A Healthy Living Class

Recently I was asked to give a class on "Healthy Living".

Umm...you do know I like cheeseburgers and fries, right?  Like- a LOT.

Meh.  Ok....healthy living...I got this!  And so I sat down to really figure out what these ladies wanted to learn.  I set about making a game plan for this class and of course, you know that I just had to share it here with all of you.

The "class" is really meant to be just a big ole gab fest where I sit and tell everyone what I'm doing to keep my family healthy and share what you can do as well.  Questions will be asked, products will be shown and lots of coffee will be drunk.  YEAAASSS HONEY!

My opening sentence-

My 11 year old son has NEVER had the flu.

So that will get them interested!  And it's true.  The kiddo has NEVER had the flu, he's never had a fever (with the exception of his car accident which does NOT count as far as I'm concerned), he has never had a full blown cold- only a bit of the sniffles that cleared up in less than 24 hours and of course he hasn't suffered many of the common illnesses that so many of our sweet children suffer.

My follow up sentence is equally awesome-

The husband and I haven't been sick in years.

How is this possible?!?

I attribute it ALL to diet and lifestyle.  Simple as that.  We homeschool, so of course the kiddo is not exposed to nearly the same amount of germs as many traditional school children are.  However, we don't live in a bubble and he attends homeschool programs and classes as well as swimming, soccer and karate.  As a result, we are able to control our environment a bit more but we are still very much exposed.

The next big factor is diet.  I cannot say enough good things about an organic, natural, plant based diet.  I just cannot.

Remove the meat, eliminate the processed foods and eat more fruits and veggies.  Easy peasy!  Well...mostly.  I talk quite a bit about my family's journey towards this diet, so please take some time and read back through the blog.  It's all here.

Personally, we strive for a really good balance.  We eat meat about once per week, almost all of our meals are homemade, I buy organic as much as my budget will allow in order to reduce the chemicals in our food, we do go out to eat about once per week, many of our meals are vegan since the kiddo's recent dairy allergy diagnosis and our food centers around plants NOT animals.

If you do nothing else here- DO THIS.

To further expand on this idea of removing chemicals in our food- we also reduce or eliminate many of the chemicals found throughout the house.

Take a moment and just add up everything you use or come into contact with inside your home that has chemicals.  Go ahead, I'll wait.

Bathroom Cleaner
Laundry Soap
Wet Wipes
Windex
Floor Powder
Pinesol
Stain Remover
Oven Cleaner
Kitchen Cleaner
Glade Plug Ins
Air Freshner Sprays

Bleach
Cold/Flu Medicines
Hairspray
Makeup
Body Soap/Body Wash
Shampoo/Conditioner
Deoderant
Perfume
Nail Polish
Dog/Cat Shampoo
Flea & Tick Treatments
Plastic Storage Containers
Draino
Pledge
Insect Repellent
Dishwasher Detergent
Hand Soap
Dishwashing Liquid
Faux Wood Furniture
Mattress
Low Quality Carpets
Throw Rugs
Paint- Lead Paint
Flame Retardants- specifically in clothing
Non Stick Cookware


Well shit.

The list is quite literally NEVER ENDING and so damn overwhelming that it's hard to know where to start.  Lucky for you- I'm going to tell you.

STOP CLEANING WITH CHEMICALS.

Work on this task first.  Any easy enough way to make the transition is to just buy all good quality, chemical free, natural products.  Once you've conditioned your brain to just Amazon Prime your products instead of picking them up at the store when you're low- the rest is history!

I highly recommend Mrs. Meyers products.  I have put them to the test and they really work.  They are also fairly affordable and have lots of different products and scents to choose from- we like Lemon Verbana!

In addition, Mrs. Meyers products have NO ammonia, chlorine or phosphates.  YEEEASS HONEY!  They are cruelty free which means NO animal testing, they use raw, natural ingredients and plenty of yummy essential oils.  Legit, they could NOT be any better.

Once you've gotten the hang of cleaning with better quality products, you can then navigate the world of making your own.  But for now- we'll just keep it simple.

Next up- switch out your personal care products to more chemical free, natural alternatives.

Full confession here- I am still working on this one.  I am a woman who LIKES her products so this one has been the most difficult for me.

I am currently using Lorac makeup which is 100% cruelty free, contains no harsh chemicals, is fragrance and oil free and uses plenty of plant extracts.  While it's not the very best, it is still way better than what I was using.  And I truly LOVE their foundation- it's flawless.

We've switched our soap out to Kiss My Face, I use Juice Beauty for my daily moisturizer, our toothpaste is now chemical free and I slather on the coconut oil every day and night.  While the kiddo and I use a more natural deodorant, the husband is still hooked on the Old Spice.  Clearly we are still working on it- so I hope you can be encouraged that we all have our struggles along the way.

