Tag Archive | Essential Oils

Mullein for Asthma

One of the very first herbs that I was introduced to is a plant that grows in our yard. It’s a soft-leaved plant called Mullein.

mullein

My mother had been researching alternative help for my 2yr old son’s asthma. He would get a cold and it would turn into an asthmatic cough that we couldn’t get rid of without rounds of antibiotics, steroids, and breathing treatments. I began to wonder what strain these drugs were putting on his little body and I was worried for his future. We wouldn’t leave the house for a couple of months trying to help him recover just to go back out into the world for him to get something else.

Glass Teapot with Herbal Tea

We began putting Mullein leaves into a tea for him. At first, it did not taste very well, so we added juice to it. But now, at 5yrs, he drinks it super fast without added sugar. I also use this tea to help any of us in our family heal from respiratory colds.

Thankfully, we have also learned preventative herbs and are working on healing his body from the damage done by antibiotics, but I am thankful to have learned about Mullein. It has been a life-saver. It’s important to remember that not one herb works for everyone, but this has worked for us. There are many herbs that work to heal the same issue.

______________________________________________

Uses for Mullein: Ear Infections, Wounds, Hemorrhoids, Colds, Flu, Diarrhea, Migraines, Gout, Tuberculosis, Croup, Cough, Sore throat, Inflammation of the airways (bronchitis), Whooping Cough, Tuberculosis, Hoarseness, Pneumonia, Swine flu, Chills, Fever, Allergies, Tonsillitis, Colic, Gastrointestinal Bleeding, and Joint Pain. Mullein is applied to the skin for wounds, burns, hemorrhoids, bruises, frostbite, and skin infections. The leaves are used topically to soften and protect the skin.

Tinctures, capsules, lozenges, powders, and ear drops containing mullein are found in many health food stores.

______________________________________________

Other Herbs for Asthma: Licorice, Adhatoda, Ginkgo Biloba, Coltsfoot, Turmeric, Chinese Skullcap, Grindelia

Essential Oils for Asthma: Breathe, Clary Sage, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankinsence, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Melalueka, Myrrh, Owie Spray, OnGuard, Oregano,  Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Thyme, Ylang ylang,

________________________________________________

Where to buy bulk herbs:

http://www.starwest-botanicals.com/category/bulk-herbs/

http://www.herbco.com/c-2-bulk-herbs-spices.aspx

_________________________________________________

Other Related Articles:

Antibiotics Kill!

Essential Oils

Herbs

Healing Infections, Sicknesses, and Cuts

Plantain for Stings

Climbing out of the Canyon

2996761fa05d04cfad7f6fe5b0f756d5

Last year, I feel like I fell into this deep canyon. Many people who had the same thing that I have called it “chronic” with “no cure” adding to feelings of hopelessness. I was experiencing depression so bad my chest ached, pain in all of my joints (Chronic Pain,) nerve pain up my back (Fibromyalgia,) emotional and social pain, severe menstrual pain that made me want to throw up (Adenomyosis,) severe migraines, loss of energy (Chronic Fatigue,) fogginess, insomnia, becoming sick on most foods (Mast Cell), and dizziness to the point of passing out (POTS.) I feared for not only my quality of life, but my children’s. I would not be able to homeschool them, I would miss out on their lives, I would need a caregiver, and they would end up in the same predicament as me in the long run. If I had listened to the voices of hopelessness, I would not be where I am today and it would have affected everyone around me.

4bb0ef8c39d26c4b125e88cdabf4f503

But I prayed. I did not moan with the question, “Why me?” I wanted to know what He wanted me to learn. I sought answers. I did not give up. I listened as one man who had experienced severe allergies to everything (Mast Cell) inspired others on a support group with being able to run after one year of hard work. I have fought my way up this canyon wall learning to use many tools along the way with God, the Master Physician, leading me. It’s still tough. Sometimes, I forget to use the tools and want to quit. But I’m still fighting. Today, I am stable with very little medication (the need for it going down monthly), supplements and nutrition, herbs and essential oils, exercise, emotional healing, and I am not afraid to learn more. I am back to cleaning my house, being creative, feeling clear, excited about life, still homeschooling and teaching my kids what I have learned so they never have to experience what I went through, and rarely ever getting dizzy. (When I do, I have my emergency bag with me.) I feel I am halfway back to feeling healthy and still climbing up on this journey.

