First post of 2024! This one feels pretty timely with all the colds, coughs, runny noses, and never ending viral illnesses that seem to be going around. It doesn’t seem like many days go by before we finish an illness and are on to the next one. If this sounds familiar, then this post is for you. I put this post together to summarize some of my go-to strategies to help support your immune to fight these bugs!
eat a varied and balanced diet
Variety is key. Variety helps ensure that you are fueling your body with the right balance of micronutrients that your body needs, especially during viral season. If you find yourself with a pickier eater on your hands, worry less about getting that vegetable into them, and add a fruit as well. Many kids have a preference for fruits over veggies and they both provide great sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a vitamin that helps with cell repair in the body, helps with wound healing, and assists the body in produce collagen (a protein). Vitamin C is an antioxidant which reduce the damage from free radicals in the body and reduces inflammation in the body, and helps to support your immune system.
Protein is another nutrient to focus on and should be included at all meals. Think dairy products, meats, fish, eggs, and plant-based sources like tofu, legumes, seeds, and quinoa. The building blocks of proteins are called amino acids. Amino acids help the key players in the immune system (T-cells, B-cells) fight the germs as they enter your body, before they can cause harm and start making you feel sick.
be physically active
Help keep your body in prime shape by staying physically active. Children, teens, and adults should move each day and try to meet (or exceed) their requirements for vigorous physical activity. Below are the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children.
Toddlers (ages 1-2) should have at least 180 minutes of activity scattered throughout the day.
Preschoolers (ages 3-4) should have at least 180 minutes of activity scattered throughout the day with at least 60 minutes of more energetic play.
Children (ages 5-17) should have high levels of of physical activity balanced with low levels of sedentary activity (no more than 2 hours) with at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and include muscle and bone strengthening activities at least 3x per week.
sleep
Don’t forget to sleep! Ensure kids have appropriate sleep hygiene for their ages. The body needs this time to rest and repair and to fight and illness. Younger children require 10-14 hours of sleep (naps plus uninterrupted nighttime sleep) and older children and teens require 9-11 hours and 8-10 hours, respectively.
immune boosters
If you feel like you already do all of the above, and the germs are still wreaking havoc in your household, consider adding in some additional immune supports.
If you or your child are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids through diet along, consider adding in a supplement.
Regardless of age or diet restrictions, the majority of us do not get enough vitamin D through diet and should take a supplement of vitamin D with 400-1000 IU per day, either in a multivitamin or a single vitamin D supplement.
Lastly, using foods to help support the immune system may also help, and lately I’ve been enjoying homemade ginger-lemon-honey shots and have added this to my daily routine.
immune booster shot
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups filtered water
juice of 2 lemons
8-10 inch piece of ginger (washed thoroughly)
2 Tbsp honey
DIRECTIONS
add all ingredients to a blender
start blender on low, and gradually increase speed, blending for approximately 60 seconds
pour into a fine mesh sieve, pressing the pulp through the sieve
divide the filtered mixture into small containers and store in the fridge for 5-7 days
Note: These are spicy (from the ginger) and are intended for use in teens and adults. Adding a small amount of these boosters diluted with some water may be more palatable for younger children.