Not your average back-to-school protocol.

Written By Kendra Needham

Here we go again.



For most, school is just around the corner.


Whether you do public school or homeschool, we know the fall/winter season usually brings more illness than we’d like. 

(my face when I hear that first sniffle)


That being said…



Illness is normal.



My goal isn’t to make you fear sickness or try to avoid it altogether. I’m here to help you set your child (and yourself) up for the best possible health outcomes this school year.



Health goes far beyond the supplements you take. I did a post last year on all the best ways to support your child as they head back to school. You can find that HERE.


Also, heads up, this isn’t a short Instagram post. If that’s what you’re looking for, GO HERE. I created this space so we could talk through things. Really dig in. Because bio-individuality is real, and I know not every product will be right for every person or situation.



So…why start now and not wait until the fall?



These recs aren’t fast-acting. They slowly help improve the body’s terrain, therefore reducing susceptibility to illness. Last year was the first year we didn’t do this, and WE ALL SUFFERED lol.


We will not be making that mistake again.


My top 3 supports to start NOW:

  • Ear, Nose and Throat Probiotics (fullscript)

    If you are on Instagram you probably already saw my reel on this HERE. I love these strains of probiotics because studies have shown they help reduce susceptibility to upper respiratory conditions like COVID and strep throat. These types of probiotics are typically more well-tolerated than regular probiotics as well. They can take 90 days for maximum effectiveness, though, so you’ll want to start these sooner rather than later. Kids with oral dysfunction are especially prone to strep because they usually mouth breathe, causing tonsils to enlarge and lymph fluid to become stagnant.

    (Take 1-2 daily, start with 1)

    See my favorites HERE, of course, just pick one. For this purpose, Hyperbiotics would be my #1 pick because it has both M18 and K12, which are the two strains that are most well-studied for illness PREVENTION.


  • Briar Rose (rose canina)Gemmotherapy (fullscript).

    If you’re not familiar with gemmotherapy, let me introduce you. Gemmotherapy uses the rootlets, buds, and young shoots VS the mature roots, leaves, and flowers like herbal tinctures use. What does this mean? Because gemmos use the young but developing part of the plant, they are very rejuvenating because of the number of stem cells present. They also tend to be more gentle even though they support the organs and facilitate drainage because of the abundance of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and plant stem cells they contain.

Briar rose is known as the children’s fall/winter remedy. It strengthens the child’s immune system and offers relief for:

  • Ear aches and ear infections

  • Runny nose and congestion

  • Sore throat

  • Headaches and migraines

DOSAGE:

Use this 3x per week for illness prevention and daily during illness. This is very well tolerated.

Infants 6 mos and up (5 drops)

Toddlers and school-aged children (12-15 drops)

Teens/Adults (25 drops)

  • Beta 1,3/1,6 glucan Polysaccharides 

    Beta-glucans are a special class of indigestible polysaccharide fibers. Polysaccharides can be found in some fruits and herbs, but research shows it’s important to have the right type and structure of beta-1,3/1,6-glucan for optimal immune function. You can find effective Beta Glucans derived from saccharomyces cerevisiae (bakers yeast) and in various medicinal mushrooms.  Beta-glucans have important biological activities such as anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. They can also downregulate autoimmune inflammation.

    There are many great options out there for this!

    This tasty chewable from Immune Health Basics (fullscript) is a hit with kids. It offers DAILY immune support.

Children’s Chewable

Immune Health Basics

DOSAGE:

Take 2 chewables daily

OR

Immune Support from Needed (fullscript) is another great option for kids (and adults) who prefer a drink. It contains Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and other nutrients for a robust immune system.

Immune Support

Needed

DOSAGE:

Kids ages 1-3, take one half (½) scoop daily.


Kids ages 4-8, take one (1) scoop daily.


Older kids, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women take two (2) scoops daily. 

If you prefer a mushroom-based beta-glucan option, I got you!

Perfect Supplements makes a powdered product called Mushroom Immunity (code: holisticmother) that comes in capsules OR powder. This option is more affordable, especially if you have multiple family members taking this.

Mushroom Immunity

Perfect Supplements

DOSAGE:

Kids, take 1 capsule or 1/4 tsp per day.

**An option you may already have at home or may want to try for the ultra-sensitive is Gentle Guardian (code: holisticmother)

Gentle Guardian

Wild Wholistic

DOSAGE:

Kids, take one drop per 10 lbs of body weight up to three times per day.

Adults, take 10 drops up to 3 times per day.

