Aromatherapy Recipes

The following is an organized list put together by a good friend of mine.  While pregnant with her third child, she took the time to type out her favorite recipes from the book by Valerie Gennari Cooksley, "Aromatherapy: A Lifetime Guide to Healing Essential Oils".

While the list seems daunting, grab a cup of herbal tea and sift through to get some ideas that might fit you and your family. :-)  Happy Healthing!
*note: prices at the end may have changed since this was gathered about a year ago*

Peaceful Sleep:

14 drops Lavender

4 drops Marjoram

2 drops Clary Sage

Add to 4 oz distilled water to make a room mister. Shake before each use.

Peaceful Sleep Bath:

4 drops Lavender

3 drops Marjoram

3 drops Lime

carrier of choice

Add the oils to your carrier and mix completely. After the bath has filled, add the aromatic mixture and stir with your hands. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Peaceful Sleep Inhalation Blend:

3 parts Lavender

2 parts Marjoram

2 parts Lime

1 part Mandarin

To make a large amount, enough to use in a diffuser: Measure each part with an eye dropper or teaspoon. To make a small amount, to be used with an aroma lamp, light ring, etc.: Measure each part by drops.

Peaceful Sleep Body Oil (to ease night sweats and promote sleep):

4 tbls. Vegetable oil

1 tsp Borage or Evening Primrose Oil

10 drops Lavender

6 drops Grapefruit

5 drops Marjoram

4 drops Cypress

In an amber glass bottle, add the essential oils. Add 1 tsp. of borage or evening primrose oil (or combination). Add the vegetable oil and shake well. Label contents. Apply nightly on chest and neck areas. This is a body oil and can be used freely on the body.

Massage Oil for Backache (especially during pregnancy):

4 tbls. Vegetable oil

5 drops Lavender

3 drops Rosemary

3 drops Sandalwood

1 drop Geranium

In a 2 oz. amber glass bottle, add the essential oils. Be sure to measure the exact amounts carefully. Add the vegetable oil or sweet almond oil. Shake well and label contents. To apply this oil simply pour a small amount on the palms of your hands and rub together to warm. Apply by massaging into the sacrum and lower back area for a few minutes. Apply counter-pressure with your thumbs, as this can bring additional relief. Take a few deep, relaxing breaths.

Inhalation Synergy Blend for Labor (to ease pain, promote relaxation and centeredness):

8 parts Lavender

1 part Frankincense

*Perhaps use as a mist sprayer in 4 oz distilled water. Could also place a few drops of the mixture on a cotton ball in a baggie for inhalation as needed.

Labor Oil (a pain-relieving blend):

2 tbls. Sweet almond or vegetable oil

2 tbls. St. John’s Wort or Arnica infusion oil

8 drops Lavender

3 drops Clary Sage

1 drop Chamomile

In an amber glass bottle, mix the essential oils with the carrier oils. Combine well by shaking the bottle and label contents with directions for use. Warm a small amount of oil in your hands before applying to the lower abdomen or lower back area (sacrum).

Post-Delivery Peri-Wash:

7 ounces warm distilled water

2 tbls. Witch hazel

1 drop Lavender

1 drop Patchouli

In a clean plastic bottle, add the essential oils and witch hazel. Shake well. Add the warm water and shake again to mix well. Before using this peri-wash solution, you must shake it very well as the essential oils float to the top quickly. Alternatively, you can mix the essential oils in a little honey to emulsify them, making them water-soluble. After voiding, rinse the perineum with this aromatic solution to be fresh and clean.

Post-Partum Depression Synergy Blend (to balance and uplift):

4 parts Lavender

2 parts Ylang Ylang

2 parts Clary Sage

1 part Bergamot

1 part Mandarin

Mix the above essential oils in an amber glass bottle with screw top. For a large amount, use an eye dropper or teaspoon as the measure. If a smaller amount is needed, simply count them out as drops, using the above ratios.

*Perhaps use as a mist spray in 4 oz of water. Can also be used in a bath, in a diffuser, or applied on the skin in a lotion or oil. Can also have a few drops placed on a cotton ball in a baggie and inhaled when needed.

