How The 4R Approach Reduces Children’s Food Sensitivities
“I hope this is gluten free. Don’t even know what that means, but it seems to be the trend these days.”
It may be a joke to some people but if you’re a parent and your child is struggling with food sensitivities it doesn’t seem funny at all.
For over the past ten years, I’ve been on and off the gluten-free diet. But, it wasn’t until my son started developing food sensitivities and a nagging cough, that I realized his diet needs to change.
Not only his diet needs to change, but he also needs to heal his gut.
Here are 10 symptoms your child may need to heal their gut
- Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Poor immune system
- Headaches, brain fog, memory loss
- Excessive fatigue
- Skin rashes and problems such as acne, eczema or rosacea
- Cravings for sugar or carbs
- Joint pain
- Depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, bad behavior at school
- Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac
- Chronic cough
- Allergies, Asthma, & Eczema
- Cheeks get red easily
If your child has some of these symptoms, they may have Leaky Gut Syndrome. What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
“Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, is a digestive condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to “leak” through the intestinal wall.”
Medications that lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome In Kids:
- Antibiotics
- Steroids
- NSAIDS
- Acid reducing medication
What can you do about Leaky Gut? You can heal your gut with the 4R approach.
The 4R approach for children
This method addresses the underlying causes of gut imbalances and restores harmony, helping to alleviate symptoms and maybe even disease for our children.
The program suggests you: Remove> Reinoculate> Repair> Reintroduce
How do you heal your child’s gut?
- Promote healthy evacuation daily with fiber, fruit, vegetables, and water
- Try an elimination diet for 2-3 weeks if symptoms persist, you may want to try the 4R approach
- Remove all triggers: i.e. all allergens and cross reactors like gluten and dairy.
- Get off medications (with Dr.’s approval and replace with natural remedies ).
- Reduce your child’s stress with reading, being outside, and adding herbal teas
- Heal their gut lining with the 4R approach below.
1. Remove
Take out what ails you.
- The top allergens are wheat, corn, eggs, dairy, peanuts, and soybeans.
- Add in whole grains (like quinoa and rice), organic vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats.
- Remove all allergens for 4-6 weeks or it may take up to a year to heal your gut with an auto-immune disease.
- Encourage whole, organic foods if able and consider shopping the perimeter of the grocery store.
- This is the hardest part to do with small kids. It helps if the whole house works together.
- Plan ahead. Print recipes, go grocery shopping, be prepared for meltdowns:)
2. Replace
- Add in a digestive enzyme like Vital Chews
- or Kids Digest
- to help your child digest protein, dairy, and meat
- If digestive enzymes produce bloating, your child may have SIBO. Ask for help.
- Teenagers can have 350 HCL at the beginning of a meal to aid digestion or offer bitters
3. Reinoculate
- Add in a high-quality children’s probiotic like Klaire
- this is safe for infants and up to age 7
- Wait 2 weeks for the elimination diet or up to 6 weeks. Adding in a probiotic can give you gas and bloating if you do not remove the allergens first and start with digestive enzymes.
- Look for probiotics with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter species.
- For older kids, they can incorporate fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, and kimchee 3-4x week.
- Although very delicious, kombucha can be high in sugar so consider using sparingly.
4. Repair
Include the following supplement for 6-weeks or more to repair your gut. The following supplements can be taken for up to 6 months to help to heal the intestinal lining:
- Tumeric
- Curcumin
- Ginger
- Chamomile Tea
- Marshmallow root powder
- DGL licorice (aloe and licorice are not for internal use during pregnancy; these are fine for children) are some of the most effective herbs for healing the gut lining.
Zinc dosing
- Age 4-7 years old 5-10 mg/day
- Age 12 10-20 mg/day
- My kids like the Nordic Natural berries for kids.
Here are examples of other practitioners using the 4R approach for healing
Conclusion
If your struggling with digestive concerns and find you’re avoiding foods, there is hope. The 4R approach is more than an elimination diet. It can heal your digestive tract and reduce bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation for years to come.
Have you tried the 4R approach? Let me know in the comments below.
Warmly~ Tara
5 Ways To Boost Your Child’s Immunity
What does “boost immunity” mean to you?
