Hemp oil (or hemp seed oil) is one of my absolute favorite natural beauty products. I am slowly phasing out using synthetic, chemical-laden products on my body, and hemp oil is great for so many things.  I've used this as an all-over moisturizer, facial cleanser (really works great on irritated skin and helps to even out skin tone... it even helps clear up acne), shaving gel, hair conditioner, massage oil and my new favorite: hair styling oil.  

There was a time when I used 4-5 hair products to style my hair. I've never been a very high maintenance person, so I like to keep my beauty routine as efficient as it can possibly be.  I hate wasting time on prep work. The hemp seed oil has now cut down on my hair styling time and has also allowed me to replace the synthetic, chemical hair products with something I can put in my smoothies or on a salad.

Here's my routine:

• After showering, I comb through my hair to detangle.  
  
• I then put a dime size amount of hemp oil in my hands and rub palms together (I usually rub some up my arm to be sure there is not too much in my hands). 
  
• Starting at the ends, I work the oil into my hair, scrunching as I go. This immediately causes my hair to become wavy and slightly curly (I usually have straight hair). 
  

And... that's pretty much it.  After it dries, I might brush through it again... I may not.  It just gives me beachy waves... which I adore.  

A few words about Hemp Oil:

• Always be sure to purchase cold-pressed, hexane-free, organic hemp seed oil.  The absolute best quality without a doubt is Nutiva.  It's the richest hemp seed oil I've ever used.  
  
• Hemp seed oil is not for cooking. Use in smoothies or on salads, but do not heat.  
  
• This is an oil that should be refrigerated. It will extend the shelf life and prevent the oil from turning rancid.  
  

Don't worry about putting oil in your hair... just use sparingly.  Play with the amount and find out what works best for you.  You'll be surprised how beautifully it will dry. :)

Be free. Be happy. Be natural.

-Elisabeth 

A few months ago, the media reported a story that was picked up by thousands of papers and news stations declaring that a new study had found organic food was not healthier than conventional.  

For the masses who readily accept the sweeping declarations of the media and corporate funded research, this was welcome news. They had no need to spend extra money on organic fruits and vegetables or organic milk, eggs or meat.  As the study had reported, the nutritional values were the same.

Two years prior to this study, my husband and I spent extra money, gas and time to change to a completely organic diet.  We went from regular dairy to organic dairy, processed lunch meat to organic lunch meat, hormone and antibiotic-filled meat to grass fed, natural or organic meat, processed sugar to evaporated cane juice or local honey, etc.  

If the findings of this study were accurate, we should not have seen a change in our health.  We should not have lost weight.  We should not have seen a change in our hormones.  Oh... but... we abso-freakin'-lutely did.  And the world of so-called scientific research scoffs at my anecdotal evidence... but here it is anyway.

I lost INCHES. My pants were literally falling off of me.  My hormones changed so drastically that I experienced a drastic and severe hormonal fluctuation very much like that of coming off of birth control pills or hormone therapy.  My cycle totally changed.  And once my body got used to eating organic food (which, by the findings of one study, should have had no effect whatsoever), I felt better than I had felt in my entire life.  I felt clean. My body didn't ache. I had no brain fog.  And the same goes for my husband.  But that's just anecdotal evidence. 

What disturbs me most about this study is the glaring lack of concern for what the food does NOT contain.  Naturally, an apple that has been sprayed with pesticides and shined up with chemical wax to make it more appealing and to have a longer shelf life will have the SAME nutritional value as an apple that has been grown organically.  I'm not entirely sure what genius would have thought otherwise.

Let's put it this way: I have two glasses of water. They are both H2O.  They both have the same chemical structure. They are both clear.  Here's the difference: one glass of water is simply pure, filtered H2O... nothing else.  The other glass is, of course, also H2O but to "preserve" the clarity and appeal, I've added a drop of arsenic (bear with me).  I know you see where I'm going.  Because the poison was added to the water to maintain its clarity and shelf life, it's possible to charge less.  There's less monetary loss when the shelf life is extended.  This is all really besides my initial point, however.  

The point is this: why are we not more concerned about what's being ADDED to conventional products?  Of course an apple is an apple (unless it's GMO... totally different story). I could take two apples and cover one with human excrement.  They're both still apples -- one just has something added to it.  And which would you prefer eat? 

