Abstract:

Preschool children have a low immune system if they do not have a proper diet and lifestyle, also supplements with bee products can help as well. In order to support children’s immunity, we took into consideration a natural honey-made product for children to be consumed and monitoring their health status. Aim: To increase the immunity of preschool children from Târgu-Mureş city / Romania, after consuming a mixture of bee products. Materials and methods: We made a pilot study, based on questionnaire survey along with an experimental method, applied to a group of 18 children, during 6 months, from cold to warm seasons. The experimental part was based on a supplement bee product made by a mixture of honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and apilarnil made from carefully selected ingredients. This cocktail was taken daily by each child before breakfast and lunch, one teaspoon, twice a day. We applied a lifestyle questionnaire to the children’s parents in three steps: at the beginning, after 3 months and at the end of our study. Results. Frequency of most usually illnesses registered during cold season in our group has decreased: respiratory viral diseases decreased by an average of 5.55%, laryngitis by 2.22% and flu by 3.41%. Two third (66.66%) of children’s parents who took the cocktail thought that it had a good effect on their immunity system, 11.11% of them thought that it had not any effect. These data showed that the impact of bee product treatment was positive, also parents (especially those with higher education) were open to this intervention and also were the children, and it was an accessible and easy to use intervention with good results. Conclusion. We recommend a balanced diet with many fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as daily exercise and natural food supplements like bee products, to prevent viral diseases and to avoid excessive drug treatments.

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