- The best thing you can do to keep your children from getting the flu is to strengthen their immune system. Feed your children immune boosting foods such as:
- Omega 3s found in fish oil supplements and cold water fish such as salmon. Omega 3s are a top immune boosting food
- Feed your children lots of fruits and vegetables, just like your mother said. What we do in our family, especially during flu season, is what I call the “S ‘n S” strategy: Smoothies & Salads. Send your child to school in the morning with a smoothie full of fruit, yogurt, ground flax seed meal and a serving of fish oil. For extra immune boosting add pomegranate juice. Parents in my practice call this Dr. Bill’s immune boosting smoothie. I drink this smoothie five days a week, especially during flu season. For an evening salad serve a filet of salmon over spinach and other vegetables.
- In general, to lessen the spread of all germs, keep your hands clean. Wash and wipe you hands frequently, especially after sneezing, coughing, going to the bathroom and before handling food. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use antibacterial wipes to clean your hands on the go. Based on laboratory testing Wet Ones® Antibacterial Wipes kill 99.99% of germs and cleans hands by removing dirt and grime, unlike hand sanitizing gels that just kill germs. Pack these in your children’s backpacks so they can use them at school.
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Most flu germs are transmitted on tiny droplets through the air following a cough sneeze. Please don’t share your germs with anyone else.
Dr. Bill