I have had a few rough nights as far as sleeping goes lately, but I had a quick stint of time yesterday where I could take a nap, so I took advantage of it. I laid down on the couch while the kids were in the living room.
Me: Child, wake me up in 45 minutes, please.
I am asleep within about three minutes, but about fifteen minutes later, I hear something...
Child: Mom! Mom! We have 28 more minutes until we leave!
Me: Well that was kind of rude! Why did you wake me up to tell me we had 28 more minutes?!
Child: What? You were awake! Your eyes were open!
Me: (Awesome.) I'm watching you, kid! But, um, just for the future, just don't tell me it's time until it is.
That's right, I'll be giving my creepy sleep lessons in the spring.
Peace, love, and sleepin' with both eyes open,
Ms. Daisy
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Hair = A Salad. Naturally.
Yes, folks. I said your hair is a salad. Let me explain.
I know. Sometimes I say wacky things, but the title isn't to make you want to eat your hair (oh, so gross. Do you remember kids who would do that in elementary school? They'd suck on their hair? I'm GAGGING just thinking about it.).
No.
The correlation is simple. Your hair wants you to put some dressing on it. Same as your mesclun mix with some delicious paper thin radish slices and fenugreek sprouts...mmm..I want a carrot.
Dressing? Yes. Of course. Don't be silly.
Let me explain how I came to this astute conclusion.
As you may (unfortunately) know, last May I did a very crazy and unwise thing. I attempted to get my hair blondified. Why? Because, duh. Blonde hair is AWESOME, that's why. I don't really think of it that way so much anymore. I should have listened to my hippie self that went on spouting about chemicals and toxic death painted on my head, but I was so SAD! Sad with that brown hair.
I used to get highlights and people described me as one who had blonde hair. Then I swore off all that bad hair crap and let it all grow out until it was all brown and boring. It did have a little bit of auburn in in, so it wasn't a flat color, but it was just so ...brown. People would say to me, "Oh! Your hair is so...dark!" Yeah, tell me about it.
So in a fit of spontaneous will one night, I looked up organic hair color. I determined that I would find a place that would do organic blonde on me. This would solve my dilemma! I would be able to have blonde hair without dreadful carcinogens and toxic death going into my scalp pores directly to my brains! Perfect!
Yeah. So I did it. I went in with silky brown hair and came out looking like Ronald McDonald with a serious accent on the orange and afro style. Except even HOTTER since when everything was failing, Mr. Hair Man decided to try to "save" it by adding in bleached highlights (so much for organic, eh?), so it would be more accurately described as an orange afro with yellow stripes. Too bad it wasn't Halloween. The whole tiger outfit was all ready to go.
After a little suggested that I shave my head and a little bit of hysteria, my friend saved my FREAKIN LIFE. Now this whole thing is bad enough, but my dears, I had to go to a wedding two days hence from the whole horrid situation. This is not a wedding I could have showed up wearing a cowboy hat, a baseball hat, a bandana or a head scarf. I was either going to get the mop fixed or borrow my friend's wig.
Frantic ended when my sweet friend paid for me to look like a human again. Maybe some of you are not as horridly vain as I am, but when I looked like a frizz clown, I just could not stand it. It was shocking at every mirrored surface. When I woke up in the morning and sat up in bed, I would look over at the mirror and jump back and my brain would say, "Who in the heck is THAT?!" It was disturbing as it repeatedly went back to orange, no matter what I did.
All this to say, I got 6 (count them, 6) processes done on my hair in 24 hours. (2 all over dyes, 1 highlight, 3 toners) My hair was what you may call slightly unhappy. A week or two later, I tried to dye it back brown. It went back to orange. I tried walnut husks. It went back orange. Coffee. It did nothing. Orange, orange, orange. Finally, some hendigo worked. Mostly.
Oh! And I swim, as you know! So let's add some chlorine to that pile. (Do not tell me anything about chlorine. I know. But I ain't givin' it up.) My hair looked and felt like plastic Barbie hair. When it was wet it was dry.
I read that this was because my hair's cuticle (um, okay) was open and I likely had split ends. So I read up on how to close your hair's cuticle (isn't that weird. You hair's cuticle. It's like nail time.). The most common thing that I read (after reading the pH levels of hair, etc.) was that I ought to use apple cider vinegar.
Are you thinking what I thought? Well, check. Did you just say, "OH GROSS!"? Cuz I did initially. Actually, I thought, "Weird dirty hippies!
But as you can now understand, I am quite desperate and will pretty much try anything to fix this hair, and since it was in the cupboard, heck, why not. I followed Crunchy Betty's advice (boil 4 cups of water, add dried rosemary and some apple cider vinegar, cool down, dump on head - at least that's my version anyway).
My darlings, this is a good thing. Yes, you do smell like a bit of a vinegar head for a moment while it is wet, but it does go away. It also brings your hair back to a good pH. This means you don't look quite as much like a frizz head.
Last week I added more drama to my hair by redoing the hendigo. Now hendigo is total rock star, unless you have previously orange and bleached hair...in that case, your bleached stripes will just turn a nice awesome mud green. I think it really sets off the orange stripes next to it nicely, though. People say, "You don't have green hair!" And then I show them. Then they say, "Oh. Well, um, I mean, uh, well, it will grow out."
Awesome.
T-minus two years and counting.
Have you been tempted lately to dye your hair? Let me be a lesson to yas! If, however, you want to give your hair a helper, give it some rosemary infused apple cider vinegar. I also have infused olive oil and rosemary to tame it. My twinge of green makes for a very lovely salad head anyway, so get that dressing going.
Delish.
Peace, love, and radishes do sound really good right now,
Ms. Daisy
I know. Sometimes I say wacky things, but the title isn't to make you want to eat your hair (oh, so gross. Do you remember kids who would do that in elementary school? They'd suck on their hair? I'm GAGGING just thinking about it.).
No.
