Kids Immune Strengthening Herbs and Nutrients

Come cold and flu season I have always been at a bit of a loss as to how to treat my children’s coughs and boost their health and immune system. Is there a way to help improve their health with kids immune strengthening herbs and nutrients?

Assuming we’re giving our kids fresh healthy food, water and exercise… What should we reach for when they won’t stop coughing? Are there home remedies for cough and cold or to reduce the risk of cold and flu symptoms from happening in the first place?

Firstly, let’s take a little look at immunity.

Children are born with some immunity but it is largely undeveloped. The immune system fights infections and diseases by producing antibodies.

“An infant produces antibodies efficiently by about six months, but the immune system is not fully developed until it is about four or five years old.” (healthychild.com) 

This whole system can be supported by us and through a very good friend I’ve been exposed to Fusion Health and their immune strengthening herbs. My aim with my kids is to try to be as natural as possible when it comes to their health and find home remedies for cough and cold.

This isn’t always easy. I couldn’t breastfeed my twins for as long as I did my first born and like so many of us I’m juggling my business, children, housework, homework, sport and it can be a struggle to look after them in the best way, all of the time.  So, if there is a more natural herbal remedy for pain relief and immune strengthening herbs and nutrients that help me to help them then that’s wonderful!

I like how Fusion Health have described three stages of illness and how to support the immune system through each stage so I’ve teamed this up with some of their products that are great for children, one of them even for newborns.

RESISTANCE.

I first heard of Astra 8 Immune Tonic through my Mother-in-Law who absolutely swears by its power to help fend off the lurgy. What I didn’t realise is that it can be taken by children as young as two-years-old. It is a high potency immune-boosting formula combining herbs traditionally used in Chinese medicine to support a healthy immune system and build resistance against minor infections.

For me to be able to help reduce those sick days through immune boosting herbs; to help avoid time off school away from learning… Yes please!

Child 2-5 yrs: Take ½-1 tablet once or twice daily. Tablet must be crushed and mixed with syrup or honey.

Child 6-12 yrs: Take 1-2 tablets once or twice daily.

Good old Vitamin C and this one is sugar-free, free of artificial flavours and sweeteners and tastes good enough for my 7-year-old to ask for his daily dose.

Child 6-12 yrs: Chew ½-1 tablet once or twice daily. An extra dose may be taken as professionally advised.

Now this one is a goodie because the children don’t even know they are taking it!

You use the spoon provided to measure the right amount of powder (NB not the spoon I pictured which just looked pretty) and simply mix it with yoghurt or puree.

There are so many beauties to this product… It helps maintain babies’ and children’s intestinal microflora and healthy digestive function and may help with relieving tummy upsets such as flatulence, colic and abdominal bloating.

There is also a lot of talk about it playing a role in the symptomatic relief from allergic conditions such as eczema and dermatitis and aids the absorption of nutrients vital to growing kids, such as calcium, iron and zinc.

Newborns & Infants 0-12 mths: Take 1-2g (½-1 rounded spoon) once daily.

Children 1-12 yrs: Take 2g (1 rounded spoon) once daily.

There is great further reading here with 7 signs your child may need probiotics.

SYMPTOM RELIEF.

When your children are ill and you’re turning to Dr Google for help with how to get rid of cold and flu symptoms or cough remedies for kids as you’re wondering whether regular cough syrups actually work, these two products should help you.

I just can’t bring myself to buy children’s cough syrup by the way. From what I’ve read it’s mostly full of high fructose corn syrup so I’m always looking for a more natural herbal formula in cough syrup options and was so happy to find alternatives.

Try this to help reduce their dry cough, sore throat and blocked nose.

Child 2-6 yrs: Take ½-1 tablet twice daily. Tablet must be crushed and mixed with syrup or honey.

Child 6-12 yrs: Take 1-2 tablets twice daily.

I used this to ease coughing and congestion. Cough Lung Tonic is available as a liquid or capsules. I got to this at the tail end of croup recently and it seemed to help my 7-year-old recover more quickly compared to my five-year-old who didn’t try it. He was brave enough to take the liquid but now I realise that I can break the capsules and mix them with honey which will enable my 5-year-old twins to have it too.

Child 2-5 yrs: Take ½-1 capsule 1-3 times daily. Mix capsule contents with a little syrup or honey.

Child 6-12 yrs: Take 1-2 capsules 1-3 times daily.

Vitamin C 1000 Advanced is also important during this cold and flu symptoms relief stage as is Kids’ Probiotics Advanced.

RECOVERY.

Kids’ Probiotics Advanced. Such a great all-rounder to support children’s immunity.

Astra 8 Immune Tonic is recommended as a recovery tonic for the whole family.

Not sure which immune strengthening herbs and nutrients are right for your children?

Fusion Health provide access to an online Naturopath for health and product advice. When I sent a query about how many of these products I could use together, I got an answer within a couple of hours.

The beauty of all of these immune boosting ingedients is that you can take them too! Don’t forget yourself, which we so often do in this mission to grow and nurture our little ones.

Stay healthy.