My Eyes Were Opened In 2005

 I was dealt a pretty serious dis-ease of my own in 2005.  Up until this point, I'd never thought much about what it meant to be healthy.  I was brought up on the typical American diet, which consisted of mostly processed foods, lots of soda and some home cooked meals that revolved around meat every Sunday.  My mother and I had  randomly decided to experiment with vegetarianism when I was 15.  I'd done a research paper on it and it seemed as though there were lots of benefits.  So we both gave it a whirl and it stuck.  Don't get me wrong- it took us awhile to learn how to be "healthy" vegetarians. For the first several years we relied on everything soy and processed fake meats. But we felt healthier and didn't miss regular meat at all.
That's where the "health experiment" ended for me.  I still loved junk food and ate plenty of it (I still struggle with my love for it!) and I was probably the worst kind of vegetarian possible all through college.

I ended up studying abroad in India in 2001 for 3 1/2 months with a group of other students, who many of which were hardcore vegan, Earth worshiping, community loving hippies.  Being around these people for over 3 months straight and learning from them was a huge turning point in my life.  Although I found most of them quite challenging and I certainly wouldn't have sought them out as friends in another arena, they truly played an enormous part of showing me my path.

In 2005 I was diagnosed with my first (what doctor's called) serious health imbalance.  Because I was introduced to Ayruveda in India, aromatherapy, herbs, vitamins & health food by my fellow students on the trip back in 2001- I decided that I would take that leap of faith and try the world of integrative medicine.
 Long story short- I healed myself and I realized what a teacher dis-ease was.  Without having gotten sick, done the work, used the tools- I never would have experienced the power and importance of all the things that are involved with self care, self love, and integrative medicine.  I may have continued into herbalism without having dealt with a disease on my own, but I don't think that the passion I have now for my work would have been quite as strong.

I've been studying herbs, Reiki & integrative medicine going on 10 years now, and I can say with certainty  that almost every little ache and pain, every cough or sneeze, every skin blemish, burp or fart and almost every life threatening or serious illness, is our bodies way of communicating with us.  It's our bodies waving the bright red caution flag, calling out "Hey! I need some help over here!"  The voices may start out small and quiet, usually so much so, that we can live with the discomfort of the symptoms and maybe even accept them as signs of aging. Then our body's signals get louder and louder until sometimes it may reach a point where you can no longer ignore the signs anymore, and you've got a  full blown "situation" to deal with.  Our bodies, do their very best to keep us healthy and strong- but they can't do it alone! Our bodies need our full undivided attention & help!

What a lesson & blessing it can be if you allow dis-ease to teach you  and learn what you can do for yourself to heal.
I'm not just talking about what the wonders of modern medicine can offer us ( which absolutely has it's place and thank goodness we have it...) I'm talking about the healing that comes from whole hearted self care.  Food, water, movement, spiritual/religious practice, playing, whole food vitamins, herbs, essences, aromatherapy, energy work, massage....
When our eyes are opened to see how each of us is so unique & have different needs and that quick fixes and magic bullets are not the long term answer for health & happiness, then we truly become our own best healers.
Taking care of ourselves is a job no doctor, no herbalist, no naturopath or chiropractor can do for us.  Healing & staying healthy and strong is a lifelong path and process you must choose to prioritize for yourself- but if there is a cause that's more worthwhile, I'd like to know what it is.  YOU are your own best healer. xo Amanda



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My Love of Cheese, Stinging Nettle And the Neti Pot

Check Out My Favorite Neti Pot: Baraka Neti

It's true. I love cheese. I've tried and tried to break up with it, but I just don't think I have it in me. Or maybe I do have it in me, but just wouldn't want to live life without it.
Yes, I'm that dramatic when it comes to my love of food.
Although I do my best to live in a gray world ( I don't believe "black and white" really exists), I find it's in my nature to go to extremes and find it hard to find a happy medium at times. I've been vegan, played around with "raw", done lots of different cleanses, elmination diets, been sugar free and tried some fasts, but in the end, I just to listen to my body, mind and spirit and do my best to find that happy medium to come back to that makes me feel my best. It's a day to day journey- but it's something I always strive for.

