Green Daily

Earlier this month we started a series on sustainable drug use -- which was fun and all -- but we realized a more practical guide might be in order. With that in mind, here's everything we know about common over-the-counter remedies. To view all the posts in this series, go here.

I wonder how any parent can buy something off the drug store shelf without guilt or fear anymore. Still, despite news last year that children's OTC cold and cough remedies may not be as safe as once believed and a subsequent recall, parents continue to buy various remedies in a desperate attempt to make their little ones feel better. Beyond the safety concerns, reports of pharmaceuticals found in our water supply remind us that the stuff we ingest doesn't just disappear. It ends up in our water supply, potentially harming ecosystems and eventually the health of future generations long after recalls are issued and manufacturing halted.

Thankfully, I've been pretty lucky with my kid. She's had one ear infection and a couple of minor colds in her three years of life. I admit to using a conventional OTC children's cold remedy once before last year's news. But since then, I wonder about some parents' rush to hush a cough or dry up a runny nose via some artificially colored, plastic-wrapped concoction on the store shelf. I've always been a bit more comfortable in the "let things run their course" camp, as well as using warm baths and massage to make kids feel better. Growing up in my house, hot tea and honey or 7-Up seemed like magic elixirs for congestion and an upset stomach.

There are stronger options without the safety concerns, too. The Holistic Pediatric Association offers various resources for parents reluctant to reach for the drug store shelves. My local health food store stocks myriad remedies for everything from infection to boosting immunity. Even so, my holistic practitioner most often advises doing absolutely nothing and letting my daughter's healthy body do its work to heal itself. Imagine that!