Since we’ve been on the topic of homemade lotion bars the past couple of weeks, I figured I’d share the recipe for deodorant bars (or homemade deodorant sticks!)

This is similar to homemade sunscreen bars but without the zinc oxide for sun protection and with baking soda and arrowroot added in. These are slightly thicker than my original homemade deodorant recipe, which allows them to be used as a bar, or put into an old deodorant container.

Since the homemade lotion bars, sunscreen bars and deodorant bars all use many of the same ingredients, you can order these in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs or find them locally and save a lot of money on your family’s personal care products.

I also love Frugally Sustainable’s idea of adding probiotics to the recipe to help balance good bacteria and prevent odor, and I tried it with this recipe. If you have very sensitive skin or really struggle with odor, this might be a great option for you also!

Try making your own deodorant if you haven’t already… you’ll not only save money and avoid chemicals, but I’ve found the homemade versions work better too!

The Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 part)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tsp  beeswax
• optional: Vitamin E oil to preserve. I added 1 tsp vitamin E oil for  this recipe)
• 3 tablespoons baking soda (Omit this if you have sensitive skin and just use extra arrowroot)
• 1/2 cup organic arrowroot powder
• 2-3 capsules of high quality probiotics that don’t need to be refrigerated (I love Bio Kult brand)
• optional: Essential oils of choice – I used about 20 drops of lavender essential oil

This recipe can be adjusted to make any quantity that you’d like by increasing the amount of ingredients used. This batch made enough deodorant for my husband and I for about 2-3 months. You could also cut the recipe in half if you want to make a smaller amount.

How to Make:

Combine coconut oil, shea (or other) butter, and beeswax in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it.

Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth:

Remove from heat and add the vitamin E oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, probiotics, and essential oils. Make sure the mixture is not hot to the touch (warm is ok) so that the heat doesn’t kill the probiotics.

Gently stir by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.

If you will be making these into bars, pour into muffin tins or other molds while still liquid. If you will be putting into an old deodorant container to use like stick deodorant, let the mixture harden for about 15-20 minutes at room temperature to harden and when it is about the consistency of peanut butter, use a spoon to scoop into the deodorant tube and pack down to fill. Then, leave the cap off overnight to completely harden before using.

Enjoy!

Next week, we’ll move on to natural make-up and hair product recipes! Any specific requests?

Have you ever made your own personal care products? How did it go? Let me know below!

Chamomile is one of the most well-known herbs, and one I wouldn’t be without, especially with small children.

It is widely available in tea form, but can also be made into capsules or tinctures or used in cosmetic applications.

Chamomile flowers are mildly sedative, making them wonderful for improving sleep quality and relaxation. I use chamomile in place of Tylenol for teething or colicky babies, and on my own stomach after giving birth to help ease the after pains.

I’ve also heard of natural doctors using a strong chamomile tincture as a nervine to reduce cravings in patients who are stopping smoking or drug use. It is a good herbal source of Magnesium, which is one of the top supplements I recommend.

Ways to Use Chamomile:

• As an herbal tea before bedtime to help improve relaxation and sleep
• As a tincture (internally or externally) for muscle pain or for teething children (on the gums)
• As a tincture for children who have trouble sleeping or who are emotionally upset
• As a strong brewed tea in the hair to naturally lighten blonde tones
• To help relax during emotional or physical distress (I use the tincture internally during labor to help ease contractions and help me relax)
• Internally and externally for headache relief
• As a tincture to help calm hyper children
• For pink eye: Pour a small amount of boiling water over a chamomile tea bag and soak on the eye for about 15 minutes a few times a day (wait until its cool) OR make a strong tea with it and use a soaked cotton ball to wipe the eye every hour throughout the day and infection should be gone within 24-36 hours. Can also sleep with a cotton ball “patch” on the eye to help remove the infection.

Where to Get:

• As with most herbs, I buy in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs as this is the cheapest way to order and I am confident in the quality of their herbs.
• I highly recommend making a chamomile tincture (instructions here) as the flowers can easily lose their natural oils, which make them effective. You can also buy a pre-made tincture if you’d prefer not to make your own.
• There are also capsules available, though I would not suggest a concentrated dose like this for children, and this would be more effective when stopping a tobacco or drug addiction as overseen by a natural doctor.
• You can also, of course, get Chamomile tea bags, which is the most widely available form of chamomile.

Notes: Chamomile is generally considered a safe herb for anyone, including during pregnancy, but in very rare cases it can cause an allergic reaction in those with ragweed allergies, so use caution if you have these types of allergies.

Do you use chamomile? What is your favorite use? Share below!

I don’t like using the term superfood, though it could certainly be applied to Spirulina. Though not technically an herb (actually an cyanobacteria), it boasts its fair share of health promoting properties. It is rich in in Chlorophyll, and like plants, gets its energy from the sun.

