How to Quickly Get Over the Flu

A few days ago, Ella randomly threw up. As I told my mom about it later, she told me about a stomach flu that was going around. “It sneaks right up on you,” she said, “and it’s awful.”

“Oh great”, I thought.

So sad when they're sick.

A few hours later, Ian mentioned that his stomach felt a little upset. Immediately, mine did, too. I went right to bed and spent the next 24 hours feeling awful. Thankfully, he didn’t.

Of course, I thought, as soon as I outline a teleseminar about keeping your family healthy all year long, I get sick. (It seems that I always struggle with stuff I write about immediately afterward).

Fortunately, it ran its course very quickly and made me grateful for some extra time to rest and for the excellent care my husband gave me. It also made me grateful for all that I’ve learned over the past few years that helped me heal faster and get over it quickly.

Rest

Rest is essential to good health. While we rest, our bodies repair themselves. I’ll sheepishly admit that when I don’t feel well, I have a hard time resting because I feel like I should be helping out. This time, though, I gave in. I slept and slept and noticed such a huge difference in the way I felt.

Hydration

Herbal tea is your friend. My new favorite combination is lemon balm and red raspberry leaf. Why? It’s a soothing blend that works wonders on your nerves, digestive system and uterus.

My uterus wasn’t in need, but my stomach sure was. The raspberry leaf also includes some important properties to keep your body nourished when plain water might just upset it more. Brew 1 tsp of each herb in a cup of water for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Chicken soup

Heed the old advice to eat chicken soup when you’re sick. Homemade chicken stock contains nourishing vitamins and minerals to help replenish nutrients that you lose during those unpleasant trips to the bathroom. And it’s really simple to make.

I like to roast a chicken for dinner once a week and when we’re done eating, I take off any remaining meat. Then I put the bones in a pot of water and let it simmer for several hours. Strain and store it in the fridge in a glass jar.

Avoid sugar

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been having a lot of sweets. I’ve been able to tolerate a lot more foods (more on that later) and I’ve been having little treats here and there.

While it was awesome for my taste buds, it wasn’t so great for my immune system. Sugar is notorious for depleting the immune system and when there’s a nasty virus floating around, you become much more susceptible to it.

While I was sick, I made sure to avoid any sweets so that I could give my immune system a better chance at knocking out what was making me sick and get me back to good health.

Essential oils

While I was sick, I made good use of On Guard, an immune system boosting essential oil blend. We made sure to put this on the bottom of everyone’s feet to protect them from the nasty flu.

Peppermint oil was also very helpful, because the bug caused an awful headache that made rest really difficult. It really kept the headache at bay.

Needless to say, I’m so glad to be over it. I hadn’t gotten the flu in so long, I forgot what it was like. And I can’t say I missed it! Thankfully, illnesses in our house are very few and far between, thanks to simple natural health strategies that we use on a daily basis.

If you’d like to learn more about using natural remedies, be sure to join the newsletter for my free natural remedy starter guide.

You can also listen to this Naturally Healthy Family Teleseminar (right-click to download), where I discuss in detail everything I do to keep our family healthy all year.

Soothing, Sweet-Smelling Peppermint

Photo credit: nSeika

Growing up on an herb farm in central Oregon, the sweet smell of peppermint was almost always in the air.

Peppermint grows abundantly here and seems to tolerate well the bipolar-like characteristics of our local weather.

It has many uses and can be put to work in the kitchen or in your herbal medicine cabinet.

Tummy tonic

The first peppermint remedy I remember using was a stomach-soother. I was feeling nauseated and used peppermint tea to calm the queasiness.

Combined with chamomile, peppermint is a gentle soother for stomach ailments like indigestion and heartburn. It also helps relieve diarrhea.

Cold defense

Peppermint combined with elder flower and yarrow makes an excellent cold defense and helps protect the body against viral infections.

Sinus relief

Peppermint tea can also help clear the sinuses, as well a peppermint compress applied over the sinus area. Taken internally, peppermint essential oil can also treat sinus infections.

Just make sure it’s a therapeutic-grade oil.

Muscle relief

Taken as a tea, peppermint relieves muscle cramps (like Icy-Hot), and does so externally when a poultice is applied to the area.

Headache Blaster

Peppermint essential oil is also used regularly in our home. Diluted in a carrier oil, peppermint oil can be applied in small amount to the head, shoulder, behind the ears and the bottoms of the feet to combat headaches and nausea.

And don’t forget to add some peppermint essential oil to your next batch of lip balm.

And much more…

Applied in a carrier oil to the chest, it helps clear breathing during respiratory infections. Peppermint essential oil is also antiseptic.

I love to diffuse peppermint oil throughout the house to battle the scent that our potty-training toddler leaves in his wake.

How to use it

Brew some delicious peppermint tea by itself or mix it with some other herbs like lemon balm or red raspberry leaf. Chop some mint up and add it to a salad for a delicious something special. Or you know, there’s always mojitos.

