Preparation for the Winter Season - Part 1

I know I can't be the only one who doesn't want to hear the word winter or that 4 letter word ... snow.  I shudder just thinking about it ... but I was looking at a schedule of meetings and there it was right in front of my face... Oct., Nov. and December....  It was upsetting... For me I could live in spring, summer or fall all year... winter nope.. not at all.  So as I sat in front of my computer thinking... what do I want to rant about?... Well then it hit me... Preparation for the upcoming times... no, not the end times... just cold, wet, slushy, icy, dark, depressing and way too long winter time!... I do apologize to you few out there who actually like winter... I am now done with my ranting about the dreaded winter coming every year like clockwork... no matter how much I want to jump over onto spring...and start over.

There are a few musts to have in your Herbal Medicine Chest:

Food Enzymes are essential because this time of year means more cooking and less Raw food... and I have written about this endlessly... Raw Food Rocks... Dead Food Kills... However I do live in reality and know that people tend to eat more cooked food in the winter months... which means they need enzymes more than ever to aid in their digestion ...  because enzymes are the Key to Life... and for my Vegetarian and Vegan Friends we have Proactazyme Plus and Catnip and Fennel liquid. (yes really! for more info on this just email me)

Tea Tree Oil is something no home should be without.  It has a cornucopia of uses.  The Australian Medical Journal describes Tea Tree oil as "the finest antiseptic known to man."  You can use it for cuts, bruises, healing after surgery, skin and scalp problems, respiratory ailments, cold sores, yeast and fungal infections, including athlete's foot, ringworm, thrush and Candida Albicans, bladder and vaginal infections or nearly any condition involving infection that stems from a bacterial, fungal or viral origin.

Valerian Root helps with aches, pains from falling, shoveling or stress from clenching when you have to drive on slippery roads.  It also helps with monthly cramping, moodiness and emotional fatigue.  Let's just say that Valerian Root is a girl's best friend.

Garlic - Has been used as medicine for thousands of years and today scientists research has shown that eating garlic on a regular basis can reduce blood pressure, raise immune system, dissolve blood clots, lower harmful cholesterol levels while raising the levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. 
     "Garlic Therapy" was used consistently in the former Soviet Union.  I am not writing about garlic powder or garlic salt I am talking about pure, fresh garlic or a cold pressed Hi Potency Garlic.  When garlic is processed if you cook it over 106 degrees it loses it's medicinal value... so it may taste good but the healing power is dead and GONE.  My favorite way to add garlic to our foods for medicinal value and great taste is chopping up 1-2 cloves for each person eating ... Chop the garlic right before the meal goes on the table then mix in a tsp or so to each person's main meal.  The garlic will add a nice surprise and crunch. 

Ginger is a must for this season... you can drink it or bath in it... Ginger lessens inflammation and helps you get warm so a perfect addition to your Winter Regimen.
Here's my one of my favorite Ginger Bath Recipes:
1 rounded Tablespoon of Ginger
1/2 box baking soda
1 can of Coconut Milk
fill the tub with water and drop in ingredients and mix with your hand or foot like you are drawing the number 8 in the water... Light a candle or have low light...step in and soak for 30 minutes...  and moms think about doing this either at nap time or after kiddies are in bed.  AND PLEASE put the ringer down on all your phones... You will thank me!

Ginger Tip for going out in the COLD

Put a 1/2 tsp (more or less) of ginger in each boot or in your woolen socks... it will help your feet stay warm... This tip can also be used for someone in the hospital or a nursing home... Elderly people are usually cold and this helps... 

There will be more coming on Preparation for the Winter Season... stay tuned, be blessed and enjoy every minute of the non-winter weather.

Allergies & Cleansing

Food and Airborne allergies effect both children and adults. Itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, headaches are signs of airborne irritants. AL-J is an herb formulated for congestion (stuffy nose, head, throat, lungs) and is excellent for help with hay fever allergies. Since we live in MA and most people have allergies and can we say MOLD... I don’t go anywhere without a homeopathic remedy called Mold, Yeast & Dust and it counters any symptoms I’m having to smelly, undesirable and harsh MOLD. I put Mold in the same category as smoking tobacco... I don’t want to breathe that in either.

Burping, belching, gas, headaches, feeling uncomfortable after you eat ~like you have a brick in your colon~ are some signs of food allergies. One of the most effective ways to help with food allergies is first not eat food you are allergic to and then take a Food Enzyme which is a general all purpose enzyme that helps digest what you eat. As we get older our digestion needs more help... Now for the vegetarians I’d suggest Proactyzme Plus which is a plant based digestive enzyme designed to help in the digestion of all types of food except dairy or red meat. When taken with your meal it will help you digest what you have eaten...HOWEVER When you take it in-between meals on an empty stomach...it helps digest undigested food that's clogging your intestinal system.

