Here in North America we live in a "nanny society." Everything we do and everything we use must be vetted by the appropriate governmental body and approved by the correct board.
It wasn't always this way.
Long ago people were more self reliant... you could even say that they were more autonomous. Knowledge of how to make your own cheese, cure your own meat was common and no one thought twice about the dangers of making their own food. People were allowed to drink and store raw milk and they were expected to understand when and how to store food in order to keep themselves safe from bacterial food borne illnesses.
Were there terrible accidents? Yes! Of course.
Sometimes, some people become complacent. Sometimes they stretched and bent the rules. Sometimes they were too lazy to follow the correct hygienic protocol and if they were lucky their food spoiled, if they were unlucky they suffered stomach ailments. Some practices are safer than others, some carry more risk. Think for example of picking wild mushrooms, a practice almost never done in North America. Generally this is safe, if people make sure to educate themselves on which mushrooms are poisonous and which are safe. Some poisonous mushrooms look a lot like some of the safe ones... the smart thing to do would be to not pick any mushrooms if they could possibly be dangerous. If some safe mushrooms look like their poisonous counterparts, it might be smart to just leave them in the forest... or leave their identification to an expert. Overall if you follow some simple yet strict rules picking wild mushrooms is perfectly safe. There are many which are easy to identify and can be delicious and safe.
The same with making your own food, cosmetics, cleaning products or remedies. There are wide areas which are completely safe to navigate and a narrow danger zone. Avoid any danger areas and you will be fine.
That said, there are also dangers to using commercial products. Many companies use experimental ingredients which turn out to be dangerous only after being sold for many years. Some safety studies downplay the dangers of certain ingredients or are paid to create studies that exaggerate their safety. Years later these scandals come to light after they affect many people over the years. Even now the news media downplays the dangers of Roundup as the court cases are played out and it is becoming outlawed in more and more areas. Turns out that chemicals like Roundup have made it far into the food chain affecting many everyday products like wheat, corn or even beer and wine.
What can you do about it?
To start you can buy one ingredient products from companies you research. Yes the information is sometimes flawed and your own food autonomy demands that you continue to check in periodically to see if the foods you buy are safe for consumption. I would no longer assume that just because a product is on the supermarket shelf and has been vetted by some agency it is safe for you and your children. If oats from a specific company are currently questionable, search out smaller companies and buy locally grown organic oats that you can trust. In time they will probably catch on and restore their products to greatness.
It is up to you to KNOW what is in each and every product you buy.
There are three major areas of the household that you can regain control over what you use: the kitchen, the bathroom and the medicine cabinet. Lets go over them one at a time.
The Kitchen
Here one ingredient products are key. That does not mean you get rid of your favourite cookies or crackers but take some time to read up about these things and use your autonomy to decide what is an acceptable risk for you. Many things can be easily made at home and it does not take a lot of time or effort to make them.
Cookies only take a 1/2 hr to make and can be stored for a week in a cookie jar. If you buy them from the store please take the time to read the ingredient list carefully and realize that if you made the same cookies at home you would only use 3 or 4 ingredients not 15 as is often the case. Pay attention to what you put into your body.
What about cleaning products? Have you ever thought what is in the air freshener you buy? More often than not it freshens the house not by killing airborne pathogens but by disabling your nasal function and allowing you to not smell the offending smells anymore. Remember, you were born with a nose to warn you of dangers and if you disable it, how will you be able to tell what is good and what to stay away from?
Many essential oils have antibacterial properties and when diffused smell great while killing airborne pathogens in their path. If you do not like one smell there are many more you can use in its place or you can blend it with other scents which you enjoy.
Personally I mostly use dish washing detergent and a homemade vinegar orange cleaner for the counters. When I feel I need an extra powerful cleaner I put a bit of Isopropyl Alcohol on a cloth and wipe down any area I need to disinfect. It evaporates quickly and the offending alcohol scent is easily aired out by opening a window for a minute.
Opening a window is very important. In Germany they often open windows and doors to air out the house for 10 minutes twice a day, even in the winter. This short time will not allow for the furniture to cool down and therefore you should not see a big difference on your heating bill but it will remove many airborne pollutants from the home.
The Bathroom
Here we are met with weird chemicals both in cleaning products and cosmetics. The cleaning products can be replaced with natural dish liquid and the vinegar cleaner. I have recently learned from a friend that even the inside of the toilet can be washed with baking soda, there is no need for abrasive chemicals. Just let it sit for a while and then attack it with the toilet brush. The seat and top of the bowl get the Isopropyl Alcohol and soap treatment.
There are a number of great laundry detergent alternatives available. You can use soap nuts. You can blend your own ingredients or even make a liquid detergent with products that are safe to consume. Remember, your skin is the largest organ in your body and many chemicals can be absorbed through your skin and affect your internal organs negatively.
Shampoo is the greatest scam in my opinion. I have spent years trying to grow out my hair only to end up with inches of split ends every year which had to be cut off in order for me to not look like a scarecrow. The hairdressers recommended an expensive battery of products. I tried making my own shampoo but my hair just did not take kindly to anything I tried. I have baby fine hair so even a tiny drop of oil makes it look greasy and the vinegar makes it dry and crumbly. After years of trial and error (because each of us has a different body and different things work for us) I finally found a solution that works for me. I use extra gentle, organic baby wash on my hair and use no product at all. That works best and I have not cut my hair in over two years now and there are no signs of any damage. It is good to leave a day or a few days between washes which I find speeds up my hair growth but that is not for everyone either.
