Old time remedy for a head cold

Since both of our boys have head colds, I would like to share a great recipe for clearing up sinus, cough and stuffed up head kind of cold symptoms.

1. Boil some water.
2. Put about 4-6 drops of Eucalyptus Oil into a bowl.
3. Add fresh lavender and rosemary (crush in your hand first).
4. You can use essential oil for the lavender and rosemary if you don't have fresh herbs.
5. Pour the boiling water over the oil and herbs.
6. Put a towel over the head of the person coughing, hacking, sniffling and generally being miserable.
7. Have them breathe in the aroma for as long as possible.  They might have to come up for air every so often.
8. Switch to a hankie to save on tissues - hankies work fine.
9. Tune out all complaining.
10. Sick person enjoys a couple of hours of easier breathing.
11. Repeat as necessary.
12. We also use the Olbas line of products - Olbas Oil, Olbas bath, Olbas Inhaler and Olbas sports cream are staples in our household (kind of like Vicks without the petroleum).  I get them from Vitacost - fast and cheap. 
13. You might also take a high quality beta glucan - we use one called Immunition.  I know they are expensive - we only use them when necessary.
14. Both of these are really what we use - I'm not endorsing anything.... this is just what we do along with links to where we get them.

Kombucha Tea - Benefits and Recipe

Our little guy enjoys about 1/3 cup of kombucha tea mixed with a different kind of brewed tea.  Today it is mixed with a pomegranate/peach tea and honey.


We are always working on planting and growing around here.  Gut health is nothing different.  Any time we can add healthy, live, different cultures, we do.  I like whole foods, natural, complete and nutrient dense.  Just think of your gut as a garden that needs fed, nurtured, tended and replanted on a regular basis.... then you are good to go.

Kombucha Tea is just another way to add a light, refreshing drink full of beneficial bacteria.  This is the "seed" that you want to add in.  It is full of enzymes and live cultures.  I will go ahead and list all of the reported benefits.... but my personal belief is that most health begins in your gut and if you tend to your gut.... your health will improve.

Don't get too tangled up in your particular health "issue".  Just begin a nutrient dense diet (this is the Phase One program) and eliminate processed foods.  Simple, right?  (OK, I'm joking.... if it was simple we would all be bursting with outrageous health).  So, back to the real world.

Step by step, day by day, choice by choice..... add health wherever you can.   This will allow you to "step" your way out of health problems.   Wherever you are on the health scale, give your body what it needs to function, help digest everything, eliminate the stuff that is either not helpful or downright evil and walk up the ladder of abundant health.

Unless you are independently wealthy, you are going to need to make most of your food.  It is better that way anyway.  You can then have life and energy in what you feed your family.  Kombucha Tea is one way to make that happen.  So.....

What is Kombucha Tea?

Kombucha Tea is a cultured tea.  The culture contains a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and yeast that are bound together by a surrounding thin membrane.  The culture itself looks somewhat like a large pancake, and is often called a mushroom, a mother or a SCOVY  (for "Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast"), it is scientifically classified as a zoogleal mat.

Kombucha contains quite a few different cultures along with several organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols. For the home brewer, there is no way to know the amounts of the components.   Your version of the brew may contain some of the following components depending on the source of the culture:  

• Lactic Acid found in Kombucha in its most potent form L-lactic(+). Lactic acid is essential for the digestive system.
• Acetic Acid's main function is to inhibit harmful bacteria. Acetic acid is used as a preservative because of this action. It is also what gives Kombucha that 'kick' to its smell and taste.
• Malic Acid is also used in the body's detoxification process.
• Oxalic Acid encourages the cellular production of energy and is a natural preservative.
• Gluconic Acid is effective against many yeast infections such as candidiasis and thrush.
• Butyric Acid is produced by the yeasts and when working with gluconic acid. Might help combat yeast infections such as candida.
• Nucleic Acid,  Work with the body aiding healthy cell regeneration.
• Amino Acid,  A group of acids which are the building blocks of protein. Your muscular system is made of proteins.
• Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts, speeding the rate at which biochemical reactions proceed.
• Kombucha also contains Vitamin Groups B and C, Beneficial Yeasts and live bacteria.

Where did it come from?

