With winter coming up and kids are in school, it’s inevitable to be exposed to all sorts of nasty sicknesses! Don’t you feel like it’s the perfect time to think about the best ways to boost your kids immune system. And not just them but how to boost our immune system in adults?! The last thing we need is to be sick while taking care of our kiddos! So let’s talk about the best ways how to boost your immune system. I want to share with you my FAVORITE ways to boost your immune system.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH FOOD
There are so many foods that have vital nutrients. With vitamins and minerals our bodies need to be able to function more properly! Here are some ways to eat to boost your immune system. Lets take a look at some of the top foods that have higher content of these nutrients.
1. CITRUS FRUIT
Citrus fruit tends to have higher content of vitamin C. Which we always hear that vitamin C helps boost our immune system with vitamin C. But do you want to know why?! Vitamin C helps with the production of white blood cell count and when your white blood cells are higher, it helps fighting off infection.
Did you know that your body doesn’t produce vitamin C on its own? We need to consume it everyday. Here are some popular citrus foods with vitamin C to help boost your immune system.
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Clementines
- Lemons
- Limes
2. BROCCOLI
Was your Mom one of those that always said, “make sure you eat your broccoli?” If so, she was smart and there was a reason for that nagging. Broccoli is packed full of vitamin A, C and E. It is said to be cancer fighting and builds immunity in one of the most important places in your body, your gut. Anything we can do to improve our gut and the gut flora can improve your health in many ways!
3. RED BELL PEPPER
You always hear people talk about vitamin C in oranges, but did you know that red bell peppers have almost twice as much vitamin C than oranges per ounce?! It’s a great way to load up on vitamin C.
4. BONE BROTH
Bone broth can be known as a “superfood”. It has many benefits to our body. Is packed full on nutrients and bone broth can boost your immune system. Some other benefits bone broth has, is it promotes better digestion and heals and seals your gut, it reduces inflammation, builds stronger bones, helps hair, skin and nails, promotes better sleep, and boost energy levels.
When using bone broth for health and building a better immune system, buy organic bone broth. Or you can make your own by boiling bones from an organic chicken or turkey. When you make it from organic chickens you get all the benefits from the bones. Rather than antibiotics or vaccines and other harmful substances given to the chicken. When you boil bone broth it helps heal the gut and build immunity.
Next time you feel under the weather, grab some bone broth and make some chicken noodle soup! Better yet, make it now and boost your immune system before you get sick and it will prevent you from getting sick in the first place.
5. TURMERIC
Turmeric can help build your immune system because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation causes so much havoc on our bodies and our immune system will suffer from it. When consuming anti-inflammatory food, it can impact your gut in 7 days!
Turmeric is an antioxidant for your immune system. It fights free radicals that can cause damaging oxidative stress to healthy cells.
HOW MUCH TURMERIC DO I TAKE EACH DAY?
When taking turmeric, take 500-1,000 mg a day. Be sure to get a brand that has good absorption because turmeric has a hard time being absorbed. When taking turmeric as a spice, keep in mind that it contains about 200 mg per teaspoon. Try adding black pepper or oil to the food so it’s absorbed better in your body.
Benefits of turmeric are:
- Helps with memory
- Fights cancer
- Helps with inflammation
- Fights depression
HOW TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH SUPPLEMENTS
There are some supplements that I love that can make a huge impact when you are boosting your immune system. I take these year round and have noticed I hardly get sick and when I do, the duration is so much shorter!
1. PROBIOTIC
How these probiotics worked for me
I can’t stress enough the importance of gut health. You know that saying, “everything starts in your gut.” There is truth to that and it is no exception with building your immunity. How do you boost your immune system with your gut? Probiotics is one of my favorite ways to improve your gut. There was a study that found evidence suggesting that taking probiotics can reduce the number of colds you get!
When my oldest boy was 2 years old, we thought he had Celiac Disease so I have done loads of research and trials on many probiotics. To this date, this probiotic is my favorite because I have actually seen results OVER and OVER.
For me, it got rid of a stubborn dermatitis that I had for almost a year. That was actually when I first discovered this probiotic and after a month it finally went away. It has also help get rid of chronic fatigue and anytime I start to feel tired or ran down I load up on this stuff. Often times we try to treat symptoms but if you look at the core problem and heal from the inside out.. that’s where you see healing begin!
How does it work?
Once Just Thrive enters the digestive system, it has been found to perform many functions, including enhancing the immune system; reducing inflammation; both increasing digestion and absorption of nutrients from food, and producing important functional antioxidants.
The strains used in Just Thrive have been proven to survive the gastric system 100%! Seriously.. 100%! Once they arrive alive in the intestines, they actually have the unique ability to read the microbial environment.
Just Thrive are gut commensal organisms, meaning they belong in the gut (and find a binding spot in the intestines), and these strains have a 21-day life-cycle in the gut, while most other probiotics simply pass through like food.
The spore strains in Just Thrive are the only one on the market that have clinically proven to heal leaky gut within just 30 days! In fact, studies have shown that oxidative stress is a major driver of leaky gut. Researchers believe that the antioxidants produced by the bacillus indicus strain (HU36) in Just Thrive Probiotic are the “heavy hitters” in the formulation and are responsible for helping to combat the oxidative stress on the intestinal lining.
How do you take it?
After taking it for a few months (depending on the severity of your health condition, some have to take it for 3-6 months) you go into a “maintenance” mode and only take it a few times a week. Yup, it’s that powerful! In doing so, it saves you way more money than all the other probiotics because you’re not having to take it daily and your bottle will lasts for months! It’s a win win!
DISCOUNT CODE
We have a discount code for Just Thrive. “MOMSONTHECLOCK” for an extra 20% off your entire oder! Yay, now it’s that much more affordable!
