This is your biggest investment in your child’s future
Many parents make investments in children mutual funds or child insurance plans to secure the future of their little ones. However, remember that their health is the best category of investment for your child’s joyful future.
Immunity in Children
Research says that resistance to fight disease and germs, is created within the body by the continuous process of fighting unknown pathogens during the period of growth; so catching different types of cold, flu, ear infection or stomach infection is normal in children, opines pediatricians.
Nature offers some simple yet powerful ways for you to build up and preserve immunity in your child’s body. Invest in these lifestyle choices for your children early on, and help them build a strong and robust foundation for good health and happy lives.
The Dos-What You Should Follow:
1. Healthy Diet for Immunity
The little ones have an inclination towards choosing highly sugary or salty dishes. They take no time in saying ‘no’ to healthy items like fruits, vegetables, salads, and juices. Still, you should not give up and should keep insisting on healthy food habits.
All fruits and vegetables have essential nutrition value; so try to feed your children various types of fresh fruit and vegetables unless some particular item causes allergy. These food items contain phytonutrients which help boost up immunity in children. Try and cover all colors of the rainbow, while choosing what to make your child eat in the day. Moderate the whites- sugar, salt, bread, etc.
2. Good Sleep, Good Immunity
Studies show that sleep is a prime factor for good health, as sleep creates the climate for natural repair and rebuild process within the body; reduction in sleep will result in a decrease in fighter cells, eventually making the body weaker. Sleep requirement in children is like:
- 18 hours for newborns
- 12-13 hours for toddlers
- 10 hours for preschoolers
So, keep an alert eye on your child’s sleeping habit. Fix a regular time for going to bed and assure undisturbed sleep.
3. Breast Milk is the Best Health Drink
There can be no alternative to breastfeeding. Colostrum, the wonder that comes out of mom’s breasts in a liquid yellow form immediately after baby birth, is nature’s best answer to all diseases. It is advised to continue breastfeeding for a year to build up strength and immunity in the child. If that is not possible, breastfeeding should not be stopped within the first three months.
4. Exercise is a Must
Needless to say, physical workout is as good for health as a healthy diet regime. Do not stop your children from playing outdoors. You should follow a routine of regular exercise and insist the child on joining you. Thus a healthy habit will grow within your family, and it will benefit both you and your little one.
The Don’ts: What You Should Avoid:
1. Stress on the Little Brain
We know that you have a lot of dreams about your child’s future, but do not scare the little creature with pressure of performance and competition. Remember, stress can affect children as much as it can affect adults. Too much stress in the period of growth will hinder physical and mental growth and affect immunity, and an unhealthy schedule will contribute to the adverse effects of stress. Also, monitor their screen time, as it can also increase their stress levels. It’s sometimes ok to let your child get bored and do nothing. This is when they can be in touch with their own feelings and relieve any kind of stress.
2. Nicotine
Nicotine can cast havoc upon children’s health as their bodies are not grown up and do not have the capability of fighting like that in adults. Passive smoking can be as bad as direct smoking, so avoid smoking before children or if you can, try to quit smoking altogether. It will improve the overall health of your family.
3. Panic for Common Symptoms
It is advisable not to panic for common symptoms of cold, flu, fever or gut infection. Do you know that fever is not a disease and just a symptom? Often an infection heats up the body because fighting germs becomes easier in higher temperature. So, do not insist your pediatrician to prescribe antibiotics now and then. Antibiotics should be given to a child if and only if, it is needed.
Conclusion:
Be the change you want to see. Set the right example of fitness and healthy lifestyle for your children, instead of forcing them to do things your way.
Nurture your child’s immune system with the right care and watch them grow into healthy and beautiful future citizens.
If ‘health is wealth, immunity is the gold deposit for future.
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