Below are posts I’ve written to show you how you can strengthen your immune system in the comfort of your own home and without the OTC medication aisle at the grocery store.

1. Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend

2. Water Kefir, packed with probiotics

3. Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver Oil

4. Eliminating Processed and Refined Grains and Sugar

5. Natural Remedy for Sore Throat Relief

6. Elderberry Immune Boosting Syrup

There are a number of other products we use, but that’s another post in an of itself, but for those in need of kicking up their respiratory health, this is one of our go to syrups that we purchase from Natural Grocers, and is also available on Amazon. We also use essential oils quite a bit, and we know those greatly aid in keeping our immune systems strong, our air clean and our bodies functioning at optimal levels.

Nobody desires to be sick, but we need to be proactive in making sure our bodies are strong and able to attach and ward off viruses, germs, infections and strong enough to not be weakened so easily! Enjoy these easy and natural suggestions to giving your immune system that boost it needs so you can enjoy your winter!

We’re a super healthy family – but even this horrible symptom has makes it’s way into our home sometimes. This is not okay and I know that if you let them persist, it gets downright painful. You can’t eat, it hurts to swallow and sleep is interrupted.

So, I want to share with you a wonderful hot, soothing drink you can make when you feel a sore throat coming on.  I’ve been using this recipe for about 8 years now and I can’t help but rave about it.  Anytime I start feeling that scratchiness coming on – I will go make me a mug of this natural, home made remedy comprised of items easily found in the kitchen.  A couple hours later I’ll make it again – and that’s pretty much all it takes.  I can tell you that within 6-8 hours of first drinking the sore throat remedy, my sore throat is completely and utterly GONE. 

You know when you get that sore throat, then your nose runs like a sieve, then you’re coughing and the sore throat sticks around for 3-4 days.  It makes it difficult to sleep at night, you get the Rudolph nose from blowing your nose so much and every time you take a breath you cough.  Then after the runny nose decides to thicken up a bit, you’re blowing your nose every 30 seconds to get all that gunk out, and life can pretty much be miserable.  Well, when I do the drink, the sore throat is gone in just a few hours.  Then it seems to skip the never-stopping runny nose phase and just gets to the thicker stuff.  That’s it.  No coughing, no raw nose, no pain.  It’s wonderful. 

I know many people take OTC solutions, but I don’t like them.  They don’t go to the root of the problem and fix anything – they just suppress your symptoms.  Granted, you may get some sleep with the alcohol filled NyQuil, but your ‘cold’ is going to last a good 2 –3 weeks before you are noticeably better.  Why waste all that time being sick?  You don’t have to do that anymore.

I have shared this with family and friends and I’ve gotten rave reviews at how well it worked AND how quickly it worked!  Now, if you have something like bronchitis or strep throat, I can’t say it’s going to take away all those symptoms – that’s something different than a sore throat as a result of an oncoming cold.  But – it’s a wonderful NATURAL remedy that will help get to the root of the problem  when a sore throat from a seasonal cold arises.

NATURAL SORE THROAT REMEDY

What you’ll need:

– 8 ounces of boiling, filtered water

– 1 tablespoon of RAW honey

– 1 teaspoon cinnamon

– 1 teaspoon lemon juice

– 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or cayenne pepper

What you’ll do:

1. Mix all these together in a mug and enjoy while it’s hot.  I stir it before each sip I take, because if you don’t then all the cinnamon will goop up in the honey.  So, keep it stirred and sip while it’s warm, since the warmth is comforting to the scratchy throat.

What are the benefits of the ingredients?

Honey is just a great source of wonderfulness all the way around!  Honey is antibacterial and has antioxidant properties.  When eaten in RAW form  (unfiltered and unheated) it will possess many minerals, enzymes and vitamins that are great for the human body. 

Cinnamon is considered an ‘anti-microbial’ food, which means it has the ability to help stop the growth of bacterial and fungi.  It also is a warming spice, which is great for the winter months and for the body when a cold or the flu is trying to take root.  It is also said that cinnamon has antispasmodic effects, which can help mitigate the discomfort of a sore throat and any coughing that may occur.

Black pepper has antioxidant and antibacterial effects.  It is considered a diaphoretic, which promotes sweating.  This is good when there may be an infection present.  So the combination of cinnamon and pepper, both warming spices, are a great combo in this drink.

Lemon is another antibacterial food which helps when dealing with a health issue that can be caused by an infection. 

When you combine all these ingredients, the synergy they create in your body work at attacking the root of what is causing your sore throat in the first place.  I like the fact that these ingredients are safe for us and our children to consume.  Next time you get that scratchy feeling in your throat – don’t reach for an OTC that is harmful to you and won’t even fix the problem.  Go to your kitchen, grab these healthful ingredients and make this natural remedy that is sure to bring you relief.

At our home I also bring out the home made immune boosting tea!  I have herbs galore and can whip up a concoction for symptoms of a cold, coughing, runny nose, upset tummy and more!

It always makes me happy to know that I can use natural rememdies to treat myself and my family when these things come into our home! Next time you feel a sore throat coming on – try this immediately! You won’t regret it.

Do you have an at home, natural remedy you use for sore throats?

“The longer I live the less confidence I have in drugs and the greater is my confidence in the regulation and administration of diet and regimen.”

