Improving Your Children's Immunity
12 Sep 2011 03:39:31 AM
A few protective measures for children include: 
- Adequate rest (early bedtime)
- Frequent hand washing - particularly before eating, and after travel in public transport is very effective.
- Three main meals, including a good protein serve two times daily (examples: beef, chicken, salmon, eggs, nuts, and seeds) with vegetables to balance the meal
- Warm clothing as cooler days and nights come along, to protect against chills
- Include fresh fruit daily for vitamin C
- Cut down on sweet and sugary foods which include the white/refined foods (such as white bread, biscuits, and white pasta)
- Each teaspoonful dose of sugar or soft drink (Note: often there are 7 - 9 tsp of sugar in soft drinks and so called “Vitamin Water”) weakens the immune system for several hours – see our top 10 sugary foods to avoid
- Drink 6 glasses daily purified water, and limit fruit juice
A healthy diet for your children:
Real food is good for your kids’ health, not processed food. They are:
- Vegetables
- Fruits – coloured fruits have more benefits
- Wholegrain cereals
- Meats (for children the fats of meat are of little concern, and they do well on the iron and zinc – both these minerals help immunity)
- Chicken
- Fish
Look for healthy whole grain pastas made of quinoa, buckwheat (soba) and spelt to improve the nutrition quality of noodles etc.
Processed packaged foods often contain man-made and artificial ingredients, that can be toxic or and stimulant. Examples are:
- Pringles and similar products
- Bacon, ham
- Sausages, salami, pepperoni
- Cold-cut meats and canned meats
- Coloured processed cereals
Refined grains are equivalent to the same dry weight of sugar.
Sugar suppresses immunity and makes children moody. It is also a precursor to obesity too. Most calorie intake by an overweight child is notably from soft drinks. One daily soft drink for a year can accumulate 7.6kg of body fat per year unless it is exercised off! (See Sugar in common foods list)
A low fat diet is not important for young children, however this can alter in children at around 10 years of age if they are becoming sedentary and are allowed easy access to fast foods.
Vegetables and fruits are major sources of vitamins and anti-oxidants.
It would be best if your child could consume two servings of fruit and three of vegetables, daily. Nutritionally valuable fruits include watermelon, mango, cantaloupe, kiwifruit, blueberries and strawberries. Apples and pears are of low nutritional value, especially peeled apples.
Whole fruit is better than juice (though freshly squeezed has some benefits). Oranges have been shown to prolong a cold (and often cause bedwetting) while bananas do not suit children with excess mucus.
Your children may follow what you eat. Be a role model of good nutrition for your family.
Learn more about Supplements and Dosages For Children's Immune Building.
