Boosting Immune System for Kids

Getting sick per year is normal for a kid. Sometimes, it even helps to build up the immune system. While growing, kids combat against viruses, bacteria, etc, which helps them to boost their immune systems. That's why several paediatricians consider that every year suffering from flu, ear infections or cold is normal for kids. In order to boost your child's immune system, you need to follow some healthy habits like practising good hygiene, keeping your kid physically active, giving them immunity boosting foods, and so on.

Ways for Boosting Immune System for Kids:

Here, we are going to mention some ways that are capable of boosting immune system for kids.

• Make Sure Your Kid Gets Enough Sleep:

Enough sleep is important for people of all ages, but it is vital for growing kids. Not having sufficient sleep can reduce natural killer cells and negatively affect immune system function. Keep in mind that the amount of sleep a kid needs will depend on his or her age and disposition. On average, infants need 12-16 hours of sleep daily. So, it is important to maintain a regular schedule for your kids in order to increase their immunity level.

• Exercise As A Family:

As per the research, exercise helps to increase the number of natural cells in kids as well as adults. As a parent, you need to be the role model for your children so that you can develop lifelong fitness habits in them. So, instead of telling them to play outside, you need to exercise with them.

• Keep Your Child Physically Active:

When your kid is physically active, it will help to manage body weight and build strength. Additionally, it helps to prevent chronic disease and boost energy. Regular exercising assists in regulating the production of stress hormones. 

• Stay Up-to-Date On Vaccinations:

You need to keep yourself up-to-date regarding when your children should take childhood vaccinations. These vaccinations can help your kid to combat harmful pathogens causing polio, meningitis, and chicken pox. Vaccinations let the immune system recognize viruses and bacteria so that your kid can fight off them. Consult with the health care provider of your child if you have any confusion about vaccinations.

• Manage Stress:

Remember that stress makes people less healthy and more prone to any kind of infection. You need to ensure that your kids have enough time to play. Moreover, you need to make sure that they are performing those activities that make them happy and they have those people around who make them happy. As a parent, you need to spend enough time with your kids and develop a friendly bond with them so that they can share any problems that are worrying them. If you have any doubts about your kid's emotional health or mood, you need to consult a doctor.

• Teach Them About Hand Hygiene:

Washing hands properly helps to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. You need to teach your kids to wash their hands before eating something, after visiting the toilet, and when they arrive home.

Now, let's learn which foods are capable of boosting immune system for kids.

Foods That Are Capable of Boosting Immune System for Kids:

Providing a healthy diet to your kids can help to boost their immune system. In that diet plan, you need to add leafy vegetables, plenty of fruits, and other foods, which are rich in calcium and protein. According to research, insufficient Zinc and vitamin C can weaken the immune system. That's why, in your kid's diet chart, you need to include those foods, which are rich in vitamin C and Zinc. Moreover, keep in mind that Vitamins A, B6, B12, copper, and folic acid are also essential for the immune system.

• Berries:

Berries contain several bioactive and nutritious elements, and are rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and antioxidant properties, which help to increase the immunity level in kids. Do you want to boost the immune system level of your kid? Then, you should give your child strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, goji berries, and raspberries.

• Nuts And Seeds:

Nuts and seeds are rich in minerals like protein sources, fatty acids, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins. Moreover, these food items contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and vitamins like B1, B2, B3, and E. You should know that pumpkin and flax seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids that help to boost the immunity level. Besides, pumpkin seeds have zinc that helps to enhance the functioning of white blood cells. Whereas, mustard seeds are full of minerals, such as calcium, copper, iron, zinc, potassium which help to strengthen the immune system. Are you a vegetarian? Then, you should give your kids nuts and seeds as a healthy alternative to fish and eggs. Cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts contain Flavonoids, tannins, and monounsaturated fatty acids.

• Sweet Potato:

Although the sweet potato looks similar to a potato, it is slightly sweet in taste. This food item contains a lot of dietary fiber, which is beneficial for digestion. Moreover, sweet potatoes have many essential micronutrients and are an ideal source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and K. Moreover, this food item has high amounts of minerals, such as iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and copper. These nutrients help to strengthen the immune system and protect your kid from various diseases.

