This is not a “fun” post, but this year’s formidable strain of the flu virus has got me thinking (and honestly, a little scared since we have an infant). There are a lot of little things we do in our house to prevent illness during cold and flu season. I thought I’d share them because every little bit helps, and maybe some of these crazy rituals could help you, too.
I don’t normally discuss vaccinations here because it’s such a polarizing topic, and while I’ve done my research and have made decisions for my own family, I am not a doctor. (For the record, I am neither anti-vax nor pro-vax.) However, I’m comfortable sharing that we aren’t fans of the flu shot. Since going “clean” about 7 years ago, I’ve only gotten the flu shot once – right after Annabel was born (or was it when I was still pregnant with her?) I didn’t want to be that jerk who refused the flu shot, only to get the flu and transmit it to my newborn, only for us to both end up dead. Well, when she was 1 month old, I got the flu, anyway – and bad. She was fine, as I pumped milk for her and Richard bottle fed her, but I was so sick, and the fever almost completely dried up my milk supply. I was so angry. We’ve been flu-shot-free and flu-free ever since (not that we couldn’t get it tomorrow), and I do think that a lot of our wellness rituals have something to do with that.
Our family has a naturopath, holistic chiropractor and acupuncturist on speed dial, and each is very adept at recommending daily supplements as well as more targeted remedies when a specific ailment arises. Every morning, Annabel takes her vitamins and drinks her “medicine juice”, which is basically elderberry syrup, (a.k.a. “nature’s flue shot”) a bunch of tinctures, a little water and 3 drops of stevia mixed up in her juice cup. Since everything tastes so good, she loves this little ritual, and I do think it helps, especially since she is in school 5 days a week. Woody takes his tinctures in his morning bottle, and I’ve started giving him some elderberry syrup diluted with water as well. (During the summer, we do vitamins only, and take a break from all the tinctures.)
Below is a round-up of what we take, more or less, during cold & flu season; I haven’t included any supplements we take that are condition-specific. Most of these formulas are suitable for many children and adults, but I highly recommend that you seek out your own holistic practitioners where you live – and not just because I don’t want you to sue me (remember, I’m not a doctor), but because I believe it will improve the quality of your life and the lives of your loved ones. Also, many supplements at Whole Foods are great, but just like their selection of beauty and personal care items, not all of the brands they carry are of high quality. Working with a holistic practitioner will better educate you and familiarize you with the best brands and what to look out for on ingredient labels. Everything below has been blessed (for our use) by each of my practitioners, who I trust way more than I trust the FDA. 😉
For the Kiddos:
- Proberry 3 Elderberry syrup (1 tsp per day for both kids)
- Immunoberry Liquid Tincture (1 dropper full per day when well, 2-3 per day when sick)
- Liquid Vitamin D (a vast majority of the population is deficient; basically everyone’s immune system can benefit from a daily dose. This formula is diluted, so I give each child 1000 IU per day, which is half a dropper.)
- Baby’s DHA (2 mL per day for Woody)
- Kids’ chewable DHA gummies (Annabel gets 2 of these dummies per day)
- Kids’ chewable Catalyn and Congaplex multi-vitamins (I give Annabel 3 of each per day.)
- HLC Neonate Infant Probiotic (I give Woody 2 scoops per day)
- Kids’ Chewable Probiotic (I give Annabel 1 per day)
- Jade Screen tincture (I give both children 1 dropper full per day)
For Adults:
- Proberry 3 Elderberry Syrup (2 tsp per day for adults)
- Vitamin D (2000 IU’s per day for adults)
- Astra C (the adult version of the Jade Screen tincture; I take 2 tablets in the AM and 2 in the PM)
- Prenatal Provitamin for the ladies (I take 3 in the AM and 3 in the PM even when I’m not pregnant)
- Ther-Biotic Factor 6 Probiotic (I take 1-2 per day)
- Nordic Naturals DHA Xtra (I take 2 per day)
NOT-SO-FINE PRINT:
Again, I want to clarify that I am not a doctor, or a health practitioner of any kind. These are simply remedies and preventative steps that have worked for our family. Please consult your doctor before taking a new vitamin, supplement, etc.
If you are in the Charleston area, and you’re looking for a quality practitioner, we see:
Dr. Richard Stemegna, Chiropractor
Stay well!
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