Easy and Natural Bee Sting Remedy!

Bee stings...they're bound to happen to everyone sometime in their lives.  We live with nature and nature includes stinging things; which means bees and wasps.  My own stings only amount to three which is pretty amazing considering how much I'm around them in the garden.  The interesting fact is that only one of my stings was connected to gardening.

This goes to show you how mild-tempered most honeybees and bumblebees are.  They are very occupied in gathering nectar and pollen and are very uninterested in human beings for the most part.  Most stings that occur from them are connected to their hives or if they feel like you are going to harm them.  Case in point: One of my stings was from gathering some leaf mulch in the spring while not wearing gloves.  A honey bee was in the mulch and I kept disturbing it until it finally stung me.  Ouch.  Learned a lesson there. 

The next one was from me walking barefoot (I think it was the only time too) in the yard.  There was white clover all around in the grass and that's where this honeybee was hanging out.  Needless to say, I limped for a bit that day.

The most obnoxious sting was from yours truly (pictured up above.)  I was minding my own business, sitting on our front door stoop when this yellow jacket kept hanging around my hand.  I did what I could to deflect it but it chose to sting me right then and there.  I think it was attracted to my shiny wedding band...at least that's my theory.  

So what did I use for all these bee stings?

Yep.  Plain old, free, readily available, all natural mud.  The very best remedies of all are the easiest ones and this does not disappoint.  I've used it for all my stings, my husband's stings, and our two sons who seemed to get stung quite a bit.  

Yes, I know you can use baking soda, cornstarch and flour (to name a few) but I was always stung outside, usually away from our house with no resources to these items.  (Oh, and if you have bee allergies...use the mud but also use your EpiPen!) 

While driving with the windows down to a trip to a local park, a bee came into our car and promptly stung our youngest son.  While everyone contemplated going home, I had my husband pull over to the side of the road where I gathered as much loose soil as I could find.  We had a water bottle in the car and I made up the mud and applied it...wall - la!  In a matter of 2-3 minutes he was feeling perfectly normal.  He washed off the mud with soap and water when we got to the park and we had a great afternoon together.

Another sting occurred while hiking during a camping trip.  First I applied plantain to the sting but the pain didn't go away.  So, we went to the mud poultice and within a very short time, the pain and the swelling were gone.  The faster you apply it, the less swelling and pain you'll encounter.

Why does this work?  Well, mud has amazing "drawing" abilities and it actually draws the poison into itself.  We've used this remedy countless times and it's simple...tried and true.

Okay, there's no rocket science here but I was able to take care of screaming kids on a playground within a minute from yellow jacket stings all from the most humble remedy of all...mud.

Blessings!

What's your favorite bee sting remedy? 

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Rooibos Tea: An Herbal Wonder

Years ago while I was learning about teas and herbals, I decided to look for a tea I could drink on a daily basis.  I am sensitive to caffeine so regular tea wasn't going to work even though I love it.  I tried lots and lots of herbals as well and couldn't find one that gave me the feeling of black/green teas.  I needed to find something that would take the place of regular tea without any caffeine at all in it and that's where rooibos (roy-boss) came in.  

A South African native plant, rooibos has been consumed there for generations by the native people and is served everywhere as the tea of choice. First noticed by Europeans in the late 1700's, it slowly came to other countries as it was considered a black tea alternative as far as taste.  I find rooibos to have a slightly sweet,sometimes fruity, earthy, full bodied flavor.  It's red in color and gives me the sense of drinking a cup of black tea without any of tea's bitter notes.

Rooibos Bush (Photo Source)
 

Red rooibos is made by bruising the needle-like leaves and then allowing them to ferment.  Green rooibos is not oxidized and costs a bit more because it's more labor intensive to produce.  Green tea has more of an herbal, grass-like taste.  Both teas are often paired with other flavors to bring out the best of its flavors.  I enjoy red rooibos with vanilla and apple cinnamon, which really brings out the herbs natural fruity flavors.

This is one herb that can be steeped for long periods of time without any bitterness due to rooibos' lack of tannins.  I often leave my tea basket of leaves steep for an hour with no adverse effects of flavor.  I like to extract all of its medicinal benefits but steeping five minutes in boiling water is the normal way to prepare this tea.  Unlike many herbals, red rooibos can be served with cream and sweetened as desired. 

                                           So what are the health benefits of rooibos?

First of all, I like to look at rooibos as a nice tonic type of herb.  In other words, it's okay to use long term and safe for kids. This is important as I was looking for something mild enough to drink on a daily basis.  So, most of its benefits are long term and for helpful for your overall health.