Bug Off Skin Oil (to apply to the skin; avoid the eyes):

2 tbls. Vegetable oil

5 drops Cedarwood

4 drops Lemon (optional, substitute Lemongrass, Rosemary, or Eucalyptus)

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Citronella

In a plastic squeeze bottle, add the essential oils. Omit the lemon oil if you plan on being in the direct sunlight and substitute. Add 2 tbls of vegetable oil and shake well. Label contents with directions for use.

Aromatic Oil for Baby (to prevent and treat diaper rash):

4 tbls. Calendula infusion oil

10 drops Lavender

1 drop Chamomile

In a 2-oz amber glass bottle, add the essential oils. All lavender oil can be used in lieu of the chamomile. Add the calendula oil. Shake to mix well. Label with directions for use. Apply on dry skin, in small amounts.

Aromatic Massage Oil for Children (a relaxing hand or foot massage blend):

2 tbls. Warm vegetable oil

5-10 drops Lavender or Mandarin or a combination

Mix the essential oil in the warm vegetable oil.

Mellow Mist (a room spray to relax):

1 cup distilled water

20 drops Mandarin

10 drops Lavender

5 drops Marjoram

5 drops Sandalwood

a spray bottle with a fine mist nozzle

Fill a spray bottle with 1 cup of distilled water. Add the essential oils. Shake well before each use, as the essential oils float to the top of the water and are not soluble in the water on their own. Use this aromatic water to mist a room, furniture, pillowcase, or the telephone.

Teething Oil:

1 tbls. Olive oil

1 drop Chamomile

Add the essential oil to the olive oil. Rub a small amount onto the affected gum line. Store in a small amber glass bottle with an eyedropper and label. Keep it in the refrigerator for future use, as the cool oil will provide additional relief. Take it out a few minutes before applying, as the olive oil will thicken.

Re-Charge Synergy Blend:

6 parts Lavender

3 parts Basil (not to be used during pregnancy)

2 parts Pine

1 part Nutmeg

Mix the essential oils in an amber glass bottle. Use a few drops in an aroma lamp or inhale from a tissue. Ideally, this blend is nice to use in a diffuser to disperse the essential oils into the room air two or three times per day.

Nature’s Answer (an inhalation blend for mild depression):

4 parts Clary Sage

4 parts Ylang Ylang

3 parts Geranium

2 parts Basil (not to be used during pregnancy)

1 part Sandalwood

Mix the above essential oils in an amber glass bottle. Label. To use in a diffuser, simply add to the bottle or reservoir for the apparatus. If using this blend in an aroma lamp or simmering pot, add 4 to 6 drops and allow to diffuse into the room.

Aromatic Bath for the Blues (for mild bouts of depression):

¼ cup Honey (or other carrier)

3 drops Lavender

3 drops Ylang Ylang

2 drops Basil (not to be used during pregnancy)

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Grapefruit

Mix the essential oils in the honey. Fill the bathtub with warm water then add the aromatic honey mixture. Stir well using your hands. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Elation Formulation (a concentrated massage oil for mild depression):

2 tbls sweet almond oil (or vegetable oil)

1 tsp. Wheat Germ Oil

8 drops Lavender

8 drops Ylang Ylang

2 drops Basil (not to be used during pregnancy)

2 drops Geranium

2 drops Bergamot

In an amber glass bottle, add the essential oils. Add the sweet almond oil and wheat germ oil. Shake gentle to mix well. Label. To use apply a small amount onto the back of the hands and chest area. Inhale the essences from the back of the hands. The oils will also be absorbed through the skin. Apply two or three times a day.

Kiss Me Mouthwash:

1 cup distilled water

1 tsp raw honey

2 drops Peppermint

2 drops Spearmint

1 drop Anise

Measure out honey into measuring cup. Add the essential oils, not exceeding 6 drops total. Mix well with the honey. Add a small amount of warm distilled water to the honey until completely dissolved. Add the remaining amount of water. Bottle and label. Shake well before each use and swish for 30 to 60 seconds.  For optimal freshness make weekly.

