Simple & Natural Remedies 

during cold and flu season....

I am so passionate about using natural remedies for many of our everyday ailments that I devote an entire chapter in my new book How to Prevent Autism.

For today's purpose, I am going to focus on cold and flu season as we are right in the midst of it!  I find no matter how careful you are or how many times you wash your hands it is inevitable that your body may come down with something when you are feeling vulnerable due to stress or possibly lack of sleep.  Our kids on the other hand sit in their classrooms all day, which can be like an incubator for these viruses.  So besides being careful and diligent, it's great to arm yourself with some preventative strategies as well as some solid treatments in the event you or the kids come down with something.

Let's start with a good old-fashion cold.  I like to give elderberry syrup at the first sign of a virus.  It is a very potent antiviral and a general immune booster.  If a sore throat or cough is present then I will add in Manuka honey 1-2 times daily.  Manuka honey is a medicinal form of honey that is highly antibacterial, so it can help get rid of the germs associated with the cough and sore throat.  If the cold is really bad I may add in olive leaf extract, which is antiviral and antibacterial as well as an immune enhancing supplement.  Other herbs I use are Astralagus and Berberine.  Many times I will rub the essential oil Frankincense on my children's feet to stimulate their immune system to work better.  Once the symptoms of the cold are getting better then I taper off the the supplements, so that I may use them the next time they are needed.

Now this isn't to say that you can't put one or two of these in preventatively and rotate them throughout the wintertime.  However, I would first make sure that I have my solid basics of a good quality vitamin D, probiotic and clean organic whole foods diet that will lay the foundation for a strong and healthy immune system.  Remember if you put junk in then you will feel like JUNK!

Now that we covered the basic cold, let's move on to a stronger virus that may produce a high fever in kids and some other symptoms such as a headache that keeps them laid out in bed.  The moment I detect a lack of appetite I always reach for the thermometer knowing that they are most likely registering a fever.  My rule of thumb is that I normally don't give Ibuprofen right away unless they are incredibly uncomfortable or it's over 103.  My first go to step for a fever is Peppermint essential oil rubbed on the feet every hour and a half in the beginning stages of a fever.  This usually lowers it slowly over the first night and second day.  If there is a headache I rub Lavender and Frankincense essential oil right in front of the hairline from one ear up across the forehead to the other ear.  I also always put in the elderberry and Manuka honey right away as well as some of the immune boosting supplements such as  olive leaf extract, berberine, and astralagus.  My children always drink coconut water in addition to regular water as it will balance the electrolytes and help keep your child from getting dehyrated.  And making a big pot of chicken soup with fresh herbs and a few  cloves of garlic is a nutritious and delicious meal that keeps them hydrated during the virus.

So these are just some simple things that I do for my kids when they are experiencing one of those annoying viruses that they get in the Wintertime.  Of course if your not sure what you are dealing with or if your child seems very uncomfortable then a quick trip to the doctor for a diagnosis and a quick check is never a bad idea.  You can still go home and implement your natural cold and virus protocol afterwards.

You can find more wonderful tips on how to use natural medicine for all your everyday common complaints in my new book How to Prevent Autism.

Welcoming 2018!

   

A New Year can mean a time to do new things!

Let 2018 be your best year yet!

Now that we have finished ringing in the New Year it is time to make some slow and subtle changes that can be done over time.  You have probably had time to reflect on this past year and think about all the things you would like to do that never got done in 2017.  Or perhaps you were inspired by other people’s wishes for the New Year.

Well when it comes to health there is no better time than the present to do the things you know will bring you “health and happiness”.  And yes those two seem to go hand in hand.  When we are healthy and feel good we are usually happier and vice versa.

So let’s get to it!

If you’re a mom like me you probably focus all your energy on the health and well being of your child especially if they suffer from a chronic illness that you are trying to heal them from. But it’s important to remember that you matter too!  Your daily habits and state of well-being will trickle down to your children.  It’s like when you’re on an aircraft and they tell all the adults to put on their oxygen mask first, so you are in good shape to help others more vulnerable around you.  It’s the same thing here.  Your healthy habits will be visible for your children to see and learn from.  Plus you’ll feel better from them too!

So remember a healthy family starts with your health!  I plan to do a series of health posts that have to do with my new book “How to Prevent Autism”.  It’s an important concept to realize that your child’s health begins with the state of your own health.  Our kids inherit our DNA, our microbiome, toxins and immune responses.  What I am trying to say is that the healthier you are the healthier they will be.  And no matter how good we are being each day, we all know our routine can always be tweaked.  Plus we should always strive to add new things in when our body gets used to a particular food or supplement no matter how healthy it is for us.

So whether you have been procrastinating working on your own health or you just need a little nudge to change things up a bit let’s get started on some of the basics this week.

Here are my top tips for 2018:

1.      Make sure you have a good probiotic or fermented food in your diet today!  Most of us have immune systems that are under siege by stress or toxins in the world around us.  We have to support out Microbiome as we know the gut houses 70% of our immune system. 

  

2.      Eat Organic as often as possible!  Those nasty pesticides contribute to autoimmune illnesses and cancer, neither of which do you want.  I know it’s more expensive, but you will pay dearly by getting sick from them in the long run.  In my book, I speak about ways to work around the extra expense.  I used to let my kids cheat a couple times a year and eat Lays potato chips until I found out that potatoes are the most heavily sprayed vegetable.  There literally can be 50 different kinds of chemicals on a single potato chip.  Needless to say I haven’t touched one since.  It’s just not worth it!

3.      Lower the stress!  I know this one seems impossible with new messages coming through on our smart phones every second telling us to do this and that or buy this and that!  We know stress inhibits the immune system from working properly.  Basically stress alone can make someone sick even with the healthiest diet.  So do things each day to mitigate the stress you cannot control.  Choose whatever makes you feel relaxed and happy, but do something each day to combat the stress.

4.      Get moving!  We need to move our bodies each day to get our lymphatic systems working at our best.  It can be just a ten-minute walk or climb the stairs a bunch of times.  It will stimulate your body to do the things it needs to, plus bring more oxygen to your organs and lower stress all at the same time.  So don’t skip your exercise time.  Fit it in somewhere!

5.      Detox negative people from your life!  If someone is bringing you down or you find being around him or her creates negativity then spend less time with them or even consider a break.  You have to look after your own emotional well being.  We know our emotions have a profound effect on the body.  Focus on the people and things that relax and bring you joy.  This will create more inner peace and happiness!

6.      Lower the toxins around you!  Many of us who have children with a chronic illness and know first hand that it is about a toxic load that got our children sick.  So whether it is toxins from a vaccine, cleaning product (especially the blue window cleaner), our personal care products or new furniture, we need to create as safe an environment as possible.  You have to pay attention to the things YOU CAN CONTROL!

The above tips are meant to get you thinking about what you can do different this upcoming year.  We will dive into each category in more detail as well as explore many other areas of health and wellness.  Many of these topics will be about prevention and healing, as the things you do for both are really one in the same. 

I hope your 2018 is already off to a beautiful start.  Wishing you and your family a year filled with health, healing and happiness!

For more information about my book you can go to: https://www.amazon.com/How-Prevent-Autism-Medical-Professionals/dp/1510714669/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1515681308&sr=8-1