A Cold Sore Remedy {and other ways to prepare for cold and flu season}
I’ve been making some “supplies” for the cold and flu season, and one of those supplies is a cold sore (or fever blister) remedy. I’ve had the unfortunate opportunity to use this several times over the last couple of months. If I put it on when I first feel the tingling of a cold sore devloping, the cold sore doesn’t develop. The first time I used it, the cold sore had started the day before but by day 5 it was gone. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited about this new remedy.
Here’s the recipe, 6 drops lemon essential oil, 4 drops lavender essential oil, 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil and 2 tablespoons carrier oil (I use coconut oil). Mix it up and put it in a small jar or roll on bottle. All of these essential oils have anti-viral properties but make sure you dilute them by using a carrier oil. This recipe makes three 10ml roll on bottles (1/3 oz). If you want to make just one, you can adjust the recipe – 2 drops lemon, 1 drop lavender, 2 drops eucalyptus and 2 tsp carrier oil. Since this is something that is used externally and for a short period of time (just a few days in most cases) it’s okay if it’s a little stronger than a standard 2% dilution.
Over the years I’ve used a lot of different brands of essential oils. I’m now in the process of just using Rocky Mountain Oils. They have quality oils and make each batches GC/MS test results available, they also practice environmental sustainability in harvesting, packaging, and recycling. These are things that are important to me.
I also made a big batch of a “concoction” that I learned from our Kenyan friends. I freeze it in ice cube trays so we’ll have plenty on hand when we need it. You can get video tutorials of how to make this and the other recipes in the Simple Remedies for Cold and Flu Season ecourse.
A couple of years ago Kathie from Homespun Seasonal Living sent me some elderberry syrup and tincture in exchange for some lemons. I had never had elderberry syrup before and was pretty excited to use it. Esther had a lingering cough that she just could not shake and after a few days of taking elderberry syrup her cough was gone. This year, I ordered my own elderberries and made syrup and tincture for us. I also planted an elderberry tree.
Chris of Joybilee Farm makes a Fire Cider to take before anyone gets sick. It takes 4-6 weeks so I better get to it made if I want to make some for this winter.
I’ve been working on some homemade lotions but the recipes aren’t quite right for sharing – they are a little greasy. But I do love to make different scrubs to help with dry skin.
That’s it. This is how I prep for the cold and flu season. I’ve found that with these few things along with eating lots of citrus, taking epsom salt baths and limiting sugar we can usually make it through the season without getting sick enough to go to the doctor.
What are your natural must-haves for the cold and flu season?
Original article and pictures take www.schneiderpeeps.com site
Packing fruit in lunch boxes is a breeze in the spring and summer, when all kinds of fruits–from blueberries to watermelon–are in season, widely available, and at their absolute peak.
Come fall, pickings get a little slim, but apples are plentiful. Trouble is, my boys don’t like to have whole apples in their lunch (my second grader’s new front teeth are especially sensitive to biting into whole fruit). But they also don’t like the look of apple slices that have turned brown.
My boys both like apple slices tossed in a yummy OJ-lemon juice combo (See how: It’s #6 in My 10 Favorite Kitchen Tricks). But sometimes I don’t have time and want to do something fast. I’d seen my friend Bri of the blog Red Round or Green pack apple slices coated with cinnamon-sugar and thought it was a genius way to cover any browning. This trick, a riff on that method, even got a thumbs-up from my finicky sixth grader!
Start with a small apple–like the “lunch box size” apples usually sold bagged at the store. As you know, I’m an ALDI shopper, so I found a bag of organic Gala apples there at a great price. Gala is also a variety that doesn’t tend to brown as quickly as others.
Cut your apple on either side of the core. I usually slice off the little leftover sides and nibble them as I’m making this–or hand them to one of the kids to eat.
Sprinkle both cut sides with a little bit of cinnamon or a cinnmon-sugar mix.
Put both pieces together, cut sides facing each other. This helps prevent browning–and the cinnamon is a fun way to disguise any browning that does occur.
Pack in your lunch box or container. It fits perfectly inside our EasyLunchboxes, which are the go-to, everyday containers around here. (Get the details: My Favorite Lunch Boxes For Kids).
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we are at the point in the summer when it’s time to start planning for the next school year! In our area of the globe we are returning to school August 8th.
It seems that every year that first day appears around the bend of tall corn and warm air just as we are in our suntan, berry picking, farmer’s stand groove and winding the summers down much too soon for my barefoot tribe of teens.
A kink landed smack in front of my last two weeks of summer as I realize I need to be sorting clothes that they have outgrown and watching the aisles of Walmart for those school supply lists instead of laughing with the kids as they jump in the lake or cover themselves with watermelon juice as they run around the yard!
Whether your kids are going to public school, private school, or homeschooling, I’m sure you can identify with that back-to-school rush that interferes with the end-of-summer fun.
Many of us ladies here at Keeper of the Home have our own bundles of kids and we understand the stress of traversing the empty aisles to find last minute notebooks or the right kind of 11 pocket folders in two yellow, two blue, two green, two white, three purple all with clasps and 3 holes!
This back-to-school giveaway is for you, moms. It’s something special to thank you for being a mom. Remember to take care of yourself and to take a minute to breathe. The back-to-school chaos may usurp your life, but don’t let it drag you down: keep smiling, keep trusting God, and keep at the most important work you can do!
Kick back and enter our back-to-school giveaway for moms, full of over $250 worth of all-natural products to salute the important work you do and to help you deal with the stress of the season.
HOW TO ENTER:
Check out the goodies we’ve put together for you.
Enter below: up to 3 entries per person!
Our Back-to-School Giveaway for Moms Up Close
This Keeper of the Home Back-to-School Giveaway for Moms is worth over $250!!! We’ve been working hard to find just the right combination of awesome and useful and fabulous, and we think we’ve done it!
Check out our favorite back-to-school essentials for moms and enter below for a chance to win.
