How I Make A Natural Health Assessment (Part Two)

   Picking up from where we left off in part one, a natural health assessment is NOT to diagnose disease. It is for looking at imbalances that cause symptoms. If you get migrain headaches it is because there is some cause that is creating an effect. That effect hurts but the hurt is NOT the problem, the CAUSE is the problem. So you may have to find out if there are certain things that trigger those headaches and eliminate them from your life. I might suggest an herb like Feverfew to help but the best thing is to find out if the cause is a toxin, or if it's an allergic reaction, or some exterior influence. We'd have to find out if those migrains are vasodilative or vasoconstrictive. Usually there is a liver problem or there may be a need for blood cleansing. My point is that there are lots of things that can cause a symptom and one size does not fit all.

   First thing you will do is fill out a Body Systems Questionaire that has a series of symptoms listed and a reference to the body systems I listed in part one. From this we will determine which is your weakest body system. We will probably give consideration to the next weakest system as well.

   I will be looking at facial features to see if, for instance, there is puffiness under the eyes, or perhaps a darkish color there, or I might look for certain creases, or redness. I will also have you stick out your tongue so I can look at shape, color, covering, whether it's wet or dry, or even if it's shaky. There are regions on the tongue that can tell me more and if I find that the tongue tells me the same thing the Body Systems Questionaire tells me, then I have TWO indications regarding that body system.

The tongue pictured here is called a geographic tongue. That's because it has patches of moss that look like a map. The person who owns this tongue probably has severe heat or inflammation in the digestive tract. (I got this picture off the internet; it is not one of my clients).

Of course there are all kinds of colors and shapes. Tongues with cracks in them, tongues with heavy coating, some are red, some are pink, and if one is anemic it can be almost white. But as I look at the tongue I can make a determination about, not only the condition of the tongue, but the various organs such as kidneys, liver, heart, stomach, intestines, and so on.

   From there I may choose to do a response muscle test where I will use your own electrical system to find out where weakness may lie. IF I find that you are weak in the same body system as with the Body Systems Questionaire and the tongue, then I will have THREE indications which is pretty good.

   One of my favorite methods of detection is with Iridology. I am NOT a master iridologist or even a certified iridologist, but I have had training in Iridology as part of my Herbal Consultant certification. It is the most enjoyable of all detection methods for me. BUT it has more to do with finding the basic constitution of a client than it has to do with finding a present pathology. Iridologists cannot study your iris and find a cancer someplace. What we can do is tell certain things about your physical and emotional constitution. I won't get into the emotional aspects here except to say that pupil tonis and size can tell a lot. Circular signs can tell whether you've been stressed or are even presently under stress. Again, I'm not going to get into the various signs with the collorette, or lagunas, psories, etc. But I will share with you just the simplest things that I can tell about you just by looking at your eyes.

  This eye is blue.Though I can see some other things about this eye, the main thing is the color. That's the first thing I will look at and I know that this color eye (as well as hazel, grey, green) is inclined towards respiratory and urinary problems. It is called a Blue Eyed Lymphatic because this person has a propensity towards a slow moving lymph system that can result in sinus problems and earaches, sore throats, more than with another color. Does this mean that this person definately has those problems? No! But it does provide a place to start and I would most likely find out that this person has had problems in that area and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it matched the other investigative tools.

This is NOT a true brown eye. This is an eye that has a brownish color over that blue or grey eye. This is called a Billary eye and this person has inclinations towards hepatic and digestive problems. This person may have come in complaining about discomfort on the right side of the body, or digestive issues. As soon as I look into this eye I will know what the tendency is. There's some other markings I can see which I won't get into today but with deeper investigation I can find a lot!

This is a brown eye. Its called a Hematogenic Eye and this person has a propensity toward circulatory problems. This does NOT mean that there is circulatory problems, but that she may have a tendencytoward circulatory problems including anemia, venous congestion,heart problems, hardening of the arteries, and so forth.

NOW, of course there can be cross-over problems with any of these colors but when I look at your eye color it gives me a clue about your general constitution. If I study the eye closer I can find out a lot more. So what is the CONCLUSION?

  By putting all of these things together we can get a pretty good idea of which body system is the weakest. Then we can make recommendations to address that system. We are built so that when energy is lacking in one area it will affect the whole. So, if that system is corrected the whole will be happy! You may have to make some lifestyle choices, changes in diet, perhaps some herbal supplement will be suggested, exercise, etc. But we don't diagnose, we don't do surgery, we don't (most of the time) address individual symptoms. We try to correct imbalances which in turn will take care of symptoms. As I said in part one, every natural healer has his/her own way of doing things.

But I believe the natural way is God's way, first!

How I Make A Natural Health Assessment (Part One)

  I am often asked to help people with immediate health needs and, though I do my best to help those immediate concerns, it's not the way I prefer to do things. Most people go to the Herbalist or Natural Health Care practitioner expecting he or she to give them something natural to help with their symptoms. Though, on occasion, this can be done it does NOT address the cause. I don't diagnose because, legally, only licenced medical doctors can use that word. I do assessments. I don't treat diseases because, legally, only licenced medical doctors can treat diseases. But, I can suggest things to help a person get his/her body balanced so that the dis-ease goes away. I can't cure anyone of anything because legally only licenced medical doctors can cure disease (although in reality they don't cure anything, they maintain disease). By the way, do you know that, according to their own journals, medical doctors are correct in diagnosis only about 20% of the time. That means that 80% of the time there is misdiagnosis! I say all of this to make the point that if you don't think natural health assessments are the way you want to go, you can stick with your allopathic care and take your chances.

