Back-to-school season is around the corner. And while this is an exciting time of year, it can also feel chaotic. The shift from slow summer days to busy back-to-school mode can be jolting for kids and parents alike.
The good news? There are plenty of ways to support a smooth transition as your kids head back to class. By focusing on the functional medicine basics, like nutrition, sleep, and immune health, you can pave the way for a resilient year ahead.
And that’s where this guide comes in. Read on for an Orland Park functional medicine doctor’s top tips for a healthy back-to-school season.
Reset Sleep Rhythms
Quality sleep is a must for everyone, but especially for school-aged kids. It supports their brain development, energy, mood, and immune health, all crucial for back-to-school.1
But summer break often throws off sleep schedules. This can make for a rude awakening (quite literally!) when kids return to class.
The solution? Gradually adjust bedtimes and wake times before school starts. Turning in 15 minutes earlier each night is a great place to start.
Allow between 9-12 hours of sleep for school-aged children, and try to stick to your new sleep schedule, even on the weekends. Limiting screentime before bed can also help kids ease into their new sleep routine.
For more helpful sleep tips, check out our functional medicine sleep guide.
Bolster Immune Health
Back-to-school can put your family’s immune system through the wringer. Classrooms, hallways, and cafeterias expose kids to all kinds of germs. And often, those bugs make their way home. Focusing on prevention can help your family stay healthy and strong.
How to support a resilient immune system:
- Eat colorful, nutrient-dense foods like fruits and veggies.
- Get regular sunshine to support healthy vitamin D levels.
- Limit intake of sugar and processed foods.
- Get consistent daily movement.
- Stay hydrated to help flush out germs.
While foundation habits are powerful, no matter how healthy your family’s lifestyle is, we all get sick from time to time. Having a few immune supplements on hand can offer a boost and may even help you bounce back quicker.
Immune supplements to consider adding to your toolkit
One supplement I tell all my patients to keep in their family’s medicine cabinet is Feel Well by Rev222. It’s a homeopathic blend of olive leaf extract designed to bolster your immune system against colds and flu. Take immediately at the first sign of symptoms.
When choosing supplements, quality matters. If you live in the Orland Park area and need help putting your immune toolkit together, Anchored in Health is here for you. As a functional medicine practice, we carry a variety of professional-grade supplements that support immune health.
Optimize Gut Health
Improving gut health is one of the best ways to support a resilient immune system. That’s because roughly 70-80% of your immune system lives in your gut! 2
How to support gut health:
- Include probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut to promote gut diversity.
- Eat prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, apples, bananas, and oats to feed friendly flora.
- Take a daily probiotic to help replenish beneficial bacteria.
Support Stress Resilience
The back-to-school transition can bring up a ton of stress for students and parents. Between new teachers, busy schedules, and shifting routines, it’s a time of massive change.
But children aren’t always able to verbalize their back-to-school anxiety. Instead, it may show up as headaches, temper tantrums, tummy aches, or trouble sleeping. Knowing what to watch for can help you support your child and help them find healthy ways to cope with stress.
Ways to boost kids’ stress resilience:
- Allow downtime for play and outdoor movement.
- Teach relaxation tools like mindfulness and deep breathing.
- Make space for kids to share their feelings.
- Tend to your own stress to set a positive example.
For a deeper dive, check out our previous post on 7 ways to ease back-to-school stress.
Create Daily Routines
Having consistent routines can help kids transition back to school more smoothly. When children know what to expect, it gives them a sense of control. Not to mention, it reduces morning and bedtime chaos for parents. Win-win!
Helpful back-to-school routines to practice:
- Pack lunches and backpacks the night before.
- Fill up water bottles before bed.
- Lay out clothes for the next day.
- Keep the hour before bedtime screen-free.
- Choose a regular bedtime and set a morning alarm.
- Set up a dedicated homework station.
Pack Balanced Lunches
When mornings get busy, lunch often becomes an afterthought. But what your child eats during the day can have a big impact on their energy and mood.
Aim for balanced lunches with a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates. This promotes blood sugar balance and steady energy to help kids stay fueled and focused throughout the day.
