6 Ways to Boost Your Family’s Immune System This Winter

Cough season is in full swing! It starts in October and can go as late as March and even April! Any guesses on when it peaks in the United States? That would be February. 

That means you still have a couple of months to get sick 😱. But don’t worry, we want to help you protect yourself and your family. 

6 Immune-Boosting Ideas For Your Family

1. Get Enough Sleep

What’s the first thing you want to do when you don’t feel well? Sleep! And for good reason. Getting the proper amount of sleep can help your immune system stay strong. 

Naps (no longer than 30 minutes each–one in the morning and one in the afternoon) have also been found to decrease stress as well as benefit the immune system.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends different amounts of sleep depending on age. If you have kids of various ages you’ll want to make sure they are getting the right amount of sleep between their naptimes and nighttime sleep. 

Here are a few examples:

0-3 months: recommended 14-17 hours of sleep

6-13 years: recommended 9-11 hours of sleep

26-64 years: recommended 7-9 hours of sleep

Getting more sleep won’t mean you’ll never get sick but NOT getting enough sleep can definitely leave you more susceptible to sickness. Get some beauty rest!

2. Stay Active (Exercise)

We all know that exercise can help you with weight management but it turns out that it can also help your immune system.

Regular exercise may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. It can also cause a change in antibodies and white blood cells, and slow down the release of stress hormones which can help protect against illness. 

Exercising with kids doesn’t have to be crazy. Go for a walk. Play tag in the backyard or go on a bike ride. The kids will love getting out of the house, and you might even wear them out to sleep better!

 

3. Wash Hands

This is, by far, one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Here are 5 steps to teach your kids how to properly wash their hands.

1. Get your hands wet with clean, running water. It can be cold or hot, that doesn’t matter.
2. Rub soap on your hands. The back, between your fingers and even under your nails.
3. Hum “Happy Birthday” twice while scrubbing your hands to make sure that you get them nice and clean.
4. Rinse your soapy hands under the water.
5. Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry them.

It doesn’t hurt to keep some hand sanitizer handy in the house or in your diaper bag or purse when you’re in a pinch.

4. Try Some Immune System Boosters

Have a common cold? Vitamin C helps increase the white blood cells which are important when fighting infections. 

Here are some popular citrus fruits packed with Vitamin C: grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. This might be the easiest to give your kiddos because they are tasty. 

Broccoli is packed with all sorts of goodness (A, C, E, Antioxidants, and Fiber). This baby is one of the healthiest veggies out there. Good luck getting your child to eat it!

Another yummy option is yogurt. Stick with plain yogurts and avoid the ones loaded with sugar. Look for yogurts that say “live and active cultures” like Greek yogurt. These cultures help stimulate your immune system to help fight infections!

Almonds! Vitamin E is key to a healthy immune system. If you eat 46 whole, shelled almonds, you’ll get 100% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are good too!

5. Take Care of Gut Health

Along with these recommended snacks, make sure to stay well-hydrated. Drinking enough water is beneficial to the mucosal lining of the intestines and can also promote the balance of good bacteria in the gut. 

There is a strong connection between the gut and overall health. Over 70-80% of the immune system resides along the gastrointestinal tract. 

Take care of your gut and your immune system will thank you. 

6. Use Preventative Care 

Find a good preventative care product like Elderberry or Zinc. Both elderberry and zinc are natural immune system supporters*. 

If you feel the beginnings of a cold coming on some additional ingredients to look for include Ivy Leaf Extract (natural expectorant*) and Acerola Powder (Natural Immune Booster and source of Vitamin C*). 

Knock out that cough before it gets bad!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.