Behind The Scenes God

I've heard countless stories about how things have come together for people and they could see how HaShem was at work "behind the scenes". We can see this very clearly also in the book of Esther. How things all come together by seeming coincidence. But to the believer there is no such thing as coincidence. My family was able to experience this recently as we walked through some health issues with one of our daughters.

Our 2nd born daughter, B, has been battling eczema for awhile now. Most people don't realize how serious of a condition this can be. It's not just dry skin. Especially not for her. Her whole entire body is covered in this itchy scaly rash. This is not a put some lotion on it kind of situation. We realize that her eczema is wrapped up in all her food allergies and sensitivities, so we had scheduled an appointment with a naturopathic allergist. But that appointment was months away.

A few weeks ago we noticed that she had some severely swollen lymph nodes in her legs. I know lymph nodes swell but these were like plum size! So we took her into the pediatrician who also was concerned. She sent us to get an ultrasound and from there to a hematologist. B is such a sweet little girl, while we were getting her ultrasound she looks at me and asks "am I having a baby?" lol. She was half joking and half concerned.

I didn't do a whole lot of googling during this time because I just wanted answers. I realize now that was a blessing because I would have been even more worried had I known what I needed to be worried about! In the time between the first initial doctors appointment and all the specialist appointments the allergist called and we were able to move her appointment up significantly. Which meant that we could get answers to her allergies while also dealing with what ever else was going on.

When we got to the hematologist we waited for a bit and as I waited I read some tehillim, in particular tehillim 34 stood out. So I just tucked it away in my heart and knew that it was a gift to me. When it was time for the blood draw I had to try to console B as well as hold her still. That was hard. But what was even harder was hearing the doctor say "ok I will run theses and then we will know in about 15 minutes if it's Leukemia."

Leukemia!? Cancer!? What!?

My head was spinning. I came in thinking the blood work was for something that.... was not as scary as leukemia. I began replaying tehillim 34 in my head and prayed silently. The angel of HaShem encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that HaShem is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. {Teh 34:7-8}

The doctor finally came back in and said there was no sign of infection and that B did not have leukemia. I let out a huge sigh of relief and then she said, "I'd like to get a chest x-ray so we can determine if we should move forward with a biopsy to check for lymphoma"

Lymphoma!? Didn't we just rule out cancer? I felt like I couldn't breathe again. The doctor assured me that it was just something they needed to check but that didn't ease my mind any. So off we went to get an x-ray. The next day after waiting all day for the results I finally got a call back telling me her x-ray was clear! BARUCH HASHEM!! 

So now we have ruled out cancer. But what's wrong with my baby?

The time had finally come to meet with the allergist. we told her everything that was going on and then she tested her for over a hundred things. Her allergies were even more severe than we thought. Turns out that the swollen lymph nodes are all part of her allergies. She is allergic to:

Tomatoes
Potatoes
Bell Peppers
Corn 
Eggplant 
All beans and legumes 
Tree nuts 
Peanuts 
Gluten 
Eggs 
All animal dairy 
Bananas 
Peaches 
Papaya 
Goji berries
Cacoa beans (chocolate)

Yes you read that list correctly. Yes it is A LOT. This means that we have been unknowingly giving her an allergic reaction at every meal. But we know, b'ezrat HaShem, that we will get through this and she will be healed. Since seeing the allergist we already are seeing some changes in her. She is taking probiotics twice a day, as well as some homeopathic medicines. We are also giving her fish bone broth, and will begin giving her aloe. 

This all came at a time when we really needed to know what as going on. We needed to get into the allergist early and we needed to have some second opinions. We were able to discuss everything and have her checked out by multiple doctors and really get some solid footing. To the average person this is all coincidental. But for us we know it is so much more than that. We thank our Elohim for His guiding hand in all of this, we thank Him for showing us the truth and walking with us through it. 

At the allergist there was a sign up that said: 

"We don't believe in miracles, we rely upon them"

I wholeheartedly agree! 

O magnify HaShem with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought HaShem, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. -Teh 34:3-4

(This all happened a few months ago and B is doing a lot better)

Natural Cleaning

image via google

Since it's almost prep day I thought it would be a good time to update you all on how I've been cleaning without chemicals! :o)

I have 3 items that are pretty much MUST haves. Distilled Vinegar, Peroxide  and Baking Soda. These are the only three items I use for all of my cleaning needs. Aside from washing dishes. For that I use a store bought dish soap. Although I'm thinking of switching to castile soap. 

