Category Archives: Natural Supplements

What’s in Your Supplement? – They Are Not All Created Equal

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This article has been updated. It was originally posted August 2020.

Back in 2020, I had a client that came in with a natural supplement that contained carrageenan. I was very surprised. Many supplements do contain fillers and other excipients, however, carrageenan is a known stomach irritant. In fact, many food manufacturers had phased this ingredient out of their products just for this reason.

Since then, I have been hearing more stories about people ordering their supplements online only to find out they are counterfeit. Unfortunately, it is becoming a common occurrence and it is not easy to figure out. The label may look exactly like the original and the links on the website may seem legit, but the product inside may be a fake. Continue reading →

9 Tips for Raising a Healthy Dog

Update: Shortly after writing this article I was introduced to a great raw pet food source that I wanted to share: Raw Pet Food Delivery Market. They are located in Springfield, TN but can ship throughout the US. They have lots of educational material on their website if you want to learn more about raising your pet on raw meat products.

I am writing this article in memory of our dog Puck, who died after being hit by a car the day before Thanksgiving last year. Raising him was a labor of love. I wanted to share what I learned about raising a healthy dog based on my research, what I learned from friends, and our experience during the short time he was part of our family.

Both my parents grew up on a farm and dogs were considered working animals, not pets. So no dogs in our family growing up. Only gold fish, which we usually won at our church fair every summer. 🙂

So getting a dog as an adult for our family was a big deal. Our son wanted one for years, but it seemed overwhelming, never having had one before. Like many other families, the time finally came when the quarantine hit in 2020. We ended up getting a 6-week-old mini-schnauzer. He stole our hearts, including mine.

However, there was a big learning curve. Continue reading →

C-virus Part 4: Our Personal Journey

I have written before that I am not afraid of the c-virus. And, for the most part, I still believe that – even after a very bizarre personal family experience with the virus. Turns out it was the unknown things happening around us that were more nerve-wracking. As I tell you our story below, I will include things we did as a family to recover.

In early September, Continue reading →

C-virus Part 3: Hope, Not Fear – Prevention and Healings Are Taking Place

UPDATE: Please note that certain search engines and social media platforms have been removing natural health videos and other information from their sites, so some of the links below may no longer be working. Dr. Brownstein’s office has been helping many with COVID-19 symptoms using natural remedies (with one resulting hospitalization and no deaths). He was censored and his interviews and website/blog were eventually shut down by the FDA because he had no studies to back up his successes.

This is not your typical narrative. Many on the front lines are making great strides and helping people. Despite what you have been hearing, it is possible to heal from COVID-19, even if you get very sick. I will be sharing a number of links, some of which are videos interviewing medical professionals and/or actual patients who recovered.

You can see the success stories for yourself. I want you to live with hope and not fear.

Yes, people have died, but now that we know more, many more are recovering even without going to the emergency room. Many, many more have had this virus with little to no incident. In fact, it is thought that as many as 50% may be asymptomatic! This is possible if your immune system is strong.

First I want to share with you the latest list of possible symptoms, since there are many more symptoms than originally thought. Be sure to continue to read to the end. This article contains much valuable information, including tools you should have at home. You will find the information useful, especially if you or someone you know gets sick. Continue reading →

C-virus Part 2: More Safety Tips and New Dispensary Available

There are currently multiple states in the US with confirmed cases of the current strain of the coronavirus (c-virus) and unfortunately some reported deaths, including in Tennessee. Now that it has hit closer to home, I wanted to remind everyone to stay calm and in a place of peace.

If you listen to the news, it brings you to a place of fear. So much of the news consists of small sound bites that do not necessarily give you the bigger picture. Yes, people are dying from c-virus or the disease known as COVID-19. But, the numbers are much fewer when compared to the annual number of people who die from the flu. And, it’s the people with a compromised immune system that are most affected.

In fact, some of us are walking around with a virus of some sort and do not know it. If your immune system is strong, it is often able to fight off microbes without any symptoms. Most commonly, this new Corona virus causes symptoms very similar to the common cold. (More symptoms explained below and in my newer article here.)

