Today’s post is written by a fellow Minnesotan and dear sister in Christ. After the Gardasil vaccine changed her life, Liz Wagner has made it her mission to share her story in hopes of saving other women from the very real risks and consequences of the HPV vaccine. Please read and share with others, especially teenagers who are now pushed to get the HPV vaccine (even boys), to help ensure that this doesn’t happen to anyone you love!

“I was an extremely healthy and active 26 year old woman. I was always involved in sports and worked out five times per week. I was enjoying a successful career and was on my way up the corporate ladder.  I hadn’t been to a doctor for a single thing in over 5 years.  I had maintained a record of clean health for nearly my entire life.  At the time, I was engaged to be married and I had my whole life to look forward to.  Much like many well-meaning, concerned mothers, my mother thought it would be a good idea to get the HPV vaccine in order to avoid the possibility of getting cervical cancer someday.  My doctor did not see the point being I had not yet been sexually active and my soon-to-be-husband had no sexually transmitted diseases.  Even though it did not make much sense to me or my doctor, we went ahead with the first shot of the vaccine series.

I received the first Gardasil shot in May 2008.  Several days after that first injection, I returned to my doctor again complaining of hand and joint pain, headaches and nauseousness.  My dr did not mention it could be the vaccine causing the pain and sent me to a specialist. The specialist could find nothing wrong with me. 

Months went on and I kept feeling intensely worn down, fatigued, had horrible headaches and just didn’t feel like myself.  I received the second shot and again, I felt very flu-like.  The pain radiating throughout my body felt like burning knives stabbing me in every muscle. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt in my life.  Beyond just the pain, I started to develop a “foggy” feeling in my head.  Everything seemed confusing.  I had a hard time, putting words together and getting my thoughts out.  My immune system was clearly compromised.  I also developed several food sensitivities including gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and shrimp. 

Soon after the vaccine, my menstrual cycles became very irregular, I developed endometriosis and an ovarian cyst. I eventually ended up having surgery to remove a very large cyst and several endometriosis growths.  Things kept worsening.  I continued to return to my doctor trying to find out what was wrong with me.  How did I go from a vibrant young woman full of life to a woman who felt trapped in her body that was quickly deteriorating?

I eventually was put on disability.  I was so ill, I did not attend any social events or Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2008.  I was unable to function.  The doctors were running out of explanations and ultimately came to the conclusion that all of my issues were “depression”.  They prescribed me many anti-depressants, antibiotics, muscle relaxers and anti-anxiety meds.  Of which, I never took. 

During my disability I sought help at Mayo clinic.  While there, I had about 50 appointments with various doctors doing tests, scans and biopsies trying to unwrap what was slowly eating away at my life.  The final decision made there was again that I was “depressed” and all of my health ailments were caused by this. I was beginning to lose hope.  I knew without a doubt that all of my issues were not in my head.

After seeing about a dozen different doctors including chiropractors, naturopathic doctors and specialists, one doctor finally took the time to sit down and look at my medical records to see if we could piece everything together.  By actually printing out everything and laying it down in front of us, it was clear as day that all of my health ailments started exactly when I received the HPV vaccine.  Doing some quick research of my own, I also discovered that the HPV vaccine is well known and documented for being one of the most devastating vaccines made to date.  It has caused nearly 30,000 chronic adverse reactions to women even much younger than I.

During my journey to re-discover my health, I have changed many things in my life which I believe have helped make me more whole and will aid in my final healing process.  I now eat all mainly organic whole foods, I regularly see a chiropractor, I take probiotics daily, I only take whole organic supplements and finally, I am now seeing a doctor who specializes in vaccine injury using homeopathy.  More specifically, CEASE therapy. 

Thankfully, I am beyond blessed with an amazingly supportive husband in my corner.  I also am surrounded with an extremely encouraging church-family and biological family who have been there for me through so much. 

I never imagined that in one moment, in one injection, in one foolish decision, my life would change forever.  I now have a son of my own and he will not be vaccinated.  The risks of possible auto-immune issues, allergies, asthma and general irreversible damage are too serious and tragic for me to force onto my son.  Do your research on every single vaccine before you make such a harsh decision for your children.”

Liz Wagner, Minnesota

If you’ve read my post on Milk: Harmful or Healthful and you see that pasteurized milk is more harmful than helpful, can’t get your hands on fresh raw milk, or have a true dairy (casein) allergy, here are the non-dairy alternatives I recommend.

First, I don’y recommend rice or soy milk. Rice has unfortunately been a very high source of cancerous arsenic; plus it doesn’t make a healthy milk.

Soy milk is extremely harmful to our health. If you haven’t read my post about soy shakes that lists why you want to avoid soy, including soy milk, click here to read more about the many, many reasons to avoid soy at all costs.

The non-dairy milks I recommend most are coconut and almond milk.

If you purchase almond or coconut milk from the grocery store, there are a few things you want to watch out for and even make your own homemade almond/coconut milk if possible. The things to avoid are:

–SUGAR! Many non-dairy milk alternatives have loads of sugar which can make that product just as unhealthy as a candy bar. Be sure your almond/coconut milk is unsweetened with no added sugars. For more on why you want to avoid sugar, which sugars are bad, and which ones are okay, click here to read my post on that.

–Vitamin A palmitate–This is a synthetic form of vitamin A that the body can not absorb/utilize and poses risks.

–Vitamin D2–This is also a synthetic form of a vitamin that is toxic. Vitamin D3 is the only supplemental form of vitamin D we should consume/take. (Note that D2 is also the form of vitamin D often prescribed by doctors, so avoid the prescription vitamin D and purchase a vitamin D3 supplement instead.)

–Carrageenan–While once thought safe, this additive used to thicken foods/drinks is now being discovered to contain health hazards, both short-term and long-term. Carrageenan is inflaming to the digestive system. It is formally classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) as a potential human carcinogen.

–BPA–If your non-dairy milk comes in a can, it is most likely lined with the toxic chemical BPA. This pervasive environmental chemical is found to pass through breastmilk to breastfed babies and poses many risks, especially when consumed as part of a regular, daily diet.

Making homemade almond and coconut milks are easy!

To make almond milk homemade, go here: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/118289927687320807/

For making homemade coconut milk, go here: http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/drinks/how-to-make-fresh-organic-coconut-milk-dehydrated-coconut-flakes-video-2-of-a-4-video-series/

For good brands that do not contain added chemicals, sugar, etc., check out Native Forest organic coconut milk that is BPA-free: http://www.vitacost.com/native-forest-organic-coconut-milk-13-5-fl-oz-4
(Be sure to use my referral link for $10 off your first purchase of $30 or more from Vitacost: https://www.vitacostrewards.com/Bl9Qddk ) If you order from Azure Standard (more info about that in my How To Eat Healthy On A Budget Class), they also sell this canned coconut milk by the case.

or Aroy-D coconut milk (available online and in Asian food stores).

I think hemp milk would also be a good alternative as well, but this is a tough one to purchase without the added fillers like those listed above, and can be a little more complicated to make homemade  

All this said, it’s important to note that the nutrition in non-dairy milks will not measure up to that found in fresh, raw milk from goats and/or cows fed and raised the way God intended. If you missed my post on milk, be sure to check it out!

Blessings of good health,

Sara

This is a picture of one of my favorite parts of my job: sitting down with all of my reference books, a client’s questionnaire and food log to individually evaluate a health plan for them!

As some of you know, I started out studying as a Certified Nutrition Consultant and am pursuing additional training in Doctor of Naturopathy and Certified Health Specialist programs. Unfortunately, my education has come to a halt due to lack of funding.

But because of all the amazing support and encouragement I have received from everyone on HFFG’s Facebook page, I have hope that I can continue! After briefly mentioning my situation, I began receiving emails with donations, questions for how to help raise money, etc. I was so encouraged and humbled that HFFG’s friends would want to help!

Many suggested that I use GoFundMe but after looking into it and having already received donations via Paypal, I realized that Paypal’s fees were much cheaper than GoFundMe. It would cost over $500 in fees with GoFundMe which is donations from you generous people that I can’t bear to see go to fees!

Consequently, I have decided to go through Paypal to receive donations for fundraising to help me finish my program. Paypal’s fees for donations are a fraction of GoFundMe!
So here are the details:

Why: 

After 4 years of helping many clients and helping educate thousands of people on my healthpage, my resolve only gets stronger to help people see that allopathic (drug-driven) medicine is NOT the only way. It is my passion to help God’s people see that the natural foods and medicines He created are our best choice in at least most situations. With each additional bit of information I learn through the materials in the naturopathy program, my resolve grows stronger and my knowledge grows wider so that I am able to help more of God’s people with more of their health concerns.

I feel that if more and more of God’s people would study natural medicine and nutritional therapy centered on the things He has made for food and medicine, it would give God’s people another option for treatment and an alternative to chemical drugs and invasive procedures. Iatrogenic (doctor-induced) deaths and injuries kill more people than street drugs, so this is definitely an area that needs to be addressed within the body of Christ!

School: Trinity School of Natural Health

I chose this program after prayer, talking to others, and a lot of research. In the natural health world, there is some curriculum and classes that tend to go against God’s word. Much of this has to do with Eastern medicine practices. Some of the practices may be beneficial but the roots and surrounding information is contrary to Scripture.

That is one reason why I chose Trinity. Trinity School of Natural Health is a non-profit Christian natural health school. Trinity School is accredited and recognized by the American Naturopathic Medical Certification and Accreditation Board, Inc.

Another reason is because they offer everything online, which is essential for this homeschooling mama of 6 children!*

Program: Certification for Doctor of Naturopathy, Certified Nutrition Consultant, Certified Health Specialist, and Master Herbalist Program

(I have already completed the C.N.C. coursework; just need to continue on for the ND, CHS, and MH, some of which has significant overlap so I felt it would be most beneficial to do the entire program rather than one or two individual ones. Any way I can further help people is my mission!)

Total health is achieved by understanding the intricate relationships of the body (physical), mind (emotional) and spirit (spiritual). It is no accident that the Creator has numerous methods of analyzing our complex body. The Scripture says, “At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” (Deuteronomy 19:15). This program encompasses the awareness of a multitude of modalities to observe circumstances in the body as well as a detailed study of nutrition, herbs and other available natural resources. The student learns how to determine the best of all natural options according to the knowledge gained from numerous information-gathering techniques. (From Trinity School of Natural Health)

 

I am also working towards additional diplomas in Blood Chemistry & Urine Analysis as well as Tissue Mineral & Heavy Metal Hair Analysis from a separate school. (Additional diplomas are through the University of Natural Medicine as these courses, which I feel are crucial to my practice, are not part of Trinity’s programs.)

Costs:

Remaining Tuition: $4,745
Books: $750
Shipped Modules: $360
Blood Chemistry & Urine Analysis Diploma: $440
Tissue Mineral & Heavy Metal Hair Analysis: $330

Total: $6,625**

I have learned so much with my current education and have been able to help people with so many things, but there is so much more I can still learn and so many more ways I could still help! I am so excited to do things like be able to assess mineral levels, analyze urine/blood for deficiencies, and so much more. I always have to send clients somewhere else to do this and it would be nice to provide all (or most) of the services people need to get healthy naturally! And I know that the additional information gleaned from this continued education will allow me to expand my services to help more and more of my brothers and sisters in Christ with natural medicine practices!

One contributor said:

If each of us gave just a couple dollars Sara would have beyond what she needs. No donation is too small.  And I know she LOVES and appreciates your prayer. As you are praying ask God what your part is and how you can bless her (and Him). Thank you everyone for reading about this, encouraging her and considering. Sara is such a generous person with a heart and passion to help families.

