Progressive Pioneer

The Mother of All Herbal Remedies

I've had this powerful stuff brewing on my counter for about a week and a half and I couldn't wait to try it out!  Well, not on myself, but on some unsuspecting person with a cold coming on.  Truthfully I was a little afraid of its awesome power!  The recipe is SUPER simple, belying its cold-fighting super powers.  If you want to mix up a batch yourself, here's what you do. 

The Great Granola

The GAPS diet we're doing is no sugar and no grain (among other things); I thought I would miss sugar the most, but that hasn't been the case at all.  I'm actually pretty okay without it.  But I do really miss starches and grains.  So, this recipe for GAPS granola has been on my list to try.  It was such a hit!!  My mom who is in town for a month and has gamely been sticking to the diet with us (and by the way, feels great, has lost some weight and her arthritis is hardly bothering her at all where it was quite bothersome before) declared it was the best granola she has ever tasted, with or without grains!  I must admit, we're all pretty crazy about it.  The original recipe is from the Internal Bliss cookbook, but I modified the recipe quite a bit, so I'll share our version here:

1 cup pumpkin seeds

2 cups sunflower seeds

3 (or maybe 4, I can't remember) cups dried coconut, the large flakes

1/4 cup honey (warmed, if necessary)

1/8 cup oil (something mild-tasting; I used safflower)

some salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dried fruit pieces (I cut up apricots, apples, dates and then tossed in some raisins and cranberries too)

A bit of coconut flour (optional, but I used it to toss the cut dried fruit pieces in so they didn't stick to each other and clump up in the granola)

Mix everything but the fruit and coconut together, spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350 for at least fifteen minutes.  Mix in the coconut and give it another five minutes, but keep an eye on it and stir it every few minutes as it browns quickly.  Finally, toss it with the dried fruit and then pour yourself a big bowl and enjoy!  We think it's soooo yummy; let me know if you try it and love it too!

Fermented Feast

This week we started the GAPS Diet (hence the light posting; I've been passed out on the couch from major detoxing even though I'm only partially doing the intro diet).  We have some friends whose son was recently diagnosed with autism so they started the diet.  We thought now would be the perfect time to start so we could simultaneously support them and have someone to talk with about it.  Although, they've ended up being more of a support to us since they started first and can assure us that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel!  We've been wanting to do the diet for awhile to help Sam get his digestion back on track after all his abdominal surgeries and the major load of antibiotics and hard drugs that were involved.The silver lining of this crazy diet is that I was inspired to make lots of yummy, femented veggies!

I mostly used recipes from Nourishing Traditions, plus that exotic beet one from the Nourished Kitchen.  We found that the Nourishing Traditions recipes were a bit too salty for our taste, so I think I'll cut back next time or just try a vegetable starter culture and skip the salt altogether.
But what fun it was to fill jars and jars and line them all up on my counter to work their magic!  It makes me smile every time I look at them.  And, of course, now that they're ready to eat it makes me smile to eat them too:)Sam is a good helper; his favorite job is grating the ginger:)  After several days of being so lethargic and having no appetite I was so thrilled when he requested some saurkraut, of all things.  He's really quite good at listening to his body and knowing what it needs.

We made the beets with orange zest and spices, daikon radish, gingered carrots and a medley of turnip, golden beets (such a gorgeous color!) and onion, and I've got a pineapple waiting to be combined with some cilantro and other goodies for a fermented chutney!

PS If you're thinking about doing this diet, totally get the guidebook .  Dr. Campbell is brilliant, but I found myself hunting through the book for information; it just isn't organized in a super user-friendly way.  I also just ordered the cookbook ; I'm excited for a little variety:)

Snooze Tincture

Sometimes when I finally lay my dog-tired bones down at night, so excited to get the rest I've been looking foward to all day... I can't fall asleep!!  Does this happen to anyone else?  All of a sudden my mind just goes into overdrive and starts thinking about and processing all the things I haven't had time to stop and think about during the day.  Then I start thinking about how Vivi is going to wake up to nurse in only a few short hours and how I really need to get as much sleep as I can before then, and it gets even worse!  Sometimes I'm awake for hours...  Enter, the Snooze Tincture!
I've been crazy busy lately, so this pre-mixed herb blend was so perfect.  It's got all sorts of good things in it; chamomile, hops, lemon balm, passion flower, all sorts of dreamy stuff.  All I had to do was toss it into a mason jar with a little glycerin and water.  Now it sits on my counter, patiently extracting all those good sleep-inducing, eyelid-drooping juices.  A few shakes a week and one month later and I should be falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. What I'd really like is Sam's ninja master trick of falling asleep mid-play:)

PS I overstuffed mine; don't cram quite so many herbs into your jar!  I guess mine will just be extra strong?