Okay so why am I going on about my love of moldy dairy? Because it's time to talk ALLERGY SEASON! Oh yes, and as my title foreshadows; Cheese, Nettle and the Neti pot are all key players in keeping our bodies happy & healthy during allergy season. AND the trick is to start NOW- preventatively looking at what we can do for allergies- not waiting until the first symptoms appear. (There are lot's of different kinds of allergies out there today- so right now I'm talking the sniffley, sneezey, congested, red eyed- sinus discomfort kinda allergies.)

No matter if allergies are a year round struggle for you or just during the Spring or Fall, I have some super simple tips that will help you better fare your allergy woes.

First thing's first. What typically exacerbates allergies? The well known offenders are mold, pollen, mites, dust & pets.
As a lot of folks are finding out, diet is a huge contributer to allergy symptoms as well.  Dairy of all kinds, refined sugar, all soy products and for some folks refined wheat are also all ENORMOUS offenders of creating more mucous in our body.
When we are sniffling and congested the last thing we need is to be adding more mucous into the picture.
If you don't believe me enjoy a big fat bowl of ice cream. Afterwards tell me if your nose starts to drip or if you start getting a "frog" in your throat.
Or try a healthy dose of your favorite homemade mac and cheese and see how you feel after that.
I guarantee that even if you aren't necessarily susceptible to allergy symptoms you'll still experience at least a sniffle or sneeze.
I know it's so sad for us food lovers. But I'm not here to tell you to STOP eating the food you love. I'm here to teach you what you're triggers might be and to encourage you to check in with your body when you eat to see who your offenders might be. Then once you know, the decision is yours:)

Okay, so maybe now you're clearer on what your allergy triggers are. Now, what can you do to manage- and even hopefully prevent the unpleasant symptoms?
The neti pot is your best friend. I REPEAT; the neti pot is your best friend. If you haven't made friends with a neti pot yet, I suggest you do so STAT. Truly, I promise, it will change your life.
Check out my video on how not scary and super easy the neti pot is. Hey, if my mom can do it ( and she does!) anyone can!
The neti pot's role is to flush out the sinus cavities-plain and simple. We are inhaling various germs and microbes, dust, pollen and hundreds of other possibly irritating particles on a daily basis. And if we tend to be congested in our nasal and sinus cavities, that means all of those particles are getting stuck up there!
No good.
The neti pot gently and effectively clears the nose and sinuses and it seriously only takes 5 minutes of your time daily. For real. I use mine almost every single day- and when I skip- I notice and wished I hadn't.
An added perk to my neti pot use is that when I have my moments of sugar and dairy bingeing ( yes, it does happen, I won't pretend to be perfect.) I am able to bring my mucous levels back to normal within a day or two depending on how overboard my indulging went. The neti is an amazing ally to have for everyone- allergy sufferers or not.

Finally let's not forget our herbal allies! If you know me, then you know I adore Nettle (Urtica dioica).
I use it for just about everything- but did you know it's a natural antihistamine? Well it's true! Not only is Nettle a rich green, mineral & vitamin packed herb that nourishes and supports whole overall body, it also fights off histamine responses from allergies! Horray! Goldenrod and Eyebright are also great allergy fighters, but I just don't think they taste as good:).
Liver support is also of enormous importance when it comes to allergies and my go-to herb for the liver is... yes, you guessed it good ole' Lion's tooth aka Dandelion root! Nettle and Dandelion root are wonderful combined as a strong tea steeped overnight and drunk the following day or taken as liquid tincture. With chronic conditions (which allergies tend to be), my preference is always tea/infusions- but I get that tea's are not always convenient. Just don't forget the water/hyrdration element (so important!)! If you are in the thick of allergies and you want to get an immediate herbal blast then by all means go ahead and take a dropper of herbal tincture directly in your mouth- but if your going for prevention, then squirt a couple droppers of tincture into your water bottle and drink it all day.  This way you get the herbs and the hydration too.
Fresh Ginger & lemon are also your allies as they support the liver & warm and move the body (promote circulation & detox!). Do add those to your water daily for even more herbal support- plus they're delicious too.