What is it?

Spirulina is a natural “algae” (cyanbacteria) powder that is incredible high in protein and nutrients. When harvested correctly from non-contaminated ponds and bodies of water, it is one of the most potent nutrient sources available. It is largely made up of protein and essential amino acids, and I typically recommend it to clients who decide to remain vegetarian for its high natural iron content. It is often touted for its high B-12 content, though there is a lot of debate about if this particular form is a complete and absorbable form of B-12 and I don’t recommend it completely in place of animal products.

The high concentration of protein and iron also makes it idea during pregnancy, after surgery or anytime the immune system needs a boost.

Health Properties:

Though it does taste like pond scum, Spirulina has some great health-boosting qualities:

• Spirulina is 65% protein and amino acids including the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which has gotten a lot of attention for its anti-inflammatory properties, especially when taken with other quality Omega-3 supplements like Fermented Cod Liver Oil. (I suspect that the benefits of GLA in Spirulina are even more than what the studies have found since these studies often use vegetable oils for their GLA source, and the other inflammatory compounds in vegetable oils can interfere with the anti-inflammatory ability.) It contains all essential amino acids.
• Spirulina contains Omega 3-,6 and 9s and is especially high in Omega-3s.
• Spirulina is extremely high in Chlorophyll, which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system.
• Spirulina has a very high concentration of bio-available iron and is excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia and will not cause constipation.
•  Spirulina is a great source of other nutrients including (according to Wikipedia): “Spirulina contains vitamins B-1(thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3(nicotinamide), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E. It is also a source of potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium,  manganese, phosphorus,  selenium, sodium and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments which may be beneficial and bioavailable”
• This Spirulina (from Mountain Rose Herbs) was tested be an independent laboratory and found to have an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of over 24,000 which is 4x the ORAC score of blueberries. The ORAC score is generally used to measure antioxidant ability and concentration in different foods.
• Spirulina is also incredibly high in calcium with over 26 times the calcium in milk, making it excellent for children, the elderly and during pregnancy.
• Some research has suggested that Spirulina may be helpful in allergies and allergic reactions.
• Spirulina’s phosphorus content makes it helpful as part of a tooth remineralization regimen.
• Emerging evidence suggests that it binds with radioactive isotopes and may be useful for radioactivity exposure or radiation therapy.
• The protein in Spirulina is highly usable and has a net protein utilization rate of between 50-61%
• Spirulina can bind with heavy metals in the body and help remove them.
• Spirulina can increase fat burning during exercise.

How To Take

When choosing Spirulina, make sure to choose one that is organic, as others can have nitrate compounds as additives. The best one I’ve found is from Mountain Rose Herbs and it is also the cheapest organic Spirulina I’ve seen. It does taste like pond water though, so many people prefer supplements. I’ve tried Now Spirulina and found them to be good quality, though they are more expensive than the plain powder. (I haven’t tried this brand, but it seems to be a great deal for 1,000 500mg capsules for under $30). You can also get Spirulina powder in a 4-pound canister.

I always add Spirulina to my veggie smoothies each day and take extra during pregnancy. It is best to get in about 2 teaspoons per day, and 2 or more tablespoons during illness, after radiation exposure or during pregnancy. It does taste horrible though! You can also mix into water and drink straight, though many people have trouble with this. The phosphorous makes it useful for the tooth remineralizing regimen, and it is best taken with an Omega-3 source like fermented cod liver oil. It’s anti-inflammatory properties have been helpful to some of my clients with joint pain or other types of inflammation.

Those with PKU should consult with a doctor before taking, as it does contain that amino acid. Those on any type of anti-coagulation medicine should consult with a doctor before beginning (or stopping) taking Spirulina.

Ever taken Spirulina? What did you think of the taste? Will you try it now? Share below!

What is much less well-known, are the practical uses of Catnip Herb for humans.

Herbal Uses:

Catnip is one of my favorite herbs for children. I use it when one of us has a high fever, as it is known to relax the body while increasing perspiration, which helps the infection leave the body faster. It has also been found to settle the stomach and sooth children when they are upset.

Externally, I’ve used Catnip infusions and baths to help with the achy muscles that accompany flu and illness. It can be used externally on the stomach of colicky babies to relax the stomach and help them sleep.

Catnip has natural relaxing and soothing properties. It is one of the ingredients in my Sweet Dreams Sleep Tincture, which is great at helping kids relax and sleep better, especially during illness.

It is said to repel certain insects, and I use Catnip essential oil in my Homemade Bug Spray (recently tested and approved by a reader on a cruise down the Amazon!).

A mild tea made with catnip herb is said to help improve digestion, ease morning sickness and calm nerves. It’s relaxing properties also make it beneficial to those who suffer from insomnia.

