Naturally Skeptic
Lately, I have been looking into what many have, especially these days.
I have been trying to convert to more natural living.
I am always really careful to take everything I read about natural products with a grain of salt because I believe humans were given the knowledge needed for medicine (which, are often made from plants!) for a reason...even though we often abuse it! I believe everything should be done and taken under doctor supervision, especially if it's supposed to treat something major, like a heart condition. I recently had a woman at a farmer's market who tried to tell me not to take medicine for things like blood pressure and such after I told her I believed herbs and remedies were great for certain things, but others needed more serious treatment. I only mentioned it to her after she told me she had some type of a "medical degree", thinking she might understand my view. Definitely skeptical about what kind of degree...
I just kind of nodded, smiled, and went on my way...
My view of natural products: I'm all for medicine, but if there's something you can safely do without adding more chemicals to your body, it's worth a shot.
Anyway, so I have decided to dabble in natural things for curing things like headaches and whatnot. Since I have a chronic headache/migraine condition, not sure how well that will work for me, but I'm hoping to attack some of the root causes as well with things like yoga (for stress) and maybe eating better. There are obviously still some biological issues, so I'm still going to consult with my neurologist, but it's nice to not have to take a pill for everything all the time!
So here are some of the things I'm trying:
Lemongrass Oil for headaches:
I discovered this gem from a camp I went on in high school. I had a headache and rules for the camp didn't allow bringing along my own meds. This girl in my room asked if I had ever tried lemongrass oil, and I replied that I hadn't. Most of the time mine are so bad hardly anything will touch them, but for the "regular headaches" this stuff works great. You put just a tad on both temples and the center of the back of your neck (where spine meets head) and it works wonders. Some people can't tolerate the oil by itself, so you'll need a carrier oil like jojoba oil, or avocado oil (those are the two I have used for other things and I love them) and many people swear by grape seed oil or sunflower oil. It tingles and feels nice, but warning: your husband (or whoever) will probably tell you you smell like lemon Pledge -_-
Not the worst thing to smell like, but you might feel a little self conscious.
I've tried this and it worked great, and other times it only worked a little...but like I said, my headaches/migraines are often pretty intense.
Eucalyptus Oil for sinuses:
This one really, really works. It's SUPER pungent, but it also smells really yummy when you put it on a tissue/paper towel and inhale. They recommend doing that if you are congested or sick and carrying the tissue around with you. For some reason it kind of smells sweet when you put a drop or two on something else. I love it! It's also nice to put a few drops in the shower before you hop in. It's like vapo rub, but not.
Tea Tree Oil for...everything:
Whoa. This is one of the most useful things EVER! I've been using a variation of this for spot-treating pimples for a while with something called a "blemish stick" from the brand Desert Essence. I really like it, and it's all natural. I hear tea tree oil by itself is excellent for blemishes as well, so I'm going to try that. It's also good for burns, bites, and just about everything else - especially if it starts with a 'b' ;) (get it? burns, bites, blemishes?)
Oh, and this one has a REALLY intense smell...it takes getting used to.
Avocado Oil: moisturizer
I LOVE this stuff!!! I use the Now brand of this one, too. I use it as a moisturizer on my face, but it's also great for skin elsewhere, too. It feels good and doesn't clog pores. I use this chart for assistance in that area. It tells which oils will clog pores more or less than others. I attached the amazon.com link, but I actually got mine cheaper ($6.99) in a naturals shop in Colorado.
Jojoba Oil: moisturizer
I use this one to moisturize my face, too. I use one drop of avocado oil and one drop of jojoba oil. Both are fine on their own, but I just like them together. It's also really low on the pore clogging scale.
Oil Cleansing Method: Face wash!
This has changed my life! It's cleaning your face WITH OIL! You must be thinking what I
was when I first read it: "uhh, oil is usually the problem, not the
solution!" But most people don't realize that when your face is thirsty
for oil is when it produces it more than ever! Fortunately, I figured
that out a long time ago when I would use "oil free" products and my
face would get much worse. So I was willing to give this a shot.
