Fighting The Dark Side of Nature... On It's Own Turf

My first foray into essential oils began with making my own cleansers for the house. I liked the scents as well as the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and other properties that came with them. And frankly the cleansers themselves were dirt cheap compared to store bought. More than the lower cost, though was my focus on reducing the use of various and assundry chemicals used within my home. If I can make something with an identifiable list of 4 ingredients, why buy something with a list of 20, only being able to identify a few?

So- that is where it began. As I became more cognizant of the various oils and their uses I began to realize that I could infuse coconut oil with essential oils as a moisturizer. I learned I could use peppermint oil for headaches, fevers, or even indigestion. And so on...

As opportunities (symptoms to some :) ) would present themselves over the last week of illness I would pull out my copy of :

to see if I could find a treatment inside for the ailment. I must admit, I'm impressed.

This last week I have been dealing with a severe cold. It's the worst cold I've had in years. It began with a stiff and sore neck with a mild migraine, then a fever. I had a day where I felt I was rebounding only to then be dealt what felt like a sinus infection, a deep productive cough, laryngitis and continued fatigue. My oldest son contracted it, as did my 2yo daughter.

I have dealt with this cold strictly with essential oils and I have to say- I'm very pleased with how they've benefited me.

When I first began to feel ill I diffused a mixture of eucalyptus oil, thyme, and lavender. As I felt the fever and chills coming on I incorporated a bath infused with 5 drops of Tea Tree, 2 drops Lavender, and 2 drops Thyme. I didn't think to incorporate the other suggestions in the book for flu. I just wanted to sleep. :) I did use "Tension Tamer" on my very sore neck and around my hairline for the slight migraine the virus brought me and it was a huge help. Tension Tamer is an essential oil mixture sold by Beeyoutiful that contains a few carrier oils and wintergreen, eucalyptus and peppermint oils.

As the cold symptoms and sever sinus issues set in I felt the benefits of the oils even more. (I did also utilize a NeilMed sinus rinse 2- 3 times at the beginning.)

For sinusitis (an overabundance of mucus in the sinus') I put 2 drops of Rosemary, 1 drop of Geranium and 1 drop of Eucalyptus oil on a tissue when I felt the need and when I went to bed I placed it next to my pillow.

Once I noticed my throat feeling tender and sore I diluted 5 drops of Chamomile, 1 drop of Thyme, and 2 drops of Lemon in a tsp of Sweet Almond Oil and rubbed it all over my neck and behind my ears. I did this at night and when I woke I was very surprised that my throat was not sore at all with all the post nasal drip. I re-applied as necessary.

As the cold moved into my chest I continued to use the oils on the tissue and I made another mixture of oils (1 drop Lemon, 2 drops Eucalyptus, 3 drops Rosemary in 1 tsp sweet Almond Oil) and rubbed that on the chest, neck and forehead, nose, and cheekbones. This was a great help! It was especially helpful with my 2yo. This particular 2yo is VERY resistant to any liquid form of medicine. So for her chest cold and sore throat I used the oil mixtures/rubs and couldn't be happier with the results as well as the lack of struggle they required.

I think by far the most far reaching help was the cough treatment- once I found it. I had a cough set in that was so deep it prompted a friend to say I needed a breathing treatment. I had a cough 2 years ago that was similar to this one. It held on for weeks and did not abate until I received a couple of prescriptions. This cough seemed headed in the same direction and I was not liking the idea as convulsive coughing fits are not exactly my idea of fun. :) I combined 2 drops of Eucalyptus, 1 drop of Thyme, and 1 drop of Tea Tree. I used 1 drop of that mixture in half a mug of hot water with a TBSP of honey. Within a day I felt the cold lessening and breathing became more free. I hadn't realized my breathing had been compromised. Oh, and the cough backed off significantly as well. :)

I did not use all the methods the book lists for Influenza, Sinusitis, Laryngitis and the Common Cold. Nevertheless, I'm feeling much better and all without the need, cost or side effects of pharmaceuticals.

The last little gift of the cold ( I hope!) are ear aches. Fortunately there is an aid for that as well that I've used previously with great success- a warm tsp of olive oil with 1 drop of Lavender and 1 drop Chamomile and put on a cotton ball and plug ear. After one treatment last night at least the pain in my one ear is no longer a stabbing one. :)

Why The Chicken Pox Vaccine is Nuts!

As I was perusing my Face Book news feed this AM I ran across this article about the chicken pox vaccine written by a microbiologist, JoAnn Farb. This is my first encounter with any of JoAnn's writings but I thought she did a good job of concisely laying out the argument of those of us who remain unconvinced about the Chicken Pox vaccine in particular, or vaccines in general. I have felt for years that it really makes no sense for one to circumvent the body's natural defense mechanisms and introduce a form of a virus and it's accompanying toxins straight into the blood stream. I also found it interesting that vaccine makers/marketers do not often follow the vaccinated once they get the shot past 90 days, if that. So how then can the manufacturer then say in good conscience there are few adverse reactions (or just a few) and the dramatic rise in autoimmune diseases have no correlation??