The correlation is simple. Your hair wants you to put some dressing on it. Same as your mesclun mix with some delicious paper thin radish slices and fenugreek sprouts...mmm..I want a carrot.
Dressing? Yes. Of course. Don't be silly.
Let me explain how I came to this astute conclusion.
As you may (unfortunately) know, last May I did a very crazy and unwise thing. I attempted to get my hair blondified. Why? Because, duh. Blonde hair is AWESOME, that's why. I don't really think of it that way so much anymore. I should have listened to my hippie self that went on spouting about chemicals and toxic death painted on my head, but I was so SAD! Sad with that brown hair.
I used to get highlights and people described me as one who had blonde hair. Then I swore off all that bad hair crap and let it all grow out until it was all brown and boring. It did have a little bit of auburn in in, so it wasn't a flat color, but it was just so ...brown. People would say to me, "Oh! Your hair is so...dark!" Yeah, tell me about it.
So in a fit of spontaneous will one night, I looked up organic hair color. I determined that I would find a place that would do organic blonde on me. This would solve my dilemma! I would be able to have blonde hair without dreadful carcinogens and toxic death going into my scalp pores directly to my brains! Perfect!
Yeah. So I did it. I went in with silky brown hair and came out looking like Ronald McDonald with a serious accent on the orange and afro style. Except even HOTTER since when everything was failing, Mr. Hair Man decided to try to "save" it by adding in bleached highlights (so much for organic, eh?), so it would be more accurately described as an orange afro with yellow stripes. Too bad it wasn't Halloween. The whole tiger outfit was all ready to go.
After a little suggested that I shave my head and a little bit of hysteria, my friend saved my FREAKIN LIFE. Now this whole thing is bad enough, but my dears, I had to go to a wedding two days hence from the whole horrid situation. This is not a wedding I could have showed up wearing a cowboy hat, a baseball hat, a bandana or a head scarf. I was either going to get the mop fixed or borrow my friend's wig.
Frantic ended when my sweet friend paid for me to look like a human again. Maybe some of you are not as horridly vain as I am, but when I looked like a frizz clown, I just could not stand it. It was shocking at every mirrored surface. When I woke up in the morning and sat up in bed, I would look over at the mirror and jump back and my brain would say, "Who in the heck is THAT?!" It was disturbing as it repeatedly went back to orange, no matter what I did.
All this to say, I got 6 (count them, 6) processes done on my hair in 24 hours. (2 all over dyes, 1 highlight, 3 toners) My hair was what you may call slightly unhappy. A week or two later, I tried to dye it back brown. It went back to orange. I tried walnut husks. It went back orange. Coffee. It did nothing. Orange, orange, orange. Finally, some hendigo worked. Mostly.
Oh! And I swim, as you know! So let's add some chlorine to that pile. (Do not tell me anything about chlorine. I know. But I ain't givin' it up.) My hair looked and felt like plastic Barbie hair. When it was wet it was dry.
I read that this was because my hair's cuticle (um, okay) was open and I likely had split ends. So I read up on how to close your hair's cuticle (isn't that weird. You hair's cuticle. It's like nail time.). The most common thing that I read (after reading the pH levels of hair, etc.) was that I ought to use apple cider vinegar.
Are you thinking what I thought? Well, check. Did you just say, "OH GROSS!"? Cuz I did initially. Actually, I thought, "Weird dirty hippies!
But as you can now understand, I am quite desperate and will pretty much try anything to fix this hair, and since it was in the cupboard, heck, why not. I followed Crunchy Betty's advice (boil 4 cups of water, add dried rosemary and some apple cider vinegar, cool down, dump on head - at least that's my version anyway).
My darlings, this is a good thing. Yes, you do smell like a bit of a vinegar head for a moment while it is wet, but it does go away. It also brings your hair back to a good pH. This means you don't look quite as much like a frizz head.
Last week I added more drama to my hair by redoing the hendigo. Now hendigo is total rock star, unless you have previously orange and bleached hair...in that case, your bleached stripes will just turn a nice awesome mud green. I think it really sets off the orange stripes next to it nicely, though. People say, "You don't have green hair!" And then I show them. Then they say, "Oh. Well, um, I mean, uh, well, it will grow out."
Awesome.
T-minus two years and counting.
Have you been tempted lately to dye your hair? Let me be a lesson to yas! If, however, you want to give your hair a helper, give it some rosemary infused apple cider vinegar. I also have infused olive oil and rosemary to tame it. My twinge of green makes for a very lovely salad head anyway, so get that dressing going.
Delish.
Peace, love, and radishes do sound really good right now,
Ms. Daisy
Friday, February 20, 2015
Grandma
My Grandma died yesterday. She was 101 years old. What do you say about someone who has been there your whole life? Their absence makes the world lose a piece of its flavor.
It doesn't feel right.
I know you may think that you have the best grandma in the whole world, but I have the best grandma in the universe. At 4'9" or so, she didn't look like a powerhouse, but her quiet, cheerful presence made wherever she was a better place. She was strong and had a will of steel. She passed on a passionate love of tea to a select few of us. You could always count on Grandma for having a pack (or ten) of Doublemint gum, a stash of lemon drops, and a package of mini Twix if you wanted one.
My Grandma was from a big family, and only one of two girls, so she had to put up with a lot of brothers fighting. This caused her to be quite a peacemaker (she HATED fighting and strife). Her sister was about eleven years older than she was, so her sister had to take charge and do many of the jobs around the house, but my Grandma would help her and stick up for her in the face of so many brothers.
My Grandma loved roses. The house that she lived in for fifty years had what she always called "Tropicana" roses. My Grandpa was a meticulous gardener and the heads of the roses were the size of small melons. They would bring in a big blossom (just the head of it) and float it in a round glass bowl so you could see it and smell it.