In South Africa it's traditional uses are for colic, allergies, asthma and dermatological conditions.

                                                       Rooibos Tea and Antioxidants

It also contains anti-oxidants. Some articles claim that it contains more than green tea, and others the same. So based off of that information, I would say it's safe to say it's a good alternative to green tea.  Its two comparatively rare antioxidants, aspalathin and nothofagin, each have different benefits. Aspalathin helps to modify hormones in the body, which in turn help to reduce stress and metabolic disorders. Nothofagin demonstrates significant anti-inflammatory activity.  Both antioxidants may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and are both good for the nerves.

 Helpful against Diabetes?

Both of these antioxidants also help to regulate blood sugar which in turn can help to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and excessive fat production.  This would be an excellent beverage to drink along with a low carb/fat diet to help bring maximum benefits to your body against any sugar problems.

                                                  Helpful against Cardiovascular Problems?

 Rooibos also contains the super-antioxidant compound quercetin, noted for promoting heart health.  Quercetin acts as an anti-inflammatory which helps against heart disease and cancer.

In one study where 6 cups were consumed daily, some of the results were that it lowered levels of LDL (lousy cholesterol) and raised HDL (healthy cholesterol) making it very valuable for overall heart health.

Rooibos is really a great herbal beverage to add to your tea locker.  I have found that red rooibos is generally less expensive (in loose, bulk quantity) and is a great drink to enjoy hot or iced.  You'll often find it in herbal blends with chai or vanilla, both great flavors to drink with rooibos.  Drinking it in a blend is also a great way to get introduced to its unique flavor.  I like to buy plain rooibos and add it to our Summer Tea Blend to boost its already great health qualities.  You can mix plain rooibos with fruity herbal teas to find what flavors you like best.

I drink about 24 oz of rooibos a day.  Usually red but sometimes green in a blend.  I really enjoy it and not only am I getting hydrated but also am receiving its many amazing health attributes. I love the idea of drinking something that I not only enjoy, but it's great for me too.

Hope you were able to learn something new about this fabulous African herbal!  Blessings!

Do you enjoy rooibos?  What's your favorite flavor?

Resources:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/27/red-tea-even-better-for-than-green-tea/ 
http://www.healthyfellow.com/230/rooibos-and-diabetes/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos
http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/red-rooibos-tea-health-benefits#axzz2OgZDp8eJ

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Epson Salt: A Must-Have for Home and Garden

Epsom "Salt"...not really a salt at all but two minerals that our body actually uses and needs.  "Epsom salt is made up of magnesium and sulfate, which can help improve health in numerous ways. A lack of magnesium—which helps regulate the activity of more than 300 enzymes in the body—can contribute to high blood pressure, hyperactivity, heart problems and other health issues, doctors warn. Sulfate is essential for many biological processes, helping to flush toxins and helping form proteins in joints, brain tissue and mucin proteins."  - Epson Salt Council

Wow.  Pretty amazing for such a humble crystalline substance.  But this drugstore wonder is full of surprises.  It's great as a hair conditioner, sore achy muscles, and even as a garden fertilizer?! Yes, it's true...and there's even more...

When I was growing up, we had wood floors in our house.  The upstairs floorboards had a few rough spots in them but we being kids, didn't seem to notice.  Wood floors made a nice skating rink which we would skate on with socks.  One time though, I skated on some rough "ice" and promptly got a LARGE wood splinter in my foot.  Yuck.  I was horrified and did NOT want my parents to touch it.  The splinter itself was not willing to come out either, so in came the Epsom Salt.  Now, when you're a kid faced with a probing knife to extract a splinter, soaking your foot in some nice warm water was a perfect way to make me relax.  My parents loved me, but a spa experience was not what they had in mind, but rather a way to draw the splinter out of my skin and Epsom came through!  By the time my foot was done soaking, the splinter came out lickity-split (much to my surprise) and relatively pain-free.  So, Epsom salt saved the day and was my hero.  

As soon as I got married, I purchased my own carton (they sell it in bags now...way better idea!) and kept it for emergencies.  We seem to use it for any foot problems, probably because of my previous memory of it, but it does SO much more!  Even the carton I have only lists a few of its many uses.  Here's just a few: eliminates toxins by exfoliating and taking a bath in it - 2 cups in the tub, helps with athlete's feet and toe fungus (see, it likes feet), cleans bathroom tiles - use equal parts of Epsom with dish detergent to clean, is a fertilizer for houseplants and vegetables/flowers*, relieves constipation (!) and much more!!  I will admit my experience with it is limited to the sliver incident (which by the way, is another thing on the list it does) and foot complaints...but it did a great job in these areas.  However, after writing this post, I am going to be sprinkling my Epsom salt on all my houseplants!  

