Natural remedies for children

Following the natural parenting path isn’t easy, especially when your child becomes ill and you must decide which is the best course to ease their suffering. Although I use to work as a nutritional advisor in the field of testing for food intolerances, I am not a medical doctor or any other certified practitioner of heath care. As a natural mama I do have experience of using natural remedies on my child to ease the transition through various forms of healing crisis.

Medical science has done a great job in providing the technology needed to deal with accidents and emergencies which are man-made e.g. surgical methods to prevent life threatening bleeding caused by a car accident.

Holistic or natural therapies and remedies deal with the whole organism in striving to combat dis-ease whilst modern conventional medicine only ever looks at the individual parts of the body/mind system in a separatist, mechanistic model. Furthermore, naturally occurring exposure to germs, and infectious diseases play an important role in helping to develop and strengthen our immune system for maintaining future health.

For these reasons I have opted to not administer any drugs, vaccines or other man-made chemicals to my child’s developing immune system. I view fevers, childhood diseases and other imbalances as a positive sign that the body has reached critical activation point in toxic load and has now activated a healing purge or ‘crisis’ to allow the body to cleanse the poisons

Instead of using drugs to suppress these important healing symptoms, there are a host of natural remedies and therapies available which do not cause the liver to become overburdened and exhibit more negative side effects.

Below are listed a range of common health complaints alongside some natural remedy suggestions. I recommend that you always talk to a health care practitioner of your choice and do your own varied research before trialling any new remedies. Above all else I trust my own instincts and observations whilst trialling new healing remedies or therapies:-

Asthma: Turmeric and ginger root, Fresh unpasteurized apple juice, Salt pipes, Yoga breathing exercises (for older children 3 yrs plus), Breathing in a steam shower room with eucalyptus oil (to open up the airways during an attack), Chiropractic/Osteopath/cranial sacral adjustments. Elimination diet* (led by a natural health practitioner)

*The main culprits which cause intolerances or allergic symptoms in the diet are: wheat, dairy, sugar, yeast, MSG and other artificial flavourings, additives and preservatives.

Allergies (non-life threatening): Freshly prepared nettle tea (contains naturally occurring anti-histamines), Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (taken diluted in water), Chiropractic /Osteopath/cranial sacral adjustments. Elimination diet* (led by a natural health practitioner)

Autism: A complex condition often triggered by heavy metal poisoning from the mercury in dental fillings and/or the mercury added to vaccinations. A heavy metal detox under guidance of a qualified practitioner is paramount to healing the body from mercury poisoning. A natural and safe combination for children to take combines coriander/cilantro herb with the algae called Chlorella.

Constipation: Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Prunes, Apricots, Pears, Figs, Psyllium husk, Aloe vera (in a juice), Probiotics (found in all types of natural yoghurt including vegan coconut yoghurt), Sauerkraut Abdominal massage with lavender oil, Warm bath, Increase water consumption, Physical exercise, Reflexology, Elimination diet* (led by a natural health practitioner)

Colic: Fennel, mint and chamomile tea combined and left to cool to tepid temperature. Baby wearing in a correctly supportive wrap or sling, Switching from formula milk with soya or cows milk to donated breast milk or Goat’s milk as a second best option to human milk, Sound and movement vibration (e.g. riding in a car or dancing and singing to baby)

Congestion/mucus: Turmeric root powder added as a large pinch to homemade lemonade (add a natural sweetener instead of sugar), Neti pot cleansing with sea salt water.

Eliminate mucous producing foods: bananas, wheat, dairy foods such as ice cream, yoghurt and butter; soya, deep fried foods, corn, chips/crisps, cakes, unstable oils such as sunflower and safflower vegetable oil, jams, cereals, biscuits. Increase foods that eliminate mucous such as: green vegetables, ginger, turmeric root, garlic, grapefruit, bamboo shoots, oranges, onions, celery, cauliflower, lemons and limes, asparagus.

Cough: Raw honey mixed with turmeric taken on a spoon.

Cradle cap: Extra virgin coconut oil rubbed on to affected area.

Diabetes: Cinnamon, stevia and xylitol for balanced sweeteners which will not spike blood sugar level. Incorporate as much of the raw food diet as possible to the daily diet.

Eye infection: Breast milk squirted into the eye directly.

Ear infections:  Olive oil poured into the ear canal whilst head is turned to the side.

Fever: Camu camu berry powder mixed with water and a little natural sweetener in a drink.

Flu: To nourish and heal the body use a liquid diet of green smoothies/juices freshly prepared from organic produce in a low speed RPM blender/juicer. Raw garlic and ginger can also  be taken chopped up in small chunks and swallowed like a pill.

Rash: Pure Paw Paw ointment (made from Papaya fruit)

I hope these suggestions help relieve any uncomfortable symptoms. Do remember these healing modalities are not a ‘cure’ for the dis-ease but rather act to buffer and comfort the pain and unpleasant symptoms of healing.

As ancient tribal wisdom and quantum physics all agree, ultimately the root to all dis-ease is first created in the mind through mental disturbance and emotional stress and so can not be ‘cured’ in the long-term by simply treating the physical body.

Techniques such as emotion freedom technique, progressive and attachment parenting methods and other types of emotional therapy are great ways to get to the root of any diseases. (For more information on this see my blog on ‘Mental invitations: the real root cause of disease’).