Value of $24
Does back-to-school give you a headache? Or does the thought of it fill you with so much excitement you might explode? Either way, you’re going to LOVE this!
With the stress of the juggling of back to school, there’s nothing like connecting with touch…and I say this even for those of you who may not be the touchy-feely types. My hubby is NOT a touch-type person, but he is a huge fan of Melt Massage. So here’s to date nights that connect you to your man!
We have plans, very soon, to unveil some product lines that will be linked to Keeper of the Home: items that will help you live a whole and natural life, available for a reasonable price in quantities to serve your family. These are two of my favorites from what we have coming!
Gold & Black Whole Bean Coffee (1 lb. bag)
While I love coffee, my husband did not until recently. Now that we drink bullet proof coffee every morning, he’s getting more of a taste for it, and this roast is one of our favorites. It’s fair trade, organic, and veryyummy. It’s a blend of light and dark roasted coffee, and it’s both smooth and sweet. There’s a buttery texture to it, with hints of chocolate and fruit.
Honey (1 lb. jar)
This honey was made by bees in my local neighborhood, and it is completely organic. The air around here is clean and clear, which only adds to the yum of this honey. And the jars? We shopped high and low to find something that we felt captured what we wanted to convey…and I just love them (I love the honey more, though).
East Bali Chocolate Cashews (3 oz. bag)
Sometimes you just need a quick bite, or you want to tuck something tasty AND nutritious in your bag (or their gym bag!)…and I can think of many other reasons to treat myself to these: they’re organic, they’re fair trade, they have only four ingredients (cashews, cane sugar, dark cocoa powder, and sea salt).
But the best part is thechocolate part, don’t you agree? ��
They’re not too sweet, but have the taste of chocolate that just…well, you know. ��
$16.00
Because every mom I know who loves to relax deserves a bath with one of these nourishing, fragrant goat milk baths from Bend Soap! This batch is one of our favorite scents, Cranberry Wassail.
The soap is made from goat’s milk, with essential oils for fragrance, and it’s a silky smooth experience that will help you physically relax while you soak in the tub.
You simply add a handful of the shredded soap into the running water and watch it bubble. Then you kick back and enjoy the experience! ��
Note: This isn’t the usual 7 oz. bag, but the bulk one-pound bag!
Value of $65
Once the kiddos are back in school, I love being able to put things in order (though I do, admittedly, miss them!). That includes finally cleaning some of the tracks from the kitchen, some of the prints from the walls, some of the grime from the places I don’t notice during summer break.
Of course, what I’m grabbing is my blue bottles from Cleaning Essentials. This kit has 2 of the original blue spray bottles and 2 amber bottles, a wipes container, plus an organic cotton air diffuser.
Raising Positive Kids: What Your Family Must Know to Succeed
This is one of my hubby’s latest projects, and I’m so proud of him. But it’s also something near and dear to me as a parent and a wife. Whether you win this prize pack or not, here’s the secret: you can get this ebook free right now by signing up over at Ziglar Family. I wanted to include it in this giveaway, though, because I think it’s that important for us moms and our families!
Enter to Win the Back-to-School Giveaway for Moms
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kick back and enter our back-to-school giveaway for moms, full of over $250 worth of all-natural products to salute the important work you do and to help you deal with the stress of the season. Original article and pictures take keeperofthehome.org site
9 Ways Young Kids Can Help (and Even Save You Time) in the Kitchen!
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer
Young kids in the kitchen and saving time in the kitchen are not two things that you usually see together in the same sentence, right?!
I’ll be the first to raise my hand and admit that when my kids are in the kitchen with me that we often waste more time than save.
And yet, over the past six months or so, I’ve really begun to see that with a little teaching, help, direction and then ongoing supervision (while I’m accomplishing other things!), my kids can actually help me with tasks in a way that ultimately saves me time in the kitchen!
They do simple tasks and repeat them often enough that they learn to do them well. And that frees up time for me to work on other things that they can’t really help with yet, so I’m maximizing my time when I would be in the kitchen with them anyway.
Here are 9 ways young kids can help you in the kitchen in a way that can actually help save you time, too!
1. Unload the dishwasher.
Children from a very young age can help unload the dishwasher, especially if they have drawers on their level where they can put the dishes away. My 17-month-old can help unload the top rack of our dishwasher and put the kids’ plastic plates and bowls in the right drawer!
If the cupboards or drawers are too high for them to reach, you could have them unload the dishes onto the counter, and you can put them away as you are able.
Putting away the silverware is also a great activity for young kids to do because it’s like a matching game. They just have to match the clean silverware to the silverware that’s already in the drawer!
2. Load the dishwasher.
Up until a few months ago, I wouldn’t have included loading the dishwasher on my list of chores for kids to help with in the kitchen. But then I watched this video from Montessori on the Double and realized if those girls, who are younger than my older two kids, can do it then of course my kids can, too!
It takes some direction and instruction the first few times, but once they get the hang of it, this is actually a pretty easy task for children to do. I especially like that my kids can clear their place after a meal and put their dishes right into the dishwasher (if they’ve emptied the clean dishes out first, of course).
3. Wash dishes.
While this may end up making more of a mess than actually helping, kids LOVE to play in water, especially soapy, sudsy water!
If you need to work on something in the kitchen that your child can’t really help you with, but they still want to be in there with you, running a sink of soapy water and giving them a few dishes to wash is a great way to keep them happy and entertained for a few minutes.
You may not want to place the “washed” dishes directly back into the cupboard, but they’ll at least be rinsed off well enough that they can go into the dishwasher when your child is done.
4. Make simple foods.
My 6-year-old daughter is very independent and really wants to be able to do her own thing in the kitchen, rather than actually help me. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised over the past few months as I’ve taught her how to make simple foods. She still needs supervision, of course, but she can basically do everything herself from start to finish after I’ve shown her how to do it only two or three times.
