Modern day scientific studies have proven that Echinacea increases white blood cells supporting the immune system by its ability as an immunomodulator and its ability of direct antibacterial/antiviral activity. Which basically means it acts as an agent that modulates the immune response. It inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines occur during oxidative stress, when the immune system becomes over whelmed by a cold or upper respiratory infection. Echinacea unloads its antioxidant properties to help during oxidative stress to “calm down” the response. It also acts by engulfing invasive microorganisms, bacteria, pathogens and other cellular debris. This immune response is known as “phagocytosis”. The herb also stimulates apoptosis also known as controlled cell death which can attack cancer cells.
Echinacea comes in many forms including tablets, liquid extracts, a dried herb, juice, and teas. There are concerns regarding the quality of Echinacea products on the market. Some products are mislabeled and can contain contaminates such as selenium, arsenic and lead. Use caution regarding where you purchase.
Echinacea is considered safe for short-term use. It is not completely understood the effects of long term use. However, it is suggested that in can lead to hepatotoxicity due to components in the flower. It is not recommended for expectant and breast feeding moms or those with autoimmune disorders. Those with allergies to other flowers can develop an allergic type reaction.
Drug Interactions
*Disclaimer- Please seek health advice from your provider before trying any of the above mentioned supplements. Only you and your provider understand your child’s health history. These supplements are not considered cures for any ailments
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Having said that here is what we know and what We can DO to prepare in a calm-rational manner…
COVID-19 is a VIRUS and it can cause pneumonia. Pneumonia can be fatal for elderly and compromised individuals. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs with fluid or purulent (pus) material in one or both lungs. For the most part, the body is capable of reversing the damage from inflammation and allowing the lungs to heal. However, inflammation can become too much that a “cytokine storm” can occur, which is the key mechanism for fatality. A cytokine storm is basically your immune system taking on more than it can handle.
The main symptoms of Covid-19 include some but is not limited to fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you have symptoms, call your physician or local health department and they will instruct you further. Do not leave your house unless you need urgent medical attention.
We cant control the media and we cant control this virus. What we can control is how we react and what we do to protect our family during this time to prevent and treat any virus.
People are out buying endless supplies of toilet paper and I am over here buying ALL the immune supplements and cold remedies.
We live in a highly developed, medically advanced country and we will get through this together. Stay home, stay calm, do your part and wash Yo hands!
Comment below what you use for colds and or/viral infections for your children?
*Disclaimer- Please seek health advice from your provider before trying any of the above mentioned supplements. Only you and your provider understand your child’s health history. These supplements are not considered cures for any ailments including influenza or Covid-19.
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I received numerous responses recently on what extra steps we take with cleaning and sanitizing…. So this blog is for you!
Laundry
Clean All Commonly Used Surfaces
Way back in my college days, I had to take a microbiology class. That is where I learned what exactly lurks on many surfaces. I will never ever look at a door-knob the same way again. In fact, I try not to touch door-knobs for this exact reason. All my nurse friends know exactly what I am talking about. Most can get away with utilizing a Clorox wipe to remove bacteria. However, in our home we use hospital grade bleach wipes that I purchase online. The key is to read your ingredients and make sure the item has bleach. It takes me five minutes to complete this task. Here is a list of items we wipe down weekly.
Don’t Wear Shoes in Your House
There are two types of people in this world, the shoe wearer and the non-shoe wearer inside the home. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. BIGGEST. Lets put it this way….. Imagine you just left a public bathroom, got home and walked all over your entire house with shoes. You even sat in your bed and/or on your sofa with gasp!…. shoes. Im internally freaking out over this idea! What if I said, 5 minutes before you walked in that public restroom that someone spilled bodily fluids such as puke, poo, pee and possibly blood) in that very same spot. Now all those bodily fluids are in your bed and tracked all around your house. Yuck! The point is, public restrooms are known for all the germs you can even imagine in one place at one time, particularly E. coli. Have you experienced E. coli sickness before? It is not pretty. I am so passionate about non-shoe wearing inside the home that I created an entire blog to this information here.
Minimize Exposure to Others
My son dislikes this rule so much because he never gets hit hard with any type of illness. He wants to go about his day but that’s not possible for us. If one of us gets sick, we literally quarantine that person in their room. They can do whatever they want… rest, screen time, tv, etc. I treat my kids like patients in regards to they stay in their room and after I leave their room I wash my hands. Also, don’t ever use a sick persons bathroom. I have to preface that were only this strict when someone catches the Flu. Otherwise, we just incorporate extra hand washing and cleaning most commonly used surfaces daily.
Clean Your Phone
Everyone is starting to be more aware of hand washing given recent events from Covid-19. However, it wont make a difference if you are not cleaning your phone. A good rule to live by is to clean your phone every time you get home and at night. Also, try not to touch your phone while eating. Apple mentioned on their website that you can safely clean your phone, display, keyboard and exterior surfaces with disinfectant Clorox wipes. Apple suggested to avoid straight alcohol, getting moisture in any openings, not to submerge and don’t use on fabric or leather surfaces. Samsung has yet to release suggestions for disinfectants.
At this point, you all probably thinking this lady is crazy. Some of these things may seem extreme. For most healthy people, these measures are extreme. However, they are important measures for compromised kids, allergy kids and when you have a bad illness come into your home.
Don’t leave me hangin here, what measures do you take to keep your home clean during Flu season? Crazy or simple, spill all your ideas. I am sure I missed a few and would love suggestions.
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