 Wishing great natural health to you and your children.

Mama’s natural cures: environmental allergens and mouldy nightmares

Spring time, a beautiful time of year when nature wakes up and displays it’s beauty. The sun begins to shine more and the buds burst with new life. On a less joyful note the pretty flowers and fresh green shoots also bring with them an onslaught of environmental, airborne allergens such as pollen and mould spores.

if you have a child who is either highly sensitive, has a leaky gut or challenged immune system there is a possibility they may also suffer from allergic reactions to airborne particles that can be a harmless threat to others.

i have personal experience of coping with a child from newborn to toddler with a severe allergy to mould spores and the most challenging aspect is accepting that you can run but cannot hide from these invaders.

Here’s a list of common symptoms of an airborne environmental allergy such as mould in young babies:

• Frequently swollen tongue accompanied with excessive dribbling.
• Frequent red, runny  eyes.
• Difficulty breastfeeding, often making a loud gulping sound to suggest restricted passage down the throat.
• Extreme red skin rashes similar in appearance to burnt skin.
• Intense cradle cap followed by hair loss.
• Asthma attacks/ breathing difficulties such as frequently gasping for breath.
• Excessive sweating during nap times, often with an odour of mildew. Frequent night terrors, even  during day time naps.
• Unexplained prolonged crying episodes, especially during the lung time of 4-6pm/am, liver time from 1-3am/pm nd also from 9-11pm when the energy accumulates in the body.
• Ongoing colic accompanied often by chronic constipation.

As baby turns into toddler some of the more severe symptoms may lessen such as asthma and skin rashes. With our little one the breathing attacks calmed down and only returned during intense emotional stress. Although dry painful stools cleared up, the irregular passing of bowel movements has continued due to mental rejection and fear of past painful passage. Furthermore, strong emotions of irritability, anger and dis-combobulation often re-appear during those healing times of day mentioned above, especially if the weather has been particularly damp with a lack of sun. Also, mood alterations increase during the mouldy seasons of late autumn into winter and early spring.

During an unexpected 2 month trip to the mediterranean island of Gozo during our little one’s first year we discovered a welcome reprieve from all symptoms and sleep difficulties. In an ideal world we now know the ideal climate in which to raise a child with such sensitivities. As the Mediterranean climate is so hot and dry most of the year, this makes for a perfect environment where mould cannot proliferate. If like us however, you find yourselves residing in drearier climates like the UK here are some natural remedies and practical tips you can use to help manage the problem.

• Stock up on CLOVE OIL, dilute some in a spray bottle with water and clean your surfaces with it daily. Use an oil diffuser, especially during the night with a few drops of clove oil
• Feed your child raw MUSHROOMS, even though they are a fungus they  work on a ‘like treats like’ basis. Lion heart herbs company does an amazing chocolate tasting super smoothie mix which tastes great and is packed full of medicinal mushroom extracts and anti-fungal, immune boosting herbs.
• When the immune system is shot and there is mucus overload, add super loaded vitamin c CAMU CAMU berry powder to fresh apple juice for your child.
• FOODS good for healing the lungs, the intestines and clearing up damp, fungus and mucus in the body include fresh, organic and raw: apples, beetroot, turmeric root, ginger root, cinnamon, olive oil, coconut oil, lemons, oranges, berries, dark leafy greens, garlic, pink or grey/brown sea and rock salt, seaweed, flax seed, plums/prunes and celery.
• AVOID peanuts as they can contain a mould toxin. Limit dairy, especially cheeses as this can aggravate a mould sensitivity. Also bananas and wheat can be mucus producing.
• Use pure PAW PAW ointment and fresh ALOE VERA to sooth even the most red raw of skin rashes.
• Exposure of skin to SUNLIGHT without sun screen barriers is deeply healing for clearing mould out of the system. Make sure to limit direct exposure during the hottest hours 11-3pm.
• Ease breathing attacks with HOT STEAM SHOWER BLASTS to create a steam room atmosphere which will help open up the lungs. A few drops of eucalyptus oil will help further
• Invest in a DE-HUMIDIFIER for each room your child spends most of their time in.
• Adapt to a more OXYGEN RICH living environment in your home. Make sure air can be re-circulated in all rooms especially the bathroom. Incorporate plenty of green plants (Peace Lilly is good for combating mould spores) round your home and ensure fresh air is replenished daily, ideally in the mornings by opening all the windows for a while.
• Avoid living in MOULD HAVENS such as damp basement flats, rotting buildings and residences without enough windows or any outside space to dry damp washing.
• Take REGULAR DAILY WALKS in nature with your child to oxygenate their bodies. A walk by the sea is especially helpful to heal lungs, also a salt lamp in the home can be beneficial.

Finally, remember that allergens challenge the liver. Considering the fact that all drugs also tax the liver you may want to consider whether it is worth administering these to your child as a first resort.

All these natural remedies have come as a result of being challenged with learning how to bring back balance to my little one’s health in a way that respects the body’s natural delicate ecosystem. Even though this experience has been emotional and at many times overwhelming, I thank it for the lessons it has bought me to pay attention to what’s going on around us, inside and out.

 

(Disclaimer: I am not a medical practitioner and do not give medical advice.)