It has less to do with germs (outer environment) and more to do with your lymph (inner environment.

How to Prevent a Cold

Did you know getting colds is optional? Most parents I know assume that getting colds is part of normal childhood terrain. And it is normal, in terms of common, but it’s not normal in terms of health. Colds occur with an unhealthy lymph system or a depleted immune system. Your child’s body is communicating through signs and symptoms exactly what is going on inside. If you know how to read the signs, you know how to prevent a cold. If you don’t… a little snot turns into a lingering cough or a gooey cold or maybe even mononucleosis come next March.

Prevent Snot to Prevent a Cold

Kids (and adults) often get snotty as soon as the weather turns cold. Most families I know don’t know how to interpret their bodily’s signals of imbalance with what they are eating. Snot is most often a by-product of poorly digested food. Feed your kid cold cereal and milk after the weather turns cold… and you’re sure to end up with SNOT! Layer on mac & cheese and ice cream, and you’re asking for a full-blown cold.

What is the problem with snot?

Snot is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Snot is a sign that the stomach lining is full of wet, soggy, mucus. Icky. Not helping you prevent a cold. You need a strong digestive fire to turn food into vibrant tissue. Having mucus is a sign that your digestive fire is less than adequate. A mucus-laden stomach lining blocks the absorption of nutrients and creates stagnation in your lymph system. The job of your lymph system is to circulate nutrients, eliminate waste and fight infection. You don’t want to make this job harder than it already is.

Early warning signs- catch them and you know how to prevent a cold

• snot
• dry skin
• fatigue
• grumpy mood
• a white, coated tongue
• stinky breath

Learn these early warning signals and you can cooperate with the body to restore balance. If you don’t, these early warning signs may develop into: colds, viruses, flu’s, headaches, sinus, lung or throat infections, poor immune function (including mononucleosis), asthma and allergies.  Yuck. Wouldn’t you rather have a snot-free kid? It’s simple. Here is what to do:

Tips to Prevent a Cold in your family:

• Eat warm, spiced foods on cold days.
  Add a pinch or two of cinnamon and cloves to oatmeal. Add cinnamon or cardamom to hot cocoa. Add turmeric if you’re serving up mac &

  

  cheese. We steer clear of cheese in winter if there is any sign of mucus. I substitute brown rice for pasta all winter, which I soak over night and cook in a rice cooker in the morning. It stays warm all day. Drink only water between meals.

• Take “boo candy” at the first signs of snot, bad breath or a coated tongue.
  My recipe for this turmeric/honey mix is below. You can bribe your kid to take it… and they eventually like it. I let my kid have as much as she wants. If it doesn’t taste good to your kids they are getting too many sweets or processed foods in their diet.

• No more ice-cream or cold dairy (including yogurt and granola) after Halloween.
  Out: dry cereal with cold milk, yogurt with fruit, cold glass of milk.
  In: hot cereal, warm milk spiced with cinnamon or turmeric before bed.

• Go to bed early, wake up early, & move!
  Kids need 10-12 hours of sleep. Every night. Especially in winter. If your kids have a hard time getting started in the morning, you are keeping them up to late. Adjust the family schedule accordingly. Upon arising, put on fun music and have everyone move & groove for 5 minutes. Anything goes.
• Rub on oil after the bath. This is huge, people. You kid’s skin will get dry (or itchy) before they get snot. This is a preliminary sign that the lymph system is getting dehydrated or stagnating. Either way, after the nightly tub, rub a little warm sesame oil into your child’s skin for a few minutes. This is important for all ages – teach yourself and your teens to rub on oil before or after a shower. Use oil – lotion puts an additional burden on your lymph.

Remedy for Kid’s Snot, Cough & Colds

I keep a 4 oz. jar of turmeric honey on the kitchen table as soon as the earth turns hard until it’s soft in the spring. Turmeric, that bright yellow powder in your kitchen that turns mustard bright yellow, is a miracle plant. It’s anti-infectious, anti-mucousal, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-biotic. However, I think of turmeric as a pro-plant instead of an anti-plant.

Turmeric keeps your digestive tract operating without a hitch, and when that happens your lymph stays clean. Thus, no mucus, no clogged lymph, no cough, no cold, no infection. For a sore throat, you can also mix warm water with salt and turmeric and gargle a few times a day (& especially after eating). The easier way to get a lot of turmeric into your kids body is to mix it with honey. Here is my recipe, which we call Boo Candy (one of my daughter’s nicknames is Boo). Make up your own name.

Recipe to Prevent a Cold

Make Boo Candy
Get out a cutting board and a wide knife.

• Add 1/2 cup raw honey to the cutting board.
• Add 3 tbsp. turmeric powder (you can dry roast it first in a skillet for added benefit).
• Add 2 tsp. ginger powder
• Add 1/2 tsp. cloves

Cut the spices into the honey with the knife until you have a smooth texture. Add more spices for desired taste. Store in a small tin or small glass jar. Put on the kitchen table in reach for all ages. Little ones like to roll it into pea-sized balls.

Enjoy… and keep yourself and your kids snot-free this winter! I offer a 2-hour online workshop for your Healthier Kids. For adults looking to build their immune system, the Immune Building 101 2 hour class has received rave reviews.

For Cate’s Healthier Kids Workshop: Click Here