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Holistic Hippies and all the natural remedies! (Episode 110)

Curious what natural remedies we swear by in our home? Get ready to hear our list of favorites, as well as why we use them, and how we stay pretty stinkin' healthy most of the time!

In the "Holistic Hippie" Episode, we discuss all the great things to keep stocked in your home!

Listen to this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, YouTube, iHeartRadio or your RSS Feed

Answering this listener question:

Recently we got this listener question in from Sandy. Okay, more like we got alllll of these questions from her. I love hearing from you all and what you're most curious about!

What natural remedies do you use for common ailments?

If you could only have 4 essential oils, which would they be? What brands are best?

What do those beaded necklaces do for you?

Maybe instructions to start your own kombucha and why it’s good for you?

Pin for later:

We believe in a mind, body, soul approach to health, so these remedies are simply extras to boost our bodies beyond our mental/emotional wellbeing.

What Are We Up To This Week?

So, Clara finally started selling her amigurumi dolls. I posted this dragon on social media and she immediately sold it. Has one more on backorder and is working to make them as fast as she can!

If you're interested in an adorable little dragon, she's working on a variety of colors, and you can check them out at www.ClaraLogsdon.com.

Essential Oils

Alright, this is what most people tend to default to when it comes to natural remedies - essential oils. The big brands for this are DoTerra and Young Living, and I have friends and family who sell both. Another brand I discuss is Eden's Garden, which is a bit different (and cheaper) than the other two!

holistic remedies natural remedies health

The Perfect Combination

Even if there are some tried and true remedies here...we are all unique. We all will react and need something different, and mindset is a huge aspect of it. Maybe it's more about the placebo effect, or maybe you'll find the perfect combination of natural remedies that will help you heal.

Your body does the work - your body knows how to take care of itself. Oftentimes it's just allowing yourself the comfort and space to let it heal on it's own a lot of times.

So here is a breakdown of our essential oils and why we like them.

Dig Deeper...

Here are some more resources to learn more about healthy living:

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to heal minor burns and bug bites. Research suggests that it may be useful for treating anxiety, insomnia, depression.

I use this for anything itchy, anything that may have to do with allergies, and, of course, to calm the kids down in the evening.

Coconut Oil

If you’ve seen “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, you know the joke about how Windex “cures everything”. Well, we’re that way with Coconut Oil - it’s our go-to for dry skin, rashes, cooking, lubing a squeaky door (and…um…anything else that may need, um…lubing), etc.

We also use the fractionated coconut oil as a carrier with many of our essential oils. I learned the hard way that you don't want to just apply oils directly to your children's skin - some of them burn! Adding coconut oil is a great way to get the oils on and still keep in mind any skin sensitivity.

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Balance, Grounding or Valor Blends

There are different proprietary blends based on who you get them from. DoTerra has a Balance blend that I absolutely love - I use this as my "perfume" as well as for it's calming/soothing effect. It's great for dealing with PMS symptoms as well.

The YoungLiving variations of this would be Grounding or Valor, and all of them are a bit different, so explore and see which you like best.

The Balance blend combines:

Spruce Leaf
Ho Wood Leaf
Frankincense Resin
Blue Tansy Flower
Blue Chamomile Flower
Fractionated Coconut Oil

From the website: doTERRA Balance is a powerful blend of CPTG^® oils designed to promote harmony in the mind and body and help balance emotions. When you have stressful events or meetings, make sure to use doTERRA Balance so that you can experience a sense of stability and relaxation during situations that are prone to anxious and stressful feelings.

Frankincense Essential Oil

This stuff is a powerful astringent, meaning it helps protect skin cells. It can be used to help reduce acne blemishes, the appearance of large pores, prevent wrinkles, and it even helps lift and tighten skin to naturally slow signs of aging. Read more here.

We use this as another go-to in our family. Anything that needs healing - sores, diaper rash, etc - anything that needs true healing - broken skin, rashes, cold sores - I'll use frankincense with coconut oil.

Peppermint Essential Oil

I use the powerful combo of lemon, lavender and peppermint for allergies and any allergic reactions - this combo is like a natural "Claritin" that works so great! Note - the biggie here is that you aren't looking at an 8 hour "fix". It's re-applying it way more than what you would do with a chemical drug.