My multi-purpose cleaner is distilled vinegar, water, and some lemon essential oil. Before I had the oil I would soak citrus peels in a jar of vinegar for 2 weeks, making sure to shake it everyday. Then at the end of 2 weeks I would have a lovely scented vinegar. Once the vinegary smell disappears all that's left is a clean scent. I love doing this and I actually have a jar with lemon peels in my cabinet now. :o)

For mopping I use vinegar and boiling water. I like to use the infused vinegar or add a few drops of essential oil into it. Lavender would be a great one to use. 

In the bathroom I use the baking soda and vinegar. For the toilet I put in some baking soda then pour in some vinegar. After it finishes fizzing I use my brush and scrub a little, then let it sit for a few minutes while I wipe down the rest of the toilet, and flush. For the tub, if it needs to be scrubbed I do baking soda and vinegar, if it just needs to be wiped down I just use my multipurpose cleaner. To get rid of mold and mildew I just spray some diluted peroxide on it and let it sit for a bit (up to an hour). Then I just wipe it away, or depending how bad it is I may need to scrub it a little. 

For those of you like me who like to use things like fabric refresher, I make my own too. In the past I used some fabric softener, water, and baking soda. But we don't use fabric softener anymore because of our youngest's eczema. So I just replaced it with some lavender essential oil! I love it. The scent doesn't last for very long but it leaves the house smelling fresh. 

For spot cleaning on carpets, rugs, or the couch I use peroxide. I just pour it on the spot and then wipe it up after a few minutes. 

For clogged drains, I pour some baking soda down it followed by vinegar and just repeat until it's completely unclogged. 


I think that's everything, but if I forgot one you're curious about just let me know. Shabbat Shalom :o)

I'm THMing it {plus a cheat sheet!}

I mentioned in this weeks Torah Momma Journal that I was starting Trim Healthy Mama and I figured I might as well do an official post for it. It'll be nice to track my progress and I'm sure there are others that this could help. I was hesitant to post a before picture, but I must if I want this to be beneficial soooo we'll get to that eventually lol.

I started the plan on Shabbat (4-13-13) so I'm currently 5 days in. I've seen some amazing success stories and am really motivated to make this work. The program is so much more than another fad diet. It really teaches you about nutrition and how to eat for optimal health. This book is great if you need to loose weight, gain weight, maintain weight, get healthy, or stay healthy. I didn't realize how much havoc I was wreaking on my body, until reading it! Diabetes runs in my family and a I was putting myself at risk for developing it unknowingly. So this book truly is a blessing for me!

I don't want to over load you with information, but I want you to get a feel for the what the plan is. Pretty much it's a low glycemic plan, that helps you understand how your body reacts to food. The book is kind of long (650 pages!) but it's really light hearted and fun. It's like sitting down with the sisters who wrote the book (Serene and Pearl), while they explain how to implement the plan.

Once you get the hang of how you should be eating it's actually really simple to navigate and there are TONS of recipes to get you going. So you're not left floundering in the wilderness trying to figure out what to eat. It's not a shed 30lbs in a month type of plan, so if you're in a hurry to loose weight you might need to readjust your thinking. This is a steady, HEATHY, approach to weight management that you can do happily for the rest of your life.

I think my favorite part about the plan is that I never leave a meal feeling hungry! Plus I get to have dessert when ever I want; and I mean good deserts, like ice cream and cake! It's not about deprivation, but about balance.

Ok well enough of me gushing over this awesome book! Here is my before picture and a link to my cheat sheet! Print it out and put it some place handy, like the fridge :o)

If you want to learn even more you can buy the book, like the facebook fan page, join the facebook group, or join the forum!

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Set-apart Spirit which is in you, which ye have of Elohim, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Elohim in your body, and in your spirit, which are Elohim's. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20

DIY: Eczema Rescue Salve

I mentioned before that our youngest has eczema, and that it's something we are really hoping to treat with herbs. So I read up on herbs that are good for treating eczema topically and decided to make this herbal salve. The method I used is the basic method for making a salve so it can be done with whatever herbs you want. 

