What Would Emily Do? (8/7 Edition)

Baby with Lingering Cough – Teen with Psoriasis – Gelatin Lovin' – Too Much Cod Liver Oil? – Organic Cotton in Clothing – Weight Loss Struggles – Natural Treatment for Ovarian Cysts

My inbox runneth over with questions from readers wondering – What would Emily do – about Real food and holistic health topics. I’ve created this Q&A to get your questions answered and for other folks to benefit from the answers too.

In this edition we'll discuss natural ways to help a baby with a lingering cough, a teenager with psoriasis, a mama struggling with weight loss, and much more.

Who am I to know the answers to your questions?

I’m a holistic-minded mom, a sometimes beach bum, a real food foodie, a curious health researcher, and I’ve been practicing holistic and Chinese medicine for over a decade. That said, the answers here are only my opinion, and shouldn’t be construed as medical advice.

If you read something here and have your own wisdom or opinion to add, by all means, please leave a comment so we can all benefit from your experiences and perspective.

Okey dokey! Let’s dive in…

Question 1: Baby with lingering cough

Leah writes…
Our daughter is 3 months old, and she has had a lingering cough for almost 2 months. In the beginning it was more persistent, but now it is just every once in awhile. She nurses/eats great, sleeps well, and has been happy all the while; therefore, it is not too concerning too us. It seems like she coughs the most while she is sleeping, but it varies. It isn't a constant, all day thing either. Just wanting to reach out to see if you have any suggestions for us to try to help get rid of the cough for our little one. 

Thanks for your question, Leah. I'm curious WHY does a baby this young have a cough in the first place? If she has older siblings that are bringing home germs or if she goes to daycare, she may need some extra immune support. At this young age, I would simply start her off on a good infant probiotic.

Since she's otherwise feeling fine, there may be a structural component contributing to her body's seemingly slow recovery. You might try cranial sacral therapy to see if some gentle shifting might help her body to recover.

Finally, if the cough persists or gets worse, I would probably prescribe Chinese herbs, which are safe and effective in treating coughs in babies and kids. These herbs aren't generally available to the public, so find a Chinese herbalist near you.

Question 2: Teen with psoraisis

Frankie writes… 
My friend's daughter developed scalp psoriasis at 14. They started with the dermatologist and now 3 years, several different prescriptions, and liver damage later, the condition is much worse and the doctor is offering self-administered shots (about 2500 per year) for which the side effects are cancer… do you know a remedy? It's about 1/2 thick on this beautiful girl's scalp and maddening. Hallelujah they're ready to get off the Big Pharma ride!

Thanks for writing, Frankie. As your friend and her daughter have discovered, western medicine doesn't offer particularly safe or effective remedies when it comes to psoriasis and most other skin conditions. The good news is that holistic measures can provide safe, long-term healing. The flip side is that this road is not a fast one and can require quite a bit of diet and lifestyle modifications, which are often challenging to implement with a teen.

I would recommend starting with my ebook, The Eczema Cure, which will provide a foundation of learning to heal most skin conditions from the inside out. Additionally, they should seek out an experienced practitioner who can guide them to make lifestyle changes. Finally, Chinese herbs would be a great tool to help her heal her whole system.

Question 3: Gelatin lovin'

Amanda is searching…
I'm looking for more recipes that use gelatin. I use the high quality brand that you recommended. I found one recipe for frozen jello popsicles and was hoping to substitute high-quality gelatin for the jello, but I'm curious if freezing would harm the good stuff in the gelatin. Thanks!

Hi Amanda – No, I don't think it's a problem to freeze gelatin. For more recipes that contain this amazing superfood, be sure to check out The Gelatin Secret by Sylvie McCracken of HollywoodHomestead.com.

If you haven't tried them yet, check out these yummy Strawberry Cream Gummies and this recipe for finger jello.

Question 4: Too much cod liver oil

Justin asks…
Can you tell me if taking two teaspoons daily of Green Pastures Fermented Cod Liver Oil daily would cause me any harm? I do not want to overdose on Vitamin A or Vitamin D.

Good question, Justin. The short answer is no. Two teaspoons of fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) is within the dosages recommended by the Weston Price Foundation.

