Another Favorite Product of 2013

I'm still not being paid anything to recommend products to my readers (*hint, hint*), but I still feel the urge to share things with you that I love and that have helped my family live healthier.  OnGuard drops are one of them. These little brown "cough drops" are amazing! We've been using them for a while now, but not until this year have they become a product I try to make sure we never run out of.

OnGuard drops have everything I've always looked for in a throat/cough drop: deeply soothing to sore throats, truly effective against coughs, full of ingredients that boost the immune system, and no fully refined sugar. These babies are sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice and organic brown rice syrup, plus there are no artificial flavors or colors added. And with the OnGuard essential oil blend (probably my favorite oil) permeating each drop, they are wonderfully delicious. Plus, I honestly feel better while I'm sucking one--I can really feel those powerful antioxidants working.

My husband has used these during colds when he couldn't go to sleep at night because of persistent coughing. He found that if he would go to bed with an OnGuard drop in his mouth, his coughs were soothed and he could sleep all night. Trying this with other types of cough drops didn't work for him. As for sore throats, I don't want to use any other kind of drop anymore because these are the only ones that actually numb the pain and help me feel better.

One caveat, for those on a budget (like me): OnGuard drops are way more expensive than your traditional sugar cough drop (about 50 cents per drop). But they are also way more effective. I have instructed my children to tuck their drop into one cheek to help it last as long as possible, which they do, and it lasts at least half an hour--usually longer. My mom tried one the other day for the first time and it lasted her about three hours!

Yet another reason to love this amazing product. :)

(By the way, if you would like to try this or any other essential oil product, as a consultant I am happy to order it for you at the discounted price, you would just need to add on the cost of shipping.)

Home Remedy for Sinusitis

I've recently suffered from back-to-back colds and was happy to discover an essential oils remedy on my aunt's blog just when I needed it. I tried it out and was very pleased. Since it really felt good, lessened my sinus pressure, and seemed to shorten  my recovery time quite a bit, I share it with you. My aunt found it on this site, where the author explains how he came up with the "recipe."

The original recipe calls for 3-4 drops each of thyme, cinnamon, and clove oils in one cup of gently boiling water. While the water boils, inhale the steam for a few minutes.

Neither my aunt nor I have thyme, so we substituted oregano oil instead. As oregano is so highly potent, we opted to use only 1 drop of it, and I used only 2 drops each of cinnamon and OnGuard (since I don't have clove by itself).

Ah, lovely...

You Are a Lab Rat

It's a dangerous experiment, sanctioned by the FDA, and if you live in the United States of America, you've been a lab rat since 1996. In fact, even newborns have been part of the experiment. And most of us haven't been aware of any of it.

Ever wondered why the rates of obesity, heart disease, celiac disease, autism, allergies, asthma, etc, etc, have gone up in recent years? They all may very well link to genetically modified foods, which studies are now showing lead to inflammation (which create or exacerbate the above conditions). In the following film, numerous doctors, scientists, a nutritionist, a veterinarian, and various other top level professionals explain how and why this is so.

I knew a thing or two about GMOs before watching this documentary, but now I am more informed--and more outraged--than ever. If you haven't seen this 2012 film, it is very worth your time. Prepare to be disturbed and inspired to make some changes.



Note: If for any reason you are unable to access this movie, please go to http://geneticroulettemovie.com/, which has more viewing options. Or ask for it at your local library.

The Value of Nothing

This idea really intrigues me and I am very interested in reading the book. So here's some food for thought:

Entrance Hand Washing

Over two years ago I wrote a post about our family's habit of removing our shoes at the door, which my husband and I agreed to adopt as a family rule when we were first married. Later, we also decided to make hand washing an entrance habit when our first child was born at the beginning of flu season. This was, I think, one of the best habits to make part of our family culture, in terms of illness prevention . These two things we do when we get home--removing our shoes and washing our hands--are now so ingrained in our children that even the baby (currently almost 18 months) runs for the bathroom after we help him take off his shoes. And when friends come over, they are subjected to these rituals as well, most with a sense of perplexity... Sorry kids, but we like to prevent illness as much as we can. :)

Perhaps we are weird, but I would rather wash school, work, and store germs down the drain than catch everything everyone is exposed to! Not to mention all the dirt and grime that you actually can see...

