Herb of the Day

Herb: Fenugreek
Part used: Seeds
Primary Nutrients: Choline, Iron, Lecithin, Minerals, Protein, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and D

Now on to the cool stuff....

It was first used in Asia for inflamed bowels and stomach problems because of it's bowel-lubricating abilities.
The Greeks used it for respiratory problems.
Is able to dissolve hardened masses of accumulated mucus in the body!!
Helps rid the lungs of mucus and phlegm in the bronchial tubes.
Combined with honey and lemon juice can help soothe the throat and reduce fever.
Helps expel waste through the lymphatic system!!
Contains antiseptic properties that help kill infections in the lungs.
Contains choline and liptropic which aids in lowing cholesterol.
Reduces mucus in cases of asthma, sinus and bronchial congestion!!
Can be used as a poultice on wounds, inflammations, boils, and skin ailments!!

Isn't that so neat!! 

Primary Applications are....
Allergies                              Loss of Appetite
Catarrh, Bronchial               High Cholesterol
Diabetic Retinopathy           Gas
Gastric Disorders                Lung Infections
Excessive Mucus                Sore Throat

Secondary Applications are...
Abscesses                          Anemia
Asthma                               Boils
Body Odor                         Bronchitis
Cancer                               Swollen Eyes 
Fevers                                Gallbladder Problems
Heartburn                           Inflammation
Sinus Problems                   Ulcers
Uterine Problems                Water Retention


Now if that doesn't excite you I'm not sure what will!! lol Just kidding of course...

Anyways we used this for my son because you could hear the mucus build up in his lungs and chest and the doctor wanted to treat him 'like' bronchitis. For an adult you could probably drink 3 cups of tea a day. For a child I would do a 1/3 cup of tea 3x a day. I just brewed one cup in the morning and had him sip it through out the day. It took all day but I was happy with that from my picky little guy : )


Information taken from Today's Herbal Health By Louise Tenny MH
and Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child By Numerous Authors

Phew!

Little Astronaut was sick from onset to today 12 days! Ugh ...so glad it's over but we learned so much in that time. This was his list of supplements...

Fenugreek Tea (once a day)
Echinacea (2-7x a day)
Golden Seal (2-7x a day)
Vitamin C (3x a day)
Euctalyptus (chest rub, neck, foot rub)
A Zinc chew (2x a day) 
Garlic (3x a day)
And as many fluids as possible

Needless to say I'm tired but thankful. The last couple days he had only a dry cough and an on and off fever. So I was thinking we may have been fighting a bacterial infection after all...but! Low and behold yesterday he said his ear hurt. I never thought I would have been happy about an ear infection but I was! It meant he was successful in fighting his first thing  and on to something else. That issue should be gone by tomorrow and this brings me to my next few posts...an Herb of the Day series! Aren't you so excited!? I think Fenugreek may be first...only because it's kind of fun to say. {Grin}

In His hands...

Food heals. That's what I tell people. That's what I believe.

But when my son starts struggling to breath we turn to the Lord and thank him that I saved the inhaler for emergencies.

Little Astronaut was struggling to breath Tuesday morning. Then that afternoon...and then again that night. When he gets sick we have to watch him because he has gotten croup a few times. The humidifier has really helped us avoid medical intervention. But this time it was within minutes he was not able to speak between breaths. Scary. I pray. We used his emergency inhaler and 3 hours later it happened again. I pray. And a wonderful friend of mine flew to my house with her nebulizer and saved me a trip to the ER. We had to use it again that night.

God can heal us right? I know it. He says it. I believe it. 

The next day he's so much better. We take him to our doctor and she says...Hmmm...there's definitely something going on in there (listening to his breathing you could hear the mucus). We'll treat it as bronchitis. It's probably viral but I'll prescribe you antibiotics. (I'm thinking...yeah right) I ask if there's a way to test if it is bacterial so I know if he needs antibiotics and she says no. She obviously knows me (and other mom's like me) and says with a smile I can wait 48 hours before I give it to him. She prescribes a nebulizer, Albuterol and a steroid. She gives him a breathing treatment there (Albuterol) because his oxygen level was low. 

So we leave and I head to our local health store. I'd been reading about Fenugreek; an herb that dissolves mucus, so I get that. I'd also been reading about Ginger; an herb that increases circulation and get that. We go home and there I am...

Food heals. That's what I tell people. That's what I believe.

Do I believe it enough for my son?

This is not a cold, the flu, chicken pox...this is serious.

