I have a secret? I love Kula Mama! She has amazing recipes and remedies and her articles are always so right on point. I love her so much that I asked her to guest blog and write an article for my readers! Thank you Kula Mama for sharing your knowledge with us. This post is so informative and necessary and something that we don’t often think of. Please welcome Heather from Kula Mama!
During cold and flu season children are often fighting off a variety of viruses at varying times throughout the winter months. Our immune systems do a wonderful job of protecting us from illness and most of the time we don’t even realize they are working so hard for us. But sometimes the immune system needs a little extra help. This is when we feel that tickle in the throat warning us of an impending cold virus, or we start to feel tired, achy and sluggish. If your child starts feeling a little under the weather this cold and flu season, there are foods you can remove to help the immune system get back on track.
4 Foods to Remove During Illness:
1. DAIRY
Dairy is mucus forming in the body, so when your child starts showing signs of a runny nose or congestion it is best to remove this food group to slow mucus production. Why throw gasoline on a fire? Dairy is also acidic in the body and the body heals more quickly when in an alkaline state.
2. SUGAR
Sugar, the anti-nutrient, is always a good thing to remove when your child is feeling sick. In order for the body to process sugar it actually has to use up nutrient stores…nutrients the immune system could use to fight off a virus! Sugar also contributes to an acidic pH in the body and for healing to occur it is best to bring your child into an alkaline state. Find out more about how to do that here.
3. DAMAGED FATS/FRIED FOODS
Damaged fats are highly inflammatory in the body. During a cold or flu virus children need to bring inflammation down so their immune systems can do the work of healing. Eating fried food or packaged food made with Trans fats or vegetable oils only increases inflammation in the body which is harder on the immune system.
4. GLUTEN
Gluten, the sticky protein found in wheat, is a very large protein that is hard to digest. When your child is feeling ill, his digestion is vulnerable and it’s better to focus on nutrient-dense foods that are easy to metabolize like clear bone broth and soup. Gluten also causes inflammation in the body and is a problem food for many children whether they know it or not. When your child is sick, try going gluten-free while healing.
What foods to you find best to remove when your child is sick? Tell me in the comments below!
Heather Haynes, MA, is a nutrition and wellness educator working in the field of whole foods nutrition and holistic health. She is passionate about the health of all children and believes raising happy, healthy kids starts with getting back to basics and cooking with REAL food. You can find her blogging most days on her website www.kulamama.com sharing holistic health information and recipes for kids. Find her on Twitter, Facebook and G+!
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I love what you are doing here, trying to help mothers with their sick little ones. I’d have to advise moms to leave out anything with enzyme modified foods, DHA and digestive enzymes. These have increased levels of lysoPC which can cause lesions on the spine in unnaturally high numbers.
Can you tell us what you give your kids to eat when 1. they have a cold/sinus stuff and 2. when they have a stomach bug type illness? Obviously, what they’ll be able to handle (digestively) in each situation will be different. My son isn’t really a soup person so the broth thing would be hard. And, with a stomach bug, you’re supposed to go bland, which usually is crackers, toast, a little juice, but that will have gluten and probably sugar. Thanks!!