I've really ranted more than I intended to. My initial intention was to more or less explain why I eat organic (or at least eating without preservatives, hormones, antibiotics and GMO) and why eating this way is actually what will make or break your health. 

In the next post, I'll list my reasons for eating organic foods (or simply foods that are free of preservatives, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and GMO products) as well as explain why organic living will change your health.  


Be free. Be happy. Be natural.

-Elisabeth

It's been about a month since I first planted my little non-GMO seeds from SeedsNow.com, and I couldn't be happier to see the big green leaves growing in my little containers. :)  

In my first post, you can see my little sprouts at a week and half... and here you see an enormous growth spurt.  The kale, lima beans and cucumbers seem to be faring the best so far, but everything is growing!  

It's still early enough in the season to start growing, and as promised here are the steps I took in starting my non-GMO, organic container garden. :)

For Starting Seeds in Soil Pellets:
1.  Order non-GMO seeds from a reputable source – preferably one who has taken the “Safe Seed Pledge” – like SeedsNow.com.  Their website is great, and I can’t recommend them enough!  I ordered $0.99 starter packs, and that gave me plenty of seed for a container garden.  I also made sure I chose my seeds by personality – plants that grow well in containers.

2. Order soil pellets.  These also came from SeedsNow.com. You can get a pack of 25 for $6.00, 50 for $10.00 and 100 for $19.99.  I used them for part of mine… and I’ve been extremely pleased.  I had some concern after reading some negative reviews, but my little seeds loved the soil pellets, and transporting was not much of a problem.  I did lose 1 kale sprout after transporting, but everything else has survived so far... and I'm new to this!

3. When you receive your order, place soil pellets in a shallow dish (like a pie pan or a plastic Tupperware bowl) and cover with lukewarm water.  

4. When the pellets have expanded to about an inch and a half in height, you can begin pushing your seeds into the soil.  For most seeds, you want to push them about a ¼” in the soil and be sure they’re covered.  I planted 4-5 seeds in each soil pellet.  

5. Now this is the hard part.  Waiting. Be sure your soil pellets stay moist (not too wet).  I usually just put a little water in the dish, so that the soil pellets can soak up the water through the bottom.  The pellets retain moisture very well, so just be sure they are moist but not soaking wet.  Be sure to place them in a window where they will get plenty of sunshine.  You can take them outside during the day… just be sure they don’t scorch or get cold.  Little seeds and sprouts are sensitive! :)

6. In a few short days, you should begin seeing sprouts emerge from the soil.  Give them a week to 10 days, and then you may notice roots coming out of the bottom of the pellets.  At this point, it’s time to transport your pellets to a large container.  

7. Now it's time to start preparing the containers. One thing I love about container gardening is the variety of containers you can use!  Coffee cans, baskets, Rubbermaid tubs, grocery totes – almost any container will do as long as you have sufficient room and draining. To prepare the container, first be sure there are 4-5 holes drilled in the bottom of your container if not using a planter (planters should already have sufficient holes).  Next, line the bottom of the pot with broken terracotta pieces, rocks, or gravel.  This will ensure proper drainage and prevent the holes from stopping up.  After that, fill your pot with soil.  There are plenty of options: organic potting soil, plain ol’ potting soil, potting soil with fertilizer.  Choose whichever suits your fancy.  A word of caution when using potting soil with fertilizer: Lima beans do not produce when you use fertilizer with nitrogen.  The nitrogen will cause the plant to grow, but it will not produce any beans! And that really defeats the purpose of planting lima beans. :P

8. Once you have your container filled with soil, dig a shallow hole large enough to place your soil pellet in.  Be sure to cover the pellet with soil allowing only the sprouts to stick out.  

9. Water your container well. When watering while the plants are still seedlings, make sure you don't use too much water pressure.  This can disturb the plant.  Remember, little seeds and sprouts are sensitive.  Use a watering pot that evenly distributes the water or use a "mist" setting on a water hose attachment.  Give your plants
sunshine. Protect them from the cold. Water often!  Soon your little plants should flourish!

