Doctors’ Advice

Fevers are a natural defense against infectious agents: viral, bacterial or environmental.  Teething may also cause a low fever (<101°) Most fevers are beneficial to a child and caused by viruses, and rarely exceed 104-105°

Treat the child, not the fever. Consider how the child is acting- mood, activity level, are they playing, are they eating? Don’t rush fever suppressing drugs to children as soon as you see a small increase in temperature. Low-grade fevers are helpful in fighting off infection, so treat a fever when it is making your child miserable.  Don’t withhold fever medication if your child is suffering, acetaminophen at the right dose is very well tolerated and will help your child sleep and feel better. Dr. Sears says a fever doesn’t cause damage until over 105°, and this is very rare, usually caused by toxins or heatstroke.

Natural fever support: A sponge bath in warm water will help reduce a fever. Put the child in a few inches of warm water and use a sponge or washcloth to wet the skin of the body and arms and legs. The water itself does not cool the child, the evaporation of the water off the skin does

Prevent dehydration: Encourage the child to drink clear fluids such as juice, water with electrolytes, chicken soup, breastmilk etc.

Herbal Tea:  Tea is an excellent way to give herbs while keeping a feverish child hydrated and nourished.  Elderflower and  tilia increase sweating to help manage hot fevers, and ginger is warming for chills. Other helpful herbal teas for fever include chamomile, rosemary and peppermint. Honey can be added to the tea if the child is over one year, if necessary. My daughter loves drinking herb teas, and I never add any honey.

Ferrum Phosphoricum cell salts (homeopathic) are useful to bring down a fever. For high fevers, give once every 15 minutes to half hour until the fever starts going down. Thereafter, give 3-4 times per day until the fever dissipates. You can put the pellets in water and sip, or directly in the mouth. (dissolve very easy)

Try some lavender essential oil in cool water and dip a cloth in and wipe on child’s forehead for a cooling relaxing effect

Taking a temperature: If your baby is less than 3 months of age, take a rectal temperature

•Ear thermometers are not very reliable for children less than 6 months of age, or for temperatures over 102° F

•If your baby is bundled, this can cause an elevated temperature. Unwrap your baby and retake the temperature in a half hour

Go to the hospital or see your doctor right away

• If a child under the age of three months develops a fever
• If your child is convulsing or hallucinating
• If your child’s fever has not changed in over three days
• If your child has rapid or shallow breathing
• If your child is complaining of stiff neck
• If your child has repeated vomiting and/or diarrhea
• If your child’s fever is 104 F or over orally or 103 F in the armpit
• If you have a feeling that something is wrong, or you don’t feel comfortable with the situation

If you need fever medication: I recommend acetomenophen (Tylenol) to body weight.  There is a chart on the bottle, often half the dose is effective. Never give asprin.

Disclaimer:  reading this article does not take the place of seeking medical consultation. If you are not sure- go to the doctor!

Reduce menopause symptoms and restore adrenal fatigue with lifestyle and nutrition tips.

1.  Follow a regular routine. Sleep and eat at the same time every day, as much as possible,  to activate your body’s circadian rhythm. The body’s natural rhythms are regulated by the hormones cortisol and melatonin. Following a routine helps our body to release these hormones at the right time, which is the cornerstone of good hormonal balance.

2. Sleep in a totally dark room. Totally dark. This supports good melatonin production.

3. Go outside in the morning. This helps to tell our body it is day, which increases melatonin at night time.

4. Take herbs to support your liver. The liver is responsible for detoxifying our hormones.  My favorite liver herbs are rosemary, schizandra and milk thistle, found in Mediherb’s Liv-co, which supports the liver and clears out excess estrogen.

5. Eat freshly ground flax seeds 5X week. They are an excellent source of good fats and toxin binding fiber.  They may also help with hot flashes when used regularly. Use liberally, at least a heaping tbsp.

6. Consider a probiotic. Help your digestive tract with happy bugs. This is especially important if you have taken many antibiotics, have digestive problems, or signs of estrogen excess (see December 2010 newsletter article)

7. Take an anti inflammatory herb if you have signs of inflammation. Some of my favorites are turmeric, resveratrol, boswelia, and chamomile

8. Eat organic, especially meat and dairy. This reduces xenoestrogens and fat soluble toxins found in conventional meat and dairy.

