Natural approach to cold and flu season

I recently bought some honey, and on the label it said something like, "To lawyers and those who hire them, honey should not be given to children under the age of 1."  I bought that particular honey simply because of that very pointed label!  So, in that same vein of thought, let me throw it out there: I'm not a doctor, blah blah blah...this is my personal experience only and not a medical recommendation, blah blah blah...and to lawyers and those who hire them, disregard all information below and simply continue to go to your regular doctor multiple times per year and wonder why you're not well.  :)

Now, for the rest of y'all who have asked me what we do for the cold and flu season, I've finally put it in blog form.  

Quick background information:  In 2003, I had a 5-year-old daughter who had just been to the doctor for pink eye and an ear infection, a 1-year-old son who had just been to the doctor for roseola, and a husband who was particularly affected by sinus infections and migraines.  And, quite honestly, I was tired of doctors and medicines (which never really seemed to get to the root of the issues, because we'd be right back in the doctor's office again).  Enough was enough!  So, I walked into a local herb store where I had bought a few things here and there, and I told the owner of the store that I wanted to learn enough to take care of my family's health.  She hooked me up with a course that covered herbs, essential oils, reflexology, etc.  And that, my friends, was the end of our trips to doctors.  No, I'm not against doctors.  I have good friends who are doctors.  And if I have a broken leg or need a blood transfusion, I will surely walk into their doors.  But for common illnesses, I have found the herbal route to be far superior, and we have taken our health out of the hands of doctors.

And the results?  With lots of prayer and herbs, we have 4 healthy children who rarely get sick.  When they do get sick, they are very quick to get over it.  My husband has never had another sinus infection since I learned how to prevent them, and his migraines have never returned since getting regular chiropractic care. Since 2003 (11 years!!), we have had sick visits to a medical doctor a total of only 2 times, and both of those times have been for our youngest daughter who was not yet verbal and couldn't tell me what was hurting.  I simply needed a doctor to look in her ears, listen to her chest and tell me what the issue was, and then I treated it at home with herbs.  I don't recommend doing this if you have no idea what you're doing, but if you get educated in herbs and essential oils or if you get hooked up with a reputable herbalist, you will have a firm hold on alternatives to the traditional medicinal route.

Okay, so here's what my herb cabinet looks like: 

And the big question that I get asked often this time of year is: What do you do for cold and flu season?  So, I won't go into detail on every item in my herb cabinet.  I will simply tell you what I pull out when a cold or flu does hit.  I use the same products every time with excellent results, so this is easy peasy.

FIRST and arguably the most important supplement is a good probiotic.  When I mean good, I mean that if you get it at Walmart, it's not going to be the best stuff.  When it comes to supplements and herbs, don't skimp.  Go for the good stuff.  Pay more.  Get what you pay for.  One company I trust is Nature's Sunshine, as they have had an untarnished reputation since 1972.  Think of probiotics as simply good bacteria that is put into your body to eat the bad bacteria.  My favorite is Probiotic Eleven, which has strands of 11 different kinds of good bacteria.  This stuff is seriously amazing, and since taking it regularly, we have noticed a great reduction in illnesses.  Adults can swallow capsules, and for children, you can break open a capsule and pour it into their applesauce or yogurt.  Nature's Sunshine also has a chewable probiotic for children, but some of my children don't like the taste of it.

When someone has a cold or the flu, ALJ and Echinacea/Golden Seal is an excellent combination to take.  ALJ keeps fluids running so that they don't stagnate in the sinuses.  Echinacea/Golden Seal combo is a natural antibiotic.  Think of it as your anti-sick-germs stuff.  It's powerful and works well.  I give these 2 together and according to the doses on the bottle.  Herbs in combination are powerful, and this combo has had the best results for us.  I personally don't like the taste of these liquids, and some of my children aren't crazy about it.  But, they know it works, so they don't complain when they have to take it.

For teens/adults, I give the capsule form of ALJ and Echinacea/Golden Seal.

During seasonal changes or cold/flu season, a great supplement is elderberry (and it's yummy!).

 I also keep medicinal tea on hand for cold/flu season.  Peppermint is good for calming tummies, and my children will request this when they have been throwing up or if they are nauseous.  It's soothing, and it tastes like candy canes!  Ginger is good to take when someone has diarrhea.  (*I also keep Pedialyte popsicles on hand to replenish electrolytes*).

