Let's build a stronger India, shall we?

This morning I saw a mother wrapping her child in a blanket while boarding the bus. She was tucking the blanket from all corners. She was surely protecting him from cold weather but what about the dust, germs present on the bus seat and cold flu virus many passengers leave behind on bus handles? Wrapping your bundle of joy in a cosy blanket is not enough, we have to make them stronger from within. Their bodies should have a shield of their own and it should be prepared to counter-attack all the germs, viruses and infections.

Healthy food is the first and foremost key to make kids stronger. Dark leafy green vegetables, lentils, nuts, carrots, kiwi, cauliflower, garlic helps in building immunity. These days most of the kids refuse to eat such food, so we should make eating interesting for them. Instead of serving a bowl of salad, we should make a sandwich of whole wheat and stuff fresh vegetables in it. Don’t forget to cut it into interesting shapes, may be, of their favorite animal or cartoon character. We should aim at inculcating healthy food habits in our kids which will ensure that they stay healthy forever. Don’t pamper them with fast food or colas. Remember, a well nourished body has a stronger immune system.

We love chubby kids but keeping children lean and slim is better. Obesity depresses the immune system by interfering with the ability of white blood cells to produce antibodies. Always have a routine for your child. Keep him active. It’s better to start your child’s routine very early in life. Being active not only keeps his muscles lean but also induces happiness in your child's life. Take kids out for activities, widen their social circle and let them create hobbies for themselves. An active child’s body produces more antibodies and hence his ability to defend himself increases naturally.

Sleep deprivation not only makes a child cranky and tough to handle but more susceptible to illness by reducing natural killer cells. For a healthy child, sound and required hours of sleep is a must. A newborn should sleep for 18 hours and hours should reduce gradually. For a toddler 12 hours are enough and for a pre-schooler 10 hours are sufficient. If your child doesn’t have enough time for a nap due to activities, try putting him to bed early. Also, quality of sleep is also very important. Following ‘Early to bed and early to rise’ principle has many positive effects on one's health and immune system. 

As they say, ‘A family that eats together, stays together,’ and the modern day dimension is - ‘A family that exercises together, stays healthy and younger for a longer time.’ Earlier, there were a lot of physical activities in our lives. Children used to walk or cycle to school but now with faster lifestyle and modern gadgets, physical workout has dropped down tremendously. This has led to many lifestyle diseases. To make our future generation healthy, we must exercise and include fun activities in our routine. Rather than lazing around in front of our smart gadgets, families should play cricket in their backyard or if you don’t have enough time, plan an outdoor activity every alternate weekend. Exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in the body. Thus, boosting the immune system.

It goes without saying that our surroundings should be clean. Though cleaning entire neighborhood is not easy, we must start by maintaining clean habits. Teach your child to wash hands properly. Apply soap, clean palms and more importantly, rub the area between fingers. Though it doesn’t build immunity but maintaining hygiene will ensure that chance of falling sick is halved. You know, prevention is better than cure!

In addition to all these, we should specifically include things that boost child’s immunity in our daily routine and protect body from external dangers. Have Probiotics, Echinacea, Zinc, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin D3, C and E and Beta Carotene OR use traditional products to boost immunity, like Giloy, Amla, Pippali, Bala, Mustak, Bedarikand, Karkatshringi, Bhumiamkai. If this sounds quite complex, give 1-2 spoons of Dabur Chyawanprash to your child daily.

Breast feeding, vaccination at proper time, avoiding passive smoking also helps in building stronger immunity. When every child of our country is healthy and strong from within, only then we can aim for an immune India. In simpler words, for Nation’s progress, health is the key and it starts with building children stronger from within. Start by imbibing good eating habits, cleaner surrounding, hygiene, understanding body’s requirement and nurturing healthy lifestyle and a tiny routine of having Dabur Chyawanprash daily will go a long way in building and boosting the immunity of entire family. With its 40 natural ingredients and right mix of herbs and anti-oxidants, Dabur Chyawanprash is tried and trusted product which even our Grandparents vouch for.

Children are the future of our country. Let’s prepare their bodies to combat all the deadly viruses and germs. Whether kids play in dust or travel in public transport, their parents must be confident that they have prepared their children for all adversities. The immune system must act like a shield and guard the body. And with healthier children, let's build a stronger India.

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*This post is written for ‘An Immune India’ contest organized by www.daburchyawanprash.com
*Image source - Google. Please click on the images for better resolution.