The digestive system is a very intricate and complex system. To my mind, it is much like a fragile ecosystem. There is a constant need for balance in the digestive system, just as there is in nature. The balance between the organs and among the different types of healthy bacteria found in the digestive system is absolutely essential to good health. When the digestive system is not working properly, the body becomes either malnourished or toxic. As a result, all the woes of poor nutrition and/or a toxic system eventually show themselves in the overall health of the body and mind.
Due to the many different organs included in the digestive system and their specific roles in the body, there are a lot of essential oils and herbs which have an ability to impact this system and bring about improvements. This month’s newsletter targets only a few of them. (I know from the length of the article that it seems like we surely must have mentioned them all. Not so—but it did feel like that to me as I wrote it.) I hope you find something useful to you or your family in the information I have tried to present here.
The three most important things to know about parasites are:
1) They can make a person very ill and leave problems that last for a very long time.
2) They can be very difficult to diagnose—even when reading the foot using zone therapy.
3) They can be indicative of a compromised immune system. When the immune system functions optimally parasites are usually eliminated in the natural course of living.
Skin rashes and irritation caused by parasites actually seem to respond very quickly to essential oils. (Have I mentioned lately that I hate skin rashes worse than nearly anything on earth?) It is wonderful that we have such wonderful options as essential oils! When dealing with parasite rashes, the oils must be applied using water, not carrier-type oils that might ‘feed’ the parasites. The chosen regimen must be continued for the entire life cycle of that particular parasite, including the hatching of any eggs. We have found that essential oils, placed in water in a spray bottle, work very well. The entire body must be covered by the water and the oil at least twice a day. Not fun or easy, but effective—even against MRSA. Be sure to shake the bottle frequently and well during the application process. Essential oils and water do not really mix well.
Once the parasite has been eradicated, there will still be a period of time needed to repair the damage done to the skin and subcutaneous tissues.
The more I read and studied, the more I came to realize that, because of sanitation and hygiene practices in North America, we have a greatly reduced incidence of parasitic issues. It has been and is a good idea to be vigilant, and to teach our children to be vigilant, in these areas.
I have also made a vow to increase my vigilance in washing, washing, washing my hands, even when camping or gathering herbs in what looks like pristine wilderness—especially around streams and waterways.
I will also be washing, washing, washing my produce much more faithfully. Kids and animals? Probably just a price we pay and handle the results in the best way that we can! (For me, that is the Miracle II parasite cleanse protocol, first and foremost, along with essential oils.)
A strong immune system is the best defense against parasites—as it is with everything else!
| Symptoms of Internal Parasites | More Serious, Less Common Symptoms of Internal Parasites |
|---|---|
| 1) Fatigue | 1) Irritability and drastic changes in behavior |
| 2) Flu-like symptoms | 2) Liver disease |
| 3) Rashes | 3) Weakened immune system |
| 4) Sudden weight gain or loss | 4) Chronic immunological diseases |
| 5) Body aches | 5) Allergies |
| 6) Sleep disturbances | 6) Asthma |
| 7) Gas, bloating, constipation | 7) Anemia |
| 8) Teeth grinding at night | 8) Arthritis (as the parasites form cysts which lodge in joints and muscles) |
| 9) Drooling at night | 9) Muscle cramps |
| 10) Nervousness | 10) Bluish specs in whites of the eyes |
| 11) Excessive hunger | |
| 12) Iron deficiency | |
| 13) Difficulty losing/gaining weight | |
| 14) Constant cough or colds | |
| 15) Hives, rashes, itchy skin | |
| 16 ) Watery diarrhea | |
| 17) Sugar & other cravings, such as dirt, raw rice | |
| 18) Ravenous appetite |
An allergy is an inappropriate response by the body to a substance that is not harmful to most people. The immune system, which is supposed to protect us from toxins and pathogens, wrongly identifies a substance as harmful to us and goes into action. The response can be anywhere from mildly annoying to symptoms severe enough to create anaphylactic shock. These types of allergies may begin with only mild symptoms but grow worse with each reaction; they are NOT something that a person typically grows out of.
When I saw this month’s topic I got very excited. Allergies can be devastating and have a nasty effect on trying to live life and enjoy it! I had so many allergies—an unbelievable number and to a wide variety of substances—during my childhood and early adulthood. If it blew on the wind, if it was meant to be consumed in a raw or natural state such as watermelon or nearly every kind of vegetable or fruit, or if it was a drug of any sort—even such things as antibiotics, dental deadening, and mouthwashes—I was going to react to it in some uncomfortable or dangerous way. Oh, the list could go on and on! I spent my life either in misery from one allergy or another or I was sleepy from the allergy pills I was taking. Trips to the dentist’s office became scary for me and for the dentist! Eventually, I even started to react to allergy pills of every variety.
As with all true allergies, the reactions to many of my ‘triggers’ got worse with time—much worse, involving my heart in scary ways!
Who am I today as far as allergies are concerned? I have none and haven’t had for many years! I eat whatever I want. Do you have any idea how enjoyable a piece of watermelon or a raw carrot tastes these days? Or how fun it is to be outdoors. I don’t even worry about bee stings these days! If I feel the slightest itch in my throat or eyes or any other allergic-type reaction I simply go back to the things I know. Many of those things will be talked about in this article.
