Natural ways to boost your child's immunity this term.by Hazel Pelham, Dip. ION, Nutritionist
Coughs, colds and tummy bugs may be "going round" the playground but how can you increase your child's resistance to these unwelcome schoolmates? It might seem like a lottery but there are ways you to boost your family's chances of staying well this winter.
Kids Eye View Getting children involved in getting and/or staying well is a key part of the process. Although the human immune system is amazingly complex even very young children can easily grasp a few key points.
Our bodies have millions of white blood cells, which have the job of destroying the bugs that make us ill. We can call them our immune army. The children's picture book Germs by Ross Collins has lovely illustrations of this and is in many local libraries. Like everything in our body, white blood cells are made from things in the food that we eat. This means that to make sure our armies have lots of soldiers we need to eat three meals a day.
Food means things like fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese and eggs. Sweets, crisps, cakes and biscuits are OK as treats but don't give us the ingredients we need for growing, mending and staying strong and healthy.
The soldiers in the immune army need to be able to move around the body. They will go to your ears if you have earache or zoom down to your knees if you fall and cut yourself. They do this in a liquid called lymph. This needs to be nice and runny so that they can move around easily. Drinking plenty of water makes it easy for your immune army to get to where they are needed.
Fighting Fit Foods
Top C Top of the list is vitamin C. It's a vital fuel for the immune army. Stress causes the body to use this important vitamin more quickly so your child may need more if they are feeling under pressure.
Don't forget, vitamin C is found in fresh vegetables as well as fruit. Peas, peppers, broccoli, parsley and cabbage or coleslaw are all good vegetable sources. Top fruits for vitamin C content are strawberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, kiwis, oranges, lemons and limes.
If your little darlings aren't keen on getting outside their 5 a day, don't panic, you still have lots of options. Try smoothies, soups or adding your own fruit to plain yoghurt. Do a Jamie Oliver and sneak lots of vegetables into a pasta sauce. We like bolognese with butternut squash, chopped parsley and garlic. Stew for a long time and the squash disappears leaving the sauce sweet and tasty. If all fails make sure they take a good quality multivitamin plus a separate vitamin C supplement daily.
Think ZincIn order to fight off invaders the our bodies need to produce millions of white blood cells within minutes. To do this the we need good stores of the mineral zinc. Much of our zinc comes from protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts and seeds. If your child is vegetarian or has a poor appetite they may not be getting enough. A healthy vegetarian diet needs to include nuts, seeds and pulses such as beans and lentils on a daily basis. Warning signs that might suggest zinc deficiency can include pale skin, lack of appetite or taste, white spots on the fingernails or skin problems such as eczema. Taking extra zinc when a cold or sore throat threatens can also help to boost the body's defenses. Suckable zinc lozenges are available from chemists and health food shops.
Power Up on Greens Green vegetables are rich in magnesium, not as well known as calcium, but every bit as important. Magnesium gives the immune cells energy and the power to move around destroying unwelcome bugs and viruses. This mineral is also important for energy, mood, growth and bone health. Like vitamin C we use magnesium faster if under stress.
As well as greens, try nuts, seeds or beans for a good daily dose. If you think these might not be top of your child's favourite foods, try kid-friendly versions like sesame seed bars, nut butters, baked beans or hummus dip.
Get GarlicIt's not just vampires who are deterred by garlic. This ancient remedy also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Lots of children enjoy making and eating garlic bread and garlic soup is a wonderful home remedy for all manner of infections.
Garlic Bread
I baguette
4oz / 100g butter*
4-8 cloves of garlic
tin foil
Leave the butter out to soften. Crush or finely chop the garlic. Slash the baguette with diagonal cuts. Get children to mix up garlic and butter and spread into the cuts in the bread. Wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Garlic Soup
1 head of garlic
1 tbls olive oil
½ a vegetable stock cube
1 pint / 500 ml boiling water
Peal the garlic and cut each clove in half. Put the garlic and oil in a pan, cover and heat gently for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then add boiling water and stock. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Liquidise and serve.
* I prefer butter to spreads because it's natural and packed with selenium and vitamin A, both very important for immunity. It tastes lovely too.
Back up BugsFriendly bacteria in the gut are an important part of our defence system. The powerful effect of these little helpers on health is often underestimated. As well as crowding out less friendly bacteria they play a vital role in activating our own immune armies. It takes around 10,000 Salmonella bugs to cause illness in a person with good levels of friendly gut bacteria. If the good bacteria are then knocked out by antibiotics as few as 10 salmonella bacteria can cause an infection.
If your child has had antibiotics in the last year, was bottle fed or born by caesarean section they may have low levels of friendly bugs and could benefit from a supplement. What your child eats can make a difference as well. Good bacteria thrive on a diet high in natural fibre from whole grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables.
Get MovingMost people seem to know that their dogs need to get out for a walk every day, well so do children. They may complain bitterly as they are dragged into coats and boots but they will usually forget their reluctance once they are let loose on the common, woods or beach. Running around really does help the immune system as it's the only way that white blood cells can be moved around the body to where they are needed. You can prove this to yourself by wrapping up warm and going for a good arm swinging walk when you feel a cold coming on. After a few minutes you should feel the glands in your neck swell up as the immune cells gather there before launching their offensive. Children are often exhausted after school and although it's tempting to let them slump in front of a TV or computer this needs to be balanced with some sort of physical activity.
DaylightStudies show that getting out in the daylight increases our resistance to illness.
Even on cloudy days exposure to natural light gives immunity a boost. To get the full benefit children need to spend at least 2 hours outside each day. As the days draw in this gets harder to do so outdoor activities at weekends can really help. Walking to school regularly will also increase your child's daily daylight dose.
Berry BonusAt this time of year you can kill three birds with one stone and go blackberry picking. Blackberries are one of nature's superfoods and your children will be getting fresh air and exercise and as well.
Night night sleep tightSchool-age children need 10-11 hours sleep each night. The body uses this time to build up immune cells and to help keep your child's defences in good working order. Lots of parents find that their children need extra sleep for a few weeks while they adjust to a new school routine.
If your child is a poor sleeper, you are not alone. It is estimated that up to a quarter of young children have severe sleep problems. Lack of sleep can make the whole family more prone to illness so it's worth seeking help. See the advice panel at the end of this article. From a nutritional point of view it should help to cut back on sugary foods especially after 5pm. Some children may sleep better for a bedtime snack such as porridge,oat cakes or a milky drink.
If conventional methods don't seem to be helping it could be worth seeking the advice of a homeopath, cranial sacral therapist or allergy specialist. by Hazel Pelham, Dip. ION, Nutritionist Further Information and Help
NutritionTo find a nutritionist in your area see under nutritionists in Yellow Pages or contact the British Association of Nutritional Therapists (BANT) on 0870 6061284 or online at www.bant.org.uk View Nutrition and Nutritionists in Stairway to Devon Directory SleepFind more advice on sleep at www.netdoctor.co.uk or www.bbc.co.uk/parenting
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