Claire 9/14/16 "I Guess this is Goodbye"

By Claire

I guess this is goodbye.

A couple years ago when I came up with this idea, I never thought I'd actually make it happen. But then a year ago, I finally talked Katie into doing it with me and it was fantastic, we had a ton of ideas and the time to do it. (Or at least, we made time). But now life has gotten away with us. She is busy with work and with her writing, and of course her husband. I just got back from Mexico and found a job working part-time as a nanny here in Salt Lake City and am also focusing on my writing and editing. Unfortunately, writing this blog just doesn't seem to be in the cards for us, at this moment (and maybe never, I guess only time will tell).

I want you all to know that I will continue posting anything holistic or healthy living related here on this blog, it just won't be regular like before.

Also, I will be posting regularly on my personal blog. Definitely check that out.

You can also keep track of Katie on her twitter and on her Facebook.

I hope you all find life as amazing as I am right now!

Love always,

Claire

Katie 6/24/16 “Garden Update”

Hey guys,

Sorry we've been MIA for... a few weeks. WE ARE ALIVE!

Since Claire is in Mexico, I've been a big slacker. Hold the rotten tomatoes, please.

To appease the masses, here is a visual update of my garden! It's doing pretty well, considering I'm battling a million earwigs and I didn't have any good ground this time last year.

Lettuce going to seed and tomatoes

Kale, peas, potatoes, young tomatoes and peppers

Look at that dead grass!

Monstrous potatoes

Can't wait till it all gets BIG

Onion, garlic, carrot, beet, rutabaga

Onion--he's getting bigger!

Squash blossoms, so cute!

Some pretty mint, makes good sun tea

Anyone want some free tomatoes or tomatillos? I have a ton!!!

Live well,

Katie

Katie 5/20/16 “No More ‘Pooing”

By Katie

I picked up my conditioner bottle today and was pleased to feel how empty it was. Right on time, my shampoo and soap are also running out. Why am I pleased by this, you wonder? Because I can dive in to the no ‘poo!

“Katie, that’s super gross!” you are probably saying. I’m not talking bathroom humor, though! Wait, I totally am. I’m excited to implement the practice of not using chemical based products in the shower anymore. This method is commonly called “No ‘Poo”, which is just short for shampoo. See? I wasn’t being gross!

I’ve read a few different articles about people who starting washing their hair with baking soda and conditioning it with apple cider vinegar. They’ve seen some great results, like softer, healthier hair, having less oily skin, and not washing their hair everyday. When harsh chemicals aren’t stripping our oils out, we can go a lot longer without scrubbing our scalps. It’s cheaper than hair products and healthier for our skin and hormones.

Another great benefit is how easy it is. Rinse out your shampoo and conditioner bottles and fill them with a baking soda and water solution in one and diluted ACV in the other. Bam! Healthy products in a minute!

I also made my own toothpaste with coconut oil, baking soda, and OnGuard essential oil. It is gentle and leaves me with cleaner teeth than I get with toothpaste. I’m really looking forward to eliminating more chemicals from my life.

If you don’t know anything about the harm caused by most hygiene products, I suggest you take a day and read the copious amounts of articles about shampoo ingredients, fluoride, aluminum and deodorant, and other products that are harmful to our bodies. I couldn’t even begin to compile a list for you. Remember, skin is your largest organ and absorbs anything you put on it. Treat your body right, and it will treat you right.

Wish me luck with my ‘pooing, and good luck to you on your personal journey to perfect health and happiness. I’ll let you know how mine goes!

Live well,

Katie

Claire 5/13/16 “Through Small and Simple Things”

By Claire

Hola! I have officially been in Mexico for two weeks as of tomorrow (and in my city as of this upcoming Sunday)! I am in love with Mexico, it is so beautiful, and the people here are wonderful and so full of love for everyone. I kind of feel like I’m back in Rexburg when I walk down the street, not because of what the street looks like, but because everyone says hello and wishes you a good day, even if they don’t know you. And when I go to church, they are always so warm and welcoming. It’s pretty amazing down here! But I’m not here to tell you about my trip, as awesome as it is. If you want to read more about my trip down here I have a blog specifically for that (including pictures!).

