School is officially open for all, across the country!
While many parents are skeptical in sending their kids back to school for a full day, I can assure you there are just as many who are not as concerned with sickness, as they are using key ingredients to build up their children’s immune system.
Enter one of the top allies for kid’s immune health…Beta Glucan!
Beta glucan is a polysaccharide fiber, a special kind of fiber, that is found in the cell walls of whole grains, seaweeds, mushrooms, and yeast. It’s not something our bodies make naturally so we have to get it through our diets. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get enough.
In addition to the benefits of fiber you might be familiar with such as digestive health and lower cholesterol, beta glucan also has a hugely positive effect on the immune system. That means it has been proven to help with conditions such as:
- Asthma
- Common colds/flu
- Crohn’s disease
- Ear infections
- Fibromyalgia
- Hepatitis
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Infections
- Irritable bowel disease
- Lyme disease
- Physical and emotional stress
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Viral infections (HPV, HIV/AIDS, and others)
- and so much more…
So it’s not just for grown ups who are struggling with a specific illness or disease. Beta glucan is great for kids, especially when you know they have been exposed to whatever ick is going around school.
And this is where the immune boosting benefits of beta glucan really shine. As one study from the University of Kentucky in 2013 showed “Several thousands of published studies showed that glucan has significant effects on both branches of immune reactions.” They also noted, “strong effects of glucan supplementation on the overall health status of all children in this group.” (1)
The thought of kids getting sick is nerve-wracking for parents. However, the key to healthy kids isn’t to keep them sterile, but rather to allow their immune system to stay strong and robust.
So, where can kids get a beta glucan source they love (the taste, that is)? You can try the Beta Kids brand which use completely non-GMO ingredients, are free from artificial dyes and flavors, have no sugars in them, and choose quality ingredients.
Other important sources in which to obtain beta glucan are from barley and oats. Just be certain to purchase organic, as non-organic oats, specifically, can contain glyphosate which is an herbicide that has been linked to cancer.
1. http://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/5925/66832 Adapted from Natural Living Family.