6 Ways to Boost your Child’s Immunity

Being a parent is undoubtedly the most life-altering event for an adult. And emotions play it’s foremost role where the child is concerned. Keeping children all healthy and safe from any illness takes a toll and has become a supreme aspect. Nothing troubles the most than seeing our little one fall prey to cough, cold and other infectious diseases. As the child begins his/her schooling, such illnesses become more common and seemingly impossible to avoid. Building immunity becomes key at this stage.

So, here are a few tips on how one can improve a child’s immune system to reduce the risk of such infections.

• Add more fruits and vegetables to the plate – Fruits and vegetables are the powerhouse of various vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. So, make sure that your child consumes sufficient fruits and vegetables in his/her diet as they are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, the natural nutrients that boost the immune system. Serve them the fruits and vegetables which have high content of Vitamin C like oranges, strawberries, papaya, guava, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
• Serves Probiotic-rich foods – It is important to give kids a good source of probiotics. The gut harnesses a tremendous amount of bacteria, where some are healthy and some are not. Probiotics all-together help create a better balance of that healthy versus unhealthy bacteria. Apart from yogurt, foods such as kefir, sauerkraut are good sources of probiotics.
• Sleep is the Cure – Most children are not getting the required amount of sleep. Children need between ten and 14 hours of sleep per day, depending on their age. Sleep is important for a number of reasons, for proper secretion of melatonin (sleep hormone), staying healthy and most importantly for an immunity boost. Thus, quality of sleep really matters.
• Get the dose of “Sunshine Vitamin” – Kids should be encouraged to be outside not only for the exercise and fresh air but for the “sunshine vitamin,” aka vitamin D. Our body absorbs sunlight using cholesterol to convert it to a usable form of vitamin that is required by the body, especially for the immune system. Adding in Vitamin D rich foods such as egg yolk, mushrooms, nuts etc can help sustain Vitamin D levels in the body.
• Introduce Exercise as a daily part – A healthy and happy body helps to build immunity. Regular exercise increases the production of disease-fighting cells. Encourage your child to go running, bike riding, hiking, swimming, or play ball games together!
• Make Hygiene a Habit – Good hygiene keeps germs and infections away. Easy to go habits like washing hands after play, before and after meals, and after using the toilet should be stressed upon so they become a habit.

Over to you:

As your child grows, his/her immune system will also get stronger, so with several lifestyle and dietary changes one can improve the child’s health and boost immunity.