My Grandma was born when the Model T came out in 1914. She was born in Quebec, Canada, and spoke French as a girl. When she was about ten years old, she emigrated to the United States with her older sister and brothers. Her mom stayed back with the littlest ones and came after. When she came to school in the United States, she was extremely shy. She gained quick fame, however (much to her horror), when she won the spelling bee for the entire school. She won an atlas and then when she progressed on to the next level and won again, she won a dictionary. Our family still has it. When my son had trouble spelling, she would just tell him gently, "It's easy. Just take it slow and sound out every piece."
When she got older, her sister was hanging out with a boy who had a younger brother her age. Would you believe the two sisters married two brothers? They were a close family - no need to fight about when to have family parties to accommodate the schedules of the in-laws!
She went through the Great Depression as a teenager, and this experience caused her to be both frugal and to live simply. She loved sparkly things, but tempered her glamourous side with the backdrop of remembering the Depression, never being wasteful nor splurging on something unnecessary, although I do remember her having a tiara. I was in awe of it. The house she raised her children in was about 850 square feet and had no basement. She made it work.
She loved baseball and hockey, specifially the Detroit Tigers and the Red Wings. Her brother was a baseball player and her father was a hockey player in the league that was around before the NHL started. She had hockey bobbleheads and jerseys and you could call her any day of the week to ask her what time the game was on and which channel it would be shown on. She hated football and boxing, though, because it looked like those guys were fighting (it probably reminded her of her brothers fighting). She loved Michigan State women's basketball and had a signed photo from the coach as well as one from Coach Izzo hanging in her room.
Most of all, she loved her family. Her place was filled with pictures of all of her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. If you sat down with her for a couple minutes, you'd be hearing how smart, funny, quick, talented, and amazing they were. She would laugh when thinking of her second son, who always asked her if she wanted a beer (she hated beer). She would smile wistfully when thinking of her oldest son and say he was the best baby anyone every had, and the easiest kid in the world. She adored her daughter and talked to her everyday. Her grandkids were a source of joy to her - and we all adored her. She made every single one of us feel like we were her absolute favorite (I mean, they felt like it, but I know I was). We would fight over who got to sit next to Grandma and say, "She's MY Grandma." Being a peacemaker, she would want us to share, but I know she enjoyed it a little anyway. She thought her great-grandchildren were so special. She saw the similarities in them and their parents and their grandparents and it reminded her of them when they were little.
My Grandma was great at a lot of things, but I have to tell you, she could tear up crossword puzzles like nobody's beeswax. My brother and I would sit with her (as adults) and go through the newspaper crossword and we'd sit there for like eleventy minutes and come up with nothing, and then when we gave up, she would instantly (but gently) tell us the answer (so we didn't feel like total bozos). How did she DO that? Crossword puzzles are so stinkin' hard. She also could guess Wheel of Fortune really quickly. She crocheted full sized blankets for all of her grandchildren and then made baby blankets for our children because she knew one day her arthritis would get so bad that she would not be able to do it anymore. She taught us all how to crochet, whether you are a boy or a girl, it was a skill to have. My brother made seventy-nine foot chains to use as whips and leashes for his stuffed animals. My cousin Jill and I like it enough to make piles of hats. She made fantastic macaroni and cheese and each of us special birthday cakes.
She always remembered everyone's birthday, even up until the very last few days of her life - she told me to make sure my son got his birthday card. And when your birthday did come, you'd get a phone call from her and as soon as you said hello, you'd hear her singing happy birthday to you.
I will miss her very much. My Wednesdays will not be the same without painting her nails, sitting around chatting about what's new, and having a cup of tea. These last couple months, I would bring her laundry back and hang it up in her closet for her, and she would always say, "Oh, you have to do all this work! What a pain I am!" (For the record - my sister was doing the laundry, I just had to return it and hang it up.) She was never a pain. She was a joy.
Hug your people. Even though they seem like they'll be there forever, even 101 years - it's always too short somehow.
Peace, love, and hugs,
Ms. Daisy
It doesn't feel right.
I know you may think that you have the best grandma in the whole world, but I have the best grandma in the universe. At 4'9" or so, she didn't look like a powerhouse, but her quiet, cheerful presence made wherever she was a better place. She was strong and had a will of steel. She passed on a passionate love of tea to a select few of us. You could always count on Grandma for having a pack (or ten) of Doublemint gum, a stash of lemon drops, and a package of mini Twix if you wanted one.
My Grandma was from a big family, and only one of two girls, so she had to put up with a lot of brothers fighting. This caused her to be quite a peacemaker (she HATED fighting and strife). Her sister was about eleven years older than she was, so her sister had to take charge and do many of the jobs around the house, but my Grandma would help her and stick up for her in the face of so many brothers.
My Grandma loved roses. The house that she lived in for fifty years had what she always called "Tropicana" roses. My Grandpa was a meticulous gardener and the heads of the roses were the size of small melons. They would bring in a big blossom (just the head of it) and float it in a round glass bowl so you could see it and smell it.
My Grandma was born when the Model T came out in 1914. She was born in Quebec, Canada, and spoke French as a girl. When she was about ten years old, she emigrated to the United States with her older sister and brothers. Her mom stayed back with the littlest ones and came after. When she came to school in the United States, she was extremely shy. She gained quick fame, however (much to her horror), when she won the spelling bee for the entire school. She won an atlas and then when she progressed on to the next level and won again, she won a dictionary. Our family still has it. When my son had trouble spelling, she would just tell him gently, "It's easy. Just take it slow and sound out every piece."
When she got older, her sister was hanging out with a boy who had a younger brother her age. Would you believe the two sisters married two brothers? They were a close family - no need to fight about when to have family parties to accommodate the schedules of the in-laws!
She went through the Great Depression as a teenager, and this experience caused her to be both frugal and to live simply. She loved sparkly things, but tempered her glamourous side with the backdrop of remembering the Depression, never being wasteful nor splurging on something unnecessary, although I do remember her having a tiara. I was in awe of it. The house she raised her children in was about 850 square feet and had no basement. She made it work.
