This winter our family has been hit by one cold after another. Perhaps it's the totally crazy NE Missouri winter weather this year - 75 degrees F one week, 20 degrees the next - or perhaps we're just hanging out with more kids than usual and sharing germs, but we've found ourselves with stuffy noses and coughs that last for weeks. Everett and Brian seem particularly susceptible to long-lasting coughs and chest congestion. This is challenging because it keeps them awake at night, making it hard to get the restorative rest they need. I've been searching for an all-natural chest rub that might offer relief. My friend Chris, of the blog Joybilee Farm recently authored the book, … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Homemade Toothpaste
Although my family eats a whole foods, low-sugar diet, we've had our share of dental challenges, particularly the kids. Ella had to have restorative work on several of her molars before the age of four, and Everett's teeth have some degree of enamel decay on most surfaces. My take on dental health is like my view of health in general - it matters what you put into your body and how you care for yourself, but also, sometimes things just happen. Our kids don't drink sugary beverages, we don't give them candy or an excess of dried fruits, we floss and brush, and yet… When Ella's dental problems first presented themselves, we went searching for information as to how to best … [Read more...]
How to Make Elderberry Syrup
Earlier this month, my entire family got hit with the flu. I was caught a bit off-guard, because we had not been sick in so long, and I realized I had never unpacked my herbal "medicine cabinet" after our move onto the land. Furthermore, when I finally did find my box of herbs, tinctures, homeopathic remedies, and essential oils, I found it rather incomplete. It was time to re-stock with natural remedies for health and wellness, and to make elderberry syrup. One of my favorite plant medicines, reported to be an immune booster and cold and flu remedy, is Elderberry (Sambucus nigra). A subspecies of S. nigra grows as a native perennial here in Missouri; in fact, there are … [Read more...]