3 Naturopathic Tips for Moms: Back to School Immune Boost for Kids

Posted by Dr. Della Parker     on August 20, 2018

Back to school can mean back to sniffles and colds. Like clockwork you are fighting against a situation that is a perfect storm for compromising your kid’s immune system. Just the schedule change alone can stress the immune system, but you are also inviting so many more germs into your house. Like any battle (and any naturopathic-minded mom knows), prevention is the key. Here are 3 ways you can help boost your kid’s immune system.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

Diet is always key to a good immune system. There are culprits that weaken your immune system. These include sugars and dairy products. The more sugar you eliminate, the better you are; this includes fruit juices and soda. If you absolutely must have juice, opt for adding a little bit of fresh fruit to some veggie juice instead. If already hit with an illness, dairy products tend to make your kid phlegmier and could increase congestion. Increase your greens, you are probably doing a great job, but bump up those servings of kale, broccoli, cauliflower. Don’t forget to bump up those high-quality proteins, beans, fish, poultry as well.

LOTS OF REST, REGULAR SCHEDULE

Your kids should be getting more than 8 hours of sleep. It is also important that they maintain regular bedtimes, even on the weekends. It is also important to limit those screen times before they go to bed.

D3 DUE TO SHORTER DAYS

In the fall, the sun sets earlier and earlier and we spend less time outside. That’s a huge loss of Vitamin D3 from the sun. Vitamin D3 is also great for bone strength, but it also serves as an important way to help fend off winter viruses.

TOO LATE THEY ARE ALREADY SICK

What to do if they already caught a bug? The Wet Sock Treatment is our go to. We have talked about the Wet Sock Treatment before (see Back to School Ka-Choo! and 7 Steps to Keep Momma Healthy), we stand by the Wet Sock Treatment for almost anytime you start to feel like you are going under.

How does it work? Your body wants to keep itself at a constant temperature. When you soak in warm water for a while and then switch to a cold environment your body will send blood from the internal organs to your feet. In a nutshell, it increases blood circulation throughout the entire body.

At Stellar Health and Wellness, all three of our wellness professionals are focused on the individual. Dr. Della focuses on dried blood cell analysis, functional lab evaluation, Nutritional Response Testing (NRT), clinical nutrition, and botanical medicine. Contact Dr. Della Parker, Integrative Nutritionist Amy Hardesty, or Massage Therapist Yvonne Schroeder for an appointment today or call 503-344-6631.