Back to School Essentials: Natural Health Products to Keep Kids Healthy

School is just around the corner, whether you’ve got big kids or a little one, keeping them healthy is a top priority. The common cold and flu viruses ramp up around this time of year, with kids back in school and lots of new germs circulating. Now is the best time to stock up on some natural health products to keep your kid’s immune system healthy and prevent the whole family from coming down with an illness. 

Here are my top recommendations for kids and why: 

Probiotics: they aren’t just for keeping your digestive health on track; probiotics work by populating the gut with good bacteria while keeping harmful bacteria at bay. They also promote the production of antibodies. Translation, probiotics improve the body’s immune response to invaders, and can help fight off infections such as common colds. 

You’re best to go with a multi-strain probiotic. Researchers are working on figuring out which strains work best with certain health conditions or concerns. A multi-strain provides you with a good amount of different probiotics, giving you a better chance of having a strain that will fight off harmful bacteria. 

Vitamin D: the sunshine vitamin. It may have just been summer but even if your kids spent a good amount of time outside their vitamin D may still be low. Because of the geographical location of Canada, we as a population do not get adequate vitamin D. Supplementing with vitamin D has numerous benefits including boosting immunity, brain and nervous system health, regulating blood sugars, maintaining healthy bones and teeth, and may even help in preventing cancer. 

Fish oil: as known as omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are incredibly beneficials for kids and adults. They have a vast amount of evidence based research demonstrating their positive effect on depression, anxiety, eye health, brain development (which is critical in learning school-age children), attention in children, healthy weight, inflammation, autoimmune conditions, mental illness, asthma, liver health, bone and joints, sleep, skin health, and much more. 

Multivitamin: available in a powder or chewable form for kids, a good multivitamin is chalked full of essential nutrients that aid with proper growth and development. A daily multivitamin ensures adequate intake of all the important nutrients required for the active lifestyles of growing children. Despite a healthy diet with a good variety of foods, we may still be deficient in essential nutrients due to losses through processing, cooking, and over-farming. Supplementing with a multivitamin ensures that your child is getting the nutrients they need for optimal health and wellness. 

Finding vitamins that are right for you and your family can be confusing. When choosing your supplements it’s important to consider the quality and source; a health care provider such as a naturopath can help you navigate vitamin brands to ensure you are getting good quality and value for investment. 

Interested in how a naturopath can support your kid’s health as they start school? Head to www.durhamnaturopath.com to book a free consult, under the book appointment button. 

Wishing you a healthy and happy start to the new school year! 

Yours in health, 

Dr. Kate, ND