Allergies, Toxins and Rashes, Oh My...

Lily has been dealing with allergies since she was under a year old.  There are some triggers we are sure of (dogs, cats, pollen, grass, hay, amoxicillan, seaweed extract, multiple perfumes and dyes, dust) and many things we have yet to be able to pinpoint.  In an attempt to spare her more allergy testing - picture having to hold your three old down while 40-50 shots (of individual allergins) are administered -  we have decided to explore some more natural approaches to handling allergy symptoms.  Her current allergist would like her to receive doses of Zyrtec and Benedryl every day...  for her entire life...  with the dosage increasing about every 18 months.  At that rate, she'll be downing a bottle of each a day by the time she's in high school!

I have always been - and continue to be - a supporter of mainstream medicine for myself and my children, but am learning there are other worlds to explore in terms of treatments for the things that come up in life.  In no way am I advocating cutting doctors out of the picture, or vaccines, or hospitals.  They will continue to be fixtures in the care of our family, well hopefully the hospital won't be a common fixture.

• So every morning, Lily has a teaspoon of local honey.
• She takes 1/2 a capsule of probiotic with breakfast and 1/2 capsule of probiotic with dinner.
• She uses only organic/unscented soap, lotion and laundry detergent (well, I use it since she's not doing the laundry yet, but I use it on her sheets!)
• I spray her mattress every other day with a disinfectant to kill dust mites.
• Two days a week she receives a 1/2 capsule of Allerplex.

I've also switched out all our cleaning, dishwashing, laundry, health and body care products and vitamin supplements to a company I LOVE called Melaleuca.  (All natural products, shipped to my door, that save (and make!) me money.  More on that in another post.)  Switching to Melaleuca allowed me to remove about 90% of the chemical toxins present in my home - toxins that were harmful not only to sensitive-system Lily, but to all of us. 

We have also adapted our diet.  We are phasing out red meat.  We are bumping up leafy greens.  We are buying local/organic as much as possible.  (This is a budget challenge, but I'm trying!)  And the biggest - hardest - change of all...  no more Pepsi for this mama!!  Rough. 

We have been living these changes for about three weeks.  For the last two weeks, Lily has not needed any Benedryl and has taken only one dose of Zyrtec!  Praise God!

On another note, for those who know and love us, Lily's attitude has changed.  She is calmer, much less likely to react with a temper-tantrum.  She is sleeping through the night consistently.  She is focusing much more during our 'home-school' time.  Lots of really positive changes!

I am so grateful for God's leading us in this direction.  I want to make the most of the time my children, my husband and I have been given.  I love the idea of more energy, better functioning systems and less sick days.  All this organic/all natural talk, I'm turning into a tree-hugging/granola-eating health nut... and I am so happy about it!