Monday, July 30, 2012

Natural Health and Healing Course

Natural Health and Healing Course


Kerissa Taylor


The purpose of this course is to begin a hands on education for all interested in taking care of their body in a natural way that supports the bodies innate ability to heal itself, and to make easy, rewarding lifestyle changes to have a better quality of life.


Broken down into 3, 6 week segments, it will go as follows:





  • Whole Foods





    • In this segment the learner will be introduced to a whole foods diet. Learning why it is important to feed the body natural foods in their most natural form. The learner will learn different techniques to get the most value out of their foods, while making them exceptionally tasty. Proper food combining will be introduced, how different foods effect the body, and what foods will support the different bodily functions.






  • Herbal Prep.





    • In this segment the learner will begin his/her education on the medicinal and healing qualities of herbs. They will do hands on preparations such as fomentation's, poultices , ointments, etc. The learner will also create an understanding of herb identification, what effect they have on the body and other natural remedies that can be used along with the herbal preparations.






  • Essential Oils





    • In this segment the learner will focus on the healing qualities of essential oils and how they work within the body. Practical application for every day use will be a part of the focus along with the treatment of common illnesses and discomforts of the body. An introduction to reflexology will be given in reference to applying the oils on the body. The learner will also participate in making mister sprays, body oils/lotions, perfumes, lip balms, soaps, and other blends appropriate to specific needs.






The cost will be $10.00 per class. Payments can be made either in one payment of $180.00 or $40.00 every 4 weeks.


This class is offered to anyone ages 12 and up. Starting on January 8, 2013, this class will be held weekly on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm.


Please contact Kerissa Taylor to register ;


hiabundance@gmail.com


435.224.4593

FRESH Peach Cobler

Last week I bought 44 pounds of fresh, locally grown peaches. They were SO delicious! We have been eating them like crazy and I froze 5 gallons of them.

Last night I made a successful cobbler using spelt flour, turbinado and almond milk. My kind of food!

 

  • about 4 cups of peaches

  • 3/4  cup turbinado ( I used 1 cup last night and it was too sweet for me so I decreased it here..)

  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • cinnamon and nutmeg to taste


First you cut your peaches ( leaving skins on) into the size of pieces you want. ( I used about 10 peaches, they were a bit small, but do it according to how many peaches you like - I like mine loaded!) Then I poured the sugar, lemon and cinnamon over it and let them sit in a bowl.

  • 1 cup spelt flour

  • 1 cup almond milk

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 tbsp. baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1/3 cup coconut oil/ butter


Preheat the oven to 375. Put the oil in the dish and place in the oven until melted. Stir all the ingredients together and pour into the baking dish over the butter.

Put your peach mixture into a sauce pan and warm until all the ingredients are mixed and the turbinado is melted. Pour into  baking dish over the batter. Bake in the oven for approximately 40 min. Let stand for 5-10 min before serving.



The edges are so good and crunchy, kind of caramelizing because of the molasses in the turbinado - so heavenly!

 


 

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Stand aside bug!

Last Sunday, I woke up with an odd feeling of a stuffy nose. With it being summer and dry, a bit of mucus in the morning is kind of a normal thing for me. I had had a lot of junk food over the weekend with family party - pizza, chocolate, cookies..... a recipe for not feeling good anyway. But then the sneezing started - ugh! My brother in law had been sick the last week with a summer cold that knocked him for a loop, and I felt as the morning continued, I was the next victim. Now keep in mind that I RARELY get sick - if ever. I attribute this to my natural lifestyle; whole foods diet, use of herbs and essential oils and avoiding medications. So for something to start coming on, and for how strong it was hitting me, I just knew it HAD to be something nasty!

So I began using my oils right away  and made a Lemon Infection Fighting Drink- Kid's Wellness on my feet every 15 minutes (normally I would have used Defense blend, with being pregnant, Kid's Wellness is the best choice and works wonderfully!) I also did a Tea Tree lick off the back of my hand, alternating with the KW, or at the same time. Whatever my body told me to do I did it! I also had my major fruit for breakfast and avoided anything that wasn't produce for the rest of the day.