There's nothing better than growing your own food and watching your little seeds develop into plants. Take good care of your little seed babies and they will take good care of you. :)  Happy planting!

Grow free. Grow happy. Grow natural.  

-Elisabeth

Two days ago I ventured into a catalog return and overstock store about 30 minutes before they closed for the evening.  I usually find amazing half price deals on unusual items you can't find in most stores around here.  As I was browsing through the beauty section, a small box caught my eye. I opened it up to find two small clear, silicone cups.  The back of the box referenced Traditional Chinese Medicine, so I was instantly intrigued. I had no time to research the product, so I snatched it up and bought it before they closed (Thank God for 30 day return policies).  

When I got home, I began doing some research on these Bellabaci Cups and discovered an alternative healing technique I had never heard of before called "cupping."  Apparently cupping is a relative of acupuncture, but instead of using needles, glass cups are heated then placed on the body and create a suction.  There are other variations as well, specifically where rubber cups can be used to create suction and massage the body. 

The Bellabaci Cups are medical-grade silicone cups patterned after this "cupping" therapy.  They claim to help reduce cellulite, fade stretch marks, ease migraines and headaches, relieve digestive trouble and more.  

There are two cups -- one soft and one hard.  You begin with the soft cup and eventually work your way up to the harder one.  To start, you choose the area you wish to work on, squeeze the cup and let it suction to your skin.  You need to use some kind of massage oil (I use hemp seed oil) so that you can move the cup around. I decided the most convenient and efficient way to do this was to use them in the shower.  You're only supposed to do 10 minutes total a day, and I now understand why!

The first time I used the Bellabaci Cups was unbelievably painful. I started out on my thighs where my cellulite is most visible.  Unfortunately, I am prone to cellulite and tend to have poor circulation and connective tissue issues... but back to the extreme pain I was in.  Seriously.  This hurt like crazy.  I had only been in this kind of pain one other time and that was when I had a deep tissue massage in San Francisco a few years ago.  When the therapist would massage my legs (especially my thighs), I remember praying that God wouldn't let me die on the massage table.  It was excruciating.  But after the massage, I detoxed A LOT.  I felt amazing and my skin looked better.  The reason I refer to that story is this: the Bellabaci Cups give you the benefits of a deep tissue massage at home and are MUCH cheaper.

I've used the Bellabaci Cups for four days now.  The horrible pain I experienced at first is mostly gone.  I do get a slight headache after the massage (a sure sign it's flushing toxins), so I try to always drink LOTS of water before and after.  I can still see some dimpling in my thighs right now, but I also see a HUGE HUGE improvement (even the husband has noticed).  I am not a fan of working out, so I have not worked out or exercised for a LONG time... yet by using the Bellabaci Cups I see an enormous reduction in my cellulite and a great improvement in my skin tone.  It's like the collagen has been boosted. They also make facial Bellabaci Cups which I will probably be purchasing soon!

From what I read and what I can see for myself, the Bellabaci Cups pull toxins from the tissue and muscle, and the lymphatic system is able to flush them.  It also stimulates the lymphatic system by the way... and seriously increases your circulation.  After the massage, I can feel the increase of oxygen in my muscles.  I've even read that it can actually raise your pH... which makes sense if it's increasing oxygen in your muscles.

Needless to say, I will not be taking these back to the store.  I'm just glad I found them for half off...  But now I'm sure I'll be purchasing the facial cups soon!  

You can buy the Bellabaci Cups on their website.  Amazon has the Bellabaci facial cups right now, but the body cups are not currently in stock. 

I can't speak for the other cups that are available as I have not tried them; I just know the Bellabaci Cups are working well for me. I only paid $26 for mine, but I would have spent the $50 on them -- that's less than one deep tissue massage session at the spa.  

And I couldn't have found these at a better time... I'm almost ready to bring out the shorts and bathing suits... no gym membership required (although I am going to suck it up and do that too!).   

Be free. Be happy. Be natural!

-Elisabeth 

There are plenty of reasons to stop drinking diet drinks, and I'm sure you've heard them. There are infographics now plastered all over Facebook and Pinterest detailing the poisonous ingredients, and many people will self-righteously tell you how bad they are for you while they're inhaling a Little Debbie brownie.

