It’s time to start thinking about Back-to-School and ways to make sure your student stays healthy. If you have ever raised a College or High School student, you know that young adults need extra support. From not-so-ideal diets to burning the candle at both ends, each young adult can benefit from adding certain nutrients to their daily diet.
Get a Quality Multivitamin
Since diet quality is not usually a priority for young adults, a quality multivitamin can fill in the inevitable nutrient gaps. Parents often come in for specific issues that their kids have. However, making sure that foundational nutrition is covered is really the first step.
In addition to filling in gaps in the diet, a multivitamin can provide nutrients that bolster immune health. Those that are important for immune function include Vitamins A, C, & D3, zinc, and selenium. Each of these nutrients has multiple immune actions and all have been found to offer protection against viruses. These nutrients will be found in a quality multivitamin. A multi also provides a full range of B vitamins and minerals to support cognition, stress management, digestion, insulin function, and more.
Add Omega-3 Fatty Acids
In addition to a multi, no back-to-school discussion is complete without mention of omega-3 fats. These fatty acids are ultra-important to brain health, inflammation control, and overall cellular health. For students that don’t eat fatty fish like salmon, cod, mackerel, sardines and anchovies as a regular part of their diet, a fish oil supplement is foundational to health.
Choose a fish oil supplement that is high in DHA to support memory and focus. The brain is made up of about 70% DHA, so you are providing the building blocks of brain health when you use a quality omega-3 supplement.
Stress Support
Another factor that needs to be considered is stress. With schoolwork to manage, multiple activities, and the ever-important social life, stress can build up. A lack of sleep often accompanies this and can reduce concentration and make your child more susceptible to illness.
Support stress levels with magnesium, the calming mineral. Or use a class of herbs called adaptogens. These herbs bolster all body systems and thus produce a better reaction to stress, bolster immune health, support mood, and help maintain energy levels. Some of my favorite adaptogens include rhodiola, schizandra, ginseng, and eleuthero.
Want to make it easy for your student? We’ve partnered with Xymogen to create Back-to-School Pax*, a convenient, once daily pack that contains a multivitamin, a fish oil, and an energy/cognitive performance/immune supplement called Adrenaliv. The latter is a combination of stress-supporting nutrients and adaptogenic herbs. You can see the ingredients here.
The cost of the pack is $79.50 for a one-month supply*. Stop by the store to purchase one or order the kit here.
*If your child is on medication for any reason or has a health condition, please check with us on whether any of the supplements in the pack would conflict with that.