Sit Awhile

Remember the sauna?  I know, it was started so long ago, we practically forgot about it ourselves.  Well, just me really, Clay hasn't stopped thinking about it, he just hasn't had a spare moment to work on it.  Until recently.  And now, with a finished sauna, and me no longer pregnant (apparently they're a no-no when you're preggie), we've been basking in the warm, woodsy heat of the sauna at least once a week.  It sure makes winter more bearable.

There's something sort of primal about the sauna; the dimly lit, cave-like interior; the elemental smell of the heat and the wood; the way you leave behind not only your clothes, but the worries and demands on your time that somehow seem so pressing only moments before you step inside.

It's a funny thing about the sauna, time doesn't seem to hold the same properties once inside.  On occasion I've only been in there a mere ten minutes, yet it seems as if time lengthens like melted honey.  Other times 30 or 40 minutes can easily drift quickly by. 

"When I sit in the sauna," Clay says, "I feel like a king."  It's true.  Life just doesn't get much better than the simple bodily pleasures: good food, soft beds, healthy bodies.  It's a richness that doesn't necessarily come from dollars and cents (this sauna, in fact, was pretty much free, made all from reclaimed materials and the wiring work was a trade).  I'm often reminded of the rustic tujs I bathed in while living in Guatemala.  Like a stone sauna, one would crouch in through the low door.  The same combination of hot rocks and water turned the somewhat ugly, cinder block structure into something of beauty.  No spa treatment I've experienced comes close to the relaxing, rejuvenating effect of a simple tuj (or sauna!).

Lotions and Potions

The cold and flu pills I made really were a piece of cake.  It was slightly time consuming to fill all the little pills, but that was outweighed by how much I just love that little capsule-making gadget.  But making a tincture was even easier!  I used the same combination of herbs (goldenseal, echinacea, licorice root, and ginger) and put them to soak in glycerin and water for a few weeks, shaking the jar a few times a day.  I kept it where I'd see it regularly so the herbs could get a good toss every once in a awhile. Once it was done I just strained it into jars and it was ready to go!

Clay swears by this stuff.  There's been a cold knocking at our door the past week or two and we've mostly kept it at bay by dosing ourselves with this mixture and some lobelia tinctured in apple cider vinegar from Clay's mom.

For our handmade sibling gift exchange this year I drew Clay's little sister Molly's name.  I made her a kit of all sorts of herbal remedies, salves, lotions and potions with a cute rice bag tucked in (I wish I had a picture; somehow I didn't take pictures of any of the rad gifts this year!).  It was really fun to try some new recipes and learn as I went.  I feel so much more capable now and the whole process seems more straightforward and less like mystical wizard science.  Herbal remedy making is one of those things you just have to jump into and get your hands a little messy before you can feel confident.  But once you do it's like a whole new world of possibilities opens up.  I'm much less intimidated now and feel like I can experiment and improvise a bit. 

PS If you're local, Industrial Container is the place to go for little glass jars and droppers and all sorts of things.  They're prices change daily, so just go there and browse around.  It's really inexpensive, as in  pennies per jar.  If you're not local, Mountain Rose Herbs has lots of great, reasonably priced containers too.

Preparing for Winter with Homemade Remedies

This winter I'm going to start dosing my boys with herbal remedies at the first sign of a sniffle!  Clay and Sam always pick up the same germs; if one of them has something I know it's only a matter of days before the other one's got it too.  But now I'm prepared!

I ordered some powdered herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs and made this anti-viral, anti-bacterial blend to be used for all sorts of things.  Even though I ordered the smallest amount it still made a ton!  I need to find some friends to split it with.  I made about half a mason jar full of the pills so we'll have plenty on hand and I may make a tincture in glycerin as well.  I feel so safe and empowered knowing that I can make things to take care of my family.  And, as often happens when I learn to do something new, I think, "Well for heaven's sake, this is so easy!  Why haven't I been doing this all along?!"

I love, love, LOVE this little gadget!  You just put in the capsules, pour your herbal mixture in and tamp it down, then snap on the top and pop out these perfect little pills!  So satisfying, and SO easy!  And I think it was only $15 or something.  Seriously, why did I ever buy pills at the store?

The wonderful thing is that I know exactly what went into these; no filler, just packed tight with fresh, organic herbs.  The recipe I used was so simple too.  It's just equal parts echinacea, ginger, goldenseal and licorice root.  You can totally do this!

