Using natural castile soap…

Being a very busy wife and mother, I am a humongous fan of products that serve many different needs and those needs being done with only one product. So that makes castile liquid soap a must have in my home.

I originally used it for washing my hands, but in the long run I found several other ways to use it, which I am going to share with you below.

Castile soap originated in the Castile region of Spain, where olive oil is produced. Hence, originally castile soap was made purely with olive oil. Now though, you can find it made with many different blends of different oils including coconut oil, palm kernel oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil, etc. It is very concentrated so a little goes a long way.

If you have not yet tried castile liquid soap, you really must. This stuff comes in handy all the time, and since it can be used for several different things it cuts down on the amount of products you need, therefore it takes up less space and frees up space for many other things on the shelf.

OKAY ITS USES!

1. Its great for use in the kitchen. You can do your general clean up with it and plus your dishes.
2. Laundry…need I say more? Yes it does great as a laundry detergent. I use it in all my clothes and it does a great job.
3. BATH…yes, like in the kitchen, you can clean your enter bathroom with it. After your done with that, jump in the shower and clean yourself! Its non toxic and great on your skin.
4.  TRAVEL…whenever we go camping I realized its easier just to pack a bottle of castile soap for we can do our camp dishes with it as much as using it as a body wash. I also tote it to the laundry area and do my clothes. It saves a lot of space and time. Leaving me room for more important essentials like my medications!
5. HANDSOAP…I have a cute dispenser I bought a while back thats a mason jar. I simply put one part liquid castile ot three parts water. I buy scented castile soap and it comes in different scents. So go a ahead and pick you one.

If you’ve never tried castile soap and would like to, Ive got an offer for you! Thanks to “keeper of the home” and “epantry”

Natural ways of taking care of yourself with having ms.

you can get you a free bottle of castile soap and heres how:

Here’s how ePantry and this offer works:

1)     This special, limited-time offer is only available now through Tuesday, August 18th, so sign up with this link.

2)     Next, answer a few easy questions about your home, cleaning schedule, and favorite products. ePantry uses your answers to get a feel for what you like & to suggest products for future shipments.

3)     Customize your basket! This is definitely the most fun part.

4)     You must be at a final total of $20 to check out. The minimum is for first-time orders only.

5)     Once you have filled your basket, click Finish & Pay!

And that’s it!

Bonus: If you like their service enough to recommend it, they’ll give you $10 for every friend or family member you refer (and they’ll receive $10 for signing up through you, so it’s a win-win!). Remember its all about keeping ourselves happy and healthy by going natural and organic as much as possible:)

THM cupcakes for my ms creativity for the week

First Id like to let you know this is one of my many posts today on my facebook group page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalhealthymsmama/1598531853728967/?comment_id=1601205613461591&notif_t=group_comment

I run this blog and also the facebook group mentioned above. I also run the website where a link to my blog is found at:

http://naturalhealthymsmama.wix.com/organic

I usually don’t share or cross post my posts to each of my groups, blogs, or sites. But I thought I would today to give you a taste of whats going on that you may be missing! My fb group is where several meat up to discuss natural means of control disease, etc. We also discuss Trim Healthy Mama there. But to get recipes for THM you usually have to visit my website for that. I share all my pinterest posts there of different recipes. THM is my way of eating both healthy and clean, getting rid of high carb and non organic foods. If your interested in more please visit any of my sites above…ok now off to todays blog post:) Oh and by the way, yes these are my cupcakes and not just a photo prop.

Eating healthy to treat disease. Chronic diseases such as MS. You get a mix here of healthy eating and a way to show off my creativity which is good for the soul.

Thm baking can be not only delicous, but so much fun!! I am having a blast over here while making cupcakes and watching my pounds melt away! I have been feeling so much better since eating natural, organic and healthy! I’m not dealing with inflammation like I once was since getting rid of the processed foods with all the additives. Sugar? We wont go there! I think it was one of my biggest issues for Im addicted to it and it causes inflammation as well. I’m loving the substitutes! Also you know how I preach on creativity to help with ms. Creativity calms the spirit and soul and gets your mind of something else other then our disease…so heres my healthy creativity…I love making cakes etc and now since I got my inflammation under control my hands are back to working doing small motor skills once again:) So this is very therapeutic to me and pretty much low carb, sugar free and healthy! I love THM as my clean healthy way to eat and live…

Cupcakes:

This is the basic recipe I use for cupcakes. I make a Triple batch for cupcakes, sometimes 4x.

