Well, it is that time of year…back to school. It is an exciting time of year for all, including the germs. Yes, the one downfall of back to school is spending time with others in pretty close quarters; allowing germs to bounce from one surface to another and from one person to another. So what can you do to help your child avoid the back to school cold; strengthen their terrain.

On any given day our bodies are bombarded with germs but we don’t always get sick. Do you ever wonder why one family member gets sick and others don’t? Or why the flu goes through the entire class of students but one or two are “lucky” enough to avoid it.

It all comes down to the body’s ability to “deal” with the germs. How much strength does the immune system have to fight off the invading germs?

So what can you do to strengthen your child’s terrain before school starts in hopes of preventing the back to school cold, here are a few tips:

1) Begin to limit sugary foods. Summer time is sometimes a time of extra treats and sugary snacks. Sugar unfortunately suppresses the immune system, making the body vulnerable to any germs which decide to enter it. Start cutting back slowly and increase antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables which help support the immune system.

2) Start getting back into a regular sleep routine. Sleep is your child’s best friend. Sleep is important for immune health, and it allows the body to time it needs to repair, restore and rejuvenate. Lack of sleep and rest leads to a body and immune system which is not functioning at its best. Take time now to get your children back into a regular sleep routine so the immune system is ready for school.

3) Support immune health with probiotics. Probiotics are good bugs which live in the large intestine. With up to 80% of the immune system in the gut, providing good bugs daily will help the body and immune system function optimally.

4) Ensure adequate vitamin D intake. Much research has been done on vitamin D and the immune system. Conclusions are pretty clear; we need it to support optimum immune health. If you have allowed your children time in the sun this summer without sunscreen, their body would have made plenty of vitamin D from the sun. However, sunscreen blocks the body’s ability to make vitamin D, so if your child has been protected you may want to consider starting a vitamin D supplement now to get levels up for optimum immune health.

5) Eat real food. Eat a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, food with few ingredients, food in its natural state, food that is not packaged and processed. The body needs quality nutrition from real food to support health and well being. And it is the perfect time of year for eating fresh, local foods which optimally support the body and health.

6) Teach proper hand washing. Now is the time to go over hand washing techniques so your children can do it at school before meals and snacks. Also teach your children the “hands off face approach” ensuring they keep their hands away from the entry points germs like best – the eyes, nose and mouth.

Take some time to prepare your child’s terrain for the back to school season and you just might find they are one of the “lucky” kids who don’t get the back to school cold.