How to keep healthy at the start of the new school year

Fiona Hayers, Nutritional Therapist at Luck’s Yard Clinic points us in the right direction to help our children deal with seasonal coughs and colds.

The start of a new school year is upon us after a long summer break.  We are all good at getting the kids ready with pencil cases, school shoes, sports kits etc but how many of you think about getting our children’s immune systems ready for the start of term?

Once the children are back at school they will come into contact with many germs and viruses.  As parents we want to avoid our children (and us) getting each and every cold or sickness bug they come across.  Whilst adults tend to get one or two colds per year, children may get as many as six to eight and their symptoms can last up to 10 days!  That is a lot of missed school days which are critical for learning especially in exam years.

When children are in peak health they can fight off infections but when they are under par they may develop one cold after another.  The problem is that once back at school the life load increases – long school days, mentally fatigued from concentrating, physically fatigued from increase in exercise, emotionally fatigued from increased social interactions.

So what can we do to help them achieve and maintain peak health to keep their immune system strong to fight off bugs and germs.

1 – Good hygiene

We are probably all a little guilty of letting this one slip a little after the height of COVID.  However, keeping up the habit of washing hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after using the toilet and before eating is a very good sart

2 – Get outdoors

Encourage them to get outside as much as possible and do some exercise.  Being outside in sunlight allows us to make Vitamin D, an important part of keeping our immune system strong.  Doing some exercise outside also improves our ability to fight off bacteria and germs.

3 – Get more sleep

Over the holidays bedtime schedules inevitable slip but getting sufficient sleep is incredibly important for the health of our immune system.  Aim to gradually bring forward bedtime in preparation for those early morning starts to the school day.

4 – Ditch the ultra processed foods

We tend to up the amount of ‘treat’ foods we give our kids during the holidays.  Foods such as crisps, chocolate bars, cakes & biscuits are all highly processed and contain chemicals which impact many aspects of health including our immune function.  They also can have a big impact on our energy levels, mood and ability to concentrate so now is a great time to switch them for more natural, less processed alternatives such as fruit, yoghurt, wholemeal toast, smoothies, nuts (where possible) and nut butters.

5 – Don’t forget the protein

Protein is the building block for all immune cells and growing children & teenagers have an increased demand for protein as it is need to make bones, muscles and skin.  So it is very important to make sure your children eat protein at EVERY meal and each snack contains protein.  Use the size of their palm as a guide for how much protein should be included in each meal.  Choose lean meat such as chicken, fish, beans and lentils together with nuts and seeds.

6 – Eat the rainbow

Fruit and vegetables are full of essential vitamins and minerals which benefit our immune system.  Brightly coloured varieties are especially important as they contain important phytochemicals.  If you can’t get hold of fresh then opt for frozen which are generally cheaper and just as nutritious.  Citrus fruits and red peppers are particularly high in vitamin C which has evidence to reduce the time taken to recover from colds.  Green foods, such as broccoli, kale & spinach have also been shown to support a healthy immune system.

Kids will also see benefits in their skin and hair which goes a long way to improving their self esteem and confidence when back at school.

7 – Increase the good bacteria

Adding in food containing ‘beneficial’ bacteria or probiotics is another way of increasing the strength of the immune system.  Try yoghurt containing live bacteria such as kefir or adding kimchi to stews or bolognaise.

8 – Keeping up iron levels

Iron is not only used to help carry oxygen around the body but it is also used in the immune cells which help fight against infection.  Keeping iron levels at a good level is especially important for girls who have started their periods as they have an increased risk of lower levels.  Aim to include lean red meats or beans, chickpeas and lentils.

9 – Keep hydrated

Long school days spent sitting in classrooms can reduce opportunities to rehydrate so encourage your children to always take a drinks bottle and aim to refill it twice during the school day and more if they are taking part in lots of sports.  Water is needed to flush out toxins from the body and to help the immune cells travel around the body.

10 – Consider supplements

Keeping vitamin D levels at the required level can be difficult during the darker winter months – there are many manufacturers of vitamin D for children.  I like the Better You sprays as these are designed for children and easy to spray in the mouth at bed time.  You can also consider a good multivitamin but remember these are only to supplement and do not replace a balanced diet as described above.

If you find your child is constantly trying to recover from germ after germ then please do contact your GP to run some tests or I can help run tests privately, review their nutrition and put together a health plan focused on improving the strength of their immune system and keeping them in peak health.  Contact me on Fiona@nourishfromwithin.co.uk or 07734 111347

 

Photo by cottonbro studio: pexels.com