 Another said:

Sara has one of the best health websites & fb pages I have come across. She so freely shares her knowledge to the betterment of our health. You would have to pay to see a Health Practicioner to get some of the information Sara so willingly gives us. I learn from her nearly daily and look forward to her posts, wondering what she is going to share today. It is so worth it to help her reach her education goals. If you have not made a donation yet, I encourage you to donate to this great cause. Sara is a great encourager & a blessing to all who are wanting to achieve better health. No donation is too small & how exciting to be able to be a part to see this happen!!

Thank you for all of your support, encouragement, and prayers! May God richly bless you!

I did it! I finally did it! Despite having 6 kids that I homeschool, clients, and homework for my naturopathy classes, I wrote an eBook!

I chose the topic of Gluten because I have many clients for whom eliminating gluten is a crucial step for good health. But eliminating gluten can be hard, and there are a lot of questions that come with the idea of eliminating gluten, such as:

• But how can you condone eliminating a Biblical food?
• Why is gluten bad?
• Should everyone eliminate gluten?
• Why did my celiac test come back negative then?
• What health issues are related to gluten sensitivity?
• How do I make the transition to being gluten-free?
• Are gluten-free breads and other products okay?

Chapter 1: The Only Remaining Change: Our family’s testimony of eliminating gluten

Chapter 2: But It’s Biblical! Or is it?

Bigger Yields

Increased Gluten

Genetically-Modified Wheat

Additional Issues With Wheat

Chapter 3: Gluten Pains:  Health problems associated with eating gluten

Bowel Problems

Endometriosis, PCOS & Infertility

Hormone Imbalance

Thyroid Problems

Slow Growth/Weight Loss/Malabsorption

Excess Lipase in Breastmilk

Insulin Resistance/Diabetes (Type 1 & 2)

Skin Disorders (Eczema, Keratosis PIlaris, Psoriasis)

Migraines

Learning Disabilities, Behavioral Problems, Dyslexia

Depression

Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, etc.

Parkinson’s

Chapter 4: Testimonies

Chapter 5: Making The Transition: Important tips and info for going gluten-free

Chapter 6: Recipes

Cauliflower “Rice”

Simple Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

Zucchini Pasta

Soaked Oat Banana Pancakes

Grain-Free Blueberry Muffins

About the Author

To order a copy of my first eBook and see if gluten is right for your family, to get tips and info for going gluten-free, and/or to get some of my favorite recipes, go here:

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOXTJS8

Don’t miss this important health information! It just may change your life the way it changed mine and many other people’s lives!

One of my FAVORITE things to do is to check out products that help us to live a healthier lifestyle and then be able to share and give those products to my awesome fans! I appreciate so much that so many of you respect my opinion on products and I take that fact very seriously.

Recently, Tropical Traditions was generous enough to offer me a quart of their high-quality Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to sample and review.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. 

I had heard a lot about Tropical Traditions’ Gold Label coconut oil but hesitated to purchase it due to the cost difference. Let’s face it: we are a family of 8 on an extremely small budget. We’re talking something that is considered poverty level according to some federal guidelines.

At the same time, we budget and live extremely frugally so that we can purchase high-quality foods that will keep us in good health for many years and thus save a boatload of money on healthcare costs. I know from my nutritional research that higher-quality food items give our bodies more nutrition than other products, so I figure if I am going to spend money on a product, I want to get the most nutritional benefits out of it as possible! 

Normally, I purchase my organic virgin coconut oil from Costco. I think it was around $16 for 54 ounces which is a great price. I have purchased it at Trader Joes as well where the price is very close to Costco’s. Despite my frugality, I would never ever purchase the extremely cheap coconut oil found at stores like Walmart (such as LouAna brand) as this coconut oil is extremely processed and processed with dangerous chemicals. That is where I draw the line for frugality, because that kind of coconut oil would provide more health problems than benefits!

So even if the taste and classification is the same, I may be more willing to pay a little more for Tropical Traditions’ coconut oil. And since they frequently have some really amazing sales, I will just order during a great sale! (For instance, right now they have a great sale on 2 gallons of this Gold Label Virgin coconut oil for $99! Why not go in on it with a friend?)

If you are new to coconut oil, be sure to check out the link above for the nutritional benefits, and these picture links as well:

What is Virgin Coconut Oil: (click picture for link)

How to Use Coconut Oil: 

Video showing many uses of coconut oil:

Okay, so onto the giveaway that I know most of you just skipped down to this part because you want to win some of this awesome stuff! And I can’t blame you, so here ya go! To enter to win a 32-ounce glass jar of Tropical Traditions’ Gold Label virgin coconut oil, follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. Watch HFFG’s Facebook posts for the winner to be announced!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  Did you know that Tropical Traditions also has a great line of grass-fed meat and egg products?! If you can’t find good meats/eggs from a local farmer or don’t have the time, why not order them from Grass Fed Traditions? If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Thanks for your support!

While doing some research for my first eBook: Gluten: Biblical or Bad, I came across some startling research. I discovered that the problem some women are having with sour breastmilk that has to be boiled before giving to baby is likely due to mother’s gluten intolerance. 

Specifically, I found the following study:

Background & Aims: The frequency of elevated serum pancreatic enzymes in patients with celiac disease (celiac disease) is unknown. The aim of this ’study was to evaluate the serum levels of pancreatic enzymes in celiac disease patients.

 

Methods: Serum pancreatic isoamylase and lipase levels were assayed in 90 adult and 112 pediatric consecutive celiac disease patients at diagnosis and after 12 months of gluten-free diet (GFD). Serum elastase and trypsin levels were assayed in a subgroup of adult celiac disease patients. Pancreatic ultrasonography was also performed.

 

Results: Twenty-six adult (29%) and 29 pediatric (26%) celiac disease patients exhibited elevated values of serum pancreatic amylase and/or lipase; trypsin was elevated in 69% and elastase in 19%. The frequency of elevated serum pancreatic enzymes observed was identical in the patients with “typical” and “atypical” celiac disease symptoms and in the asymptomatic patients. Most of the elevated values were lower than 2-fold the threshold limits. Elevated pancreatic enzymes were not associated with alcohol consumption, drug use, presence of abdominal pain, or diabetes mellitus. Abdominal ultrasound scan showed no abnormal findings in the pancreatic region in any of the celiac disease patients. After 12 months of GFD, pancreatic amylase was elevated in 3 cases and lipase in 2 cases; these patients had not strictly adhered to the GFD.

 

Conclusions: We demonstrated a frequency of about 25% of elevated pancreatic enzymes values in celiac disease patients, including subjects without gastrointestinal manifestations and apparently asymptomatic subjects. The finding of elevated serum amylase or lipase level, in the absence of signs of pancreatic disease, would appear to suggest a need to screen for celiac disease.

Rates of appendicitis are continuing to rise. And it saddens me to see so many children (and adults) suffer from an illness that results in removing a God-given organ which conventional medicine claims is unnecessary. If God put that part in our body, then He obviously put it there for a reason! It’s sad also because this can be easily prevented! Furthermore, a problem with the appendix is not just a problem in one part of the body. It represents a problem with the whole body that is simply manifesting itself as one particular illness at that time. It does NOT eliminate the underlying problem that will likely go on to cause other illnesses.

So What’s Really The Problem?

In a nutshell, the problem is bad foods. Just like it is with almost all other illnesses and disease. 

Recent scientific findings have determined that the appendix is a storehouse for bacteria. Sort of like backup reserves of good bacteria to help keep the gastrointestinal system healthy in the case of good gut flora being wiped out due to a sudden illness or other incident that wipes out the gut flora.

However, most people’s gastrointestinal systems are wrought with unhealthy gut flora and bad bacteria due to Gut Destroyers: things that damage healthy gut flora like antibiotics, chlorinated water, GMO foods, sugar, oral contraceptives, and more. (Click here for my full post on Gut Destroyers.)

So the appendix uses up the storehouse of beneficial bacteria by consistently trying to restore gut health, the appendix itself becomes overwhelmed with pathogenic (bad) bacteria just like the gut.

If you read my first post on Gut Health, you know that this doesn’t just cause problems with the appendix but also causes many other health problems, including allergies, asthma, frequent colds, bowel problems, and autoimmune diseases.

In order to ensure healthy gut flora and a healthy appendix, here’s what to do:

1. DON’T EAT CONVENTIONAL MEAT!

This is first and foremost of importance. Rates of appendicitis even in health circles is rising due to increased consumption of meat with Paleo and primal diets. 

The problem with meat is the E. Coli bacteria. Research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in 1996 showed that E. Coli bacteria was found in 88% of inflamed appendices. 

EIGHTY-EIGHT PERCENT!! 

Researchers concluded that “certain combinations of virulent E. coli and other bacteria (such as anaerobes) act in concert and cause inflammation.”

E. Coli bacteria is pervasive in conventional meats as a result of those animals being fed corn and raised in unnatural conditions.

For instance, cows are not meant to eat corn. Even Scripture tells us that cows are to be grass-fed. 

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate– bringing forth food from the earth… (Psalm 104:14)

 

I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 11:15)

 

Higher amounts of corn lowers the cow’s intestinal pH. This acidity favors the growth of acid-tolerant bacteria like E. coli. 

We are seeing a substantial and steady increase in problems related to E. coli bacteria, yet most people do not realize this. Doctors do not inform their patients that E. coli may likely be the cause of appendicitis or urinary tract infections. (Stay tuned for HFFG’s post on UTI’s!)

So the first step to preventing appendicitis is to avoid meat from animals fed grain. This includes most meat from grocery stores, restaurant meats, and unfortunately even those found at farmers’ markets from animals fed grain. Be sure the meat you eat is specifically labeled as “100% grass-fed.” Simply stating “grass-fed” could mean that the animal is fed grain at the end of their life, so be sure it is 100% grass-fed. It is best to purchase your meat from a local farmer where you can see the animals being raised yourself. Go to www.localharvest.org to find a farmer in your area.

2. PROBIOTICS!

In order to help maintain a healthy gut flora (and thus a healthy appendix), it’s important to provide it with a continual source of beneficial bacteria. That’s where probiotics come in!

I recommend that everyone take probiotics every single day to counteract the onslaught of Gut Destroyers (see below) that are pervasive in our food and environment.

Probiotics can come from supplements or foods. Probiotic foods such as homemade milk kefir, yogurt, kombucha, and lacto-fermented vegetables are an inexpensive and delicious way to get great-quality, high-potency probiotics. 

Click here to read my post on Probiotics that includes more information on homemade probiotics as well as brand recommendations for good probiotic supplements.

3. FIBER

Fiber is the part of natural foods (plant foods, the only place fiber is found) that isn’t digested. It provides “roughage” for everything that you eat and helps things move through the digestive process. In Dr. Rex Russell’s book, What The Bible Says About Healthy Living, he notes the importance of fiber based on a group of African men, some living in Africa and some attending school in England. The African natives ate a traditional high-fiber diet and rarely needed medical attention. The Africans who were at school in England were enjoying processed foods without fiber. They suffered from episodes of appendicitis, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and gallstones. 

In over four years of providing nutrition counseling to clients, I can count on one hand the amount of people who consume enough dietary fiber from vegetables. Even those who ate Paleo, gluten-free, no sugar, and/or other very healthy dietary choices still did not consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruit (more vegetables than fruit is healthiest) per day. 

This is a big problem, especially considering that THESE are the original foods God intended for us to eat (see Genesis 1:29) and that He designed for our bodies to consume.

Ideally, 2 of those servings should come from organic dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, romaine, chard, beet greens, etc. 