I also keep a small jar of catnip in my kitchen for culinary uses. I add small amounts to sauces, stews and soups for its flavor and to help improve digestion and nutrient assimilation.

Other uses, from Mountain Rose Herbs:

Scientists have ascertained that the feline reaction to catnip is due to the its content of nepetalactone. The herb is also strongly antifungal and a bactericide for Staphylococcus aureus, as well as a close chemical relative to a number of insect repellants that affect mosquitoes and termites… Catnip has also been used as a sedative to help with insomnia, producing similar effects as Valerian.

Precautions: Check with a doctor before using if pregnant. Can cause drowsiness in extreme doses. Very rare allergic reactions. As always, talk to your health professional before using any herbs, supplements or medicine.

Where to get Catnip:

I buy my catnip and other herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs and make my own teas, tinctures, eye pillows for sleep, and herbal bath salts.

It is also available in capsule form as a sleep aid,  as an herbal tea (in tea bags), as an essential oil for skin use, as an herbal extract with fennel for digestive relief, and Amazon recently started carrying an essential oil blend of the same herbs I use in my herbal bug spray, pre-mixed.

You can also actually find herbal catnip toys for you cats.

Ever used catnip as an herb, or was your knowledge of it limited to the amusing reactions that it gets from cats? Share below!

She is a writer, holistic health coach, and cancer survivor (she did it naturally!).

Almost four years ago Jess was diagnosed with a very aggressive, rare form of cancer called Epithelioid Sarcoma, in her left hand and arm. After having a high dose of chemo pumped through her arm following scans showed she was clear of cancer. Little did she know it would come back, not even a year after going into remission.

After being told by the scary men in white coats that her only real chance of long-term survival would be to have her arm amputated at the shoulder she decided to take matters into her own hands. She politely refused their offers of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and began searching for natural, alternative cancer treatments.

The way she saw it she had two choices. She could rely on the slash, poison and burn method offered by the medical profession and become stuck in the ‘cancer patient’ category for who knows how long, or she could take responsibility for her illness and bring her body to optimum health so that it can heal itself.

For Jess it was an easy decision. Chemo and radiation do not have great success on the type of cancer she has, and there is no way she was going to let them cut her arm off.     Jess quit her magazine job in Sydney, swapping a lifestyle of back-to-back parties for one of relaxation and meditation.

Ditching a diet that consisted mostly of champagne, canapés and late night Lean Cuisine she  packed up and moved back to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to live with her family and began devoting all her time and energy to restoring her health. Along the way, Jess developed a obsession with passing on all of her newly learnt wellness wisdom to anyone who was parked in front of her for long enough to listen.

The Book

Jess recently released a great eBook called “Make Peace With Your Plate” that discusses her journey, how she detoxed and healed from cancer, and the methods that she used. It also addresses the mental and emotional aspects of eating, which are tremendously important and often overlooked.

I’ll be posting a lot in the next few weeks about optimal foods for cleansing and detoxing (hint: Green smoothies are wonderful!), but Jess already has a lot of great resources on this!

While many of us won’t have to use all of the measures necessary for cancer treatment, almost all of us could stand to eat (or drink) more green veggies. Jess has some great veggie recipes, and they are a great replacement for the grains and processed foods we’ve been removing from our diets.

I especially like Jess’ Blog for her uplifting and inspiring outlook on life and health, despite the tough experiences she had.

The Giveaway

Jess has agreed to give one reader a copy of her eBook “Making Peace With Your Plate” to one reader! It is a great resource, especially if you struggle with emotional issues with food! To enter: just drop by Wellness Warrior and sign up for Jess’ newsletter. It’s free, full of great info and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Then, come back and leave a comment on the biggest health challenge you’ve ever faced and how (or if) you overcame it! Winner will be chosen at random from all eligible comments.

Giveaway ends on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST. Leaving a comment below acknowledges that you’ve read and accept the official rules for giveaways.

You can also connect with Jess on …   Twitter,  Facebook, or on her blog:  www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au. If you or someone you love is suffering from cancer, point them in the direction of Jess’ website!

What is the toughest health challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you overcome it? Share below!

I’ve personally seen the benefit of many different herbs, even in situations where medicine or conventional remedies didn’t work at all.

Many herbs also have very nourishing properties and can be used in special combinations in foods and drinks to improve the body’s absorption of those substances.

Each week, I’ll be profiling an herb and talking about its many uses…

Enter Alfalfa…

This week: Alfalfa! To some of you, this may bring thoughts of a type of hay or a character from the Little Rascals, but Alfalfa is a powerhouse among herbs, the Pavel of herbs, so to speak.

