Treating A Fever While On GAPS
While on GAPS a fever can be a good thing.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says, “Embrace the fever!” This is due to the fact that the fever is cooking something out of the body. She says if the body is strong enough one of the ways it heals is heating up the toxins to eliminate them. She says sometimes a fever can go for weeks, depending on what is processing within the body.
The pattern frequently looks like this: a person gets on GAPS, inflammation reduces internally, the body gets stronger with resulting positive symptoms such as less stimming, clearer speech, better eye contact and improved behavior as well as many other symptoms. Then as the body continues to get stronger it will bring on a virus, as Dr. Natasha says, to burn off more toxins or cook out more pathogens. Many people who encounter this see much better health after the fever or illness.
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One of the most beneficial things parents report as healing remedies are kraut juice, the fermented liquid from other vegetable ferments, hot herbal teas and meat stock soups. Dr. Natasha recommends loading up the stocks with onions and garlic, heavy on the onions, cooked until clear and then adding as many yolks as are tolerated without die off to each bowl of soup.
Some parents lean on elderberry. Many reports show elderberry is very strong as a healing remedy that stops the mutation of viruses. Clinically, however, many practitioners report their clients develop illnesses while on prophylactic elderberry. Clinical reports of positive relief from kraut juice far outweighs the positive reports of elderberry.
Homeopathy is always good, especially with GAPS. Dr. Natasha says along with the GAPS Protocol homeopathy smooths off the rough edges. If the fever is connected to shakes, chills, anxiety, redness in the face, headache – aconite fits.
If the fever includes symptoms of dull, drowsy, apathetic, dizzy, brought on by warm weather, – gelsemium fits.
If the fever comes with dry tongue, burns the person up, the skin is dry (no sweat), sleepless and restless – sulphur fits.
If the fever comes with abnormal mental irritation, delirium, headache or other mental issues, hot skin, sweaty with no relief, chills, little thirst and the fever is worse at night –belladonna fits.
It the fever has great heat with the whole body burning, red and hot face and cold when not covered with blankets – nux vomica fits.
Wet socks are another method to assist in bringing down a fever. When the child is in bed for an extended period of time, like through the night, put a pair of wet socks on the child then put another pair of wool socks on top of the wet socks. The cool water will be wicked up through the feet to body creating a consistent coolant to bring down the temperature. It’s a form of natural internal air conditioning.
Enemas help to pull out toxins from the tract. The fever is there to cook out toxins, if you assist in pulling them out the process goes faster. The problem with this remedy is when you have a fever you don’t feel like doing an enema. However, if you can muster up the strength it’s a game changer.
Yarrow is a herb that works both as a fever reducer and a stops bleeding both effectively. Used as a hot tea it is very therapeutic and comforting. This remedy is most a common go-to for home remedies. It is this author’s first choice. When making a tea the general measure is one measured teaspoon of dried herb to one cup of water.
Dr. Natasha used to recommend if the fever was over 100.4 to use aspirin. She divulges the pharmacological thinking behind reye syndrome in FAQS showing the patent ran out on aspirin and it was no longer profitable so the marketing energy went to ibuprofen for a fever. In FAQS she says, “The drugs which replaced aspirin are far more dangerous than aspirin can ever be. For example, paracetamol is the most common drug in suicide, as an overdose of it can irrevocably destroy the liver; ibuprofen is known to cause heart attacks and other heart trouble.”
In the FAQS section of her website she says, “I am familiar with an idea that fever should never be reduced, but do not completely agree with it. I do not recommend reducing fever up to 38°C (100.4°F) as it is the body’s way to deal with infection; above that level I recommend to reduce it, because it can trigger febrile seizures and other undesirable complications. Homeopathy has very effective ways of dealing with the fever and the infection. If it is not available, use plain aspirin.”
At the Annual Weston A. Price Conference in Anaheim, California, 2015, Dr. Natasha changed her fever numbers for treatment saying if the person has a fever over 104 to treat the fever, otherwise it’s beneficial to let it run the course.
She does not recommend using over the counter medicines saying, “Over the counter drugs for colds do have a negative effect on the digestive system and the immune system. Apart from the drug itself they contain sweeteners, flavors, fillers, binders and other ingredients, which will do you or your child no good.”
When taking aspirin she recommends, “Aspirin should not be taken on an empty stomach, so I recommend to have some hot meat stock with fermented dairy (sour cream is the best) prior to taking aspirin or with it. For children I recommend getting soluble aspirin (the usual dose is a tiny tablet of 75mg); dissolve one tablet in some chamomile tea with a bit of honey. Give some of this tea to your child fairly hot from a teaspoon; in small children a few teaspoons can be enough to reduce high temperature and make the child feel better.”
To read more about antibiotic use and when to potentially seek antibiotics click here.
*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, GAPS who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia through food she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. This is not a news article published by a paper trying to make money. This blog is put out by a mom who sees first hand the effects of nourishing food vs food-ish items. No company pays her for writing these blogs, she considers this a form of missionary work. It is her desire to scream it from the rooftops so that others don’t suffer from the damaging effect of today’s “food”.
“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.
