Foods Kids Should Eat to Prepare for Flu Season

Oct. 29, 2009 - PRLog -- The joy of the season has already begun with the romp of children in pumpkin patches, parents pressed to come up with the best costumes, and gifts for their munchkins, but looming ahead is the threat of this season’s flu genre--pandemic. As we await the onset of the government’s immunization program what are parents and caretaker’s to do? Feed our families—foods for ammunition.  The best ammunition for your immune system comes from a diet rich in nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals having been shown to have protective biological and antioxidant properties.  

The healthy notion of just eating your spinach has expanded to the likes of vegetables, fruits and nuts.  Mineral loaded roots such as garlic and ginger add a touch of flavor as well.  Exotic spices like cardamon, cloves and cinnamon have been found to be rich in antioxidants according to the USDA antioxidant database.  Kids have fun sprinkling a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg onto their favorite foods such as berries and pancakes.  Most love pie and the classic pumpkin or apple pie can be immune busting, rich in vitamin A, C, D and E, loaded with immune boosting spices.  Past studies indicated that sugar contributed to suppressing the immune system.  So, consume in moderation if not sugar-free or low-sugar.  

The cacao bean, chocolate, has one of the highest values of antioxidant units, even higher than goji berry and acai berry, the new super foods out in the market today.  Beware of processed antioxidant lacking dark chocolates.  It’s best to use real raw cacao for superior chocolate desserts and hot chocolate drinks.  Clinical trials have proven that antioxidants can significantly improve certain immune responses.

A recent finding published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found a compound in the family of Brassica vegetables such as broccoli, kale and cabbage known as DIM (3,3'-diindolylmethane) which has been found to be antiviral, immune system enhancing as well as cancer cell fighting in mice and cell cultures.  Co-author to the study, Dr. Firestone says, "There are virtually no other agents known that can both directly shut down the growth of cancer cells and enhance the function of the immune system at the same time." This chemical actually enhances the body’s fighting ability to disengage virus attack – amazing.

Next time you hit the supermarket, get your kids to add these nutrient rich foods into your cart.  Involving your young ones during washing and preparation give kids a sense of pride that would hopefully lead them to eating healthy.  Although certain nutrient supplementations are available in the market today, the Brassica study showed that chewing and eating the vegetables were much more effective in maximizing it’s potential germ fighting capabilities, but if supplementation is your thing, by all means take advantage of such a resource especially when appetites are not up to par--at best under the supervision of a health professional.

Nutrition plays a major role and a well-rounded immune boosting regimen that includes eliminating sugar, getting lots of sunshine (vitamin D boost immunity), exercise in play, and plenty of rest will provide ammunition against germs. The season of joy should be one truly when you and your family play and work together to keep each other happy and healthy.

For more information on the latest research on food nutrition log onto http://www.foodinformantonline.com/


RESOURCES:

Ling Xue, James J. Pestka, Maoxiang Li, Gary L. Firestone, Leonard F. Bjeldanes:
3,3′-Diindolylmethane stimulates murine immune function in vitro and in vivo , 20 August 2007; The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry;May 2008 (Vol. 19, Issue 5, Pages 336-344).

Christine Cole Johnson, Dennis R. Ownby, Edward M. Zoratti, Sharon Hensley Alford, L. Keoki Williams and Christine L. M. Joseph; Environmental Epidemiology of Pediatric Asthma and Allergy; Epidemiologic Reviews 24:154-175 (2002); © 2002 by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .

Adrianne Bendich; Physiological Role of Antioxidants in the Immune System; Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 76 No. 9 2789-2794 © 1993 by American Dairy Science Association ®.

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