Back to School!
Hi, friend. It’s that time of year! Summer is fading into Fall, our children are back in school, and cold and flu season is just around the corner.
A common approach I hear from other mamas is just to mentally buckle up and brace yourself, which certainly gives me a chuckle, but there is another way! There are so many things that can be proactively done to build up your child’s immune system and to help their bodies fight when those cold symptoms do start!
We start with the gut!
As you get to know me, you’ll quickly realize I can never tackle a topic without first talking about the gut. It’s just so important! The gut informs your child’s immune system and their overall immune resilience (your immune system’s ability to tackle an inflammatory stressor and bounce back even stronger than before). Two major disruptors of your child’s microbiome are: antibiotics and sugar. Did you know that if your child is between the ages of 2-16, they should have less than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar a day? And if they are under two years old? ZERO added sugar. Go digging through your pantry and take look at those snack labels. Yikes. There’s some work to be done here, my own pantry included.
Think about all the sugar-heavy holidays that come along with Fall: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Add in school treats and birthday parties. Do you ever wonder why your kids always seem to get sick after a birthday party or holiday? We have studies that have been around for decades proving that consuming too much sugar easily impairs your immune system for up to 5 hours.
We do need to be realistic though. Birthday parties and holidays are a reality, but there are things you can do to cushion those sugar-heavy events with nourishing foods – things like packing in protein and eating the rainbow before and after these events to minimize the disrupting effects of sugar, minimizing added sugar in your snacks at home, and learning healthier substitutes in your baking.
Colds are inevitable…
Of course, colds are inevitable too, and good for your children! The definition of pediatric health is not not getting sick, but bouncing back from illness quickly and having an even stronger immune system after. There are so many things you can do to support your child’s body while they are fighting an illness.
Choose foods that help the gut lining (bone broth, fermented foods like pickles, yogurt, sauerkraut)
Avoid refined foods and high sugar foods that disrupt the gut
Consider limiting highly inflammatory foods like dairy and gluten amidst an illness (more dairy = more mucus!)
Get them outside in sunlight
Protect good sleep
I do have some favorites to have on hand:
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Zinc
Omega 3s
Homemade elderberry syrup (or find someone local who has it)
Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray
Oscillium at the onset of flu symptoms
You can find some of these supplements on my Fullscript account under “Cold and Flu.” As always, these go-tos are generalized and not specific medical advice for your child. Always consult your pediatrician or reach out to me before starting a new medication or supplement for your child.
Sources:
https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)33417-8/abstract