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