Some kids cry endlessly when they are sick, others more quietly moan and groan; either way when have a sick kid you feel the pain right alongside them. The more days kids are sick, the more days of school they miss. Not to mention, you’ve got your own life and with sick kids at home, it isn’t easy to keep up with everything on your plate. You want your child to feel better as quickly as possible so that life can return to normal, but did you know that what your child eats while they are sick can impact the speed of their recovery? Forget what you have heard about “starve a cold, feed a fever,” while some foods help your child’s immune system fight off intruding bugs, other foods provide natural relief immediately. Here are 5 of the greatest foods you can feed your child while they are sick to help them make a speedy recovery!
1. Hot Chicken Soup For Sick Kids
If your child has a stuffy nose warm soup is a great tool to help loosen up their nasal passages. Make sure the soup is hot and steamy; it’s the steam that actually works to clear mucus out of the way, granting your child a few uninterrupted minutes of normal breathing. The University of Nebraska Medical Center reported a study that concluded eating hot soup might actually reduce the number of cells causing inflammation in the body, thus reducing symptoms (Read More). Add plenty of veggies to the soup, think carrots, pees, or celery, as vegies pack vital nutrients that will help give the immune system the strength it needs to fight off any underlying infection faster. Because of its high water content, chicken broth is great for keeping sick kids hydrated, hence why chicken soup is one of your best soup choices for sick kids.
2. Warm Fresh Lemonade For Sick Kids
Hold the ice! When lemonade is warm it effectively soothes sore throats and provides a necessary dose of Vitamin C (More Information). You can make your own lemonade fresh at home, use a juicer to squeeze room-temperature lemons, then mix with warm water and sugar. Just be careful not to add too much sugar, you don’t want to make the drink unhealthy, causing more strain on the body and contradicting your good intentions.
3. Berry Good Smoothie For Sick Kids
Smoothies are not only comforting for sore throats but they are also a great way to get some good ingredients into your child’s tummy so that their body has more power to battle off an illness. The great thing about smoothies is how versatile they are, you can use bananas, strawberries, berries, whatever fruit you have on hand. If you are concerned your child isn’t getting enough vegetables, you can mix a few greens in the smoothie too and your child won’t even notice—think a handful of wheat grass or celery. Instead of adding ice cream to the mix, you can skip the sugar and use plain low fat yogurt, coconut water, and a couple cubes of ice as your liquid base instead. The result is simply delicious and hydrating, plus coconut water is incredibly healthy and healing.
4. All Natural Fruit Popsicles For Sick Kids
Kids with sore throats will love the numbing sensation frozen popsicles provide. Plus, what kid doesn’t love the delicious taste of fruit pops? Look for popsicles with low sugar content and high actual fruit content so that your child is benefited in every way by this quick sore throat reliever for sick kids.
5. Don’t Forget To Feed Your Sick Kids Balanced Meals
Sometimes when kids are sick they don’t want to eat at all, us adults can well understand what that feels like. You don’t want to force eating upon your child, but you want to make food readily available the moment they agree to take a few bites. Skip foods that are high in sugar and sodium because these only increase inflammation and postpone the illness. Seek out whole grains, lean poultries, and plenty of vegetables; try plain foods that are easy to digest like potatoes or rice. Eating nutritious foods gives your immune system a big boost, making it easier to fight off infection. By improving your child’s immune system the chances of an illness developing into something more serious, such as bronchitis, is less likely to occur.
Healthy Kids, Happy Parents
Your child means the world to you and you want to make them feel better the moment that they are sick. Focus on healthy foods and keeping them hydrated, while avoiding things like sugar, sodium and caffeinated products. Also, don’t forget to give your child lots of love and encouragement as they battle a cold or flu, keeping them safely at home until they are no longer contagious.