Fevers : Exercise for the Immune System

Let's all stop being afraid of fevers, ok? Fevers have gotten a very bad name for themselves in this country. I don't exactly know how this got started, though I have a pretty good guess. I believe we have a very bad habit in our medical culture of developing wonderful life saving measures and then grossly over-prescribing them. Often this causes more problems then we began with, and I believe this is the case for the widespread use of over-the-counter fever reducers.

The truth is, for most of us fevers are a wonderful service to our health and immune function. We need to begin recognizing this and really using it to our benefit. In my opinion a nice size portion of chronic illness in this culture could be prevented just by allowing ourselves to fever when necessary.

A fever comes from the innate wisdom of our amazing bodies. When the temperature of your body rises it is working to kill bacteria and viruses. A fever is your body's way of giving unwanted guests the boot. So when we falsely take a fever down with over-the-counter drugs- in one big swoop- we are greatly lessening our own ability to fight infection.

In addition to the benefits of getting a fever, there are also harmful effects to using over-the-counter fever reducers. The use of Tylenol has now been linked to pediatric asthma. It also reduces a very important liver enzyme used for detoxification in our bodies. For immature baby's livers, this is significant, and a cause for serious concern. Motrin has been connected to chronic digestive disorders.

This is an important piece of information when we think about the chronicity of illness for so many of us. I feel as a society we have kind of given up and given in to living with disease. So often in our culture I see this kind of acceptance that diabetes, asthma, thyroid disease, anemia, constipation, allergies, food intolerance, acid reflux, low immune function, back pain, are all just a part of living, and thus we go on our merry way. I don't see it this way & I refuse to just let it be. I know there are simple, accessible, effective, and safe things to do to help keep us healthier, we just need more access to them. Fevers are just one more answer that may be able to help get us back in our bodies and feeling good.

Here are some guidelines to help you or your child fever safely:

1. Know the facts about fevers. People are under a lot of misconceptions about fevers. Here are some important pieces of information:

a. Babies under 3-4 months with a fever should go to their pediatrician. Don't try to treat it at home.

b. Children fever higher than adults. Kids are warmer by nature- thus a child with a 102 fever and an adult with a 102 fever can look very different, and shouldn't be worrisome.

c. Brain damage from a fever doesn't occur until 108 degrees. The body has good internal mechanisms to keep a fever below 106 degrees, so a child with a 104 fever will typically not go much higher. Just because a fever is rising doesn't mean it won't stop where it should.

d. A child can safely fever until 105 degrees without need to call your doctor or health care provider. At that point, I suggest contacting your trusted health care provider. This doesn't mean you will be necessarily taking the fever down, but at this point I think its always just good to check in.

e. Fevers can sometimes lead to convulsions in some kids - AND that's ok. As scary as this sounds- and as some parents know- can be very scary to look at, it's ok & is not harmful to the child. The usually last less than 5 minuntes and don't increase your child's risks of epilepsy or developments delays.

2. Know where the fever is coming from. Any fever of unknown origin is one to check in about. This just means that if you have a fever from the flu or a cold- you know where it's coming from and this is most common - and it's totally appropriate to care for at home. If it seems random or you are unclear about the the reason- call your trusted health care provider. This doesn't mean that you will want to bring the fever down necessarily- but rather it's good to know why you're fevering.

3. How a child looks and acts is much more important than the number on the thermometer. Please keep this in mind. This is one of the most important things I ask a parent when they call me. How does your child look? Most children are alert and awake through a 104 fever. I am much more concerned about a glassy-eyed lethargic child at 99 degrees than one with 104 who is alert and running around.

4. At about 103 degrees, the patient with a fever is bound to feel uncomfortable. It's the middle of the night, everyone is exhausted and you have a screaming child on your hands. This is the time when people typically grab the tylenol or motrin. This is the time I recommend naturally reducing the fever enough to help the patient feel more comfortable, and leads us to the next topic.

How to Naturally Reduce a Fever:

1. Lots of fluids. For a breastfed baby- keep feeding- as often as the baby will take it. Staying hydrated is key. Natural electrolytes can help the body stay hydrated. I highly recommend Electro-mix by the brand that makes Emergen-C. It comes in a box of single serve packets- and is all natural with no added sugar. I do not recommend sports drinks as they are filled with harmful ingredients.

2. A lukewarm sponge bath. Not a cold bath. A cold bath will make someone shiver. Shivering raises the body temperature, which is what we don't want. A lukewarm bath is comfortable and can help bring the fever down just enough to help with the discomfort. You can place your child in the bathtub in a couple inches of water or just use a washcloth. Either way be sure the water is warm.

