For My Family’s Health

My children will soon be home for the summer, therefore making this a perfect time to rest and recuperate. While I take family health pretty seriously, I do get asked fairly often what healthy habits I do for my children. 

Here I am going to share some of my family health tips and secrets I find helpful as both a doctor and as a mom.

1.      Exercise – We do this as a family and we do it regularly. One of the common things I hear from my adult patients is that they used to play sports or used to be more active, and want to get back into it. For me it was softball and competitive running. The problem with taking on sports as a child, is that our brains see it as an activity and not part of a weekly routine. Most people didn’t grow up with the practice of exercise, so that pathway in their brain is fairly weak since it is not a lifelong habit they developed. A sport can be part of an exercise routine, but you have to change the way you think about it!

2.     Sunscreen – This generation of youth is really big into skin care as opposed to being obsessed with makeup, which I love. Most of us adults know that wearing sunscreen can protect our skin and help us age more gracefully. Thankfully with my kids falling into this generation, I can easily put on their faces a daily moisturizer with sunscreen before school, to slow aging and develop the habit.  

3.     Calcium and Magnesium – We don’t do this daily, but our muscles use these two nutrients when they contract and relax. During a growth period (called a “growth spurt”) my family will do nightly calcium and magnesium gummies. And while I don’t love gummies (a powdered form is preferable until they can swallow), they help reduce muscle aches and pains in the legs.

4.     Probiotics – I used this periodically to help after diarrhea, stomach flu, and antibiotics. If taking antibiotics, I use Saccharomyces Boulardii. If it’s the stomach flu, I will use Therbiotics Complete from Klaire Laboratories, as it has a nice variety of strains.

5.     Quercetin and Vitamin C – These are used to help treat seasonal allergies. We like to start with them before we have to move to an over-the-counter medication like Zyrtec. Quercetin and Vitamin C are natures anti-histamines and strengthen the nasal pathways which can be really helpful. 

6.      Charcoal – Activated charcoal is an age-old remedy that is good for soothing gas and upset tummies, or a making a poultice and putting it on a bee sting. Charcoal is an absorber, so when we eat something that doesn’t sit right with us, it can absorb that toxin in the same way it can absorb the poison irritant of the bee sting.   

7.     Lemon Balm and Passiflora – In liquid form, we have used them on and off for relaxation at bedtime, to help the kids and even me sometimes sleep better. We call it the sleepy juice and it has worked well for night terrors and when the kids were younger. Lemon balm is a calming and sedating herb. Passiflora reduces anxiety and improves sleep, but can also improve menopausal symptoms such as night sweats!

8.     Garlic and Muellin Drops – When my kids have ear pain or pressure, we will use a few drops in the affected ear to reduce pain. These drops also work as an antibacterial, which is great for low grade infections and preventing antibiotic use.  

9.     Herbal Biotics – This is something I blend together at my office and its contents varies. These concoctions can be really helpful in treating infections and avoiding antibiotics, which can have negative side effects for your kids.

10. Chiropractic care and even low level laser therapy - Since I am my girls chiropractor I make sure I immediately treat injuries and also do regular check up. Keeping their joints and mine aligned helps us participate in sports better and prevents pain and injury. We also use the low level laser therapy for sinus infections or when they hit their head playing things like basketball.

Remember to consult your doctor if symptoms persist, as these are practical solutions. Always use basic logic!