Try simple, natural strategies to help keep your child healthy and strong.
These tips can also help the body fight illness more efficiently.
Eat from the rainbow.
During cold and flu season, it’s especially important to avoid
non-nourishing foods which can aggravate symptoms and make it harder for
the immune system to respond to illness.
“Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system and it can offer
seasonal protection from illnesses, as well as other health problems like
allergies,” says registered dietitian Joan Sechrist, PhD.
Vaccinate.
Stay current on your child’s immunizations. “Immunizations in younger years
can help prevent disease as kids grow into adults,” Sechrist says.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that anyone over the age
of 6 months get the flu vaccine, which is one of the best ways to protect
your child from influenza. According to the CDC, an average of 20,000
children under the age of 5 are hospitalized each year due to complications
from the flu.
Get adequate sleep.
Kids need between eight and 12 hours of sleep a night to help keep their
bodies strong. Stick to a regular, calming evening routine. Also, power
down distracting electronic devices that can interrupt sleep.
Exercise regularly.
Active kids are healthier kids. Experts recommend that kids get 60 minutes
of physical activity every day. Take family walks or bike rides, shoot
hoops, swim at your local community center, go roller or ice skating, play
hopscotch or toss a ball in the backyard.
Teach proper hand washing.
Basic hand washing with soap and water prevents the spread of disease. Have
your child lather for 20 seconds or say the ABCs twice. Avoid overuse of
sanitizers, which destroys both good and bad bacteria on the hands.
Take probiotics.
“Probiotics are fabulous in and of themselves for gut integrity,” says
naturopathic physician Shelly Clevidence. “For increasing the immune
system, they don’t have to be live.” Look for probiotics in pill form or in
foods. If your child is sick, avoid dairy products, which contribute to
inflammation and mucus build-up.
Try castor oil.
Extruded from the castor bean plant, castor oil can be rubbed on your
child’s belly at night when the immune system is most active, says Leah
Hollon, a naturopathic physician. Castor oil, she says, is both anti-cancer
and an anti-inflammatory.
“Castor oil is pretty amazing. We find it helps bring more white blood
cells into the blood stream to help fight infection,” Hollon says. “It also
helps get that histamine response down for some kids that have allergies,
and it helps them have a good bowel movement.” Constipation issues can be
worse during flu and cold season.
Consider elderberry syrup.
Both Clevidence and Hollon say elderberry syrup (also available in a
tincture) can help kids fight a cold or flu. “Elderberry syrup is one of my
favorites,” Hollon says. “My kids love the taste of it. Probiotic
elderberry syrup is antibacterial and antiviral, a general broad-spectrum
support.”
Elderberry has been used for centuries to treat wounds and respiratory
illnesses, and is thought to reduce swelling in the mucous membranes and
sinuses. *Consult with your pediatrician before treating your youngster
with elderberry.
Power up with Omega-3s.
A recent study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that
omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil and plant sources, like flax seeds,
chia seeds, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, could also help boost immune
function.
Most of all, role model healthy living and your child is likely to follow
suit – naturally.
Try to integrate these vitamins and nutrients into your family’s diet:
- Protein
boosts the body’s defense system (lean meats, beans, nuts, eggs,
soy products and seeds). - Vitamin A
helps keep the skin, respiratory system and tissues in your mouth,
stomach and intestines healthy (sweet potatoes, carrots, kale,
spinach and apricots). - Vitamin C
stimulates the formation of antibodies that fight infection (citrus
fruits, red bell pepper, papaya and tomato juice). - Vitamin E
is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body
(sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, peanut butter,
sunflower/safflower oils and spinach). - Zinc
is a nutrient that helps wounds heal and keeps the immune system
working properly (lean meats, poultry, seafood, milk, whole grain
products, beans and nuts).
Homemade Chicken Broth
Bone broth is an inexpensive, nutrient-rich stimulant for the immune
system.
Ingredients
Organic chicken bones
Organic vegetables (vegetable scraps are fine, like carrot peels, tips of
celery, etc.)
Water
3 Tablespoons-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
1. Place chicken bones and vegetables in crock pot
2. Cover with water and apple cider vinegar. Cook on low for a day or day
and a half.
3. After cooking, strain vegetables and bones out and discard.
4. Use broth for chicken noodle soup or freeze in muffin tins and pop out
for use in soups, sautéing vegetables or as flavoring for other meals.
Recipe courtesy: Shelly Clevidence, ND
