Seasonal Allergies

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As many of you do, I have seasonal allergies. Spring and Fall are actually my favorite seasons. The weather is just right for anything outdoors: camping, fishing, yard work, gardening, even good choring weather.

Unless--you have seasonal allergies! You know, stuffy nose, that creates a breeding ground for bacteria so you end up with a sinus infection. These things lead to just being so tired!

I have discovered some other things, not so limiting, that do help. 

1.  Cover your hair--Our fore parents covered their hair to keep it clean and to not have to wash it so often. Not a bad idea. But seriously, pollen gets in your hair and sticks to it and all the products in it. Then when you are sleeping, all that wallowing around in the arms of Morpheus, loosens up that pollen and you breathe it in. 

2.   Rinse your sinuses--Invest in a good sinus rinse device that you are comfortable with. I use the Neil-Med pictured below. I use the saline packets along with Alkolol. 

I rinse my sinuses at least twice daily during Spring and Fall. 

3.   Invest in a good diffuser--I use The Breeze, which can be purchased here. 

4.   Use the above noted diffuser. Mine runs almost 24/7! My personal base essential oil is eucalyptus. Other essential oils I add together or alone are peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, and/or lemon. 

Get Ready For Summer Fun--NATURALLY!

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Photo by Todd DeSantis on Unsplash

Summer is just around the corner and that means FUN IN THE SUN!!!

That also means, bumps, bug bites, sprains, scratches, sunburns, and all sorts of owies! Just goes with the territory.

So, I thought I would let you know my recommendations for an all-natural first-aid kit. 

Miracle Skin Salve from Beeyoutiful is awesome at promoting healing and restoration of all those little scratches and bug bites. It works for sunburn, chapped lips or skin, minor burns (if in doubt, please seek medical attention), cuts & abrasions, and so much more.

Ow! Ease I love this for sprains, strains, bruises, and so much more.

Activated Charcoal--

• Capsules--These are an easy way to swallow the charcoal for tummy upsets or for possible ingestion of poisons. Please call the Poison Control Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 before administering an antidote.
  This is also easy transportation for charcoal used externally. Just open a capsule to make a poultice for stings and rashes. There is an informative book, Charcoal Remedies, here. 
• You can also buy activated charcoal in larger sizes 10 ounces and one pound.

Shoo those pesky insects away!!!

• Jungle Fierce
• Bug Me Not

Essential Oils--

• Peppermint is a medicine chest of its own! It helps with tummy issues, headaches, motion sickness, nausea, and when mixed with a little water and spritzed on the body, it helps the cooling down process. 
• Lavender will help that over-excited child fall asleep, calm someone down after an injury, sooth the itching of bug bites. (Please remember to properly dilute in a carrier oil before applying to the skin. Beeyoutiful has this already diluted, in a roller ball.)
• Relieve It is a blend of essential oils that is the best thing going for instant, long-lasting relief of itching from insect bites. I have found it also works well for that itch that comes along as other owies are healing up. 
• Tea Tree Oil is a natural disinfectant. Keep it handy not only for cleaning wounds (never "neat" only properly diluted.) and for using to clean up around the campsite, boat, etc. 
• Chamomile is a soother, sleep aid safe for use on even small children (when diluted), aids digestion, good for skin care, relieves pain, reduces anger, helps depression. 
• Rose Geranium is a tick repellant. I apply it to pants hems, shirt hems, and sleeve hems. Just one drop in each place. It doesn't take much. This also gives the added benefit of aromatherapy of calming.
• You can obtain the Lavender, Tea Tree Oil and Chamomile essential oils, already diluted, in rollerballs here.
  

Don't forget plenty of fresh water and the aloe gel of your choice.

You simply must stay hydrated in the heat of summer. 

Aloe gel is a cooling (keep it in the ice chest) for those that are overheated or have gotten a touch of sunburn. 

Disclaimers: Nothing I have written here should be considered medical advice. Always, always consult your healthcare provider. 

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash

MENOPAUSE-NATURALLY, WITH HELP

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I can see the looks on your faces now.  How do you go through menopause, naturally, yet get "help" with it????

First of all, you educate yourself. Talk to your friends and family, including the males. They have been observers of their female loved ones going through. Also, research for yourself. I highly recommend "What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Premenopause". Did you know premenopause to menopause to final menstrual period can actually take a decade or longer?

Get tested for hormone levels. Balancing those hormones can be such a relief throughout our lives, but especially when menopause is in process. Your doctor, health department, or even an online lab such as:

• My Med Lab
• Health Labs
• Labs MD

Thee are many others out there. Please check the lab you choose out. Read reviews. Check for BBB complaints. Check with your state licensing office.

Some herbs that are reputed to assist are:

Dong Quai(Angelica sinensis)--this herb is well known to practitioners of Chinese Medicine and is used around the world. Some of the conditions it is used for are: women's health, cardiovascular conditions, osteoarthrosis, inflammation, headache, infections, mild anemia, fatigue and high blood pressure. You can start your own research here. 