  I have learned Natural Health Assessment through several courses and associations and I trust it completely. If I have to go to doctor for advanced medical testing I will do it but always with the stipulation that regardless of the outcome, I will go for natural treatment first! The plain truth is that over 75% of the world still uses natural means of health care and there are time tested methods from our own Native Americans, the Chinese, and from India. Germany and Russia, and several other European nations also have long traditions. Even places like Afghanistan have used traditional, natural health assessments for centuries.

   Most natural health practitioners, at least the ones that I'm familiar with, begin with the biological terrain theory. We believe that every individual is different physically and emotionally and remedies are NOT a one size fits all. Now this biological terrain has to do with your individual constitution. Some people have a strong constitution and some people don't. But there are environmental issues as well. Let's picture a tree:

   Now you will notice that this tree has roots, a trunk, limbs, and leaves, and grows out of the soil. We look at the soil as the constitution, and that constitution can be affected by at least four things:

1. Mental and Emotional Stress
2. Nutritional Deficiencies
3. Physical Trauma
4. Toxins, both internal and external.

     The trunk of the tree is the biologial terrain. I don't have time or space here to go into this too much but let's just say that those four causes brought into the trunk affect the overall health of the tree. In other words, the health of the biological terrain is dependent upon the influences of those things introduced to the trunk through the roots. So, though on occasion I will suggest an herb for sinus problems or chest congestion, these are short term. There is a REASON for returning sinus problems; there is a REASON why you keep getting a cold over and over again! So, we can certainly offer advice on herbs, for instance, that may help, but that is basically what the allopathic doctors do, they address symptoms. What we want to do is address the ROOT PROBLEM so that those chronic sinus problems go away and stay away, or so that you don't have that cold returning all winter long!

     The Limbs of the tree represent body systems. There are several body systems common to all of us such as:

• The Respiratory System
• The Glandular System
• The Circulatory System
• The Digestive System
• The Intestinal System
• The Urinary System
• The Nervous System
• The Structural System

and so on......... It's important to know that though these body systems are separate, they are also dependent upon one another and can be affected by the status of the trunk (biological terrain) to the point that DISEASE shows up in the leaves which represent symptoms.

   Now, when you go to your doctor with one or more of these symptoms he will attempt to diagnose a dis-ease and either prescribe a pharmaceutical to address the symptom (make it go away), or he, with specialists, may determine surgery or some other method of relieving the symptoms. Hardly ever is there any discussion about the CAUSE of the problem, so for instance, if you develop cancer you will probably be treated with chemo or radiation or even surgery but NOTHING is done about the CAUSE! So, providing your treatment is successful for a period of time, the cancer will probably return in another form because the root problem has not been addressed.

   Let me be clear though, in the case of physical trauma, I mean you get bodily injured in an accident that calls for quick emergency care, I would not go to an herbalist, I would go to an emergency center and get sewn up, etc.

   So, if you have a problem and you come to me. I will do a health assessment using such things as an assessment form that you fill out. This will show me what the weakest body system is. Then I  will do a pulse assessment, a face and tongue assessment, an iris assessment (this will tell my what your base constitution is) and perhaps a response muscle test. I will determine from these what your weakest body system is and we will begin there. Our belief is that if any individual body system is out of balance it will affect the whole. I may ask some questions regarding your emotional state. I can tell a lot about that emotional state just by examining your eyes. The pupils can tell a whole story as well as the fibers and their markings. I can tell if someone is truly ADDHD or if they're just hyper. It's called iridology and it is fascinating!

    Every Natural Health Care Practitioner is different and may use varying techniques but if you know of a good one in your area I highly suggest going to him/her. After all, if medical doctors are wrong 80% of the time, I'd say your odds are pretty good going to a natural healer!

NOTE: Next time I'll speak more about those assessment tools.

Diabetes Is A Pain!

   Diabetes is a pain! I wish that, when I was younger, I would have been informed about Diabetes and my potential for it. My diet generally consisted of meat and potatoes, bread, macaroni, noodles, and everything that tasted good. I didn't eat a lot of sugary things like pies, or cakes, or cookies, though on occasion I would develop a "sweet tooth" and enjoy some. But I had no idea what I was doing to my body and how I was setting myself up for Diabetes. Once, after asking a doctor why, occasionally I felt weak , clammy and shaky,  he told me that I may be on the verge of becoming diabetic but he offered no advice on how to avoid it, nor did he seem to be overly concerned about it. Of course you know that when you look to allopathic doctors for their level of concern, you may be misled.