John Redman Coxe, 1800

Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System, Part 1 {Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend}

Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System, Part 2 {Water Kefir}

Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System, Part3 {Vitamin D and Cod Liver Oil}

Today we are going to talk about the wonderful health benefits of eliminating processed and refined grains and sugars. Not only is it a good choice in general – but it will help keep your immune system strong. These refined and overly-processed foods (if you can call them that) interfere with your body’s ability to function properly – so decreasing and even eliminating them will do you and your body a world of good.

Many people will see this as a losing fight, but believe me when I tell you it is possible. Without going into in depth detail today, I’ll give you the simple changes you can make to begin to decrease, then eliminate refined sugar from your diet.

When your body is constantly fed sugar and foods that turn into sugar in your body – it can weaken the immune system. It messes up your hormones, eats away at your gut and entire digestive system, messes with your brain, depletes your energy and wreaks havoc on your insulin levels and production. When your body’s immune system is already weak, feeding it sugar will only delay the healing process. If you or your children are showing signs of a cold, flu or any sickness – do not consume any sugar. Stay away from juices, sodas, pre-packaged foods, white rice and white flours, candy and anything else that contains refined and processed sugar.

Do I think that we should be avoiding all sugar? No. I do believe that there are many natural sources of sugar that are fine – even healthy – to consume. Of course, if you are someone who needs to keep away from all sugar (example: if you have candida), then by all means, then you should even avoid these types of sugar. There are always cases where people need to be on a complete sugar-free diet, yet for the average person, natural sources of sugar in moderation are okay.

Fruits contain naturally occurring sugar and we should all be getting 1-2 servings of fruit a day. I also find foods such as raw honey, molasses and maple syrup are wonderful additions to baked goods and meals as they are a good alternative to refined sugar and they provide wonderful health benefits as well. If you are needing a dry form of sugar in recipes, good alternatives are coconut or palm sugar, sucanat (unrefined sugar) or organic cane sugar.

To eliminate the bad sugars from your diet and from your child’s diet, begin by decreasing the amount of processed foods that are consumed. I would say it’s best to just stop eating processed foods – but it isn’t always that easy. If you begin replacing boxed and bagged items with fresh food – this is the easiest way to remove refined sugar from their diet. If you’re taking something away – you have to replace it with something or else resistance will take place and cravings will occur. Instead of snacking on chips or crackers, have a plate of fruits and veggies with cheese and nut butter for dipping.  Bananas sprinkled with cocoa powder and/or cinnamon are always good and a mini-smoothie is a great snack as well.

Stay away from white pasta and white rice, which turns into sugar once metabolized. Other choices are gluten-free pasta, veggie pasta, whole wheat pasta, quinoa pasta or brown rice pasta. For rice, wild rice or long grain brown rice is a better choice. When baking and using flour, nix the white, bleached flour and go for flours such as spelt, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, oat, rye or even coconut flour. Save the white or whole wheat white flours for those recipes that require a flour with certain gluten-levels. When choosing breads, definitely stay away from white breads and any breads that have too many extra ingredients. Also look for brands that DO NOT contain HFCS – High Fructose Corn Syrup. Sourdough is a great choice, or even sprouted grain bread (such as Ezekiel brand).

When it comes to treats, making your own is the best option. Buying prepackaged treats is one of the most unhealthy choices you can make. They are full of refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, soy by-products, synthetic ingredients and preservatives, food coloring and more! Making your own at home isn’t that time consuming and you can control what ingredients are going into your food. As stated above, use alternative sugar and flour choices. You may notice cookies seem a little more dense than when made with white flours and sugars, but they have such an amazing taste. I have no problem making soft, chewy and delicious cookies, moist cakes and creamy puddings and custards.

I need to add that you should also stay away from sugar substitutes. They are nothing short of toxic and should be avoided at all costs. Splenda, NutraSweet, Sweet ‘n Low – all these should be removed from your diet. If you need something to sweeten tea or lemonade, use raw honey, maple syrup or even organic cane sugar. It’s far more better for you than the substitutes. I’m not the hugest fan of stevia (and I explain why in this post), but occasional use is fine.

I strongly urge you and your children to stop drinking soda. This is a huge subject and one of debate, but believe me when I tell you that soda is toxic to your body in more ways than one. Fruit juice is another beverage I would cross of your grocery list. Unless you are drinking freshly squeezed or juiced fruits and vegetables, you should avoid fruit juice as much as you do soda – they are nothing but sugar and anything healthy in them is destroyed during pasteurization. Water is always the best replacement and we should all be drinking half of our body weight in ounces of water each day, but I know people like a change now and then. Alternatives would be sparkling water with freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice. You can also put slices of fresh fruit in your sparkling water for a refreshing citrus beverage. Adding mint and lemon juice to water is a nice change of pace. Juicing your own fruits and veggies is a wonderful addition to any day and at our home we also have water kefir which makes a nice alternative to sodas or juices.

Parents, your children, whether they are in elementary school, junior high or high school, should NEVER be drinking energy drinks. If you only knew how dangerous they were. Most labels don’t include the amount of caffeine in them, although they range from 50mg – 500mg. To give you an idea of how much that is, most sodas contain around 35mg a can, coffee can range from 80mg – 150mg. Most labels warn they are not to be consumed by those under the age of 18 – yet I see young kids running around with energy drinks in their hands way too often. Some labels warn you not to consume more than 3 per day – as a result of several deaths reported after consuming too many energy drinks in a short amount of time. I don’t think adults should be drinking these either – it’s like consuming 13 cans of soda at one time.

