Back to School Basics for Staying Healthy

One of the biggest complaints we often hear from parents when school starts is how hard it can be to keep them well.  This fall, don't be caught by surprise by passing germs.  There are some important and relatively easy things you can do to boost everyone's immune system, to cut down on illnesses and keep everyone performing at their best.

1) Vitamins, Vitamins, Vitamins! It may sound redundant, but Vitamin C and Vitamin D are super important for optimal health, especially when fighting off invaders!  These should be a part of our daily routine in the cold season and the entire line of Children's Sunshine Heroes covers all of your child's needs.  NSP's Chewable Vitamin C is easy to digest, delicious and great for adults and kids alike. Vitamin D is best consumed by going outside every day, but especially as it gets colder that's not always possible.  In those cases, here are a couple of options.  For kids, consider Calcium Plus D3.  For adults (or kids who can swallow pills), there's also a Calcium Plus D, but for extra protection Vitamin D3 is highly recommended.

2) Clean, Colorful Eating.  Whatever goes into your body either adds or takes away from the health of your immune system.  The cleaner and more colorful your diet is, the better position you are in to fight off colds and viruses. When children avoid eating fruits and vegetables or will only eat one thing, it can be a much bigger deal than parents realize.  Without a wide variety of nutrients coming from their food, the immune system suffers.  When the body consumes sugar and inflammation inducing grains for too long, sickness is just a matter of time.  Eating well is hard, even when you are actively seeking it.  It can be even tougher for kids who don't realize the importance.  Try introducing a new uncommon food every week.  Or make a morning smoothie loaded with spinach (since it doesn't change the taste of anything it is mixed with).  

3) Silver Shield Liquid/Gel - NSP's Silver Shield is a wonderful safe and effective product that reduces exposure to disease-causing agents while leaving the good bacteria in tact.  Taken internally before and after a day spent with the latest bugs passing around can cut an illness time in half or even better prevent infection all together.  The Silver Shield Gel takes immune boosting to another level! This gel can be safely place in any opening of the body so in or around the nose would be great protection from airborne invaders.  It also works as a great hand sanitizer! 

Also, Essential Shield  is a terrific topical essential oil blend that contains pure essential oils of clove, cinnamon, thyme, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, lemon, pine and peppermint that could be used to keep the air around you boosted with proactive forces!

4) Don't forget to SLEEP! When activities begin to pile up and homework gets behind, adequate sleep often gets the boot.  If you're trying to avoid illness, losing sleep is the worst thing you can do!  Sleeping helps the body fight infections and can determine how fast you recover if you do get sick. If you struggle with sleep or expect some stress surrounding a specific week that might affect your sleep, here are a few supplements to consider:

• Valerian Root - This single herb helps with relaxation and supports sleep.
• STRESS-J - Great for kids - it comes in capsules AND liquid! This herbal formula promotes feelings of calm and helps with occasional stress. A racing brain or overstimulated body can certainly prevent sleep.  STRESS-J can help with that!
• 5-HTP Power - Drinking a lot of caffeine? Caffeine wipes out serotonin and can definitely disrupt sleep patterns.  Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an important neurotransmitter that is converted into serotonin in the body. Improve your appetite, mood and sleep!
• Melatonin Extra - Melatonin encourages restful sleep and helps fight jet lag by promoting the body's natural sleep rhythm.

5) Elderberry - The health benefits of elderberries are powerful! Anytime you expect to be or fear you were exposed to something contagious (cold, virus, flu, etc.) we recommend Elderberry D3fense or Elderberry Immune (chewables for the kids).  It's a power punch to whatever is lurking in the air!  

6) Probiotics for Everyone! If you (or your child) have taken antibiotics, you can suppose with certainty that their friendly bacteria has been compromised.

In the gastrointestinal tract, there is a very delicate balance that exists between the host and the intestinal bacteria--at least 400 different species of microflora live in the human gastrointestinal tract. These intestinal bacteria alter the chemical composition of foods and drugs, break down dietary toxins, produce and break down vitamins, create toxins and antitoxins, and inhibit the growth of certain disease-producing organisms. When we upset this balance of intestinal microflora with antibiotic use, diet, and disease, we negatively affect the benefits of these microorganisms.

