It's The “Yeast” You Can Do: Truenature Cranberry Supplement

I am NOT an herbal-type of person. I take a daily multi-vitamin and THAT IS IT.  But recently, when I had a recurring yeast infection that defied three rounds of medication, I figured, “What the hell? Before I pay to go to the doctor for an exam (very expensive), let's go the cranberry route.” 

Cranberries have been known for years for their medicinal properties - photo courtesy of Pixabay

Native Americans in North America used extracts from cranberries for treating urinary conditions, bladder problems, to increase urine flow, kill germs, and reduce fever. I grew up with science verifying these cures, soI figured it couldn't hurt to try cranberry for a yeast infection. Forgoing the cranberry juice cocktail route (too much sugar), I started mixing unsweetened cranberry juice with water, bu that upsets my belly. So on one of my hunting-and-gathering forages into Costco, I perked up when I saw 

Truenature Cranberry Supplements

Truenature Cranberry Supplements

At a price point of about $18 for 250 capsules, I bit the bullet and bought it. The directions said take 1 caplet with water at each meal, but I was in a rush to get rid of the damn infection, so I took two caplets twice a day. Within 24 hours I felt better; the pain and itching was all gone AND the supplement did not affect my stomach. 

According to WebMD.com, “drinking cranberry juice regularly increases the amount of salicylic acid in the body. Salicylic acid can reduce swelling, prevent blood clots, and can have anti-tumor effects.” 

So even if the softgels didn't cure my yeast infection (maybe it was residual from the medication I was on?), I'm going to continue to take Truenature Cranberry Supplements. If it can help keep me from suffering from a UTI or yeast infection, plus render all the benefits WedMD says it can, it's worth taking. 

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Thank you for reading!  

Don't Panic If Your Pediatrician Prescribes This

A few years ago, my daughter was in the pediatrician's office with a cough that just wasn't getting better. Now, I'd never seen this doctor in the practice before; he was a little fluttery, nervous and I didn't like him. I liked him even less when he said, “I'm going to prescribe a nebulizer for your daughter."  I freaked. 

"A WHAT? WHY DOES SHE NEED A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT?! IS SHE THAT SICK?!"

He gently explained that she needed something to help her breathe in the medicine he was gong to give her.  (He also probably branded me as a whack-a-doodle.)   After finding out that the device was covered under insurance, he handed me the nebulizer and a prescription for the medicine it would administer. 

In hindsight, the doctor gave us the most helpful device ever!

This is a nebulizer.

A nebulizer changes medication from a liquid to a mist so a patient can easily inhale it into their lungs. It's almost like a personal vaporizer that you place under the nose and inhale directly. Nebulizers are often used when a large dose of an inhaled medicine is needed. Nebulized therapy is also known as a “breathing treatment” and is common for the relief and maintenance of symptoms of asthma. For more on how to use one, click here.

This nebulizer is so cute!

The doctor gave us home or tabletop model which gets plugged into an electrical outlet and prescribed a medicine to help open her airways. Within a day or so, she was feeling much better. Since then, almost everyone in the family uses the nebulizer when they have a cold, but not necessarily with a prescribed medication.

Here's an incredible tip given to me by one of the other pediatricians in the practice:

YOU CAN USE THE NEBULIZER WITH JUST SALT WATER TO HELP WHEN SOMEONE HAS A COLD.

As I said, the nebulizer is kind of like a personal vaporizer and a few salt water treatments help us get over colds faster. Now, I am not a doctor or medical person, but as a mom, I can't tell you how many times we've used this amazing device.

So if your doctor does prescribe a nebulizer, don't freak or think he/she is being an alarmist like I did. Your physician is doing you a favor! Take that device out and use it whenever someone in your family is getting sick. It's definitely the most helpful piece of medical equipment we have!

Another adorable nebulizer!

THANKS FOR READING!

Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety Or School Refusal – Empowering Parents Who Are At Our Wit's End

A few weeks ago, out of no where, my daughter started complaining of dizziness, headaches and stomach aches. The first time it happened, I let her stay home from school and, miraculously enough, about an hour after school had started, she made a full recovery. But the next morning, it happened again. When I explained that in light of the absence of a fever or vomiting, she had to power through the symptoms, she threw a hissy fit so severe that I physically couldn't get her to school. This prompted a visit to the pediatrician and eye doctor (for the headaches) who ruled out anything physical. Since then, she's thrown several more fits resulting in several days of missed school.

I was at my wit's end. I called Diva's teacher, the school nurse, guidance counselor, and a therapist I knew. All agreed that it sounded as if she was just tired. Yet despite an earlier bedtime and fewer after school activities, the fits persisted. I was convinced she was manipulating us, but the more I pushed her, the harder she fought back. Just getting her into the car was a monumental task. I didn't understand what was going on until I found this book at my library: Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety Or School Refusal by Andrew R. Eisen and Linda B. Engler.

This fairly short (181 pages), easy-to-read book shed some light on what Diva was going through. Apparently some children cannot express anxiety in any other way than through feeling what they call “sick”, usually with non-specific symptoms like tummy aches, headaches, dizziness, etc. These feelings are so unpleasant that the child also becomes nervous about feeling sick. They may feel unsafe in school and trapped, desperately clinging to Mommy or a safe adult. This makes parents feel like they're being manipulated and powerless, since you never know when your child is going to “pull” these fits. Your life becomes disrupted and you have no idea why. The book's authors assure the reader that far from being manipulative, these episodes are really a cry for help on the part of your child.

It delves into the nature of a kid's phobias, what they are, why they happen, and helps you understand what your child's safety needs are. It points out that the worries must be faced, not avoided, and suggests ways to gently help the child face those fears. More than anything else, it helped me come up with an action plan so that I can help Diva get through these episodes. In my case, some of the things I needed to do were get her to bed much earlier than I'd originally thought, start giving her more responsibility for packing her own lunch and snack (thus giving her more power over her world), allow her to pack her own backpack (again, an empowering thing), and get her up earlier so that she had more time to transition from waking up to getting out of the house. This week, Daddy is going to work a little later, just in case I do have trouble getting our daughter into the car and our plan is to periodically have Daddy do this, just to help both Diva and me. It also shows our daughter than we are both committed to helping her through this.

The book does warn, however, that even though the fears may be eliminated, there's always a chance that the child will backslide into them if the coping strategies are not maintained or if the kid experiences stress or any kind of separation-related transitions (like the beginning of camp or school). It also points out we, as adults, need to attend to our own mental wellness because anxious kids result in very apprehensive adults. Lastly, the authors explain optional treatments for severe anxieties, such as different types of therapy or medication.

Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety Or School Refusal is an empowering tool that demands work on the part of the parents. I actually read it while parked in a parking lot waiting for my son to come out of church so that I could really absorb what it was saying in peace. I also took notes and gave a copy of my action plan to the school counselor so that both the school and our family are on the same page and to show her that we are committed to eliminating or at least minimizing my daughter's future school absences.

If your child is experiencing separation anxiety or is refusing to go to school, this is a must-read book! At the least, it will help you understand what's going on with your child; at the most, it's a valuable tool to help you get through this period and end the struggle between you and your child. Help yourself and your family by reading it today.

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Note:  This post originally appeared on thegeekparent.com.  Visit me there, too!