To me, it means raising resilient children. Children who can:
- get over illnesses faster
- have fewer allergies, asthma or autoimmune conditions
- have little need for ibuprofen or Tylenol {which impacts their gut health}
- need fewer surgeries, like tonsillectomy
Before creating resilience, we have to ask, “Why are our children so sick?”
- There are more toxins in our environment than ever be
- The rate of C-sections have increased affecting our child’s immunity (since 1990 the rates have tripled)
- The amount of medications they receive has increased
- There may be increased stress in the home with two parents working
- Children are notorious for having a poor diet
- During pregnancy, mom’s diet has changed dramatically. She’s eating less wheat, dairy, peanuts, and other top allergens.
- Your child may have or may not have been breastfed
- There is an increase in pesticides in our food- known to affect our immune systems
- Children absorb more chemicals, due to their size and immune system
So, what can we do to improve our children’s health?
#1 Diet is always first
We know 70-80% of all adults cancers can be avoided with plant-based diet and picky toddlers are known to choose processed foods over real foods more often than not.
An increase in their sugar and processed food diet decreased their immune response and may lead to a term called “Leaky Gut Syndrome.” Affecting our child’s immunity all year long.
It would be ideal to have our children eating 2-3 fruits and vegetables at each meal. This can be a huge challenge when you’re a working parent and have more than one child.
- Try offering a chocolate shake with chocolate dairy-free milk, banana, spinach, avocado, and cherries.
- We are loving Yummy Toddler Food’s recipes these days.
#2 Reduce Medications
Medications can lead to a term called “Leaky Gut syndrome.” If your child is experiencing this you may notice they have more food sensitivities, more allergies, more rashes, and may have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.
Medications that lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome in kids are:
- Antibiotics
- Steroids
- NSAIDS
- Acid reducing medication
What can you do about this? Ask for help! Begin using natural remedies and homeopathy to reduce antibiotic use. Incorporate herbs to help reduce pain. Learn how to heal your child’s gut with the 4R approach, I teach in my course Home Remedies For Children.
10 Signs of Leaky Gut Syndrome In Children
- Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Poor immune system
- Headaches, brain fog, memory loss
- Excessive fatigue
- Skin rashes and problems such as acne, eczema or rosacea
- Cravings for sugar or carbs
- Arthritis or joint pain
- Depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD
- Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac
#3 Boost Immunity With Supplements
As children’s diet is typically poor, we may need to supplement to “fill the gap”. The three supplements I would add to your child’s diet if their eating is poor are:
-
Zinc Citrate
- An essential trace element responsible for the proper immune function and the health of the gut
- Zinc given for more than 3 months, has been proven to decrease risks of pneumonia in children under 5 years of age. ²
- Food sources; Oysters and pumpkin seeds are two rich sources of dietary zinc
-
Vitamin D3
- Vitamin D3 has been shown to reduce cold & flu symptoms by 45%!
- Found in: oily fish {tuna, salmon etc.}, butter, and eggs + sunlight
- Take Vitamin D3 supplement
- kids under 7: 400- 800 IU
- kids 7+: 800-1000 IU
- kids 12+ and adults: 2,000 IU
-
Probiotic
- Giving a probiotic during pregnancy and to infants, especially c-section births may reduce allergies in our children. ¹
- Try Klair infant probiotic or Klaire children’s chewable to boost your child’s immunity
- ProbioMax ENT has been shown to help reduce strep infections in kids ²
#4 Reduce Toxins & Stress
We are surrounded by thousands of toxins daily. The physiology of our child’s immune system makes them more susceptible to these toxins. Helping them eliminate the toxins daily will help them thrive.
How can you help the detoxification process within your child’s body?
- Purchase organic produce when able
- Take everything out of plastic when you get home
- Encourage 1-2 servings of leafy greens daily
- Make sure they are going to the bathroom regularly
- Add probiotics to their diet if they’ve had antibiotics
- Offer organic berries or pomegranate juice for antioxidants
#5 Heal Your Child’s Gut
If your child has Leaky Gut Syndrom and/or allergies, you may want to consider healing their gut with the 4R approach. It’s more than an elimination diet, you remove the top allergens and then you add back in nutrients and gut healing herbs to soothe the digestive tract. Your child doesn’t have to suffer, learn how to heal their gut so they have fewer food sensitivities, fewer allergic reactions, and fewer asthma attacks.