This is why probiotics are so important in our daily supplement regime. Lack of good flora in the gut has been linked to all kinds of disease, including brain dysfunction.

Tips for Healthy Traveling

Do you have plans to travel sometime this fall/winter season?  The strong threat of sickness has been weighing on all of our minds, I'm sure.  Some things in this life are completely out of our control, but here are a few things that we've found to be helpful in the task of boosting immunity.

1) Vitamins, Vitamins, Vitamins! It may sound redundant, but Vitamin C and Vitamin D are super important for optimal health, especially when fighting off invaders!  These should be a part of our daily routine in the cold season, but especially the week before your traveling plans and all throughout a trip.  NSP's Chewable Vitamin C is easy to digest, delicious and great for adults and kids alike. Vitamin D is best consumed by going outside every day, but especially as it gets colder that's not always possible.  In those cases, here are a couple of options.  For kids, consider Calcium Plus D3.  For adults (or kids who can swallow pills), there's also a Calcium Plus D, but for extra protection Vitamin D3 is highly recommended.

2) Don't forget to SLEEP! When preparing for a trip and certainly on a trip, adequate sleep often gets the boot.  If you're trying to avoid illness, losing sleep is the worst thing you can do!  Sleeping helps the body fight infections and can determine how fast you recover if you do get sick. If you struggle with sleep or expect some stress surrounding your trip that might affect your sleep, here are a few supplements to consider:

• Valerian Root - This single herb helps with relaxation and supports sleep.
• STRESS-J - This herbal formula promotes feelings of calm and helps with occasional stress. A racing brain or overstimulated body can certainly prevent sleep.  STRESS-J can help with that!
• 5-HTP Power - Drinking a lot of caffeine? Caffeine wipes out serotonin and can definitely disrupt sleep patterns.  Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an important neurotransmitter that is converted into serotonin in the body. Improve your appetite, mood and sleep!
• Melatonin Extra - Melatonin encourages restful sleep and helps fight jet lag by promoting the body's natural sleep rhythm.

3) Elderberry - The health benefits of elderberries are powerful! Anytime you expect to be or fear you were exposed to something contagious (cold, virus, flu, etc.) we recommend Elderberry D3fense or Elderberry Immune (chewables for the kids).  It's a power punch to whatever is lurking in the air!  

4) Silver Shield Liquid/Gel - NSP's Silver Shield is a wonderful safe and effective product that reduces exposure to disease-causing agents while leaving the good bacteria in tact.  Taken internally before and after a plane ride would be a smart line of defense.  The Silver Shield Gel takes immune boosting to another level! This gel can be safely place in any opening of the body so in or around the nose would be great protection from airborne invaders.  It also works as a great hand sanitizer! Both are great for kids too.

Also, Essential Shield  is a terrific topical essential oil blend that contains pure essential oils of clove, cinnamon, thyme, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, rosemary, lemon, pine and peppermint that could be used to keep the air around you (in a car, hotel room, or even an airplane!) boosted with proactive forces!

5) Clean, Colorful Eating.  Whatever goes into your body either adds or takes away from the health of your immune system.  The cleaner and more colorful your diet is, the better position you are in to fight off colds and viruses. Plan ahead.  Just because you're on/going on vacation doesn't mean you have to eat junk!

Most trips aren't worth getting sick over so do yourself some favors as travel season starts to pick up!

Children's Flu Season Guide

Stomach Bugs Gotcha Down?

Appetite issues, gas, mental fogginess, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, exhaustion.  When the stomach bugs come to town, there's just no telling what manner of misery you may find yourself in.  Whether it's a contagious virus or some food-borne bacteria, getting rid of it is always a #1 priority!

We often hear that there is just nothing you can take/do in these cases, except let them run their course.  We feel differently.  In some cases, these are prolonged and can stay and settle in the body causing inflammation and leading to disease when not effectively addressed and cleansed out of the system. There are several remedies that can help in getting over and getting rid of these stomach invaders.  If you want more information on any of the herbs and combinations below, just click on the name for details.