  Anyway, here I am at almost 65 years of age and it's a daily fight. I find the period from Thanksgiving till the New Year to be the most difficult. I mean people bring candy of all sorts, baked goods, and of course those big meals. I'm just like everyone else and I occasionally let my guard down BUT believe me I pay the price! Now, most of the time I am able to control my sugar levels by diet but I know that exercise is a big part of maintaining sugar levels as well. Yesterday, for instance, I dropped my sugar count around 60 points by walking the treadmill for 15 minutes. I will do it again when I am done with this blog.

  Some people use insulin or pills to help maintain their sugar levels but those can be dangerous by themselves. The side effects of these (not the diabetes necessarily) are blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, and loss of limbs. I know people who eat the wrong stuff and then take a pill. I'm just not going to do that!

  It's really true that diabetes is easier to prevent than it is to maintain though there are those who claim diabetes can be reversed. I'm still in the search! Avoiding simple carbohydrates and sugars is the best way to avoid diabetes. Eat your vegetables like mother said! Once you have diabetes even complex carbohydrates can make your sugar spike. I know! When I first learned I was diabetic (I learned it on my own and was not diagnosed till some time later) I switched from white macaroni and noodles to whole wheat products instead. That seemed to help for awhile but after time even those had to be in reduced amounts. I love potatoes just about any way they can be served but I've learned they are a "no,no"!

  There are herbs that can help such as cinnamon, tulsi, or bitter melon but these will not lower sugar levels significantly by themselves. I've tried some sugar reg products but these are more for those who are not yet diabetic.  I believe the most important thing you can do (which I have the most difficult time with) is to maintain an alkaline forming diet so things like meats, some nuts, and grains should be avoided. This is difficult for me because I'm a meat eater and I don't really like most greens all that much. I have to force myself! A vegan diet works pretty well. An acidic body welcomes all kinds of ailments and our American diet is very acidic! 

  So, for those suffering with diabetes, I know what you're going through and it's not fun! I find that I have to exercise, even though I REALLY don't like it! I have to avoid simple carbohydrates, even complex carbohyrates, depending on where they are from (grains), must be avoided as well. Those coming from green, leafy, vegetation are necessary. I avoid corn, and I only eat small amounts of peas. No sugar! I use stevia as a sweetener and it works well for me.

  Today most doctors will say that a sugar count below 200 is acceptable. But, the closer you can get to 100 the better! I'm still in the search but if I find something that really does the trick I'll pass it on. I won't promote something I don't trust for myself.

   I have found that most people will NOT deny themselves those edibles they love. They will take the pills or the shots but, for me, the greater concern is what the end result of those will be. I know how to control sugar, I just don't like it! 

Merry Christmas Banjo Short

My connection is so poor it takes forever to upload a video. I had another I was going to put up but this one will have to do. It's just a part of my Merry Christmas to all of you. (Forgive the dumb look at the beginning :)

Ear Aches, Ear Cleaning and Reasons Why

  Occasionally someone will call me who has a severe ear ache. Then is not the time to practice correction of the biological terrain because the person is in pain. There are a couple of tried and true remedies, providing there is not a rupture in the ear drum. My first remedy is this: Heat an onion in a steamer till it's soft enough to squeeze out the juice. Let it cool to body temperature and put drops in the ear. It will usually relieve an ear ache in minutes. Another is to place a garlic clove in olive oil and then fit it in the ear like you would a hearing aid. It will seep through the skin and bring relief. Both of these will help fight infection as well. I have seen the onion relieve a severe ear ache in a matter of just a few minutes. The garlic takes a little longer.

There is also a manual way to relieve earaches but I cannot demonstrate it here. It takes longer to do as well. I have relieved earaches, headaches, sunburn, scrapes, etc. manually in around 15 minutes.

   In the summer I collect Mullein Flowers and St. John's Wart Flowers and then I cover them in Olive Oil. The Plants look like these:

  I will place those flowers in a jar and keep it, shaking daily for about two weeks or more. Then I strain out the flowers and I have the Mullein or St. John's Wart oils like as in the picture. 

Then I will generally mix the Mullein Oil, with the St. John's Wart Oil, along with some Garlic Oil and put it in a dropper like the one in the picture. This is great for ear cleaning as well. A couple of weeks ago I got very dizzy in the evening and couldn't quite figure out why. Knowing that inner ear congestion can sometimes make one feel that way I put a few drops in each ear. It took a couple of hours but the problem went away.

Ear Medicine

If your child tends to get a lot of earaches it is best to test for allergies such as dairy and wheat. Remember, for every effect there is a cause. If the child has been swimming for instance he/she could have an infection. In that case the drops would work as well as anything. Children tend to get earaches more than adults because the Eustachian tube is so small and short. If, on the other hand you can find no reason for the ear problem you may be looking at an allergy.

 Keep in mind that blue-eyed people tend to get ear aches more often than brown-eyed people. That's because they tend to have lymphatic imbalances. They are more susceptible to sore throats, sinus problems, even lung congestion and so forth.The same is true of blue-eyed children when it comes to allergies and problems due to lymphatic congestion.

  If you are an adult and you tend to get ear aches, sinus head-aches, sinus congestion, lung congestion, and so forth on a regular basis there are two main reasons why: First, you may be a blue-eyed lymphatic person who, by constitution, is more susceptible to these kinds of things; Or, you have a different eye color and are suffering from intestinal congestion. You probably don't even know it!

