As I prepare my sons to begin preschool this fall, along with shopping for book bags and school supplies I also made sure to consult with Ricardo Boye who has been our naturopath for years now.  I wanted to make sure their immune systems were functioning optimally and could easily handle the onslaught of shared preschool germs that they undoubtedly will be exposed to.  Along with having a follow-up assessment prior to school starting to make sure there were no underlying health issues, he recommended two things almost all children (and adults!) can take to boost immunity. 

1) Flora Synergy- Probiotics and Prebiotics (good bacteria and natural sugars that encourage the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut) have been shown to support whole body immunity as well as decrease the occurance of intestinal issues such as diarrhea.  Comes in a chewable (that tastes like candy according to my oldest son) and as a capsule you can open and add to juice, milk, or even water.

2) XenoForce -A blend of immune-supportive herbs (Echinacea, Wild Cherry Bark, Ginger root, Licorice root) along with Vitamin C, A, and Zinc.  I open a capsule and empty it into a small cup of juice for each of my boys.  For older children or adults you can also open capsules into hot water to make a “XenoForce tea” by adding lemon and honey- great for times when you have a cold.

I give my boys Flora Synergy on a regular basis and have added Xenoforce as well for the weeks prior to school starting. 

If your child is experiencing chronic health problems as my oldest son once did, I definately recommend making an appointment for an assessment with Ricardo.  I have noticed a huge difference in his ability to fight off colds and flus since he has been seeing Ricardo.