One of my favorite parts of social media is twitter
parties. For those of you not familiar,
a twitter party is where a group of people participate in a conversation by
following and responding with the same hashtag (#+ word or phrase). Many twitter parties are centered around a
company's promotion and involve trying to win free stuff. One of my favorite parties is #EcoWed (Eco
Wednesday) hosted by Jennifer Taggart, aka The Smart Mama.
One of January's parties was sponsored by EcoMom and featured green pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene. This particular EcoWed party was about how to stay well naturally.
What I love about Dr. Green is that he is the perfect marriage between western medicine and alternative & natural health. He is a pediatrician at Stanford Children's Hospital where he is teaching the next generation of pediatricians. His medical training is in western medicine. He is also the country's leading medical advocate for protecting kids from toxins in their environment, home, food and more. He's written several books, but is most known for Raising Baby Green and Feeding Baby Green.
I always learn a lot and meet great people at twitter parties, but the tips from this particular party were so good I thought I would summarize it into an article to share.
Dr Greene's tips for Keeping Your Kids Healthy:
- Probiotics - Adding probiotic powder to your child's diet can decrease instances of respiratory illness, fever, cough, runny nose, antibiotic use and missed school days. It may also shorted the duration of an illness.
- Vitamin D - Kids who don't get enough Vitamin D get about 3x the colds & flus as other kids in the same class. Vitamin D modulates the immune system, reduces infections & allergies. It may also reduce asthma and eczema. Sunshine can be a great way to get Vitamin D. For info on how to tell how long it takes where you live and how much exposure you need read here. Dr. Greene says kids get the most health benefits at 1000-2000 IU. He suggests a dose of 1000 IU so kids don't get too much if they are drinking a lot of milk and taking a multivitamin.
- Cold Treatment - In Dr. Greene's home when they are sick they make a brew of ginger, lemon, garlic, cayanne, honey and water. (See link for exact recipe). These ingredients all have anti-viral properties and taste good. But, remember, no honey for children under age one. (My tip...be sure to use organic lemon so you don't get the pesticides that may be on the peel). He also recommends hot tea and chicken soup.
- Fevers - As parents it's hard to watch our child uncomfortable from a fever. However, unless it's really high (like 104 degrees, or lower if really miserable) or the child can't sleep it's best to let the fever run it's course. Fevers help the body heal.
- Tart Cherries - Some studies suggest that taking approximately 15 tart cherries has the equivalent affects of taking 1 ibuprofen for fever, inflammation and pain. And without the stomach issues and unwanted ingredients. Dr. Greene says they keep tart cherry juice and dried tart cherries on hand for this purpose. Another participant in the twitter party (I can't rmember who) said she blends frozen tart cherries and super greens into a smoothie for inflammation.
- Zyflamend - Dr. Greene also likes Zyflamend as an anti-inflammatory as it's made from herbs. I can say from personal experience it does wonders for my husband's knees. After 20 years in the Army and much of that spent jumping out of airplanes, his knees aren't in the best shape. But Zyflamend has been one of the few products that have helped.
- Coughing - Like fevers, as parents we often want to relieve our child's cough. However, coughs, like fevers, serve a purpose. It's the body's way of ejecting germs and speeding healing. It's best to let a cough run it's course unless the child is having difficulty sleeping at night. The most common ingredient in cough medicines is dextromethorphan (DM) and has some serious side effects. (My 2 cents, these medications often have other unwanted ingredients as well). So Dr. Greene recommends gentle food-based remedies instead. Dark buckwheat honey and dark chocolate instead. (Can I just say...BEST. ADVICE. EVER!)
Surinder Saini
said on February 13, 2011
Danika Carter @Your Organic Life
said on February 14, 2011