I had such a nice time making these.  Sam was napping (a rare treat these days) and Vivian was sitting in her bouncy seat, happily supervising my work.  The afternoon sun was coming through the window as I sat quietly filling and refilling the machine as my stash of capsules grew.  I'm so excited about how easy this was and I can't wait to try some different recipes.

Baby Yoga

This is a guest post from Stephanie of Mama and Baby Love that didn't make it up during my blogging "maternity leave," but I thought I'd share it today.  Sam and I have been doing a little yoga from the Yoga Today site lately.  He'll do the poses on his own little yoga mat right next to me for the first fifteen minutes or so.  Then it's off to play, or to climb on Warrior I Mama to make the pose extra challenging.  Viv hasn't gotten in on the action yet, but doesn't this look like a fun way to start?

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Going to a mama-baby yoga class is great.  But what if you don't have a baby yoga class in your area?  How do you get started?  First, learn a little yoga from a book, DVD, or my blog.  Don't try to learn all the poses at once.  Take a look at one pose and try it out.  Once you have that one down, take a look at another and try to incorporate that into your yoga routine.  Just one step at a time. Baby steps, for baby yoga!

Second, instead of trying to find a time to "do" yoga, incorporate it into your baby's playtime on the floor, or as you go about your day.  You can do Toes to the Nose, while you are changing a diaper, Moon Toe while you are nursing, or you can do Down Dog when you are potty training and need to wipe a tiny bum!

Third, the only thing you need is you and your baby.  No mats, no supplies, nothing.  All you need is for baby to be in comfortable clothing.  All that really means is no jeans, or long dresses.  You can do baby yoga anytime of the day, though I would wait about 10 or 15 minutes after eating.  Another time you don't want to do yoga, is if your baby has a fever or is sick.  Just like you shouldn't exercise when you are fighting a cold, so your body spends its in energy in rejuvenation. 
Lastly, just do it!  Make a commitment to a few yoga poses a day with your child.  Even it’s just a couple of deep breaths.

I love doing yoga with my daughter because no matter how busy our day is, I can always carve out time to do yoga with her and instantly reconnect with her.

Bottoms Up!

Even though our garden is still producing plenty of late-season veggies, I'm thinking ahead to our standard fall and winter "wheatgrass ."  When we start feeling that sense of deprivation that comes from consuming only pale and limp grocery store veggies, we break out the trays and the juicer and start our own indoor meadow right there on the counter top.

It really is so very simple.  And in addition to providing healthy juice, it's pleasant to have something vibrant and green to rest your eyes on.  The only catch is that you have to have a juicer ; don't even try it in your regular blender or juicer.  It'll mess it all up.  But they're not too expensive and it's a fun gadget to have around.

Sam loves helping pick the grass and turn the crank.  He can do the whole operation by himself.  The only thing he doesn't do is drink the juice.  He tried it once and that was enough for now:)

If you want to try it yourself all you'll need are some wheat berries, trays and the juicer.  Just put some dirt in the tray, cover the top with wheat berries, water it and let it sit, covered with another tray, until they begin to sprout.  Once they sprout, take off the cover and let the grass grow, keeping it watered.  You'll be surprised how fast it grows; you can practically see the little blades stretching toward the light.

And you'll be able to get more than one harvest out of your tray.  Start at one end and snip off a couple handfuls of grass for each "shot" of juice.  By the time you get to the end of the tray, that first row will have grown tall again and will be ready for round two.  Enjoy!

41.5 and Counting

Good morning!  Sorry about the lack of a Make and Do post this morning.  I usually write them the night before, but last night I was blissed out at Rebecca's massage clinic and had tapioca for brains when I got home.  I just poured myself into some PJs and fell blissfully asleep; here's a visual below to give you an idea of just how relaxed I was:)  She totally worked me over with all her late pregnancy tricks; clary sage essential oil, various acupressure and reflexology points etc.  I'm amazed at how she can find the exact perfect spot, and also at how sore these random little spots can be.  I could tell when she'd found one for sure!  And she's so good about working on a spot until it's really done.  So often I'll get a massage and the person moves onto the next spot before they've really worked out the soreness in the first one; they just stick with their routine.  But Rebecca's really intuitive and her massages are amazing!

Tomorrow morning I'm heading in to our midwife's and we're going to try sweeping the membranes and taking some black and blue cohosh to get things started.  Monday will be 42 weeks and after that UT law says a licensed midwife can't attend you at home.  But, with Rebecca's fantastic massage and a bit of help from the cohosh, I think we'll be able to have a little birthday party this weekend.