When I was addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper, I remember a lady that I worked with pointing to the drink on my desk and arrogantly saying, "You know that's poison, don't you?"  She was right, but I can assure you that's not the way to make anyone stop drinking them.  

We've been handed these drinks so innocently that no one would suspect that it's as bad as giving a cigarette to a baby (that MIGHT be an exaggeration...).  In all serious though, we are seeing so many physical problems now LINKED to aspartame poisoning, and I know first hand how terrifying this is.  I also know how much it affects your brain.  My senior year of high school, I felt like I had a block in my brain.  I still performed well, but I remember having such a difficult time processing information and even writing papers... and I was an A student who excelled in writing. This block was not lifted until I threw away the diet drinks and eliminated aspartame from my diet. 

It took me a long time to wean myself away from sodas, and it was not an easy road. I remember literally praying that I wouldn't like them anymore.  It was such a struggle.  If I was car sick, I wanted a bubbly, fizzy cola.  If I was at a ballgame or the movies or out to eat, I always wanted a coke.  The bubbles called my name... and the fizzier the better.  I KNEW how bad they were for me.  I KNEW the chemical structure of aspartame and the hazards that came along with it. But I craved them. 

When my husband and I got on the organic bandwagon a few years ago, we would haul coolers of ice an hour and 45 minutes out of town to shop at Earthfare (the closest place to buy a variety of organic, clean foods) and stock up on 2 weeks worth of groceries. It was at this time I found Zevia.  

I had been off of sodas as much as I could be, but I still found myself giving in to the temptation far more often than I care to admit (not diet ones at this time, but the sugary ones).  I still craved the bubbles. 

Zevias gave me an alternative. No sugar. No artificial sweeteners. They're sweetened with STEVIA.  These drinks literally changed my life and allowed me to kick the coke habit for good.  Almost every flavor was amazing -- especially the Ginger Root Beer and the Cream Soda.  By the way, the Zevia Cream Soda is by far the best cream soda I've ever had... and I love me some cream soda.  :)

If you're struggling to quit diet soda or regular soda, Zevias are an amazing alternative.  The company is growing, and just in the past week or so they started offering a glass bottle option.  I cannot wait to try those! In case you've never noticed, the container actually does make a difference in the taste of drinks. :)

Look for Zevia at a store near you, and check out their website for good coupons and contests. You can also buy Zevias online at Amazon here.

Support this growing company and feel better for it!  

Be free. Be healthy. Be natural.

- Elisabeth

Tomorrow the husband and I will be going to Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival for a lovely 3-day weekend of music -- Sheryl Crow, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Smashing Pumpkins and LOTS more.  

Outdoor festivals like these may be one of the hardest places to find food that you can actually eat if you try not to fill your body with sugar, flour and antibiotic and hormone-infused animal meat.  

There are always concession stands filled with funnel cakes and foot-long corn dogs and Coca-Cola and Pepsi carts... not exactly food I can indulge in.  On top of that, most of the music festivals like Memphis in May do not allow outside food or drinks -- so bringing a jug of infused water or a bag of broiled chick peas is a no-no.  

So I have been wondering how I would get by this weekend.  I really did not want to have to choose the least of the evils... but I obviously don't want to starve either.  

A few hours ago, I was searching for a little information on the line-up for the weekend and I ran across a post on the Memphis in May website that said "What can I eat?"  I clicked on it expecting to see the usual funnel cake, gyro and lemonade stands... and to my surprise, they have a fantastic selection of vendors.  There are vendors who serve dried fruit and nuts, veggie burgers, fresh cut sweet potato fries, organic salad and -- this is my favorite -- GRASS FED LOCAL HAMBURGERS. I am floored... and thrilled.  

Now I can go enjoy some music, eat good clean food and not wonder where my next meal will come from. :)

Thank you, Memphis in May, for understanding and providing options for those of us who desire and require something different from the norm.  

Looking forward to a weekend of good food, good music and good fun... and hopefully less rain than expected!

-Elisabeth

Okay. I am still unbelievably amazed at the effectiveness of this acupressure point. I want to know where my face went. Or maybe I don't.  I'm just thankful that when I look in the mirror I see my young, slim face again.