The time to start is now! Don't wait, spring is just over a week away! Have a talk with your food, introduce yourself to some herbs and don't forget to go out and get your neti pot!

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!
XO AMANDA

Questions or comments? Don't ever hesitate!

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Make Your Own Medicine! Rosemary's Fire Cider Recipe

http://www.spiritofchange.org/blog/keep-fire-cider-free

I love my herbal community. We are a bunch of loving, brilliant, fiery, passionate, opinionated, strong, compassionate, confident, stubborn, chatty, mother Earth loving, forces to be reckoned with. 

That being said, we're still human, and we don't always make the best decisions. And sometimes we let our egos get in the way, cause well, we're human and we'll probably struggle with that balance to the end of our days.

So when an herbal company (Shire City Herbals) decided that they would trademark the term Fire Cider, a recipe & name that was coined decades ago from Rosemary Gladstar (pioneer herbalist extraordinaire!) who coined the name & recipe from her Grandmother ages before that, to protect their product from being made & sold by others- it's needless to say it created quite a ripple in the herbal community. 

The  question is, who does the original name Fire Cider truly belong to? A practicing herbalist for close to 40 years who has published the name Fire Cider along with the recipe in countless journals, books and even youtube videos so that the recipe and medicine could be shared to all? Or a young and successfully growing company who wants to own and protect a product and name that they feel is truly theirs and theirs alone? Or neither? Should it belong to anyone? 

Countless herbalists offered their opinions from thoughtful well written letters to Shire City, to not so tasteful blasts on blogs and facebook regarding their stance-for or against the trademark. It certainly got us all thinking about what herbal medicine really means.

I'd like to offer what I feel is one of the most if not founding blocks of herbal medicine: It is medicine for the people- for everyone, period. 

This was one of the first things I learned and heard coming from the mouths of countless herbalists like Susun Weed & Rosemary herself. 

Herbs and herbal medicine are for the people- the community- the world! 

Herbalism is about giving the people the tools and knowledge to take care of themselves! Self care, self love, self prioritizing, self made medicine- that is what whole health is all about!

And so I say WHO CARES? 

Whether Shire City Herbals wins the trademark or not- the medicine won't ever really be just theirs.  Just like Pizza Hut doesn't have the trademark on pizza and Panera doesn't have the trademark on Cream of Broccoli soup.  If you know how to make it MAKE IT YOURSELF then it's yours!

You don't need to buy it from anyone- you can make it with love, intention and appreciation- which will be the richest, most potent and most effective medicine by far. 

Making your own medicine can be incredibly magical because only you can control your thoughts, feelings, intentions, prayers and mantras that you consciously put into the process itself- and all of that energy WILL be sealed into that brew and will EMPOWER IT and ENERGIZE IT the way no other medicine will ever be made- because it will be made by you for you- and NOTHING beats that. Plus you can change up your own recipe any time you want to suit your needs to boot!

And so.... I offer you Rosemary's Gladstar's famous Fire Cider recipe to get you going! This is the one I started out with back in the day and I will change it up sometimes.. adding a dash of Cinnamon, or Cumin, adding different kinds of peppers, or onions- anything goes! Start with this and let it evolve on it's own- or keep it the same. Whatever  you do have fun, enjoy the process and share the recipe!  Herbal medicine is to be enjoyed and experienced by all!