Essential oils are amazing, and if you ever want to do some studying on them, you'll be hooked.  These are my 2 tried-and-true, most used essential oils.  I keep Lavender Fine on hand all the time (and carry a bottle in my purse everywhere I go), because it is great for burns, scrapes, bites, etc.  (Don't apply to open wounds though).  Just Google lavender fine oil, and you'll see why I keep it on hand.  Tea Tree Oil is great too.  And for ear infections, I will apply tea tree oil (mix it with some olive oil to cut down the power of this particular oil...you can Google that info) to the outside of the ear in a U-shape from the bump in front of the ear, down under the ear lobe and then back behind the ear.  I reapply every 2 hours, and this has rid every ear infection we've had.

Now, this is what I refer to as my "big dog."  This is what I pull out if we have an illness that is really rough (like a bad flu).  It's Silver Shield, which is colloidal silver.  Do NOT mess with inferior brands or homemade colloidal silver.  Stick with a very reputable brand, like Nature's Sunshine.  This is VERY powerful and will knock just about any illness off its course.  **Consult a good herbalist as to the dosage per age of person.**

Now, this doesn't have to do with colds or flus, but this is a must for every herb cabinet.  Activated Charcoal is excellent for food poisoning.  I keep this in my cabinet at all times, and we have used it on various occasions.  If we have bad tummy cramps, we just take the recommended dosage, and those cramps are always gone very quickly.  Activated Charcoal actually acts as a sponge to absorb all the toxins and stop the cramping.  It has saved us quite a few times.  I give this to adults/teens.

We also break open a capsule, add a tiny tad of water and make a paste.  You can put this on bee stings or insect bites to pull out toxins.  Be warned that this is VERY BLACK and will stain, stain, stain.  So, I apply it while child is in an empty bathtub or over a sink.  I usually leave the paste on for about 15 minutes and then wash off.  Skin will be stained black for a little while.

Okay, so what does this look like in real life during cold and flu season?  Well, first, we are giving probiotics daily if possible but at least 3-4 times per week.  This is a preventive measure that works wonders at reducing illness.  And especially when we travel or when we are exposed to crowds of people, we make sure we take probiotics.

Then, if a child or adult comes down with a cold or the flu, I always tell them to tell me when they feel the very first little symptom.  Herbs work best at first symptom rather than days into an illness.  Sometimes, when I feel the very first signs of feeling run-down, I begin taking herbs, and often the illness is gone before it begins.  So, if someone says they aren't feeling well (cold/flu), I give them ALJ, Echinacea/Golden Seal, elderberry, and daily probiotics.  I also make sure everyone else is taking daily probiotics when someone in the house gets sick, because we know the germs spread.  So, the non-sick people begin to take elderberry and probiotics daily.  (I'm also pretty big on washing germs off of light switches, toilets, sinks, TV remotes, etc when we have an illness in the house).

Also, when someone is sick, we cut out all sugar, dairy and processed foods.  AND DEFINITELY NO PORK...because pork has bacteria in it that cannot be cooked out of it, even if you burn it.  So, if you are a pork-eater, cut it out of your diet until you are completely over your illness.  Sugar will weaken the immune system, and dairy thickens mucus...so cut it all out until you are no longer sick.  Drink lots of water, and take herbs according to directions on the bottle.  And, you will most likely find that you will not be sick for very long.  Your body will fight hard and quickly when it is given the proper nutrition (herbs are food!).  In our experience, we usually are over colds within 1-2 days, and most of the time the flu will be gone within a few days rather than a week or two.

I have to mention, too, that going to a GOOD chiropractor does wonders for keeping a body healthy.  I don't recommend a regular chiropractor that just twists and cracks.  Not all chiropractors are the same.  We go to an Upper Cervical Chiropractor, and it is NOTHING at all like going to a general chiropractor.  I cannot even begin to express the good this does for the body.  And get your children in before puberty, when their bones will begin to  harden into place.  If you get their bones in place before that hardening process begins, you will do them a world of good for the rest of their lives.  And very few people know that good chiropractic care is AMAZING at keeping the body healthy in every cell.  We take our children regularly to an upper cervical chiropractor, and we've seen wonders (including our child who has scoliosis that is being treated effectively).

So, there you have it...a peek into how we prepare for colds and flus.  If you're interested in having some resources on hand, I have 2 books I recommend.  Here's the first one...

This book has ailments in alphabetical order, so it's easy to look up whatever issue you want to research.  Then it gives recommendations.  I have found that most are good, though I have seen a few recommendations that are more mainstream and not in line with the natural route.  Overall, it's good stuff.

The other book is this one, which I love...

It is a highly interesting book about essential oils.  The beginning of the book has an intro to essential oils, and the rest of the book has info about individual oils, how to use them, what to use them for, etc.

