It’s September:
Leaves are falling.
Pumpkin Spice is brewing.
And (gulp) the kids and teachers are back to school.
In this week’s blog we’ll discuss how to work on an immune strategy that gets your kiddos back to school, not the doctor. Let’s start with the basics we all know:
- Washing hands
- Covering coughs and sneezes
- Not sharing food or drinks
- Sleeping
- Hydrating with water
These are important first steps that combined with the amazing power of our bodies, help build immunity in kids. Because even though our bodies are designed to keep out bugs and bacteria, shouldn’t we help it along by creating Healthy Habits? Our skin and mucous membranes (nose/mouth) guard against illness, while our stomachs (here I go again with gut health!) have enzymes that can destroy some pathogens that do manage to get in.
We can also use nutrition to boost everyone’s defenses:
- Reducing sugar – Snacks, drinks (juice, soda, electrolyte beverages) and Pop-Tarts (breakfast pastries). All that processed sugar suppresses our immune system, causes blood sugar highs and lows and makes for potential poor behavior.
- Reducing processed foods – Lunchables, lunch meat, mystery-ingredient snacks. When we’re constantly fighting inflammation from processes (versus WHOLE FOODS) we’ve got less energy to fight off actual germs. And they are addictive!
- Building gut health after antibiotics – Every time your family takes antibiotics (and sometimes we have to!), it wipes out the good gut bacteria along with the bad. It’s all connected, our gut health = our immune health, so increase pre/probiotic foods.
- Eating more fruit and vegetables – Simply put, fruits and vegetables are nature’s prebiotics. They feed the good bacteria in your gut, which literally strengthens your immune system. It’s not just “eat your vegetables,” it’s “feed your defense system.”
Check out these tips from my favorite teacher (sister), Mrs. Judd. As a parent have you ever considered the impact a sugar filled, processed snack may have on the teacher and classroom?
If you’re still not convinced what we’re feeding our kids, along with keeping healthy habits, here are a few statistics from a former vice-principal that really stopped me in my tracks.
So while you could bubble wrap your kids to help them to avoid cooties, it honestly sounds much harder than the tips I shared above. You could home school them too, and though, I would still recommend the same healthy habits!
Did you know kids can get free fruits and veggies through Juice Plus Heatlhy Starts for Families along with experiencing some astonishing results? Get your kiddos started HERE today and let me know so I can send more freebies your way! Some results we found:
- 71% were consuming less fast food and soft drinks
- 60% were missing less days of school
- 71% were drinking more water
- 61% were eating more fruits and veggies
- 56% were taking less over-the-counter or prescription medications