Sometimes also called Buffalo Herb, or scientifically, Medicago sativa, Alfalfa means “Father of all Foods” and deserves its name! Alfalfa contains a wide variety of minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, potassium, silicon, and trace elements. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting.

Alfalfa contains essential amino acids, which are not made by the body but must be obtained from food sources. Because Alfalfa is so easy to assimilate, it is used as the base in vitamins and supplements and it contains the highest chlorophyll content of any plant (in fact, it is used in Liquid Chlorophyll, which has a very high nutrient content).

Alfalfa can be used for:

• Cleansing the blood
• helping alleviate allergies
• Aids in blood clotting
• Promotes healthy digestion
• Can easy morning sickness
• Is helpful in reversing tooth decay and remineralizing teeth
• Great source of Vitamin K so it helps improve Baby’s Vitamin K levels at birth if mom drinks during pregnancy (recipe for an herbal tea for pregnancy here)
• Supports the pituitary gland
• Supportive during nursing
• Helps ease morning sickness
• Helps ease gout
• Aids with all forms of arthritis

Alfalfa is used in alternative medicine to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. The high concentration of alkaloids in Alfalfa make it useful in reducing blood sugar levels.

It is also commonly used as a blood detoxifier and for any types of arthritis or joint problems. It is a great source of many nutrients and is generally considered safe for children, adults and pregnant/nursing mothers.

The one caution about alfalfa is not to use in combination with blood thinning agents or medications as it is so effective it can interfere or amplify the effects of these.

How We Use Alfalfa

In our family, we add alfalfa to many of our herbal teas, tinctures and to food. I make a tea for the kids with Alfalfa, Red Raspberry and Peppermint as a source of vitamins and minerals that they love to drink. (We buy it in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs)

We also drink a lot of Liquid Chlorophyll, which is a concentrated liquid of the chlorophyllins from the fresh alfalfa plant. We love this brand because it has a minty taste, and even the kids love to drink it. When the kids are sick, this is often all I can get them to take, and its purifying and detoxifying properties help them recover more quickly. Since it is so high in nutrients, I also don’t worry if they don’t eat as much while they are sick.

During pregnancy, I add Alfalfa to my pregnancy tea (recipe here) and give high doses of alfalfa in herbal teas if anyone gets sick. Due to its mild flavor, I also add scoops of dried alfalfa to smoothies and drinks. I take liquid chlorophyll daily, especially during pregnancy, since we opt out of the Vitamin K shot at birth (we do an oral version instead).

Ever used alfalfa? Taken Liquid Chlorophyll? What herbs do you use?

In fact, the low-sodium industry is booming!

Thank goodness that this sodium reduction, along with a low-fat diet and eating more whole grains has so greatly increased the health of Americans over the last few decades…

What’s that? It hasn’t?

Well maybe you can see the importance of eating good fats, or why grains are unhealthy, but you agree that too much salt isn’t healthy at all.

And you’d be right… if we are talking about the chemically produced table salt that is added to most processed foods, meats and snacks.

Table Salt = BAD!

Table salt, which is 97% Sodium Chloride (NaCl) is chemically produced, bleached and devoid of most other nutrients. It also contains Aluminum in many cases, which has been linked to Alzheimers disease and other problems in the body.

This type of salt is not naturally occurring and in fact, when salt-water fish are placed in salt water made with table salt… they die.

This type of salt is also devoid of the many trace minerals that the body needs… so it is a wise decision to avoid it.

The problem is, that when companies reduce table salt in their foods to make it low-sodium, they don’t replace it with trace minerals and healthier options, they often replace it with MSG and other chemical additives to achieve the flavor without the salt.

Unfortunately, many of the studies done on sodium consumption use table salt, not real salt, in the research, so there is now a body of evidence showing that salt consumption is harmful, when in reality, no distinction has been made between chemically created table salt and real salt containing trace minerals.

If you have any of this type of table salt around your house, I’d recommend that you stop using it immediately. Don’t throw it out though… you can use it in natural cleaning and stain treatment. (Just don’t eat it!)

Real Salt = Good!

To the degree that table salt is bad, real salt is healthy, necessary and good.

While the research linking regular table salt to disease and health disorders is correct, we’ve thrown out the baby with the (salt) water.

Consider this: the body contains high concentrations of many minerals and nutrients, and while it needs water, it also must have the proper concentration of these nutrients in bones, blood and organs to function properly.

A person can’t be given an IV of plain water- it must contain a careful balance of minerals, including salt!

Salt, in its natural form is not only necessary for the body to function, but it is extremely important in the right concentration for optimal health.

While many accept the common belief that high salt intake leads to hypertension:

“In a study of 60,000 nurses followed by Harvard researchers, those whose diet was very low in calcium or magnesium had a 23 percent greater chance of developing high blood pressure over four-years.”(source)

Other studies have shown that it is actually proper calcium, magnesium and other mineral balance, not sodium reduction, that improves blood pressure, hypertension and other problems.