The body has channels of elimination such as the respiratory system, the urinary system, the intestinal system and the skin. So, if there is congestion for instance, in the intestinal system the body will attempt to remove toxins any way it can and it most often ends up in the respiratory system. The way to overcome this tendency to ear aches and so forth is NOT to take pharmaceutical medicines that only address the symptoms, but to deal with the root problem which is probably the intestinal system.

  I don't really have the time here and now to deal with all this but I want you to know that for every effect there is a cause. Things don't just happen!

  There are remedies besides those I mentioned. Blue-eyed people should do daily exercise to keep that lymph moving, things like ginger or Cayenne can be added to the diet. Herbs like Yarrow can be helpful. If you have this problem and want to know more, contact me and I'll be glad to help.

  If you think you may fall into the second category then it's a deeper problem. You'll possibly need a cleanse, certainly digestive enzymes, and probriotics will be called for. You may be lacking in trace minerals. In either case you'll want to avoid mucus forming foods for awhile. I'm probably forgetting something important so you may want to come back and read this again as there may be more added. Or perhaps I'll add more in another blog. If you need help feel free to contact me.  

Higher Ground

One of the things I like to do to relax and kick back is to play my banjo. I've done bluegrass banjo with my family and a couple of groups but when I'm just kicking back I like to take the picks off and use a finger style of strum. Now I know this particular method is not a true clawhammer style but it's MY style. I've looked at alot of videos on youtube etc. and I really admire those clawhammer players but it's so foreign to me that I keep coming back to my own style. Maybe in a later video I'll show you my clawhammer style, which is different yet. But I'm playing this rendition of "Higher Ground" just so my friends can see what I'm doing. It's just a shorty, less than a minute, mistakes and all, but I hope you like it! 

Temporary Help for Toothache

  Nobody ever plans on getting a toothache and often when you get one you don't have any toothache medicine on hand. So, I'm going to give you a couple of things that may be helpful, things I have used for myself and my kids from time to time. And then I want to leave you with some thoughts about teeth healing.
  On occasion when my kids or myself have gotten a toothache I have found that clove oil dabbed around the target area can be helpful at relieving the pain. I have also used clove buds like you have in your spice rack. Just take a clove and place it on the area and it will give a numbing sensation to the spot. Another is ginger. I have not used ginger myself but others have and it, like the clove, can be dabbed on the sore spot.  A couple of others, which I have not personally tried are pure vanilla extract and almond extract dabbed as with the cloves. I've heard that oregano oil works also. What we are looking at here is temporary relief for toothache.

Yarrow

   Native Americans used the roots of Sweet Flag or Lady's Slipper, Wintergreen root, Sassafras roots, and Hops. They also used the leaves of Catnip and in the spring of the years the young Yarrow leaves have a purplish tip that is an anodyne (pain reliever). Of course you're not going to run out in the dead of winter and try to find these natural aids but the cloves and ginger are easy. Be careful with the ginger because it may cause a momentary increase in pain which will subside fairly quickly. I've never tried it but I suspect that if I had nothing else available, I might try Cayenne in the same way. Note: You can also get what's called "temporary filling" at most drug stores. This can be used to cover a cavity so the nerve endings are not exposed to irritants.
  Now, there is much new information regarding tooth healing regarding diet, herbs and oils. I have to learn it myself so I can't really say much about it here except to say that when you consider the cost of dental work, especially if you don't have dental insurance, it makes sense to try these inexpensive new ways of tooth healing. There is one example at www.naturalnews.com and I'm going to recommend it to a young lady who has been told she needs about $11,000 worth of dental work. I wish I would have had this information when I was younger because I have had about $8,000 worth of tooth replacement work.
   Keep in mind that our bodies are for this world and God has placed in the earth those herbs, plants, trees, and substances that are healing to every part of our bodies. All we need to do is learn about them and then apply what we've learned. I have treated my own family for years with great success and I have consulted many others with all kinds of ailments. The only thing I won't do is a tug of war with allopathic medicine so if someone comes to me for help they have to be committed to the natural way!

#1 and #2 Pet Peeves That Drive Me Nuts!

   I think I'm a fairly even keeled fellow. I mean, I have always been able to exhibit self-control around most people. If I lose it, my wife is usually the one to put a cap on my steamer. I think my kids would attest to the fact that I very seldom raise my voice or do anything threatening in the least. But it's NOT because I don't get bothered by things.

   I've been on Facebook for several months now and I have learned two things. First, posting anything that I feel is of real importance, gets little notice. Second, any attempt at correcting a false notion will go unheeded, for the most part. Now let me get to those pet peeves, though, really, hardly anyone will read them or care if they do, but I guess it's therapy for me.

  My first pet peeve, #1 is the constant misuse of Biblical Prophecy by a number of people. These are well meaning Christians I am sure, but they are not well informed! They keep talking about natural disasters as signs of impending doom and they post videos put together by those who seem to want to scare people into religion. In fact, sometimes these postings have no real gospel message to them! I'm  all for being zealous for Christ but I'm NOT for twisting Scripture and for pretending to know what they cannot possibly know. False prophets are plentiful and those who follow them are legion. Occasionally I get told how the person feels sorry for me or how they will pray for me BUT I tell them don't pray for me to follow false prophets or to lie to people just to get them to get religion!

