CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO SIMPLE, NATURAL HEALTH

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO SIMPLE, NATURAL HEALTH

MY JOURNEY TO NATURAL HEALTH Once upon a time, feeling terrible every day was a normal part of life. I had headaches, stomach aches and frequent nausea. My body ached and I had a near-constant rash that itched like crazy. During pregnancy, the rash took over and I spent the majority of the time scratching, wondering why on earth this was happening to me. After my fourth (and last) child was born, I expected the rash to diminish, as it had every other time. But it didn t. It stayed; a symbol of the bad state of my health. I tried many treatments for it, most of them natural. Growing up on an herb farm, I had the privilege of learning about several herbal remedies that worked well for me. Many of the herbs I used provided some relief, but never went to the root of the problem. Then, in 2010, I was sick of it. Nine months after having my son, not only was I still plagued by the itchy rash, but by the how far along are you? comments that made me cringe inside, then laugh it off. I DECIDED THAT THINGS HAD TO CHANGE AND THAT MY HEALTH NEEDED TO BE A TOP PRIORITY. It started with being accepted into a test group for a new fitness program for married couples. I loved the workouts and could feel myself getting stronger. But the weight persisted, as did the rash. In fact, the rash got worse. (My husband believes that the burning fat released stored toxins into my body, making the rash more pronounced). After six weeks, I knew that I had to address my diet. I had attempted to cut back on sugar before, thinking that maybe the rash was yeast or something fueled by sugar. But my raging sweet tooth meant that I was not very successful.

In 2011, I drastically changed my diet. Gone were any processed foods still lingering in our home all of our meals are made from scratch now (except for those rare treats of Luna and Larry s Coconut Bliss ice cream. Yum!). I got rid of gluten, and soon all other grains. Milk and ice cream were eliminated. And there were those terrible two weeks when I cut out eggs and cheese to make sure they weren t the problem. What happened after all this change? I MELTED. The pounds dropped off me, revealing those muscles I had been working so hard on. The rash intensified and then slowly faded away. Now, I can pinpoint the areas it will appear depending on the foods I eat. As time goes on and this change becomes the norm, I find that food temptations are fewer and farther between. I ve completely sworn off even tiny bites of dairy ice cream, as the ensuing stomach cramps are not something I ever want to experience again. Is the change hard? Yes, especially if you were as steeped in the standard grain- and sweet-rich diet that I was, but it s so worth it. Be intentional about your health. Life is short. There s no sense in spending it in preventable pain. Be active and enjoy the gift of free movement of your body. Nourish your body. Nourish your family. Use the resources that are so abundant in nature. TAKE THIS JOURNEY WITH ME.

WHAT IS SIMPLE, NATURAL HEALTH? I believe that simple, natural health means paying attention to the needs of your body (and your family) and acting according to those needs. Our bodies need nourishment in the form of nutrient-dense whole foods. They need fun, enjoyable movement. We need rest, in the form of sleep and regular time-outs for rejuvenation. Our bodies need healing, brought on by nourishing foods and herbal remedies. We need purpose and relationship. And we don t need a bunch of stuff. Living a healthy, abundant life can be done without spending a lot of money. You don t need pantries stocked full of organic health food, a closet full of workout equipment or shelves overflowing with herbs. A simple, effective medicine chest can be put together with a handful of supplies and just over a dozen multi-faceted herbs. Your grocery shopping list doesn t have to be filled with exotic vegetables and $10/pound cuts of meat. By creatively mixing and matching a small assortment of foods, we can enjoy variety and delicious meals with just a little planning and prep time. We can nourish ourselves without stressing over the food budget or spending all of our days in the kitchen. We just need to keep it simple and enjoy life.

TRUSTING INTUITION I believe that the more familiar we become with our bodies, the more intuitive we become. I know this is true for me. I used to curse my body, complaining that it was unfair that it reacted so strongly to so many foods. Now, I m grateful. I know my body. I know that if I eat corn, I m going to itch like crazy and wake up with a rash on my neck. I know that a bite of something sweet will taste good for a minute, but will leave me with a lingering headache. I also know that when I start feeling anxious during the day that I need to stop and look around. It usually means that I m hungry and there s clutter on the floor my two biggest triggers for an explosion. I know myself. I know my family. And I m comfortable with anticipating needs, whether that be some extra snuggle time with my kiddos or an herbal remedy for an upset tummy. The benefits of practicing simple, natural health are more than physical. Using food and herbs to bring our bodies to a place of well-being also affects our minds and spirit. It s comforting to know that you can treat your child s illness. It develops confidence in your ability to mother. And that confidence seeps over into everything else. This is the benefit that I ve gotten from taking this approach to my health. I want to help you develop that confidence in yourself. Listen to your intuition. It s there for a reason. It s time to learn to trust it.