If there is one thing I have learned in the last couple weeks, it is patience in all things. I’ve taken many years of Spanish classes, but I was not prepared for speaking with native speakers. I imagine I feel as lost as anyone who has ever learned English as a second language in their home country and then gone to visit America. The way we speak is way less formal than how they are taught in the classroom and we talk so much faster that sometimes even though they know the words we are speaking it doesn’t really sink in. I feel that ALL the time here! Slowly and surely, I am picking it up.

Another difficult thing I am dealing with (or enjoying) is teaching English to children here in Mexico. It is hard to not judge how well I am teaching by how well-behaved the children are, or how well I keep their attention rather than how well prepared I am or how well I am learning to teach. My head teacher noticed this, which is something she struggled with in the beginning as well. It’s all in how you think: Do you judge how well your day is going by things you can’t control? Or do you judge how well your day is going by how well you are dealing with what you can control? I like to think positively in all things.

President Gordon B. Hinckley (Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 90’s) had this to say: “The course of our lives is not determined by great, awesome decisions. Our direction is set by the little day-to-day choices which chart the track on which we run.”

So, as you go throughout this weekend and next week, remember that it is the little things, the simple things, that set your direction. Be nice to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn new things. And, especially if you are learning something as complex as a language, remember that it took you all your life to become proficient in your native language and you still aren’t there yet.

Live well!

Claire

Katie 5/6/16 “God’s Got You Covered”

By Katie

Mankind loves revolution. As a race, we have worked hard to progress to our current level of luxury, education, and convenience. One of our earliest achievements was the agricultural revolution, thousands of years ago. We had an industrial revolution in the 1700’s, and in our own era, a mind blowing technological revolution. These big steps have greatly benefitted us, but I’d like to bring up the elephant in the room.

Sometimes progress is too much progress.

There are free public schools, but high dropout rates and a loss of practical skills, not to mention the toll standardized testing has taken on the upcoming generations’ ability to think freely.

There is access to produce in the stores year round, with season barely affecting crop availability. On the same hand, those crops are often genetically modified or covered in toxic pesticides and herbicides, grown in depleted soil, leaving a low nutrient product at which even your dog turns up his nose. Consumerism demands thousands of products and we get them all for the cheap price of being in a few million lifetimes of debt to China. Oh, and the amount of waste is so extreme we ship it to other countries.

However, do not despair! We are the ones riding the wave of the new revolution. The revolution of reconnecting to God, reconnecting to nature, and reconnecting to our higher, spiritual selves. In general, it’s a spiritual revolution. People are waking up to see the damages caused by leaning on man’s understanding instead of acknowledging God’s power. I am excited to be here with you to share in this new era, laying the foundation of a better world for our children.

I write to you today about what seems to be the newest craze in gardening, but is in fact ancient and eternal. Many affectionately call it “Back to Eden” gardening. The idea behind it is when you rely on the Lord, He is able to answer you in his perfect creation. People realized the madness of tilling their fragile soil, putting expensive chemical fertilizers into it, and receiving ever decreasing yields of produce despite the myriad of “miracle” products used. Slowly, farmers have turned to God, asking why they are failing. He answered. He always does.

In nature, we have a powerful example of redemption and abundance from lack. No matter the climate, something can grow there. God’s design works despite challenges, whereas man’s design fails without challenges. What’s the difference, you ask? Go walk where man hasn’t polluted, such as a forest or prairie. What do you see? I’ll tell you what you don’t see, and that is uncovered dirt. God covers the soil with plants and fallen organic matter. Man is faithless and only believes there is dirt to be had if he can see it!

In the Back to Eden method, gardeners understand the need of this covering. In the fall, God covers the earth with leaves and twigs and needles. The winter rain and snow aid in breaking this organic matter down, and when spring comes, gorgeous, rich soil has been made under that mulch covering. No wonder spring blossoms so incredibly! The trees and flowers truly spring up with growth!