2. ELDERBERRY
Elderberry has tons of antioxidants and has been told to relieve the common cold, the flu, and reduce inflammation. I really like the syrup for kids because it digested well and it’s easy to give to them while tasting yummy!
Elderberry has also been used to treat other symptoms:
- Constipation
- Inflammation
- Headaches
- Some skin conditions
- Fevers
- Stress
It’s a pretty amazing berry that has so many healing components to it! With people spreading this berry by word of mouth, it has become a popular healing remedy.
3. VITAMIN D
Did you know that almost 60% of healthy adults are deficient in vitamin D? And that number is probably higher now because doctors recommending a higher dose than when this study was taken. It’s pretty obvious that we need more vitamin D! Talk to your Doctor about how much you need daily, usually people will need to take 1,000- 4,000 IU or more each day. This is a supplement that I won’t go without!
As for my kids, I give them liquid drops. The one I use is Source Naturals. It makes it cheeper because you can control the drops. Depending on how much they need and how little they are, you can give them less drops.
Why is vitamin D important for your immune system?
We know we need it and most of us are deficient in it but how does vitamin D help our immune system?
Active vitamin D goes into different parts of your body such as your bones, colon, intestines, immune cells, and your brain. That active vitamin D bind to those receptors and “turns them on”.
The vitamin D turns on peptides in your immune system which fight off invaders.. so much, that they can fight off those inverters before they turn into a nasty infections.
It also helps make regulatory T cells, in turn help your immune system to be “smarter” to know the difference between your cells and the invaders. Why is this important?
Vitamin D fights against autoimmune disease! Autoimmune disease is when your immune system starts attacking its own cells. So if we can help our immune system differentiate our own cells and the invaders then we can help prevent autoimmune disease which is becoming more common by the minute.
4. VITAMIN C
Did you know that your body doesn’t produce vitamin C on its own? Vitamin C is a great way to support the immune system. Studies show that a daily dose of vitamin C can help restore the function of the immune system.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
You can use essential oils to help boost your immune system. My favorite way to use essential oils it to help with repairing the body. One of those is sickness.
My Favorite “Go To” Essential Oil
My go to essential oil that I personally use the most is “Deliverance” by Butterfly Express. It’s far cheaper than some other brands, seriously by a fraction! I have always noticed a difference using Butterfly Express essential oil, so I continue using them.
My other go to essential oil is Spice C, I like the smell of this one better so if I’m going to diffuse an oil, it will be Spice C. It has similar properties as Deliverance but Deliverance seems to be a little more powerful in my experience.
I use Deliverance when anyone in my family start feeling the first symptoms of sickness. Rub some on your throat and there isn’t anything else that helps soothe it more. Not only does it help with the relief but it also helps the duration of the sickness to be quicker.
WAYS TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS
Diffuse
For boosting your immune system I like to defuse my oils. That way it’s in the air you breath and you are constantly getting that benefit to help boost your immune system. Sometimes it’s easier to diffuse than to apply, especially if you are using the oils for a preventative rather than to heal.
Some other essential oils the help boost your immune system are, Spice C, Revitalize, LifeForce, Sweet Orange.
Apply to area
You mix a carrier oil with the essential oil and apply to the area needing the oils. Sometimes, depending on the oil, I will apply that oil directly to the affected area. Some oils are “hot” oils and can burn so using a carrier oil is the best way to go, especially with kids.
The majority of the time I apply the oils on the back on my neck and behind the ears. Unless you are using it for s specific area such as, a stomach ache use on the stomach, mosquito bit use on the bit, sore throat use on the throat, achy muscle use on the muscle etc.
Apply with a Roller
This is my favorite way to apply essential oils. You can buy empty roller bottles and you add which oils you want. Fill 1/4- 1/2 way with essential oils and the rest with the coconut oil carrier oil. Roll on when needed! I Don’t love getting oil all over my hands. This keeps it easy and clean.
5. MINERAL DROPS
It’s so hard to get all our minerals in our foods. Our soil is depleted of nutrients and isn’t the way it use to be. With the way aggressive farming is, not to mention the peptides and fertilizers that is put on our food and in our soil. The outcome of this, our food has become more depleted of minerals. When our body is depleted it doesn’t function as properly. When we replenish our bodies with the proper vitamin and minerals, it boosts our immune system to fight off sickness but it also improves our energy levels!
I like concenTrace Minerals because they contain 72 natural trace minerals. The bottle lasts you so long and you just need a few drops at a time! I only have to purchase this once or twice a year! Totally worth it for me. It’s also nice because it’s easy to give to your kids, if fact they won’t even notice because you can’t taste it at all.
HOW TO USE IT
I bought the little Trace Mineral dropper bottle that looks like eye drops. When that’s empty you can refill it.
Use 1 drop for every two oz of water or liquid.
Start by taking 10 drops for the first 3 days. Slowly increase to have 20-40 drops a day.
Children age 1-3: Take 1 drop for ever 5 pounds of body weight.
Mineral drop benefits
- Increase energy
- Stronger nails and hair
- Builds immune system
- Hydration| Great sports drink alternative
- Digestion
- Growth and hormone regulation
CONCLUSION
There are so many ways we can help build our immune systems and our kids as well. With different foods, we can eat the right nutrients to build immunity. Supplements that contain key components that strengthen and trigger the parts of our bodies to be able to combat the investors. Vitamin and nutrients to support the immune system to do its job. And essential oils that can stimulate our immune system and cells to help prevent sickness altogether. But lastly don’t forget to WASH YOUR HANDS! 😉 I hope this helps you entering into the flu season so you can combat any colds or flu that come your way!
Xoxo, Brooke