Child & Parental Guide

Micronutrients and Immunity. We eat macronutrients with our hands—rice, chapati, dal, curry.We eat micronutrients with a pinch—chutneys, koshimbir, pickles.Our body needs only small amounts of micronutrients, so they are called “micro” nutrients. But their impact is not small—especially when it comes to immunity. Understanding the link between micronutrients and immunity makes a big difference. Parents who know this have healthy children. Those who don’t, often have sick ones.That’s why the right knowledge matters. If you want the right information, go to someone who knows. But the expert can’t visit every home—you must seek the knowledge yourself. The expert isn’t in need. You are. Your child’s health and nutrition are your responsibility. Good nutrition leads to good immunity. Malnourished children fall sick often—cough, cold, fever again and again. Each viral infection triggers the body to build new immunity, specific to that virus.As children grow older, they fall sick less often because their immune system gets stronger. But with every infection, immunity temporarily drops. If the child falls sick too often, their overall immunity stays low. This creates a vicious cycle:Malnutrition causes infection, infection worsens malnutrition.Fever, cough, cold, vomiting, diarrhoea—once these symptoms are gone, we say the illness is over.But that doesn’t mean the child has fully recovered. Only when the child gains back the weight lost during illness can we say the child is well. Parents and doctors must understand the difference between illness recovery and child’s recovery.The convalescence phase—the recovery period—is often ignored.During recovery: Feed small meals more often – hunger is low, but the body’s needs are high. Add more oil, ghee, butter – these give more calories in less volume. Keep one extra meal daily until the lost weight is regained. The most scientific and effective way to boost immunity is vaccination. Vaccines help the body produce measurable immunity (antibodies). Every vaccine-preventable disease must be prevented. Which is cheaper—getting the disease or taking the vaccine? Obviously, the vaccine is cheaper and safer. Vaccines exist for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, rotavirus, polio, DPT, pneumococcal, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis A & B, typhoid, meningococcal, and flu.Take the flu vaccine every year—it protects against that year’s strain, as decided by WHO. COVID-19 taught us to trust vaccines and science. Even children from well-fed families can be micronutrient deficient.They may not look undernourished but may still be stunted or frequently ill. This happens because their diet is not balanced. A balanced meal includes: Rice + Dal + Chapati + Vegetables + Sprouted Pulses + Fruits + Curd. Farmers buy micronutrients for their crops to grow better, but forget their own children need them too. They often just don’t know! Micronutrient deficiency is a silent but major health issue. Fruits and vegetables are the body’s natural disease-fighting foods. They are protective foods. They are rich in vitamins and minerals. Choose varied vegetables and fruits—different types, different colors—this ensures a mix of all micronutrients. For strong immunity, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Zinc are especially important.Taking extra vitamins doesn’t give more immunity. But a deficiency definitely reduces immunity! Cooking and Nutrient Loss Cooking reduces the availability of nutrients in vegetables:Whole & raw: 100%Chopped: 80%Stir-fried: 60%Boiled: 40%Deep-fried: 20% Fruits:Whole fruit: First-class (fiber-rich)Fruit juice: Second-class (no fiber)Packaged fruit drink: Third-class (just sugar, water, flavor, color)Bring Back the Tradition of Chutneys and Koshimbiris. Chutneys made from sesame, peanuts, flaxseeds, karale, dry fruits are rich in micronutrients. Just like iodized salt or fluoridated toothpaste, chutneys too can be fortified with micronutrients.Koshimbir, raitas were once a part of daily meals. That was our tradition.Now, they’re only served during festivals or for guests. We must bring back these traditions—for the sake of our children’s health and immunity. Time for a Movement Mothers, wake up! Be Micronutrient Aware. Teach your children healthy food habits. It’s your responsibility—and yours alone. Best wishes. – Dr. Anil Mokashi (Pediatrician)MBBS, MD, DCH, FIAP, PhD(Child Growth and Development)