These foods provide fiber as well as other nutrients that help increase the body’s transit time (time it takes for food to be digested and eliminated) as well as provide the gut with the nutrients needed for healthy digestion (such as vitamin K).

4. AVOID GUT DESTROYERS

Finally, it’s important to avoid things that destroy beneficial gut flora such as:

• Antibiotics (directly via prescription and indirectly via meats/dairy from animals treated with hormones)
• Chlorinated water (chlorinated swimming pools, drinking chlorinated tap water, etc.)
• Birth Control Pills
• Infant formula
• SUGAR! Sugar feeds pathogenic (bad) bacteria which overwhelms and then outnumbers beneficial (good) bacteria.
• Genetically-modified foods (GMO’s)
• Birth via c-section or vaginal birth from a mother who does not have healthy gut flora
• Gluten (For more info, click here for my Gluten eBook)
• Stress
• Improperly chewing food

For my full post on Gut Destroyers, click here.

 For information on my personal nutrition health evaluation services to help change your family’s diet and health, click here.

Blessings of good health,

~Sara

REF: Clinical Infectious Diseases 1996; 23:1038-42

4 ounces carrier oil (avocado, coconut, jojoba, or other good SPF oil)

6 drops carrot seed essential oil

5 drops lavender essential oil

Mix ingredients into a dark spray bottle. To use, liberally apply to exposed skin. Reapply every couple hours as needed, especially after water activities.

Remember to avoid topical use of essential oils that are photosensitive (such as lemon, ginger, grapefruit, etc.) when out in the sun for any length of time!

Carrot seed oil is an essential oil with significant antioxidant, antiseptic and fragrant properties with high levels of vitamin A. When applied topically to the skin in the form of a diluted carrier oil, carrot seed oil also provides natural sun protection. According to a study published in “Pharmacognosy Magazine” in 2009, products containing carrot seed oil have a natural SPF of 38 and 40.

Most DIY insect repellent recipes with essential oils use witch hazel. I will warn you ahead of time NOT to waste your time on that! Witch hazel evaporates off the skin too fast to provide an effective long-lasting carrier solution for essential oils. That’s why solutions made with witch hazel need to be reapplied so frequently.

That’s why I’m going to recommend a product here called Cedarcide Best Yet Organic Bug Spray. This is a very simple product that contains only two ingredients: cedar oil and silica. Because it is oil-based, it helps hold the essential oils (below) on the surface of the skin longer, making it  last longer.

Cedarcide could work on its own as an insect repellent but we have found that is MUCH more effective when two essential oils are added to it: Purificiation and Geranium.

Young Living’s Purification essential oil contains citronella and lemongrass essential oils, as well as other essential oils, that are a powerful, effective combination of insect-repelling aromas.

Combined, this works as an effective insect repellent that is easy and inexpensive to make at home!

So here’s the recipe:

4 ounces Cedarcide Best Yet Organic Bug Spray

10 drops Purification essential oil

5 drops Geranium essential oil

Combine ingredients together in a 4-ounce spray bottle. To use, liberally apply to exposed skin and clothing. Reapply every couple hours as needed.

 (Note: If you’re like me and plan on needing A LOT of bug spray this summer, my advise is to get a quart of the Cedarcide, add 8x the drops of essential oils right to the Cedarcide spray bottle, shake, and use for the whole summer!)

To purchase essential oils, check My Store to see if I have these in stock.

 Otherwise, click here to go to my Young Living website for a full selection of therapeutic-grade essential oils. 

**Be sure to read my article here why it’s so important not to use cheaper and/or low-quality essential oils and how to get the good kind for less!

AND DON’T FORGET: IF YOU SIGN UP AS A DISTRIBUTOR THROUGH YOUNG LIVING AND GET THE PREMIUM STARTER KIT, YOU GET TWO OF THE OILS NEEDED FOR THESE RECIPES IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE!! (Purification and Lavender!)

Click here to get the Premium Starter Kit and 24% off of Young Living’s therapeutic-grade essential oils with no monthly commitment required!

(I was going to mix up bottles of this mixture myself and offer it for sale to my awesome customers so that y’all don’t have to purchase all of the ingredients and mix them yourselves, but due to a huge increase in my clientele, I haven’t been able to find the time yet. Maybe in the near future…?!)

Have a wonderful, healthy summer!

~Sara

Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT normal for women to have worsening health problems as a result of pregnancy. We should not be shrugging off worsening hormone imbalance (weight gain, irregular cycles), postpartum depression, and other common health issues that come after having children. And these everyday prenatal complications, birth defects, and deficiencies in children almost always stem back to prenatal nutrition, despite conventional medicine always trying to find the cause. (The conventional medical field more commonly studies prescriptions and surgery so nutrition information can be hard to come by in that field.)

We are even hearing reports of women whose teeth are falling out and who get diagnosed with cancer soon after having a child. (Yes, cancer is simply a manifestation of nutrient deficiencies. Read my article on the Truth of Cancer here.)

And there are increasing numbers of miscarriages, preterm labors, birth defects, and children with learning disabilities. This trend reflects the severe nutrient depletion caused by the combination of a nutrient-deficient diet and frequent pregnancies that do not allow mother to restore depleted nutrient levels. It’s a simple truth but unfortunately so commonly ignored.

Back-to-back pregnancies/periods of lactation can deplete even a healthy mom of nutrients very quickly. Most women do not stop to consider the large amount of nutrients it takes to grow a new life and then to nourish it solely off of her breastmilk. But as most of us know, breastmilk contains large amounts of nutrients, so those nutrients must come from somewhere! 

As a result of these deficiencies, we are seeing an increase in things that previously only affected third-world countries during pregnancy and childbirth.

Sometimes, these health issues as a result of prenatal nutrient deficiencies take longer to reveal themselves and a mother may not see the connection.

Now before we continue, I would like my readers to note that I have six children, so I very much believe that children are a blessing from the Lord. (My children are spaced at least 2 1/2 years apart so they range in age from 11 months to 18 years.) Most of my friends have their own large families. My goal in this article is to help mothers be blessed with children but not at the cost of their own health or their children’s health. As a holistic nutritional counselor for over 4 years, I have seen the impact this has on a mom’s health–the things that other people don’t always see or know about when they see these families.

While some may have issues related to their faith regarding spacing children apart, it’s important to remember that the things that prevent this from happening naturally according to God’s design are unnatural things that we have allowed in our lives that go against His design–things that cause hormone imbalances that prevent natural delay of menstruation such as eating Man-made foods rather than God-made foods, not adhering to natural exclusive breastfeeding the way He designed babies to be fed, etc. We must also keep in mind God’s recommendations to His people in the Old Testament to let fields rest every seven years, as well as various recommendations regarding the harvest of fruit trees, especially new ones, in order to prevent them from being depleted.  

I would also like to address the unfortunate trend of children born with increased health problems and decreased mental health/intelligence to mothers who are depleted in nutrients. We are leaving children at a major disadvantage but not giving them what their bodies (and brains!) need to properly form and develop.

In previous societies, women would adhere to traditional practices of what we today call “extended breastfeeding” where children were breastfed beyond the first year and usually into at least the second year. This usually prevented a subsequent pregnancy from occurring too close to the previous one. Today, however, most women suffer from hormone imbalance as a result of poor diet and environmental estrogens, so even women who breastfeed are not able to delay the return of their menstrual cycle which can cause them to become pregnant again before they have been able to restore their nutrient levels.

(For more on the practice of Ecological Breastfeeding to naturally space apart children which is the method my husband and I use in order to allow my nutrient levels to restore between pregnancies, click here to read my article on Ecological Breastfeeding: What it is and why it doesn’t work for some women.)

If a hormone imbalance is causing a woman’s menstrual cycles to return soon after birth, the side effect of this is not just frequent, closely-spaced pregnancies. The problem is that the majority of cases of breast cancer are in women who have had years of hormone imbalance symptoms that they ignore. 

It was very common for many traditional societies to require women who were considering pregnancy to be placed on a much more nutrient-dense diet than the rest of the society. For example:

The Maasai only allowed men and women to marry after spending several months consuming milk from the wet season when the grass was especially lush and the milk much denser in nutrients. Maasai milk is higher in fat and cholesterol and lower in sugar than commercial American milk.

 

The highest quality Maasai milk used for preconception diets, however, is even richer: compared to commercial American milk, it has over twice the cholesterol, nearly three times the fat, and over five times the quantity of phospholipids (see Figure 2).7 The phospholipid content is particularly important. Since most of the choline in milk is contained in phospholipids,8 this means that high-quality Maasai milk is probably about five times richer in choline than the milk you would find in the grocery store.

 

Compared to grain-fed milk, grass-fed milk is much higher in fat-soluble vitamins, pigments, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids.9 Price showed that the content of vitamin A, activator X (which we now believe to be vitamin K2), and essential fatty acids markedly increased in butterfat during the rainy lush season.10 As the quality of grass increases, we can presume that the content of other grass-related nutrients—such as pigments, vitamin E and CLA—will also markedly increase in the milk.
(Weston A. Price Foundation)

 

In other societies, women seeking pregnancy were given the most nutrient-dense foods that were in short supply. Some women and their families would walk many miles to gather the nutrient-dense foods that were needed for a healthy pregnancy. They could not rely on expensive NICU technology or formula to feed their babies in the event of nutrient-deficient complications, so they put a huge emphasis on prevention.

Some of the common problems associated with maternal depletion (for mom and baby) include:

• Morning Sickness
• Postpartum depression (Click here to read my article on PPD)
• Thyroid disease
• Hormone imbalance
• Infertility (Click here to read my article on infertility/conception)
• Miscarriage
• Preterm Birth
• Stillbirth
• Increased pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, swelling, PUPPPS rash, etc.)
• Anemia
• Increased labor complications
• Premature rupture of membranes
• Endometriosis
• Small for Gestation Age (SGA) Infants
• Birth defects
• Spina Bifida
• Lip tie/tongue tie
• Cleft lip/palate
• Insufficient breastmilk production
• Decreased IQ in child and increase in learning disabilities
• Increased susceptibility to chronic disease in child’s future, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc.)
• Eye problems (cataracts, poor vision, etc.)
• Down Syndrome (click here to read my article on Down Syndrome and how it can be related to poor nutritional status)

The mother’s nutritional status at conception may be compromised and her ability to support fetal growth and development may be less than optimal. Most of the research in this area has focused on maternal protein and energy status (1, 2). It seems reasonable to assume, however, that micronutrients may also be depleted in women with early or closely spaced pregnancies.1

Some of the factors that require an even higher intake of nutrients for a healthy pregnancy and baby include:

• Pregnant with more than one baby (twins etc.)

  • Additional 500 calories and 30 grams of protein for each additional baby

• Are currently breastfeeding

  • Additional 500 calories and 30 grams of protein as long as breastfeeding continues

• Have one or more of the following stress factors which affect nutritional needs: (an additional 200 calories and 20 grams of protein for each stress factor, up to a maximum of 400 calories and 40 grams of protein)

  • extreme vomiting

  • pregnancy spacing of less than one year

  • poor obstetrical history (previous stillbirths, prematurity)

  • serious life stresses (divorce, death in the family, loss of family income, etc.)

Most people do not realize that these kinds of things, especially things like stress, can deplete a woman’s stores of nutrients in addition to poor diet. 

Additionally, many women do not realize that environmental factors and medications in their years before pregnancy can cause severe nutrient deficiencies that may be hard to correct.

For instance, birth control pills cause serious nutritional deficiencies and sometimes disrupt the body’s proper methylation of essential prenatal vitamins. Click here to read my article on how birth control pills can cause these deficiencies that last for many, many years.