I have been holding a LOT of fluid in my face for a while.  My mother hasn't let me forget that I've been so "swelled looking" lately either. But she was right.  My face was just... well, puffy. Puffy to the point that I didn't really look like myself.  

It's been this way for a while... so long in fact, I assumed I would have to drop some weight before I would see a difference in my face. So I had more or less resolved that this is the way my face would look until I had time to work out a little more.

A few weeks ago I ordered the book Your Best Face Now by Shellie Goldstein.  I had scanned through the book, found out my "organ type" but had not had a chance to test out any of the acupressure points. 

At work the next day, I found myself using one particular pressure point that I thought the book said would loosen the neck muscles, and since I'm sitting most of the day looking at a computer screen, this seemed like a smart point to use.  

I probably used this point 3 times that day. Throughout the rest of the week, whenever my neck would feel stiff, I would use that same point on each side of my head a few times a day.  

Wednesday evening I fell asleep in my contacts and hadn't washed my face. I woke up around 3:00 am and stumbled half-awake into the bathroom, took out my contacts and began to wash my face when I was struck with this thought: "Where'd my face go?!"  

I felt around my neck and jawline, and my face was seriously tiny.  Still half-asleep I wondered if my hands had grown larger... I couldn't figure out WHY my face felt and looked so small. The fluid was gone.  Even the fluid I had been keeping around my eyes was gone.

The next morning I wondered if I had been mistaken, but as I washed my face it still felt and looked so small.  So I tried to figure out what could have caused me to lose half my face overnight.  I was puzzled.  Happy. But puzzled.  

I thought maybe it was just me... But then I had people asking me what looked different about me.  My mother-in-law told me I looked smaller and younger.  And my mother was amazed.  

I finally determined it had to be the acupressure point I had been randomly using because I had changed nothing else.  So I flipped open my book and the description of that point said that it would reduce facial swelling and puffiness, drain fluid from the sinuses, help relieve congestion and loosen the muscles in the neck.

I'm a fan of acupressure points.  I've often used them to relieve headaches or nausea... even menstrual cramps.  But in a million years I never expected that massaging a tiny point on each side of your head could have this effect!  

Obviously now I have to try the full 20 minute routine.  What's wonderful about this is that it is not some facial workout to build the muscle in your face... this literally works internally to get your body in a healthier state, so the inside is reflected on the outside.  


In four days of randomly using ONE acupressure point, I literally look like a different person. Younger. Smaller. Healthier.  I know it sounds unbelievable... I've had trouble believing it myself honestly.

I am so glad I ordered this book. Shellie Goldstein has done a wonderful job of thoroughly explaining the different organ types, and she even gives you certain foods and recipes that you should be eating for your particular organ type.  We have a tendency to believe that there's a one-size-fits-all diet even though we are all clearly different.  

Oh, and that pressure point I used?  It's called Triple Heater 17 (TH-17) and is located in the indention behind and below your ears at the base of the skull. Do each side separately using one finger. Move the fingertip in 10 small, clockwise circles. It really is that simple.  

This book has quickly become a major asset to my natural beauty routine.  I think coupled with a naturally healthy diet this can help us all retain our youthful glow... or help it return.  

Be free. Be happy. Be naturally beautiful.

- Elisabeth :)

A few weeks ago I had the notion to start a container garden. I've never gardened. I've never so much as planted a seed.  I have picked a squash or two from my parents' garden before, but I've never actually placed my own two hands into the dirt and attempted to grow my own food.    

I discovered a wonderful company that sells 100% non-GMO seeds. This is actually one thing that gave me the push to start the garden.  With seed companies being bought up by Monsanto, I figured I should buy some seeds and start growing my own seed-producing, non-GMO vegetables as soon as possible.  

I ordered from SeedsNow.com and have been exceedingly pleased with their products and service.  They have taken the “Safe Seed Pledge” and test their seeds for quality.

Browsing their website is like being in a candy store… er, except with vegetables and good stuff. :) I found myself drooling over the varieties of vegetables and wanting to plant a garden in every nook and cranny I could find.

They even have the option of searching for seeds by personality – meaning I could find every seed they had that would grow well in containers. Perfect. So I selected about 10 vegetables and herbs to start my container gardening adventure.  I also bought a package of 25 seed starting soil pellets for $6.00. 