Rosemary’s Fire Cider (32oz jar recipe) 
Click for the video^^^

 Braags AC vinegar

¼ cup grated horseradish

1 chopped onion

1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons powdered turmeric

Cayenne -as much as you like

1 cup raw honey (more or less to taste)

My General Instructions For Rosemary's Recipe: Label your jar first. Always use a sharpie pen as others will fade. Label should say the herb used the menstrum used (vinegar), the date you made it, and the date is will be ready to strain (6-8 weeks from the date you made it.) And perhaps an affirmation, intention, mantra??**

Add all of your herbs to the 32 oz mason jar. Now fill your jar with ACV, almost to the top. Grab a chopstick and poke your concoction, releasing all air bubbles. Let your filled jar sit for a 5 min. or so. Poke with your chop stick again to make sure no air bubbles remain. When you're satisfied, fill the jar  the rest of the way with ACV- so much so that when you cap it, it spills over the sides, making sure there is no space left, completely sealing your jar. Before capping your jar be sure that all of the herb material is covered  (about ¼ inch of vinegar floating above the herbs) without any pieces of herbs poking out.

Once capped, wipe your jar dry and store in a dark cool place for 6-8 weeks visiting and shaking it daily, sending all of your love, positive energy and affirmations into it and giving thanks to the herbs for giving of themselves to help you! 

Believe me this act is just as powerful, if not more so than the medicine in the jar itself. And this is something that you won’t typically get out of a tincture bought at a health food store (unless it's from a reeaaally special company :)) !

(**affirmation suggestions: love, light, Reiki symbols, perfect health, bliss, balance, cold blaster, sweet dreams, tummy tamer, pure happiness…. Anything to empower your blend according to your needs and what you hope to receive from it.)

After 6-8 weeks Strain the mixture through cheese cloth or a fine sieve right into another clean/disinfected mason jar, add the honey, mix well and label new jar with the contents and date made. Keep Refrigerated..

Adults take 1 to 2 Tablespoons at the first sign of a cold and continue throughout the day (approximately every 2 to 3 hours) until the symptoms subside. Or take 1 teaspoon daily for preventative care

GO FORTH AND MAKE YOUR OWN MEDICINE! XOXOX AMANDA

Would you like to find out more about the Shire City's Trademark lawsuit?

http://www.examiner.com/article/herbalists-fighting-copyright-of-fire-cider-free-recipes-labels-and-an-e-book

http://networkedblogs.com/TV6CR

http://freefirecider.com/

https://www.change.org/petitions/united-states-patent-and-trademark-office-revoke-fire-cider-trademark

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Bah. More Snow.

If you're like me, then you like snow- when you have no where to be and you can admire it safely from your couch, warm and cozy with a cup of tea.

Although snow storms can be frustrating (you'd think us New Englanders would get used of it!- We don't.) sometimes it forces us to stay home with our families- and hopefully make use of the "extra" time for self care & self love practices.

Here are some of my favorite things to keep warm, cozy and grateful during a snow storm (or anytime really!)

*Hot tea! Winter time can often bring us down emotionally from lack of sunlight, frigid temperatures... perhaps you'd like to try a mood booster: Lemon Balm, Rose, Holy Basil & Mint! Just buy about 1/8th to 1/4 cup loose herb at any natural food store. Grind them together in a food or coffee mill when you get home & store the blend in a glass jar. Use 1 tsp of tea ( in a fill your own tea bag) and steep for 15 min or more. Add some raw honey to taste and enjoy!

*Warm oil foot rub. Choose your oil of choice- coconut, sesame or even olive- heat a 1/2 cup of oil double boiler style on the stove top on low- just to make it warm to the touch- don't burn yourself:) Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil- perhaps mandarin, bergamot or lavender? Give those feeties a nice rub and but one some warm fuzzy socks and let all of that goodness and warmness soak in and calm & ground you.

*Make your favorite nourishing soup! Here's one of my favorite recipes (minus the fish sauce:)).