Conclusion
Getting to the root of your child’s immunity is important. Have they had antibiotics? Have they taken many doses of NSAIDS? Do they have any allergies? Do they need to heal their gut? Once we figure this out, then adding in botanicals can “boost their immunity” and reduce food sensitivities for years to come.
How do you boost your child’s immunity? Leave your favorite recipe in the comments below.
Warmly~ Tara
References:
¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4574972/
² https://www.xymogen.com/assets/imageDisplay.ashx?productID=392&attachmentTypeID=1
³ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5638472/
What is a tincture?
Want to know how I’ve managed to avoid conventional medication for over ten years now?
Teas and tinctures are my chosen medicine that has helped me reduce medications and heal my gut.
Here is everything you need to know about tinctures.
Tinctures, what are they?
Tinctures are concentrated, a liquid extract made from herbs, water & alcohol. They are quick acting and a convenient way to take herbs. Most tinctures are hydroethanolic extracts-that is a combination of water and alcohol. The combination optimizes the extraction of the plants with both water and alcohol-soluble constituents are desired in the final product. 
Tinctures have a long shelf life, frequently lasting many years. The alcohol content preserves the tincture from bacteria and fermentation, even when left at room temperature. Store in a cool dark place and keep out of reach from children.
Why use tinctures?
Tinctures are a safe, fast, effective way to use herbs and seek their medicinal benefits. They are not, however, used when the nutritional aspect of herbs are being sought. For this, one should use teas, infusions, decoctions, and syrups.
What is a glycerite tincture?
Glycerin is used to prepare “alcohol-free” tinctures, and to preserve and sweeten the taste of liquid extracts called- glycerites. Children under 1 year of age, may prefer this for its sweet taste. Some of the children’s tinctures Tara creates combines a glycerine with a tincture to sweeten the taste.
Are tinctures safe for babies?
Borrowed from Herblore: Herbs and herbal products should not be given to babies under 6 months of age, as their digestive systems are not mature enough to handle much more than breastmilk (or formula if its necessary). To give herbs to an infant, its best for the breastfeeding mother to take a full dose of the herb and it will pass to the baby through the breastmilk. ¹
Are tinctures safe for toddlers?
Tinctures are part water, part alcohol. Giving your child 7ml, they will receive 50% water and 50% alcohol. When added to water and juice they receive even less.
Tips for giving tinctures to children
- Babies can receive the tincture through the mother’s milk or in a bottle.
- Toddlers love taking tinctures with a fun straw or a syringe.
- For pregnancy and children, you can pour boiling water over the tincture to dissipate the alcohol. Let cool completely and add juice for children to disguise the taste if needed.
When to take a tincture?
Tinctures are taken based on the urgency of your symptoms. For sinus infections, you may have to take it 3x day for 3 days. For stomach complaints, you can take before or after eating.
What is the dosing for a tincture?
Dosage depends on the weight and age of the person being treated. An adult dose is 60 drops. To treat an acute condition you can take a tincture 1-3x day.
Age — Dosage
- Younger than 3 months — 2 drops
- 3 to 6 months — 3 drops
- 6 to 9 months — 4 drops
- 9 to 12 months — 5 drops
- 12 to 18 months — 7 drops
- 18 to 24 months — 8 drops
- 2 to 3 years — 10 drops
- 3 to 4 years — 12 drops
- 4 to 6 years — 15 drops
- 6 to 9 years — 24 drops
- 9 to 12 years — 30 drops
- 12 and older —30-60 drops
How do I take a tincture?
To take a tincture, you would drop the suggested amount in a 1/4 cup of water and drink. In emergencies, you may place the tincture directly on your tongue.
How do store tinctures
Ideally, they are kept in a cool location away from direct heat and light and keep away from children.
Where to buy tinctures
I love the following companies:
- https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/catalog/herbs-for-health/herbal-tinctures
- http://www.jeansgreens.com/
- https://www.herb-pharm.com/
- https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/
Conclusion
I believe tinctures will be our new medicine. They can aid digestion, reduce unwanted symptoms, and reduce antibiotic use. Tinctures can also ease anxiety and depression. They are quick and effective, place a dropperful in your water bottle and feel confident knowing you are supporting your body throughout the day.
Do you use tinctures as medicine?
Comment below and let me know what has been successful for you.