She loved baseball and hockey, specifially the Detroit Tigers and the Red Wings. Her brother was a baseball player and her father was a hockey player in the league that was around before the NHL started. She had hockey bobbleheads and jerseys and you could call her any day of the week to ask her what time the game was on and which channel it would be shown on. She hated football and boxing, though, because it looked like those guys were fighting (it probably reminded her of her brothers fighting). She loved Michigan State women's basketball and had a signed photo from the coach as well as one from Coach Izzo hanging in her room.
Most of all, she loved her family. Her place was filled with pictures of all of her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. If you sat down with her for a couple minutes, you'd be hearing how smart, funny, quick, talented, and amazing they were. She would laugh when thinking of her second son, who always asked her if she wanted a beer (she hated beer). She would smile wistfully when thinking of her oldest son and say he was the best baby anyone every had, and the easiest kid in the world. She adored her daughter and talked to her everyday. Her grandkids were a source of joy to her - and we all adored her. She made every single one of us feel like we were her absolute favorite (I mean, they felt like it, but I know I was). We would fight over who got to sit next to Grandma and say, "She's MY Grandma." Being a peacemaker, she would want us to share, but I know she enjoyed it a little anyway. She thought her great-grandchildren were so special. She saw the similarities in them and their parents and their grandparents and it reminded her of them when they were little.
My Grandma was great at a lot of things, but I have to tell you, she could tear up crossword puzzles like nobody's beeswax. My brother and I would sit with her (as adults) and go through the newspaper crossword and we'd sit there for like eleventy minutes and come up with nothing, and then when we gave up, she would instantly (but gently) tell us the answer (so we didn't feel like total bozos). How did she DO that? Crossword puzzles are so stinkin' hard. She also could guess Wheel of Fortune really quickly. She crocheted full sized blankets for all of her grandchildren and then made baby blankets for our children because she knew one day her arthritis would get so bad that she would not be able to do it anymore. She taught us all how to crochet, whether you are a boy or a girl, it was a skill to have. My brother made seventy-nine foot chains to use as whips and leashes for his stuffed animals. My cousin Jill and I like it enough to make piles of hats. She made fantastic macaroni and cheese and each of us special birthday cakes.
She always remembered everyone's birthday, even up until the very last few days of her life - she told me to make sure my son got his birthday card. And when your birthday did come, you'd get a phone call from her and as soon as you said hello, you'd hear her singing happy birthday to you.
I will miss her very much. My Wednesdays will not be the same without painting her nails, sitting around chatting about what's new, and having a cup of tea. These last couple months, I would bring her laundry back and hang it up in her closet for her, and she would always say, "Oh, you have to do all this work! What a pain I am!" (For the record - my sister was doing the laundry, I just had to return it and hang it up.) She was never a pain. She was a joy.
Hug your people. Even though they seem like they'll be there forever, even 101 years - it's always too short somehow.
Peace, love, and hugs,
Ms. Daisy
Thursday, February 19, 2015
My natural medicine cabinet: muscle aches, ovarian cysts, parasites
This week I've been talking about the contents of my natural medicine cabinet. If you've ever wondered about how to deal with a cold, the flu, a sore throat, or a headache in a more liver-friendly way, take a look at the previous posts.
Natural Medicine Cabinet: Part 1
Natural Medicine Cabinet: Part 2
Today kind of covers some issues that are a little different: muscle aches, ovarian cysts, and parasites. Yummy.
Let's start with muscle aches. If you have done something insane a la weekend warrior, or you thought you were 21 when you are really near double that (or more), you may end up spending a few days walking like an old grumpy hunchback who feels the pain of age at every foot fall.
What to do! No, not Bengay. No, not even Icy Hot. May I recommend the arnica sprays/gels/tablets? Arnica is crazy awesomesauce when it comes to dissolving the pain of sore muscles. I have used Traumeel (gel and tablets), and the gel is crazy good. There is also Magnesium oil (plus arnica), but for some people they initially feel a stinging sensation. It doesn't last, though, and only some people get it, so don't be too scared. The Traumeel (as you can see on the box) is counteracted by peppermint, so if you're using Dr. Bronners peppermint castile soap (which you TOTALLY should be!), you'll have to switch to lavender or something for the duration. Same for your toothpaste and whatever you have that has peppermint in it. One of my littles had a sledding accident and had a back injury - the Traumeel gave instant relief (and yes, we did go to the emergency room in case you thought I just slathered on some Traumeel and crossed my fingers).
As I've said before, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, nor am I approved by the FDA (F-duh), so seek professional medical attention when you need it. (Oh how I love you, you litigious society!)
Okay, getting a little bit less common: ovarian cysts.
I mean, at least 50% of the population cannot possibly have this problem, so I have to categorize it as such. About four months after giving birth to an early stillborn baby, I had some issues in my ovaries. It felt like sharp-toothed rats with knives and swords were living in my ovaries and trying to murder me from the inside out. Perhaps it was because of a crazy hormone imbalance, but that's what was going on. I was sad because I was certain that I was dying of cancer - first a dead baby, now a dead me. Come ON, life! Can't you give me a break?
After suffering for a few months, I decided to go to the doctor's office and get an ultrasound to face my fate. The poor ultrasound technician was ironically the same person who had to run out of the room at my 20 week appointment (six months earlier) to get the doctor and midwife to tell me that there was no heartbeat in my unborn son, so she was NOT TOO EXCITED to see me again, horrified at what news she'd have to tell me now. Because she remembered me and felt sorry for me, I think she tolerated my questions a bit more than she would have otherwise. She scanned my ovaries and I saw some weird stuff (I figured it was giant cancerous tumors and I better spiffy up my last will and testament), so I asked her point blank if she knew what that was, if it was totally abnormal and I was going to probably hear really bad news. She admitted she was not really allowed to tell me anything and she was not a doctor, but she was pretty sure it was just some regular cysts, even though there were like eighty million of them. The doctor called and confirmed that I was not going to die anytime soon (thank you very much). This did not help me in the department of 30-60 stabbing pains an hour for 4 months, though. I couldn't bend or move (or breathe or walk) without feeling horrible stabbing pains that would at times cause me to become momentarily paralyzed.
