How to Care for Your Family When They Become Sick
by Carrie monk
So how do we care for ourselves and our loved ones when we get sick? In our home the first line of defense is to remove all sugars, including honey. Since sugar suppresses the immune system for up to four hours after ingesting the substance it is best to avoid all sugars, even the natural ones. We continue to avoid all sugars until at least four days after any sign of sickness. Next, we avoid restaurant food and certainly fried foods of any kind. Frequently restaurant food has additives such as MSG, autolyzed yeast extract, flavorings and depending on how clean the kitchen help is, varying amounts of ‘other’ bugs. It is best to eat at home where you have complete control over your food.
Upon taking these things out of our diet we add homemade nutritious broths. In winter we make extra nutritious chicken stock with a crock pot and freeze individual servings in ice cube trays to be used in a pinch. It is worth noting that not all chicken stocks are equal in nutritious quality. Making your own as opposed to a store bought brand is far superior. Along with that we add fresh vegetables, fruits and lots of water or herbal teas specific for each symptom. To ensure that the children are drinking plenty of fluids, it is sometimes easiest to sweeten their teas with stevia.
Stevia is an herb many times sweeter than any form of sugar but has no immune suppressing properties and no negative blood sugar influence as well. If stevia was not available and hydration was of concern we would use honey as a last resort. But be aware this will prolong the illness. In the case of a common cold or flu we add IM- Encap to applesauce for the children and take the capsules ourselves. Of course, plenty of rest, fluids, good hygiene and low stress increase the body’s ability to overcome illness quickly. In the case of children we keep them home as much as possible so they don’t pick up something else and also so they don’t give their germs away. Siblings are also put on the same diet and given the same protocol as the sick family member. We keep ourselves and the children on these measures usually for at least a week if not more - even for the ones not exhibiting signs of illness. At night a humidifier is used to prevent dehydration. To it’s reservoir we often add the essential oils eucalyptus and lavender. These help with sleep and immune support. And finally, we all get spinal adjustments and virus/bacteria desensitization at the office. The more of these measures you can incorporate into your family’s life, the greater the reduction of overall stress on the body and the faster the recovery.
If you have any further questions please email or call the office and we will be glad to help you in your pursuit of a healthy fall and winter to come.
Upon taking these things out of our diet we add homemade nutritious broths. In winter we make extra nutritious chicken stock with a crock pot and freeze individual servings in ice cube trays to be used in a pinch. It is worth noting that not all chicken stocks are equal in nutritious quality. Making your own as opposed to a store bought brand is far superior. Along with that we add fresh vegetables, fruits and lots of water or herbal teas specific for each symptom. To ensure that the children are drinking plenty of fluids, it is sometimes easiest to sweeten their teas with stevia.
Stevia is an herb many times sweeter than any form of sugar but has no immune suppressing properties and no negative blood sugar influence as well. If stevia was not available and hydration was of concern we would use honey as a last resort. But be aware this will prolong the illness. In the case of a common cold or flu we add IM- Encap to applesauce for the children and take the capsules ourselves. Of course, plenty of rest, fluids, good hygiene and low stress increase the body’s ability to overcome illness quickly. In the case of children we keep them home as much as possible so they don’t pick up something else and also so they don’t give their germs away. Siblings are also put on the same diet and given the same protocol as the sick family member. We keep ourselves and the children on these measures usually for at least a week if not more - even for the ones not exhibiting signs of illness. At night a humidifier is used to prevent dehydration. To it’s reservoir we often add the essential oils eucalyptus and lavender. These help with sleep and immune support. And finally, we all get spinal adjustments and virus/bacteria desensitization at the office. The more of these measures you can incorporate into your family’s life, the greater the reduction of overall stress on the body and the faster the recovery.
If you have any further questions please email or call the office and we will be glad to help you in your pursuit of a healthy fall and winter to come.