You now have four easy ways to help strengthen your immune system naturally. I promise you these work and are extremely effective. They are much safer than anything you can grab off the shelf at the store and instead of masking over the problem in your body – these natural ways will help build your body’s system back to a strong and healthy state. This is where we should all desire to be!

This is the furthest thing from the truth.

In the world of sweeteners, we have been taught for decades about the dangers of sugar. These claims are only partially right. Just as the USDA lumps all oils (good and bad) together and calls them bad, they do the same with sugar. We are told that all sugars are bad. Refined, unrefined, honey, maple syrup, molasses – all bad, so the solution is using man-made sweeteners (such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose aka Splenda, Sweet ‘n Low or those little yellow, blue and pink packets on the restaurant table) that are proving to be so harmful, that people’s lives are adversely affected by them. Some research is even pointing to these artificial substances crossing the blood-brain barrier, which leads to neurological issues. These have also been shown to be addictive.

One of the most recent additions to the sweetener category, although it has been around for quite some time, is Stevia. Stevia is a natural sweetener in the non-sugar category.  Stevia is not unhealthy, toxic or dangerous. In fact, Stevia comes from an herb from the Asteraceae (sunflower) family that is native to Paraguay, the Stevia plant.

What are the benefits of Stevia? According to the International Stevia Council, no Stevia crops are GMO, which is always a good thing. When Stevia, in any of it’s forms, is pure and unadulterated, they will not negatively affect blood sugar levels, since the body does not metabolize the glycosides. This makes it a good alternative for those with type 1 or 2 diabetes as well as those who have issues with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia or reactive hypoglycemia). Other advantages of Stevia, found through research and study, is that it can help lower elevated blood pressure, aids in weight loss or weight management, improved digestion, can lessen the desire for substances such as tobacco and alcoholic beverages and improvement in oral health when used in toothpaste or as a mouthwash.

As we can see, Stevia offers many healthy benefits, when found in quality form. Due to these wonderful findings, many people have abandoned all other sweeteners and have made Stevia their #1 go to for adding sweetness to their drinks and food. My thoughts on this? Although this wonderful herb, which can be up to 400 times sweeter than sugar, has great potential of replacing toxic, artificial sweeteners, I do not believe that it should become a person’s only option when it comes to using sweeteners, especially in baking and cooking. My reasons for this are simple. Stevia contains zero calories – which sounds great – and for the most part is more on the beneficial side. The issue arises when it comes to our bodies natural process of metabolizing and using the foods we eat. When our body receives something sweet, in the form fruit, honey, molasses, refined sugar – any form – it actually expects to receive energy from that source. Most of us realize that our body is all about energy. It’s how we function, so energy is vital, but so is where we get our energy from. When our body eats something sweet, it will expect energy if the form of sugars (the good, natural kind). When consuming zero-calorie sweeteners, you can find that your body will end up getting calories somewhere else. Also, unless you are getting the green powdered version of stevia aka Green Stevia (which means the leaves were dried and ground), then the form you are getting has been processed. As with anything that has been processed, the structure of the food/plant/herb has been altered and can issues in the body. Another issue that needs further study on my part, is the fact that Stevia was originally used as a contraceptive, not as a sweetener, so I need to find out more about those affects on the body and if it will cause fertility issues in men and women alike.

In conclusion, I think it’s a good alternative to use to sweeten drinks, but to use as a sugar substitute in baking, I’d stick with raw, unheated honey, molasses, maple syrup, sucanat (unrefined sugar cane), palm sugar or coconut sugar, and even in some cases, organic cane sugar. These will supply your body with energy along with the sweet and your body won’t look to get calories somewhere else. Besides when it comes to these natural sources of sugar, they provide an abundance of health benefits (if consumed in the rawest state you can find) and will be a good addition to your cabinet to replace white, refined and processed sugar. Again, if you are trying to conceive, I would suggest staying away from any form of Stevia in large amounts since it was originally used as a contraceptive. You don’t want any hassles in trying to become pregnant and even natural items (especially herbs) need to be avoided or used with caution. If you do use Stevia on a regular basis, use it in moderation and stick with the Green Stevia (powdered Stevia leaves) which are unprocessed and contain many health benefits.

Did you ever take time to research Stevia before you started using it or were you under the impression that it was a perfect food because it’s a herb and it has zero calories?

Today we are going to discuss Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver Oil. This is a controversial subject and you can get online and in books and magazines and read one conflicting view after another regarding the sun! Is it safe? Deadly? Toxic? Cancer causing? Very rarely do I read or hear anyone talking about what I’m touching on today and that is how the sun is LIFE giving. We are now living in a generation where people are literally scared of the sun. The thought of being exposed to any sun rays will send most people into a panic, running to get their spf 50+ sunblock, wide brimmed hats, long sleeve shirts and sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I know there are people with health issues that need to be aware of too much exposure – or else bad things happen immediately. Some RARE cases are reported where natural light is, indeed, toxic and deadly to some people who are lacking the proper make-up and design our skin and body have in order to benefit from the sun – not be harmed by it. There are people who have been diagnosed with melanoma or other skin cancers and are very careful for fear of getting skin cancer again. I would never make light of situations such as these where great wisdom is needed in maintaining a safe relationship with sun and natural light.