Steam Inhalation for Catarrh (to loosen and expectorate mucus):

Ceramic or glass bowl

4 cups hot water

2 drops eucalyptus

1 drop cedarwood

a towel

Pour hot water into bowl. Add 2 or 3 drops of the essential oils listed above. Hold head over bowl (about 8 inches from water) and cover your head with the towel to form a tent. Keep eyes closed during this treatment. Slowly and deeply inhale through the nose and mouth. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes for full benefit. Pat face and neck area dry with towel. Keep neck and chest covered and warm following treatment. Follow with chest rub.

Chest Rub for Catarrh (for stuffy nose):

2 oz vegetable oil

20 drops Eucalyptus

5 drops Basil (not recommended during pregnancy)

5 drops Peppermint

5 drops Cedarwood

In an amber glass bottle add the above essential oils. Then pour the 2 ounces of vegetable oil into the bottle. Shake well and label. This oil is to be applied to the upper chest area, lower neck, and back (between the shoulder blades and base of neck). Inhale the essential oils from your hands following the application. Use 2 or 3 times per day, preferably in the early morning and at bedtime.

Steam Inhalation for Sinusitis (for relief of sinus congestion, a pulmonary antiseptic):

Ceramic or glass bowl

4 cups of hot water

1 drop Eucalyptus

1 drop Tea Tree Oil

1 drop Pine

Towel

Pour the hot water in a bowl and add the essential oils. Form a tent over your head with the towel. Keep your eyes closed and place your head approximately 8 inches from the water level to prevent a steam burn. Set a timer for convenience, and inhale slowly and deeply for 10 minutes. This steam treatment should be done at least twice per day, three times if infection is present.

Open Sesame Sinus Oil (massage oil/nose drops for sinusitis):

1 tbls. Sesame oil

3 drops Lavender

2 drops Eucalyptus

1 drop Peppermint

To the sesame oil, add the correct amount of the above essential oils. Mix well.

To use as a massage oil: Apply sparingly to the face in the areas of the affected sinuses. Avoid the eyes as much as possible. Massage into the skin until absorbed. Inhale from finger tips before washing hands well. May be used three times a day.

To use as nose drops: Tilt head back and, using an eyedropper, place 1 drop of the above sinus oil mix into each nostril. OR use direction to inhale oil from finger. May be used up to three times per day.

Cold and Flu Relief (1^st line of defense for combating colds):

4 drops Hyssop

3 drops Rosemary

3 drops Peppermint

3 drops Eucalyptus

3 drops Lemon

Combine the above essential oils in a small amber bottle. There is a total of 16 drops in this recipe. To use in a steam inhalation, put 3 or 4 drops of the combined oiled in a bowl of hot water. Do at least 2 or 3 treatments per day, especially at the first day of onset of symptoms for best results. You can also use half the recipe above to use in an aromatic bath. Bathe in a hot tub for at least 15 minutes. Dry yourself completely and wrap up in a cotton terry bathrobe or blanket. Rest for a half hour or more.

Aromatic Chest Rub I (for moist coughs):

2 tbls. Vegetable oil

12 drops Eucalyptus

8 drops Hyssop

4 drops Rosemary

Mix the essential oils in with the vegetable oil. Store in amber glass bottle and label. Massage upper chest are and lower neck, both front and back. Inhale essences from hands several times before washing them. Use twice per day.

Aromatic Chest Rub II (for dry coughs):

2 tbls. Vegetable oil

12 drops Eucalyptus

6 drops Hyssop

3 drops Pine

3 drops Lemon

Combine the essential oils with the vegetable oil. Store in an amber glass bottle and label. Massage on upper chest and lower neck area on both front and back. Inhale essences from hands before washing them well. Use twice per day.

Sweet Dreams (Valerie’s Sleep Pillow Recipe):

4 parts Sweet Woodruff (smells like fresh mown hay)

2 parts Lemon Balm

2 parts Lavender

1 part each of the following: Hops, Rosebuds, Chamomile, Marjoram, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary (grind the leaves so they don’t poke through the pillow), Southernwood, Mugwort, and Cinnamon

