Or How to Stay Lovely With Wholesome Products
Before venturing on the holistic path to wellness via homeopathy over 25 years ago, I was exquisitely chemically sensitive. Compelled to examine the ingredients in the products I was using, I discovered that most of them included unpronounceable and questionable ingredients.
At first, I looked to health food stores for goods that didn’t include chemicals and fragrances, but was disappointed to find that although marketed to the whole health industry, most were only packaged differently; not manufactured purely.
There must be methods that women used before the advent of the beauty market, I reasoned. Where would a woman look for her beauty products if not in a store? …why the home! And so I began an exploration in my pantry. When we step outside our comfort zone, vistas present.
One of my first considerations was sugar and water as a substitute for hair spray… When I was little I had a friend who had a doll with a dress that was stiff . My friend told me the dress had been dipped in a sugar and water mixture that kept the fabric inflexible and in place. It had possibilities, but I had images of swatting at yellow jackets at a picnic in a rigid 1950’s hair do. On to another idea.
Next, I considered a cornstarch and water mixture. The same image presented. And at one point I whipped up egg whites and vinegar and tried to put it through a misting bottle. ‘Just in case you’re tempted to try this; don’t. It doesn’t fit.
So after various trials and errors, I’ve distilled my methods to the few below. You might try following my tips that are natural, easy and fun and toss away the chemicals into the kitchen trash on your way to the pantry. Here are the methods that have worked for me so far.
Not only do each of these kitchen products afford me safety and wholesomeness, but they cost a fraction of the price of costly commercial products. Yet, most of the fun is in knowing I figured it out on my own.
I’ll bet you have your own homemade products too. Pretend it’s a pajama party….. and let’s have some fun! Pass along your natural or homemade beauty secrets.
(Similar to traditional banana bread)
This recipe allows for almond flour purchased from a health food/gourmet store or for a more nutritious and alive product follow instructions below for *soaked almonds.
2 cups almond flour
3 organic bananas; store frozen bananas kept for just such an occasion
5 free range eggs
3-4 T organic coconut oil
1t vanilla; I make my own. Check forthcoming blog for recipe
1t almond oil extract (optional)
1 t baking soda
¼ t Celtic or other whole salt
¼ to ½ cup organic raisins or other organic dried fruit
½ cup unsweetened dried coconut
¼ cup coconut flour (this is not necessary but adds to the rise and nutrition)
Grind the dried fruit in the food processor until it can be ground no further and add the remaining ingredients. If too wet, add a bit more coconut or almond flour, being mindful that if blended too long, the batter will yield a more dense bread. So, easy on the blending.
Butter a glass baking or bread dish, pour in the batter and bake for 50+ minutes, at 340 degrees. Check for completion with a toothpick. Allow to cool a bit before serving.
Lovely with raw butter as an accompaniment to stew. Even though a bit crumbly for sandwiches; it’s still good.
*Soaked Almonds: Place 2 cups of nuts in a bowl and cover with enough water to cover 2 inches above the almonds. Set out on the counter for 12-24 hours. The next day, drain thoroughly and assemble the almonds on a cookie sheet or 2 to dry in a 100-120 degree oven for 24+ hours or until they’re thoroughly dry. Try to distribute them one layer only.
When thoroughly dehydrated, the almonds should be very crispy. If not, return them to the oven. In a food processor, grind the almonds to a light flour. If the consistency is more like a meal than flour, you didn’t dry them long enough. Use them anyway; it will taste fine, but won’t yield a bread.
This is a variation on a recipe given to me by my client and friend, Theresa Lasaca
If you eat or drink too much… and feel unwell from it….here are my top 3 picks for quick comfort:
• Nux vomica 30 from your homeopathy kit, every 2 hours up to 4 doses
OR
• Nat phos 6x from your cell salt kit, every 30 minutes or so until improved
OR
• If you don’t own a homeopathy kit, then 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda plus lemon juice of ¼ lemon in 4 ounces of cool water. Drink it down as the mixture fizzes.