However, I never thought I'd be using oil by itself! Crazy stuff. I mix cold pressed castor oil with extra virgin olive oil (like, the one in the kitchen), rub about a quarter sized amount together in my palms until it's warm, apply to face, then use a hot, wet washcloth and leave it on my face until it cools off. Then, I use the same wash cloth and rinse my face with hot water. Pat dry with a hot towel and voilà ! Next morning just rinse with warm water and you'll love it :)
Witch Hazel, lemon, and aloe vera toner:
I just got this stuff, so I don't know too much about it, but it makes my skin feel lovely. I got it because the girl who wrote the above article on the oil cleansing method recommended it for cleaning your face after getting sweaty while working out, or walking outside in the CRAZY HEAT! Ugh! Anyway, I've been using this stuff pretty much every chance I get. It feels great! It also had incredible reviews on amazon, sooo...
I use a mixture of cinnamon, raw honey, and nutmeg as a weekly scrub...I wrote about it in this previous blog post. I keep a small mason jar of it made up and keep it in a cool, dark place. It says on honey bottles not to refrigerate it, and it has kept well in the tightly sealed mason jar.
I have a few other things that I've gotten from the farmer's market, but I'll talk about them some other time. I'm also taking primrose oil capsules for skin, hair, and such. We shall see how they work...
OH, and we're going to try doing laundry naturally, too! I've seen recipes for detergent, but I didn't like them...especially because my skin is INCREDIBLY sensitive and all of the ingredients in homemade detergent are from other things, like a bar of soap, and borax...I feel like that's kind of a step backwards for me.
So we're trying soap nuts! Weird sounding, I know...but they seem to be great! AND they save a lot more money than store-bought detergent. I hear they're one of the best options for people with sensitive skin.
Here's the amazon description: "Soap Nuts are Mother Nature's gift - 100% natural laundry soap. A safe, hypoallergenic, biodegradable, fragrance-free alternative to toxic chemicals. If you suffer from allergies, sensitive skin, or seek a greener earth... The dried shells of the soapberry (a fruit) contains saponin (an effective cleaning agent), but NO CHEMICALS! Used for ages for hygiene, hair care and general cleaning. Easily converts to powder or liquid."
We're also going to try wool dryer balls. They're supposed to work like dryer sheets, but apparently they're reusable, and also they get rid of static really well. AND they're hypoallergenic as well :) yay! These and the soap nuts were some of the highest rated, hypoallergenic laundry products online. I'm excited to try both! Here's the description for these: "they are completely made out of wool, inside and out. We use wool roving
to form the ball. They are about the size of a tennis ball and will
shrink slightly over time. They are "All-Natural". All natural means
that this product is 100% free from any synthetic fibers. These cute
little felted wool balls are designed to reduce drying time, soften
fabrics, cut down on static, decrease lint, and reduce wrinkles. Because
they are reusable, you will never need to purchase fabric softener or
dryer sheets. And unlike other wool dryer balls made from yarn, they
will not unravel and will last for years. Over time your Wool Dryer
Balls will develop pills on them (If they bother you- just run a sweater
depiller or light razor over them to remove pills). These balls last
for years and the more pilling the better. Pills = softer clothing
because there is more surface friction. They get better with age. Put
away those chemical dryer sheets, protect your family and the
environment, and go green with natural dryer balls!"
Randy told me I could order both of them when we're out of our current bottle of detergent, which should be in the next month or so :) I'll keep you posted on how they work!
Please research products really well, though...even the ones I recommended. I'm super skeptical of many remedies because 1. some people love to make stuff like that up and 2. everyone is different and some things may work for some, and some may make them blow up like a balloon...
And PLEASE listen to your doctors...I can't stress that enough. If you're like me and you have things like EpiPens for allergies, DO NOT substitute things like that without consulting a doctor...who will probably tell you not to substitute it. Just sayin'.
In other news, we just got back from Colorado and it was AWESOME :) We went to celebrate Randy's parents' 50th anniversary :) I love them so very much!
Hopefully someday we can compare pictures from our wedding and 50th, too!
OH, and Randy and I celebrated a year and a half of marriage :) huzzah!