I call a mom that has become a mentor to me and I surprise myself and breakdown on the phone with her. She prays. I feel peace. I call my husband. I walk into the kitchen and mix Simply Oj with Echinacia and a cup of Fenugreek tea...I give it to my sweet boy and I pray. I pray some more. I pick up our nebulizer and Albuterol for emergencies and wait.

Today is Thursday and Little Astronaut is doing wonderfully.

Thank you LB. Thank you TE. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you dear friends whom I can reach out to and you pray.

What I've learned from this...
I am not in control. No matter how much I know and read; I'm not The Healer. 

The minute that Little Astronaut gets congested we will start treatment immediately with herbs and vitamins. And I will not be afraid to use our emergency medical supplies.   


**I'm not telling you what to do with your kids medically or herbally. I just wanted to share what the Lord was reminding me... He's got the itty bitty children in his hands {Grin}**

A Mother's Prayer...my prayer

Dear Lord,

         So far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or very indulgent. I'm very grateful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen.

New Additions!!

We have 4 new additions to the family...baby chicks!!

This is Hawk. My son named her of course because

she looks like a hawk, duh mommy.

 She is a Black Sex Link (hybrid dual purpose) chick. About 3 wks old.

 She is a bit skiddish and a bit ornery.

This is Delia or Dellie.

She is a Delaware chick (dual purpose). About 3 wks old.

She's not thrilled to be held but deals with it.

And this cutie is Ducky...she has stripes like a duck

 but you can't really tell in this picture.

She is sweet and doesn't mind being held.

She is an Americana (dual purpose)

 and will lay blue eggs! She's about 2 wks old.

BTW naming a chick Ducky can be a bit

 confusing for a 2 year old. {Grin}

And if I have a favorite this one would be it...

This is Rhodie. She's a Rhode Island Red

(dual purpose) and about 2 wks old.

She doesn't mind being held either and has a tip of red on the

end of her beak which is so cute.

So! This is our new adventure as a family. We are so excited to have our own free range, no antibiotics, no hormones eggs soon. And of course they are so fun to watch which is an extra treat. {Grin}

Something I Love...

About home schooling....

The other day Little Astronaut says, 'Mom, can we learn about castles?'

A quick trip to our online library...and

Can you guess what we're 'studying' about for the next couple weeks??

That's right. Castles.

Why? Because my son wants to.

Is that so GREAT or what?

What A Waste!

I am not a Tree Hugger. I am not a Save The Planet or forest or ocean person. But I HATE waste! I LOATH...yes I said loath in 2011...the Buy and Trash Lifestyle America has embraced. Flip on the tele. Nothing is good enough. Isn't that what they're telling us? Isn't that what we are teaching our kids and feeding ourselves?? That what we buy today will be less than next year. Your phone, your clothes, your decor, your video games, your Rubbermaid lunch thingy, even your cool BPA Free water container. I think we have lost the reality that these things have to go somewhere when they are discarded...the trash. In a big hole in the ground...forever...doing nothing...going nowhere...forever.

This bugs me. Can you tell?

Call me crazy...this is what we have changed:

We use glass not plastic for almost everything.
Why? Because there are no toxins in glass and you can use them over and over and over again. And food just looks so much better in glass, all pretty and shiny.

We use our own grocery bags (when I remember to put them back in the car!).
Why? Because you can use them over again, wash them, buy really cute/fun or masculine ones, and sometimes get 6cents off (each bag) your grocery bill!

We recycle cardboard, paper, and soon plastic.
Why? Because it's so easy and you'll be amazed at how your pick up trash can is only half full each week or less.

We donate instead of trash. And buy used when we can.
Why? Because someone's trash can be someone's treasure. And! It's so much cheaper to buy used of course :)

We buy from the bulk section. 
Why? Because it's so much cheaper! And! there is so much less packaging (to waste).

Our newest thing is using reusable produce bags.
Why? Because throwing those flimsy plastic bags away drives me nuts and I detest food in plastic.

I first planned on sewing fabric ones with drawstrings but then the checker would have to take them out of the bag for their #s and you don't want a frustrated checker so I decided to look for laundry bags with zips but I was at the Dollar Tree and found a four pack or mesh bags with drawstrings. So $3 later I have 12 bags and didn't sew a stitch!

I didn't one day wake up and say 'We are going GREEN!' It happened one thing at a time. I want to be a good steward with what The Lord has given us; with our health, with our money, and with his glorious land. We can not save our planet. Because of sin we are living on an earth that is slowly dying just like us but that doesn't mean we throw caution to the wind, right?

Here's a link on making your own grocery bags:
http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/


Check out this video and be inspired!