Every year when the first cold spells appear, parents, grandparents and teachers get ready to tackle a relentless wave of flu in children, causing fever, colds, coughs, bone pain and gastrointestinal problems.
Even once they have recovered, children in any case continue to feel tired, and often have flu-like after-effects.
Rest is fundamental for ensuring full healing, recovering energy and restoring correct immune defence levels. Every year, the Italian Paediatric Society (SIP) underlines the importance of maintaining a healthy active lifestyle to help children’s bodies to develop correctly, so that they are ready to react at critical times. Furthermore, with an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals, it is possible to strengthen both the immune system and recover energy after convalescence.
If, despite having flu, forced rest doesn’t suit the child’s character, there are plenty of ideas for creative activities done at home. You’ll find some examples on the Junia Pharma blog, “Crescere Insieme” (Growing Together) (link). It is important to avoid sudden changes in temperature and exposure to the risk of new bacterial loads.
Vitamins useful for helping children to recover energy
A healthy, balanced diet, rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, is fundamental for all children, even more so when they need to recover energy after having had flu. This must include:
- Vitamin A: ensures a valid support for the immune system. It is present in orange foods, including pumpkin, carrots, apricots and melons, green leaf vegetables, liver, cheeses and milk.
- Vitamin B2: helps to provide the body with the correct energy intake. It is present in milk and cheeses, eggs, yeast, green leaf vegetables and liver.
- Vitamin B6: useful for improving the efficiency of the immune system and is found in milk, meal, whole wheat cereals, pulses, liver and vegetables.
- Vitamin B12: supports the production of red blood cells, and is also an ally for strengthening the immune system. Found in shellfish and fish generally, in chicken, egg yolk and cheeses.
- Vitamin C: one of the vitamins we just can’t do without, especially in the winter, thanks to its ability to strengthen the immune system. It is present in citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers, tomatoes and green leaf vegetables.
- Vitamin D: it is essential for healthy bone and skeletal growth, and is also useful for absorbing calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is also an ally for the immune system and is found in salmon, herring, tuna, egg yolk and green leaf vegetables.
Post-flu in children: a reconstituent for recovering energy
As for adults, specific supplements are available on the market for children that can help them to recover energy after a debilitating convalescence or period of asthenia.
This is the case of the new ApportAL® Vital, the nutritional supplement ideal for everyone, designed to support the body to recover energy, restore the immune defences and get over post-flu convalescence. This is thanks to the multi-vitamin and multi-mineral formulation with 19 nutrients, containing elements enhanced by Sucrosomial® technology, which increases its tolerability, consequently improving absorption and bioavailability.
Furthermore, it contains Royal jelly, the natural remedy known for its wealth of nutrients and immunostimulant properties.