1 part powdered or finely ground Orris Root

Lavender, Chamomile, and Marjoram essential oils

Mix the above combination of sleep-inducing herbs, flowers, and spices in a large bowl. If you are making one pillow, the portions can be 1 tablespoon = 1 part. If you are making enough for gifts, use 1 cup = 1 part. However, when it comes time to add the essential oils, add about 3 to 5 drops per pillow. To do this, simply count out the drops onto the orris root and mix well with a spoon or mortar and pestle. Then add this to the premixed herbs in the bowl. Put about 1 to 1.5 cups of herbs into each pillow, depending on the size. Sew up the opening. Now tuck your sleep pillow inside our bed pillow. Sweet dreams…

Best Carrier Oil Options:

-          Sweet Almond Oil

-          Sunflower Oil

-          Olive Oil

-          Sesame Oil

-          Unscented Body Lotion

Measurement Help:

1 cc  = 1 mL = 20 drops

1 oz = ~30 mL

SO: 1/8 oz = 75 drops, ¼ oz = 150 drops, ½ oz = 300 drops, 1 oz = 600 drops

All Prices from Rose Mountain Herbs:

Lavender - $17.50/oz

Marjoram, Sweet - $18.50/oz

Clary Sage - $25.50/oz

Lime - $7/oz

Mandarin - $21/oz

Grapefruit – $17/oz

Cypress - $24.50/oz

Rosemary - $9/oz

Sandalwood - $143/oz

Geranium - $32/oz

Frankincense - $35/oz

Chamomile (Roman) - $140/oz

Patchouli - $19/oz

Ylang Ylang - $29.50/oz

Bergamot - $28/oz

Cedarwood (Atlas) - $7/oz

Lemon - $9/oz

Citronella - $4/oz

Peppermint - $13/oz

Tea Tree Oil - $9/oz

Spearmint - $8.50/oz

Anise - $7/oz

Basil - $15/oz

Pine, Scotch - $12/oz

Hyssop - $26/oz

Eucalyptus - $4/oz

Sweet Almond Oil - $9/16 oz

Sesame Oil - $8.50/16 oz

St. John’s Wort Infusion Oil - $8.71/2 oz

Arnica Infusion Oil - $19.50/2 oz

Borage or Evening Primrose Oil - $33/16 oz

Calendual Infusion Oil - $7.75/2 oz

Witch Hazel Extract - $6/16 oz.

Amber Bottles:

1/24 oz - $0.75/ea

1/8 oz - $0.75/ea

¼ oz with screw cap - $1/ea

½ oz with screw cap - $1/ea

1 oz with screw cap - $1/ea

2 oz with screw cap - $1.25/ea

4 oz with screw cap - $1.75/ea

8 oz with screw cap - $2.75/ea

Cobalt Glass Bottles:

4 oz with screw cap - $1.50/ea  - for spray bottles

Large Black Fingertip Mister – Fits 4 oz Cobalt - $0.75/ea

Glass Droppers:

For 4 oz bottles - $0.60/ea

For 2 oz bottles - $0.50/ea

For 1 oz bottles - $0.50/ea

For ½ oz bottles - $0.50/ea

For ¼ oz bottles - $0.60/ea

Plastic Bottles – for Peri-Wash:

4 oz bottle - $0.70/ea

(picture from http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/058/5/e/tea_time_by_francescadelfino-d5wanlt.jpg)

Nip It BY the Bud Concoction

Herbs. Natural remedies. Homemade empowerment. Nothing can feel more amazing than knowing you helped stop an infection, illness, or treated a wound all on your own without even having to consider a trip to the doctor!  What a great and wonderful thing!  My husband and I were blessed to experience yet another instance of herbs helping solve a health issue.

My husband had just returned from a business trip to New York, and the next day he came home from work not feeling well at ALL.  Now, my husband is not the whimpy type.  No sir!  Half of the time, one wouldn't even know he was feeling ill!  So for him to drag himself in the door and collapse in the recliner told me something was quite wrong.  I asked him what about him was feeling poorly, and he described the beginning symptoms of Influenza A.  Fever, muscle aches, body temperature extremes accompanied with chills and reciprocating hot flashes, extreme tiredness, and the beginnings of a sore throat.

Time for Maggie's "Nip it BY the Bud" concoction, which is my own recipe for extreme immune boost.  I call it Nip it BY the bud because that's exactly what we're using: buds of herbs essentially. :-)  This recipe is intended to make as a soothing tea, so grab your kettle, mug, tea ball or bag, and the following pieces of your own home pharmacy!

