Let’s Get Started

Hi everyone!
I’m Amber and I am a long-time friend of Heidi and a huge fan of the amazing product she has created. Heidi and I both share a love of health and wellness and are constantly learning and trying new things as we strive for that healthy lifestyle. Man, that can feel like searching for the Holy Grail right? With so many products, suggestions, how-tos, dos, and don’ts out there it can feel totally overwhelming. Whenever I feel this way I just tell myself to begin at the beginning. Don’t try to figure it all out at once. Pick one thing to focus on and you will be amazed at how everything else just seems to fall into place. So, that being said, each month I’m going to be sharing all of the things I have learned and applied over the years (and still learning) and hope at least some of it can help you along your path to finding that Holy Grail. Seeing as how we are in the middle of a global pandemic I think it’s most appropriate to “begin at the beginning” and talk first and foremost about immunity. I really believe that true health and wellness cannot exist if we don’t first empower our bodies from the inside out and that begins with our immune systems. Now, please understand that I am no kind of expert or professional, just another busy mom trying to keep my family from getting sick in the most natural way possible and by implementing these few quick and easy steps into our daily routines, I can say with total honesty that WE JUST DON’T GET SICK ANYMORE! 

1. PROBIOTICS: Being the central nutritional hub gives our guts a starring role in our total well-being. TOTAL HEALTH BEGINS IN YOUR GUT. Probiotics are NOT just for people with tummy issues and I believe that without gut health, nothing else matters. There are many many ways to get these magical little bacteria into our digestive systems whether it be a supplement in pill or liquid form, eating good ol plain Greek yogurt (I mix it with a little raw honey and my kids LOVE it), drinking kefir which is basically liquid yogurt but fermented a little differently so it’s more “alive”, and of course kombucha or as I lovingly call it “The Booch”. I have even found a small company that makes coffee infused with probiotics so we get some with every cup we drink. We do it all in our house but whatever your poison, just make sure your probiotics have a high CFU count (colony forming units) – in the billions, and include PREBIOTICS. This is the fiber that feeds the good bacteria.
2. ESSENTIAL OILS: I am a HUGE oiler and these amazing little gifts from Earth have played a MAJOR role in my family’s health and immunity. The world of essential oils can also be completely overwhelming and could be a year-long blog all on its own so I won’t go too much into detail. Simply rubbing On Guard or your favorite immunity blend on the bottoms of your feet daily can make such a difference. Oregano is another immunity powerhouse and my go-to if and when any of us do feel a bug coming on which is rare and usually gone within a couple of days thanks to these warriors from nature. Our skin is our largest organ and the largest pores on that organ are on the bottoms of our feet making it the best access point for these powerful oils. 
3. Elderberry syrup: The berries and flowers of elderberry are packed with antioxidants and vitamins which help boost our immune system. It also helps tame inflammation and lessens stress which is both major culprits in promoting illness. I have found a small local company that makes 100% natural elderberry syrup which my family takes every other day or so and daily when I feel we need a boost. 

The last thing I’ll touch on for this month is what I like to call nature’s virus killer and that is THE FEVER. It has been drilled in our heads from day one that we need to stop fevers with Tylenol or ibuprofen, cool cloths, etc., etc. I SAY DONT! Fevers serve a purpose so let them do their job. Our immune systems detect a virus or naughty bacteria and it triggers our body to heat up to a temperature they cannot survive in. This is why babies/kids get fevers when teething – to prevent infection while their teeth are tearing through their little gums. If/when my kids get a fever I let it be. I monitor it to make sure it doesn’t get too high (littles can handle temps as high as 103*-105* which I have confirmed with my pediatrician and countless other health professionals) and make sure they are drinking plenty of cool water and just let it run its course. I hope this wasn’t too long (I do love to write, haha!) and that you all can take at least a little something away with you. Heidi knows where to find me if anyone has questions or wants more specifics regarding brands I use or anything at all. Much love and peace and more next month!

Thanks For Reading

Amber K.