Warmly~ Tara
¹ https://herblore.com/overviews/childrens-dosage-guide
5 Home Cough Remedies For Kids
Do you often wonder, “Will this cough ever end?” Children’s coughs can be worrisome and exhausting.
You’ve tried Zarbee’s, you’ve tried cough medicine and still, it will not go away. Do you wish you knew WHY this was happening?
#1 Get to the root of the problem
It’s so important to figure out why they are coughing.
- Is it their diet?
- Are they sick?
- Is it an allergy?
- Is it pneumonia?
- Are they on medication?
- Have they had antibiotics?
- Do they have an earache or sore throat?
Once you get to the root cause of the cough, you can treat the cough correctly.
Diet is always first. The common food allergens that produce a cough are:
- Wheat
- Dairy
- Red food dye
- Soy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Nuts
Cockroaches are also the number one allergen for coughs in city areas.
If your child has been suffering for a while, have them tested for allergies.
#2 Heal your child’s gut
If your child is struggling with allergies, eczema, and asthma they may need to remove the allergy that is bothering them and then heal their gut.
Children two and older can try the 4R approach to reduce inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome that may have occurred from too many medications. I teach this in my course: Home Remedies For Children.
#3 Home remedies for a cough for kids
To address a cough think of adding anti-viral botanicals plus, expectorants to support their immune system and release the mucous. ¹
Anti-viral botanicals include:
- Echinacea
- Andrographis
- Licorice
Natural Expectorants for cough include:
- Elecampane
- Hyssop
- Mullein
- Thyme
- Yerba santa
- Ginger
- To purchase: Try Lung expectorant from Herb Pharm for kids 2+, Add Elderberry Glycerine or Lemon Balm Glycerine to the lung expectorant so it makes it tasty
Tinctures For Kids
Tinctures are an extract of a plant in alcohol. When a cold begins, give an Echinacea glycerine tincture and Elderberry Syrup to support their immune system.
Studies show Echinacea may reduce upper respiratory infections in early treatment. ⁴
Tincture Dosing For Children
Dose: When the adult dose is 2 droppersful (60 drops), the following is recommended for children:
Age — Dosage
- Younger than 3 months — 2 drops
- 3 to 6 months — 3 drops
- 6 to 9 months — 4 drops
- 9 to 12 months — 5 drops
- 12 to 18 months — 7 drops
- 18 to 24 months — 8 drops
- 2 to 3 years — 10 drops
- 3 to 4 years — 12 drops
- 4 to 6 years — 15 drops
- 6 to 9 years — 24 drops
- 9 to 12 years — 30 drops
Home remedies for a cough and throat pain
When a cough is dry with throat pain, you’ll want soothing herbs like:
- Licorice
- Slippery elm
- Marshmallow root
- Your toddler can suck on slippery elm throat lozenges
- I’d also give an immune tincture like herb pharm to boost their immunity found here.
- Our favorite tea recipe for a sore throat is found here.
- {This is safe for toddlers who do not have hypertension and they love how sweet it is!}
Read more: 3 Homeopathic Remedies For A Croup Cough
Home remedies for infants
Using botanicals with infants requires more caution. The tincture doses are much less due to their body weight. Please see your free cheat sheet. To administer a tincture to an infant, you can add tinctures to a bottle or place in 1/3 cup of water. Use a syringe or straw to make sure your child gets the full amount.
Home remedies for a cough with toddlers
Toddlers are a little easier, as they love anything new and fun. I would add tinctures to their Sippy cup, use a syringe, or sip out of a fun cup with a straw.
5 Home Cough Remedies
- Slippery elm lozenges
- Licorice & peppermint tea
- Herb Pharm Lung expectorant add Elderberry Glycerine
- Andrographis- to prevent pneumonia
- Echinacea tincture
Conclusion
When using botanicals with children it is very important you’re choosing the right herb and correct dosing for their symptom. With a combined effort of diet, teas, and rest your child will be able to become resilient through the years.
What have you tried for coughs? Let me know in the comments below.
¹ https://chriskresser.com/rhr-treating-viral-pneumonia-and-other-infections/
² Reference used: “Herbal Remedies for Children’s Health” by Rosemary Gladstar
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoction
⁴ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10496642/
5 Home Remedies For The Flu
What if you could decrease your flu symptoms naturally? If you prefer to use natural remedies during the cold and flu season, read on.