  For those of us who believe in a Pre-millenial, pre-tribulational return of Christ for His Church, we know there are NO biblical signs about that time when the Church will be translated from earth to glory. There are lots of signs about the 2nd Coming when Christ comes back to earth and defeats his enemies. Now, if these people were simply to say that it SEEMS like things are becoming more and more like those described for the 2nd Coming I could let it slide but when they say thing like "all these events are in perfect alignment with prophetic warnings in the Bible" THAT is NOT true, it is false. All I ask is that the hyper-tension cease. Read your Bible, put the prophecies in context, and stop making all Christians look like they're ready to take their sip of Kool-aid. I am not a novice but I have learned that to respond to these postings is wasting breath (or I should say typing skills).

   #2: This one irritates me almost as much and, again, I have learned then when people have been steeped in a particular mindset it is almost impossible to reach them. So, my second pet peeve is the disregard for alternative, or I should say, Natural Health Care. Over the years I have helped people with colds, flu, acne, arthritis, kidney dis-ease, headaches, sunburns, sore throat, stings and bites, and I've even reduced a branchial cleft cyst to where it cannot even be seen,  and much more without anything but natural means. As a result there have been "0"  side effects and on occasion, no cost. I have learned how to use herbs and trees, etc. for healing. This summer I relieved a sunburn in about 15 minutes using nothing but my own energy. There were lots of witnesses so there is no doubt!

   I saw a post yesterday from someone who had cancer and was hoping it would not return. Her doctor had told her that she would always have cancer, never be rid of it, but that she could still live for, perhaps, years. The fact is that we all have cancer cells in our bodies but our immune systems generally handle them. To tell a person they cannot be totally healed is to put a voodoo hex on them.

Doctors are people, human beings, and they don't know everything. Seventy-five percent of the world uses alternative health care but here in the U.S. because of the medical powers and the pharmaceuticals people are convinced their doctor is god. So, you will take that radiation (that causes cancer) and you will take that Chemo (which causes cancer) and you will do so because your god has told you there's no other way. You will buy over the counter drugs because that's all you know. You will take prescribed meds for any and every condition because that's the way you are programmed. But there IS another way! I believe it's God's way and that is to use what our forefathers used, natural medicines. These are the pet peeves that drive me nuts!

White Pine For Your Congestion

One of the things I try to do is to help people find remedies that are available and free. The White Pine is both. When you are suffering from congestion, mainly in the chest area, this is a great expectorant. It aids the breakdown of mucus so the body can expel it better. But can be helpful for the head as well. The White Pine is discernable from other pines as each follicle contains five leaves. I tried to get a picture up close but it didn't work. (My sister supplied one below) For about a quart of boiled tea I use a couple of ounces of leaves. They are high in vitamin C and A..

My sister Kerry supplied this pic.

 The bark can be used as well and I scrape it from the limb with a knife. If you are allergic to the sap you'll want to be careful. I won't have a picture of the sap here but it is medicinal as well. It is the inner part of the bark you want. Spring is the best time to use the bark but I still use it in the winter because some is better than none!
   I put two or three ounces of leaves in a pan of about a quart of water and bring it to a boil. I let it boil for a couple of minutes then I put a lid on it and let it steep. It's a fairly smooth tea and not bad tasting. Especially if you put a little honey or stevia in it. I would say drink at least a quart each day until the congestion is relieved. You can also inhale it by putting it in a container and covering your head with a towel to breath in the steam. Keep in mind that natural medicines are not supposed to be used to erase symptoms; they are used to aid the body in overcoming the irritant that is causing the symptoms.
  By the way, the Ojibwe, Menominee, and Chippewa native Americans used the White Pine for lots of different issues including headaches, chest pain, and healing of scrapes and sores. It is a wonderful gift from God, medicine in a tree. In these difficult economic times it's good to know that these remedies really work. In fact, I am presently treating a friend with this tea and he is recovering nicely.

God Shares His Treasures With Snow!

  Well, we've got about an inch of snow in our area. It's actually our second snowfall that has lasted. The first one only lasted a day and this one seems to have a happy future. I don't mind a little snow so long as you can walk in it without struggling. Last year we had way too much snow as it broke down several trees and weighed down the ice on the lakes. Have you ever seen one of those snowfalls where all the limbs of the trees are covered and it even sparkles in sunlight? That's beautiful.

   In the Book of Job it reads, "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?" (Job 38:22a) Well, if you've ever built a snowfort you have! God has a storehouse that never runs out and it always is delivered in the right place! We ought to be glad for the snow. How else would you make a snow angel? or a snowman? How else could you enjoy a snowball fight?

   When you think about it snow is pretty great for skiing, or snowmobiling, neither of which I do myself but I know some folks who have lots of fun that way. I remember sledding as a kid and I had lots of fun doing that. I remember though, a time when I got a whipping from my dad. We had a long drive and we lived on a hill. I often went sledding down that drive, only one day I went right out into the road and was nearly run over by a car. The man got out of his car and really scolded me and told me if I ever did it again he would personally whip me. Well, I told my dad what that fellow had said but instead of taking my side on the matter my dad gave me the whipping! Bummer!