I'll keep you posted!

Gardens and Belly Bliss

The other morning Sam and I met up with the rest of the learning co-op at Red Butte Garden for a field trip, wrapping up our month of nature lessons.  I was surprised at how long we were able to spend meandering through the paths with a gaggle of little ones.  They LOVED exploring the paths and plants.  At the end we spent some time in the children's garden where they were able to get thoroughly soaked in the fountain, climb on enormous lizard statues and crawl inside vine-covered houses.  It is a really magical place- for kids and grownups. Then, as if the day weren't lovely enough already, I dropped Sam off at his aunt's house and went and had the most blissful prenatal massage of my life!  Ooh, just thinking about it makes me go all squishy and relaxed again...  I had a few massages when I was pregnant with Sam, and they were good.  I mean, it's hard to go wrong with a massage, especially when you're pregnant and achy.  But this was in a whole separate category of its own.  Rebecca Overson (remember her beautiful birth story?) has a peaceful little office just around the corner from my house where she works muscle magic.  The thing that made her massage different is that I could just tell that she had been pregnant before.  She just knew exactly where the sore spots were and how to work them out.  Oh, and the coolest thing?  I got to lay on my stomach!  That alone was practically worth it.  I havn't laid on my stomach for months, and it's one of those random things you miss.  But she has these special adjustable pillows so you can lay all supported and face down. 
I'm such a believer in taking time for Mom.  I was so sweet to Sam and Clay after having a little pampering myself.  And it doesn't always have to be something like going out and getting a massage (but sometimes, it does!), a quiet walk, half an hour with a book or in a bubble bath, these go a long way to restoring balanace and sanity and making me feel human again.  But, if you're preggie right now, a few massages from someone who knows about pregnancy aches and pains, are just what the doctor ordered!  And seriously, if you have a pregnant friend, forget the cute baby clothes, toys etc.  Just get her a certificate for a prenatal massage.  You will be her best friend!  I think Rebecca even has a few specials going on right now, including a new client special.  You can also get credit toward your own massage if you refer friends (doesn't everyone know at least have a dozen pregnant ladies?).

Healthy Eats on the Road

My post at Simple Organic is up today.  One of this month's themes is staying healthy while traveling.  So, I put together a few ideas for avoiding eating out while traveling.  Packing and preparing healthy food for road trips is actually one of my favorite things; I think it's so fun.  And cooking while camping?  Love it!  So, pop over to Simple Organic and check out some of the ideas, and share some of your own.  They also have some neat posts about WWOOFing, baby wearing, CSAs and a fun DIY market bag tutorial if you scroll back a few days.

Family Pictures

Awhile ago we had our good friend Steve take some family pictures.  We wanted something a little funky, so we dressed up, got out some musical instruments and even incorporated Clay's old motorbike into a few.  It's fun having a friend do the photos because you don't feel (too) silly doing offbeat stuff.  Steve and his wife (who acted as his assistant) were so fun and easy to work with.  They played music and made us feel nice and relaxed.  I, in particular, tense up in front of a camera and do this goofy smile.  But, he just kept clicking away until I finally relaxed and he was able to get a few good ones.  He took the photo I use for my profile picture on the about page and various other places. 

Unfortunately Sam was feeling a bit under the weather and declined to smile during the whole shoot.  He just wanted to be held and make his cute, sad face.  I still love the pictures of him though.  In fact, we have so many pictures of Sam beaming (they're easy to get) that I kind of like having a few serious ones.  I have plans to blow a few up really huge and frame them for the walls. Steve also does really amazing outdoor adventure-type photography, as well as family portraits and some commercial stuff (he also helped us with an ad for Ivory Bill).  So, if you're local, or local-ish (it'd be worth the drive), look him up!

Making Your Own Herbal Remedies

Last weekend I went to this wonderful class (from the same woman that did Herbs 101 and is organizing the Holistic Living Conference) about how to make your own herbal remedies.  It was so empowering to learn about doing something that I've previously relied on other people to do for me.  I'll use single herbs here and there, and certainly essential oils.  But I've never gone full out and made my own salves or tinctures.  It just seemed a bit too involved and overwhelming.  But watching the teacher demonstrate as she talked about the process, it just seemed so doable! 