Together or independent of those factors, closely-spaced pregnancies leaves both mom and baby at a disadvantage. For example:

Women with interpregnancy intervals of <6 mo had a higher risk for maternal death, third trimester bleeding, prelabor rupture of membranes, puerperal endometritis and anemia than did women with interpregnancy intervals of 18–23 mo. 

 

Risks To Babies

Women with short interpregnancy intervals or early pregnancies are at increased risk for delivering preterm, low-birth-weight or small-for-gestational age (SGA)3infants (3– 8).

 

In the United States, women with interpregnancy intervals of <8 mo were 14–47% more likely to have very premature and moderately premature infants than were women with intervals of 18–59 mo (10). In a study of >810,000 infants born to Michigan women between 1993 and 1998, both white and black women with interpregnancy intervals of <6 mo were 50% more likely to have a low-birth-weight infant, 20% more likely to have a preterm birth and 30% more likely to have an SGA infant than were women with intervals of 18–23 mo (11). 

Risks to Both

The concentration of folic acid in maternal serum and erythrocytes declines from midpregnancy until 3–6 mo postpartum (33). During pregnancy folic acid is needed for cell division; during lactation it is required for the synthesis and secretion of milk. If the dietary supply of folate is low, circulating levels begin to decline during the fifth month of pregnancy and continue to decline until several weeks after delivery. Among women in developed countries, 20% have low serum folate levels 6 mo after delivery (33). Epidemiological studies in the United States have found an association between preterm births or SGA deliveries and lower concentrations of folate in the serum or erythrocytes (34). A poor maternal folic acid status at conception may contribute to the poor reproductive outcomes in women with early or closely spaced pregnancies.

 

Iron is another nutrient that is mobilized from maternal stores during pregnancy, and the stores of iron tend to remain low for several months after delivery (35). Iron deficiency anemia is a prevalent problem among pregnant adolescents (6) and is associated with preterm delivery and associated low birth weight. The excess preterm birth rate among women with short pregnancy intervals or early pregnancies may be due in part to poor maternal iron stores resulting from insufficient repletion after a previous pregnancy or to recent growth demands (35).

A short interval between pregnancies… increases the risk for preterm birth and growth retarded infants. Maternal nutrient depletion has been proposed as a possible cause of these poor pregnancy outcomes.1

So What Can We Do?

I am blessed to be able to bring you the personal testimony of a dear woman for whom God led to using the Gerson Therapy to eliminate her ovarian cancer.

Those of you who have been following me for a while and/or read my post Cancer: What You Are NOT Being Told have heard me talk about the Gerson Therapy before. 

Dr. Max Gerson developed a treatment protocol using freshly-juiced vegetables and coffee enemas to flood a person’s body with a mega-load of fresh, healthy nutrients and to rapidly detox in order to treat many illnesses. At first, he used it to treat migraines and tuberculosis, but found it to be an effective treatment for healing cancer. He fine-tuned his treatment protocol over a few decades on his patients. The astounding success of his treatment caught the eye of many around him, although he received much criticism and even had his life threatened (and was eventually killed by someone poisoning him).

During a three-day period in July 1946, the U.S. Senate took testimony from nationally known cancer researchers relating to a Bill referred to as the Pepper-Neely anticancer proposal. This bill recommended the appropriation of $100 million from the government’s budget for cancer researchers to find a cure for cancer once and for all. Dr. Gerson presented case studies of his cured patients using his natural therapy. His therapy consisted mostly of juicing fresh vegetables where the patient would consume between 17 and 20 pounds of produce a day. His impressive testimony and case records caused Senator Pepper to call a press conference to bring this information to the media.

However, massive numbers of lobbyists for the immensely wealthy Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PMA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American Cancer Society (ACS) prevailed on reporters to ignore the Gerson press conference and instead attend a cocktail party. One reporter, however, dared to cover this story. After his coverage, phone calls lit up the American Broadcast Corporation’s switchboard. Unfortunately, members of the PMA who were producing cytotoxic agents (chemotherapy) for cancer treatment threatened to cancel all radio advertising contracts for their drugs sold over the counter, which would have been an annual loss in revenue for ABC amounting to tens of millions of dollars. 

Within two weeks of that fateful broadcast, the reporter who covered the story was fired after thirty years at the same job. And the Senate bill was defeated.

If you don’t believe that the cancer industry has been hiding this cure for decades, you can see the transcript for yourself here: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/1946_Testimony_ocr.pdf  

So today, I want to share with you a special woman’s brief testimony of the Gerson Therapy healing her ovarian cancer in just a few months: I was diagnosed with clear cell ovarian cancer [stage IC] on May 2, 2007 during surgery for removal of a large tumor. My doctor recommended chemo to begin 6 weeks after surgery (the recovery period), because (1) cancer cells were found in the washings (it was starting to spread), and (2) clear cell cancer is extremely aggressive (so much so that it isn’t given a rating like other cancers are).

The doctor said that either of these situations alone was enough to recommend chemo. My pastor recommended I look into several “alternate” therapies.

By August I had a large amount of ascites (a gastroenterological term for an accumulation of fluid). I asked for the elders to pray over me hoping God would miraculously cure me (with no effort on my part).  God did not choose to do that. Instead, God led me to Gerson.

I went to Baja Nutri Care (Tijuana, Mexico) November 20 to learn the Gerson Therapy in order to do it at home.  

After 5 weeks on the Gerson Therapy, my anemia of 3 years went away.

After 4 months, the ascites had cleared.

At 5 months, however, I had to significantly reduce my therapy, because I became pregnant. I had 2 doctors ask if I was willing to terminate my pregnancy (kill my baby). At the time, I knew that God is in control and I was excited to see if He would keep the cancer away during the whole pregnancy (which apparently would be a miracle according to the doctors).  

My second born is now 5 years old.  My third child is now 3 years old.  At my check-up in Aug. 2011, my ob/gyn asked me for information on what I did so she could give it to a friend who was recently diagnosed. She said she considered my situation “a miracle.”

I know I stopped Gerson far short of full immune system repair, but I’m glad I’ve been in remission while I’ve given birth to 2 babies. My Lord Jesus led me to Gerson, then decided I should get pregnant shortly after remission.  My life is in His hands.  He has kept me cancer free thus far. ~Dana N  

If you want to know more about the Gerson Therapy, be sure to check out this film:   And this book:  

                Visit http://www.gerson.org/ for more information and more testimonies. And if you haven’t already done so, be sure to read my article Cancer: What You Are NOT Being Told.  

Blessings of good health, ~Sara      

If I told you that research demonstrates that ONE supplement can reduce the toxins transferred to your baby in utero and via breastmilk, reduced pregnancy anemia and other possible pregnancy complications, would you be interested?!

My 6th baby getting mama’s milk full of all the benefits from chlorella!

I was! When I was breastfeeding my 6th baby who was just a newborn, I came across research proving exactly that with just one superfood supplement. That supplement is CHLORELLA, a green algae that offers some amazing detox benefits as well as many others, including some that are extremely beneficial for pregnant and lactating mothers.  That is why I want to share some of that research with you and reasons why I think every pregnant and breastfeeding mom should be supplementing with chlorella!

Many of you have heard about Chlorella and its detoxifying properties like those listed in my article Detox 101 and the power of Chlorella. In the natural health world, whenever someone hears that something is “detoxifying,” the question that usually follows is, “Is it safe for pregnant/breastfeeding moms?!” Not only is it safe but it is VERY beneficial! Here are some of the benefits for pregnant and breastfeeding moms that research is finding:

Anemia, Preeclampsia, & Edema

Research from 2010 found that chlorella during pregnancy was very beneficial for reducing anemia, proteinuria (preeclampsia), and edema (swelling/water retention). Specifically the researchers concluded:

These results suggest that Chlorella supplementation significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy associated anemia, proteinuria and edema. Chlorella supplement may be useful as a resource of natural folate, vitamin B-12 and iron for pregnant women.1

 

(Note: in the above study, the women were supplemented daily from 12th-18th wk of gestation until delivery with 6 g of Chlorella supplement. This is 6,000 mg, or twelve 500 mg capsules.)

While chlorella does contain those beneficial nutrients, including iron, it is my theory that part of the reason it helps prevent pregnancy anemia is also due to its detoxification properties. You see, when the body is dealing with an infection or underlying inflammation (related to toxins, bacteria, etc.), the body instinctively “hides” iron because bacteria loves iron. This will appear as low iron levels. Supplementing with isolated iron supplements is not only hard on the digestive system but also gives that underlying bacteria something to hide in rather than helping the body eliminate it. Thus, chlorella offers the benefits of giving the body iron as well as helping eliminate pathogenic bacteria and toxins to allow the body to stop “hiding” iron.

Reducing Toxins Transferred to Baby & Strengthening Baby’s Immune System

Additional research has proven that chlorella taken during pregnancy and lactation can reduce the amount of toxins that reach the baby! For example:

Dioxins can be transferred from mother to fetus via the placenta, or to nursing infants via breast milk, potentially causing developmental health problems in children. 

Dioxins are a by-product of chlorine and chemical lawn/farm products. They are found in things like tampons, menstrual pads, diapers, and anything else that is bleached. However, more than 90% of human exposure is through food, mainly meat and dairy products, fish and shellfish. Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.

In 2007, research was published on the effects of chlorella on breastmilk and dioxin toxins. They stated:

(Chlorella) supplements during pregnancy, and the effects on dioxin and IgA concentrations in breast milk were investigated. Toxic equivalents were significantly lower in the breast milk of women taking Chlorella tablets than in the Control group (P .003). These results suggest that Chlorella supplementation by the mother may reduce transfer of dioxins to the child through breast milk.

The study went on to conclude:

IgA concentrations in breast milk in the Chlorella group were significantly higher than in the Control group (P .03). Increasing IgA levels in breast milk is considered to be effective for reducing the risk of infection in nursing infants.  IgA concentrations in breast

milk in the Chlorella group were significantly higher than in the Control group (P .03). Increasing IgA levels in breast milk
is considered to be effective for reducing the risk of infection in nursing infants.2

 Mercury

And when it comes that nasty mercury that we want to avoid going into our precious babies’ brains, chlorella helps with that too!

The blood and brain Hg [mercury] levels of both neonates and mothers in the CP diet group were significantly lower than those in the basal diet group…  The results obtained here revealed that continuous CP [chlorella powder] intake suppressed MeHg [methylmercury] transfer to the fetus, in addition to effective suppressing MeHg accumulation in brains of the mothers.3

For more information on chlorella including what it is as well as other benefits (such as for removing heavy metals from the body, binding to candida in the digestive tract and helping eliminate candida overgrowth, and much more, click here to read my article Detox 101 and the Power of Chlorella.

In my search for a high-quality chlorella product that I could use for pregnancy, lactation, the rest of my family, and especially to offer my clients, I found one that fit the bill and had the additional benefits of containing broccoli enzymes and digestive enzymes for better absorption and more detoxifying power, but it was only available to healthcare professionals. Consequently, I private-labeled this supplement to make it available to my clients and customers. 

Click here to check out more information about HFFG’s Chlorella Detox supplement and to purchase it.

(If you purchase a different chlorella, I recommend getting one that is thin-cell-walled and from a good source. Some green powder supplements contain chlorella; just check the dosage (mg) to ensure that it is sufficient.)

We live in a toxic world indeed, but we also live in an age where we are able to utilize the power of God’s natural superfoods in the form of high-quality supplements to help counteract living in this toxic world. Isn’t God great?!

Blessings of good health,

~Sara

REFERENCES:

1: Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010 Mar;65(1):25-30. doi: 10.1007/s11130-009-0145-9.