3. Familiarize yourself with Homeopathic remedies that are appropriate for home care and fevers. There are a handful of them that are easy to have on hand, are inexpensive, and work wonders. There are tons of websites and great easy to read books that give you information on the appropriate use of homeopathic remedies at home. Homeopathy works to NOT reduce the fever, but rather it helps the body process through it more quickly and efficiently. It allows the body's natural responses to take hold and fight like heck. And it works very very well.

In my private practice - all the parents are asked to purchase a home care kit with about 30 different homeopathic remedies in it- so when illness strikes- they have their arsenal of natural and safe medicine to help. I won't recommend specific remedies here, without knowing that my readers have a professional person to call or what their own level of personal expertise is. However, this of course leads us to my next recommendation...

4. Get a holistic practitioner that works with children and families and takes phone calls in the middle of the night. In my opinion, until you are comfortable addressing a fever on your own, this is the number one answer to avoiding using fever reducing medicines. I answer kid related health questions 24 hours a day- and there are others like me. This way when parents are anxious about their baby's first fever - they have a professional who will give them advice other than a panic induced tylenol/motrin solution.

Well there you have it. I hope this helps ease some of the fear around fevers and helps you find a bit more willingness to experiment in going through one. This is just one piece that can allow us to get back into our bodies and explore the amazing innate wisdom we have to conquer illness and to keep us healthy. Good luck!

Why Prevention is the Best Medicine for Your Baby

Prevention is simply the best medicine. Unfortunately, more often than not people first seek medical attention once they are already sick. As adults we have often played too hard, worked too hard, not slept enough, and eaten too much junk food. Our lifestyles have often allowed the layers of aches and pains, funky digestion, and other chronic ailments to set in and take hold. But with babies, it's different....

Aaaaaaaaah babies. They are like little clean slates, like a do over for our family histories of allergies, asthma, eczema, digestion problems, or immune dysfunction issues. Not to say that most babies aren't sick when I first see them. Because that is normally how it happens. But with kids, the layers upon layers of misuse and abuse aren't there yet. Once I treat a child and they heal the original complaint, all that's left is prevention.

The problem is our western minds think "all done," and I don't see them until the next cold or bout of symptoms takes hold. I've decided it's about time I change my tune, and make sure I am educating as much I can on the all too important practice of prevention.

When it comes to babies the general rule is they get sick quickly, and they heal quickly too. This means that when a child gets sick - they get sick fast. A child that had nothing, suddenly has a 103 fever, and is crying inconsolably. It usually comes in the middle of the night and unless you have your remedies and herbal formulas ready, it moves inward fast. For those in my practice who learned what remedies to have at home and what defenses are actually possible at this hour of the night (that don't include Tylenol or Motrin), they also know that kids heal quickly too. A child that at once was not eating, was burning up, and crying, is now running around the house in a whirlwind, like nothing was ever wrong.

What does this mean to me? It means kids' bodies, with proper treatment and care, and without symptom suppression, have so many chances to get better. Their bodies change so quickly, their energy is accessible and available to work with. So we can deal with symptoms, make them better, and use this large amount of available energy to help build healthy immune function and stop family patterns in their tracks.

Here are some things to do at home to give your children the best start possible:

1. Breastfeed as long as is feasible. Breast milk is the best immune builder there is. Do it solely for a minimum of 6 months and you will reduce the chances of your baby ever getting food allergies 3-fold. Do it for longer and you continue to build immune function, regulate your babies hormones, and provide comfort and connection for your baby.

2. Adopt good nutritional values for you while breastfeeding, and your baby once solids are introduced. This seems obvious, I know. Eat organic when possible, avoid processed foods (especially trans fats and corn-syrups), eat grass-fed meats, and make sure everyone is getting good fats. For more information on fats- you'll have to wait for future blogs or do your own research. A good article on the subject with tons of links and resources is here Know Your Fats. A great website on nutrition for children comes from the Nourishing Our Children Campaign. They offer sound advice with solid traditional principles for wellness.