She first demonstrated making a salve.  She used a Dr. Christopher (a Utah herbalist that practiced in the 50s) formula called Bone, Flesh and Cartilage that's for all sorts of problems with any of those things; sprains, burns, breaks, rashes, bruises etc.  She'd had the combination of herbs soaking in olive oil for two weeks.  Then she just strained it, squeezing out the extra oil, and mixed it with some beeswax in a crock pot and poured it into cute little tubs.  She added a few drops of lavender essential oil at the end too.  So easy though, right?  She sent us each home with a little jar of the BF&C salve, which I've been using on a  scar on Sam's hand (he got a chemical burn from a faulty IV at the hospital and still has quite the scar).  But as soon as it's gone I think I'll try my hand at mixing some up myself!

She also showed us how to make tinctures and encapsulate dried herbs.  Encapsulation was also amazingly simple, so much so that you wonder why you would ever buy herbal supplements when it's so easy and cheap to make them yourself and you can know exactly what goes into them.  You basically just have this little box with the capsules in it, pack in the powdered herbs, snap on the top and then pop out your perfect little herb pills- genius!  And making tinctures was about the same as making a salve, except that you soak the herbs in glycerin, alcohol or vinegar for two weeks instead of olive oil, then strain it and put it in little dropper jars.  She sent us home with a blend of herbs designed to balance your hormones, perfect for the pregnant mama!  I'd totally recommend taking her classes (they're free!) if you're local, or finding someone to teach you if you're not.  You could also just get some books at the library if you learn well that way.  I just love seeing someone demonstrate, it's so easy for me to absorb the information that way.  Keep your eyes out for some homemade remedies showing up here in the next few months as I try my hand at my own lotions and potions!

Homemade Toothpaste

Rachel, from Lusa Organics, sent me this great recipe for homemade toothpaste.  I was excited to try it out as I've been looking for a good alternative for our family, especially since Sam seems to think it's a pre-bedtime snack more than a cleaning aid!

I melted my coconut oil a bit (I love these stainless steel measuring cups because I can put them right on the stove).  It made it easier to blend everything up. The only thing I would change is using a bit less sweetener.  I used both the xylitol and the stevia, but next time I think I'll just add the xylitol and then taste it and add stevia as needed, as it's quite sweet.  I also tripled or quadrupled the recipe so I wouldn't have to be making it as often, though based on the tiny amount we use each time, this will probably last quite awhile!

I used peppermint and sweet orange oil and I think it's a nice flavor combination. Sam is nuts about it and is much more excited about brushing his teeth now, even obliging me when I ask if I can brush them first.  His form of brushing is mainly just sucking the toothpaste off the brush.  Thank goodness I now know exactly what's in there!

Five Ways to Get Veggies into Your Little Ones

Sam was going through a brown food phase and I just didn't like the fact that he wasn't really getting the whole rainbow of foods into his system.  He would be thrilled to eat oatmeal, hummus, beans, bread and peanut butter etc. all day long.  I always feel weird saying, "Eat your fruit and then you can have your beans..."

So, I set out on a campaign to make his diet more colorful again.  We experienced one day where he didn't eat breakfast until about eleven because all I offered were brightly colored fruits and veggies and all he wanted was oatmeal.  I know, I know, oatmeal is perfectly healthy.  And he does eat a huge bowl of it every morning still.  But I felt like we were in a food rut and I wanted him to be eating other things throughout the day.  By that afternoon he was sampling the rainbow of foods I had placed on his tray and actually liking some of them.  Now I offer him only one or two things at a time, often doctoring them up in a way I know he likes (see below) and usually placing a piece of something new on the tray.  They say you often have to expose a kid to a new food around ten times before they like it, or sometimes before they'll even try it! 

Here are some of the ways that have been effective in getting Sam to eat a more varied, colorful diet:

• Green smoothies and veggie ice cream (basically a frozen fruit-heavy smoothie.  We just use less liquid and blend frozen fruit until it's like soft serve.  Sam is nuts about it).  A simple and surprisingly sweet and delicious combination is spinach and pineapple (we use frozen).  The spinach really doesn't alter the taste much and if they balk at the color just serve it in an opaque sippy cup!
• Grated or minutely chopped carrots, cabbage, red peppers, even spinach etc. (get the red peppers organic, cabbage though is surprisingly low in pesticides when grown conventionally).  I find that if I chop things really tiny he's more likely to eat them, especially with a liberal dousing of his favorite dressing, a homemade vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, herbs etc.
• Place a piece of something new on their tray each meal without mentioning it or coercing.  9 times out of 10, they will try it eventually, even if it takes a few days.
• Have something for dipping (dressing, peanut sauce, homemade ketchup, fruit purees etc).  The trick is getting them to actually eat the thing dipped and not just the dip.  For this reason, I try to make sure the dip is healthy too, since often mass quantities get consumed.  Homemade sauces are much better because you can control what goes into it.
• And lastly, just don't offer the junk, keep only healthy snacks around.  Sam loves dates as a treat.  We also call his chewable vitamins "candy" and he thinks those are treats.  Fruit leathers and corn chips are about as junky as I try to let it get.  That way he feels some liberty in being able to choose snacks and I feel good knowing that any option chosen isn't too bad.  
  