2: J Med Food 10 (1) 2007, 134–142. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2006.023

 3: J Toxicol Sci. 2011 Oct;36(5):675-80.

One of the most frequently-asked questions I get regarding essential oils is: Are other brands good?

As you may have figured out by now, I prefer and use Young Living’s essential oils. That said, I want to say something that might get folks angry at me and that is that YES, I think there are other good-quality brands of essential oils out there. I have used Mountain Rose Herbs and some other independent brands in the past.

However, I would like to explain a little about why I chose to use and recommend Young Living’s essential oils.

From Beginning To End

First and foremost, they are the ONLY company to grow many of their own plants. This is important for so many reasons. For the same reason that I prefer to purchase only organic produce for my family, I prefer that the natural therapies I use as our “medicine” is also top-notch, organically-grown.

Because they grow many of their own plants, Young Living is the only company that can oversee from seed to seal that their plants are grown without chemicals, on soil that has never been treated with chemicals, watered with only rainwater or other clean water and not municipal water, etc. If you have ever gardened, you know that there are MANY things to oversee in order to prevent chemical contamination of your plants! Were the seeds tested for GMO contamination? Was the starting potting soil from a brand that makes lawn chemicals? Was it started in natural or artificial sunlight? Was it watered with chlorinated water or rainwater? These are just a few of the many questions that come to mind for me when I consider purchasing plants at my local farmers markets which causes me to grow them myself!

This is important also because a plant’s medicinal value comes at a very specific time in their growth. If a plant is harvested at the wrong time, it will contain less than or none of the therapeutic qualities. There are additional steps that often need to be taken after harvest in order to magnify and preserve that plant’s medicinal properties. If a company does not do this themselves, are they ensuring that it is done so that the oil provides the optimal therapeutic value?

Less Outsourcing

Secondly, Young Living is the only company to own their own distilleries. Other companies have to outsource this part of the process 100% to other facilities/companies. With this constant outsourcing, it is difficult to know exactly how well the process is being monitored in order for the final product to not only be safe but also to be of top therapeutic quality. 

Young Living offers a unique unique Seed to Seal® Process which carefully monitors every step of production from beginning to end. This is one of the main reasons why I feel that Young Living essential oils are worth the price.

Test of Time

Third, I’ve never been one to buy anything brand new, because I like to stick with things that have stood the test of time. There are so many new essential oils companies out there, but Young Living has stood the test of time. They have fine-tuned and refined the process of growing, harvesting, and distilling oils to perfection. Newer companies may have relationships with their growers, distillers, etc. that have not stood the test of time yet and may prove to be less than ideal in the future.

Of course, as stated above, I do not promote the idea that Young Living oils are the only essential oils that can be used. Information is difficult to come by regarding the various practices other companies use and consequently, I do not have sufficient information to recommend other specific brands. I recommend exercising extreme caution and discernment when selecting essential oils to ensure that you are using those that are absolutely not grown or processed with chemicals. As many of you know, essential oils (and whatever chemicals they may contain) are absorbed quickly and effectively through the skin. 

Additionally, I have seen a trend towards oils promoted by various essential oils experts. I do not know whether or not these experts have looked into the criteria that I have listed above regarding the brands that they recommend. Either way, they would find that no other essential oil company can see the production of the plant from beginning to end themselves without outsourcing it. That is why I keep going back to Young Living.

For more information on the importance of selecting top-quality essential oils, read my post here: http://healthyfamiliesforgod.com/resources-2/how-to-get-essential-oils-for-less/ . Scroll down to the Essential Oils –An Introduction to download a great printable for more information.

For much more in-depth information about the processing, quality, distillation, etc. about the process of growing, harvesting, and distilling essential oils, which explains why it’s important to see that process all the way through, click here for a detailed pdf with full-color photos of Young Living’s farms and distilleries.

Again, let me reiterate that I am not saying there are problems with other essential oils. It took me two years to finally commit to Young Living and to feel comfortable promoting it because I wanted to be sure I had all the information necessary to weigh this decision. This is simply the brand that I have chosen to use for my family and to recommend to my clients. 

Yes, there are likely other good brands of high-quality, therapeutic essential oils out there. Because I like to thoroughly research something before deciding, I have not been able to have the time to look into this with other companies. If I did, I might find some that I like. But I’ve already done the research and found one that I like, so I stopped there!

To some people, the cost factor is an obstacle to obtain Young Living’s essential oils. But for me, I get at least $100 in free oils/products every single month PLUS at least $100 in commissions (CASH!) and $10-$15 towards free oils. I don’t care how cheap another company’s high-quality oils are; nothing’s cheaper than FREE PLUS PROFIT!!

(Subscribe via email to my blog posts and stay tuned for future blog posts about essential oils, including information on getting free oils plus commissions.)

Essential oils have filled an important gap for me in both my professional and personal life. Nutritional therapy is my preferred method of treatment for many things, but there are areas, ailments, and other things that essential oils have been the absolute best resource. In my opinion, they are an essential part of EVERY natural medicine cabinet and natural home.

For more information on the many uses for essential oils, check out my post 101 Everyday Uses for Essential Oils with a free printable!

Whether you use Young Living or another therapeutic-quality, chemical-free brand of essential oils, I hope you enjoy them and the health benefits they offer as much as my family does!

Blessings of good health,
~Sara

ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease, has become a popular cause to promote lately. And for good reason. Any disease that can cause such horrible health problems, especially so quickly, and then death is worthy of receiving attention. However, we are doing NOTHING to help these people with ALS by dumping ice over our heads

To begin, there are a few problems with donating money to ALS “research.”

For starters, only a very small percentage of the money goes towards “research.”

Approximately 27% goes towards the research. The rest goes towards the salaries of of ALSA employees and fundraising. (http://ruthless-politics.com/fraction-als-donations-actually-go-research/)

So I guess with all this money being donated recently, we’re likely to see a whole lot more advertising for ALS in the near future. Americans just paid for more commercials.

And even more importantly, ALS research uses embryonic stem cells (embryonic–teeny tiny babies). 

 ”The ALS Association reported that that last year they gave $500,000 to Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS), the largest association of ALS clinical researchers in the world. Likely, the ALS Association will give more to NEALS this year with the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

NEALS helps run clinical trials for ALS. On their website, they say that a “NEALS-affliated” trial is one where the “sponsor of the trial has contracted NEALS Coordinating Centers to help conduct the trial. A sponsor may contract NEALS to manage an entire trial or just a portion of the work.”

I found a NEALS-affliated active trial on their website that clearly states it uses stem cells that originated from an electively aborted fetus. The trial is being funded by NeuralStem Inc. and the description states:

These stem cells have been engineered from the spinal cord of a single fetus electively aborted after eight weeks of gestation. The tissue was obtained with the mother’s consent.

Of course the fetus, from whom the “tissue” was taken, did not “give consent.”

So if you give to the ALS Association your money may end up supporting clinical trials that use aborted fetal cells.”
http://avemariaradio.net/kresta_in_the_aftern/attention-pro-lifers-be-careful-where-you-send-your-als-ice-bucket-challenge-donation/ 

And finally, if you have read my post on Cancer: The Truth You Are NOT Being Told, you may have begun to understand how money for “research” is really a big lie. Pharmaceutical companies are a multi-billion dollar enterprise that profit off of chemical, man-made drugs. None of their research will ever find a cure because they do not look at the CAUSE. They are only looking for a patentable concoction for which they can charge exorbitant amounts of money. Natural cures were hidden and research money has been collected for many decades and yet we are still no better off than we were before. In fact, we are actually worse off because rates of cancer are rising!

The same is true for the “research” being done to find a “cure” for ALS. And all other deadly illnesses. 

And as Forbes says, it’s not really something that Big Pharma wants to pursue:

But ALS is technically an “orphan disease” — it afflicts about 30,000 Americans, or about 2 in 100,000 people. That means there’s little incentive for pharmaceutical companies to pour billions into R&D and pursue the market.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2014/08/18/ok-the-ice-bucket-challenge-worked-now-where-will-the-dollars-go/

So in a nutshell, we’ve got this tiny amount of everyone’s donations going towards research that kills sweet little babies, cushions the wallets of high-up pharmaceutical executives, and has no intention of getting to the root of what’s causing this illness.

I think it’s time to rethink this entirely. Especially if we want to really help those who are suffering from ALS. It is my deepest desire for people to have the health information they need to be well, and I am confident we can offer helpful information to ALS patients RIGHT. NOW. Not 10 years and $10 million later.

So what can we do to help those with ALS? 

First off and most importantly, we can pay for someone with ALS or symptoms of ALS to get tests that will actually help determine what’s causing their symptoms. The term ALS really only gives us a description of symptoms; it does not tell us what’s causing those symptoms.

There is a strong connection between Lyme Disease, heavy metals, and ALS.

For example, a study found that 9 out of 10 ALS patients are infected with Lyme bacteria. (Click for link to study info.)

One of the foremost leading doctors for Lyme Disease, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, provides ample research and information regarding the link between Lyme infection and heavy metal toxicity. Mercury is the most common of toxic substances which are documented to accumulate through chronic exposure in the neurons affected by ALS and which have been documented to cause all of the conditions and symptoms seen in ALS.

Here is a link with very many links and thorough research on the connection between mercury toxicity and ALS: http://www.flcv.com/als.html

These factors MUST be addressed with every patient presenting with symptoms of ALS! And it’s relatively inexpensive to do so! This would include testing for Lyme bacteria. I recommend testing through Igenex. This is different than standard tests done in the conventional clinical setting and much more thorough.

An inexpensive hair mineral analysis would also be necessary to test the levels of heavy metals in their body. If it comes back high in mercury and/or lead (or other heavy metals) which it does often for ALS patients, heavy metal detox is an inexpensive treatment option! 

This link has more information about testing for heavy metals such as mercury for those with ALS: http://www.evenbetterhealth.com/als-tests.php

Some of the main contributing sources for mercury toxicity include dental amalgam fillings, vaccines, and fish. Are any of these a factor for the person you know with ALS? Do they have a mouth full of silver fillings?

Also, it’s important to check for other risk factors such as a root canal (which is linked to autoimmune illness), exposure to chemical agricultural pesticides/fertilizers, consumption of MSG-containing foods and foods/drinks with aspartame (which are neurotoxins). 

I did not have time to link extensive links to the information in this post due to my large clientele and other things going on with the homefront (homeschooling season starts in a week and I have 5 kids to homeschool!) as well as the classes I am taking to finish my naturopathy degree.  Please take the time to google Dr. Klinghardt’s research on Lyme disease and heavy metals, the link and other information regarding Lyme infection and ALS symptoms, and mercury toxicity.  This information is meant to be a starting point for those who want the truth about ALS and want to really get to the bottom of it.

As always, the only way to good health is to GET TO THE ROOT!! Finding the cause is the cure! It is my hope and prayer that this information will be considered so that we can see our loved ones recover from this devastating illness. 

Please prayerfully consider sharing this information and spending just a couple hundred dollars for these tests. Without doing so, you will never know if this really is the underlying cause of ALS symptoms!

Blessings of good health,

~Sara Jo Poff

As soon as I first started getting into gardening a few years ago, I knew that composting would be an essential part of that journey. For me, gardening isn’t just getting things to grow! When I grow food, I want it to also be full of nutrients! And in order for food to be filled with nutrients, the ground it grows in needs to be filled with nutrients too!

One of the reasons so many people are so deficient in nutrients today to the point of causing health problems is due to the lack of nutrients in the food we eat, as much of it comes from depleted soil.

