Soup Up Their Defenses

Do things get hectic around your house sometimes? When they do, keep kids calm by serving some steaming bowls of vitamin C-rich vegetable soup.

It can help boost the body's defenses against stress. Recent research supports the theory that eating certain foods might alleviate harmful aspects of the physiological stress response. In a study, daily consumption of vegetable soup rich in vitamin C helped to lower people's blood levels of molecules associated with stress.

The stress response can be good and bad, depending on the type and duration of stress. Intermittent, short-term stress may help stimulate appropriate actions in kids, such as providing interest and challenge when it comes to schoolwork or other problem-solving tasks. However, chronic stress may weaken a child's immune system by keeping his or her body in an overstimulated state for a prolonged period of time.

Aside from helping your child practice stress reduction strategies like being active daily and getting plenty of rest, another way to sidestep the harmful effects of stress on the body may be through dietary interventions. Choose antioxidant-rich foods, such as soups made from vegetables brimming with vitamin C, including tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli.