What is in your "keep healthy" arsenal?

[kathymuggle]

Thanks to ssun5 for the suggestion.

So, in lieu of vaccinations, what (if anything) is in your "keep healthy" arsenal.

I will go first.

We do not have much stuff, but we have some.  As a general rule I do not keep much in the house to prevent illness as I think getting sick, launching an immune response and recovering is good for you.  This year is a little different as I do not want my youngest to get sick, as it often leads to a chest infection in her, and I want to break the cycle of illness-> chest infection->antibiotics. 

So…what we are doing to prevent illness:

1.  Soap at all sinks.  I am trying to encourage handwashing, so I put soap at the kitchen sink.  People in my house are pretty good about handwashing after using the washroom, but not so good about it before eating.  I wanted to make it fairly simple to do, and give a visual cue…so yeah, soap at the sinks.

2.  You usual good sleep, outdoor time, good food.

3.  With specific regards to food, I am being a little pickier than usual.  We are off sugar (just the refined stuff).  I am doing it for energy reasons (and it seems to be working!) but a quick look at the internet shows sugar is not very good where health is concerned.

4.  In our house, due to chest infection issues, we have stepped up the dust and clutter control.  We got rid of the carpets and the house feels so much cleaner. I am also misting rooms with water somewhat regularly to keep humidity levels correct in this season of heat being on all the time (it is drying).

5.  Vit. C and D. supplements.  Just in case.  We do not get enough vit. D naturally this far north in winter months.

6. Tea or other hot drinks.  Some bacteria (including flu, I think) colonize at the back of the throat.  Hot drinks help wash it down into the stomach where the colonies can be dealt with more effectively.  Neti pots work as well.

7.  If we feel a tickle or something coming on, we are taking a homemade concoction of oil of oregano, apple cider vinegar and honey.  Anecdotally, we love it!  It seems to prevent some stuff, or cut the duration/severity of illnesses.  

Things I would like to do or know:

Get the proper type and dose of ascorbic acid in the house.  

figure out if hydrogen peroxide help prevent tetanus at all and keep it in the house if it does. 

Edited by kathymuggle - 1/7/13 at 4:31pm

[kathymuggle]

One more - due to DD antibiotic usage, she eats a lot of food with probiotics in them. 

[pek64]

The only sweet thing in our diet right now us concord grape juice. It has two vitamins or minerals needed for the immune system. I *think* those nutrients are chromium and zinc. And we eat organic food. And always make our own food, because of food allergies/intolerances. Also, tea tree or eucalyptus essential oils can be put into a spray bottle along with water and sprayed into the air, humidifying and killing germs.

[Marnica]

We take a multi, vit d, Vit C (SA), probiotics and fish oil. When ill we takes more of those and some zinc and we are into homeopathics in our house so use various remedies depending on what we are dealing with

Kathy - with SA it's all about trial and error in terms of finding the correct dose. Everybody's dose will be different and will vary considerable during various illnesses. When I am ill - I can take up to 50,000mg of SA. When I'm well, about 5-7 thousand. 

As for H202 and tetanus - Hilary Butler has some good stuff on it on her website. She says not to use h202 except for grazes and scrapes. She advocates an SA wash for all other wounds. 

[kathymuggle]

SA usage is to bowel tolerance, correct?

Marnica - do you use it when well?  I had thought SA was pretty much reserved for illnesses, but admit to knowing little about it.  

I will look up the info on Hilary' site - thanks!

[MommaHeather]

One thing I keep in my bag is oscillococcunum. (I'm not sure how to spell it). I also tend to stock up on other homeopathic remedies as well. And, taking lots of the Emergen-C packets.

(I'm pregnant, and I started taking Vit. D in liquid, found out my potassium wasn't high enough to absorb Vit. D. Make sure you have plenty of potassium. Some signs of low potassium included water retention, heart palpitations and muscle cramping!)

[ssun5]

My list that I keep in my bag.

First would be the natural things. Good sleep, peaceful home etc.

Second would be food. I attempt to let everyone drink raw milk, grass fed only beef, have my own chickens for eggs and eat fresh as much as possible. I try as much as possible to make my own bread etc. I Also try to make a ton of goodies to eat: Milk Kefir, Water Kefir, Kombucha, I love body Ecology for starter kits.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kefir   Great website for all things milk and other Kefir etc. Love it! If you don't know the health benefits... check it out!

http://www.foodrenegade.com/kombucha-health-benefits/  Kombucha start, although there is plenty in google

http://bodyecology.com/probiotic-culture-starters.html This is where I got my starter kits. I used it all. Milk, Culture starter for my homemade sauerkraut, and put there pre-biotic stuff in some smoothies. I have no affiliation with this company.... just wanted to share!