Peppermint essential oil also has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antispasmodic and carminative properties. It helps with colds, stress, headaches, energy, sore muscles. The health benefits of peppermint oil include its ability to treat Indigestion: One of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for soothing digestion is peppermint.

From the site above, it "may"...

May Ease Digestive Upsets. Peppermint may relieve digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating and indigestion. ...
May Help Relieve Tension Headaches and Migraines. ...
May Freshen Your Breath. ...
May Relieve Clogged Sinuses. ...
May Improve Energy. ...
May Help Relieve Menstrual Cramps. ...
May Fight Bacterial Infections. ...
May Improve Your Sleep.

Lemon

This is typically used to ease stress, fight fatigue and insomnia, and address conditions such as acne, athlete's foot, depression, warts, and varicose veins. In addition, lemon essential oil is said to stimulate the immune system, alleviate pain, and promote weight loss. Read more here.

Note - peppermint and lemon are great to flavor water. However, use caution - a little goes a long way! Don't go for more than a drop or you'll be overloaded with it!

Tea Tree/Melaleuca Essential Oil

Tea tree oil is antibacterial. Tea tree oils have been used in Australia as an ointment for close to 100 years. It's properties have shown to be:

Anti-inflammatory
Anti-fungal
Antiviral
Acne.
Athlete's foot
Contact dermatitis
Dandruff and Cradle Cap

On-Guard or Thieves

On Guard is advertised as a "protective blend,” used to support the immune system and help kill off harmful bacteria and viruses.

It contains a blend of five essential oils, including:

wild orange peel
clove bud
cinnamon bark/leaf
eucalyptus leaf
rosemary leaf/flower

Like the other blends, there are other variations from this one - Thieves is the YoungLiving version of On-Guard and also has worked great for us.

We get proactive when we know we're going to be pushing ourselves. Typically around a rally or visiting friends/family when we know we will be around a lot of kids and/or having late nights, we give our girls a beadlet of this or use it with a roller ball on the bottoms of their feet and/or the back of their spine.

We've made it through many big events without sickness due to being proactive with preventing it like this!

Cleaning Products

I love using essential oils, rubbing alcohol and vinegar for cleaning. Dropping lemon essential oil into a diffuser and/or putting it in water for wiping down floors/cupboards gives you that clean "Pine Sol" feel without the chemical smell. I love using lavender, lemon, peppermint or eucalyptus with cleaning!

And on the vinegar note, white vinegar is my go-to for cleaning stuff out. Mixing that with rubbing alcohol is what I use for cleaning out Swell travel cups, hard to clean dishes, mopping floors, etc.

Additionally, white vinegar may have significant health benefits due to its acetic acid content, including blood sugar control, weight management, reduced cholesterol and antimicrobial properties.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Vinegar has been used as a remedy since the days of Hippocrates. The ancient Greek doctor treated wounds with it. In recent years, people have explored apple cider vinegar as a way to lose weight, improve heart health, and even treat dandruff.

Many of these claims aren’t supported by modern research. But some studies have found that acetic acid -- which gives vinegar its distinctive taste and smell -- may help with a variety of conditions.

We use ACV especially for anything yeast-related. When kids are having any issues in their nether regions, I do a little "bubble bath" fun for them. Instead of true soap bubbles, I fill their hands with baking soda, and then pour ACV over it. It bubbles and brews and they love it, and it helps with any issues they are having.

Raw Honey

Raw honey contains an array of plant chemicals that act as antioxidants. It has:

Antibacterial and anti-fungal properties
Heal wounds
Phytonutrient powerhouse
Help for digestive issues
Soothe a sore throat

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We use this in place of Neosporin and it is incredible what it has done. We keep raw honey on hand for wounds, and I’m telling you, it’s incredible. One day I walked in from a conference in San Diego to see Nathan all white and covered in sweat. He had just tried to wrap up his finger where he had literally filleted the knuckle of his pointer finger right off. He quickly put honey on it and slapped that puppy right back on. And, get this - you can barely tell he sliced it off. He has full feeling in his finger. It worked miracles.

A month later, same thing - Juliet, our 4-year-old, fell off her two-wheel bike and split her forehead open. She could have used one stitch. Yet in weighing the drama (and pain) of going to a hospital, we used honey and a butterfly bandage. You can barely see the scar. Honey has incredible healing properties.