I’m going to talk about the average, everyday person who isn’t allergic to the sun, natural light or vitamin D. The person who played in the sun all the time when they were little, but have been told by doctors that due to their ‘fun in the sun’ in their earlier years, that they will most likely develop skin cancer. This is such a disservice of our medical community and now the entertainment industry, if you want my opinion on the matter. Every time I open a magazine there is a celebrity citing that sun exposure causes skin cancer, so they always make sure they never leave the house without applying sunscreen or wearing a hat. I understand there are times to do this, but to shield yourself from the sun all the time will only lead to sickness. It’s inevitable.

What exactly is Vitamin D3? It is the active form of vitamin D in our bodies. Vitamin D is widely known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ (no wonder I’ve always enjoyed being in the sun)! When we expose our skin to the sun (without sunscreen), the body absorbs the ultraviolet rays from the sun and it manufactures Vitamin D. It is then converted to it’s active form, Vitamin D3, and activated by enzymes created in the kidneys and liver. Once this activation occurs, then Vitamin D3 actually functions as a hormone. This is considered the most potent hormone in our bodies that serves literally hundreds of functions. Imagine the chaos it creates when you don’t have enough of this hormones in your body!

Why Vitamin D3? When vitamin D is activated, this is when it gets it’s job done and causes good things to happen in the human body (and even in animals). Taking synthetic forms of vitamin D will do you no good. Don’t waste your money!

Vitamin D is vital to our health for many reasons. One major benefit is cancer prevention. Through many studies, research is proving that individuals with lower levels of Vitamin D3 had higher incidence of developing certain cancers including acute Leukemia, esophagus cancer and pancreas cancer.

Another process vitamin D3 is needed for is strong and healthy bones. We all have heard that it’s calcium that makes your bones strong – but it’s more than that. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium in the foods you’re eating, through the intestinal wall. If you don’t have enough Vitamin D, you will fall short in calcium levels. When this happens, your body will pull calcium from your bones to help raise those blood calcium levels – therefore causing your bones to become weak a.k.a osteoporosis. Considering calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body – we should take note of this and make sure we are maintaining proper levels of calcium and proper sun exposure is needed for that.

Vitamin D3 is also necessary for a strong immune system. Vitamin D3 plays a huge role when it comes to your T-cells (which help prevent prolonged inflammation). They actually have vitamin D3 receptors, but when you are low in this vitamin, those T-cells will actually call on other immune cells to attack any inflammation going on. Therefore, your immune system will begin to weaken. Can you see why in the winter months where we do not get as much sun exposure and we’re surrounded by sick people – why it is easier for you to become sick as well? Your immune system is weak and doesn’t have enough forces to fight off the enemy and invaders getting into your body. During these months, I do recommend taking a Vitamin D3 supplement ALONG WITH a fat, such as Cod Liver Oil. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so it will absorb better taken with a fat. Cod Liver Oil has amazing heath benefits as well, containing elongated omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA as well as Vitamin K and Vitamin D.

Now that we know why it’s vital to have enough Vitamin D3 in your body, how much do you need? The opinions on this vary, but I do find that most doctors, not realizing the importance of this hormone, do not suggest high enough doses. Factors you should consider when taking Vitamin D3 are how much sun exposure you normally get, the color of your skin (darker skin needs more), if you’re male or female, child or adult, and weight.

In general, optimum doses of Vitamin D3 range from around 4,000IU – 15,000IU per day. IU stands for International Units. I believe most people are deficient of this important vitamin/hormone and would recommend starting off with a dose leaning towards the higher amount per day. When I take VD3, I usually take around 6,000IU – 8,000IU per day with Cod Liver Oil. I normally will give my kids around 2,000IU per day along with Cod Liver Oil. We also spend a good amount of time outside, in the sun, without protection. Don’t be scared of overdosing on this (be smart). Studies in the past showing the dangers of too much Vitamin D were studies on synthetic forms such as Vitamin D2. In my opinion, anything synthetic, especially when taken in excessive amounts, is toxic to the body.

You will find that when you are supplying your body with this VITAL vitamin/hormone along with Cod Liver Oil, incidence of colds, sickness, the flu – will all be less than you’re used to! We follow these guidelines and we rarely have any of this occurring in our home. Sometimes my kids will get a runny nose in the winter season, but they never are sick, have the flu or get viral or bacterial infections. When we do see symptoms of a weak immune system, we do some preventative care and double up on Elderberry Syrup, give them the Immune Strengthening Herbal Tea Blend and I make sure they get outside in the sun and take their Vitamin D3 and Cod Liver Oil. Usually within a day, they are back to good health!

All in all, get out in the sun as much as you can, especially during the winter seasons. Fifteen to twenty minutes a day of sunshine (with arms, legs, face, shoulders and/or back exposed), without sunscreen, will do your body good! Many regions are lacking in the sunshine department during this season, so supplements are a definite must. If you find you spend most of your time inside due to your work and extra activities, then you’ll need to boost those levels up on your own!