Here's what I did:

First I made an herbal oil infusion. This can be done quickly in a crockpot or over a few weeks in a jar. I chose the quick method, using echinacea, comfrey, and plantain. I put the herbs in my crockpot and then covered them with olive oil (coconut may be a better oil for this, but we avoid it because of allergies). I let them sit for about an hour on low and then switched it to warm for 2 more hours. You have to know your crockpot to determine the heat settings, because having it too hot will fry your herbs. 

After the herbs and oil cooled I strained out the oil. You can use a cheese cloth or a clean cotton cloth to strain it, make sure to squeeze the herbs to get out all the oily goodness. Then slowly heat the oil on the stove.

Gradually add in your beeswax. Mine came in little pieces but if you have a brick then you need to grate it so that you have small pieces. I didn't measure this step I just added some and then tested to see if it was the right consistency. 

Drip some of your oil wax mixture onto a plate to test the consistency. It  should cool quickly so you'll know if it's right. Mine was just how I wanted it on the first test. but if yours isn't then add more wax to harden it or more oil to soften it. 

Once it was the right consistency I poured it in a bowl and stirred it until it cooled. This is important because if you don't stir it the oil and wax will separate. 

Once it cooled  I poured the mixture into a tin and smoothed out the top. I also had my hubby make a cute label since it's for a cute little girl :o)

I'm only planning to use this to get her condition under control. After that I'll use it sort of as a spot treatment. It's also good for cuts, scraps, and bug bites. The salve should last for a few years, but if you want to add to it's shelf life you can add some vitamin E oil. 

...and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. 

-Ezekiel 47:12

Linking up with: Health 2day Wednesday, Eco Kids Tuesdays

My Bulk Herb Store Order!

I am so excited about my order! I can't wait to get my herbs organized and start making tinctures and infusions. I have some tutorials and experiments that I'll be posting soon, so be on the look out for those. 

When I first showed my hubby the herbs I wanted  to purchase he was like "hooooold on"! It's not the the herbs were expensive, he's just really good at keeping me on track financially :o)  But once I showed him that I had already spent more than $50 on syrups and tinctures in the past month, he was totally on board. It's so much cheaper to make things yourself. 

All the herbs and accessories you see in the picture cost less than $100! And we're stocked up for a good while. Pretty much any issues that might come up we're prepared for, which was my first goal. Next I want to stock up on things for day to day heath and well being. 

There are SO MANY uses for the herbs I purchased so I'll just name a few:

Comfrey Leaf: anti-inflammatory good for speeding up the healing of wounds, and promotes cell regrowth. 

Dried Elderberries: good for cold, flu, sore throat, fever, constipation, allergies. 

Echinacea: good for acne, ear infection, fever, sore gums, insect bites, stings, eczema, antibiotic, strep throat.

Nettle Leaf: good for burns, eczema, asthma, anemia, high blood pressure, hair loss.

Plantain Leaf: good for eczema, bites, stings, cuts, rashes, tooth ache, poison ivy, constipation, liver issues.   

Yarrow Flower: good for colds, flu, fever, pneumonia, menstruation, chicken pox,  urinary problems, circulation, diarrhea. 

Red Raspberry Leaf: There are so many benefits to this herb that I probably could devote a whole post to it! "It is filled with essential minerals and vitamins like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, E, A and B complex. It also contains easily assimilated calcium and iron." -Bulk Herb Store

Henna Leaf Powder: This herb is for my hair, I will use it as a treatment for strengthening and conditioning. 

As you can see a few of these herbs are for eczema and that is because my youngest has eczema and we're on the hunt to heal her. But enough about me I have something for you!MARCH PROMO CODES!!! These codes are good until March 31st or while supplies last.  

Making Vegetables Book (pre-order) $12.95 (normally $19.95)- MARMVB

Organic Alfalfa $2.94 (normally $4.20) - MARALF

Black Walnut Hull Powder $3.29 (normally $4.70) - MARNUT

Erin's Super Green Drink $10.47 (normally $14.95)- MARGRN

Pomergrante Green Tea  $6.27 (normally $8.95)- MARPOM

Organic Lemon Peel $7.28 (normally $10.40)- MARLEM

Even if you don't want to purchase any of these items stop by the bulk herb store and check out their wide selection. The prices are reasonable and shipping is a flat rate!

Oh and here is a sneak peek of my herb cabinet before it's stocked. Can't wait to show you the after picture!

...and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. -Ezekiel 47:12

*this post contains affiliate links

Making the Switch to Glass

Awhile ago I mentioned that we were making the switch from plastic storage to glass. But I didn't realize how expensive that could be! So we've started to switch gradually. Since we've had to get a little creative with our switch I thought others might benefit from reading about some of the things we're doing. 