Another idea is a "hot toddy" of sorts - warm water, honey, and a drop of lemon essential oil can do wonders. Add in some ACV for an even more potent punch. This helps so much with sore throats and general yuckiness.

Elderberry Syrup

The berries and flowers of elderberry are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that may boost your immune system. They can help tame inflammation, lessen stress, and help protect your heart, too. Some experts recommend elderberry to help prevent and ease cold and flu symptoms. Read more here.

Garlic Oil

Garlic Oil health benefits include treating acne, boosting immunity, relieving toothaches, preventing hair loss, treating dandruff, combating infection and treating metabolic disorder. Other benefits include relieving headaches, controlling diabetes, supporting respiratory health, preventing obesity, soothing digestion, treating ear infections and cold sores.

What we use it for more than anything else? Sore ears. At the tiniest hint of pain, we put garlic oil in ears, and we haven't had an ear infection that needed anything more than that in 12 years.

Kombucha

The most commonly attributed Kombucha Benefits include better digestion, increased energy, and a clearer mind.

Most websites say that all the support for Kombucha benefits is anecdotal. And it’s true that for hundreds of years, that’s how people passed around their health traditions. As a result, popular nicknames for Kombucha in many different languages reflect this folklore of Kombucha health benefits: “Tea of Immortality”, “Elixir of Long Life”, “Magic Juice” just to name a few.

These names are exaggerations, of course. As we say, Kombucha is not panacea. It will not solve all your health problems overnight or by itself. But many people have incorporated it into otherwise healthy routines and find it’s been a great addition to their lives. So maybe you will find you love it too!

Some benefits as listed by my Kombucha guru Hannah from Kombucha Kamp:

A great substitute for sugary sodas, juices, or multiple trips to the coffee pot
Acts as a snack or pre-meal hunger control
Better digestion, more regular pee and poo
Eliminates acid reflux reactions
Clearer skin
Maintains Hair Color
Less arthritis pain and more flexibility
Get sick less often, better immunity
Relieve headaches, migraines, and hangovers
Smooth energy from low levels of caffeine in the tea
Reduced stress – theanine
Just plain feeling better and happier!

Sauerkraut

Touted as a superfood, sauerkraut is low in calories and loaded with beneficial nutrients. It's an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, selenium, manganese and folate. With its high fiber content, it promotes digestive health and keeps you regular.

According to a 2014 analysis published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine, this functional food provides high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K and lactic acid. It exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties, leading to better health and well-being.

Our fermented brews: Kombucha, Sauerkraut, and (non-alcoholic) Ginger Beer!

These findings show that fermented foods have a positive impact on your mood and brain health. In fact, researchers at the College of William & Mary have found that probiotics, especially those in fermented products, may positively alter the gut flora and ward off social anxiety. This could be due to their ability to increase the levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter with antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.

Note - when it comes to cooking, have a relationship with your food! Instead of getting so stuck on following a recipe, taste it - get to know what tastes, smells and looks good with your food, and play with it. These recipes can be as unique as the people who drink/eat them.

Amber Necklaces

This is another full time traveling friend who knows all things amber and hazelwood - I love her beautiful necklaces and other goodies, and she's shared a coupon code for all of you! Enter in the code Namaste10 for 10% off your purchase!

All this info is taken directly from my friend Michell's website - she is very well-versed on amber and her site is a great resource for more information.

Baltic amber is a natural fossilized tree resin (like sap) which formed over 40 million years ago from the Baltic Sea region of Europe/Asia. It contains the highest quantity in nature (3-8%) of succinic acid, which produces its anti-inflammatory properties. When worn on the skin, body heat causes the amber to release an oil containing succinic acid, which, when absorbed into the skin, works like a natural ibuprofen for pain and inflammation.

Amber comes in many different colors: the yellowy-orange that is associated with the color "amber," cloudy white, yellowish-clear, cherry, green, pink, blue, and black.

What is the anti-inflammatory succinic acid?

Succinic acid, or amber acid, has been used in Europe as a natural antibiotic and general cure-all for centuries. Baltic amber is also known as succinite, as its succinic acid is a powerful antioxidant, helps boost the immune system and energy drained in the body and brain, heightens awareness, concentration and reflexes, and reduces stress.

