Boost your immunity by eating clean

Last year the kids were sick the entire winter.  I even charted it on my calendar.  One week one kid was sick.  The next week the next kid was sick.  The next week the other kid got sick.  Then it repeated.  The first kid got sick again.  Then the next kid.  And I'm not kidding it went on and on like this all year.   When I asked the pediatrician about it she told me it was normal for kids to have 8 to 12 colds per year.

I don't know about you, but when my kids get sick, it stresses me out.  I always worry way too much and I'm so empathic that it's difficult for me to feel okay inside when they do not.  In the past I would blame myself and feel helpless because I didn't know what to do differently.  I kept them away from sick people, tried to disinfect the house and keep it clean, fed them the usual Standard American Diet, washed the bedding in hot, changed their toothbrushes often, had them vaccinated against the flu, ran the humidifier at night, gave them Motrin for their fevers, and had them stay home and rest when they were sick.  Other than that I didn't know what more to do.

But I've learned a few things.  Here's the difference between last year and this year.  First of all, no flu vaccine.  It's far more important to boost immunity than vaccinate.  Since we started eating clean in June I've already built up their immunity in preparation for the winter.   Each day they take liquid multivitamins, flax oil, and probiotics.  They eat clean for the most part.  (I say more part because they are allowed to eat whatever they want outside of our house be it at school or grandma's or a friend's house). When they do get sick I give them large doses of vitamin C throughout the day and make sure they get a lot of water and rest. 


This year we have been sick once.  I have a cold right now, my youngest daughter has a cold, and my oldest daughter is getting a cold.  But none of us have had to miss any school and we've had no fevers.  Thankfully it's been a completely different experience than what we went through last winter.