Health Notes -- Remedies

Are you completely white flour and white sugar free now? If not, today is the day to start!

I have posted some great recipes on my Facebook, but in case you are not my "friend" let me give you a great summer smoothie recipe, then I will move on to what I want to share today.

Summer Smoothie

*I don't measure this, so make the amount you need to your taste.*

Frozen Mixed Berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries)
juice of 1 fresh lemon and 1 fresh lime
1 banana
1 large handful of fresh spinach
Almond or Rice Milk

Put everything into the blender or Vita-Mix and blend! This smoothie is so tart and refreshing from the citrus and the spinach is completely hidden! Your kids won't even know it is in there!!


Today I want to share with you some alternative "remedies" I use for various common ailments! (Remember my earlier disclaimer - I am NOT a doctor!)

The information I am going to share with you has come from a variety of sources that I have studied over the years, but a great source of information is from the following websites: (they are not doctors, either, by the way!) www.welltellme.com and www.nogreaterjoy.org and www.bulkherbstore.com -- at all three of these sites you can search the different herbs and find a wealth of information.

Garlic and cinnamon are probably the two most potent healing "foods" that I use. I always have fresh garlic and high quality cinnamon on hand for various infections and illnesses that pop up in a family of six. My husband always says that some nights when he opens the door he knows that we are either having homemade pizza for supper or someone is sick! Garlic permeates, but I can assure you that it also heals! (Well, God actually does the healing, but He has used garlic around here for His purposes many, many times!)

Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, anti parasitic, anti protozoan, anti fungal, and immune-stimulating - just to name a few of its uses. It is active against many common and not so common viruses that we sometimes deal with including Staph, Influenza B, Herpes Simplex, and Salmonella. Garlic has been used medicinally for thousands of years and it currently being used all over the world for its antibiotic properties. Just a few of the common conditions that garlic helps with are: High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Active bacterial infections, Gastrointestinal infections, Sinus infection, Infections of eye, nose, and ears, Athlete’s foot and surface skin infections, Prevention of blood infections such as gangrene and amoebic dysentery.

For our family I use garlic in a variety of ways. If someone runs a fever and we have no explanation, usually I will make a Garlic Poultice - here's how:

Break off two or three large cloves and lay them on your counter. Start some water heating on the stove, and then lay out double thick paper towels. Smack the garlic cloves with the flat side of a large knife to lightly bruise or crush them. Now the papery skin will come off easily. Take the bruised cloves and dice them up, or smash them in a garlic press so that the juice and the smell billows out. (makes you hungry for lasagna!) Lay the 2-3 tablespoons of minced garlic in the center of your paper towels and fold in the edges of the cloth, creating what the "poultice." Lay this garlic pad in a bowl or plate and pour the warm/hot (but not boiling) water over it. (If your water is too hot, it may kill some of the powerful healing properties in the garlic. You should be able to keep your fingers in the water without scalding yourself.) Let it sit for 5 seconds or so, and then squeeze the excess water out with your hands. Place the warm (not hot!) poultice on the chest, the back, and the soles of the feet (alternately) for about 60 seconds each for viruses, colds, flu, infections, etc.

Garlic poultices can also be used for earache – holding the poultice against the infected ear. For flesh wound infections – hold against the wound lightly. Eye infections – hold over closed eye.

If I know that we are dealing with an ear infection, I will make Garlic Ear Oil:

Lightly warm a few tablespoons of olive oil with crushed garlic in it. Thoroughly strain out all of the garlic, making sure the oil is completely clear of chunks and small pieces. Now drop the warm oil into infected ear, and lie still for five minutes to let the oil do its work. Be ready with a paper towel to catch the dripping oil when you stand to your feet again. Also, a bruised clove of garlic wedged in the ear for ear aches will work (but be careful not to leave too long or you will burn the skin!).

If we have a viral throat infection, I make Garlic Water:

1/2 cup very warm water poured over crushed garlic in a strainer.

Add:
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar,
1 tablespoon of honey
Stir and gargle for strep, sore throats, and mouth
infections.

If we have an upper respiratory infection I make GOOT (Garlic Olive Oil Treatment):

Crush 5-6 cloves of garlic
In a saucepan heat together 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil - add fresh garlic and let it all sit together in the warmth - do not boil!
Take out the garlic pieces. The remaining oil is your GOOT. It can be rubbed on the chest, sinuses, or the bottom of the feet (for quick absorption).

For myself, if I have any type of infection that a medical doctor would prescribe an antibiotic for, I eat raw garlic. This method is not for the weak! Your very pores will ooze this pungent herb! Your spouse and friends will stay far away from you - but hey, they are staying away anyway because you are sick, right? When I eat the garlic, I crush about 2 cloves at a time into a tablespoon and drizzle honey over it, then I just open up and swallow it! (No chewing!) I chase it with water or juice and it really isn't so bad! I do this about 4 times per day for several days. It is hard to convince the kids to do this, though.

There are a few warnings about garlic that you should be aware of. Garlic can cause nausea and even vomiting if taken in large quantities. Avoid direct contact with skin, as it can burn. If burning occurs, wash affected area with soap and water, and apply Aloe Vera gel for soothing and healing. If garlic in the eyes occurs, flush repeatedly with water.

The second medicinal food I want to talk about is cinnamon. This strong flavored spice has many of the same healing properties as garlic and is much easier on the palette. It has been used as an astringent, topical stimulant, aphrodisiac, anti-fungal, antibacterial, diuretic, digestive stimulant, antiseptic. It has been shown to help diabetics use less insulin, fight urinary tract infections, fight tooth decay and other mouth infections, and soothe upset stomach. It also will staunch the bleeding in a cut or other wound.

We keep cinnamon sticks on hand to chew on and stir our tea with. We also purchase Dr. Cinnamon Tea from the Bulk Herb Store (www.bulkherbstore.com). This tea is made with high quality, potent cinnamon and we drink this tea almost every day and several cups a day if anyone is sick.

Another staple when a virus is going around the house is Cinnamon Toast or cinnamon added to oatmeal. In order to help with a mouth infection or canker sore, just chew up a small portion of a cinnamon stick and let the mixture sit on the sore in your mouth for a while and then spit it out.

The amount of cinnamon you would eat in or on your food is non-toxic, unless you are allergic to the spice. However, you need to be more careful with Cinnamon Oil. Applied to the skin, it may cause redness and burning. Taken internally, the pure oil can cause nausea, vomiting and possibly even kidney damage. Never ingest pure Cinnamon Oil!

I realize that is a lot of information for today. The short of it is that garlic and cinnamon are two common foods that have unbelievable fight power! You should always have them on hand for when everyday illnesses rear their ugly heads!