So I’ve been dragging my feet on this post. Know why? I’m super a littlestitious.
I just know that as soon as I share about how we are trying to stay healthy, we’re going to get sick. Because that’s how things work. What do they call it? Murphy’s law? Something like that…
Well, throwing caution to the wind, here we go.
This is merely my story and my experience. What I’ve shared here is what has worked for me in my situation. The supplements I used may not work for you in your situation. Please do not take this as medical advice. I am not a doctor and cannot medically advise.
I absolutely hate, loathe, detest, and abominate being sick. Being sick is miserable! Amen?
Two years ago, my husband brought home some cold/flu thing he’d picked up from a recent business trip. For him it was no big deal. He shook it off in about a week. But then the kids got sick and when the kids get sick, Mommy gets sick. There’s just no avoiding it.
I was not expecting the bug to hit me as hard as it did. Afterall, hubby got over it in a week so I thought I’d do the same. Nope. My body likes to drag things out and exaggerate them for effect. Isn’t that sweet…
I was really sick and it was bad. I could not stop coughing. I coughed far into the night every night and got only winks of sleep. I tried all kinds of different cough syrups. None of them worked. By the way, I would not advise anyone to ever take Robitussin. Having an awful cold/flu was one thing but having an awful ZOMBIE cold/ flu with visions of Elvis was another. Robitussin? Never again.
Finally, after experiencing chest pain, I went to the doctor and was given a prescription cough syrup and was diagnosed with costochondritis, “an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone”- Mayoclinic. It wasn’t the first time I’d had costochondritis either. I get it with almost every. single. cold. And it lasts for about six months. I’m not even exaggerating.
So, you probably get the idea. I hate being sick. And because I get things so much worse than others, I have become a bit of a germ freak. I’ve learned that keeping my kiddos healthy goes a long way to keeping myself well as well.
Keeping Sickness Away
Here are some of my favorite supplements for boosting my kids’ immune systems.
Everyday Supplements
We take these supplements on a daily basis to support general immune health.
1. RAW Probiotics Kids by Garden of Life
I didn’t know what probiotics were until about ten years ago but I have since learned how important they are.
Probiotics are the “good bacteria” that reside in our gut. These guys are essential for keeping the bad bacteria under control and for boosting the immune system. When the gut is abundant with “good bacteria”, it makes it difficult for bad bacteria to gain a foothold and cause illness.
This product comes in powder form. I like to add it to my childrens’ applesauce or smoothies in the morning.
2. Vitamin Code Kids by Garden of Life
I like this multivitamin because it contains probiotics and nutrients from whole organic foods. These are chewable. For kids over 4, they recommend chewing two tablets a day. My kids used to not like the taste of these but they recently switched their formula up and now the kids like them so much better.
3. Butter Oil and Fermented Cod Liver Oil by Green Pasture
If you are familiar with Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist from the 1930’s, you may already know that he discovered it was a mixture of cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil together that helped his patients. Cod liver oil is rich in vitamins A and D. It contains EPA and DHA, essential Omega 3’s, and it’s great for the immune system.
We get the cinnamon tingle flavor. My daughter can take it straight from the spoon but my son likes it mixed in juice, milk , or applesauce.
4. Thieves Oil Foot Rub –
Thieves oil contains a blend of clove, lemon, rosemary, cinnamon and eucalyptus essential oils. These oils are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial. And it smells really nice too. I buy my Thieves oil from Young Living but you can find similar blends from other companies.
This is a really fun and easy way to boost the immune system. My kids love this stuff. They ask me to rub it on their feet before bed. I use this Immune Boosting Foot Rub Recipe by Lindsay. Sometimes I leave out the oregano because it’s an awfully “hot” oil.
Supplements for Cold/Flu Exposure
These are the supplements we turn to when someone is feeling under the weather or we’ve just been around someone who was sick.
1. Animal Parade Vitamin C (sugar free) by Nature’s Plus
This is my favorite vitamin C supplement for kids because it’s chewable, it tastes great, and it’s sugar free, sweetened with Xylitol. It’s so hard to find a chewable C that doesn’t contain sugar! And when my kiddos are unwell the last thing I want to give them is sugar.
2. Black Elderberry Syrup by Sambucol
Elderberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, both great for immune health. They are anti-inflammatory and can prevent bacteria and viruses from connecting to cells. Clinical studies have been done showing that elderberries are effective at combating viruses like colds and flus.
So…what do you do to keep your family healthy and going strong? Share your tips in the comments!
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