What a wonderful way to keep your immune system strong – spend time outside in the fresh air and sunshine! Add some Cod Liver Oil and your body is on its way to a healthier season!

Probiotics plays an important part of a healthy body. Our gut and digestive system rely on a healthy flora balance in the body to not only function properly, but to keep your immune response strong, on the ball and ready to fight! Unfortunately the revelation of probiotics is still very new to the medical community and hasn’t been fully embraced by mainstream medicine yet. But, for those of us who are into traditional and real foods and natural methods of health care, probiotics are a part of our daily routine. We’ve seen amazing results and cannot doubt the powerful health benefits of these amazing live cultures!

What exactly is water kefir?

Water Kefir is an amazing probiotic-rich beverage made using kefir grains, water (I use spring water) and sugar (I use organic cane sugar). Kefir grains are not actually grains (wheat, spelt, rye, etc.). They look like little crystal rocks and have a soft, rubbery consistency. Water kefir is sweet tasting and depending on the type of sugar you use, will be a little bubbly or fizzy. Definitely not as much as soda, but enough to make it a refreshing drink.

You can also use coconut water or juice to make water kefir. When using regular water, sources say the best kind to use is clean well water or spring water due to the fact that those still contain traces of healthy minerals. They also say it’s not best to use water filtered using a carbon activated filter. You can use coconut water and I would suggest to use RAW if you can get it at your local health food store. When using juice (instead of sugar water), it will be a much sweeter beverage and will also contain more carbonation.

Flavoring your water kefir can be done in a variety of ways. Once you are done fermenting the grains in the sugar water, remove the grains (then begin making a new batch with those), then add some fresh fruit to the water kefir, allow to sit on the counter for 24-48 hours until you see it bubbling, then store it in fridge. I’ve heard of people using lemon juice, freshly squeezed juice or organic juice concentrate to flavor theirs and I personally like to use fresh mint from my garden to make this wonderful, minty, slightly fizzy beverage!

The strains of probiotics found in water kefir grains vary depending on the batch of grains you have, but they are many. You can view this link to see what strains of healthy bacteria can be found in water kefir.

To sum it up, it’s a wonderful beverage you can add to your daily routine that will give your body a good boost of probiotics that will help build up your immune response and keep foreign invaders from wreaking havoc in your system. Perfect addition for the days ahead of kids in school and cooler weather on the way!

If you don’t already have water kefir grains, you’ll have to order some online or if you know anyone who already makes this, you can see if they would like to share some with you. The great thing about kefir grains, is that if you take care of them properly, they will last indefinitely. It ends up being such an inexpensive supplement for your family to consume daily.

Probiotic Rich Water Kefir

What You’ll Need:

3 tablespoons hydrated water kefir grains

1 quart of spring water

1/4 cup – 1/3 cup organic cane sugar

1 glass quart jar, sterilized

plastic strainer

coffee filter

What You’ll Do:

1. Place sugar in jar and pour about 1/2-1 cup of water, which has been boiled, into the jar.

2. Swirl the jar around until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Once sugar is dissolved, fill the rest of the jar with the remaining water, cold or room temperature.

4. Next you will add the water kefir grains, but you must make sure that the water isn’t hot.  Hot water will kill the grains. The water should be room temperature or cool to touch. So, when the water is at the right temp, add the grains. Also note that cold, cold water will rest the grains, so you want a good cool/room temp water to proceed.

5. Using a coffee filter, place on top of the jar and using just the metal ring, secure the coffee filter on the jar. Do not seal with the metal lid. You need the airflow, so the coffee filter will allow this to take place without bugs and other debris getting in.

6. Allow the jar to sit on the counter or in the pantry for 24-48 hours. Sometimes I even let it go 72 hours.

7. After the fermenting process is over, strain the water kefir into another glass container, using a plastic strainer to strain the grains out. If you want to further strain the water kefir, you can place a coffee filter in the strainer and pour the water kefir through this. It will take a little longer, but you will end up with a clear and clean beverage.

8. Flavor your water kefir with fresh fruit, lemon juice, fresh juice or even fresh mint leaves. There are many options for this, depending on what you like.

9. Refrigerate* water kefir and enjoy!

10. If you are making a new batch, repeat the process. If you want to rest the grains, simply prepare as normal, but add the lid and metal ring when finished and place in the refrigerator. Depending on how long you will be resting the grains, you’ll need to put the grains in fresh sugar water every 14 days so the grains don’t starve.

* If you are using fresh juice to flavor your water kefir, you’ll actually put the lid and ring on and allow to sit on counter a few days more for carbonation to appear.

Cultures for Health is my go-to website for all things water kefir! Use the links below to find more detailed info on this amazing beverage. You can also learn about dairy kefir, which is another pro-biotic rich beverage!

To learn more about flavoring water kefir, click here.

For a video tutorial from Cultures of Health on how to prepare water kefir, click here.

For more in depth instructions o how to prepare water kefir, click here.

Don’t get me wrong, we should be proactive year round, but during the summer we’re outside more getting fresh air, we’re getting loaded with Vitamin D, getting more sleep and getting more exercise. With school back in session, our children are sitting in air conditioned schools, windows closed, anti-bacterial soap flowing down the halls, little outside time, little exercise and lots of germs.