Also, I'm in MAJOR baby fever zone...I'm not in I-want-the-responsibility-of-a-baby-zone, though :)
As more and more of my friends are becoming pregnant or having children, the more I am obsessing :) Seriously, I know like 7 women who have either announced pregnancy in the last 6 months or had a baby!
It's kind of fun obsessing, though! Like super early nesting, haha. Also, the more people around me who have babies, the more I can be "fun Aunt Erin" verses "responsible mom Erin".
For now, I'll just be Mommy to my sweet puppy and wake up whenever I feel like it :)
Oh, and we took this picture :)
AND I registered for the fall semester - 12 - TWELVE - hours! This is the first full semester I've taken since Randy and I got married. I feel much more confident now that I'm off of almost all of my awful meds, especially the ones that muddled my brain! If all goes well, I will be graduating May 2014!!! I'm sososo excited!
Any naturals you love? Others with baby fever? Big news? Any anniversaries? :)
I'd love to hear about all of it :)
I have been trying to convert to more natural living.
I am always really careful to take everything I read about natural products with a grain of salt because I believe humans were given the knowledge needed for medicine (which, are often made from plants!) for a reason...even though we often abuse it! I believe everything should be done and taken under doctor supervision, especially if it's supposed to treat something major, like a heart condition. I recently had a woman at a farmer's market who tried to tell me not to take medicine for things like blood pressure and such after I told her I believed herbs and remedies were great for certain things, but others needed more serious treatment. I only mentioned it to her after she told me she had some type of a "medical degree", thinking she might understand my view. Definitely skeptical about what kind of degree...
I just kind of nodded, smiled, and went on my way...
My view of natural products: I'm all for medicine, but if there's something you can safely do without adding more chemicals to your body, it's worth a shot.
Anyway, so I have decided to dabble in natural things for curing things like headaches and whatnot. Since I have a chronic headache/migraine condition, not sure how well that will work for me, but I'm hoping to attack some of the root causes as well with things like yoga (for stress) and maybe eating better. There are obviously still some biological issues, so I'm still going to consult with my neurologist, but it's nice to not have to take a pill for everything all the time!
So here are some of the things I'm trying:
Lemongrass Oil for headaches:
I discovered this gem from a camp I went on in high school. I had a headache and rules for the camp didn't allow bringing along my own meds. This girl in my room asked if I had ever tried lemongrass oil, and I replied that I hadn't. Most of the time mine are so bad hardly anything will touch them, but for the "regular headaches" this stuff works great. You put just a tad on both temples and the center of the back of your neck (where spine meets head) and it works wonders. Some people can't tolerate the oil by itself, so you'll need a carrier oil like jojoba oil, or avocado oil (those are the two I have used for other things and I love them) and many people swear by grape seed oil or sunflower oil. It tingles and feels nice, but warning: your husband (or whoever) will probably tell you you smell like lemon Pledge -_-
Not the worst thing to smell like, but you might feel a little self conscious.
I've tried this and it worked great, and other times it only worked a little...but like I said, my headaches/migraines are often pretty intense.
Eucalyptus Oil for sinuses:
This one really, really works. It's SUPER pungent, but it also smells really yummy when you put it on a tissue/paper towel and inhale. They recommend doing that if you are congested or sick and carrying the tissue around with you. For some reason it kind of smells sweet when you put a drop or two on something else. I love it! It's also nice to put a few drops in the shower before you hop in. It's like vapo rub, but not.
Tea Tree Oil for...everything:
Whoa. This is one of the most useful things EVER! I've been using a variation of this for spot-treating pimples for a while with something called a "blemish stick" from the brand Desert Essence. I really like it, and it's all natural. I hear tea tree oil by itself is excellent for blemishes as well, so I'm going to try that. It's also good for burns, bites, and just about everything else - especially if it starts with a 'b' ;) (get it? burns, bites, blemishes?)
Oh, and this one has a REALLY intense smell...it takes getting used to.
.JPG) |
| These are the ones I use - they are 1oz bottles, but they last FOREVER |
Avocado Oil: moisturizer
I LOVE this stuff!!! I use the Now brand of this one, too. I use it as a moisturizer on my face, but it's also great for skin elsewhere, too. It feels good and doesn't clog pores. I use this chart for assistance in that area. It tells which oils will clog pores more or less than others. I attached the amazon.com link, but I actually got mine cheaper ($6.99) in a naturals shop in Colorado.Jojoba Oil: moisturizer
I use this one to moisturize my face, too. I use one drop of avocado oil and one drop of jojoba oil. Both are fine on their own, but I just like them together. It's also really low on the pore clogging scale.
