Sunday, January 6, 2019

Shorten Your Sickies

Pretty much everyone I know has been dealing with sickness in their house in one form or another.  Our family included. Fortunately, neither Adam or I have actually gotten a cold, but for a few days we both felt like we were fighting something.  Rio's got a runny nose but it only lasted 2 days. Sadly, when Dante gets a cold, it always seems to last longer than Rio's. Whenever I sense that either of my kids might be coming down with something, I pull out all the stops. For example, I give them extra elderberry syrup, fresh juice multiple times a day, broth, tea, and I make all their meals plant-based, including no eggs. Rio literally drinks ALL the liquids and eats anything I put in front of him. I tell him drinking all these things will help him get better faster and he listens.  Dante, on the other hand isn't as easy. He just turned two, so enough said.  The more fluids the better when it comes to a cold and Dante just doesn't drink enough. I can't force him to drink and he's not as compliant as Rio, therefore (in my opinion) he stays sicker longer. He's finally on the tail end of his cold and he only had one bad night where he woke up crying and just seemed miserable. He had a fever of 101.3 and I was convinced it was turning into an ear infection,  so the next day I put one drop of mullein garlic oil in his ear 3 times throughout the day and also one drop of colloidal silver just once. That night he slept from 8PM to 6:30 AM and didn't complain at all the next day. After reading a lot about fevers, I'm sure that he was just his little body's way of fighting of whatever was going on with him or a worse infection. I try not to fear fevers as they can actually be a good sign.  Now his cold his pretty much gone and I think we are in the clear of developing any infections. 
I feel so blessed that my boys are 4 and 2 years old and neither has ever needed any medications or antibiotics. I try really hard to be diligent about giving them green smoothies daily and fresh juice a few times a week, as well as healthy meals throughout the week and elderberry syrup. I also use essential oils anytime I feel like they are a little under the weather (I love Thieves and On Guard). Below is a list of all of the things I do when I feel like there's a bug trying to invade any of our systems. Hopefully some of these ideas help you or your little ones to fight off infections or shorten sickness. 

1. Elderberry Syrup: The boys love taking this which makes it so easy. I try to give them a teaspoon daily for prevention but if one of them seems like they are fighting something, I bump it up to one teaspoon 3-4 times per day. I take a tablespoon a day for prevention or a few 

2. Humidifier: Everyone needs one of these! We have this Crane Humidifier and it's on sale right now. 

3. On Guard Rollerball: I simply roll this on the boys spine and feet anytime I see a symptom. I also put it on their feet before school or if we are going to be around a bunch of kiddos, especially in the winter time. I just buy these rollerballs and add 10 drops of On Guard and fill the rest of the bottle with fractionated coconut oil. You can also buy this pre-made here if you aren't into doing it yourself. 



4. Fever Ease Rollerball: I use a combination of lavender, peppermint and fractionated coconut oil in a rollerball bottle and rub it along their forehead. 

5. Lemon Honey Ginger Tea: Just mix fresh lemon juice and honey in some warm water. I also sometimes grate fresh ginger, steep it in hot water, strain, then add the ginger water to the lemon/honey water mixture. The boys feel fancy that they get to drink "tea" like mama. This is so easy to make and my kids love drinking it. The ginger can be optional and you could also add these mineral drops too for a boost. 

6. Wellness Formula: I don't give this to my kids but Adam and I load up on it anytime we feel anything coming on, or if one of the kids has any symptoms of anything. I love this stuff and swear by it.  I like the taste, but if you don't, they also have here it in a pill form. 



7. Colloidal Silver: Another great supplement if you feel any sickies coming on. Colloidal Silver has antiviral and antibacterial properties and can be taken orally if you're sick or dropped in ears for kids ear infections. 



8.  Breastmilk Tea:  If you are still nursing, breastmilk is one of the best things you can give your baby or toddler if they sick or coming down with a bug. If you are nursing your baby and you have an older toddler, you can pump milk for them too. I am still nursing Dante but we are nearing the end, so my milk supply is low. When I noticed he was getting a runny nose, I immediately started drinking this tea all day long so I could have as much milk as possible for him. When he isn't feeling well, he wants to nurse all day long and this tea really helped my supply. 



9. Citrus Water and Fresh Juice: I use this little juicer to juice lemons, limes and oranges. I keep the juice in the fridge and add it to warm water (can add honey too for the kiddos) and the kids and I drink it all day long. I also have this big juicer for other fruits and veggies. Celery juice is great for when the body is fighting infection, so we make sure to drink that often during this time of year. 



10. Mullein Garlic Oil:  I put these drops in Dante's ears when he had an ear infection a year ago and it went away without giving him antibiotics. 

 

I hope these tips help you and your family stay well this season! Sending good health and happiness to all of you in the new year.