It is probable that this drink originated in Russia.  It was used in various forms throughout Asia though, so it is doubtful if anyone knows exactly where this started.

What health benefits can you expect?

Since I already covered my personal opinion, here are a couple of others.  Kombucha Tea appears to assist the liver in processing toxic stuff out of your body instead of "recycling" it to be processed over and over again.  It also appears to be somewhat helpful as an assistant to help your gut recover from the common assault of antibiotics or chemotherapy or to help with human immunodeficiency virus...  Probably because of the beneficial liver properties and the live culture, but that is just a guess on my part.

How do you make it?

Because of the acidity of Kombucha tea, it should not be prepared or stored in containers made from materials such as ceramic or lead crystal, which both contain toxic elements than can leach into the tea. Needless to say, I am not a fan of making it in plastic either.  I just use a glass gallon or 1/2 gallon jar with a unpaper towel towel on the top.

The first step is to obtain a healthy Kombucha. In some parts of old China and Japan, it was often the custom for families to give a new bride a Kombucha as a wedding gift. This was nurtured throughout her marriage and then passed on to her own daughter.  So, once you have your first Kombucha, now you can share!   Because it is a living organism, it grows to fit the shape of its container. New layers grow on top of the old and can be peeled off to start new cultures.

  

NOTE: The first thing you should do is to clean everything that you are going to use to make your organic Kombucha tea.  When you are making live foods, it is a good idea to use soap and hot water liberally to keeping everyone healthy.

Start with 1 gallon of non-chlorinated water, bring the water to a boil and tear the tags off of 8 teabags.  Either green or black tea can be used.   Place the tea bags in the boiling water and shut off. Set timer for 12 minutes. Take the teabags out of water and stir in 1 cup of sugar. Let stand until cool. Pour into gallon glass jug and add Kombucha Culture with the tea it was stored in. Place cloth over the top and secure with rubber bands. 

Let sit for undisturbed for 7 days in cool dark area of your kitchen. You will see the original mother (culture) on the bottom and a new baby culture floating on top. Carefully remove both cultures without touching with fingers. (I use a wooden spoon and wooden chopsticks). You can give one culture away to family and friends or store cultures in separate glass jars.  Make sure you add a cup of tea to each container.  Keep one Kombucha Culture for yourself (label it) to keep a healthy supply of this tea. Cultures can be stored up to a year when refrigerated. Strain the remaining fermented tea through cheesecloth into a glass container and cover with lid or cloth.  

Never allow tea to come into contact with metal after it is fermented. To make a new batch just follow directions over again. 

The House Around the Corner - Crystallized Ginger

I make a LOT of ginger ale, and the ginger I use to make it is fine, just cultured.  But, c'mon... how much cultured ginger can you use?  I am planning to try this recipe soon.  It looks easy, good, and like a good way to use up too much GINGER!

Enjoy

Cindy

 Crystallized Ginger

from Sherri Ann's Keeping Room

Crystallized ginger is often used in baking, I have a delicious ginger cookie recipe that I add it to and is elegant on a dessert tray when dipped in dark chocolate and allowed to dry. It is delicious and healthful to add to tea, and when eaten is known to help common aliments, such as nausea, inflammation, indigestion, heartburn and pain associated with arthritis.

It can be expensive to purchase, I once saw a small 4 ounce bottle of crystallized ginger priced at $12.00 in the spice aisle at the supermarket. It is VERY inexpensive to make and takes very little time. It stores for a long time, some say up to 2 years, which makes it easy to always have on hand. Following is the recipe I use;

Peel ginger ~ removing nibs (freeze for later use in recipes) and discard any brown spots.
Slice ginger (approx 1/8 inch)
Use a fork and tenderize ginger by poking holes into each slice
Toss sliced ginger in 2 cups of sugar
Bring 1 ½ cups of water with pinch of salt to a boil
Add sugar and ginger to water
Boil until a simple syrup forms and ginger is tender, stirring often
Strain ginger and place on paper towel
Reserve ginger syrup it can be used to flavor many things including tea
Toss ginger in sugar
Allow to dry on rack for 24 hours
Store in sealed container, I will keep it this way up to 3 months, but it never lasts that long.