Living a Life of Simple Faith

Just want to let you know that I DO hear you.  Sweet (and highly patient, I might add) homeschool moms have asked for some specific educational topics to be blogged.  Other moms have asked for a blog post specifically detailing what my herbal tactics are for cold and flu season.  Other mommas have been asking me for over a year to share how I create a cozy ambiance that makes the home feel so...well, homey.  And extended family members just want to know what the kiddos are up to in Hill Country.  I hear all of you sweet, loving (did I mention patient) people!  And I do have many blog posts in the wings.  They swim inside my mind daily.  Really.

But this blog post isn't about any of those things.  This topic fairly burns within my soul, and it flows in torrents.  Somebody needs this today.  

Many years ago, we studied the life of George Mueller, and a month ago we picked up his biography and met him all over again.  George was an ordinary man.  Well, actually, he was a lying thief who gambled excessively.  He was in trouble with his father, in trouble with his school, in trouble with the law.  He was just flat-out trouble.  And then one day, God just got ahold of him.  It was like a Saul-to-Paul life transformation.  God does the impossible like that.  Messy people don't put Him off.  So, George Mueller met God in a real way, and it changed him.

George Mueller

Long story short:  George is reading in his Bible that if we put God's Kingdom first, then God will take care of our needs.  He realizes that many people agree with that, but he didn't know anyone who actually lived it out.  So, he decided to be the one to do this thing.  He wanted his life to be evidence that God really does mean what He says and that He would provide for every need if we simply put His Kingdom first.  And he did live this out.  His life is filled with thousands of these incidences.

It started with a simple step of faith.  George decided to become a missionary, and his father was against it and refused to pay for his schooling.  George realized that this was his chance to begin trusting God to provide for his needs.  He decided not to tell a single soul about his needs and instead simply pray.  He asked God to provide him with a job.  Two hours later, some men knocked on his door and asked if he could teach them German, and they said they'd pay him 4 times the going rate for tutors/translators.  And just like that, God met the needs of one man who decided to believe Him.  He sat in awe of this God who really DOES hear and really DOES answer when we trust Him with all our hearts.

Another more well-known incident occurred many years later when George Mueller was running an orphanage.  Two hundred children gathered around the dining tables for breakfast one morning, but there was not a single crumb to eat in the orphanage.  He still believed in trusting God for all his needs and never letting his needs be known to other people.  So, he told the children, "Let's pray and thank God for the food He is going to provide for us this morning."  He led them in a simple prayer, asking God to provide breakfast and then thanking Him for His provision.  HOW SIMPLE.  And yet not easy, right?  If we are honest with ourselves, wouldn't we have even a tinge of doubt (what if God doesn't provide, and I just told all these naive children that God would provide???  should I just go knock on some doors and ask for some food in case God doesn't come through this time??).  Right?  Isn't that how our little talks go inside our minds sometimes?

But George Mueller had complete, unwavering faith in this God of his.  God was more than just a fairy tale or a grandpa in the sky or a rigid churchy being that likes rituals.  God was real to George.  God had said that He would provide for all our needs if we simply put His Kingdom as our priority.  George lived that out.  He served orphans, which was God's Kingdom work.  And He trusted God to be faithful to do His part, which was to provide for all of George's and the orphans' needs.  So, he led the orphans in prayer, expecting (**key word**) God to provide.  And guess what happened?  When he finished praying there was a knock at the door.  A baker had been awakened in the middle of the night with a feeling that the orphans would need food, so he had been up for many hours baking bread.  He handed trays of fresh bread to George.  Then...another knock on the door.  This time it was a milkman whose wagon wheel had broken right in front of the orphanage, and he needed to unload all his milk in order to get the weight off the wagon and fix the wheel.  He asked if the orphanage could use the milk.  God provided breakfast for every single child...and in time for them to make it to school without being late.  God provided JUST. LIKE. THAT.

Orphans at the orphanage sustained by George Mueller's prayers

We hear stories like that, and we think it's amazing.  But quite honestly, we think of them as just that...inspiring stories...something that happened to someone else at some other point in history.  Like most people living in George Mueller's time, we don't actually practice that level of faith ourselves.  We don't live in the faith realm like Abraham or Elijah or George Mueller did.  The Bible even says that when Jesus returns, true faith will be rare.  And so it is. 

