Boosting Immune System Tips for Kids and Adults
As my kids are starting nursery we are expecting a tough year ahead. Not one, but two little immune systems will be challenged and tested. And with them, our adults’ immune systems will be challenged too. I know this first year will help to build my children’s immune system for the life ahead. But I also can’t help wanting to ease the process and reduce the amount of nose-blocked suffering they and us have to go through. Below are some ideas on how to boost the immune system that we will try to follow and I hope you will find them helpful too!
More sleep:
As I write this I feel definitely guilty for not prioritising sleep enough. I always want to fit just a little more in the day! Sleep is one of the secret ingredients to fighting infections. When we sleep our bodies produce T-cells which in turn help to fight viruses. It’s easier to control the amount of sleep we get as adults.
For children keeping a good nap and night routine and consistent timing will help them to sleep better too.
Exercise:
Exercise helps produce white blood cells that are the antibodies and the main cells to fight the diseases. Physical activity also helps to flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. Even though I love to exercise I can definitely relate to those who find it hard to find time and energy for it. Having one or more children to take care of makes it hard to fit exercise in the day. My advice is to find an exercise you enjoy. And an exercise partner too. It helps commitment and motivation and makes it so much more fun!
As for kids, many of them love to run around and have fun. So I find it’s more about giving them a chance, perhaps letting them go outside, bicycle or scooter is a great idea. And why not make it a family cycle?
Balanced diet:
There are different foods that can help to boost particular vitamins or particular minerals in the body. But no one of them will have our immunity sorted. The secret is in a balanced diet, being mindful of what we eat, and taking care of 5-a-day.
This is an area of constant learning and improvement for me. And as I am weaning my baby at the moment I find it fun to follow the weaning journey as a family: Rediscover fruits and veggies as my baby boy discovers them, eat them together and enjoy.
Here you can find three ideas for a healthy breakfast, perfect for starting your day!
Outdoors:
I love being outdoors. It feels so refreshing for the mind and body. I will definitely miss not spending as much time outdoors once I am back to work from my maternity year. But for now, it’s summer and I am planning to enjoy it in full! And now the great news!: not only we can enjoy beautiful weather but also boost our immune system while spending time outdoors. Apparently, plants produce airborne chemicals called phytoncides. When we breathe them it increases the production of our white blood cells also known as antibodies and helps to find infections.
Reduce stress:
Stress reduces the number of lymphocytes our blood has, which are white blood cells needed to fight infection. If you are doing everything described in 1-4 and still feel stressed you may need to make some lifestyle changes. Here are a couple of things to consider:
living slower: try to do less in a day, appreciate small moments around you, hide away your mobile device to be present, and notice the environment, things, and people around you
think about life values, what matters to you. Not society, not other people who might inadvertently put pressure on you, but to you only. Try to stay true to yourself and your values in the life you live.
And this is a good moment to also think about children, our expectations of them and if we by chance putting more pressure and stress on them than needed
Vitamins:
some vitamins like A, D, E, and K are stored in the body and do not need to be taken every day. Other vitamins like B and C need a steady supply. In the ideal world, we could get all vitamins and minerals out of our food. But we, unfortunately, don’t live in an ideal world, and so I would say vitamins are a good idea. Especially for times like breastfeeding, having a particular hard-working period, winter and early spring, and any other occasion when the body may need a bit of extra help to cope.
My absolute favourite vitamins for baby and toddler are this. We’ve tried so many before we found them and now both little ones love to take their vitamins!
Breastfeeding:
When a baby breastfeeds, the saliva enters Mom’s breast and communicates to Mom baby’s health situation. If any help is needed to fight an infection the Mom’s body produces “targeted” breast milk with antibodies to help the baby. Isn’t nature just amazing?! So if you have a chance, help your baby by breastfeeding.