A Critical Issue - pH balance

pH levels and your body

Flu Remedy #2 and 
The beginning of Phase One

First of all, my apologies for not getting this in sooner.  It is the beginning of our entire program.  When I started going through making a "Path to Progress" so it was easier to follow the basic program, there was a big hole.  Apparently the pH opinion never made it from Face Book to this blog.  I have been waiting for....... well, I don't know why I was waiting to fill in this hole.

Anyway.... the whole flu thing reminded me to do something on pH.  If you have a rotten case of the flu, you might try this old, old remedy.

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 lemon or lime

1/2 glass of water

Stir and drink

Day 1 - Use FOUR times
Day 2 - Use TWO times
Day 3 - Use ONCE

You  don't want to do this all the time and you don't want to do more than seven doses in four days.  This just chemically yanks your entire digestive tract to a neutral pH.   We can personally testify that it works for the flu.... just because virus', germs, pathogens, yeasts and other nasty stuff do not like a neutral pH.  These nasty things are weakened and you can recover.... pretty rapidly.  Not instantly.  

This step is the beginning of the program.  If you want to be reminded what Phase One is, go here.   It is safe, effective, inexpensive, easy and not completely disgusting. :)  We do pH testing using strips a couple of mornings every week and are still not at the place where our pH is neutral just from food.  We have been continuing to add this remedy in about 1-2 times per week, but hope to end it sometime.

Our 8 year old gets sips, but not full doses of this.  He really does not need it usually... his immune system is pretty strong.  He really does not like it, but I don't mind it.

Remember that you need to be responsible for the health of your family.  The intent of this blog is to implement the ideas from the Weston A. Price Foundation, Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions and some of the ideas from The Maker's Diet in a step by step approach.  Study one thing at a time, think about it, reason it through, talk with someone about it and come to a good, informed decision for your family.

We want a simple, nutrient dense diet that provides optimal health.  It is so hard to just shift gears mid stream.  My prayer for all of you is that some of these ideas will make sense to you and you change because of knowledge..... not just because someone had a good idea.  Baby steps, where we sift through one idea at a time, gives a little space.  Don't let anyone rush you or tell you what you should be doing in your family.  Change because you are convinced.

So..... THE EXTRA STEP - PHASE 1 - pH levels

Pick one or two articles.... read a little, think a little, pray a little.  Let all of us know how it goes.  Sharing our success and failure as a community binds us together...... no matter where we live..... on to pH

The reason you want your pH neutral is for optimal health.  If your pH is too acidic or too alkaline, your body does not function well.  It is as simple as that.  If it is too far one way, weird things can grow.  If it is too far the other way... the plumbing doesn't work well.  Your blood HAS to stay at 7.3 or 7.4.  Your body will rob from everything else to keep it there.  Don't make your body rob from your bones or organs to keep your blood neutral.   Just figure out a simple diet that works.

This first article is a good, light article on using baking soda and some of the benefits of  keeping your body at a neutral pH.  Remember, don't feel a need to buy any expensive thing anybody is selling.  A simple paper strip is sufficient for the average healthy person to keep tabs on where they are  in the pH dept.

Healthy Holistic Living 

Dr. Mercola does have an annoying pop up add if you are not on his e-mail list, but his information is so good that it is worth it to me.  He has a great web site that covers a multitude of good information, including pH and baking soda. 

Baking Soda/Flu Remedy from Dr. Mercola

This article from Dr. Mercola gives a good overview of Dr. Simoncini.  Some of the research of Dr. Simoncini has heavily influenced me.  Personally, if I had cancer anywhere from my mouth throughout my digestive tract, I would be using a baking soda therapy as part of my treatment.  If you only have time to read one article, this is a good one.

Fungas as a form of cancer - Baking Soda Therapy 

Here is a further one on baking soda and cancer if you want to continue on this vein.

Winning the war on cancer 

And finally, here is one from a kind of odd web site.  A little out there.....  

Ted's Alkalizing Formula 

I hope this helps you.  Some of this information is so good, and as a first step in your healthy lifestyle, this one is good.   

Be blessed and healthy

Cindy

Retracing My Steps - Ginger Ale

How Our Family Deals with the Flu

It appears to be flu season, cough, cold, yuck.  If you would like to have a simple, homeopathic remedy (remember, I am neither a doctor, a homeopath, a midwife... nothing... just opinionated :) you might add cultured ginger ale to your families life.  Purchasing ginger ale probably won't give you the benefits.  Our family always has ginger ale brewing on the counter and a ginger ale/juice mix in the fridge.