I received my package about 7 days after I placed my order and began sorting through all my wonderful seeds.  On Saturday, April 13, I planted my seeds – some in the soil pellets and some straight in the containers.  As I’m new at this, I thought I’d test both methods.  After only a few days, my kale and swiss chard began sprouting like crazy – in the soil pellets and in the containers.  I was giddy.  Then the cucumbers began to grow.  After 5-7 days, most everything I sowed was looking like tiny plants. 

It’s been a week and a half now… the lima bean sprout at the top of this post was originally planted in a soil pellet and is now planted in a container.  The cucumber sprouts that grew so much in the soil pellets have also been planted in a container. 

So needless to say, I’m thrilled with the first week and a half of my first gardening adventure.  There’s nothing quite like digging into the soil, planting your little seeds, hoping and praying they will grow, then taking care of them, and just admiring them as little sprouts. It’s fulfilling. 

Again – this is NEW to me.  I didn’t know if what I planted would grow, and I didn’t know if I’d mess something up or not.  It has been a learning experience… but surprisingly easy so far!

In the next day or two, I’ll be posting easy step-by-step instructions on how I started my container garden. I’ve read some articles on gardening that were extremely intimidating and confusing for a newbie.  I plan to just post my steps, experience and the few things I’ve learned so far along the way that may be of help to anyone like me who is just starting out.

So if you’ve never done this before and want to… just do it.  It’s so worth it.  I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks bring me! Hoping for a fruitful harvest. 

-Elisabeth

My husband and I often discuss the lack of true open-mindedness in our society and how it has radically limited advancement and growth in every area of our lives and culture. When you look at great discoveries of the past, they come from individuals who are not convinced that the science of their day has it all figured out.  They veer from the logical path and question the status quo. They risk mockery and judgment and step away from the strongly held beliefs of their society.  They are open to something different and something new -- something that opposes the "truth of the time."    

Open-Mindedness Precedes Growth
It's always sad to hear someone quickly dismiss an idea or a theory without ever giving it an opportunity to breathe.  Immediate dismissal is the mark of the narrow mind -- even if the idea flies in the face of logic, reason and science -- and it is a definite sign of stagnated growth. 

We have a tendency to believe that our way is the best way -- the only way -- and that anyone who believes differently is a bumbling fool who has not yet been enlightened.  We don't consider that we could be the bumbling fools. We look back to our past and see our ancestors as ignorant and uncivilized.  We never stop to consider that our so-called advancements could lead to our ultimate downfall and perhaps our ancestors understood something that we don't.  

We have laws of physics on this earth; however, history has shown us that those "laws" can be wrong. Without questioning standard beliefs -- without realizing the science of our day may be flawed -- we cannot grow.  

Without open-mindedness, the world may still be regarded as flat.  Without open-mindedness, we wouldn't know that time is relative.  Without open-mindedness, we may never have had the advances of alternating current (thank you, Tesla, for your radical open-mindedness).  

So open-mindedness is necessary for growth and new discoveries.  True open-mindedness does not quickly dismiss the impossible, the ridiculous, the illogical, the "pseudoscience" -- because true open-mindedness is OPEN to possibility and new truth and is willing to admit that it may be wrong.  The quick dismissal is the mark of the narrow-minded -- no matter how open minded they believe they are.  

So what does all this have to do with natural health?  

We live in a world that mocks natural healing methods.  It flies in the face of what we are told is true and absolute.  It's not mainstream. It's not "normal."  It's not backed by the science of our day.

To even consider accepting some methods of natural healing, you must have an open-mind.  You must be willing to admit that there is a possibility that what you have been taught or what you hold to be correct is not necessarily the absolute or only truth.  You must walk away from the crowd and become an individual -- determining the truth for yourself.  

Balancing Open-Mindedness With Wisdom
So let's say you are an open-minded individual and willing to believe anything that is thrown your way.  Let's say the latest "health craze" is that pink spotted elephant skin when taken in powdered form and added to green smoothies will cure cancer and double your life span. Sounds great! And you're open-minded... so you absorb this as truth regardless of the fact that you also know that neither you nor anyone else in the world has ever seen a pink spotted elephant. Does this mean that pink spotted elephants don't exist somewhere? No.  Does this mean that the skin of a pink spotted elephant doesn't cure cancer?  No.  