Purchased glassware- So far I have purchased a set of 3 pyrex containers, 7 cups, 4 cups, and 2 cups for $15. I purchased a set of 6 containers from Pampered Chef all 1 cup for $7 because I had a party and earned some credit. I highly recommend doing this. I would of gotten more glassware but I really wanted a pizza stone which I get totally for free. It's probably one of the easiest ways to get glassware for free and it's great quality. 

Cheap glassware- Craig's list is actually a great place to find cheap jars and glass storage. I was kind of surprised at how much was available, if you're looking to buy cheap glassware this is definitely a viable option. Another option is thrift stores, you'd have to search in order to find what you want but that can be half the fun! 

Free glassware- I have been saving the glass from everything I buy! I also have my family saving their glass too. I'm planning to use most of this glass for storing herbs and concoctions. But jars are also great for storing left overs. I actually got my favorite jars this way. They have measurement markers on them so they will definitely be used for making tinctures and infusions. 

I hope some of these tips can help you. Switching to glass is a small step that can help lead to better heath for you and your family. 

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. -3 John 1:2


I'm linking up with Healthy 2day Wednesdays, and Simple Living Thursdays

DIY Shower Soother Discs

A few years back I used to purchase these shower disc things when ever I had a cold. I would drop them on the floor of my shower and the water would melt it, releasing the vapors that opened up my sinuses and gave me much needed relief. I haven't seen those in a long while and when I started using essential oils I figured there had to be a way to make them. Well low and behold there is!!! 

I found a simple recipe via google at Frugal by Choice, Cheap by Necessity. However, I made a slight adjustment. In my discs I only used Eucalyptus oil. Now on to how to make them!

Ok step one empty a box of baking soda into a bowl, next stir in water slowly until you get a paste like consistency, finally add your essential oils and stir. SO SIMPLE! After it's all whipped up, spoon the mixture in to a lined muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes. I added a few drops to each disc after they came out of the oven because I read that for some people the scent wasn't strong enough after baking. 

I added some food coloring to tint them, but I didn't add enough

Pretty

Not so pretty after baking lol

I decided to wrap them in coffee filters for storage
because some of them were really crumbly
and the muffin liners were ripping

...and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. -Ezekiel 47:12

Blessings in the Storm

image via google

My family has been battling something wicked these last few days. On late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning our girls both woke up with bad coughs. I gave the oldest a honey and raw garlic mix and the youngest my previously mentioned cough remedy. Followed by some warm tea for both. Well, our oldest didn't do so well and began to throw up.

After changing sheets, and giving instructions on aiming for the garbage we placed next to her bed, everyone went to sleep. The next  day the girls were feeling AWFUL they just laid in bed and drifting between sleep and being awake. I'm pretty sure its the quietest our house has ever been. After getting some advice from a friend, I began rubbing the soles of their feet with eucalyptus oil. Then I got a message saying that a few people from our church had the flu! With how quickly it came on and the severity of it I'm 90% sure it was the flu for the girls too. Thursday night the youngest got even worse and started throwing up. So I decided to try to get out early in the morning before the blizzard started to get some elderberry syrup.

I woke up late, and snow was already falling but I really felt strongly that the girls needed something to help them out. So I rushed out to whole foods, despite the snow. I found what I needed and was heading back home, when our truck broke down less than 3 miles from home! I tried not to panic, and called my parents to see if they could call someone in the area to help me out. As I sat in the car I was determined not to cry. I began singing every praise song I could remember and dancing to try and stay warm. Cars zipped by, snow kept falling, and I kept watching my rear-view mirror. I was a little afraid but I just kept reminding myself that  YHVH is in control.

When I couldn't sing songs by memory any more I turned on the cd player and played Faithful God on repeat! Finally, about 30 or more minutes later, a friend of my dad came to get me. He tried to jump the car, and when that didn't work he called a tow truck. I said a quick prayer because I could not afford to pay for a tow truck. Turns out he had Triple A and because I lived less than 3 miles away the tow was free! Once I got home I thawed out a little then started giving the girls the elderberry tincture I purchased. The oldest was starting to feel better, but the younger one was still looking like a  she was out of it. They both had fevers and I just wanted them to be better. I gave them the tincture 4 times on Friday and my husband prayed over them. We had both been praying and seeking wisdom on how to handle this, but it was looking so bad he decided to hold them and pray for healing.