3. Fevers are good. Let's all stop being afraid of fevers. Fevers are the body's own natural defense against infection. The body heats up to kill viruses and bacteria. When we synthetically reduce those fevers with over the counter fever reducers, we are lessening our body's ability to fight off infection. This gives the virus or bacteria a way in, allowing for the beginnings of chronic illness. It also sends the body a message not to work so hard next time, because...well, why bother? If your child has a fever and you are unsure of how high is too high- don't ever hesitate to call your primary health care provider. And when I receive that phone call in the middle of the night, the biggest concern I hear from parents is regarding the comfort of their child as well as for the rest of the family, who sleep and own wellness can be disturbed. This is a valid concern and leads us to #4.

4. Find yourself a good holistic practitioner for when your child falls sick. Western medicine is great. I do not adhere to all or nothing thinking in terms of our different medicines. I believe in integrative care. Let's utilize what different medicines do best and we will truly have integration. In my opinion, western medicine is great at diagnosis. They are amazing at life saving measures such as emergency medicine and surgery. But let's be honest, they are truly lacking when someone has a cold, an infection, digestive problems, diabetes, etc. They have no real treatment. They have symptom suppression, and that can make people feel better. But that will never give true healing or get to the root or cause of the disease or illness. Alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and homeopathy has actual treatment. Get real treatment for your child when she is sick and she will grow to be a healthier adult. Treat an illness so that it doesn't slip deeper into the body by suppressing the symptoms, and you will have not only successfully treated a cold, but you will have made a stronger body for it.

5. Tune ups. In between illness, don't forget to see your holistic health practitioner. This can be hard in our busy western lifestyles. But just schedule it, make it part of your monthly life. Your doing all you can for your babies wellness through diet and nutrition, don't forget there are gentle and yet totally effective practices that can help a child's digestion, sleep, & immune function even when life gets busy and everyone is already healthy. For babies once a month health maintenance is standard in Chinese Medicine. Sho Ni Shin is a Japanese technique used just for this. It is a painless, often comforting, light scratching of the acupuncture meridians and points used for nourishing children's energy. Find an acupuncturist in your area that practices on children and go. Your child will thank you for it for years to come.

These are just a handful of ideas that parents can do at home to help prevent illness. As simple as I may think they are, I realize that some of these ideas can seem a bit overwhelming at first, especially if it's the first time someone's hearing them. How do we allow our children to fever at 104 degrees without a sense of fear or hesitation, if we have never thought this way before? This is a real concern, and one that should not take be taken lightly. Find yourself a trusted holistic practitioner to include in your arsenal of people and tools that you already have for your child. Talk to this person. Talk to people who are already doing it, look online, find like minded parents (there are lots of them), and slowly one can ease into a new way of thinking about their child's health. Good luck!

Got Raw Milk?

In my practice, nutrition is one of the main treatments for my patients on their path to wellness. I see food as medicine, and the more healthy, natural, and unprocessed foods we put in our bodies, the better we feel. On the same note, the more processed and impure foods we eat (which is by far the bulk of the typical American diet), the more symptoms and disease we learn to live with.

I've found that beginning to think about changing one's diet can be an overwhelming and scary endeavor for many people. That's why I strongly believe in finding simple & accessible things people can do to begin the process of making these changes. Starting slowly can make this feel possible, and we do it one step at a time. And the proof is in the pudding. Literally. The truth is, over time people start feeling better when they start to change their diet. I have watched the cravings for people's most stubborn comfort foods fall away as people get used to feeling better in their bodies.

This brings me to the conversation on raw dairy. Over the past several years dairy has gotten a bad name for itself. More and more people are finding dairy is causing all sorts of health problems and are removing it from their diet. This is fine for a small number of people, but the far majority of us could use the health benefits of dairy - just in its more natural, more digestible state. I recommend the switch to raw dairy on a daily basis in my practice. With a bit of education, it is one of the simple changes we can make to feel much better in our bodies.

The current norm for consuming dairy products is that they are all pasteurized and homogenized. For those who don't know, pasteurization is the process of killing off bacteria that causes illness. This is done by heating milk at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. The problem with pasteurization is that it not only kills the bad stuff - but it kills all the good too. All the vitamins, nutrients, enzymes, and healthy cultures die in the process as well.

Homogenization is the process by which the consistency of milk is made uniform. For anyone who has had milk with the cream left on top- this is non-homogenized milk. The homogenization of milk is another process that again changes the chemical make-up of the milk proteins. It breaks down the proteins in such a way that it becomes very difficult for our bodies to process and metabolize. This can cause histamine reactions, produces phlegm in our bodies, and can lead to other inflammatory responses.

