Pine Needle Tea

One of our families favorite remedies for any type of cold, lung congestion or viral infection of any kind is Pine Needle Tea.  I found this remedy in an old, old, OLD book on  natural remedies that I picked up at a thrift store.  We have found it incredibly useful.

I would very probably use pine needle tea liberally if I had ANY virus.

So, in a bullet point list, everything I know about Pine Needle Tea:

• It is very cheap (free :)
• It is easy to make
• It is delicious
• Don't drink it if you are pregnant or nursing.  Really.
• It is full of Vitamin A and C (in a natural form so everything surrounding them is there, complete)
• It seems to help your eyes 
• It is an expectorant (if you drink too much it dries your nose out.  Not my favorite)
• Our favorite is sugar pine (the one with the shorter needles)
• You can put pine needles in your bathtub for various ailments.

Here is more detailed information from Dave's Garden.  I found it by a simple google search and his research appears to be solid.  No need for me to reinvent the wheel.  Just go there if you want more concrete info.

Here is how we make it:

1. Pick pine needles
2. cut them into smallish pieces
3. put in container and pour boiling water over them
4. cover and steep about ten minutes
5. strain 
6. add raw, local honey if necessary
7. drink

Protect your bodily warriors (keeping your biome healthy)

Biome:  the web of healthy bacteria that works symbiotically with our bodies inside and outside to provide bacterial  warriors against nasty bacteria, virus, pathogens, or other unpleasant organisms.)

bi·ome

ˈbīˌōm/

noun

 Ecology

noun: biome; plural noun: biomes

1. a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., your body (ok, I added this :).  A forest or tundra.

 

This is an update of an old blog.    Just a personal note:  In this world of no borders, odd diseases and unpleasant viruses taking up residence in our personal space... The type of lifestyle we finally settled on is still the best protection you can have.  No matter the situation, a healthy gut and an active biome is the best protection you can have.

A great, great way to begin is to spend time on Donna Schwenk's blog.  Cultured Food Life is the name of her new book and she has done a great community service (IMHO) in educating so many people and giving a great starting point.  Her book is available on her blog or any of the other myriad of ways we find it.  Here is the Amazon link to Cultured Food Life.

And so... the rest is what I wrote about 18 months ago.  I see no reason to change my opinion based on current events.  There is one addition on the "Do Not" list about antibacterial products.  I list it as number 1.  Don't kill your warriors.

A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THUS FAR

I just wanted to put a quick reference here on the top of my long-neglected blog.  This is a summary of some of the things that we have explored together in this blog.  Please remember, this is my OPINION (note IMHO - In My Humble Opinion really means everything on this blog) .  Always do your own research, believe in something yourself - don't just take someone else's word for it.  If you use the search feature, you can find a lot of research and recipes throughout this and many other blogs.  This can give you information to make up your own mind..... but you should continue researching.

Don't attempt to make too many changes at once unless you are in a crisis.  Take your time.  Don't throw your family under the bus.  Keep rational with any changes.   Include the kids in WHY you are changing.  Have some fun - try a couple of new things.  Try them again if they are good for you.  Don't give up.

Be healthy and well!

ADD THIS INTO YOUR LIFE:

1. Eat a lot of good fats (coconut oil, olive oil, butter from pastured cows, cod liver oil, etc.) A minimum of 2 tablespoons per day.
2. Drink raw milk from pastured cows if it is within the realm of possibility.  Add raw cream to your coffee.  A lot. Enjoy it thoroughly.
3. Eat something lacto-fermented every day.  Live sauerkraut is probably one of the most wonderful things you can do for your body long term.  Kim Chee is awesome.  Discover everything lacto-fermented.  Make up something and give it a try.
4. Eat pastured eggs from a local source if it is within the realm of possibility.  The yolks should be bright orange.  Can you have chickens where you are?   A backyard chicken coop is not a lot of work.
5. Drink something live with enzymes every day. (Kombucha tea, Kefir, Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Vinegar - something along those lines.)
6. Eat grass fed protein (beef, chicken, pork)
7. Soak all grains, nuts and beans.  This means sourdough bread and soaking and drying nuts.  Beans, rice and lentils, of course, should be soaked with a bit of whey or apple cider vinegar and the water drained off before cooking.  Do you have a crock pot?  Do you cook much?  Most of this is not hard and you do it ahead of time.  I do a lot on weekends and coast through overfull weeks.  Make soaked granola.  Have fun!
8. Eat cultured and organic milk products (yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese).   Add kefir in some form to your diet EVERY DAY.   There are so many good and easy recipes.
9. Make bone broth.  Have some several times a week.  Cook beans or rice or soup in it or drink it like a tea.  Dirt cheap and easy.
10. Exercise 20 minutes per day.  Frankly, yoga and pilates with some aerobics and weight training are almost the best thing for long term.  Honestly, "The Biggest Loser" has some of the best workout DVD's for at home that I have found.  $9 at Wal Mart.
11. Find a holistic doctor or chiropractor if it is possible.  The way we often practice medicine is criminal (IMHO).  Will not rant here.  :)
12. Go organic.  Go local.  Go fresh.  Fruits, vegetables, everything.  There is a host of reasons outside of the chemical thing.
13. Take a good, food based multi-vitamin that is in powder or liquid form.  Don't waste your money on pills that are shaped up with binders and fillers.  Most of it just goes right through you.  We use "All-One" Senior formula.  We take it in the morning with a little Kombucha tea and juice.  There are other really wonderful choices.

REMOVE THIS FROM YOUR LIFE:

1. Do not use antibacterial products on or in your body.  They kill off your biome (the web of healthy bacteria that works symbiotically with our bodies inside and outside to provide bacterial  warriors against nasty bacteria, virus, pathogens, or other unpleasant organisms.)
   
2.  Anything made from GMO's.  They are evil beyond belief (IMHO).  It is best to not put stuff into your body that might cause problems.  You have a "bad blast" and your gut can be ruined.  Just sayin' 
3. ANYTHING that has soy in it.  Men should NEVER EVER EVER EVER drink soy milk or eat soy.  It messes with your manhood.  Women pregnant with boys should NEVER include soy in their diet.  Boy babies should NEVER drink formula made from soy (almost the only thing available) The ONLY exception is a properly lacto-fermented soy sauce, in moderation.
4. Anything hydrogenated, fractionated, or something you cannot pronounce.  Read all labels.  This basically eliminates about 80% of processed foods (which are dead and rob your body of life anyway)
5. Cereal that has been extruded (is it in a shape?  It has been extruded - stick to soaked granola.  super easy to make.)
6. High levels of stress.  The B vitamins will help with this.
7. Grains, nuts and seeds that have not been soaked.
8. Get some of the sugar out of your life.
9. Any milk product that has been homogenized.  A gentle pasteurization is ...... ok..... but raw-non homogenized is better.  If it is homogenized, treat it like something nasty.
10. Avoid like the plague anything that has High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.  It also goes by hfcs now.  Don't touch the stuff.  It is nasty for your liver and your insides and almost impossible to eliminate.
    

There, see.  That is not so bad.  Just do all of that and get back to me in 10 years.  You will have tons of energy, feel great and look better than you did at 20.

Cindy