6 Easy Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immunity During Summertime

We have all discussed at length how important it is to build your child’s immunity. In fact, we’ve also discussed the various immunity boosting foods for kids that can be made a part of their daily diet and will make sure your child stays happy, strong and healthy. However, seasonal changes mean it’s time to adapt and play along with nature, not go against it. With the temperatures soaring high and the heat starting to already get unbearable in many parts of the country, it’s time we resort to taking all the necessary actions to make sure our kids’ immunity stays strong and intact. Here are 6 easy ways you can do this:

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Summertime’s biggest drawback is that the scorching heat can leave everyone dehydrated…and sometimes severely. It’s important that kids stay hydrated throughout the day. Make sure they’re taking in adequate amounts of water- a growing child should have approximately 1.5-1.8 litres of water on a daily basis. While nothing can replace H2O, apart from that, kids can keep the fluid intake constant by having coconut water, juices or even milk + complan.

If your child is being fussy about drinking water, here are some tips on what you can do to ensure they’re hydrated.

Wash Hands Thoroughly

If there’s one thing that the pandemic reinforced, it’s the importance of washing your hands. And this isn’t just important for kids, but for all of us. However, while adults understand the importance and necessity of social distancing and washing hands for at least 20 seconds, kids often forget while playing with their friends. So if you want to make sure your child’s immunity stays strong, make sure they thoroughly wash their hands and at regular intervals.

Soak In Some Vitamin D

Nothing quite like the morning sun, right? It’s imperative for your child to get some sunshine vitamin a.k.a Vitamin D. Cells in your body need Vitamin D, especially your immune system. By exposing yourself to direct sunlight in the morning, the ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger the synthesis of Vitamin D. So while you can always rely on immunity boosting foods for kids, some things that nature provides must be used and are simply irreplaceable.

Don’t Compromise On Probiotic-Rich Food

Your child’s gut needs to build good bacteria. And one of the ways you can do this is by giving your kid probiotic-rich food such as yogurt, buttermilk, cheese or kefir. Yogurts and kefir are good children’s immunity boosters and thankfully come in plenty of flavours so even if you have a picky eater, they will hopefully take to these.

PS: you can always add some fresh fruits to the yogurt!

Eat Wholesome Meals

How can we discuss immunity boosting foods for kids and not talk about a good diet plan? A balanced diet for kids is one that is the perfect combination of all the three macronutrients which are proteins, carbohydrates and fats along with micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Thankfully, indian meals are full of all these and are wholesome. Make sure you have meal chart ready for kids, and all their meals- in some form or another- include ample amounts of vegetables; whole grains and millets; protein foods like eggs/dals/pulses/meats/fish; at least 2 servings of fruits and about 500ml of milk (be it plain, as yogurt, curd, or even paneer). You can read more about the importance of right nutrition in kids and take some cues for your meal plans.

PS: You can always add Complan – which contains 34 vital nutrients – to the milk to enhance it.

Junk Food? No, Please!

Kids love binging on their favourite junk food. And one can’t blame them – it’s the age. But does their immune system love junk food as much as they do? We don’t think so! If they want their fill of pizzas and burgers, try to make them at home. This way, they will get what they want without having to compromise on their health. Similarly, cut down on packaged foods such as chips and cookies that could impose health risks. If they want something crunchy and crispy, try to give them home solutions such as homemade poha chivda, sweet potato chips, kurkuri bhindi and so on (here, you can control the amount of oil used as well).

Growth is influenced by genetics, nutrition, and other environmental factors. Please consult your healthcare professional further.
The information provided in this article is based on the writer’s personal experience and view. Any recommendations made about physical activity, nutrition source, and benefits on this website should be consulted with your paediatric/ health professional. The information you receive in our blogs, and other communication does not take the place of professional medical advice. Any recommendations made about physical activity, nutrition, or diet on this website should be consulted with your healthcare professional