In fact,

“The notion that salt intake and blood pressure were intimately related emerged early in this century when doctors discovered that they could lower the high blood pressure of people with kidney failure by feeding them a rice-based diet extraordinarily low in salt.”

Unconvinced, this eventually led to more comprehensive research on worldwide salt intake, which found that:

“And in 1989, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine decided to re-evaluate the link between salt and blood pressure through a study of more than 10,000 people in 52 cultures around the world. Participants ranged from Yanomamo Indians in Brazil, whose diet is almost salt free, to residents of northern China, who eat as much salt in a day as a Yanomamo eats in three years.

Instead of merely estimating salt consumption, the researchers calculated precise values based on urine samples. They took into consideration obesity and alcohol consumption.

Among their findings were that except in a few places with extremely low salt consumption, the amount of sodium in the diet was unrelated to the prevalence of hypertension in a society or to its average blood pressure. Moreover, although the high rates of hypertension in the United States had long been considered a function of this country’s love for salty processed food, the study placed Americans right in the middle of the world’s salt intake curve.”

Additionally:

“A decade ago, when researchers at the University of Indiana put patients on a low-salt diet, they found that blood pressure went down in about a third of patients, but that in an equal number it actually rose. Dr. Pavel Hamet of the University of Montreal recently studied 200 Canadians with widely varying salt intakes and found that the saltiness of the diet bore no relation to whether a person was hypertensive, as long as the subject had adequate calcium in the diet and was not a heavy drinker.”

Many of the studies done on the supposed link between salt intake and hypertension are used to justify a low-sodium diet, especially in cardiac patients. Unfortunately, these studies fail to take into account the difference between real salt and chemical table salt, and the importance of proper salt consumption in the reduction of risk of other health problems like osteoporosis, cancer, arthritis, skin conditions, hormone balance and nerve function.

If you’ve been limiting salt for health reasons, you must differentiate between chemical table salt and healthy nutrient-dense salt.

Do you experience:

• Cellulite
• High Blood Pressure
• Kidney Stones
• Gall Bladder Problems
• Sore or Swollen Joints
• Gout
• Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Poor Sleep
• Asthma or Respiratory Illness
• Irregular heart beat
• Poor adrenal health
• Diabetes or blood sugar issues
• Poor muscle tone or lack of coordination
• Water retention, edema or swelling (actually result from too little salt… not too much!)

These are all conditions that can result from too little salt and the resulting mineral imbalance.

It is important to note that regular table salt will actually make these conditions worse because it will create more mineral imbalance by delivering too much sodium and chloride and not enough of the other necessary minerals.

Through our efforts to remove processed table salt with the low-sodium craze (a good thing to remove) we have created a deficiency of the minerals found in natural salt.

What does Salt do?

The negatively charged ions in real salt, especially when combined with water, support a host of hormonal, chemical and electrical processes in the body.

The trace mineral concentration in real salt makes it especially supportive of nerve and heart health. (Scary, since cardiac patients are often told to reduce sodium). Some doctors have even had success in improving irregular heart beat and lessening neurological disorders with proper doses of real salt.

Some other health-related processes that salt can support are:

• Food absorption: Proper mineral balance in food and water (from salt/trace minerals) helps the body absorb and assimilate food and water better.
• Cell Cleansing- The negatively charged ions in real salt and the trace mineral concentration let it cross into cells and pull toxins from them.
• Blood Pressure- Real salt actually helps regulate blood pressure (not raise it) when taken in the correct amounts.
• Heart Health- The negative ions in real salt help stabilize an irregular heart beat and support electro-chemical reactions in the body.
• pH Balance- The alkalizing effects of real salt help balance the body’s pH.
• Blood Sugar- Proper mineral balance from real salt helps increase insulin sensitivity and has even been shown helpful in patients with diabetes. (Note: It is especially helpful with type II diabetes, and while Type I diabetes cannot be reversed, it helps nutrient assimilation and other health factors in patients with Type I diabetes as well)
• Allergies- Some evidence shows that real salt dissolved in warm water is an effective natural antihistamine.
• Asthma and Sinus Trouble- Some patients experience asthma and sinus relief from taking salt internally and from using a salt inhaler. Salt can also be helpful in clearing up excess mucous and phlegm.
• Improved sleep- Balancing the trace minerals in the body is supportive of hormone processes and can improve sleep quality and duration.
• Reproductive Health- By supporting natural hormone function, real salt is also supportive of natural fertility  and can improve reproductive health in both men and women.
• Cellulite- There is some evidence that cellulite is lessened by proper intake of regular salt. (I’ve seen this personally)
• Cell Communication- Its pH and ion concentration help improve chemical communication between cells.
• Muscle Cramps/Tension- The trace minerals and pH in real salt help alleviate muscle cramps (magnesium is also important here). This is one reason that you often see athletes soak in salt water/epsom salt baths.
• Bone Health- Over 1/4 of the body’s salt is in the bones. When sodium and trace mineral stores are not high enough in the body, it can pull salt from the bones to keep the rest of the body functioning. This can be a tremendous factor in osteoporosis. (Magnesium is important here as well)
• Adrenal and Thyroid Health- the pH and trace minerals in salt are extremely important for proper adrenal and thyroid function. If you suffer from problems with either of these glands, increasing salt consumption can greatly help improve symptoms.
• Nerve function- The electrical properties in real salt help support proper nerve function and communication throughout the body.
• Water Content of Body- Just as an IV must be in the proper electrolyte concentration to be absorbed, the trace mineral in real salt help the body naturally regulate the amount of water and trace minerals it needs.
• Sexual Health- The same hormone-supporting properties of salt make it supportive of healthy libido and sexual function
• Digestive Health- When consumed with water, real salt can help optimize the environment in the digestive system and increase stomach acid. This makes it helpful in dealing with digestive disorders, heartburn and other digestive problems.
• Though not scientifically studied, there are cases of doctors helping or eliminating conditions in their patients with the use of real salt and water, including: arthritis, lyme disease, hypertension, neurological disorders, skin issues.
• Eczema and Psoriasis- The same helpful properties in real salt make it helpful both internally and externally for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
• Oral Health- the trace minerals in salt can be helpful for oral health and for remineralizing teeth. Swishing with a salt water mixture daily can help improve oral health.

What Kind of Salt?

At our house, we have several different types of natural salt (black lava, Celtic sea salt, etc) but our favorite BY FAR is Himalayan Salt.

This type of salt is found deep in the Himalayan mountains and contains all 84 trace minerals needed by the body.

Unlike chemical salt, it is naturally pink or red and has a much milder flavor.

In my opinion, this is the highest quality salt available, as it is from the mineral rich Himalayan mountains and is not affected by the chemicals and toxins that are increasing in quantity even in natural sea salt.

I add this type of salt to almost all of our foods, and even take it plain in water at times.

Other real salts like Celtic Sea Salt and Black Lava Salt (contains activated charcoal) are also beneficial.

How To Consume Enough Salt

If you aren’t used to consuming salt, it may be difficult to make a transition back to healthy salt consumption (though many people find that their bodies crave it and respond very well immediately).

If you aren’t used to eating enough salt, there are some easy ways you can increase your intake:

• Add real salt to your foods and avoid processed foods or eating out, since you will consume large amounts of processed table salt. Salt to taste and don’t worry about eating too much.
• Drink 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of quality salt in a quart of water daily to help raise your electrolyte and trace mineral levels.
• Soak in a relaxing bath with added magnesium (epsom salts) and Himalayan or Celtic Salt (2 tablespoons of each).
• For skin issues: Make a poultice of real salt and water (or honey) and apply to areas with eczema or psoriasis.
• Make a salt scrub with finely powdered sea salt and natural oil (like coconut or olive) to use as an exfoliant in the shower.
• Use a salt board for cooking and curing foods
• If you suffer from asthma or allergies, try a sea salt inhaler to help alleviate symptoms
• Use a Himalayan Salt Bar “Soap” in the shower to sooth and heal skin (some say this is very anti-aging) and is very gentle for children with eczema
• Use a Salt Deodorant Bar if you are sensitive to even natural deodorants
• Swish daily with a salt water mixture in the mouth for 30-60 seconds. The trace minerals in the salt will help remineralize teeth and the pH of the salt will help improve the pH of the mouth.
• Make sure you are also consuming enough magnesium and other minerals, as most people are also deficient in magnesium. Magnesium will help absorption of other minerals and vice versa.
• Though it won’t help sodium levels in the body, there is some evidence that a Himalayan salt lamp can ionize and cleanse the air. Either way, they are pretty!

We get our Himalayan salt from Mountain Rose Herbs in 5-pound bags, which is the cheapest and highest quality source I’ve found. Himalayan Salt is also available on Amazon (though this one doesn’t seem to be as high of quality) and in most health food stores.

If you are limiting your salt or consuming regular sea salt, I highly recommend that you make the switch to high quality salt as soon as you can.

Real salt is necessary for so many things within the body and this is one health change that is easy (and tasty) to make.

Our bodies naturally crave salty foods, and many people even crave the beach (real salt plus vitamin D!). Make sure you are consuming enough!