It can contain as much as 3-8% succinic acid by weight, more than any natural element on Earth. Succinic acid is an alkalinizing acid, so it won't add to your body's acidity but will actually help neutralize and lower the body's acidity, making it very compatible with hazelwood.

Its therapeutic properties are good for immune boosting, restoring energy, and chronic inflammation.

When amber is worn, your body heat warms the resin, and then it releases its succinic acid into your bloodstream to activate its healing powers.

Pain relief: Baltic amber contains analgesic properties and helps take the edge off of many types of discomfort, such as dental issues (new teeth or dental decay), TMJ, allergies, sensory disorders, headaches/migraines, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, growing pains, back/shoulder/neck pain, tendonitis, restless leg syndrome, knee or join discomfort, and female cycle discomfort...just to name a few.

More tips from listeners:

Here was some feedback from the masses on what they use for natural remedies:

Casey Smith: I use thieves oil on the bottom of the kids feet at night time. We have shots of elderberry and ningxia wolfberry when we're getting run down. For mine and my husband's aches and pains we eat a couple of gin soaked golden raisins.

Mamasaysnamaste: Whoa - gin-soaked golden raisins. Love that! We completely avoided the stomach bug once by doing shots of vodka and chasing it with two shots of kombucha! There is a reason alcohol used to be used so often in medicine! I haven't tried wolfberry, either - but elderberry and thieves for sure!

Christine Odle: RAW Honey - heals wounds, helps with allergies if you get it locally! BlackBerry Brandy - helps with digestive issues.

Kelly Bornt Phoninsan: Garlic oil for earaches. Tea tree oil. Arnica gel and pills. Love from Laos!

Andrea Suzane: Essential oils, Apple cider vinegar

Mandie Setzer: Peppermint and Basil oils. Basil is great mixed with a carrier oil and used on bug bites or other skin irritations.

Tatyana Wilson: For ear aches and sore throats, I use short sessions with a Near Infrared Light (Amazon has bulbs). Colds: manukau honey, elderberry, extra vitamin C and D together- all work very well. For really bad sickness, Allicin Max (natural antibiotic (nuclear bomb) made from compounds in garlic). Oil of oregano rubbed in for anything viral like cold sores.

Kelly O'Neill Bailey: Oils, obvi. Activated charcoal, vitamin E, apple cider vinegar, Formula 303 (natural muscle relaxer(.

Danielle Dudgeon: Elderberry, Thieves, Silver, and Manuka oil. Ohh I do love NAC 🙂 N-acetyl cysteine 🙂 I also use olive leaf, and marshmallow root. I get NAC from PURE, love that brand. I do caps and break it open, mix it with juice. I use any sign of cold coming on. My 2 older babies are 5 and 6. I've been using it on them for a couple of years now. My son has CF, so he really benefits from it 🙂

Kayla Kvacik: Time.

Mamasaysnamaste: That's a significant one we don't use often - always looking for a quick fix!! This is a big one, and I think even the other remedies are sometimes more for our mind and the perceived relief vs. it actually doing anything else other than taking up the time for it to heal!

Your Weekly Challenge:

Know that some things just take time, and that's okay. If you are continuously hitting up against the same issues, look at the rest of your life - what patterns are you finding? How much is your mental/emotional health struggling? Look beyond just a medicinal solution and look again at the mind/body/soul approach.

The uniqueness in each of us strengthens all of us.

Namaste

Questions or comments?

Personality styles, marriage/intimacy, parenting, education, minimalism or travel - what is pressing on your mind?

Talk to Nathan & Ashley

Or, hop on over to the Mama Says Namaste or Unschooling Families FB groups and ask your question there!

*Mama Says Namaste is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Ashley Logsdon is a Family and Personality Styles Coach and Lifelong Learner. She and her husband Nathan are RVing the States and unschooling their 3 girls. Her mission is to shift the mindsets of families from reaction to intention, and guide them in creating the family they love coming home to. Looking deeper than the surface, we assess the strengths, triggers, and simplifying your lifestyle so you truly recognize how the uniqueness in each of us strengthens all of us.

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by Ashley Logsdon

Holistic Hippies and all the natural remedies! (Episode 110)