Suzie sat at the large wooden kitchen table, scowling at the bowl of plain yogurt. The spoon lay beside it, untouched.
"Oh, Suzie, sweetheart, just one little spoonful," her grandma coaxed, stroking her hair. "Your tummy needs some helpers."
"I don't want any helpers!" Suzie retorted, clutching her tummy. "It hurts. And that yogurt will only make it worse." The day before, she had been at a party and had eaten three pieces of cake, a handful of gummy bears, and drunk two glasses of sweet raspberry soda. She had felt great then, but today... today, strange things were happening in her tummy. It was gurgling, rumbling, and felt all tight.
Her grandma sat down beside her and whispered conspiratorially, "Did you know that inside your tummy, there's a whole city? It's called Tummyville. And right now, they need a brave heroine. You!"
Suzie lifted her head. A city? In her tummy? That sounded interesting. "And who lives in this city?" she asked curiously.
"Why, millions of tiny, hard-working residents," her grandma smiled. "They're so small you can't see them, but they are incredibly important. The good ones are called Lacto and Biffy, for example. They are the best of friends. Lacto is a brilliant builder. He takes apart all the food you eat into tiny little bricks—vitamins and energy. And Biffy is the best cleaner. With his little fiber broom, he cleans all the streets in Tummyville to make sure everything is clear and tidy."
Suzie liked that idea. A city full of little workers. "Then why does my tummy ache, if they're so clever?"
Grandma sighed. "Because yesterday, a noisy, messy gang moved into Tummyville. They're called the Candy Gang. Imagine them as little rascals in sticky candy suits. They don't do anything useful. They just build all sorts of useless lollipop towers that quickly fall down, they make sticky messes everywhere, and most of all, they shout and sing silly songs really loudly."
Grandma stood up and started hopping around the kitchen comically: "We're the Candy Gang, and we love a mess! Hop-skip, a splat here and there, let's turn everything upside down!"
Suzie had to laugh, even though her tummy still ached a little.
"See?" Grandma continued. "And when Tummyville is so noisy and messy, Lacto and Biffy get exhausted. They have nowhere to work, they trip over sticky piles, and the shouting gives their little heads a headache. They're weak, and there aren't enough of them. And that's exactly what you're feeling. That gurgling and tightness, that's the mess the Candy Gang made."
Suzie's eyes glistened. "Poor Lacto and Biffy! They need help! What should I do, Grandma?"
"Exactly! They need reinforcements," Grandma winked at her. "And the best reinforcements are hiding..." and she pointed her finger at the bowl of yogurt.
Suzie looked at the yogurt with completely new eyes. It wasn't just plain white yogurt. It was a rescue mission!
"So there are more Lactos and Biffys in this yogurt?" she asked hopefully.
"That's right! A whole army! And when you send them down to Tummyville, they'll join their friends. Suddenly, there will be many more of them, they'll be stronger, and they'll get to work. They'll say: 'Enough of this mess!'"
Suzie didn't hesitate any longer. She grabbed the spoon. "Alright, let's do this! I'm sending in the first rescue unit!" and she eagerly put a large spoonful of yogurt into her mouth. She imagined the little helpers sliding down her throat like on a water slide, arriving in Tummyville with a joyful "Whee!"
"Excellent!" praised her grandma. "But a rescue package needs to be complete. What else do you think cleaners like Biffy need to do a proper clean-up?"
Suzie thought for a moment. "When Mom cleans, she uses a broom and water."
"Brilliant!" exclaimed Grandma. "And the best brooms for Biffy are in vegetables and fruits. Like in a little carrot or an apple. The fiber in them, those are the best little brooms for him to sweep all the Candies out of the city. And clean water is like a big shower that washes all that sticky mess away."
With determination, Suzie also started on the sliced apple her grandma had prepared. Every bite was like sending a new broom to her little cleaner. And then she happily drank from a glass of pure water. In her mind, she imagined an alarm going off in Tummyville.
"Watch out! Reinforcements are coming!" shouted Lacto. "And look! they're sending us super brooms!" Biffy cheered. The Candy Gang grew nervous. Their sticky towers began to dissolve under the stream of water, and the strong Lactos and Biffys, with their new brooms, started sweeping them into one corner.
When Suzie finished eating, she leaned back and sighed contentedly. Her tummy ache was much better. She felt a pleasant warmth and calm inside.
"So, Suzie? How is our city of Tummyville doing?" her grandma asked with a smile.
"I think we did it," Suzie whispered. "The Candies are quiet now, and Lacto and Biffy have finally cleaned up and are building new, beautiful houses out of vitamins. You know, Grandma, my tummy is like a little garden. When I put good things into it, beautiful and useful flowers grow. But when I sprinkle too many sweets in there, only messy, sticky weeds grow."
"Exactly right, my wise little gardener," her grandma hugged her. "And remember, a little sweet treat now and then is okay. But our garden mostly needs sunshine, water, and lots of good helpers to be healthy and happy. Just like you."
Suzie smiled. From now on, she would take the best care of her city, Tummyville. And she was already looking forward to her next spoonful of yogurt. After all, sending help to her friends was the best game in the world. And what do you think, kids, what would you send to your little helpers in your tummy? Try to remember Lacto and Biffy during your next snack and send them something good to munch on.