LDS Holistic Living

I'm so excited about this conference coming up in June!  Remember the great Herbs 101 class I went to?  The woman who taught the class is the mastermind behind the conference and it promises to be amazing and inspiring.  The mission of the conference is "to help all people draw closer to Christ by discovering His hidden treasures of knowledge for the health and healing of the mind, body and spirit."  I absolutely love thinking about how our bodies are designed to be healthy, how we are built to be happy and how the paths to those things are often the simplest routes; so inspiring!

There are six hour-long sessions throughout the day where you can choose from a whole range of lectures and classes to attend.  There's also time for a lunch break and time to peruse all the vendors that will be there.  Here's what I think I'll be taking (it's so hard to choose, though!):

Pain Relief without Medication

Pain is almost always a sign of inflammation, which is the body’s primary response to tissue damage.  In this class, I’ll cover what happens when tissues get injured and how inflammation can be rapidly reversed.  I’ll demonstrate basic techniques for completely relieving pain in minor injuries in 5 to 20 minutes.  I’ll also talk about how to apply these same principles to ease chronic aches and pains.  

Sweet is the Work: Peaceful Mothering in a Chaotic World. 

Sharing the triumphs and errors in mothering that have taught valuable lessons.  Simple ideas to incorporate into our lives to strengthen ourselves and our families and bring more harmony to our hearts and homes.

The Miracle of Birth

God has designed families. A mother’s purpose is divinely given. Inspiration is available to guide us. Pregnancy and labor are natural, normal processes with both physical and spiritual benefits. You can have a natural birth—I’ll share tips on how to prepare. 

The Top 10 Essential Oils and How to Use Them:
Learn easy ways to incorporate oils into your daily routine and heal your family.  Jonelle will be sharing her favorite top 10 oils, their uses, how to use them and make simple blends.  Jonelle likes to call the oils her “friends”. They are always there to help and make things better. How oils affect the body and emotions simultaneously, and make a difference daily. Bring your nose for smelling and sampling!

Pass the Sugar, Please!

On average each American eats 30lbs of sugar per year. Come learn how to eat sweet healthily. Discover alternative sweeteners found in nature. Learn the facts about High Fructose Corn Syrup and processed sugars. Balance your palate to make naturally sweet foods sweeter. Over 100 recipes have been gathered and will be shared, including Green Drinks and naturally sweetened treats!  GREAT class for diabetics.

You can read about the various speakers and what they'll be teaching here (scroll down) and more details on the conference blog.  If you'll be in Utah this coming June I hope to see you there!!

And the Ultrasound Says...

We went and had a high tech ultrasound to make sure everything's a-ok with the little one.  Given our experience with Sam, we wanted to be extra sure that there were no complications with this one.  Plus we wanted to know if we're having a boy or a girl!  It was so beautiful to see all those perfect little ten fingers and toes, a brilliant-looking brain, a strong heart, beautiful bones and a perfectly intact tummy with all the organs right where they're supposed to be!  Every parent, I'm sure is relieved to know that their baby is developing normally, but after having a baby where things happen in a slightly different manner it is just so much more poignant and I felt so grateful looking at that ultrasound screen.  It is amazing that the majority of pregnancies produce absolute perfect little humans.  What a miracle!
We are so in love with this little miracle already.  And, we were thrilled to discover that we are having a... girl!!  We would have been happy with a little brother or sister for Sam, but my head is already swimming with lacy little things, dolls and all things sweet and lovely.  I am SO excited to start making little girl clothes.  What could be more heavenly? Remember how I was asking about tips to get a girl?  We employed the Shettles method, and well, apparently it worked!  So, I give it my full endorsement if you're thinking of trying for one sex or the other.  Taking Charge of Your Fertility is a great book if you're thinking about this subject. Interestingly, throughout the pregnancy we've been asking Sam to reveal whether the baby is a boy or a girl, but he's kept entirely mum on the subject.  We figured that he might have some insight into the subject, having so freshly arrived.  But all he would ever says when we asked was, "baby" or "family."  He came up with the family thing on his own, we never talked to him about how the baby would be part of our family, but that's what he always said whever he mentioned the baby.  Maybe it was his way of reminding us that it didn't matter if it was a girl or a boy, all that mattered was that it would be part of our family.  But at the ultrasound place, just before the big reveal, we asked him again, "Is the baby a little brother or a little sister?"  "Sister!" he said emphatically.  I guess he figured we were about to find out anyway.