Her two favorite things to make are scrambled eggs and avacado dip. And she’s learning how to make a lot of other basic food, which really helps me when I have a lot going on in the kitchen. She can prepare some simple things for herself and her brother and sister.
5. Gather ingredients.
When I’m getting ready to make a recipe, it is really helpful to me to get all of the ingredients out first. My kids help me to gather ingredients from the fridge, like eggs, milk, butter, etc. and my older daughter, who is learning to read, is beginning to be able to help me gather spices from the spice cabinet.
Using a stool, they can also reach the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, etc. out of the baking cupboard.
I’ll read off the list of ingredients, and they’ll gather everything together on the counter for me. And they can also help to clean up and put the ingredients away after we’ve used them, of course!
6. Peel vegetables.
My son absolutely loves to help with peeling vegetables and has since he was 3! He can easily do carrots and cucumbers and can also peel potatoes, but those take him a little bit longer. This is a great motor skill for young kids to master!
7. Empty the compost bucket.
My kids are my compost runners when the weather is nice. I have a countertop compost pail that has a handle for easy transport.
When it gets full, I’ll send one my kiddos out to dump the bucket into the compost pile. They don’t exactly love this job, but I like that it gets them outside and out of the kitchen for a few minutes, and, often, they’ll end up just staying outside and playing!
8. Stir ingredients.
While I’m still not really comfortable with my kids measuring ingredients for things like baking, without my help, they can definitely help by stirring the ingredients in the batter together or even using the stand mixer.
If your kids are helping out in the kitchen, the floor might get just a little bit dirty in the process (that might be the understatement of the year!). But you can help teach kids the importance of cleaning up after themselves by having them sweep up their messes.
My kids use a small brush and dustpan, but I would really love to invest in a child- sized broom soon.
Give them a small bowl of water with a few squirts of dish soap and a rag and have them wipe down the floor for you. My kids love this and actually treat it like a game and ask if they can play “Soapy Bubbles” all the time!
9 Things You’ll Wish You Knew About Whooping Cough
I didn’t talk about it while we were in the midst of it. Frankly, I wasn’t ready to. I was scared.
I gave birth to Baby Quinnly on March 13th and the next month, several members of my family had contracted whooping cough.
I knew little about the disease, but I knew that if they vaccinated against it, it was probably not a pleasant experience. And believe me, when I say it wasn’t!
Here’s Our Story….
It started out like a cold. It did come with a cough, but often times, colds do. It didn’t seem to be a big deal either. But, one night, the cough got worse! Way worse. I mean, coughing until you can’t take a breath worse. Coughing until you throw up worse. But it was weird. Between coughing fits, they didn’t even seem sick. They would play as normal, have a coughing fit and then continue playing. After a couple of nights of barely any sleep, due to all of the coughing fits, I decided that something wasn’t right. I started researching what could be wrong and settled upon whooping cough. I listened to YouTube videos of coughing, poured over symptoms and decided that this must be what my children had. 2 of them were coughing pretty badly at this point and I was really worried that they were going to give it to the baby. In fact, the toddler was always all over the baby, so I was REALLY worried that he already had given it to her. Off to the doctor we went, but the doctor didn’t take us seriously. They didn’t believe it was whooping cough.
They would cough all day, but like I said, it wasn’t horrible. Then night would come. Wow, it was bad then! They would wake up several times a night with coughing fits. As time went on, I learned to sleep through most of them. If they didn’t puke, anyway. They slept through most of them, too.
Because of our experience, I learned so many things I never thought I’d even need to know. I decided to record them for you, in case you ever need them. May I suggest that you pin this on Pinterest now, so that you will be able to find it if you ever do have to experience this dreadful disease.
Even if you’ve been vaccinated, you can get whooping cough.
It’s true. Some people who are vaccinated, get it just as badly as those who aren’t. That really surprised me! In all of my research, I kept reading about vaccinated children and adults getting the cough. In our family, that wasn’t completely true. My husband and I and the 2 oldest children have had at least some of our vaccinations, including the whooping cough vaccine. We all did have symptoms of whooping cough, but they weren’t nearly as severe as the unvaccinated children. Another family I talked to had a daughter who had been vaccinated have it just as badly as the unvaccinated children. So, keep in mind, it can be different for every family.
Be prepared with puke buckets.
One of the things that really surprised me was that you puke at the end of a coughing fit. Not everyone, but each of my children affected with the disease did. With whooping cough, the pertussis bacteria attaches itself to the cilia (tiny hair like extensions that help to move mucous) and eventually erodes it down, so that it doesn’t move the mucous any more. In order to get that mucous up, you have a coughing fit and eventually spit up the phlegm. Along with that phlegm, comes the food you ate that day in many instances. I know, gross!
It is not just the unvaccinated who spread whooping cough, but the vaccinated equally so, if not more.
In my research of whooping cough, I read many instances of angry parents who said that the unvaccinated were so evil, because their children gave their family whooping cough. In reality, the unvaccinated are the ones that know they have whooping cough, so they’re not as likely to spread it because they’ll stay inside, not exposing others to it. Yes, they can spread it if they’re careless, of course, but whooping cough spreads like wildfire because those who were vaccinated and didn’t have a strong reaction to the disease, have it and think it’s only a cold. They’re not worried about spreading it, because they’ve had the vaccination. I believe this is how we got it. There were many people at our church who were coughing around the same time, many of whom had strong coughs that sounded similar, but they were able to get over it quicker.
Your doctor may blow you off, because they do not see it much.
Once I figured out that it was likely whooping cough, 4 of my children were coughing so hard that they were puking. I researched how it would be handled, and I read that they can test one child and treat the rest in the family with antibiotics. Knowing that I have to pay $25 Copay to the doctor for each child that comes in, I decided to take one of my children in, hoping to get her tested. Of course, she did not cough while in there and her lungs didn’t sound bad, so they sent us home, telling us we can use cough syrup if we need to ( which is entirely ineffective for whooping cough). We took her back in, a few nights later and they went ahead and gave us the antibiotic because she had been coughing for 2 weeks at this point, but did not want to test her because she did not sound bad in the office. Of course, as we were leaving the office, she puked all over their floor.