As the CDC states: "Handwashing is easy to do and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settings—from your home and workplace to child care facilities and hospitals. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community."

So let's consider the simple things and keep our families healthy this season!

Guest Author: Cynthia's Story

When I learned from one of my readers that she rooted out all the MSG in her diet and thereby drastically improved her health, I asked if she would write up something about her experience that I could share with others. She graciously complied and sent me the story below. We share it in the hopes that it helps someone else...


My journey with MSG begins with the common story of a working mother with three active children and a traveling husband. My time was stretched thin, so I had resorted to quick Hamburger Helper/Kraft Macaroni and Cheese/Marie Calendar Pot Pie dinners during the week, and McDonalds/Pizza Hut/Taco Bell type meals on the run. I also made, on the weekends, meals that utilized Lipton Onion Soup mix to make a beef roast or a meatloaf.

Over a time span of about 10 years of this I started developing health issues that were classified (due to no other explanation the doctors could think of) as Fibromyalgia. I also was not sleeping and I was retaining water. During this same period, my step-son was diagnosed with ADHD. His child psychiatrist recommended to keep his diet as healthy as possible and to avoid all MSG products in addition to a script (prescription).

This is where my research began of the foods in not only fast food but also in sit-down dining and grocery store products. It was important to know that labeling laws at this point had not caught up with the game of elusive labeling where MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) was also hidden under the names such as "spices" (that are undefined), "Autolyzed Yeast", and "flavorings," just to name a few. One of the best resources I used was the following website: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html.

Before my research was over I had discovered some things that amazed me. Did you know that the state of California uses MSG for growing its vegetables? Neither did I. I discovered purple onions in a Central Market from California that were so large that they would spill over the largest hamburger bun. This cannot be normal. This made me look long and hard at buying organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible (especially when the skins are consumed). I also discovered that the Ruby Tuesday chain's baked potatoes were treated with MSG to keep them from spoiling and to add more flavor (when they presented me with an allergen list before ordering!). Cantina Larado gets their chicken and beef in pre-marinated pouches that are loaded with MSG--so much for fresh Tex Mex, as the sign indicated.

You will find that most food chains do not like to discuss food prep...so avoid these as they are hiding their practiced use with the stuff. Most everyone will tell you MSG is a natural ingredient that is found in tomatoes, corn, and onions--which is true--but you would not eat a couple of bushels of it in a hamburger from your local favorite food chain if they did not put it in there! Too much of anything is going to have a negative effect.

I could go on and on about my discoveries and this would be longer than anyone would care to read. So moving along, I will tell you that I also discovered, not only from reading but by physical experience, that MSG affects the neurological system as well. It tricks the mind into thinking the food you are eating taste good, which enables a cost savings to the food industry, allowing them to forego real food products such as salt, onion, garlic, etc. And in turn, it also creates addiction so that you will consume more of the product. It is a win-win for the companies making money and a lose-lose for the consumer who has a rise in medical care cost and weight gain. Oh yes, the product will also mess up the body enough for you to gain weight. Remember, your liver and pancreas can only filter out so much. The rest is up to us. So before it was all over with, my nerves in my digestive track, hands, tongue, feet and face were subjected to pain.

Today, through getting back to food basics in cooking and only going to places that serve "real" food (this includes marinades to salad dressings made in their kitchens) I no longer am suffering from the nerve pain or the "Fibromyalgia". I am able to work out and hike like I used to. I sleep again, which is a major big plus for my health. I no longer take any medicines for the troubles that MSG caused me. But I will be on a prescription multivitamin indefinitely, due to the nerve damage it caused. I am grateful that Michelle Obama has made it her personal mission to monitor the food our children eat and the impact it is having on them. If the rest of us get on the same page, we can get back the quality of food that we once had in our grocery stores, and drive down the price of quality so that it is affordable to all American families.

