Building a strong immune system for kids is vital to their lifelong health, but how can you do it without a lot of medications and vaccines? Here are some tips to boosting your child’s immune system naturally.
The most important immune system builder for children and adults is diet,
says Mind Body Green. Because sugar has been clinically proven to decrease immune system responsiveness, it should be strictly limited. Other food additives, preservatives, and artificial colors found in processed foods should also be avoided. Instead, feed your child a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh produce.
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According to Pathways to Family Wellness, it is important to breastfeed babies for as long as possible. Breast milk supplies necessary nutrients for development and helps your child fend off illness, and breastfed babies experience far fewer infections compared to those who are fed formula.
Parents magazine says breastfeeding helps protect against meningitis, ear infections, urinary tract infections, allergies, pneumonia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Chemical toxins in our environment contribute to weak immune systems, says Pathways to Family Wellness. If you want your children to have strong immunity against disease, it is wise to limit exposure to environmental toxins. This means buying organic produce whenever possible, using non-toxic and natural household cleaning products, eliminating the use of pesticides in your yard, and using natural personal care products without harmful ingredients.
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Another source of harmful toxins, more than 4,000 of them, is secondhand cigarette smoke. Parents magazine advises that children not be exposed to it.
According to Mind Body Green, children need plenty of good quality sleep to boost their immune systems. Depending on age, kids need between 10 and 14 hours of sleep, ideally in the dark and without a night light, to boost production of melatonin. Keep your child’s room free of light-emitting electronic devices, which can interrupt their sleep.
Finally, Parents magazine cautions nervous parents to avoid pressuring their pediatricians to prescribe antibiotics at the first sign of illness in their children. Many childhood illnesses are caused by viruses, which will not be killed by antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics contributes to resistant strains of bacteria that are harder for kids’ immune systems to fight.
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