All posts tagged allergies

Need Seasonal Allergy Relief?

April 11, 2012 by   Kate Tietje

Image by bruce eric

‘Tis the season…for allergies.

We’ve had a lot of questions on Facebook lately from people who are needing seasonal allergy relief.  I’ve seen many of my friends struggling with high pollen counts and other issues.  It’s not fun.

What if you could do something about, though…without the usual drugs?

Seasonal Allergy Relief

There are a lot of natural remedies — two basic ones that work for many people are freeze-dried nettle and raw local honey.  But sometimes, depending on the type and severity of the allergy, this isn’t enough.  Something more is required.

Last month, one reader had the opportunity to try Trilight Health’s ALRG formula, and experienced wonderful results.  Trilight has a whole gamut of remedies to address allergies, colds, coughs, and other related symptoms.  These are all herbal tinctures (glycerin-based), so they are safe and natural and help your body to overcome the reaction without side effects.

Would you like a chance to try?

Three lucky readers are going to get a chance try their ALRG formula.  All you have to do is tell me why you want to win, and promise to report back in a couple weeks to share your experience with the rest of us.  We want to know if it helps you!

Trilight’s Products

If you’re not familiar with Trilight Health, you should check them out.  I have been using formulas from them for over a year now.  I am continuing to take their blue-green minerals, because it does seem to make a difference for me.  That, combined with my FCLO, seems to help me have more energy and lately, less anxiety (maybe I’ll talk about that later…we’ll see).

Their formulas are based on traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and are in glycerin-based tinctures, which are safe for small children and pregnant women because they contain no alcohol.  They have a lot of interesting formulas, like a tri-iron formula (great for pregnant women or those who are anemic) and several immune-boosting formulas.

If you are looking for alternative medicine that’s “easy” — something you can just take, rather than having to research and gather a bunch of supplies and prepare yourself — this is a great option.

How to Win

Simply tell me below why you want to!  This is only for the ALRG formula.  Three winners will be chosen using “Ant the Winner Is” plugin.  This giveaway is open through Sunday and winners will be notified on Monday, April 16th.  Winners need to respond (privately) with their mailing addresses ASAP, as we are hoping to do the product reviews on April 30th.

**This post was sponsored by Trilight Health.  But I do really love their products and am excited to promote them.**

Why do you want to try ALRG?

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Monday Health & Wellness: Trilight Health Herbal Formulas

March 12, 2012 by   Kate Tietje

If you’re not on Facebook with me, you’re missing out. :)  Each day, several readers ask questions and I re-post these to the community, and we have some great discussions about these topics.  Sometimes a discussion will generate 40 or 50 comments!

Do you know what is most frequently asked?  ”Someone in my family has ___ condition or ____ symptoms, help!  What natural remedies can I use?”

That’s right.  People are most concerned with natural health and natural remedies.  And as seems to occur often, even people who “know” lots of natural remedies (like me) seem to be at a loss when it hits their home (also including me).  It’s a stress reaction, and also comes down to, if you don’t have the ingredients on hand or the remedy already prepared, it can be hard to get what’s needed quickly enough to make a difference.  That’s really frustrating when you or a loved one aren’t feeling well.

Trilight Health Herbal Formulas

There’s a solution to this problem.  You could look up remedies for every possible condition and buy all the necessary ingredients and try to prepare them ahead of time so you always have them on hand.  But that’s time consuming and probably expensive.  And what happens if you’re two weeks into a tincture and someone gets sick…and needs it now?  But it won’t be ready for another four weeks!  Not to mention it is hard to find all the “stuff” you need to make remedies and depending on how they’re prepared, they may not even last very long.  (My popular homemade cough and cold syrup lasts about two months in the fridge.  Which is decent, but you’ll still have to make a batch 2 or 3 times during cold and flu season.)

