A case of the pukes.

Oh no, little Sue has a serious case of the pukes.  Sorry for those of you out there named Sue, it's just the first name that came to mind.  You panic because you don't have anything to give her to re balance those precious electrolytes she is losing at a rapid race.  You decide it's time for a trip to the store to get something. 

Choice #1:

Pedialyte.  It's great, right?  Tastes great and the kids love it. 

Here are the "Nonmedicinal ingredients": water, citric acid, artificial grape flavour, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Blue No. 1.

A few of those are a little concerning to me.  Not sure why I would want to put any potential harmful ingredients into my child, especially when their immune system is already seriously compromised.

Choice #2:

Gatorade is a popular one, especially among adults.  I used to buy it whenever I had the pukes.  Among the ingredients in most Gatorade are sucralose, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavoring and artificial coloring.

To be fair to Pedialyte and Gatorade, they do contain a lot of good essential electrolytes that our bodies need when we are puking our guts out and desperately need to be rebalanced.  But what if I told you there was a better solution?  One that wasn't made in a factory and put together by man.  One that is all goodness all by itself, just the way it was created.  Interested yet?

Introducing coconut water...

Choice #3:

For those of you that have good eyes, you will notice that the label says 100% pure coconut water.  Nothing added, nothing taken away.  You see, coconut water naturally contains all of the beneficial electrolytes needed during a puking spell.  Coconut water contains 16% potassium compared to only 1% contained in Gatorade, which is more potassium than in an entire banana.  It also contains the very important magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and calcium our body needs.  Coconut water contains the very same electrolyte balance you have in your body.  That just amazes me.  Coconut water is also known to reduce vomiting, which can't be a bad thing when you feel like you are about to puke out your intestines.

Coconut water is also a great way for those of you who work out(I have no clue what it's like) to make up for your lost minerals and fluids.  If you have not discovered coconut water, I encourage you to give it a try.

So, perhaps you could consider stocking your fridge with some coconut water instead of that Pedialyte and Gatorade this year.  Just make sure you get the good stuff.  And if you have to start out by mixing it half and half, that's ok, don't beat yourself up about it.

Jealous of John

Revelation is my favorite book in the Bible.  Well, I guess when I say favorite, that means my favorite book in the Bible that I have actually managed to read.  I have tried to read the Bible all the way through, but have failed each time.  Lord, you lost me at Kings.  What can I say?  I'm imperfect, a sinner...and apparently undisciplined.  When I read the book of Revelation, it's like I'm reading an exciting Sci-fi or Fantasy novel.  I just picture Jesus riding in on his horse and kicking butt!  Can I mention something at this point...I am embarrassed to admit all of this. 

When I picture John at the feet of God almighty himself, I can't help but feel one thing.  Jealousy.  I mean, why couldn't it have been me?  I totally could have done that, right?  Yeah right, I would have been a complete nutcase up there.  It begins like this...wait..and yeah, I kinda picture the Bible in candle light, all creepy-like...

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,  who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.  Revelation 1-3

Hold the phone.  Can you even imagine this?  Being the one that God chose to catch a glimpse of what He was going to do, to see His prophecy???  To bring this in to modern times, this would be like winning a trip to Disneyland(if you're 5) times a gazillion times a gazillion.  Realistically, it can't even be comprehended.  John, you lucky dog.

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”  At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.  And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.  Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.  From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.  Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.  Revelation 4: 4-6

Okay, could you seriously even begin to imagine this?  Walking in to a place where the Lord himself sits?   The beauty, the fear and awe that you would feel is absolutely unimaginable.  I would feel so small and insignificant, yet so overwhelmed by the opportunity to be there.  John, I'm trying to be happy for you, but still a little jealous.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.  The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.  Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.”" Revelation 4: 6-11

At this point, I would really hope that my wordly desire to stare uncomfortably wouldn't surface.  I'm not certain that I could resist the temptation to gawk while my jaw hits the floor.

 

 

I could totally see myself doing something stupid like this.

 

"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.  In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.:  Revelation 5: 11-14

 

Yeah, at this point I would probably fall down and worship too.  While blubbering like an idiot and begging for forgiveness for all of the horrible things I have done in my life.  I wonder if I could even look God in the eyes.  I picture myself feeling shame, yet overwhelming relief and forgiveness at the same time.   

Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.  Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”  Revelation 22: 10-11

Right now I would be wondering if I was the vile one being referred to.  I am definitely considered vile sometimes.  I'm not exactly considering myself who I want to be when I get to meet God.  Makes me think about what kind of work I need to allow Him to do in me.  Because bottom line, we are being allowed to make our own mistakes and to choose between following our own way or His.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Revelation 22: 12-13

 

Whether we want to admit it or not, we will all sit before the throne of God.  Some of us want to get there sooner than others.  Some still feel like they have a few things to get in order before they leave.  Others deny that they will ever sit before the throne.  No matter what, your time will come.  The time that you will sit in absolute, shuddering and incomprehensible awe of the Creator, just like John did.  Except for John, it was just a glimpse.  My puny mind thinks it will be a time for recounting our lives and finding out what place our Creator has for us.  Until our time comes, we can only imagine what it would be like to sit in the presence of almighty God.

 

Me personally, I'm hoping for a seat in the herbal clinic.  Where I would get to tinker with all of the wonderful plants He made for us to heal one another with.  I could ask God what the top 10 essential oils are.  Oh wait...I'm forgetting that there won't be anything to heal...since He is the Great Physician and all.  Oh well, it was a good dream while it lasted.

Until then, Lord please give me a Revelation!  I really want to shape up before I finally get to meet you.

 

The play by play on waking up with a cold.

