there is a suitable case of illness. A mind closed to new ideas is a dangerous mind.
The real key to children's health, and the main message of this book, is disease prevention in the first place. If we learn this rule, then the question of whether to take antibiotics or not will not even arise.
After you read my book, will you ever forget what a cold is like in your child? Not at all. In fact, as I mentioned earlier in this chapter, some mild colds are even good for children. They help develop a strong immune system. On the other hand, eight to ten colds a year are debilitating and endanger your little one's life. However, if you follow prevention tips, your cold will likely get better and be over in a shorter amount of time. Your child will only get a mild form of a cold that lasts a day or two, not a week or two. The number of antibiotics consumed and doctor visits will be significantly reduced, and you will be able to calmly watch how your child's immune system is strengthened, which is very important in our turbulent times.
I don't go to extremes. My children do not live under a glass jar without pizza, chocolates and cola, although such food is not part of their daily diet. It seems to me that my book will be able to tell you simple steps on how to become a logical and sane parent. If I advise you to avoid this or that food at a certain time of the year or day, then I will definitely explain why you need to do it that way. I hope that after reading my book, you will have a better understanding of the causes of children's diseases, and also have a great idea why my simple advice makes practical sense. Keeping kids healthy is not jet propulsion science. As you have already noticed, it is based on ordinary common sense, multiplied by experience.
Twenty-four children live in our small town, and we watch their lives year after year. If the only cause of a cold was the action of microorganisms, our entire city would be one sneezing family. However, in practice, it turns out that although our children are constantly exposed to microbes, most often the disease can be avoided. Naturally, it is impossible to prevent your child from getting into the zone of action of microorganisms that cause colds, but you can make him strong and healthy enough so that he does not succumb to them and not get sick.
I will present to your attention ten secrets of Ayurveda that will help keep your child healthy. However, they do require some parental "supervision of execution". Having memorized once the rules and methods of daily and seasonal approach to the child, you can easily preserve the health of your baby. This knowledge can also help adults - and, as a result, you will have a healthy family.
In autumn, as soon as the leaves become dry and brittle, we notice that our skin also becomes tight and cracked, there is less moisture in the cavities, and a feeling of discomfort appears. If we allow the cavities to dry out, this will inevitably lead to inflammation of the nasal mucosa. As a result, the cavities will begin to produce more mucus to deal with dryness and inflammation. Too much moisture undermines the ability of the immune system to fight bacteria and viruses. Moreover, this effect creates fertile ground for the reproduction of microbes and bacteria that cause disease. By this time, the days of November and December come, rightfully called the season of flu and colds.
If we observe nature and its gifts in autumn and winter, we will notice that squirrels collect a lot of nuts. It is clear that the foods most readily available in winter (nuts, grains, and root vegetables) provide our body with the fats and proteins needed to insulate and lubricate the mucous membranes of the cavities and, above all, to protect them from dryness and inflammation. If we can understand how nature fights dryness in winter by strengthening the immune system, we will begin to understand how to naturally prevent the symptoms of colds and flu. Even minor seasonal changes in your diet can make a big difference in your child's health. Remember that if we all still lived in villages, we would automatically reap the benefits of natural medicine with every harvest. Many families have not gone that far from this way of life. Many of us start eating more soups, grains, nuts, and stews in the winter on our own! This hot food helps us fight colds and the dryness of winter. It appears at certain times in autumn and is available to eat in winter.
Each season has its own harvest or proposed diet.
In chapter 7 you will find a small list containing a set of products for each season.
You just need to remember what time of year it is and understand what foods to choose for your family - and this will be the best medicine. If making dietary changes isn't an option, I'll share with you many other simple tips and ideas for keeping kids healthy. You'll learn how to approach your child's health and how to "measure" their stress level every morning. I have a "lazy Susan" medicine cabinet full of various herbs and remedies, chosen by me according to the individual needs of the child. You'll learn how to recognize and then prevent a cold long before it happens by simply strengthening your child's digestive system. I will teach you how to compose your "lazy Susan" and eliminate possible errors in the prevention of colds.
What situations make your children more vulnerable to colds? Maybe they eat too many sweets? Or the wrong food at school? During the early days of school, when the weather gets colder and drier, your child is much more likely to get a cold. Returning after the end of the holidays, especially after traveling by plane, children are more susceptible to colds. During sleep, breathing dries out the mouth and severely inflames the mucous membrane, damaging the immune system. In Chapter 9, I will explain what to do during times of increased susceptibility to colds and flu to avoid getting a runny nose. Once you determine the type of your children, you will understand what needs to be done to prevent diseases.
Another important way to maintain good health and prevent disease is through nutritional supplements. Their range is not limited to the usual morning intake of vitamins. Each time of the year involves the intake of a certain composition of nutrients. We tend to think that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is related to daily intake, but in fact, the natural cycle of vitamin supplements is not limited to one day, but is valid all year round.
With the transition from one season to another, animals stay healthy by changing the amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals according to the season. I realized that in a world where every day someone tries to sell nutritional supplements, it is important for my family and patients to know when and why to take them. The fruits ripen in a certain period for the benefit of our health. Herbal preparations have a similar logic of seasonal harvest.
Perhaps the most common example of this situation is the dandelion flower. There are reasons why such a large number of this weed appears in the spring. This же логика применима и к другим растениям. Allergies are a fairly common cause of colds in spring and autumn. Dandelion contains a natural diuretic and blood purifier, which has a positive effect in reducing the occurrence of allergic reactions and preventing colds. I'm not trying to promote dandelion cultivation (although it should be noted that dandelion tea was a staple drink for many Americans a hundred years ago). Such bitter roots and herbs ripening in spring and autumn as dandelions, kale, chard, burdock root were part of the diet. However, now they have all disappeared from the table of the average American. I don't expect your kids to know the taste of chard or spend their evenings eating dandelions in the backyard, but you can always use these bitter herbs and roots to add to soup as a condiment.
When choosing nutritional supplements, you should know exactly which ones are best for your child at this time of year and why. Remember that most of the immune-boosting minerals and vitamins come from fruits and vegetables. If you doubt the nutritional power of fruits and vegetables, look at an elephant or an elk. These huge animals with impressive tusks and horns are vegetarians.
Is everything okay with your child's digestion?
For many years, the number one ailment I had to treat was constipation. Many of us are unaware that we have this disease. Children, in particular, rarely think about the time spent in the toilet. I do not think that in my practice there was a child who remembered exactly when he was there in the last two days. Unfortunately, Parents rarely take this issue. Very often I find that children suffering from chronic asthma or colds are also chronically constipated. Some children go to the toilet every day without thinking about it. Others often do not do this for two or three days, without any visible consequences at first. Subsequently, their parents bring them to my office with skin problems, colds, allergies, or respiratory problems.
Few parents realize that there can be a direct link between a sluggish rectum and a child's