Back to School tips for staying healthy naturally

Back to school, Staying Healthy Naturally

by Gloria Gilbère, N.D., DAHom., Ph.D., DSC, EcoErgonomist©, Wholistic Rejuvenist©

“Schools are a living laboratory for most epidemics and diseases.”
– Wayne Yankus, M.D., Pediatrician in New Jersey

Ready—Set—Go
As parents, we are never ready for the onslaught of illnesses
that plague schools, generally six to eight weeks after school
starts: strep throat, colds, influenza, sinus infections, ear
aches, and yes, head lice.

Pest-y Little Invaders—A Real Head-trip
Yes, I know this isn’t a subject anyone chooses to discuss,
much less be the recipient of these uninvited guests. However,
the reality is that most children will be infected at sometime
from their schoolmates. The following are natural, non-toxic
remedies and suggestions to eradicate head lice:

Note: These remedies are NOT listed in the order of effectiveness
but rather simply as options.

At first sign of infestation, use the specifically designed
lice comb (teeth of comb are very close together to eject
lice). When comb is used it brings the lice with it. Keep
in mind that it’s easier to comb when the hair is a bit oily
and not freshly washed.
Head lice are one of the most contagious infestations—
they travel easily from one person to another. Keep your
bed sheets, pillow covers, towels and washcloths clean
and use white distilled vinegar as a final rinse — use hot
water, as hot as items can tolerate without damage.
Mix equal parts of a quality mineral oil (like baby oil) and
white distilled vinegar. Apply on head and cover it with
a shower cap for approximately one hour. Afterwards,
use lice comb, then rinse with ordinary organic shampoo
(preferably one that contains tea tree oil). This treatment
cleans off the lice from your hair and scalp.
An old, tried and true, remedy is to apply a mixture of
lemon juice and melted butter or mayonnaise on your
head. Apply and leave on for about 15 minutes. Use lice
comb and then rinse with usual shampoo.
Add 15 – 20 drops of tea tree oil into an organic shampoo
bottle (6 – 8 oz.) and use accordingly. Rinse with pure
lemon juice and water.

These treatments and procedures may need to be followed
periodically for two to three weeks to prevent reinfestation.
Crucial is removing all nits (eggs) from hair so there
are no new hatchlings. Frequent, even daily, inspections of
hair, especially roots, are recommended.

Keep in mind that it has become easier to be infected from
places we don’t usually think about. For instance, if an infected
person sits in an airplane and rests their head on the
headrest, the next person who sits there can easily become
infected. Make sure you investigate if suddenly you begin
to itch in your head; the quicker you identify lice, the better
chance you have of stopping them from multiplying. Encourage
your children to NEVER share combs, brushes, etc.
to reduce chances of spreading these critters. Find out what
precautions the school is taking such as head checks, not
hanging coats together, or cleaning rugs more often.

Two Weeks BEFORE School Starts
Schedule sleep—avoid lost zzz’s by having your student gradually
go to bed and get up earlier two weeks before classes start.
Avoid big meals and caffeine before bedtime.

Immune support—it’s better to stay healthy than to get well.
Provide extra immune support by increasing daily vitamin C
consumption along with a supplement that contains herbs for
immune support like echinacea, goldenseal, astragalus, etc.
Vitamin C works by increasing the production of infection fighting
white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels
of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing
the entry of viruses.

Additionally, a good probiotic supplement is essential.
Probiotics support intestinal health and we now know scientifically
that most of our immune system is based in our gut.
Probiotics help to compensate for fast food, unhealthy school
lunches, lack of adequate hydration, and the stresses associated
with education in general.

Daily adequate elimination is vital to good health. Make
sure your student is able to easily evacuate daily. If not, add
additional natural fiber from raw vegetables and fruits. For
those times when a “gentle nudge” is needed, use extra vitamin
C or some of those newly available individually-wrapped
prunes — children love them.

Hydrate—students always seem to believe they drink enough
water when most do not. It is generally recommended to consume
half of your body weight, in ounces of water daily, (example:
50 lbs. = 25 oz. of water). If the student is especially active
physically and/or lives in hot/humid climates, water consumption
should be even more.

Note: It is advisable to carry their own water bottle, and make
sure it is BPA-free so they aren’t hydrating and then pouring
dangerous chemicals from the plastic directly into their system.
Advise students to never drink from a drinking fountain;
it’s the easiest way to pass germs.

