‘Tis the season. Autumn has struck, and the transition to winter has come. Now is the time to boost our immune systems, and be ready to face lower sunlight, and lower temperatures. Kids face a constant battle against virus and bacteria at school. A strong immune system is key to them not being sick half the year!
In that spirit, I’ve put together my basic list of things we enforce in our little household nowadays:
1. TAKE SLEEP SERIOUSLY
We are all different. But we all need sleep. The trick is knowing your kids, and we all know you are the best person for that! I’m sure your kids all need different sleep amounts. My son has never needed much sleep, so I know his perfect night is about 9 hours. My daughter on the other hand, needs about 10-12 hours still. So they have the same bed time, but my son gets to read longer while she crashes. That’s it! It’s all about setting the right bedtime schedule.
I know I’m lucky to have kids who sleep easily. There are a lot of kids who have a hard time. That’s the subject of a whole other article however.
Oh, and as hard as this sounds, and although I hate it because I wish kids came with an auto-regulation mode (’cause you know, we adults do…. ahem), I limit their screen time. They get half an hour of any screen they want after school, and an hour during the week-end. IF they need it for homework, or learning something, I add extra time. For example, one of them is learning Spanish, and the other Italian on Duolingo, so I let them do that for about an extra half hour. Also, My son loves to play games about guessing world capitals. We’ll often play that while we cook.
Still, the goal (for me) is not to let them zombify in front of the screens, and not to let the screens become the drug to be addicted to!! Screens affect sleep!
We also do some breathing before bed, some meditation if they are up for it. And, depending on their emotional state, we add some EFT to help them through anxieties and fears.
2. MULTIVITAMINS
I really like Pranin Pure Food A to Z (Coupon Code at check out for 20% off: severinebaron), which I add to smoothies, guacamole, and more. There are a few vitamins that I deem worthy of my kids, because I’m one of those parents! They take BioNutrition F1 every day (one of my kids can’t swallow pills yet, so she mixes it with water, pinches her nose, and gulps it down with a straw).
The other multi I would recommend would be Megafoods, Botanica, and any that are made from whole foods, organic, sustainable ingredients. I am not a big fan of synthesized vitamins and minerals. Sometimes it has its place, but in a multi for my kids, I would not compromise. But again, that’s me!
3. CUTTING OUT SUGARS
That goes without saying… At least in my world. Refined sugars contribute to poor gut health, and damage the immune system “by lowering the efficiency of white blood cells”. Know that any refined food is not properly assimilated by our bodies. A whole foods diet is best for optimal health.
4. EAT HEALTHY FATS
Lots of avocados (love this guacamole recipe on Pranin’s blog), whole organic fresh eggs, nuts, chia seeds (adding it to smoothies adds a fun texture!), but also adding omega 3s. My kids love the Botanica’s Peach Mango Oil Supplement.
5. CONSUMING BONE BROTH
More Bone Broth! It is good for gut health, “and therefore supports immune system function and healthy inflammation response” – Dr. Axe.
6. ADAPTOGENS
Adding adaptogens to hot chocolates made with almond or rice milks. My kids love their coconut oil/ashwagandha hot chocolate. They call it “Mommy’s hot chocolate” (Albeit, not super original for a name! lol). It’s made with healthy fats like dark chocolate and coconut oil, and ashwagandha which boosts immunity by supporting and balancing adrenal function.
Another one I use when I don’t have time to make my own is Botanica’s Reishi hot chocolate.
“Adaptogens are a unique group of herbal ingredients used to improve the health of your adrenal system, the system that’s in charge of managing your body’s hormonal response to stress. They help strengthen the body’s response to stress and enhance its ability to cope with anxiety and fight fatigue. They’re called adaptogens because of their unique ability to “adapt” their function according to your body’s specific needs” – Dr. Frank Lipman
