As children head back to school after a long Summer break, this is the time when bugs, coughs and colds begin to circulate.
Regularly washing your children’s hands with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of contracting viruses like Covid-19, colds and flu. If you’re not already in the habit, now’s the time to step up the hand-washing, as this Autumn we’re likely to be fending off all the usual colds and flu as well as COVID.
Why not pack a handy sized hand sanitiser into your child’s school bag? Alcohol-based hand sanitisers work in a similar way to soap, dissolving Covid-19’s fatty layer so it can’t lock onto our cells. An effective gel should contain between 60 and 80 per cent alcohol. Pump out the gel and make sure you get it all over your hands’ entire surface. Rub palm to palm, then with interlaced fingers over the backs of your hands, swapping over so you cover each hand, and not forgetting thumbs. Your hands are hygienic when they’re dry.
Children’s immune systems are pretty robust but to shore up all your family’s defences this Autumn, try adding Manuka honey to your wellness regime. Manuka honey contains MGO – methylglyoxal, to give it its full name – the high levels of which are unique to Manuka honey. One recent lab-based study found MGO may inhibit the virus that causes Covid-19 – researchers found MGO boosted levels of powerful immune system cells to fight the virus while keeping potentially dangerous inflammation at bay.[1]
The Manuka Doctor 100 MGO Squeezable Manuka Honey provides a fun way for children and grandchildren to incorporate the goodness of Manuka into their breakfast or lunch regime. Just squeeze onto yoghurt, cereal or even sandwiches for a healthy, happy meal!
Another handy item to have at home at this time of year, is the Manuka Doctor Propolis and Manuka Honey Vitamin D Throat Spray. Over the last few years, Strep. Pyogenes (more commonly known as Strep A) have shown increased resistance to certain antibiotics used for the treatment of pharyngotonsilitis in children. [3] This increased bacterial resistance to traditional antimicrobial agents has prompted the use of natural products with antimicrobial properties such as propolis [4]. Propolis is now often referred to as a ‘natural antibiotic for sore throats’ for this reason.
You can find both Propolis and Manuka honey in the Manuka Doctor Immune Defence Spray. This handy 20ml spray contains 500 M.E.D. of polyphenols. Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds within propolis. M.E.D. is the unique purification process the propolis is placed through resulting in very pure propolis. Shake the bottle well before use. Open mouth wide and point the spray at the back of the throat squirting twice. Repeat this 3 times per day after meals. Do not exceed this recommended daily dose. Manuka honey should not be given to children younger than 1 year.