Wheatgrass

More green things are sprouting up all over our counter; this week it's wheat grass!  This is one of my favorite things to sprout simply for the sheer joy of the almost overnight explosion of exuberant green.

After an overnight soak in water, you let them sit in their jar until a little tail emerges.  Then you can pour them on top of a thin layer of soil and cover them with something to keep it dark, no need to cover them with soil.  Once they start sending up green blades you can take the cover off and just let them go.  Keep them watered and you'll swear you can actually see it growing in front of your eyes!

It gets inches taller by the day; ours is almost ready to harvest and turn into super-potent, mega-healthy (but not so tasty) juice.  If you're not into juicing it, you can grow it simply for the pleasure of having something green brighten your counter space.  I also like growing it for Easter decorations.  You can even grow your own Easter grass!  Just plant the seeds in shallow dishes that fit inside your baskets.  One year I made a tiny pot of grass for each table setting for Easter.  It's so simple, but gives you a lot of visual impact and enjoyment.

Ten Beauty Products in Your Kitchen (at Simple Organic)

I was invited to contribute to Simple Organic, part of the Simple Living family.  Such an honor to write among so many talented, inspiring voices!  You can read my post today about replacing some of your beauty products with simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen- a good follow up to yesterday's post!

Home Brewed Vinegar

With all those apple peels left over from the apple grunt, I decided to finally try my hand at making vinegar.  I've been itching to do this for awhile and finally emptied the enormous bottle of rice wine vinegar we had, so I had the perfect container for it.

I combined the instructions from Wild Fermentation and The Herbal Home Remedy Book.  This meant that I put the peels, water and evaporated cane juice in the jar and added a bit of Bragg's apple cider vinegar (with "the mother") to get things started right.  And that was really all there was to it!  Now we wait...

It's been about a week and there's some definite bubbly action going on.  It also smelled initially like sweet cider, but is now smelling more like a sweet wine with some acidic notes.  I'm exactly sure how I'll know it's done, I suppose when it smells like vinegar and not like wine.  At some point I'll strain out the juice and removed the peels, then let the liquid continue to vinegar-ize until it's nice and zippy.  I can't wait to have our own home-brewed vinegar.  We've also got a fresh pineapple sitting on the counter that may be destined for a batch of pineapple vinegar!

10 Things to Avoid in Beauty Products

When I went to that great Herbs 101 class, the teacher also handed out a list of the super-bad personal care villains, the stuff you really want to avoid.  I don't think she'd mind me sharing, so here's the list (I've linked each to more in-depth information).  You can skip to the bottom for a list of healthy alternatives.

DEA, MEA, TEA: These can cause allergic reactions, irritate eyes, dry hair and skin and they're a liver and kidney carcinogen. 

Petrolatum (aka mineral oil, vaseline, paraffinum, liquidum and baby oil): Causes photosensitivity, strips the natural oils from your body and hair, causes premature aging, causes acne and prevents the elimination of toxins from the body.

Imidazolidinyl urea and DMDM hydantoin: preservatives that can cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pain, chronic fatigue, dizziness, insomnia and asthma.  They also weaken the immune system and are carcinogenic.  You'll find them in body and hair care products, antiperspirants and nail polish.Alcohol or isopropyl: This is a denaturant, meaning it alters the structure of other chemicals.  It causes nausea, vomiting, headaches, flushing, depression, dries skin and hair, creates cracks and fissures in the skin and encourages bacterial growth. 

Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS): This is found in shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, and body washes.  It's a detergent that causes eye irritation and can cause permanent damage to the eyes, skin rashes, hair loss, flaking mouth and mouth ulcers.  In combination with other ingredients it can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.  It easily penetrates the skin and can lodge itself in the heart, lungs, liver and brain.

Padimate-O (aka octyl dimethyl, PABA): This is found mostly in sunscreens and is a nitrosamine-forming agent.

Methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl paraben: This is used to extend product shelf life and inhibit microbial growth.  It's highly toxic.  It can cause rashes and other allergic reaction and is also a gender bender- yikes!  It's highly estrogenic.

Synthetic colors: Coal tar dyes are generally labeled as FDC7 or D4C followed by a number.  They are very carcinogenic!

Talc: It's found in baby powders, face powders, and body powders, as well as on some contraceptives such as condoms.  It is a known carcinogen and a major source of ovarian cancer when used in the genital area.  It can also lodge in the lungs, causing respiratory disorders.

