Kitchen Healing – Building Immunity in children

Kitchen Healing

Being a stay-at-home-mum, I have come to rely on a lot of common spices and condiments found in my pantry to cure my children of common ailments. Most recipes are age-old that have been passed on for generations – just proving how natural herbs were used to treat diseases before chemically produced medicines came in. Other recipes, I have found through the Internet, over time, to solve a particular problem.

Please note that the suggestions and remedies mentioned below, work for me, or I have found them while conducting my research. Please consult a medical practitioner before following any of the below.

As a mom of two sons, ages 5 and 2, September sends me in panic mode. September brings the start of a new school term after a long summer break and the start of Flu Season.

During the summer break, most kids live a relaxed and less stressful life, and are well rested which keeps them healthy too. Once school and the extra activities start, most kids suffer from over exertion and less rest, as a result of which their immunity is lower in those initial weeks too.

My little one starts playschool this year, and while I am all emotional about not being with him all the time anymore, and scared for the tears he will shed, I am also very scared for how he will cope with the exposure to viruses and illnesses out there.

Like all mothers, it breaks my heart to see my kids sick and I’ve had enough of antibiotics and hospital trips with my elder son. While I do practice some home remedies when they get sick, this year, I’ve decided to be proactive and build on their immunity beforehand.

Here are a few things I will be doing to build immunity and treat illnesses in my kids:

Tulsi (holy basil) water – Tulsi has excellent healing and immune building properties. I usually boil a few Tulsi leaves or a pinch of dried Tulsi powder with water, strain and once cooled, give this water to the kids to drink during the whole day. Occasionally, I add a bit of whole black pepper, cinnamon sticks, shredded ginger and licorice root powder to the water while boiling. Most of these ingredients have properties that help kill colds and do not let congestions build up, along with strengthening immunity. Read more on the benefits of Tulsi here.

Turmeric – Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. Not only does it help cure infections, it is also excellent at immunity building. The commonly available turmeric powder is not very high in medicinal properties, though. I find it best to use a pinch of freshly grated turmeric root and add it to the kids’ meals or boil with their milk to give them Turmeric Milk. Turmeric root should be available in most places selling Indian vegetables and looks a lot like Ginger root on the outside.

Vitamin C – Amongst other benefits if Vitamin C, one of the most common and important ones is it’s ability to help us fight common colds and that it helps to build immunity. With my older son, I made the mistake of avoiding citrus fruits like Oranges, which are very high in Vitamin C, as I thought they trigger colds and allergies. Thanks to their paediatrician, I have now realised that giving them oranges and mandarins is great when they are in good health, but yes, these are to be avoided when they develop a cold or cough.
In the past, I stayed away from chewable multivitamin gummies for kids, as most of the ones available in the market were always sugar coated. I preferred a multivitamin syrup, but it is a very tough job to be feeding those to kids. Recently, I came across this multivitamin and mineral chewable from Ya Ya Vitamins, which is not sugar coated and is naturally flavored. It has no nasties, and my sons love them. This guarantees that they are getting all their vitamins and minerals, and prepping their bodies to fight all those viruses and bacteria!

Keeping them hydrated – Water can help flush out toxins from our bodies and is very important in maintaining good health.

Ensuring a healthy diet – a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and home cooked meals is always the best way to ensure that they are getting a good balance of all required nutrients.

Good sleep – it’s no secret that well-rested kids are more alert and active and can fight off infections better.

Hoping that I can keep all germs, doctor visits and medicines at bay, this season.

 

Have you been using any of the above or any other home remedies to build immunity?

Please note that this post is not endorsed or in collaboration with Ya Ya Vitamins.

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