Sunday, March 22, 2015

8 Things To Do When Sickness Strikes




We were supposed to go on a family daytrip... plans were made... destination was set.... bread was made, ready to be sliced for sandwiches....cans of tuna were on the table waiting to be made into tuna salad sandwiches just before we left.... first aid kit was all packed... bottles of water were ready.... snacks were ready and in the cooler.... cookies were made.... cameras had charged up batteries.... we were all ready to go. It was going to be a great trip. Then, at bedtime, I heard those dreaded words, "Mom, I don't feel well."

We hoped it would be gone by morning... it wasn't and instead of a special day trip of hiking and touring this old mansion, a few of us were sick and only able to shuffle from bed to sofa to chair and back. A couple of us spent almost the whole day lying around and sleeping. There was no energy at all... no appetite... no interest in reading or anything....  we were sick.  There has been sickness going around and we have done well and haven't gotten it... but now we have.

What is a mom to do when someone is sick? Especially when Mom is also one of the sick ones? Hmmm.  






Well, here are some of the things that this mom does:

We try to eat healthy most of the time and are in quite good health, for the most part. The week prior to this, though, had been rushed, hectic and our meals hadn't been as healthy. Also we had a birthday to celebrate... and company several of the nights... and very late bedtimes... and stress. 


1. Evaluate
Normally, when someone is sick, I immediately activate and try to pinpoint the possible cause...and treatment. Evaluating the days before the sickness is one of those steps, since that helped me see very quickly WHY we were sick... too little sleep, not good nutrition, too much stress, etc and our bodies were unable to fight off what was "going around". 

Another thing I usually do is to evaluate symptoms. In this case, the biggest symptom was extreme fatigue, weakness and lethargy, along with headaches, nausea and more. No fevers. Not every person had the exact same symptoms, but there were some symptoms that hit all who were sick... mainly the fatigue, weakness, headache and nausea. 


 2. Research

 Research can happen in trusted books.... this is one I really like...and I also have many others. Research can also be done online(but be VERY careful of advice given there... I like to have 2 sources or more giving the advice.)  It is good to keep notes of information found so that it is available when needed. Research can also be done by talking with someone you trust... a friend or parent or other person who it knowledgeable on the subject.








3. Get a lot of rest and drink lots of fluids
Anyway, this time I was also sick.... and I knew my problem was stress, exhaustion, adrenal, etc. with the most urgent need being sleep, so I slept all I could for two days. All of us needed rest and sleep. 

 Sleep was good and needed... and lying around was fine. Lots of water was needed to flush toxins from the body, but who wants to drink a lot of water when not feeling well? Still, it has to be done.

Many times, over the years, I have noticed that different family members will respond differently to the same treatment when they have the exact same symptoms. Puzzling, but as I have analyzed that, I have found success when I treat each similarly, but tailored to each person. For example, I have noticed that one person may seem to do well when I try to treat their liver, another the pancreas, or lungs or digestion. It's not an exact thing, but it has sure helped. So, when one child has an upset stomach, I immediately suspect some constipation... and deal with it through essenial oils, pressure points, vitamins, etc. The same is true for other issues. It just shortens the process of dealing with issues, since some of them appear more often with sickness.




4.Use Herbal Teas Herbal teas are wonderful... they can be used to address specific symptoms... or just for general health.








 5. Take Probiotics


 The probiotics in this picture are in the form of a Kefir smoothie. It could also be in the form of kombucha, yogurt, tablets, etc.


We also did  detox baths, probiotics, vitamins, lots of fluids, oils on the feet and ears, and herb tea and other things.






6.Use Essential Oils

Essential oils are helpful ....  in so many ways... we use them on the bottom of the feet and on ears, in bath water, diffused in some way, as a cleaner for germs...and more.








 


7. Take Herbal Tinctures and Vitamins
 Herbal tinctures can be very helpful... I make my own... it is a way to preserve and condense the nutrients of the herbs.  There can be a lot of nutrient value to tintures.... Also vitamins can help, depending on what the sickness is.  The point is to help support the body while it is sick so that it can recover.


