Authored by: Dr. Aidanne
 Photo by Deleece Cook on Unsplash | It’s that time of year again, filled with both change and a return to routine as the bustle and fun of summer come to an end. For students, this season holds the promise of learning new skills, reconnecting with friends, and the chance to build habits that set the stage for long-term success. To help make the transition a smooth and successful one, we’ll explore effective ways to support your whole system this school year, with a focus on nutrition, lifestyle modifications, and switching to cleaner, PFAS-free products for your day to day. |
Immune Support
Heading back into classrooms, gyms and other group activities exposes kids to new germs. This is inevitable, so let’s discuss how to supporting immune health to minimize days missed at school & to stay on track.
Antioxidants can be gained from eating a variety of colorful veggies and fruits. These compounds such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, etc. can help our immune system work more efficiently and detox unwanted waste products from our metabolism and the day.
Other immune supporting nutrients and herbs include:
Recommendations for Sleep & Play
Although sleep may seem like something that can be neglected in the short term for the sake of cramming for exams, it’s an incredibly important element to overall performance at school. Memory consolidation is essential for learning and occurs during deep, REM phase sleep. Pulling all-nighters or lacking sufficient rest can result in poor exam performance, poor recall of information, irritability, attention problems, and weakened immune responses.
You may be surprised to learn how much sleep kids need depending on age:
Let’s start to:
It is also important to prioritize play and movement, as physical activity enhances concentration, reduces stress, improves mood, and has so many other health benefits. Encourage daily opportunities for movement, whether through organized sports, after-school play, or walking the dog with your family. Children aged 3-5 should be physically active throughout the entire day, while those aged 6-17 require at least 60-minutes daily of moderate to vigorous activity including aerobic and strengthening exercises.
What to Pack for Lunch
Balance is key with any meal, and packed lunches from home are often the easiest way to ensure this. Planning ahead is important, as meal prepping will help to streamline this process.
1. Protein comes from both plant and animal sources in the form of chicken, turkey, hard-boiled eggs, beans, cheese, yogurt, nut butters, etc. Proteins not only help keep blood sugars stable to help you focus and keep your energy levels up during class, it is also a key building block for muscles, brain cells, neurotransmitters, antibodies, and growth. Be sure to pack at least two rich and different sources in your lunch.
2. Carbohydrates: Although most believe carbs only come from grains, the come from a variety of plants including veggies and fruits. Aim to pack at least one cup or 1 medium sized fruit, 1/2 - 1 cup of a preferred veggie and 1-2 servings of a grain at each lunch. One serving is the equivalent of one slice of bread or 1/2 cup of rice, pasta, oats, etc.
3. Healthy Fats: Our brains and central nervous system are lined with fat, making healthy fats and oils essential for proper brain development. Healthy fats could come from nuts, seeds, oils on your rice, avocado, etc. Fats also help hydrate the skin barrier to combat eczema which often flares come the dry, fall season.
4. Limit Sugar: Although it’s not possible to completely avoid, try to minimize the use and consumption of excess sugar such as candy, soda, and other treats. Consider frozen berries instead of freeze pops or candy, or substitute seltzer water or prebiotic drinks for soda.
Clean Products
Choosing clean, PFAS-free products is an important way to reduce exposure to "forever chemicals" that have been linked to adverse health effects in children and adults alike. These substances are commonly found in stain-resistant clothing, food packaging, and some plastic containers.
Look for labels that say “PFAS-free”. Many brands now highlight when their products are free from harmful chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), BPA, BPS, PFOA/OS/NA/DA/HxS. For a comprehensive list of known forever chemicals, please see the EPA’s list using this link. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is also a valuable resource for clean living ideas and products.
Where it is not possible to avoid PFAS entirely, I encourage you to do what you can to minimize exposure and what is called “bioaccumulation” of these chemicals as our bodies cannot eliminate them.
Start to make a positive change by:
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html
Heading back into classrooms, gyms and other group activities exposes kids to new germs. This is inevitable, so let’s discuss how to supporting immune health to minimize days missed at school & to stay on track.
Antioxidants can be gained from eating a variety of colorful veggies and fruits. These compounds such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, etc. can help our immune system work more efficiently and detox unwanted waste products from our metabolism and the day.
Other immune supporting nutrients and herbs include:
- Vitamin D is needed by nearly every cell of the body, and it plays a role in boosting innate and adaptive immune responses. It helps immune cells differentiate into mature players to fight infection, and maintains the integrity of physical barriers, such as epithelial cells, to shield the body from invading pathogens
- Zinc is needed for the development and function of numerous immune cells, including neutrophils, natural killer cells, and T and B lymphocytes. Achieving adequate zinc through food and supplementation supports the body's ability to ward off infections and reduce inflammation, while deficiency has been associated with weakened immune responses.
- Quercetin is a flavonoid that comes from foods such as broccoli, red onion, oranges, etc. that inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, stabilizes mast cells, and has antioxidant properties that protect immune cells from oxidative stress. Given these benefits, quercetin is one of my favorite interventions for supporting seasonal allergies come the fall as well!