Licorice Root(Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is reputed to relieve the duration but not the intensity of hot flashes. Compounds in licorice root can bind to estrogen receptors-most menopausal women have low estrogen levels. You can begin your research here.

Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga racemosa) has proven effective for relief of hot flashes, reducing both the severity and number of them. It also has compounds that bind to your estrogen receptors. Begin your research here. 

Damiana Leaves (Turnera diffusa) has been shown to increase blood flow to the reproductive organs, to boost your overall mood, and to have hormonal balancing effects. You can begin your own research here. Purchase here. 

Alfalfa Leaves (Medicago sativa) Another source of compounds that can bind to your estrogen receptors thereby giving relief to hot flashes and night sweats. You can begin your own research here. 

Vitex (V. agnus castus) supports the endocrine system so that it can balance itself naturally. You can begin your own research here. 


I also suggest the following natural products:

• Beeyoutiful Balance progesterone cream is specially formulated to help women's bodies achieve hormonal balance.
• Evening Primrose Oil Encourages hormonal balance
• Vitex w/ Dong Quai Get all the benefits of both herbs. 
• ProMiSe Essential Oil Blend a unique combination of pure essential oils designed specifically to support women when their hormonal health is disrupting their lives.

The bottom line is, peri-menopause and menopause can be disrupting to our lives but they are transitionary periods of time in our lives.

Seek advice. Do your own research. And enjoy being woman!

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Elderberry Syrup

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I recently heard about all the benefits of Elderberry Syrup. My thoughts were, "Yeah. Natural IS the way to go, but only Slippery Elm heals what ails you. Its the best cure all out there." Well, my thinking has changed.

I started here and here.

Then my eldest daughter had a virus that is hard to get shed of. She talked with her Health Care Provider about anti-viral herbs. After careful research she was sent to this website. Low and behold, Elderberry is the very first one listed.

I have been a follower of Dr. Christopher and his Herbal Legacy for many years now. So off to that website I went. Elder and Elderberries are AMAZING.

You may think this is a short an not very informative blog. I can hear you now, 'If this is her come back blog post--I'm gone."

Let me explain--I am all about education and education is hard won. Research you do yourself is more readily retained. Click each of the links I have provided and do some more.

You can purchase a kit to make your own Elderberry Syrup by clicking the here:

3 of 4 quarts of Elderberry Syrup made from Beeyoutiful's kit
 and 1 quart of Elderberry tincture making from the left
over Elderberry Pulp and 100 proof Vodka.

Hashtags- #elderberry  #naturalmedicine  #herbs  #holistic  #crunchy  #healing  #health

The Making of Collard Kraut 1

Tolerance vs. Acceptance

This has actually been a long time coming. For many years I have been against tolerance.

Yes, heard the collective drawing in of everyone's breath. Please, let me explain.

Tolerance is defined as:

1:  capacity to endure pain or hardship :  endurance, fortitude, stamina

2
a :  sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own

b :  the act of allowing something :  toleration

Yes, this can be good. What the dictionary doesn't explain to us, is the social implications of the word. Socially tolerate conjures images of putting up with, enduring something we do not want to endure. It projects an image of, "Well, I'll tolerate this for the rest of this event." or "OMG! WHY!?"

Acceptance is defined as:

1

:  an agreeing either expressly or by conduct to the act or offer of another so that a contract is concluded and the parties become legally bound2
:  the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable3
:  the act of accepting :  the fact of being accepted :  approval

Acceptance is well, just that-acceptance.

Ask yourself, would you rather be tolerated or accepted? 

I'M ALIVE!!!!!!

WOW! I can hear all of you saying it now-those that are left. 

My life has been extremely busy, chaotic and a mish mash of chaos, ups, downs, lefts and rights. Too much to sort through enough to write about. Too confused and thinking way to much to make any of it come out in writing. 

there has been forward movement, back steps and lots of introspection. 

I am planing to start sharing again. My worries. My views on the world. My Spiritual Journey. My growth. My running from what simply has to be. My pain and sorrow. My joys. THe simple life I have finally found and revel in. 

Am I always happy? NO! And no one should be. 

Am I always blessed? Yes, just as everyone is and we just don't see it. 

Why am I up at 1:00 a.m.? Well, there are two cases of Golden Delicious apples sitting here that are just begging to be worked up into chunky applesauce. Waiting to bottle up the first batch of sugar free, creamy yellow, piece of heaven in that pot and process it. 

There is so much I want to share and so much I have planned. 

Pass the word around-CHAKWAINA IS BACK!!

The Four (Five) Agreements Installment 3 of 5

My sincere apologies for not having written this, as promised the next day after Installment 2--sometimes life gets in the way of living! As the old saying goes, "THe best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

I have just had a lot on mind, much going on in my family and life and knitting and Family Farm Seaside have been mine distractions when not working on a pair of moccasins.

Now, on to the Third Agreement--

" Don’t make assumptions Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life."

Oh how true! How many times have you been in a pickle because someone assumed you were going to finish a sentence with something way off from what you were actually going to say? Or someone assumed your intentions instead of listening to what you spoke as your intentions?