I hope that wasn’t confusing.

Long story short —> Beta Glucans are a safe daily support, and you can get them from any of the brewer’s yeast or mushroom products above.

Just pick ONE. They are all beneficial, but the most important thing is that they actually get used and fit into the budget. That’s why I love giving you multiple options.

Runner-up immune support that’s safe long term?

Propolis! Hands down.

This one is a powerhouse! I did a whole post on the benefits of propolis HERE.

You can find propolis spray and tinctures on Fullscript or in the Nature Shield product I co-created with the Wholistic Family.

Nature Shield

The Wholistic Family & The Holistic Mother

Contains Cistus, Astragalus and Propolis!

DOSAGE:

Kids, Take 1 dropper full (approximately 30 drops) daily, diluted in water or juice.

Adults, Take 2 droppers full (approximately 60 drops) daily, diluted in water or juice.

Let’s recap!


Start these things now if you can.

  • Ear, Nose & Throat probiotic

  • Briar Rose Gemmotherapy

  • Beta Glucan supplement

  • Propolis (optional add-on support)

 

Is there something deeper going on?

If you think your child is experiencing immune challenges due to picky eating and nutritional deficiencies (first, go check out my picky eating highlight), but also, I recommend one of the chewables below, as they provide the missing nutrients to mount an appropriate immune response.

  • Source Naturals Wellness Children’s Immune Chewable (Fullscript)

Wellness Children’s Immune Chewable

Source Naturals

It is carefully formulated with a safe dosage of herbs and nutrients - including echinacea, elderberry, astragalus, marshmallow, mushrooms, and zinc - plus special ingredients such as beta-glucan and transfer factor (colostrom). And it is offered in kid-friendly, raspberry-flavored wafers.

One thing parents tell me repeatedly that helps their child with picky eating is BIOFULVIC. My theory is that it helps the integrity of the gut and helps to eliminate ammonia from bacterial overgrowths. In my picky eating highlight, I share how ammonia can make children picky eaters, especially with meat. If this interests you, it can be taken in conjunction with the recs to save above. Use code: holisticmother to save.

Kindermune

Priority One

This is similar to a multivitamin for supportive vitamins and minerals, but also concentrated glandular nutrients like thymus and pituitary to support the immune system.

The best thing you can do when school starts?

Regularly use nose and throat sprays! Morning and night if you can.

Feel free to stick to just one or rotate a few, but my top favorites are:

I DO NOT LIKE JUST SALINE BY ITSELF! It can actually contribute to viral replication.

Don’t miss this factor.

What’s on your kid’s plate now will support their immune system in the next few months! Many parents let off the gas pedal during the summer months when it comes to nutrition, but as the school year approaches, we should try to dial it back in. Especially the frozen foods (I’m looking at your ice cream, popsicles, freeze pops, and shaved ice). Even if they’re dye-free!

Why? It is a myth that when we are hot, we need cold foods. It actually doesn’t cool the body down, but makes the digestive system work harder. When our body works harder to heat the cold foods we ingest, it’s not working as hard to protect us against infection. It's even worse if it’s COLD and FULL OF SUGAR. In traditional Chinese medicine, cold and sugar-filled foods contribute to dampness in the body. “Dampness” can refer to any excess fluids, fat, or mucus that clog up the system and prevent our bodies from functioning optimally.

You may know what dampness is when it comes to basements (it's not good). Well, the same goes for our bodies.

To understand how dampness affects us, let's consider how it impacts natural habitats. Too much rain can lead to flooding and stagnant water that eventually rots the life beneath it.

Let’s apply that to the body. When excess fluids (dampness) stagnate in an area, it begins to negatively affect the organs, tissues, and energy flow of that area.

Of course, you don’t have to stop your kids' fun for the rest of the summer, but I would start incorporating more foods that can alleviate dampness NOW. These usually include broths and soups, roasted or steamed veggies, whole grains, ginger, garlic, and onions.

Saved by the bell (and some common sense)

Back-to-school germs are inevitable, but full-blown chaos doesn’t have to be. A little prep and a dose of awareness go a long way. Trust your gut, keep the tissues stocked, and don’t forget — it’s okay to hit pause when your kid (or you) needs it.

Here’s to a school year that’s healthy, happy, and just the right amount of unpredictable ;)

FULLSCRIPT PROTOCOL WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL RECS FROM ABOVE

Thanks for reading The Holistic Mother! If you found this article helpful, please feel free to share!

Kendra Needham
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