Roots of Healthy Living

This is my daughter Katie. Katie has Down Syndrome and will turn nine this summer. Until this past year, she was always getting sick, especially with ear and sinus infections. It is typical for children with Down Syndrome to have small respiratory systems and be prone to having the slightest cold turn into an infection. She missed a lot of school and was always on round after round of antibiotics. (More of her story can be found under "Testimonials" at the top of the page, but suffice it to say that I felt there had to be a better way.)

It actually has been amazingly simple to keep her healthy. We have eliminated dairy, which has made a HUGE difference in her overall health. When she does get sick we know what to do. She even had the swine flu last fall and we were able to treat everything at home very successfully. Knowledge is power! So Katie and I would like to share some of our favorite remedies with you:

There are some VERY simple things that we do for colds, flu, sinus and ear infections at out house. These simple things have proven to be effective and have kept us out of the doctor's office for over a year now.

Most of these things you can make yourself or find at a healthfood store.

EAR INFECTIONS











Garlic Oil
**warm to room temperature (in hand or cup of hot water)
**place 2-3 drops in infected ear

Mullein Oil
**same thing as above, warm it and put 2-3 drops in infected ear.

Lobelia Tincture
**If there is a lot of pain we also add a drop of Lobelia tincture in each ear to help while the garlic and mullein are working. You can repeat this procedure 2-3 times a day if needed, while awake.

Dr. Christopher's Sen Sei Ointment
**Another product we love at our house is Dr. Christopher's Sen Sei Ointment. We rub a little under the ear and down the neck and it helps open up blockages so draining can happen.



COLDS AND FLU

Echinacea

At the first sign of illness we start Katie on Echinacea. She can swallow capsules but we usually use a glycerin tincture because it's sweet and she likes it. There are several great brands out there specifically made for kids. You can also do an herbal tea by following the same instructions as the Dandelion Root Tea.

Echinacea works by stimulating the immune system. We take it up to every hour if necessary if we are trying to fight off a new bug. It can also lose it's effectiveness after a while so I've heard it suggested to go six days on and 2 days off.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
While people usually think of this as an herb to be used during pregnancy, it is FANTASTIC at wording off colds and flu. We make up a large amount, mix it with apple juice and have everyone drink as much as they can, especially that first couple of days. We use this along with water to drink and eliminate all other drinks until the illness has passed.



Elder Berries

Elder Berries are another great cold/flu remedy. Also a great tasting syrup or tincture for kids. This is very popular in Europe and easy to find in healthfood stores. There are many recipes online if you want to make your own.

Cayenne

If your child is older, cayenne is a great way to fight off a coming cold or flu. We have them take some cayenne capsules, take a hot bath or shower, take a couple more capsules, dress warm and go to bed. Often times the sweating action during the night will sweat out the virus and they will feel great in the morning.

Dr. Christopher's Infection Formula

My personal favorite remedy for Katie and the entire family is Dr. Christopher's Infection Formula. I have seen a sinus infection clear up in hours with this combination. I would never want to be without it.

I hope you will try some of these remedies and let me know what you think.