-1 herbal tea bag (no caffeine, I used honey chamomile because I wanted the healing properties of chamomile)

In tea ball:

-1 tsp. rose hips

-1 tsp. catnip

Add after the above ingredients have seeped 3-4min.

-1 dropper elderberry extract

-15 to 20 drops liquid echinacea  

-1 tsp. local honey, as a sweetener (optional)

*Serve 3-4 times during the day*

**Also administer 2 calcium citrate or calcium-magnesium to bring down the FEVER**

Ta Da! To be honest, I wasn't sure this would work, but the next morning he woke up feeling much better, and improved throughout the day as I continued to give him this Immune Boosting tea. :-)  With the onset of illness, there is not a moment to lose to help your body fight off the infection!  Happy Healthing! 

    

 

 

The Basics of Herbs for Mommies

Please see my video here
Common Childhood Illnesses with Herbal Home Remedies

Constipation: inability to have a bowel movement, stomach cramping, loss of appetite

            -RHUBARB or RHUBARB JUICE 

            -PRUNE JUICE

            -1 tsp per day FLAX SEED OIL

            -MOVEMENT and MASSAGE

 

Colic/Gas: crying, fussing baby, inconsolable. Cries during the night, esp if baby is a back-sleeper.

            -FENNEL SEED tea (mix with milk in bottle)

            -CATNIP and FENNEL SEED extract (rub on tummy, or a few drops under tongue. Follow label directions)

Common Cold/Flu: symptoms include fever, muscle aches, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, congestion, headache

            -ECHINACIA extract or tea (follow label instructions)

            -add FRESH GARLIC to diet

            -ELDERBERRY extract or syrup

            -ROSE HIPS extract or tea (high in Vitamin C)

            -cut sugar and increase fruits/veggie intake

            -increase fluids

Diarrhea: VERY dangerous for infants. Dehydration occurs fast.

            -treat the ROOT CAUSE

            -DRAMATICALLY INCREASE FLUIDS

            -Activated Charcoal to treat any bad bacteria in stomach

            -if charcoal is not working, try GINGER ROOT or RED RASPBERRY LEAF TEA

            -other options for a child over 2 are BAYBERRY and BARBERRY together

            -other options for child under 2 are PROPOLIS RESIN, OLIVE LEAF, and     ELDERBERRY extract

Ear Infection: characterized by fever, fussiness, shrieking in pain, pulling at the ear, and even foul smell coming from the ear. May also notice swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck below ear.

            -TEA TREE OIL mixed with equal parts OLIVE OIL (5-10 drops, insert small piece cotton ball)

            -PEELED GARLIC diluted in OLIVE OIL (about half a clove crushed per 50 drops Olive Oil)

Fever: rising body temperature is a sign that the body is fighting off an infection.  Muscle aches signify an advanced fever wherein the body is being depleted of calcium, which powers white blood cells.

            -CALCIUM CITRATE (2 pills for adults, 1 for children under 12, and a half pill ground up into juice/bottle for under 2 years old. Continue until fever is gone)   *CANNOT overdose calcium*

           -see my blog post about how calcium brings down a fever

Growing Pains: pain in arms/legs, much like shin splints. Most often occur at night. A child actually should not have growing pains as it is a sign of a calcium deficiency.

            -CALCIUM CITRATE (2 pills/day for children over 12, 1 pill/day for under 12)

Poisoning: call local Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (PUT THAT IN YOUR CELL PHONE RIGHT NOW!) and 911 if advised to

            -immediately induce vomiting (have child ingest 1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide)

            -give ACTIVATED CHARCOAL (Adults 2 capsules. Children 1 capsule.  Children under 2, a half capsule opened and put into water/small amount of juice

            -see my blog post about Activated Charcoal

Stomach Bug: cramping, possible fever, vomiting

            -ACTIVATED CHARCOAL (adults 2 capsules on an empty stomach, which is 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.  Children 1 capsule.  Children under 2, a half capsule opened and put into water/small amount of juice. Repeat dose ONLY AS NEEDED every 4-6 hours, NOT EXCEEDING  6 DOSES IN 24 HOURS)   

 *Stool will be darker and less solid as the charcoal is pushing out toxins*                    

 **Also important 2^nd step in poisoning (see Poisoning)**

            -PAPAYA pills (follow label directions. Good also for heartburn, indigestion)

Teething: the formation and growth of “baby” teeth can be quite painful for little ones.  Find which natural method works for your baby.