*Get out a piece of paper and take five minutes to write down some things your grateful for. This is also fun to do with friends and family over some tea. Just sit together and go around in a circle sharing those things that make us happy, bring us joy and make us grateful. Anything goes:)

Life is all about perspective. So rather than be a moody Judy about the weather (I'm guilty!) choose to surrender to it, make the best of it (and those snow days!) and look for the beauty that is in the Winter season but also surrounds you each and everyday if you'd just take a moment to notice it:)

XO AMANDA

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I Teach Because I Need To Learn Too.

I am always so humbled by the clients & students that I work with. I often learn more from them than any book I could read or any class I could take.
I was once told that teacher's teach what they most need to learn themselves. That's spot on for me.
If you ask any healthcare practitioner why they're so passionate about what they do, I bet they'll share a healing crisis story that they went through, which brought them to the healing arts.
That's how my story began. In fact without my own healing crisis, I don't know that I would have ever found Ayurveda, Herbalism or Reiki of my own accord. But going through the crisis, seeing how these modalities worked first hand AND seeing the amazing results was the best thing that could have happened to me.  That's why I look at disease and imbalance as a blessing in disguise. It's a teacher- one that won't let up until you listen.  Sickness and disease calls you out and makes you look at yourself, your life and asks you "What next? What do you want? It's your call- it's your choice, but something's gotta change." And of course we all answer those questions differently.
So, as I continue to learn and grow in my own personal life, my own healing path, I continue to teach. For me teaching isn't only a way to spread the word of self care and self empowerment for others, but also a reminder to myself- a check in on what I've let fall to the wayside in my own life.
I am by no means perfect. I have the tools and knowledge that I know "I should" do EVERY SINGLE DAY- but do I? No, not always. I fall off the "wagon" sometimes too. And that's part of learning as well. Knowing that health, healing and life is a journey and it's not always- or maybe even ever, perfect.
But every day is an opportunity to live your life in the way YOU want to live it, even if yesterday didn't go that well. The power is in knowing what to do, what tools are at your disposal to get you back on track. And that's what I have for myself and that's what I ABSOLUTELY ADORE sharing with others. I so desperately want people to know that it's ALL IN THEIR HANDS, HEARTS AND SPIRITS, if that's what they decide.  And each of us has to figure out what feels best to them- we all choose differently- and it's all good. We're all on our own path and it's a beautiful thing.
So I guess this rant is to really just take a moment to say THANK YOU to every student, client and drop-in that has ever crossed my path and asked for guidance. You are my mirror, my teacher, my ally and my strength to keep me on my own healing path and to help me to be an even better practitioner to help others. I'm forever grateful to be doing this work with all of you, as a team, as friends, as empowered human beings on this beautiful roller coaster of a ride called life. You fill my heart.
XO AMANDA

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Why I'm NOT An Allopathic Herbalist

Typically when we hear the word "allopathic" we think of western medical doctors.
 But if we're being honest any health and wellness practitioner of any background can treat their clients allopathically.
 A chiropractor who has you coming in every week for an adjustment but doesn't show you any exercises or postures to practice at home to strengthen and encourage a properly aligned spine is treating allopathically.  
A western doctor who sees someone for acid reflux and sends them off with Prilocec without discussing the myriad of foods and lifestyle habits that directly affect their condition is treating allopathically. 
And the herbalist who sees someone for chronic back pain and gives them an herbal anti-inflammatory blend without discussing any other supportive measure for their condition is treating allopathically.  

Don't get me wrong we are incredibly blessed to have allopathic options. Treating symptoms is an important part of our healing. 
In the same breath, how long does simply treating a symptom serve you? In my experience, usually not very long. Why? Because a symptom is really just that.  A symptom is a message from our body saying "Hey there, something's not quite right over here. You wanna pay attention please?"
These symptoms will start off slowly but any symptom that is ignored or simply treated with a quick fix for too long will eventually turn into something much more serious. 
Perhaps it starts with a few burps after that pepperoni pizza. Then a month later after lots more pepperoni pizza ( and other highly acidic foods) you start to experience a bit of heart burn.  You take a few Tums and you feel better.  After another month you continue to experience heartburn but now you need to take more Tums to feel relief.  Finally you start to feel a lump in you throat that has formed, like it needs to be cleared only you can't clear it.  At this point you realize something may be really wrong and you need to go and see someone for guidance. 

