'Tis the Season

  It's cold, wet, windy and dark with a chance of horrific driving conditions. That's right, winter time! I honestly don't mind winter. The snow makes everything look clean and on those days when I wake up to the sun shining on winter-kissed trees it makes my heart smile. However, on those days when you just need to get out of the house, even to go to the post office, you wake up to ice everywhere and you'd be crazy to brave the roads. My least favorite things about winter, and I'm sure most will concur, are the viruses that run rampant during this time.

   Honestly, getting a cold isn't so bad: a little coughing, a little snot, some sneezes (which are apparently a first cousin to the orgasm), it's all kind of cleansing. It's over in a week or two and you've likely even been forced into a nap or two. It's almost like we are meant to get them so that we can slow down a little and focus on us. I wish it were the same for my kids. Every cough sounds excruciating, the snot is nearly impossible to contain and the sneezes, well they aren't too bad, except for the part where they spread the virus! The toughest part is not knowing for sure what's bothering the kids. With the exception of my oldest, no one can put into words what exactly needs dealing with. I shouldn't complain because some families inevitably end up in the hospital because their child gets so sick so fast. We are very lucky! Our middle boy is one of those kids that truly suffers when he gets sick, even when its a minor cold. His immune system just isn't as well equipped as the rest of us. So needless to say he gets more immediate attention when he comes down with the latest bug. I'm not much for medicating, so for the most part everyone has to suffer through the symptoms. I do try to alleviate them in some more natural ways rather than covering them up.

   A friend of mine, and Master Herbalist, Susan Jikeli owns Sundari Day Spa in Westport is always a great person to call up when illness strikes the house. She has great advice for herbal remedies and tricks to help us all feel better. This time when I called her and told her how the kids were feeling she gave me a great list of things to try. I thought I'd share them with you!

First was an inhalation:

put the following in a large stainless steel pot and cover with boiling water

4 bags of Chamomile tea,

4 bags of peppermint tea,

4 drops of tea tree oil 

1 tsp of salt

(and a tsp. of horseradish if you have it)

Sit above it breathing in the steam and you can put a towel over your head to get an even more concentrated sniff. Just don't get too close.

Second was a foot massage: This was great to get the kids to just relax!

   Rub peppermint oil on the pads of the feet between the toes and the arch.                                            Third was a homemade cough syrup:
   Boil a couple onions in water and add honey to sweeten

We also enlisted the help of my Helios Homeopathy Kit. It is worth its weight in gold! Aconite, drosera, spongia, and pulsatilla have all been integral in the kids' treatment. One of my midwife-friends is a homeopathic practitioner, Heather Brechin, and she is my go-to when I have questions about our health and how to go about helping us feel better.

  The most important weapon at home is a healthy lifestyle: Get loads of fresh air, exercise, fresh fruits, veggies and drink lots of water. When you live healthy you are healthy! These germs essentially make us stronger and remind us how important it is to look after ourselves. So until next time, wash your hands frequently and cough into your elbow!