bigstock-Rock-Climber

Can I cure EDS? No. But I can live out a normal life bringing out the best in my genes and teach my kids to do the same. I am no longer lying down unable to move, no longer afraid, and definitely not hopeless. I want to bring hope to others with the things that I have learned… and last but not least, be there for my own family. NEVER Give up!!! There ARE answers. There IS Hope. You are NOT alone! May God Bless You on your journey as you Seek Him for the Answers He can lead you to.





Other Related Articles:

EDS Associated Issues

Faith and Encouragement

Magnesium Deficiency

Natural Remedies

Nutrition

Relationships

Treatments for EDS



Digestive Health and Healing

digestive-health-reversing-ulcerative-colitis_300 The stomach if VITAL in your everyday health. The intestinal tract is where about 70% of your immune system resides. Much of the beneficial bacteria we would normally obtain through fresh fruits and vegetables are removed in modern food preparation processes. Plus diet, stress, travel, and even some medications can encourage the non-beneficial bacteria in your body to flourish. An imbalance of bacteria could lead to a weakened immune system, which means your health is at risk. But if you take care of your body, it will take care of itself.

__________________________________________________
One of my all-time FAVORITE essential oils is Peppermint!!! For me to remember, it seems to take the power of 3. My mom bought me Peppermint essential oil when I was pregnant with my third. My prior pregnancies, I had been extremely sick for up to 5 months. I would put a drop of Peppermint Essential Oil on my finger and put it on the roof of my mouth. It would stop the nausea for a while. (It is not good for you closer to the end of your pregnancy or during nursing because it can diminish your milk supply) I have since put a drop of Peppermint Essential Oil in a cup of water and drank it down to stop migraines, upset stomach, throwing up, constipation, bloating, or diarrhea. It is awesome for emergency digestive problems. (For children, dilute one drop in a tablespoon of oil and rub on the outside of the stomach)

71SZnryuHiL._SY355_

Peppermint Essential Oil 1 drop in a glass of water = 26 cups of peppermint tea Peppermint is popular in countless forms—from toothpaste to chewing gum. As an essential oil, it is useful to ease breathing and as a digestive aid.*

 


 

CELERY JUICE 

The anti-inflammatory properties in celery juice can help with acid reflux, bloating, IBS, constipation, acne, eczema, and other inflammation issues in the body. Celery juice is very high in vitamin K which promotes general bone and heart health.


 

Probiotics…. are healthy bacteria that your body needs to help fight viruses! Yes, your body does already have healthy bacteria, but in our culture with high sugar, high processed foods, high stress, high medicinal use, more people than not have stomach issues.

50625331_2454770021231016_616366345717547008_n (1)

However, fermented foods and cultured probiotics on the shelves do not stay alive enough to affect your small intestines which is where you most need them. There are a couple of probiotics that can, and I will list them here, but your best bet is organic fruits and veggies: not washed or cooked too much or you will strip off the prebiotics on them.

A couple of other options are Enzymedica – Pro-Bio Probiotic and MaryRuth’s Liquid Probiotic. Make sure that they are plant-based, not milk or animal based.



 

I am not a doctor. I am a mom who researches natural answers for our family. I hope that it helps you. It is important to remember that all Bodies are different. Please follow the recommended dosages. It’s also important to remember that not ONE herb can heal every person. If you cannot handle the smell of a particular herb, stay AWAY from it. There were many herbs created that heal the same thing. God knew that each of our bodies are different and accommodated for that. It is also important to make sure that we watch our diet and exercise, as well. Research your ailment, medications that may interact, and potential allergies. Essential oils are potent, so use them the way they were intended. Some are only aromatic or topical, and many are able to be ingested. Some you can use without diluting them, others are not for children. Other oils that can help with these ailments include:

Bloating: DigestZen

Constipation: Rosemary, Lemon, Peppermint, Marjoram, DigestZen, Ginger, Fennel, Orange, Rose, Juniper Berry, Sandalwood

