Fuel Your Defenses: Supporting a Healthy Immune System through Your Diet
January 29, 2025
As we get into the colder months and the season of sickness is upon us, our diet plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Here are some simple tips to help your immune system stay strong!
Foods That Support a Healthy Immune System
- Fruits & Vegetables - fruits and veggies contain vitamins and minerals which help our immune system. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C which works as an antioxidant and encourages activity of immune cells and creation of antibodies.
- Yogurt - Yogurt contains probiotics, good bacteria, to help our gut and immune health
- Ginger - may help improve your immune response
- Garlic - may help activate cells that fight infection
- Green Tea - contains antioxidants that help boost your immune function
- Red Meat - Iron, a component of red meat, is part of enzymes that are important for immune cell function. Red meat also contains zinc!
- Shellfish/Poultry/Beans - these foods contain zinc which is needed for our immune system’s cells to function properly. Zinc is also found in some fortified cereals and bread products.
- Sunshine, Fish, and Eggs - contain Vitamin D which is important for immune function and regulating immune response. Vitamin D is found naturally in egg yolks, canned tuna, salmon, and mushrooms. It can also be created by our body by spending approximately 15 min outside in the sunshine.
Other extremely important components for a healthy immune system:
- Good sleep - during sleep, your body produces cytokines which are necessary for the immune system.
- Manage stress - reducing and managing your stress is important as stress is known to weaken your immune system. Taking a walk, talking to a friend, meditation, exercise are all possible options to help manage and reduce stress.
- Wash your hands - Washing your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.
- Maintain a balanced diet - It is important to eat a well-rounded diet including all the food groups. This offers the chance to provide your body with all different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are important for general health and well-being. Enjoy lean proteins, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, lots of fruits and veggies, and whole grains.
- Regular exercise - Regular physical activity helps manage stress, maintain a healthy body weight, and help your immune system.
- Stay hydrated - water helps our immune cells get to where they need to go and flush toxins and waste out of your body.
Getting a selective eater to try new foods is a process. Keep in mind that the goal is to provide your child with the opportunity to be exposed to new foods. Continue to introduce them to unfamiliar foods, have them see that you eat and enjoy them, all the while making sure they have safe foods that they know they can count on. Giving your child permission helps to reduce anxiety around new foods. Inviting your child to be around and try new foods is a very different experience than forcing them to try new foods.
With summer here, your kiddos are likely on a constant hunt for snacks. To help them develop healthy eating habits, try spacing meals and snacks about two hours apart. This gives their little tummies time to feel hungry, enjoy a snack, and recognize when they’re full. When kids “graze” throughout the day—eating small amounts here and there—their bodies have a harder time learning to recognize hunger and fullness cues. Grazing can also lead to more frequent choices of less nutritious, grab-and-go snacks. Let's Support Healthier Habits To support healthier habits, pre-plan snack options and post a visual snack “menu” on the fridge. This gives kids structure, helps them feel independent, and encourages better choices. And why not make snack time fun and educational? Try simple food crafts together—it’s a great way to bond with your child(ren), have fun in the kitchen, and explore possible new foods at the same time! UNDER THE SEA: Shark Snack Cups from Mommy's Fabulous Finds Festive treat made with yogurt, jello, cool whip, graham crackers and optional gummy shark Shark Week Bait from Alex Daynes A lighter treat that includes popcorn, white chocolate chips, f ood coloring/sprinkles, Sixlet Candies, gummy sharks, and pretzel goldfish Candy Sushi from Happy Family Recipes Themed snack made with Rice Krispie Treats (butter, marshmallows, vanilla, Rice Krispie Cereal) Fruit Roll-Ups, large Swedish fish, mini Swedish Fish BEACH + ANIMAL THEMES: Beach Bear Dirt Cups from Made To Be A Momma Celebrate summer with pool inspired lounging! Ingredients include: Teddy Grahams, white chocolate pudding, milk, cool whip, graham crackers, gummy life savers Curious George Snack from Mess for Less (tip, Read a Curious George book to go along with this one!) Enjoy a book and a snack with this Curious George inspired snack! Ingredients include: Nutella, s liced bananas, b lueberries, r ice cakes Animal Tracks Snacks from Loreen Leedy Great snack for the outdoorsy kid who enjoys animals! You can use a variety of ingredients including: cheese, crackers, pretzels, cream cheese, almonds and pepperoni FOR THE NATURE LOVER: Nature Snacks : Edible Crafts for Kids - Parties With A Cause A large variety of snacks for nature lover of all kinds including all sorts of flora and fauna options! POPSICLES: Fresh Fruit Popsicles from One Little Project How to Make Fruit Popsicles with Real, Fresh Fruit Strawberry Breakfast Popsicles from Fraiche Living We can imagine all sorts of variations of this recipe! Start with the following simple ingredients: yogurt, fresh strawberries, milk (or your choice) lemon juice and granola Frozen Yogurt Banana Pops from Kalejunkie Such a simple, yet festive recipe that uses ingredients commonly found in the kitchen such as bananas, yogurt and sprinkes! FOOD IMPOSTERS: Pancake Donuts from Balanced with Babies Made with just two ingredients: pancake mix and milk! You will need a fun donut shaped mold for this recipe Breakfast Banana Split - Art From My Table Ingredients include: banana, yogurt, blackberries, raspberries, granola, mini chocolate chips Fruit Cracker Pizzas from Sunshine & Hurricanes Crackers + cream cheese + fruit! Watermelon Rice Krispy Treats from My Heavenly Recipes Festive treat to be shared! Made with butter, marshmallows, R ice Krispies, food coloring and chocolate chips
What is kyphosis? Can I prevent it? Can I address the symptoms? Can a physical therapist at the Pediatric Movement Center help? We'll answer all these questions and more it today's blog post!
Think your child is "just" clumsy? They may have Developmental Coordination Disorder, DCD, an infrequently known, but very treatable condition that affects 5%-6% of school aged children! Medical specialists, such as pediatric physical therapists, pediatric occupational therapists, and neurologists can help address the underlying nervous system and muscular issues contributing to DCD.
Bilateral Coordination
Exposing children to food through various activities like cooking, coloring and sensory play/projects enhances their understanding of food, leading to healthier eating habits. Try a sensory project, like making snacklaces!