But now that I knew what they were, I could attack them. Honestly, I didn't know where to start, but I started reading. The most helpful and specific information came to me through a website run by RNs, doulas, and others in the medical field who have a penchant for natural treatments. (Find them here) I did Wobenzym, DIM, and maca root. They have other suggestions like a castor oil flannel pack (I've heard good results about that). The link provides dosages and you can figure out exactly what you should take throughout the day. I believe they also offer a service for private one-on-one counseling if you have specific questions and concerns and would like someone to follow you through your issue.
After a week, I realized the stabbings were decreasing significantly. After two weeks, it was even less. After a month, I was down to only about one pain a day. After that point, it spread out infrequently and then went away completely. At that point, I obviously stopped taking the Wobenzym, DIM and maca. I have not had a problem since then and from later ultrasounds, they have gone away. Thank you, Jesus.
Lastly, the parasites.
My husband saw some crazy thing online a few years ago and was convinced we were just crawling with parasites, which really grossed me out to the point that I wanted to be sure I wasn't crawling all over inside with some tapeworm the size of my kitchen table. At this point I ran to the health food store and asked what would be a good parasite detox and took it. I really don't think it was necessary, I didn't see any weird living (or previously living) anacondas coming out of me even after a couple weeks, so I stopped. But maybe it helped. I didn't feel any different, however. But maybe YOU would. I liked the smell of it, it has clove in it, so I didn't mind taking it (reminder: this is not a good and valid reason to take something medicinally), but I decided I was probably okay and then gave it up.
Otherwise, you could get one of those zapper things. Have you heard of them? It actually works when you have a cold, too! Strange but true. It says it works by stimulating your immune system. That's all I want to say about it, mostly so you don't think me weirder than I am.
Yeah, like that's possible.
Peace, love, and get well,
Ms. Daisy
Natural Medicine Cabinet: Part 1
Natural Medicine Cabinet: Part 2
Today kind of covers some issues that are a little different: muscle aches, ovarian cysts, and parasites. Yummy.
Let's start with muscle aches. If you have done something insane a la weekend warrior, or you thought you were 21 when you are really near double that (or more), you may end up spending a few days walking like an old grumpy hunchback who feels the pain of age at every foot fall.
What to do! No, not Bengay. No, not even Icy Hot. May I recommend the arnica sprays/gels/tablets? Arnica is crazy awesomesauce when it comes to dissolving the pain of sore muscles. I have used Traumeel (gel and tablets), and the gel is crazy good. There is also Magnesium oil (plus arnica), but for some people they initially feel a stinging sensation. It doesn't last, though, and only some people get it, so don't be too scared. The Traumeel (as you can see on the box) is counteracted by peppermint, so if you're using Dr. Bronners peppermint castile soap (which you TOTALLY should be!), you'll have to switch to lavender or something for the duration. Same for your toothpaste and whatever you have that has peppermint in it. One of my littles had a sledding accident and had a back injury - the Traumeel gave instant relief (and yes, we did go to the emergency room in case you thought I just slathered on some Traumeel and crossed my fingers).
As I've said before, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, nor am I approved by the FDA (F-duh), so seek professional medical attention when you need it. (Oh how I love you, you litigious society!)
Okay, getting a little bit less common: ovarian cysts.
 |
| Also helpful: DIM |
I mean, at least 50% of the population cannot possibly have this problem, so I have to categorize it as such. About four months after giving birth to an early stillborn baby, I had some issues in my ovaries. It felt like sharp-toothed rats with knives and swords were living in my ovaries and trying to murder me from the inside out. Perhaps it was because of a crazy hormone imbalance, but that's what was going on. I was sad because I was certain that I was dying of cancer - first a dead baby, now a dead me. Come ON, life! Can't you give me a break?
After suffering for a few months, I decided to go to the doctor's office and get an ultrasound to face my fate. The poor ultrasound technician was ironically the same person who had to run out of the room at my 20 week appointment (six months earlier) to get the doctor and midwife to tell me that there was no heartbeat in my unborn son, so she was NOT TOO EXCITED to see me again, horrified at what news she'd have to tell me now. Because she remembered me and felt sorry for me, I think she tolerated my questions a bit more than she would have otherwise. She scanned my ovaries and I saw some weird stuff (I figured it was giant cancerous tumors and I better spiffy up my last will and testament), so I asked her point blank if she knew what that was, if it was totally abnormal and I was going to probably hear really bad news. She admitted she was not really allowed to tell me anything and she was not a doctor, but she was pretty sure it was just some regular cysts, even though there were like eighty million of them. The doctor called and confirmed that I was not going to die anytime soon (thank you very much). This did not help me in the department of 30-60 stabbing pains an hour for 4 months, though. I couldn't bend or move (or breathe or walk) without feeling horrible stabbing pains that would at times cause me to become momentarily paralyzed.
But now that I knew what they were, I could attack them. Honestly, I didn't know where to start, but I started reading. The most helpful and specific information came to me through a website run by RNs, doulas, and others in the medical field who have a penchant for natural treatments. (Find them here) I did Wobenzym, DIM, and maca root. They have other suggestions like a castor oil flannel pack (I've heard good results about that). The link provides dosages and you can figure out exactly what you should take throughout the day. I believe they also offer a service for private one-on-one counseling if you have specific questions and concerns and would like someone to follow you through your issue.
After a week, I realized the stabbings were decreasing significantly. After two weeks, it was even less. After a month, I was down to only about one pain a day. After that point, it spread out infrequently and then went away completely. At that point, I obviously stopped taking the Wobenzym, DIM and maca. I have not had a problem since then and from later ultrasounds, they have gone away. Thank you, Jesus.
