How to Reduce Your Child’s Sick Days

Autumn is here and most children have been back to school for the better part of a month now—signaling the unofficial start of a new season, in more ways than one. I am not talking about just colder weather but also the resurgence of colds and the flu, too

Children contract an average of three to eight colds per year—and they’re two to three times more likely to get sick with the flu. Your children or grandkids will bring these wonderful bugs home with them from school, And that, leaves you at higher risk, too.

So Strategies that can help your children stay healthy will also help you and your entire family stay healthier this cold and flu season.

According to one recent study, published just last month in the journal Pediatrics, a daily dose of bacteria may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Probiotics, —specifically, the two strains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bificobacterium lactis. While commonly used to help regulate digestion, it turns out that daily supplementation with these friendly gut bacteria can fight colds and flu, too—not least of all due to their unique ability to stimulate dendritic cells, which play a critical role in your body’s immune function.

In this study, researchers examined the beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation on 325 young children between the ages of three and five. The results at the end of the trial period were dramatic: A combination of L. acidophilus and B. Lactis cut the total incidence of cold and flu symptoms in half—delivering a 73 percent reduction in fevers, a 59 percent reduction in runny noses, and a 63 percent reduction in coughing fits among the children who supplemented with both strains.

For years, nutritional experts have touted the strong connection between the digestive system and the immune system. In fact, many of the components of your immune system actually develop in your intestinal wall. There the mucosa of your small intestines play host to important cell defense players such as macrophages, lymphocytess and other important immune cells.—

Since probiotics play such a big part in establishing healthy flora in your gut, they’ll naturally improve the protective function of your digestive tract—delivering noticeable benefits to your immune system in the process. That’s why supporting your digestive system as a whole (through multiple methods) is so important—and most especially when flu season returns.

Shaklee Corporation makes a great Probiotic called Optiflora. What makes this product effective is that it is triple encapsulated so it is not destroyed by the stomach acid like many products.
This product can be taken by children. Shaklee has also incorporated a probiotic into their infant toddler supplement called Shaklee Baby Multi-Vitamin and Multi-Mineral Powder

Of course, this is only one of many natural sources of cold and flu prevention out there.

See Dr. Richard Brouse on Keeping Your Children’s Immune System Healthy