Weekly Mothering Challenge: Embrace the East

As cold and flu season nears, I wanted to be as prepared as possible to naturally and holistically treat my children's wintertime illnesses if and when they occur. As such, I met today with a neighborhood friend, who has a local practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture, to gather information about holistic ways to prevent and treat sickness.

We talked a lot about how TCM helps to empower families to regain control over their health and well-being by trusting in the body's powerful ability to heal itself, and to prevent illness through good nutrition and lifestyle choices. To learn more about the idea of "food as medicine," take a look at the book, Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, by Paul Pitchford.

I left today's meeting with a greater appreciation for holistic healthcare and its role in returning health and wellness to the domain of family and home. I also left with a simple homemade remedy for nagging coughs and colds that I am happy to share:

Homemade Fever-Reducer/Cold-Alleviator/Cough-Soother Recipe
Boil one whole piece of fresh ginger cut into slices in four cups of water for 20 minutes. In the last minute of boiling add about one cup of sliced fresh green onion or scallions. Honey can be added as desired. Drink the strained fluid. The desired outcome is to induce a sweat.

So this week's Mothering Challenge is to embrace the East and identify natural ways to boost our families' health.