General Considerations
Ban heavy bags—backpacks shouldn’t weigh more than
10–15 percent of the student’s weight, (example: Weight 50 lbs.
= 7.5 lbs of backpack weight maximum). Look for pads on the
shoulder straps and back, and put the heaviest items closest
to the body. For extra support, get a bag with a waist strap or a
backpack on wheels.

Body mechanics—if the
student is at the computer
for more than 45
minutes at one sitting,
make sure their body
mechanics support their
bones and muscles. The
monitor should be able to
be viewed without flexing
the neck. The chair height
should support the body
by making sure the right
angle of the leg is parallel
with the floor — this
avoids stress on the lower
back and hips. The arms
should also be at a complete
neutral right angle
while keyboarding and
using the mouse.

Avoid sugar—it’s a known fact that sugar suppresses the immune
system, not to mention sabotaging overall health. There
are several natural sweeteners on the market in your health
food store; there is no longer a reason to continue to attack
our body’s defenses with sugar. Because sugar also encourages
the growth of health-depleting yeast organisms within the
digestive tract, students many times experience “brain-fog”,
ADD/ADHD, etc. — never connecting that sugar (or chemical
food additives) can be the root cause. Teachers have long commented
upon the change in student attention span and behavior
in the afternoons following high-carb/high sugar school
lunches.

Note: Eating or drinking 100 grams (8 tbsp.) of sugar, the
equivalent of two cans of soda, reduces the ability of white
blood cells to kill germs by forty percent! The immunesuppressing
effect of sugar starts less than thirty minutes
AFTER ingestion and may last for up to five hours.

Hand sanitation—it is extremely important that students wash
their hands frequently and keep their hands away from their
face, nose, mouth and ears.

I do not advocate using anti-bacterial soaps or wipes on a regular
basis because they can have the same adverse affect longterm
as antimicrobials, which can create conditions of drug
resistance. Additionally, they dry the skin and create macro
(large) pores which make the individual more susceptible to
infections.

I prefer using a clear gel of silver hydrosol which is fragrancefree
and not only kills germs but also absorbs through the skin
to benefit local immune responses by restoring integrity to the
skins dermal layers.

At First Sign of Symptoms or Exposure
It’s easy to ignore illness when symptoms first manifest. The
following are signs to watch for in order to take proactive measures
to avoid or reduce illness:
At first sign of a sore throat, even slight, begin first response
protocols that include additional vitamin C, NOT orange
juice because it does create extra phlegm and mucous.
Additionally, and I believe most important, is to supplement
with silver hydrosol. This remedy is available in nasal
spray (great for air travel and when around
others who are ill), and liquid. I recommend
1/2 tsp. three times a day, for students
age 12 and below), ages 12 and
above, I use one tsp. four times a day
until all symptoms are gone. For my
patients and my family, we use this
remedy as our first line of defense,
the same as you’d use an antibiotic.
It’s been used for centuries
to kill bacteria, viruses
and health-depleting microorganisms
— without causing
damage to the integrity of
the digestive tract or lining —
compromising health-enhancing
(good) intestinal
bacteria. Keep in mind that
antibiotics kill ALL bacteria,
good and bad, leaving us vulnerable
to another infection usually
six to eight weeks later, especially
in children.

Increase probiotics during times of stress to the immune
system and during illnesses. There are several forms available
that are chewable and a powder that can easily be mixed into
juice for children.

Emergency Information
Make sure your child’s emergency information is up-todate
with the nurse and school office. Most schools list
emergency numbers in the order of priority — make sure
the person you want to be the first contact is in that order;
mother, father, grandparents, neighbor, etc.
The child’s physician and dentist should be listed along
with medical permission in writing and should be kept at
school and the office of each health professional in case
you cannot be reached.
If your child takes medications, the school nurse needs to
know — even if they are only taken at home. Remember
that under law if any medications are to be taken or given
at school they must be in the pharmacy bottle and clearly
marked.
Make sure any allergies are listed in the general information
on record with the school office AND nurse. For instance,
allergies to foods, plants, trees, bee stings or latex
should be identified and any specifically prescribed medications
such as a EpiPen for bee stings should be kept at
school for emergency use.
If your child has a physical restriction, be sure to specially
identify it in the health information. For instance, asthma,
a heart murmur, sleep disorder, digestive issues, vision
impairment, etc.
ALWAYS make sure the student has an I.D. card in their
backpack. This must include all the same pertinent information
as stated above in the event the student is not able
to speak for himself or herself. ❧