It was a delight to have Elisabeth Parsons from @purelyparsons on the No Higher Calling podcast to talk about fighting sickness naturally. You can find that episode below!
As a wife, mama, and homemaker, I want to steward our health well. We live in world where that is difficult to accomplish! Everyone seems to have the “right” answer, yet answers conflict. We have lost trust in the healthcare system. Big pharma is consumed with making more money instead of helping people be healthy. Doctors prescribe pills as a first option instead of suggesting more nourishing diets, exercise, and sunlight.
I’m not completely against conventional medicine. It has its place in the grand scheme, as well as in my own life and health. But I have questioned if it should always be my first option. This has led me to MUCH research, learning, and praying! It is a journey that I feel as though I have just begun. Motherhood has been my catalyst. I want to make the best decisions for my children’s health. I want to be a healthy mama for them! This is a truth I hear echoed by many other mamas.
The biggest question we then ask is “Where to start?” As mentioned before, I feel as though I have only explored the tip of the iceberg of a more holistic approach to health, but these are some things that have been a huge blessing to our family as we have sought to fight sickness naturally.
General Health
-Eat Nutrient Dense Foods. I’ll admit, I’m not quite in the camp that is eating fermented foods, organs, and livers. (applause to those of you who do!) But I have made it a top priority to cook almost all that we eat from scratch using real food ingredients. Even simple switches make a difference- making all your bread from scratch, shredding your own cheese, eliminating processed foods from your diet, limiting or cutting out sugar. Make sure you are eating plenty of protein and in-season fruits and veggies. I’m convinced that so many of our health issues in the western world are linked to the foods we eat! Read labels. Be able to recognize harmful ingredients and avoid them. Real food tastes so much better anyway! It’s worth the extra effort!
–Move Your Body. I am a busy mama of 5 with very little spare time, but I’ve found that moving my body every day is so helpful for my physical and mental health! Ideally, I love to get outside and take a walk. That doesn’t always happen! My daily goal is to get in a minimum of 10k steps and do some stretches throughout the day. This helps relieve a lot of tension that builds up through a day of homemaking and tending to little ones. I also enjoy doing the free workouts or stretch routines from Nourish Move Love.
-Water. I love my Owala water bottle! It keeps liquids cold for a long time and holds 32oz. I find I drink much more water since having this bottle and keeping it near me throughout the day. We have a Berkey water filter which is amazing at getting all the bad things out, but it also filters out good minerals. I use Trace mineral drops to add the good minerals back into my water.
-Circadian Rhythm. My friend, Sarah Boots from Faithful and Flourishing has been raving about the health results she’s had from implementing circadian rhythm into her life. It’s so amazing, I had her join me on the podcast to share her story. You can also get her guide, A Christian Woman’s Guide to Health and Hormones . Ladies, it’s gold! Every woman needs to read it!
–Magnesium. I apply this Good Night Lotion from Earthly every night before bed to aid with sleep. Two years ago, I did a htma lab to access my mineral levels, and I found that while most of my minerals were low, magnesium was right where it needed to be! I attribute that to this cream!
General Medicine Cabinet Essentials
-Rice Bag. Great for soothing sore muscles, cramps, or joint pain. I use this instead of a heating pad. Someone made me one, and they are very easy to make! Or you can find them other places like Etsy.
-Otoscope. I have a child who suffered from many ear infections as a toddler. After a dozen or more doctor visits, I decided to get an otoscope and learn to recognize an ear infection. This helped know how to treat him and when to take him to the doctor!
-Thermometer. I don’t know why it took me so long to get a no touch thermometer, but it is game changer! Gone are the days of trying to get sick, wiggly kids to hold a thermometer under their tongue! This is instant and accurate.
Immune Boosters
–Elderberry Syrup. Packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, and vitamins, this is fantastic for immune support. There are many different options available, but you can get this elderberry kit from Purely Parsons.
-Propolis. At the slightest onset of a sore throat, we start using this throat spray to boost immunity.
-Oral Care. Thieves mouthwash, Thieves toothpaste, and a tongue scraper help keep bacteria at bay in the mouth!
Medicines/Treatments
–Badger Headache Soother. A peppermint oil-based salve to help conquer headaches.
–Earthley Tinctures. I have used many of the different tinctures from Earlthy, and they are all so good! Made with pure ingredients, you can feel safe using these with your family. They are clearly labeled with safety info and dosages for babies, children, and nursing mothers.
-Mullein Garlic Oil. Great for treating ear infections.
-Charcoal Mask. I use this charcoal mask from Mary Kay on my face, but a missionary friend to Africa recently told me that it works great at drawing out toxins from bug bites! She said to apply it to a mosquito bite, and the itching will stop and the bite with disappear in a few hours!
–Genexa Kid’s Pain & Fever. Tylenol has been completely removed from my medicine cabinet (lots of research available as to why, just do a Google search). I try to treat things with other natural sources, if possible, but if a child is miserable and nothing else is giving relief (especially when battling a fever), I use this to help them get through.
-Peppermint & Eucalyptus Oil. I enjoy diffusing oils for fragrance in my home, but I don’t often use them topically or internally. I have found that diffusing peppermint and eucalyptus oils in a room with someone who is having respiratory/cold symptoms has helped to clear them up! You can get oils from many places, but I use Young Living.
-Arnica Gel. Good for bruising, pain, and soreness.
-Urine test strips. I struggle with UTI’s, so it has been helpful for me to learn how to test and understand the results from an at home urine test.
-Herbal teas. This is an area I’m new to, so I won’t give many specifics. We do use herbal teas often when cold season hits. Sipping on hot tea with fresh lemon juice and honey is very soothing to a sore throat. I want to learn more about how other herbal teas can benefit different illness and symptoms!
More Resources to further your Research
This is an area that I am currently learning more about and growing in! As I learn and as the budget gives wiggle room, I pick up a thing or two to add to my natural medicine cabinet. What are your essentials? I’d love to hear in the comments!
These are some sources that have helped me learn more about natural health and living.
Be Your Own Doctor by Rachel Weaver
Be Your Child’s Pediatrician by Rachel Weaver
Our Natural Medicine Cabinet by Brighter Day Press
Clean Living Mama with Rebecca Grant
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