    Snow is an insulator too. It's great for protecting our gardens from freezing too deeply and it protects roots and some plants, like evergreens. The deeper the snow, the more the protection. For the same reason though I don't like to see in on the lakes because I want the ice to freeze and get thick. The more snow, the less freeze!

   Isn't it funny how we dislike shoveling snow? I remember all the work we kids would put into a snowman, or a snowfort. I remember playing King On the Mountain at Hillcrest Elementary School when I was in the fourth or fifth grade. I mean you had to work to get a pile of snow like that! But I guess work is o.k. when its also fun.

   Of course there really aren't many of us who like shoveling snow. I suppose in these difficult economic times it's great for those who plow snow to make some bucks. If I could have a one on one with God over the snow issue I think I would try to convince him to put the snow on the lawn and in the woods but to leave sidewalks and driveways clear.

  On the other hand, I guess I'd better conclude that God knows perfectly well what He's doing. I mean, if every snowflake has it's own design and since He's the Creator, the Designer, I guess He's got a right to put it where he wants!

   Of course God is LORD over all of nature: the wind, the rain, the sun, the warmth, the heat and so on. And when the LORD asked this question of Job (above), in a series of questions, it is used to instruct both Job and us, that God is Sovereign and we don't really have a right to question God about His choices. After all, He is God. He can see what we cannot see, and He knows what we cannot know. He maintains the treasure, the storehouse, to which we don't have access so we'd better just depend upon him a appreciate his gifts, including the gift of snow!

   

Colds and Flu and What to Do

There are lots of colds and flu going around this time of year. The key is prevention so I want to offer a few hints that should be helpful. First, let me talk about colds. The common cold is a necessary gift to help us expel toxins from our bodies. We live in a very toxic society. Just about everything we use is toxic, from contaminants in our food, in our carpets, in our cleaning materials, in our toiletries, in the air we breathe, in the water (sometimes) we drink, in the things we touch, and on and on it goes. We are besieged with toxins and the body has to oust them. I call it a gift because God designed our bodies so that our eyes water, our nose runs, and we get a fever, all as a built in reaction by the God designed defense mechanism. That’s why many natural health advocates and practitioners say the cold is the cure! When you take pharmaceuticals to relieve the symptoms, you are mounting an attack on that God designed defense mechanism with which we have been blessed.

  Are you one of those people who “catches” a cold over and over again? Well, the reason you are continuously getting those colds is because you are taking medicine that relieves the symptoms but does not allow the body to drive out the irritants that are causing the problem. It's like occasionally winning a battle but losing the war! So, if you already have a cold the best thing you can do is let it run its course! Get nine hours of sleep every day if possible, drink lots of pure water, stay warm and dry, get some fresh air and don’t be afraid of getting fresh air. Exercise can be helpful as well, especially if you can work up a sweat. The skin is the largest organ in the body and sweat can help remove toxins. Most of us don’t sweat enough which means we are not expelling toxins the way our bodies are designed to do. Plus, exercise generates movement in the lymphatic system which will also help with removing those toxins and irritants.

To prevent a cold do the same things! Exercise, sleep, water are preventative. You might take a Vitamin D supplement because, unless you work outside and get lots of sunshine, you are most likely deficient of Vitamin D. You may want to take something like Astragalus or Olive Leaf to boost your immune system. In your diet include lots of Garlic, Onions, Horseradish, Cinnamon, Cloves, Sage, Thyme, Jalapeño peppers and drink some Spearmint tea or Ginger tea, or Chamomile tea for instance. The great Dr. Samuel Thomson said, “That same thing that will prevent disease, will cure it”. So keep these things in mind. By the way, I only mentioned a few of these herbs but there are many more that can be helpful.

 Let me add another thing here. You may have heard the adage from Hippocrates, "feed a cold, starve a fever" but it has been sorely misunderstood. What he actually is saying is, "If you feed a cold you will have to starve a fever!" When acute sickness comes upon us we should go into, at least, a semi-fasting mode. I burn firewood for heat and occasionally I have to let the fire die down so I can clean out the ashes. Now, if I try to restart that fire with logs I will find a horrible time re-starting my fire but if I use some paper and some small kindling at first, then, when the fire gets hot enough I can add my logs and all will be fine. The same is true of our bodies, when acute sickness comes upon us our energy level drops so our kindling food should be juices or maybe some chicken broth, then chicken noodle soup and build up from there. Your body will tell you when you want to eat but don't force it.

  Now let me address influenza. I do not believe in, nor do I trust pharmaceutical immunizations for prevention of influenza. In fact, in many cases they don’t even work. I’m glad that 80% of the American public rejects those flu shots. Some people even get the flu from those shots. We have not, as a society, been using those immunizations long enough to determine what long term side effects may occur. The only time they should be taken (if there really is a time) is in the case of very weak people whose immune defenses are so frail that getting flu may be lethal. By the way since there are so many different strains of influenza, no shot can prevent them all.