Lastly, the parasites.
 |
| Ominous...kill the parasites... |
Otherwise, you could get one of those zapper things. Have you heard of them? It actually works when you have a cold, too! Strange but true. It says it works by stimulating your immune system. That's all I want to say about it, mostly so you don't think me weirder than I am.
Yeah, like that's possible.
Peace, love, and get well,
Ms. Daisy
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
My natural medicine cabinet: the flu and sore throats
Last time, I offered a peek into the madness that is the medicine cabinet of Ms. Daisy. Let's sneak on back to see what we can do about some other common maladies we face in this here life of ours.
The Flu?
If you've got the flu, well, my dear, I am sorry. That is not fun. I'm just going to stay waaaay over here while I tell you a few things that might help you feel better and recover faster.
First off, do you have any Norwex enviro cloths (microfiber with silver in it) around the house? Get someone to wipe down your surfaces and doorknobs with water and one of those cloths to kill the baddies that are crawling all over the place. If you haven't got one around, you can get one here.
Now that we've got the external germ spreading taken care of, let's fix you up. The Oscillococcinum is great if you can take it right at the onset. You might save yourself a few barfs. If you're past that and you can tolerate eating anything, sip some ginger tea for your belly. Chop up some ginger and steep it in boiling water (I add lemon and honey, too, but do what you want). If you are manly enough, get one (or as many as you can stand) of those minced bits of ginger in your mouth and mash it up (I'd keep the liquid in while you do so so as not to burn the inside of your mouth off). Ginger is great for upset stomachs. If you are not a ginger person, sad for you. You could do the same with garlic. Otherwise, I would suggest some kombucha, which will fight the baddies in your guts. If you don't like kombucha, well, that just means you are obviously the type who runs around with your fingers in the air, skitting about on your tip toes. What else? Are you looking at that jar of green mush and wondering what I'm going to suggest next? Well let me tell you! That is Bieler broth. It is basically slightly steamed and blended green beans, zucchini, parsley, and celery. (Specifics here .) Keep the water with which you steamed the veg to blend. I add a bit of Celtic sea salt for the magnesium balance (which can get out of whack when you have distributed the contents of your insides into a toilet). If you can keep anything down, this is a very gentle way to get your vitamins and minerals so you can get better.
What about a sore throat?
If your sore throat is due to nasal issues, you should be using your neti-pot before you go to bed to kind of clear that out and prevent that issue. If you have a straight up sore throat (and you're scared you're going to go down the road to strep), then take a look at what natural medicine has to offer you. My 101 year-old Grandma will tell you just what to do: get a mug, cover the bottom with a thin layer of salt, splash in some vinegar and add water as hot as you can stand. Gargle that LOVELY mix until it is gone and your sore throat will be exponentially better. No, it doesn't taste good. In fact, I plug my nose, but by golly, it works. Otherwise, if you just start to feel iffy, take a shot of apple cider vinegar. It has worked really well for me.
If you have something you're worried might be strep (or pink eye), go hit up that Sovereign Silver. Give it a couple or a few squirts a few times a day (throat or eyeball), cut your sugar to ZERO, and you may find within a few hours to a few days that you are as good as new. I just read an article about someone using Spanish radishes or something for this same thing, so that might be worth looking into if you have the interest (haven't tried it myself, though). I have to add (because people are really awesome) that no, I am not a doctor, I do not play one on TV (although I did win best actress in my high school acting class), I am not approved by the FDA (pronounce it F-duh), and I am not a substitute for medical assistance. But it's worked for me and a bazillion people I know, so take it for what it's worth.
If you have some other scary infection, you might want to take a look at oregano oil. That stuff kills nearly everything. You can do the oregano oil or the Sovereign Silver topically as well as internally, but don't just go drinking the stuff whenever you want in whatever quantity you want. Read your dosage and research. Kids can do silver, but cut their dose to at least half of what an adult dose is. And overdosing on silver will turn your skin permanently blue, so pay attention so you can avoid people continually asking you if you are a superfan of the Avatar movie.
Remember, fine people, children cannot take all of the same herbal or natural remedies that an adult can. Just because it is natural does not mean it cannot be toxic. Do your homework, please and thank you.
Peace, love, and feel better soon,
Ms. Daisy
The Flu?
If you've got the flu, well, my dear, I am sorry. That is not fun. I'm just going to stay waaaay over here while I tell you a few things that might help you feel better and recover faster.
First off, do you have any Norwex enviro cloths (microfiber with silver in it) around the house? Get someone to wipe down your surfaces and doorknobs with water and one of those cloths to kill the baddies that are crawling all over the place. If you haven't got one around, you can get one here.
Now that we've got the external germ spreading taken care of, let's fix you up. The Oscillococcinum is great if you can take it right at the onset. You might save yourself a few barfs. If you're past that and you can tolerate eating anything, sip some ginger tea for your belly. Chop up some ginger and steep it in boiling water (I add lemon and honey, too, but do what you want). If you are manly enough, get one (or as many as you can stand) of those minced bits of ginger in your mouth and mash it up (I'd keep the liquid in while you do so so as not to burn the inside of your mouth off). Ginger is great for upset stomachs. If you are not a ginger person, sad for you. You could do the same with garlic. Otherwise, I would suggest some kombucha, which will fight the baddies in your guts. If you don't like kombucha, well, that just means you are obviously the type who runs around with your fingers in the air, skitting about on your tip toes. What else? Are you looking at that jar of green mush and wondering what I'm going to suggest next? Well let me tell you! That is Bieler broth. It is basically slightly steamed and blended green beans, zucchini, parsley, and celery. (Specifics here .) Keep the water with which you steamed the veg to blend. I add a bit of Celtic sea salt for the magnesium balance (which can get out of whack when you have distributed the contents of your insides into a toilet). If you can keep anything down, this is a very gentle way to get your vitamins and minerals so you can get better.
What about a sore throat?
