So lately I've been thinking about (and getting a little overwhelmed by) the whole world of medicine vs. natural remedies and what you choose to administer to your family. I don't like that I have no medical knowledge or understand little of how the body works, so I feel that I can't really make very informed choices and usually rely on the opinion of others... be that a friend, doctor, website, etc. (which is how most people probably operate).
My natural mindset for health is that we eat lots of fruits & veggies, take a vitamin, and hope we don't get sick. If we do get sick, I tend to just let things run their course and just suffer a little through it, b/c I know I don't want to use medicine unless I have to, but don't really know of any other great remedies (other than eating a few extra oranges and taking more vitamins... which might not even help!). I probably make things up in my head that are or aren't a big deal, without any factual backing.
Some of this started because Creighton has been congested with a snotty nose for over a month now, ever since he started getting his bottom teeth. I attributed it to his teeth for the first couple weeks, but then started to think it was a little weird it wasn't getting better. At his latest well visit, the Dr. thought it could be a sinus infection and prescribed an antibiotic. I got it, but couldn't bring myself to give it to him, b/c he really wasn't showing any sign of a sinus infection, other than congestion. But I kept going back and forth on whether to give it to him b/c I just want him to be better! He doesn't seem to be bothered by it, but I'm a little tired of suctioning his nose and just like healthy babies better than ones with stuffy noses.
So I talked to some friends about Creighton and one had some natural suggestions... extra vitamin C, oregano drops, things like that. Ok, I don't know anything about things like oregano drops unless I hear it from someone else. Might as well try it?
Then I checked a few websites/blogs here and there that discussed natural remedies to use when you are sick, and it's just OVERWHELMING! There are herbs for this, a product for that... how in the world to do you know when to use what? And are herbs really all that safe and way better than medicine? I've heard a Dr. say that herbs are toxic to your body just like medicine (I think... I remember asking if that's what he really said b/c it surprised me) ... hmmm, interesting.
One site said that too much tylenol (like once/month) greatly increases your risk of asthma... really? Who has ever heard of that? There are so many risks and concerns out there that it makes my brain hurt if I get too involved, so I tend to just keep my distance... which is probably why I feel uninformed.
At the end of the day, I guess my theory will go back to what it is for most things in life... moderation. Is a little medicine or antibiotics here and there going to have life altering side affects? Hopefully not. Using some herbs are probably ok too. I just don't like to get too extreme in any one thing.
I also have found comfort in Matthew 6:25 & 27: Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing..... And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
God is sovereign over our life and knows when/if we will get sick and how long our life will last. Can we really ever prevent cancer or life long illnesses? Are they really just a part of God's plan for our life? I have to trust that I will probably never have perfect information when making decisions regarding my family's health, but God is in control.
So... enough of my ramblings! What are your theories? Are you quick to administer the meds? Have some secret home remedies? Don't get too worried about all this stuff? Tips on dealing with a congested baby? I'd love to know. :)
5 comments:
girl, I hear you loud and clear. :) with Luke in medicine and me a bit on the natural side of things it gets interesting over here. But it's not too complicated really…I try not to use meds unless totally necessary. I was on antibiotics right before having Gisella for a UTI I couldn't get rid of. Didn't like it, but necessary. I took a heavy duty probiotic with it. Antibiotics are after all based on mold that is stronger than other microorganisms around them…mold is pretty natural. ;) ;) For stuffy nose, I would say a humidifier with essential oils is your best bet. I use citrus because I like the smell…but I here eucalyptus is best for colds/sinus crud. I'm using a $15 Vicks on right now. might break soon … but working great since last winter when I used it as well. Pretty gentle as the oils not ingested or put directly on the babies skin. The moisture in the air helps Gisella breath a lot easier at night and as a bonus…it's kicked the chapped cheeks I've been rubbing oil on three times a day without much difference before using the humidifier. :) My MIL always puts oregano on my kids feet and then puts socks on them when she's here if they are stuffy. I don't know if it does anything to speed recovery…how does one study that really? Oregano and garlic do kill bacteria though on a petri dish. :) And vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory…which may help speed recovery.
Trust your mama instincts. We all have to do the best we can and move on from there. :) I always think feeding them well on unprocessed food is the best thing I can do for them before and when they are sick. You've got that covered I think. :)
Andria
Oh goodness...I would LOVE to sit down and talk with you about this (you too, An!). I have had such the similar debate in my head over the last several months. And I get SO sick of the two extremes. The medical community with their black/white answers and the natural community being just as black and white. And I'm like, umm...neither side can be completely right..right?
With vaccinations, I finally decided to trust my pediatrician and to be responsible as part of the 'herd' mentality.
Mostly, I'm coming to the same conclusion as you. We try to be as healthy as possible, but if Henrik has a fever and is clearly feeling sick and I can make him comfortable with Tylenol...I do it. We haven't had to make the antibiotic decision yet.
But back to coming to the same conclusion as you...on God's sovereignty. I could spend all day worrying about cancer-causing things around us. I could spend years learning about essential oils and natural remedies, but at the end of the day, God is totally in control of my family's health.
Anyway, tracking with you on many levels.
I have gotten some natural medicine / essential oil books from the library...but they were really overwhelming so I gave up. I'm slowly learning about them here and there. But the reality it it's also a lot easier to give Henrik a little tylenol instead of rubbing his body in a coconut oil and peppermint oil mixture. ;)
ah, great to hear that others can relate :) and thanks for the tips An! I do have a Vicks thing that I should probably use more... Creighton's face is so dry, but it's getting a little better. Em, sounds like we have something to hash about at the Pfledderer weekend. :)
Yes! Totally understand the inner struggle on this issue.:) It's so easy for me to feel like every tiny decision I make as a mom is going to forever affect my children's lives. I have to constantly remind myself that these are God's little girls. He knew them before they were born. He loves them even more than me. And He has a plan for them that none of my "mothering" will get in the way of.:)
And love those verses. We just talked about them this morning in BSF.:) (miss sitting by you in lecture, by the way!)
I tend to go the more natural way. We use oil of oregano on the bottom of the feet all the time. It is administered on the bottom of the feet bc it soaks into the blood stream the fastest. Oil of oregano is a natural killer to bacteria and viruses....so anytime our kids feel like they are getting sick or have been around kids that I later find out they were sick, we put 1 or 2 drops on the bottom of their feet wvery other night...until I feel they are "safe" or clear. It usually either prevents my kids from getting sick all together or if they do get sick, it cuts the symptoms and length of sickness in half. Garlic oil drops (very potent) work great for ear infections. Tea tree oil works great on cuts, scrapes, bruises (its a natural anti bacterial. I also add 10 drops or so of this into my homemade foaming hand soap).
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