7 Natural Remedies for Preventing Sickness

 

First, let me preface this post by saying that I’m no expert.

I’m also not a homeopathic guru and I pull out the Tylenol pretty much as soon as it’s needed.

We still get sick and this isn’t a cure-all post.

However, I just wanted to share some of the tactics that we have tried to boost our immune systems and keep the sickness at bay.

For Theo, this has really proved effective. He has been doing all of this since November and during the three months since then, our kids have had three different illnesses that he hasn’t caught. This is the guy who used to get everything that was passed around.

Obviously, the best way to not get sick is to live a preventative lifestyle. This means eating balanced meals, exercising and getting enough sleep (hahahahah, I know. That one is basically impossible with young children). I know it’s cliche, but hand washing also goes SO, SO far. However, there are few more things that we have discovered that really seem to help boost our immune systems.

 

  1. Take daily multi-vitamins. Theo, Tera and I all take daily multi-vitamins.  These include Vitamins A, C, D, E, B-6, B-12, Folic Acid, Biotin, Panthothenic Acid, Iodine and Zinc. It should be noted that all of these things should be found in the above mentioned diet, but supplementing them in the form of a vitamin is helpful!
  2. Take additional supplements. Theo hopped on Google and searched for immune boosting supplements. He spent several days researching and found that Echinacea, Flaxseed Oil and Glucosamine Sulfate are all immune boosters. Theo takes one of each of these a day in addition to his daily vitamin. We also use probiotics, although not daily. Probiotics are fairly expensive for our budget, so we take about 3 a week.
  1. Drink elderberry syrup. Again, elderberry syrup is a natural immune booster! You can buy elderberry syrup in several different locations, but Theo opted to make his own. He ordered elderberries, boiled them on the stove, strained them into a mason jar, and added pure, raw local honey. He stores it in the fridge and drinks a spoonful everyday. It actually tastes pretty good! Here is a recipe for elderberry syrup or you can buy it here. 
  2. Brush teeth/gargleWe all know that we need to wash our hands to keep germs at bay, but what about the germs and bacteria that are already in our mouths? Teeth brushing and gargling with extremely strong mouth was is an extremely effective way to kill off the bacteria that may be in our throats and mouths already.
  3. Hydrogen Peroxide in the ears. This sounds crazy, but Theo swears by it! Every morning and night he uses an infant medicine dropper to drop 1-2 drops of hydrogen peroxide into his ears.
  4. Essential Oils.  ….brace yourselves for a sales pitch. Just kidding. I don’t sell essential oils. But I do use them and LOVE them. Seriously. I love DoTerra’s brand of OnGaurd for immune boosting, plus it smells really good! We have also had success with peppermint for headaches/migraines. If you need recommendations on a safe person to buy EO’s from (who won’t make you sign your life away), please contact me and I can get you in touch with a person!
  5. Fire Cider. I was a total skeptic on this one, especially after I watched Theo make it. It’s full of disgusting ingredients, all combined into one gross concoction. Our house smelled pretty rough after Theo made it! I was feeling absolutely miserable a couple weeks ago and Theo convinced me to take a spoonful. I actually took it with a trash can in hand because I was positive that I could NOT stomach it. I hate apple cider vinegar and can’t stand ginger, so I figured this would be the worst thing EVER. I took a spoonful and NO JOKE my sinuses cleared out IMMEDIATELY. It does burn a little going down, I’m not going to lie. However…it works. And it’s totally worth it to me! My sister-in-law said that it tastes like salad dressing to her, so it’s really not THAT bad. It does take a whole month to marinate, so make sure that you make it with plenty of time for the sickies to hit! Here is a recipe for fire cider.

I know that I’m not an expert on this, so tell me…what am I missing? What do you do to boost your families immune system or keep them from getting sick?

 

**I TRIED to link research-based articles for your perusal, but I only have so much time to do that type of research. Please let me know if something I cite is way off. Please also remember that these are personal experiences and I am simply sharing them. I would be more than glad to hear your opinions, research and what works for you, too!

3 comments

  1. Kelsey Janssen says:

    My husband makes elderberry syrup too and it is amazing. I’m sure it’s prevented sickness in our household. Interested in the fire cider. I’ll have to do some research

  2. Kelsey Janssen says:

    My husband makes elderberry syrup too and it is amazing. I’m sure it’s prevented sickness in our household. Interested in the fire cider. I’ll have to do some research

  3. Nancy says:

    I love ginger in drinks, so I might actually like the fire cider! It’s the thought of drinking the vinegar …. ewwwww. Which makes me wonder what’s in the “fire water” you can buy here that’s made locally and that people buy a dose of when they have colds? I bet it’s pretty similar ingredients, you think? I’m so glad Theo has been healthier this winter.

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