Peppermint essential oil is very handy to have on hand. I keep some in a ridiculously cute little vial in my wallet. It goes with me everywhere.

Cautions

Consult with your herbal professional prior to using peppermint medicinally if you have gall stones. Some infants cannot tolerate peppermint’s strength, so it’s best to use it after your child has reached one year of age. If nursing, avoid peppermint, because large quantities will lower your milk supply.

Check my resources page for recommendations for herbs and essential oils. Enjoy!

For even more home remedies, join the newsletter for the my free natural remedy starter guide.

Herbal Learning Activities You Can Do With Your Kids (and a Soothing Balm How-To)

Photo by: barockschloss

My favorite thing about being intentional about my health is the way it leads to being more intentional in other areas of my life.

Marriage, mothering, work. It’s hard to make one a priority without realizing that others need intentional attention as well.

How do I practice intentionality with my health and calling and still make time with my kids a priority? Rather than putting one aside to focus on another (doesn’t work, I’ve tried), I think it’s best to balance them.

And, thankfully, there are a lot of creative ways to do that by involving my kids in what I do. So today I thought I’d take a look at ways to include kids in a lifestyle that makes holistic wellness a priority.

I hope these ideas inspire you as much as they have me.

Plant an herb garden

This can be done inside in pots or outside in a small garden plot. Involve your kids in choosing the herbs, planting the seeds and taking care of the plants.

Let them have their own container of herbs or section in the garden. Talk about the different properties of the plants and how you can use them.

Use your senses

Learn about herbs by using all of your senses. Check out some books on herbs or look online for herbal information (with pictures of plants). Quiz each other by covering up the name of the plant and identifying by sight alone. Or read a property and guess what plant it is.

Get some fresh herbs like lavender, mint, marigold (calendula) and basil. Memorize how they smell and taste. For essential oils, take turns being blindfolded and identifying oils by smell. List the different properties that go with them. This is a fun activity for all ages.

Give a foot bath

My kiddos really love this one and it’s pretty simple. All you need is a pot of hot water (and cool water to make it safe), a basin of some kind and their choice of herbs and/or essential oils.

Let them choose the combination they like best and talk about the different properties. Example: calendula is a really soothing herb for your skin or lavender helps you feel calm.

Steep a handful of herbs (I recommend calendula, lavender or comfrey) in the hot water for fifteen minutes. Pour the water into the basin (strain the herbs if you want to) and add cool water until it’s a comfy temperature.

Add a drop or two of essential oil (I recommend wild orange, peppermint or lavender). Hang out with them as they soak their feet and then give them a little foot rub.

Make remedies together

My kids love to help me with pretty much anything in the kitchen. Use natural remedies as a fun way to interact with your kids and teach them about ways to take care of themselves.

If you want an easy one to start with, try making some soothing balm or Sleep EZ tea. Let them help you measure, pour and stir. Younger kiddos can help you count out containers for the balm and take off the lids.

Here’s the recipe for the soothing balm:

Rub on temples, foreheads, necks and shoulders to soothe little ones and help them sleep.

Ingredients needed:

• ¼ cup Lemon balm
• ¼ cup Chamomile flowers
• Lavender essential oil
• Vitamin e oil
• ¾ cup Jojoba oil or olive oil or grapeseed oil
• ¾ cup Coconut oil
• Candelilla wax (beeswax is totally fine, too)

Directions:

Add coconut oil and jojoba oil to your pan (or double boiler). Let the coconut oil melt on medium heat. Next add your herbs. Stir into the oil. Let your herbs heat through for a few minutes. While they’re heating, turn your oven on to 200 degrees and then turn it off once it reaches that. Take them off the heat, cover them and stick them in the heated oven. Let them continue to steep for about 3 hours. Use this time to play with your kids. They’ll appreciate it.

Now, take out your herbs and strain them into a glass quart jar (or bowl). I really love those mesh strainers that fit into a bowl. You can toss the herbs once they’ve drained (I put ours in the compost bin).

Clean out your pan and pour your strained oil into it. Put it back on the stove and turn it on to low heat. Add 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Start low and if it doesn’t smell strong enough, add more. It’s easy to overdo it with lavender, so add a few drops at a time. Then add 10 drops of the vitamin e oil. It helps to keep it from going rancid.

Add 1/4 cup wax to the mixture. Stir it in until it melts. Then pour your balm into dry (make sure they are very dry) jars, put the lid on and wait for it to dry. Make a nice label for your jar(s) so you can remember what’s in there.

Visit my resources page for more information on finding herbs, essential oils and recipes. Enjoy!

Sweet Dreams for the Whole Family

In my home, there’s nothing worse than a grouchy mama. As my husband says, I set the mood for the entire house, so if I’m grouchy, it quickly spreads.

One way to combat this is by getting plenty of sleep. If I’m feeling sleep-deprived I’m much more likely to put my grumpy pants on.

