Heard your child coughing and sneezing? Well, welcome him or her to their bittersweet relationship with their best friend, their immunity system! They all enter this world with an inexperienced immunity system. It is only over time that their immunity system understands their surroundings, other body systems, the way their brain works and strategies the battle against the germs they contact.
Most of the diseases that your kids face is by viruses and there is little one as a parent can do to prevent the, but you certainly do leaps and bounds to improve their immune system and empower their fight against diseases!
1. Breastfeeding
Human civilization has been depending on breastfeeding since time immemorial. It is very well established that the first drops of thick wheat like milk from the mother’s breast is considered the source of immense immunity for the baby to take in. human milk contains all the necessary nutrients like proteins, vitamins, sugar and fat that a new born baby would require to build up the body. Human milk is immunized vaccine because after delivery the mother is exposed to several bacteria present in the environment and is susceptible to be attacked by them. Her systems create antibodies to fight these bacteria which are passed on to the breast milk. Therefore, a baby fed by breast milk carries the antibodies that destroy harmful bacteria that can affect him too, as he is in proximity to his mother and co-exist in the same environment.
2. Hush Little Baby go to Sleep
It is an old wet nurse’s tale that if the child does sleep well, he will soon contact flu. Many scientific types of research have proved that this tale is true indeed. Turns out that lack of sleep directly affects the immune system and reduces the body’s power to fight harmful bacteria. The T-cells which are a type of lymphocyte i.e. white blood cell grow at a rapid level while the child’s body is in sleep. At the same time, inflammatory cytokines go up which usually increase the development of the cold-causing virus. Not only cold and flu, sleep helps to fight fever and influences how the body fights once the body comes down with the illness.
3. Fruits, Veggies, Meat and Everything Healthy.
Nothing other than good food could work miracles on the tender body of your child. The food contains all the nutrition in every way possible. With a little research, mothers can identify the best food which carries immunization agents to be added in the child’s palette. Cabbage contains glutamine, garlic, garlic, and tomatoes have anti-inflammatory properties, lemons are full of vitamin C, mushrooms are high in selenium, oats have beta-glucan and oysters have zinc to strengthen T-cells. Wheat is the showrunner as it has fiber, vitamins, and zinc while yogurt is the star of the show as its simplest components fight diseases.
4. Sweat it Out!
Innumerable theories have been formulated to show that continuous exercise can do wonders with the immune system. Physical activity is known to flush the bacteria out of the lungs and reduces cold and flu. Exercises help blood circulation and white blood cells get to move much freely within the body thus diseases can be detected quicker than usual. The increase in body heat after exercises may inflame the growth of bacteria. This process is similar what happens to a body during fever. So, it’s time you let your child join that soccer practice for a fit body.
5. Cleanliness is Next to Godliness?
Keeping kids clean is an important pre-requisite for healthy children. Fighting germs on a continues basis doesn’t necessarily increase immunity but reduces the stress on the immune system. Make sure that kids keep their hand clean. Before and after each meal, playing, handling pets, blowing their nose, using a bathroom and arriving home. But do keep in mind that too much of cleanliness is counter-active for your child’s immunity. One should realize that the immune system works the best when the body system is exposed to germs. The system builds antigens and so builds immunity. Mae sure that you are not too clean to kill the good bacteria.
6. Healthy Home
It is palpable that the environment outside its polluted beyond repair. There is no possible way to protect them from the toxins in the air. But it is in your hands to curb the pollution in your house. If your house is in high pollution areas, make sure you have air purifiers installed. Install chimneys over the stove to reduce smoke while cooking. If a family member is indulgent in smoking, then ban smoking at home as second-hand smoking is much dangerous than first-hand smoking and this can lower your child’s immunity very rapidly.
7. Fever is Chill!
Studies around the world show that fever is good for harnessing the immune system. It is found that immune system works more when the cells are infected and that’s how heat is generated in the body and vis-à-vis. Fever might be an uncomfortable experience but having the fever is a sign of effective immune response. As cited above, heat helps the proliferation of T-Cells which help in the building of white blood cells that fight diseases. This doesn’t mean that fever should not be treated. But this means that the parents should stop worrying at high levels and force doctors to prescribe antibiotics. This kills the good bacteria which is fighting against the diseases and brings back your child’s illness to square one.
8. Keep Calm and Fight Diseases!
No one is immune to stress, even your 6-year-old! If you have stress at workplace, they might face equal stress at school or with friends. Maybe they find the subject stressing, a prick might be bullying him or her. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol which suppresses the inflammation during the response to stress. Its presence in the bloodstream for a long time will increase the production of substances that promote inflammation leading to chronic inflammation called cytokines.