Later, the baby started coughing. I had read that babies can die from whooping cough, so I wanted her to be checked out immediately, to get the antibiotics needed to slow the progress of the disease. Once again, we were told that we were probably over reacting and that baby sounds fine. If they have whooping cough, they are much more sick than this, we were told. They sent her home with nothing.
At another visit, while arguing with the doctor about testing, she even told me that she would either test all of them or none of them. I ended up calling another doctor’s office to see if this was protocol or not and they said no, only testing one of them is the norm. At this point, enough time had gone by that I wasn’t sure the test would even be positive any more, and I didn’t want to put all of them through the test, so I declined. I knew that the protocol was 5 days of antibiotics or 3 weeks of cough before they are no longer considered contagious and we were already through 2 weeks of the coughing at that point. Had she agreed to test one of them, I would have done it, just to get the confirmation.
There are ways to treat whooping cough naturally.
Because of the runaround that I was getting from the doctor’s office, I decided to look into ways to treat the pertussis naturally. I found a study that said if you give the body plenty of Vitamin C, it will heal faster. I knew this to be true from my past research of other illnesses, but I never realized quite how much Vitamin C you could take. I followed the instructions written in this article and even gave the baby several doses of Vitamin C a day. Large quantities of Vitamin C will definitely slow down the progression of whooping cough (as well as many other diseases). Not just any Vitamin C though. The article recommended Sodium Ascorbate by Nutribiotic. Amazingly, as soon as we quit taking this amazing stuff, their coughs would suddenly get a whole bunch worse again. It really does work! We didn’t quite taking it until we were well past the throwing up stage.
Another thing that I didn’t know about Vitamin C is that some people can take 100,000 or more mg of it in a day. You take it to “bowel tolerance”. This means, if you start to get loose stools, you know you’ve reached your maximum dose and should slow down on the Vitamin C. If you’ve not reached that point, you can take more. Those who reach bowel tolerance are more likely to get over their illness quicker, if they continue this regiment on a daily basis.
Babies are the most vulnerable, but they will not automatically die if they contract whooping cough.
The baby had started exhibiting the normal cold symptoms that whooping cough starts with, so I was getting worried. That’s when I began my research of natural treatments. Of course, being breastfed, she was already in a good place, getting the immunities that come with breast milk. But, starting Vitamin C early was also a very big thing that I believe helped her to get over the whooping cough quicker than the other kids. I had read that babies need to be hospitalized as soon as they find out they test positive, and yet I couldn’t get a doctor to take me serious enough to realize that this was indeed whooping cough. Not that I wanted my baby hospitalized, but I also didn’t want to take this disease lightly with a baby. After all, she was only a month old. So, don’t believe everything you hear about babies and whooping cough. Not every baby gets that sick. Obviously, you don’t want to take it lightly, but not every baby will die. In fact, a small percentage of babies who contract whooping cough will die. However, if someone is to die from whooping cough, it will more likely be a baby than a child or an adult. But, if you are aware of the dangers and treat with the Vitamin C, your child will definitely have a leg up on the whole situation. I now believe that treating with high quantities of Vitamin C is the missing link in the medical world. They should be treating with Vitamin C much more than they do.
Whooping cough is called the 100 Day Cough for a Reason
Yes, sirree. 100 days. You may be coughing for 100 days?! It’s been about 85 days for us, at the time of this writing. That means we’re almost done (I hope). Until then, we occasionally freak the general public out with their crazy coughing skills. Thankfully we’re not contagious any more!
Any time your kids have drainage during those 100 days, you’ll think they relapsed.
I think we’re a little more susceptible to colds right now, but we’ve gotten 2 colds since the whooping cough began. Each of the kids coughs get so much worse during this time, because their body is not prepared yet to deal with the drainage and mucous that the cilia is trying to move up. It sounds like they’ve gotten the cough back in full force, however, they aren’t puking each time they cough and for that I am thankful!
People May Think You’re Over Reacting
I think I thought I was going to lose my mind. Being stuck inside with 5 coughing children for weeks on end was getting a little old! I would call and complain to my mom and a couple of friends but nobody really understood. Eventually, my mom came to stay with them one night so that I could go away overnight with my husband, and after a sleepless night, I think she understood. But, unless you’re there with them and hear the coughing and wake up a zillion times a night, do you understand exactly what it’s like. You’ll be sleep deprived and half crazy! Be easy on yourself. Buy paper plates and cups, don’t stress about the cleaning; sleep when they sleep and eventually you’ll all be OK again. While it seems there’s never going to be an end in site, it won’t last forever, I promise!
Original article and pictures take www.sidetrackedsarah.com site
Protein is one of those “magic” nutrients—the kind that can help you stay full and satisfied, even when you’re watching calories and portion sizes. If you’re struggling to meet your daily protein goals, adding real-food, protein-packed snacks is a great way to boost your intake without the artificial ingredients often found in some protein supplements. When you’re ready to boost your protein intake the natural way, we’ve got 9 snack-worthy ideas to get you started.
Peanut butter. Eight grams of protein in two tablespoons of peanut butter make this food a snack to consider. Go for one of the natural options smeared on a stalk of celery, with an apple or in your favorite smoothie. Check the label to make sure the only ingredients are peanuts and salt.
Cottage cheese. Talk to any bodybuilder or health-conscious eater and they’ll praise cottage cheese for its protein power. With a whopping 13 grams of protein and just 90 calories in a half-cup serving of the low-fat variety, adding cottage cheese to your snack rotation should be a no-brainer. If the taste doesn’t do it for you, try adding pineapple, strawberries or even a slice of tomato.
Tuna. Tuna doesn’t have to be reserved for lunch—it makes a great snack, too! Just three ounces of tuna contains a surprising 20 grams of protein. Mix the fish with a little light mayo or plain yogurt, then add to a whole-wheat pita or crackers.