Important Note: As with many other healthy substances, the FDA is proposing measures that would force companies to limit the amount of sodium in foods (regardless of the type of salt) and could potentially limit access to quality salt. Go take a second and share your support!

What are your thoughts on salt? Scared of it? Unsure? Avid salt eater? Weigh in below! 

I used Activated Charcoal a few months ago when I had an awful bout of food poisoning, and it worked wonders! This is actually the substance that many hospitals have on hand and use when patients have ingested toxins or when they pump patients’ stomachs. It is available as a loose powder and in capsule form (see notes below!)

Activated charcoal is a highly absorbant substance. It removes toxins when they adhere to the surface of the charcoal. It is not absorbed by the body, but passes through the GI system, so chemicals and toxins adhere to it, pass through the body and are expelled by the digestive system.

In the 1800s, two men took lethal doses of poisons (including arsenic) and survived without harm… their secret: they mixed the toxins with activated charcoal powder. (Stating the obvious: do not try to repeat these experiments!)

Activated charcoal is extremely effective at pulling toxins from household chemicals, ingested medicines, and other toxins from the body, especially when taken within 30 minutes of ingestion. For this reason, it is a great first treatment for any kind of poisoning, but should not be taken within several hours of medications (or even vitamins) that DO need to be absorbed.

There is even some evidence that activated charcoal is helpful both before and after alcohol consumption to lessen the amount that is absorbed by the body.

Even mainstream medical sites are on board with the benefits of using activated charcoal for a poison remedy.

Should you ever need to use activated charcoal on yourself of a child for poisoning, use as soon as possible and call a poison control center or go to the emergency room as well to make sure the poison has been fully removed!

In the event of ingestion of poison, 1-2 tablespoons of activated charcoal can be mixed with water and drank quickly. Charcoal should not be taken regularly, as it can cause constipation and block mineral absorption if it is not needed. Also, it can’t be mixed with dairy products or many foods, as they lower its effectiveness. If you have to use it for a case of poisoning, just mix it with water and drink… it doesn’t taste like anything. This dose can be repeated up to 3 times a day until symptoms of food poisoning or other poison are gone.

Important note: If you have to take charcoal, make sure to drink a lot of water as it can cause dehydration if taken in large doses!

Activated charcoal is also effective externally as a poultice on spider and insect bites. I tried this when my son was bitten by a brown recluse, and alternating poltices of activated charcoal, baking soda, and powdered plantain completely reversed the bite and he doesn’t even have a scar now.

Activated charcoal is also the stuff used in gas masks and water filters to remove toxins.

But what does that have to do with teeth?

So, it’s all well and good that activated charcoal is an effective poison remedy… but you might be wondering why I brushed my teeth with it…

First, please excuse my weird smile in those pictures and the bad lighting in my bathroom… I was  trying to show all of my teeth (I don’t usually smile like that!).

The times that I’d recommended charcoal for use in food poisoning or other digestive issues, I always cautioned people to mix with water and swallow quickly so that it wouldn’t stain their teeth. Then, a holistic dentist I know mentioned that it is very effective at whitening teeth… huh?

Since the powder stains everything, I had always worried that it would do the same to my teeth (one of my kids dumped it in the kitchen one time and it does stain tile, grout, clothes and shoes… just a note).

I did some research and found out that even though it temporarily makes the mouth look extremely black (see picture above!) it has the same effect as it does when ingested: it pulls toxins from the mouth and removes stains. (Fair warning: when you open your mouth, it is completely black and rather scary looking! Right after I did this the first time I was intensely worried that it would stain my teeth!)

To my surprise, all of the black washes away and it makes your teeth feel extremely clean and smooth. After a few uses, my teeth were noticeably whiter too (you can sort of tell in the picture above… the lighting didn’t do it justice!).

Further research I’ve done on this showed that activated charcoal can actually be helpful in changing the pH and health of the mouth, and as such is effective in preventing cavities and killing the bad bacteria present in tooth decay and gingivitis. For this reason, I now suggest and use it as part of my remineralizing protocol for teeth, along with my remineralizing toothpaste.

How to use on teeth: Dip a clean, wet toothbrush into the powdered charcoal (or dump a capsule of charcoal on the toothbrush). Lean over the container or charcoal and quickly put the charcoal covered toothbrush in the mouth (this is to protect your sink). Brush in small, gentle circles for 2 minutes, spit carefully and rinse really well. Your mouth will feel amazingly clean…. your sink, not so much! Use as often as needed.