If you imitate this covering, you will see how quickly worms and fungi move in, turning everything beneath into useable soil. You can use anything to cover your soil that you have on hand, such as grass clippings, leaves, straw, manure, or woodchips. The traditional Back to Eden garden features woodchips, which are comprised of green matter from branches, leaves, and needles. They tend to be more absorbent, don’t break down as rapidly, are unaffected by wind, and work wonders for cleaning up wet spots.

I will briefly describe how to create a covering and then go into the benefits.

First, mow any grass or other plants in your desired garden space. Lay down a couple layers of newspaper or cardboard over the space. Avoid cardboard with any sort of laminate, gloss images, or lots of ink.

Now that you’ve created a barrier to kill the grass and such beneath, apply any organic matter you have. Make a layer of some lovely compost if you have it. Take a note from the Creator when you do this and always layer, never mix or till. God doesn’t mix or till in the forest. He layers and it is perfect. We have been taught incorrectly, and this is us trying to rewire.

As your final layer, put 4-6 inches of woodchips on top of your compost, manure, etc. When it rains, this will make compost tea for you. Free and abundant. You don’t have to break the bank buying compost tea. All of God’s gifts are free, and the garden is no exception.

That’s all well and good, you think, but what’s the big deal? I’ll tell you! The soil is a living organism and must be covered, the same way we are covered with skin. Now that it’s protected, it can flourish.

Here is the good part.

Year after year, this organic covering will break down and build better and better soil. It will balance out chemically, eventually reaching a neutral 7.0 pH. Both alkaline and acid loving plants flourish in neutral soil. Because the soil is covered, it doesn’t dry out. You get to remove irrigation and sprinklers and drip lines and all the other desperate contraptions you employ to keep your plants hydrated. The covering keeps it moist down there, even in the midst of summer. It also doesn’t suffocate roots or trunks. In extreme temperatures, it is insulation against both cold and heat. Hello, winter crops!

The covering supplies nutrients to the soil, giving you high levels of things like potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, iron, and such. Your food gets tastier and plants healthier, especially if you save seeds and start to breed a superior strain. Another great relief is that crop rotation is no longer necessary. The soil is never depleted now that it’s properly nourished. You can plant again and again with the same results.

Another amazing benefit is freedom from pests. The plants are so full of water that insects drown when they nibble. They need cellulose, not water. Pest control becomes very minimal over time as everything improves together.

Say goodbye to backbreaking weeding, too! New weeds are easy to pull out of the woodchips, since they’re so light and full of air. Some gardeners take a rake and brush them out. It’s a cinch! I just told you that your biggest problems are erased. How do you feel?

Whether you are a seasoned green thumb or a hopeless, self-dubbed “black thumb”, anyone can have bountiful produce when this return to God’s method is employed. I hope you are inspired to pursue this. God’s yoke is easy and his burden is light. So can yours be, if you use His creation to your advantage and cast off your burdens.

Before I let you go, I’d like to briefly share my own experience with this method. I live in a suburban neighborhood and have a small backyard. I wanted a garden, but wasn’t sure how to achieve it since the yard is all grass and I wasn’t in a place to buy dirt. My mom discovered the Back to Eden method online and shared the YouTube videos with me. It was truly an answer to prayer. I got a few free loads of woodchips from a local tree service and started my covering! (Note that tree services often have to drive a distance to the dump and offload their chips. You are doing them a favor by asking for the chips!)

All winter my woodchips sat, percolating. I finally couldn’t resist and had to check out beneath the chips to see if it had worked. Immediately beneath were gorgeous, moist chips and white threads of healthy fungi. A little deeper were worms, creating precious vermicompost. Even now, no weeds have peeked out of my chips, except for a few that blow in on top. My vegetables are happily growing, and I am so excited to reap a plentiful harvest!

What are you still doing here? Go watch these videos and call up your local tree service! You have an amazing journey ahead of you!

Live well,

Katie

Chip delivery websites: abouttrees.com and www.chipdrop.in

(This blog post to be featured in a magazine soon! I will link it up as soon as I can!)

