Our New Perspective On Medicine - updated 8/25/15

What will you find here today?  First off, I am certainly no expert, but motherhood and a few curveballs life has thrown at us have resulted in a learning journey toward health that I never would have anticipated.  You will find our journey to natural medicine, the ways we both try to keep our health and restore our health when illness strikes, and websites and blogs I resource and love. 

Our journey began almost five years ago when my husband made a late night run to multiple stores trying to find a simple item- cough medicine for a young toddler.  He quickly learned that toddlers were not to have traditional cough medicine and that warning after warning cautioned him of the dangers of administering cough medicine to a young child.  He kept looking thinking there has to be something and stumbled upon Hylands Cough Syrup- a homeopathic cough medicine safe for young children.  Feeling successful, he grabbed it and headed home.  We used it, and it provided the relief we were looking for. 

As mentioned in the earlier post BUDGET FRIENDLY HEALTH COVERAGE, it was about this time that we switched from traditional health insurance to Samaritan Ministries where we would now be responsible for preventative maintenance and minor illnesses.  Any illness or accident that added up to over $300, Samaritan’s (fellow believers) would kick in and pay after we paid the initial $300.  Thus, since we were now responsible financially for minor sicknesses, we were eager to find alternative, natural ways to treat our children instead of running to the doctor with any fever or illness that came our way.  Looking back, this was the turning point of us owning our own health.  See bottom of the post for detailed explanation of term ‘owning own health.’ 

Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that we believe there is a place for both traditional medicine and natural medicine.  I am so thankful that if needed, we have very competent doctors we can turn to, but in the meantime, I am going to do the best of my ability to take care of my family’s health through healthy eating and herbs, etc.  I see this as a journey; each year I learn more and make changes accordingly. 

Great Books and Websites We Regularly Resource For Children

Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker
http://kellymom.com/    (excellent site for pregnant mamas, nursing mamas, and really all mamas of littles)
http://www.caseadams.com (naturopath and writer...lots of great articles...he successfully helped my eczema, hay fever, and our son's leaky gut, which resulted in frequent diarrhea)
wellnessmama.com (recipes, tinctures, really anything you want to know about health)
http://avivaromm.com/ (she is a medical doctor, mom, midwife, and herbalist)
Others:

A Mother’s Guide to Herbal Extract by Kathy Garber founder of Mountain Meadow Herbs

Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants by Dana Ullman
Homeopathic Medicine at Home by Maesimund B. Panos and Jane Heimlich

Where We Buy From

I am loyal only to my pocketbook when it comes to where I buy natural medicine; however, I am completely loyal to the brands I buy as I think they work the best. 
Just in the last year, I started making a lot of our herbal medicine.  I buy herbs in bulk at https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/ 
When I don't make our medicine, I buy from Mountain Meadow Herbs and Trilight Health. 
Mountain Meadow Herbs ::  I actually just recently became an affiliate for them.  Click here (my affiliate link) to check out more about Mountain Meadow Herbs.  Because Mountain Meadow Herbs uses pure liquid herbal extracts, the dosage is actually quite tiny, so for example a bottle of Herbal Calcium lasts longer than expected.  For a child under two, he/she only get 5-10 drops one to three times a day and a child ages three to eleven, he/she only gets 1/8 teaspoon one to three times a day. 

So what’s our natural medicine strategy for our kids…

Being prepared when an illness hits is crucial because in our personal experience herbs, homeopathic medicine, etc. is most efficient if taken at the onset of an illness before the bacteria or virus has been able to multiply.  If taken at onset and our diet is low in sugar, rich in fruits and vegetables, and we get plenty of rest, the illness may even be stopped in its tracks.  Exercise and fresh air help a ton too. 

Preventative

One of the most important things I have learned on this journey is prevention.  Healthy eating, sunlight, managing stress, adequate sleep, and exercise go so far in preventing both the common cold and more serious chronic illnesses.  In regard to healthy eating, it seems that EVERY single person has a different opinion as to what 'healthy' means.  One person says Paleo all the way.  Another Mediterranean all the way.  And another is all into Shakeology.   We are none of the above.  I make from scratch and use little to no processed items.  I am in the kitchen a lot but currently figuring out how to make in bulk, freeze, etc. to minimize that time.  We eat tons of veggies and fruits, beans and lentils, probiotic rich dairy such as yogurt and keifer, organic chicken and turkey, farm fresh eggs when available and we can afford them, whole grains such as oats, quinoa, brown rice, etc, tons of water (juice only at Grandparents or a friends for a treat), healthy fats such as coconut oil and olive oil, and little to no sugar.  We use supplements where needed.  We try to eat like this 80% of the time.  There are certainly exceptions such as a family ice-cream outing, and we gladly eat whatever is served at a friend's house, etc.! 

Healthy Gut = Healthy Immune System:   We value probiotics, fermented foods, and a wholefoods (foods in their natural state not deprived of their nutrients) diet rich in fruits and veggies.  In fact, probiotics recently aided in riding our second son of food intolerances and a leaky gut that plagued him since he weaned (almost 3 years of belly issues). 

Treating Ailments

As for our children, we have thankfully been able to treat them at home when they have been sick, which means they have not been on oral antibiotics, etc. since this journey began almost 5 years ago.  There was one case of pink eye that I was unable to treat with breastmilk and was so thankful for the antibiotic drops when I needed them.  It must be noted that I think antibiotics are a great invention and save many lives, but today are extremely overused and can do more damage than good. 

Without further ado, this is what we do when illness strikes...

When sick, as a general rule in our home, we follow this protocol: dose with lots of immune boosting herbs, vitamins, avoid dairy as dairy thickens the mucous secretions which provide an easier environment for bacteria to grow and thrive.  We eliminate sugar and wheat and increase water and fruits and veggies, and we make sure rest time is heeded and bedtime is early.