(as a side note Kathy. I have been reading some amazing studies on the culture of L. Plantarum you should look up. It seems it can coat your intestinal walls and keep bad bacteria from growing and Can NOT even be killed by antibiotics. It has been proven to survive the stomach acid so it does make it to your intestines when eaten. This is why I actually bought the culture starter for my krauts just for this little beauty. I think your daughter might benefit greatly if she has been on Antibiotics a lot)

             I do have the kids wash hands before they eat. We wash hands if we have been out and about. I always put my daughter in one of those cloth protection things in carts and chairs. Other than that I don't worry.

I do feed all of my kids SA (sodium Ascorbic in encapsulated form that I make) everyday. It is easier as it is liquid then and I can put a little bit in foods, smoothies, drinks etc without anyone noticing! 

I read all about DR. Klenner and his life work on the subject. That kind of did it for me. You should google him. Another really cool read is Here:http://www.mothering.com/community/t/714819/sodium-ascorbate

There really is a lot of good info through out!

I make sure that along with SA, they get enough of the minerals we need and bio flavinoids. Selenium, magnesium, Potassium etc. I don't worry about most of the other regular Vitamins as I believe we are getting enough through our food. Minerals have been stripped out so much so I try to supplement.

I do also sup with Vit D during the winter months and will every 3 months have us take some Vit A (beta carotene).

When they get sick, I  try to help there immune system fight it off as best as they can with rest, refreshment etc for a day with a little bit of SA, They love hot water on their face etc. After that we really up the SA, Vit D and lots of Kombucha and raw veggies.

That is all I can think of for now. If I think of something else, I will post then!

S-12

D-7

D-1

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by ssun5 

(as a side note Kathy. I have been reading some amazing studies on the culture of L. Plantarum you should look up. It seems it can coat your intestinal walls and keep bad bacteria from growing and Can NOT even be killed by antibiotics. It has been proven to survive the stomach acid so it does make it to your intestines when eaten. This is why I actually bought the culture starter for my krauts just for this little beauty. I think your daughter might benefit greatly if she has been on Antibiotics a lot)

Thanks - I will look it up!

[sassyfirechick]

Hmm, off the top of my head, currently in my 'medicine bin' there is tea tree oil, zinc lozenges, elderberry syrup, and rescue remedy.

Daily vitamins we do C and D - dosage dependant on whether someone is sick or has been exposed to something.

DD also get probiotics for food issues (that's primarily what I use rescue remedy for, if she has some sort of reaction/rash, I do RR every 10-15min until it clears up) and I try to take them myself but usually forget!

We always have epsom salt on hand for sprains, aches and gardening!

I'll pick up oscilloccoccinum if I feel something coming on hard and fast.

As for that cider vinegar concoction - my mother tried to gime something similar once, I don't think I finished before it came back up!  Cider vinegar tablets work better for me haha

[ErinMomma]

We don't usually supplement, have used vit c sometimes but not in the past yr, echinacea tincture is a staple, also fresh garlic and honey, dr bronners magic soaps in tea tree is always at the bathroom sink. Check out Aviva Romms book Naturally Healthy Babies and Children, I love her stuff, that book has many fantastic recipes, garlic lemonade works great, swetened with honey my 3 1/2 yr old dd will drink it! Also, just made a great soup with shiitake mushrooms, they are a powerful immune system enhancer, we eat all organic. Susun Weed is awesome too, we drink nourishing herbal infusions regularly, especially nettle and red raspberry leaf.

Ssun5, I love food renegade! I'll be trying the kumbucha soon.

[Bronwen13]

We take vitamins c & d daily, and I give my kids 2 teaspoons of Bio-K probiotics everyday....we've been taking it daily for about half a year now, and my kids don't seem to get as sick as often. I read somewhere that your intestinal tract is 80% of your immune system, or something like that. Whenever I feel a tummy issue coming on I drink a full bottle, seems to help a lot. When my kids do get sick, I give echinacea right away, twice a day, to hopefully shorten the duration of the illness.

[pek64]

We also use eco harvest tea tree essential oil for it's antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal properties.

Also, ginger tea for nausea and vomiting treatment.