Here is a informative video explaining how the pasteurization and homogenization process happens:




These 2 processes are what have led to this wide spread belief that many of us are lactose intolerant. A better way to describe this, in my opinion, is that many of us are actually "pasteurized and homogenized dairy-intolerant." I can not tell you how many times I have recommended to my "lactose-intolerant" patients to experiment with drinking raw milk. And the countless times the same people have come back with none of digestive and inflammatory symptoms they once had.

Raw milk & cheese are readily available in the San Francisco Bay Area- as well as many other places around the country. Once you know where to go - it's easy to find. Locally, we are lucky to have two major producers, Organic Pastures & Claravale Farms. Both are delicious and I highly recommend either. Here are a few links to help you find your local distributor of raw milk, and some additional resources to begin your raw dairy education.

Where to Find Raw Milk in Your Area

A Great Website all About Raw Milk

Is Raw Milk Safe For Babies?

"The Revolution Will Not Be Pasteurized" : A great (but somewhat long) article on the Raw Milk industry. Please note the final few paragraphs are some of my favorite.

I'll leave you with a couple of videos of a conversation between the owner of Organic Pastures, Mark McAffee & Chiropractor Dale Jacobson. These 2 videos are not in order, but I thought the most ineresting segments of the ones I saw. If you are interested in more chapters, you can double click on the video below and search for more on youtube. Enjoy!

Arnica Montana - First Aid in a Little Blue Bottle

So to continue my stream of consciousness on simple and easy remedies no household should be without, I will now give a brief introduction to the wondrous world of Homeopathy & the amazing remedy, Arnica Montana.

All remedies in their homeopathic form are purely energy medicine. There is no detectable amount of the original material (whether plant, mineral, or animal) left in the final product when we buy it from the store. Rather the energy of the material being used is captured in a base of some kind, usually lactose or sucrose. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Flower essences (i.e. Rescue Remedy) have a somewhat similiar premise. And the beauty of both of these things, is that if it's the right remedy, then it provides healing. If it's not the right remedy, it does nothing, no harm, no side effects, no nothing.

The basic and most important premise of homeopathy is that "like cures like." To understand this in the simplest way, if you were to eat a poisonous plant of some kind, you could in theory take the homeopathic remedy made from the same plant to antidote it. In homeopathy, the more dilute the original herb, the more powerful the remedy gets.

For those of you who have seen those little blue bottles on the endcap of your local natural food store and have seen the numbers 6x, 6c, 12c, 30c, 200c, etc., written on the bottles, the numbers are the dosages. The higher the number, the more dilute, and the more powerful.

Homeopathy has had an incredible history too. Discovered only a few centuries ago, it became a popular alternative to some of the very scary medicine being practiced at the time. People liked the idea of being treated by something that could do no real harm, even if it didn't cure their illness, it wouldn't accidentally kill them either. There were homeopathic institutions and entire hospitals popping up all over Europe and North America throughout the 19th century. Sadly, due sharp criticism by a few influential people, a viable and safe treatment almost died. Luckily, since the 1970's it has made a BIG comeback.

If you'd like information with more more technical type words, and perhaps a bit more history on how this medicine has come to be in present day, please follow the links below...

What is Homeopathy?

Wikipedia's Answer to Homeopathy

These websites can surely answer many of the questions you may have. If you seek even more information I highly recommend buying a few good books, as there are literally hundreds written on the subject.

This leads us to one of the most useful homeopathic remedies available, Arnica Montana. Known as "Arnica", it is like a first aid kit rolled up into a little bottle made of teeny-tiny pills. It truly is the mother of all first-aid remedies. That's why I recommend that everyone should have a little bottle of Arnica in their bag, or car, or medicine chest, hopefully sitting right next to the Rescue Remedy you just bought.

Arnica treats trauma. That's its thing. That's what it does. It's good for every fall, every bruise, every flip over the handle bars of your bike. It helps speed recovery exponentially for sprains, strains, surgeries, and more. Arnica helps lead your body into the healing response it needs.

One of the best examples I can think of in using Arnica is a personal story of mine. I had been using and recommending Arnica for years. But never had I had such a perfect example of how Arnica works as the night I reached into my bag and something sharp (to this day I still don't know what it was) slipped under the nail of my thumb. Oh mah gah. I was tired, it had been a long day, and this was PAINFUL to say the least. I mean it hurt really really bad, and it made me irritable, and 15 minutes later when it was still throbbing and I was kind of feeling nauseous from the thought of something going that far under my nail, suddenly...I remembered Arnica. I carefully searched through my bag, found my trusty bottle and popped 2 pellets under my tongue. Literally, I kid you not, within 5 seconds I felt the pain slowly washing away from my thumb, within 15 seconds it was mostly gone, and within a minute my nerves had calmed and I was totally and utterly in awe. It was the best live-action example I had ever had of medicine I already knew worked. It was life altering, and any of those strange voices, that even I get in my head every once in a while - "is this thing working or am I making this up?" were gone. Any doubt that had ever lingered from our overwhelmingly linear-thinking, scientific minded culture had lifted.

