Immunity BOOST!

What's the best way you can help your child stay healthy and keep their immune systems strong enough to fight off sickness?

1. Eat lots of citrus fruits and vegetables containing Vitamin C! Most people turn to Vitamin C when they have a cold. That's because it increases the production of white blood cells and these are key to fighting infections. Because your body doesn't produce or store it, you need daily Vitamin C for continued health, and citrus fruits are just loaded with them. Some of the best are:

• Lemons

• Limes

• Oranges

• Grapefruit

• Capsicums

• Broccoli

• Guava

• Papaya

• Kiwi

• Spinach

2. Don't forget your other Vitamins.

Vitamin C is not the only vitamin you should be taking to boost your immune system. Vitamins A, E, B6 (Also known as niacin) and Zinc all contain powerful properties to help your body ward off infection and keep it strong and healthy. Some foods rich in these vitamins are:

• Garlic

• Broccoli #again

• Carrots

• Sweet Potatoes

• Mangoes

• Eggs

• Liver

• Milk

• Almonds

• Potatoes

• Bananas

• Chicken

• Seeds

3. Stay Hydrated

Make sure you're drinking enough water every day. If your child doesn't like the taste of plain water you can try adding some fresh squeezed oranges to make it more enticing. Green tea is a well known and powerful antioxidant. If your child has the flu you can make them a nice warm drink using green tea, lime, honey and ginger.

4. Get Enough Sleep.

Establishing a regular bedtime is important to maintaining a strong immune system. While sleep may not help ward off sickness, it will help your body gain the energy it needs to fight off infectious diseases. Your body needs REM sleep, so make sure #you and your child turn off those LCD electronics at least 1/2 an hour before bedtime.

5. Exercise Staying cooped up indoors is the last thing you want to do, but sometimes it's necessary. #likenow

The solution? Find ways to keep your kids active. Physical activity can help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. So go on, throw a dance party, create a treasure hunt, do some jumping jacks or make a competition of how high you can jump.