Side Note: Having had some scary reactions to antibiotics and other types of drugs in the past and having lived so many years without them, I can’t really say for sure whether they are still a problem or not. I suspect those allergies have also gone away. I took 2 antibiotic pills and 1 painkiller a while ago (the first of either in 40 years) after some extensive dental work. No reaction at all!
In December we will discuss Anxiety, Stress and Self-Reflection. I would like to begin today by recounting a story told by one of my favorite authors, Bruce H. Lipton, in his book The Biology of Belief. I will paraphrase as best I can, in the interest of keeping this segment brief—well, sort of.
Dr. Lipton uses the example of a track race to illustrate for his readers the effects of stress on the body. A well-trained and healthy group of sprinters steps up to the starting line. They hear the command, “On your mark,” and they drop to their hands and knees. Then the announcer barks, “Get set.” Their muscles tighten as they prop themselves up on their fingers and toes. In a normal race, the strain and tension they are experiencing lasts only a second or two before the command, “Go!” is heard.
But what if the “Go” command never came? These unfortunate athletes would be left at the starting blocks, their blood coursing with adrenaline, their bodies rapidly going into deep fatigue as they try to stay prepared for a race that never begins. No matter how healthy and toned their physical bodies are or how much they have prepared their minds for the race, every athlete would physically collapse from the strain.
Too many of us today live in a “Get set” world! Study after scientific study has shown that our hyper-vigilance is wreaking havoc on our physical health, mental stability, and emotional well-being.
So, what’s the solution? May I offer three quick pieces of advice, based on my own experience:
Count your blessings! A young son of mine, counseled during a family meeting to “count his blessings,” reported in church—over the microphone at the pulpit—the next week that he had counted his blessings and found 385 of them. (I’m not exactly sure of the number, but you get the gist.) There never was a happier, more contented, or more willing-to-serve child, nor man, than he has become.
Count your strengths instead of your weaknesses. Then get to work using your strengths in the service of others. Our suffering is too often more the result of our thoughts than our circumstances. We alone have control over our thoughts! Suffering because of our mindset is optional and up to us.
Replace fear with faith. It has been proven over and over—also in scientific studies—that meeting tragedy and difficulties with calm assurance, knowing we (with Heaven as our partner) have overcome challenges before and can do so again, reduces the impact on our health and well-being when life’s realities and obstacles inevitably come our way.
Anxiety is too often fear of the future and doubt in our ability to handle it.
The health benefits provided by proper nutrition, herbal remedies, and the impact of essential oils on our minds and bodies can have a tremendous effect on our ability to look to the future with courage and determination, helping us to be happy in the here and now. See the full list of topics.
The ADRENAL GLANDS, KIDNEYS AND THYROID are super-intelligent organs. When I consider the number one cause of malfunction in these closely related organs, the word that comes to mind is STRESS—especially chronic, seemingly unending types of stress! Stress will, of course, quickly damage the adrenal glands. Since the adrenal glands and the thyroid are in constant communication with each other, malfunction of the thyroid gland is eminent and almost unavoidable.
I love the study of anatomy (where things are placed in the body) and physiology (what their functions are and why they are where they are). Placing those little adrenal glands right on top of the kidneys, makes perfect, beautiful, harmonious sense! Because of their importance to survival, they are placed with each other in a well-protected spot in the body! See the full list of topics.
In November we will be talking about Women’s Health. Sometimes as women, we tend to take care of everyone else and put ourselves at the bottom of the list. It has been really fun to focus on women and their special and unique needs. There is something for every woman in this blog. From the young girl preparing to start to cycle to the seasoned woman in menopause. I hope this is a wonderful read for you that will improve your quality of life as well as the lives of other women in your life. See the full list of topics.
In August our discussion will be centered around LEARNING and CONCENTRATION. There are so many great herbal remedies to
Make Sure Your Kids Have the Best School Year Possible.
Take the time today to learn about herbs that will feed the brain and oils that will help them concentrate and retain the information they are learning. We will cover a wide range of topics including memory aids, confidence, fear of failure, and ADHD. You can learn more about using essential oils with children by clicking here.
In June, we will be talking about SUNBURNS, CAMPING & HEAT EXHAUSTION. I love summer and all the fun that comes with it. Cuts, scrapes, sunburns, etc. are inevitable and I am so glad that I have my natural remedies to help my body and my children to heal faster and avoid infected cuts and scrapes. Join me and learn about my favorite Oils, Salves, and Blessed Waters for summer. See the full list of topics.
In May, we will be talking about KIDS AND ESSENTIAL OILS. Essential Oils are such a blessing in the lives of children — and in the lives of those who care for and love them! I can’t imagine raising my family without the blessings of essential oils and other natural remedies. This month we will be talking about some of my favorite oils, herbs, blessed waters, and more. See the full list of topics.
In November we will be talking about GRATITUDE and SELF CARE. I have always been grateful to a loving Creator who established this world in such a way that the things we need for balance and health in every aspect of our lives are everywhere around us. However, I don’t believe that God requires our gratitude for His glory. The commandment to be grateful is an example of God explaining to us what is best for our own souls. If you don’t do it already, try doing all that you do in this alternative medical world with a large measure of gratitude. I hope that the products we discuss this month will help you take time for yourself and I hope that you will use them and share them with gratitude.
In February our topics are DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, and SELF-ESTEEM. This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart. There is always a need but it seems that this time of year there is a particular need for things to combat depression and anxiety. I have tried to pick the products that have been the most helpful to me over the years and I hope these things will help you as well.