This morning my 6-year-old woke up telling me his head hurt. Soon there following, he started telling me that his stomach hurt. A few minutes later he told me that he was going back to bed (I think this is the first time this has happened ever – usually he’s rather full of energy even when not feeling his best). Because my boys very rarely get sick and this was unusual behavior, I decided to consult with our naturopath. A quick visit told us that his ears were clear and there was nothing concerning in his throat or with other parts of his body, so we came home and spent the rest of the day resting. The conclusion was that it was some kind of virus, which we’re all hoping he fights off quickly. By the time the afternoon rolled around, it was obvious that my toddler was also feeling a bit under the weather. So I spent the day doing what I could to help strengthen my boys’ immunity.

Here’s what I did to help support our immune systems:

1. Chinese Herbal Remedy: I gave them both the Chinese herbal remedy our naturopath suggested.
2. Bone Broth: First thing this morning, I started a batch of homemade bone broth (recipe HERE), and had us all drinking it throughout the day, though it’ll be even better tomorrow. This helps with hydration, is light on the stomach, and provides some nourishment to strengthen the body as it works to heal.
3. Homemade Elderberry Syrup: I dosed us all with Homemade Elderberry Syrup (recipe HERE) several times throughout the day.
4. Thieves Oil: I put Thieves oil (Available HERE) on all of our feet to help boost immunity. I also diffused some, mixed with orange – which smell amazing together, throughout the day.
5. Ice Pops: I made a batch of pomegranate juice ice pops (using the only type of juice we had on hand), which will help with maintaining hydration when my little guys are feeling lethargic.
6. Take a Bath: I had my 6-year-old take a bath, as I thought soaking in the tub might help him to feel less achy (and it did).
7. Rest, Rest, and Rest: I made sure my boys got lots of rest. My 6-year-old spent much of his day in his room, keeping it dim by only having his salt lamps glowing. Sometimes I read to him, sometimes he listened to music or audio books, and sometimes he dozed off. My toddler spent much of the day sitting in my lap with me reading to him quietly.

I drank the bone broth, took some elderberry syrup, and put Thieves oil on my own feet in order to help support my immune system so I [hopefully] won’t get sick.  Of course I did my best to rest, but as a mama with two sick boys, let me simply say that it didn’t happen as much as would be ideal (to be read: it didn’t happen and I’m exhausted).