Claire 4/29/16 “Balance In All Things”

By Claire

So many times, I feel like we take for granted what life is really all about. That’s why I love the holistic lifestyle so much: it’s slowing down and realizing we need balance! These past three weeks I’ve been taking a break from the craziness of school and life in general. I wasn’t planning on taking a class online while I’m in Mexico, but plans change! This summer I’ll be taking a Children’s Literature class so that I can receive my diploma in July.

With this change, the most important thing I can remember is: balance in all things!

So, how am I going to balance Volunteering, Vacations, and an Online Class? That is a very good question! I’m not sure yet, but I’m hoping to figure that out while I’m in Mexico. My plan is to plan out my lessons and assignments each weekend, and the rest of the time just go with the flow! After all, this will be my first time outside of America, so I might as well have fun!

I don’t know how this is going to work, but with God on my side I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Well, today I fly to Salt Lake City, and tomorrow I fly to Mexico! Wish me luck!

Oh, something fun: I baked potato bread during my break! It was so fun! And so delicious! Seriously, I need to remember to get the recipe from my sister.

Remember: Live Well!

Claire

Katie 4/22/16 “Faith is Like a Little Seed”

By Katie

Good news, friends. My babies are growing! My first cucumber sprouted 2 weeks ago and I nearly died of happiness. After that first little green face, it seemed like everyone decided to come out and play in the sun, too. Now nearly all the seeds I planted have sprouted and grown little leaves. I couldn’t help but think how a garden is like a prayer. You cultivate fertile soil with your faith, and sow your hopes and fears and needs. You continue to exercise your trust in God with attentiveness, watering the seeds, but you have to be prudent. You can’t obsess and overwater, or you’ll drown out any answer before it can take root. You can’t plant something and then run off in the other direction, because neglect doesn’t bring you closer to the Lord. It will never be nourished enough to grow, except for the most persistent and hardy seeds.

Before you realize it, the seed has cracked open and small green sprouts pop up all over. It’s beautiful and miraculous and you can hardly believe your eyes, heart full up with God’s love. And the best part is that the fruit is yet to come. It gets better. It nourishes and blesses you if you are faithful. Each new sprout makes me smile, a reminder of God’s perfect design and perfect love. I feel so near to him in the garden.

Speaking of sprouts, let me show off my babies!

I read a great article the other day detailing the sensibility and crucial aspects of a self-sustaining lifestyle. One line stuck out to me like a rose from the ashes: “America became a helpless and dependent society the day American housewives quit working for themselves and their households, and became wage slaves for someone else.”

Wo-o-ow. Let me tell you, this rings true for me! So often, I feel trapped in a hamster wheel. I have to run like mad from 7-4, Monday through Friday, just to have enough bucks to afford transporting myself to the hamster wheel, to keep a roof over my head, and use my free time to buy and prepare food. There are so many demands I have to meet with my hard won hamster cash that it takes months to get ahead. It will take years of this desperate running to reach my dreams.

The hamster wheel life is not sustainable. I burn out all the time. I live a sedentary lifestyle. I eat junk food because it’s easy and promises pleasure. I can’t keep it up for long before I break down and sob and consider quitting at everything.

The only way to health and happiness is if I escape the cage and create my own wealth. After the breakdown, I have to remember that I can push a little harder and start to change my habits. All the things I want can be achieved if I stop fearing lack. There is always a solution to get us closer to our goals, even if it’s baby steps.

We’ve got to take our independence back. Our culture is one of consumers, not of producers. Most of our products are imported. This is not sustainable. Every year, Americans sink deeper into debt. The only way to turn it around is to produce something. We’ve got to get back to our roots, literally, and grow our own food. We’ve got to produce more than we consume. Otherwise, America will die as a poverty stricken landfill.

In today’s economy, a household often requires dual income to stay afloat. I want to be a stay at home mom, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be employed. The difference between a job and homemaking is that I am with my children all day, but still able to do my half to support our family financially. There are endless options to choose from as a homemaker, which gives me freedom to explore things I have interest and talent for and develop new talents. My family and I will grow in confidence and gain practical life skills together. We’ll be one with the Earth, ruled by the Sun and the Moon as God intended. We will be truly wealthy.

