A home with a loving and loyal husband and wife is the supreme setting in which children can be reared in love and righteousness and in which the spiritual and physical needs of children can be met. ~ David A. Bednar
What is a home without children? Quiet. ~ Henny Youngman
A child is a curly dimpled lunatic. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The above quotes suggest the importance of children in a family. A child’s smile is believed to light up even the evilest of souls in a positive way. Children are a bundle of joy, and the house that has two or three children always scurrying around with mischief will be a happy home. However, “all good times come to a pause”; it is quite natural that your child can also fall sick due to food poisoning or infection. In this article on keep your children always happy by increasing their immunity against simple ailments, information will be given as per the proverb – Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food – proverb of Hippocrates.
Children are fussy eaters and usually throw tantrums when compelled to eat food or when affected with simple ailments. In similar kind of situations, natural remedies come to your aid and you can give the same chemical medicine constituents in the form of home-made recipes, fruits and vegetables.
You, as an adult, can take care of your health, but children, still in the know-how of the world should be taken care of, till they reach maturity. It is no wonder that they are always exposed to disease producing organisms such as viruses, fungi, parasites and bacteria. Unless they have good immunity to ward off infections, they can get affected.. A child suffering from constant infections gives the indication of less powerful immunity system.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” ~ Jim Rohn
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” ~ John F. Kennedy
If your child is below one year, you can increase their immunity by:
1. Breastfeeding Your Baby
Breast milk can increase the immunity of your child. It contains every essential nutrient in the book, that is, protein, sugar, fat, antibodies and white blood cells – the last two are essential as they can enhance the immune system of the child and ward off diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have recommended compulsory breastfeeding for six months from the date of birth followed by partial feeding the next year. Formula fed babies are more prone to suffer from middle ear infections, indigestion, pneumonia and other issues.
2. If Your Child Is Above Two Years
A healthy diet is needed for a good immune system, so it is advisable to give the child immune boosting foods such as apples, melons, broccoli, beans, sweet potatoes and strawberries in the proper format and size. A child’s diet should be prepared so that the food gets easily digested. IF the fruits and vegetables are cultivated by the organic method of farming, the more benefits your child will gain. If your child is about two years of age, then he/she can be fed two tablespoons of fruits per meal.
You can also include in the diet seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains and other items rich in zinc, essential fatty acids, selenium, Vitamins (A, B2, B6 and C). These vital nutrients strengthen the immune system.
List Of Simple Home Remedies To Improve Children’s Immunity
1. Probiotics (Yogurt)
Probiotics are best described as good bacteria, namely Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. They survive in the digestive tract, prevent infection in small amounts and assist the body in recovering from illnesses such as diarrhea at a fast pace. When infected, if children are prescribed antibiotics, some of the good bacteria gets eliminated which is supplemented by probiotics. However, choose the varieties carefully.
A survey has indicated that kids using probiotics or yogurt have a lesser chance of developing cold, strep throat and ear infection.
2.Ginger
Ginger has been used for treating simple ailments such as indigestion, cold and cough. The two medicinal components of ginger are shogaol and gingerol.
3.Carrots
Carrots are excellent source for a healthy eye sight for your kids. The beta carotene in carrot does wonders to your kid’s health. The components in the carrots supports the mucus membrane lining of respiratory and intestinal tracts in the body making it difficult for the foreign bodies like bacteria’s to enter the system.
A healthy kid’s diet is incomplete without carrots, so make them enjoyable through carrot milkshakes,pie’s, cake and other recipes.
4. Walnuts
The major constituents of walnuts are omega-3 fatty acids as they help the human body to improving immunity. Kids having these nuts as a regular food have a minimum number of infections. Walnuts can be easily sprinkled and added on cereal or snack mix.
5. Green Leafy Vegetables
The green leafy vegetables especially spinach is rich in Iron needed for kid’s growth. Greens boost kid’s immunity, provide growth nutrients and essential vitamins that helps their body grow and function very well.
Antioxidant rich greens help in healthy DNA repair, cellular rejuvenation and boost your kid’s overall health. Greens especially Spinach, Fenugreek are rich in folic acid, iron and zinc which is very essential for growth during early stages.
6. Garlic
Praised as one of the best natural medicine since ancient times, its medicinal component allicin is known for enhancing the immunity of the body against a cough, cold and other simple ailments. You can include garlic in the regular diet of children.
