Keeping Your Children Healthy This Flu Season

Flu season, ugh!! Just the very fact that we dedicate a season to it, makes me cringe. But it doesn’t have to be so. I’m determined that just because it’s flu season, doesn’t mean that I, or my children, have to partake. So here are some helpful hints to keep you and your children healthy and vibrant this "winter" season.

Get educated. Start reading books about children’s health and prevention. With Barnes & Noble and the internet, there’s no reason you aren’t very knowledgeable on how to get and stay healthy.

Our kids take too many antibiotics!!! Only resort to antibiotics as a last measure and only when a bacterial infection is present. Most medical doctors are heeding this advice due to the abundance of bacteria that are now resistant to antibiotics due to our overuse.

Fevers are a good thing. Too often we rush to give our children fever-reducing medicine at the first sign of high temperature. The purpose of a fever is to kill whatever bug your child has. So let the body do it’s thing and stop interfering. Also remember, Tylenol (acetaminophen) overdose is the #1 reason for preventable liver failure in this country and is very prevalent in children because we don’t realize how toxic this chemical is to the liver.

Keep you children well hydrated. Make sure they get at least 4 glasses of water per day and limit sodas and high sugar fruit juices. If your child is dehydrated from a cold, try Pedialyte and not Gatorade, which is high in sugar.

Make sure your children get regular aerobic exercise. Limit TV, computer and Nintendo time and get active with your children. Remember — what you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you say!!!

Ensure that your children are getting 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Have a nightly routine, such as warm bath and a book. Don’t watch TV prior to going to sleep because the brain is overstimulated.

Echinacea, vitamin C, garlic and zinc are great herbs/vitamins to boost the immune system.

Limit sugar intake; start reading food labels; lot of fruits and veggies, nuts, yogurts and good sources of protein, such as soy milk, are very important. Also be aware of any food allergies. Milk is a common allergen in a child.

Find a pediatrician who supports the natural healing powers of the body and not one who whips out the prescription pad as soon as you walk in the office.

Of course, wash your hands frequently.

If you haven't already…. Get your children and grandchildren adjusted. We know of no better way to strengthen the immune system than by removing interference to the nervous system through chiropractic adjustment.

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