| PARENTS:
The following article is a good introduction to natural immunity
and keeping your children healthy. Your child's immune system
is very complex, and making it strong and powerful takes a
multi-faceted approach. The good news is that there is much
a parent can do, inexpensively at home, to improve a child's
resistance to disease. Super Healthy Kids: Strengthening Your
Child's Resistance to Disease is a comprehensive, 90-page
e-book (you can get the printed version as well) about what
parents can do to strengthen a child's immune system to prevent
disease and create increased health and vitality. Click
here to read more about it:
Thriving Through
the Season
Living in Harmony with Colds and Flu
By Jane
Sheppard
Reproduced with permission Taking
care of sick children can be a rather challenging aspect of
being a parent. Waking up in the middle of the night to the
sounds of your child's cough, feeling your child's feverish
body against yours, and cleaning up vomit is something you
may be familiar with. We all knew there would be times like
this in our parenting experience. It's inevitable that kids
get sick. It's a necessary part of growing up, a normal part
of childhood.
The general
belief is that kids "catch" colds and flu from viruses
that are circulating in the air or passed from others. Many
people talk about a cold or flu "going around" as
if it were making the rounds infecting every child in its
path. The reality is that out of all the children exposed
to the virus, only a portion of these children will get sick
to some degree and others will not succumb to the disease
at all. This is because viruses and bacteria are not the sole
cause of disease.
There
is much more going on behind the scenes in your child's body.
The "cause" of the illness is not just the bacteria
or virus; there are many factors involved. The internal environment
of the body determines whether a child will be susceptible
to colds, flu or any other illness. Germs will only lead to
illness when the body is out of balance and immunity is weakened.
Yes, germs
in the form of bacteria and viruses do play a part in illness,
but in order to survive and become active enough to cause
symptoms, these germs first need to have an environment that
nourishes them. They survive and proliferate from feeding
off the wastes and toxins that accumulate in the body. The
immune system responds with inflammation, triggering an inflammatory
response. Vomiting, rash, diarrhea, fever, runny noses, and
coughs are signs that the body has begun its process of healing
- dispelling the wastes, virus, and accumulated toxins from
the body.
In order
for the body to generate a sufficient and complete healing
response, the immune system needs to be strong and functioning
at its best. Factors that contribute to a weakened immune
system include poor nutrition, stress, an unhealthy mental
or emotional state, and excessive toxins. There
is plenty you can do to strengthen your child's immune system
and overall health and vitality. The best approach is to provide
a healthy environment right from the start. A baby needs to
be nourished during the entire pregnancy with organic, whole
foods and lots of love, birthed in a peaceful, welcoming environment,
then exclusively breastfed and nurtured immediately upon entering
the world. Long-term
breastfeeding is, by far, the most important thing you can
do. Breastmilk provides the nutritional and immune factors
crucial to building and maintaining healthy immunity. Breastfeeding
into the toddler, or even the preschool years, provides the
physiological and emotional factors necessary to develop and
boost the immune system. Also vitally
important is good nutrition - plenty of fresh, whole foods.
Processed foods place a burden on the immune system and create
more of a toxic environment within the body. A nontoxic
environment is essential. A body that is less toxic is also
less susceptible to illness. In our current world, it is impossible
to avoid all toxins. But we can reduce exposure to a great
extent if we know how our children are being exposed through
their food, homes, schools and playgrounds. It's also important
to avoid vaccines and unnecessary antibiotics since these
substances can weaken overall immunity and add to the toxic
load on the body. Moreover,
a child needs a healthy mental attitude, low stress, emotional
security, and plenty of rest and exercise. In addition
to all of the above health builders, you can boost your child's
immune system with herbs, homeopathy, or chiropractic care.
Certain herbs, including echinacea, astragalus, elderberry,
and garlic have been found to have remarkable immune-building
properties. These herbs support the body's vitality and help
prevent development of disease. Homeopathy prescribed by a
classical homeopath can help tremendously to release any imbalance
from the body and shift it into health and vitality. Chiropractic
treatments can also help to strengthen the immune system and
overall health. It's our
job as parents to keep our children's bodies healthy and in
balance. We need to provide what the immune system needs to
function properly and to reduce the toxic exposures from food
and the environment. When your
children do get sick, you can help facilitate and support
the healing process by gently supporting the immune system
and assisting the cleansing process. Keep in mind that the
symptoms of cough, fever, runny nose, etc. are exactly what
need to happen to dispel and heal the disease. You don't want
to suppress this healing by giving them fever reducers or
cough syrup. Antibiotics can also suppress the healing process
and weaken the immune system. Instead of trying to control
and suppress the symptoms our children are experiencing, we
can try to stimulate their immune systems to enable their
bodies to heal themselves. Childhood
inflammatory diseases are an essential part of the development
of the immune system. Every time the immune system works to
dispel a cold virus or other inflammatory illness, your child's
immunity is strengthened. The more the immune system does
this clearing process, the stronger it will be. Studies have
shown that the more acute inflammatory diseases a child has,
the less the likelihood of getting chronic inflammatory diseases,
such as allergies and asthma, later in life. Another great
benefit is that after successfully discharging and healing
certain diseases like chicken pox or whooping cough, your
child will most likely receive lifetime protection from these
illnesses. Childhood
illnesses can certainly be demanding and frightening at times.
But you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it's a normal
part of the growing process and your child's immune system
and overall health is developing naturally and becoming stronger
in the process. Use the
information provided in this article as an educational resource
for determining your options and making your own informed
choices. It is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose,
prescribe, or treat any specific illness. If there is any
chance your child is seriously ill, take him or her to a qualified
health professional for evaluation. Consult
a doctor if your sick child: Has a
persistent fever of over 104 degrees F
Is under two months old and has a fever of any temperature
Has severe pain
Is unusually limp, unresponsive, apathetic, or difficult to
awaken
Has diarrhea or vomiting that lasts more than a day and appears
dehydrated
Loses consciousness
Has difficulty breathing
Has problems with balance or coordination, or numbness in
any area
Has not improved after 3 days of home treatment Parents:
The above article is a good introduction to natural immunity
and keeping your children healthy. The immune system is very
complex, and making it strong and powerful takes a multi-faceted
approach. The good news is that there is much a parent can
do, inexpensively at home, to improve a child's resistance
to disease. Super Healthy Kids: Strengthening Your Child's
Resistance to Disease is a comprehensive, 90-page e-book (you
can get the printed version as well) about what parents can
do to strengthen a child's immune system to prevent disease
and create increased health and vitality. Click here to read
more about it: Jane
Sheppard, a natural health researcher/writer
for over 15 years, is the editor of Healthy Child Online -
providing in-depth information to parents about natural health
and alternative medicine. Visit http://www.healthychild.com
for many articles, a free e-newsletter, natural health e-books,
and informative message boards for parents. E-mail editor@healthychild.com
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