Back To School Health
- Cammy Benton MD
- Aug 25, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 7
We know what happens when kids get back to school, right? New colds, strep throat and missed days from school seem to be inevitable for some kids. Try these tips to keep your kids healthy. Also know that getting sick sometimes stimulates the immune system, so it is a rite of passage for some.
Quick List to Stay Healthy:
Frequently wash hands
Rinse sinuses
Avoid sugar
Get natural Vitamin D
Get regular exercise
Take supplements like cod liver oil, vitamin C, and elderberry syrup
Run humidifiers
Hand washing is key but you should avoid antibacterial soaps and gels. Good ole' soap will do and not result in antibacterial resistance like some of those modern anti germ rinses . When your kids get home from school, after hand washing, rinse out the sinuses with a gentle nasal spray like Simply Saline. When flu or other stronger germs are circulating, use Xlear in addition to the saline rinse to really kill off germs. However, you should not use Xlear year round. It's important to remember that we need to live in harmony with germs rather than consider them our enemy. If we can balance our health and environment, they pose less of a risk to us.
Avoid or minimize sugar as sugar alone impairs your immune system. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, have them play outside (bare feet are even better ) and enjoy some sunshine. The vitamin D from the sun is the best kind. Regular exercise (but not excessive) helps support the immune system as well. Fresh garlic in high doses is amazing for strep throat and other sources of sore throats. I was surprised to see how well it helped folks with COVID too!
Supplements that can help are cod liver oil (my favorite is Rosita brand for safety and quality) and if really deficient, you can use vitamin D3 with vitamin K2. Never take vitamin D3 alone but ideally focus on the sun and cod liver oil for your sources of D as they are safer and your body knows what to do with those. Elderberry syrup like Sweet’s Syrup or homemade is amazing for allergies and flu prevention as well as treatment. It also tastes yummy. Keep vitamin C handy but preferably buffered of liposomal versions because they are absorbed better. When sick you can dose vitamin C every 1-2 hours until it upsets your stomach. You can also dose vitamin D higher as well for a few days but talk to your holistic provider about the right dose for your age and conditions.
Humidifiers are also awesome because viruses don’t do well in humid air. The trick is to not let your humidifier get moldy so get one with a blue light to kill mold or use 1/8-1/4 cup of peroxide in the water. I personally will let the mist with peroxide get into my nose which kills germs fast and my cold goes away in no time!
Let’s enjoy this school year and so thankful that we don’t have to fear germs. We just need to focus on our health and environment to be at peace with it all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Benton
704-775-6029
Huntersville and Denver locations
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