Womanthismonth.com 68 December 2024 DON’T GO DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS Parenting columnist, Ouiam El Hassani, sheds light on how you can stay healthy when your kid is sick! Cold and flu season is officially here, and parents everywhere are waging war against sore throats, stuffy noses and high fevers. What’s a mama to do when sickness has breached the walls of her home and taken up residence in the form of a chicken soup-sipping kiddo on the couch? How do you keep yourself healthy when your kids are sick? Contrary to popular belief, all hope is not lost. In addition to washing, and washing, and washing those hands, here are some other often-overlooked recommendations for how to stay healthy in a germ-y home: LIFESTYLE | parenting Turn to the Vitamin C and Zinc Team Some studies suggest high doses of Vitamin C or zinc can limit the duration of an upper respiratory infection or cold if you feel a cold coming on. It’s not 100 percent effective, but the risk of toxicity is minimal – so it’s worth a shot even if there’s a small benefit. And it’s not too late if you’re already sick. The combo of Vitamin C and zinc can decrease the duration of symptoms even after a cold starts to set in. When you start to feel a little bit sick and start to feel that scratchy throat and think, “Maybe I am coming down with something”, go ahead and take Vitamin C. Stay Hydrated While certain foods and medicinal herbs can slow a virus’ progress, there is no menu item with the antiviral properties that can stop a cold or flu from happening altogether. It does help, however, to down a few glasses of water – at least when it comes to helping the body respond to the stress of illness. Boost Immunity with Breakfast The war on the common cold can start at the breakfast table. Families should cut the processed foods and add more nutrient-dense foods, especially at breakfast. Morning protein is important for fullness, but it also helps with tissue repair and a general immune-system boost. Parents should opt for whole protein sources such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, tofu or nuts to add some immuneboosting protein power to breakfast. That might look like a yoghurt bowl with berries, a fried egg and cheese sandwich or a smoothie with added protein powder. Then aim to round it out – at least throughout the rest of the day. A nutritionallybalanced diet is best for cold prevention as each nutrient plays a different, key role in overall wellness.
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