For a simple lunch formula, pick one food from each category below:
- Protein: chicken, turkey, jerky, hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, hummus, or nuts/seeds
- Healthy fats: avocado, cheese, olives, nuts, seeds, or nut/seed butters
- Fiber-rich carbs: fruits, vegetables, sweet potato, quinoa, or whole grain bread, crackers, pita, or wrap
Getting kids involved in packing lunches can also help them feel more in control. Not to mention, they’re more likely to actually eat them! Let them pick one food from each category to create a balanced lunch they’ll enjoy.
And remember, healthy eating doesn’t have to mean cooking every meal from scratch. Healthy, ready-made meals can be a lifesaver during busy weeks. If you’re in the Orland Park area, Clean Eatz and Whole Foods both offer nutritious options that can help make the back-to-school transition a bit easier.
Be Mindful of Screentime
Summer routines tend to be more relaxed, and with that, screen time often creeps up. But as kids head back to class, it’s important to create healthy boundaries around technology. Too much screen time can interfere with sleep and take a toll on kids’ mental health.3
While we can’t control children’s screentime at school, we can create healthy habits at home. Set clear limits, establish screen-free times, and remember that kids often follow the example we set.
Practice Backpack Safety
A heavy backpack may seem like a small thing. But carrying that extra weight day after day can misalign your child’s spine. This can lead to poor posture and leave kids with a sore neck, shoulder tension, or back pain.
Teaching kids about backpack safety can help protect their spines and reduce the risk of pain and injuries down the line.
Backpack safety tips:
- Keep it light: Try to keep it to no more than 10-15% of your child’s body weight
- Use both straps: This helps distribute weight evenly to reduce strain on one side
- Adjust for a proper fit: Backpacks should sit close to the back—not below the hips
- Pack only what’s needed: Remove unnecessary items to lighten the load
If your child experiences neck, shoulder, or back pain regularly, you may want to visit a chiropractor. They use techniques that help restore the natural alignment of your child’s spine. This can ease pain, improve posture, and even enhance nervous system function.4
If you live near the Orland Park area, we offer pediatric chiropractic care here at Anchored in Health.
Set the Stage for a Healthy School Year with Functional Medicine in Orland Park, IL
A healthy school year starts with the habits you build before the first bell rings. Focusing on foundations like sleep, nutrition, and movement can make the transition smoother for the whole family. But sometimes, even when you do the “right” things, your child still may struggle. Frequent illnesses, digestive issues, and chronic allergies can all be signs that it’s time for a closer look.
This is where functional medicine can help. Rather than simply treating symptoms, functional medicine doctors dig deep to find the root causes driving them.
If you’re looking for functional medicine support for your child in the Orland Park or Chicago area, Anchored in Health is here to help. Here’s how to get started:
- Call us with questions.
- Schedule your child’s first visit with our functional medicine doctor in Orland Park, IL
- Discover how functional medicine can help your family have a healthier, happier school year!
Other Holistic Health Services Offered at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL
At Anchored in Health, we offer a variety of services to help your family feel their best. This includes chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, and the Shape ReClaimed program. We also offer thermography, genetic testing, DUTCH testing, and Vibrant Wellness testing to help you uncover important insights about your health. If you live in the Orland Park or Chicago area and are ready to take a more holistic approach to your family’s health, we’re here to support you. Reach out to us today!
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.
Reading this blog does not establish a doctor-patient relationship between you and Anchored In Health or any of its practitioners. Reliance on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk.
About The Author
Dr. Cindy Jakubiec is a chiropractor and functional medicine doctor at Anchored in Health in Orland Park, IL. Since 2001, she has been helping patients get to the root of their health concerns, not just manage symptoms. Dr. Cindy holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic from the National University of Health Sciences and has completed extensive postgraduate training through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), with advanced certifications in hormone balance, gut health, cardiometabolic health, environmental health, bioenergetics, and immunology.
What sets Dr. Cindy apart is her whole-body approach to care. After navigating her own health challenges and finding that no single provider could see the full picture, she built Anchored in Health around the belief that you deserve a practitioner who connects the dots. Her practice brings together chiropractic care, functional medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, and the Shape ReClaimed program, all under one roof.
When she’s not seeing patients, Dr. Cindy is continuing her education, deepening her clinical expertise, and advocating for a healthcare model built on connection, root-cause healing, and treating the complete person.
Sources:
- Sleep as a Developmental Process: A Systematic Review of Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes in Children Aged 6–12 Years | PMC
- The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies | PMC
- Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management | PMC
- Neurobiological basis of chiropractic manipulative treatment of the spine in the care of major depression | PMC
