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By Katja Heino Leave a Comment
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7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immune System

HEREyoung curly haired girl smiling

As any parent knows, winter time is a time of coughs, colds and flu bugs.  Does your child seem to catch every cold that comes around? Has your family seen more than your fair share of illness this winter already?  Let’s take a look at some simple ways that you can help boost your child’s immune system.

I’m not going to tell you that there is a magic supplement or superfood that will make your child immune to colds and flus.  But taking the time to support your child’s immune system will give your family a better chance of staying healthy this winter season.

Before I get into how to support your child’s immune system, let’s remember how winter colds and flus are spread.  Colds and flus are caused by a virus that is spread through contact.  Kids are notorious for picking their noses and coughing into their hands.  Encouraging good hand washing and hygiene will go a long way in preventing illness in your household.  And don’t go crazy with the antibacterial soaps as good old warm water and soap will do the trick.

 7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immune System

1. REAL Food Diet:

Good nutrition is is the backbone to a healthy immune system.  Kids that eat unhealthy diets are far more likely to get sick and tend to be sick longer than children who eat a diet of unprocessed, REAL food.

The first step is to eliminate  processed food from your child’s diet.  They are loaded with harmful chemicals and additives and offer no real nutritional value.  Filling your child’s plate with nutrient-dense foods loaded with good quality fats , clean, pastured meats and dairy, and seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables will ensure that she/he is getting all the nutrients essential for a healthy immune system.

And skip the low fat and processed vegetable oils with kids.  Kids need a healthy amount of SATURATED fats to thrive and grow.  Read my post on the Top 5 Healthiest Fats to learn more.

2. Proper Sleep:

Ensuring that your little ones get enough sleep is an easy way to boost the immune system.  Lack of sleep makes children (and adults) more susceptible to illness by reducing T-cells in the body.  Without enough T-cells, your kids are more likely to catch viruses and have a hard time fighting them off once they are sick.  Getting a good night’s rest allows the immune system to regenerate itself, making it more effective in fighting off illnesses.

All kids are different but here are some basic guidelines for sleep:

  • Newborns may need up to 16-18 hours of sleep a day
  • Toddlers require 12 to 13 hours
  • Preschoolers need about 10 hours
  • School-age kids need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night
  • Adolescents need about 8½ to 9½ hours of sleep per night.

3.  Cod Liver Oil:

Cod Liver Oil is one of our family’s number one immune defense during the winter months.  We take it every morning to boost our immune system. I highly recommend this extra virgin cod liver oil from Rosita.

I’ve written before about the benefits of Vitamin D on the immune system. Did you know that over 50% of the US population is deficient in Vitamin D? Extra virgin cod liver oil contains 400-500 of Vitamin D3 per tsp – all naturally occurring.

Extra Virgin cod liver oil also is a good source of Vitamin A and the essential fatty acids (DHA and EPA), both of which supports the immune system.

(where to buy extra virgin cod liver oil)

4. Vitamin D:

Vitamin D is an essential component in the creation and function of  “T-Cells” which protect your body against bacteria and disease.  Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of viral infections.

Adding a Vitamin D supplement to your child’s diet is an easy way to boost immunity.  Dr. Mercola recommends a blood level of 50-70 ng/ml.  Be sure that your health care provider is using the right test, which is measuring your Vitamin D3 levels, called 25(OH)D.  And be sure that if you are giving a supplement that you are giving Vitamin D3 (not Vitamin D2), as Vitamin D3 is the type of vitamin D your body produces in response to sun exposure. 

Dr. Mercola’s recommendations for daily dosage:

  • For children under five –  35 units per pound per day
  • For children 5-10 years old – 2,500 units per day
  • For adults –  5,000 units per day

THIS is the brand that my family uses.

5. Support The Gut:

Did you know that over 75% of the immune system stems from the gut? Everything we eat and drink passes through the gut along the gastrointestinal tract. The tubelike GI tract is embedded with millions of bacteria that live, grow, and metabolize (digesting and absorbing) in what’s considered a complex ecosystem comprised of both beneficial and harmful bacteria.

Imbalances within this ecosystem will impair the gut barrier and increase risk of developing disease.  And having healthy and balanced gut bacteria has been linked to stronger immune function, better digestion, and fewer allergies.

Fermented foods are the easiest and most economical way to get good bacteria in the gut.  Our families favorite fermented foods are  Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut and Fermented Ginger Carrots.  We eat them at almost every meal.  Other good fermented foods include kombucha, yogurt, kefir, and kimchi.  See my post HERE on 85 ways to get our family to eat more fermented foods.

Probiotics are another way to support gut flora.  Adding a probiotic supplement to your child’s diet will help boost the immune system and keep the digestion working properly.

