Sickness

This week my 2nd grader missed her first day of school due to sickness.  She said her head hurt and it felt like she was upside down.  I took her word for it, even though I also knew she was a bit nervous about going back to school after the 4 day vacation caused by Irene.  The cough that accompanied the strange upside down feeling solidified my decision to let her stay home.  We doctered her up with lots of vitamin C and homeopathic remedies.  She drank water on demand, and stayed in bed for a day.  Aside from the cough, which is still lingering, she is all better.  Unfortunately, when you have 4 kids within five years, the sickness tends to hang around the house for a week or two. 

So now I have my baby, he's 3, with a mini fever.  He looks a bit under the weather to me, though he can't seem to tell me where he feels bad.  We trust the fever will do its job and fight off the germies that are making him feel bad.  This is why I never use fever reducing meds on my kids.  I have faith his God created immune system will do exactly what it is supposed to do.  The fever is just that, proof that his body is working correctly. 

I read an article one time, by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, about how parents shouldn't fear fevers.  You should read the article, it's just eye opening!!  It all just made sense to me.  I have always felt that everything was created by God to work in harmony.  So I felt comfortable putting this into practice with my family's bodies.  I haven't been dissapointed.

When the "bugs" are going around, my kids usually get better faster than other children, who are given meds.  We let the virus run it's course which has seemed to only take 1-2 days.  The children who are given fever reducing meds seem to be sick for twice as long.  See this article.  I get a bit excited these days when I actually agree with something the AAP has to say!!

Fear also plays a big part in how we treat our illnesses.  These days we are completely bombarded with commercials, most of which serve only one purpose.  To scare us into taking this drug or that drug, or hurrying to our doctor to get the newest, greatest vaccine that will allegedly protect us from this disease or that disease.  Doctors ask us horrible questions like, "You don't want your child to DIE do you?"  My point is basically that modern medicine is sold to us through FEAR. 

But there is hope.  We don't have to be afraid!!  The most important thing you can do is make informed, educated decisions where healthcare is involved.  If your doc says you need this drug, go research it before you pop a pill.  If there is a commercial saying that parents need to get the new pertussis vaccine to help protect their babies, go research it.  And I don't mean check out what the CDC has to say about it.  RESEARCH it.  Dig everything about the drug, or vaccine up.  Check the ingredient list, read the manufacturers inserts for side affects and efficacy.  You might just be surprised what you find out!! 

Also, start researching how the human body works!  For me, this was a great step toward freedom from fear when it came to sickness.  Once I understood a bit more about how the immune system worked I was far less worried when my kids came down with something.  I was even more confident that their immune systems were made to handle a lot.  Now, I find ways to strengthen our immune systems when we're healthy so when a virus comes around, we are ready to fight it!  And we fight it without fear!! 

Here are the links to some of my favorite websites.  I spent hours and hours scouring the internet and found the most info from these places!  Check them out!!

You will find a lot of info on vaccines on Dr. Tenpenny's and Mary Tocco's websites.  Be open minded and take it all in.  Everyone has to make their own decision, and the one that is best for their families.

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny

Dr. Mercola

Mary Tocco

And of course my favorite way to research, Google!!  If I am wondering about something, I google it.  It's a good way to find tons of info to sift through!  

Have fun!!

Crunchy Katie