As a mother, I used to dread winters. Come fall, I was mentally preparing to deal with colds, flu and runny noses during the upcoming 4-5 months. We all crowd indoors where germs and viruses get passed around. While I can’t keep my children away from school or daycare, I realized that it is up to me to buildup their immune systems.

I used to be paranoid about kids getting sick, but things really turned around about 4 years ago. I’m happy to share that all 4 of us only get sick about once a year, and the symptoms are not as bad.

So, what changed?

Here is what I found helpful to keep our family healthy during the winter months:

1. Clean eating – We eat a variety of whole foods. I understand my kids have a social life I don’t have much control over, but at home nutrition is up to us. Day in and day out is what that matters. We eat seasonally, so in winter I make sure to buy more affordable root veggies, squash, and citrus fruit (vitamin C). We also drink green smoothies frequently.

2. Fresh air – I let fresh air in the house by opening windows daily. I also make sure the kids get enough fresh air on a regular basis.

3. Probiotics – We eat foods like sauerkraut and yogurt. One of the advantages of Bio-K+ is its portability. On occasion, I send a bottle with an ice pack in the kids’ lunch bags. I would have to send 50 times more yogurt for my kids to consume the same 50-billion probiotic bacteria they get with one Bio-K+. Not to mention, the great taste makes it easier for kids to drink their probiotics rather than swallowing a pill.

4. Supplements – We each take 1000 IUs of vitamin D every day (that so many doctors recommend) as our exposure to sunshine in winter is limited.

You can also take probiotics to the next level with this blueberry chia pudding. Because of chia’s rich content of Omegas and complex carbs, chia pudding makes a great snack or breakfast on the go. Not to mention it is delicious! My not-so-huge-fans-of-chia kids love it. I added a bunch of frozen blueberries to enhance the blueberry flavour and boost the number of antioxidants.

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 0 minute

Cooling time : 3 hours

Servings : 2

Recipe : Blueberry Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

2 bottles of Bio-K+ Blueberry
3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
6 tablespoons of chia seeds
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions:

In a medium size glass container add Bio-K+.
Add chia seeds one tablespoon at a time while whisking liquid.
Add blueberries and stir until combined.
Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Stir and enjoy!

Tips:

Use a whisk (not a fork or spoon) for a smooth pudding consistency. If chia gets lumped, whisk until well incorporated. Can be prepared up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated. Try adding different berries like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or even cherries. Use frozen organic fruit in winter months to save money.

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