If your sore throat is due to nasal issues, you should be using your neti-pot before you go to bed to kind of clear that out and prevent that issue. If you have a straight up sore throat (and you're scared you're going to go down the road to strep), then take a look at what natural medicine has to offer you. My 101 year-old Grandma will tell you just what to do: get a mug, cover the bottom with a thin layer of salt, splash in some vinegar and add water as hot as you can stand. Gargle that LOVELY mix until it is gone and your sore throat will be exponentially better. No, it doesn't taste good. In fact, I plug my nose, but by golly, it works. Otherwise, if you just start to feel iffy, take a shot of apple cider vinegar. It has worked really well for me.
If you have something you're worried might be strep (or pink eye), go hit up that Sovereign Silver. Give it a couple or a few squirts a few times a day (throat or eyeball), cut your sugar to ZERO, and you may find within a few hours to a few days that you are as good as new. I just read an article about someone using Spanish radishes or something for this same thing, so that might be worth looking into if you have the interest (haven't tried it myself, though). I have to add (because people are really awesome) that no, I am not a doctor, I do not play one on TV (although I did win best actress in my high school acting class), I am not approved by the FDA (pronounce it F-duh), and I am not a substitute for medical assistance. But it's worked for me and a bazillion people I know, so take it for what it's worth.
If you have some other scary infection, you might want to take a look at oregano oil. That stuff kills nearly everything. You can do the oregano oil or the Sovereign Silver topically as well as internally, but don't just go drinking the stuff whenever you want in whatever quantity you want. Read your dosage and research. Kids can do silver, but cut their dose to at least half of what an adult dose is. And overdosing on silver will turn your skin permanently blue, so pay attention so you can avoid people continually asking you if you are a superfan of the Avatar movie.
Remember, fine people, children cannot take all of the same herbal or natural remedies that an adult can. Just because it is natural does not mean it cannot be toxic. Do your homework, please and thank you.
Peace, love, and feel better soon,
Ms. Daisy
Monday, February 16, 2015
Randoms, part 6(?)
Random #1:
Here's a tip: Don't just paint your walls the moment the urge hits you, please change your clothes first. I know, you may have known that. I did too, but I regret not acting on it. Oh well, white spots in my greenish hair is kind of Spartan looking, not to mention my awesome speckled outfit now.
Random #2:
Do you know any boys who think they are stronger than their mothers? Apparently there is something that happens in the mind of a boy when he nears preteen years where he thinks he is no longer a rugrat and has become the boss of the world. They learn how to throw a football and can carry their mothers on their backs, so they think they have arrived at manhood. I had to knock a certain little off of his high horse last night. It went like this.
Son 1 to younger sibling: Monopoly is stupid. I could crush you in Monopoly.
Me: So, it's stupid but you want to play it? Awesome. How about football is stupid and I could crush you in it?
Son 1: No you couldn't!
Hubby: Yes, she could. She is taller than you, she weighs more than you (by probs 15-20 pounds), and she is stronger than you.
Son 1: No way! SO!? I could throw a football farther than you, Mom.
Me: False.
Son 1: How far can you throw? I can throw 20 yards.
Me: I could whomp on that.
Hubby: She can probably throw at least 30 or 40. I, however, could throw like 50 or 60 (gotta keep that pecking order straight, apparently). She could beat you in wrestling and arm wrestling, too.
Son 1: NO WAY! Let's go, Mom!
Me: You're going to be crushed, dude.
Hubby: You're going to regret that. Mom will beat you.
Son 1: Let's go right now.
Me: (clearing my dinner plate away) Bring it. Let's go lefts. (Hands locked, other hand on the elbow of the other.) 1, 2, 3, go.
Instant crushage. Down in less than two seconds.
Son 1: No way! Okay, let's do right then.
Me: Seriously? I'll crush you faster than before. (Hands locked, other hand on the elbow of the other.) 1, 2, 3, go.
Even instant-er crushage. Down in one second flat.
Homeboy, don't mess with Mama. He gave up on the idea of wrestling, plus I wanted to paint my nails. It looks better when you win at arm wrestling when you have glittery pink nails, I think.
Peace, love, and I need to repaint my pink due to all of the gobs of white paint now,
Ms. Daisy
Here's a tip: Don't just paint your walls the moment the urge hits you, please change your clothes first. I know, you may have known that. I did too, but I regret not acting on it. Oh well, white spots in my greenish hair is kind of Spartan looking, not to mention my awesome speckled outfit now.
Random #2:
Do you know any boys who think they are stronger than their mothers? Apparently there is something that happens in the mind of a boy when he nears preteen years where he thinks he is no longer a rugrat and has become the boss of the world. They learn how to throw a football and can carry their mothers on their backs, so they think they have arrived at manhood. I had to knock a certain little off of his high horse last night. It went like this.
Son 1 to younger sibling: Monopoly is stupid. I could crush you in Monopoly.
Me: So, it's stupid but you want to play it? Awesome. How about football is stupid and I could crush you in it?
Son 1: No you couldn't!
Hubby: Yes, she could. She is taller than you, she weighs more than you (by probs 15-20 pounds), and she is stronger than you.
Son 1: No way! SO!? I could throw a football farther than you, Mom.
Me: False.
Son 1: How far can you throw? I can throw 20 yards.
Me: I could whomp on that.
Hubby: She can probably throw at least 30 or 40. I, however, could throw like 50 or 60 (gotta keep that pecking order straight, apparently). She could beat you in wrestling and arm wrestling, too.
Son 1: NO WAY! Let's go, Mom!
Me: You're going to be crushed, dude.
Hubby: You're going to regret that. Mom will beat you.
Son 1: Let's go right now.
Me: (clearing my dinner plate away) Bring it. Let's go lefts. (Hands locked, other hand on the elbow of the other.) 1, 2, 3, go.
Instant crushage. Down in less than two seconds.
Son 1: No way! Okay, let's do right then.
Me: Seriously? I'll crush you faster than before. (Hands locked, other hand on the elbow of the other.) 1, 2, 3, go.
Even instant-er crushage. Down in one second flat.