I like to add different flavors for more than one flavor cupcake, like lemon (lemon cake)
Banana extract, pineapple extract, drop of mappe extract and walnuts (hummingbird cake)
Or shredded coconut, walnuts and caramel extract for italian cream cake
Bake at 350 15-20 min or until done

http://healthyfaith.org/berry-cream-cheese-cake-thm-s-dess…/

Frosting:
I tried 2 kinds, and the cream cheese frosting was easier to work with and more stable, but here is both recipes:

Cream cheese frosting: (soo easy)
Equal parts cream cheese and butter (I used 4 oz each)
Powdered xylitol to taste (I used 4-5 tbs)
1 tsp glucci
1 tsp vanilla
Creamm all together and mix well (2-3 minutes)

“Buttercream” frosting:
1.5 sticks softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup powdered xylitol
1 tsp glucci
1/2 c whipped cream (whipped firm)

Cream together butter, sweetener, vanilla and glucci with mixer about 2 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.

Why not the Paleo diet for those with MS?

I highly suggest caution toward paleolithic type diets as much as I do toward vegetarian diets. This is a fad diet and like other fad diets it may work for a short while, but will end in disaster in the long run. The Paleo or cave man diet swings toward the extreme. Its founded on the believe of a cave man that was named “Grok” sustained the perfect diet. And so thats how we should eat as well. I highly disagree with this belief. Paleo teaches that grains are a modern food and our bodies are not able to process or digest them. This diet also states that we shouldn’t eat legumes, beans, or lentils as well. Dairy is frowned upon for its not in it’s natural state and is cultured. As the belief goes, cavemen ate mainly fatty means like a whole lot of pork fat, eggs, nuts, and fruit. Yep thats about it. This diet says we should do the same with the exception of a few root veggies now and then. You’d be surprised of how popular this diet is now for those with Multiple Sclerosis. Go into any bookstore and you will see it displayed on end caps. etc. Millions are following it and it’s still gaining in popularity. Don’t get me wrong this diet does have some merit…our culture does over do in the grain department and some do have an allergy to grains. Our grains are not like those that people ate back in biblical times. Its refined and nothing close to what the Israelites would have eaten. Maybe the reason they had no issue is because their grains weren’t like our Western diet grains abundant in modern hybridized grains. We now see people all around with allergies and sensitivities to our brand of grains. Well were now paying the price for our modern hybridized grains. Have you noted the boom in gluten intolerance? Ever wondered why? Have you noticed those who are gluten intolerant are also usually diabetic? A lot of that problem is because those things used as substitutes for “gluten free” have a heavy role in causing unstable rise in blood sugars. So beware of filling up on gluten free products that use rice and other grains in place of wheat. They can make you both fat and sick! Paleo diet advisors encourage people to use non grain flowers like coconut, flax, and almond but not because of the sensitivities, but because they believe all other grains are bad. They look down on grains and are in opposites of what the Bible teaches as being good, and that is where we part ways…I believe in God over man any-day. Believing in the Paleo plan is like a slap in the face to God. All through the bible you hear of breaking of the bread, and even in Gen 18:5 you hear that Abraham made a meal for his angelic visitors right along with animal foods. But take notice it was a “morsel” of bread and not a whole loaf! Jesus fed the multitude with fish and bread! We shouldnt fear grains, just have fear in the over doing of consuming them. More to come on my next blog post concerning the Paleo diet…TO BE CONTINUED

treating ms symptoms and ms naturally

Frozen green gems…

So many times I have had to throw out fruits and veggies that I never got to eat and what a waste of money that became. Well I came up with the perfect solution! The ones I don’t get to eat I now simply juice or you can put them in a bullet and then I simply pour the liquid into ice cube trays and freeze them. After I freeze them I place them into a freezer container and use them as needed. I like to use these power packed gems in my smoothies and my shakes. Ice cubes for me make them thicker so I always use them. This cuts down the cost of me having to buy organic additives like protein powder for my shakes and smoothies. It also does away with the waste! So I’m saving money while still eating organic. You’ve just gotta try this!

