FEVER - A Sign of Trouble

A fever is a signal from the body that there is a problem - something needs attention.  To react by giving a drug to reduce the fever without addressing the cause of the fever will drive the sickness deeper and create more chronic problems later.  The question you should be asking...What is the cause of the fever?  What is the body trying to accomplish...and how can I help it along?

One cause of a fever is that the body is trying to move bodybuilding materials from one area to another.  For example in a teething baby...the child is not really "sick", but the body runs a fever to help get the tooth thru.  If the child is given an organic, easy to absorb, calcium...the fever will drop quickly and the tooth will appear.  This may also be true after injury; wounds or broken bones.  The body needs extra building materials to repair, so it may create a fever to accomplish the movement of the nutrients needed.  We can help by supplying those nutrients.  While also watching for infection, which the fever helps to guard against.

Perhaps the main cause of fever is that the body has reached a toxic level and it is time to remove the toxic material.  Think of a city with a garbage pick-up strike.  The garbage builds up and begins to stink...so we spray it with perfumes (deodorants).  Then the rats come, we panic and kill them with spray...think antibiotics!  But has the garbage pile been diminished?  No...the garbage is still there and will continue to be a problem until it is removed.  One way to remove the trash is to burn it.  This is also the way the body reacts to an overload of garbage...it creates a fever to burn it up.  Our job is not to turn off the fever with a drug, but rather encourage the removal of the toxic waste that has been accumulated in the body. The first thing to do is to make sure the bowels are moving...a constipated body is a toxic body.

A third cause of a fever is bacterial infection.  The body will attempt to turn up the heat to kill the bacteria.  If we take drugs to shut off the fever, we allow the bacteria to grow, causing a worse infection.  Instead of turning off the heat, we can allow it to burn and kill the bacteria and eliminate waste.  The body will not allow the fever to go too high as is commonly feared.  For more information on this read, How to Raise a Healthy Child...In Spite of Your Doctor, by Dr. Mendelsohn.  The real worry in allowing the fever to run its course is dehydration.  Dr. Christopher always said, "dry heat kills, moist heat heals".  Let this be your motto and drink plenty of fluids.  Also consider soaking in a warm tub to both soak in water and sweat out toxins.

Next time you have a fever...ascertain the cause.  Figure out what the body is trying to do and help it to do its job by giving it nutrients or herbs to accomplish its work.  The fever is just a signal...you must figure out what needs attention.  Don't simply reach for a drug to shut off the alarm.

 Lisa A. Purdy is not a physician and all recommendations are not o be considered diagnosis or prescription.  Any information given is for educational purposes only.  You are responsible for your own health choices and all information is solely to assist in making those choices.