As far as cosmetics I predominantly use coconut oil for my face now. I use it to wash my face and to moisturize it. I sometimes add some essential oils like frankincense or rose oil. When I feel my face does not look as fresh as I would like it to I use a single ingredient Hylauronic Acid all over followed by coconut oil which seems to take care of the wrinkles as well. About once a week I wash my face with the extra gentle organic baby wash I use for my hair and body. That is all. I have gotten rid of all of the weird beauty products which use extracts from a dead beaver or chemicals I cannot pronounce and my face does not seem to have suffered any negative consequences at all. I have not used store bought products for my face for about 8 years now. I also rarely wear makeup, but when I do, I wash my face with natural oils such as coconut, almond or olive oil.
The Medicine Cabinet
Large parts of the medicine cabinet can be easily replaced with natural products. Things like jock itch cream, vapo-rub, or yeast infection medication can be easily made at home. I have spent years in the erroneous belief that pharmaceuticals are more effective than natural products, but through experience and testing I have to admit that I was wrong. Often natural products work better than the over the counter medications, they are also cheaper and have fewer side effects.
Today we will cover the most common ailments and the remedies that can help you with those issues. Always make sure to see a medical professional if your symptoms do not stop in a couple of days or if they get worse. Remember, anyone can be allergic to anything and no one has the same physiology so be smart about using natural remedies in your own home.
The Common Cold
My #1 go to when the cold symptoms strike is...
The Amazing Antibacterial Antiviral Garlic Salad
2 heads of garlic
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 lemon
A generous amount of olive oil
Salt
To chop up the garlic and parsley for this salad I use the mezzaluna knife (never use the garlic press).
Chop up the parsley and garlic very fine, squeeze the juice of the whole lemon over it all and add the olive oil and salt, mix it up well and let sit for 5 min.
Consume 2-4 tbsp on toast every 2 hours for a 24 hour period during waking hours. If you are still experiencing any further symptoms continue this treatment for another day. Most colds will be completely gone in the first day of this treatment. This amount of garlic can cause gas or bloating, but a little stomach ache is a small price to pay for shortening the symptoms of a cold to one day, in my opinion.
If you like you can use the salad interchangeably with the Magic Ginger Tea for Colds which is also a good antiviral and antibacterial.
Magic Ginger Tea for Colds
1 tsp honey or more
2 garlic cloves
1/2" ginger
Cayenne or chili (as much as you can handle)
A splash of water
Use your blender to make an incredibly strong smoothie, do not drink this straight. If you do not have a super blender (vitamix or blendtech) it's a good idea to cut the ginger in thin across the fibers. Notice nothing is cooked in this recipe maintaining original enzymes.
***If you work somewhere where smelling like garlic is not recommended, you can omit the garlic in this tea and it will still work in assisting you in battling your body's invaders.
Throat rinse
When the microbiotic attackers move into your throat, there is no better fighter than a Salt Water Gargle. If you want to boost the properties of your rinse, you can add a drop of Tea Tree Essential Oil
Make it as salty as you can handle. The goal is to encourage your microbiotic enemies to move out of your body, ergo to make your throat uninhabitable to them.
I make a whole bottle so that it is easy for me to use the rinse every time i am in the bathroom for any reason. That way there are no excuses and I continue with the treatment until it is all gone.
Painkillers - topical and internal
Or you can try this:
Arthritis Tonic Smoothie
1 glass of water
1 teaspoon of cinnamon2 cups pineapple
1 cup cooked oats
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Handful of almonds
Honey to taste
Combine all in a blender, you can replace the orange juice with water if you like.
Topical painkillers for me usually comprise of a tablespoon or two of carrier oil (coconut or olive, you can also use cooking oil in a pinch) and a few drops of any of the following essential oils:
Peppermint Essential Oil - cooling, pain relief, penetrating
Lavender Essential Oil - great for pain relief, speeds up healing
Ginger Essential Oil - warming, deep relief,
Black Pepper Essential Oil - warming, penetrating, powerful
Cinnamon or Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil - very warming, powerful,
Pine Essential Oil - pain relief, deep and penetrating
Always wash your hands after applying essential oils and make sure not to touch your eyes or other mucous membranes when you have essential oils on your hands. Do not apply essential oils on broken skin or open wounds.
Remember: everyone is different and will respond differently to different oils. Always do a patch test and wait 10 minutes to make sure there is no reaction. If you have a reaction wash the area well with soap and water. If the irritation persists wash the area with oil and wipe with a tissue.
MAGIC OF TOUCH
Stomach Issues
If acidity is your issue a simple yet horrible tasting blend of baking soda and water will certainly help you out. This is the best and most straightforward single ingredient remedy neutralizing the acidity directly with the alkalinity of the baking soda, or bicarb if you prefer.
If gas is your issue you can try mint tea or mint and chamomile mix. Ginger tea also helps but try not to add any sweetener if you can. In a pinch a cup of green tea will also be helpful in moving your digestion along.
If it is an actual food poisoning, flu or cramps mint will be your best friend. You can also try the following stomach tonic:
Magic Ginger Smoothie
1" ginger or less
Some pineapple
Handful of oats
Tbsp honey
Vanilla (optional)
Throw all in a blender with some water and blend into a smoothie. Drink to settle a rough stomach.
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There are so many remedies we use on a daily basis I could write a book, and maybe I should. For now enjoy our favourite ones and the rest will come soon.
In our society where we are alienated from our own bodies it is especially important to be caring and kind to yourself. Don't look for solutions outside of yourself, know that you can solve most of your issues yourself with a little research and a lot of care.
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