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Hello everyone! I thought I would post a little excerpt from one of my courses. Below are some thoughts on holistic mothering. This time of year our children often pick up colds and even the flu. It is important to remember that sickness is a normal part of life and to be easy on ourselves as mom’s (not react out of fear but instead support and nourish our children). There are many natural ways we can support our children when they do become ill- reaching for the over the counter stuff is not the only way we can comfort our kids.
There are many herbs I keep around the home and use on a daily basis- too many to post! So I thought it would be a great idea to include a herbal spotlight at the end of every post I write up. I have also posted a lot about both single herbs and blends on my herbalist Path blog, so I will be doing some linking back to those as well in case you missed them.
Course excerpt:
There are traditional, safe, and gentle natural therapies a parent can use to preserve and renew children’s health. It is empowering to discover that as a parent you can take charge of your family’s health. With all of the advancements in today’s society disease is on the rise; obesity, autoimmune disease, allergies, diabetes, just to name a few. Clearly something is not working. It is time to get back to the basics, give your children the gift of natural wellness. Clean air, clean water, a healthy emotional environment, & nourishing herbs & foods.
Although Traditional Western medicine is necessary and often life saving, it often ignores the mind body connection and its role in healing. With the assistance of gentle natural treatments, the body has an amazing ability to heal itself. The goal should be to nourish our children so their bodies can heal, not attack disease. Sickness is not the enemy, we should strive to teach our children that sickness is a natural part of life and not something they have done wrong.
Balance is the key to health. Being a fanatic about health is just as damaging as not taking responsibility. This does not teach our children to relax and feel good about their bodies, or to be confident about their body’s ability to heal. Please follow this link for further information on this topic Holistic Wellness And Our Kids
Sickness is not necessarily that horrible, all children become ill in their early years. Once you start educating yourself and becoming empowered when it comes to your families health, you can pass these wonderful lessons on to your child.
Even the healthiest child will become ill, in fact it is essential to experience some common illness to build up a healthy immune system. (However, clean air, laughter, love, good food, nourishing herbal teas, breastfeeding can support the child’s growing body and make them more resistant)
According to Robert Mendelsohn MD author of How to Raise a Healthy Child… in spite of your Doctor, ‘the vast majority of childhood illnesses do not require medical attention and that when they receive it needlessly, the treatment given may do more harm than good’.
The more educated you become about your families health the easier it will be to make an informed decision when it comes to doctor visits. The body has an amazing ability to heal itself with the support from holistic treatments.
The above is an excerpt from my course Holistic Herbal Remedies for Children Join to learn more about making herbal remedies for your family!
Herbal Spotlight Chamomile & Honey
Chamomile is excellent, children love the flavor, it is good for tummy aches, stress and nervous tension. For more in depth post on chamomile Click Here
Stock up on raw local honey! A must have for this time of year.
- Honey: Use local raw honey if possible – use herbs with high volatile oils (mints family plants are excellent- also certain flowers like rosemary or thyme) Simply pour your honey over a jar full of leaves or flowers, let infuse for a few weeks and strain. (spearmint honey is my personal favorite)
Honey has powerful antibacterial properties, it is great to use topically for sores and cuts. Added to other formulas (especially for the respiratory system) it actually increases the medicinal effect- you can add tinctures directly to hot water and honey for a medicinal tea (or use dried herbs). It is soothing to the gastrointestinal tract and gives extra energy – it also helps maintain electrolight balance (excellent if you have diarrehea and vomiting).
Do you have any herbal remedies you love to use with your kids? I would love to hear about your experience!
Resource: Naturally Healthy Babies and Children: A Commonsense Guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, and Health
Related articles
- Home Remedies for Earache (brighthub.com)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome post! I have a few “staple” herbs that we use often. My girls know how to use them, and now Skyler (15) has friends that text her asking her what to do for an upset stomach or a sore throat.
This time of year I keep a “cough” tea on hand with Kava Kava, Licorice root, Mullein and a hint of peppermint. It doesn’t taste bad, and with a little honey it’s coats the throat and is one of the few things that seems to work for us. Ginger is also a staple for nausea and peppermint for gas and bloating.
This time of year, another “illness” comes to mind– and that’s dry skin. When I make my lotions, I make sure to keep sunflower oil infused with calendula on hand, and I just made a great body cream/butter with Coconut oil and water– works great!
Angela
Thanks Angela! You cough blend sounds wonderful, I like adding a hint of mint to a lot of my blends as well. Your body butter sounds divine! Angie