Navigating the Holiday Season with Kids: Immune Health
With Halloween in the rear view mirror, the holiday season is officially upon us, especially for those of us who have kids at home. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? No matter how you choose to celebrate, or even for those who do not celebrate at all, the collective culture around us is one of hustle, bustle, and rich food aplenty this time of year. Add in tiny (or not so tiny) stressors like family relations, finances, and time constraints, and the holidays are almost certain to pack a punch for all.
So here is your survival guide, dear parents! You may think after many years of going through it you should have the holiday routine down pat, but it just isn’t so. Kids get older and change so mu. ch with each new holiday season, there’s nary a blueprint for success here. And if this is your first few holiday seasons with kids, whew, hold onto your winter hats, it could be a wild ride!
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be a struggle. It can, in fact, be the most wonderful time of the year! The spirit of the holidays lends itself to quality family time and slowing down as the days reach their shortest. Amidst all the consumption, find time to bundle up and get into nature with your kids and feel the sacred rhythms of this precious time of year.
The leaves are falling, birds are migrating, and hibernators are preparing for their long winter’s nap. First frosts are turning the coldest parts of the country into sparkly wonderlands at first light. The angle of the sun in the afternoon paints the natural world in a golden hue, the perfect time for a nature walk. Get the family outside into the brisk, fresh air for a dose of oxygen that will leave you all energized.
Stay focused on keeping your kids healthy and happy. Keep things light and easy going. Make plans but don’t be afraid to break them. Sniffles and tired days happen, and when you’ve taken time to stock your kitchen with wholesome foods and filled your medicine cabinet with seasonal herbal remedies, the holiday season can go smoothly and giggles may commence!
As the seasons change, proper sleep, good digestive support, and a healthy immune system will go a long way for every family member, but today we are going to focus on the kiddos.
(Parents and guardians, stay tuned for December's blog on adaptogens and herbal mocktails for the adults in the household. We’ve got your back, too!)
FIND CALM WITHIN THE STORM
Excitement abounds this time of year. From extracurricular activities to holiday plans, these weeks often seem to fly by. Sometimes excitement can turn into a feeling of overwhelm for our kids and they just need a wholesome break from all the giddiness. Let them have it.
Unplanned weekend mornings are a great way to rejuvenate as a family. Let everyone sleep until they wake up naturally, don’t be concerned about big family breakfasts. Allow for a pajama day! Break out the board games and puzzles or simply let the kids play quietly in their rooms.
HEALTH TIP: Support restorative sleep with regular bedtimes and healthy bedtime snacks. Growing kids often need a little protein before bed to aid in restful sleep to avoid blood sugar crashes and nighttime wake ups. A half of a banana or apple with nut butter will do the trick. This is also the perfect time to incorporate some Cedar Bear herbal remedies like Chamomile Calm for bedtime calming support.
WELLNESS TIP: Turn down the lights and shut off all devices an hour before kid’s bedtime. This is a great time to play a card game, read a book, or do some yoga together. If they are older, allow an hour of silent reading before lights out. These activities will calm the brain and body, signaling that it is time to turn in for the night.
CEDAR BEAR HERBAL CALMING SUPPORT
Brainy and Bright (Focus & Calming)
Helps kids handle stress, soothes the nervous system, and builds brain health to help kids find focus and calm. An amazing support for high-wired kids!
Chamomile Calmer
Calms nerves and gently helps soothe fussy babies and big kids alike, especially before bedtime. Helps calm fussy tummies as well as fussy emotions.
EASE DIGESTION
Did you know that as much as 70-80% of the immune system is actually located in our digestive tract? Our gut lining, or microbiome, hosts immune cells which feed on healthy bacteria.
Amidst the pie, chocolate, whipped cream, candy, and hot cocoa, where do we fit in all the good stuff?! Decadent food seems to come with the territory in November, so the best way to navigate it is to counterbalance these treats with nourishing, wholesome choices throughout the day.
So, even on party days, encourage balanced meals, beginning with breakfast. Add in some fermented foods like yogurt (make a fruit smoothie) to feed the healthy bacteria in the gut.