Diarrhea: Peppermint, Ginger, Geranium, DigestZen, Orange, Patchouli, Melalueca, Sandalwood, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Cypress, Eucalyptus

For children: Geranium, Ginger, Sandalwood

Gas/Flatulence: Lavender, Ginger, Peppermint, Eucalpytus, Bergamot, Myrrh, Juniper Berry, Rosemary, DigestZen softgels

Heartburn: Lemon, Peppermint, DigestZen

Indigestion: Peppermint, Ginger, DigestZen, Lavender, Orange, Lime, Thyme, Myrrh, Grapefruit

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Peppermint, DigestZen

Nasea/Upset Stomach: DigestZen, Ginger, Peppermint, Lavender, ClaryCalm, Clove


Other Related Articles:

It Doesn’t Work for Me!

Antibiotics Kill!

antibiotics

My family and I have been through MANY antibiotics for various infections. In fact, the damage to our stomach lining is so bad that it has caused an INCREASING number of food allergies and other problems. My number one goal this year is to heal our family. First, I conquered sicknesses and infections. Now, I’m on a mission to heal the stomach from all the damage done. First of all, let me help you understand why I feel it is so important.

Up to 4 lbs of your body weight comes from bacteria. The average person has around 400 different types of friendly bacteria, mainly resident in the digestive tract, which are forever multiplying. These bacteria are the first line of defense against unfriendly bacteria and other disease-producing microbes including viruses and fungi. They also make some vitamins and digest fibre, allowing us to derive more nutrients from otherwise indigestible food

Like pesticides, the purpose of antibiotic drugs is to kill life (anti-bio). But as well as destroying pathogenic bacteria, antibiotics also destroy friendly ones. The more ‘broad spectrum’ the antibiotic, the more strains of beneficial bacteria will also be killed. A single course of antibiotics can wipe out beneficial strains of bacteria for SIX MONTHS or more!

“When you take antibiotics, you are doing to your body what a farmer does when he sprays his fields with pesticides” says medical researcher Geoffrey Cannon, author of the book Superbug.

According to microbiologist, Professor Richard Lacey, the widespread overuse of antibiotics is the major cause of changes observed in the last decade in the balance of bacteria in the gut. Overuse of antibiotics, in particular ampicillin and tetracyclines, is resulting in a generation of new strains of ‘superbugs’ – bacteria which have become resistant to the very drugs designed to destroy them. Medical researcher Dr Stuart Levy from Tufts University says that these changes are “unparalleled in recorded biologic history”. So serious is the problem that now there are new drug-resistant versions of every disease-causing bacterium. Drug-resistant tuberculosis, for example, now accounts for one in seven new cases.

It’s not just antibiotics, but the whole mentality of developing drugs to kill bugs that needs to be questioned. After all, vast improvements in sanitation in the Western world have been achieved this century, and, in the last twenty years, medicine has doled out billions of anti-biotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal medicines. If this approach was working you’d expect less overall deaths from infections and less cases of food poisoning. In fact, exactly the opposite has occurred.

The best way to fight infection is to have a strong immune system in the first place and the right balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut. If a pathogen does then conic along, your natural defenses can fight it off. But what if you do succumb to an infection?

Instead of giving a drug to wipe out the enemy, specific strains of beneficial bacteria are given to reinforce the body’s natural defenses. For example, giving children probiotics has been shown to halve the recovery time.

I am excited that we have taken the first step this year to strengthen our immune system this year! Check out my blog post on how I have helped my family to fight and prevent sicknesses, infections, cuts, and asthmatic reactions in our home.

Click here if you’ve tried essential oils and they didn’t work for you.

It doesn’t work for me!

What I DIDN’T tell you when my friend first brought over Frankincense essential oil for me to try, is that she brought over a FEW that could help me. She brought over On Guard cough drops, Lemon essential oil, and Breathe essential oil blend, as well as, the Frankincense. The On Guard cough drops felt amazing on my throat and so did the Lemon. The Breathe blend did NOTHING for me.

