Immune System Boosts
It's officially crud season. How do I determine that? We're smack between Halloween and Christmas and my news feed and conversations with others moms are full of reports of kiddos getting sick. I also got the call a couple of weeks ago that I needed to pick my daughter up from school. Am I shocked? Absolutely not, as a mom, I admit that I dropped the ball. Yes, I am a certified health and wellness coach. Yes, I take pride in sharing recipes that are healthy alternatives to the sugar laden options out there and I also apply the 80-20 rule in this house. Eighty percent of the time, we eat healthy. Twenty percent of the time, we relax on the rules.
The prior weekend, she slept over at a friends' house for a birthday party. Kids are kids and she had regular (ok gluten free regular) versions of pizza, candy, a cupcake, and pancakes. While we substitute many of these for healthy versions, we make exceptions for occasions like birthday parties. Before she headed over, I assessed her intake and regretted that I probably hadn't front loaded with the healthier foods and immune boosting options as I would have liked. The junk is also already going around. I am fairly certain cooties even started before the beginning of school this year, but I digress. They do need some exposure to germs to build up their own immune systems. At the same time, there are some basic steps that can be taken to improve our children's and our immune system. (No, this isn't a place for a debate on the flu shot. This is about basic daily steps.)
Basic daily concepts of course include: a balanced meal, getting enough protein, vegetables and fruits, reducing sugar and processed food intake, stress management, and getting enough sleep. I can cover these in another post. What about the little extras or covering gaps where many are lacking? In general, we are an incredibly carb heavy nation. Dr. Paul Arciero addresses a better balance of this in his clinical trial data, which can be found here. One major rule of thumb to apply when it comes to supplements, especially for kids, be aware of fillers and artificial sweeteners, especially with gummies. I am always on the lookout for other and cleaner options.
Breakfast in many houses, especially on school days can be an absolute disaster, loaded with sugar. Protein shakes are a fantastic and easy way to start the day off with the right balance of nutrients and keep our bodies fuller longer, especially with some of the crazy lunch schedules that happen both with schools and working parents juggling meetings. We personally make our protein shakes as we're heading out the door and chug them in the car on the way to school. If your family doesn't seem to get enough fresh fruits or greens in their daily meals, which is more difficult these days the way the soil gets over processed even under the best of conditions, you can add some into your shake, finding the link here or here. This time of year, we often throw in a scoop of immune boost into our shakes or use a an immune boost spray.
After learning about the clinical trials published supporting the use of quality probiotics to reduce respiratory tract infections, my daughter's first pediatrician realized I had actually done my research to implement probiotics into our daily routine. We vary between a few brands in my house, but what is highly important is that there are multiple strands to provide the best protection. The easiest to find brand that we use is here. We also take multivitamins, both for my daughter and for myself. I have tried other vitamins and every time I try something different for myself, I notice a major difference in my energy level and have finally decided it is completely worth the price for the energy, anti aging and health benefits to stay compliant with my vitamins.
Elderberry Syrup is something we added to the mix a few years ago after learning the benefits both with prevention and treatment in weakened immune systems. I have used a couple of brands and my favorite local source that we have recently switched to and my daughter loves can be found here. We have this daily shortly after school starts until the crud season wears off.
Adding some extra vitamins C and D if you happen to have a picky eater like I do at times can be helpful. Vitamin C also can help with keeping things moving, which is becoming more of an issue with children and adults getting less time to move around; just don't overdo it or there might be a lot of time spent in the bathroom. The Vitamins C & D we use can be found at local stores, such as Earth Fare or ordered online here or here. As long as you are on Amazon, I have to tell you about this sore throat syrup a good friend of mine in California recommended as one of her little secrets she uses with her children. It's a bit sweet for my taste, but my daughter loves it and we have both found it extremely helpful when we need it, so I recommend keeping it on hand.
Finally, I have been an advocate of essential oils for quite some time. The thing to keep in mind is that a little goes a long way. Whether you choose to use in roller ball bottles, add it to a diffuser necklace, or use it in a home diffuser, these can help you to get more use for your money. This immune boosting pack is my go to. I have mixed up roller balls of Defense Shield, Airway, and TumBliss as give aways for many I consider near and dear for their benefit as well as to reduce the exposure of germs being passed from them to me or my daughter. Why not help keep them healthy too, right?
I am always on the lookout for natural proven options to improve our immune system and while this is by no means a complete list of everything we keep on hand, it is our basics. I hope you find this information helpful. Always use common sense, knowledge of your body, and consult with your healthcare provider when it comes to your particular situation, as each person may have different needs or responses to any of these options.