9. Take a nervous system tonic. This helps with stress and sleep, which helps with hormones.

10. Take vitamin D in the winter

Take the Daily Breast Massage Challenge

Imagine a world where every mother, daughter, grandmother, aunt or sister has healthy breasts for life.  Imagine a world, where breast milk is pure and free from synthetic and toxic chemicals, where our children are born free from chemical impurities, where our wombs are safe havens for the miraculous embryological process to unfold.
Sat Dharam Kaur an Ontario based Naturopathic Physician started the movement in women’s health many many years ago, with a focus on Breast Health, empowering women with knowledge and tools to improve their state of health. One of my colleagues and actually the woman who was my first Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Monkia Herwig is a cofounder for a great movement in Women’s Health which started in Canmore, Alberta. The Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign (Love your Planet, Love your Body, Love your Life) is a movement dedicated to increasing awareness about your body and the role our environment plays in the health. They focus on ways to make changes both in your own life, your home and if you feel so inspired, in your community. Check this out and stay tuned for our own workshop on “Keeping the Girls” nice and healthy.

www.pinkandgreenribbon.com

Take the Daily Breast Self-Massage Challenge!  It will take you 2 minutes each day, which you can accomplish in the bath, shower or before bed.  Have fun with it, and if you so desire, teach your partner to do it with your or for you.

1. Place your hands on either side of your neck and gently move the skin back and down towards your collarbone.  Do this 15 times
2. Place the palm of your hand under your underarm and gently pump your armpit.  The movement is lightly up toward your shoulder and in towards your body.  Do this 15 times.
3. With soft hands use the flat surface of three or four fingers to make small semi-circles around the outerpart of your breasts working inward until you reach the areola. Do not press hard.  The pressure is very gentle, like you would stroke a young kitten.
4. With your hands cupped around your breast, gently pull your breast away from the chest wall and move your breasts in a circular or up and down movement.  This allows breast generated lymph fluid to drain into the retro mammary space and out through the external lymph tubules in the axilla.
5. If you do find a lump, do not try to massage it away. You might irritate it.  Eighty percent of all breast lumps are benign, but it is important to bring any lump to your health care professional’s attention.

Instructions taken from The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer, by Sat Dharam Kaur, ND

By Dr. Melanie MacIver

This lovely plant is a cardiovascular tonic extraordinaire! It has been used for hundreds (thousands?) of years to support the heart, blood vessels and circulation. Unlike pharmaceuticals, herbal tonics are unique in that the same plant can have opposite actions. For example hawthorn can be used to either increase or decrease blood pressure, depending on what the body needs. Herbs are intelligent this way.

Hawthorn grows here locally as a shrub or a tree, and the berries are perfect for harvesting in the fall. The blossoms and leaves also have similar medicinal properties. Try harvesting the flowers in the spring and the berries in the fall. Hawthorn can be used to support the heart muscle, to balance blood pressure, cholesterol, irregular heartbeats, weak blood vessels, and any issues of circulation. It is full of antioxidants and helps with connective tissue regeneration, and can even help to mend a broken heart.

Eat your way to good health with this 5-7 day detox diet

• 7 carrots
• a small bunch celery
• 1 onion

• 1/3 bunch parsley
• Large handful of fresh spinach or kale
• Broccoli top and stem
• Few cloves garlic
• Bit of ginger
• Optional: any spices, stinging nettles, and any leftover veggie in the fridge.
• Boil for another 10 mins and strain.  Drink as much as possible.  You can double or triple the recipe and save in the fridge.  Can be had warm or cold. If you can’t make your own organic veggie broth is available in tetra packs at most grocery stores.
• Boil for another 10 mins and strain.  Drink as much as possible.  You can double or triple the recipe and save in the fridge.  Can be had warm or cold. If you can’t make your own organic veggie broth is available in tetra packs at most grocery stores.

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Greens
• Broccoli
• Parsley
• Salad stuff
• Variety of fruits
• Other veggies to cook or steam
• Lemon
• Coconut oil
• Flax seeds
• Brown rice
• Bragg’s seasoning
• Olive oil
• Sauerkraut

Use this simple calculation and assess your risk of osteoporosis.

Age-Weight (kg) = chance of osteoporosis

If you score 0 or less your risk is less than 5%

If you score 0-20 your risk is approx. 15-20%

If you score 20 or more your risk is approx. 50-60%

Eg 60 years old weighing 130 lbs (60 kg)

60-60=  0     risk is approx. 5% or less