Teaching those with ms and ms symptoms to eat naturally and organic while saving money.

Tuesday weekly deals on natural and organic products!

Weekly specials and freebies for those with ms and ms symptoms to help them control their disease naturally.

Give Dad a FREE Beesilk pocket size bar from MadeOn Hard Lotion.  Just pay shipping.  Add the Beesilk pocket size bar to your cart. Apply code “DAD2015″ and the bar is free.  You can even send a bar straight to Dad, along with a gift note included with your order.  Offer only good for TODAY.  Coupon code ends at midnight Tuesday, June 16, 2015.

AbesMarket.com

Natural for the People

Check out the sales at Abe’s Market.  Loads of natural, organic and eco-friendly products on sale!  Here are just a few:

Regular $4.99 On Sale $2.99  Chocolate Powdered Peanut Butter  6.7 oz on sale at Abe’s Market

Regular $12.50 On Sale $7.50 Organic Ginger Syrup  3 Pack/ 8 oz ea.  on sale at Abe’s market 

Regular $7.98  On Sale $3.99  Jesben Slow Cooker Sauces on sale at Abe’s Market

Several great deals at Tropical Traditions right now!

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Virgin Coconut Oil Liquid Soap Pumps  Only $10.99 for 2  Sale ends Thursday, June 18, 2015

But 1 Get 1 FREE Virgin Coconut Oil Scented Bar Soaps  Only $7.99 for 2 Sale ends Thursday, June 18, 2015

60% OFF Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment Only $9.99/16oz.  Sale ends Sunday, June 21, 2015

35% OFF Herbal Breath Spray  Only 9.99.  Sale ends Sunday, June 21, 2015

30% OFF Organic Grade B Maple Syrup Only $18.90/16oz.  Sale ends Sunday, June 21, 2015

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Virgin Coconut Oil Lip Moisturizers Only $3.75 for 2. They come in 5 varieties: Cinnamon/Peppermint, Tea Tree Oil, Orange/Cinnamon, Citrus, Vanilla, Coconut, and Unscented.  Sale ends June 21, 2015

Lowest Price To-Date! Just $2.40  Are You My Mother? (Bright & Early Board Books(TM)) Board book  Get FREE shipping with qualifying order.

Hat tip to Jungle Deals and Steals!

As Low As $8.82-$9.86 Meldeens Raw Organic Extra Virgin Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil, 14-Ounce Jar is on sale for $10.38/14 oz.  Save an additional 5-15% with Subscribe & Save.  Get FREE shipping with qualifying order.

Just $5.49  Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Coconut Sugar, 16-Ounce.  Get FREE shipping with qualifying order.

A great Father’s Day Gift Idea!

List Price $107.95 On Sale $48.99   Shop-Vac 5986000 5-Gallon 4.5 Peak HP Stainless Steel Wet Dry Vacuum.  Qualifies for FREE shipping.

FREE Kindle eBooks:

(Note: Prices can change without notice so please double check the price before purchasing)

Paleo Gluten Free Slow Cooker Recipes: Against All Grains (Paleo Recipes Book 4)

Gluten-Free Recipe Sampler: Delicious Recipes for Pizza, Biscuits and More from Our Favorite Cookbooks

The Strategic Grocery Shopping Guide: How to find the best food, save money and improve your health

Kindle eBooks for Less Than $1:

Debt Free for Life: The Ultimate Guide to Get Out of Debt

Hat tip to Money Saving Mom for these eBooks!

This week’s best coupons:

• $1/1 NestFresh Eggs
• $0.50/1 Ready Pac Bistro Bowl Single Serve Salads
• $1/1 Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery Product

Check back with me every Tuesday to get the latest deals and freebies on the web…my way to help you all stay with the natural and organic thing:)

Natural Poultice for pulling out splinters, poison ivy, and more.

