Opting For Natural Health Solutions

There’s something about having kids that suddenly have women panting to go back to the natural basics. This statement is based on personal observation, of course, not on any scientific study. It happened with me, with many of my friends, and with many other women on the mommy boards I frequented as a first-time mom.

Of course, not all parents are so inclined, but many certainly start out gung-ho about natural and organic parenting. It is a form of idealism common among new and excited moms still replete with enviable energy. However, it has been my observation as well that the ardor tends to wane to reasonable levels when succeeding children come along. I personally often say that my younger children ended up with a different mother from the mother my first-born got. Nonetheless, the desire to raise a family in as wholesome a manner as we possibly can lingers.

With me, it started upon my discovery of attachment parenting, which soon branched out to include complementing convictions. I breastfeed, wear my babies, co-sleep, gently discipline, homeschool, and bring my children to a pediatrician who also practices natural medicine. Most of these choices have earned much commentary from well-meaning people around us, especially our decision to selectively vaccinate and refrain as much as possible from giving our kids the usual meds.

I’ve always been leery of drugs. Even before I got married, I already preferred to heal through rest, water therapy, and herbal preparations. In the beginning, it was mostly because I didn’t like the side effects that I experienced from taking drugs. Cold meds made me drowsy, dried up my nasal passages, and left a weird taste in my mouth. Diarrhea meds, on the other hand, usually caused me to be constipated for a few days. Most drugs are great for quick relief, of course, but I’d rather get over an illness the natural way. I strongly believe in the ability of the body to self-heal, and I also tend to prefer the radical approach anyway. I’d rather address the root of the problem than merely suppress its symptoms.

With such a health philosophy, you can appreciate why I am loath to introduce chemicals into my kids’ bodies. I appreciate modern medicine, but I don’t trust the cavalier way many doctors prescribe drugs at the slightest illness. We’ve been fortunate in that we haven’t had to contend with any serious health issues in our family yet, but should we ever need to, I know that natural, holistic treatment would be our first resort. Take note though that holistic health centers vary in quality and standards, so it’s important to go to a reputable one such as Empowered Health (http://www.empoweredhealth.com.au/) in Melbourne.

It’s typical for moms to obsess about their kids’ health. Fortunately, many of us have found a safer, non-invasive, and more worthwhile option in natural medicine.