Mangia!
May you have a happy, restful and meaningful Thanksgiving, Joette
‘Looking for a source of high quality deodorant, worthy of your skin and subsequent delicate organs? Why, make it yourself! No need to read ingredients, no need to wonder what they really mean because you are the manufacturer.
Homeopaths recognize that the skin and internal organs are keenly connected. We also understand that anything that’s placed on the skin has the potential of being absorbed and forces the system to distribute. So salves, roll-ons, sprays and creams, particularly placed on a most tender and delicate area of the body are important considerations. Remember, the lymph nodes responsible for battling infection and such are only millimeters away from the underarm area. So, what we apply on our skin must be worthy of our entire system. Here’s a good rule to follow that I teach my students and clients:
If you wouldn’t eat it; don’t wear it!
Below are my favorite ingredients, chiefly because they’re edible, but also because they’re the properties we’re looking for in a quality deodorant. If you have suggestions, especially that would help minimize the liquidly result caused by coconut oil in warm temperatures, please let me know. We’ll adjust the recipe.
1) Let’s begin with coconut oil. It’s a good ingredient choice because it has natural antibacterial properties and is soothing and nourishing to delicate, underarm skin. The only trouble with coconut oil is that it melts in very warm weather, so I recommend keeping it in a tightly sealed container if traveling or in very hot weather. The importance of it in the diet should also be considered, but that’s the subject of another article.
2) Our second ingredient is baking soda which has a reputation for naturally antidoting odor and balancing the acid/alkaline of the skin. ‘Right out of the kitchen pantry!
3) And of course, essential oils have been employed in an effort to reduce odor, so I chose sage because it’s also reputed to have natural antiperspirant properties as well as a pleasing aroma. ‘Very fresh smelling.
4) Cornstarch is an acceptable addition as long as one isn’t allergic to corn. Be sure to buy the organic version. At some point, I’d like to find GMO-free , but for now it works to absorb wetness. I’m still experimenting with arrowroot powder and bentonite clay. ‘Will keep you updated.
Here’s my home made sage deodorant that’s been a staple for my clients for some time:
Homemade Sage Deodorant
• 1 2/3 cup high quality coconut oil, such as from GreenPasture.org
• 1 cup of baking soda
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1-2 drops of sage oil such as from YoungLiving.com
• Deodorant roll-up containers http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/package/product.asp?product_id=botdeod
Gently warm the coconut oil so that it’s either slightly liquid-y or just soft enough to stir easily. Keeping it near the stove before mixing, will accomplish this. Combine all ingredients in a bowl using a spoon. Once thoroughly blended, spoon the mixture into a deodorant stick container and there you have it!
Homemade, inexpensive, gentle, and effective….’Love it!
After the extravagances of past decades, we’re finally seeing a shift in thinking with regard to the use of medications. Yes, I know, every other commercial is a company pushing their newest drug. Yet, in spite of this, there is a ground swelling of those who remember life without drugs and recall a healthier world.
Take antacids for example. If we followed the TV ads we see, the magazine and newspaper ads we read, we'd be ingesting these nostrums daily. If indeed they must be ingested day after day, isn’t that cause for questioning the value of these products in the first place?
I say, it is time we consider another method. One of intelligence, efficacy, of time-tested value and purity … that is, of course, homeopathy. Why? Because it doesn’t cover up the problem, it squarely addresses it.
Homeopathy is founded on a firm rock. Its laws and principles are irrefutable, being proven in tests and clinically in hospitals, clinics, nurseries and veterinary offices throughout the world for over 200 years.
So, does homeopathy offer an antacid for the relief of overeating and drinking? You bet! Let’s examine some of homeopathy’s two best-known remedies and how to use them for a little too much at Thanksgiving or an excess of holiday cheer.