Part Mozzarella Cheese. For a mere 72 calories, you can get seven grams of protein in one ounce and still have room for an ounce of deli turkey (30 calories, four grams of protein) or a serving of whole-grain crackers (120 calories, four grams of protein).
Hard-boiled egg. One egg—which contains six grams of protein and less than 80 calories—paired with some fruit, vegetables or whole-grain crackers is a snack that is sure to keep you feeling satisfied for hours.
Trail mix. Although the calories can add up quickly, many trail mix varieties have six grams of protein per serving. To get a solid protein benefit, opt for a mix that includes mostly unsalted nuts, and avoid the dried fruits and chocolate to keep the sugar low and satisfaction high. Additionally, check your labels to make sure there are no sneaky added sugars or oils.
Greek yogurt. Depending on the brand, one 5.3 ounce single-serving container can have anywhere between 11 and 15 grams of protein. When buying Greek yogurt, be aware of the calories and sugar in the flavor you choose in order to keep the snack healthy. Going with plain flavor and adding your own fruit offers the same protein boost for fewer calories (90 vs. 160 or more) and less sugar (4 grams vs. 18 grams).
Milk. Drink one cup of milk for a boost of eight grams of protein. If you’re not a fan of the taste, try adding a small amount of chocolate syrup for a sweet treat with a nutritional benefit.
Edamame with hummus. Combine these two foods for a delicious snack with an added protein boost. Enjoying a half-cup serving of edamame and two tablespoons of hummus provides 10 tasty grams of protein to get you through to your next meal.
Article created on: 4/29/2015
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Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site
Cough and cold season typically begins when autumn arrives. Being an eager beaver, my nose decided to get all stuffy and my throat a wee bit sore this past week.
However, since doing GAPS this past winter, my immune system has been much stronger, and this is the first time I’ve been sick since then.
Thankfully, it passed within a couple of days, and it was not nearly as bad as it has been in the past. It didn’t totally knock me off my feet and stretch on for more than a week like so many colds do. (I credit GAPS for this). I also used a few home cold remedies, and they were a total lifesaver.
First, I want to explain why I prefer to stay away from taking drugs when dealing with the common cold or flu. Typically, pharmaceuticals can prolong the illness. They don’t treat the problem they only mask it, which suppresses the body’s natural fighting mechanisms.
A runny nose, for example, is the body’s way of getting rid of germs via the mucous that is dripping out. A fever is the body’s natural mechanism for killing off germs by raising your body’s core temperature (of course there are dangerous fever levels, but those are rare, and most low-grade fevers should not be drugged, in my opinion).
The fatigue and achiness is generally your body’s way of getting you to slow down and rest so that it can do its job.
So, you may be wondering what DO I do when faced with a cold or flu. Well, here are a few ideas for you…
1. Homemade Cough & Cold Syrup
You can help heal a cold or sore throat just using the ingredients already in your kitchen! I’ve been using a concoction involving apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper to treat strep throat for years now. (My awesome sore throat remedy here, but only for the brave!)
Whenever I feel sickness coming on, I up my dosage of vitamin D, and make sure I’m taking my fish oil regularly. I will take up to 12,000 IU’s of vitamin D per day when I’m fighting illness. This seems to do the trick nicely. The vitamin A in the fish oil helps your body to absorb the Vitamin D better.
3. Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic that has many claims and cautions. The official health agencies often negate it and criticize it, but then again, they’ve also villainized butter (part of the reason for why I don’t take health advice from the government!).
All I have is anecdotal and personal evidence – it has cured many a sore throat for me, and several kinds of infections for friends (ear infections, throat infections, etc). You can even use it topically. Because it functions like an antibiotic, use it as infrequently as possible. It can kill the good bacteria as well as the bad guys.
4. Elderberry
Elderberry is another natural herbal immune booster, and it is one of the most popular ones. You can find it in any health food store, and even some mainstream drugstores. I take it at the first sign of a cold, and continue for the duration.
Our family prefers it in tincture form, so we can slug it back quickly, as we don’t care for the taste. (Although it’s honestly not that bad.)
4. Salt Water Gargle
The tried, tested, and true remedy if there ever was one. Salt has been used for its healing properties since the beginning of time.
Put a 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a small half glass of water. Stir well. Gargle, spit, repeat. Do this as often as you think of it, for as long as you have a sore throat. It works wonders.
5. Homemade Bone Broth
Drink lots of homemade bone broth for its amazing healing properties, and when you’re not drinking broth, drink water or herbal tea.
Broth is best, but lots of liquids of any kind will help to dilute the mucous in your head. Keep a box of tissues and a restroom handy – you’ll have to pee lots and blow your nose, but it really will help your body fight the germs off faster.
This is pretty self-explanatory, but hard to do! It’s so important to get extra rest to allow your body to devote its energies to fighting off germs. I often go to bed by 8:30 or 9:00 if I’m under the weather.
7. Onions by Your Bed
Onion fumes are a natural decongestant, so chop up an onion, put it in a bowl, and place it as close to your head as possible while you sleep. Safe for babies, too!
8. Steam
Steam is another one that’s safe for all ages. I find it to be one of the most effective things I can do when congested. I blow my nose in the shower and let the steam open my nasal passageways again.
Ahhh, breathing through your nose. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, doesn’t it?
9. Avoid Sugar
Consumption of sugar decreases the immune system, which is the exact opposite of what you’re trying to do. Beware of hidden sugars in so many processed foods (peanut butter, ketchup, deli meats, other condiments and so many more).
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.
Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site
The family that gets active together, stays together. Bringing the family together for a day or an afternoon of movement is both fun and offers an opportunity to stay connected even when schedules are hectic. Plus, you’ll be instilling great health and fitness values in your children. Make a commitment to unleash your inner child and spend valuable quality time with those you love by trying some of these family-friendly activities.
