Getting Ready for Illness

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This is part two of my “All Better Naturally” series.

So how do you keep your kids from getting sick? Yesterday, we discussed building a good immune system. But is there more you can do? What if you feel an illness is already starting to take root? Here are a few ideas:

Just like mom used to say…wash your hands! I am not a big fan of using antibacterial soaps just because some experts say that too much hand-washing with antimicrobial soaps can create an environment that allows bacteria to flourish and spread by creating resistant bacteria. But using simple soap is a good way to go by washing germs off hands and helping to prevent the spread of illness.

Echinacea - If taken over a 3-5 day period this herb seems to shorten the duration of a cold and perhaps even stop it in its tracks. I swear by it. This is one herb that should be used as needed though and not used on a continual basis. Also don’t use it if your child is allergic to ragweed since this is in the same plant family.

Oscillococcinum - This is a homeopathic remedy used when a cold or flu is coming on. The history behind it is long and vast and its use is debated by many but if you like homeopathic remedies then you will certainly want to give this a try. Most Oscillococcinum products I saw on the Internet said that they should be used for kids over the age of two.

Okay, so what if your child has a full blown cold or flu bug? See my post tomorrow for some remedies for the common cold and flu symptoms.