Healthy Kids in the Healing Kitchen

     Children bound through the day, full of life, full of energy and full of adventure.  They aren't thinking about what's for dinner, the state of the environment or whose in bed with what politician.  Their focus is to wring every ounce of fun out of life that they can.  Our job is to keep the path clear of too many obstacles and to repair the damage when innocence hits reality.

     The most difficult thing we as parents have to deal with in treating childhood illnesses is not necessarily the illness itself but the expectations we have of ourselves.  We know it is our responsibility to care for our children and when they get sick and we can't "kiss it and make it all better" we take on the burden of guilt and lack of control.

     Involving children in an integrated, complementary approach to health care can make visits to the doctor and medicine in general less unknown and scary.  Showing them at an early age that there are simple remedies for the bumps and scrapes they may get during the day can give them a sense of control over the uncontrollable and teaching them preventative medicine at an early age prepares them for a healthy adulthood. 

     When using remedies from your healing kitchen make sure you explain to your children the reasons why.  Give them the information, depending on their age, that they can pass on to their children.  Our medical system relies heavily on prescription drugs that may have known and unknown side effects.  We need to set the example for our children and our community and start looking first at the healing that can happen in the kitchen before turning to chemical medications that may do more harm than good.  There is a place for them, but let's use some of the tried and true remedies found in our healing kitchens first.