            -CALCIUM CITRATE, especially if a fever is present (ground some calcium pills in a food processor/blender/or in a baggie using a hammer and mix ½-1tsp in with a bottle/juice as needed)

            -1 part CHAMOMILE EXTRACT to 3 parts OLIVE OIL (rubs on gums as needed)

            -CHAMOMILE and CATNIP TEA to calm baby for bed (make sure it is lukewarm)

            -PEPPERMINT SCHNAPPS rubbed on gums will numb the gums without harmful chemicals found in commercial teething gels

Thrush: intestinal yeast infection, characterized by white on the tongue/inside of cheeks and gas. Child will be fussy. Mother may have sore, red, and cracking nipples.

            -nursing mother add more FRESH GARLIC to her diet

            -begin daily regimen of refrigerated, LIVE PROBIOTICS (for nursing mother, but also can open and pour 1/3-1/2 capsule on baby’s tongue before each feeding)

            -MUST ELIMINATE ALL SUGAR FROM DIET as yeast feeds on sugar

            -ASODOPHILIS can also help, but is more harsh

            -swab made of 1 tsp BAKING SODA and 3 tsp WATER is a good cleanser for mouth and nipple after each feeding

Resources

1.) A Mother’s Guide to Herbal Extracts, by Kathy Garber

2.) www.beyondessential.com/doterra-essential-oils-for-babies-children/

3.) www.wellnessmama.com

4.) My personal blog www.backtobasicsmidwest.blogspot.com/

5.) http://www.westonaprice.org/

6.) http://www.mountainmeadowherbs.com/

7.) The Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery

8.) The Bulk Herb Store with Shoshanna Easling (http://www.bulkherbstore.com/about), and also her youtube videos (http://www.bulkherbstore.com/youtube)

9.) www.livestrong.com 

           

Candle Making the Cheapskate Way ;P

Saturday I had a few extra hours and decided to make some candles!  Now, I do candles differently than most. 

First of all, I buy used candles at garage sales and thrift stores.  Or, even better, people give me their old, half-burned candles from weddings, church services, etc.  I once got an entire grocery sack full of unused tapered candles for a dime!!!  Put a free classified ad in your paper asking for old candles, any condition, and watch them flock to you.

Pausing for a moment, why do I even bother with candles?  Well, as most of you know I am an amateur prepper, and with that comes the vast possibility of not having electricity for one reason or another.  Therefore, quite high on my list of needed preparations is light.
Secondly, I am not too excited about lighting a tall, unprotected taper candle around children in the event of our electricity going out.  I would much rather the candles be in glass containers and are less liable to spill over and cause a fire.
Lastly, "waste not, want not"!


What will I need? 
- candles
- wicking  (or see how I get wicks in instructions below)
- double boiler system (pan with water in it with either another pan or a glass container inside for melting the candles.  A wide-mouth quart jar works great!)
- tongs
- oven mitts
- old glass containers (I gather glass containers over time that would make good candle containers.  Salsa jars, artichoke glasses, jelly glasses, etc.)
- pencils and pens

Step 1: Melt the candles down

 - put a few inches of water in bottom pan
- melt candles on medium low to low in top pan/container
- keep an eye on the progress, but this is your time to prepare the wicking and jars








 
Step 2: Prepare jars and wicking
** instead of buying wicking from the store, which you may totally do, I use tongs to pull the wicking out of the melting taper candles**
 - tape one end of the wick to the bottom of the jar, and tie the other end taunt around a pen or pencil that is laying horizontally on the lid of the jar.  Some slack is ok.
 -repeat with the other jars 
- be sure to pull out any large impurities or the small, metal wick holder from the candles

 
Step 3: Pour into jars!
- using your oven mitts, pour the melted candles into the waiting jars.  I have never had one break, so I guess it must be safe enough? ;P
- let the jars sit overnight
- in the morning, clip the wick to normal candle length.  