Hydrogen peroxide: at first sign of illness, lie flat and put a capful in ear and stay put until stops bubbling (roughly 10 minutes)...do for both ears and every few hours until infection is gone; however, practically this looks like 1-2x a day for older ones in the house. 
Preventative during Cold and Flu Season (September- April normally) : daily dose of Winter Immune booster or Infant Immune Booster by Mountain Meadow Herbs depending on age of child with one day off a week OR I make my own elderberry syrup (recipe below) and use on children one and older due to honey in the recipe. 
Bruises, sprains, etc.: arnica
bug bites/ stings: lavender essential oil
Diarrhea: anti-diarrhea by mountain meadow herbs
Ear infections: garlic ear drops and Homeolab USA Kids Relief Earache (ages 0-9) with either Infant Immune Booster by Mountain Meadow Herbs or Winter Immune Booster by Mountain Meadow Herbs (2+) or Elderberry syrup...I will also alternate and put breastmilk in hurting ear. 

Excellent resources about ear infections:
http://avivaromm.com/ear-infections-part-1-6-sure-fire-tips-for-preventing-kids-ear-infections-and-antibiotic-overuse-naturally
http://avivaromm.com/ear-infections-part-2-antibiotics-or-natural-remedies-for-kids-ear-infections-what-to-use-when
http://gwens-nest.com/ear-infection-remedy/
Dry nagging cough Wild Cherry Coughaway from Trilight Health paired with either Infant Immune Booster or Winter Immune Booster (2+) from Mountain Meadow Herbs or elderberry syrup.  Zarbees also has a great cough syrup and if in a pinch, your local drugstore should carry it. 
Fever http://avivaromm.com/natural-fever-treatments?inf_contact_key=57cf02d7cf3620b7292471ca9da7f35df4606582189c6561037f93a0e03e2909

Pink eye/ eye infection: so I am learning that there are two types of pink eye: viral and bacterial.  breast milk (has cured 4 different cases in all my house.  There was one case breastmilk was unable to cure, so I was thankful for antibiotic drops when needed.) ....put breast milk in both eyes multiple times a day...I also put it in other children's well eyes twice a day to prevent pink eye...thus far, it has prevented 100%!  Pink eye did not spread despite close quarters and kids being around each other all the time. 
Plantar warts: tea tree oil

Respiratory Virus: Herbal Respiratory (safe for infants) along with Infant Immune Booster (for a baby) or Winter Immune Booster (ages 2+) …all made by Mountain Meadow Herbs or Elderberry syrup ....if illness is really bad, I will also alternate with Scout Out by Trilight Health.  I do the mountain meadow stuff 3-4x a day and the elderberry syrup every two hours. 
Sore throat/ Strep throat resources: http://avivaromm.com/sore-throat-kids-need-antibiotic-natural-sore-throat-treatments  &  http://holisticsquid.com/natural-remedies-for-strep-throat/
Stomach bug resources: http://www.yumyucky.com/2013/11/avoid-stomach-flu-vomit.html
Miscellaneous: We have a Hylands homeopathic remedy chest that tackles a variety of things as well and is great to keep on hand. 

Elderberry Syrup Recipe
http://wellnessmama.com/1888/elderberry-syrup/

Elderberry Syrup / Echinacea Recipe
http://www.crunchybetty.com/your-natural-medicine-cabinet-elderberry-echinacea-syrup-recipe

Things I Plan to Implement This Year (thanks to my friend Mary!)

1) When someone is sick or for when we are exposed to illness, we plan to drink this.  I have been warned about spillage.  The only thing that gets off the yellow stain is Magic Eraser. She recommends multiplying the dry ingredients and keeping them all mixed up in a mason jar. Then it is readily available.

Turmeric Tea (3-4 servings)

3 cups filtered water

1 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

stevia  (She likes trader joes liquid dropper bottle- a few drops go a long way and it doesn’t have that funny chemical aftertaste like most stevia- even the fresh leaf off the plant!) or honey or other sweetener of choice

Heat water and spices, simmer 10 minutes, Pour through sieve (we skip this, but it'd probably improve the texture). 

(optional other additions: vanilla, dash clove ground and or nutmeg, almond milk for cream (or milk, coconut cream, etc.)

2)  For cough and congestion my friend Mary makes a big stock pot of “tea” with lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus and adds it to a bath along with some epsom salts.  It’s really soothing and helps the sick kids breath easier and rest. It also has great aromatic qualities. It's the smell you'll recognize in Vicks vapor rub.  Basically, fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil, then add a handful of each herb, maybe a bit more eucalyptus than the others and let it steep for about 15mins. Fill the bath and add 1/2c or so of Epsom salts to the water. When the herbs are done steeping strain & add all the "tea" to the tub. I've even dumped the pot in without straining but it makes for a messy clean up.  This is for the bath- not to be drank!
  

 *Terminology

Owning our own health: Shonda Parker’s health ladder explains this better than I could, so I will reference her thoughts.  Basically she says that health is preserved by following the health practices laid out in the Bible such as being a good steward of our body.  She goes on to further say that we restore our health through a step by step process.  As we climb the ladder of repair upward from the least intervention, our risk goes up.  This increase in risk may be essential in various conditions, but as much as possible avoided.  TIER ONE: A lot of the times we can solve our health problems with a simple change in diet or lifestyle. The sooner we begin to intervene when an illness starts, the less intervention we will need most likely.  TIER TWO: The next step involves using herbs for healing, etc.  TIER THREE: Some ailments require us to climb to the level of low toxicity drugs.  The key here is knowing when to seek professional help.  TIER FOUR: High toxicity drugs.  TIER FIVE: surgery.