Silver Shield or Olive Leaf Extract  are the place to start above all else.  In most cases, either remedy will do the trick in eliminating the virus or bacteria from your system.  Since Silver is liquid though, it can be more useful with children and periods when it's difficult to keep anything down.

Ginger - If you struggle with gas or stomach pains anytime, but especially as the result of stomach bugs, ginger is an excellent source of relief.

Red Raspberry (or the liquid) - Women's health, digestion and nausea relief are just a few of the areas Raspberry is good for. The capsules are an excellent addition to help with nausea and the liquid is especially helpful for kids!  Making some raspberry tea and sipping it at a cool temperature has also been effective in calming the system when it's refusing to keep anything down.

FV, Slippery Elm or Intestinal, Soothe & Build - If diarrhea is a problem, be sure to include FV and then one of the other supplements to help calm the system down.  FV nourishes the digestive system and settles the stomach.  Slippery Elm works to maintain normal elimination.  Intestinal, Soothe & Build works to restore the bowel to a healthier, cleaner state.

Solstic Revive - Since the electrolyte balance is disrupted through vomiting and diarrhea, Solstic Revive is a pleasant tasting powder that can be mixed with water and consumed to help restore those energy and balance to the body.  This is a great help in recovering from illnesses as well as excessive exercise and overall preventing dehydration.

Chinese Trigger Immune - Recovery is often a big issue, especially when high fevers are involved.  This Chinese formula builds up the circulatory system and fights against nutrient depletion - which is common in illness, especially with vomiting and diarrhea.

Not sure what is best for your body?  Give us a call (405)-634-HERB or send us an email theherbgarden@cox.net and we would LOVE to help you!

How to Protect Your Immune System this Winter

How to Protect Your Immune System this Winter

When we think of winter weather (which we in Oklahoma just received a healthy dose of) we pretty quickly think of sickness, don't we?  Cold, flu, bronchitis and other germs going around and around.  And, in so many cases,  it just goes with the territory - especially those that work with children, such as teachers and child care workers.  There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to ensure that you will never get sick.  However, there are a few things that, when addressed together with moderation and balance, have been known to decrease the number of illnesses and lighten the severity when illnesses do occur.  There are definitely some great products that are absolutely necessary to have on hand this time of year, but there is certainly more to it than just popping a few pills.

1) Sleep:  No matter your station in life, this is a busy time and we seem to find more ways to push the limitations of our body.  But without enough sleep, everything in your body has to work harder.  And the harder it is working, the more likely it can be taken over by invaders!  Get enough sleep!

2) Green Diet: Include a lot of green vegetables in your diet.  You know there will be a lot of less-than-health-conscious (although delicious) meals consumed over the next few weeks.  If you have the desire and willpower to abstain - awesome!  For the rest of us who are looking forward to some splurges, drown them with green! An easy way to build up your 'armor' is a great smoothie - any time of the day.  Spinach and Kale (frozen or fresh) make a great base that does not change the flavor of fruit or juice at all!

3) MOVE: It's easy to think you don't have time or it won't make much of a difference anyway, but that kind of thinking is just wrong.  Even just 10-15 minutes of dancing in the living room that gets your heart pounding and a little sweat brewing can better prepare you for all the invaders attacking you throughout the day.  Your lymphatic system's only pump is your exercise and a lazy lymph system is a breeding ground for virus and bacterias.

4) Silver Shield: If there is one thing you should bother to take when you are likely to be exposed to the invaders (germs), it is NSP's Silver Shield.  Silver Shield 'has been proven to effectively combat health issues caused by anthrax, yeast, food poisoning, fungal or bacterial infections of the skin, respiratory infections, pink eye and more.' It is non-toxic with no risk of heavy metal contamination, guaranteed pure and takes care of viral and bacterial issues without harming the good bacteria of the gut.

For more information check out these links:

Colloidal Silver Benefits from Silver Shield

Why You Can Trust Silver Shield from Nature's Sunshine

And now through Sunday, December 15th Silver Shield Liquid and Gel are both $2 off!  If you buy in greater quantities, you receive even more savings.  So, it's a great time to stock up!  And for a limited time - throughout the month of December:

Above all else, be good to your body in all areas.  When we neglect, overuse and ignore the needs of our body, illness will undoubtedly follow.