   Again, all of the things that are fitting for the cold are helpful for the flu. You may want to keep some Ginger on hand for tea to help settle the stomach. Peppermint, Spearmint, Catnip, or Chamomile teas also will help there. Unless a fever gets in the danger zone, consider it a friend. It is a sign that the body has mounted up its defense mechanisms to ward off the flu. I use Yarrow tea as a natural means of reducing fevers which still allows those defenses to work. Yarrow, among other things will cause perspiration which will cool the body as well as expel toxins.

  If there is a lot of nausea, the quickest means of reducing it is by vomit. Have you ever noticed that you will feel better after vomiting? Sometimes only a little, and sometimes a lot! When an irritant is in the stomach the body sometimes reverses the natural means of expelling the irritant through the bowels and vomiting occurs. This is good! The irritants are being removed. After vomiting one of the aforementioned teas can be helpful.

  One of the most effective measures that can be taken for a variety of illnesses is the enema. Herbal enemas work great. Our great grandmothers knew that and they were right! If there is constipation along with the virus, an enema can help the recovery time. I won’t get into the how’s right now because I’ve probably already lost you.

But what about in the case of diarrhea? Well, you want the body to expel the irritants but you don’t want it to do so too fast. If that happens the body is losing fluids and electrolytes in excess so it needs to be slowed down. For adults Psyllium hulls, ground flax seed, oat bran or a number of mucilaginous herbs can be helpful. For children slippery elm or marshmallow root works well.

The whole point is that whether we are talking colds or flu we must allow the body to do its work. Do NOT use over the counter medicines. We just don’t know the magnitude of the possible side effects of them. Aid the body by allowing those natural defenses freedom to work. Stop concentrating on the symptoms because the symptoms are NOT the problem. The symptoms are the result of your body's attempt to rid itself of the irritant. When you get a runny nose you want to take a medicine to stop it but what you are actually doing is preventing your body's natural defenses time to do their job! Yes, it's an agrivation but if you take something to stop it, the cold will probably return very soon.

  I am convinced that part of our worship of our Lord is to surrender to His means, His design. He is wiser than we. In the end, if we do so, it will "work together for good" (Romans 8:28)

If you want to know more feel free to contact me and I'll be glad to help.

Parenting Is Not Paint By Numbers!

  Have you ever done a painting by numbers? Well, it's pretty hard to make a mistake. I wish parenting was that easy. Problem is, we each have to figure it out as we go along. Yes, I know there are books out there but most of them are pretty useless. Some of them are downright dangerous! I know of one that is absolutely trustworthy, but even it does not spell out every detail. I'm talking, of course about the Bible. It tells us to bring up our children in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph.6:4) and it tells us to instruct them in the word of God (Deut.6:6-9) and in His ways (Josh.4:21-23) and it teaches about discipline (Prov. 23:13). There is lots of instruction in the Bible but you and I must make everyday decisions regarding our children, and frankly, we're not always sure we're making the right ones. I mean, I don't really know when the right age is for a girl to get her ears pierced. I don't really know when the exact age is for a little make up. I know for certain that I would NEVER allow my son to wear an ear ring. But these are things you can only decide by principle and it's up to each parent to make that decision. The Dr. wants your child to get flu shots; you think they're dangerous. I'm not aware of the specific answer in the Bible. You do what you can with what you have.

   Do you know that some of the greatest men in Biblical history were not particularly good fathers? Eli, priest of God, did not discipline his sons and they became idolaters. King David, one of the greatest examples in the Bible, it would seem did not properly nurture his children. There was rebellion and unspeakable sins as a result. You know the Bible records King David appealing for direction for whether he should go to war or flee, but I'm not aware if he ever asked specific questions regarding the upbringing of a particular child. I have known good pastors who have had rebellious children.

  Over the years I have watched several families raise their children, each in a different style and each with the same results. Truth is, the most important thing that can make the greatest impression is for the child to see sincerity and consistancy in the parent. You're not going to be right in every decision and you certainly are not going to be a perfect parent no matter how many classes you take or how many books you read. You are not going to raise a perfect child either so you'd best know that from the beginning. The Bible says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17) and "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor.10:31)That includes parenting!
  Of course we should teach them the word of God, and we should have a family Bible time, especially when they are little. Yes, we should make sure they are in church regularly and around Christian influences. We need to watch their associations as well and we should be aware of what they watch and to what they listen and so forth but I can tell you that when they get to be teenagers the foundation had better be built in because they're up against a society that is anti-Christ! I've known young people who got very rebellious but because the foundation was laid they eventually came back to the Lord.
  I remember sitting with my kids and watching "Cops" on T.V. My wife did NOT like that but I felt like I could use that program as a tool to shape my kids. I think it paid off! Remember folks, we are IN the world and our kids are exposed to lots of things that we may not even know about so it's best to prepare them. I would never encourage a child to touch a hot stove. I would warn them in advance if a stove is hot and I would do all I can to keep them from getting burned but this I know, once they get burned they'll know I told them the truth.
  In my house we never lied about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy except in jest. If you ask any of my kids if their dad ever lied to them I know what they would say. Well, Suzanna might say "yes" but that's because she always puts her own spin on things. To her if you ever said "maybe", that's a promise, and probably a broken one!

  No, there's no paint by numbers when it comes to child rearing, but there are guidlines. I've only mentioned a few here but just enough to say, do what you know to do, let God do the rest.