Late Friday night/early Saturday evening the oldest woke me up to tell me she felt better! I didn't want to put to much stock in that but we woke up Saturday morning to, 38 inches of snow, and two bubbly playful girls! Just like that YHVH had healed them. I have never seen the flu last for just two days! He showed us exactly what we needed to get to help heal them. So many prayers were answered in these last few days that all I can do is praise HIM! I'm so thankful that my girls are better and that the car situation wasn't worse. Oh and even better once the snow is all clear one of my dad's friends is going to come look at it for us. I'm not even worried about it though because I know my faithful Elohim will take care of us. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. -Psalm28:7

Learning to Heal Naturally

It's been quiet around the blog this week because a lot of life has been happening. As I mentioned in this weeks Torah Momma Journal we've had decisions and changes to make. The bulk of the changes we're making have to do with health. As believers I think its important to take care of our bodies. I'm sure how that is approached will be different for every one, but here are some of the things we're doing. 

-Switching to a natural toothpaste. With all the chemicals in toothpaste this was probably our easiest switch. Currently we're using a store bought natural toothpaste, but going forward I'll be making it. 

-Eating more real foods. I've always cooked, but now I'm purposing to make more things from scratch. 

-Eating more raw food. My husband definitely pioneered this one, which I was a little surprised about. Our current plan is to drink more green smoothies. I'm hoping to get more creative in this area as we continue on. Although I did make a delicious Israeli style salad the other day that everyone loved.  

-Using herbs and oils instead of traditional medicine. I was around 11 when I first heard about how awesome YHVH is when it comes to healing. My family and I were at a powwow (we're part Native American) and someone was explaining how the cure for poison ivy grows right next to it! I was totally blown away. So since then I've been pretty naturally minded but haven't fully educated myself. This stops NOW!

-Buying organic. We most likely will not be buying everything organic but the things that are known to be the worst offenders we will definitely buy organic. 

-Significantly reducing our use of sugar and working on eliminating white sugar. Someone gave us a bottle of agave and now I'm hooked. I thought it would add a funny taste but it doesn't, and you don't need a lot. I like to use it to sweeten tea for my girls, and myself. It's taking a little convincing to get my hubby on board with this one. 

-Switching from plastic containers to glass. There are so many chemicals in plastic that get released into our foods, so in order to prevent that we're switching to glass storage containers. 

These 7 things are our first steps to living a healthier lifestyle. There is still so much to be done but you have to start where you can. Some of the books I will be reading to educate myself are:

The ABC Herbal: A Simplified Guide to Natural Health Care for Children {EXCELLENT book lots of information, definitely one I will refer to again and again}

Naturally Knocked Up {tons of info about healthy living in general}

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year {not done reading}

Back to Eden {still haven't read yet}

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Home Remedies

I don't normally talk about these kinds of things, but this was too good not to share! The other night I was up late (or early depending on how you look at it) with a sick 2 year old. She was coughing, struggling to breath, and just all around uncomfortable. I had given her some cough medicine earlier but it just wasn't helping her. So I prayed about it and then decided to google some natural remedies. I stumbled across some information about making a syrup out of thyme and honey. Being desperate, and tired, I figured it couldn't hurt. 

It worked like a charm! She was back to her normal self after just taking it once! I've been giving her a tablespoom full every few hours since and her cold is pretty much cleared up. She does have a bit of a cough still but she is no where near as bad as she was. My 4 year old was also starting to come down with something, so I gave her some and she is fine now. 

With all that, how could I not share it with ya'll?? So here you go, the super simple recipe with pictures. Oh, and for this batch I added some lime for an added kick. 

Boil 3 tablespoons of dried thyme leaves, for 20 minutes

Strain out the leaves. I just used a coffee filter
but if you have a tea strainer that should work. 

Add 1/2 cup of honey.

Add the juice of one lime, and stir. 

Then pour into a container and store in the fridge.

 Once cooled take 1 tablespoon every 3-4 hours for kids*, 2 tablespoons for kids 6 to 12, and 3 tablespoons for adults.**



* DO NOT give to a child under 1 year old!
** I am not a doctor and these are just my suggested dosages, please use your discretion when taking or giving to someone else.


...and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. -Ezekiel 47:12