Drink water. Consistently serve water to your children throughout the day. Adequate hydration flushes out harmful toxins from your body and positively impacts your immune system.
Eat fresh, whole fruits and vegetables daily. Offer your children a variety of whole fruits and vegetables regularly. Fruits and vegetables contain powerful compounds called antioxidants that are excellent in improving healthy immune function naturally.
Eat zinc-containing foods. Zinc is an important mineral for the immune system and is found in protein-containing foods. Zinc sources can be meat and plant based. Sources of zinc include meat, poultry, legumes, nuts, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, grains, and dairy.
Eat less sugar. Reduce and limit sugar consumption. Avoid eating sugary foods often. See my post Avoiding Hidden Sugars for more information about sugar intake.
Move and be active. Promote activity or some form of movement multiple times a week. The activity does not have to be a planned event or sport. It can be as simple as active play such as dancing, running, chasing one another, or jumping.
Develop a good sleep routine. Ensuring that your children are getting adequate sleep is vital to protecting their immune function.
Wash your hands. Practice good hand washing regularly, especially when entering and leaving public spaces and when using shared utensils such as equipment, toys, and appliances.
Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue if you have one. If you do not have tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. When possible, wash your hands and drink water after coughing and sneezing.
Do not share eating utensils and do not eat or drink after anyone. Break, tear, or offer an individual piece of any food item you are sharing. When you are sharing a beverage, pour some into a separate container if no one has drunk out of the original container.
Supplement safely when necessary. Research supplements and manufacturers when thinking about using supplements for added boost to immune health, especially if you are finding it difficult to get your child to eat the nutrients they need. An example of that could be getting children to eat probiotic foods. Types of supplements to look into for immune health include black elderberry syrup, DHA/EPA, multivitamins, and probiotics.
High quality brands such as Natural Vitality, Nordic Naturals, and Metagenics are available at www.DSSOrders.com/LAmica. Products such as Barlean’s Omega Pals Chirpin’ Slurpin’ and GaiaKids Black Elderberry Syrup are also available at www.DSSOrders.com/LAmica. To order high quality supplements, register at www.DSSOrders.com/LAmica and place your order.
I hope that you find this information helpful. Remember to consistently offer a variety of nutritious whole foods to your little one to help foster their interest in natural food early on.
Eating foods that are in season is beneficial in that you are consuming foods that have naturally ripened therefore increasing the availability of the nutrients. Consuming foods in the proper season also enhances the flavor of those foods due to the reduction in chemical interference.
I hope that you find this information helpful. Remember to consistently offer a variety of nutritious whole foods to your little one to help foster their interest in natural food early on.
Toddlers and young children can be incredibly picky eaters. Picky eating is considered a normal part of childhood development. Picky eaters can be challenging for parents and guardians. Here I offer a few tips to help maneuverer these types of encounters.
Parents do their best to make certain that they are giving their children adequate nutrition and quality meals. Sometimes this is easier to do by giving them whole fruits and vegetables directly.
The content on this site is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to replace advice or treatment from a physician. It is recommended that all readers and viewers of this content consult with a qualified health professional concerning any health issues. Any products discussed or endorsed are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease, or to be used as the basis for treating a particular symptom or disease. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should seek the advice of a physician before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.
