As a seasoned mom of five, I have come to expect that starting around October we may have some occasional challenges to our family’s health during the next 4-5 months. I hate it, I detest it, I even beg my husband to move us to the Florida Keys or a Caribbean Island where we don’t have to deal with cold weather at all… but since that hasn’t happened yet, I have my winter arsenal ready.

Early this year, Stephanie shared a chart that shows the Risks of Adverse Affects of various health treatments. It shows the progression in side effects from minimal to higher through a variety of treatment options. It surprised me to realize that over the years, this has also become my progression in how I treat our family when we are either run down or struggling to fight something off.

Today, I’m starting a series to share with you some of my favorite ways to treat our family, using the same chart and progressing through it.

1. At the first sign of illness, we start by both increasing whole and nutrient-dense foods, and eliminating all empty calories (such as processed foods, sugars, and white flours). This time of year is full of get-togethers around bonfires or for holidays; it can be hard to withstand the onslaught of treats, but we have learned that it is best for our health to avoid as much sugar as possible.

I’ve noticed that, in general, the times we have gotten the sickest were when we were often indulging in sweets. Using healthy fats and keeping a supply of different flavors in our kitchen helps us feel satisfied and not even crave the sweets! This step is primarily preventative, but should definitely be implemented if you are sick or have been exposed to illness.

2. Secondly, and also in the category of preventative, I increase the amount of culinary herbs used in our foods and add as much bone broth as we can into daily use. This gives us an extra helping of these natural immune boosters and good nutrients that help nourish and repair the body. We also add a heaping spoonful of gelatin powder to our soups to support gut health.

Some of our family favorite herbs are Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Marjoram, Garlic, and Turmeric.

I also make an herbal “broth” that I use as a base when cooking rice or potatoes.

Herbal Broth

• 3 Tbs Astragalus
• 3 cloves of Garlic (or 1 Tbs of Garlic Granules)
• 1 Onion, cut up
• 1 Carrot, cut up
• 1 Stalk of Celery

Gently simmer all ingredients in 3 cups of water for 1-2 hours. Strain and reserve broth for soup bases or to cook rice, potatoes, or noodles. Or make this broth in larger quantities and freeze portions for ease of use during the winter.

3. While not on the lower steps of the chart, I also take some precautionary measures when going out in public. With the regular use of over-the-counter medications that mask the symptoms of illness, it seems nowadays that no one stays home when they’re sick. Sometimes it is hard to even realize you’re sick when you’re propped up by medicine, so boosting immunity when out and about is a great idea.

• Berry Well – We take a dose of Berry Well Classic before going out. If you need to avoid echinacea, use Berry Well Spice or Berry Well Jr.
• Herbal Immuni-Tea – We either enjoy a cup of warm tea with breakfast, or take it along cold in our water bottles to sip on throughout the day.
• Immuni-T Essential Oil Blend – For children under the age of 10, I put Kid’s Immuni-T rollerball on feet and spine. I’ve also made a great blend for wipes that I carry with us when we’re out.Sanitizing Solution for Cloth Wipes40 drops of undiluted Immuni-T
  1 Tbs of Real Witch Hazel
  8 Ounces Aloe Vera Gel
  1/2 tsp Vitamin E OilMix thoroughly and add to a small spray bottle. I spray this on several cloth wipes and carry in a small repurposed wipes container in my diaper bag. Use to wipe hands while you’re away from home.

4. Another step we take as a preventative, or when we’ve just begun feeling unwell, is using some Whole Food Supplements such as Cod Liver Oil, Butter Oil, Liquid Chlorophyll, and Floradix to help boost our nutrients and hopefully allow the body’s defenses to naturally keep us healthy.

Click here for Part 2 where I share with you the next four steps we take to guard our family’s health!