Convinced yet? Hopefully.

Because now I am going to explain how you can actually use it safely at home...

1. There are several brands in the store - I prefer Boiron as it is the most readily available that I have found. It comes in the little blue bottle I keep referring to.
2. Dosage - I recommend having 30C for regular home use. Nothing with a higher number- but all the lower dosages are fine : 6, 12, etc.

So a few strange but good rules to follow when using homeopathics:
3. When getting ready to take a dose, shake the bottle up and down a few times. This activates that energy of the remedy, in the same fashion as when it was produced.
4. Don't touch the pellets. The bottle is designed so that you never have to. Hold the bottle so that the cap faces downwards, twist the cap as many times as you want pellets to come out, and pull the cap off. This way you can toss the pellets directly under your tongue.

5. The bottle will say that you need 5 pellets. You don't. 2 is enough. If you want to take 5, that's fine- it won't hurt you - it just won't work any better than 2, and you'll end up buying more sooner.

6. Toss 2 pellets under your tongue and let dissolve. For children that are too young for this concept, you can dissolve two pellets in a small amount of water (which may take a few minutes with this brand) and then give 1 tsp of that water either from a spoon or a dropper right into their mouth. Dispose of the remaining water.

7. For more serious bruises, strains, sprains, surgeries, childbirth, etc. you can safely take Arnica several times over the first 24 -48 hours. For just a little bump - 1 time can be enough.

****One golden rule of thumb in using homeopathy. The purpose of this medicine is to kick start your own body's healing response. This means once any significant change has been noted- stop taking the remedy. It has sufficiently done its job if your body has begun improving. It is not necessary or even really helpful to continue taking it "just incase" or for that extra little boost one might think the body needs to finish the job. With that said however, if your body hits a healing plateau some time after you've noted a nice bit of improvement, or you have a relapse in the healing process, go ahead and take 1 more dose, it will help bring you back to that pattern of healing you had already begun.

Well, I think that is enough to help begin your new relationship with Arnica. This is now the 2nd wonderful thing you can include in your all- natural First-Aid Kit. More to come...

Rescue Remedy - Why Everyone Should Have It

By request from my sister I will now explain the ins and outs of why I think Rescue Remedy is a must for all households. For those who don't know about flower essences, let me give a brief introduction. Flower essences are essentially energy medicine, they are similiar to homeopathics in that there is actually none of the flower left in it by the time we consume it, rather just the essence of the flower. In my basic understanding of how they are made I will attempt to explain it here. The flowers are picked at the height of bloom, placed in a bowl of water, let to soak in the sun or some other heat source. The infused water is then used as the base, where only minute amounts are added to a much larger base and then preserved with brandy. Voi-la!

Not too convincing huh? And yet after years of anecdotal research of people in the industry and the personal experiences of thousands, the conclusion is that flower essences are nothing less than amazing. Now Edward Bach himself only came up with 38 remedies and only made 1 combination of those remedies in his lifetime. That one combination is - yep you guessed it...Rescue Remedy.

The 38 remedies originally founded by Edward Bach are not the only flower essences ever discovered. There have been hundreds since his death, made by other companies. However, in my experience you can do a whole lot with just these 38. But let's get back to the matter at hand...why Rescue Remedy for all?

Rescue Remedy is the name brand for a 5 flower essence combination made for stress. It can also work for anxiety, depression, insomnia, wild acting children, and trauma. This is not an exhaustive list, and also Rescue Remedy is NOT a sedative. One very important thing to remember about flower essences, namely Rescue Remedy, is that it acts as a mediator towards balance. It helps our body come back to it's own state of balance - whatever that looks like - and does not impose some false state of happiness or euphoria. Whatever state of balance our body has the potential to be in, on an emotional level, Rescue Remedy can help to guide us there. And that's it. Nothing fancy, nothing too exciting really. Just a nice simple way of helping us to find our way of processing and dealing with what's in front of us the best way we can. Sometimes it's not the right remedy, and that's why we have 38 other flower essence alternatives, as well as all sorts of other medicines. Though with that said, time after time, I have watched Rescue Remedy come to the rescue of our little ones, our stressed out momma-ones, our furry ones, and even our plants. So I recommend it. And here is exactly how I recommend it...

