Tips for boosting immunity?

My kids seem to be forever getting sick! Even Chiara managed to get pneumonia despite being fully breastfed, and the gremlins are just walking germ factories. They've been fighting a virus for weeks that's made them snotty, they cough, have husky voices and their temps go up and down, not to mention the constant ear infections - at one point Mercedes was growing all three of the most common bacteria in one ear!

I know sleep is the most important thing and that their poor sleeping atm is contributing to their compromised immune systems, I'm working on that as best I can with our OHbaby! sleep expert and good old fashioned persistance, but there must be something else I can do to boost their immunity?

They eat a varied diet, lots of fruit and especially lots of mandarins which I guess are good for Vit C. I've also started giving them one cup of weak Ribena per day. They don't have any vitamin supplements or anything tho. Do these really make a difference?

I have recently found bee pollen as an immune booster. A mum at my playcentre swears by it and its all over the infomercials as natures super food. You could use capsule forms but its a mission to get them to take it not to mention expensive.
I just bought the natural form from our health shop. It provides every nutrient you need and kids find the chewiness fun. i mix it in Xaviers yogurt with honey and he loves it. Only had 1 cold this year compared to every virus under the sun last year. And he goes to playcentre 3 times a week now and we all know how germs breed there!
When kids (or adults) are low in minerals and vitamins their health definitely takes a hit and you get sick. Keeping up liquids is another good one.
Good luck with the germ factories!

Ugh Ann, I have had it too - sucks to be a mum sometimes huh coz sick leave isn't in our contracts!

Hmmm, might look at Immunofort, and will definitely look into the bee pollen thing too coz I have seen those infuriating infomercials.

I have no idea how these gremlins pick up so many bugs when they're not at daycare/Playcentre etc. Maya was at their age and she never got sick!

i would watch the echnicia stuff though. i get hayfaver and anything with echnicia gives me wicked hives.....it's weird.

My mother always swore by Maltexo (with Vitamin C) and we were a healthy bunch. She said it was only any good if you started about April. My SIL swears by Echinasia but I'm not sure what age you can start taking it from.

The problem with big families is that germs get into the house and circulate. Once you get sick your resistance is down so you are more prone to picking up bugs. I remember as a kid someone would get a cold and all six of us would get it, then someone would end up catching it a second time just because everyones resistance was weakened.

Also remember your girls are pretty social Emma. There are a lot of bugs in shopping centres, cafe's etc and playgroups can be pretty bad for spreading things around.

DJ wrote: there was a scandal recently when some kids proved that there is no vit C in ribena. Sadly, you have to eat HEAPS on mandarins etc to get any real vit C too, so suppliments are the best way. Vit A is also good for immunity.

That was the pre-made stuff, the cordial that you make up is still a good source of vitamin C.
Also lemon and honey are both good sources of vitamins and minerals. I used to have lemon / honey drinks a lot when I had colds. Helps break down the mucus too.

Teehee, they do eat HEAPS of mandarins, around 1kk per day between the three of them It gives them shockingly sore butts tho coz it makes their urine really acidic.

I might take them to see the MOtherwell lady from naturopath perspective but I'm also gonna take them both to the GP this week and talk to her. In the nearly 2 years since they arrived we haven't had more than 3 mths at a stretch where they've both been well. In fact, when the GP did Mercedes disability allowance review a few weeks ago she checked their records and Mercedes has averaged one visit a fortnight to the GP since she was born. And that's not to mention all the specialists visits and hospital trips. I am soooo over it!