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Make sure the flu doesn’t go viral, with these health boosters
Choosing a multivitamin depends on many factors, which can even include taste.
Wanting your child to be healthy and safe, is arguable utmost priority for most parents. Over the course of history, it has been reiterated time and again that the key elements to boosting your child’s immune system are a healthy diet, an active lifestyle and drinking water.
Here are two additional ways to boost your child’s immune system:
Multivitamins or immune-boosting supplements
Choosing a multivitamin or immune-boosting supplement is all about personal preference. For many parents, this will depend on factors such as finances, allergies, product ingredients, and even taste. These are all factors that will decide which product you will ultimately end up choosing for your child. Here is a list of products that local pharmacists say they would recommend: Septogard, HEEL Engystol, HEEL Gripp, MNI Immunovance, Viralguard, Viralmed, Creche Guard, Dr Daycare, Biobalance Immunova, Nutrizinc/Zinplex and Linctagon. Most pharmacies also sell their own immune-boosting medicine, which is usually a combination of all the vitamins needed by the body to ensure good health.
Flu shots
The flu vaccine prepares your immune system for fighting flu, almost similar to an anti-virus programme for your computer. Fractions of a virus are given to which your body responds as if you are battling a real infection. This helps the body’s soldiers (immune system) to learn how to fight the virus, giving your immune system a so-called head-start.
If we know our enemy’s weakness, our chances of winning are better. This is why it is better to get a flu shot or even a multivitamin shot to boost your immune system in time for fighting the virus which usually thrives in winter. Flu shots are great for the whole family and children can start getting the flu shots from as young as six months old.
Sources: Van Heerden Pharmacy
Kids exercise video:
Kids Water:
Healthy snacks for kids DIY:
How to keep safe:
• Keep your children home and away from friends.
• Teach your children to wash their hands frequently.
• Make sure your children wear a mask when they go into public spaces.
• Teach your children not to touch their faces.
• Teach your children the correct way to cover their cough or sneeze with a bent elbow or tissue as well as how to properly dispose of it after use.
• Keep your children on a healthy, well-balanced diet.
• Remind your children to stay hydrated by drinking at least two litres of water per day.
• Give your children the space to ask questions and talk about their fears, give them the facts and comfort them, and reiterate to follow the guidelines.
• Incorporate exercise in their daily routine.
