The following outline need not only apply to flu season. The best medicine is prevention! Full-time prevention!

Right now, it seems like I can’t go anywhere without seeing some kind of advertisement for FLU SHOTS.

I thought I could escape from the brainwashing of the medical community and pharmaceutical companies by avoiding the TV.

Apparently not.

So, since “flu season” is beginning, am I supposed to freak out and get a flu shot? Pretty much…Fear always motivates people to do things.

Oh, they also forgot to tell you that you have a 50/50 chance of getting the flu even if you’ve been jabbed in the arm with the vaccine.

Enough of my ranting…

Allow Your Body To Fight Off Influenza On Its Own!

1. Refill With H2O: Did you know your body needs plenty of water to flush out toxins that compromise your immune system? While you sleep, your body builds up toxins in the digestive tract. To naturally flush out these toxins, you must start your day with a glass of water to rehydrate the body. This improves immune system function and allows your body to operate at its highest potential.
2. Sleep…zZz…: A great night’ s sleep is like a reset button for your whole body. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can make you more likely to become sick because of an overgrowth of bacteria in the body. When we are fighting a sickness, our body naturally promotes sleep. So why not boost your immune system in the first place by getting adequate rest?
3. Pro-Biotic It: “Probiotic” means “A microbe that protects its host and prevents disease.” When you supplement your diet with probiotics, you increase the flora of “good” bacteria in your gut. Did you know the digestive system is where most of your natural immunties “hang out?” If a person has a poor digestive system due to an inadequate, non-nutritious diet, they are very likely to have recurring sickness. Their body’s defense mechanism (immune system) to sickness can never get the proper armor up because that armor is essentially nutrients. Probiotics get that armor up. Learn more in the post Probiotics: Are They Good For Our Kids?
4. Get Some Sun: Did you know the best way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D is to get out into the sun for a few minutes? The skin produces Vitamin D when it is exposed to a certain amount of sunlight radiation. Vitamin D blood levels are at their highest in the summer but reach their lowest levels during the flu and cold season (winter). When you can’t get out, or if it’s the dead of winter, load up on fish which is high in vitamin D. There are supplements out there, but do your research before buying.
5. Exercise…even if it’s just a little: Do your best to get your heart rate up with aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes a day. Go for a light walk with the dog and baby. Run up and down the stairs a few times. Have sex! Do something!  Stress leads to a weakened immune system. Exercise relieves stress. Therefore, exercise boosts the immune system.
6. Receive Regular Chiropractic Adjustments: Chiropractic care was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Regular Chiropractic Adjustments work to correct any nerve interference in the nervous system. Chiropractors know that nerve interference prevents the body from working optimally. To prevent this nerve interference, they adjust the spine into proper alignment and all systems are “GO” (including the immune system). The mainstream medical community really does not understand Chiropractic. But now you know. Chiropractic focuses on “prevention” and “healing from within.” Learn more Chiropractic and Pregnancy.
7. Eat, Eat, Eat!: Eat nutritiously, that is. Did you know that low blood sugar equals low immunity? One step to a healthy immune system is to eat breakfast! Eat like a healthy King at breakfast. Make a breakfast burrito with eggs and bell pepper. Make a banana smoothie with flaxseed or hemp oil. Have some hot whole-grain cereal with fruits and nuts. Or take some yogurt on-the-go. When you start out eating healthy at breakfast, you will tend to eat nutritiously the rest of the day.
8. Supplement: There are way too many supplements out there that market the illusion of “healthy.” Did you know that we chew most of our food? DUH! But think about it…Most supplements are made to be swallowed. If you swallow vitamins and minerals in pill form, you are not able to chew. Chewing is one of the most important parts of the digestive process! In fact, many vitamin companies use binders, fillers and hard chemical coatings that diminish absorption. Hospital orderlies often refer to these undigested pills and tablets that pass through a person’s intestinal track as “bedpan bullets.” This is not to say that every supplement will not be absorbed. How about a liquid vitamin on LuckyVitamin? Or a whole-food chewable supplement like Chews4Health? And you’ve got to check out Garden of Life.

There’s my preventive strategy to keeping sickness away.

Like I always say, “A body at EASE is without DISEASE!”

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston

Did you know your digestive tract is teeming with bacteria? Good bacteria, that is.

Probiotic is the term used to describe the billions of “friendly” live bacteria located in the intestinal tract. We are first exposed to bacteria when we are born and during infancy. The birth canal is full of  bacteria that the infant swallows while moving through the birth canal. Then, the bacteria colonize the infant’s gastrointestinal tract and set the stage for a healthy immune system.