And don’t forget about gelatin.  A homemade bone broth is one of the healthiest foods you can feed your child.  It is loaded with minerals and gut healing gelatin.  Take some time to prepare real bone broth (recipe here) and add it to your weekly soups, stews, and sauces.  A good quality gelatin from a grass fed source is a also a wonderful way to promote gut health.  Our family loves to make gummy treats as a healthy snack.  Read more HERE about the health benefits of gelatin.

(where to buy good quality grass fed gelatin)

6. Immune-enhancing Supplements

Essential Oils:  Essential oils support the body’s natural defenses without harmful side effects.  We use Thieves Oil (diluted in a bit of carrier oil)  on the bottom of our feet. We also make a hand cleaner to cleanse our hands out of Thieves oil and aloe vera gel.  And I make a household cleaner and an  hand soap as well.  I love using chemical free alternatives in my home.

Essential oils should be used with caution on children under the age of 2.

Elderberry Syrup: This antioxidant-rich elixir is a great antiviral, boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, and has been shown to shorten the duration of colds and flus.  You can buy it already prepared (like this) or you can make it easily at home with THIS recipe.  I planted an elderberry tree in our backyard years ago and now am fortunate enough to harvest tons of berries every fall for making this delicious immune-boosting elixir.

7. Get Them Moving:

The common trend of hours of media and screen time has created a culture of children who are not accustomed to moving their bodies. Keep your child active.  Kid need to move, play, run, and jump.  Regular exercise boosts the immune system by providing a boost to the cells in your body that are assigned to attack bacteria and viruses. So, just let your kid be a kid.

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young girl with curly dark hair smiling

What are your favorite tips for keeping your little ones healthy?

photo credit: depositphotos.com / andresr

Filed Under: Essential Oils, Healthy Living Tagged With: essential oils, gut health, health

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Hi I’m Katja!

And this is how we do healthy in our family. Just REAL food. Simple. Easy. Gluten free. More about Savory Lotus

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🍋 🍋 LEMON POPPY SEED DONUTS • when life gi 🍋 🍋 LEMON POPPY SEED DONUTS • when life gives you a bag of lemons, you make the best of it • even though we prioritize healthy eating, there’s room for treats like these • we call it balance 😉 • baking is one of my favorite things to do with my little one👩‍🍳 • we’ve had a year solid of being home, distance learning, + missing being out in the world • baking is one of those small pockets of JOY that brightens our daily life ☀️☀️

🍋 🍋 light and fluffy (gluten and grain free) donuts dipped them in a sweet lemony glaze • the bright lemon flavor kinda adds a bit of sunshine to the day 🍋☀️🍋

🍋 🍋 recipe link in bio (and i linked the donut pan that i use in the post): https://www.savorylotus.com/lemon-poppy-seed-donuts-gluten-free-and-grain-free/
sauerkraut • love it? hate it? • it’s one of sauerkraut • love it? hate it? • it’s one of the easier + most cost effective ways to support your gut • i make it every couple of months • its easy once you understand the basics of fermentation • i have a step by step tutorial if you’re ready to dive in ✨✨

link to tutorial in bio : https://www.savorylotus.com/easy-sauerkraut-recipe/

what you’ll need:
cabbage
salt
1/2 gallon wide mouth mason jar (or you can use 2 wide mouth quart sized jars)
air-tight fermentation lid
🥕🌿🍠 veggie game strong today • crucifer 🥕🌿🍠 veggie game strong today • cruciferous vegetable = superfoods • this + sweet potato rounds + a big cup of bone broth is what’s up for dinner 

collard green
green cabbage
purple cabbage 
carrot 
tons of fresh ginger 

👉 and, yes, not everyone tolerates cruciferous vegetables • i didn’t used too • i’ve done a lot of work on my gut + digestion • and i still prefer them cooked as they are easier to digest • eat slowly • give thanks (gratitude has a positive effect on the nervous system) • chew well (so your body can release all the enzymes needed to digest your food) ❤️• it’s so so important to eat in a relaxed environment so the body can rest + digest • eating while in “hurry” mode leads to indigestion and poor absorption
simple dinner • we eat wild salmon 🐟 once a w simple dinner • we eat wild salmon 🐟 once a week to get in those omega 3s • my favorite way to cook it is to sprinkle with salt + a bit of ghee on top + broil it for 8-9 minutes • so easy + today we added steamed green beans + a cauliflower + romanesco mash • plus tons of olive oil + ghee

to make cauliflower + romanesco mash, add florets from one head of each to a large pot • add in 1 cup of bone broth + sprinkle with a bit of salt • cover with lid • steam florets in broth until tender, adding more broth if bottom runs dry • once florets are very tender, add lots of ghee or butter + salt to taste • purée smooth with an immersion blender • add more broth to make it creamy smooth • so good 💛• don’t forget to add a ghee (or butter) pool when serving 

when we can’t get wild, local salmon, we order from @vitalchoice
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