Germs.

That one word freaks a lot of people out. This is why anti-bacterial soap is a multi-million dollar business. Think about it, though…if it really worked, why are schools filled with scores of sick kids and teachers all the time? I’m not an advocate of this ‘miracle’ germ cure. Not only does it kill bad bacteria – but it kills good bacteria as well, making you and your children more susceptible to germs, viruses and infections. Good ole hand soap and water works just fine. In fact, when my kids were in public school, they would opt out of using anti-bacterial soap. We always let the teachers know before school started that we preffered them to use soap and water. They literally stand at the door as kids come in from recess and squirt that dangerous and hormone disrupting junk on the students hands. Not good. But our teachers were always awesome about it and never gave her a hard time, or me for that matter, for choosing to do things different.

It’s not bad hygiene that’s an issue (although it may contribute to some children’s constant sickness). It’s the internal health of the person. This is what will determine if sickness occurs or not.

Plain and simple: we need to boost our the immune systems of our children and ourselves as we get back into the school routine. We will all be surrounded by more germs, viruses and infections and our bodies will need the extra boost to keep the immune system strong and ready to fight any foreign invaders that enter the body!

There are many ways we can aid our immune system in remaining strong throughout the year, especially the school year and winter season that I will be going over. These include probiotics, vitamin D3 and cod liver oil, adequate water intake, exercise and more.

Today I am sharing with you a recipe I have been making for over 2 years now that helps boost our immune system. It is power packed with herbs that highly benefit the body and reinforce our immune defense. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather be proactive, daily taking care of my body and my child’s body to keep sickness from taking root, than having to do all I can to bring health back where sickness came in and took over.

This recipe is easy, quick and yields approximately 8 full strength servings (adults) and 16 half strength/diluted servings (children). I am fortunate to be able to purchase all these herbs in bulk from a local apothecary here in Colorado. If you aren’t in to making teas yourself and don’t want to order bulk herbs – you can also order the Immune Boosting Herbal Tea Blend from my Etsy shop – Glowing Mama. Each bag contains 8 adult servings or 16 youth servings. Each adult serving is 1 tablespoon of the herbal tea blend for 8 ounces of water.

It’s a great addition to your daily routine to help keep the immune system strong and functioning at optimum levels! This blend can be served hot or iced. It is always best to get organically grown herbs when buying in bulk, but if it’s not possible, get what is available to you. The other option is to grow what you can as well! That’s always an added plus and you know exactly how it is grown from seed to completion.

Immune Booster Herbal Tea Blend

Here’s What You’ll Need:

3 tablespoons dried Elderberries

3 tablespoons dried Rosehips

3 tablespoons dried Peppermint (use in adult blends) or 3 tablespoons dried Catnip (for youth blends)

4 teaspoons dried Lavender

2 teaspoons dried Sage

2 teaspoons dried Hibiscus

1 teaspoon dried cut Ginger

1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme

Here’s What You’ll Do:

1. Thoroughly combine all herbs in a large jar or large bowl.

2.  Store in a sealed container (glass is best), but a sealed bag or other container will work.

3. Keep in a dark, cool place – such as the pantry.

4. To use, in a glass jar steep 1 tablespoon (for adults, 1/2 tbsp children) of herbal blend in 8 ounces of boiling, filtered water. For a tea, steep for anywhere from 3-8 minutes. For a stronger more potent beverage, you can make an infusion by steeping for around 20-30 minutes. You can place loose herbs in a muslin tea bag, tea ball or leave them loose in the jar.

5. When steeping is done, remove bag, ball or strain the herbs using a find mesh strainer.

6. Add RAW honey to sweeten and enjoy! ***

*** Adults can drink this directly after steeping. If making for children 12 and under, fill cup half way with tea/infusion, then add RAW honey, then add water to fill the rest of the cup.

Here’s to a healthy and happy season!

Your immune system needs your help in staying strong.So, when I started giving my kids syrup a couple years ago, I realized that the cost to do this was quite a bit.  Obviously my kids are worth it, but being the person I am, (you can read about that here) I figured that there had to be a way to make the syrup myself – and the search began.  After a long hunting process through books and websites and comparing and researching ingredients – I found one that I thought would work good.   After a few batches, I decided to get creative and make my own version…a more power-packed version.  It works amazing.  It tastes amazing.  My kids have no problem taking it daily, September through March!  If you find that your kids (or you) think the syrup is really sweet, dilute it in a couple teaspoons of water!

Below is the basic recipe that I started with.  This is a good base to start with and I believe it’s a good formula to use with you or your children.   The only reason I am not posting my specific recipe is because when working with herbs you always needs to take precautions and use wisdom.   I took time to test different herbs with my kids to see how they react to them and to see what works for them and what doesn’t.  I can’t say that your kids would or wouldn’t have issues with the various herbs I used – so I’m keeping it simple for you guys!

This syrup (recipe below), once made, can be refrigerated for up to around 3 months – but if used daily or even just 5 days a week, it probably won’t stay sitting in the fridge that long anyway.

If you aren’t looking forward to tracking down all the ingredients, you can buy our DIY Elderberry Immune Strengthening Syrup Kits from our Etsy Shop!