I am not there yet, but I will be. The hamster wheel is more like a hamster track. There’s now a light at the end of this tunnel. I know because I’ve seen God’s promises bloom before my eyes. Each seed I’ve planted is a prayer answered. God has been so good as to give me a bit of earth to plant in, and I look forward to His ever increasing bounty of blessings in my life.

Live well,

Katie

Claire 4/15/2016 “Why Living a Holistic Lifestyle Makes Sense”

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that I wasn’t able to post a couple of weeks ago. I have been so busy with school and passing my classes that I haven’t really thought about much else. Especially since I was also singing in two very big events this past semester and was focusing all my time and energy on homework and memorizing and singing the words to the songs we sang. But here is my blog post for this week, all about why living holistically makes sense.

We’ve talked a little about what a Holistic Lifestyle is in general and ways you can live a Holistic Lifestyle, but we haven’t talked much about why it makes sense in more detail. So, I am going to explain why a Holistic Lifestyle makes sense not only as a person, but also as a member of my church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Living Holistically is all about realizing that Mind, Body, and Spirit need to be aligned and working together efficiently in order to be happy and have a healthy body. Knowing this, the happier you are the more you are balanced in these three aspects. But let me explain a little more about what I mean by Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Mind is all about keeping your brain healthy. It’s continually learning and using your brain rather than doing menial tasks that require little to no brain power. Your body is at its peak when you are using your brain to solve problems. This is why we are encouraged to never stop learning, keep growing and changing, keep finding new things that make your heart happy and you smile your brightest smile! It’s good! It means you are open and willing to change and become a better person. Always strive for that.

Body is exactly what it sounds like. It’s what your mind and spirit live in, so it is especially important to keep your body healthy. It’s eating healthy, exercising regularly, staying safe and knowing how to protect yourself from outside harm. Remember, when you are sick your mind and spirit aren’t as able to think or feel the spirit. When you are in shape and healthy you feel more energy to do the things you love and to learn more!

Spirit is all about your emotions and your beliefs. It allows us to feel connected and open to generations of people who came before us. Spirit means meditation, continually learning about what you believe in, and just generally practicing your beliefs. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that means that I try to pray to God morning and night, and read my scriptures daily, as well as meditating on a regular basis. Remember, God can only speak to us when we are willing and connected to our spiritual side.

If used effectively, these three aspects will heighten your life and patterns. If your mind is healthy it’s probably a good sign that your body is also in good shape and if you are in shape and your mind is healthy you are better able to practice your spirituality. It all works together as a whole.

So, keep learning and striving for knowledge, spirituality, and health! They all work together to create a happy and healthy life!

Live well,

Claire

Katie 4/8/16 “Using Herbs for Skin Care and Children”

By Katie

What is up, dude! It’s great to be here with ya, you know, in spirit and stuff. I’m really glad you’re here! How’s it going? How’s life? Is it treating you pretty good? You got any cool plans or new goals you’re excited about? Man, I’d love to hear about it! These posts are always me, me, me, and sometimes I just wanna hear about you! Have you been trying any of this holistic lifestyle out? Talk to me! I get lonely out here all alone, crying into the void.

As promised, today’s post is about using herbs for skin care and also which herbs are good for kids and babies. I always keep my promises for you, my tender little pumpkin muffin. The information I share today is from the same Plant Medicine Summit online conference that I talked about 2 weeks ago. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

The gal who presented this gave a standard skin care regimen with the three step cleansing, toning, and moisturizing we’re all accustomed to doing. This is powerful stuff, because there are no chemicals and it’s very gentle. She works in a spa and these are some of methods. No one need worry about skin sensitivity when doing a routine like this (unless you have crazy bad allergies, in which case, you should be looking at cleanses for your insides instead of your outsides).

CLEANSING

Calendula (marigold) is a gentle cleanser and is also edible. When made into an oil, it can be used as a face cream. To make calendula oil, add dried petals to oil (she uses jojoba) and let it sit for 2 weeks. Strain out the petals and refrigerate it. This does have an expiration date, unlike the chemical crap we normally put on our bodies, so make an amount you know you’ll use up.

