Herbs have been used for 1000’s of years by our ancestors all over the world to help alleviate and minimize various types of sickness & disease. Unfortunately, many of our ancestors amazing remedies have been lost over the past 100 years as societies have become increasingly reliant upon pharmaceutical drugs. And while many pharmaceutical drugs are amazing at providing immediate relief, it’s usually temporary (4-8 hours) and comes with harsh/negative side effects that are unsafe for small & growing children.
Luckily there’s plenty of natural and safe ways to boost your child’s immunity and help curb disruptive symptoms that are difficult and miserable for kids to deal with. When the kiddos are miserable, it’s that much harder on us parents. Many of these nourishing and gentle healing herbs are found in your kitchen, yard, health food stores and of course online.
1. Elderberry syrup
Elderberries help support your immune system, fight inflammation and infections as well as help address cold and flu symptoms. They’re packed full of Vitamin C, Fiber, Phenolic acids (antioxidants) and flavanoids (contain 10x more than standard berries). Several studies have proven that using Elderberry can not only reduce the duration of how long your sick for, but also it can help prevent you from getting the flu (if you start taking it at the FIRST SIGN of any symptoms) . I personally love this brand for my kiddos -
2. Echinacea
This herb has been used for centuries in China to help boost your immune system and fight viral and bacterial infections. This has been heavily studied and is proven safe to use with children too. There’s a number of children’s brands that feature this, and I prefer liquid form because it’s so much easier to adminster in food or drinks.
3. Lemon Balm (Melissa officials)
This herb is both fragrant and very tasty and has been documented being used since the Middle Ages for 2 main purposes. 1) Helps to reduce stress, anxiety and improves sleep. It’s found in many teas and can even be used in baked goods too. 2) Studies have found that it helps ease the pain and discomfort from indigestion, gas, bloating and even colic. This study found that 93 infants found the daily crying time in breastfed babies reduced in just one week after treatment with an extract that included lemon balm.
4. Cinnamon
This amazing spice you likely already have packs a serious punch for little ones. Studies have shown that the cinnamaldehyde properties have excellent antioxidant properties. That same property has also been shown to be ani-rmicrobrial which can inhibit growth of listeria and escherichia coli in food products. In one study, the effects of cinnamon was even studied against a staf nfection . Cinnamon also helps the body more slowly digest sugars and has been extensively studied to help aid diabetes. With so many great benefits, it’s easy to give your kids an extra boost of cinnamon in their diet by adding to applesauce, baked goods, smoothies, etc. If you can buy cinnamon sticks, you’re getting a better source of the spice. The thinner the stick, the better the quality, fyi.
5. Astragalus
This is another traditional Chinese herb used for centuries, called Huang Qi “yellow energy builder”. It can help with cold and flu symptoms and is known to strengthening the immune system due to it’s antiviral properties. It’s also known for strengthening the lungs and can help treat respiratory infection. This is often used via tincture drops (which you can add to juice or tea to help your little ones recuperate faster). I like to use these drops.
6. California poppy
This is a gentle and safe herb that can help create calm, restful moments for those children who are high strung or have ADD/ADHD. It’s also helpful with those who have difficulties falling asleep. It’s important to note that this species of palaver poppy does NOT contain opium.
7. Nettle Leaf
The leafs are used to help relieve seasonal allergy symptoms. They are high in protein and minerals and can help build a stronger immune system too. These are available in tincture or pill form and can easily be mixed in juice or yogurt for easy methods of feeding it to kids.
8. Chamomile
This tea is a great way to help children (and adults) to calm down, relax and fall asleep easier. There was a brief period of time where my son (at 2 years old) was really struggling to get tired at night and this tea was a game changer! This tea has also been used to help colic, gas and digestive issues in young babies and toddlers as it has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties that helps improve digestion. One study showed baby’s cry time was reduce by 50% after 1 week of taking the tea daily.
9. Lavender
This flower is both beautiful and fragrant. It’s powerful aroma helps sooth anxiety and induce a calm state. It also has antiseptic and skin-healing properties, which is why adding this to to a relaxing bath has been so commonly done for years. It’s typically included in many store bought epsom salt mixes you can find in most stores. Essential oil diffusers are a great method to help your home smell beautiful and help create calm moments at night.
10. Thyme
This savory, delicious and fragrant herb is another household staple with amazing benefits. Its anti-microbial and has been known to help relieve cough and congestion symptoms. It’s easy to add some springs to a pot of hot water as a decongestant for a kiddo that’s struggling or even some non-caffeinated tea.
I’m always looking for natural ways to help ease my kids symptoms & misery from getting sick. I like to nip it in the bud, so once I see the very first symptoms forming, I’ll usually start an immunity boosting regime right away. The faster you start treating the body, the more likely you are for your kids to NOT get as severely sick!
As always, you should be aware that your child may have allergies your not aware of. Having insight into whether your child has allergies (such as ragweed, etc.) may help you better navigate your herbal selections in the future. So it’s important to consult your pediatrician or naturopathic doctor before starting a new herbal regimen.
There are some very comprehensive allergy tests you can now buy online for relatively cheap. I’ve found that these tests are more comprehensive and less expensive than what’s ordered through a physician.
I personally used this hair follicle allergy test several years ago, and it tested over 970+ food AND non-food items. https://www.testmyallergy.com The report was easy to read and very comprehensive. I found this to be a better testing option than what my doctor had to offer. It's also a better option than the popular Everlywell test available at Target (that only tests 96 foods and costs $200+ after taxes).
I'd love to hear about other common household staples readers enjoy using, so please leave me a comment of some other great recommendations.
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