Additionally for gardeners, it’s important to note that the health of a plant dictates whether it is prone to disease and infestation or not. As Louis Pasteur said towards the end of his life, “The germ is nothing. The terrain is everything.” Healthy plants full of nutrients are much more resistant to disease, infestation, and poor growth, just like our bodies!

Compost is one of the best ways to put nutrients back into soil and the best part is that it’s extremely inexpensive.  So in the non-winter months (which is only about 6 months or so of the year here in Minnesota!), I have a big outdoor compost pile by my garden that we add our scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, hair (from haircuts), and chicken bedding/poop to. It makes the most beautiful, nutrient-rich compost!

Then I started reading about vermicomposting and was intrigued to look into this method of composting as well. A friend told me about the Worm Factory 360 from Nature’s Footprint. I inquired about this product and they were generous enough to give me one to try out!  

(Obligatory Disclaimer: The product I received was for review purposes only. I am under no obligation to write a favorable review and do not receive any compensation for doing such.)  

From the moment I opened my Worm Factory 360, I have been thrilled!  First, it’s wonderfully made – light weight, yet sturdy and solid, and with a small enough footprint (18” x 18”) that it’s not in the way – even in my little bitty house!  Yep, I said IN my house!  I was a bit skeptical at first, but after reading more about it, I started to believe them when they said it wouldn’t stink or attract unwanted pests! 

And, after a few weeks, I’ve learned they were absolutely right!  I created a small (1 quart mason jar and a paper funnel made from a big envelope!) fruit fly trap (which they suggested), and viola - no fruit flies either!  So, if I didn’t tell you I was raising worms in my laundry room, you’d never know!!  

Okay, so back to the beginning…  Included with my Worm Factory 360 was a book The Complete Guide to Vermicomposting - which I read entirely, and I encourage you to read it too!  I now know more about worms and vermicompost and decomposition and microbes then I ever expected to know – it’s fascinating!  Not only that, the book told me, simple step by simple step, exactly how to get my Worm Factory set up and in use (and every single thing I needed, including some shredded newspaper!!, was included, except the worms – which I ordered separately). 

I’ve had worms in it now for a few weeks, and they’re active and happy and making rich vermicompost as we speak!  I’m still in my first tray (they say it takes 4 to 6 weeks to move into Tray #2, and it seems like my little fellas are right on track!), but I’m already planning to order a couple more trays (they send four trays with the system, but it can accommodate up to 7 trays if you have lots of kitchen waste to share!) – the worms will reproduce more heavily if there’s more room and more food, and less heavily if there’s less room and/or less food!  How fun!  And I can’t wait to start putting this rich, amazing compost to work in about 2 more months! 

Among other uses, I’m planning to make Vermicompost Tea to use in making fodder (for human and animal consumption!). Worm compost has been proven to have ten times the nutrients of traditional backyard compost.  The more nutrients that are available to your plants, the larger they grow and the more bountiful your harvest is. This system allows you to enjoy ORGANIC vegetables, fruits, and flowers grown with the help of your kitchen scraps.

Did you know that what can take a year or more in your backyard composter, composting worms can accomplish in as little as three months – and in one little Worm Factory, your worms can compost up to five pounds of food waste, paper, and junk mail each week – transforming it into rich vermicompost, which is teaming with millions of good bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa!  Gardeners call it ‘Organic Gold’ or ‘Black Gold’ because Vermicompost (which, by the way, is actually the excretment of the worms – yep, worm poop!) is one of the richest organic fertilizers ever discovered (over 5 times more nutrient rich than most healthy, nutrient-rich top soils)!  Here’s a cool quote from an article I read:

This holy grail of garden goodness yields just the right growth-enhancing medium to make plants kick up their heels and sing. Oh, but that’s not all. Worm castings offer an insurance policy against the emergence of plant diseases by inoculating your garden with a whole host of microbes that embrace the ‘You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ philosophy. No matter what, everyone in that vast microcosm works in tandem to keep invaders at bay, ensuring that plant life ultimately reigns supreme.

Here’s a video of how it works:

And I am so excited to share that Nature’s Footprint has a great offer for HFFG’s readers!They are offering a 20% discount on the Worm Factory 360 to you all! 

Just enter the code HFG20 to get the discount! 

( This discount code goes from September 2nd to September 19th.)

Worm Factory 360 Features

• Compact and expandable up to 7 trays

• US made high quality post consumer recycled plastic

• Choice of color: Black, green, terracotta

• Create compost year-round, indoors and out

• 10 year limited warranty

• Odor free operation

• Houses thousands of worms that consume pounds of waste per week

What’s Included

• 4 Trays

• “Quick Tips” instructions on lid

• Improved base and lid design for better air circulation

• Comprehensive instruction booklet

• 4 chapter DVD guide for beginners

• Start-up worm bedding

• Minerals

• Accessory kit includes: thermometer, hand rake, and scraper • Built in leachate (liquid fertilizer) collector tray and spigot for easy draining  

I would recommend ordering the voucher for the red wiggler worms as well for the best start to your Worm Factory 360. It adds to the initial start-up cost but it lasts so long and you keep getting nutrient-rich compost without any additional costs! I just LOVE throwing stuff that would otherwise go in the garbage in the Worm Factory and then getting something so beneficial to my garden and other growing ventures!  

Be sure to click here and follow Nature’s Footprint on Facebook for lots of great info on vermicomposting!  

Don’t forget about the 20% discount offered to HFFG fans through September 19th!   

I would like to extend many thanks to Nature’s Footprint for this fun and educational adventure! I wish all my readers their own fun and educational adventure in the world of composting and nutrient-rich vegetable gardens, houseplants, and flowers!

Part of my job is going over food logs from clients, but many people ask what the HFFG family eats! So here’s a candid look at a week of meals looks like for our family. 

Before you proceed, keep in mind a few things

1. We don’t eat perfect. We are on a budget. A tight one, in fact. But we do make a lot of sacrifices and have a lot of resources to get our groceries for MUCH less than most people. Check out How To Eat Healthy On a Budget webinar for how we do it!
2. This diet is not right for everyone. In fact, I have many clients whose bodies need a lot of healing before they are able to have things like properly-prepared grains or even fresh, unprocessed milk. (Be sure to check out my post Milk: Harmful or Helpful.) This is what our family has found to work for us after years of fine-tuning and healing from past issues. 
3. This kind of lifestyle DOES take some time. It is NOT easy or convenient. However, I’ve learned a lot of tips that I share at the bottom of this article for making it easier. But it still means it takes some effort. I personally would rather make a huge batch of homemade kombucha in place of watching television all the time. But part of the reason is because I have seen the amazing benefits of eating healthy and frankly when one is healthy and has energy, who wants to sit around and watch TV anyway?!! And for those who aren’t familiar with the HFFG family, time is kind of a luxury. 6 kids, homeschooling, work-at-home mom, and we have a small hobby farm. I’d say if I can make time to do it, so can anyone!
4. Our family has been on this journey towards a healthy lifestyle for 8 years. It does NOT happen overnight. In fact, gradual progression is usually best for everyone anyway! So don’t be too hard on yourself. Take it slow.  (That said, it’s important to note that for those who wait until they have severe health problems to change their diet, more drastic and sudden changes are usually needed to heal. So it’s best to start this transition BEFORE health problems come into the picture!

Sunday

Breakfast

Raw soaked muesli: organic oats soaked in filtered water with acid medium (raw ACV) overnight, added homemade raw milk kefir, raw honey, organic raspberries (Costco!), and chia seeds in morning.

Lunch

Veggie omeletes: Organic zucchini, organic red bell pepper, organic red onion, organic bella mushrooms, organic kale, pastured eggs and organic cheddar cheese;  Smoothies: homemade raw milk kefir, homemade kombucha, coconut milk, the rest of raspberries not used for breakfast, a couple strawberries, bananas, and lots of organic spinach.

Snack

Organic pink lady apple, homemade almond butter (with coconut oil, raw honey)

Dinner

Chicken spinach cheddar burgers (used organic ground chicken, oat flour in place of breadcrumbs) served on lettuce leaves instead of buns and with organic onion slices, organic avocado; boiled organic beets with pastured butter, Himalayan salt; homemade lacto-fermented sauerkraut.    

Monday

Breakfast

Homemade granola, deglet noor dates, chopped Brazil nuts, raw milk

Lunch

Clean-out the fridge salad: Organic mixed greens, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, homemade ranch; organic grapes

Snack

Homemade raw ice cream, homemade lemon coconut macaroons

Dinner

Veggie egg bake with sweet potato “crust” and bell peppers; kefir smoothies    

Tuesday

Breakfast

Homemade granola, whole raw milk

Lunch

Cooked (soaked) organic quinoa with mozzarella, organic broccoli, organic beet greens and Swiss chard (Whenever I get our organic produce order, I chop up lots of fresh leafy greens and keep them in the freezer so I can add them quickly to meals.); Fresh organic strawberries

Snack

Green kefir smoothies–Homemade raw milk kefir, coconut milk, organic spinach, organic kale, mixed berries, bananas.

Dinner

Burrito bowls: Organic cauliflower cilantro lime “rice,” organic grass-fed ground beef with homemade taco seasoning, organic cheddar, organic romaine, organic tomatoes, organic guacamole, salsa, sour cream; homemade lacto-fermented cortido (Latin American sauerkraut)

Wednesday

Breakfast

Soaked oatmeal with butter (from pastured cows which is much healthier and higher in vitamin A as well as other nutrients) and pure maple syrup, kefir smoothies

Lunch

Broccoli Bites, lacto-fermented ginger carrots (recipe from Nourishing Traditions)

Snack

Veggie tray: organic carrots, organic bell peppers, organic cherry tomatoes, organic snap peas with homemade spinach cream cheese dip (cream cheese, sour cream, seasonings, chopped organic spinach)

Dinner

BBQ Chicken Pineapple Pizza, homemade kombucha

Homemade Barbecue Sauce (I make a huge batch of it once in a while and freeze in quart jars so it’s quick and easy to pull out in the morning and thaw for dinner!)

Soaked quinoa pizza crust (recipe in my eBook), organic spinach, pineapple, organic chicken, organic red onion, organic red bell pepper, mozzarella

Thursday

Breakfast

Fried eggs (from our own pastured hens) over sauteed kale, homemade freshly-juiced veggies & fruit: organic carrots, organic oranges, organic kale (good use for stems leftover from what was chopped to saute with eggs), organic ginger, and organic lemon

Lunch

Leftover pizza, kombucha

Snack

Air-popped organic popcorn, pastured butter and virgin coconut oil, Himalayan salt

Dinner

Healthy Hamburger Helper–organic sweet potatoes, grass-fed beef, organic onions, organic greens (usually beet greens and/or kale) This is one of my favorite meals because it is surprisingly delicious, easy, and doesn’t make a lot of dishes.

Friday

Breakfast

Muesli (see Sunday’s breakfast) with organic blueberries, chia seeds

Lunch

BLT salad–organic turkey bacon, organic romaine, organic cheddar, homemade honey-mustard dressing; organic grapes

Snack

Veggie tray (It’s our favorite, easy, healthy snack!)

Dinner

Turkey burgers (this is my “night-off” meal–cheap, non-organic turkey burgers from Trader Joes. See–we don’t eat perfect all the time!) wrapped in organic romaine lettuce leaves, topped with sliced organic tomatoes, avocados, onions, organic Dijon mustard, homemade lacto-fermented dill pickle slices; baked sweet potatoes with pastured butter and salt.

Now I know lots of people are saying, “I can’t afford to feed my family like that!” But guess what–as I explain in my Budget webinar, our family spends less than most Americans per family member on groceries to eat like this. 