• Mushrooms:

If you want to increase your kid's immunity level, you can try different dishes with mushrooms for your kids; for example, grilled mushroom sandwiches, roasted mushrooms, and mushroom popcorn. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that white button mushrooms increase the activities of immune cells in the body and boost immune levels.

• Green Vegetables:

You should know that leafy greens are rich in calcium, iron, and magnesium minerals. Besides, green veggies contain vitamins A, C and K and antioxidant properties that help to make your kid's immune system stronger. Moreover, green vegetables have phytonutrients and antioxidant properties which protect immune cells from damage. So, you should add varieties of leafy greens to your kid's diet plan; for instance, spinach, kale, broccoli and so on.

• Citrus Fruits:

According to research, citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapes, pineapples and lemons are rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and antioxidant properties. Moreover, these fruits contain calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 that help to boost the kid's immune system and are beneficial for the kid's growth.

• Yogurt:

It is found that yogurt has some immunologic effects. Moreover, Amino acids, calcium, peptides, and fatty acids are present in yogurt. So, give your kid a bowl of yogurt daily to increase their immunity level.

• Chicken And Eggs:

We all know that both chicken and eggs are considered as good sources of protein which can enhance immunity level. Eggs contain vitamin A, dietary cholesterol and biotin that helps to boost the immunity. As per the research, egg whites contain bioactive compounds and antimicrobial properties that can enhance the efficiency of the immune cells. You can prepare several healthy recipes for your kids with eggs and chicken; for example scrambled eggs, egg sandwich, omelette, chicken soup, chicken curry, etc.

• Oats:

Oats contain a lot of important nutrients which can help you to boost the immune system. Nutrients like zinc, copper, iron, etc are present in oats. You can prepare different oatmeal recipes for your kid; for instance, oats cookies, oats muffins, strawberry oats porridge, etc.

Tips For Boosting Immunity Of Kids With Foods:

Tips you need to follow to boost your child's immunity are:

• Provide Them With A Wholesome Meal:

Don't focus only on one nutrient while making a diet plan for your child. Ensure that you do not give excess eggs or chicken, which are rich in protein. Instead, you need to give your kid a balanced meal that contains different minerals and vitamins. To prepare a balanced diet chart for your kids, you should add citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts.

• Give Food In Sufficient Amounts:

Make sure that you are not allowing your kid to overeat. For example, eating one orange daily helps to boost your child's immunity. But you should not give them two or three oranges in a single day.

• Avoid Processed Food:

You must not give your kid any processed food. Ensure that they eat vegetables and fresh fruits. Do not let your kid drink packaged juices.

Should You Boost Your Kid's Immunity With Supplements?

Vitamins and minerals are essential for boosting the body's immune system. Are you thinking : should you give your kids a supplement so that your kids can get more zinc, magnesium or vitamin A? Then, you should know that these supplements are not a surefire way for preventing illness. Moreover, supplements can't be marketed for treating or preventing or curing any kind of disease. The U.S. FDA has not approved any dietary supplement for safety & effectiveness.

The Bottom Line:

If your child is not following a well-balanced diet, or is not getting sufficient nutrients, then it can weaken your kid's immunity. So, it is necessary to add foods with vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, and B12 to your kid’s diet plan to boost the immunity level. Also, your kid should eat foods, which are rich in minerals such as copper, zinc, and calcium. Spinach, citrus foods, oats, broccoli, berries and nuts are some of the best immunity-boosting foods for the kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the strongest immune system booster?

You should know that vitamins B6, C and E contain immune-boosting properties. If you follow a well-balanced diet, you will be able to get all of these vitamins. Foods which are rich in these kinds of vitamins are eggs, spinach, bell peppers, and almonds.

2. Which fruit is no. 1 immunity booster?

Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons, and limes, contain Vitamin C that help to increase WBC or white blood cells and combat against bacteria.

3. What is a quick immune booster?

It is possible to boost the immunity level by eating a well-balanced diet. Ensure that you are adding vegetables, different fruits, dairy products, whole grains, and lean protein to the diet plan. You should also try to eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as eggs, salmon and avocados.