Best Immune Boosting Supplements for Back to School
Posted by Kerrie Bross on Aug 16th 2022
Can you believe school's starting back up again soon — I can never believe how summer flys by so fast!
And with school starting back up again, it's important to prepare for all the colds, flus and viruses that can spread quickly in schools. My daughter is a high school senior this year and can't afford to miss school for sickness. So we're going to discuss the best back to school immune boosters for kids and we'll throw in some brain boosting supplements, too – it's so important for their developing brains. Bonus, our first one ticks both boxes – it's both a good immune booster and loaded with brain boosting omegas.
So let's dive right in to our favorite immune boosting & brain boosting supplements for kids and back to school!
1. Cod Liver Oil
Good cod liver oil is loaded with naturally occurring antioxidants that support the healthy function of the immune system, making the body more resistant to viral and bacterial infections.Vitamins A and D top this list of antioxidants.
Aside from supplying great antioxidants, minimally processed cod liver oil is loaded with naturally occurring EPA, DHA – Omega 3 Fatty Acids. It's these Omega 3's that help with brain building in all children.
Our brains are constantly developing when we’re young. For many kids, feeding their brains helps them behave better, feel happier, pay better attention, and perform better in school. and out of school.
Children need supplements loaded with healthy omega fatty acids. In fact, studies show they can even prevent certain mental health disorders (such as ADHD).
We think children, adults and elderly should all take cod liver oil for its many benefits every day. And, as grandma recommends, two or three times on days of high stress or if you're sick.
For its amazing combination of immune boosting and brain building Cod Liver Oil got the number 1 spot, but the others are great, too, so read on.
Rosita is the first option and comes in caps or liquid. You can order Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil here: Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil
The second option is Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil available in capsules or liquid. Again, just pick whichever one is easiest for your kids to consume. You can order Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil here: Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil
2. Non-Synthetic Real Food Vitamin C
Real whole food vitamin C comes from food – it is not created in a lab. Synthetic vitamin C, commonly known as ascorbic acid, is created in a lab. It doesn't come from any real food or contain all the necessary co-factors to properly absorb it. Our real food Vitamin C supplements contain all the cofactors necessary for our bodies to properly absorb it.
The best part is you don't need much because it is highly bioavailable. In fact, taking very high doses of ascorbic acid daily can be the cause of painful health issues. A good friend was taking Emergency-C, a 1000 mg dose of synthetic vitamin C, every day for a couple weeks while trying to prevent the cold her four kids were passing around. She developed painful kidney stones!
What she didn’t realize then is that ascorbic acid needs such high doses because, without the beneficial cofactors present in real food, not much gets absorbed by our bodies. And where do you think all these extra non-synthetic vitamins go? That’s right, through our kidneys then into the toilet. The high amounts of synthetic vitamins flushing through her kidneys caused her painful kidney stones – she’s said it would have been better to catch the cold!
My Healthy Supplement’s has a few really good options for Real food vitamin C supplements.
Perfect Supplements Acerola Cherry Powder is the first one and a supplement I put in my smoothie every day. This is 100% pure organic acerola powder and loaded with naturally occurring vitamin ca and many other wonderful nutrients that are great for us. And, we love that it is ethically and sustainably grown in Brazil.
Buy Perfect Acerola Powder here: Perfect Acerola
Catie’s Vitamin C Plus is the second option we recommend. this has many organic ingredients and is packed with nutrients. We've been selling this fantastic supplement since we opened our doors! ;)
Buy Catie's Whole Plant Food Vitamin C Plus here: Catie’s Vitamin C Plus
3. Vitamin D
There’s a good amount of evidence that vitamin D helps prevent SARS virus infections and prevents the worst symptoms from developing.
For starters, people with lower vitamin D levels in their body are more susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections — like any SARS virus. A meta-analysis study published back in 2012 found that people who supplemented with vitamin D were less likely to develop acute respiratory tract infections. Especially if those supplementing with vitamin D already had low levels.
Vitamin D is a powerful antioxidant that boosts your immune system — specifically your natural defenses against bacteria and viruses. And it can also reduce the severity of your symptoms because it has many anti-inflammatory effects.
Vitamin D receptors can be found in every immune cell in our bodies. These receptors main functions are to suppress inflammation, promote immune-balance, and support the proper function of your immune cells.
4. Zinc
Zinc is a crucial trace mineral and our bodies cannot produce it – we have to get it from our food. It is necessary for the synthesis of proteins and helps regulate cell production. Over 300 enzymes require zinc to function correctly — which are vital for life! If you don't get enough zinc through your diet alone, then you need to supplement with it. And as with everything else, non-synthetic is best.
So, how does zinc help the immune system?
Our bodies needs zinc to activate your T cells, according to the European Journal of Immunology. Our bodies use T cells to control and regulate immune responses.
And this is still very important as COVID-19 is still circulating through the country. James A. Robb from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, is an MD, a pathologist, and molecular virologist. In an email to his colleaguese, he wrote the following :
“In my experience as a virologist and pathologist, zinc will inhibit the replication of many viruses, including coronaviruses.”
Whether you want to prevent coronaviruses or other colds and flus, Zinc is one of the best minerals for improving your overall immune system.
| My favorite zinc supplement is another whole food supplement high in naturally occurring zinc – minimally processed oyster powder. Our favorite is Oyster Power from traditional Foods Market. We love that low heat, minimally processed oyster powder is nutrient – it contains a whopping 59 trace minerals! It also naturally has 12 different vitamins, 19 amino acids, and some of those coveted Omega 3's in the form of both EPA and DHA. Buy wild caught Oyster Power from oysters caught in the clean waters off Ireland here: Oyster Power 5. Good Probiotics – Healthy Gut, Healthy YouProbiotics are the "good bacteria" that are the hallmark of a healthy gut. Probiotics is a Greek word meaning "for life," and we believe that supplying the body with probiotics is indeed necessary for a healthy life. Probiotics are living microflora, responsible for a whole host of health maintenance roles, particularly important are digestive regulation and immune support. It is believed that a healthy balance of good to bad gut bacteria is 85% to 15%. Many chronic health conditions, stress, poor diet, and repeated, long-term exposure to particular medications, antibiotics in particular, can throw off this balance. It's a little-known fact that more than 80% of the human immune system is tucked neatly into the intestine. Since this discovery, medical science really began to understand the importance of pursuing optimal intestinal function.
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