5 items I would have in my medicine cabinet

At baby showers, it is not uncommon for the expectant mom or set of parents to receive a goody basket full of baby ibuprofen or tylenol, diaper rash cream, gas drops or nursing cream.  In fact, I received all of these things and have at one point or another tried all of them, and was happy to not have to run out to the drugstore to grab them on a rainy night.

There are times though when the conventional treatments don't *work* or fix the problem like I would've liked, and thanks to a few friends, I have learned some different ways to treat certain ailments that may afflict your little one or other family members!

If I were to make my own all-natural/homeopathic goody bag for an expectant parent, here is what I would include, and why:

Aconite Flower, c/o Wikipedia

• Aconitum Napellus, aka "Aconite," is a homeopathic treatment that I buy in the little blue Boiron tubes at my local healthfood store and always try to keep it in stock because according to B.B.H., it's the best thing to give at the onset of any illness.  Cold, fever, sore throat, vomiting, etc., if given within the first 12 hours it can really lessen or reduce the impact of the symptoms.  
• Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum.  This is a great homeopathic treatment for the croup cough that is common in children under 5.  Aside from using hepar sulph, we'll use a humidifier in the room, and try to get as much rest as possible.  Using tea tree oil, lavender and the other essential oils on the hands or feet can help with croup, but try not to use both treatments at the same time.  Oils are powerful and can sometimes overpower the homeopathic treatment.  
• Chamomilla tablets are great for a teething baby; it's essentially the same herb in teething tablets you can buy at any drugstore or Target.  Sometimes we give Mia chamomilla when she's freaking out for no apparent reason; it's great for reducing agitation and fear in an unsettled child.  When a child is older, you could also try real chamomile tea.  
• Coldcalm can be used for cold and flu and similar to Zicam, is best when taken immediately and with greater frequency at the onset.  It is analogous to a conventional cold medication you'd buy at your pharmacy, treating a whole host of symptoms with various homeopathic ingredients. 
• Black Elderberry Syrup (technically I would keep this in my refrigerator upon opening) is wonderful for that persistent cough or reducing the duration of the flu.  One day when Mia was hacking in church services, a family friend came up and just said, "Black Elderberry Syrup, that's what you need for Mia."  We quickly picked some up on our way home and Mia's cough was gone within days.  Some studies have even shown that it can reduce your flu by 4 days!  It was also shown to be 99% effective against the Avian Bird Flu.  

  

  Black Elderberry, c/o Gaia Herbs

  
  

What I love about these remedies is that they are proven over time and have a greater track record than many of your typical over the counter remedies.  They have lasted over the years and stood the test of time, which gives me great comfort as a young mother treating a young child wondering, "Is this safe? Will this work? Am I hurting my child?"  

Whenever we travel away from home for days at a a time, I will often pack Aconite and Hepar Sulph in my bag, because it seems Mia always comes down with something when we're away from home (stress, fatigue, less rest usually accompany our travels!).  It's nice to know we have a quick way to treat the symptoms before they blow up into something worse.  

So the next time you're thinking about natural remedies for common ailments in your family, know that you can rely on many of the herbs and plants God has provided us on this earth!  

Happy homeopathy!

Disclaimer: Of course, I am not a medical doctor or a doctor of natural medicine, so if you have any concerns about you or your child's physical health before taking these remedies, please consult with a DOM, DNM or someone experienced in homeopathy.  There can be contraindications with herbs as well, i.e., if you are on prescription medication, nursing or pregnant.  /Concluding the "don't sue me" spiel.  

This post was also shared at Chiquita Bambina & on Monday Mania.

Today's Health: Article Round-Up

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Our family did not escape the 2011 flu season without finally succumbing to a stomach virus.  Just last week, each member of our family slowly fell prey to a bug that had some intense effects at first onset, and then "generously" lingered around for a few more days with just a general "crud" feeling.  Not much felt or sounded good, so we slowly consumed our fluids, some homemade chicken broth, and crackers.

But now we're back on the up & up and the following articles found their way into my Facebook feed.  These articles have given me much to think about as I reflect on how we can improve our family's health after being down and out, and unfortunately, relying on more processed food than we had in a while.

See for yourself:
Confession: I May Be Orthorexic (And Why You May Be Too via Wellness Mama

Are you enjoying your daily chemical cocktail? via Grist

Athletes Looking To Meat As Performance Enhancer via CNBC

It has reaffirmed to me the value of cutting down or completely cutting out processed foods, things with artificial dyes, chemicals or additives, and eating food properly prepared.

