The onion is not used to "cure" anything but rather help to minimaize discomforts as it had anti-inflamitory properties, and to help with the healing process. The vapors help to reduce swelling of the airways. While this is something my grandmothers have done for centuries and carry the rap of "folk remidies" I know many health professionals, like my daughters peditrician who suggested it and reminded me of my grandmother doing it, who believe many of folk remidies (including the "onion myth") to be beneficial to overall health in a family.
It is better to consume onion but most children wont and this is another way to get some of its benefits. Onions are related closely to garlic which has similar properties and most health professionals will agree to its health properties for overall health and with colds.
While "modern science" hasn't spent times researching the efficacy of most folk remedies I am not one to easily dismiss knowledge (and science in its own way) passed down for hudreds of years when modern medical science is relatively new, especially concerning prenatal health.(I am not surprised that studies haven't shown the benefits yet, why would a pharmacutical compay pay to test something people can buy at the supermarket? What would they profit? There are many things which have been touted as not scienced based which later sciences has "proved"
Science is only fact for the time in which is discovered, indeed there is much more we DON’T know than what we actually DO know. At one point it was believed having babies in a sterile environment with little human interaction was beneficial (and at the time backed by “evidence.”) Spirituality, “science” and “evidence” all have one vital thing in common; they all require someone to believe them to be true, through their own experience and/or research.)
As for the flu vaccine, like many things it is a personal choice, however my peidtrician, OB, primary care, and midwives all believe there is not enough evidence and they don't push it, though they will give it if someone "really" wants it. Additionally many of my friends and family members are health professionals who all refuse the flu (and many other ) vaccines. One person I know works in an emergency room and told me she has yet to see or hear of one person admitted with the flu, who didn't have the flu shot. And every person who has gotten the flu this year that I know personally have had the flu vaccine. Anecdotal I know. My friend who works in the ER did not get the vaccine and had to sign a waiver, she has yet to contract the flu, her trick? Handwashing (not just sanitizer foam, healthy diet with probiotics and lots of onion, garlic and elderberry, exercise and all the breaks she can outside in the fresh air.
I think people who make the choice not to vaccinate don't do it just because for no reason, or that they are misinformed. I think like those who make choices on keeping boys intact they spend a lot of time reading information from many places, not just studies backed by pharmacutical/medical companies or the other side of "radical" sources.
very personal choice.
I am also glad the OP SweetMama didn't have the flu and listened to her intuition to not take the meds, thusly risking exposure to her baby for not reason.
Sorry SweetMama your thread got hijacked!!!
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