Zoo Adventure Walk Lions and tigers and fitness, oh my! Consider taking your family to the zoo for an educational and fun way to get your move on. Track your steps and the distance covered during your zoo adventure by wearing a pedometer or using an app on your phone. Keep the kids engaged by encouraging them to count the number of steps between animal exhibits and the number of different animals they encounter. Plus, the fun doesn’t have to stop when you leave the zoo! Back at home, take turns acting out all the different animals.
Obstacle Course Earn the title of Parent (or Grandparent) of the Week by creating an obstacle course in the backyard or at a local park. All you need is outdoor chalk, a hula hoop, ball, bucket or trash can, cones and a towel to build a fun and challenging circuit. Do each station once, then repeat the entire circuit for a total of ten times through.
Jumping Jacks 10
Hula hoop Try to keep the hoop moving for one minute.
Push-Ups 10-15
Hopscotch Set up the classic game with chalk or tape.
Basketball Bounce the basketball 10 times before throwing it into an empty bucket or trash can.
Toe Touch Hops Reach to the sky, reach down to touch your toes, then swing arms up and jump hop to the sky. Do this 10 times.
Cone Drills With a set of at least five rubber cones, have everyone weave in and out of the cones before running back to the first cone. Repeat this 10 times. If you don’t have cones, be creative by using water bottles or washcloths.
Beatle Bug Sit-Ups Start on your back and then bring knees and upper body together like a bug. Stay in this position, then repeat 15 more times.
Bike Ride Hop on two wheels and go for a family bike ride around the neighborhood or local park.
Jump Rope Grab a jump rope and spend some time in the driveway as everyone takes turns jumping. Compete to see who can jump the most consecutive times and challenge each other to try new tricks.
DIY Slip and Slide Spray a large piece of tarp with water and a little baby oil, set the hose at the top of the tarp and you’re in business. Let everyone take turns running and sliding as far as they can along the tarp. (Note: If you live in an area with water usage concerns, use a low flow of water.)
Volleyball Set up your own volleyball fun using a clothesline and ball. Choose teams and play on!
Fire Fly Run Mason jars and a setting sun are all you need for this fun nighttime activity. Hit your local park or another open space where the fireflies will be out in numbers. Run around as everyone tries to spot and catch the fireflies—just remember to let them go after you catch them.
Flashlight Tag Arm everyone with a flashlight and head to the backyard to run around as you try to ‘’tag’’ people by shining a flashlight on them.
Dance Party Gather everyone outside or in the living room for a dance party. Play each family member’s favorite songs while you all do crazy moves and express yourself through dance.
How do you get your family moving? Share you favorite family activity in the comments!
About the Author
Kim Truman is an all-around trainer and nutrition coach based in Dallas, Texas. She is well-known for her enthusiastic and motivational coaching style, as well as her high-energy workout programs. Discover more about Kim and her mission at www.kimtrumanfitness.com.
Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site
There’s so much waste with packed lunches! Instead, I’m trying to ditch disposables and use more eco-friendly, reusable alternatives.
Earlier this week Tiffany gave us ideas for 5 easy real food lunches. This is the very first year that I’ll be packing school lunches, and I’m actually excited!
My 6-year-old will be starting kindergarten at a university model school in just two weeks. She will attend classes on campus three days per week and be homeschooled two days per week–so that means I will be packing three lunches each week.
Our 6-year journey to living a more natural lifestyle has definitely influenced us in wanting to produce less waste. With this in mind, we’ve collected some essentials for packing a waste-free lunch.
Check out these 9 essentials for packing a waste-free lunch:
1. Reusable Lunch Box/Bag
Our little girl LOVES butterflies, so she will be using this super cute butterfly lunch bag set. The set came with everything I need to pack her lunch, including a recycled cotton lunch sack that can be machine washed!
2. Cloth Snack/Sandwich Bags
I love the fun designs of these cloth snack and sandwich bags from Mighty Nest. These function the same exact way as plastic snack/sandwich bags, but you don’t have to keep buying them, and they are waste-free! (Check out even more fun patterns here.)
3. Ice Pack Cover
I was so excited to get this sweat-free ice pack cover to use for my daughter’s lunches. Since the school does not have a refrigerator for the children to use, keeping her food cool with an ice pack will be a must! This will eliminate food waste because the food will be less likely to go bad since the ice pack will keep it cool.
4. Stainless Steel Straws
So these may not be 100% essential, but they are just plain fun, and I had been wanting to get some for a while! These stainless steel straws will last for a very long time, and I would much prefer stainless to plastic!
5. Stainless or Glass Containers
Our daughter’s butterfly lunch kit came with some stainless containers that we will be using for her lunches, but these glass ones are also surprisingly sturdy. As she gets older, I will probably use a mix of both stainless and glass containers to pack her lunches.
6. Reusable Utensils
This set of bamboo utensils is very nice and durable. And I love that I won’t have to keep re-buying utensils throughout the school year.
7. Bento Boxes
Bento boxes can be used alone, or smaller ones can fit inside reusable lunch boxes and bags. I love that the sections easily eliminate the need for separate baggies.
8. Reusable Sandwich Wraps
Called Food Kozy’s, these actually wrap around sandwiches like wax paper or plastic wrap would–but they are waste-free!
9. Stainless Steel Thermos
My little girl’s butterfly lunch bag set came with a super cute butterfly thermos, but I also love this stainless steel thermos. With stainless steel, you do not have to worry about the toxins often present in plastics, like BPA, and thermoses can be used for both beverages and soups.
MightyNest: where living healthy supports your school
All of the items for my little girl’s waste-free lunch (sans the food!) came from Mighty Nest. I am excited to support this company because they give back to schools and specialize in non-toxic and green home essentials!
To kick off the back-to-school season MightyNest is launching the “Let’s Do Lunch” campaign to inspire equipping our kids for a year of love-packed lunches.