But somewhere along the line, I decided that I wanted to be one of the rare ones who lives by faith.  Not the kind that sit around and read books about it or talk about it or nod their heads in agreement about it.  But the kind who will flesh it out.  If George Mueller can do it, so can I.  Which sounds good, but oh the trials that come to the one who decides to live on the thin air of faith!  God must develop that faith, and He does it through introducing impossible circumstances, fiery trials, lonely roads, sometimes deepest of hurts...and when we are lying on the floor face-down in bitter tears, He asks simply, "Do you really trust Me?"  THIS is the training ground for faith.  And it is not for the faint of heart.  It will rip out every human prop you have and then pose the question that you thought you knew the answer to but all of a sudden it feels rather scary: DO YOU REALLY TRUST HIM?  

"To learn strong faith is to endure great trials.  I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings."

                                                              ---George Mueller

I had decided to have full faith in God and to try to walk this narrow road.  And then God led me to a ministry that seeks to live out this same kind of faith.  I have joined a wonderful team that runs its ministry in much the same way that George ran his orphanages...by simple faith.  While most ministries have a 5-year plan and a system for everything, this ministry simply prays.  They pray for God to bring to them people who need Him.  They pray for God to provide for every need of each person that He sends them.  They pray...and then they trust Him...completely.  Very, very simple.  And how does this look in real life?  Well, though no 2 weeks look alike, I will share with you 2 stories from the past month.

The first story is of a little girl who came to the ministry office with her mom.  This is a precious family who has real needs.  The little girl announces that her birthday is in 3 days.  A sweet lady at the ministry asked her what she wanted for her birthday.  This little girl said, "My birthday gift was that my mom got a job, and now we can have money to buy food."  Ministry lady asks her, "Is there anything you'd like to ask God for your birthday?"  The little girl thinks and then says she'd like to ask God to give her a bike.  So, they bow their heads right there and ask God to provide a bike for her birthday.  They just asked and then had faith that God not only heard but had answered this child's request.  Simple.  The ministry didn't go out in search of a bike.  They did not tell anyone about their need.  Instead, they simply did what George Mueller did: prayed and trusted God to provide.  One day goes by, two days go by...and on the morning of the little girl's birthday, a text is sent to the ministry lady's phone.  It was a photo of some bikes that someone was donating, and the text said, "Do you think you can find homes for these bikes?"  And, you guessed it (because you're catching on!)...yes, one of those bikes was the exact size bike for this little girl (and a pretty princess bike to boot!!).  

Photo that was sent via text the morning of the little girl's birthday.  God sent her the pink bike.

The second story I was able to be part of...  I was shopping in Walmart last week, and I had a pressing feeling that I needed to buy blankets to donate to the ministry.  I have a certain kind of blanket that I really love, and I went searching for it.  I found these blankets and put them in my shopping cart (which you sweet Georgians call buggies).  I put in 1, 2, 3 blankets.  Three seemed like a good number to me...plus, my cart was getting full.  So, I walked on.  But, God told me to go back and get a 4th blanket.  Once we are in tune with His voice, we KNOW it.  It's unmistakable.  And He was telling me to get a 4th blanket.  I argued for just a split second, because my cart was getting full...and three just seemed like a good number of blankets to donate to the ministry.   But, I've learned the hard way that if I argue with God, I usually end up awake at 3am with regrets for my disobedience.  Been there many times!  And I do like to sleep peacefully at 3am, so I decided to go back and get that 4th blanket.

The 4 blankets God told me to buy

Three days later I took the blankets to the ministry office.  I hand the director 2 big Walmart bags filled with the 4 blankets and explain to her that God was very precise that I needed to buy 4 blankets.  She looks at me, smiles, and goes to get her files.  She pulls out the file of a family and tells me that the mom had come into the ministry office a week earlier asking for us to pray specifically that God would provide each of her 4 girls with a warm blanket.   Their house was cold, and the girls were sharing a blanket.  This was a need she had humbly brought before God in prayer.  She had actually called the ministry office mid-week to ask if the blankets had been provided, and they told her not yet but that God could be trusted to provide.  They encouraged her to ask in faith, believing that God had already provided.  And there I was standing in the same office where prayer had gone up in faith, and I had the opportunity of being there when this sweet mom arrived to pick up the blankets that God had specifically told me to buy.  I'm not sure how many miracles you've ever been a part of, but it fills you with this intense awe.  Everyone just stands back, and it radiates: "Look what God did here!"  

Card to go with the blankets

This is real.  God is real.  And He absolutely still moves in miraculous ways.  This isn't reserved for the special or the elite or those with big spiritual guns.  This is wide open to any of His children.  He simply asks that we BELIEVE.  And the ones who take Him at His word and simply believe...THOSE are the ones He will wow with these miracles and answered prayers.    

"Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends."  

