No I haven't TOTALLY lost my mind. Yet.

Good morning! Its Wednesday! I am actually looking forward to blogging now that I have a day I have put aside to blog. It doesn't feel so over whelming. Plus it gives me a little time to think about what I am going to blog about. Then if I feel the URGE to write another post...its just a bonus for you. :) I hope you enjoy todays blog. xoxo

I have always considered my way of life "modern" yet "conservative". We are Christian Republicans. Although I do have friends of all walks of life, this is what works best for our family. I WASNT about "alternative" medicines and thought my "organic" friends had LOST THEIR MINDS! How can food be bad. Its a French Fry. How bad can it really be? Then I met Jaclyn. She calls herself a "crunchie" mom. I thought that was funny. Then we started talking about Oils and Herbs and the things that work for her family. Not sure why, but I was like "That makes sense! Why have I not thought about that?" Then the pinnacle in the relationship happened when I watched Food INC.  My life as I knew it...would never be the same.

There are several turning points in a persons life where they can't turn back. Where a chapter ends and another begins. No matter how hard you try you wont ever be the same. That for me was when I watched Food INC. It was that serious for me.

I belong to this private group on Facebook called "Moms Helping Moms". Its a group where moms can come together and ask questions about just life and we all give advice and encouragement. Its been such a blessing. Its private so we feel comfortable asking questions with people they know. ANYWAY. There are a lot of moms on there that are "Crunchie" and talk about natural remedies with oils and herbs. I jumped on the ban wagon. YES I DID! One that has been the topic of discussion has been Elderberry Syrup. (no not for pancakes) Its flu and cold season.

Caden got sick at church when a mother decided to bring her two daughters to church with a cough and nasty runny noses. Caden caught it. SHOCKER! So instead of taking him to the Dr I decided to do the "Crunchie" mom way and test it out. (keeping in mind I know where my Dr is if I can't fight it myself and knowing where I feel my boundaries ARE. After all I am THE MOM and I know when that point is.) After a week of just being slightly ill. We are 100% over the flu. No sign of a cough, a fever and or a runny nose. Seriously. AND what is even BETTER about all of this. The next time Caden comes into contact with something with someone who is sick, he will have a stronger immune system to help fight it off FASTER and BETTER than last time. Keep in mind. ALL prescriptions have about 100 side effects. Deciding whether to take them and get better and deal with what comes along with the side effects OR do the natural way and not deal with the side effects. That's all I am saying. Do you research. Do what is best for you! Here is what we used.

The Herbs

My grandmother was all about Herbs. Especially Horehound. We all thought she was crazy. Until I looked up this herb for myself. Horehound if you have mucus is THE single most important thing you need. I am not kidding. It makes your cough PRODUCTIVE. Who wants to cough to just cough? If I am going to cough I want to get the crap out! Well this stuff helps do that. I went through an entire bottle of this stuff in a week. Everything Caden drank had this stuff in it.

Got this from our local health store. It is very yummy. It is not your imagination when you use this and 10-15 minutes later they feel better. You do have to use it often. That's the only down fall with herbs. However I think that is a great downfall. No side effects.

This stuff is POWERFUL. I will be making my own next time and adding a few things that are better like Echinacea. Echinacea is like the natural antibiotic! I am super excited about making my own. I will blog about it later PROMISE.

Essential oil

No its NOT doTerra or Young Living. I had this from when I was pregnant with Caden. I put him in the bath twice a day with Epsom salts and let it pull the poison out of his body and the eucalyptus helped with his breathing. This is going to sound strange but the water was always a dingy color when we emptied it. I really feel like the Epsom salt was doing a good job.

I am not sure I will ever have a specific "Brand" I stick with.

The Big Guns.

I have always used the Hyland's brand. We started using it with Caden when he started teething and well. I am a believer. So anything they put out I give a try and if it works for Caden I keep it on hand always.

 Don't let the night time fool you. This didn't make Caden "Sleepy it has a calming effect that made him peaceful. The sleepy time medicines usually WIRE him to the max. This didn't do that. Helped with the cough also. I sometimes gave it to him during the day. I found that it helped day and night with out him being groggy.

Oh sweet mother! This stuff was my favorite! Speaks for itself! Love it.

And I have been looking for Vitamin C tablets and finally found some. Thank you Hylands for being consistent. HOWEVER Caden wont eat these. I have to sneak them into his juice. We went a little overboard on Vitamin C. Your body doesn't store it and if you get to much...it gets tossed out. So bulk up baby!

I know that seems like a lot, and it was really a small pharmacy on my counter top, but you know what he was a champ and told me when it was time for more medicine. He knew it worked for him and knew he felt better when he took it. I am a believer. Children don't lie. They can't by nature unless they are taught.

Look forward to more posts about natural things we will be doing around here.

Thanks for reading. Tell me what you think.

xoxo