“What can I do to naturally build immunity for my 5 year old?”

Weather changes can be tough on our bodies, especially for our little ones. Here are a few things you can do to help his body prepare for the weather changes and a simple home treatment to help speed recovery when he falls ill.

Most people know to boost vitamin C when sick or entering a cold season. It can be easier (and better for them) to get kids to eat their vitamin C! Yes, oranges are good but here are other Vitamin C rich-foods which he can eat regularly to keep his levels up: citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, kiwi, cantaloupe, cauliflower, pineapple (which also has an enzyme that helps reduce coughing!), bell peppers/sweet peppers, and tomato juice.

Drinking nettles tea daily during the weather change can also help lower histamine levels which are often major contributors to feeling sick during such times. Many grocery stores and health food stores carry this in the tea isle. Nettles tea may taste too earthy for a 5-year old so sweeten it with a little local raw honey (DO NOT give honey to children under 1 year old as it can be harmful!).

Also, cutting back (ideally fully removing) refined sugars during this time is also key. This means anything made with sugar (white/granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc) because sugar SUPPRESSES the immune system!! It also INCREASES inflammation, both of which make it harder and longer to recover and can potentially make symptoms much worse.

Finding a zinc lozenge for children is also a great and easy way to boost the immune system.

If your son gets sick you can try a home treatment called “Warming Socks”. The instructions can be found on the website linked below. **NOTE- warm up his feet in the tub first and make sure the wet socks are well rung out to avoid the treatment from having the opposite of the desired effect!** This treatment can reduce congestion, throat discomfort, coughing, plugged ears, and boosts the immune system. It also helps a person to sleep better when sick.
Warming socks treatment: https://www.biodynamicwellness.com/how-to-do-a-warming-socks-treatment/
Best wishes mama! You’re doing great!

There are a number of natural disciplines that can be utilized to build children’s immune system. Immediate quick adjustment:

-Natural Sunlight (vitamin D) and Fresh Air
-Water 1/2 Body Weight in oz
-Ample sleep
-Multivitamins + Probiotics
-Good nutritional meals - remove all junk and sugar

Colds are not necessary bad - they are removing a bug in the system.

Grace and peace always,

Excellent Proactive question! What I love to do with my little patients is to use both food and supplements that are guaranteed to not react with anything else they may be doing and or taking. Foods that boost the immune are: Citrus (high in vitamin C), Arceola Cherries (high in vitamin C), and Carrots, Cantaloupe, Sweet Potatoes (all have vitamin A). Make sure not to over cook and remove the amazing nutrients found in these foods. My favorite immune boosting supplement is Elderberry. It can easily be found as a yummy tasting syrup for kiddos to take during the flu/cold season.
Hope that helps!

Healthy nutrition. Avoiding sugar as much as possible. Probiotics. Beta Glucan, etc.

For the young kids it is important to have them eat a healthy, well balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and protein. Elderberry syrup is used a lot of acute conditions, but should not be used long term. A good multivitamin - multimineral is a good place to start with some probiotics for good GI health.
Dr Anderson

Immunocal, Colostrum, and Zinc

Dr. Liz

Hi,

There are a lot of things you can do for your 5-year-old starting with nutrient dense foods. Chicken soup with lots of vegetables is one of those types of meals - it has protein to build the immune system and lots of nutrients are in the broth as well. Sleep is when we heal, so lots of rest. Vitamin C and omega oils are also building blocks for immune cells, so adding these
the diet can be useful. Hand washing with soap, not hand sanitizers, will keep germs at bay without destroying any beneficial skin bacteria. Essential oils diffused in your home can also kill germs.
I hope this helps. Happy Holidays and good luck with the winter season.

Dr. Cristopher Bosted

Follow the NO’S:

• Processed food
• Junk food
• White sugar
• White flour
• Animal milk or meat with antibiotics
• GMO

Give:

• Probiotics
• Prebiotics
• Plant-based diet

Dear Concerned Parent,

There is a lot that can be done to boost a kiddo's immune system naturally. The best and first place to start is to address any improvements that can be made in The Foundations Of Health. Those include:

1. Getting enough sleep every night.
2. Eating a healthy diet full of whole fruits and veggies. Shoot for eating a fruit or veggie from every color of the rainbow every day!
3. Drink plenty of water!
4. Play! Move your body every day!
5. Manage worry and anxiety that is disrupting your kiddo's mental health.
6. Avoid added sources of sugar!

Some additional things to think about to help prevent those nasty little viral bugs:

1. Stay well hydrated!
2. Wash hands frequently!
3. A humidifier in the bedroom at night can help with a pesky nighttime cough.
3. My favorite go to anti-viral herbal treatment is Elderberry Syrup! It is my number one go to! It helps decrease the severity and duration of those nasty viral bugs! (Please talk to your Naturopathic Physician to determine appropriate dose).

My last little bit of advise:
Stay home and rest if you or your kiddo is sick! Help avoid getting others sick.

Before you implement any advice given please talk to your naturopathic doctor.

My best,

Dr. Richardson

My book soon to be released on Amazon:

“The Invincible Cell - How to Engineer Your Body to Combat Virus, Bacteria and Cancer. “

-Vitamin Defense: high dose C
-Echinacea
-Zinc - to shorten the course of viruses
-Plant Based Diet (no meat!- Phytochemicals defend the cells)

Powerful Antioxidants that Eat Viruses:

-Blueberries
-Strawberries
-Cherries
-Pomegranates

Eat Manuka Honey Daily on toast; keeps all bugs away. It’s Bactericidal (kills bacteria)...ALL!

To provide specific answers to this, I highly recommend visiting someone who can get to know his case. This is the only way to get the best answer for this question, as in my perspective, health plans are very individualized.

General immune boosting tips include including high amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet and make sure he is getting the appropriate amount of sleep for his age.

Please consult with a naturopathic doctor!

All vegetables are tonifying for the immune system, especially the ones that grow underground like yams, potatoes, rutabaga, parsnip, etc. Just be careful to not overdo it because your child is 5 years old and because their immune system is needed to digest properly always cook the vegetables thoroughly. This means cooked in water on the stove and then baked. Also, give your child plenty of opportunities to run/play/excercise. Movement is extremely important for a healthy immune system.

He is in need I am sure of a probiotic..which will help to begin to re-establish the beneficial gut flora...within the intestines...that crowd out the harmful yeasts. The antibiotics...they kill everything when taken...they are unable to choose between the good & bad guys...so they alter the gut flora.. which lead to increased infections...Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics can be purchased.

Yes, you need to talk to people like myself to guide you to help him. The antibiotics are the cause of 99% in the immunity problems