As always MightyNestpledges to give 15% of every purchase back to your school. They have carefully curated the best selection of reusable lunch gear and water bottles that all meet rigorous criteria for safety and practicality. Shopping at MightyNest for back to school literally gives back to your school.
Don’t see your child’s school on the list? My daughter’s school wasn’t either, but Mighty Nest quickly added it when I emailed them, so now my purchases go directly toward her school as well!
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Mighty Nest. Thank you for supporting my site!
Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site
9 Benefits of the Breastfeeding and Co-sleeping Relationship 9 Benefits of Breastfeeding and Cosleeping
I am really excited to be writing for the Navigating the Booby Trap Breastfeeding series! Breastfeeding has been one of the most important parts of our attachment parenting journey for our son thus far, and I absolutely love being able to share about that experience with others!
In my post, I’ll be sharing with you about the relationship between breastfeeding and co-sleeping.
Before I get into any details, I first want to define what I mean by “co-sleeping.” I only recently discovered that the term “co-sleeping” in general means “sleeping in close proximity to your baby.” This can mean sharing a bed or simply sharing a room.
To me, however, when I say “co-sleeping” I mean exactly what it sounds like—sleeping in the same bed as your child (sometimes this is referred to as a “family bed” as well). For the purposes of this article, when I say co-sleeping, I mean bed-sharing.
One other thing I want to outline before I begin is the fact that I do not pass judgment on any parents for their choices in sleeping patterns, feeding, or any other decisions. I believe that every parent wants to do the absolute best thing for their child, and that all of their parenting choices stem from that. While I may not always agree, I take comfort in the fact that parenting choices are almost always made from love.
With that being said, I strongly advocate for co-sleeping whenever it is possible for a family, especially in the first year of life. A human infant (or any mammal baby for that matter) is not designed to leave the womb and be left alone to sleep; and self-soothing and self-comforting are not skills that an infant is born with. In fact, this isn’t something a child can do on their own until they are several years old.
Anytime a mother says that they are having a problem with breastfeeding and/or sleeping habits for either herself or the baby, the first thing I always ask is: “Do you co-sleep?” Very often, the answer is no. I strongly believe that if there is one way to ensure a healthy breastfeeding relationship with your child, it is to co-sleep with them. (Likewise, the best way to ensure a healthy co-sleeping relationship is to breastfeed.) I could list countless studies and personal experiences here to show you this truth; but I believe the best way to show you the benefits of this symbiotic relationship of breastfeeding and co-sleeping is to simply list them off for you!
Benefits of Breastfeeding and Co-sleeping for the Child
1. Better and longer periods of sleep – When baby would normally wake to nurse, since mama is right there, they do not have to completely rouse from slumber to be quickly comfort-nursed back to sleep.
2. Despite scary ad campaigns, it’s actually safer – When a baby sleeps close to their mother, their physiology actually mimics that of the mom, just like in the womb. This keeps baby’s heart rate steady, breathing remains stable, and they can better regulate their body temperature. This is especially important in the first year of life when SIDS is at it’s highest risk. In fact, studies have shown that children who safely co-sleep with their mother have a fourfold decreased risk of SIDS.
3. Long-term emotional health – Numerous studies have shown that children who co-slept with their parents have higher self-esteem, more independence, less anxiety, deal better with difficult peer relationships, tend to have more meaningful personal relationships as they more readily accept affection, and suffer from fewer psychological disorders than their peers who did not co-sleep.
4. Intellectual benefits – Studies have also shown that children who co-slept perform better in school and often have higher IQs than their counterparts. Breastfeeding, of course, also plays a huge role here!
Benefits of Breastfeeding and Co-sleeping for the Mother
Navigating the Booby Trap: Breastfeeding & Beyond - Breastfeeding series @ Intoxicatedonlife.com (25 authors, 40+ posts)
5. Better and longer periods of sleep – Just as the baby benefits from better sleep, so does the mother. Since baby sleeps more soundly, the mother does as well. Also, just as the baby does not have to completely rouse from slumber to nurse, neither does the mother. When I began getting the age-old question: “Does he sleep through the night yet?” when my son was about a month old, my answer was always, “I honestly don’t know. I guess we both wake up a few times, but I don’t remember it in the morning.” How awesome is that?
6. Nighttime feedings are much easier – I honestly do not know how mothers drag themselves out of bed several times a night to cross the hall and nurse baby sitting up in a chair. I couldn’t do it. Having the child right beside you makes this process much simpler and you both lose so much less sleep!
7. Maintains your milk supply – Maintaining a good milk supply demands that you breastfeed around the clock. This is tough to do at night if your child is in another room. Babies who co-sleep tend to nurse on a better schedule at night, helping the mother to keep her supply in check. This also helps to delay the return of fertility for the mother, allowing for better spacing between children.
8. Heightened sense of attachment and sensitivity – This is actually true for fathers or partners who co-sleep with their babies, as well as the nursing mother. Being so close to a child as they sleep allows parents to develop a closer relationship and more fine-tuned sense of the child’s needs. This closeness at night translates to daytime care as well, allowing for a better emotional connection for the family in general.
9. Seriously, is there anything better than waking up next to a peaceful, well-rested, smiling baby? – If that isn’t good for the soul, I don’t know what is!
If you’d like more information about co-sleeping and breastfeeding, check out my all-time favorite breastfeeding resource: Kelly Mom.
Leah blogs at Crunchy Farm Baby, where she shares her family’s journey of living, growing, playing, and eating as green as possible. She lives with her husband and toddler son on a small farm in Southern PA, and enjoys designing fun, crafty items and reading in her free time. You can also follow Leah on facebook and twitter.
Original article and pictures take www.intoxicatedonlife.com site
Summers are meant for sticky, drippy popsicles, running through sprinklers, camping in the woods, and lazy afternoons of reading on the lawn. But they’re also a perfect time for learning.
What’s that? Your children are done with school and this is supposed to be their break?
I get that. My kids love taking a break from formal “school” as much as the next kid. But that’s not really what I’m talking about.