Of course, I know I can't be perfect (or else I might be "orthorexic") ... but each little step in the right direction can boast big gains in the future.

So with that, my new project for this weekend is making liquid whey, as shown here or here.
I can't wait to try my hand at homemade cream cheese once the whey separates from the curds!

Photo Credit: faithfulprovisions.com

Future post will include what all you can do with whey!  I'm excited to find out and share with you.

Enjoy.

One Step at a Time

It's been a while since I've posted.  As I'm still trying to hone in on the focus of this blog, I've taken a break to let my mind consider where I want this to go.  However, there have been lots of ideas brewing in my head and this one, I just wanted to go ahead and share.

When the thought occurs to you that you'd like to have a more healthful home with fresher, organic, or higher-quality products in your pantry or refrigerator, it oft times feels like "I must do this all at once!"  The overwhelming feeling that you must rid or clear your pantry or fridge of all-things-evil can consume you and rob you of any of the joy that does come with gradually transitioning your kitchen into a place of healthy, domestic bliss.  I've come to realize changes do not happen overnight, and often times, the best changes may take place over a long period of time (think, falling in love with your spouse, being pregnant, learning a language ... all of those things take time but are well worth it!).

One area that I've wanted to redo in my kitchen pantry are the types of products I let reside there.  In this case, my spices.  Since I've actually cooked more now this past year than I ever have in my life, all the spices I've acquired over the last few years are actually starting to run out.  Never in my adult life have I ever come to this point!  Beforehand, I moved too much to keep up with my spices and would start over, or I will willingly admit that I ate many boxed mixes of foods or convenience foods out on the go, and spices weren't much of a mainstay.  However, now that I'm a full-time stay-at-home-mom (SAHM for the savvy online mommas), I cook a lot more.

I've come to learn that organic, non-irradiated spices are the best quality.

From OrganicConsumers.org:

"'Virtually all conventional spices sold in the United States are fumigated [sterilized] with hazardous chemicals that are banned in Europe,' [Thomas Fricke, cofounder and president of ForesTrade, an organic spice company in Brattleboro, Vermont] says. 'And they may be produced in a manner that is destructive to the ecosystems where they're grown.' This includes cultivating spices on clear-cut lands and treating them with pesticides.

As a consequence, spices may be contaminated with pesticide residues and with genetically modified ingredients; almost 10 percent are irradiated as well."  

Thus, as I run out of my irradiated spices, I'm opting to replace them with organic, non-irradiated spices instead.  So far I've replaced my Vanilla, several times, with Simply Organic's Vanilla or Frontier co-op's version.  You can find Simply Organic coupons here.  There are also coupons for Frontier co-op products (spices, extracts, etc.) in the Fall 2010 Healthy Clippings booklet, available at Nutrition S'mart in Tampa or Wesley Chapel.  

In the Tampa area, I've found these products at Sweetbay Supermarkets, and Nutrition S'mart.  As I live about 30 minutes away from the closest Whole Foods or Greenwise Publix, I do not get to shop there often, but I'd be almost 100% certain they carry these lines as well.

So, unless you've found yourself winning the lottery, or are on a crusade to clear out every non-organic spice you have in the pantry, give yourself a break and gradually redo your pantry with non-irradiated, organic spices as you see the need.  Your pocketbook & mental and physical health will thank you.

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And then, be like me, and try to win a set of 50 organic spices & seasonings!  All you need do is submit a picture of yourself using a Simply Organic or Frontier co-op picture by November 15.  Sounds easy enough!  The link also includes $1 off a Frontier product!  SWEET :D

Saving money, being healthy

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If you're like me, you're interested in making the healthiest choices for your family at the lowest cost.  Short of making your own cleaning products--which I'm totally interested in but haven't tackled yet--one of my favorite brands to use in the home is Seventh Generation.  I love that they offer various types of products: paper, baby, kitchen, all-purpose, etc., and that they regularly offer coupons!

If you are not part of Seventh Generation nation, go check out their website. You can print each coupon twice in the given time period, and they refresh them periodically, so you should always go back to their website and see what coupons are new!

Now, if you really want to maximize your savings, wait to use these coupons for when the products go on sale at your local grocery, discount, or health food store!  (Tip courtesy of Meli @ Purely Saving!) You'll feel so good knowing you're using products in your home that do clean without dangerous chemicals!