Wounds: Clove, Melalueca, Helichrysum, Lavender, Lemongrass, Purify, Basil, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Peppermint (after wound has closed,) Myrrh, Rose, Sandalwood, Thyme, Juniper Berry, Bergamot

If you’ve ever tried herbs or essential oils for healing, you’re going to realize that not EVERY herb is for you. There are a few herbs, sometimes up to 10 or more, that can help with the SAME problem. I would go with “smell.” If you smell a few that could work for a particular problem and one makes you feel sick to smell it, DON’T use it. If you smell a few of them and one of them smells REALLY good to you, use that one first. Every body is different.

Also realize that you need to treat herbs and essential oils JUST as respectful as you would medicine.

ME6ed

1) Research exactly HOW to use it. You can use them in a few different ways: Internally, Aromatic, Topically… sometimes you need to dilute it and other times you don’t. Make sure that you research if it can be used on children or if it just needs diluted first. My first way of researching is my Modern Essentials book.

2) You can read others blogs on how they used the oils.

3) Please pay attention to the dosage. I read a person’s blog where said a particular oil was so nasty; they took a teaspoonful of the oil with a bowlful of ice cream just to get it down. The dosage was a couple drops of oil in a veggie capsule.

4) If you are taking any medications, type the herb or oil in a search on the internet with your medication and see if it conflicts with it.


I LOVE herbs and essential oils! I’m amazing at how God created so many different kinds knowing that we would all be different. While again, use Modern Medicine when needed, it’s been around for only the last 150 years or so. I try natural first, so that I don’t poison my body or my children’s bodies.

Healing Infections, Sicknesses, and Cuts

In the beginning of learning about essential oils, I had an AMAZING experience with Frankincense! I have asthma and at the time, I had what I didn’t know was pneumonia on top of that. A friend gave me a sample and I put Frankincense on my feet. Within 5 minutes I was able to cough it up without pain in my ribs. That was the start of my amazing journey with EO’s in Feb 2014. Yep, I’m a newbie, but I have a few kids that get sick or hurt super fast, so I’ve had a LOT of practice in just a few months!

First of all, my mom found a “too-good-to-be-true” article on an “ouchie spray.” She followed the article’s recipe and made a bottle of it for our family. Now, my kids and I have Classical type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and our skin cuts open easy, takes a long time to heal, and scars bad. So, to us, it seemed more beneficial than just for the occasional “ouchie.” And it has proved itself on more than one occasion for many things! I carry it with us EVERYWHERE! I’ve also made more than one bottle in case we split up.

This “ouchie spray” includes only 3 essential oils: Lavender, Melalueka (Tea Tree), and Frankincense. It calms, disinfects, and heals. Since my kids and I heal a little slower, it brings our healing back to normal.

When my son had an ear infection, I remembered a friend talking about how her family member had healed her son’s ear infection with essential oils. She still went to the doctor to confirm that he had it and later confirmed that it was gone, but did not use antibiotics. We’ve used so many antibiotics on my little guy that his stomach lining is worn causing more infections and allergies to get worse. I decided to research it, why not… only two ingredients: Lavender and Melalueka. I put it around the outside of his ear and the pain subsided within a day. I kept putting it on a few times a day for a couple days after that to make sure it stayed gone.

Another instance, bronchitis started getting passed on like the plague. When you have more than one child, it’s within days sometimes hours of each other. Because it had to do with breathing, I thought of the Frankincense, but wasn’t sure if it was an infection, yet…. “ouchie spray” on the back and chest a few times a day. I now also use it for my son and my asthma attacks. Our breathing calms down right away. I LOVE this stuff!


Now, ANY time you have a sickness, I would also suggest using Oregano essential oil. I always put it on the bottoms of our feet (after being dilluted in a carrier oil-1drop to 1Tbsp carrier oil) before bed with clean socks on. I find that I may smell like spaghetti, but it works best while sleeping. Oregano is also a natural antibiotic and extremely strong. It’s AWESOME!


The last one is something I just recently learned about. I was afraid to try “blends” because our family has had so many allergy problems with food, medications, and even outdoor. I wanted to try the oils individually. And then… Hand Food Mouth Disease went around and we went down with it. When I already heard that it was going around, we stayed away from most people, and researched generally what the heck it was.