In this particular situation  one health care practitioner might prescribe a stronger acid reducer to treat your symptoms and send you on your way telling you to check back in if the lump in your throat continues.
Another practitioner again may give you a stronger acid reducer and tell you to try to reducing coffee, heavy fats and alcohol to alleviate the symptoms and that if that doesn't make a difference then you'll probably have to be on an acid reducer for the rest of your life. Yet another practitioner may give you a complete list of highly acidic foods that are likely to cause heart burn (which looks like a typical American diet) , discuss which ones are in your diet and encourage you to take a break from them to see what happens. They may also encourage you to drink lots of water between meals, increase alkalizing foods like green veggies, try some naturally lubricating and soothing non-addicting alternatives to acid reducers that will calm the acid and inflamed esophagus to take after meals to calm your symptoms (Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root, Comfrey Leaf, Licorcie Root)  and also have you document your food intake for a month to access changes.

The patient that saw that first practitioner will most likely need to continue to fill their prescriptive acid reducers for a lifetime if they don't look at their diet or lifestyle for added support and may see their symptoms become much more serious in the future.
The patient that saw the second practitioner may very well have found that eliminating heavy fats, coffee and alcohol helped them and they only need to take their acid reducer with their pepperoni pizza.  Or perhaps they eliminated coffee, heavy fats and alcohol and still experience heart burn and will continue to have to take acid reducers for the rest of their lives again (with possible future symptoms) if they choose not to look at the bigger picture.
And the third patient- granted has the most responsibility and work to do to get to the bottom of their heart burn, but, if they do their homework, they might find that their love of  Reese's peanut butter cups, diet soda and pepperoni pizza were the culprits for their heart burn and find that when they eliminate those things, they don't experience any symptoms. And on the occasion they want to indulge they know to drink extra water and have slippery elm and peppermint tea afterwards to calm any irritation or reflux symptoms. 

All three of these patients are treating their symptoms which offer them variations of relief. But the third who was given a quick fix for the symptoms as well as a slew of information to research on their own learned the most from their illness. They were able to tune into their body's unique needs and tendencies to find out the triggers that created the heart burn so that in the future they could make conscious decisions about their health.  
The other two patients not being offered any ( or very much) information aside from other types of acid reducers and a few possible food culprits, have been left in the dark.  
The third patient was EMPOWERED by their practitioner to take responsibility for what was going on in their body and were asked to take part in discovering the deeper reason for their symptom- joining in the healing process while patient 1 and 2 sit with the power still in the lap of their doctor telling them to take an acid reducer.  

This being said there may be some of you reading this that would prefer taking a pill for the rest of your lives if you could still indulge in your favorite food and drinks!  And I am by no means criticizing this personal decision. We are all on our own healing path- and hey we ALL need a quick fix once in awhile.

But for those of you who want more than a pill, tea, tincture or treatment to continue to "correct" an ongoing imbalance and for those of you who want to go deeper, learn more, tune into your own unique needs, I encourage you to seek out a doctor, acupuncturist, herbalist, naturopath or chiropractor who will teach you, who will give you tools and invite you to do the healing work with them together as a team.  Ditch the allopathic treatment so many of us have taken as the "end all be all" of our health for too long.
The more interest and active participation each of us takes in our health, the more powerful and life changing and successful our healing path will be-  no matter what. 
Don't be afraid to ask your practitioner for further guidance- books? videos? exercises? recipes? stress support? Ask questions! Does something not make sense that your practitioner is saying- or worse a protocol is offered just doesn't "feel right" to you? Question it! Ask for alternatives- don't take ANYTHING- pill, herb, treatment, surgery- as the END ALL BE ALL of your symptom or condition. There may be other supportive information or alternatives that haven't been discussed yet.  
Sometimes it's our silence that will often convey to our practitioner that all you want IS just a magic pill.  Let them know that's not true! If we don't ask for anything else or question protocols, this is what we will  may always get.  Advocate for yourself and your health! YOU are the boss of your body and your healing path. 