What To Do When You Are Depressed

    This question came up over the weekend as well when someone mentioned feeling depressed. Now as an herbalist I could mention herbs such as St. John's Wart, or oats (yes, the same stuff that your oat meal is made of), Vervain or Ginko, something that affects the nervous system. Or I might want to look at whether your adrenals are weary, or if you are irritable or short with people I might consider checking for a toxic liver or even a blood booster. Or I might mention some aromatic oils such as Lavender or Peppermint. That's one way of helping chronic depression as well as acute depression.

  Of course I would want to find out the cause of the depression, if there is a loss of a loved one, a job loss, or some other primary cause for the depression. Some people suffer from chronic depression. In fact there is even a seasonal aspect and depression can be found prevelant on dark, dreary days where the sun is hidden. By the way, fresh air and sun light can be very uplifting. If you spend little time in the sunlight you should supplement with Vitamin D3.

    But let me share the quickest, the most effective, free, and freeing remedy for depression. It is PRAISE! Yes, Praise! I know, when you are depressed you don't feel like praising...that's because you are depressed! But if you will force yourself to look to God and begin praising Him for even the simplest things, something happens in your body. You can call it a chemical reaction if you choose, and it is, but it is built into our natures by our wonderful Lord. When that reaction takes place it is truly healing to our emotions, uplifting, and remedial. There has been a question for a very long time, whether these chemical imbalances cause the depression, or whether the depression causes the chemical imbalances. We're talking about neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, dopamine, adrenalin, and noradrenaline. We don't really know the answer to the question as to which comes first and it is probably "both". I do know that the Bible says, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7) I know that if you dwell on negative things you will eventually suffer the consequences both physically and emotionally. I also know that when you begin to think about the positive things of God, to praise His Name, your spirit will be lifted.

  Go back and begin reading the Psalms and you will find that King David oftens begins a Psalm with a plea, or a complaint, or some expression of trouble and then, by the end of the Psalm he is praising God with expectation. Psalm 31 for instance begins with 18 verses regarding the ups and downs of life and then, in the last four verses King David is offering praise to the LORD.

  In all my years of ministry I have found praise to be the most effective remedy for depression. When we praise God we are getting our minds off of ourselves and onto Him. That's what He wants anyway!

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:11) We praise the LORD for Who He is and we thank Him for what He does but if I were depressed I wouldn't bother trying to sort out the difference between praise and thanksgiving, I'd just force myself to start praising or thanking God for something, anything.

  Yes, I know, it sounds really simple doesn't it. Well it's NOT that simple because when the mind is depressed it affects the whole body. Your immune system is lowered during depression which makes you an easy target for all kinds of ailments. When you are sick depression worsens.You will NOT feel like praising God; in fact, you may be getting close to just giving up on life. But force yourself; do it! Just by offering sincere praise to God you immune system grows stronger.  In fact, start a habit of praising God every day to avoid depression and I don't mean for you to go through some habitual, meaningless mantra, I mean find something to REALLY praise our Lord about. "Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD" (Psalm 113:1)

  When you take prescription medicine for depression you are forcing a chemical reaction to take place in your body which CAN and in lots of cases DOES carry unwanted side effects. I suppose for deep and dangerous cases this cannot be avoided but for most of us it is unnecessary.

   As for the herbs, my own thoughts are, they can be used to help a person get back into balance, and without side effects but depression is a spiritual matter first and it must be addressed in a spiritual way. So, along with finding things about which to PRAISE the Lord, be sure to maintain regular associations with positive Christians, read your Bible, it is the living word of God. Listen to good Christian music, something that ministers to you. PRAISE! PRAISE! PRAISE!

Don't Worry About Pagan Roots!

   Yesterday evening (Sunday) one of my people asked what to do with the charge that Christmas has pagan roots. This has come up many times before and my advise to him was, "Ignore it!" The plain truth is no one knows exactly when Christ was born but I'm certainly not losing sleep over whether we have the date right.
  As for those pagan roots we can say the same thing about Easter which was a pagan festival near the same time as our Lord's resurrection (Acts 12:4). I won't get into that too deeply here and now because I want to point out that, if we carry this fear of honoring a pagan day it will affect every day of our lives! Do you know for instance that Sunday is named after a pagan god? In fact, so is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Look it up! Not only so but every month is named after a pagan god or holiday!
  The point is that the same people who are reminding YOU of the pagan roots of Christmas are honoring pagan gods everyday of their lives! That does not mean that paganism has not entered into Christmas. Evidence of that can be seen at your local mall!
  For Christians, paganism's roots couldn't be further removed from our minds. We are joyously honoring the Birth of our Savior. It is a time when the Word became flesh and was recieved by those who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of man, but of God! He, the Word, is the incarnation, the expression, the revelation, the illumination, and the visititation of God to lighten each of those chosen of Him before the foundation of the world,written in the Lamb's Book of Life,  regenerated, blessed with the gift of faith, and by grace through faith, made children of God. So while the "world" did not seize upon this truth, by grace we did! Let's not worry about pagan roots, let's celebrate that occasion when the "WORD WAS MADE FLESH"!