Makes one wonder...

"The Oiling of America" talk by Sally Fallon

So I've heard of Sally Fallon for years, and knew she had SOMEthing to do with diet and nutrition. But I have never investigated deeply. Or at all, really. I found her talk quite interesting.

I have often wondered about a correlation between diet and health. I'm convinced there is a huge one, partly through my own experience as I've changed how I eat and partly due to logic. I think there is great truth to the saying "You are what you eat".

One fact that stuck out to me was that the first recorded MI (heart attack) was recorded in the early '20's. I think it was 1921. I was also unaware of how some things were connected (and have become interconnected) throughout history such as the agency's that deal with heart disease/ health and diet.

I find the discussion of cholesterol/stain drugs fascinating in light of all the processes' cholesterol is required for within the body, yet "too much" cholesterol has become a huge talking point today amongst the public and the medical establishment. I have old cookbooks. 100 year old ones. I can clearly see how the diet of yesteryear differs from today's eating habits. I also see the dramatic increase in diseases of all sorts. I do not think this is coincidence. I think we are poisoning ourselves, in many cases, by the things we consume.

The genesis of the 'edible' oil industry, it's marketing practices and the impact upon health is well worth the view. I have been moving more and more towards the perimeter of the grocery store over the last few years being of the persuasion that the closer it is to how it grew- the more likely it is it'll make it into my cart. This pushes me more towards the perimeter, still. Of course, this also means that less snack type foods in the house require my children to actually prepare snacks or meals to some degree if they want something more than an apple. They are not thrilled. Now I do buy some snack things and likely will continue, but I'm much more selective than I used to be.

It is a 2 hour talk, but well worth the time.

The Oiling of America

Chloe's Virus Killing Soup

Props to Chloe. :)

This is what we had for dinner tonight along with freshly ground whole wheat drop biscuits.

I've made this soup before, but had not used all the garlic, nor had I a fennel bulb. ~hint~ Don't skimp on the garlic, nor the fennel.

My younger children did not care for it, but it was cool with me because I enjoyed eating theirs. :) I will freeze individual portions and should I feel a virus coming on- I will pull one out to eat.

I used two onions instead of just one. I cooked one with the meat in the pressure cooker with about a third of the garlic, then the other cooked with the sauteed veggies with the rest of the garlic.

(My comments are in blue.)

Chloe's Virus Killing Soup

One chicken
Appx 15-30 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (I used 30 or a few more. ;) )
1 Tbs salt
3-4 Thyme sprigs
Cayenne pepper (to taste. I use about a tsp) (oops! I forgot this one.)
Fresh Rosemary sprigs
Fresh ground pepper

1) Place chicken and above ingredients in a soup pot (I use my pressure cooker) and cover with water or chicken broth (I really like those boxes of organic chicken broth). Cook on stove top until chicken starts to fall apart. (I used my pressure cooker containing 1 whole chicken , cut up, for 20 minutes, next time I'll try 15 minutes. I do not care for boiled bird.) Remove from heat. Strain out chicken and stuff and set aside until cool enough to chop. Reserve broth.

1 large onion (coarsely chopped or sliced)
1 fennel bulb (sliced thin)
1 leek (sliced thin)
4-6 stalks of celery (coarse chopped)
large red pepper (coarse chopped)
1/2 lb. carrots (coarse chopped) (I used at least 1lb.)

Add any or all of the following vegetables if you have them and/or like them: (I didn't add any of these)
cabbage
yellow squash
zucchini
green beans
spinach
kale
turnips
parsnips
rutabagas
potatoes
anything you like. If you have frozen veggies wait and add them during the last step.

2-4 tbs olive oil
1/2 C good White Wine
salt and pepper

2) Place oil in bottom of large pot and heat. Add onion, fennel, celery, pepper and leek and sauté until onion just transparent. Add other vegetables cut into bite-sized pieces and cook until tender. Add wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Cover the vegetables with chicken broth from chicken--add more broth from can or box if you don't have enough broth from chicken and simmer veggies until just tender.

Frozen peas
Frozen green beans
flat leaf parsley (chopped) (I only added this one)
1-2 cans chopped tomatoes with juice
salt and pepper to taste (oh- and these)

3) Add the above ingredients and simmer until everything is tender. Add chopped chicken, salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add cabbage with the end ingredients if you like, or any other veggies your family likes. Sometimes I'll throw in whatever is in my veggie bin in addition to the above. You can also make it very simple with fewer veggies.