Rather than spending all your time researching, shopping for, and preparing remedies, why not take the easy way?  Go with a company that has been preparing herbal remedies for years, remedies which are completely natural, proven to work, and come ready-to-use.  Many formulas even have more than one application, meaning that depending on your household’s needs, you may only need a few…or even just one.

Recently, a few readers and I were given the opportunity to try out some products from Trilight Health.  They are a company that produces herbal tinctures using traditional Chinese medicine.  They have a lot of really excellent formulas, and these products are completely safe for pregnant and nursing moms and kids, because they are glycerin-based tinctures, not alcohol-based.  How cool is that?

Six of us tried six different formulas, and are reviewing them for you today.  Hopefully you’ll find one that could work for you, if you have a need!

Jaime of Screaming Vikings — Sinus Minus

It’s that time of year again!  Cold & flu season is kicking into gear and, if you’re like me and live somewhere with crazy weather fluctuations, a late-starting cold and flu season can coincide with hay-fever, allergies and sinus problems.  There are times when the kiddos seem to be ‘sick’ for 6 months straight. 

However, I now have a new ‘weapon’ in my arsenal against what I call ‘the crud’.  I was fortunate enough to be chosen to try Sinus Minus from Trilight Health so that I could review it for Modern Alternative Mama.  This could not have come at a better time.  Both of my children(ages 8 and 3) were starting to come down with the crud.  Runny nose and eyes, mild fever, sinus drainage and constant throat clearing and that was on a good day.

Having made the rounds with doctors when my daughter was younger to try to find a solution for her problems, I know that going that route is expensive and doesn’t fix anything.  Oral and nasal steroids, OTC antihistamines, decongestants and ultimately surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids had NO effect.  I’ve done the best I know how and now, thanks to cleaning up our diet and keeping everyone on FCLO and probiotics year-round helps.

However, sometimes, there’s just no preventing a bout of sinus problems or hay-fever(when you live directly across from a field of ragweed and trees that you have a confirmed allergy to).  I’m thrilled to have something else to turn to when everyone in the house starts feeling yucky.  As far as I’m concerned, Sinus Minus is going to be a permanent fixture in our medicine cabinet!  I’m ordering the largest bottle that they have to keep on hand so that I can start it the minute ‘the crud’ tries to rear its ugly head.

Sinus Minus has a combination of herbs specifically selected to support the sinuses and lungs during bouts with sinus infections, allergies or if you are dealing with a cold or the flu and have lots of extra congestion to clear up.  My kids LOVE to try new things, so getting them to take this wasn’t hard at all.  My husband took it as well and while he said it did have a medicinal taste, no one complained or refused to take it.  I followed the suggested use  on the bottle starting the day we received  Sinus Minus and, quite frankly, was a bit skeptical.  I wasn’t really expecting much, especially not for the first couple of days.

However, I was pleasantly surprised when, by day 2 the kiddos had stopped clearing their throats!  This was HUGE to me, because when they have sinus issues, it is constant.  By day 4, they didn’t have ‘allergy face’ anymore.  Their appetites had also improved as food started to taste good again.

Even my husband, who was incredibly skeptical and works outdoors(in harsh environments and in a vocation that puts massive amounts of stress on his body) said that he was pleasantly surprised by the improvements.  For the record, he is a guy who has to take the largest dose of pseudo-ephedrine available to get any amount of relief.  He noted that he woke up after a couple of days with NO sinus drainage or nose bleed.  This is a HUGE deal as he has dealt with this for years. 

I didn’t give all the doses per day that were allowed.  I don’t wake kiddos up for supplements.  The label advises that it can be taken every 3 hours.  I gave it to the kids at breakfast, lunch and bedtime.  If they were feeling worse, I would have increased the dose.  However, as this seemed to work quite effectively I was pleased to stick with this amount.

I was also happy that Sinus Minus didn’t cause my children to experience any side effects.  For a bit of time I did give my children OTC antihistamines and decongestants and those can turn the sweetest of babes into raging little monsters.  My children always experienced ill effects from these drugs.  Sinus Minus caused nothing other than a good night’s sleep during cold & flu season.  All in all, I can’t say enough good things about this product and am really SO happy that I’ve had the experience to try it.  I’m now recommending this for ALL my mama friends to have on hand as a way to get away from the vicious cycle of OTC/prescription drugs.

