The covid pandemic called for some drastic measures, one of which was children staying home instead of being at school. Unfortunately, this had an adverse impact on many children who missed almost two whole years of their school lives. Fortunately, things are looking better now, with educational institutes reopening, hinting at a step toward restoring normalcy.
However, many parents are still wary about sending their kids back to school, and there are valid justifications behind that worry. But things cannot remain as they are forever, and children have to go back to school sooner or later.
Thus, the best parents can ensure their children have a strong immune system to fight off diseases. This can be done by consuming appropriate supplements and vitamins that will aid in strengthening the immune system of kids. Here are a couple of nutrients that will help prepare the kids for the classroom.
Vitamin D
This is certainly one of the most common nutrients known for its capabilities to help strengthen an immune system. In addition, vitamin D plays a role in helping maintain a robust physical barrier against different infections. A pediatric study for respiratory health carried out on about 197 children showed a lower intake of vitamin D contributing to pneumonia as well as the acute lower respiratory infections or ALRIs of bronchiolitis. This study studied both infected and control groups, and the results were as evident as possible.
Unfortunately, vitamin D is not widely available in food sources except for liquid milk. Thus, children must leverage the ultimate source of vitamin D, the sun. It is no secret that exposure to sunlight can be highly effective in enhancing vitamin D levels in the body. However, this is not an option for children with different skin complications where exposure to sunlight can result in other adverse complications. In such cases, it is best to rely on vitamin D supplements to restore the optimum nutrient level and strengthen immunity in the body.
Zinc
The next nutrient that can help enhance your child’s immune system is zinc. This nutrient plays a key role in maintaining the natural barriers against pathogens in the skin, respiratory tract, and even the digestive tract. It is a well-established fact that children suffering from malnutrition are the easy victims of developing respiratory complications. Experts thus recommend consuming a supplement with zinc to make up for the lower zinc levels in the body.
If a child is suffering from any food or environmental allergies, they must increase their zinc intake to combat such issues. As many might already be aware, nuts are an excellent natural source of zinc. However, many children are allergic to tree nuts making it almost impossible for them to increase their zinc intake through natural sources. In such cases, it is best to rely on supplements and vitamins with a special compound called zinc-glycinate. This compound makes it much easier for the body to absorb zinc and strengthen immunity.
Vitamin C
Vitamin c is by far one of the most important nutrients one needs to strengthen immunity. Also known as ascorbic acid, the nutrient is important for safeguarding your child’s health from infections and even stress. In addition, this nutrient helps defend the cells from free radicals, which, if not stopped, can result in inflammatory responses by the immune system.
Besides this, vitamin C also plays a part in increasing the activity of specific key defenders of strengthening the immune system. Some of these defenders include lymphocytes, interferon, and neutrophils. Thus, increasing your vitamin C intake can be very helpful in boosting your immune system and protecting your children from common colds and different infections.
However, one needs to keep in mind that no nutrient can function optimally in isolation as they are somehow engineered to work as a team. For instance, consuming vitamin C and zinc supplementation can be more effective in putting up a strong fight against different viruses and strengthening immunity. Thus, rush to your nearest supplement store and get a supplement that contains both zinc and vitamin C for an effective response from the body.
Does Sugar Help In Boosting Immunity Among Children?
The short answer to this question is a simple ‘no.’ However, that will not make your children give up on their love for sugary food items. Studies have shown that sugar can often interfere with the cellular intake of vitamin C. In addition, sugar also plays a significant role in suppressing the activities of specific pathogens that kill the immune cells for about five hours. Thus, it is safe to say that a kid with a good and healthy immune system has to maintain their distance from sugar.
Hence these are the primary reasons you need to keep your children from sugary food to support a healthy immune system. This is not as challenging as it may sound, as you can always start small by replacing a sugary dessert with some fruit. Or you can even try replacing high sugar snacks and breakfasts with some toast with sunflower seed or nut butter. In addition, you also need to reduce your child’s intake of sugary drinks and replace them with natural juices derived from fruits.
How To Make This Possible?
It is very challenging to get children used to a diet that works to their benefit, especially with so many sugary food items easily available in the market. While different children have different tantrums, they will all love a better alternative as long as they develop this habit from a younger age. However, if you are looking for other ways, you can use a vitamin supplement with magnesium to make up for all the damage caused by the sugar. Magnesium will also help strengthen the bones and muscles of your growing children.
In Conclusion
There are many vitamin supplements available on the market. However, it is recommended that your child gets all their necessary nutrients through natural sources for as long as possible. In adverse scenarios, you always have the option to Google ‘the best supplement store near me and get the appropriate supplement after thorough consultation with a physician to strengthen immunity.
