The ABC’s of Children’s Health

By Kathryn Doran-Fisher, C.N.

These days it seems like most children get a prescription for every little sniffle, but your grandmother may have had a better idea. Many common childhood afflictions can be treated successfully at home in the time it takes to get in for a doctor’s appointment.

Your child’s immune system is capable of handling most common afflictions, but sometimes it needs a little boost. Activate your child’s immune system and give it the energy it needs to get well by using pungent and aromatic herbs like chamomile and peppermint. You can make a tea and mix it with fruit juice for improved taste.

Building is by far the most important aspect of children’s health; you can’t build a good body on junk food. Feed your children whole foods, especially fresh fruits and raw or steamed vegetables. And remember, if you don’t eat them, neither will your child.

What most people call symptoms are actually your body’s attempts to fight disease and clean out waste debris. The best way to treat symptoms is to cleanse the body by opening the four channels of elimination: the bowels, the kidneys, the skin, and the respiratory tract. You can flush all of these systems with lots of pure water or try an herbal combination that will cleanse the body.

So the next time your child gets sick just remember your ABC’s: Activate, Build, and Cleanse. For more information on using herbs for children, check with your local Certified Naturopath.

Kathryn Doran-Fisher is a Certified Naturopath from Mt Pleasant, MI. She may be reached at 989-773-3636 or by e-mail at purelightnht@hotmail.com.

Source: Originally published in Natural Awakenings West Michigan August 2006 Children's Health issue.