When I woke up this morning, I found myself sneezing constantly and all stuffed up.  Things weren't too bad yet, so I decided to break out the arsenal.

I started by taking my vitamins.  I will amp myself all day with extra Vit C.

Then I applied essential oils(eucalyptus and oregano) to the bottoms of my feet and on my neck and chest.  I will apply other combinations throughout the day including cinnamon, lemon and peppermint, etc.

I drank some good quality tea with added raw honey.

I took some straight echinacea, will do that three times today. 

Will be sure to take a couple shots of raw apple cider vinegar.

I will seal the deal by taking a nice hot bath tonight with some of my favorite essential oils.

So there you have it.  That's what I do when I start to feel myself getting sick(with a minor cold).  Break out the arsenal so when you feel yourself getting sick you can nip it in the bud before things go too far south!

If you have an arsenal for the common cold, please share your ideas with us.  We just might learn something from each other.

Organic trash talk



There sure has been a lot of talk about GMO's, organic foods and whether or not they truly make a difference.  I recently became aware of a study put out by Stanford that claimed there is little to no difference between organic and non-organic food.  No, I didn't read the study.  I wouldn't waste my time.

Organic food is taking a serious bashing recently.  And there is a good reason why.  With all the recent chatter on GMO(Genetically Modified) foods and organic/and or healthy eating on the rise, big business is scared.  Well, let's just call big business what it is...companies like Monsanto.  Monsanto doesn't want consumers aware of the health benefits of eating organic or avoiding GMO's.  That would put them out of business.  Not to mention, their goal of globally dominating the food supply would take a serious hit.  I'm such a conspiracy theorist...or not.

Here is why I'm telling you this.  I don't want anyone to be fooled by the media or the so called studies.  For me personally, it all comes down to common sense.  You can find a study or statistics to back up just about any side of an argument.  That's where you use the brain and intuition that God gave you and you discern the truth from lies.

On one side we have processed, chemically treated and lab created food.  On the other we have organic, dirty(in a good way) and unaltered food.  Not to mention who the proceeds of the sale goes to.  Common sense tells me to choose the latter.

Can organic "stuff" get hyped?  Sure it can.  Are there organic companies who may lie about their products and fool consumers?  Probably so.  This is where YOU come in and use your best judgement.  But one thing that I am convinced of is that your chances are much better off with the organic side of things.  With that said, there is evil lurking everywhere, we need to use wisdom as to not be blind to it.

Control of the food supply can make or break us as a people.  We must maintain control so that we can have access to clean and safe food.  Buy local, healthy and organic as much as you possibly can and never forget to discern the truth from lies.  They are not going to stop this battle anytime soon.  It will only get worse.  Your health, your children's health and the dirt underneath your feet are depending on YOU and I to make the right choices.

Stocking your medicine cabinet for winter...Hippy Chick style.

With winter approaching, I have started thinking about what kinds of things I want to have on hand for the cold and flu season.  I have been caught without supplies and a sick child and been very upset with myself.  So many times, if we have the right supplies, we can nip it in the bud before it turns into something much more serious.  Here is a list of things that I would absolutely NOT be caught dead without this winter.  For the sake of time and your attention spans, I will only list a few things, but I could go on and on!  I hope that you all can dig deeper and expand your medicine cabinets the healthy way.



 

Essential oils including eucalyptus, cinnamon, lemon and tea tree(these are some of the more affordable ones).  If you really want to start getting funky with it, add others like Cedarwood, Lavender, Sweet Orange, Myrrh, Peppermint, etc!  There are sooo many other good ones, but let's start there.  Apply the oils(just a drop or two) at the first onset of a cold or cough, using a little oil of your choice as a carrier(such as coconut oil).  Good alternative to Vick's.  Rub on chest and bottoms of the feet a couple times a day or more.  Don't forget to purchase GOOD oils, they won't do the job if they are crap.  I go through Mountain Rose Herbs.

 

 

A good moisturizer for all the dry skin and also for applying your essential oils.  I prefer either coconut oil(raw, unrefined) or Tamanu oil.  Mix the two together and you get a great consistency for that dry winter skin, cracks, etc.  Add a little Vitamin E oil in there and you'll really be lovin' it.

 

 

Echinacea.  I buy it in a dropper bottle, straight stuff.  There are a lot of products out there likes teas and such, which I'm sure are great, but the straight stuff is what I like.  Echinacea works wonders with any type of illness.

 

 

Vitamin C.  Seems like a no brainer, but make sure you are stocked up.  I take it in a capsule(absorbs better) or you can get the powdered stuff(like Emergen-C).  I take it every few hours during the day when I am sick. 

 

 

Multi-Vitamin.  Be sure you are taking your daily vitamin to keep your immunity up.  Prevention.  Like anything, there are crappy vitamins and good ones.  Do your research.

 

 

Electrolytes.  The last thing you want to do is have yourself or child start puking and you have no electrolytes on hand.  I prefer coconut water, because it's the absolute healthiest and best.  I try and steer clear of Gatorade and the flavored Pedialyte because I don't see how high fructose corn syrup is going to help me or my child when they are sick...  So I try and stick to the coconut water, unflavored Pedialyte or the packets of powdered electrolytes(electrolyte stamina power pack by Trace Minerals Research).  Hammer the stuff down immediately, because once your electrolytes are off balance, you're in a heap of trouble.

 

 

Colloidal Silver.  Use as directed, please.  A natural alternative to antibiotics.  I have used this with great results for the last few years and wouldn't be without it.

 

 

Some good, raw honey.  Excellent for a sore throat, not to mention it's healing properties.  I will give my kids a spoonful(they don't object) when they complain of a sore throat.

 

 

 

 

So there ya have it.  What wouldn't you do without this winter??