My son, yes… the one who was constantly sick all the time, had been outside in the pool and came in freezing. We all ate dinner together and he wanted to cuddle with me. He’s normally a cuddler, but not at dinner. I thought, maybe he had a fever, but didn’t think much about it after that. He watched a movie while he cuddled under a blanket, but wanted me… sure sign something was up. He complained of his feet hurting. I looked at the bottoms of his feet and it was covered in what I thought was “hives.” I gave him Benadryl and my husband tucked him in bed. He woke up screaming about his feet in the middle of the night. I gave him more Benadryl and went back to bed telling him there’s nothing more that I could do.

I walked downstairs half zombie-like and worried about the weird reaction that should have gone away by now. I crawled into bed and it hit me… Hand Foot Mouth Disease! I got back out of bed and researched more… adding essential oils to the search. One lady had done a variation with 3 different things… one every hour during awake hours. I decided that it would be worth it. The next morning, I got up, mixed the oils I’d need into spray bottles so I didn’t need to even touch it, and got ready for a day filled with oils. Realizing how fast it spreads, I decided to do it on ALL of our family members and not to leave the house until I was sure it was gone! Both of my girls had ONE tiny spot…. one on her mouth, and the other one on her foot. I also had a sore throat, but didn’t want to say anything. I felt like I was fighting a battle… I had set a timer and every time the timer went off, OIL TIME! I had the oils set up in a row, so I could remember which oil I was doing. But I didn’t see much of a difference. (It hadn’t spread, though) The second day, I did the same thing and the bright redness started going out of my son’s hives.

In the meantime, I talked to someone in passing who asked me how I was. I mentioned that I was doing well, but battling HFMD at home with my son. She exclaimed that she was so sorry and had battled that with her son when he was a teen. He had hurt so bad that he would crawl from the bed to the bathroom and moan for 2 weeks hardly eating. I was so grateful that I had something to help us… I can’t imagine the pain we would all go through if it got to be that strong… and with littles.

The third day, the girls’ spots were GONE, and my son’s were going away. I was getting tired, so I did it at meal times only (every couple of hours) It still was going away and by the end of the week was GONE. Nobody else got it. Whew! That was CRAZY!

What were the oils I used? 1) “ouchie spray,” (Frankinsence, Lavender, and Melaleuka) 2) at the time, I made my own mix for the second one which is the same as On Guard, and 3) Oregano.

I had heard about On Guard before, but this time decided to try it to PREVENT sicknesses. I put a drop of it in a Tbsp of carrier oil and put it on sore throats, runny noses, and around the ears after going to church or the grocery store to prevent getting sick. We have been virus free for a while now except for the littlest of our clan who can’t tell me if she has a sore throat, yet. For her, I’ve used the On Guard a few times during the day and Oregano oil at night when I know she’s sick.

I am no longer scared of leaving our house and getting a virus.


This is just my experience with essential oils. It’s important to remember that not ONE herb can heal every person. If you cannot handle the smell of a particular herb, stay AWAY from it. There were many herbs created that heal the same thing. God knew that each of our bodies are different and accommodated for that. It is also important to make sure that we watch our diet and exercise, as well. Research your ailment, medications that may interact, and potential allergies. Essential oils are potent, so use them the way they were intended. Some are only aromatic or topical, and many are able to be ingested. Some you can use without diluting them, others are not for children. Other oils that can help with these ailments include:

Asthma Attacks: Breathe, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, and Marjoram.
Healing Asthma: Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Peppermint, Thyme, Breathe, Oregano, Lemon, Myrrh, Lavender, Geranium, Cypress, Clary sage, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Helichrysum, Marjoram, and Rosemary.

Wounds: Clove, Melalueca, Helichrysum, Lavender, Lemongrass, Purify, Basil, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Peppermint (after wound has closed,) Myrrh, Rose, Sandalwood, Thyme, Juniper Berry, Bergamot

Infections: Cinnamon, Clary Sage, On Guard, Bergamot, Myrrh (with Oregano), Basil, Cypress, Rosemary (with Myrrh for oral infection), Thyme (for urinary infection), Lemongrass, Lime, Patchouli, Lavender, Oregano, Juniper Berry, Fennel, Peppermint