And for those who say, “I don’t have time to cook like this,” here are some time-saving tips that I’ve learned over the years:

1. Teach kids to cook! My 13-year old son makes breakfast just about every single morning and has for at least the last year or so. He remembers to soak the oats before going to bed the night beforehand, and whips up breakfast in the morning for muesli or oatmeal. For granola, he prepares it ahead of time and it is in the oven dehydrating the night before. He is also responsible for making the milk kefir every 2 days. And he’s the go-to guy when we need some spinach cream cheese dip made! And he makes a mean green smoothie! My 11-year old daughter can make many homemade salad dressings by memory now. I am teaching her how to make water kefir now. I am proud to say that these children know more about cooking than many adults in America today, and I am excited to see how much they will be able to cook by the time they are adults!
2. Cook big batches of EVERYTHING whenever possible. When I make soup, I make at least enough for lunch the next day and some to freeze for another night. Same with my homemade broccoli bites. And when it comes to probiotic-rich lacto-fermented veggies, I make at least a gallon at a time of various ones (fermented sauerkraut, fermented pickles, fermented ginger carrots, etc.) so that they are always on hand for a quick and healthy addition to each meal.
3. Have a variety of kitchen gadgets on hand like food processors, high-powered blenders, etc. They sure make life much easier! For instance when I make soup, I throw some rough-chopped carrots in my food processor and they are chopped super tiny super quickly, which makes the soup cook faster as well. This food processor also makes rices cauliflower in no time. 

There is a very sad (and very dangerous) irony of the backlash against the unvaccinated. And that is that those who are recently vaccinated cause what’s called secondary transmission. Ironically, THIS is what’s actually spreading these diseases. 

Yes, this may sound like a ridiculous claim but research actually proves this is the case. Vaccine product information sheets even admit it. Before you get offended and stop reading, please know that this information is given in an attempt to help protect people, including your loved ones.  Precious young babies and the sweet elderly are contracting illnesses because of this crucial information that the medical field is not telling us! What you don’t know CAN kill you (or your love ones)!

And since some people will only believe information from the government or government-preferred healthcare, you will notice that most of the information below is taken directly from government-run organizations such as the CDC and medical research published on PubMed.

Vaccines Cause Secondary Transmission

Whooping cough, aka pertussis, is one that fires up a lot of controversy. The unvaccinated are accused of causing babies to become very sick from this illness. Ironically, most babies actually contract whooping cough from children who were recently vaccinated, as proven in studies like this one published on the CDC’s website: 

“Vaccinated adolescents and adults may serve as reservoirs for silent infection and become potential transmitters to unprotected infants (3-11)…even young, recently vaccinated children may serve as reservoirs and potential transmitters of infection.”
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/5/00-0512_article

And this research published on the NY Times website found that those who are recently vaccinated with the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine carry the disease around in their throats and said:

“When you’re newly vaccinated you are an asymptomatic carrier, which is good for you, but not for the population.”  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/health/study-finds-vaccinated-baboons-can-still-carry-whooping-cough.html?_r=0

And this article confirms that as well and exposes the lie of the herd immunity:

“So in actual fact, the vaccinated are the ones who carry the disease and risk infecting the unvaccinated, rather than the other way around.”
http://www.vaccineriskawareness.com/The-Herd-Immunity-Theory-Treating-Our-Children-Like-Cattle

This goes for many of the vaccines. Various vaccines cause “shedding,” or secondary transmission, where the person who is newly vaccinated actually carries around this illness for a length of time after being innoculated.

The CDC themselves report regarding the flu nasal vaccine:

Data indicate that both children and adults vaccinated with nasal spray flu vaccine can shed vaccine viruses after vaccination…  http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/nasalspray.htm

 

Rotavirus is another vaccine that causes shedding and can infect others with this illness. From a PubMed study:

Immunocompromised contacts should be advised to avoid contact with stool from the immunised child if possible, particularly after the first vaccine dose for at least 14 days. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18922486

 

Measles vaccine is passed around by secondary transmission from newly-vaccinated people as well (again, taken directly from a research study published on PubMed): 

Measles virus RNA has been detected in the urine of the vaccinees as early as 1 day or as late as 14 days after vaccination.  Measles virus RNA was also detected in the urine samples from all four of the young adults between 1 and 13 days after vaccination.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC228449/

 

And same with the rubella. From the manufacturer’s own information packet on the vaccine:

Excretion of small amounts of the live attenuated rubella virus from the nose or throat has occurred in the majority of susceptible individuals 7 to 28 days after vaccination.  http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/m/mmr_ii/mmr_ii_pi.pdf  

(Also note on that product information sheet the terms “live attenuated rubella virus propagated in WI-38 human diploid lung fibroblasts” indicating the use of aborted fetal cells for this, as well as other, vaccines. See my link below for more information on aborted fetal cells in vaccines.)

 

This goes for the diseases that military personnel are vaccinated against as well. 

A 2-year-old boy spent seven weeks in the hospital and nearly died from a viral infection he got from the smallpox vaccination his father received before shipping out to Iraq, according to a government report and the doctors who treated him.

 

The child’s mother also developed lesions on her face and index finger. She has recovered, but because of her infection, she had to be confined to his room and witnessed every procedure performed on her child. 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/18/health/18smallpox.html?_r=0

(Another report on this story said that smallpox spores were found all over the house, on household surfaces, etc.)

Vaccines Cause Mutated Strains

To make matters worse, vaccines are causing strains of these diseases/illnesses to evolve and mutate into strains that are more difficult to treat. For instance:

In 2007, US health officials admitted that the pneumococcal vaccine had created superbugs that caused severe ear infections in children. Similarly bad news emerged about the hepatitis vaccine that same year, when immunologists discovered mutated vaccine-resistant viruses were causing disease16. And in developing countries, even to this day, health officials are concerned that polio viruses in the vaccine may not only be mutating, but may be causing the very disease they are supposed to prevent17.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/07/30/whooping-cough-vaccine.aspx

A mutated virus from the oral vaccine used to prevent the spread of polio in Nigeria has paralyzed at least 124 children in the West African country this year. (2009)

 

In Australia, dangerous new strains of whooping cough bacteria were reported in March 201214. The vaccine, researchers said, was responsible. The reason for this is because, while whooping cough is primarily attributed to Bordetella pertussisinfection, it is also caused by another closely related pathogen called B. parapertussis, which the vaccine does NOT protect against. Two years earlier, scientists at Penn State had already reported that the pertussis vaccine significantly enhanced the colonization of B. parapertussis, thereby promoting vaccine-resistant whooping cough outbreaks15.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/07/30/whooping-cough-vaccine.aspx

There are many ways vaccines do this. One is by damaging beneficial gut flora. At least 70% of the immune system is in the gut, so an imbalance of gut flora weakens the immune system. 

Other ways vaccines weaken the immune system are included in the article above.

 It is not coincidence that periods of various outbreaks, such as what we are dealing with currently with the enterovirus, happen in late summer when masses of schoolchildren are updated on school vaccine recommendations. Not only are we dealing with mass cases of secondary transmission during this time of year but we are also dealing with mutated and other various strains of illness due to weakened immune systems from vaccinations as well.

For more information on vaccines, including which ones are made from aborted fetal cells, research detailing the lack of efficacy of vaccines, and much more, please read my original post on Vaccination: A Physical And Spiritual Decision.

In the meantime, if you are going to continue inoculating your children with live viruses, please be considerate enough to keep them away from others for the recommended amount of time, especially young babies and the elderly, in order to prevent others from getting sick. 

Blessings of good health,

~Sara

This is the front of our new (smaller) house, after we added shutters and painted the front door red. Still lots of work to do like adding an herbal flower bed up front, but you can see from this picture why many would be surprised that a family of 8 lives in this house now!

Going against the grain sure can be tough. But we’re used to that, right?! I mean, choosing not to vaccinate, breastfeeding a toddler, not putting baby in a crib, giving birth at home, homeschooling, and not shopping for food at the grocery store tends to rub people the wrong way. But I had no idea choosing to buy a smaller house would, too! Guess I was wrong. 

Despite what anyone else thinks is best for our lives, we really felt God leading us to downsize the square footage of our house recently when we were getting ready to purchase our family’s first (and hopefully only) hobby farm. So when a house showed up on the market after two years of looking that fit all of our criteria but was just over half the size of our rental house, it didn’t phase us a bit.

And now, here we are–a family of 8 moving into a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home with roughly 1200 square feet finished (but around 1800 square feet of usable space). And we are loving it. Our rental home that we moved from had roughly 2000 square feet finished with much more usable space. (Wow, and now that I’m writing this out and actually calculating how much space we have in our new home, I am having second thoughts about writing this post even! I can’t believe we are getting criticism for living in a house with 1200 square feet finished!)

In this post, I’m going to share the reasons we decided to buy a smaller house and why are we enjoying it much more than a larger house!

Less Stuff Means Easier Cleaning!

I cannot believe how much stuff we got rid of when we were moving! And all things that we are doing just fine without! Less junk means cleaning is A LOT easier! For so long, I was so burdened with cleaning up after a family of 8, especially with making all of our meals homemade. Lots of dishes, lots of laundry, and then LOTS of cleaning! Now I realize that half of that cleaning time was simply because we had too much stuff!

Admittedly, it takes a strong will to avoid cluttering back up our house with garage sale finds and other good deals, but I have come to enjoy the ease of cleaning and an organized, clutter-free house enough to make me just say “no” at every good deal! That is definitely a big bonus of having a small house!

Smaller House Means More Land!

In our case, we essentially traded house size for land size. There was no way we would be able to afford a larger house AND acreage. We went from over 2000 square feet of house space with a 1/3 acre city lot to 1200 finished square feet of house and 5 acres. This is how we are able to finally fulfill our dream of growing/raising our own food (our new garden is bigger than the finished footage of our house at 1500 square feet, plus a 3000 square foot fruit orchard in the works, a barn for goats and chickens, pond for ducks, etc.).

If you have been following HFFG’s Facebook page for any length of time, you may have learned the importance of fresh, organically-grown food for good health. By the time most produce hits the grocery store, which is grown in nutrient-depleted soil, its small amount of nutritional properties are virtually gone. Organic produce is somewhat better, and grass-fed meats even better, but that can get expensive. So raising a lot of food ourselves will save us lots of money as well as give us more nutritional and health benefits! 

Which leads to the next benefit of living in a smaller house:

Smaller House Means Smaller Mortgage! (Which means more time with Daddy!)

 When we moved, we immediately saved $200/month on the mortgage alone. This was so awesome to us that we could buy a little land for our family hobby farm and still pay less each month than we were paying before!

Our house has a geothermal heating/air system which saves a lot of money each month on electric (in addition to the lower energy costs of heating/cooling a smaller home!). We also do not have to pay a city water bill anymore and do not have any natural gas costs because of the geothermal system, so with the reduction in the utility bills as well as the mortgage, we are saving around $500/month. And I anticipate that going down further when we are raising/growing much of our own food!

Lower bills, of course, means more time with Daddy (Mr. HFFG)! Because he is self-employed, he can dictate how much work he takes on based on our financial needs. Since being at our new homestead for only 2 months, Mr. HFFG has been home so much more and we are loving it!