Jaime: I’m a Daughter of God, Wife, Mama, seamstress, cook, slightly crunchy, occasionally cranky, homeschooling, work(ish) at home domestic goddess raising Little Valkyrie(8), Little Viking(3), and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newest little, due sometime in the next few weeks.  When I’m not chasing kiddos or removing legos from my feet, I’m blogging at http://the-screaming-vikings.blogspot.com/.

Heather Schwenn — Hear No Evil

We received the product just in time!  A couple days after getting “Hear No Evil” in the mail my son began getting a runny nose, running a slight fever, and was waking up frequently throughout the night.  Those are three signs for him that an ear infection is near.  Right away I began putting 1-2 drops in both his ears 3 times a day for 3 days.  By the third day, his fever was gone and he was sleeping through the night again!  I’m not certain that he had an actual ear infection, but I will definitely try the drops again if he shows the above signs.

My only complaint about this product is the smell.  It literally smells like you opened a jar of minced garlic!  The smell finally went away about 2 days after I stopped putting the drops in his ears. To me, it’s a small price to pay to avoid doctors visits and antibiotics.

Becky Borgia, Growing Up Naturally — AL-R-G

I was recently given the opportunity to try Trilight Product’s AL-R-G. I was greatly anticipating trying this product as I have terrible year-round indoor and outdoor allergies. My AL-R-G arrived in about 3 days…super fast and a great first impression with this company!

I began taking AL-R-G right away as I was hoping for some relief (I do not use OTC or prescription meds at all except in cases of medical emergency). I was a bit disappointed that it would appear that it won’t take me long to go through the bottle…the dosage is 1/4 tsp per 25lbs. Weighing 275 lbs, this makes my dosage quite large at 2 3/4 tsp. The product is not too expensive but pricey enough considering how fast I will go through it.

However, a bonus to the dosing is that I was able to quickly determine the dosage for my 16 month old after she had a food allergy reaction. AL-R-G worked very quickly to relieve her hives. I have not been taking this for very long yet, but have already  noticed a reduction in my sneezing and how much my nose isn’t as ticklish. When the bottle is empty I will determine how cost effective it is based on how long the bottle lasts for me. I am pleased with Trilight Products and their AL-R-G.

Becky Borgia — wife to Michael, Mama to Brandon, 10, and Daniella, 16 months. I provide very flexible in home child care for families who wish for their children to eat and live as naturally as possible. I blog about green, natural and organic living at http://www.growingupnaturallyinhomechildcare.blogspot.com.

Jennifer Blaine — Female Formula

The Female Formula is great! I received the bottle very quickly. I love the easy pour spout. I have been know to gain 5-7 pounds starting a week before menstration. So far, I haven’t had any bloating and I feel great! The taste is wonderful-like a sweet licorice taste.

I had one day out of five where I had light cramping. After I took a couple of more doses of the Female Formula, the cramping subsided. My period has been lighter and easier since I started the Female Formula. I would definetely recommend this product to any women who have difficulties during menstration. I WILL be getting this again!!

Toni Bear — B-Dry

I am using this product for my six year old who has trouble staying dry at night.  We have been using it for a week and a half.  We haven’t seen any difference yet; however, the bottle tells you that it could take 3 months.  She isn’t a huge fan of the taste, but is willing to take to see if it helps.  I’m willing to keep giving it to her the while 3 months to see if it helps.

Me — Blue-Green Minerals

I was excited to try this one and compare it to my homemade herbal multivitamin tincture, because it is very similar — but of course I’m not a professional herbalist or other medical professional.

My first impression was that this was probably more potent than mine, and also that it has additional ingredients that make it more well-rounded in terms of nutrition.  I don’t have nutrition facts for either this or mine, so I can’t compare there.  This is very sweet and easy to take.

