A drug free home

Today while perusing on a mothers of multiples I read an amazing article written by a mother of triplets who is also a homeopathic health care practitioner. She has made a personal commitment to having a "drug free family". She believes that all ailments and conditions can be treated holistically through natural medicine, meditation and the maintenance of healthy chakras. While this goes a step further than I would take it she brought forward an interesting concept of a drug free family. I understand that there are a number of conditions that we need modern medicine to cure but there are also a number of conditions and situations where I do feel our children are being grossly over medicated. I have taken the stand and have decided to place my children on alternative vaccination schedules because I am unsure how I feel about the potential consequences of them. But, what about the things I give my children to treat their ailments. What about the potential consequences of them? Tylenol, benadryl, orajel, antibiotics all have possible repercussions as well.
I try not to over think my children's illnesses and sometimes realize colds just need to run their course but I am also the first to give my children cough suppressants to clear their chests, anti histimines to un stuff their noses and tylenol to stop their pain or break a fever. But, in reality stuffy noses and chest congestion is the bodies way of naturally curing out impurities, fevers are the bodies natural response against defenders. When we interrupt our bodies fight against outside offenders we are actually delaying the time in which are children are going to heal. As a parent, I cannot stand to see my child uncomfortable but rather than reaching into the medicine cabinet maybe I should be curling up on the couch with my boys instead. Laying down and cuddling with them rather than doping them with benadryl or trying alternative approaches before jumping to modern day medicine
Antibiotics are being over prescribed in epic proportions. Children are being given these drugs for almost every ailment that brings them into a physicians office and it is created a vicious cycle of drug resistance. A recent study by the APA has found that 80% of all ear infections, 86% of all upper respiratory tract infections and 60% of all eye infections will clear BY THEMSELVES within 7 days and are now encouraging parents to keep a "watchful eye" on these conditions rather than immediately treating them but unfortunately most pediatricians are not heeding this warning and are still OVER PRESCRIBING.
What we are ultimately doing is overwhelming our children's bodies with drugs that don't belong in them and destroying their ability to naturally fight off infection.
While I can't bring it in me to throw my tylenol to the wind...I will be ditching benadryl and cough suppressants.
And will try to remember when the sick bug comes my way that cuddles, hugs, chicken soup and nap time probably have more cure in them than any syrup ever could.