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Colostrum for Children
The worst nightmare for parents with school-going children in Singapore is when the child gets sick during exam time. The child has worked hard over the past months and was mentally prepared for the all important PSLE exams and then illness strikes! “His head was aching, his hand trembled and he was shivering in his hospital bed... the schoolboy tried his best to concentrate… his future was at stake,” said one news report from The New Paper on 6 Oct 2006. The effort of taking an exam paper from the hospital bed was physically draining for the child and he eventually gave up doing his math paper even though he only had another 45 minutes to go. For one of the schools, the cause was an outbreak of gastric flu. Whatever the cause, wellness awareness is just as important in our daily lives, whether you are a student, a sportsman or a working adult. Take the following scenarios: • You have trained hard for your sports meet. The rigour of intense training and mental preparation has taken its toll on your immune system and on the actual day of your competition, you fall sick but still have to go on and compete, even if you are not physically not in top form . • You have worked hard on your presentation – spent days and even nights perfecting it. On the important day, someone else has to speak on your behalf because you are not well and you don’t get as much recognition for your hard work. Modern living takes it toll on our body’s natural immune system on a daily basis and we really need to help boost our system so that our bodies can effectively repair and heal itself. Health supplements are a plenty on the shelves in the stores but are they really as effective as they claim? What can we take to give our bodies the boost needed without adding more chemicals to weaken our system. The answer lies in going back to nature and nature’s first food. COLOSTRUM – Nature’s pre-milk fluid with all its natural antibodies, growth factors, vitamins and minerals to help all newborn mammals fight off a host of infections. Containing elements and compounds that are vital for health and immunity, it can be taken by people of all ages – from babies to senior citizens, catering to the different needs of their respective bodies at different stages of life. A mother’s natural library of antibodies - developed to counter disease-carrying pathogens she is exposed to in her lifetime - is automatically duplicated in the pre-milk fluid (colostrum) she produces to give to her newborn. As shown in scientific studies, Colostrum contains all four of the key immunoglobulins (antibodies): IgG, IgM, IgA and secretory IgA. Moreover, the immune factors in cow’s colostrum are 20 times more than human colostrum and are suitable for human consumption.
Colostrum cleanses the gut by neutralising invading germs before they get the chance to make a person unwell. It is the first line of defence of the body against germs and pathogens. Its growth factors then heal, protect and stimulate regrowth of the mucus lining - all these through its ability to coat the mucus lining of our digestive system and other mucus membranes with natural antibodies.
I have been taking colostrum on a daily basis and am benefiting healthwise. During the haze towards the end of 2006, I was pretty much involved in outdoor activities. In fact, when the PSI readings were in the region of 90 and over 100 in the afternoons and evenings, I was not only outdoors but also talking to the members of the public. Thanks to colostrum , I did not have respiratory or eye problems. I agree with Shefali Srinivas’s article on “Protecting Yourself on Hazy Days” in Mind Your Body, Straits Times, Wed 25 Oct 06 that we should boost and strengthen our body’s immune system to protect ourselves from the ill-effects of the haze . Naturopath Dr Sharita Rowbottom advised: “Drink more water than usual to help the kidneys flush out the toxins absorbed through the skin and lungs.” A big YES to that and add COLOSTRUM – Nature’s answer to fight allergens, pollutants, viruses, bacteria, etc. This is why I feel that we should create awareness on the benefits of taking colostrum on a regular basis. The recent gastric flu scare in schools, even the ongoing haze plus our hectic lifestyle all point out to an urgent need to boost and strengthen our body’s immune system, especially in our school-going growing children. It should be part of the daily routine and not taken just before exams. Prevention is better than cure. After all, their good health is the best investment into their future when they become the leaders of our nation.
This article is written by a concerned mum in Singapore, Lee Lee Lin.
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