[ctperez]

I started using essential oils since this past October. I use a blend of wild orange, clove, eucalyptus and rosemary. The oils are therapeutic grade and are even safe for internal use.

I started using the oil blend on my 4mth old and on myself right before cold/flu season. This was the FIRST thanksgiving I did NOT get sick!!! We were around plenty of sick people during the holidays and we even went to Mexico for a couple weeks and we stayed nice and healthy!!!

There was one day (after not using the oil blend for 2 days) that I felt a tickle in my throat... I took an oil bomb (like a shot) of oregano, lemon and peppermint oil.., the taste is horrible, but it only lasts a few seconds. Needless to say, I haven't forgotten to rub the oil blend on our feet each night! I love my oils!!!

[BeckyBird]

Excellent list of suggestions!

I would like to add Oil of Oregano (OO) to the list. I've had EXCELLENT success with OO, and it has become a permanent fixture in my "health arsenal"! 

If you're still unsure, read this article. If it's good enough for a chicken farm, it's good enough for you lol!

In Hopes of Healthier Chickens, Farms Turn to Oregano

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/science/chicken-farms-try-oregano-as-antibiotic-substitute.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=2&

Note, oregano is not touted as a cure-all; proper nutrition, sanitation, and quality living conditions are just as important! This is true for all animals, including us!

Also, I adore Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. It's organic, it's raw, and it works!  I also use it for my chickens

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

SA usage is to bowel tolerance, correct?

Marnica - do you use it when well?  I had thought SA was pretty much reserved for illnesses, but admit to knowing little about it.  

I will look up the info on Hilary' site - thanks!

yes - we use it when well. Obviously need much less of it though :)

[SonjaStahl]

My family takes our health very seriously and very very rarely have even a cold pass through our home.

My family is lucky enough to share our land with a few beautiful bovines so we drink plenty of raw milk, and consume high amounts of cultured raw milk (soured) that has about a million different kinds of probiotics in HUGE quantities so I attribute a lot of our good health to that. That and lacto-fermenting vegetables all the time, super power house food that is sooo good for you!

We definitely are mega vitamin C advocates. I take anywhere from 12- 20 grams of pure ascorbic acid on a normal healthy day (that's where my tolerance is at, everyones is different.) drinking around 4 grams at a time. When feeling ill I will take my normal dose (4 grams) wait 30 min, if my symptoms aren't gone I drink another 4 grams, wait 30 and so on and so on. Usually right around the time that I feel myself becoming overly saturated (aka gassy and dangerous :p) I also find that my symptoms are completely gone! Normal saturation levels occur every 4 hours, that's when you reach blood plasma saturation. But when sick your tolerance skyrockets and you have to play a delicate balance. I've had to consume 12 grams every 30mins for 5 hours one day to make a migraine go away. No bowel tolerance issues! It's interesting stuff, at the end of this I'll include some links. My son has been on mega dosing vitamin C since before birth, has never been sick and is a extremely healthy vibrant child. He is currently 21 months and takes about 4 grams a day in his sippy cup.

When we feel we need extra support in thwarting a cold trying to get in I'll rock the echinacea tinctures, extra zinc/copper, extra D3.

I take about 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 a day (winter time, no sun ration) and take ALOT of cod liver oil.

My family eats all organic, most of what we eat is grown on our farm and raised. 

We eat probably 85% whole foods, eliminating processed grains, and most grains in general has had a huge impact on our health.

Here's some good links to more info about Vitamin C. Enjoy!

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm

http://www.orthomed.com/klenner.htm

http://happybub.com/content/view/55/45/

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/199x/landwehr-r-j_orthomol_med-1991-v6-n2-p99.htm

http://owen.curezone.com/nutrition/benefitsofc.html

http://www.orthomed.com/titrate.htm

I suggest giving ALL of those a good read. It'll change your life!

Oh and here's a link to a great blog on traditional lacto-fermentation and how amazing it can be for your health! Enjoy!

http://nourishedkitchen.com/flu-prevention-cultured-veggie/?utm_source=Newsletter+List&utm_campaign=ec06fda6d7-Fermented+Foods+Campagin+RSS&utm_medium=email

[SonjaStahl]

My family takes our health very seriously and very very rarely have even a cold pass through our home.

My family is lucky enough to share our land with a few beautiful bovines so we drink plenty of raw milk, and consume high amounts of cultured raw milk (soured) that has about a million different kinds of probiotics in HUGE quantities so I attribute a lot of our good health to that. That and lacto-fermenting vegetables all the time, super power house food that is sooo good for you!

