August means back to school! It’s an exciting time that can also sometimes come with germs and illness. It’s important to have a strong immune system in order to enjoy this time without getting sick. Here are some simple, natural ways to avoid back-to-school and daycare illness.

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Practice Good Hand Hygiene

First and foremost, make sure you and your children practice good hand hygiene. Wash hands before meals and snacks. I also like to keep hand sanitizer in the car to use right after school pick-up. Be sure your hand soaps and sanitizers have clean ingredients! I like Puracy hand soap and Everyone Soap Company hand sanitizer spray and gel.

Elderberry Syrup

Next up: elderberry syrup! Elderberries have many benefits including cold and flu relief. Taking elderberry syrup before getting ill can reduce the duration of the illness. I usually make my own syrup, but you can also purchase some here.

Probiotics

Taking probiotics can also reduce the duration of back-to-school illness. A healthy gut helps tremendously with the immune system. You can get probiotics from fermented foods like kombucha and sauerkraut. For supplementation, I like Klaire Labs.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep plays a very important role in health, particularly immune health. Aiming for 8 hours seems to be ideal.

Remove Shoes Inside the Home

This is an easy one: remove your shoes whenever you enter the house. Our shoes can carry germs and bacteria all over them. Leaving shoes by the door is especially important if you have a crawling infant at home because they are placing their hands on the floor and then probably into their mouths. Here are some other ideas for minimizing toxins in your home.

Clean Backpacks and Other Items That Travel From School to Home

Wipe down backpacks and lunch boxes with a vinegar solution. Avoid overuse of antibacterial wipes—some germs are good for our kids, after all.

I hope these tips help you to avoid back-to-school illness and best of luck with beginning a new school year!
XO, Sam