On my last trip to Florida, I went into Whole Foods Market to pick up a couple items. I overheard a distraught mother talking to a sales associate in the wellness section. Apparently, her 5 month old had a very bad cold; she was very congested and had a bad cough. Her daughter’s doctor recommended a prescription but the mother wanted to try something more holistic but saw nothing in the store recommended for a child under one. The sales associate was very kind, tried to be helpful, and started to read all the packages. I could tell the mother was getting frustrated as she could simply have read the labels herself. She needed suggestions. And since I can’t help myself from sharing, I approached the woman and asked about her child.

Apparently, the whole family had a very bad cold, no fever but lots of mucus and coughs. No one could sleep in the house, and rest was what everyone needed. I told her about my favorite cough remedy – garlic olive oil on the feet at night. She was so relieved, she said, “That is exactly what I was looking for!” I recommended using breast milk to clean out her baby’s nose but unfortunately, she was unable to nurse her daughter. Another idea that came to me was ginger tea, made from fresh ginger root, for congestion. It had always helped Mathew and was the first non-breast milk food he ever had.

Its funny how I needed to go back in time, think of Mathew as 5 months old, and what I would have done for him. Honey is great for coughs but not recommended for children under one year old. Raw honey can contain botulism spores and can be dangerous, as a young child’s digestive tract is not fully formed. As the child gets older and their digestive tract becomes fully formed, they can better handle bacteria and it is no longer an issue.

I have no idea how the woman and her daughter are or if she used my advice. However, later on she found me in the store and thanked me; she said I was a Godsend and relieved to have options. That really made my day as I know how it feels to be trapped in search of options. I am so glad I shared.

Can you resist stepping in when you see someone in need? What would you have suggested?

All information is shared for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.