For those of you who are parents, you know this all too well: your kids return to school and in that first week or two, they get sick! Wouldn’t it be nice if they didn’t start off the school year being sick? As moms, we know this struggle too, which is why we have come up with some strategies on how to get your kid’s health in optimal levels before they start school. Start amping up the immune system now!
Sleep
It’s very important that children are getting plenty of sleep:
Ages 1-3 years: 12-14 hours per day
Ages 3-6: 10-12: hours per day
Ages 7-12: 10-11 hours per day
Ages 12-18: 8-9 hours
Nutrition
Maintain a healthy diet: reduce sugary drinks and foods, increase vegetables and fruits.
Exercise
Physical activity helps children’s immune system stay strong and vital. Plus they can shed some excess energy. Get them outside to play while they get some vitamin D synthesized by the sun!
Supplements
Add these nutrients ahead of time, in addition to a good multi: Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, probiotics, fish oil or omega-3s, and elderberry
As you start shopping for back to school items, do not forget to call our office and take advantage of our special promotion on kid’s immune support. See details below!
Healthy Skin Tips
Stress: High levels of stress in the body affect all hormone levels, especially increasing cortisol, which then depletes the skin of much needed vitamins and minerals.
Hydration: Need we say more?
Water is crucial to maintain healthy and vital skin. See our hydration tips below!
Skincare: Using products free of parabans, phaletes, artificial colorings and scents. Using SPF 30 or higher on your face will help prevent sun damage to your skin.
Diet: Eating anti-inflammatory foods that are high in antioxidants and support liver health. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, liver health reflects on our skin. A congested liver will cause rashes, acne, yellowing of the skin
Sleep: Sleep is crucial for any of our organs to function optimally and guess what! The skin is our largest organ!
Hygiene: Wash your face day and night. Use a new, clean towel each day to wash your face, separate from the one you use to dry your body.
Wash pillow cases at least once a week, and if you’re prone to acne or have sensitive skin, even more often than that.
Lifestyle: Movement is important to get our lymphatics moving. Proper lymph flow helps eliminate toxins including those affecting our skin.
Hydration Protocols
Living in the desert environment carries with it special hydration needs! Stay cool with these tips this summer:
- Carry an insulated water bottle everywhere. Remember we are 70-80% made of water, our body and cells need H20!
- Quality of water matters! Use filtered water, Berkey filters are fantastic. Be wary of plastic bottled water, as you never know how long it’s been sitting in the plastic and what toxins have leaked into your water. Phoenix tap water is not excellent, so explore options for filtering your water at home and work!
- Drink more than half your body weight! Here in the desert, we have extra needs for hydration since our water is whisked away so easily by the dry heat.
- Front load with hydration prior to exercise or manual labor. If you know you will be working outside or extra hard, make sure to pre-load your body with extra hydration the day before! It is not enough to just drink while you exercise or afterwards.