As this is a general multivitamin and I don’t feel especially deficient at this time, it’s hard to say if it made a huge difference.  I do think it’s a great option for times when a multivitamin is needed, though, and I have talked to others who said they felt they had quite a bit more energy when taking it.  My energy isn’t on the low side anyway so I didn’t notice this effect especially.

Overall I will keep taking it and would recommend it especially in pregnancy or while nursing, if you are concerned and need a safe multivitamin. 

UPDATE: Tuesday, 3/13.  Okay.  So.  I haven’t mentioned it yet because who actually cares, but I got my first postpartum period back a couple weeks ago.  So I’m mid-cycle now but things aren’t back to normal yet.  This usually means a couple days of feeling tired and a little nauseated, which I am (though not as badly as after Daniel was born).  Suddenly I am craving this stuff (and my FCLO).  I have to have it.  I don’t have much appetite, but I need this.  So obviously it’s make some kind of difference for me.  It seems that if I don’t have any immediate need I feel like “whatever,” but when I do have immediate need, this is really helping.  Now I want to have it all the time….

Other Trilight Health Products

We only got to sample a small selection, but Trilight Health has quite a few other products that are excellent.  Here’s a brief list of them:

…and these are still just their best-selling formulas!  They have lots more, to address additional health concerns.

So if you haven’t, check out Trilight Health.  It’s a great place to start with herbal remedies, especially if you’re new to the whole alternative medicine world.  No need to do extensive research or learn to prepare your own remedies or anything like that — simply rely on their expertise!

Avishi Organics Winner

The winner of the Avishi Organics Intensive Repair Oil is:

Lauren (lauren.albritton@…)

Congratulations!  You should have already received an email.

**This post was sponsored by Trilight Health.  But I wanted to do it anyway, because did you see some of those reviews?!  Plus I just like working with them because they are awesome.**

Are you new to alternative medicine?  Which remedies interest you the most?

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Monday Health & Wellness: Asthma and Allergy Natural Remedies

February 13, 2012 by   Kate Tietje

Image by NDuran

These days, a lot of children suffer from asthma, allergies, or frequent colds or sinus infections.  I can barely scroll through Facebook each day without seeing that someone’s child has one of these issues.  The usual treatment for these issues is the use of corticosteroids, which some children end up using quite frequently, depending on their situation.

This scares me, frankly.

Steroids are serious drugs with serious side effects and their use should be very carefully considered, the benefits and risks carefully weighed.  A lot of parents aren’t fully aware of the potential side effects — and they also don’t know about other alternatives.  I believe that drugs can have their place, but generally we are too cavalier in their use.  I also believe that if parents were aware of safer, effective alternatives, that they would turn to those first when possible.

Let’s explore this!

What Are Asthma and Allergies?

Both asthma and allergies are autoimmune conditions, meaning that the body is attacking itself by overreacting to some outside stimulus.  In asthma, different “triggers” cause the airways to constrict (due to inflammation), making breathing difficult.  People who experience this may cough, wheeze, or gasp for air.  Allergies can trigger an asthma attack, as can cold air, exercise, or any other sort of “stress” on the lungs.

The normal treatment for allergies is to avoid whatever the allergen is, and to take antihistamine drugs.

The normal treatment for asthma is corticosteroids, like albuterol, used in inhalers.  This is the most effective way to use the drug, and allows the lowest use of the drug (compared to older methods, like injections and oral prescriptions, which required much higher doses since the drug didn’t get directly to the lungs).  Most people use a “rescue” inhaler if they are struggling to breathe, but also are prescribed one or two doses per day as “maintenance.”

There is a link between vaccination and asthma.  Up to 20% of children who are vaccinated develop asthma these days, while very few children who are not vaccinated develop asthma.  In this study, 18% of vaccinated children had asthma, while just over 2% of unvaccinated children did.  It is theorized that the DTaP vaccine is responsible for this, but also that the toxic load from vaccines in general “sensitizes” the immune system.  (If this is true, it can be addressed with the GAPS diet, which I mention later.)  In that second study, 23% of vaccinated children had allergies, compared to 10.5% of unvaccinated (more than double).

