Blackberry Leaf Tea...

I found out the hard way that flu season has definitely started.  Our family was hit with a stomach bug this week - mainly causing intestinal distress, if you catch my drift.

Only one of us had a fever and thankfully that was kept under control with an herbal tea of yarrow, peppermint, and elder flower (this tea was made for my husband).  My son so far has not had a fever, but I do have on hand TempAssure by Herbs for Kids, which has some of the same herbs to help support the body when dealing with a fever.  An aside, which really needs to be a post on it's own, fevers can be good!  They are your body's way of killing off germs.  As a rule of thumb, I do not treat a low grade fever (below 101 for adults, 100.5 for kids) with tylenol, but instead will give supportive herbs, like the ones mentioned above, which encourage sweating and eventually help to break the fever.  In my husbands case, he started to have the fever early evening and by the next morning it was gone.

Back to the intestinal distress!  Blackberry leaf tea is a very mild herb and wonderful for treating diarrhea.  I was able to brew this for my husband and my son (who is a year and a half) and in both cases, it stopped the diarrhea in it's tracks.  For my husband, I mixed some peppermint tea in with the blackberry to make it more appealing for him and for my son, I mixed it with some water flavored with a touch of cherry juice concentrate.

A great way to make sure your loved ones are well hydrated during times like these, is to have them drink plenty of coconut water, which is naturally full of electrolytes.  Another great option is Recharge, a natural electrolyte drink.  You want to avoid sugary "sports drinks", as the sugar will only serve to lower your immune system as it is working hard to fight off the bug.

Sambucol

The start of fall, back to school, cool weather...this combination often signals the beginning of cold and flu season.  This is the perfect time to make sure that you have plenty of Sambucol on hand!  Sambucol is a brand of elderberry syrup that has had multiple studies done on it's effectiveness against flu viruses.  It is also extremely effective for fighting colds.  It comes in both adult and children's strength (children can start to use it at the age of 2).  I recommend this particular brand because of it's proven effectivenss.  It can be purchased from multiple sites on-line, including Amazon and Vitacost.
This is a standard in our household and it has proven effective a number of times already this year!  You can take it daily as a preventative or take it immediately when the first cold/flu symptoms are felt.

Arnica Spray...

Hylands carries a brand of arnica spray that is a must have in a home where you have kids.  Arnica is an herb that helps to prevent bruising.  I recommend the spray for children and you can pick it up for about $7.    You just want to be careful not to use it on broken skin, as the spray has alcohol in it and can be irritating or sting broken skin.
Last night my little boy smacked right into a hard wood corner with his forehead and started to bruise and swell right away.  I applied a few sprays of arnica to his forehead immediately.  The swelling was gone in a few hours and this morning he has only a small bruise.  SO much better than it would have been!  So, moms, keep a bottle handy and spray all those bumps and bruises!

Buying Local...

Here is a great read about why winter tomatoes don't taste like "real" tomatoes.  Take a minute to read through this article; it will certainly motivate you to buy local and organic.  I had no idea that there are 110 different fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides that are allowed to be used on tomatoes grown in Florida, many of them being some of the worst chemicals on the EPA list.

Just another reason to buy local and in season.  A great way you can save some of your summer tomato bounty is to dry them.  They will keep many of their nutrient this way and can be used many ways through the winter; in pastas, on pizza, as a pesto, or even pureed into a bean dip!

Some reasons to buy organic food...

There are a lot of wonderful reasons to either buy or grow your own organic foods.  I thought I would discuss a few today, as organic food and gardening is a growing trend.

*Organic foods typically contain more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals than conventionally grown foods.  This can also be true of heirloom varieties.  Sadly many conventionally grown items are bred to carry a long shelf life (which often means breeding out important enzymes).  The best way to ensure the highest level of nutrients is to grow it organically yourself or buy fresh and local organic produce.

*Organic produce is pesticide and chemical free.  This can be especially important for children, who are more susceptible to pesticides and chemicals, which can have significant health consequences.

*When it comes to meats, organic is so important.  You will be getting meat that is free from chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics.  The use of antibiotics in meat is especially disturbing and is helping to create antibiotic resistant bacteria.  This resistance is passed from the meat to the consumer and is only becoming an increased concern across the world as more and more antibiotic resistant bacteria is cropping up and antibiotics are becoming less effective.  Consumers must demand antibiotic free meat if they wish to help save the use of antibiotics for future generations (that and decrease their own dependence on antibiotics in lieu of more natural treatments like echinacea, oregon grape root, and goldenseal).

*Purchasing organic foods from your local farmer encourages the growth of local farms which will provide healthier food options and take better care of the land.  Organic farming practices are earth friendly and actually help to regenerate the earth.

*Buying organic produce will help to have less contaminants enter our water systems.  Our waterways are overflowing with chemicals, antibiotics, and pesticides from commercial farming.  As the demand for organic grows, this will decrease the demand for commercial and help to create cleaner, purer water.

These are just a few reasons to buy organic produce (local if possible!).  Take some time to visit your local farmer's markets!

Vintage Remedies...

I am very happy to now be an affiliate with Vintage Remedies.  I like this company so much and have learned so much through each program I have studied.

Today, I would like to highlight the Family Herbalist Program.  To look at this program, simply click on the icon to the right and it will take you directly to Vintage Remedies.  In their menu, click on Programs and look under the Intermediate Section.

The Family Herbalist Program was written specifically with moms in mind.  This is an ideal program for moms who want to not only learn more about herbal treatments, but also about nutrition, immunizations,  safe home cleaners, essential oils, and more!  One section that is extremely helpful is a review of common childhood and adult illnesses and how to treat them using natural remedies, the scope is wide from fevers, to diarrhea, to blood pressure and diabetes.

There is no time limit for studying and going through this program.  If you need to take a few months off, that is no problem.  The information that you will learn will be invaluable.  And, you may be like me and love what you learn so much that you choose to pursue the other programs available.

So, moms, check out the Family Herbalist Program!  I know you will be thrilled with what you learn and just how much it will be used to help your family.

Buying Seconds...

A great way to stretch the grocery budget is talking to your local farmer and asking about seconds or crop over production.  GREAT deals can be found this way and the surplus you get can be dehydrated, frozen, fermented, or canned to get through those winter months!

Another reason to buy organic produce...

Seems like farmers who are using herbicides and pesticides are running into a disturbing problem - resistant weeds.  This is leading them to use pesticide cocktails, many which have never been tested for safety.  Just another reason to support your local organic farmer.  Help take back our land to healthier practices that will benefit everyone!  You can read more about this probem here.

Welcome!

Welcome to Natural Health and Prevention!  Please take a minute to read more about me and visit the various pages of my site.  I hope to provide a site where you can learn more about natural living and prevention. and

I would be happy to meet in person for those living in the San Diego area.  I also do telephone consultations for those who live further away.

Please check back regularly, as I will be posting on various topics of Health and Prevention.  I would be happy to answer questions regarding these posts, so feel free to leave comments as you like.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.