One thing I was missing on this day was my White Dragon plant concentrate. I had loaned it to my brother in law, who after taking it for one day was clear of his cold. How I wanted it! The whole day continued with a runny nose and lots of sneezing. Other than that I felt normal :)

Before I went to bed that night, I made sure to rinse my sinus' out with a mixture of baking soda, a touch of salt, warm water and a couple drops of Tea Tree eo. It stung a bit, but I was grateful to know to do it!

Next morning the cold was mostly gone from my sinuses but had settled in my chest, and it was my daughter's 7th birthday. I began the day with a Liver Cleanse, rinsing my sinus' out,  and continued with the KW and the Tea Tree lick. I drank lots of water and stuck with my clean eating. I also used a honey cough syrup to soothe my throat and chest, it is made as follows -



  • 1 tsp. Honey

  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne

  • 1 minced garlic


Mix that up and swallow. You don't drink anything after taking it so the honey can coat the throat and the Cayenne and garlic can go to work. This is a GREAT remedy for strep throat. Garlic has powerful anit-bacterial properties. It kills the bad stuff and protects the beneficial bacteria so crucial to our immune system and gut health.

This was a nasty bug, and I wasn't about to let it get the best of me.

I rested most of the day, feeling a lot of mucus build up but felt fine other than my aching hips! I ached most of the day, pain killers suppress the immune system so I avoided taking any, trusting my body to work hard to rid itself of whatever was ailing it. When my husband came home, he told me I was fevering. I didn't recognize it because I just felt hot, and my normal for a fever is to feel cold.... but there was those aching hips :) Had I consciously realized I had a fever, this is what I would have done to support this natural defense and cleansing process of the body;

  • taken a hot, hot bath

  • drank lots of very warm Red Raspberry tea ( which I had also loaned to my brother in law...lol)

  • done the cold sheet treatment


My daughter was happy to have watermelon instead of birthday cake, so we went ahead with her party. I got my White Dragon plant concentrate back, took it and enjoyed myself.

I was feeling SO much better!

The next morning, I felt my normal self! No aches and pains, no sharp pains in chest and I could breathe easily through my nose. I used the White Dragon 2 more times to be on the safe side and have felt great since.

Moral of this story is -

  • You are most susceptible to getting a cold when you eat mucus forming foods (dairy, anything processed, chocolate, eggs, refined sugar and flour)

  • That cold doesn't have to be the end of you for days and days

  • supporting the body in it's natural defenses is the best choice to heal your body quickest

  • make sure when you loan stuff out to others, that you still have some at home in case you need it so you don't have to wait to use it!

  • LISTEN to what your body tells you  - it knows what it needs more than anyone else, including you!

  • Attack harder than whatever is attacking you with a variety of firepower!

  • If I wasn't pregnant, I would have used Defense instead of Kid's Wellness and Spice of Life in this case because of how hard it was hitting me.

  • Sickness can leave just as quickly as it comes!


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Why I did it!

I hope you enjoyed my first post - Miss Balloon Hand! This is the follow up post describing why I used the methods I did to help my daughter, and why I would choose that any day over the doctor! If you haven't already read it, please go back and read it before continuing on here :)

Before I get started into what I did and why, I want to go a bit into detail as to why I choose healing at home vs. going to the doctor.

Remember, doctors have their place in my life. There are a lot of good ones out there, my philosophy is, they are taught imperfect strategies and only really know how to treat symptoms rather than the problem itself. Nothing personal to them, but to their training. As Dr. Robert Mendhelson explains it - "They are trained out of common sense"

The pharmaceuticals these days are 62% more likely to kill you compared to the use of supplements. What chances are you willing to take? The idea of spending money to go to a doctor and have a prescription that is potentially more dangerous than the spider bite she had is not one I consider practical. Especially when having the knowledge to take care of it at home. I believe in doing everything you can at home to take care of any "dis-ease" in the body, and using modern medicine as a last resort.

