My toddler is showing signs of getting sick… now what?
I get so much joy from hearing my daughter say: “mommy will fix it” whenever someone gets a boo-boo or isn’t feeling well. It has made my journey as an herbalist even more meaningful. Moving from the realm of helping yourself to helping others is truly fulfilling. So when my baby has red watery eyes and a runny nose I have to jump into action. I am pretty conservative when it comes to giving my children anything, the same way I am with myself when I’m pregnant. What I mean by that is I’m careful. Whether it is over the counter medicine or herbs, less is best for everyday issues. And aways check with your pediatrician first. I love elderberry. At the first sign of sickness the whole house gets some — except for the newborn, she gets mama’s liquid gold. I will put a bit of elderberry syrup in water with lemon or lime juice for my two year old. I found giving it in an open cup helped my toddler drink it faster but sometimes it goes right in the sippy cup. You could go the syringe route but personally my daughter wasn’t a fan and she takes medicine well. **It is important to note that you should use elderberry syrup that is formulated for children and discuss with your pediatrician before using. Homemade elderberry syrups typically contain honey which is not safe for children under one year old.** Elderberry can greatly reduce the duration of cold/flu as it helps to keep a virus from replicating. It also has antiviral, expectorant, and anti inflammatory properties. Simple homestyle herbs provide powerful support for our health. There is a reason they are popular and taste so good. I’m talking herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil, marjoram, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, and garlic. The easiest (and certainly ancient) way to drink a hot infusion of these herbs is to put them in your soup broth. But if you have a picky toddler, they’re eating the noodles and nothing else. I had to come up with a creative way to incorporate some of these staples. If your child is anything like mine, a nice warm bubble bath is a relaxing day at the spa — or a fun day splashing at the pool. Either way, mine loves a good soak. When she isn’t feeling well and the snot is running, a bath is a great source of comfort. Hot baths can promote sweating which may help release toxins and ease aches and pains. The steam may also help loosen mucous and pressure.. To take her bath to the next level I decided to try an herbal soak for colds. I put thyme, rosemary, calendula, plantain, chamomile, lavender, and a couple of juniper berries in a tea infuser and put it right in the bath. You could also make it into a large cup of tea or infuse in a French press and pour it into the tub which will allow you to make a stronger brew. Just be mindful of temperature. Along with plenty of water and rest, this simple regimen has stopped colds in their tracks in my home. To reiterate — be sure to consult your pediatrician when your child is sick and before giving them anything new. Some herbs react with medication, some can cause an allergic reaction like members of the Aster family that are related to ragweed. Simple can be effective!
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I’ve been diving into herbal replacements for coffee because I’ve known for a while caffeine doesn’t agree with me. I actually decided to look up what caffeine is. It is categorized as a drug because it “stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness.” It is also said to stimulate the brain. Which yes is something we need. But as someone with anxiety and an overstimulated nervous system, I really don’t need much. And if I’m being honest, coffee does feel like an addiction.
If I’m exhausted to the point I need to be “drugged” to stay awake, then guzzling coffee is certainly not going to improve my health and wellbeing. And my chronic fatigue does not stem from a nervous system and brain that isn’t active. I need balanced support in all my body systems to keep things flowing and functioning optimally. Now, I do have a history of chronic migraine and caffeine is said to be helpful in that case but at the end of the day too much of anything isn’t good for you. Even with herbs I avoid consuming anything in large, continual quantities. We want to be in balance which means variety is the spice of life and an excellent way to ensure our bodies have what they need. I’m also trying to get away from a restricting mindset. Rather than focusing solely on what I need less of, I’m considering what I need more of and how I can work it into my life. So I could replace a few cups of coffee a week with an herbal tea blend, or I could just add them into my routine, and it’s still making progress. When we try to make changes in our life with an “all or nothing” mindset or fear making a mistake, we shame ourselves to stay where we are. Then nothing gets better. We don’t need to be perfect or experts. We simply need to try. Stay tuned because I have been perfecting a delicious blend of herbal “coffee” that will be available soon. It’s an excellent spring tonic that gets things moving in our body which increases alertness more sustainably. |
AuthorCasey Downs (@amindfulintuitive) writes all blog posts. Archives
April 2023
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