Fragrance: These are usually petroleum-based. They can cause headaches, dizziness,rashes, respiratory problems, vomiting, skin irritations and multiple chemical sensitivity.

Okay, whew!  That was a lot of scary stuff. But don't despair, there are good products out there!  Here are a few sources for products without all that yucky stuff.  Once you get used to reading labels and find a few brands you can trust, it's not nearly so overwhelming to steer clear of the bad stuff.

Aubrey Organics for hair and body care.

Baby Bear Shop for baby and mama products.

LuSa Organics for clean, delicious-smelling soaps.

Vegan (casein-free) condoms (not sure if they have talc or not, but I think Durex doesn't.)

Dr. Bronner

Acquarella nail polish

Badger Balm for healthy sunscreen

Toothpastes to try: Solay, Herbal Choice, Miessence, Peelu

The Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database is a great resource to dig a little deeper and to find safe products, as is Safe Cosmetics.

Herbs 101

I went to a fantastic class on using herbs for health this past weekend.  The class was free (though you could pay extra if you wanted some materials) because the woman teaching it is all about empowering moms to care for their families naturally.  I really do feel so empowered when I learn about simple things I can do to keep us healthy.  I feel like there can often be a lot of fear in our culture about taking your health into your own hands, but who else knows your body better than you?  Or understands the subtleties of your children's health better than their own mama?

She talked about whole health (the mind, body spirit connection), the benefits of herbs and how to incorporate them into your regular health care.  She gave us a whole list of "substitutions" for common over the counter medications, things she uses in place of pain killers, cough syrups, allergy meds etc.  I can't wait to start growing more medicinal herbs this summer.  I get so excited about this kind of stuff!  And I love thinking about how our bodies and the natural world are designed so brilliantly and work together so well.

There's a class at the end of the month about making herbal remedies.  The class is free, but you can purchase all kinds of fun stuff like salve kits, encapsulation machines, tincture supplies etc.  I'm can't wait!  Maybe I'll see you there:)

All images from Mountain Rose Herbs, a great source for all sorts of raw ingredients.

 

Homemade Herbal Cough Syrup

Sam had a bit of a cough last week, he may have picked up RSV from his cousin.  Thankfully, it hasn't been enough to keep him down, but just enough for him to have a bit of congestion in his chest and the occasional cough.  I hated hearing that rumbly cough and the wheezy breathing down in his chest, even though he hardly seemed to notice. 
Knowing that there was likely something in my cupboards that would ease the cough a bit, I turned to my herbal remedy book and decided to just brew up some thyme with honey.  It was the simplest recipe and I had both ingredients on hand already.  I just made an extremely strong tea (just a couple tablespoons worth) and mixed it with honey. 
It probably would have been more efficacious with fresh thyme, but it seemed to calm his coughing for about twenty minutes at a time anyway.  And he was nuts about it; honey it one of his favorite things, right up there with maple syrup.  He probably would have drunk down the whole thing at once if he'd had his way. With some liberal dowsing in essential oils (an immunity blend and some tea tree oil) two nights in a row and the honey cough syrup the cold seems to have faded and he's back to his chirpy self.  I love being able to take care of my family in simple, natural ways.  It's amazing what you can do with a handful of items in your kitchen; garlic, herbs, vinegar...  If taken early and often I find that we pretty much never have to resort to harsher medicine than those ingredients that also double as a salad dressing or herbal tea!

Soup to Cure What Ails You

We've finally kicked the last of the flu and tummy bugs out of the house.  But we drank copious amounts of soup in the process.  I love soup; an easy, comforting, one-pot meal that gives new life to leftovers. When we're feeling under the weather I like to give the soup a little extra kick with three secret ingredients, all in large quantities: garlic, ginger and lemon!

One of the easiest soups I made recently consisted of leftover wild rice, some sauteed garlic and onion, chicken broth and a whole bag of frozen spinach.  Sprinkled with a little Parmesan it was so soothing and delicious, and all those good greens felt so nourishing. 

But to banish the flu, the ginger and lemon is really the ticket.  And surprisingly, the flavors work well with a lot of broth-based, root vegetable soups.  Carrots, potatoes and onions love a little garlicky kick and the heat from the ginger is a nice, round, warming flavor.  I love the extra layer of flavor some lemon gives it (Clay doesn't actually like the citrus, so I guess it's not for everyone...).  You'll be surprised at just how much ginger you can grate into it; keep on shredding that little root into the pot, stirring and tasting until you feel just enough heat to clear your sinuses; then it's perfect!