Now that the kids are back in school and we’re heading into winter, their little immune systems have much more work to do fending off bugs, colds, and plain ol’ annoying sniffles. But they don’t have to go it alone. Here are 5 simple ways you can support your little one’s health, strength, and happiness all winter long.
1. Start with basic immune support.
Just like adults, smallies need a foundation of good nutrition to support normal immune function. Feeding your child a daily diet bursting with fresh (organic when possible) fruit and veg provides them with a high dose of essential vitamins and minerals and health-protective antioxidants.
But let’s be real - no child’s diet is 100% perfect 100% of the time (no need to put that pressure on yourself!). So a daily immune support supplement acts like a safety net for the shortcomings of modern diet and lifestyle.
Kindervital Also good for picky eaters. Contains herbal extracts, 9 vitamins for immune health, and fruit juice concentrates.
Comvita Olive Leaf Extract Rich in antioxidants and can be taken every day as an overall immune support, but particularly beneficial to a child who is feeling run down and fragile.
And if your little one is coming down with a cold, tackle it early with...
Either product provides potent antioxidants and ingredients that fortify the immune system while also helping relieve the nasty symptoms of a cold.
2. Get serious about kids’ gut health.
A healthy gut is essential for nutrient absorption and a strong immune system. In kids, a leaky gut or imbalanced microbiome can be the root cause of fatigue and fogginess, inflammation, susceptibility to illness, skin problems, and allergies.
Fermented foods, with all their gut-loving probiotics, are wonderful for kids. Try full fat yoghurt (sweetened at home with fresh fruit, fruit-sweetened jam, or raw honey), organic miso soup (so easy your kids could make their own), organic tofu and tempeh, sauerkraut and kimchi (you never know - many kids love it!), and Hannah’s kid-approved tamari seeds (get the recipe here). These are all great options for getting probiotics into your child’s daily diet.
Another amazing way to support your child’s gut health? A kid-friendly probiotic. It’s such a relief to know that no matter what they eat, they’re getting a good foundation of a variety of gut-loving bacteria.
For kids’ gut health, we love...
Udo's Choice Children's Blend Microbiotics With 5 billion friendly bacteria and 7 strains of lacto and bifido bacteria per daily capsule, especially formulated for the school term and kids 5 - 15 years.
OptiBac Probiotics For Babies & Children Just for infants and children from birth to 12 years (and ideal for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers as well), each sachet provides 3 billion live cultures specific to the healthy intestines of babies and young children.
Bio-Kult Advanced Probiotic Multi-Strain Formula Formulated for the whole family, containing 14 different strains of probiotics that are particularly beneficial when travelling or taking a course of antibiotics.
3. Boost kids’ brain power for concentration and calm.
Although not always the easiest advice to follow, it’s important to get sugar under control at a young age. Sugar causes inflammation throughout the body, contributes to immune dysfunction, and makes it so hard for a child to concentrate, especially when there’s homework to be done.
If your child is craving a sweet treat after school, opt for something fibre-filled like fresh fruit or Rachel’s recipes for naturally sweetened sprouted banana bread or vegan flapjacks.
Another way to promote your child’s concentration and calm is to give them an omega-3 supplement to support brain development.
Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can improve learning ability, memory, attention, impulse control, and planning ability.
For kids’ brain development and concentration, we love...
Somega Easy Omega-3 + Vitamn D3 (Irish) This peach mango smoothie-like supplement can be drizzled over yogurt, porridge, pancakes, and granola. It supports the health of your child’s brain, eyes, immune system, heart and bones.
Nordic Naturals Children's DHA Gummies A zero-sugar tropical punch flavoured gummy that delivers a substantial daily serving of omega-3s to kids aged 2 and over.
Eskimo Chewable DHA DHA and EPA fatty acids along with choline and biotin support development, brain function, and vision, all in one easy daily chewable.
4. Make daily outdoor play a habit.
It’s so tempting, especially as the temps drop, to settle in front of a screen in a cosy, warm room anytime a bit of relaxation is called for (not just tempting to kids btw, to us too!).
But a bit of time outdoors every day does the body (as well as the mind and spirit) a world of good. Many researchers espouse outdoor playtime as a way to help kids become smarter, happier, more creative, less anxious, and healthier.
Another benefit time outdoors offers is vitamin D absorption. Vitamin D impacts every cell in the body, and it’s critically important for the proper function of the immune system.
Even with time outdoors as a daily habit, the HSE recommends, ‘All babies in Ireland aged from birth up to 12 months, both breastfed or formula fed, should be given a daily supplement of 5 micrograms (5μg) of Vitamin D.’
It’s recommended that kids aged 1-10 years old take a daily vitamin D supplement of 10μg, not to exceed 50μg.
From the age of 11, kids can take the same daily dose as adults (20-25μg).
For kids’ vitamin D support, we love…
BetterYou sprays. They’re tasty, easy to take, affordable, and highly bioavailable since they're absorbed through the cheeks and don’t have to pass through the digestive system.
You don’t need us to tell you that an underslept kid is a cranky kid, but crankiness isn’t the only side effect. Because it weakens the immune system, lack of shut-eye can cause a little one to become more susceptible to illness.
Sleep is so important because it’s during the hours of rest that the body repairs and a little body undergoes developmental work.
Another great thing to try for sleep is a magnesium supplement. Just like in adults, magnesium works in kids to ease anxiety, promote rest, and support the normal sleep/wake cycle.
For kids’ rest support, we love…
MAG365 Magnesium Supplement for Kids This tasty formula promotes natural stress relief as it supports growth, relaxation, and immune health. Along with magnesium, it contains calcium, zinc, vitamins C, B1, B6, D3, and K2… all essential nutrients for a healthy child.
BetterYou Junior Magnesium Sleep Lotion Rubbing in this soothing lotion can easily become a relaxing part of a new bedtime routine. It’s formulated with magnesium to help relax a tired body and lavender and chamomile to slow sensory activity and quiet the mind.
Raising healthy, happy kids
Following these tips will help fortify your child’s immune system not just throughout the winter, but throughout their entire childhood, helping them grow into healthy adults.
If you have any questions about kids’ health or immune support, get in touch with us ([email protected]). A lot of us have kids of our own and we can give you firsthand feedback on how well kids' products go over in real life.
Hi There, my son is 13 and I give him fish oils every day , is there anything else you recommend for him to keep him healthy in school. FYI Rory has Down Syndrome and is a very healthy boy but over the years his nose could run for up to 2 weeks, what with COVID now I cant have that. As he has gotten older his nose runs less thank god. Many thanks Dee Morgan.
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