean stress automatically causes a magnesium deficiency. What we do know is that when a child’s diet is already low in magnesium-rich foods, there may be less coming in to support all of those normal processes.

You usually don’t notice something like this overnight. A kid’s sleep, stress, activity, growth and overall diet can all affect how they feel, so it’s not always about one specific nutrient. Before jumping straight to supplements, it’s worth taking a look at what they’re actually eating on a regular basis. Sometimes the bigger picture tells you a lot more than one symptom does.

Best food sources: dark chocolate (yes, really), almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, black beans, spinach, edamame, banana, whole grain bread
For children with significant anxiety or sleep issues: magnesium glycinate supplement 100–150 mg before bed is often recommended by integrative practitioners and is very well tolerated

Zinc

Let’s talk about zinc for a second. It plays an important role in brain development and function, including in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Zinc is also involved in a number of processes that affect how nerve cells communicate and how the brain responds to stress. When zinc levels are low, research has found associations with things like mood and anxiety, although it’s not as simple as saying low zinc causes depression or anxiety. Zinc is just one of many nutrients the brain needs to function properly, and getting enough through a balanced diet is especially important while kids are growing and developing.

Research has found that children with ADHD often have lower zinc levels than their peers. Some clinical trials suggest that adding zinc as part of a broader approach may help support attention and behaviour. It’s not meant to replace other supports, but it highlights how important nutrition can be.

Best food sources: meat, poultry, oysters, lentils, chickpeas, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews
Vegetarian and vegan children are at higher risk of zinc deficiency and may benefit from supplementation or consistent attention to plant-based zinc sources

Iron

Iron deficiency is honestly one of the most common nutrient gaps we see in kids all over the world. It totally impacts both how their brains work and their overall mental wellbeing. Iron has a huge job up there. It actually helps build the protective coating around their nerve cells. Plus, it is needed to make dopamine and carry oxygen right into the brain tissue. So when their iron levels drop, all of those crucial processes just do not work as smoothly as they should.

Children with low iron, even before it reaches anemia, can experience difficulties with attention, working memory, learning, and behaviour. Research has also found a consistent link between low iron status and ADHD symptoms. Anxiety and irritability can show up as well, though they’re often connected to other factors and not always linked back to nutrition.

Best food sources: red meat, liver, dark poultry meat, lentils, beans, tofu, fortified cereals, dark leafy greens
Always pair plant-based iron with vitamin C (lemon juice, bell pepper, kiwi, tomatoes) to significantly enhance absorption
Avoid tea and coffee within an hour of iron-rich meals as tannins block absorption
If deficiency is suspected: get ferritin tested, not just hemoglobin. Ferritin reflects stores and drops before anemia appears

B Vitamins (B6, B12, and Folate)

B vitamins are important for brain health. They support neurotransmitter production and are involved in the methylation cycle, a process linked to mood regulation, how the body responds to stress hormones, and cellular repair. More specifically:

B6 (pyridoxine): Helps make serotonin and GABA, supports mood and calm
B12: Essential for myelin production and nerve function. Deficiency is linked with depression, irritability, and cognitive decline. Vegetarian and vegan children are at higher risk.
Folate (B9): Helps produce serotonin and dopamine — supports mood and emotional balance

Sources: B6 from poultry, fish, potatoes, banana, chickpeas. B12 from animal products, meat, fish, eggs, dairy (no reliable plant sources, supplementation is mandatory for plant-based children). Folate from dark leafy greens, lentils, asparagus, avocado, fortified cereals.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a little different from most vitamins because it acts more like a hormone in the body. Vitamin D receptors are found throughout the brain, including in areas involved in things like mood, thinking and memory. There’s been quite a bit of research looking at vitamin D levels and mental health, and lower levels have been associated with things like depression and anxiety. But again, that doesn’t mean low vitamin D is the cause of those problems. There are a lot of factors involved.