When I meet with clients no matter what health imbalance it is, if they don't leave my office each time with more information about how they can better their health on their own terms in their own time in their every day lives then I'm not doing my job.
Finding your own perfect health each and every day is a journey that must be taken by the individual.  As a practitioner, if I'm not offering guidance, support, encouragement and empowerment to each and every person that comes into my office then I'm doing my clients a disservice. The most important part of healing is the individuals participation. 
When each person takes time to care of themselves their world changes for the better.  
Do I send my clients home with teas, tinctures and other remedies to use? Absolutely. But that's not all.  I send them home with lots of homework to do for themselves.  And when this "work" is offered in a way that is easily applied to the individual's life where they can make it work and see the positive results- it empowers them to not only continue to practice self care but to incorporate even more into their every day lives.  Simple allopathic practices do not offer this kind of opportunity of growth.  
My mission is and has always been to empower, educate and excite people about the many different ways that we can take better care of ourselves. Health is not outside ourselves. Health is not solely in your practitioner's hands or in a simple medication or remedy, it's inside of you.  Knowing this and reminding people of this, to me, is the most important part of our health. And THIS is why I'm not an allopathic herbalist.
XO Amanda

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Are You A Tick Magnet? Tips For Keeping Those Suckers OFF!

Don't let those bugs keep you from enjoying your Spring, Summer and even Fall (they love the cold weather ya know...) to the fullest!  Whether it's a long hike in the woods, gardening or just hanging out in the backyard, there are many simple ways to protect yourself & your loved ones from the dreaded tick.

1.  Keep Your Immune System "Strong Like Ox" (said in an accent.)
This seems an obvious thing and yet we often overlook its importance.  A strong immune system makes it harder for microbes, viruses and negative bacteria to prevail and wreak havoc on our systems.  The same goes for being preyed upon by bugs.  It's been proven that ticks in fact seek out the weak to attack and infect, more so than animals with a strong defense- or immune system. Since we're ALSO animals, the same is true for us. So let's keep our immune system strong with these helpers:
     *Probiotics: the good guy bacteria we need in our gut for proper digestion & immune function.  You can find encapsulated probiotics at your local health foods store for the greatest benefit or in fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, kefir and yogurt.
     *Eating a whole foods diet focused on fresh fruits and veggies- especially greens. 
     *Pure clean water intake- and lots of it- at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces.
     *Take immune enhancing herbs like Astragalus & Eleuthro on a regular basis- especially during tick season.  I find tincture form is the most potent. Ask your health care practitioner for details.
     *Manage your stress, whatever that looks like for you.  Meditation or breath work, exercise or just taking time out for you....whatever works- because stress is one of our worst enemies for a healthy mind, body & spirit.

2.  Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself- of rather, the tick does.
Ticks, whether or not they bite, sure do like crawling all over  you assessing the situation-but hey, as long as they don't bite- you're in the clear!  BUT do check yourself often.  They love all of our nooks and crannies-yes you know the ones... so each time you go inside to use the restroom, or back to the tent while camping- shake out your clothes and check your body: arm pits, behind the knees, ears, hair, under breasts and nether regions thoroughly.  LOOK HARD deer ticks can be really TINY!