                                   --George Mueller

Learning Science Organically

I've fallen behind in blogging our homeschooling weeks.  So many interesting, new things have been going on in my life here in the hills (will blog about that soon), so forgive me for the lull in blogging about our organic homeschooling lifestyle.

So, science.  This happens to be such an easy subject to learn organically that I almost didn't blog about it.  Science is EVERYWHERE, so it's pretty simple to pick it up anywhere we are and almost everywhere we go.  It's better shown in photographs, because I cannot think of a good how-to-learn-science-naturally message to share with y'all.  Just be open to it, and it will inevitably fall into your lap.

When fall rolled around, instead of getting beautiful colored leaves in our trees (I miss you, woods of Georgia!), we were surprised with these gorgeous purple flowers (Texas, you're beautiful!).  So, we need to dig out our resources about flowers and plants and find out what this particular plant is called.  Then we need to look up how to prune them.  See...science right here in the front yard!

And once fall's mild weather began, the walking path began to be filled in with clover.  Bring out the magnifying glasses and nature journals!  

Lately, my youngest son has taken to making inventions all the time.  ALL. THE. TIME.  In just the past couple of weeks, he's been really intrigued with the workings of everything.  Like how does the remote control work?  How does the griddle get hot?  How does an engine make a truck move?  And he is into taking things apart and repurposing parts into "inventions."

This is a memory scanner.  Yes, I donated my oldest colander.  Sometimes homeschooling moms have to sacrifice!  :)  

Cute fall-themed muffin liners, right?  Well, this day they became headphones.

Comfortable headphones, no less.

He was thrilled with his final product.

And little sister got in on the action.  She sat down in the middle of the invention do-dads and went to work creating her own thing.  (And, yes, she is dressed up like a hobbit!  Did I mention that we have a costume designer/creator in our home?  Yep...we have costumes for all kinds of things!)

Here, our resident hobbit is busy busy busy.  She may not be able to hang with a textbook that rattles on about science, but who needs a paragraph about inventions when you can try your hand at making one yourself?

Learning science organically is not without its messes.  In fact, it often resembles the aftermath of an explosion.  But, it's always fun (until clean-up time!).

And sometimes we run across huge doses of science when we take day trips.  Here we went exploring Pedernales State Park.

Okay, could you possibly think of a more relaxed, enjoyable way to learn?? 

Little Miss overcame some sensory issues as her feet met rock, so this was great for her on many levels.

Ahhh, the freedom to learn and play right there in the middle of a beautiful state park (awesome classroom, right?)!

In this natural classroom, we observed all kinds of interesting things...like cool rocks and slippery algae under our toes.

Sand and rocks were unearthed from the water...

 Rocks and shells and little minnows caught each child's attention.  Curious minds that are lit with the fire of learning WILL discover these things on their own.

And some really beautiful shells lay under the water.

We've studied science in some really beautiful places across the country, and this was definitely one of those.

Even teenagers retain their natural love of learning and exploring if it's nurtured.  Nature is a good teacher if we still ourselves long enough to simply look.

Oh, and what is a current?  Well, a paragraph in a textbook might miss the punch that our lesson on currents had.  If you click on this photo, you might be able to spot the Croc (as in SHOE, not the creature with teeth!), floating away from the boy who is trying desperately to catch it. 

The shoe is GONE!  Currents are pretty powerful and quick!  Bye-bye Croc.  Sad boy turns around, while big sister (and her momma) finds the humor in the situation.

Ahhh, but then boy realizes that someone must be downstream.  He signals a woman, who sees the shoe riding the current.  Got it!  Shoe is returned, and currents are experienced.   

Another beautiful shell is discovered.  Look at the intriguing colors.

And little creatures were spotted.  Can you see this one?

And prickly pears were discussed as we hiked back up the trail.

Often, these outside experiences will propel some further research or reading about certain subjects (currents, cactus, rivers, rocks, animals, fish, sea shells, etc).  

And we also cover science topics as we move along through our timeline of history and the accompanying books we are reading.  We just finished Johnny Tremain, an amazing historical fiction account of the Boston Tea Party and other events leading to the American Revolution.  The related science we have discussed is ocean-themed.  We've covered a broad range of ocean-related topics.  Yesterday, in particular, we discussed the diving bell that was invented in 1690 and Alvin, the submersible.  This reminded my children about the Titanic documentary they watched a couple of years ago, so watching that again is now on the agenda for today.  See...it's a rhythmic flow from one related thing to the next, always in context, always coming from an interest in the subject at hand...and many times, it is experienced in addition to reading about it.  Science is absolutely grasped at a deep level when it happens organically.