We definitely are mega vitamin C advocates. I take anywhere from 12- 20 grams of pure ascorbic acid on a normal healthy day (that's where my tolerance is at, everyones is different.) drinking around 4 grams at a time. When feeling ill I will take my normal dose (4 grams) wait 30 min, if my symptoms aren't gone I drink another 4 grams, wait 30 and so on and so on. Usually right around the time that I feel myself becoming overly saturated (aka gassy and dangerous :p) I also find that my symptoms are completely gone! Normal saturation levels occur every 4 hours, that's when you reach blood plasma saturation. But when sick your tolerance skyrockets and you have to play a delicate balance. I've had to consume 12 grams every 30mins for 5 hours one day to make a migraine go away. No bowel tolerance issues! It's interesting stuff, at the end of this I'll include some links. My son has been on mega dosing vitamin C since before birth, has never been sick and is a extremely healthy vibrant child. He is currently 21 months and takes about 4 grams a day in his sippy cup.

When we feel we need extra support in thwarting a cold trying to get in I'll rock the echinacea tinctures, extra zinc/copper, extra D3.

I take about 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 a day (winter time, no sun ration) and take ALOT of cod liver oil.

My family eats all organic, most of what we eat is grown on our farm and raised. 

We eat probably 85% whole foods, eliminating processed grains, and most grains in general has had a huge impact on our health.

Here's some good links to more info about Vitamin C. Enjoy!

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm

http://www.orthomed.com/klenner.htm

http://happybub.com/content/view/55/45/

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/199x/landwehr-r-j_orthomol_med-1991-v6-n2-p99.htm

http://owen.curezone.com/nutrition/benefitsofc.html

http://www.orthomed.com/titrate.htm

I suggest giving ALL of those a good read. It'll change your life!

Oh and here's a link to a great blog on traditional lacto-fermentation and how amazing it can be for your health! Enjoy!

http://nourishedkitchen.com/flu-prevention-cultured-veggie/?utm_source=Newsletter+List&utm_campaign=ec06fda6d7-Fermented+Foods+Campagin+RSS&utm_medium=email

[ctperez]

If anyone is looking for therapeutic grade oils, check out www.mydoterra.com/cperez. OnGuard is awesome for immunity!!!

[nia82]

Probiotics, vitamin C, vitamin D, sambucus, zinc. I try to stay away from sugar and starches but it is incredibly hard :(

I have raw organic honey and I brew organic chamomile tea and toss it in there... Luckily DS likes salad so I sneak in raw onion....

Which oil of oregano do you recommend?

[sonjagrabel]

My DD is only 8 months, so I'm new to natural remedies and preventatives for her. . . Right now, she gets Nordic Naturals baby fish oil with D3, probiotics, and Highland's baby vit. C.  Sometimes I put a few drops of castor oil in her belly button, as I've heard it is good for the immune system.  She's had a cold once and it was very mild, but stuck around for a couple of weeks.  I gave her extra Vit. C and Hyland's Tiny Cold Tabs (on occasion.)  I have a book called the Encyclopedia for Natural Healing for Children and Infants, but frankly it is overwhelming for me. . . I want to get another book or two, but I'm not sure which.  Any suggestions?   I really need to be better prepared for common as well as more serious illnesses.

For me, my go-to when I feel like I'm getting sick is Super Lysine. I also use it when I feel like I'm getting a cold sore.  I find it knocks things out over-night.  I have Monolaurin, which is antimicrobial and I'll take this if I feel like I need something more than the lysine.  I also use castor oil topically (if I have a sore throat, for example, I'll rub it on my neck,) do sea saltwater gargles, do hydrotherapy in the shower (hot and cold) and stay away from sugar if something is coming on.  I probably feel like I'm fighting something off about once a month, but I haven't actually been sick in ages - can't even remember the last time.

On a daily basis, I take a prenatal vitamin (since I'm nursing, but I'm torn now with the recent research about folic acid,) fish oil, vit. D oil,  probiotics, sometimes iron, and an occasional spoon of coconut oil.

I do "wet socks" with both of us if needed for stuffy heads.  I hate it, but it works really well.  :)  (Wet socks: wet and wring out a pair of thin cotton socks.  Put them on your already warm feet, then put on a pair of thick wool socks.  Go to sleep.  When you wake, stuffy head is gone!