Oil Cleansing Method: Face wash!
However, I never thought I'd be using oil by itself! Crazy stuff. I mix cold pressed castor oil with extra virgin olive oil (like, the one in the kitchen), rub about a quarter sized amount together in my palms until it's warm, apply to face, then use a hot, wet washcloth and leave it on my face until it cools off. Then, I use the same wash cloth and rinse my face with hot water. Pat dry with a hot towel and voilà ! Next morning just rinse with warm water and you'll love it :)
Witch Hazel, lemon, and aloe vera toner:
I just got this stuff, so I don't know too much about it, but it makes my skin feel lovely. I got it because the girl who wrote the above article on the oil cleansing method recommended it for cleaning your face after getting sweaty while working out, or walking outside in the CRAZY HEAT! Ugh! Anyway, I've been using this stuff pretty much every chance I get. It feels great! It also had incredible reviews on amazon, sooo...
I use a mixture of cinnamon, raw honey, and nutmeg as a weekly scrub...I wrote about it in this previous blog post. I keep a small mason jar of it made up and keep it in a cool, dark place. It says on honey bottles not to refrigerate it, and it has kept well in the tightly sealed mason jar.
I have a few other things that I've gotten from the farmer's market, but I'll talk about them some other time. I'm also taking primrose oil capsules for skin, hair, and such. We shall see how they work...
OH, and we're going to try doing laundry naturally, too! I've seen recipes for detergent, but I didn't like them...especially because my skin is INCREDIBLY sensitive and all of the ingredients in homemade detergent are from other things, like a bar of soap, and borax...I feel like that's kind of a step backwards for me.
So we're trying soap nuts! Weird sounding, I know...but they seem to be great! AND they save a lot more money than store-bought detergent. I hear they're one of the best options for people with sensitive skin.
Here's the amazon description: "Soap Nuts are Mother Nature's gift - 100% natural laundry soap. A safe, hypoallergenic, biodegradable, fragrance-free alternative to toxic chemicals. If you suffer from allergies, sensitive skin, or seek a greener earth... The dried shells of the soapberry (a fruit) contains saponin (an effective cleaning agent), but NO CHEMICALS! Used for ages for hygiene, hair care and general cleaning. Easily converts to powder or liquid."
We're also going to try wool dryer balls. They're supposed to work like dryer sheets, but apparently they're reusable, and also they get rid of static really well. AND they're hypoallergenic as well :) yay! These and the soap nuts were some of the highest rated, hypoallergenic laundry products online. I'm excited to try both! Here's the description for these: "they are completely made out of wool, inside and out. We use wool roving
to form the ball. They are about the size of a tennis ball and will
shrink slightly over time. They are "All-Natural". All natural means
that this product is 100% free from any synthetic fibers. These cute
little felted wool balls are designed to reduce drying time, soften
fabrics, cut down on static, decrease lint, and reduce wrinkles. Because
they are reusable, you will never need to purchase fabric softener or
dryer sheets. And unlike other wool dryer balls made from yarn, they
will not unravel and will last for years. Over time your Wool Dryer
Balls will develop pills on them (If they bother you- just run a sweater
depiller or light razor over them to remove pills). These balls last
for years and the more pilling the better. Pills = softer clothing
because there is more surface friction. They get better with age. Put
away those chemical dryer sheets, protect your family and the
environment, and go green with natural dryer balls!"Randy told me I could order both of them when we're out of our current bottle of detergent, which should be in the next month or so :) I'll keep you posted on how they work!
Please research products really well, though...even the ones I recommended. I'm super skeptical of many remedies because 1. some people love to make stuff like that up and 2. everyone is different and some things may work for some, and some may make them blow up like a balloon...
And PLEASE listen to your doctors...I can't stress that enough. If you're like me and you have things like EpiPens for allergies, DO NOT substitute things like that without consulting a doctor...who will probably tell you not to substitute it. Just sayin'.