When a child is born via Caesarean section, the “good” bacteria is never exposed to the child and he or she may have a delay in the colonization of the beneficial bacteria. This delay allows for a greater risk of:

• infection
• colic
• constipation
• gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
• Infants suffering from thrush and cradle cap can also benefit from probiotics

Breastfeeding your child, a diet rich in probiotics, and probiotic supplementation will support an increase in the proper bacteria and allow for a healthy immune system.

Our levels of  beneficial bacteria do not fluctuate very often, but if we are under stress, not eating properly, or taking antibiotics we suscept our immune system to infection.

Try Culturelle for Kids!

If you or your children must take antibiotics, you should follow up with probiotics like Culturelle For Kids. When choosing a probiotic supplement for your child:

1. The package must state the name of the bacteria culture, such as Lactobacillus casei. The most beneficial products contain a “blend” of different bacteria cultures
2. The number of colony-forming units (CFUs) should always be listed in the billions
3. The probiotic package or container should never claim to be a “cure” for a disease or condition
4. The very best probiotics are found in the refrigerated health section of your grocery or health-food store. Refrigeration allows for live cultures to stay dormant until ingestion by the consumer
5. The manufacturer of the product should have a good reputation as a distributor of probiotics. There are many products out there that state they contain probiotics but many of them do not list the number of CFUs they contain, and oftentimes very few CFUs remain once the product arrives to your home. Look for a refrigerated product containing active (live!) cultures.

Lifeway Kefir

To keep my immune system healthy, I take the product Culturelle daily and I enjoy the original probiotic called “Kefir“. I have to say Kefir is an acquired taste but Lifeway makes many different flavors for their product. You will feel great after drinking Kefir, especially as you prepare for your day during breakfast.

With the use of probiotics, you and your children can live a healthy life by preventing disease and promoting great nutrition!

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston

Since I have had my son, I am extra conscious of what I put into my body and what goes into his.

Convenience and price has led many people to accept products that are very bad for their health. Food products are full of preservatives and empty calories, with no nutritional value. Or, body products contain known skin irritants that are used to test for allergic reactions in a medical setting. Many mothers blindly put faith in doctors and children’s companies…trusting that these people have their child’s best interest at heart.

However, this is not the case. Chemicals we can’t even pronounce are in our foods and body products.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is one of the first ingredients in many conventional body washes, shampoos. and detergents. These substances are included in the products in order for them to foam up. Unbeknownst to many, these chemicals cannot be metabolized by the liver, are known skin irritants, and can lead to eye damage in children. Many other harmful effects are reported about these chemicals.

At my baby shower, I was given Johnson’s® Bedtime Washcloths for my son. I reviewed the ingredients and what I found was amazing. Here are the ingredients:

1. Glycerin
2. PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate
3. PEG-8 Sodium Laureth Sulfate
4. Cocamidopropyl Betaine
5. Decyl Glucoside
6. Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate
7. Phenoxyethanol
8. Fragrance
9. Lauryl Methyl Gluceth-10
10. Hydroxypropyldimonium Chloride
11. Methylparaben
12. Propylparaben

Now that was not fun to type! Only 2/12 ingredients were familiar to me (glycerin and fragrance).

So I went to Johnson’s website and viewed this product. Guess what they promote?

Enhanced with NATURALCALM™ essences, our improved cleansing and moisturizing products gently cleanse and nourish your baby’s delicate skin as you set the mood for quiet time before bed. Specially formulated for baby’s delicate skin. Start her before-bed routine with a relaxing bath and enjoy the soothing aroma of NATURALCALM™ essences.

All I see from that statement is a distraction for consumers. The special essence blend is nothing more than a lavender-like fragrance. And is that really going to help my baby sleep better? I’ll just skip the chemical bath and apply some lavender oil…

Anyways, marketing ploys convince mothers that a company’s product is safe and it will help their child. I am guilty of this. I believed this too before I had a helpless infant to think about. I’ve never had skin allergies or abnormal skin conditions, so I never really considered questioning what was in the new bodywash I bought for myself because it smelled good.

At my babyshower, I also received a babywash/shampoo by BABYSPA™ and I actually use this product on my son. It contains no mineral oils or petroleum products, no artificial fragrance or color, no animal products and no nut oil. AND NO SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE!

So why do companies who make products for children use such irritating ingredients? It is the fact that these ingredients are cheap! SLS is found in dish soap, car wash soap, and carpet cleaner. If you use a product that foams up, it probably contain SLS.

Start making it a habit to check the labels on products in your home. Research the ingredients online and find out for yourself what the ingredients are and how they can affect you and your child’s health.

But watch out for products labeled “Natural” or “Organic.” Don’t let that label fool you. Many of them still contain skin irritants.

Many times the quality of these products is really “You get what you pay for.”

*Special thanks to HealthyGreenMom and Natural Health Information Centre

My next post will discuss toxic ingredients in commercial food.

To Your Well-Being,

Olivia Johnston