Remember what I wrote previously. Staying calm and stress-free is a big part of staying healthy. Instead of feeling the need to “fight” the virus, continue to concentrate on building your immune system (as I explained in more detail here in Part 1) and using tools like meditation, prayer, and deep breathing to stay centered.

Another way to stay stress-free is to be prepared, just in case you or someone in your family gets sick. Read on to learn more about supplements and other immune building strategies. Continue reading →

C-virus Part 1: Great Resources for Corona Virus Safety

Lots of information is being distributed by many sources about the new coronavirus (c-virus) and its related disease (COVID-19). I have been following it too, from my holistic-minded point of view.

I wanted to share with you a well-written, balanced article by a medical doctor I trust who has nicely organized the main facts and recommends many of the same things that I do.

See this article by holistic pediatrician Elisa Song, MD for the latest details.

Just like other viruses, people hit the hardest are the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

The good news is that children seem to be relatively protected from the COVID-19 with few getting sick compared to other age groups. Pregnant women who contract the virus in their third trimester are also continuing to have healthy babies.

Bottom line: KEEP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG.

What I wrote in this previous article about the last virus outbreak still applies: Protect Yourself from the Flu – Concentrate on Building Your Immune System. Keep reading below for many additional resources so that you can stay prepared.

In general, immune-building basics include: Continue reading →

My Family’s Natural “Medicine Cabinet”

Now that the weather is getting colder and you hear about more people getting sick, I thought I would give you a quick peak into my family’s natural “medicine cabinet.”

It differs greatly from a typical medicine cabinet, filled with drug store medicines. Instead it includes herbs, essential oils, homeopathics, and even food and beverages.

Because the colder months bring shorter days with less sunlight and therefore less time to be outdoors for fresh air and exercise, we also make sure to put extra beneficial things into our bodies. Warm foods and beverages are key – things like drinking heated bone broth and vital veggie broth, drinking a variety of organic herbal teas*, and eating nourishing soups.

When we start to feel under the weather, here is a list of our favorite things to have on hand: Continue reading →

How to Reduce Your Risk for Cancer – 7 Key Things to Consider in Your Daily Life

astroblu-216We are all susceptible to cancer. In fact, each of us has cancer cells in our body on a regular basis. If your immune system is strong, it keeps these cancer cells in check. The good news is that there are many things we can do to keep our immune system strong and help prevent cancer as well as other chronic illnesses.

Below are 7 key things to consider. Be sure to take the cancer quiz too (see inset below)!

1 – Reduce Your Toxins
Environmental toxicity is estimated to cause 3/4 of all cancers. Babies come into the world today with over 200 chemical toxins in their body and we continue to accumulate toxins throughout our lifetime.

It is critical to live a life as clean as possible, being aware of: Continue reading →

Have the Flu or Stomach Bug? – Use Natural Remedies and Come Back Strong

There is a myriad of illnesses going around right now. This invariably occurs each year as we move towards Spring, when the weather and temperatures keep fluctuating. . . .flu, congestion, stomach virus, sore throat, fever.

In my family, two of us had a stomach bug recently. The good news is that we both recovered from the worst of it in about 24 hours – using natural remedies. I wanted to share some of the things we typically do when we get “under the weather” in the hopes that it will help you. Continue reading →

Boosting Your Immune System Naturally

5104728271_f3046e4e87Photo Credit: comprock via Compfight © ”The germ is nothing, terrain is everything.”
– Claude Bernard (1817-1920)

Did you know that each time you eat sugar, your immune system is compromised for up to five hours afterwards? Sugar can include candy bars, sodas and other foods obviously full of sugar, as well as fruit drinks, maple syrup, and other naturally sweetened products.

When your immune system is compromised and you are exposed to a bacteria or virus, you have a greater chance of catching it. Your white blood cells are not operating at 100%.

No wonder cold and flu season is so much more prevalent in the fall and winter months, especially after the holidays. First Halloween and then Christmas – both holidays full of sugary treats.

The good news is that you can also use foods (and other things) to boost your immune system naturally. Continue reading →