Now, because of water surface tension, our homemade candles will have a "valley" in the center of the candle.  I have yet to correct this annoyance, but my engineer-husband assures me it is a scientific principle I cannot avoid without more advanced machinery and technique. ;P

Tips!
- this is a GREAT winter project as it heats the house
- GREAT activity for children to assist with
- obviously you will want to melt each candle color separately, pour separately, and let cool (only takes the amount of time of melting the next color). But these layered-color candles look great, too!
- the next time the electricity runs out, take pride in knowing you provided SAFE candles for your family, hardly spent a dime, and you recycled where waste is not an option! :-)

Caffeine, Iodine, and Uterus Tea

This is an email recently sent to a dear friend of mine.  I am posting it here only because it has all the information included about a topic I have been wanting to address for awhile: WHY DO MOMS FEEL SO TIRED???  We mothers need to realize it is no easy job having the equivalent to a major surgery every few years wherein a bowling ball-sized tumor (baby) is removed from our system.  On top of that, we are required to then feed this bowling ball the first and best of all our bodily nutrients, as well as physically-taxing sleepless nights and household chores.  No wonder our bodies hate us sometimes!  But it surely does not need to be this way if we could just listen to the cues.  A vast majority of the information I hold to now has come at the learning experience gleaned through my dear midwives.  All credit goes to them for introducing me to the world of wholesome health.  I hope the information below will be a blessing to you, and PLEASE email if you have any questions or need something explained further. (dancingdove17@gmail.com)

First of all, I have 3 questions for you to answer:
1) Do you often feel cold when others seem comfortable?

2) Do you wake in the morning not feeling completely rested, even though you had a good night's sleep? (I know that is hard to gauge with a new baby...)

3) Do you crave the 3 C's of coffee, chocolate, and caffeine?

If you answered YES to 2 or more of the above, I can guarantee that pick-me-up need you are feeling is a compromised thyroid.  But don't worry!  It's an extremely easy problem to fix.  Actually, the majority of women in the Midwest have a low thyroid because our diet does not naturally include foods high in iodine (like sea food) like women on the coasts are used to.  The Midwest is actually referred to as the "goiter belt", which is referring to thyroid issues.  50% of women here will experience a miscarriage sometime in their life living here in the Midwest, and most of those miscarriages that occur in the first trimester (don't panic, most are undetectable; it happens a lot of times before you even knew you were pregnant) of life are a result of a low thyroid.  I was one of those women TWICE before I learned my lesson...

The entire female reproductive and hormonal system is dependent upon iodine, as it relates to the thyroid.  This is the crankyness you are experiencing before or while on your period.  It is your body asking for more of something, and in this case, iodine.  On the same token, our reproductive and hormonal health effects all of our other systems as God created our bodies to be interdependent within itself.  The uterus is especially dependent upon "healthy hormones" from the brain and thyroid, which is only possible through iodine.  Our bodies are designed so intricately that it will scream out at us when something is amiss, and it will ALWAYS give us the answer to how to fix the problem...we just have to listen and do some digging.  For example, a woman's body TERRIBLY devoid of iodine will even cause the uterus to produce cysts.  Iodine reduces and eventually eliminates ovarian and uterine cysts.  Another example is women with extreme weight gain while on the birth control pill: it is the body's way of letting us know the hormones are off-kilter.  The weight gain (thyroid-related) is the body saying the hormones are synthetic and it requires true, genuine hormones in order to balance the weight properly. 

So, just from reading your quick explanation, it sounds like your thyroid is just beginning to request some iodine.  I take iodine daily and now feel so refreshed and have energy I haven't felt since high school.  BUT you have to keep up with it.  We aren't CURING an issue, we are SUPPLEMENTING for a void in our diet, and this is continuous.  I take "Prolamine Iodine" from Standard Process.  I LOVE this company because their products are designed to work WITH your body by giving it the nutrients it is missing, rather than REPLACING.  Any hormone REPLACEMENT is going to be dangerous...we want to encourage our bodies to do what they were designed to do by God.  Then, and only then, will they work correctly.

