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Germy Spaces

How to survive back-to-school woes

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With summer vacation over, it’s hard for kids and parents to get back into the school routine. Energy and concentration levels drop, germs are rampant in the classrooms, and head lice is out for scalps! The good news? There are natural remedies that can help.

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Nurture them with nature

Having long summer days of carefree timetables and fun-filled activities replaced with more rigid, high attention-demanding schedules can be both mentally and physically tough on kids.

During these periods of stress, nutrition is key. However, getting kids to eat a well-balanced diet can be challenging, at best. Adding a multivitamin combined with a well-rounded amino acid profile to your kids’ routine might help them behave better, listen more attentively, and even enjoy school!

Look for food supplements that are made from all-natural nutritional yeast. This form of preparation may be easier for growing bodies to absorb, allowing them to get the full benefits of the added nutrients.

Students dealing with lack of attention and concentration stand to benefit from these types of formulas, which may help recreate homeostasis (balance) in their systems.

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Armed and ready

Most children catch an average of six to 10 colds every year. Their increased susceptibility is due to the immaturity of their immune system and its ability to fight the numerous virus strains. Plus, they don’t have the same reflexes as adults when it comes to hygiene.

Research conducted at the University of Cardiff in the UK shows that Echinacea purpurea may help shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms and reduces the risk of recurrence. Taken preventively, it may help to strengthen your little ones’ immune systems and help avert colds or flu.

Choose an echinacea preparation that’s backed by research and made from freshly harvested organic plant extracts.

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Keep head lice at bay

Head lice is a huge issue for parents of school-age kids. Help ward off pesky bugs from your kids’ heads with one drop of lavender essential oil behind each ear before school.

If it’s too late for prevention, you can make your own head lice treatment:

  • Mix 20 drops of tea tree oil to 50 mL of a base oil such as olive oil or almond oil.
  • Massage into hair and let sit under a shower cap for two hours before washing with your regular shampoo.
  • Repeat twice, three days apart.

When choosing essential oils for treatment purposes, going economical is not always best. Look for higher quality, 100 percent natural, unaltered, undiluted products for better results.

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