Back To School!
Happy Tuesday!
I can’t believe it’s that time of year again, but here we are! As you prepare to send your kids back to school, return as a teacher, admin, or parent (let’s be honest - prepare for the germs your loved ones bring home), below is a list of a few different ways to boost immunity that you might not typically think of. Some of these are fun for both you and your kids-- so give them a try!
In the words of REI: Opt outside. The fresh air, exercise, and sunlight are a triple-whammy for the immune system. We are in the peak season for optimizing Vitamin D and getting as much exercise outside as possible. So take your kids for a hike, a bike ride, buy them some roller blades. Grab some for yourself while you’re at it - it's really great exercise!! Just don’t forget the wrist guards and elbow pads. Whatever you decide to do, do it outside.
In that same vein...go dig in the dirt! Kids do it anyway, so might as well join them! There are so many proven benefits of “earthing” and its effect on the immune system AND nervous system. Get dirty and absorb all of those micronutrients from the soil. Whether you garden or just want to walk around barefoot, I promise you will feel great afterwards!
Get your diffusers fired up. We have no less than 3 diffusers going in the house at any given time and I feel it really helps with my lung capacity. I usually have the Ravintsara, Eucalyptus, or Frankincense in rotation. To make it fun for kids, let them pick what oils you use for the day and night. It gets them involved and interested in knowing what might help them feel their healthiest. Don’t forget to make sure the oils you use are safe to diffuse for children and pets.
Do some intentional breathing. Yoga or meditation are great ways to focus on breath AND get exercise at the same time. Kids love having their own mat and being involved as much as possible too. A quick internet search showed me that there are infinite resources for yoga for children. What a great way to teach them about meditation and breath work to help control their emotions and increase their lung capacity! A great idea for all the respiratory viruses circulating.
Dry brushing. This is a little known way to boost the immune system and circulate the qi! You dry brush your extremities in an upward motion, towards the trunk, in order to help the blood flow back to the heart. It moves the lymph and blood and helps the body filter toxins out. I’m not 100% sure this one would be fun for kids. Not that you CAN’T, but they might not like the pokey brush feeling. Try it and let me know what they think!
Implement afternoon naps. Nothing like a little siesta to reboot the body. Getting plenty of good sleep is crucial for the body to function at its best, so why not? Try not to sleep for multiple hours (unless your little ones still need longer naps); a good 30 minute cat nap is perfectly fine! NASA suggests that the perfect nap length is 26 minutes in order to get the full benefits without interrupted sleep cycles or grogginess later. So snuggle up with your kids and a book, read a little together and then take a snooze and rejuvenate for the second half of the day.
Last but not least…acupuncture!!! Surprise, surprise. Many of you out there come and see us for other things like pain, stress relief, fertility, allergies, etc., but acupuncture and the other Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities like moxibustion or cupping have incredible benefits for the immune system. Bonus: we also treat kids! We have needleless tools to work on kiddos and they love it! From babies to teenagers, we tap and brush the meridians and acupuncture points to activate the immune system. If you’re worried about what you can do for your little ones as school begins, don’t hesitate to ask us about what treatments look like and how to get them in!
I feel like a broken record sometimes, but just to plug a healthy diet of fresh fruits and veggies, clean meats, and limited processed foods is also the best way to set you and your kids up for success as they start to be around others. If you need ideas for fun ways to feed your kids, or new fresh ideas for the family, see my last newsletter article!
Let me know what you try and how it goes with the kids! Good luck to all of those heading back into school and work over the next couple of months. Let us know if you or a family member or friend would benefit from an acupuncture session to help boost immunity in this critical time.
We’re here to help!
