10 Natural Immune System Boosters

These 10 tips will help you and your children boost their immunity.

You drive your children to the pediatrician every winter with more cases of strep, ear infections and colds than you care to recall. There are simple lifestyle and diet changes that can be made to avoid this happening.

Here are 10 quick ways to boost immunity.

1 Get enough sleep

Stuart Ditchek, M.D., clinical assistant professor at NYU Medical Center, and author of Healthy Child, Whole Child, explains that if you are sleep deprived, your body has lower levels of infection-fighting cell, making you more vulnerable to illness. Your child should get between 10 and 14 hours sleep each night, depending on their age.

2 Get plenty of fluids, particularly water.

“Most children don’t get enough fluids. This increases their chances of getting sick. Ditchek explains that the mucus membranes in your nasal passages, which are your first line of defense against respiratory infections, are also important. Children should consume 1.5 ounces of liquid each day, so a toddler of 30 pounds would need 45 ounces. This is preferably in the form low-calorie and healthy options such as milk or water.

3 Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers

Mark Moyad M.D.M.P.H. says that soap and water are not an option. However, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used if soap and water aren’t available. Director of Preventative and Alternative Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center. Look out for brands with at least 62 percent alcohol.

You can find more tips on the next page.

4. Avoid unnecessary antibiotics

Do you remember those antibiotics your pediatrician would prescribe to your child for a case of the sniffles. They can backfire. Ditchek says that sixty-five percent of your immune-fighting cells in your body are located in your gut. Unfortunately antibiotics can also destroy good bacteria and other beneficial cells.

5 Use saline nasal wash

To prevent any virus from forming, spray your child’s nose twice daily. You should look for washes that come with metered pumps. Avoid sinus washes such as Neti pots. The saline nasal sprays work just the same and are easier to use. Research shows that children who gargle with plain water once to twice daily can reduce their risk of developing respiratory infections.

6 Take a teaspoonful of dark honey

In a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, dark honey was found to be more effective at soothing children’s nighttime coughs than the common cough ingredient dextromethorphan. It also acts as a preventive measure, because it is so concentrated, it draws water from bacteria and viruses, effectively killing them.

7 Sip black elderberry

According to Claire Wheeler, M.D. (an instructor at Portland State University’s School of Community Health), this compound appeared to increase the body’s levels of cells that fight infection. For prevention, take two teaspoons of black Elderberry (available in health-food shops) during flu and cold season.

8 Make sure you get enough vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining your immune system. The American Academy of Pediatrics has increased the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for children from 400 to 400 IU. To ensure your child gets enough vitamin D, you can give her at least three daily servings of calcium-rich, vitamin-D-rich foods, such as milk or orange juice with calcium fortified. It is important that she spends as much time outside as possible, even in winter, to get vitamin D.

9 Boost vitamin C intake

Vitamin C has been used for years to prevent colds and flu. However, recent research suggests that vitamin C may also be useful in preventing the symptoms from becoming more severe, such as pneumonia. Moyad says that 250mg of vitamin C should be given to children during flu and cold season. It should not be acidic, such as Ester-C.

10 Don’t overschedule

Although you might think that you are stimulating your children by taking them to soccer practice, French lessons, and a dance recital, research has shown that stress can make it more likely you will get a respiratory infection. Schedule some playdates: Social support, in this case for your child, is in the form loving family members and friends, can boost immunity.