How to optimise your family’s immunity

BY NICOLE SILVER, NUTRITIONAL THERAPIST

 

When approaching the end of the summer holidays, as a family your thoughts might be turning to the back to school routine and all that it brings. Often a return to school or nursery can trigger a surge in colds, flu and viruses, which not only affect children but the parents too.

So how can you best support your whole family's immune system? 

 

Vitamin D

Scientific research shows Vitamin D plays a crucial role in strengthening and protecting the immune system. It is a key nutrient which defends the body when tackling viral infections and it also has a role in respiratory health. We are often advised to supplement with Vitamin D during the Autumn and Winter months but Vitamin D is actually needed all year around for your immune system and healthy inflammation response.

Vitamin D levels during childhood and teenage years impact how well their immune systems will function as an adult. Vitamin D plays a vital role in their immune, bone and teeth health but statistically, they often don’t get enough. 

You can only get around 10% of your Vitamin D intake from your diet, small amounts are found in foods such as eggs, mushrooms and small boned fish such as sardines. But, as Vitamin D is mainly synthesised from the sun, it could be advisable to supplement even in the summer, especially if you or your children spend prolonged periods indoors or are rightly protected from the sun with SPF and shade during sunny weather. 

 

Vitamin C

Vital for the normal function of the immune system, Vitamin C can also play a role in the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. As your body doesn’t store vitamin C, it is important to have a constant daily supply through diet in order to maintain healthy levels. As Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin you want to make sure you are either eating sources raw or lighting cooking or steaming so that you don’t loose the valuable nutrients in the cooking water. Worryingly in recent years, there has been an increase in Victorian diseases such as scurvy in children due to poor diets with a lack of fruits and vegetables. 

Eating at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day is a great way to encourage your children (and the adults!) to get their daily intake of Vitamin C. It is especially high in citrus fruits, kiwi fruits, berries, broccoli, red peppers and potatoes. 

 

Zinc and Selenium

Zinc and Selenium play a fundamental role in supporting the immune system and help to protect cells from oxidative stress. Selenium is needed for the proper functioning of our pathogen fighting white blood cells such as neutrophils and macrophages and zinc is a cofactor for many processes in the body which helps to support our immune response. They also both help to fight inflammation which is crucial when fighting a cold or virus. 

Zinc rich foods include green vegetables, nuts, seeds, seafood and dairy products. Selenium rich foods include: brazil nuts, fish, meat and eggs. 

 

Antioxidants

Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress, which is crucial for helping to support our immune system. They are important, as they can protect your body from toxins that cause inflammation, which then disrupts your immune system. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, as do zinc and selenium. Elderberry also has important antioxidant properties as well as being anti-viral. Antioxidants are found in many different types of fruits and vegetables and the best way to make sure you are getting a good variety is to ‘eating the rainbow’ ensuring you have a variety of different colours on your plate from fruit and veg.

What to do if you have a picky eater?

With picky eaters, you will likely want to gently encourage them to eat different foods and keep putting fruit and vegetables on their plate and offering it to them even if they are not eating it. Repeat exposure often helps, as does modelling behaviour for a child i.e. eating these foods in front of them. As childhood is so fundamental for lifelong health, you may want to consider a good quality multi to ensure they are getting everything they need. 

Stress/anxiety

When we experience periods of stress, it can affect how our immune system works and can actually weaken it. Long term stress not only depletes the body of immune fighting white blood cells but it can also use up vital nutrients we need to support the immune system, such as Vitamin C. So helping our children manage periods of stress such as exam season, can really help support a healthier immune system. Getting the right nutrients in is of course important, but so is giving children down-time to relax and making sure they are getting enough sleep. Sleep is vital for immune system repair and lack of sleep can lead to an underfunctioning of the immune system. 

To summarise, our top 5 tips on how to support your family's health for the return or start of school this September:

1. Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. 
2. Ensure adequate intake of Vitamin C, Zinc & Selenium through the diet.
3. Supplementing Vitamin D and a childrens multi nutrient.
4. Prioritising active rest and good sleep habits such as no tech before bed and black out blinds.
5. Speak to our Nutritional Therapist team who can give you free advice on your family's immunity.

 

If you want to read more about supporting your family’s health read our blog posts 10 ways to combat a cold, How to optimise your defences against the seasonal sniffles and try making our Protein powered bliss balls a great way to get healthy nuts in little tummys.