The next day add egg noodles and turn it into chicken noodle soup.

pilgrim in progress - 10 Things to Remember When Correcting Your Children - 10 Things to Remember When Correcting Your Children

A great reminder of the end goals of parenting. I think I need to re-read this at least once per week.

pilgrim in progress - 10 Things to Remember When Correcting Your Children - 10 Things to Remember When Correcting Your Children

Nutrition, Health, Food Labeling:Stevia

Information on Stevia as well as a sugar to stevia conversion chart.

Nutrition, Health, Food Labeling:Stevia

Company in the Kitchen

I really do love to host holiday meals, in general, but this year I decided to pass on the opportunity for this particular Thanksgiving to just ... rest. The reason, in part, goes back to the beginning of summer when my FIL and his wife (who live in CA) were in a very serious accident in VA that left them both hospitalized, she near death. My husband (dh) spent most of his summer there helping his father. He went for 3 weeks, came home for less than 2, then stayed for another 3 weeks arriving home just in time for his faculty responsibilities for the fall semester to begin. We are so very glad he was able spend the time helping his father as it was certainly needed and appreciated. His father needed physical help in errands and driving among other things, and importantly- companionship- as his wife was hospitalized for months. With no ability over the summer to prepare as planned and two new classes to teach as well as his administrative responsibilities as Department Head, and a few other pressing projects with tight deadlines dh hit the ground running and has been pressed from all sides just trying to keep up. Understandably, that resulted in a trickle down effect in the family. We've all had to adapt for this semester to keep things moving forward while dealing with being literally one man down. The two teens began their high school year with it's varied demands for after school events, and soccer and such and the school year also began with the three children at home. We've one car and I'm the primary chauffeur. So...it's been a crazy semester. It's not quite over, however this holiday break is the first one of the year, I think, that my husband has not had to run out of town for one of his many trips. One major project has come to an end, and the other is at a level that requires less vigilance on dh's part. I felt we all just needed a small bit of time with nothing pressing us. Ok- at least *I* needed it. :)

Though no one has crossed our threshold this holiday I have found warmth and reminiscing in my life from years past. As I was preparing the turkey with it's seasonings I was recalling the Thanksgiving gathering we hosted when we lived in NYC. We had a great loft apartment in Fort Green with a great room and were able to host for about 20 people, if I recall correctly. It was great fun, and it was that Thanksgiving I learned through my friend Toni (and 'right hand' for that event) that it is sacrilege to just toss a turkey into the oven as is. My husband has hence forth proclaimed that I shall repeat Toni's recipe each and every time I prepare a turkey. And really, one can never have too much garlic. :)

As I was chopping and preparing the ingredients for the dressing I was thrust down memory lane to the many years I assisted my dear Mother-in-Law in preparing her special recipe for family gatherings. I was glad for the warm memories as my dearly loved MIL is no longer with us, but also for the experience of cooking with her as I seem to have misplaced her treasured (by us) recipe. I was very blessed to be able to recall the recipe well enough to 'wing it' which was the very spirit with which my MIL cooked - by feel. She would have been proud of me- for I recall poignantly and with a chuckle how she said I was 'stifling' her the year I watched her make several of her recipes and encouraged her to use measuring spoons/cups in order for me to write them down more accurately. :) MIL's dressing turned out very well, I'm glad to report! Next time I just need to add a bit more liquid and it should be just about as good as MIL's. I very much enjoyed visiting with her in my mind through memories of years gone by as I not only prepared her dressing, but also as I prepared her pumpkin pie recipe which is highly requested among my family. I'm so very glad I had not misplaced the pie recipe as I'm not sure I could have recalled it!

We have our own tradition of having cinnamon rolls and orange rolls for breakfast each Thanksgiving. We eat them as we watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I have fond memories of parade watching tradition growing up with my family. I had always dreamed of seeing it in person ... some day. I was able to do just that one year when we went with our friend Karen to her office building one Thanksgiving and watched from her employer's offices. Since we had small children at the time- it was awesome! Bathrooms and snacks and most of all- warmth! It was a very frigid parade day that year. One can see via TV all the spectators on the street, but it was really neat to see that hundreds more were watching like ghosts inside the many storied buildings that line the parade route. Seemingly every window we could see into had someone peering out, also watching the parade. Ahh ... good friends and good times. :) There is no place like NYC during the holiday season.

My departed grandmother made an appearance in the form of her milk glass dishes I received after she passed away. I use them every holiday and really enjoy them. They can add a bit of quirkiness to the celebration as the dishes are really 3 luncheon sets of non- standard sized plates with huge platters, smaller dessert plates, dessert cups and tiny coffee mugs and such. I enjoy the quirkiness as Grandma possessed quite a number of her own quirks. :)

I am grateful for the many blessings in my life, but the most important blessings are the family and friends who leave indelible marks upon our memories for us to treasure no matter where time and life may take us.

Now, off to grab a Fuyu persimmon and eat it in memory of my MIL who loved them and got me hooked. :)