One thing I can say is that other then my love for my grannie, I also have a love for the natural remedies she taught me growing up. Yes, my grannie had been doing the natural organic thing all along. Matter of fact believe it or not, thats what all the older generations did. As time moved on we used our so called new technology to make better foods, cures, etc. My grannie always said its not so. She said she refused to change to such things. I now understand her on this. Anywho I figured since Summer is now in full swing, our youngins will for sure be running into the most dreaded thing of Summer…poison ivy and the likes. Not to mention things like bee stings! So how do you treat these as natural and homeopathic as much as possible? Can it even be done?

First let me say yes it can. I am gonna share with you something from days gone by. Its called a poultice. What is a poultice you may ask?  Poultices are made of fresh or dried plant material. Here is a simple example of a poultice that would have been used by your grandmother: A plantain leaf poultice, they would just chew up a bit of the leaf and then place the pulpy mass on the rash or affected area. They would then make sure to discard the old and replace it with a new one every once in a while. The poultice would pull the toxins out and you don’t want that to lay against your skin once its full of toxins which would irritate the skin.  If you have something against chewing a weed put some of your saliva on the bite then crush and roll the leaves in your hands and apply.

So where do you get plantain leaves at? Believe it or not they are probably right under your feet! It is a weed that grows everywhere, and most combat it out in their yards and gardens cause it grows in abundance. I will attach a photo so you will be able to identify it. If you decide to use this to treat rashes, bug bites, etc just make sure to pick it from an area that hasn’t been sprayed with any type of pesticide. Plantain is also good at drawing out splinters. Place some over the splinter and cover with a bandaid and in a short time you will see the splinter laying on the skin service. This is by far one of the best puller plants I know of. Ever used it? let me know in the comments!

Plantain for natural remedies for those with ms and ms symptoms to treat naturally.

Is whats in your shampoo hurting you?

Ever wonder whats in your shampoo bottle? If you have ever read the side of the bottle you may have noticed this one ingredient “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) If you don’t see it then it means your shampoo is  sulfate free. Usually you won’t even have to look for it would be mentioned in big bold print on the front of your bottle…By now you should have heard the hype from your hair stylist about using sulfate free shampoos… maybe you’ve wondered what exactly is the big deal about sulfate free shampoo and using it as a cleansing agent for my hair?

I know I did after being diagnosed with MS. I was taught how important it was to watch now what I put on and in my body and after a bit of research, I’m glad that I now use sulfate free shampoo. Sometimes I wonder if MS has taken or saved my life.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a very inexpensive, but a rather powerful, oil cutting agent that also helps aid in the foaming of soaps and shampoos. It’s been used for years in all types of soap and soap products from our shampoos to body cleaning products. Its also used in heavy degreasing agents that mechanics and the commercial industries use to clean their shop floors. So to break it down into lamen terms, SLS is the soapy in your soap. We like to put two and two together and think well soap plus bubbles equals clean right? Whats wrong with that?

This is a great ingredient in my shampoos too, right? I need my shampoo and soaps to be full of soap bubbles and able to cut the over abundance of oil I have. This is the best kind of clean right?…The huge issue here is that, even in diluted minute quantities, SLS can be irritating to the head and scalp, as well to your skin. Have you ever gotten that dreaded  shampoo in your eyes? Burned like hell already right? SLS is likely the cause of your now burning, reddened, tear draining eyes. As if this shouldn’t be enough to make one want to use a SLS free shampoo. The primary reason that I’m not a fan of and do not use SLS, is because it has been studied and shown to damage and to be toxic to the hair follicle. Damaged hair follicles can cause the hair to not grow, to fall out, and to produce weak and thin hair.

Eek! I already have hair loss right along with thinning hair! I’m trying to grow it, not to make it fall out even more here.

Additionally, there seems to be data from studies that show sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)  can also cause cancer in people, immune system damage (With MS I think I have plenty of that), and its toxic and causes great damage to the skin. Debate over this issue has even been the pic of subjects over an urban legend investigating to see if is real or just a rumor or scare put into us. As of now, SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate has not been ordered to be removed from our shampoos and other body and cleaning agents by the FDA as unhealthy or a cancer causing shampoo ingredient. With all the date one has to wonder why that is….