8. Take a Detox Bath There are different kinds of detox baths.... we use epsom salts and essential oils... or ginger, red pepper and baking soda... or I experimented today and came up with a really good one, but I need to work on the ingredients and amounts. I will probably share more on that another time. Even just an epsom salts bath can be so relaxing and helpful.

These are not "magic"... and maybe you would do only a couple or a few of these things... or maybe all of them... or maybe more. I am not a doctor or a health professional, just a mom with a lot of children... who studies and experiments and I have found some great things that help us, so I am sharing those.

A few other things are reflexology points... massaging them on the feet or hands... or back, etc., can help relax and allow the body to work better.  Sometimes a coffee enema can be helpful... I have seen it do wonders with a high fever since it can remove the source of the fever if the infection is in the intestines.

Today, we are improving, but not over it all yet. However, since I am able to write this, it is obvious that I have improved much since yesterday, I couldn't do anything but the bare minimum. We will need to be careful this week to allow our bodies to heal all the way... to rebuild our strength and immune systems. After the way I felt yesterday, I would have expected to be wiped out and incapacitated for days... what a relief to have a little energy again, even if it isn't the full amount I should have.




One tidbit I learned from a nutrition doctor years ago was:  You can eat everything healthy, you can drink enough water, you can take vitamins and nutrition, you can do everything "right", but stress can short-circuit everything.... and I have seen this to be true again and again. Too much stress is not a good thing, but we tend to live with too much stress...   

Anyway, these 8 things can help to get over some sickness and get well. Maintainence is wonderful, but this article is about dealing with a bout of sickness and getting over it. I hope you and your family enjoy good health... and when you do face a problem with illness, maybe these things will be helpful to you. One thing we do each time is to pray also... to God who is the One who knows all things and is the Great Healer.  Thank you for visiting.  :)






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42 comments:

  1. Oh no, I am so sorry to hear some of you were not feeling well :( It sounds like your family has a wonderful caretaker and the tips you shared were very helpful.

    I hope you're able to go on the trip you had planned. Thanks for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. Have a blessed Wednesday!

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    1. We have had to cancel the trip for now.... hopefully we will be able to do it sometime, but for now, we just need to get everyone feeling stronger. This "bug" has hit hard and is taking down 1 or 2 at a time.... in a big family, that takes a while. :) Thank you for visiitng.

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  2. Love all of these tips! Pinning it!

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  3. Thanks for this list! I +1 on google. We love essential oils! And since we've been using them, our illnesses have been much fewer and less severe.

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    1. Ours have too.... what a blessing. :) Thank you for G+ ing it. I hope the tips are helpful.

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  4. WOW!! You really did your research!! Soetimes sickness is a good thing as it helps to build immunity for futire illness. I am a Nurse..
    Thanks so much for stopping by!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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    1. I have had experience with a son who had many severe medical issues for years... and so I have researched and tried things for years... and I still keep learning. :) Thank you for visiting.

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  5. A very helpful and informative post. Thank you so much for sharing, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada.

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    1. Thank you...... and thank you for visiting.... it was so nice to have you. :)

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  6. A very helpful and informative post. Thank you so much for sharing, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada.

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    1. Thank you... and thank you for visiting.... it was so nice to have you. :)

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  7. Great list Joy. We do the same things in our home. I also wonder if the treating of symptoms differently have anything to do with the fact that some of us have different weaknesses than others in their system and that is where the bugs are able to attack when our immune systems are compromised.... Just a thought.

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    1. That is what I believe... I have seen it many times... and it makes so much sense, but it is such a foreign thought to people who use mainly medical ideas, so I try not to be too "out there" in what I present. :) I have seen such a blessing in treating problems, rather than just symptoms - although it takes some trial and error... and time. I know of many who just run to this or that medicine which helps them to get "well" right away... and then this or that health problem crops up here or there again because the symptom was treated, but not the actual problem. The body is such a magnificent creation and I am thankful God has allowed me to learn so much about it... and to continue to learn.... I also realize I could study all of my life... and I will still have SO much more to learn. :)

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  8. Thank you for sharing on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! Your article has been *featured and highlighted* this week! We would love for you to link up once again this week :) Happy Monday to you!