Best wishes to all who are trying to better their diets. Below are some links that assisted me in my search for truth:

http://www.cascadewellnessclinic.com/sports/excitotoxins.shtml
http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm
http://www.3fatchicks.com/4-foods-commonly-containing-msg/ http://www.rense.com/general35/hidd.htm

Protect, Prevent, and Heal with OnGuard

I was already a fan of OnGuard essential oil when I learned about the study done at a hospital in Colorado. The hospital had very high rates of MRSA, which eventually resulted in many fewer patients admitting themselves. In desperation, the hospital allowed a study to be done using OnGuard essential oil. What is so exciting is that as ongoing studies continue to show, this blend of oils actually is effective against this scary and antibiotic-resistant illness!

Not only is it effective, but Jennifer Eddins, SM(ASCP) found that "using 3 drops of OnGuard in 32oz tap water in a spray bottle that was then sprayed and dried on surfaces made the MRSA organism not viable for 7 days." (Link) Seven days--after it has dried! When I first learned that it floored me. This is powerful stuff!

What's in it? Wild Orange, Clove bud, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary. It smells delightful, it even tastes good, and since it's pure, it doesn't cause any harmful effects. So it's even safe around (and on) kids--which is why we use it in our nursery at my church, instead of hand sanitizer, before our little children eat snacks. They love how it smells and I love that I don't have to worry about them ingesting any of it.

In addition to being effective against MRSA and an excellent disinfectant, studies are also showing that OnGuard is effective against the flu virus. "Despite antibiotics not being able to treat the influenza
virus, results show On Guard® Protective Blend reducing this virus by up to 90%." (See the article here, which details the procedures of the study--starting on page 4. And this article gets even more specific about OnGuard's effectiveness against influenza.) 

Like the author of this blog, we use OnGuard often in our home, because it also boosts immunity--which shouldn't be a surprise, since clove and cinnamon are some of the most powerful antioxidants. (Example: An ounce of clove oil has the antioxidant capacity of 120 quarts of blueberries. Source.)

How I use OnGuard:

• Applying it on the bottoms of my children's and my feet when we are sick, threatening to get sick, or have been around someone who is ill.
• Applying it on the neck when I feel a sore throat coming on, or behind the ears if they start to ache.
• Ingesting by putting a few drops in a capsule and swallowing it with water. I do this when I feel an illness coming on or just feel like my immune system needs a boost. (This usually nips the pending problem in the bud.)
• Weekly spraying it on surfaces around my home that need to be disinfected, such as doorknobs, banisters, counters, toilet handles, and garbage cans.
• Using it as a substitute for hand washing when needed.
• As an air freshener when needed.

All this and more, for only 13 cents per drop! (See cost comparison here.)

Comparison Cost of Essential Oils

Adding something new like essential oils to your healthy lifestyle can feel expensive at first, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Really, it's all about perspective. And if you have a small budget, like us, you can ease into it gradually by buying one bottle a month--or every other month. Once you realize how effective they are and are using them regularly, you'll use the oils up more quickly, of course. This had me a bit worried at one point, but a friend of mine pointed out that when your child is sick you spend at least a co-pay of $20, if not more. The doctor may or may not prescribe antibiotics--depending on what the illness is (and in our case it's normally a virus, so seeing a doctor isn't of much help)--which may or may not work. On the other hand, you could pay more or less $20 for a full bottle of an oil that would yield many doses and help in numerous ways. Of course, there is a place for antibiotics and you must use your own experience and common sense in deciding what needs to be done in any given situation. But in my family's and many others' experience, pure essential oils, like doTerra's, really do work to lower fevers, boost the immune system, ease pain, soothe, etc, etc. With no side effects.

So...for those just getting into this, exactly how expensive are essential oils?

