How to keep your kids and yourself healthy this cold and flu season

As summer winds down and the new school year begins, it’s time to consider what we can do to help our kids stay healthy during cold and flu season. Children will inevitably be exposed to viruses and will get sick from time to time. This is normal, and just a part of developing a healthy immune system. 

With that being said, there are some things that we can do to strengthen their immune systems naturally so that they stay healthy more often than not. For starters, rather than using things like Lysol, hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps, which can cause more harm than good, teaching good hand washing with regular soap and water will go a long way. 

Sleep

• Getting a good night's sleep is important for everyone, especially for children. When we sleep we are in rest and digest mode and that includes our brain and our nervous system. Young bodies and brains are also growing and developing, which is why kids stay healthier when they sleep better.
  
• Create a bedtime routine
  
• Giving kids a chance to tell you one thing that upset them that day and one thing that made them happy creates connection and peace of mind, which facilitates safety, calming their nervous system Keep the bedroom cool
  
• Cooler air temperature helps us fall asleep faster and can trigger our brain to naturally release melatonin and it lowers our cortisol. This helps kids to have easy , peaceful sleep.* Sometimes kids have a hard time falling asleep, in recent years the use of melatonin supplements for children has increased but the long term effects of that isn’t known. Here at Herbs, Love, and Yoga we carry a variety of gentle and effective herbs for calming the occasional restlessness at bedtime that kids may experience from time to time* 

Eating Mindfully

• Kids can be picky eaters, any parent can attest to that. The world today is brimming with ultra processed foods that are highly palatable to children in particular, but they come at a great cost to our children’s health and well being.
  
• When kids are offered a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and dairy they stay healthier. When it comes to rices, pastas and breads, look to find the brands that don’t have an ingredient list a mile long.
  
• Healthy choices make for healthy growing bodies and minds.
  
• Kids love sugar(adults do too!) being mindful about how much sugar they consume -in their drinks too- can significantly reduce the number of sick visits you’ll need to make to their pediatrician. 

Sunshine

• Even on chilly or cold days, kids need time outside to get the sunshine on their faces and fresh air in their lungs. More time outside makes for healthier kids Exercise:
• Getting your littles outside for some fresh air and fun to run around unstructured is a great way to boost their immune systems! Kids are full of energy and there is no better way to expend that energy than by running, yelling, jumping, walking, exploring, climbing, and laughing! Outdoor play also helps kids get tired so they can sleep better and be healthier!
• Good for the body! Good for the soul! Good for the spirit! Good for the heart! 

This post was written by Debra Romano, an herbal apprentice at Herbs Love And Yoga