With cold & flu season upon us, I wanted to share some of the remedies we use at our house. {I am not a medical professional! These are things that we have done & they work well for us.}
First things first. Let's talk about prevention. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?! Yes, it's true!! Starting sometime in September or October we work these things into our daily routine. Except probiotics, those are daily year around.
1. Quality Probiotics.
Quanity is not quality. Maybe your proboitics have a high CFU, but there's more to it than that. Think quality AND variety. A variety of bacterial strands are worth more than billions of the exact same strand.We personally use Probio5 by Plexus, even for the kids. {I am a Plexus Ambassador}
Garden of Life also has quality probiotics. Let me add that Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and the like do not carry real quality probiotics. Also, avoid probiotics with preservatives.
2. Essential Oils.
This is really a post all of it's own. There are so many brands and so many oils. How do you know which to buy and how to use them? It can be very confusing. One thing that has to be clarified is that there is a difference in quality. What you buy at the health food store is probably not high quality and probably isn't pure. What that means is that it was distilled in a way that KILLS the medicinal properties and it's likely they have added a carrier oil which dilutes the entire bottle. You will not reap the same results with cheap oils, you just wont. I've tried and failed. We have a daily routine with our essential oils. With all of the resources online it can be overwhelming. A very short & simple blog is coming soon.3. Elderberry Syrup.
Elderberries have high levels of vitamins A, B, and C. It also helps boost the immune system. Rather than buying it, make your own! It's easy, it's cheap, and you will know you can trust all of the ingredients.You can usually buy them in the bulk section at the health food store, If not this is a great source: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/elder-berries/profile
Watch this video to learn how to make elderberry syrup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOYzWyFGkqM
4. Vitamin D.
We use the Now Brand. We don't need vitamin D year around, my kids get it from the sun & other foods. We use this when we head indoors. Our pediatrician recommended NOT to use this year around.Those are my go-to remedies. I like to keep it simple & affordable. With 5 kids life gets expensive in a hurry. I am working on a blog that will address what we do for specific illnesses {strep, bad coughes, fever, sore throat, etc}. You should also get a quality essential oil diffuser and a humidifier.
Also remember that what you eat matters. Sugar suppresses the immune system and feeds bad bacteria! So all of that Halloween candy and holiday treats your family is chowing on during cold & flu season is NOT doing you any favors.
What are your favorite go-to remedies?
