CHILDREN’S NATURAL COLD AND FLU REMEDIES

Oct 31, 2007

Many parents are up in arms with the recent findings on the news about the lack of safety and usefulness of children’s pharmaceutical common cold and flu remedies.

Feeling helpless in being able to give our children comfort and help them to heal during and after an acute illness is not necessary as there are alternatives available that are completely safe and have proven to work.

As we all know, eating a healthy diet rich in clean proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables and whole grains is the first step in maintaining good health. This is sometimes tricky with finicky eaters, so giving a good quality multivitamin helps to ensure that your child’s body is getting what it needs.

For those that do not like to eat fruits and vegetables you’re in luck, as Genuine Health has designed a powdered fruit drink mix for kids that gives them a super dose of a complex of different fruits and vegetables that tastes so good they have no idea it has broccoli in it. Supplementing with extra Vitamin C in a buffered non-acidic form is helpful this time of year for preventing colds as well.

Taking probiotics like acidophilus in a powdered or chewable form so they get a good dose, not just the trace amounts found in yogurt, helps your child to absorb their nutrients from food better, boosts the immune system and gives protection from viruses and bacteria that we ingest from our environment.

Using homeopathic remedies is the gentlest way to support your child’s system during an illness. A great cold and flu remedy by the funny name of Oscillococcinum, speeds up the healing process and has even been known to stop a cold or flu in its tracks if taken at the first sign of symptoms.

If you are one of those that is concerned with possible side-effects from the flu shot, you may be interested in using the homeopathic flu vaccine instead. Every year it is updated to the strain that the World Health Organization chooses as the strain to make this year’s flu shot with. The difference is that it is taken orally, under the tongue and contains no additives or preservatives or any animal by-products.

There are also many single homeopathic remedies that give relief from sore throats, coughs, sinus infections, pneumonia, bronchitis and the flu.

Herbs have been used for years to help boost the immune system and help fight off viral or bacterial infections.

A formula called Deep Immune is astragalus based and is superior to echinacea in building up the immune system and warding off colds. If your child is rundown a lot, taking this tincture regularly throughout the cold season would be very beneficial in cutting down the number of colds your child will suffer from. It is not advised to consume astragalus during a fever though, as it is so effective at building white blood cells and boosting the immune system, it has shown to increase a fever.

Echinacea is still a good immune booster to use, but remember to rotate your weeks of use so your child’s body does not become accustomed to the herb. Goldenseal is a boon to sinus infections or lung infections. This bitter golden root breaks up and loosens the mucous so your child can expel it easier. Umcka is another wonderful respiratory herb that speeds healing, soothes the cough and breaks up tough mucous.

Oregano oil may also be used during a cold or flu as it is strongly anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Some children refuse to take the strong-tasting oil internally, so massage the glands on their neck with the pungent stuff and rub it on their chests and inner forearms. Our bodies absorb through our skin so it’s a gentle way to get it in them and it just feels good to get a little loving touch too. Many find it helps to take the pain out of sore glands and alternating using oregano oil and Pascoe’s Lymphadiaoral cream helps drain the lymphatics and give relief.

These are just some of the tried, tested and true natural remedies available that will help to build up your child’s immune system so it is strong enough to ward off common viruses and bacteria. It is also a little assurance that you do have an alternative that has been used for a very long time which works and is safe to use.