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How to Fight Swine Flu in Babies and Children Naturally
Cases of Swine flu are doubling in the UK weekly, and more and more parents are getting concern about their children's health and the possible side effects of the prescribed Tamiflu for babies and small kids. Well, there is always a better (and safer) alternative, and in this case is to prevent and treat flu naturally. First of all, try to boost your child's natural body defence by
Super diet for super strong immunity. Food plays an extremely important role in fighting the colds and flu. To make sure your child would skip the flu, or evet to prevent him from getting a cold, try to follow a diet, rich in vitamins and minerals. If you are still breastfeeding, make changes to your diet, too. Try to serve with every meal as much as possible fruits and vegetables, rich in Vitamin C (kiwi fruit, lemons oranges, peppers, potatoes, blueberries, mangoes), and Vitamin A (sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and butternut squash), as well as foods rich in zinc (turkey, red meat, oily fish, such as salmon, lentils, peas, and grains).
Once your child has a cold or flu, try giving him smaller amounts of food more often. Offer highly nutritious foods such as bananas, mangos, avocados, egg yolks, yogurt, dried fruits, and a spoon of wheatgerm with their breakfast. Try to include garlic in your toddler’s diet or yours, if breastfeeding – garlic has antibacterial and natural antibiotic properties. For babies you could make a “garlic tea” by simply adding finely chopped garlic into boiling water, but don’t give it to your baby; it’s enough if he can smell it.
Keep in mind that milk is mucus formatting, so you may want to exclude milk and milk products (except for a small amount of yogurt) while the child has runny nose, but not longer than a couple of days. Babies under 1 year will still need their usual milk.
Massages*
Massages are excellent cold and flu treatment. By massaging gently your baby or toddler’s back and neck, you will sooth his muscles, and will ease his pain. Massaging his chests will help him if coughing and will warm up the whole body. You may use pure lard or lard mixed with calendula oil (75% lard and 25% calendula oil) when massaging, which will warm the body even more. As massage oil you could also use calendula oil (100ml) with 5 drops lavender oil (do not use more that 5 drops lavender oil for every 100ml calendula oil).
*This massage techniques are not appropriate if the child has a fever or a raised temperature.
The best natural first aid kit for colds and flu
Chamomile tea bags. With its delicious distinctive flavour, chamomile makes a tasty tea. Gentle enough for children, chamomile has mild sedative, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It promotes relaxation, relieves indigestion and, when applied topically, soothes skin irritations.
Echinacea is a great immune remedy, suitable for children over 2 years old. Use it as herbal infusion or in a form of syrup for short periods only.
Thyme is a great herb for the respiratory infections. If your toddler has a sore throat or is coughing, make him a nice thyme tea around 30min before going to bed.
Vanilla extract. Rubbing a little bit on baby’s gums not only feels warm and calming. Vanilla is known as a soothing yet energizing agent that reduces anxiety and promotes feelings of well-being. Vanilla has long been used to cure stomach distress: a baby whose stomach is mildly upset may find vanilla soothing to the tummy as well as the nerves.
Propolis tincture. Bees create propolis by collecting a resinous sap from trees and then mixing it with wax back at the hive. Propolis has antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antioxidant properties. Taken orally, it acts against viruses, which antibiotics do not. In a glass container mix one part of propolis with 9 parts ethyl alcohol and leave it in dark place for 20days, shaking it daily. You can give it to you child to take it orally: one drop of the tincture for every child’s year, 3 times a day. For example if your child is 2 years old, hive hip 2 drops x 3 times a day. This will straighten his immune system and will fight bacteria. This may help runny or blocked nose, too. Mix 10 drops propolis tincture in 10ml sea salt water. Use it as nasal drops.
Sea salt. For toddlers you may try to soak their feet in warm water with a handful of sea salts for 10min just before going to bed, then put on socks, and put an additional blanket over him. Check him in 30 min – 1 hour as it will be probably sweating. But this is great, as the body will eliminate the toxins through the sweat. Just wake up your child to change his clothes, remove the additional blanket and wish him good night. You could also use sea salt water in a form of nasal drops, simply by mixing ¼ teaspoon in small 100ml-bottle with warm-like water, shake well, and place 1-2 drops in each nostrils using a dropper from your local pharmacy.
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