TONING

Aloe vera is an amazing plant for this. It is deeply moisturizing, regenerates skin, treats burns, is antibacterial, anti inflammatory, full of Vit B, C, and zinc. Just cut a piece off the plant and apply to your face. You’ll have living toner, right at your fingertips! Not to mention an amazing burn medicine. Read this short article about the powers of aloe vera, and then go get your own plant!

MOISTURIZING

Amalaki, also known as Indian Gooseberry, is the plant recommended for moisturizing. It is full of Vit A and C, slows down the degeneration of collagen (which keeps our skin elastic and youthful), is an antioxidant, and is also edible. You can apply it to your face, or find it in a drinkable form in Indian food stores.

Another recommendation is to do herbal steams. These are good for your skin and respiratory system as well. Sweating it out in a sauna is also very detoxifying for the skin. Remember, the skin is our largest organ. It needs plenty of care to stay healthy!

I learned something awesome about herbs. It is kind of duh if you think about it, but I don’t know if we ever do. Some herbs have cooling effects, and others heating. This is why we drink mint tea in the summer and cider with cinnamon and cloves in the winter. Use them appropriately for your needs and receive greater benefit. And of course, herbs need to be fresh to be effective in healing.

HERBS FOR CHILDREN AND BABIES

Black Elderberry

Can use the berry and the flower. It’s an antioxidant, good for the immune system. Also antiviral, can prevent colds and flu. It works powerfully on the health of mucus membranes. Health food stores sell this in syrup form, which makes it easier to give your kiddos.

Chamomile

Use the flowers in a tea. It is anti inflammatory and has a calming effect--use it to help kids get to sleep. It’s great for skin problems, eczema, dry skin, etc and also fighting allergies. Aromatherapy benefits include mood elevation or to help with sleep. Use it as a rinse for gingivitis and cold sores.

Lemon Balm

This is calming and uplifting, improving cognitive abilities and relaxing muscles. Add to your child’s bath if he doesn’t want to drink a tea.

Echinacea

In the spring and summer, use the flower to prevent illness. It fights infection, strengthens the immune system, and is anti inflammatory. In the fall, use the root and seed for fighting colds and flu. It improves the lymphatic system and can also soothe tonsils and earaches. I know health food stores sell echinacea in chewable form and capsules, so there are a few ways to get this to your kid.

When it comes to using medicinal herbs with children, do know that there are many options out there! Always research to make sure it’s safe in the case of infants, and always use common sense. God has created an amazing medicine cabinet for us without side effects. Dealing with awful side effects should never be an option for us when the answers are in the garden. Take advantage of the power of the Creator when it comes to healing, and see the benefit in yourself and your family!

Live well,

Katie

Katie 3/25/16 “10 Herbs for Wilderness Emergency First Aid”

Last week, there was this great online conference called the Plant Medicine Summit. I listened in to as many recorded podcasts as I could before they expired (they were only posted for free for 48 hours, unfortunately). I am really eager to share some notes I took from those presentations! It was all about using nature as medicine.

One presentation in particular was exactly what I had been listening for: a detailed breakdown of which plants are good for what purpose. Nicholas Schnell talked about how to use herbs in the wild for emergency first aid. He seemed like the kind of guy who had experienced some crazy adventures in his life. His knowledge of plants and their powerful properties was so inspiring to me. I want to be him when I grow up.

I shall share my notes about the 10 herbs he went over in the podcast.

Yarrow

Nicholas told us something really amazing about yarrow. One of his friends cut his leg down to the bone with a machete, so they put yarrow tincture  on the open wound. Within a minute, the bleeding had stopped. I find that to be so impressive! Something like this can mean the difference between life and death, depending on how long it takes medical assistance to arrive.

Yarrow is good for the blood and regulating blood flow. Some other beneficial uses are for bloody noses, hemorrhoids, menstrual flow, and such. It will calm or stop bleeding if taken internally for these things. You can also use it topically for cuts, bruises, blisters, hematomas, toothaches, mouth sores, and for pain.

Yarrow is also good for helping with digestion, acid reflux, and Crohn’s disease. If you have a cold, flu, or fever, put yarrow into your bath and it will help you get well faster. He said that plants also have spiritual properties, and that yarrow can be a boost for mental fortitude.

