Children’s Series: Preventing Colds

child-sleepingWILL THIS WINTER HAVE NO END? If you are anywhere near the northern east coast, it sure doesn’t feel like spring is just weeks away. And with the never-ending winter, come never-ending colds, especially for kids. Preventing colds can be a challenge, but there are some things you can do to help.

Often colds are caused by viruses that are found in invisible droplets in the air, which we either breathe or touch. And with children in schools, daycare, and sports, they have more opportunity to catch something. That, combined with what is most likely less than ideal hygiene practices.

More than 100 different viruses can infiltrate the protective lining of the nose and throat, triggering an immune system reaction that can cause a sore throat and headache, and make it hard to breathe through the nose. Dry air (indoors or outdoors) can lower the resistance to infection, causing more colds in the winter. Underlying allergies can also decrease resistance and allow a virus to infect the body. Maintaining a healthy immune system is the best protection against colds. Continue reading “Children’s Series: Preventing Colds”

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Antibiotics and the Need for Probiotics: Pathway 35 Billion

reliance 35 billion probioticProbiotics are beneficial bacteria that help overthrow harmful bacteria that can cause a whole host of illnesses. They also prompt your immune system to fight off disease. Basically they help maintain and even restore health.

Probiotics are particularly important when taking antibiotics. Antibiotics do not discriminate between good and bad bacteria – they tend to wipe out both. Taking a good, high dose probiotic like Pathway 35 Billion will help restore beneficial microbes that are destroyed by antibiotics.

The key is to take the probiotic and antibiotic several hours apart, so they aren’t cancelling each other out. I recommend taking one capsule of Pathway 35 Billion Probiotic 2 hours after an antibiotic dose. After you are done with the round of antibiotics, take one capsule per day for a month. If you are one of the unfortunate people who experience antibiotic associated diarrhea, this may even help reduce it. For more information regarding Pathway probiotics, contact Village Green Apothecary.

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Sore Throat Remedies

This past Friday I got a call from my son’s school. He was sick and I needed to pick him up. A quick trip to the doctor revealed he had tonsillitis and possibly strep. They swabbed him and we should hear back any day. With a prescription for an antibiotic in hand, we headed home.

I debated filling the script and ended up filling it. The doctor told me that tonsillitis is often self limiting, meaning that my son would probably feel better with or without antibiotics within a few days. I decided to wait 24 hours to see if he felt better, and thankfully, he did.

Here is what we did in lieu of antibiotics, to help my son feel better.

1. Warm soothing liquids, including homemade chicken soup. I used lots of garlic, onion and real chicken.  Continue reading “Sore Throat Remedies”

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First Aid Kit for Traveling With Kids

We travel a lot. In the summer we head to the cottage every weekend (4 hours away to a remote Northern Ontario location), and we also make annual trips to somewhere warm. With two kids, it is important to have on hand a first aid kit that includes items that you are going to need in case of emergencies. We came to this realization when our oldest cut his hand and we didn’t even have polysporin (and neither did the little market that supplies everything for cottage country). Joe’s hand ended up fine after being washed with clean water and applying polysporin, which we found at a neighbor’s house. Lesson learned: be prepared.

Here is a list of items that I believe every parent/caretaker should have on hand for those moments when a local health food store/pharmacy isn’t available.

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