How To Have A Healthy ‘Back to School’
By Dr. Valentina Benitez, Naturopathic Doctor – Nourishing Life Collective
It’s that time of year again, as the summer winds down, and children head back to school. During this time, children are spending less time outdoors which means they are getting less vitamin D from the sun and less fresh air, both of which inherently strengthen the immune system. Back in the classroom, children are in close proximity to each other, sharing recirculated air, which puts them at higher risk for illnesses like flu, strep throat, the common cold, and more.
However, there are several ways to help prevent frequent illnesses in our kiddos. Here are some suggestions to implement in the family routine this coming school year.
Washing Hands – First and foremost, washing hands is the single best practice to prevent illness. First thing when your child gets home from school, they should wash their hands with soap and warm water.
Saline Spray – The second-best practice is to use saline nasal spray once kiddo gets home from school.
Sleep – Deep restorative sleep is essential for immune support. Make sure to prioritize your child’s sleep. Ideally, all developing children should be getting about 12 hours of sleep, total. Hours can be combined with naps.
Fresh Air – Getting kids outside for at least an hour or two per day will improve overall immune health. There is good research showing that the human respiratory system sequesters airborne nutrients—think vitamins, fatty acids, and trace minerals—that are beneficial for health. These are called aeronutrients and aeromicrobes. So, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Look into wool base layers for the winter, and protective rain gear if needed and get those kiddos outside!
Diet – A diet rich in plants and micronutrients is key for immune health. We truly can’t ‘out-supplement’ a poor diet. So before we talk about supplements, we must talk about diet. Children can be picky, though. Here are some great ideas on how to get more nutrients into your kids:
Vitamin D– Vitamin D is an immune system regulator. Appropriate vitamin D levels are essential for a well-functioning immune system. Ideally your child’s vitamin D blood levels are above 40 ng/mL. Dosage depends on the child’s age and vitamin D status.
Herbal Immune Support Tinctures– There are also plenty of herbal immune support options. This is a good conversation to have with your health care provider.
Probiotics– A daily strep strain probiotic can help prevent strep and other microbes from colonizing in the body. Chewable is preferred to help colonize the oral microbiome, which is the first line of defense.
In addition to the above, it’s very important to maintain your child’s foundational health. Stay tuned for future posts about pediatric basics!
Dr. Valentina Benitez, ND