Book Review: Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker

Many years ago, the second of my ten children, a daughter, kept getting strep throat over and over again. We would barely finish one round of antibiotics, when the strep would come back. Finally, after when she came to me saying her throat was hurting once again, I began to seek other ways of helping her get over this problem. I met a lady who sold Nature's Sunshine Herbs, and my life changed.

She told me that most likely my daughter's problems were caused by allergies. She sold me several bottles of capsules, and I had my daughter begin taking them. Sure enough, the herbs caught the problem before it became worse, and my daughter did not have another reoccurrence of strep.

I continued using herbs for many years to treat my children. For a while, I sold Nature's Sunshine Herbs myself. But life got busy, we moved several times, had several more children, and I let my education on herbal products go by the wayside.

We recently added three more children to our family by adoption from the foster care system. Two of these children have asthma, and one of them and her full sibling baby brother are prone to ear infections. Being sick more than my other children seem to be, my mind once more turned to herbal remedies. I kept hearing about the book Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker, and I finally took the plunge and bought the book. I am so glad I did!

Within days of purchasing the book, my youngest child came down with a raging fever, and kept sticking his fingers in his ears. Since he is only 21 months, he couldn't tell me what was wrong, but it was pretty obvious he had an ear infection. I got the book out, and first chance I had, which was almost 48 hours later, since he became sick on a weekend, I made a trip to the local health food store. They have a wonderful line of children's herbal remedies in gummies and tinctures. I had a list in hand that I had made from the recommendations in the book, and I bought what I needed.

Within 24 hours of giving him the products, he had turned the corner, his fever was gone and his ear seemed much better. Another 24 hours, and he seemed almost well.

This book is not a 'no doctor at all' type book. Mrs. Parker tells you what can be treated at home and how, and when to seek medical help. She includes forms to help you evaluate and form a plan for your family's health. She gives instructions for growing and harvesting herbs, how to make simple herbal remedies at home, and what to purchase for your medicine cabinet.

There are many pages of different ailments and what you can use for each one. She covers babyhood, the teen years, middle years and old age, and gives advice on things to have on hand for the unique needs of each time of life.

There are resource lists to find different products, and also recommended books to purchase to further your education on herbal medicine.

Pictures of the Parker family are scattered throughout, and it's fun to see her healthy children doing various things.

I recommend this book, and personally plan on buying more of her books, myself.