Thursday, November 20, 2014

Making Medicine





Keeping my family healthy is so very important to me, as I am sure it is for many of you. While it is difficult to keep illness at bay all the time, I do my best at prevention. We eat well, choosing organic whole foods, I cook from scratch, and we eat very little processed food. We exercise, and get outside daily. We ensure adequate rest for all of us, we take our supplements, and we listen very carefully when our bodies are giving us the signal to slow down and take it easy.

While we can't prevent coming into contact with pathogens, they are everywhere, we can strengthen the body, and the immune system. Doing this will not mean never getting sick, but it does mean being stronger and more resilient should illness take over, which in turn means a quick recovery, with less down time.

My little apothecary is filled to the brim with goodness that helps keep us healthy, and boost our immune systems during the cold and flu season. From supplements, to homeopathic medicines, to herbs, both from my garden and purchased. Over the last few days I have been busy making medicine...elderberry syrup, a vitamin C syrup and a herbal tea, that acts as a herbal multivitamin for Reece. These are the things we will rely on during the coming months, to keep us healthy, to support our immune systems and to heal us, when we are ill. 

Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me. She shares her beauty with us, allowing us to connect to her, and in turn, a deeper part of ourselves. She whispers to us to pay attention, to seek comfort in her arms, and to run free in her space. She gives us powerful medicine to help strengthen and heal us. She is amazing, and each day when I walk upon this earth I am grateful to have found the power of Mother Nature.

40 comments:

  1. Amen to that friend.
    Hope you are well and preparing for the winter months ahead. xx

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    1. Thank you, we are well, and so ready for winter :)

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  2. Can't wait to check out the recipes, I've tried my hand at homemade toothpaste deodorants and lotions but never medicines, thanks for the tips!

    www.hollandsreverie.blogspot.com

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    1. Enjoy. If you have made those things, taking the leap to making medicine will be easy. Enjoy!

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  3. I think I need to make some of the black elderberry syrup! It is so expensive at the store.

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    1. It is, and this is much cheaper, and it feels so good to make it yourself :)

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  4. you have all the ingredients to a happy healthy life (pun intended, of course). I hope you do not get any viruses but it's nice to know you have your plan of remedies!

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    1. Haha, thanks Karen. I hope we don't either, but we are prepared :)

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  5. i'm needing some of that elderberry syrup right now....thanks for sharing the link !!! you are such a wealth of wonderful information !!!

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    1. Oh no, I hope you aren't too sick. Feel better soon.

      Thank you :)

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  6. I love your holistic view! Beeing healty is not only about healing diseases, but living a healty life with food, rest and excercise.

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  7. I have elderberry syrup and fire cider all ready, but I've never heard of Vitamin C syrup so will have to make a batch. I do keep Grapefruit Seed Extract on hand. I think getting outside, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep are all activities everyone should practice, I'm glad you do.

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    1. I have yet to make the fire cider, this might be the year we try it. The vitamin C syrup is delicious, Reece takes it no problem at all :)

      Thanks Tracey.

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  8. I'll definitely try the elderberry recipe, thanks for posting it. It does look yummy!

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    1. No problem, happy to share. And yes, delicious!

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  9. Thanks for sharing those links Kim, I'm not sure I'll be able to find all the ingredients here but I'll love to try making that vitamin C syrup (maybe I can find them online).
    I think what you said about listening to our bodies when they are giving us signals is very important, going to keep that in mind.

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    1. No problem, always happy to share good stuff. Most definitely online, that is where I get what I don't grow.

      It is so important and yet so many of us ignore those signals and try to push through, and then we end up in bed, sick.

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  10. Thank you so much for this Kim!!! I have pinned this post and look forward to checking out the recipes. xo

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    1. You are welcome my dear friend, glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for pinning it :) xo

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  11. Yay for natural medicine! I make elderberry syrup in November every year and make the girls take some every morning to help boost their immune system. There was a serious cold going around tucson schools and so we really got serious about the food medicine to avoid getting it. Thanks for sharing with us!

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    1. That is exactly how we take it KC, and then if we do get sick we up the amount we take. Such good stuff. Hope you guys are well. xo

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  12. Oh I love this post! thanks thanks and thanks!