Biotin…the difference of OTC brands and the one shown to help those with MS.

Please  take note that OTC (over-the-counter) biotin’s not the same as high-dose, ultrapure, MD1003 formula. Reps. for the company, that developed the drug, did inform that most OTC  Biotin vitamin preps. has little bioactive biotin in them. Due to this is why I don’t recommend using over the counter formulas unless they have been tested and certified to have bioactive d biotin in them.

Doing some researching and scanning though the net,  the difference between the biotins is d biotin is ‘bioactive biotin’…., one of 8 stereoisomers of Biotin, and the only that has been documented to be biologically active that’s out there…(https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iX3Bm85KQVAC&pg=PA105)

So to me when wanting to take biotin, the question is of course, whether a OTC formulation contain d-biotin and of course other isomers too.

From further searching, I did find the following of OTC manufacturers and suppliers, claim that their biotin is for sure d-biotin:

http://www.privatelabelnutra.com/biotin-10000-mcg-p-832.html
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-biotin-5-mg-100-caps
http://www.toxinless.com/biotin

Please keep this information in mind when considering biotin as a supplement. I can verify that I do take d-biotin and that I do have lesions on the spine and that after a month into taking it. I am able to walk further even though after about an hour fatigue really sets in. But my joint pain is no longer. I will take the fatigue over the pain any day! An hour doesn’t seem like much, but it is compared to the 15 minutes I only used to be able to walk before being wheelchair bound. Now I can walk and as long as I can find a bench I can re-coop for a short bit and then take off again for quite some time now.

I thought I would share this info due to the fact Ive seen to many people taking regular ole biotin not realizing the otc brand is not the same as the pharmaceutical brand. As always, Im not suggesting anyone to just jump on the band wagon here. Studies show the biotin is a b 12 vitamin and even in high amounts its not fatal, but still…ALWAYS seek advice from your MD first for they may either okay this, or run blood tests first to check for deficiency which they say is rare. Best of luck to anyone taking this route for treatment.

Ways of naturally treating ms and ms symptoms and pain.

Making your own sea salt spray….

Hi all! Sorry I was gone last week but I was on vacation at Virginia beach:) You know that I’m going to share pics now..lol While Im loading the pics to share with you and since were on the topic of the beach…why not talk about getting those gorgeous beach wavey locks! When I go to the beach my hair always locks and waves up, but once I get home its gone. So why the beautiful waves when Im setting along the ocean anyways? Well, its the sea salt my hair is sucking up out the air around it. While I know we can’t all be at the ocean I have a way to bring it back to each of us, with sea salt spray! Yep and its a DIY…

Now that my early summer Virginia beach vacation is drawing to a close, I’m beginning to feel a bit wistful for all my favorite little things of the ocean. Collecting seashells, walking on the beach under the moon light, watching my 12 yr old running into the waves as they crash in. One thing that is especially sad to me, though, is that I miss the beautiful beach wavey locks I get in my hair from the salt in the air.

We are lucky to be about 6 hours from the east coast, so we make it there every year for at least a few days to a whole week of sand and fun in the sun. The ocean is just good for the body and mind as well, wouldn’t you say? I always feel a lot better for breathing in the salt air and taking in some good ole natural Vit D. Nature is self healing all in its own.

I love the beach and going to the ocean for its peaceful healing quality’s , like I said, but also I have sheer simple more silly reason for enjoying my time at the beach side. I rarely share this with anyone, but not only does the ocean make me feel good physically, but also emotionally…for my hair is always so awesome while Im there! Its thick, wavy, and where I use aragon oil it shines like crazy. When my hair looks good, I look good I think..lol

I know, I know… I told you, that’s a completely silly reason to want to go there. But my hair is naturally wavy and fine and thinning, and it has the rude intention on being frizzy all the time. It’s never like that at the beach, though. It’s just wavy, smooth, shiny and full of volume. If it were my choice and also my hairs, we would just stay and live on the beach. Since I can’t choose the place I live soley based on good hair day coincidence, I had to find a way to get that beautiful beach look hair even when I am back at home in the cozy Georgia mountains.

