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As both A Gutsy Girl and a Gutsy mama, I approve of these 1st day school supplies.

And no, no you’re not going to find a list with pencils, crayons, an extra T-shirt, backpack, and Kleenex boxes on this list.

In fact, even if you don’t have a child(ren) returning to school (or a child at all), these 7 simple tips are still great supplies to grab for life.

1st Day School Supplies {7 Immune Boosters for Back-to-School}

Click HERE to save these 1st day school supplies for later.

Clean with Care

Of course I realize that homes and schools are currently cleaning 24/7. Kids will be sent to school with hand-sanitizers, wipes, masks, and more.

Whatever you have to do in order to feel safe and comfortable, by all means, do it.

However, choose what you’re using wisely. Babies living in households that used eco-friendly cleaners had different microbiota and were less likely to be overweight as toddlers (source), and regular use of house cleaning products can be as damaging as smoking a pack a day (source).

All of that to say, be picky and choosy with cleaning and sanitizing products

Eat colorful plant foods

By “eating the rainbow,” a variety of nutrition is consumed.

While many SAD (Standard American Diet) foods are inflammatory and harmful to the immune system, colorful plant foods are helpful.

By far, my favorite way to encourage this with the kids is via a smoothie packed with colors prior to sending them off for the day: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, spring mix, and a plant-based milk (or Whole Organic Milk).

Incorporate fun movement

One study stated that “in the short term, exercise can help the immune system find and deal with pathogens, and in the long term, regular exercise slows down changes that happen to the immune system with aging, therefore reducing the risk of infections.”

But kids don’t want to do mundane exercises (I mean, I don’t even want to!)

The body doesn’t know the difference between dancing silly and walking. So, encourage dancing silly and anything else that gets them moving.

Add in probiotic foods + a kid’s probiotic

Build your child’s microbiome with the best little fighters (aka bacteria) possible. Set them up for success!

HERE is a list of probiotic foods to get started.

Make food fun – that’s the secret to getting kids to eat “healthy.”

For example, yogurt is a probiotic food. Make my 2-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt then toss it with their favorite fruits and/or granola.

Spend time in the sun

Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, make this a non-negotiable daily occurrence.

With kids, the tendency is school, homework, and electronics.

Encourage more daylight, and less electronics (we have drastically cut out electronic time and notice such a positive difference!)

Check out the vitamin D and sun facts.

Ditch the added sugars

Sugar is inflammatory, so this goes back to the point I made in number 2 – the more inflammatory foods we consume, the lower our immune system is.

Trust me, I know the struggle with children and sugar.

I have a child who is obsessed with it. So I’m not saying “no sugar, ever.” I am saying to consider swapping in natural sugars like fruits to send along to school instead of brownies.

In case you need help identifying sugar on labels, HERE is a list of 192 sources and alternative names for sugar. Yes, 192!

Help them de-stress

Mama, you think we are the only ones stressing from everyday life?

C’mon; that’s not true. The kids are stressed as well. In fact, your child might be even more stressed than you are. And this last point is very important for you to take into consideration and help them with.

Stress is taxing on the immune system and overall mental and physical health and well-being. There are so many ways to help children de-stress from talking it out to coloring.

Seriously – coloring, just like how coloring is a stress relief for many adults as well.

Whatever it is, help them find their own zen.

Sure, there are supplements to consider for boosting the immune system as well, but the above 7 things are simple and practical; anyone can implement them.

Don’t Forge the Gut/Immune System Connection

And remember, if you’ve been reading A Gutsy Girl for awhile now, your child(ren) is probably good to go.

Why? Because 70-90% of the immune system cells lie within the gut.

Taking care of that most prized possession, the gut, means an immune system most likely ready to go.

What would you add to my list of 7 immune boosters for back-to-school? Anything?!

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

1. 12 Science-Backed Ways to Boost Your Immune System
2. Immune Boosting Gut Health Support
3. A College Girl’s Master Guide to Gut Health

Xox,
SKH