7 Tips to Stay Healthy in Miami this Back to School Season

It’s almost that time of year, “Back to School” season. It is hard to believe this summer vacation is over and parents are getting their children ready to head back into the classroom. Every fall, I help families, including my own, get ready for back to school and work. Through my 24 years of practice, I’ve noticed a few things that happen every year. When our children return to academic classes, they find themselves in environments that are less than ideal when it comes to staying healthy.

Given the circumstances over the past year and a half, it is now more important than ever to develop strategies to keep you and your family healthy during this fall season. The good news is, I have seven helpful tips and tricks to share with you which have kept my own family safe and healthy for years.

Vitamin C

I cannot stress how important it is to take Vitamin C. I recommend starting it several days before your children start to go back to school and before you head back into the workplace. Begin taking 3000 mg of Vitamin C broken into 3 doses of 1000 mg/3 x a day. I suggest taking Vitamin C through the entire cold and flu season. For children, 500 mg of C, 3x a day.

Zinc

Another wonderful tip is utilizing zinc. My recommendation is 30 mg of Zinc a day with food.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a hormone we make from being in the sun. However, as the summer season ends, we spend less time outside. Vitamin D is important because it helps keep us healthy from our head to our toes. For my patients, I always recommend at least 3000IU a day and more as we approach wintertime.

A Healthy Diet

It may seem like a daunting time when it comes to taking control of our health given current circumstances, but one part of health you can control is your diet. As we head into this back-to-school season, I suggest taking advantage of fall-associated produce such as root veggies and squash. Other examples include organic carrots, potatoes, parsnips and sweet potatoes. These veggies are loaded with beta carotene and fiber which helps boost digestion. One of my favorite fall meals is butternut squash soup. This simple recipe is perfect for lunch and dinner. It is light and easy to digest. I always make mine with bone broth.

Good Bugs

Probiotics are high up on my list of daily supplements and I recommend all my patients add them into their wellness routine. Probiotics are essential for good health, immunity, vaginal health, digestive health, gut health, and regularity, not to mention they help fight off infections. I recommend a non-dairy, refrigerated probiotic with at least 8 different strains of bacteria and at least 25 billion units of a multi-strain probiotic. My favorite probiotic is available via Wellavate.

Sleep

Have you ever heard the saying, “Sleep is the best medicine”?  That’s because this isn’t just something your grandparents used to tell you. There is clinical data to support keeping a regular bedtime and wake time. Make sure everyone in your home gets at least 8 hours of sleep. If you find yourself having trouble falling asleep, try to limit technology usage late at night to optimize sleep-wake cycles.

Have several masks handy.

I still recommend wearing a mask in public indoor places. Pack several masks, and put them in a plastic Ziploc bag. Always travel with more than one clean mask, especially for your children because they may get lost or might get sweaty throughout the day. Try and use a mask made from natural fibers, such as cotton, bamboo, or natural silk to avoid any skin irritation. If you are using a cloth mask, make sure to wash your masks routinely (I suggest every day) and, if you can, wash your face in between mask switches.

If you are worried about you and your family’s health, make sure to call the office or schedule a visit. We would love to have you.