Think about those situations. Were feelings hurt?

Now, think about the hurt feelings that have you caused by assuming.

Here is an aspect we often don't think about assumptions-we, as humans, place others in the position where they are are almost forced (they still have to decide to assume) because we did/do not speak or communicate what we want or need.

Mothers-we assume that the people in our lives-mother, mother-in-law, grandmothers, friends, siblings, spouse KNOW we need a break from the children. We never speak up. We self-talk ourselves into believing they all know and they should offer to take the children off our hands for a couple hours. They don't. We fume.

Better solution-speak up. Tell them you need a few hours alone to re-group. Then ask, "Can you please watch the children for me on Tuesday afternoon?" or "Honey, will you spend a few hours playing games with the children or watching a movie tonight? I just need a couple hours for me."

I have always been a firm believer in asking questions. My Daddy used to tell me, "ASK! All they can do is say is yes or no, they can't eat you for supper."

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" (Mat 7:7 KJV)
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Mat 7:8 KJV)

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Luk 11:9 KJV)
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Luk 11:10 KJV)

The Four (Five) Agreements Installment 2 of 5

Yesterday I wrote about the First Agreement, you can read that blog post here. Tonight I want to explore the second agreement--

                  2. Don't take anything personally.  Nothing others do is because of you. What others say                         and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dreams. When you are immune to                         the opinions and actions of others, you won‟t be the victim of needless suffering.


You, nor i are so big or important that someone makes choices about what they do or say because of us. That's simple.

When someone insults you, think about this--they are speaking words that are their own, personal truth. It has nothing to do with you. I knew a person once that would tell me I was ugly. Not often, usually after they had a bad week. What I cam to over hear was them actually speaking to themselves-out loud, "I am so ugly." They were speaking about how they felt about the person in the mirror-not me.

Another person, very dear to me, would and still does say, "You can never make a living running your own business." As I have grown older and matured, I see so many people earning a living by running their own business. What I came to understand was this person had their own doubts & greed that caused to them to be scared. hey projected that fear out towards others.

As the old saying goes, "Misery loves company." When people have their own set of fears, doubts, concerns, need to control, insecurities and a host of other negative emotions--they project them on others.

Do not accept them as yours.

Also, when you have so-called negative emotions--work through them. Do not victimize others by projecting your emotions on others.

Not only should you think before you speak, think before you listen.

The Four (Five) Agreements First of Five Installments

Sometimes, things in your life just keep happening. You wonder, "Why?" I have come to believe it is because you have not yet learned the lesson therefore Creator God, keeps presenting it.

Recently, the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (available here The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) ) was given to me. I have read it in the past and it is one of those books worth reading. There is now a fifth agreement (available here The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery (Toltec Wisdom) ). This, i have not read, but with some research, discovered what it is.

These five simple agreements, made with ones own self, applied to your own life, are powerful. They transcend culture, nationality, religion, spirituality. They are the true reality of your own core being.

Let's explore:

1. Be impeccable with your word Speak with integrity, say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

So easy, yet so hard. We live in a society that all but demands we speak with integrity, yet at the same times we are only supposed to look a certain way, speak a certain way, think a certain way, act a certain way, have a job that pays so much, drive certain vehicles--the list is endless.

We look in the mirror at our reflection each morning as we get ready for the day and wonder how to make that illusion society wants from us a reality--or at least a believable illusion.


We begin by speaking to ourselves that we must dress to look skinny since we are not as skinny as we should be. We comb our hair into a style that will impress others around us. We tell ourselves we must use certain brands of body wash, perfume/cologne, hair products, etc. We stop at a certain coffee shop on the way to work because we must maintain the illusion we can afford it.

At work, we not only listen to the "office" gossip, we actually participate in it--even if you only listen.

This Agreement, that I believe we all should make with ourselves-tells us to speak with integrity to others and ourselves. How can you be honest with others if you are not honest with yourself?

Why do you speak "ugly" (as my Mother would say) to yourself about yourself? Creator God did make any mistakes when He made each of us. He made us in His image-therefore when we speak bad about ourselves we are putting Him down.

Ever made a mistake? So has everyone else. We tell each other, "Judge not lest you be judged!", then we start using our words against others. "Did you hear Suzy went out with that biker dude? What was she thinking?' You just judged Suzy and her date with your words. In doing so, you brought judgement upon yourself-from yourself-just wait til the drive home-you will start whispering words to yourself about every little mistake you made today.

Try speaking words of truth and love to yourself and everyone around you. Tell yourself "Good Morning!" Tell everyone you see 'Good Day." Make a positive comment, "You look nice today." After a week of this you will see such an improvement in yourself, in your attitude, in your outlook on life, in how you feel about yourself.

Consider this-[1Pe 3:10 KJV]  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

[Pro 12:19 KJV]  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue [is] but for a moment.
[Pro 15:4 KJV]  A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit.
[Pro 18:21 KJV]  Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
[Pro 21:23 KJV]  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.