But it does mean that you should be extremely skeptical of anyone selling a bottle of pink elephant skin powder, and you should do serious research before you EVER spend money on it and even CONSIDER putting it in your body. 

And that is where wisdom fits in.  Wisdom, discernment and good judgment -- use these. Be open to possibilities but be discerning. Discern for yourself. 

Do not simply accept the findings of one study at face value. Dig deeper. What organization funded the study? What would that organization have to lose if the findings of the study were the opposite? 

Be discerning. Be wise. Have common sense. Don't accept everything you read. Don't think you should take every supplement that Dr. Oz recommends. Be wise. Listen to your body.  Understand the balance of open-mindedness and wisdom.  

Are You a Sponge, a Brick Wall or a Filter?
So when it comes to natural health, it's especially important to be open-minded with wisdom and discernment.

You don't want to be a sponge -- absorbing every drop of information with no discernment. There are things out there that are dangerous if used without caution, and there are some things that are simply snake oil -- nothing more than a con.  So to be open-minded without being discerning in these cases is at worst deadly and at best a waste of money.   

But you also don't want to be a brick wall and let everything bounce off of you that doesn't conform to your preconceived worldview.  There are things out there that can bring you to a place of wellness you never thought possible -- things that can bring you healing when Western medicine is ineffective and says there's no hope.  But if you immediately reject these things as "hooey", you will never know. You will never grow. And you may never get well. You will stay right where you are.

Be a filter. Test the integrity of information that comes your way.  Leave the garbage behind, but by all means allow the good to come through.  

As I've said before, this is a journey.  One day you may be convinced that you've found the fountain of wellness and want to share it with the world, and the next day you won't understand how you were ever so naive.  

Tomorrow you will embrace the things you mock today. Be open-minded. Be wise. Be willing to be wrong. Be willing to change. 

Be willing to be natural. 

-Elisabeth 

I’m not in the habit of catching the flu. It’s a horribly miserable sickness that makes you think you’re dying as you wish for a bullet in the head.  Until 2 weeks ago, I had only had the flu once in my adult life (which was, I might add, the year following my first – and only – flu shot).  Symptoms are high fever, slight nausea, headache, muscle aches, chills, fever and dry cough.  These symptoms last for 5 – 10 days.  

Two weeks ago I woke up with a dry cough.  By evening, I was experiencing an extreme headache, chills, aches, high fever, nausea – the works!  I tossed and turned and whined and bathed (a retreat which feels good at the time but always ends in higher fever and more misery).  I finally remembered that I had bought some Quantum Elderberry Lozenges at the health food store a few weeks earlier just in case my husband or I contracted an evil germ during the cold and flu season.

I drink a tea for colds that contains elderberry, so I know the power of elderberry in fighting off sickness, but I had never had the opportunity to test it against the flu. 

At 4:30 a.m. I took one lozenge and let it dissolve in my mouth as I tossed and turned and ached and whined.  By 5:30 a.m. I noticed my aches were 50% better.  I was sweating; my fever was breaking.  When I awoke at 10:30 a.m., I felt okay except for the headache and weakness. I giggled and laughed and cut up with my husband. I got up and ate. It was a wonderful little miracle of nature.

I took the elderberry lozenges throughout the day and made my husband eat them as well to keep him from getting sick (he never did). I lounged and rested for two days and on the third day I was back at work for half a day. I still had some weakness and fatigue, but this was NOTHING compared to the flu I had experienced years before.

So, that’s my experience with elderberry as a flu remedy.  I have since heard that Dr. Oz has promoted it on his show. I cannot recommend this little natural remedy enough. 

Here’s a link to a study that concludes, “Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza.”  According to the study, “Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo.”

There are many forms of elderberry. I know one of the more popular ones is the syrup. The elderberry with zinc lozenges worked wonders for me, and I recommend keeping these on hand and taking at the first sign of sickness. 

This flu season has been a doozy, but you don’t have suffer! 

Stay well and stay natural!

Elisabeth