Healthy School Kids – As children reach school age, their exposure to germs increases substantially. However, this does not need to be cause for alarm. This is the time to start building the immune system, and we can help keep it strong with the right foods and supplementation. Teachers can also find inspiration in this section, as we offer handy tips to help keep the classroom germ-free and keep adults in the classroom from coming down with every bug that sneaks in with the students.
Below you will find sections suitable for toddlers, elementary, middle school and high school students. In addition, there is a section for teachers that addresses diet, lifestyle, and recommendations for the classroom.
HEALTHY SCHOOL KIDS + HEALTHY TEACHERS = HEALTHY CLASSROOMS
As children reach school age, their exposure to germs increases substantially. However, this does not need to be cause for alarm. This is the time to start building the immune system, and we can help keep it strong with the right foods and supplementation. Teachers can also find inspiration in this section, as we offer handy tips to help keep the classroom germ-free and keep adults in the classroom from coming down with every bug that sneaks in with the students.
Below you will find sections suitable for toddlers, elementary, middle school and high school students. In addition, there is a section for teachers that addresses diet, lifestyle, and recommendations for the classroom.
LIFESTYLE AND DIET | Healthy School Kids
Children (and adults) derive vast immune system benefits from a strong daily rhythm that includes regular meals and a regular bedtime. Getting not only enough sleep, but QUALITY sleep is crucial. To help the body prepare for sleep, we recommend no TV or other electronic exposure (computers, video games, iPhones, iPads etc.- children AND adults) for at least two hours before bedtime. If your child has a TV and/or computer in his or her bedroom, you may want to consider moving it to a family room or den. While we have become a fast-paced, technologically advanced culture, we still have the same old-fashioned bodies, which are very sensitive to light sources — and our circadian rhythm is thrown off by evening exposure to disruptive light sources such as the TV or computer.
Breakfasts are a challenge for many families. The key to a good breakfast is finding ones that boost the immune system and stabilize blood sugar. One helpful practice to be a Healthy School Kids is having the same rotating breakfasts each week- eggs, toast and fruit on Monday, smoothie and toast on Tuesday, etc. This eliminates arguments over what to have for breakfast and helps parents plan in advance. For teachers — whose home lives often intersect with their work lives — this is a great-time saving practice as well.
One breakfast to avoid at all costs: cereal and milk. Cereal generally contains too many artificial ingredients, from refined sugar and food dyes to highly processed grains that contain no nutrients and create a blood sugar spike that will likely result in your child feeling exhausted by 10am. Pasteurized milk, in addition to being a common allergen, is very hard to digest and will compound the problem of being tired from the blood sugar spike and plummet. Chronically dipping blood sugar can leave the body vulnerable to illness. Instead, try oatmeal or a whole grain hot cereal sweetened with a bit of honey or maple syrup. Bob’s Red Mill makes several delicious ones.
Other great breakfast ideas include: Healthy School Kids
- Eggs scrambled in butter or virgin coconut oil, sprouted wheat toast or Udi’s gluten-free toast with almond butter and apple slices
- Eggs scrambled in butter or virgin coconut oil and placed in a warmed organic corn tortilla with salsa and raw cheese and served with organic berries or grapefruit
- (For single serving) Smoothie made with one cup plain kefir, a small dash of maple syrup or honey, a serving of protein powder, ½ cup of frozen organic berries, and ½ banana or ¼ avocado (creates an amazingly creamy smoothie!) Serve with sprouted or Udi’s toast with almond butter.
LUNCHES
If you are packing lunch- To keep immunity strong and blood sugar steady, school lunches should always include a protein and complex carbs in the form of vegetables. Try to leave out sugary items and save those as a special treat for when your child is home. Teachers: sugary items will create fatigue midway through your day. Try to avoid at all costs! Filtered water in a stainless steel container is preferable to juice. Leave out soda, always. Excess refined sugar is a guaranteed way to suppress white blood cell function and catch a bug.
Lunch ideas:
- Turkey lettuce wraps, almonds and raw cheese, organic fruit cup
- Smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich with sprouted bread or Udi’s, carrots and celery with hummus, raisins
- Raw cheese slices or tuna salad (tuna, paleo mayonnaise, chopped celery, relish, salt and pepper) with Le Pain De Fleurs Crispbread, sliced cucumbers, carrots and hummus, orange and sunflower seeds
- Thermos with soup from last night’s dinner, gluten-free crackers, apple slices, raw cheese
Dinner ideas:
Ideally your meals, including dinners, should follow the seasons. This helps keep the immune system and digestive system functioning optimally. In the fall and winter, warming foods such as soups with organic veggies and and an organic chicken broth base are great for staying well. Invest in a crock pot if you don’t already have one- a quick prep in the morning and you have dinner made by the time you get home. Spring and summer are great times for cooling foods: big, colorful organic salads with chicken or fish, cold soups with sourdough bread and raw cheese.
Try to avoid too much starch in the form of pasta and breads (Tinkyada rice pasta is a great alternative for spaghetti and soups). As with breakfast, keeping with a schedule is helpful and a time-saver. For example: Monday is soup day, Tuesday is chicken, a cooked vegetable and salad, etc.
If your child is coming down with something, eliminate all refined grains and sugars if you haven’t already. Avoid cow dairy products. Keep him or her hydrated with lots of filtered water, encourage early bedtime and provide easy-to-digest foods such as chicken and vegetable soup made with onions and garlic. The following supplementation is recommended for warding off bugs, or getting over them faster if you’ve already succumbed to a virus.
Contact us for custom programs for 6 months old to 4 years old, 5-10 years old, 10-12 years old, 13-15 years old, and 15 and up.