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  9. So many great tips! I definitely could have used these last week when I had the flu! Pinning for next time! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Talented Tuesdays!

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    1. There are so many wonderful ideas on what to do... and I keep thinking that I need to do better at getting them all compiled (neatly) in one place so that it is available when I need it. :) Thank you for visiting and pinning.

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  10. Hi Gentle Joy,

    These are great tips/ideas for when sickness hits your house indeed! Probiotics, Herbs, and Essential Oils are staples of my everyday life! I keep saying every time I read one of your posts that mentions herbal teas that I really need to look into them a little more! ;-)

    Hope you are having a great afternoon!

    Much love,

    Lysa xx

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    1. Just popped back by to say that we're so happy you were able to join in on ALL the fun this week at the #BigTopBlogParty! Thanks for linking up and we hope to see you at our next party too!

      Wishing you a fabulous week and a very Happy Easter! ;-)

      Much love,
      Lysa xx
      Welcome to My Circus

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    2. Thank you, Lysa... I like having those things all ready thought out in my mind for when they are needed... when we are sick, I sure don't want to figure things out then. :)

      The herbal teas are a blessing... there are many on the market to just buy... and those are helpful, but I LOVE having them from my garden... or when I buy them in bulk... and then mix them to address the needs we have. :) I hope you do get to try them more. So many of the helpful herbs are wonderful and easy to grow in the garden... they add beauty and many of them come back every year. Thank you for visiting. :)

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  11. Love this post and pinned it immediately. I'm all about diy especially when it comes to what goes into our bodies.
    Have a great week!

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    1. Thank you.... I'm glad you pinned and hope the info will be helpful to you. It is so good for us to be aware of what goes into our bodies... we are responsible for our own health... and it makes sense to learn about it. Thank you for visiting. :)

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  12. I love baths when I'm ill and drink, drink, drink. Great list!

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    1. Drinking enough can be SO hard when you don't feel well, but I agree.... need to push those fluids.. and a nice bath is lovely. :) Thank you for visiting.

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  13. So sorry to hear that your plans were thwarted by illness. I hope everyone is 100% soon. I am definitely bookmarking this. I am not as well-versed as I'd like to be on natural remedies, but I want to learn!

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    1. Oh, and Happy and Blessed Easter to you and your family!

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    2. There is so much to learn about natural remedies... well worth the trouble to do so.... I'm glad you are checking in to it and I hope you enjoy what you learn and will get much use out of it. Most of us are all better now... what a blessing. :)

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  14. I have never take a detox bath! I have about it. Thanks for your suggestions I do appreciate them.
    Many Blessings to you.

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    1. They can be so relaxing and helpful... sort of a double good type of thing... relaxing bath AND working on detoxing at the same time. :) Thank you for visiting.

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  15. Passed this along to my daughter in law for using with our little grand daughter (she is 1 year old)! Great information that I just did not know all of! You always share such great stuff iwth us! Country Fair Blog Party!

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    1. Good... I hope it is helpful to her also... I love finding natural ways to do things, when possible. Thank you for the encouraging comment. :)

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  16. All of these are great ideas!

    I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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  17. Great ideas, but I don't want to DO them. I just want YOU to come over to my house and do them FOR me! This reminded me of how I always especially miss my mother when I'm sick! :-)

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    1. Oh, my... I smiled over your comment! I sure understand that very honest comment!!!! I don't want to do them either so many times... but there is a satisfaction that comes from helping my family and knowing what to do with sickness. :)

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  18. Such good advice! I am so sorry about your missed outing, but I am sure you will be able to do it soon. Great suggestions. Thanks for linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea
    Ruth

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    1. Thank you!We were disappointed, but have learned (are still learning!!) to trust that God has a reason for hindering our plans. :)

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  19. A very helpful and informative post...Great suggestions

    http://www.simpleindianmom.in/what-is-mindful-parenting/

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  20. Thank you for sharing at Reader Tip Tuesday - hope to see you at this week's party xo
    http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/08/15/reader-tip-tuesday-craft-recipe-party/

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    1. Thank you... and thank you for the reminder about the party. :)

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