Nostalgia wells up in me every year when the “get back to school” season hits.  I’m excited that next August I’ll get to take my own daughter for the first time to grab up all the fun back to school necessities!

Even if you have all the right notebooks and pencils…and for the teachers, all the right bulletin board materials and grading pens, you still don’t have everything you need for a truly successful year.

Every year during the first months of school my Facebook feed is full of teachers or parents commenting on the current illness and ailments of their own, their kids or their classrooms.  It doesn’t have to be that way! Your fall and winter season as a family or as a teacher can be a healthy one, unencumbered by lost days and weeks recovering from illness or nursing your loved ones back to health.

Here are five school survival supplies to make it a more cold and flu free year.

1. Multi-Vitamin: Because of the quality of our food supply, it is very difficult (pretty much impossible) to all thenutrients our bodies need from what we eat. Adding a multivitamin (Incredivites for get children before they can chew, Vita-Lea with iron for women, Vita-Lea without iron for men) makes a big difference in your immunity’s first line of defense. The children’s vitamin in particular is the first children’s vitamin with lactoferrin—the immune boosting protein found in breast milk. (And no, you can’t get this at Target. My friend, Kylie Hinkle gives an amazing explanation of this on her blog in her post “What You Need to Know about Children’s Vitamins.”  In addition you can take a look at the Shaklee difference and this video for one example).

2. Optiflora probiotics: 80% of our immune system is in our digestive tract, which effects not only how healthy we are, but how the rest of our body functions. Even our moods and emotions. You can learn more about the importance of a healthy gut in this great explanation by former science teacher and business partner of mine, Katie Odom. She also covers in more detail what makes Shaklee’s probiotics significantly more effective. In summary, because the microflora in probiotics is delicate, they often are destroyed by the acid in our mouths and stomachs.  Studies have shown that as little as 5% of what is included in the typical store bought probiotic actually makes it into your gut. Shaklee’s triple-encapsulated system guarantees that all of the microflora listed will actually make it to your intestines where probiotics live and do their work. This is why people often see completely different results when using Shaklee’s probiotic. AND the tiny pearl is easily swallowed by even the smallest children (my daughter started swallowing it in applesauce before she was a year old).

3. Nutriferon: When it comes to immunity, Nutriferon is the most amazing product in my arsenal. World-renowned immunologist Dr. Yasuhiko Kojima first discovered interferon in 1954, while he was conducting research at Tokyo University. After 40 years of painstaking research, testing hundreds of natural compounds, he developed a unique blend of four powerful plant extracts that boost the body’s natural production of interferon. Scientists and medical communities have identified interferon as critical to healthy immune function. NutriFeron is the only dietary supplement in the U.S. created by the discoverer of interferon that naturally increases the production of interferon in the body. This product has been life-changing for us as we protect ourselves during the flu season and prevent ourselves from catching something our children may have picked up. During cold season, when someone I know we’ve been around has the flu, when my children’s diets have compromised their immune system, I always add this (crushed and added to a shake or applesauce) to my children’s vitamin regimen. With small children I crush a half, but older children can have a whole tablet.

4. Vitamin C: Simple, yes, but effective. Children can add a simple chewable Vitamin C (of the highest quality) and adults can use the very effective Sustained Release Vita-C for all day immune boosting.

5. Shaklee 180 shakes and bars: For both teachers and students, starting your day with a quality source of protein and nutrients will give you energy and focus to make the most of your day. Many students see a distinct difference in their attention in class when getting enough protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar and appetite. The bars also make great after-school snacks or for before sports and extracurricular activities. (These shakes and bars are safe and HEALTHY for children of ALL ages).  They’re priced at a great value for what they contain and beat out the store bought meal bars all day long.

If you’d like to hear more about making this year your best health year yet, check out our these webinars on helping children and teachers have a healthy and successful school year filled with great testimonies:

How To Help Our Kids Have Their Best Year Ever
Teachers Nutritional Survival Kit … How to Stay Healthy and Sane This School Year.
Raising Our Kids in an Increasingly Unhealthy World
Why We Trust Our Kids to Shaklee

Bonus item for the best year ever: Omegas!  Mighty Smarts for children can help greatly with mental focus and brain development. Not only for those struggling with attention disorders, but for all kids.

 

 

 

Vitamin photo credit: Maggie Fortson Photography