1. I prefer the "generic" version from the company that is not the name brand by BACH FLOWER ESSENCES. I know this seems counter-intuitive, but Bach was bought out a few years back and made into a much larger company. Because of this, in my opinion, there is no longer the personal attention paid to the production of their products as there is at the smaller company that I now prefer. Here is a link to the company I prefer...

FES Flower Essences

This company makes many other flower essences - that are considered the "North American" remedies. Pay no mind to them. The remedies in the blue bottles are the same as the original 38 Bach remedies. The name for Rescue Remedy at this company is "Five Flower Formula."

2. Now with #1 in mind, I also acknowledge that the original Rescue Remedy can be found in almost any natural food store and then some. So it may be a whole lot more accessible to just buy the Rescue Remedy that looks like so...


Also the original Bach brand happens to make very fun and easy to use creams, sprays, candies, etc, etc. Which can be very enticing to the little ones... so I understand the appeal. So the truth is I recommend whichever company you can get your hands on- as both will work just fine.

3. When it comes to flower essences, more is NOT necessarily better. What I mean by this is depending on the need at hand, you may require a smaller amount over a longer period of time, or in times of acute stress one squirt directly into the mouth may suffice.

So for stressful periods of time like a move, or new family member the best way to give rescue remedy is 2-4 drops in everyone's water or beverage over several weeks whenever you remember. It doesn't matter the size of the bottle- you can put 2 drops in an 8 oz cup or a gallon size jug and it will have the exact same effect. This can be done each time you fill up the glass or bottle of liquid and taken throughout the day.

For more acute times, like transitions from school to home, someone falls off the jungle gym, acute moments of separation anxiety when mom or dad leaves the house, nighttime wakings, -then squirting 1 or 2 drops- if they'll let you- directly into the mouth is fine too. But also having a sip of the Rescue Remedy water you have already created- will again have the exact same effect. Again, when it comes to flower essences, more is not necessarily better.

(**One special note here. For infants, administering Rescue Remedy can seem a bit harder, as we are not typically feeding them water from a glass, sippy cup, or bottle. And if the baby is solely breastfeeding, which is of course best, how then do you give them the remedy if it becomes necessary? Well you can still use the water route. Just place a few drops of the water/Rescue Remedy mixture into a plastic syringe or eye dropper and drop a few drops onto their tongue. Simple enough.)


4. I recommend whatever form of Rescue Remedy you carry- creams, sprays, or the generic blue bottle, be sure to have a few bottles lying around. One in mom's purse, on the kitchen counter, near where baby sleeps. You get the idea. So it's easy to grab and easy to remember to use.

5. Lastly, even though I have seemed to say that Rescue Remedy is the cure-all for many emotional upsets - I want to remind you not to overuse it. Don't forget the old adage - "Too much of good thing..." well you know how it goes. It should be used when needed and then appropriately forgotten about until the next time. It should not be used preventatively on a regular basis.

And on that note over time people do forget about this remedy, even those who have faithfully used it for years. In times of stress it's hard to remember the simple and easy remedies that can help make life just a bit easier. I get phone calls all the time and questions asked in my office about what to do in the middle of the night and what can help baby through a difficult growth spurt or times of tantrums in the "terrible twos." And always the first thing I say is Rescue Remedy - Rescue Remedy for all! Don't forget the terrible twos, and the night time difficulties of babies, and illness throughout the whole house is difficult for mom and dad, sister and brother, and not just the person going through the stressful change.

To wrap up my shpiel on why Rescue Remedy is the amazing thing it is I will leave you with a list of some of the many times I think Rescue Remedy can fully shine. Good luck everyone and remember the simplest remedies are often the right ones.

When is Rescue Remedy at its best?

1. Night time wakings
2. Insomnia
3. New baby
4. The In-laws are coming to visit
5. Other house guests are coming to visit
6. Work changes
7. Tantrums
8. Illness
9. Don't forget its great for pets during stressful times too
10. Plants are being repotted
11. Baby experimenting with boundaries
12. Trauma
13. Falling
14. Moving (houses, rooms, etc)
15. Transitions- from school to home, home to school, from any activity to another really where things seem to get a little hairy.
16. Road trips
17. Plane rides
18. Doctor visits! Don't forget doctor visits.
19. Labor & delivery (thanks Juli!)