And finally- treat illness naturally with essential oils and other tricks.  Keep in mind that prevention is half the battle.  Do things to boost your immune system like drinking Elderberry syrup, diffusing immune boosting oil blends, drinking Honey, Lemon & Ginger tea and washing your hands on the regular.  Don't forget to get plenty of sleep too!

There's lots on the blog about these things, so read up my friends!

Quick tips-

• I use Eden's Garden essential oils.
• There are diffusers in my living room and each bedroom.
• I make a batch of Honey, Lemon & Ginger tea & store in the fridge for easy access.
• Stop buying OTC meds.
• Learn how to treat any illness the natural way first.  The Google is your new BFF.

And that'll be $149.95.

Ha!  Don't you fret- I'm just joking!  Kinda...

But for reals- I had to learn all this stuff THE HARD WAY through trial and error so I'm super excited to pass along my knowledge to all of you.  Please know that I am always learning more and making improvements to keep myself and my family as healthy as possible.  But there are some basics that will never go out of style.

Get plenty of sleep.

Don't drink too much alcohol.

Eat a well balanced diet.

Exercise.

Be happy.

Here's to a Healthy 2017 Friends!

Ack! Holy Sore Throat Batman!

The kiddo has been spending more and more time socializing (see- homeschoolers DO know how to socialize mmkay...) and as a result, he's been exposed to more nasty germs.  After an entire day spent hanging with a friend, he developed a sore throat that evening.

Well crap.

You all should know that the kiddo has NEVER been really sick.  Like- actual sick sick.  I'm talking full blown week long cold, fever, chills, flu etc- yeah, he's never experienced this unpleasantness.  So he was quite miserable with his sore throat.  I immediately began him on a homeopathic regime, not to worry, I will outline it below.  It burned out of his system by day 2 and never fully developed.  So I guess one could say that the sick free streak continues....although I suppose it comes down to how you define "sick".

However, just as the nasty germs were vacating his body, they latched onto mine.  Oh yes...the glamour and prestige of being called Mom means you are fortunate enough to catch any and everything currently befalling the people inside your home.  Lucky for me, I knew it was probably heading my way and I had been taking precautions and then immediately began my own homeopathic regiment.  I am happy to say that I'm currently on day 3 and while it's held me in it's grasp just a bit longer than the kiddo, I am almost completely over whatever THIS was and it hasn't developed into anything major.  Hallelujah!

So how did we do this?  How have we been able to effectively STOP cold and flu like symptoms from developing?  Don't fret- I'm sharing it below!

Step 1:

• Immediately begin diffusing essential oils.  Like non-stop.  
• I always add some Thieves oil to anything I am diffusing during the cold and flu season.  Thieves is a great anti bacterial and helps combat these nasty germs.
• To the Thieves oil, I added my Breathe Easier blend from Eden's Garden.
• If you don't have Breathe Easier, simply mix lemon, peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus.
• I had the diffuser on any time we were inside the house- especially at night!
  

Step 2:

•  Mix up a sore throat remedy using your essential oils.   
• Combine your carrier oil (I use organic coconut oil) with sage, peppermint, lemon, rosemary and thyme.
• Apply constantly to your throat, behind ears and if desired, to the side of your nostrils so you can breathe it in more easily.

Step 3:

• Make a batch of my Honey, Lemon and Ginger tea.  Drink it often.  

Step 4: 

• Whenever your throat feels especially sore, take a spoonful of honey to help soothe it.
• Your honey NEEDS to be local and raw.  Dude- it just does.  You most likely won't be able to buy this honey from your local grocery store.  And no- organic honey is NOT good enough!

Step 5:

• Pop the Zinc.
• Lots of ways to do this but for us we like these Elderberry and Zinc "cough" drops.  Although you don't need to wait to be actually coughing before you use them.
• Adults you might also try Zicam brand zinc melts.  They do make a kid's version but I've found it's not needed and the kiddo prefers the cough drops.   
  

Well that's it.  Just five easy steps to STOP the cold and flu symptoms in their tracks.  I can promise you that if you do these steps at the FIRST sign of illness, you will recover faster.  I truthfully haven't had a full blown cold in years and the last time I had the flu was easily seven years ago.  No joke.  It also goes without saying that your diet and overall lifestyle plays a big part in your health.  When you put good food in your body, REAL FOOD, you will be amazed at how much better you feel! 

Want to read more?

• Cold & Flu Season Survival Kit
• 10 Alternatives to the Flu Shot