Im sure everyone has probably seen or heard about sea-salt spray for hair. I’ve seen it in Walmart, etc for a while now, and I know people who use it all the time. For real, people say its the next best thing to being at the beach. I thought about buying it but I couldn’t find a natural or organic source of it, and I figured I could experiment at home with it, and I could make it on my own with natural and organic ingredients.

So I did and the results were awesome!
How to Make Sea Salt Spray For Hair
Sea-Salt Spray Ingredients

One cup warm tepid water
One TBS organic sea salt
One tsp natural/organic Epsom salt
One TBS organic coconut oil
One TBS organic aloe vera gel
Five drops essential oil, optional ( I like peppermint for it thickens my hair)

All the ingredients can be found at your local grocers.

Directions

You are going to have to start out with the warmest of water, preferably by heating it on the stove to about boiling. Next, add the sea salt and the Epsom salt and then stir until they are dissolved and mixed well. Once the salt’s dissolved, add 1 TBS of natural and organic coconut oil. Stir until the mixture is well dissolved. Next, add 1 TBS of organic and natural aloe vera gel. If you decide to use essential oil for scent, add 5 droplets at the end. Mix until well dissolved, and then pour into a spray bottle.

Why Use These Exact Ingredients?

Sea salt’s beneficial cause it adds the texture to your spray. If you’ve heard salt can be harmful to hair, that is partially true. The salt content in the ocean’s much more concentrated then in the spray and can and will for sure dry your strands out after excessive and lots of exposure. The homemade sea-salt spray here I’ve given you has 4 types of conditioners that condition naturally, so there is not not much danger of damage being done to or for your hair.

Epsom salt’s actually crystallized magnesium, and it’s commonly used for giving volume to and adding hair volume. It also has natural occuring conditioning properties.

Coconut oil’s very moisturizing and conditioning as well. It’s a common ing. for hair masks and also homemade conditioners, etc. Coconut oil helps to coat the hair so the sea-salt spray will stick to it well.

Organic and natural Aloe vera gel works even more wonders on your hair. It’s also another moisturizing ing., that has been known to promote hair growth, hold curl, and to stop dandruff build-up. It’s for sure great stuff to be added to any hair treatment.

Essential oil usage is totally up to you…I add it for peppermint has aided in growing my hair and thickening it. It also cleanses the scalp and helps aid in absorbing the oil on my scalp. I have an over abundance of oil!

Okay so now that you’ve got it made how do you apply it and how much?
Using Your Natural Organic Sea-Salt Spray

This will work best on slightly and not overly damp hair. Spray it evenly over your hair, scrunching often. Scrunching is what is gonna cause your waves… I would like you honestly to use less then you’d think you need the very first time you use this, than you can build it up as you get a little more familiar with to how it works. Because there are several conditioning properties in here, if you have naturally oily hair like I do, please use sparingly for it will oil your hair down. I also like to get in my car with the windows down and let the air blow and dry it…it gives it that extra volume lift you get from the wind while on the beach side.

Enjoy Your Beach locks!

Have you ever tried a sea-salt spray for your hair?

DIY sea spray for those suffering with ms and ms symptoms

Essential oils, what are they and why use em?

So what are essential oils exactly? They are aromatic compounds naturally extracted from plants, they are very powerful and safe without side effects, they are 50 to 70 times more powerful than herbs. They have a wide range of uses from cosmetics to foods to natural health solutions. Often the inspiration for synthetically produced pharmaceutical products.

100% NATURAL!!!

A natural way to take care of our health used by ancient cultures and they are their properties are similar to synthetic drugs with no side effects and they are very potent-a little goes a very long way.

I use doTERRA oils and why you may ask? doTERRA is CPTG certified pure therapeutic grade. Plants must be sourced from their native growing region. Testing guarantees absence of toxins, contaminants and microorganisms. Rigorous testing assures the presence of desired therapeutic qualities. Purity of oils guarantees no negative side effects or drug interactions and they are guaranteed to be natural.

Wanna get some really good recipes you DIY? Go to my website at http://naturalhealthymsmama.wix.com/diary

naturalhealthymsmama is for helping those suffering with ms, to control their ms, and their ms symptoms the natural, organic way.