03 Jun 4 Natural Remedies to Boost Immunity

There are many different immune-boosting vitamin, mineral and herbal remedies available.  The nutrients listed below play a key role to assist your child’s recovery from infection, or will help to support their immunity to stop them getting sick in the first place.  Next time your child feels unwell, this is our list of recommended supplements to have on hand and ready to use in your natural medicine toolkit.

Natural Medicine to the Rescue

Zinc

When your child has a zinc deficiency the immune system cannot work at its optimal best, making it difficult to fight off common bacterial and viral infections.  

Children with low levels of zinc most commonly have white spots on their nails. Another less common deficiency symptom is they may display signs of pica, where they have an appetite for non-food substances such as dirt, play dough, paint chips or paper.

Symptoms of low zinc includes

• ✅. Poor memory
• ✅. Learning difficulties
• ✅. Behavioural problems
• ✅. Poor wound healing

The highest food source of zinc includes

• ✅. Meat
• ✅. Nuts (almonds, walnuts)
• ✅. Legumes
• ✅  Sardines

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is well known for its immune boosting qualities by helping to increase the production of white blood cells to help protect against and fight off infections.

Symptoms of low vitamin C includes

• ✅. Easy bruising
• ✅. Poor immunity
• ✅. Dry brittle hair
• ✅. Rough scaly skin
• ✅. Loss of appetite

Foods traditionally high in vitamin C includes

• ✅. Kiwifruit
• ✅. Berries
• ✅. Citrus
• ✅. Tomatoes
• ✅. Broccoli
• ✅. Capsicum

Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a significant role in modulating the health of the immune system to protect against illness and disease.  As sunshine is needed on the skin to produce vitamin D, it is often low in kids who spend a lot of time indoors.  If your child is regularly unwell, it may be worthwhile getting their vitamin D levels checked, optimal levels sit around 120nmol/L.

Symptoms of low vitamin D includes

• ✅. Poor immunity
• ✅. Rickets
• ✅. Delayed motor development
• ✅. Muscle weakness
• ✅  Aches and pains
• ✅. Broken bones

Food sources of vitamin D includes

• ✅. Eggs
• ✅. Mushrooms
• ✅. Fish
• ✅. Cod liver oil

Probiotics

These are the actual live bacteria that reside deep inside your child’s gut. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most common groups and these comprise of different strains, all of which perform different tasks. The bacteria living in the gut work hand-in-hand with the immune system to fight off infections.

Probiotics are found naturally in fermented foods such as

• ✅. Fermented vegetables
• ✅. Greek-style yoghurt
• ✅. Apple cider vinegar
• ✅. Miso
• ✅. Kefir
• ✅  Kombucha

Naturopathy Can Help With the Following Childhood Conditions

Fiona provides tailored health plans based on a multitude of factors relevant to your child’s symptomology (how they are feeling), pathology (how their body is responding), plus dietary and lifestyle factors.

• ✅ Digestive complaints – constipation, diarrhoea, loose stools, pain or bloating
• ✅ Allergies and allergic conditions – such as asthma, eczema or hayfever
• ✅ Poor Immunity – recurring colds or ear infections
• ✅ Skin Conditions – rashes, eczema, acne, pimples or allergic reactions
• ✅ Moods – anxiety, depression or mood swings
• ✅ Food Intolerances – identifying food reactions
• ✅ Food Allergies – identifying food reactions
• ✅ Growth and development issues – fussy eaters or nutritional malabsorption
• ✅ Behavioural challenges – ADHD or others
• ✅ Energy – poor energy or chronic fatigue
• ✅ Picky Eaters – fussy eaters
• ✅ Sleep – trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

What happens in a children’s nutritionist consultation

During your consultation, Fiona will seek information about your pregnancy, birth and post birth experiences. This will provide an integrated view to give a full picture of the foundations of your child’s health status. You can expect to leave your consultation with a thorough understanding of the potential contributing factors of the presenting symptoms. Fiona will provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan that incorporates possible herbal/nutritional medicine, dietary/lifestyle recommendations, recipes and handouts. Plus an overview of the consultation so you feel empowered to care for your child’s wellbeing with Fiona’s guidance. At The Children’s Naturopath, Fiona Stock an expert in childhood health, she understands children’s needs and considers working with kids and teens to be an absolute joy. She finds that children typically respond to naturopathic treatment very well – bouncing back to good health in no time.  And she treasures the opportunity she has to teach kids about their bodies and engage them in their health journey, setting them up with strong foundations and knowledge for life.

Meet Children’s Nutritionist – Fiona Stock

Fiona is skilled at getting to the heart of childhood health challenges – helping to initiate lasting change.

Fiona Stock is a respected Paediatric Naturopath & Children’s Nutritionist with a career spanning over 23 years. Armed with an abundance of experience and a true desire to transform your child’s health, she’ll listen closely to understand the underlying causes of their troubling condition. Fiona gets to the heart of your child’s presenting symptoms by deciphering what their body is trying to tell you. She will suggest simple and specific changes as well as herbal or nutritional medicine where required to nurture and restore your child, so they can enjoy the good health they deserve. Deeply compassionate and highly skilled, either of the Naturopathic Consultation Options with Fiona is a wonderful investment in your child’s health. If you’ve tried everything and are yet to find solutions to your child’s health challenges – this could well be the path to take.

FIONA STOCK | PAEDIATRIC NATUROPATH & CHILDREN’S NUTRITIONIST

 

Fiona treats the following conditions:

• ✅Poor Immunity
• ✅Poor Focus & Concentration
• ✅ Behavioural Problems
• ✅ ADHD
• ✅ Depression
• ✅ Anxiety
• ✅ Food Allergies
• ✅ Food Intolerances
• ✅ Constipation
• ✅ Diarrhoea
• ✅ Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• ✅ Tummy Pain
• ✅ Eczema
• ✅ Asthma
• ✅ Obesity
• ✅ Auto-Immune Disease
• ✅ Recurring Infections
• ✅ Fussy Eaters
• ✅ Sleep Issues
• ✅ Plus many more…

Online Learning | Children’s Health | Children’s Nutritionist

Would you like a consultation with me at a fraction of the cost? My online learning classes are jam packed with more advice than I provide in a face-to-face appointment. It’s evidence-based naturopathic wisdom coupled with the latest scientific research on kids health I’ve successfully shared with clients over my 20+ year career.

I’ve also included cheatsheets, checklists, nourishing recipes and 25 page book of class notes.

You will learn:

• ✅ Understand the cause if common childhood conditions (eczema, poor immunity, food allergies, food intolerances, poor focus & concentration, ADHD, behavioural problems).
• ✅. Supporting immune function to help support allergic conditions.
• ✅. Support optimal brain function.
• ✅. Healthy Eating Plan – including portion size for each age-group.
• ✅. Natural medicine recommendations,
• ✅. Plus much more…