The good news is, if you generally feed your kids a balanced diet, they will start craving broccoli and the like after a few overly cookie- filled days! Their little bodies are mighty smart.
HEALTH TIP: Look for holiday recipes that incorporate sneaky vegetables. Steamed and blended greens are easy to add to morning muffins and holiday latkes. Seek out vegetable forward side dish recipes for holiday parties and potlucks.
WELLNESS TIP: Invite your kids to help out in the kitchen. Not only is it a good opportunity to spend quality time together, it is also an opportunity to teach them what good nutrition looks like. Kids are generally much happier to scarf down a cucumber if they peel and cut it themselves.
CEDAR BEAR HERBAL DIGESTIVE SUPPORT
Tummy Ease
This formula soothes sensitive, upset, or gassy tummies and helps them feel better fast. It even helps calm motion-related queasy tummies, making it a great helper for holiday travel!
Chamomile Calmer
Not only does Chamomile Calmer help calm nerves and soothe kids to sleep, it helps calm upset tummies as well, especially those bellyaches related to stress.
Gut Flora Builder
Antibiotics, sugary diets, and stress knock the gut flora out of balance. Gut Flora Builder helps cleanse the gut flora of ‘bad guys’ so the ‘good guys’ can flourish.
BUILD IMMUME HEALTH
Beyond adequate sleep and proper digestion, exercise boosts the immune system as well. So grab a ball and head outdoors with your kids when you can. If you have a trampoline, encourage them to use it. If you have a dog, encourage the kids to walk them. You get the idea.
Don’t forget the basics. Teach your kids to wash their hands often, especially after using the bathroom, exploring public spaces, or before mealtimes. Show them how to cough or sneeze into their elbow, not their hands, to keep germs from spreading. Consider having them wear a mask in confined public spaces or when they are feeling under the weather themselves.
HEALTH TIP: Eat for immune health year round, the virus “season” is no longer confined to the late fall and winter months, although they do still tend to hit hardest this time of year. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables will provide an array of antioxidants to keep your kids going strong.
WELLNESS TIP: Everything in moderation. Balance exercise with rest. Wholesome, building foods with treats here and there. Teaching children moderation will help them grow and blossom in so many areas of their lives. Everything hangs in the balance.
CEDAR BEAR HERBAL IMMUNE SUPPORT
Elderberry
A superfruit that builds overall health, Elderberry strengthens immune function and is an effective antioxidant free radical scavenger.
Ashwagandha Root
Use ashwagandha with children that need their health and vitality strengthened. A potent immune booster, it also calms and strengthens the nervous system, relieves fatigue, and improves mental function.
This echinacea based immune boosting formula is gentle yet effective. The moment sniffles and sore throats begin to appear (or even before), make sure family members have their daily dose of Immune Booster!
WHY CEDAR BEAR?
In the 1980’s, Founder and Clinical & Formulary Herbalist, Carl Robinson developed his revolutionary TincTract® method for creating a totally alcohol-free liquid herbal product with just herbs, glycerin, and water. As a father himself, most of his first formulas were for children. Since young kids can’t swallow pills and don’t like yucky tasting things, it was imperative that his herbal remedies be both liquid and great tasting, which they are!
Using ancient alchemical principles together with modern technology, Carl developed a process that was totally new and the most ‘synergy-enhanced’ of all liquid processed herbal products. At the time there was nothing like it. Alcohol tinctures tasted nasty and alcohol denatures and breaks the synergy of many health benefits of the herbs, and existing glycerin-based extracts were weak.
More than a TINCture, (no alcohol ever used) and much more than an exTRACT, and working better than either, Carl called his revolutionary process the TincTract® process. From there, he began applying his training in phytopharmacology and biochemistry to formulate amazingly effective herbal remedies.
Cedar Bear’s TincTract® process makes herbs both bio-available and bio-utilizable, so every drop goes right to work supporting your health and well-being.
Take charge of your family’s health with Cedar Bear’s TincTracts® today!
Jhoane Robinson, Herbalist, Co-Founder Cedar Bear Naturales
Contributing Author: Aubrey Loretta Connelly, MH, NC
(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)
