Back To School...Back To Better Health
Christmas is over and summer is in full swing and hopefully the kids are outside running around, enjoying the sun and fresh air. School returns in the next few weeks and for many parents that means stocking up on sunscreen, busy weeks and an increase in sniffles and colds.
In addition to paper, pencils and shoes, it may be wise to also stock up on products to boost your child’s natural defence against all the bugs that circulate in the classroom. Or maybe your child needs a brain boost or is going through the ever so fun stage of teenage breakouts.
Whatever your back to school Health concerns is, chances are here at New Zealand Heath Food Co. we have something to help. Let’s talk nutrition first. Many parents struggle on a daily basis with children who are fussy eaters. The main concern with fussy eaters is whether or not the child is actually getting enough of the essential nutrients it needs to maintain growth and be healthy.
While taking a Daily Multi is never recommended as a replacement for eating healthy, sometimes children develop such an aversion to the sight of a fruit or vegetables that it becomes a real struggle to ensure the child is even meeting the minimum recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals to prevent disease such as scurvy or rickets.
A fun animal shaped, fruit flavoured daily Multi such as Healtheries Kids Care multi vitamin is something that even a young fussy eater will gladly accept. For the older kid NutraLife Teenage multi tablet is an excellent choice. Even if your child isn’t a fussy eater it’s easy for all of us to get busy and stressed out during the school year, and the first thing to suffer is often diet. So a daily multi vitamin should be a pantry staple in all households.
When it comes to warding off colds and boosting the immune system, a daily dose of vitamin C is an easy inexpensive way to help charge the immune system. KNH orange-flavoured Vitamin-C chewable tablets are a favourite of discerning young customers. If you’re looking for something stronger Comvita Children’s Olive Leaf extract is a powerful antioxidant and immune booster to help aid the body in keeping colds away.
It can even help shorten the duration of a cold. Of course supplements are only part of the picture. Plenty of fresh fruits and veggies combined with fresh air and exercise is right combination to keep little ones strong and healthy.
If you’re looking for a brain boost for a Growing Young Mind Omega Fish Oil supplements come in chewable (NutraLife Omega Smart Bites), capsule (KNH Omega Fish Oil) and liquid formula (Melrose Kids Fish Oil) to suit any need. Omega 3’s from fish oils are very beneficial to developing brains as they provide the raw nutrients the body needs to strengthen the neural connections of a growing young mind. In addition, Omega 3s have been shown to be helpful to children who suffer from ADD or ADHD.
Another often stress inducing element associated with “back to school” is breakouts! During adolescence most of us develop some form of mild acne. So starting a daily face care regime sooner rather than later can help clear up any existing break out while working to prevent further break out.
A gentle daily face wash such as Derma Sukin or Sebamed Antibacterial Cleansing Foam is the first step in beating the break out cycle. When we sleep our body actively repairs itself, so ending the night with a wash, tone and moisturize is an excellent way to clean the skin of any oil and impurities accumulated throughout the day and then prep the skin to actively repair and rebuild, giving you a fresh face in the morning.
Follow your wash with Sebamed Deep Cleaning Facial Toner to help pick up any stubborn impurities left behind after washing and to gently exfoliate the top layer of skin. Lastly, Sebamed Care Gel is a light oil free gel that works to lightly replace the moisture lost after washing. If they are combination or on the drier side Burt’s Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream is a perfect finish for a daily routine.
So after you hit the stores to stock up on school supplies, take a look at what New Zealand Health Food has to offer for your back to school needs. If you’re not sure which products suit your child, stop by our shop at 215 Wooldridge Road in Burnside or chat with us live on the web at www.nzhealthfood.com
By Ellie Haines - Ellie is the Social Media Manager & E-Commerce Coordinator for New Zealand Health Food Company. You can read more content from Ellie on Google+