Of course cleansing is a wise tool to use to clean toxins out of your body... Just think about how much have you eaten, drank or inhaled that was not healthy? It’s always a good idea to cleanse the body... OK just a little jaunt off to colon land... Bowel movements are important, they rid the body of toxins and stored foods... However one Bowel movement a day or twice a week is NOT GOOD... So if you hear someone say something like... Well everybody is different and if you have a bowel movement twice a week that’s fine... NO that is NOT fine... and whoever says that to you.... RUN away from them and.... to your nearest bottle of Bowel Detox which is an intestinal cleanser that offers a large array of vitamins, minerals enzymes and herbs which promote intestinal health and provide a source of dietary fiber. It also helps loosen and cleanse old fecal matter from our intestinal walls. It reduces gas and helps prevent intestinal diseases.

Another thing that amazes me is that people give advice about things they know nothing about... and people listen....Sorry I digress... Back on track...

There are lots of cleansers and herbal supplements to choose from... If you want to take a peek at the health of your body systems ... Take a FREE Health Analysis and see where you stand health wise

Here are some common sense suggestions you can do in addition to supporting your respiratory system naturally during this stressful allergy season. Adding these suggestions may help reduce your allergy symptoms.
ELIMINATE:
• Polyunsaturated vegetable oils
• Margarine, vegetable shortening INCLUDING all partially hydrogenated oils that might contain trans-fatty acids
• Fried foods (including deep-fried foods) processed foods, all pork products and any and all fake sugar.
• Milk and Milk products

SUBSTITUTE:
✓ Extra Virgin Olive Oil for other oils
✓ Broil, Bake or Grill instead of Frying
✓ Fake meat for pork...ex. Morning Star Bacon...It is delicious!!! (yes, really... I love it... I microwave it and it gets crisp...doesn’t stay crisp forever so heat when you are ready to eat... There are delicious sausage patties, ground spiced and non-spiced versions of sausage... excellent in omelets, soups, quiches, sandwiches (BE CREATIVE)
✓ Soy, Rice, Almond milks for dairy... they all taste a little different... try them until you find the one you like and for a glass of milk... I use Too Foo Moo powder. The secret to using Too Foo Moo as a drink is to keep it cold...I sometimes put a drop of vanilla in it as an option. I also add a scoop to soups to make them creamy and use cold water and a scoop of Too Foo Moo with fruit and GreenZone Powder to make excellent tasting and healthy smoothies.

DECREASE:
• Animal protein

SUBSTITUTE:
✓ There are so many soy products on the market it will amaze you... pick one and try it... You too will be a believer... when I get the urge for a hot dog my very favorite is from Quorn ...they taste like a juicy real dog... YUM to fake!

DAILY:
• Eat as much RAW fruits and vegetables as possible.
• Drink 8 glasses of pure water each day
• Take supplements to help with your allergies
• Be aware of what comes out of your mouth (words are containers for power you can create a reality so don’t say critical statements about yourself or anybody else because every cell in your body is listening and will react to your words... So when someone says how are you feeling... don’t go into negative .... Just say “I’m healing” ~ Those words are neutral safe words that will not throw your body down and stop on it... It will hear that you ARE HEALING.
• Be aware of what you put into your mouth

OKAY, you're probably saying...is she kidding!?!?!?!? Well, my answer to that is; “No, I am not kidding.” Because many allergy symptoms are made worse by ingesting foods we are allergic to, it’s wise to cleanse your body of toxins. The good news with that is you will notice the difference in your health and start enjoying your life more when you remove toxins from your body.

Here’s a couple of suggestions to help cleanse your body, help with your allergies and increase your health.

Clean Start is a gentle whole body cleanse which helps support the natural elimination of waste buildup and toxins that can affect your health

All Cell Detox is designed to strengthen and eliminate toxins in the colon, kidneys and liver. It also improves digestion, reduces inflammation, purifies your blood, improves your immune system, reduces and inhibits the development of cysts, polyps, tumors and cancerous growths.

LBSII is an intestinal stimulant which is also referred to as a lower bowel cleansing formula. LBSII relaxes abdominal cramping, enhances liver function, purifies the blood, neutralized acidic conditions, destroys intestinal parasites and fights infection. Stock #990-1

Everybody's Fiber is a gentle fiber source without Psyllium. Formulated to provide nutritional support to the bowel, Everybody's Fiber provides 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving for colon health. It contains the following ingredients: Apple Pectin is a soluble fiber with the ability to form a gel. It has absorbing properties that help move waste through the bowel.
Short-Chain Fructo-oligosaccharides are naturally found in fruits, grains and veggies. The serve
as a source of soluble fiber. Slippery Elm is a soothing, healing herb with gentle cleansing action. (If Psyllium is Ajax- Slippery Elm is soft scrub). Chamomile Flowers helps with antispasmodic problems in the GI tract.
Everybody's Fiber also contains a combination of flax meal, marshmallow, peppermint, fennel and Una de Gato for digestive and intestinal support. Natural peach, apricot & plum flavors are added along with stevia for good tasting!

Tiao He Cleanse - a good start for gentle whole-body cleansing, this is a full body cleanse with 30 packets for a 10 day cleanse
It targets the liver with Liver Balance Chinese
Gives the whole body a cellular cleanse with All Cell Detox
LBSII and Psyllium Hulls clean the colon
Burdock Root purifies the blood...(the same blood that goes thru your colon goes thru your brain...yuk! but true)
Black Walnut hulls removes intestinal parasites