Ouch! I just got stung by a bee!

You may not have actually seen the bee sting you but boy you can sure feel it and there is no mistaking what it was. Most of the time there are clues around you like bees flying out of a nest or around an open soda can that will give you some idea what just happened.

Bees can go through clothing so don’t be fooled about that. I recently had a bee sting my ankle through a sock while I was sweeping grass clippings. Any threat to the nest or around it will active them into action and protection mode.

Here are some tips on what to do if you get stung by a bee:

1. Run out of the way of other bees: Try not to aggravate a swarm of bees. Running in the opposite direction will decrease the chances of multiple bee stings. Go indoors or jump in water if you have to.
2. Call for help if you need it and have someone stay with the person: Many adults as well as children panic when stung. Call for assistance to minimize trauma and to expedite care and support.
3. Take the stinger out immediately: As the stinger is barbed it will continue to pump venom into the skin through the sac attached to the stinger. By taking out the stinger within 15 seconds it will dramatically reduced the reaction. Venom continues to enter the body for 45-60 seconds after being stung. Flick out the stinger with a credit card or blunt knife. Tweezers may force more venom into the skin. Wash area.
4. Apply ice immediately: There will be a histamine reaction to the sting immediately as the body tries to react to the foreign substance. Inflammation and swelling will be minimized with the immediate application of ice.
5. Wash the area with soap and water » Read more: Bee Stings – 7 Tips For Immediate Care When Stung By A Bee

Babies’ intestinal tracts are not fully developed when they are born, and rely on the unique composition of breast milk to protect their intestinal tracts from infection until they are capable of doing it for themselves. It takes approximately one year for babies to develop their own IgA antibodies, which provide protection from microbes capable of multiplying in he body secretions. Cow’s milk should not be introduced to a baby before one year of age to give the baby’s immune system enough time to build up and defend itself against the foreign particles. For optimal health, it should not be consumed at all. Anything you have to build up immunity to in order to eat warrants steering clear.

The first food that newborns receive from their mothers is called colostrum. It is absolutely imperative to a baby’s immune system and overall health that she is breastfeed for at least the first 5 days after birth to receive this immune-enhancing colostrum. It is high in immunoglobulin IgA (which babies are incapable of developing at this point), and acts to coat and protect the gastrointestinal tract. It also acts as a laxative to help the newborn pass meconium, which makes up the baby’s first bowel movement. Meconium is sticky like tar, is sterile, and has no smell.

There are many other factors that make breast milk the optimal food for infants. It provides the baby with the right amount of nutrients in the right form for the best possible absorption. It is always the perfect temperature, convenient, economical, and it provides the baby with immune-enhancing nutrients that are crucial to optimal health. It is recommended that women breastfeed for the first year of the infant’s life to keep up receiving the numerous benefits to the baby’s health. We personally recommend that breastfeeding occur well into the second year for optimal health, although it does not need to be exclusively. » Read more: Cows Milk – The Number One Allergen