How to Boost Your Child’s Immune System

.We live in a microbial world, teeming with viruses and bacteria. They are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil on which we stand and on the apples we eat. But they are not only in the external environment; they are also on and in us. Our skin is host to thousands of bugs and our guts are full of bacteria.  In fact, we come in contact with roughly 60,000 types of germs on a daily basis. The good news is that most of them either ignore us or live beside us in perfect harmony. But there are always the perpetrators, just waiting for a door in. That is one of the reasons it is so important to have strong immunity – so we can fight them and win.

The best external defense you have is, of course, washing your hands. Bacteria from fecal matter, for example, can carry pathogens like E. coli, Shigella, Streptococcus, Hepatitis A and E, and Norovirus. So you also want to make sure that you are cleaning high-traffic surfaces more often than not. Some viruses, like the flu, can stay alive on surfaces for as long as 48 hours.

Regarding our internal defenses (our immune system), luckily we possess a whole arsenal of barricades that, if strong enough, can stop pathogens from getting into our bodies and wreaking havoc. Understanding these defenses and how we can strengthen them underpins our success in staying well.

One of the most important things to understand is that seventy-five percent of our immune system is built in the gut. This means that in order to make sure your children are able to fight infections, their guts have to be reinforced with healthy bacteria, which is what builds their immune system. This is a three pronged approach:

1. Probiotic Rich Foods 

It is important to make sure they are getting plenty of probiotic rich foods in their diet, such as unsweetened yogurts, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, or kid-friendly probiotics.

2. Minimize Antibiotics

Because we want to build up our children’s guts with healthy, immune boosting bacteria, it is important not to go overboard with antibiotics. While antibiotics can be life-saving, they also kill all the healthy bacteria that we need to build our immune systems. So if your child is often on antibiotics, they are going to have a weakened immune system and will be less able to fight off the bad viruses and bacteria they come in contact with. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 30% of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, so next time your child is given a prescription for one, double check that it is absolutely necessary and that there is no other natural way to treat the infection first. If they do need an antibiotic, make sure you are giving them plenty of probiotic rich foods to build back the beneficial bacteria their immune systems need.

3. Minimize Sugar Intake

I know this seems impossible in the world we live in today. Sugar is omnipresent.  It is in every birthday cake, Halloween candy, ice cream, pasta sauce, and almost all packaged foods. But too much sugar can crowd out the immune building, beneficial bacteria and feed the bad bacteria that you don’t want. Try as much as possible to replace cookies and candies with fruits and desserts that are sweetened with honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar.  And kids don’t eat birthday cake and ice cream everyday, so if the bulk of their diet is nutrient dense, clean food, then when they do have birthday cake or candy on Halloween then sugar will be the exception and not the rule.  

If you start by building a healthy gut for your child, they are 75% of the way there. Their immune systems will be robust and ready for any virus or bacteria that tries to cross its path. But for the extra 25% and to help with an acute illness, here are some extra boosters you can add:

• Chokeberry / Aronia berries are antioxidant rich berries that are high in nutrients and are great boosters for the immune system.
• Eat plenty of vitamin C rich foods such as kiwi, kakadu plums, acerola cherries, spinach, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lemons, strawberries and oranges.
• Zinc is the second most abundant trace mineral in your body and is extremely important for overall health and function. Because your body doesn’t produce zinc naturally, it is important that we get it from the food we eat, including chickpeas, beef, oysters and cashews. If these foods aren’t on your regular menu, make sure you are supplementing in order to give your body this important immune boosting mineral.
• Make sure you are getting an adequate amount of vitamin D, which is hard to get from food. Your body makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin to an active form of the vitamin. If you live in a northern climate and don’t see a lot of sun in the winter, it is a good idea to supplement vitamin D.
• Encourage your children to spend as much time outside as possible for the fresh air, sunshine and natural movement they get.
• Shower them with as much love and positive reinforcement as every child deserves. Study after study shows that children who do not get enough love and do not have healthy attachments with their parents have much weaker immune systems even into adulthood. So make sure to tell your kiddos just how perfect they are and how much they mean to you! A loving foundation at home is the best vitamin there is!
• Last but not least, make sure they are getting enough sleep. Most children need 10 -14 hours of sleep a day to maintain healthy brain and immune function.

Most of us get sick from time to time but if your kids eat nutrient dense foods that support their immune systems, they will be one step ahead of the game when that contagious pathogen comes knocking at their door. Remember, it takes on average 66 days for a habit to become automatic, so starting your children on a healthy path and sticking by it, will form beneficial patterns for them the rest of their lives! It all starts at home with you!