As our winter rolls into 2014, you may be dreading the cocktail of germs that seems to accompany it We asked the children’s health experts at Lulubaby (lulubaby.co.uk) for their top recommendations for boosting your child’s seasonal immunity.
TIP 1: Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white pasta and sugars. Sugar suppresses the immune system for up to five hours after consumption, and it can also hinder concentration and lead to hyperactivity.
TIP 2: Give your child a variety of fruits and vegetables (organic if possible) – especially a good source of immune-boosting antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta-carotene and selenium.
TIP 3: Incorporate oily fish into your child’s diet twice a week, and nuts and seeds daily. These are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids which suppress inflammation in the body and encourage healing. Oily fish is also an excellent source of vitamin D, an essential vitamin for optimum immune function. As your child spends more time indoors and the days get shorter, there is less opportunity for the body to make vitamin D from sunlight so this important nutrient must come from the diet instead.
TIP 4: Ensure your child is getting enough fibre and water. Fibre binds to toxins and heavy metals, reducing their absorption by the gut and lowering levels of toxicity in the body. Water also helps to flush out toxins.
TIP 5: Restrict your child’s intake of saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats can clog the lymphatic system, preventing infection-fighting white blood cells from circulating; trans fats encourage inflammation in the body.
TIP 6: There are also supplements that can help boost the immune system, but consult with your child’s doctor first. A daily multivitamin-mineral supplement is worth considering, just don’t give it in the evening as vitamin B6 may result in vivid dreams. Also, if you find it difficult to get your child to eat oily fish regularly, then an omega-3 supplement might be a good idea.
Although little consolation when your child is ill, it is worth remembering that the occasional virus is a natural part of growing up and, in small doses, can be good for your child. Viruses provide an opportunity for the immune system to grow stronger. In the meantime, providing your child with a healthy diet, daily exercise and plenty of sleep will help to ensure that illnesses are kept to a minimum and that they don’t last as long as they otherwise might.
SEASONAL SUPERFOODS
Until the age of six, the immune system goes through the greatest amount of change, adapting to the world around it and building defences. Nutritional therapist Henrietta Norton, founder of Wild Nutrition (wildnutrition.com), advises how to support this growth during winter...
LIVE YOGHURT Live plain yoghurt provides bacteria that contribute to the beneficial flora of the gut, where 70 per cent of the immune system resides. This natural flora can support the first line of attack against winter bugs.
BEETROOT This powerhouse root vegetable is rich in antioxidants which promote circulation.
BLACKBERRIES High in vitamin C, blackberries also provide bioflavonoids to support circulation.
CARROTS These members of the root family are in season now and are particularly dense in the nutrient s elenium.