3.  Make Friends With Essential Oils.
Tea Tree, Lemongrass, Rose Geranium *& Lemon Tea Tree are the heavy hitters when it comes to tick prevention.  Essential oils are versatile, anti-microbial in action and they smell great!  Here are a few easy ways to use them:
     *Make your own tick spray: buy a 1 ounce spray bottle, fill with water or a combination of witch hazel and water, then add 1-15 drops of essential oils.  Shake well and spray your skin, hair and clothing as needed.  If you want a heavier blend that will last longer on your skin, use a carrier oil like grapeseed, almond or olive oil instead of water in a 1 ounce pump bottle.  Again add the 10-15 drops of eo's, shake well and apply to skin before dressing yourself.  
    *Add them to everything!  I love using tea tree essential oil ( I find that ticks hate this essential oil the most). In the shower after a day outside in tick-land (aka the garden!), I use unscented Dr. Bronners castille  soap and add tea tree essential oils to it. Once again using the 10-15 drops of eo's per ounce ratio.  Another option is buying (or making!) an unscented body lotions to lube yourself up with after a nice hot shower (btw ticks HATE hot temperatures- so make your shower extra steamy!)

4.  A Non-essential Oil To Love.
Neem Seed Oil is a pressed oil from the seed of the Native Indian Tree- the Neem Tree.  It smells a little like garlic and peanut butter to me ( I know, gross), but man does it work!  Add this to your tick repellent oil or spray and give it an extra punch for tick prevention!  The Neem tree is known for it's anti-EVERYTHING properties.  From fungus, parasites, microbes and even malaria- Neem is your plant to kick butt.  Neem seed oil is also an excellent  choice for keeping ticks off your pets, as animals are often too sensitive for essential oil use.  Simply dilute Neem seed oil (6 drops per ounce) in a carrier oil of choice and rub into your pet's collar.  Put the collar on your furry friend (or ruffle the oil blend into their fur- or both!)  and they will be good to go!  Refresh the collar with new Neem oil every few weeks. 

5. Meet Your Herbal Allies.
Since ticks are the culprit for Lyme disease and it's co-infections, prevention is key.  Prevention of getting bit by a tick and keeping our bodies strong to combat the possible infection (heaven forbid) is where we need the most help.  The herbs are here to do that for us. 
     *Garlic: A heavy duty herb that boosts immune function, flushes viruses and microbes, calms inflammation, boosts circulation, repels parasites and fungus and so much more- EAT UP!
     *Astragalus: As mentioned above, Astragalus is and amazing adaptogenic herb, which really just means it's a "super hero" herb.  Adaptogens have the ability to bring our bodies back to balance, enhance or modulate immune function and aid in combating stress of all kinds- pretty great right?!  Astragalus has a particular affinity to the immune function and it has an anti-spirochetal action (spirochetes are the bacteria like critters that come with Lyme.)
     *Eleuthro: As mentioned above is another adaptogen specific for boosting immunity in a  very depleted and stressed states as well as supporting adrenal function.
     *Stinging Nettle: One to the most mineral rich herbs that gives the whole body a boost!  I call it an herbal "multi-vitamin".  Nettle is specific for supporting an building a healthy nervous system but offers a myriad of other benefits-one of my absolute favs!
     *Red Rood Bark: Red root gets things moving!  Especially the lymph which is where we often have a lot of toxins built up in our systems.  Getting the lymph moving and supporting our liver/spleen function, Red root will help out bodies get back on track in no time.
You can find all of the above herbs in tea, tincture or capsule from at your local health foods store.  I find that tinctures are the most potent and fast acting form of herbal medicine.  As your health practitioner for guidance.

In conclusion, don't choose to live in fear over ticks & their possible infections and deprive yourself of time enjoying Mother Nature- act now, prevent, now, just plain take care yourself  now and not only will you stay tick free, you'll just feel fantastic.

XO AMANDA

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*All of the information shared on this blog is for educational purposes only and  is not meant to treat, cure or replace any other form of medicine or treatment. Use herbs under the guidance of your healthcare practitioner.