I found a couple of breakdowns that were helpful to me and that I wanted to share with you:

Amber at doterrabyamber.com includes a complete list on her great blog, but here I will just include some of the most popular oils:

Cypress .07
Eucalyptus .06
Frankincense .28
Lavender .09
Lemon .04
Marjoram .08
Melaleuca .08
Oregano .08
Peppermint .07
Rosemary .06
Wild Orange .05
Wintergreen .07
Balance .08
Breathe .08

Citrus Bliss .05
Deep Blue .39 (10 ml)
DigestZen .13
OnGuard .13
Slim & Sassy .10

Most nights after my shower I like to use a drop of Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree) mixed in a few drops of fractionated coconut oil as a facial cleanser/moisturizer. This nourishes the skin, kills germs, and doesn't clog pores, and is the best thing I've ever found for my face. As you can see from the above list, my daily cost for this facial treatment is eight cents (plus a few drops of the coconut oil, which is even less expensive per drop). I dare you to find a facial astringent/moisturizer that inexpensive that works as well! :)

On that same website, is a very interesting comparison of the price of treatment with essential oils vs. the price of traditional western medicine.

Another website I found explains why it can be argued that essential oils are "Much, much, much cheaper than over the counter and prescription drugs." She tells a true story about how diarrhea in a young child was fixed using DigestZen when other (more expensive) remedies had no effect. (DigestZen has helped me several times when I've had indigestion, so I know personally that it works.) And the total cost for this last method? Twenty-six cents. 

The blog author continues by saying: "There are around 250 drops in a 15ml bottle. If you are using 2 drops per application, you can use that oil 125 times before it’s gone! Talk about cheap! And the BEST part is.. most essential oils have a 1-2 year shelf life and depending on the oil it could have a shelf life of 5 or more years!" (Frankincense, for example, while more expensive than many oils, has an indefinite shelf life and actually gets better with age.)

So, as with most things, this is all about perspective. And once you take everything into consideration, trying essential oils for yourself, I think you'll understand what all the hype and excitement are about!

Telogen Effluvium and on Being a Survivor

My hair now

I've jokingly told my kids they can call me "fuzzy head" and have wondered how many others around me have noticed my perpetual "bad hair days." I haven't let it bug me too much, trying instead to just focus on how grateful I am that it's growing back in. Although, some days I wish I had a shirt that says something like I'm a Pneumonia and Childbirth Survivor. Those who have been through grueling cases of one or both of these can empathize with me. The problem, in my case, was that I went through both within two months of each other. (I've written about this a few times here.)

My hair at about 6 months pregnant

During pregnancy, the rate of my hair growth increases (and it normally grows fast) and I lose very little, so I have great "pregnant hair"! But a few months after I have the baby, all that hair I retained begins falling out in clumps. It's always alarming, but I've learned that it's normal and I'll be okay. This last time, however, my hair started falling out within a couple months after my son was born, and a couple months later it still hadn't quit. In fact, my hair loss seemed to have accelerated, and I was truly beginning to feel frantic. About five months after the birth of my baby, my hair loss finally slowed down and I discovered "baby hairs" growing back in--all over my head. Thus, "fuzzy head." As I had lost a fourth to a third of my total hair volume, this discovery came as a great relief!

It wasn't until my mom happened to mention her hair loss last fall that I realized there might be a pneumonia connection, since she had also had pneumonia that summer (a month before I had it). So I decided to do some research and found out there is actually a scientific name for this condition: Telogen Effluvium. It "occurs when sudden or severe stress causes an increase in the shedding of the hair. In Telogen effluvium a sudden or stressful event can cause the hair follicles to prematurely stop growing and enter into a resting phase. The hair will then stay in the resting phase for about 3 months after which time a large amount of hair will be shed. (This other site says it may only take 1 month, which was closer to my case.) Often the person involved will have recovered from the event before the hair loss occurs. In most cases the hair loss is temporary and the hair soon recovers." (see this link for more information)

For me, this has felt anything but soon. It has now been a year since my baby was born and I have a long way to go to get back to the very long, fairly thick hair I had last year at this time (I had to keep having it cut shorter and shorter as it became thinner and thinner). At least my hair does grow fast and it is growing back.

Until then, I'll just keep remembering I'm a survivor.