7. Green Tea
The major immunity strength, green tea gives to the human body is because of the polyphenols (catechins). These catechins possess the ability to kill viruses such as influenza. You can use the normal method to prepare green tea, make it warm and give it to the kid.
To maximize benefits, a little honey and lemon can do the trick. Kindly refrain from adding milk as the medicinal properties will be reduced.
8. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are rich source of immunity boosting minerals like zinc. Zinc helps with the production of White Blood Cells that fights against foreign bodies that enter their system. Mushrooms fights against common illness like cold, flu and other infections. Based on the variety, mushrooms are anti-bacterial and anti-viral. If your kid doesn’t like chicken, you can try mushrooms instead. Make the food interesting to kids with recipes like mushroom cheese sandwich, soups, mix vegetable stuffing’s etc.
9. Spinach
For growth of children, it is vital that they get the required nutrients to add to their physical strength. Lack of Vitamin K in the body can contribute to bone fracture and bruises. This vitamin and other important constituents are found aplenty in the leafy green, spinach.
10. Eggs
Eggs can be served in various ways to children. It is recommended by doctors as the best food containing almost every essential nutrient, mineral and protein. For example, having eggs can strengthen bones due to its massive protein content. Another vital component is Riboflavin or Vitamin B2, which is needed for production of energy, cell growth and function.
Kindly Focus on these points to improve the immunity of your child:
1. Superfood
If you have a “superfood” which contains every nutrient in the book, the child should not be given more quantity of the same food. Remember, the human body is designed by the CREATOR in a way that only the REQUIRED useful substances are retained in the body and the rest eliminated.
2. Immunity
The immunity of a kid depends on various factors such as environment, genes, physical activity and a lot of other things. Some kids are more prone to infection – that does not mean you failed in your duty as a parent. It is just life. Move on.
3. Proper Food
Give your child the full vegetable or fruit to get maximum benefit. For example, the juice or supplement of orange can have Vitamin C, but it can also have another vital nutrients.
4. Have A Concern For Your Child
Parenting means watching your child with eagle eyes. Nobody can understand the emotions and signs of children better than a parent. Always remember ‘Prevention is better than cure.” Maintain a diary regarding the date of vaccinations, reviews by the pediatrician, and the correct antibiotic dosage when prescribed for an infection.
5. Give Love And Protection To The Child
A child, when he/she feels that they are loved and protected, will think only happiness. Shorn of love, negative feelings can give rise to body illnesses, such as flu, cough, cold and other symptoms. Happiness increases immunity and laughter as well as health, are linked. The more a child is happy, better will be his/her boy’s immunity.
6. Good Hygiene
It is better that your child maintains a strict hygiene regimen to stay away from diseases. Agreed, children are children and they do mischief. You can ensure by kindly advising them on the importance of hygiene, starting from hand washing techniques. Other habits include brushing the teeth two times a day, having clean clothes and a daily bath. Teach the child to use handkerchief when they cough or sneeze. Also keep a tab on the finger and toe nails. Also, do not let them indulge in over-hygiene as it will cause a decrease in natural immunity levels. Buy them a small sanitizer so that they can feel a sense of responsibility.
7. Unnecessary Vaccines And Antibiotics
An antibiotic can give relief to a simple ailment, but then, it can also knock off the good bacteria in the body. If you continuously administer antibiotic to the child, his/her immunity system will become weak.
8. Foods to Avoid
Kindly avoid giving the child foods high in sugar like cookies, sodas and boxed cereals.
9. Sound Sleep
Proper sleep and rest are necessary for a child’s growth, regardless of age. Lack of sleep can lead to many simple ailments, and the child’s immunity is compromised. If the child is a newborn, he/she may need 18 hours of sleep and other children may need between 10 to 14 hours.
A room devoid of any light has to be used for babies. Darkness endorses the production of the hormone melatonin that can also do the role of antioxidant. Try to avoid giving the child electronic play-toys.
10. Exercise
“All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.”
This sentence, though centuries old, gives the perfect reasons for physical activity. Exercise or any form of physical activity is necessary, the duration should be at least thirty minutes. You should be a role model for the children. When you do physical activity such as yoga, skipping, jogging, naturally the kid will also be inclined to join you. If necessary, you can also enroll the child for swimming classes or tennis classes at the correct age and time.
Spending more time in the wild with your child can also improve his/her immunity. A trek in the mountains with a ten-year son or daughter can develop the best family bonds.