Quick Reference of Uses:

• For food poisoning: Take 1-2 tablespoons in a glass of water (most effective way) or take a lot (6 or more) capsules of the powder. This can be repeated up to three times in a day and is safe for children as well. The only dangers are dehydration or mineral loss over the long term, so don’t take for extended periods of time and drink water. If any type of poisoning occurs, contact poison control or your local emergency room even if you successfully use the charcoal. Has been used for ingestion of household chemicals, medicines and other household toxins.
• For skin infection, spider bites, insect bites and other skin lesions: Make a paste of charcoal and water and either place directly on the skin, or inside a piece of sterile gauze and place over the wound. This can be changed hourly and should pull toxins from the wound. Note: On open wounds, some people report that it can be absorbed and create a tattoo like effect when skin heals, though I did not have this experience when I used on my son, and even this seemed preferable to the oozing bite that was developing.
• For teeth: Dip wet toothbrush in charcoal powder, brush gently for 2 minutes and rinse well. Repeat as needed.

Where to get Activated Charcoal:

Most natural health stores carry activated charcoal in loose powderor capsule form and it is also available online. I keep both the powdered and capsuled forms on hand in case it is needed for poisoning and I use the powdered in a small glass jar for tooth brushing. Make sure that the charcoal is from wood or coconut sources and not petroleum based. This is one of the highest quality forms I’ve found and it is made from coconut hulls.

I’d definitely recommend trying this as part of your oral health routine, and even if you don’t I suggest having some activated charcoal on hand at all times for food poisoning or accidental ingestion of toxins.

What do you think? Am I crazy… would you try it for whitening your teeth? Tell me below!

For babies and small children especially, treatment options are limited, but congestion and coughing can really interfere with their ability to sleep well.

We used to keep regular Vicks Vapor Rub and the Baby version on hand for illnesses, until I realized that it had PETROLEUM in it.. yuck!

In the name of not consuming or slathering our skin with anything that is more beneficial to a car engine… I’ve been making this really easy homemade version ever since.

If you don’t have the ingredients or don’t want to take the time to make this recipe, mixing the essential oils with coconut oil works almost as well. All ingredients for the recipe below  (including tins or lip chap containers to keep it in) are available here.

Vapor-Rub Ingredients:

•  1/2 cup olive oil or almond oil
• 2 level tablespoons of beeswax pastilles
• 20 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
• 20 drops Peppermint Oil
• 10 drops Rosemary Oil
• 10 drops cinnamon or clove oil (optional)

How To Make Vapor Rub:

1. Melt beeswax with olive oil/almond oil in a double boiler or in the microwave until just melted.
2. Add the essential oils (use half the amount for a baby version or dilute with coconut oil before using)
3. Stir until well mixed and pour into some type of container with a lid to store. Little tins work well, as do small jars. I also always make a few in lip chap sticks to keep in my purse or use on baby feet.

What are your tried and true remedies for beating illnesses? Ever made your own remedies? Tell me about it below!

After a lovely date with my husband on Wednesday night, I started to have a weird feeling in my stomach. I drank some Apple Cider Vinegar, which is my normal remedy for any kind of tummy troubles and the feeling went away… until 3 am.

At 3 am, I was awoken by that feeling of needing to vomit but not being able to. I spent the next few hours with horribly cramping stomach aches and awful nausea. Then the vomiting hit… and did it ever!

I’ll spare you the rest of the details, but basically, I couldn’t keep anything down, including water, for the next 8 hours and I had really bad stomach cramps, dizziness, chills, etc. In fact, I had every symptom under the definition of “Food Poisoning” on WebMD.

At some point Thursday afternoon when I was debating going to the hospital to get an IV so I would have some fluids to be able to nurse the baby, I remembered the vinegar and how it had helped for a few hours. I also remembered something I learned in a class long ago about activated charcoal being a fast remedy for food poisoning.

Figuring I had nothing to lose because I’d be heading to the hospital anyway if I couldn’t stop vomiting, I started slowly sipping a mixture of equal parts Apple Cider Vinegar and Water and chasing with 1/2 tsp activated charcoal mixed into applesauce.

Yes, it tasted awful. Vinegar was pretty much the last thing I wanted at that point and the charcoal in the applesauce looked like tar, but within a few minutes, I actually started to feel a lot better. (Apparently, this is a common remedy that works really well, according to this forum thread)

I took a few more doses of each, probably about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar total and a few teaspoons of activated charcoal. I was still really tired that night and sore from the vomiting, but was back to normal the next day. From what I’ve read of food poisoning, it can last days or weeks, so I’m very grateful that the Vinegar and Charcoal worked.

I share this so that hopefully any of you who ever get food poisoning can do without the 8 hours of vomiting and just take these two right away. I will definitely be keeping both on hand at all times!

Quick Reference:

- At first signs of symptoms, take equal parts water (or juice) and apple cider vinegar (organic, with the mother!)

-In water or some kind of soft food, take 1/2 tsp or more of activated charcoal (or capsules if you can swallow them)

-Repeat until symptoms stop.

Ever had food poisoning? How did you recover?