Tips for Staying Healthy All Winter Long

Cold and flu season is upon us, and with the health scare the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered, it’s more important than ever to stay healthy. This year, it’s time to up the ante on our focus on health and wellness. We all need to protect our immune systems to stay fit and energetic throughout the winter.

Children and parents alike can benefit from staying healthy all winter long. After all, there’s little worse than having to care for a sick child while feeling ill yourself. Here are some child-friendly tips to promote the strength of the immune system and encourage all-around physical health.

Try Out Natural Immune Boosters

If you haven’t already tried some of these immune boosting secrets, now’s the time to see how they work for your family. Before trying any of these natural immune boosters, though, please consult your physician.

Elderberry

This plant is considered to be an antiviral herb and may even reduce the duration of the flu, inhibiting early stages of infection. Elderberry extract can be purchased as a syrup or in gummy form, making it an easy sell for picky eaters.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a staple for many families thanks to its immune-boosting properties. While chalky tablets were once the only way to get a mega dose of this vitamin, these days there are plenty of fizzy, drinkable versions that are much more palatable for younger taste buds. Many Vitamin C supplements also contain electrolytes and B Vitamins to promote whole-body health and energy.

Probiotics

Probiotics are essential to gut health, meaning they’re essential to any immune-health regimen. Unfortunately, they’re often overlooked as a key to staying healthy in the winter months. The good news is there are more and more brands coming out with kid-friendly probiotics that reach deep into the intestinal tract where they offer the most benefits.

Focus on Nutrition

Changing your children’s diet is often easier said than done, but there are some tricks you can use to increase the nutrient value of the foods they’re eating and ensure they’re benefiting from the macro- and micro-nutrients their body depends on. Check out this article on helpful ways to get your children to eat healthy foods.

Nutrient-Rich Veggies

If your child is constantly pushing their veggies to the side of their plate, it may be time to change how you serve these ingredients. Preparing and presenting them in different ways increases the chances your child will find a version they actually love.

If you just can’t get leafy greens and other nutrient-rich veggies into your child’s diet no matter how many ways you try, sneaking them in is certainly worth an effort. From Spinach Cake to Hidden Veggie Burgers, many veggies can be disguised as something more appetizing.

Healthy Fats

The fat fear of the 90s and early aughts is finally over, replaced by a total embrace of healthy fats such as the ones found in avocados. Children require essential fatty acids in order to grow, stay alert, and remain illness free. Nut butters are a child favorite when it comes to healthy fats, but whole dairy products and olive oil are also good choices. Of course, everything in moderation, including the good stuff!

Enjoy Both Recreation and Rest

Your body—and your children’s bodies—crave these two crucial daily activities, which reinforce each other and help boost overall immune health.

Exercise

Exercise is fundamental to the well-being of the body, promoting muscle tone, circulation, and lung health. Unfortunately, winter isn’t always the most convenient time to squeeze in some exercise. For that reason, it’s important to be intentional about getting in plenty of physical activity all winter long. Aim to find one active thing you and your children can do together for at least twenty minutes a day. It could be as simple as walking the dog around the neighborhood, going to the park, or jumping on a trampoline.

Sleep

While exercise is key to immune health, rest is equally important. As you sleep, your body repairs itself and fights off illness. Forming a family-wide bedtime routine can help everyone in your household prepare for the all-important act of resting. 

Encourage your family to turn off all devices at a certain time each night to help the mind ease into a more relaxed state, promoting a better, deeper sleep experience.

As the famous saying goes, “When you have your health, you have everything. When you do not have your health, nothing else matters at all.” We hope these tips help prepare your family for an illness-free winter and pave the way for a lifetime of healthy habits for your children.