Key Nutrients for maximizing classroom performance

Children have many nutritional needs! From early on, they must receive the right amounts of essential nutrients to thrive and compete with their classmates. If malnourishment is present, illness and brain fog are the results. When there are other sick children around, only the well-nourished ones can hope to avoid the ailment that is circulating.

Vitamin A- This is a forgotten and underappreciated Immune System nourisher. Vitamin A makes the Immune System stronger and more efficient. This Vitamin also acts as a powerful antioxidant. Most vitamin A is synthetic and difficult to absorb, which is why food-based vitamin A (Retinol) is the most effective route for your child. Real vitamin A will also support the health of the eyes, liver, and skin, in addition to bolstering immune health. The best food sources are wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef liver, and egg yolk.  

Vitamin C- Probably the most well-known vitamin for Immune support. It is often used in its synthetic form, ascorbic acid, which is often a chemical reaction of sulfuric acid and GMO corn starch. Do we want our children to be taking this?! Let’s instead look at food sources that contain the complete vitamin C profile and can be quickly absorbed by the body. A top source of vitamin C we love is the Peruvian Camu Camu berry. Did you know it has 40X the vitamin C of an orange?! This popular nutrient also supports blood vessel integrity, oral health, and bones. The #1 sign of C deficiency is bleeding gums. Lastly, it is a crucial component of collagen formation.  It too is an antioxidant in its own right, supporting the health of every cell in the body. Don’t be shy about giving your children this critical nutrient, they need large amounts every day through food and supplementation. Real vitamin C is what the body recognizes and every cell readily uses. 

Vitamin D- This is a crucial source of Immune Support and unlike the other vitamins, D is a hormone and hormone signaler. Vitamin D regulates the expression of more than 2,500 genes! It is involved in energy metabolism, and mineral homeostasis, or balance.  We get the majority of our vitamin D from the Sun, but for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, we lose about 150 minutes of daylight from September to December. As exposure to the sun becomes limited, so does our vitamin D intake. Once again, the majority of the options are synthetically made, and children need food sources to get the most out of this nutrient. There are only a few of them available, and we recommend wild-caught salmon as well as high-quality mushrooms to supply yourself through the colder months. More than half of the population lacks the necessary amount! Also, if your child has a darker complexion due to higher melanin in the skin, it is harder for them to absorb sunlight, so make sure you and your children are well nourished. It is no accident that those with lower vitamin D levels are more likely to fall ill in the Fall and Winter.

Magnesium- No other nutrient is involved in as many benefits for the human body as Magnesium. Indeed, this master mineral is a necessary co-enzyme for more than 650 biochemical reactions in our bodies! Examples of these are nerve impulses, muscle contractions, protein synthesis, blood pressure regulation, blood sugar regulation, proper digestion, relaxation of the nerves and muscles, insulin metabolism, nerve transmission, DNA synthesis, and building up the body’s energy stores, just to name a few. About half the population, conservatively, is deficient. Starting at age 9, children begin to need more than 240 mg daily. By age 14, girls need 360 mg daily and boys require 410mg. These levels are actually higher than the adult recommendations. This illustrates how crucial it is for developing children to receive adequate intake amounts, each day. Supplementation is often necessary, as it is difficult to receive adequate intake amounts in food alone. The top food source is pumpkin seeds, we recommend raw sources. Austrian Pumpkin seed powder is even more nutritious and easier to absorb.

#1 Herb for Supporting Children’s Immunity - Oregano, Oregano, Oregano!

Our creator has supplied us with many plants that support the immune system. None of them are as vitally important as oregano, specifically wild mountain oregano, which was used as a traditional medicine going back thousands of years by the ancient Greeks and Romans. There are 80+ species of this plant, all with different properties, and our research at NAHS determined that 4 species have the best effects on our health. Wild oregano supplies an abundance of antioxidants, some 100x more than blueberries, gram for gram. Support the immune system, digestive tract, respiratory health, skincare, liver, and inflammation response all in one powerful bottle. Most oregano oils can be too strong for children and not containing the correct source. Companies frequently state they are not to be taken daily. Certain children’s wild oregano formulas can be used from birth and beyond! It can also be rubbed on the spines, shins, and bottoms of the feet to support optimal immunity, directly through their porous regions. Oregano herb and oil is a perfect addition to food and drink. Beware of cheap imitations and opt for the wild, daily-use, children-friendly formulas.

Ms. Judy Gray, Master of Science in Nutrition, has authored an important book for parents, titled Kid’s Need Care. In this volume, she explains everything you need to know about raising strong, healthy, nourished children, from the earliest stages of life up to adolescence. This book will help you also.

Here are a few important quotes from Miss Gray:

“The community environment plus the care and training given at home are the foundation of a child’s world.”

“Without the proper nourishment, there will be failure to thrive.”

“Food is the major source of nourishment. Therefore, it should provide energy, growth factors, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, fiber, and more.”

“Pure, natural food source supplements are always the most beneficial.”

“For those who think they cannot afford healthy food, remember this:  it is better to eat small quantities of excellent food than huge amounts of poor food.”

Citations:

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20promotes%20calcium%20absorption,leading%20to%20cramps%20and%20spasms).

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/