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  13. We've been taking our Elderberry Syrup since the weather turned cold (and have upped the ante this week since we've all been sick). My friend Eleni makes it, I have yet to try my hand at making a batch though it does looks very easy! Never thought of Vitamin C Syrup! Does it taste similar to the Elderberry One? And what does Reece think of the Multivitamin you give him? Is it tasty? xo

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    1. It is easy Shel, definitely try it. It does have a similar taste, so I think your girls would be fine with it. The multivitamin herbal tea is delicious and with just the right amount of honey, Reece drinks it up. I also use it in our smoothies in the morning :)

      Hope you guys are feeling better soon. xo

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  14. I have much the same thoughts on health and wellness as you! Had not heart of the elderberry soup - will look it up xx

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    1. That doesn't surprise me Elisa :) Yes, definitely look it up, and make some, so good!

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  15. I started my kids on elderberry syrup at the beginning of the month along with a little scoop of raw local honey every day. I will have to check out the recipes. I was really lucky this fall and won a small stash of elderberry syrup from our local health food store, but homemade is always better :)

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  16. Oh one day! One day I will be all set up and it will be amazing. Do you have your own Elderberry bushes? Or do you forage? We want to plant some next year. We can't seem to find wild elderberry around here. May I ask what made you go with that particular bulk herb store? So many out there, but this is the first time I hear of them.

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    1. No, not yet. There are plans for some next year. I would love to forage some, but I am not confident in my skills to identify them, and if I make a mistake the results wouldn't be so good :) Hoping to find someone to go out with next year to harvest some in the wild.

      I don't usually use this herb store, I usually order from Mountain Rose Herbs, but they were out of stock on a few things I wanted, so I decided to try The Bulk Herb, and they had everything I was looking for this time around. Really pleased with the service and product from both places.

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  17. Have you ever thought about writing a home remedy recipe book (or have you already written one)? I would be first in line.

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    1. Ha! No I don't have one, and haven't thought of it. To be honest, there is so much available online I am not sure it is actually necessary to have a little recipe book. You have put a little bug in my ear though, so maybe it is something I will give some thought to :)

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  18. Mmmmmm...could do with some of those here at Hilltop right now!

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    1. Yes, you could! Wish I was next door to bring some to you. Hugs. xo

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  19. I would like some books about making medicine, using essential oils, and other natural ways of living. Do you have some favorites? Or recommend online sites; I have used DIY natural, mommypotamus, and Wellness mama. Also where do u find your elderberry outside or at the store? And What is the shelf life of the syrup? Sorry I have so many questions! Thanks so much!

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    1. Books...Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann, is great, and one I used in nutrition school. I also like anything by Susan Weed, and for information on children's healing Herbal Healing for Children by Demetria Clarke, and Herbal Remedies for Children's Health by Rosemary Glastar.

      Susan Weed has a lot of youtube videos about harvesting, the use of the herbs, as well as how to prepare them.

      The elderberry I buy from Bulk Herb Store....http://www.bulkherbstore.com/ Mountain Rose Herbs is my other go to source for herbs.

      Shelf life is about three weeks. It was three weeks ago today that I made the batches and they are just about done, so perfect amount. Both Reece and I take it daily, and there have been a few days where we might have come in contact with people who were ill or we felt a little rundown, and we took extra doses.

      Hope that helps. No apology necessary, always happy to answer questions :)

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    2. Just checked my notes, as I made some up this morning. The shelf life in the fridge is actually 2 to 3 months :) A little longer than I thought, which is good.

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    3. Thank you so much Kim for taking the time to share. I appreciate that. I'm excited to learn more about this and start making some goodness. If you ever feel up to it, I and I'm sure many others would love another post on this topic. And which recipes have worked for you and how you use herbs (like the alfalfa). Thanks again Kim enjoy the rest of your week! Jen

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    4. No problem, always happy to share. I will think about that. There is so much information out there already, not sure about writing a post, as I don't think I have much more to share/offer on the topic. But I will think about it :)

      Hope you have a great week to Jen.

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