Here's another great bonus for Epsom Salt...you can buy it at the drugstore.  No health stores, no fancy catalogs, no shipping charges; perfect.  I love the simplicity of these types of home remedies and garden helps.  After all, isn't that part of living simply?
So, if you don't have some Epsom Salt at home; run to the nearest Walgreen's, pick up a bag and "skate" on your wood floors with a smile on your face...ahhhh.

Have you used Epsom Salt before? How and why did you use it?

Here's a few great links to more information on Epsom Salt and how to use it:

Epsom Salt Council  
15 Unknown Uses for Epsom Salt at Gomestic.com


*For houseplants: Sprinkle Epsom salt weekly once to nourish your houseplants, flowers and vegetables.

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT91CfRO

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Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Warm the mixture of equal amounts of conditioner and Epsom salt for 15 seconds. Apply this mixture through your hair from scalp to end; leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water; you can observe the natural glow in your hair.

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Warm the mixture of equal amounts of conditioner and Epsom salt for 15 seconds. Apply this mixture through your hair from scalp to end; leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water; you can observe the natural glow in your hair.

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Warm the mixture of equal amounts of conditioner and Epsom salt for 15 seconds. Apply this mixture through your hair from scalp to end; leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water; you can observe the natural glow in your hair.

Read more: http://gomestic.com/homemaking/15-unknown-uses-for-epsom-salt/#ixzz2DT7hhILh

Homemade Deodorant: Does it Really Work?

Here we go; it's a deodorant throwdown.  Don't let the Speed Stick bottle fool you...it's only serving as a useful vessel to hold our natural homemade deodorant.  It's recycling and making your own product in one package.  Okay, so does this stuff work?  This is another favorite item going around Pinterest and on blogs.  I actually heard of this years ago from my niece, but I'll admit, I was highly skeptical.  

So, I came across the recipe on the blog, Homestead Revival (a great blog to check out btw), I was casually telling my husband about it.  He was even more skeptical and resistant to the idea.  I dropped the subject: totally understanding his feelings, but thought I may try it out on one of my teenagers. Well, all these years of being married must have done something, because he went ahead and made his own simple version of it, fairly certain it would be a bust. He just combined baking soda and coconut oil.   Not only was it NOT a bust, he was completely amazed!  He couldn't believe it and made up a small batch to use.  Of course this prompted our 16 year old to try it and try it he did and was in shock.  Well, maybe shock is a little strong, but you get the idea.  He was complaining only the day before how his regular deodorant wasn't strong enough and after using the natural version he was fresh smelling and his clothes were too!  

So amazed was he, that he began to tell his friends about it and THEY were interested.  As a matter of fact, all I heard for days was how great this stuff was.  That's pretty impressive folks.  I mean, to have any product work so well is something to be happy about, but one that is natural and only cost pennies?  This was too good to be true, but it really does work.  I have already been using natural store bought deodorants, so when those run out, I will make up my own batch.  But for now, this stuff is a wonder working product!

Store bought deodorant completely knocked out of the ring...!

When I would do the laundry before, their shirts would be difficult to wash. The waxes and whatevers in the store bought deodorant not coming clean in the wash.  It would actually hold in the odors in their clothes.  Now, with this all natural version, their clothes smell great and even fresh.  Incredible!

So save those old deodorant bottles, let them soak overnight in soapy water and you can put your own homemade deodorant in them.  The natural product is much softer and you only need a light application for it to work. It costs literally pennies, much cheaper than any natural product out there AND this one has no chemicals...perfect.

The cons?  Well, remember it's deodorant, not anti-perspirant, so you WILL perspire, but that's a natural function of the body anyway.  We need to sweat to detox, so preventing it is actually hurting us.  It's better to layer a t-shirt under clothing to help with perspiration.

Here's a basic recipe to get you started.  We changed our formula a bit by adding less oil to make it stiffer to put in the deodorant containers.  It's all depends on you.  The tea tree oil is anti-bacterial; it will help kill the odor causing bacteria and gives it a pine-ish scent.  It's not necessary, but it does help the overall effectiveness of the deodorant.

Here it is: 

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
4--6 Tbsp of Coconut Oil (Depending on how stiff you want the product to be)
Tea Tree Oil  (You don't need this to get started, but you'll love it.  Tea Tree oil can be found at Walmart.)

Mix together throughly and put in your container. If you're already using this, pass this review along to others, it's a great product....just ask my teenager!

What are your thoughts on homemade deodorant?  Blessings!

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