Calendula

Also known as marigold, but make sure you have the right genus. This lovely flower is good for wounds, bruises, inflammation, swelling, and scars. It can soften old scars and also help new wounds to heal without a scar. Use topically for chronic pain. It fights fungal infections, yeast infections, thrush, and similar infections. The spiritual property of this plant is for healing spiritual wounds. It can be good for people who beat themselves up or have damaged sensitivity in their soul. Sounds as good as Mother’s kisses on our owies!

Echinacea root

Story time again! Nicholas was out hiking with his friends when one of them realized he had been bitten, his arm swelling rapidly. Turns out later it was a brown recluse spider bite. Nicholas was carrying echinacea tincture on him and they applied that to the bite. The brown recluse has a nasty bite, taking weeks for the inflammation to die down and sometimes causing permanent nerve damage to the area. In this case with the use of echinacea, the swelling was gone in a few days and healing up great, no damage done.

That being said, it’s pretty self-explanatory that echinacea is good for venomous bites of all kinds. Apply it to bites from ticks, spiders, snakes, etc. It can be taken internally or topically. Echinacea is powerful for infection. It will heal chronic infection, even if it’s the kind that has been dragging your energy down for years. It kills bacteria and is a great assist to viral infections. You definitely want this in your medicine cabinet!

Blackberry root

This is good for your gut. It alleviates diarrhea, food poisoning, and the flu. You can brew tea or make a syrup from the root for infants as well as adults. You could also soak it in vinegar for a week and press it out and take that internally for another form. The spiritual properties of blackberry are fascinating. You can hang a bunch above the bed for help with spiritual and psychic disturbances, being afraid of the dark, and protection from darkness. It can help you to be opened up to psychic experiences and overcoming suppressed intuition if you’ve struggled with that. I would love to see some examples of this and test if this old belief is truly effective!

Chamomile

Chamomile also makes good baths as it is very calming. It will help alleviate anxiety taken as tea or aromatically. It is really good for aches, cramps, and pain from ailments such as stomach ache, intestinal issues, food poisoning, and even overeating. It is also good for acid reflux. In essence, it’s a powerful digestive aid.

Elderflower

The berry from this plant is more commonly used medicinally (and deliciously), but the flower is also potent in its healing abilities. It can be used for all ages, like blackberry. Make a tea from the flowers for colds, flu, and fever. In the case of skin rashes, chickenpox, and other such skin issues, a bath with these flowers would be a great relief. Taking it internally also alleviates skin problems.

Plantain leaf

Take this internally for relief for sinus allergies. Use it topically as a poultice on a wound for increased healing effects, or to help remove slivers, bee stings, and metal shavings. It helps move things to the surface of your skin so you can pull them out.

Ginger

You probably already have an idea of ginger’s health properties, especially when it comes to helping with digestion and stomach issues. Take it in a tea with some honey for nausea, vomiting, indigestion, overeating, and etc. Due to its “hot” nature, it is also effective in clearing mucus. I made ginger and thyme tea when I had some really bad congestion, and it cleared me up right away. It’s delicious with some honey. I will definitely be drinking it any time I feel a bit stuffy!

Goldenseal root

This is a great antibacterial plant that can fight a myriad of things. It kills bacterial and sinus infections, lung infections, and is also good in cases of food poisoning, drinking bad water, intestinal issues, and other stomach issues. You can also use it topically for ruptured discs. Powerful stuff!

St John’s Wort

Last but not least! This can be made into an oil (add it to olive oil or jojoba) or poultice and applied to burns for some much needed relief, including sunburns. It also is awesome for nerve pain or inflammation, and general pain relief and calming of muscles. Spiritually, it is used for overcoming old habits, coming to the light, and healing from spiritual trauma or dark intentions placed upon you.

I hope you learned something new! I sure did. May we apply this awesome knowledge to our lives and be the healthier and more protected for it! In my next post, I’ll share what I learned about using herbs for children and some skin care products you can make yourself from herbs.

Live well,

Katie