Herbs For Kids

Children are far more susceptible to getting sick or developing a condition or a myriad of other problems that can be presented and many parents and families are turning towards more natural forms of living and healing in order to keep their children healthy and safe. One of the first steps that parents take is to incorporate more fresh, organic, and live foods into the diets of their children and a great way to do this is to begin by adding herbs to various meals. Many herbs have very powerful healing and restorative properties and can easily be added to various dishes without your children putting up a fight or even really noticing. An easy first step is to simply add some fresh herbs as a garnish, include them in a salad, marinate meats in them, bake and fry with them and you can easily mix them into dishes your family already loves. Bake them into a casserole or add a chopped few to your mashed potatoes. No one will be able to tell the difference but you’ll gain some flavor and your family will be healthier for it in the long run.

Another great way to introduce herbs to your children is to use herbal products and supplements. There are plenty of herbal based shampoos, lotions, soaps, vitamins, smoothies, teas, and lots of other great ways that you can have a beneficial impact on your child's health by incorporating herbs into their life. Herbal supplements and extracts are very powerful and can be extremely useful in warding off and preventing various illnesses. They can also be very helpful for dealing with things like allergies, digestive problems, sore throats, headaches, rashes, and even help in healing scrapes and cuts faster. Every herb has its own unique properties and some of them can be dangerous in the wrong dosage so it’s important to do your research and consult with a doctor before administering any supplements or extracts to yourself or to others. If you’re concerned about giving your child a supplement or an extract you can give them an herbal bath instead which is very effective as well. You can use a mixture of herbs combined with a soluble ingredient like aloe vera gel or you can blend or grind them up or even wrap them up in some fabric (cheesecloth works best here) and just allow them to steep in the hot water with you. It’s best to use at lest six tablespoons of dried herbs if you’re taking a nice full bath with them but if you’re putting a smaller child in you can half that amount since you’ll be using much less water as well. Choose the right type of herb for whatever you are trying to give your child, whether that’s an immunity boost to fight a cold, a relaxing herb to help put them to sleep, or something to relive a headache or calm an upset stomach, and then prepare a nice bath for them to take and you’ll be doing them a world of good. This method is also particularly good for a child that has an inflamed skin condition or a rash of some kind because you can massage the herb bag directly onto the trouble spot very gently and be sure to be careful if you’re using dried herbs as these can scratch.

The most common way of administering herbs though is in a tea. Teas have been used for thousands of years to treat medical conditions and maintain health plus they’re very easy to make as soaking (or steeping) any herb in hot water infuses the water with all the benefits o that plant. When making herbal tea you simply need to take two tablespoons of whatever herb you prefer per cup of tea and pour eight ounces of boiling water over them. Never use plastic or metal to steep your tea in as the hot water can release chemicals in these types of containers which can have adverse effects and render the healing properties of your tea pretty useless. Instead you want to use glass or china to be sure that you aren’t causing yourself any problems. Steep your herbs for ten minutes or so to be sure that you’ve extracted all that you can from them. After that strain it and let it cool to a temperature that is comfortable for you or your child to drink.

Most children won’t be very receptive to the idea of tea but there are some ways that you can encourage them to drink it so that it tastes a little better. A good way to do this is to let them put a bit of milk, honey, or lemon into to make the flavor a bit easier on them as children don’t seem to care for the taste of herbs very much. You can also try mixing ice tea with a flavored juice or lemonade to help disguise the taste while still giving them the benefits. If you can find an herbal packet that’s designed to be made into a smoothie you’ll be even better off because you can make a nice fruit smoothie your child will love while still giving them lots of great health benefits from the herbs.

Herbs are great for children and can be used to treat many different ailments through the use of a bath, teas, supplements, extracts, and many other methods. Even if all you do is end up cooking with them a bit more you’ll be doing your children some good. Encourage children to grow their own herbs and teach them about the benefits of different kinds so that they will be more receptive to teas and other treatments with them  when the need arises. You can even create a little window box with different pots and labels of the herbs so that children can learn to identify them and begin to use them on their own (under your supervision of course). Herbs are so helpful when it comes to children so do some research, consult with a doctor, and find out which ones you can use to better the health of you and your family.