Influenza, otherwise known as the flu, can be debilitating and cause great suffering for you and your family. Botanicals and homepathic remedies can decrease your symptoms and ease the pain of the flu.
The first time I had the flu, I swore I had malaria. I even drove myself to the ER, just for them to tell me it was the Flu. I called my mother at 5:00 am crying and begging her to help me. Over the next three days, she helped me change the sheets four times and nursed me back to health. I missed ten whole days of work and thought I was dying. I took the medication that I knew at the time and slept the days away. Little did I know there were an alternative way and natural remedies would ease my symptoms and decrease the pain the next time I had the flu.
In this post, you’ll discover the symptoms of the flu, when to call the doctor, the herbs, and homeopathy I use to shorten the duration of the flu and ease the achiness.
What Are The Symptoms Of The Flu
- High fever of 102-104
- Severe achiness-(in fact, it used to be called breakbone disease)
- A sore throat
- A cough
- Extreme fatigue
- Lack of appetite
When to call the doctor for the flu
- Signs of dehydration
- High fever persisting (103.5 and over)
- A severe headache
- Stiff neck or pain in the back of the neck
- Persistent vomiting
- Fever for more than 4 days
- A severe cough with chest pain and shortness of breath (could be pneumonia)
The achiness is usually what gives away the symptoms of the flu. If you feel like it may be something else, see a doctor right away.
In the United States, the flu usually hits between December and February. Adults 65 and older and children under 5 are at the greatest risk of developing flu-related illnesses. {read more here}
I realize the Flu is not to be taken lightly. If you are generally a healthy adult these remedies may be right for you.
Home Remedies For The Flu
- Tinctures for the flu
- A tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract taken 2-3x day in a 1/4 cup of water.
- Choose these tinctures as a single or blend.
- #1 Boneset Tincture/Extract {Eupatorium perfoliatum L.}-(herb pharm, moutainroseherbs.com)
- The #1 recommended remedy for the flu. I’ve used both the tincture and homeopathy. I prefer the homeopathic dose for quicker results.
- The #1 recommended remedy for the flu. I’ve used both the tincture and homeopathy. I prefer the homeopathic dose for quicker results.
- #2 Crampbark {Viburnum opulus}
- As suggested, crampbark is used for cramps and aches in the body.
- #3 Jamaican dogwood {Piscidia piscipula}
- As an analgesic, Jamaican dogwood can reduce pains in the body for cold and flu season and also works great for PMS.
- #4 Elderberry Syrup- In one study, Elderberry Syrup was used to treat 60 patients suffering from influenza. “Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo. Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza.”
- #1 Boneset Tincture/Extract {Eupatorium perfoliatum L.}-(herb pharm, moutainroseherbs.com)
Homeopathy For The Flu
Homeopathy is my preferred way to shorten the duration of the flu. Keep in mind, your symptoms may increase for a moment and then they should improve within 20 minutes. Homeopathy can be tricky to use: read my post Everything You Need To Know About Homeopathy Here.
Homeopathy is based on the person symptoms. It is best to seek out a homeopath for the best results.
Boneset 30C (Eupatorium perfoliatum)- Best Remedy For The Flu
{click here for a quick link to Amazon}
- How do you know if boneset is right for you? Your symptoms would include:
- Patient experiences a deep aching in the bones and even the eyeballs are sore.
- May feel totally wiped out and unable to exert the least effort.
- Is usually thirsty, especially as the chill begins to come on.
- How do you take it?
- Take Boneset 30c, wait 20 minutes take again and wait.. you should feel an improvement.
- You can use herbal remedies with homeopathy.
- Other homeopathic remedies are available as well if these symptoms do not match.
Teas For The Flu
Tea can be nourishing and hydrating when you are suffering from the flu. The following herbs can help reduce a fever and fill the body with vitamins and minerals during the cold and flu season.
Try these teas as a single cup or blend daily. Enjoy 3-4 cups if you’re able to sip on it.
- Lemon Balm
- Yarrow
- Linden Flower
- Elderflower
- Catnip
- Peppermint.
Conclusion
I agree the flu is not to be taken lightly. If your symptoms do not improve in 4 days or you feel uneasy, please contact your doctor. To be prepared, purchase Boneset 30c in preparation for when the flu hits your home this winter.
Remember this post? Pin the picture to keep in your Pinterest page.
xoxo
Tara
