Healthy happy you.
With the nasty flu bug making its rounds, there's only so much eating healthy, getting enough rest, washing your hands, getting a flu shot, and avoiding germs one can do. If you're unlucky enough to get the flu, your body will hike up your body temperature to boil away all those germs. So is there a point when your temperature can get too high? When you get the flu, a sudden high fever is totally Read more
Some of you might remember that my aunt has a thing for conjuring up herbal remedies, like her cold-fighting ginger tea. So when I got hit with a nasty fever last week, I called dear ol' auntie first. After I described my ailment, she said one word: sage. I was skeptical, mostly because I have never been a huge fan of the pungent, peppery herb. But since sage has been a longstanding healing Read more
It used to be that when I got sick, a temperature reading of 98.6°F was enough to persuade me that I didn't have anything serious. But a recent article in the New York Times says that 98.6 isn't so average after all. Suddenly what I thought was my safe zone is just slightly off. Although resting body temperatures vary between individuals, a study found that on average it's 98.2°F — not 98.6 Read more
'Tis the season for cold and flu and weary mamas are celebrating by monitoring their tot's temperature more than ever. From the dreaded rectal method to the easy arterial swipe, there's more than one way to take your child's temperature. Most mommies have a preferred method — what's yours? How Do You Take Your Child's Temperature? Oral (by mouth) Temporal artery (forehead) Read more
Worry comes with the territory of being a new mom. While not all fret-worthy things warrant a call to your lil one's pediatrician, an infant's fever is nothing to chance — especially during flu season. According to the Mayo Clinic: Mild fevers are common and usually harmless, but it's important to keep an eye on the thermometer. Contact the doctor if your baby is younger than age 2 months and Read more
The colors of Autumn might be lovely, but a few things about the season actually bring me down. I am talking about cold and flu season. If you're unlucky enough to have come down with some bug, you might be able to soothe some of your ailments with ingredients you have in your pantry. Prevention has listed some home remedies for common cold symptoms, and here are the highlights. Soothe that sore Read more
Two of my favorite treats are a hot mug of peppermint tea and a cold dish of peppermint ice cream. I must also say that candy canes receive an honorable mention. Peppermint has long been grandma's answer to belly aches and you know what? She was right on target. Peppermint calms the belly and stimulates digestion. It is often taken by folks with Irritable Bowel Syndrome to lessen the Read more
Since cold and flu season started a lot of folks have asked me if they should work out if they're sick. Well, a good rule of thumb when figuring out the answer is the neck check. Exercise is generally considered okay if your symptoms are all above the neck - sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, congestion. Light cardio might actually help reduce these symptoms and give your immune system a Read more
With Fifty Shades of Grey fever sweeping the nation, we've all been buzzing about which stars we can see as smoldering Christian and naive young Anastasia. Some readers even had suggestions for the supporting players (most notably Elena, aka Mrs. Robinson). To help you mix and match your leads, check out this list of casting suggestions and tell us which guy and gal would make your fantasy Fifty Read more
Leaving a high fever untreated may sound crazy to both new and seasoned moms, but it may become standard practice. According to a new report in the journal Pediatrics, there is no reason to use medication to alleviate a fever in an otherwise healthy child. The report concludes that for children over 3-months-old, medicating may actually lengthen the course of the illness, rather than shorten it, Read more