 Ginger Ale Break

To learn how to make ginger ale, go to Whey and Ginger Ale Recipes.  Remember that a good gut is your best defense against germs, pathogens, and a generally toxic world.  Ginger Ale is one of the daily things we add for continued gut health.

Why ginger ale, you ask.... well, if you look at the benefits of ginger ale, that might answer your question.  My personal opinion is that cultured ginger ale is BY FAR the most efficient way to incorporate this wonder food into your life.  It is not cooked, the enzymes are all there, it is lacto fermented, the nutrients are bio available and accessible, and you can make it taste pretty good by mixing it with a little juice (I have no hard research on this since I made it up myself... it is kind of an odd drink to get used to.)

 

Ginger Ale with Pomegranate Lime Juice

 If you or your family like ginger ale, you don't need to mix it with juice.  It keeps for a long, Long, LONG time if you don't mix it with juice and you throw it into the back of the fridge.  I always keep a clearly labeled bottle of it, with some of the ginger in the bottom, in the back of the fridge.... Why?  If you have a puking family member, pull out the plain ginger ale.  Give them one tablespoon, by sips, wait 10 or 20 minutes and then give them another tablespoon.  This nutralizes that yuck feeling in your throat and mouth, so have them swish it in their mouth for a bit before swallowing.

If you are pregnant, are involved with chemo, or get motion sickness, you might also give cultured ginger ale a try.  (It helps by turning off something in your brain that tells you to puke - some studies show ginger to be more effective than Dramamine for motion sickness).  Again, my opinion is that the cultured ginger ale is almost the most efficient way to get the benefits of this amazing rhizome.

There are so many benefits available.  I'll list some of the ginger ale benefits as I know them here, and some links for you to do your own due diligence.  Remember, your families health is ultimately your responsibility and  you should check out some remedies, some preventions.  Don't ever subcontract your families health to anyone... doctor, chiropractor, dentist, therapist.... or friend.

Yum!

My personal list of ginger benefits: (please remember that this is not an "instant" thing... except for puking or acid reflux... we drink ginger ale every day... these are just some of the helpful things ginger can help you with over time)

• Overall anti fungal, anti inflammatory, anti bacterial, anti everything... but in a healthy way :)
• Stops heartburn and acid reflux
• Digestion Aid and helps with gas and bloating
• Reduces inflammation
• Fever Reducer
• Morning Sickness help (with changes in diet)
• Mild headache remedy (I still use aspirin occasionally)
• Energy drink (when mixed with minerals and juice)
• Calms your nerves... a little bit :)
• Food poisoning relief (some - a good, healthy, active gut is your best defense against food poisoning..... OK, full disclosure, we use live sauerkraut regularly to combat any food poisoning  :)
• Menstrual Cramp relief
• Some research shows lowered cholesterol levels (when used on a regular basis)
• Refreshing soda type of drink... It is so good in the summer over ice!

I might revisit this page and add stuff.... I am really doing this off the top of my head and might change this page when I have a bit of time.  A little stretched in the time category this morning :)  If anyone has another remedy.... please let me know.

THE EXTRA STEP - PHASE 1

Don't try to go to every one of these sites.  Many of them have repetitive information.  These are just some of the ones I like really well.  I try to find ones that don't have pop up ads, but don't always catch them.

So, true confessions, ginger chews are my all time favorite candy, but I have not been able to get them :(  This is their site for health benefits and it is really good.

My favorite site - Ginger People

These sites are selling their stuff, but they have links to lots and lots of research.  I have not looked at all of it, but some of it.  I especially like the links they have on motion sickness and on cholesterol.

Fitness and Freebies 

Vitamin Stuff - Ginger 

Here is a nice bullet point with research list and one with the nutritional breakdown

Health Diaries 

Health Benefits of Ginger 

Here is a nice, short list with some research and one with the use of honey and ginger.

Health and Yoga 

Honey and ginger benefits 

Anyway.... this is easy and inexpensive and a good tonic for winter.

Best of Health to you 

Cindy