The drop in temperatures and waning of the sun’s beams may make it difficult for your youngster to adapt to the environment. During this stage, your child needs to strengthen their defenses. Their immune systems must be on high alert to combat a variety of ailments like the flu, colds, sore throats, and ear infections.
Kids need a variety of vitamins and minerals due to their rapid growth and development. These nutrients are essential for their growth, vitality, attention, learning, and memory as well as for the proper functioning of their cells. For all parents around the world, the health of their kids is their first and foremost priority. To boost their kids’ immunity and safeguard them against various illnesses, they would do anything.
Parents are aware that vitamins and minerals are essential for a child’s health. It is not always easy to determine which nutrients they need and how much of each they need. You can better monitor your children’s nutritional needs if you have a basic understanding of vitamins and minerals.
The basic For growth, development, and general health, your child requires a number of critical vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, as well as minerals like calcium, iron, iodine, and zinc, are among them.
The following food groups make up the finest range of foods to ensure that your child is getting adequate vitamins and minerals from food:
• Cereals: Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, Rice, Wheat etc.
• Pulses: Peas, Beans, Lentils, Chickpeas, etc.
• Oil and nuts: Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Pumpkin, Flax, and other seeds.
• Milk and dairy products: Cheese, Paneer, Curd, Yoghurt, etc.
• Vegetables: Spinach, Bottle Gourd, Lady Fingers, Cauliflower, etc.
• Fruits: Apple, Pear, Guava, Melon, etc.
By strengthening the physical barriers of the body, boosting the production of antibodies, and enhancing cell “communication,” micronutrients help the body’s natural defenses. Additionally, some vitamins tend to assist your immune system more effectively than others.
Both in children and adults, vitamin A is essential for sustaining vision, encouraging growth and development, and safeguarding the integrity of the epithelium and mucus in the body. Because it is so important for boosting immune function, vitamin A is referred to be an anti-inflammation vitamin. Yellow, orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, oranges, pumpkin and sweet potatoes are sources of vitamin A, along with milk.
B vitamin family members are essential for the development of immune system cells, and clinical research has demonstrated that immune function is compromised by their nutritional deficiencies. Milk, whole grains, cereals, soy, and soy products all contain vitamin B. Lack of vitamin B complex is a very common problem that frequently goes undiagnosed.
Vitamin C promotes collagen and aids in fighting infection. The immune system benefits from vitamin C because it helps to produce new white blood cells, which the body uses to naturally fight infections. Fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruit such as guava, kiwi, oranges, and capsicums, are sources of vitamin C.
For strong, healthy bones, calcium absorption is aided by vitamin D. This vitamin supports the proliferation and activation of white blood cells, strengthening our resistance to a variety of diseases. The majority of the vitamin D our bodies require is produced when our skin receives adequate direct sunshine. There are small amounts of vitamin D in mushrooms.
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that, like other vitamin, which aids in maintaining cell membranes and guards against harm when an infection is present. In addition to widening blood channels and preventing blood clots, it fights against invaders like viruses and bacteria. It has been demonstrated that vitamin E improves immune system performance and lowers the risk of infection. Sources of vitamin E are almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Zinc strengthens the immune system, but its main effect is to activate enzymes that cause viruses and bacteria’s proteins to be broken down, which makes them less contagious. Additionally, zinc promotes the activation of cells that fight infection. Beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and wholegrain cereals, milk and dairy products are sources of zinc.
Selenium is a crucial mineral that promotes cognitive function, fertility, and the immune system. It appears to have a strong impact on the immune system. Additionally, it strengthens your immune system by feeding the antibodies that increase your body’s resistance to disease. The foods with the highest levels of selenium are Brazil nuts.
Immune system performance benefits from iron. Anemia and immune system deterioration can result from a diet low in iron. Legumes, nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and dried fruit are foods packed with iron.
Calcium appears to be crucial for the immune system’s cells to become active. Additionally, it is necessary for a variety of biological processes. Growing and developing children can be negatively impacted by inadequate nutrition. Calcium-rich foods include milk, paneer, ragi, dark-green leafy vegetables, yoghurt, and cheese.
Tips to sneak into your child’s diet
● Include whole grain cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, green leafy vegetables, nuts, low-fat milk and milk products in the diet.
● Vegetable purees are one of the best and most traditional ways to sneak vitamins and minerals into kids’ meals.
● Kids frequently favour crunchy vegetables. To preserve the majority of their nutrients when preparing vegetables, it is better to microwave them in a tiny amount of water or briefly steam them.
● Encourage your youngster to select healthy food groups for their snacks. Nuts, yoghurt, and fresh fruit or vegetables, such as carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus, and guacamole dip, can all be included in this.
Along with diet, one of the most crucial things, as a parent one can do to strengthen their child’s immune system, is to just lead a healthy lifestyle which includes:
● Good sleeping practises
● Being physically active
As the winter season has begun, make sure your child stays healthy and free from any illnesses by using these practical measures.