With an allergic reaction to an insect bite, you are most likely going to receive an anti-histamine or steroid. Yes they work quickly and effectively to relieve the symptoms of the issue, but do nothing to fight the poison that can remain in the body for some time, slowing the bodies ability to rid itself of it on it's own. Depending on the severity, for this anti-biotics are usually introduced - and we are all aware of how damaging these can be to our bodies. Killing not only the bad bacteria, but every bacteria cell in the body, even the ones we need for good immune strength and digestion.

Anti-histamines stop the immune response caused in an allergic reaction. Natural methods calm the immune response, while strengthening the immune system for when it is really needed. There are long term side effects to using anti-histamines, even ones considered safe like Benadryl; Depression, impairment of thinking,infertility in women, low libido, anxiety, altered taste and smell, and increased appetite.

Steroids might not seem to have any ill effects, until you are older. In children, the use of steroids creates adult asthma, which usually results in more steroids to take care of short term problems but causing the asthma to worsen over time. An unfortunate cycle. Other long-term effects are ; decreased growth rate in kids, increased chance of cataracts, osteoporosis and diabetes.

My dad was on a steroid  - Prednizone - for a few years for lung issues, causing him excessive weight gain, increased asthma and other health issues he had not experienced before. He has since done herbal cleansing, implemented daily essential oil use, adopted a clean whole foods lifestyle and is off of most his medications, including 6 anti-depressants, blood pressure meds. and more. He has never breathed easier in his life.

Prescription medications also are harmful to the liver, which in a case like this, or any other illness, is working hard to relieve the body of harmful waste and toxins. Unfortunately, filling it with synthetic drugs only inhibits it's ability to function.

Then you have the probability that you can have an adverse reaction to whatever they give you for the initial reason you went it.......Bottom line is the risks are more than I am willing to take.

  • Easy Clean Diet - Fruits, water and vegetables are not only the healthiest things you can put into your body, but are also the easiest for your body to digest. Giving your body more energy to focus on healing and repairing any damage from sickness to spider bites :) They are also very cleansing, helping to flush out the unwanted toxins and poisons, making your healing time quicker in any given situation.



  • Tea Tree/ Lavender Blend - Tea Tree is known for it's anti-bacterial properties, making it a great resource to stop any poisonous infection. Lavender, also great with anti-bacterial properties, is great in healing and toning skin tissue, and calming any irritation.


 

  • Oregano/Lavender Blend - Oregano, also known for it's powerful anti-bacterial properties is a go to oil for any serious possibility or occurrence of infection. Using this first on any bite, sting or cut will cleanse the wound, preventing any infection and immediately eradicating any future breakout. Lavender in this blend serves the same purpose as in the Tea Tree blend. Alternating blends/oils that have similar qualities yet different makeup's is important to nip things in the bud from all angles.



  • Mud Mask - As we all know, when mud dries on our skin, it pulls moisture out of our skin. Along with that moisture, it pulls harmful toxins and poisons, making it a great resource with insect bites and stings. It pulls it out of the skin, and prevents it from spreading further.


 

  • Kid's Wellness - This is a blend specifically made for children, elderly and the infirm to gently support and strengthen the immune system. This is used any time the body needs to ward anything off; virus, infection, allergic reaction. It is put on the feet to enter the blood stream more quickly, through reflexology points and the large pores.


 

  • Dr. Christopher's Complete Bone and Tissue Formula - I use this anytime the skin/flesh is concerned. It has powerful healing properties, restoring the bodies tissue and bones back to their healthy state. It is very soothing for any flesh issue, and even helps in relieving pain.


 

On the second day, these are the things I used and why. ( I left out the things I used on the first day as well :)

  • Peppermint Essential Oil - Peppermint is known as one of the most versatile oils, along with Lavender. It has a great affinity for pain relief and cooling. It also is used as a layer to other essential oils, helping drive them into the blood stream quicker and accentuating their healing properties.


 

  • Lavender/Chamomile Blend - We are all familiar with Chamomile's affinity for relaxation. What it does for the mind, it also does for us on a physical level - literally. It is known as probably the BEST anti-inflammatory. This has been tried and true for me, multiple times!