PREVENTION An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Amen, amen, amen! Can you tell that I agree with this statement? Sadly, we live in a culture that likes to apply Band-aids, treating the symptoms without getting to the root of the problem. By treating symptoms, we mask the real issue until it steps up in the form of cancer or diabetes, shouting at you that there s more to it than you thought. Prevention takes a look at the cause of the problem. So many ailments stem from a poor diet, so why not prevent them by making wise food choices? A poor immune system can wreak havoc on your health, so why not build it up with herbs and food and rest? Preventing problems before they surface will save you a lot of time, money and frustration. For instance, many nutrient-dense foods, like spinach, carrots, kale, chard, are all very inexpensive to buy. They, along with many herbs, can be grown at home for free. Staying healthy means no expensive doctor visits or prescriptions. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, prevention is done by taking care of your body. Food. Herbs. Activity. Rest. A little bit of intentional action in these areas goes a long way for your health.

BUILDING YOUR HERBAL MEDICINE CHEST Carrier oils: Olive, coconut, almond My favorite carrier oil is actually coconut oil. Coconut oil is antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial on its own. It makes a great addition to any ointment because of its healing properties. If using coconut oil, you may use a smaller amount of beeswax, omit it altogether or mix it with shea butter for a creamy consistency. Shea butter: I add shea butter to ointments that need to be moisturizing. If creating a muscle rub, for example, you would need to steep the herbs in an oil that would be easy to massage into the skin. Muslin bag/strainer: For steeping tea. Medicine dropper First aid balm Labels Storage containers: Glass mason jars, amber bottles, other containers for storing your remedies. Mesh strainer/cheesecloth for straining herbs Raw, local honey or brown rice syrup (for babies) for making lozenges and syrups. Raw honey can also be used as a topical healer. Essential oils: Tea tree, peppermint, lavender, myrrh, cinnamon, orange, lemon, eucalyptus.

Scale: To measure ounces and preferably grams. You can use it for cooking and weighing postage, too. Herbs: Alfalfa, astragalus, calendula, chamomile, comfrey, elder, garlic, lady s mantle, lemon balm, marshmallow root, nettle, plaintain, peppermint, red raspberry leaf, yarrow.

Diaper rash ointment Nobody wants a baby to suffer through this. Prevent diaper rash by keeping baby clean and dry whenever possible. When they do get it, though, use this balm to speed its healing. Ingredients needed: - ¼ cup Calendula - ¼ cup Comfrey - 2 tbsp Marshmallow root - 2 tbsp Plaintain - 2 cups Coconut oil - 3 tbsp beeswax or candelilla wax Heat your oven to 200 degrees and turn it off. Melt the coconut oil on low heat then add herbs. Let them sit for five minutes on the low heat for five minutes then transfer them to your oven. Let the herbs steep there for four hours or longer. Strain the herbs from the oil (if it solidifies in the oven, just warm it on the stove until it melts again) and put them back in a pan on the stove top on low heat. Add the wax and let it melt. Pour it into clean, dry containers.

Healing hand salve I made my first batch of this for Christmas presents and it was a big success. Any essential oil blend will work, or you can leave it unscented. Ingredients needed: - 1 cup coconut oil - 2 tbsp Calendula - 2 tbsp Marshmallow root - 2 tbsp Comfrey - 2 tbsp Plaintain - ¼ cup wax - 5 drops orange essential oil - 3 drops lavender essential oil (add more essential oil if you like) Heat your oven to 200 degrees and turn it off. Melt the coconut oil on low heat then add herbs. Let them sit for five minutes on the low heat for five minutes then transfer them to your oven. Let the herbs steep there for four hours or longer. Strain the herbs from the oil (if it solidifies in the oven, just warm it on the stove until it melts again) and put them back in a pan on the stove top on low heat. Add the wax and let it melt. Pour it into clean, dry containers.

Lip balm I also recently tried lip balm for the first time recently and I m so glad I did. It s easy to make and a fun project to do with your friends. Ingredients needed: - 2 tbsp Calendula - 2 tbsp Marshmallow root - 3 tbsp grated or roughly chopped beeswax - ½ cup coconut oil - ¾ tsp. peppermint essential oil Heat your oven to 200 degrees and turn it off. Melt the coconut oil on low heat then add herbs. Let them sit for five minutes on the low heat for five minutes then transfer them to your oven. Let the herbs steep there for four hours or longer. Strain the herbs from the oil (if it solidifies in the oven, just warm it on the stove until it melts again) and put them back in a pan on the stove top on low heat. Add the wax and let it melt. Pour it into clean, dry containers. Sleep EZ Tea

A lovely sleep aid for babes and adults alike. This soothing tea works like a charm in our house, especially when sweetened with a little bit of honey. Ingredients needed: - Elder flower - Lemon Balm - Chamomile - Tea Basket (We got some a couple months ago and I love them) The ratio that I use for the tea is 2 parts lemon balm and chamomile and 1 part elder flower. Also, it might make you sneeze. A lot. I have no problems with drinking it, but chamomile just does that to me. Mix together ¼ cup elder flower, ½ cup lemon balm and ½ cup chamomile. You can increase or decrease the amount, I just thought you might like some numbers. Put your tea basket in your cup and add about 1 tsp tea. Add hot water and let steep for a few minutes. Add a bit of honey if desired or brown rice syrup for little ones under one. This tea is safe for infants but should be diluted with a few ounces of water.