Of course, everyone is different, so it's up to you to determine the correct dosage based on your body's needs.

Read more about:
How much cod liver oil do I need?
Vitamin A Toxicity – What You Need to Know

Find fermented cod liver oil online here.

Question 5: Organic cotton in clothing

Jessica writes…
Hey Emily, how do you feel about organic cotton clothing? Do you think it is necessary? Taking into fact that cotton now these days is doused in pesticides and herbicides. I have very sensitive acne prone skin that I have mostly healed with probiotics and real food, and I was wondering if organic cotton would reduce redness and inflammation.

Hi Jessica – I love this question – thanks for asking it. While choosing. organic clothing may not always be possible or affordable, it is certainly a good thing to do when you can.

For those with sensitive skin (and health issues in general) I certainly recommend choosing the ‘cleanest' and most natural fibers possible. Whether or not you buy organic cotton clothing you should wash your new clothes before wearing them to remove any chemicals that may have been used to manufacture them.

Aside from the direct benefits that organic fibers may or may not have on your health, by supporting organic cotton you are also encouraging practices that promote a healthier environment and planet which ultimately will have a positive effect on your health too. This last part is the thing that I think most folks forget.

Question 6: Weight loss struggles

Jessica writes…
Hi Emily, love your website!! It’s helped me a lot. A couple of weeks ago I decided to go grain-free to help with getting rid of an overgrowth of yeast/candida. That is my primary reason for doing so, but I was also hoping to be able to finally lose extra weight.

Since my first child was born, 11 years ago, I have gained 100 pounds. This is over the course of 5 pregnancies and many attempts at losing the weight. In fact, part of the reason I have gained so much is from trying to lose it so many times using popular diets. I have been following Nourishing Traditions off and on for about 7 years now, but did a few low/no carb diets mixed in there. Anyways, the diet changes are going very well, but I haven’t noticed any changes in what is on the scale.

Do you have any ideas that would help me with weight loss/fat loss?

Hi Jessica – thanks for writing. It sure can be a struggle to manage weight gain, especially after having children. You can read my weight loss story in this post.

I highly recommend reading Nourished Metabolism, a phenomenal ebook by Elizabeth Walling that will explain why diets stop working and what to do instead.

Question 7: Natural treatment for ovarian cysts

Carly wants to know…
Hey, do you have any tips on naturally treating ovarian cysts? Especially pain management?

Hi Carly – Yes. In addition to strictly following a real food diet, you may find that eliminating certain foods – definitely soy and modern vegetable oils, and probably gluten, sugar, caffeine, and pasteurized dairy – will help reduce the pain that you're experiencing. Additionally, acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help to resolve the cysts and manage the pain.

Question 8: Vitamin syrup for kids

Maria writes…
Hi, I'm looking for a good, powerful but clean vitamin syrup for my two little toddlers. What are your favorite vitamins for kids?

Thanks for asking, Maria. I actually don't recommend multivitamin supplements. For most kids, supplementing with fermented cod liver oil and possibly probiotics on a daily basis is enough. Read more about why I don't give my kids multivitamins in this post.

Question 9: Treating gas in early eaters

Laura asks…
I exclusively breastfeed, and my lil' one started solids twice a day at 6 months. She's been really gassy. Any holistic remedies for gassiness?

Hi Laura. The gassiness may be caused by specific foods, weak digestion, or both. Go slowly with introducing anything new, and try to observe if specific foods are causing the discomfort. You can read about the best first foods for babies here. If you haven't yet introduced bone broth, it's a great way to help strengthen a baby's digestive system. You may also want to supplement with a high potency infant probiotic like this one.

Got questions about real food or holistic health and wondering W.W.E.D.?

If you have a question for me, please first use the handy dandy search bar at the top righthand corner of this site. If that doesn’t give you the answers you need, email [questions at holisticsquid dot com].

I can’t guarantee that I will get to every single question, but I will do my best (with a priority for questions that will serve the most of the Holistic Squid community).

Also, keep in mind that I cannot and will not give you medical advice over the internet. It’s inappropriate and unethical. If you want my medical opinion about a health or nutritional issue for you or your child, I take virtual patient consultations on a limited basis via phone or Skype; You can find out more about my distance consultations here.

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