Natrum phos 6X is homeopathy’s king of antacids. Tuck a small bottle of it in your purse, diaper bag or glove compartment. Then, any time indigestion hits, toss 3-4 pills directly in the mouth. If no relief is afforded within 15 minutes or so, continue taking in the same manner. In most cases, the indigestion will be resolved within short order. Curiously and as a welcome old friend, the next episode of indigestion will often not be as severe, not last as long and will be fended off for a longer period of time. Further, the cost of these little pills is under $20 and they pack neither side effects nor additives.
Nux vomica 30X is also a remedy one can count on to be efficient and powerful, yet gentle for the relief of reflux. It is used when we have overdone a good thing…too much dip, too many drinks on New Year's Day, too much candy on Halloween. It will antidote the symptoms of heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even irritability, as long as this cluster of symptoms matches.
Even a hangover is a thing of the past with the correct use of Nux vomica. Taken every few hours, it will offer not only relief but do so without side effects. Often the person suffering from indigestion who will benefit from Nux vomica 30X also complains of wakefulness, usually around 3:00 a.m., with the thoughts of the day dancing around in his or her head.
The materia medica of homeopathy has thousands of remedies that have been used since the late 1700s. They are as consistent today as they were when the homeopathic doctors used them then. Homeopathy is not capricious; it doesn’t declare that the latest drug is “the” solution only to have it pushed to the back of the pharmacy shelf within months or years in lieu of the newest hottest catholicon. Better yet; no homeopathic remedy has ever been withdrawn from the market due to subsequent illness that it has caused.
So when you’ve eaten too much turkey or had more than your share of wine consider homeopathy. It may not only relieve your heartburn, but also the irritability that comes from having to withstand the parade of irksome drug commercials during the football game!
I have written more in my latest Ezine. Take a look here is the link to my website where you will find my latest Ezine as well an archive of past ones. Enjoy! http://homeopathyworks.net/newsletters.cfm
I love those “itis” diseases. You know, the ones that place “itis” after the noun that determines the location of the disease. Since itis means “inflammation of,” it's easy to determine the disease. Tendonitis = inflammation of the tendons. Tonsillitis = inflammation of the tonsils. Hence, gingivitis = inflammation of the gingiva. By breaking down the word into its components, it not only gives us information, but comfort in knowing that the disease is often not as serious as it sounds.
So it is with gingivitis. Generally, it is not a disease of severity in our world today. There are, however, varying degrees of severity. If it's a mild case, then herbs can be curative.
One of the easiest ways to treat gingivitis is with Myrrh. Yes, the gift given by the king at Jesus' birth. That in itself has value in my book. Another important ingredient is Propolis, which is found in honey. Both are available in high-quality toothpaste purchased from a reputable health food store. Having said this, in my estimation, it's always better to make whatever you can at home. (No hidden ingredients for the sake of shelf life or economy.) If you choose this path, both of these herbs can be purchased in tincture form, again from a health food store. Place 10 drops of each in a glass of water, then swish in the mouth 2-3 times per day, more often if the problem is severe.
So, local measures of treatment are important. However, if the gingivitis is of an ulcerative nature with severe erosion and halitosis, the problem needs to be approached with a greater degree of person-specific treatment. Homeopathic remedies have repeated success in treating this bacterial infection without antibiotics. Let's see what is available.
The key homeopathic remedy for gingivitis is Mercurius sol 30. This is of particular value when the tongue is heavily coated. It should be taken thrice daily for one week. Then one week off and then resumed again the following week. Alternate weeks on and off until results are complete, but no longer than over a period of 2 months. If the tongue isn't coated, then use Nitricum acidum 30 thrice daily in the same fashion.
If improvement is noted but is not complete, it is best to contact a homeopath for an in-person or phone appointment. Homeopathy has the ability to address even the most severe cases of mouth disease. It is safe, gentle, effective and carries no side effects. The next time your mouth speaks of illness, consider homeopathy; the world-accepted medicine worth spreading the word about.