{This photo shows a shot of the simmering process.}

{Straining the syrup through cheesecloth.  It takes some time to make sure you get all the good stuff out.  When it’s done dripping, you squeeze the bunch of herbs, still in the cheesecloth, to get the remaining syrup out.  You have to squeeze quite a bit – don’t want to waste any of it!}

What are the benefits of the Elderberry?  It is a wonderful antioxidant for our bodies!  There are these things called bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice of the Elderberry that have been shown to destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect the cells in your body.  Other benefits of the Elderberry are it’s ability to help lower cholesterol, improve heart health, improve vision, boost the immune system, help fight bacterial and viral infection as well as tonsillitis.  This herb is just amazing and is wonderful at stimulating the body’s immune system!

What are the benefits of Rose Hips? These little reddish pink morsels of nutrient packed goodness are extremely rich in vitamin C! In fact, they contain 50% more vitamin C than oranges.  It also contains vitamin A which helps in preventing bacterial and viral infections.

What are the benefits of Echinacea? Echinacea purpurea stimulates the overall activity of our cells that are responsible for fighting various types of infections.  Echinacea actually makes our present immune cells more efficient at attaching bacteria, abnormal cells, viruses and even cancer cells, unlike antibiotics which directly attack the bacteria.  One cool fact about this amazing herb is that it actually increases the number and activity of our immune system cells including anti-tumor cells.  It also promotes T-cell activation and stimulates new tissue growth for wound healing and reduces inflammation in inflammatory skin conditions as well as arthritis.

What are the benefits of Ginger Root?  Among it’s many benefits for traveling, nausea and digestive issues, Ginger Root is anti-viral and a great warming cold and flu remedy.  This is an amazing supplement to add to any immune booster recipe.

What are the benefits of Cinnamon?  Again, this is another spice that has amazing health benefits in many different areas of one’s physical body.  In relation to colds and flus, Cinnamon is a warming spice great for colds, which helps stimulate circulation, especially to the fingers and toes.  It can also help with aching muscles and other symptoms related to viral conditions of colds and the flu.

What are the benefits of Astragalus?  This funky named item is a perennial plant that is a part of the pea family.  This little plant does an amazing job at restoring activity to a suppressed immune system, meaning it’s a great immune enhancer!  Unlike Echinacea, which is considered more fast acting, Astragalus builds and strengthens your immune system over time – helping build a resistance to disease, sickness and illness.

What are the benefits of RAW honey?  The list of benefits for this wonderful creation is long and extensive, so let me sum it up.  RAW honey (and by RAW, I mean truly, really, absolutely RAW) has amazing health benefits due to the fact that it is unheated, unfiltered and unpasteurized.  RAW honey contains healthful enzymes, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and carbohydrates!   Since it has a high enzyme count – it’s great for the digestive system and it’s also known to help seasonal allergies, when consumed consistently.  RAW honey is not liquid, it is more of a creamy consistency, usually more of an off white color to light yellowish (all depending on the bees and flowers involved).  Many people are scared to eat honey because it’s a sugar – but no fear.  Unlike refined and processed sugar, honey is a single chain sugar which means your body digests it very easily and it doesn’t throw any of your hormones out of whack when you consume it!  RAW honey is wonderfully healthy and I’m a huge advocate of consuming it!

Elderberry Immune Booster Syrup

• 1/4 cup dried Elderberries
• 2 tbsp dried Rose Hips
• 2 tbsp dried Echinacea (I only add every other batch)
• 3/4 tsp dried Cut Ginger Root
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Astragalus stick
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1/2 cup RAW honey *

* if you are making this syrup for a child under the age of 1 and need to stay away from using honey, you can use an alternative sweetener, such as organic maple syrup, coconut sugar, palm sugar or sucanat.  When using a ‘dry’ sweetener, you need to use 1 cup of the dry to substitute the 1/2 cup RAW honey.  Add dry sweetener to the hot liquid, when done simmering, bring to a boil and stir until dissolved.  Cool completely before refrigerating.

Instructions for syrup using honey…

Combine the elderberries, rose hips, ginger root, Echinacea (if you are using it), the cinnamon stick and the astragalus into a medium size sauce pan.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until the liquid is reduced (by at least half).

While herbs are simmering, prepare a bowl with a large mesh strainer over it.  Cover the strainer with cheesecloth (doubled up) and press into the shape of the strainer.  Slowly pour the contents from the saucepan into the strainer and allow the syrup to drip into the bowl.  This may take a while – be patient.  After you see the dripping has stopped, press the mixture with a spoon or spatula to squeeze out remaining juice.  Once that has stopped, I like to pull up the sides of the cheesecloth and squeeze and twist with your hands (wearing plastic food gloves of course)!  I try to get the last drops out this way!

Allow this syrup to completely cool, then add the RAW honey and blend thoroughly.  You want to make sure you take the time to cool the liquid.  Adding the RAW honey to hot liquid will destroy the beneficial enzymes that RAW honey contains.  Once syrup and honey are blended, pour into a glass jar and refrigerate.

To Use:
Adults take 1-4 teaspoons per day, as needed
Children take 1-2 teaspoons per day, as needed

* CAUTIONS:
  – Do not use Rose Hips if you are taking blood thinners.
  – Do not use Echinacea if you  are allergic to ragweed.
  – Do not use Echinacea in every batch, your body can become immune to it’s benefits.