In other news, we just got back from Colorado and it was AWESOME :) We went to celebrate Randy's parents' 50th anniversary :) I love them so very much!
Hopefully someday we can compare pictures from our wedding and 50th, too!
OH, and Randy and I celebrated a year and a half of marriage :) huzzah!
Also, I'm in MAJOR baby fever zone...I'm not in I-want-the-responsibility-of-a-baby-zone, though :)
As more and more of my friends are becoming pregnant or having children, the more I am obsessing :) Seriously, I know like 7 women who have either announced pregnancy in the last 6 months or had a baby!
It's kind of fun obsessing, though! Like super early nesting, haha. Also, the more people around me who have babies, the more I can be "fun Aunt Erin" verses "responsible mom Erin".
For now, I'll just be Mommy to my sweet puppy and wake up whenever I feel like it :)
Oh, and we took this picture :)
AND I registered for the fall semester - 12 - TWELVE - hours! This is the first full semester I've taken since Randy and I got married. I feel much more confident now that I'm off of almost all of my awful meds, especially the ones that muddled my brain! If all goes well, I will be graduating May 2014!!! I'm sososo excited!
Any naturals you love? Others with baby fever? Big news? Any anniversaries? :)
I'd love to hear about all of it :)
Have a blessed day!
Loved reading this! I peruse a lot of "DIY Natural" type blogs, but it's nice to read one from someone I actually know. (:
ReplyDeleteI've never tried lemon grass for headaches, just peppermint oil. I also use peppermint when I'm feeling sick/nauseous.
Lol and I tried the oil cleansing too. It was awful! I had such high hopes. I even tried a honey version too. Eek! I was looking at your chart for clog ratings, and coconut oil is high (4), but I've started washing with coconut oil every other day, and it's the best natural one I've tried so far. And I do tea tree oil for pimples too (:
I've totally heard of the soapberries too! A good friend of mine told me about them a couple weeks ago. I just do the homemade kind with borax and stuff in it, and it works well for us.
And for baby fever, I gots a big dose of it (; I'm using cocoa butter (NOW Brand!) on my skin to help *try* and prevent stretch marks. I've also read drinking TONS of water helps too. We'll see (: We're also using a midwife for our birth too! We started taking our Bradley Class as our choice of birth class. You should look into it! Just for kicks, of course. They promote unmedicated natural labors, except when the mother and baby clearly need intervention, so they are balanced. So we'll also see how my labor goes.
Looks like y'all are doing well, and I'm so happy for you and your full semester! You can do it! (:
Leah, I've never tried peppermint oil, but I love my lemongrass. I am trying coconut oil again...I feel like I'm not getting the right combination of oils, but I can definitely see that they're doing my skin some good. My skin is so bad about clearing for a day or two, then exploding...
DeleteThe cinnamon, raw honey, and nutmeg scrub has been a miracle for me. I use that as often as I can and it works wonders!!! My skin is always glowing, soft, and clear after rinsing it. I usually leave it on my face for about 30 minutes, then I rinse it with hot water.
And I LOVE the Now brand. They have such great, pure products. I really wish I could have raided that shop I mentioned in Colorado. It was FULL of amazing, natural products at a super cheap price.
I can't wait to try the soap nuts. I'll let you know how they work out! I didn't want to use the homemade one of borax and soap because it felt kind of counterproductive to me, unless the goal was to just save money by making it yourself...for me, it isn't about that so much as I want something that will save money and I know it's 100% hypoallergenic. My body is so ridiculously sensitive to smells and chemicals, especially since I had those 2 intense allergic reactions.
As for babies, you are insane. You couldn't pay me to have a natural birth...
Whatever works for you, though :) I mean "insane" in the most loving way, of course.
And seriously, I know at least 10 women who either just announced they're pregnant, they are about to pop, or they just had a baby - all in the last 6 months!!!
I got to snuggle one of our super close family friends' new baby a ton the other day, though :) She's not even a month old yet...it both satisfied my baby fever and intensified it...however that works.
Sounds like you're doing well also :) thanks for the sweet encouragement, friend!