We’ve had a couple of little colds/weird viruses try to come at us this year. Thankfully, we’ve been able to take care of them pretty quickly at home. Here are a few things I like to do when I first feel a cold or a virus coming on.
-Pray- I recently heard a Pastor say something that was extremely good. He said “Get spiritual first and then natural. See prayer as the most important response of our life. Prayer invites God into the situation.” I thought that was so good. Prayer shouldn’t be an after thought. We can do all of the things, but if we don’t invite God into the situation, He can’t work. He doesn’t force His way into our lives, we have to invite Him.
-Cut out dairy, sugar, and gluten-I personally do this because dairy, sugar, and gluten can be inflammatory to the body and can also cause your mucus to thicken. You need to be eating whole, nourishing foods to help your body heal quicker.
-Add in supplements:
Disclaimer: Like always, I am not a Dr., so make sure to consult your Dr. before adding any supplements to your or your child’s regime.
- Liposomal Vitamin C-This kind of vitamin C absorbs better in the body. I got mine from Amazon, but they are out of the one I got specifically.
- Zinc
- Vitamin D
- NAC-This is a supplement I’ve recently incorporated. It is a precursor to our body making glutathione, which is a master antioxidant. It helps the liver detox and it supports respiratory health. They have removed this from Amazon, because they are trying to make this prescription only. You can still get it from places online.
- Elderberry (supports immunity)
- Quercetin– There is a lot of literature supporting the antiviral properties of quercetin, specially when combined with zinc.
Toddler Specific Supplements and Products:
These are supplements I use specifically for my 2 year old toddler if he isn’t feeling well.
- Plexus Daily Kids Multivitamin-I *try* to remember to do this daily, but I haven’t been great about it. I’m doing better now lol. I like it because it’s a multivitamin and probiotic in one.
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Zarbee’s Cough Syrup & Immune-this contains Elderberry and Dark Honey and I really like it.
- Chest Rub
- Genexa -If I feel like my son is in any type of pain, I like to use this. It is the same thing as Tylenol, but without all the nasty ingredients.
-Use Essential Oils-I don’t know how anyone lives without essential oils. I jumped on the bandwagon so long ago and never got off because they really truly work if you know how to actually use them–especially when you are sick. My favorites are from Young Living:
- Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, and Lemon for sinus congestion (I make a roller ball with 6-8 drops of each oil with Jojoba oil. You could also use olive oil in a pinch).
- 1 drop of Lemon in warm water (make sure you are using a food-grade, high-quality essential oil if you choose to ingest them. You also need to make sure you do your research before you ingest oils).
- Raven or R.C. rubbed on chest for chest congestion
For my 2 year-old son, I use Young Livings Sniffleease oil from the kids line on his chest. I will also diffuse just a few drops of peppermint, lavender, and lemon in his room.
-Bone Broth Chicken Noodle soup-if anyone in our house isn’t feeling well, I try to always make a whole chicken in the crockpot and then make bone broth. It’s a game changer and almost instantly helps us feel better. It sounds intimidating, but it’s super easy. I love using the recipe from farmhouseonboone.com.
-Laugh-This may sound like a hippie dippy weird one, but it is proven that laughing boosts your immune system. God knew what He was doing when He created our ability to laugh. Turn on something funny and just relax.
I hope this is helpful and helps keep you healthier this Fall and Winter!
-Nicole
