The Daycare & The Cold

Less than 1 week into Daycare and my son is already sick. I suppose this should be a common enough occurrence but it certainly doesn’t make Mom & Dad feel any better about putting our child into daycare. Is the environment clean? As far as I know. Is the staff trained? Yes. Are they kind and caring? They certainly seem to be. So what is the problem? I’m really not sure. Perhaps it is the other kids. My son has been super healthy since his birth… so hearing him snore because his sinuses are clogged is not a pretty sight … Continue reading

Why My Husband Didn’t Force Me to Go to the ER

Yesterday I shared why Wayne almost forced me to go to the hospital on Saturday morning. Later in the weekend, he told me what a conundrum he’d been in. As he held me while I bawled because I was alternating between coughing so hard and gasping for breath that I almost passed out, he debated whether he should just sling me over his shoulder, haul me downstairs, toss me in his truck and drive me to the ER. Instead he opted for the bargaining approach. (He feared I’d jump out of the car and get myself killed in traffic if … Continue reading

Score Another Victory For The Great Sinus Experiment

A few days ago, I woke up with a sore throat. It must be allergies, I told myself. Post nasal drip, because I have a certain brown dog who hogs all the pillows and I end up sleeping flat on my back. But the sore throat stuck around. Yesterday it was joined by a stuffy nose. And a headache. My nose and sinuses got more and more congested as the day went on, and I finally had to conclude that it wasn’t allergies. It was the beginnings of a sinus infection. I pulled out the Echinacea and goldenseal and took … Continue reading

What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive disorder that affects many systems throughout your body, namely the respiratory system and the digestive system. This is an inherited disease of the mucus glands. You know what mucus is, right? That slippery stuff that lubricates (and protects) your airways, digestive system, reproductive system, and other organs and tissues. For people with cystic fibrosis, the mucus the body produces is extra thick and sticky. It can obstruct airways, causing serious breathing problems and potential for bacterial infections in the lungs. The infections cause coughing, wheezing, and inflammation; the infections and the mucus buildup can … Continue reading

Tinospora

Folk legend in India says that a climbing plant with heart-shaped leaves was responsible for keeping the angels eternally young. They call it “giloya” — heavenly elixir. But the plant known as tinospora (tinospora cordifolia) has more mundane uses as well. Tinospora has long been used in ayurvedic medicine to enhance longevity, promote intelligence, and prevent disease. Research in more recent years has focused on that last element: preventing disease. A 2004 study at Miami Children’s Hospital showed that tinospora can help trigger activity in white blood cells — your body’s natural defenders. A special carbohydrate in tinospora seems to … Continue reading