Beating Breathing Trouble and Pain - Naturally!

I haven't written on here as often as Spinster Beth and Slick because I don't always do the same things they do - but that is the point of the blog, right? I don't run, but watching my husband, and Slick and Spinster Beth, I am inspired to try ... someday. My kids would probably enjoy the effort (sadly, they wouldn't even need bikes to keep up with me.) But I am writing today about Essential Oils because for now that is what I use most for better health. 

back in January at work 

I have to share a story about a friend of mine who has been struggling with her health for several months. TLDR: She had trouble breathing, a couple of infections that were not getting better, an open leg wound that would not heal, was mentally and emotionally compromised by all the prescription drugs they had her on, and miserable. Read the end paragraphs for the changes that occurred after moving to holistic methods and Essential Oils.

To Your Good (Crunchy, Holistic) Health: Honey!

I know that my two hard-charging, runner buddies Slick and Spinster Beth are pretty serious about their workout schedules, and both have 9-5 jobs they hold every day as well. I have a job too, but it is certainly not 9-5 and my "bosses" can make things difficult to get to the gym. Getting a good workout in, unfortunately, rarely means getting an elevated heart rate. I can get a bit of a weight-lifting workout in with the "Grow With Me" weight system (aka: 5 kids), but try taking a "fast" walk with kids all around!

So to counterbalance the lack of steady exercise, I pay closer attention to keeping my immune system strong. I am a pretty Crunchy person. I don't like going to the doctor, don't like immunizations (a whole 'nother story), I don't like pills - whether prescription or over the counter - you get the idea! So I tend towards holistic methods for health care, for me and the children!

Three In-Home Exercises You Can Do With a Little One

With five children, I haven't been able to reliably get to the gym since I left the Navy years ago, so I've had to be pretty inventive with how I get my exercise in. With this thought in mind, I have tried my hand at making a video highlighting three of my go-to exercises to do with the help of my youngest children. I hope these are helpful to you!

The video is my first of this kind and pretty rough, so please excuse the jumpiness (the 13-yo and 8 yo were my primary videographers!) and sound quality. I'll get better as we go along, so stick with me!

Tillie

Tasty AND Healthy - SUGAR FREE Choco-PB-Banana Pie recipe

Recently I had a person living near me ask for a Sugar free pie, preferably one that has chocolate, peanut butter and bananas as primary ingredients. Hmmm... that's a tall order since commercial peanut butters often have sugars added in. So I put on my Bing search hat, and got to work.

I hit pay-dirt on a blog that inspired me and I bookmarked it. See the original recipe here (to be fair to the lady who came up with it first!)

Resolutions - Winning in 2012

Are you Resolved for 2012 yet? Have you set out the often-elusive goals of what you "hope" or "plan" to achieve in the upcoming year?

If spring is the Natural time for the world to awaken and begin work for the next year, why do we work so hard to begin our renewal in JANUARY??

We're a bit premature maybe. If we followed the calendar nature sets for itself, we would use winter as a time to be dormant and rest, using up energy stores (fat) set aside during the other three seasons. But instead of feasting during those months and fasting through the winter, when food is naturally harder to find, we turn nature on its head and have our largest feasts of Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Holiday Cheer

I (Tillie) read a lot of blogs and the big theme right now is, of course, how to eat healthy, get time in the gym, keep stress levels low and stay healthy overall during all of the holiday madness. It can be so hard to maintain that balance and if you've worked it all year (I know you kept up with your 2011 resolutions, right?!), you don't want to have to reset now! So what's a gal to do if she doesn't have someone like Spinster Beth and Slick, who have such super-strong willpower and provide encouragement when it's hard to stick with it?

First thing to do: 

Go set up that support system!

Strength Training with an Infant

Last weekend, I got outside and worked muscles that (apparently) haven't been used in a while. I thought I use those muscles every day, but given how sore I am three days later, I see I was wrong! How can you go through day-to-day activities without using your thighs and calves?! Clearly a round of strength training is in order.

Yard work with the Boy Scouts. 

The tree lot after we were done - the boys put the shelter up as well.

Getting Started

While we wait for an update on the great 5K, I'll jump in here to make up the next post. I am the "lightweight" in our little group of three. I get in a decent amount of weightlifting type exercise but my cardio is a serious weak spot. In light of this blog and feeling increasing pressure from all sides (both inside my own skin and from the number of friends I have who are all on the "5k kick" right now), I've begun looking for more ways to get cardio exercise into my daily routine.

About two summers ago, I had a similar thought and so I bought a jump rope. "How hard can it be," says I to myself, "I jumped rope all the time when I was younger." I'll let you pause here to give a long, hearty, loud laugh at my expense. I set the timer on the microwave for 15 minutes. I made it about...five. Yeah. Five.