“Health is not random,” says homeopath, Joette Calabrese HMC, CCH. Her book Cure Yourself and Family With Homeopathy and her CDs Perform in the Storm, a Homeopathy First Aid and Secret Spoonfuls; How to get Healthy Foods into Kids Without Getting Caught are collections of experiences as a skilled homeopathic consultant to hundreds.
Her lively, entertaining examples and solutions of what to use for the most common ailments a homeopath is confronted with, have graced national journals such as Homeopathy Today and Wise Traditions. The author, practitioner, and mother splits her time between working with clients throughout the U.S. and abroad and speaking in arenas such as Chautauqua Institute, national radio shows and college campuses. Join her at Homeopathy Works for events, forums and consultations.
‘WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? Feel free, as long as you include this entire blurb with it: “Classical homeopathic practitioner and mother, Joette Calabrese HMC, CCH, teaches women around the world how to take care of their families’ health so that the business of wellness is in their hands. Get her FREE monthly articles and advice at Homeopathyworks.net and click on “newsletter” and download the most recent.
Marley MacAfee has doe eyes and a temperament to be reckoned with. Some might politely say she’s spirited. But may I be frank? Marley has been known to have violent tantrums and can be a destructive drama queen. We’re not talking about little anger fits, we’re referring to slash-and-burn behavior—the kind of rage that would be grounds for neighbors to call the police. And Marley’s only twelve!
But as her parents hasten to say, she wasn’t always this way. Her mom can’t help but turn this over and over in her mind as to what happened to her little girl. Indeed, she always had a temper, but the rage had lately become pathological. And, as if that weren’t enough, Marley began experiencing despair during which she would hole up in her room for days.
Let’s examine the timeline in Marley’s life that led to her emotional illness. One clue is that around the time Marley became ardently aware of her appearance, things shifted in her conduct. She was embarrassed by her skin because she had always been plagued with eczema. Her mom thought that perhaps Marley was the target of ridicule at school because of her often disfigured skin. Yet, even that hypothesis didn’t fit snugly because Marley seemed to have a lot of friends… up until she started her enraged hysterics. No one seemed safe from Marley’s venomous temper.
And so because of all this, in spite of Mrs. MacAfee’s natural health standards, she took Marley to a dermatologist. Predictably, he prescribed steroid cream. The MacAfees had avoided such resorts because they knew of the reputed long term effects. But within short order after consenting to the cream, Marley’s skin was clear for the first time in her short life. A temporary sense of relief visited the MacAfee household.
However, instead of being satisfied with this improvement, shortly after the skin fix Marley began to exhibit fierce fits of anger. Her parents chalked it up to her burgeoning hormones yet it didn’t matter what time of the month it was. . . Marley was increasingly more demanding, fractious and recalcitrant.
One afternoon Marley’s aunt witnessed a disturbing incident at school. There to take her niece shopping for new shoes, she found Marley screaming at the top of her lungs while biting, kicking and spitting at a small group of younger children. She hated to report what she saw but knew it was important for Marley’s mom to know. And then she hung her head and sadly added, “She’s not right; she ought to see a psychiatrist.” Humiliated and troubled, Marley’s mom had to agree with the assessment but hesitated, since, “All they do is hand out more drugs.”
So, it was only out of desperation and her persevering temperament that Mrs. MacAfee began to read the medical books that her grandfather, a homeopathic physician from England, had left in his library. The revered old books presented a kind of reasoning that no one else offered. One elegant, leather-bound tome contained a chapter on behavior in which two sentences rang like heralding bells of truth. The first read: “Removal of local symptoms results in a heightening of the whole disease.” The second: “Almost all mental and emotional diseases are one-sided diseases in which the somatic symptoms have diminished and the mental and emotional symptoms have heightened.”
What?! She scrutinized the passages again and again, pulling each word apart. The dermatologist had said Marley’s skin was cured; in other words, the skin appeared improved, but according to this medical text, the illness was driven to a deeper state. Were Marley’s skin eruptions removed only to be replaced by a deepening of this vile conduct? Could that be the reason for the behavioral problems? Mrs. MacAfee’s next thought was, “My God! What have we done?”
