How to Strengthen Your Children’s Immune System and Prevent Winter Flues?Winter can sometimes feel like a never-ending blunder of snot, fever, and relentless coughing. If you’re looking for simple way to help you stay out of the pediatrician’s office this winter, keep on reading. We’ve put together a couple of tips that would help you strengthen your children’s immune system.
Sleep is known to be a significant component for a healthy life. It’s essential for a healthy immune system and allows the body to heal and treat itself. If you’re unsure how much sleep your child needs, here’s a quick survey.
There are two central institutes who set up the policy when it comes to sleeping recommendations: the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the National Sleep Foundation.
These organization have published their recommendations for 2015. Here’s the National Sleep Foundations’ recommendations:
In the winter, bacteria and viruses circulate in higher number, which is why your child’s body needs extra sleep, especially if they’re sick. To allow your children the best night sleep possible, reduce their screen time, and don’t give them access to any TVs, tablets of phones at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Hygiene is a preventative measure. Ask your children to regularly wash their hands in winter and in general. Washing hands is one of the best ways to prevent contagion, and often, we skip this essential yet simple task. Ask your children to wash their hands before and after every meal, after school or daycare, after using the bathroom, after touching animals or playing outside, after coming in contact with a sick person, after coughing or sneezing. And parents – this tip isn’t just for kids… Mom and Dad, you should practice thorough handwashing too, to prevent unwanted viruses and bacteria.
If your children eat nothing but snacks and frozen pizza, they’re definitely not helping their immune system. Adding fruits, vegetables and vitamin-rich foods and minerals, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and zinc, would improve your children’s immune system and assist in blocking out nasty viruses.
If you have a picky eater, try ‘hiding’ the important ingredients in shakes, baked casseroles, etc. For instance, green spinach leaves are packed with vitamins and essential minerals. You can chop them up and add them to an omelet, add them to pasta sauce, or even blend them up in a fruit shake.
This might not sound very intuitive, going out and playing in the cold, but research has shown that physical activity had a positive impact on your children’s immune system. Use warmer days to soak up some Vitamin D, that strengthens their immune system, and the strength of their bones and teeth. Fresh air is just as important.
Have a warm and healthy winter!