Anyone who has little kids knows that the chances of a full-night’s sleep are about as probable as seeing a double rainbow. Between nursing newborns and teething toddlers, sleeping through the night becomes even more challenging.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Over the last few years, I’ve accumulated some simple tricks that help us sleep better at night:

Lavender foot rub

I love this simple little remedy. Before bed, apply a drop of lavender essential oil to the bottom of everyone’s feet. The other night, Isaiah got into our bed and was tossing and turning. Ian got up and came back with lavender oil for the three of us. We slept like rocks after that.

(With essential oils, make sure you’re using a therapeutic-grade oil for all of the benefits. My favorite is doTerra).

Sleep EZ Tea

This was an herbal experiment that turned out so well. Not only does it help my kids sleep better, but it helps us sleep better, too. I’ve also gotten reports from friends and family who have used it with great success. The combination of these three herbs makes a wonderful post-dinner tea. (Recipe here).

Scented bath

One of my favorite tactics. I love a hot, relaxing bath. This is my time to think without interruption. Which is good, because sometimes I keep myself up at night just thinking. It helps soothe sore muscles, too, which might keep me awake.

I love to add an essential oil to the tub for extra relaxation. Lavender is my favorite.

For my kids, I’ve found that a foot bath works just as well as a full bath. Add a drop or two of lavender essential oil and let them soak their feet. Follow up with a little foot rub with some coconut oil and they’ll be relaxed and happy to have extra-special time with you.

No screen time

I’ve read this time and time again and it is so true. If I’m on the computer before bed, I have a hard time going to sleep. Sometimes I’ll check Facebook before bed if I’m feeling really sleepy but don’t want to go to bed just yet.

Instead of getting more tired, though, I find myself awake and alert and end up staying up much later than I wanted to.

The same is true for kids. Try to keep at least 30 minutes from the end of screen time to bed time. That’s perfect for brushing teeth and some stories.

Melatonin

This is one natural remedy I’ve used occasionally for several years. Melatonin is a chemical in our brains that plays an important role in regulating our sleep/wake cycle (circadian rhythm) and sometimes I need a little extra help with that.

If I feel like I need it, I take a 3 mg tablet after I put the kids to bed. It helps me fall asleep without any groggy side-effects. I usually only use it if I’ve been having a hard time getting into a good sleep rhythm.

Getting enough sleep is important. Not only does it help you keep your grumpy pants in the closet where they belong , but it also helps you stay healthy. I’d love to hear the tricks you use for getting better sleep.

Please leave a comment below.

P.S. Next Thursday, February 16th, I’m offering a FREE teleseminar: 7 Natural Health Strategies to Keep Your Family Healthy This Winter. I’d love to see you there! Sign up here.

Everyday Essentials

My favorite essential oil trio.

“Mama, what are you doing?” Isaac asked me last night as I applied a drop of lavender essential oil to the bottoms of my feet.

“Oh, I’m just putting this oil on my feet, buddy. Lavender is really soothing and if you put it on the bottom of your feet, it can help you sleep better at night.”

“Oh,” he shrugged and went back to playing his word game.

And that was that. My kids are used to me treating all sorts of ailments with natural remedies and will even ask for it themselves, whether it’s an herbal foot bath or some sleepy tea before bed.

In addition to herbs, I also use a lot of essential oils. Essential oils are the natural aromatic compounds found in herbs and other plants. In addition to smelling awesome, they also have healing abilities.

So today, I thought I’d share with you my favorite essential oils and a few of the reasons why I use them so often.

Lavender

As I mentioned above, lavender has some tremendous soothing properties. Applied to the forehead and behind the ears, it helps with headaches and to provide a sense of calm. Put a few drops in your bath (or the kiddos’) to help you relax.

Having trouble sleeping? Apply a drop the the bottom of your feet before you go to sleep. Lavender is safe enough to apply directly to the skin without diluting it. You can also put a drop or two on your pillowcase.

Lemon

I love citrus smells. They’re uplifting and help me to feel energized and happy. Lemon, in particular, is used frequently around my house. Added to my homemade cleaners, it adds a delicious-smelling cleaning boost.

I also like to add a drop of lemon essential oil to water or tea. It’s a good remedy for sore throats, gives me energy and soothes my stomach.

Peppermint

Growing up on an herb farm in central Oregon, where the herb grows so readily, peppermint was a familiar smell.  I’ve always loved the scent and use peppermint oil often to make the house smell better (gotta love potty-training toddlers).

I also use it when I have a headache. First, I dilute it with a little bit of almond or coconut oil and then I rub it on my temples and across my forehead. My headache disappears almost instantly, freeing me to figure out what caused it in the first place without the distraction of the pain.

I’ve also begun adding a drop to water or tea for an energy boost.

These are only three of the essential oils I use, but I use them the most because they are so multi-faceted.

What’s your favorite essential oil?

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