Genetics plays a role, too — children born to parents with asthma have a 6-fold increase in the risk of developing it themselves.  This increases even further if both parents have asthma.

Poor diet and the stress this creates within the body has been linked to asthma, as well.  Asthma is rare in isolated, non-Western cultures, but rates rise as soon as they are exposed to Western foods.  (Industrial foods are not ever healthy for you!)

What are Steroids?  Why are They Used?

Corticosteroids are a class of drugs that are used to treat inflammation.  The body produces its own steroid hormones to heal and combat inflammation, but sometimes it doesn’t produce enough or do it quickly enough, and so steroid drugs are prescribed.  This is what is in inhalers, or what is used through nebulizers in the case of persistent cough or difficulty breathing.  Albuterol is the most commonly prescribed drug, although there are others.

The list of side effects for these steroids is long:

  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Nervousness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Sore/dry throat
  • Sinus inflammation
  • Vomiting
  • Chest pain
  • Ear pain
  • Fast or irregular heartbeat
  • Increased difficulty breathing
  • Hoarseness
  • Wheezing
  • Hyperactivity
  • Muscle cramps
  • Delayed/stunted growth
  • Low blood pressure
  • Low potassium levels
  • High blood sugar
  • Auditory hallucinations (at high doses)
  • “Withdrawal” spasms after use
  • Yeast infections
  • Osteoporosis

Most of these are not very common, but the less severe side effects (like dizziness, headache, sore throat) are more common.  In clinical trials, some side effects were experienced by up to 25% of individuals, with tremors and nervousness topping the list.  Oral and nebulizer use were associated with more side effects than inhaler use.  ”Tolerance” to these side effects sometimes developed (which means the patient no longer feels bad, but damage is still being caused to the body).

Albuterol has also been shown to increase the likelihood of asthma attacks by 30%, according to one source.

It is not unusual for people to experience trouble breathing after use, because the synthetic corticosteroid replaces the body’s natural steroids and reduces production, meaning levels are lower (too low) for awhile, leading to increased trouble breathing.

Treating Asthma and Allergies Naturally

All of this is pretty serious stuff.  The choice to treat asthma with a steroid prescription should be a serious one, even though it is currently considered “the gold standard” in modern medicine.

The goal in treating asthma needs to be addressing the root causes, which are not completely known.  Some believe that poor gut flora plays a role (the gut flora is crucial for a strong immune system, and weak immune systems can allow the body to become sensitized to the environment, leading to allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune conditions).  Others believe that weak adrenals play a role.  Low levels of vitamin D have been shown to play a role.  Natural treatment starts with addressing these areas.

There is some research now to show that both of these conditions, especially asthma, would be helped by increased vitamin D levels.  This makes sense, because vitamin D is a pre-hormone, which helps the body to make and use hormones properly.  In asthma, the adrenal glands don’t function properly, and they don’t make enough corticosteroid hormone naturally to keep inflammation at bay in the presence of the “triggers.”  With allergies, vitamin D does a similar thing — calms the inflammation in the body.  Vitamin D can also prevent the hardening of the bronchials in the lungs, too, preventing worsening asthma.

Most people are now deficient in vitamin D, which is unfortunate because it plays such a huge role in the body.  Taking high doses of fermented cod liver oil (up to 2 tbsp. per day, depending on one’s vitamin D levels; 2 tbsp. will provide about 6000 IU of vitamin D) can raise a person’s vitamin D levels.

Vitamin A, a nutrient that has been seriously vilified in our culture, is also a primary player in the immune system.  Low vitamin A levels are also associated with increased asthma risks and more frequent attacks.  Fermented cod liver oil also supplies a large dose of well-absorbed vitamin A, which can decrease the amount of attacks by 50% or more.