DISCLAIMER:

*Please be aware that I am not a medical doctor and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  These thoughts are formulated by my personal research and personal opinions.  Always consult your physician before starting any new eating or exercise program.

I’ve been on the road, full-time, for two weeks. That’s 14 days. I’ve never been away from home this long at one time, so it seems like such a long time. But, then to think that we have 50 more weeks to go – it seems like I’m on a road that is taking forever to reach it’s end.

So, have I adjusted to living in a 450 square feet 5th wheel with my family, pug and chicken? I guess I’m as adjusted as I can get. We finally have somewhat of a routine down, but I’m sure that will be ever changing as the days and weeks continue.

The reality is, it feels like a really long vacation so far. It feels like I will be heading home soon to my home, my bed, my shower, my chickens. We’ve been lounging around, relaxing and enjoying the AMAZING weather and nice people. We don’t have a bedtime (yay for summer vacation and no school), we can sleep in (not that I do, but the family does), I can read a book anytime during the day, walk down to the river for a while, or hop in the truck and go visit ghost towns and tucked away fishing spots.

Isn’t that what a vacation is like. So, I should be heading home soon. Maybe I’ll ride my cool bike.

But, even though the first part of that is true, the second part is not. Maybe as time goes on, the reality will hit a little harder. Maybe I’ll miss home a little more. Maybe once this feels more like our  “new routine”, I’ll either wave goodbye to the old way of life back home, or I’ll miss it even more. Nobody really knows. Not even me, and I typically like to have my life planned out in detail, six months out.

To get a visual view of how our first two weeks have been, enjoy the photos below! The only thing we didn’t get pictures of was our time we served at the Boise Rescue Mission! We served dinner for men in their downtown location. The first rescue mission on our list, of what we hope will be many! Until next time!

xo Kari

This day was the day my family set out on a 52 week road trip to visit the lower 48 states.

This day was the day a new season started for me and my family.

The idea was presented to me almost a year ago. My husband. Oh, my husband can come up with some crazy stuff. But this breaks the mold, even for him. Now, to his credit, for years he’s always talked about how cool it would be to take the Jeep and travel across the United States.  The Jeep. A four-seater. Traveling all over the country, with 4 people and a dog.

Yea, that’s not gonna happen.

Then he brings up a year long road trip. With a 5th wheel. Plenty of room for the family. And the dog. And a chicken.

Yes, I said a chicken.

So, we prepped. We planned. We laughed at ourselves. We broke the news to our families. We got excited. We argued a bit. We purchased a 5th wheel. We purchased an F450. Those last two items made it real.

Then we had to get down to business. We had to find someone who was willing to live in our home for a year and watch our flock of 20 chickens. Haha! That sounds easy. Then my husband had to quit his job. A job he’s been at for 16 years. A job he had gone far in – an accomplishment I am so proud of him for.

But his time there was done. He lost his excitement for work. He was tired. He became somewhat…boring. These all are signs that it might be time to move on. And that he did. His last day was March 31, 2018 and we haven’t looked back.

The months leading up to our departure date were packed. I never realized how much would go into something like this. I mean, I knew there would be a lot to do, but the details that nobody thinks of, I had to think of. I had sticky notes, calendars, to-do lists. Every time something popped into my head, I jotted it down wherever I could. And you know, I did pretty good, if I do say so myself!

I had to pack for four people, for four seasons, in a 40′ 5th wheel! Daily living items. Items not always used, but needed. Supplies for the pets. Appliances for a smaller kitchen. Winter gear. Summer gear. Bikes. You name it. And we made it happen and only forgot a couple items. Not bad at all!

So, now, this next year I am living on the road. Each week in a new state. Many times, several cities in one week. It’s busy. It’s a lot of driving, moving and setting up house several times a week. It’s learning how to live in close proximity with the people I love the most. It’s learning how to travel, successfully, with a dog and a chicken. It’s learning how to maneuver through my day in a smaller amount of square footage than I have the past 4 years in our 4,980 sq ft home. It’s learning how to find a new routine. It’s learning how to live a year without seeing, touching or being with my chickens. It’s celebrating holidays and special occasions without our families. It’s discovering, once again, the art of relaxing. It’s being intentional with my family and the time we have to explore this great country. It’s taking time to be still. To think. To listen. To just be.

Hopefully you’ll join me on this journey over this next year as I document our time on the road and the new way of life we will create. Some things won’t change – like my desire to keep my family healthy (lots of hiking, biking and eating healthy) and sharing with everyone how we go about doing that. I also will continue to enjoy cooking and baking, just on a different level. Less counter space. Smaller oven. Small refrigerator.

Although, this hasn’t stopped me from making homemade chocolate chip cookies already! Some things you can always find a way to do them!

So, here we go. It will be interesting to look back in a year to see what has changed. To see how I’ve changed. I can only pray that it will be for the better, with a more clear picture of what I am suppose to do once we return. Until then, I will enjoy my modern day gypzee life and all that it brings with it!

You can join the family over at www.epoch48.com as we update our family happenings, while this will be my personal journal and thoughts throughout this adventure!

May you find inspiration over this next year to step out and do something crazy in your own life! It will be worth it.

Until next time,

Live Beautiful!