It’s back to school time
New teachers. New classes. New schedules. New friends. And new germs. We hate to point out the “unhappy” news that you already know, but homework isn’t the only thing that kids bring home from school. In fact, Texas Children’s Hospital estimates that younger school-aged children get 6 to 12 colds every year! Once in your home, viruses and bacteria can spread to other family members.
Why are back-to-school illnesses so common? Well, schools are like little germ factories. Classrooms can be crowded and kids’ hygiene can be questionable (to put it kindly). Plus, whenever there is a change of seasons (from summer to fall in this case), illnesses tend to be more common as well. How can you increase the chances that you and your children will remain healthy over the next few months?
Most common illnesses that kids bring home:
- Common Cold
- Influenza (Flu)
- Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)
- Pharyngitis (Sore Throat) / Strep Throat
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
How to avoid these illnesses
Eat Right
Good nutrition is important for everyone, but especially fast-developing children. Eating right helps with proper brain development, stable energy, healthy weight maintenance, and balanced immune function.
Get Outdoors
Kids who spend more time outdoors generally have better motor skills, a healthier body mass index, and improved muscle strength. In addition, natural sunlight stimulates the pineal gland to boost happiness, energy, and immunity. The sun also provides valuable Vitamin D for stronger bones and healthy immune response.
Exercise Daily
Kids are more sedentary than ever and that’s not a good thing. The lymphatic system is like the body’s sewerage system and it is activated by movement. The lymphatic system is also important for proper immune function. If kids aren’t moving enough, then their bodies won’t get rid of toxins and germs in an optimal manner.
Sleep Well
Young children (3-5 years old) should get 10-13 hours of sleep a night (including day-time naps). Elementary school children (6-13 years old) should get 9-12 hours a of sleep a night. Teenagers (14-17 years old) should get 8-10 hours a night. Insufficient sleep can lead to poor brain development and more frequent negative emotions in addition to susceptibility to illness.
Wash Hands Often
Washing hands before eating, after using the toilet, and after sneezing/coughing minimizes the transfer of germs. Wet hands with water, lather them with soap, and scrub hands together for 20 seconds (singing or humming the “Happy Birthday” song twice is a good estimate). Then dry completely with a hand towel or air blower.
Here comes the sun
It is important for parents and teachers to stay healthy for the kids. Defense Drops™ liquid supplement gets an A+ for vitamins (Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin E) as well as extra credit for Zinc and Echinacea. Two droppers of Defense Drops every day will help to maintain your healthy immune function.
So, keep your kiddos healthy going into school. And if they come home with the sniffles, your daily dose of Defense Drops will keep your immune system ready for anything.
This post is for educational and informative purpose only. The Happy Co. products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