B vitamins are also critical.  Deficiencies in certain B vitamins (including B6, B9 — folate, B12, and B3) can increase the risk of asthma up to 4 times.  Try an herbal multivitamin to increase your B vitamin intake.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important, as well.  Adding fish oil to your diet can increase these levels, as well as consuming fatty fish on a regular basis.  Proper nutrition is absolutely key, as deficiencies in all of these nutrients sharply increase both the risk of developing asthma, and of asthma becoming more severe!

Optimal adrenal function can be addressed by making sure you are not deficient in magnesium or potassium.  Certain herbs, like nettle, milk thistle, ashwagandha, and others that are considered “adaptogenic” can help to boost adrenal function.  Consider drinking a homemade electrolyte drink, using potassium chloride (“diet” salt) in place of sodium chloride.

Addressing gut health is not an easy matter.  If one does not have ideal gut health, then the best solution is the GAPS diet.  We have done this on and off for two years, and it is not a simple, quick solution at all.  It requires cutting all grains, sugars, and dairy completely for several months, and focusing on fat, meat, bone broth, and fermented foods in order to heal and seal the “holes” in the gut.  It is a huge lifestyle shift for many, but it can permanently alleviate allergies and asthma (as well as autism, MS, and other autoimmune conditions).

It is also important to get rid of any “junk” in the diet and the environment.  Switch to more natural cleaning products (like vinegar and baking soda), natural laundry detergent (like soap nuts), and natural personal care products.  Don’t eat fast food or buy any food in a package or with a label.

Do not use over-the-counter or prescription medications unless absolutely necessary.  Common pain killers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol) increase the likelihood of asthma attacks.  Antibiotics damage the gut, and also increase the likelihood.

For short-term fixes with asthma (helping symptoms immediately), try these remedies:

  • Lobelia tincture (just a few drops)
  • Mullein tea — inhale the steam
  • Slippery elm + fenugreek tea (helps to loosen and eliminate mucus)
  • Raw honey (to calm coughs)

Do you or a family member suffer from asthma or allergies?  How do you help?

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Guest Post: Dealing with Food Allergies

December 14, 2011 by   Kate Tietje

Image by ejhogbin

This is a guest post by Jana of Write On, Jana!

Let me start by saying I’m just a mom… I have no fancy degrees or extra letters at the end of my name. Everything I have learned about childhood allergies is simply a result of trial and error (and a TON of research). But, as you’ll see, experience is a very influential teacher.

I have two children. Throughout both pregnancies, I did everything “right” according to all the experts…  I ate real foods (and steered clear of lunch meat, alcohol and other nutritional no-no’s), exercised moderately (in fact, I went into labor with my first child while teaching water aerobics), went to all my prenatal appointments and managed my stress levels. Yet, both children have (combined) severe allergies to dairy, egg, flax, pineapple, tree nuts, peanuts, quinoa, soy, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives as well as many environmental sources. Unfortunately, many of the substances that trigger reactions have still not been identified so every day is a learning lesson!

There are certain issues all parents of children with food allergies share:

#1 – WORRY. To some extent, all parents worry about their children. However, when your child has a life-threatening food allergy, something as simple as a birthday party or church potluck is a potentially dangerous situation. I’m also concerned about bullying and fear my mixed race daughter’s vitiligo will cause social problems as she ages.

#2 – BLAME. I could waste all my time and energy being angry about our food supply, Monsanto, the vaccinations and environmental toxins… or worse, turn that frustration in on myself and wallow in guilt, but it will only distract me from the critical issue: keeping my kids safe and healthy. Fortunately, there are lots of parents who thrive on activism and are willing to fight on my behalf!

#3 – ISOLATION. Our focus on food safety significantly impacts our social connections. Our cultural symbols of faith and community involve eating (from church potlucks to birthday parties). Many national allergy organizations (such as Kids With Food Allergies, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and Allergic Child) have online forums and/or local chapters to reach out to families like ours… providing support and friendship.