 

  • Liver Cleanse - One drop of Peppermint and one drop Lemon essential oils in the fresh juice of a whole lemon. Take first thing in the morning 20 min before eating. The liver is basically our bodies filter - everything you smell, touch and taste your liver experiences. Along with the colon, supporting your liver is the best way to obtain health and cleanse your body of harmful materials/toxins.


Make sure to follow all the links, they take you to in depth information and a place to purchase. If you don't want to purchase retail price ( which is what these show) then contact me to see what discounts you can receive!

Miss Balloon Hand!

Living in an older home, you get used to having lots of little creepy crawly things like spiders. Usually they leave you alone, and every now and then you might wake up with an itchy spot from what my youngest daughter refers to as their "hugs".
Well on this morning in particular, my oldest woke up receiving lots of love from one of those crawly's. My best guess, being a spider.

Savannah woke up with her left hand SO swollen that she could barely bend her fingers, and it was swollen half way down to her elbow. My other daughter, Jessa, woke up with her eye swollen and a "hug" right next to it.

This post is to describe the situation and what I did to support them (focusing on Savannah, because hers was the worse case). Then I will have another post explaining why I did what I did, and why it is better than prescription meds.

This first picture is what it looked like a few hours after waking up. Unfortunately the pictures did not do justice to how swollen her hand was..... ( pay close attention to the tissue around her thumb)

In addition to a diet of water, fruits and veggies, this is what we did to avoid a doctor visit, steroids and other medications that would have suppressed her bodies natural abilities to heal itself.

I alternated between these 5 remedies, as often as either she or I thought of it. We noticed great results by the end of the first night, and that next morning the decrease was even more noticeable. She could close her hand to make a complete fist! She experienced a little bit of pain the second day and this is what we did that day:

  • Forever Green Peppermint essential oil

  • Lavender/Chamomile blend

  • Dr. Christopher's Complete Bone and Tissue Ointment

  • Liver Cleanse

  • My homemade diaper rash blend

  • Continued Kid's Wellness


By the end of the night, her hand was almost normal, and was completely normal by the next morning.

I am SO grateful I have this knowledge!! Not only did I support her body in it's natural function and increase her immunity for the time being, but for the FUTURE. I also spent probably at most $2.oo ( I am really stretching it here) between the amount of the products I used. I have lots more that can be used for all sorts of things and is safe for other people. I avoided spending  money on a co-payment, gas and for prescription ( that would have been all used up and not safe to use for other people, and would have suppressed her system) Not to mention the time I saved from waiting at the Dr.'s office.

There are so many pro's to being able to take care of my family naturally, at home that I can only begin to list them!

And while we were on the healing path that day, she sliced her big toe on something we have no idea, but we threw some Oregano/Lavender on there followed by the Complete Bone and Tissue Ointment! Healed up quick and clean :)

Stay tuned to learn WHY I chose the methods I did, and why they are much safer than other methods!

 

Thursday, July 5, 2012

OH my Aching Back!!

This country is so beautiful! And I have been blessed to travel across the west from my home in Colorado to my husbands childhood place of New Castle, California. In fact we did most of our traveling on July 4th. I tried finding the significance of traveling on such an honorable day and it hit me that it was a blessing to be able to see some of the beauty of our wonderful country. We are so amazingly blessed!

A part of being pregnant is various aches and pains that show up sometimes and not other times. A part of traveling for a long period of time is also aches and pains in various parts of your body, sometimes in places you didn't realize existed! Now put the two together, 5 months pregnant driving for 22 hours in a matter of 3 days and you are guaranteed to find some discomfort somewhere :)

When we got to our destination last night, I was at the least exhausted. I took a 3 hour nap, ate some dinner and then went back to bed for the night. I woke up this morning in much pain, my back and neck were just throbbing. I did some wonderful TTAPP stretches that really set my back right and eased the pain in my neck. My left shoulder and neck were feeling better but not quite pain free and I pulled out my faithful FG Truessence essential oils.

I layered Cairo Care, and some of my TAP assessment oils; Structure for bone alignment, Flex for muscles and Kinnex for tendons and ligaments. Within 5 minutes the tension was released and I felt SOOO much better! I am so grateful I had them!