Free Real Foods e-course!

I'm coming out of recently moving/ Christmas a-coming hibernation to tell you guys about this great opportunity!  My master herbalist training program is offering a FREE e-course this January called "8 Weeks to Real Foods".  I have learned so much from my master herbalist program.  I'm positive that this e-course will be informative and even life changing for some!  If you are wanting to eat a whole foods/ real food diet but uncertain where to start, please consider taking this course.  It will help to clear the clutter of all of the misinformation out there.  And did I mention it's free?!?!

Go straight to the information page to sign up today!

Also, if you are looking forward to the upcoming semester and wanting to integrate some herbalist training for the kiddos, check out the herbal books for kids and the newest one for tweens (to be released in the new year).  Great information!  You may even learn something as you teach it to your kids!

PS- will you let me know if you decide to do this?  I would love to cheer you on!




I am an affiliate for Vintage Remedies.  Any time you follow a link through my blog and purchase an item, I receive a small compensation (which is very nice, but mainly I do this to share the word about good health).  Thank you for your support!

my so called health

You know, sometimes no matter how hard you work to be healthy, the outside factor of stress can take you down like a 12 year old girl in one of those sumo wrestler suits.  After 2 weeks of the kids passing a mystery virus back and forth, I finally succumbed.  You know, on mother's day weekend.  We have termed it the mystery virus because it's a mish-mash of all of these symptoms that shouldn't go together.  At one moment you feel normal, and then the next minute you're passing out at the town festival.  A mystery I tell ya.
But, through it all, I was able to set a goal for myself- you know, being the over-achiever that I am.  My
goal?

image taken from netflix

To watch the entire series of "My So-called Life" on Netflix instant.  And not to brag, but I totally did it.  At the end of episode 19 I was left feeling just like I did as a 17 year old- what happened?  It was such a good show (besides that weird homeless girl/angel episode), had so much potential and some major unresolved issues.  I declare a need for all of the actors to re-assemble and make a movie.  To wrap it all up for me.  Do Angela and Jordan Catallano end up being together, or does she go the better route with Brian.  Come on!  These are important issues that must be resolved.

It was so much fun to watch again.  To see my entire wardrobe from high school (brown corduroy over-alls from Urban Outfitters?  Umm, yeah, of course.)  The funniest part to me was that I had no recollection of the parent story-line at all.  I was so wrapped up in the drama of teenage politics.

Well- I suppose that's enough talk about how I spent my entire mother's day weekend.  You know how when you're feeling healthy, a day in bed watching movies sounds like a dream?  That you couldn't even  imagine the luxury of that?  Yeah, didn't enjoy it one bit!  I wanted to be out at the parade with my people so bad!  Eating yummy food.  Playing board games.  Just...being mama.

Lucky for me, that isn't relegated to just one day a year.

ear infections

For the first time in my life I have an ear infection. In BOTH ears! Would you believe me if I told you that I think my neti pot is trying to kill me? I was having some sinus congestion so I went to do a rinse with the neti pot. I didn't tilt my head just right and the solution went all the way up into my sinuses and then I felt the dreaded splash in my eustacian tubes. That night I woke up with searing ear pain. Just awful! However, I am finding great relief in the fact that I can sit up today and am having very minimal pain.

With my own *ordeal* and a recent chat with a new friend about her daughter's ear infections, I thought I would pass on some info and resources that have been helpful to me in treating ear infections.

First off, I have to say (again), I am not a doctor. However, I have a really great pediatrician and he likes to tell me interesting facts. Like how approximately 95% of ear infections clear up on their own with no intervention. Because of this, he doesn't quickly jump to antibiotics for ear infections if he knows that the parent is pro-active and will take appropriate measures to nurse their children back to health. A former pediatrician told me that he prescribed antibiotics for ear infections most often because parents requested them. Not because he felt they were necessary (and he explained this to the parent- I don't want to make him sound negligent in any way! He is a wonderful doctor).

Actually, a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1997 found that 70% of ear infections are viral- making antibiotics useless in treating them (unless there is a secondary infection). Of the other 30% they noted that most cleared up on their own with no intervention, and few actually needed antibiotics. I feel like I need to throw in a disclaimer here about how I think antibiotics are important and useful when used appropriately. But the bottom line here, is that most ear infections do not need antibiotic treatment.

In 2003, AAP published a double blind trial using an herbal oil (infused olive oil with garlic, mullein, calendula, St. John's wort and lavender) vs. amoxicillin. The results showed an equal rate of improvement after 3 days, and beyond that, the herbs proved to be better in pain relief and sustained health. The study also showed that antibiotics alone do not improve treatment outcomes.

*This research was found while studying in my course book (written by Jessie Hawkins) for my Master Herbalist certification through Vintage Remedies.*

The ear oil that I most prefer is Mullein Ear Oil by WiseWays herbals. This stuff works fast! After one application I began feeling some relief. After 3 applications now I am feeling almost 100% (however I am going to continue using it through tomorrow).

I also take an herb internally to help with fighting the infection. I really like the line of Wish Garden herbal tinctures. For the kids I prefer the "kick-it herbal biotic". I use the adult version as well for myself at the first sign of anything coming on and usually by the morning I feel better. I never leave for a vacation without this and their "daily immune builder".

Another tool I like to have on hand is my very own otoscope. This didn't prove to very helpful with my own ears (obviously!) but I love it for the kids. When they have a runny nose, I start checking their ears, just to make sure it doesn't spread. At the first sign of any inflammation I begin using the ear oil. This usually prevents a full on infection.

The otoscope I use is made by Dr. Mom. It is really easy to use and comes with color pictures to show what ear infections look like. It's also a good idea to have your doctor let you look in the otoscope next time you're in the office to see first hand what an infection looks like. S/he can explain what you are seeing.

If at any time I feel like the ear infection has progressed further than what I can offer at home, I never hesitate to call into the pediatrician to make an appointment. Not doing so would be a matter of pride- and that's just silly!

***Note: ear oil should NOT be used in the case of a burst eardrum.***