- Astragalus is a root that is native to temperate climates and has a long standing historical use as an adaptogen in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Astragalus is known to boost white blood cell counts, particularly lymphocytes which are responsible for the development of antibodies as part of the adaptive immune response. This can be supplemented with or taken as a decoction or tincture.
- Elderberry is the fruit that comes from the black elder tree, which can be cooked into an immune supportive syrup. Elderberry has been shown to reduce the duration of cold and flu symptoms, in part due to its immune modulating and anti-inflammatory effects.
Recommendations for Sleep & Play
Although sleep may seem like something that can be neglected in the short term for the sake of cramming for exams, it’s an incredibly important element to overall performance at school. Memory consolidation is essential for learning and occurs during deep, REM phase sleep. Pulling all-nighters or lacking sufficient rest can result in poor exam performance, poor recall of information, irritability, attention problems, and weakened immune responses.
You may be surprised to learn how much sleep kids need depending on age:
- Preschoolers (3-5 Years Old) - 10-13 hours including naps
- School Age (6-12 Years Old) - 9-12 hours including naps
- Teens (13-18 Years Old) - 8-10 hours
- Adults (18+) - 7+ hours
Let’s start to:
- Establish a consistent routine by first aiming for consistent bed and wake times. This is especially important during the week but is even better if it can be stuck to on the weekends as well. This will help regulate the body’s internal clock.
- Limit use of electronics the 60-minutes before bed as the blue light from screens can interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
- Invest in an alarm clock instead of using your phone and turn the clock away so you’re not tempted to watch the time while falling asleep.
- Cultivate a relaxing pre-sleep routine such getting cozy after brushing teeth, and reading a good book.
It is also important to prioritize play and movement, as physical activity enhances concentration, reduces stress, improves mood, and has so many other health benefits. Encourage daily opportunities for movement, whether through organized sports, after-school play, or walking the dog with your family. Children aged 3-5 should be physically active throughout the entire day, while those aged 6-17 require at least 60-minutes daily of moderate to vigorous activity including aerobic and strengthening exercises.
What to Pack for Lunch
Balance is key with any meal, and packed lunches from home are often the easiest way to ensure this. Planning ahead is important, as meal prepping will help to streamline this process.
1. Protein comes from both plant and animal sources in the form of chicken, turkey, hard-boiled eggs, beans, cheese, yogurt, nut butters, etc. Proteins not only help keep blood sugars stable to help you focus and keep your energy levels up during class, it is also a key building block for muscles, brain cells, neurotransmitters, antibodies, and growth. Be sure to pack at least two rich and different sources in your lunch.
2. Carbohydrates: Although most believe carbs only come from grains, the come from a variety of plants including veggies and fruits. Aim to pack at least one cup or 1 medium sized fruit, 1/2 - 1 cup of a preferred veggie and 1-2 servings of a grain at each lunch. One serving is the equivalent of one slice of bread or 1/2 cup of rice, pasta, oats, etc.
3. Healthy Fats: Our brains and central nervous system are lined with fat, making healthy fats and oils essential for proper brain development. Healthy fats could come from nuts, seeds, oils on your rice, avocado, etc. Fats also help hydrate the skin barrier to combat eczema which often flares come the dry, fall season.
4. Limit Sugar: Although it’s not possible to completely avoid, try to minimize the use and consumption of excess sugar such as candy, soda, and other treats. Consider frozen berries instead of freeze pops or candy, or substitute seltzer water or prebiotic drinks for soda.
Clean Products
Choosing clean, PFAS-free products is an important way to reduce exposure to "forever chemicals" that have been linked to adverse health effects in children and adults alike. These substances are commonly found in stain-resistant clothing, food packaging, and some plastic containers.
Look for labels that say “PFAS-free”. Many brands now highlight when their products are free from harmful chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), BPA, BPS, PFOA/OS/NA/DA/HxS. For a comprehensive list of known forever chemicals, please see the EPA’s list using this link. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is also a valuable resource for clean living ideas and products.
Where it is not possible to avoid PFAS entirely, I encourage you to do what you can to minimize exposure and what is called “bioaccumulation” of these chemicals as our bodies cannot eliminate them.
Start to make a positive change by:
- Switching from plastic water bottles to options such as stainless steel or glass.
- Swapping plastic ziplock bags for bamboo, glass, Beeswax wraps or silicone food containers and using utensils from home
- Looking for backpacks made from natural fibers or leather versus PVC such as Terra Thread, Fjallraven, Osprey, Herschel, etc.
- Aiming for cotton, hemp fiber or stainless steel lunch bags such as Milkdot, Planetbox, or Fluf.
- Sticking to plain wood, unscented or uncolored pencils
- Swapping soaps, shampoos and other hygiene products containing parabens, pthalates, etc. for those that achieve a 1-2 score and EWG approval on the Skin Deep database.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html
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