And then there’s the Canada factor. We don’t get the same amount of UVB exposure year-round, especially during the fall and winter, and that can make it harder for some people to make enough vitamin D through sunlight alone. Kids can get vitamin D from foods and supplements too, so it’s something worth keeping in mind when we’re looking at their overall nutrition.

More than 90% of Canadian children aged 4 to 8 are not meeting the Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin D. For a nutrient involved in brain chemistry and inflammation, that’s worth paying attention to. Supporting daily intake, around 600 IU, with some practitioners suggesting up to 1,000 IU year-round, can play a role in overall physical and mental well-being.

Probiotics and Prebiotics

When you really think about the connection between the gut and the brain, it makes sense that supporting a kid’s gut microbiome is going to play a huge role in their mental health. In a few recent studies, kids who took specific prebiotics actually showed some really great improvements in their social behaviours, especially kids with ASD. On top of that, when researchers look at other clinical trials, they are finding that certain probiotic strains can lead to general improvements in overall behaviour and symptoms related to autism.

Psychobiotics, probiotic strains linked to mental health, are getting more attention in research. Strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus helveticus have been studied for their role in stress and anxiety, mainly in adults and experimental models, with emerging research in children. That doesn’t mean every child needs a supplement, but it does highlight the value of including fermented foods, prebiotic fibre, and a variety of foods to support brain health through the gut on a daily basis.

Probiotic foods: plain yogurt with live cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso
Prebiotic foods (feed the good bacteria): garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, banana, oats, lentils, chicory
Fibre diversity: the more different plant foods your child eats across a week, the more diverse the microbiome

Protein and Amino Acids

Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, which come from protein. Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan, dopamine from tyrosine, and GABA from glutamate. Without enough consistent protein in the diet, the brain can struggle to maintain the steady supply of neurotransmitters it needs to support mood, attention, and the stress response.

This is especially relevant for kids who are skipping breakfast, relying mostly on high‑carbohydrate, low‑protein meals, or following plant‑based diets without enough protein planning. A bowl of cereal in the morning and a granola bar for lunch might seem like enough, but it doesn’t give the brain a steady supply of amino acids across the school day.

Protein at every meal is a foundational principle for brain health, especially breakfast
Best sources: eggs, meat, fish, poultry, yogurt, legumes, tofu, tempeh, cheese
Aim for 15–20g of protein at breakfast specifically to support stable neurotransmitter production and blood sugar through the morning

The Foods That Work Against Mental Health

Ultra-processed food and sugar

This is probably the piece that matters the absolute most, and it is the one most kids in Canada are surrounded by every single day.

Ultra-processed foods, things like packaged snacks, fast food, sugary cereals, flavoured drinks, processed meats, chips, and cookies, are designed to taste appealing, and are literally engineered to taste amazing, but they just do not offer much in the way of actual nourishment. They are usually totally stripped of fibre, vitamins, and healthy fats. Instead, they are packed with refined carbs, added sugars, and processed oils that can really mess with the gut and throw off the body’s overall balance.

At a basic level, it is actually pretty straightforward. All that sugar causes massive spikes and crashes in their blood sugar, which completely tanks their mood, energy, and focus. Over time, eating a lot of it can actually shift the balance of their gut bacteria. And because we know all about that gut and brain connection, those changes directly influence inflammation and how their brain handles stress.

I’m not saying this is easy. Processed food is baked into almost every part of being a kid right now. They get it at school, it’s at every weekend party, and it’s shoved into sports bags because we are all busy. It is everywhere. The goal isn’t to stress out and ban all the fun snacks. It just comes down to tipping the scales. If the bulk of their meals are made up of actual whole foods, then the processed stuff just becomes a “sometimes” thing, rather than the default.

Sugar-sweetened beverages

When it comes to diet and children’s mental health, sugar-sweetened beverages show up again and again in the research. Things like sports drinks, sodas, flavoured juices, energy drinks, and sweetened iced teas are essentially concentrated sources of sugar with little nutritional value. They’ve been consistently linked with higher rates of depression and anxiety in youth. They’re also one of the simplest places to start. Swapping to water, sparkling water with fruit, or diluted juice can make a noticeable difference over time.