She had known that all drugs carry side effects, but to think that this could happen to her daughter and, as Dr. Hahnemann stated in his books, that it was predictable, was an astounding epiphany. If indeed the drug had driven the illness to a deeper state, then it would make sense to halt its use immediately. As she read on, Hahnemann elaborated, “Homeopathic treatments can produce rapid and striking results in cases of mental and emotional disease.” “That’s it!” she declared, “I’m going to contact that homeopath mom uses on the East Coast.”
The phone appointment went just as Marley’s mom had hoped. Since Marley was already off the steroids by this time, they had a clean slate to work with. The homeopath reiterated what Dr. Hahnemann had written in his ground-breaking treatise on homeopathic medicine and quoted another statement that also rang true. “Violent allopathic means produce other maladies.” Violent? The homeopath explained that anything that forces pathology to change direction by tinkering with the symptoms is considered violent because, “All medicines alter the mental and emotional state, each in a different way.”
The homeopath assured Mrs. MacAfee that if the remedy she chose specifically for Marley was indeed well selected, she could expect changes within a few weeks, but the eczema would likely return. That would be cause for celebration, for as the eruptions returned, the behavior would subside and the old Marley would resurface. Then, and only then, could homeopathy offer the correct stimulus that would allow the skin eruptions to disband.
The first remedy the homeopath chose was Nux vomica. She explained that another remedy would need to follow it within a few weeks to continue the work after Nux vomica’s action was complete.
Just as expected, Marley’s skin did indeed worsen. In fact, it become more prominent than ever, with pustules that enveloped her jaw line. It wasn’t easy to witness this development, but Mrs. MacAfee held steadfast, even with Marley’s protests. Yet the child seemed to comprehend the importance of this crucial step. In the scheme of things it was certainly better than emotional illness. And as much as they wanted to put soothing emollients on Marley’s skin, the old book and homeopath concurred: “Put nothing on it and allow it to liberate the pathology.”
In the meantime Marley’s complaints became mere whispers in comparison to her earlier outrages. It took about five weeks before her former behavior moderated.
On one occasion only, after the family had returned home from church, Marley threw a spitting fit on the front lawn that was quite embarrassing. Her father took her firmly to her room while her mother made feeble apologies to the neighbors. But this outburst was the last time Marley MacAfee acted like an out-of-control, frenzied, inept child.
After the second consultation with their homeopath, Causticum was chosen. A month later, the last vestiges of Marley’s eczema disappeared. Like a choreographed pas de deux of the intellect and the corporeal, the human body displayed its harmonious response to intelligent prescribing.
Now Marley is free of skin ailments, liberated from the burdens of emotional illness, and her family is able to proudly attend any event.
And too, Mrs. MacAfee is a more learned mom. She recognizes firsthand that it’s not the side effects of drugs that are the scoundrels, but the fact that the drugs drive illness to a deepened state, and this is the seed of chronic physical and even mental illness. Marley and her family are more convinced than ever that they will remain drug free.
I designed it especially to provide a framework to guide you through your remedy choices. It is perfect for busy mothers and others who love curing their families themselves.
Deal with the flu without drugs and expensive commercial products.
The easiest, safest and most inexpensive way to treat your whole family.
Learn to choose the correct homeopathic remedy to give on the way to the emergency room or better yet,
avoid the trip altogether.
Homeopathy is inexpensive, non-invasive and profoundly curative.
Boost and maintain optimum health with simple foods, instead of vitamin pills.
New To Homeopathy?Quickstart Guide Contact
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| Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. In order to be treated or diagnosed, Joette believes that the advice of a holistic physician is in order. Disclaimer: Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated. 2009-2023 © Joette Calabrese – Practical Homeopathy® - HomeopathyWorks® - Health and Wellness
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