Homeboy, don't mess with Mama. He gave up on the idea of wrestling, plus I wanted to paint my nails. It looks better when you win at arm wrestling when you have glittery pink nails, I think.
Peace, love, and I need to repaint my pink due to all of the gobs of white paint now,
Ms. Daisy
Sunday, February 15, 2015
My natural medicine cabinet: headaches and cold remedies
Were you just sitting around the house wondering what is in my natural medicine cabinet? Oh, I know you were! Well, good thing I can read minds, because I'm bringing it to you right now.
If you come over to my house and have some issue, don't expect me to hand out Tylenol, Motrin, Bengay, and Tums. No way, Jose. You're going to get to know the alternative in alternative medicine around here. I have a basic array of things that will deal with the most common things: colds, sore throats, flu, headaches, muscle aches, and a few things that are not very common (like shrinking ovarian cysts and things in case you think you have parasites - yeah, it's a long story, but no, I don't have any).
When I started reading all of the side effects and about how your liver pretty much hates you when you start downing over the counter (and prescription) meds, I dove in to research what on earth people do besides the usual answers that you can find at Walgreens.
Today, I present...my herbal and natural medicine cabinet.
So what's your problem?
You've got a headache? First let me ask you how much water you've had today. Are you dehydrated? That will give you a rip-roaring headache. Don't drug it if that's the problem, just go get some water. If that's not the case, then skip the Motrin or the Excedrin and try one of these: white willow bark or a Petadolex.
White willow bark is the stuff that Dr. Bayer (of Bayer aspirin fame) used to make his aspirin. Except you can't patent stuff in nature, so he had to break it down and re-build it to mimic what had worked for a few thousand years: white willow bark. Otherwise, if you have a migraine, give Petadolex a try. After I was poisoned at my brother-in-law's rehearsal dinner with who knows what (even though I called and talked to the manager about their ingredients), I had to figure out what I was going to do with the migraine I had on the day of the wedding, especially since I had to do a reading and HELLO, more importantly GET DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR. The accupressure wasn't doing anything, water was not the issue, and I just needed something to make me not want to die. That was Petadolex. That stuff is amazing. It contains butterbur and has no known side-effects or drug interactions. It saved the day. And I got to request L.L. Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out, so it was pretty much a perfect wedding.
What if you have a cold?
Pobrecito. You are suffering. You need to get some sleep, my dear. And I know you aren't eating any sugar, right? Wouldn't want to feed those baddies and make yourself feel worse. No ice cream! No cookies. But you may have some homemade bone broth. Please go take a nap on the couch, I am going to make you a cup of ginger, honey, lemon tea. Let's fight this thing on all sides. What can we hit it with? Glad you asked. If you are a child, I'm going to give you some Coldcalm (adults can take this too). It is an herbal mix that will clear up your nose and sore throat. If you take it soon enough at the onset of a cold, you can kill it entirely. If you're too far in, well, it can help the symptoms. If you are an adult and it is very nasal-y, go for either the Fenu-Thyme (that's my favorite - when you sweat the next day you will smell like maple syrup) or the OregaRESP (that's hubby's favorite). If you are so boogery, you can try the MucoStop too. If you want to kill something in your sinuses, I love shooting my nose with Sinu-Orega.
Don't forget to neti-pot (I use a stainless steel one and make sure you have good clean (not tap) water. Don't put bacteria and spores up your brain hole, but if you insist on it, don't blame me for your stupidity.) Do try to get some rest, though. And don't be surprised when I make you soup with a bunch of cloves of garlic in it. When you're sick, it's your responsibility and job to give your body the best and not indulge yourself in whatever your tastebuds whimsically desire.
The next time around, I'll hook you up with stuff for the flu and sore/strep throats. In the meantime, I hope you feel better, dahling.
Peace, love, and tuck your feet in tight under that cozy blanket,
Ms. Daisy
If you come over to my house and have some issue, don't expect me to hand out Tylenol, Motrin, Bengay, and Tums. No way, Jose. You're going to get to know the alternative in alternative medicine around here. I have a basic array of things that will deal with the most common things: colds, sore throats, flu, headaches, muscle aches, and a few things that are not very common (like shrinking ovarian cysts and things in case you think you have parasites - yeah, it's a long story, but no, I don't have any).
When I started reading all of the side effects and about how your liver pretty much hates you when you start downing over the counter (and prescription) meds, I dove in to research what on earth people do besides the usual answers that you can find at Walgreens.
Today, I present...my herbal and natural medicine cabinet.
So what's your problem?
You've got a headache? First let me ask you how much water you've had today. Are you dehydrated? That will give you a rip-roaring headache. Don't drug it if that's the problem, just go get some water. If that's not the case, then skip the Motrin or the Excedrin and try one of these: white willow bark or a Petadolex.
What if you have a cold?
Pobrecito. You are suffering. You need to get some sleep, my dear. And I know you aren't eating any sugar, right? Wouldn't want to feed those baddies and make yourself feel worse. No ice cream! No cookies. But you may have some homemade bone broth. Please go take a nap on the couch, I am going to make you a cup of ginger, honey, lemon tea. Let's fight this thing on all sides. What can we hit it with? Glad you asked. If you are a child, I'm going to give you some Coldcalm (adults can take this too). It is an herbal mix that will clear up your nose and sore throat. If you take it soon enough at the onset of a cold, you can kill it entirely. If you're too far in, well, it can help the symptoms. If you are an adult and it is very nasal-y, go for either the Fenu-Thyme (that's my favorite - when you sweat the next day you will smell like maple syrup) or the OregaRESP (that's hubby's favorite). If you are so boogery, you can try the MucoStop too. If you want to kill something in your sinuses, I love shooting my nose with Sinu-Orega.
The next time around, I'll hook you up with stuff for the flu and sore/strep throats. In the meantime, I hope you feel better, dahling.
Peace, love, and tuck your feet in tight under that cozy blanket,
Ms. Daisy
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