Food dyes and additives

This is one of those things where the science isn’t totally black and white yet, but there’s definitely enough evidence to make you pause. We’re talking about artificial food dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. Some studies have actually linked these to spikes in hyperactivity and kids having a much harder time paying attention. What’s really interesting is that over in the UK, they actually pushed manufacturers to pull these additives out of food years ago because of that research. But that just hasn’t happened here. So in Canada, you’ll still find these dyes in so many regular grocery store items. And even without the official ban, you hear parents talk about this all the time. So many parents swear they see a massive shift in their kid’s behaviour and focus the second they cut those artificial colours out.

Beyond dyes, other ingredients in ultra-processed foods, like emulsifiers, preservatives, and artificial flavours, can affect the gut microbiome. That, in turn, can influence mood and how the brain functions. These changes aren’t obvious or immediate. They tend to build over time in quieter, more subtle ways.

Skipping breakfast and irregular eating

The brain relies on a steady supply of glucose to function well. When a child skips breakfast or goes several hours without eating, blood sugar can drop, and the body compensates by raising cortisol. This can put the brain into more of a stress response, and it shows up in ways like irritability, trouble focusing, anxiety, emotional ups and downs which may often be mistaken for behaviour or personality, when the fact is, they simply haven’t eaten.

Breakfast sets the tone for the first half of the school day. It supports neurotransmitter production and helps keep blood sugar more stable. A higher-protein, lower-sugar breakfast, like eggs, yogurt, whole grain toast with nut butter, or a smoothie with protein, creates a steadier start compared to sweetened cereal or skipping breakfast.

Nutrition and Specific Mental Health Conditions in Children

ADHD and Nutrition

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition in Canadian children, affecting about 7.6% of those aged 5 to 11. While it has strong genetic and neurological roots, nutrition can still play a supporting role in how symptoms show up.

Research tends to point to lower levels of nutrients like omega-3s, zinc, iron, and magnesium in kids with ADHD. These aren’t the cause, but they can influence things like attention, impulse control, and behaviour. Omega-3s in particular (EPA and DHA), have shown some consistent benefit in supporting these areas, even if the effects are more subtle than medication.

Some families also notice improvements when reducing artificial food dyes and cutting back on refined sugar, though the research here is more mixed. Overall, a balanced diet with enough protein, complex carbohydrates, and omega-3-rich foods (and less reliance on ultra-processed foods), is the most supported approach.

Anxiety and Nutrition

Anxiety in children is connected to the gut–brain connection, the stress response system, and the balance between more stimulating and more calming signals in the brain. Nutrients like magnesium, along with the body’s own calming signals like GABA, play a role here. When magnesium is low and the gut is out of balance, it can be harder for the body to settle out of a heightened stress state.

Some Canadian data has also linked higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages with more severe anxiety in adolescents. On the other hand, more balanced, anti-inflammatory eating patterns, rich in omega-3s, fibre, and whole foods, are being explored as ways to support anxiety, alongside other supports like therapy.

Depression and Nutrition

When it comes to depression in young people, diet quality is one of the more consistent factors that shows up in the research. A 2025 review in Frontiers in Nutrition found that adolescent depression is linked with imbalances in the gut microbiome, and that changes in gut–brain signaling may play a role in symptoms like low mood, reduced enjoyment, and social withdrawal.

In the research, a few nutrient gaps come up consistently in depression, particularly omega-3s, folate and B12, vitamin D, iron, and zinc. These can often be supported through diet and sometimes supplementation, alongside professional mental health care, not instead of it. It makes sense to include nutrition as part of the conversation when looking at a child’s mental health.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Nutrition

It’s common for children with ASD to have digestive challenges, more selective eating, and differences in their gut microbiome. This is part of why the link between gut health and ASD symptoms has become such an important and growing area of research in both nutrition and paediatric mental health.

