Leave that fever alone

Treating a fever naturally with superfoods and natural antibiotics

I grew up in a home without Tylenol, Motrin, Aspirin or any other over the counter medications in the medicine cabinet. My mother took a very holistic approach to everything she did. She never gave us cough medicine or fever-reducing medications when we were sick, instead she relied upon more natural solutions to our illnesses that ranged from spoon-feeding us herbal tea and lemon water with apple cider vinegar in it, lukewarm baths (94-96 F), cool cloths on our forehead, a humidifier by our bed with a sliced onion in a bowl and a few slices in our socks. She would stay home from work and take care of us. 

My mother realized that fevers serve an important function in the body that they were the body’s natural defense system against foreign invaders, a natural immune response, thus they should not be suppressed. I was born with kidney issues so she became accustom to dealing with high fevers. 

At the time, conventional medical held the belief that there was no downside to administering Advil or Tylenol as soon as the thermometer’s reading went about 98.6 degrees. Even today pediatricians tell parent to medicate every 4 hours for a fever. Even if the cause is simply a tooth coming in. 

When someone has a fever their body temperature is over 98.6 F (37 C), they are febrile. When someone has infections the body temperature increases, this increase makes the environment for the bacteria or viral infecting agents uncomfortable, they don’t survive well in elevated temperatures above 98.6 F. The fever will increase the activity of the persons own immune system system. Fever is a natural adaptive response to help us fight off infection. Antipyretic drugs are often used to reduce fever, drugs like ibuprofen act to lower body temperature. These Antipyretic drugs reduce the efficiency of the immune system.

Multiple studies have now linked chronic use of these painkillers with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Chronic use is as simple as someone that uses them a few days in a row for PMS or for hangovers on the weekends. Cucurmin, the principal curcuminoid of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has the ability to reduce pain and inflammation naturally. Tylenol is so harmful the the human body it should be made illegal. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) decreases intracellular glutathione levels and modulates cytokine production. Glutathione is imperative for the body to detox properly. Glutatahione quenches the free radicals created when the liver neutralizes toxins so they can be safely excreted through the colon.

No medication is without side effects and there is always the risk of long-term consequences when anything is taken to often for extended periods of time, like through the years of teething. There have been many recalls over the years which had made many parents skittish in search of alternatives to their child’s pain relief. There are several studies that link acetaminophen use with autism and asthma. Taking these over the counter pain/fever-reducers while pregnant have been linked to ADHD in the baby. Studies show that using Acetaminophen 7 days in a row while pregnant can reduce testosterone production in developing testes by 40%.

Let’s not look past the fact that these medications whether in liquid or chewable candy form, are full of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and chemical preservatives, things one should never give to your children much less a baby with a developing immune system and brand new teeth. All of these artificial ingredients are linked to hyperactivity (among other undesired side effects) in children so this would be like you taking a Tylenol and a a double shot of espresso while your immune system is low, of course you will be feeling better with some energy to get things done that day but you can bet you will be feeling 5x worse the next day and if you continue this cycle your sickness will last for days if not weeks and possibly get worse. 

When infants and children are feverish, they usually lie still, eat very little, and take frequent naps. This is the body’s natural way of conserving energy and healing. When you treat a fever with pain/fever reducers the child feels better and will often run around and play stirring up an appetite. While you may think, this is a good sign it will prolong the sickness in the child for several more days or even weeks. It takes energy to play and to digest food, further weakening the child’s immune system, they should be lying still allowing the body to heal quickly and naturally.  

Young or old we should lay still and rest while fighting a virus. Our bodies inherently know that digestion requires lots of energy, this is why our appetite is naturally suppressed when ill, to conserve resources.  Moreover, if we are constantly artificially lowing the fever, how will you know when a child is feeling better and able to resume normal activities? 

But it seems a fever’s role in fighting illness is even more direct: evidence shows that fever is beneficial to the healing process, triggering the immune response and preventing viruses and bacteria from replicating. One study showed that flu sufferers who suppressed their fevers with medications were sick for more than three days longer than those who took no medication.

Recent studies also suggest that artificially lowering a fever in flu patients increases viral shedding, meaning more flu is spread through infected coughs and sneezes. This often happens when well-meaning parents administer pain/fever reducing medicine and then take their less symptomatic, yet highly contagious child out to public places, where they are coughing and sneezing their contagious germs on others. 

Researchers posit that in an average flu season, fever-reducing medications and the flu shot (leaves the patient contagious for three days) could lead to tens of thousands of extra flu cases, and at least a thousand flu deaths in North America alone. This is becoming more evident with every passing year. Also people who receive a flu shot are more susceptible to corona viruses, which there are four that circulate the globe every. Have you ever been diagnosed with a flu like sickness or flu like virus? This means you have a corona virus, your have the flu it just wasn’t caused by the virus influenza.

Make sure you and your child gets lots of rest while sick, hydrated with tons of water, cool cloths on the forehead, luke warm baths, you can use Immune De-fense as a chest rub or along the bottom of childrens feet and spinal cord, behind the ears on lymph nodes, you can put a sliced onion in their socks or in a bowl on the dresser, humidifier in room to help with breathing, essential oils in diffuser to purify the air, homemade chicken soup or bone broth to stay nourished. High doses of vitamin D and Vitamin C along with greens (superfood drinks), Tumeric for pain and inflammation and probiotics and you should be feeling better in no time. 

If the fever lingers for more than a few days or get to high (past the beneficial point) it’s always best to play it safe and contact your doctor. High fevers in infants can become serious quite quickly so know your facts and play it safe whenever you mother instinct tells to.

Fever Scale

Dangerous             108 and above     May cause brain damage, coma or death

Very High               106 – 107               Important to bring down

High                        104 – 105               Still beneficial, but may cause discomfort, this is usually the point where the fever ever will break itself, only staying at this high temperature for a few minutes to an hour, if it last longer it should be lowered.

Moderate              102 – 103               Beneficial, killing off bacteria and other invaders

Low-Grade            100 – 101               Beneficial

Normal                   97 – 100                Normal body temperature

This only applies if no other unusual symptoms exist, this does not apply to people undergoing chemotherapy or someone just out of surgery or recently vaccinated children.

Seek medical attention immediately if your infants 3 months or younger has a rectal temperature above 100.4 F

Depending on your childs medical history watch them closely when there fever is at 102, it may be beneficial and not stay at that temp for long. Use your discretion. And remember that this is if the fever is due to illness and not from taking medications or an accident or surgery of any kind.

Temperatures between 100.4F and 104F may seem serious in a small child but are probably a normal part of a common illness like a cold or virus.

BE AWARE: Brain damage occurs at 108F and above

This is not medical advice, this is just the scale my mother used my entire life and I had some pretty high fever due to my kidney issues.


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