For the iodine, start by taking one pill a day (with or without a meal doesn't really matter) for a week.  Then, the next week take 2 per day (at different times).  The third week, bring yourself up to 3 times a day and this is where you will stay.  :-)  In the summer when my fresh garden veggies are available, I actually go down to 2 a day to save some money, but that's just me. :)  To explain why your body is going for coffee and chocolate, it's the caffeine.  Since the thyroid is the hormone-maker and natural "pick-me-upper" and it's not getting the fuel (iodine) it needs to function, our bodies then go to caffeine.  Caffeine is actually a poison, and the jolt of energy we feel is our adrenaline kicking in a little bit to wake the body up to fighting off the small bit of toxin.  In return, adrenaline is fueled of glucose, which is sugar.  Hence why chocolate and sweets come into play.  Puts a whole new meaning to the stereotype of women and their coffee and chocolate!!!

If you would like to wean yourself off coffee, that would be a good idea.  I do need to say, everything I am telling you right now I have done.  I have been there, done that.  This is not some health professional who has always been on the Yellow Brick Road of health...these are lessons I have learned the hard way and am just passing along the research done.  On that note, I have found that citrus is a GREAT pick-me-up!  Oranges, lemon in your water, a grapefruit in the morning.  This is why orange juice or an orange seems to appear in many "part of a balanced breakfast" segment of cereal commercials.  The citrus is your happy day-beginner.  :-)

Let me know if I can help in any way.  I do have a plan to wean off coffee, but I don't like to throw it at people right away because it can overwhelm them.  But definitely consider getting on iodine. :-)  I didn't touch on this either because this email is already far too daunting, but a body detoxification might be a good idea, if you are serious about the iodine and coffee.  Again, I just didn't want to overwhelm you. :)

I do drink red raspberry leaf tea (hot or iced doesn't matter) when pregnant or near/during my period.  Friends and I refer to it as "uterus tea" because it's good for all thing uterus.  LOL  It is good for uterine muscle tone and will improve cramping.  Let me know if you want more info here, too (upcoming blog post!). Keep in mind, though, none of the things in a more natural lifestyle are overnight cures.  It takes time for your body to adjust and heal, just like a broken bone.  But I think if you stay loyal and consistent, you will see a change in a matter of just a month or two. :-)

https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Prolamine-Iodine

In Him who reigns,
Maggie

Homemade, REUSEABLE, Baby Wipes

Sounds gross, but some of us cloth diaper, so what's the difference? :P

 Before my son was born, I spent a winter day making baby wipes and burp rags out of adorable cotton-fleece material.  I am not a very good seamstress, so neither the burp rags or wipes look fancy at all like some of the ones my friends have made with crocheted perimeters.  Mine are made from 8x8 inch squares of cotton-fleece, and after sewing (right sides together) 2 pieces together and flipping inside out, they are 7.5x7.5 inches.  Consequently, I have successfully used this homemade wipe system for almost 2 years now and know they will last through at least a few more children!  Here is what I do:

Step 1: Gather ingredients
There are many recipes out there, but for those on a budget (like me) and for those who are simple-seekers (also me), I use WITCH HAZEL and BABY OIL with ALOE.  If I had more money, I would add some VITAMIN E capsules, but for now this has been working.  

- ice cream bucket
- 20-25 cloth wipes
- 2 cups hot water (I nuke for 2 minutes)
- 2 T. witch hazel (antiseptic)
- 2 T. baby oil with aloe (to heal baby's bottom)
 

 Step 2: Make solution and pour!
Heat the water to hot (I just use the microwave, but stove top with a kettle works, too).

Then, mix in the witch hazel and baby oil into the hot water, stir well. 

Lastly, pour the solution into the ice cream bucket, over the wipes.  I pour around the 4 corners so the top wipe doesn't filter out all of the baby oil.


 Put the lid on, and BE SURE TO REPLACE LID AFTER TAKING A WIPE or they all will dry out!  My husband has done this a time or two.  The wipes will last about 2 weeks, give or take, depending on the number of diapered children in your home.  I have never had an issue with mold in the wipes or their container, but if any appears, just wash the container well. 

When done with a wipe, simply place in the same container as your soiled cloth diapers and wash along with.  :-)  Happy Wiping!