One of the values we have in our family is to raise children who are lifelong learners. We want them to be self-motivated learners who not only enjoy expanding their minds and exploring new topics, but also intentionally seek out opportunities to learn outside of school and long after graduation.
We strive to do this in a number of ways, including creating a rich learning environment in our home, being constant learners ourselves, and always speaking about education as both a blessing and privilege, as well as something’s that pretty darn awesome.
To go along with our philosophy, we don’t think of summer as a time to lock the books in a cupboard and let the kids drift along until after Labor Day weekend, but rather a time to encourage unique ways of learning that both entertain them during long summer days, and also instill in them a deep love of learning that will serve them the rest of their lives.
I’ve compiled a list of some fabulous ways that you can keep your kid’s minds active and ever-expanding this summer, no boring workbooks required.
Take nature walks and make sketch books
*This nature sketch is taken from my sweet friend Diana’s Instagram account… she’s a wonderful Charlotte Mason-influenced homeschooler*
This is a homeschool technique made popular by the Charlotte Mason method. You can learn more about it (and see some page examples) here.
It’s an incredibly simple but beautiful way to help children develop a love of nature, improve their sketching skills, increase their ability to make careful, patient observations, and learn more about the wildlife and plant life around them. You definitely don’t have to be a homeschooler to let your kids loose in nature and arm them with notebooks and pencil crayons!
Dive into summer reading lists and challenges
I love it best when my kids get all bookwormy and sequester themselves off in hidden corners of the house to read until someone discovers them. But sometimes it doesn’t happen that way and I have to stir a little incentive into the pot.
Though I frequently buy new books with my kids in mind or sift though our extensive library of used books and suggest fun options to them, it can be even more helpful to do something like a summer reading challenge.
Most local libraries offer summer reading lists, special sheets or checklists to record what your kids have read, and often even prizes for reading, which can be hugely motivating. There are also many online summer programs you can use (like this one) or listen to this podcast for more ideas to spark summer reading.
Math is one of those subjects that can be easily forgotten over the summer months, so I like finding ways for my kids to keep practicing. Here are a few options:
Starfall – It’s free and perfect for littles (esp. preschool and early elementary). There is also a paid option that gives you full access to all of their videos and games. Their phonics activities are also great.
Splash Math – This isn’t free, but I’ve heard excellent reviews and they even have a program specifically for summer time.
Math Seeds – This is from the makers of Reading Eggs. Again, it’s not free though they do offer a free trial. This is really fun for ages 3-8 (my son who struggles with math loved this one).
Mathletics – This is our favorite. Our kids found this one extremely motivating. They can work through specific topics in a systematic way (according to grade) and earn rewards, but there’s also something called Live Mathletics where they can do math racesvwith kids all over the world in real time! It’s definitely the most expensive, so it’s only worth it if you’ll use it all year or as a homeschooling supplement (which is how we use it).
Listen to audiobooks
Whether it’s for hot, muggy days or long drives, audiobooks are such a wonderful option. If you choose them carefully, they can even be entertaining for the entire family.
We’re big fans of the Story of the World recordings. These are technically part of a history curriculum, but they’re read delightfully by Jim Weiss and so interesting, you’ll all want to listen for hours on end. And here’s another resource I just heard about this week, with stories from around the world.
Encourage them in a new hobby
Our older children’s current favorite thing this summer has been magic tricks. They’ve been watching magic videos and YouTube channels with their dad, and then spending hours each day practicing and perfecting their tricks, then performing “magic shows” in our living room in the evening.
There are so many things that can be self-studied – perhaps a martial art like Taekwondo (our 11-year-old self-studied on the internet this year and we were surprised at how much she picked up!), art or crafting or sewing techniques, a new sport (we’re all currently learning to play tennis), or perhaps something musical, a type of computer programming or coding, or even a new language. The possibilities are endless.
Teach your kids to cook
Now this… this is definitely the gift of learning that keeps on giving throughout the school year, right, moms? Who doesn’t want to be able to have their kids make breakfast or lunch by themselves?
My favorite resource for teaching kids to cook is my friend Katie’s excellent class, Kids Cook Real Food (AFFILIATE LINK NEEDED). It’s not currently open for new members, but will be again later in the summer. Another course for teaching kids to cook real food is the kids module that’s a part of Traditional Cooking School (AFFILIATE LINK NEEDED). My oldest daughter used this a lot when she was 8 and it really inspired her to do more in the kitchen.
You can also look for simple recipes to show your kids and then let them try on their own. I’ve tried to find helpful YouTube cooking channels but honestly, I haven’t found any good ones for kids that aren’t heavily focused on baking and making junky treats (this website was the closest I came to finding something useful). I’d stick to choosing recipes or tutorial videos for adults that you think they could follow along with. (But if you know of a great YouTube channel, please share in the comments!)
Learn about local birds or other wildlife
Our kids love spotting birds, squirrels, lizards, frogs, insects and any other living creature that wanders near them, but it’s even better when they can identify what they’re seeing. We just moved to a new part of the country a couple weeks ago so we’re not sure about the local species, but it’s easy to buy local field guides (or find them at the library) OR use the internet as the incredible source of info that it is.
By simply googling “guide Ontario birds” (Ontario is our province, so try looking up your local area), I found these genuinely helpful resources:
Bird-watching is just one easy example, but maybe you’ve got kids who are into creepy crawlies, or want to learn more about forest wildlife, or you could study up on fish or sea animals if you’ll be the coast or vacationing at a lake.
Look for local classes
Most community or recreation centers offer not only the usual swimming classes or summer day camps, but also specialty classes on particular sports (like soccer, badminton, or basketball), dance or gymnastics, art or music, or even technology, lego building, robotics, and much more.
Summer is also a great time for older kids to take first aid courses, life-guarding, or babysitting certification. We also found that the local performing arts center offers a wide variety of art, music, and drama related classes throughout the summer.
How do you keep your kids learning over the summer?
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