#4 – TIME (or lack thereof).  Because of our budget and the high cost of “specialty” allergy-safe foods, I do spend a lot of time in my kitchen… experimenting with new recipes and substituting ingredients to find things that work for my children’s allergies (and discerning palates). Thankfully, I am passionate about healthy eating and willingly accept my role as family nutritionist.

#5 – BALANCE. I walk a fine line between essential monitoring for safety and over protectiveness. There are times when I have to back off my role as food police and activity coordinator and just play with my children.

But life with food allergies is not all about fear… it also forces me to:

Be creative.  Because even “safe” foods must be enjoyed in moderation (or my sensitive children risk future outbreaks), I am always making new snack foods for the family… with limited success.  I quickly realized that crumbly corn bread makes wonderful bread pudding, if you add a banana and honey to tasteless coconut milk and you have awesome “ice cream” and an unsuccessful cookie can be crumbled over yogurt for a sweet treat… the list goes on and on.

Trust my intuition. Western medicine is perfect for many ailments, but it is not the only answer. My children’s quality of life increased greatly when we stepped away from the standard medical model of treatment for their unique problems. Intuition has also prevented us from sinking money into useless quackery. If something doesn’t “feel” right, I feel confident walking away… whether it is an M.D., an expert who has written a bestselling book, a chiropractor or another mom offering advice. Listen to your gut… then follow it!

Appreciate every moment. Over time I have learned to accept that I will never be able to control what my children are exposed to or how their bodies will react. As a result, I am more aware of the daily blessings. It is easy to identify children by their allergies and become easily frustrated when another symptom appears, but it is so essential that we look beyond their medical profile and truly enjoy their unique personalities.

Above all, I recognize that…

 “Being Thankful for the little things, gives you Grace to overcome the bigger ones.” ~ Author Unknown

Does someone in your family struggle with severe allergies? Can you identify with some of these issues? Do you have others to add?

 

Jana Christian @ Write On, Jana! is a mother of two who recently left the work world to be more “present” in the lives of her two children. She describes herself as an (overly) enthusiastic health nut, passionate communicator and Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) who finds catharsis in simple acts of domesticity. She initially conducted extensive research about nutrition, exercise, natural living and wellness to help her recover from serious medical issues. As a result of her ongoing studies, she was able to adjust her family’s diet and lifestyle to accommodate multiple food allergies and environmental sensitivities. She is eager to share her insights and experiences and learn from others who share her passion for holistic living. You can connect with Jana on Facebook and Twitter.

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Health News Tuesday: Organic Milk and Allergies, Natural Remedies for Candida, and more

December 29, 2009 by   Kate Tietje

Image by kat m research

Health News Tuesday!

Unhealthy Habits are What’s Killing Us
Opinion piece on why socialized medicine isn’t the solution to the problem.

Natural Exposure to Germs May Protect Kids from Infectious Disease as Adults
A new, longitudinal study shows that a “dirty”environment for children just may protect against future disease.

Baby Boomers are the First Generation to be Sicker than the Previous One
New research has found that Baby Boomers (now around age 60) tend to rely more on pharmaceuticals, require more assistance, and are more likely to be sick or overweight than their parents were at their age. An increase in sedentary lifestyle and the overuse of technology is blamed.

Natural Remedies for Candida Albicans
Suffering with repeated yeast infections? These treatments may help. (Please note I don’t advocate the low-fat diet suggestion.)

Hundreds of Chemicals Found in Newborns
Researchers tested the cord blood of 10 newborns and found BPA, rocket fuel, remnants of artificial fragrances (from perfumes and detergents), and more. These chemicals are known to cause cancer and disrupt growth and development, and can cross the placenta into unborn babies.

Organic Milk Linked to Lower Rates of Asthma, Allergies, and Eczema
Please be sure your organic milk is NOT ultra-pasteurized though!

Do you have any additional health news to share with us? Please post it below!

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