Practical Steps for Every Family

Build meals around protein and real food

Including protein at each meal, especially breakfast, makes a difference. Foods like eggs, Greek yogurt, salmon, chicken, lentils, tofu, or cheese provide the amino acids the brain uses to make neurotransmitters, and help keep blood sugar more stable.
It creates a steadier foundation for the day compared to starting with something like cereal and juice.

Make the swap from sugary drinks to water

Given how consistently sugar-sweetened beverages show up in the research on depression and anxiety in Canadian youth, this is one of the simplest and most impactful changes families can make. Making water the default, using sparkling water with a bit of juice as a treat, and keeping things like soda, sports drinks, and sweetened juices as occasional can go a long way. It may seem simple, but over time, this change can make a noticeable difference in mood and focus.

Serve fish at least twice a week

Fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines, and mackerel are some of the best sources of EPA and DHA, the omega-3s most closely linked to brain health and mood. If fish isn’t going to happen regularly, a good quality fish oil supplement in the range of 250 to 500 mg of combined EPA and DHA is something to consider. This is one of the more impactful nutritional areas to focus on when supporting a child’s mental well-being.

Go heavy on plants and variety

The gut microbiome depends on fibre and plant diversity. The more variety your child gets, vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, the more supported and balanced that system becomes. That can influence how the gut and brain communicate. Even aiming to include a range of plant foods over the week helps.

Include fermented foods regularly

Full-fat plain yogurt with live cultures is often the most accessible probiotic food for kids and easy to include daily. Kefir in smoothies is another option. You can also slowly introduce foods like miso in soups, mild kimchi, or small amounts of sauerkraut, depending on your child. These foods help support the gut microbiome by adding beneficial bacteria. While not every child will take to them right away, even small, consistent exposures can be meaningful over time.

Supplement strategically for Canadian kids

Given our geography and the data on where Canadian children are consistently deficient, these are the supplements most worth considering:

Vitamin D3: 600 to 1,000 IU daily, year-round for most Canadian children. Non-negotiable given our sun exposure and its direct role in brain chemistry and mood.
Omega-3 (EPA and DHA): if fish isn’t being eaten regularly. Nordic Naturals and Carlson Kids are quality children’s brands widely available in Canada.
Magnesium glycinate: particularly for children with anxiety, sleep difficulties, or significant emotional dysregulation. 100–150 mg before bed.
Iron: only if deficiency or low ferritin is confirmed by testing. Don’t supplement without knowing levels.
B12: essential and mandatory for children following vegetarian or vegan diets. No reliable plant-based B12 sources exist.

Eat together as much as possible

This part goes beyond nutrition. It’s really about mental health, too. Eating together as a family is consistently associated with better outcomes for kids and teens. It’s not just about the food, but the connection, the conversations, and the calm, structured time together. Even a few shared meals each week can make a difference in ways that aren’t always obvious.

One in five Canadian children is living with a diagnosed mental health condition and it can be a lot to take in. Anxiety and depression have been climbing for years, and the pandemic definitely sped that up. But the encouraging part is that we are finally starting to look at everyday nutrition as a real piece of the puzzle.

Look, food is not going to fix everything. Therapy, a solid sleep schedule, and just feeling connected are absolutely crucial. There is no magic wand here. But nutrition is this massive foundational layer that families, schools, and even doctors completely underestimate. The evidence is just too strong to leave it out of the conversation anymore.

Your gut is down there helping to make serotonin, and the nutrients from your food are literally building the brain systems that handle mood and focus. If a kid is mostly running on ultra processed foods, they are just building a very different foundation than a kid running on whole, balanced meals. Eventually, that difference shows up in how they behave, how they focus, and how they handle their emotions. So it really comes down to this. Feed the gut, and you support the brain. The two are completely linked, and getting ahead of this early just sets them up with a much stronger foundation for the long run.