Naturally dealing with Autism

This is part of the series Natural Solutions for Common Health Problems. Make sure to visit the blog these days for more natural remedies and treatments.

The number of children that are diagnosed each year with autism continues to grow, especially in certain cities and polluted areas. Each child diagnosed is different from the next and no one is ever quite sure what causes autism as each case appears differently. As of now, there is no cure, but as the research continues several autistic families are finding natural ways to improve the symptoms.

photo credit: KARLOSWAYNE

Healthy eating and diet

There are some ways you can improve symptoms of autism naturally, meaning with no drugs. The diet is the first and easiest way to start, both by improving the intakes of important nutrients and by getting rid of certain foods. For some families success has been gained by taking out wheat or other gluten products out of a diet. This would include breads, some kinds of oils such as soybean and canola, and other flours.

Another food that families find helpful to eliminate is dairy products. Milks, cheeses, yogurts, etc. Of course, before going this way you should probably consult a nutritionist to make sure you are still giving your child everything he/ she needs that would be in the products you are getting rid of. To know exactly what foods are going to make a difference in his you need to experiment a bit by eliminating one at a time and see the results. There are many great alternatives that you can find to most dairy and gluten products, just check out your local grocery store that has an organic/ natural/ gluten free section.

Nutritional supplements

If their dietary intake doesn’t make a difference in symptoms you can try to add some nutrients to your child’s diet. Two of the best nutrients found to improve autism symptoms are vitamin B6 and magnesium. In proven studies, it’s shown that both dietary supplements and different diets have made huge changes in autism better than most drugs.

This means that you have a better chance of improving your child’s quality of life by using their diet than by choosing the medicated path.

Infant and child massage

Another proved way to help dealing with autism is infant and child massage. In cases of autism it would become necessary to have a certified instructor teach you the technique, since your child might not accept certain kinds of massages at first. Infant massage is not only good for the child but also for the parents and the rest of the family, since it can become a way of affective connection among the child and their close family members.

Chelation

Safe chelation therapy might be also necessary and in many cases the first step to take. If the child’s condition is related to heavy metal intoxication due to pregnancy or after birth exposure, very few improvements are possible before eliminating the toxic metals from the child’s body. Check with your naturopath or a holistic dentist, if dealing with dental filling issues.

Everyone has their own opinion on the treatments to use for autism, so if you don’t agree with your doctor or you should consult someone else for a second opinion.

Not all cases need medication and for many the symptoms can improve with the intake of vitamins, nutrients and diets.

The down side is it takes a bit longer to go through and find something that works out of all the available options for diet and supplements.By researching the symptoms your child shows you may be able to reduce this time and get better results faster, you can also get help from your local support group or online forum, as these too may decrease the amount of time you need to spend doing trial and error. It can take a lot of time to see significant improvements, but the earlier you start, the better your chances, and in the end it will be well worth it.

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Home Treatments for Children’s Colds

This post is part of the series Natural Solutions for Common Health Problems. Check the old posts and keep an eye for the coming days.

A good way to prevent cold, as with other contagious illness, is with good nutrition and hand washing. However, once in a while even very healthy kids can catch a cold.

The bennefits of natural remedies are that they are generally safer than allopathic remedies, cheaper and easier to take.

Here are some natural ways to help your child’s body deal with colds

If your child has a fever, don’t rush to try to bring down his temperature. Fever is in fact helpful at limiting the course of an illness. Generally after high fever kids get better quickly. Unless your child is listless and not responding to you normally, he’s probably fine. Better to assist his body’s natural attempts to heal itself. Allow your child to rest and avoid artificial stimulus like too much TV or electronic media. Read to him, play card games and just hold him as much as possible.

If your child has a sore throat, ease it with warm salt water gargles. Honey lemon tea is also nice: squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into a mug of warm/hot water and add a teaspoon of honey. Homemade chicken broth is also great to keep your child hydrated and nourished as well. I have actually seen my child (and mom) recover completely after drinking warm, free range chicken broth in the morning.

Avoid giving your child decongestants and antihistamines. These have been proven to have little effect on colds, and their ingredients could even be harmful.

Using acupressure may ease the symptoms of a cold and your child may also enjoy it. Consult a guidebook on acupressure and follow suggestions for targeting the bladder, large intestine and lung pressure points.

photo credit: 1Happysnapper(read profile about me )

Vitamin C, Echinacea and Goldenseal are all traditional remedies for colds. They boost the immune system so it’s also a good idea to take them from natural sources during cold seasons.

If your child has trouble breathing, try a cool mist humidifier, making sure to keep it conscientiously clean. As an alternative you can boil water and pour it into a bowl with two radishes cut in half and a spoon of vineger. Have your child inhale the vapor for 5-10 minutes, inside a large towel. Just be careful to hold the bowl properly to prevent burning.

Eliminate sugars and junk food as much as possible, especially when he has a cold. Supporting his body with good nutrition is very important at this time. Prefer fresh vegetable juices, homemade soups and other easy to digest foods.

Natural treatments for Headache

There are many kinds of headaches: tension, cluster, and migraine headaches. They can also be acute or chronic. Acute headaches are described as a one time headache that only lasts for a short amount of time. Chronic headaches are reoccurring headaches lasting for longer amounts of time. I used to belong to the chronic headaches group and can tell you it’s not fun.

photo credit: Sarah G…

Headaches can start in many different places and stay in the same place, expand or migrate. A prescription from your doctor or an over the counter pill is not always the only option. For me those were in fact the worst options. Headaches can be caused by many different factors. Some of these include, but are not limited to, tension, stress, eyestrain, dehydration, low blood sugar, and sinusitis. Finding the remedy for your headache will be easier if you know what is causing them.

Aromatherapy is one of the most powerful home remedies for headaches. This works though scents and works differently for everyone. This is because people relate different smells with different things. There are some scents that work for many people, as sandalwood, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender. These scents can be used alone or mixed together. You can try these scents in candles, essential massage oils, or soaps. However, it’s important to go for higher quality products. With the cheaper products you may make your headache worsen.

Frecuent physical activity can help you be able to cope with the pain easier. You may even try doing some exercise while you are suffering from a migraine. This may help to ease the pain. You can begin by starting to walk half an hour a day.

If you are in the middle of a headache you can try taking a brisk walk outside. This seems to work because the exercise helps your body release endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. You will do well with this remedy if you ease into it. By starting something suddenly, you run the risk of making your headache worse, so start slow.

photo credit: BIJI KURIAN

You can try using massage as a home remedy for headaches too, if possible with essential oils. If you have help you can ask someone to massage your shoulders and the back of your neck. You will then ask them to press their fingers on the base of your skull. They will need to slowly release the pressure when done. This can be done repeatedly. It seems to feel better when you have someone else doing it for you.

If you do not have help, you can do the massaging yourself. You can begin by rotating your fingers over your scalp. You can try putting pressure on your hand between your index finger and thumb (this was of great help for me, especially when I was outside the home). This will need to be done on the webbed part. A foot massage is also good for a headache, because you will hit certain pressure points in your feet that trigger yourbrain.

Headaches do not necessarily need to be treated with drugs, and if you treat them that way you will probably notice the loss of effectiveness with each additional dose. Natural remedies are best and do not introduce chemicals to your body, so if you can, by all means try out home remedies before turning to medication.

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