Changed Health/Food Priorities

On that same note, a smaller mortgage for many people can mean more finances freed up to put towards good, healthy food! As I explain in my article about healthy eating being expensive, 50-100 years ago, the average American spent about half (50%) of their income on food and about 14% on their housing. Today, the average American spends about 35% of their income on housing and only 7% on food. What a change! And as disease rates continue to climb, houses continue to get bigger and food allotment continues to get smaller. There IS a direct correlation! As farmer and author Joel Salatin says, 

The percentage of American per capita income spent on food is the lowest of any country in the world. This historic low just ain’t normal. Never has a society spent less of its disposable income on food, as a percentage of all expenditures.” (From his book, “Folks, This Ain’t Normal”)

 

And Dr. Andrew Saul says: 

We’ve got our priorities all wrong. We drive expensive cars and live in big houses and eat the cheapest food possible.

 

On multiple occasions, I have stood in a family’s newly-purchased half-million-dollar house and heard them say that eating healthy is just too expensive.

For our family, purchasing a smaller house was our way of continuing to change our health priorities around as well!

Family Closeness

We received a bit of criticism for some of our older children not getting their own individual -rooms when we moved. But one of the things I like about having a smaller house is that it does not create isolated familial relationships. Too many pre-teens/teenagers sit in their room alone for hours on end when that time could be used to build relationships with other family members. And oftentimes, that time alone is NOT spent doing anything productive or beneficial, like sitting on the internet seeing things they should not see. Also, in my experience, when children have their own space, they begin to get possessive and self-centered. “Don’t go in there!” “Don’t touch my stuff!” This American, modern-day style of living does not foster the Godly behaviors and character qualities that we want our children to have.

Did you know that in Jesus’ day, families typically had homes with four “rooms” (spaces) or less. One of the spaces was used for animals. Another was used for living space/sleeping space. Note that the families often slept in the same space that was used as their living space. I wonder how they would have responded if someone had told them that their kids need their own room…

Even with 1200 finished square feet, I am burdened by the large size of our house compared to living conditions of many of God’s people across the world. Fortunately, many of them do not see large houses every day so they do not feel discontent. 

In our previous (bigger) rental home, the children asked every night if they could all sleep in the same room together. So many nights, we had an empty bedroom. I love that my children enjoy being so close to each other and I do not want to discourage that! So for our new house, we have converted to a Japanese lifestyle regarding sleeping arrangements. In Japan, futon-type mattresses are stored in closets and pulled out at night for sleeping. The mattresses are rolled onto the floor of the common living area where everyone sleeps.

I was given the opportunity to review a high-quality, cotton roll-out mattress from the company White Lotus Home. White Lotus Home produces all natural and organic bedding and other household items that are all handcrafted in the U.S. I was excited at the blessing to be able to review their natural cotton Stowaway (shikibuton) mattress for our children’s new sleeping arrangement. 

Another reason for making this change with our sleeping arrangements is because of the toxicity of standard mattresses. Most mattresses contain things like formeldahydge, petroleum-based chemicals that off-gas harmful VOC’s, and other toxins. And when it comes to foam mattresses, these are even more toxic!

There are only a couple of companies in America that I can find which make natural cotton shikibutons. White Lotus was the one that I really liked their mission and their wide selection of products.

My 13-year old son was given this stowaway mattress to test out for our new Japanese-style sleeping arrangement. He is only 13 but weighs slightly more than me (he weights around 120 lbs) so I wanted to see if this mattress would hold up to a full-grown-size person. 

At first glance, the mattress is very attractive and comfy. We also got a mattress cover with it in a cute color so it looks nice tucked in the closet. 

I was concerned the comfort and thickness of the cotton would not last. However, he has been using this mattress every single night for over 2 months and it has held up very well. It is just as comfortable and plush as it was when we first got it. 

This stowaway mattress is not very wide, so it works well to roll out many across a floor for multiple children. 

Crib mattresses are equally, if not more, toxic, which is why I recommend anyone using a crib for their sweet baby to check out White Lotus Home’s crib mattress! 

 To check out the stowaway mattress we have, go here: http://www.whitelotus.net/cotton-guest-bed.html

For other mattresses, be sure to check out White Lotus Home’s wool mattresses which are naturally flame-retardant and don’t require added flame-retardant additives. 

If you’re excited about this journey God has started us on with our new hobby farm, be sure to subscribe via email to HFFG’s posts. In the future, I will share pictures of our animals, our home, and lots of information, resources, and advice for raising healthy, organic food! Be sure to follow HFFG on Facebook where we discuss these things often as well!

Blessings of good health,

~Sara

When recommending natural products to increase a client’s progesterone levels, there is never a single product that will work for everyone. Some women need more supplementation and need it cycled, while others need just a tad of daily supplementation to help them along.

For those who need just a small amount of daily progesterone supplemented to help with PMS or other menstrual symptoms, hot flashes, insomnia, difficulty conceiving, or other things related to hormone imbalance, I often recommend Young Living’s Progessence Plus to those clients. I especially recommend it for teenagers suffering from symptoms of hormone imbalance.

Here are some of the things people have reported back to me about it:

 

 I used Progessence Plus and raised my progesterone level from a 1 to 19 in 6mo. I also got pregnant 4 months into using it! I used Progessence Plus and raised my progesterone level from a 1 to 19 in 6mo. I also got pregnant 4 months into using it!

 I gave my friend Progessence Plus and she was amazed at how quickly she got pregnant. I don’t remember the timeline, but I didn’t realize she & her husband had been trying and now they have a healthy 6 month old! She had been very regular & had been getting lots of ovarian cysts, but once she started using Progessence Plus, she didn’t have any cysts and she had a healthy pregnancy!

I use Progessence Plus. No more period cramps after using it consistently for 2 months. I also gave some to a lady suffering from hot flashes and not sleeping. Both of those resolved after a coupled days as well. Good stuff!

 

 

After two miscarriages, I decided to give this a try since our finances were limited, but we do invest in essential oils already. I bought a bottle, and the day I got it, I started using it.

Two days after that, I took a positive pregnancy test. Of course I was worried because of my previous miscarriages, but we told the Lord that no matter what happens, we would be grateful for each moment, and give Him the glory.
I continued using this product every twelve hours over my upper ankle (that is the pressure point for the uterus). I am happy to say that I am currently 17 weeks pregnant, and we just found out on Thursday that we are having a little girl! Doctor says my progesterone levels as well as everything else look perfect!!! Which is amazing, because progesterone levels have always been an issuer for me.

 

 

After a miscarriage at 8 weeks, I found I was pregnant again and so this time I decided to use bio-identical progesterone. I first used a different brand (Beeyoutiful’s Beeyoutiful Balance) but when I tried to go off of it at 12 weeks as instructed, I spotted for the entire week. Afraid of miscarrying again, I then began to use Progessence plus from 12 weeks to 16 weeks and was able to safely come off of it. My rainbow baby is now 6 months!

Progessence Plus contains approximately 1 to 2 mg of USP progesterone per drop, so a good dosage is to use 1 or 2 drops twice daily. Unlike progesterone creams that contain 20-40 mg, Progessence Plus does not need to be cycled and is best when used daily. Keep in mind that it is most beneficial for those who stay consistent with using it daily. 

For clients with more severe hormone imbalance, this amount may not be sufficient and they may need to transition to a higher dosage bio-identical progesterone cream. However, I find that Progessence Plus works nicely as an introductory dosage to those clients and that it is best to start out with the amount in Progessence Plus before supplementing with a higher dosage product, especially when hormone levels have not been tested to know exactly where they are.

Due to the profound benefits customers experience from Progessence Plus, it is quite frequently out of stock. I try to keep one bottle of it in my essential oils stock in my store at all times, so you can click here to see if there is any in stock. 

Otherwise, you can order by going here: https://www.youngliving.org/sjpoff01

If you would like to get it for 24% off the retail price, click here to find out more.

And if you would like additional help balancing hormones, click here for my one-hour webinar on Balancing Hormones Naturally, or click here to learn more about my personal health evaluation services.

Keep in mind that it is also essential to detoxify the body of excess estrogen, since too much estrogen will keep progesterone from increasing as needed. There is more about that and ways to do that in my webinar above.

May God bless you with strength and energy to carry out His work!

~Sara

While doing some research for my first eBook: Gluten: Biblical or Bad, I came across some startling research. I discovered that the problem some women are having with sour breastmilk that has to be boiled before giving to baby is likely due to mother’s gluten intolerance. 

Specifically, I found the following study:

Background & Aims: The frequency of elevated serum pancreatic enzymes in patients with celiac disease (celiac disease) is unknown. The aim of this ’study was to evaluate the serum levels of pancreatic enzymes in celiac disease patients.

 

Methods: Serum pancreatic isoamylase and lipase levels were assayed in 90 adult and 112 pediatric consecutive celiac disease patients at diagnosis and after 12 months of gluten-free diet (GFD). Serum elastase and trypsin levels were assayed in a subgroup of adult celiac disease patients. Pancreatic ultrasonography was also performed.

 

Results: Twenty-six adult (29%) and 29 pediatric (26%) celiac disease patients exhibited elevated values of serum pancreatic amylase and/or lipase; trypsin was elevated in 69% and elastase in 19%. The frequency of elevated serum pancreatic enzymes observed was identical in the patients with “typical” and “atypical” celiac disease symptoms and in the asymptomatic patients. Most of the elevated values were lower than 2-fold the threshold limits. Elevated pancreatic enzymes were not associated with alcohol consumption, drug use, presence of abdominal pain, or diabetes mellitus. Abdominal ultrasound scan showed no abnormal findings in the pancreatic region in any of the celiac disease patients. After 12 months of GFD, pancreatic amylase was elevated in 3 cases and lipase in 2 cases; these patients had not strictly adhered to the GFD.

 

Conclusions: We demonstrated a frequency of about 25% of elevated pancreatic enzymes values in celiac disease patients, including subjects without gastrointestinal manifestations and apparently asymptomatic subjects. The finding of elevated serum amylase or lipase level, in the absence of signs of pancreatic disease, would appear to suggest a need to screen for celiac disease.

Rates of appendicitis are continuing to rise. And it saddens me to see so many children (and adults) suffer from an illness that results in removing a God-given organ which conventional medicine claims is unnecessary. If God put that part in our body, then He obviously put it there for a reason! It’s sad also because this can be easily prevented! Furthermore, a problem with the appendix is not just a problem in one part of the body. It represents a problem with the whole body that is simply manifesting itself as one particular illness at that time. It does NOT eliminate the underlying problem that will likely go on to cause other illnesses.

So What’s Really The Problem?

In a nutshell, the problem is bad foods. Just like it is with almost all other illnesses and disease. 

Recent scientific findings have determined that the appendix is a storehouse for bacteria. Sort of like backup reserves of good bacteria to help keep the gastrointestinal system healthy in the case of good gut flora being wiped out due to a sudden illness or other incident that wipes out the gut flora.

However, most people’s gastrointestinal systems are wrought with unhealthy gut flora and bad bacteria due to Gut Destroyers: things that damage healthy gut flora like antibiotics, chlorinated water, GMO foods, sugar, oral contraceptives, and more. (Click here for my full post on Gut Destroyers.)

So the appendix uses up the storehouse of beneficial bacteria by consistently trying to restore gut health, the appendix itself becomes overwhelmed with pathogenic (bad) bacteria just like the gut.

If you read my first post on Gut Health, you know that this doesn’t just cause problems with the appendix but also causes many other health problems, including allergies, asthma, frequent colds, bowel problems, and autoimmune diseases.

In order to ensure healthy gut flora and a healthy appendix, here’s what to do:

1. DON’T EAT CONVENTIONAL MEAT!

This is first and foremost of importance. Rates of appendicitis even in health circles is rising due to increased consumption of meat with Paleo and primal diets. 

The problem with meat is the E. Coli bacteria. Research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in 1996 showed that E. Coli bacteria was found in 88% of inflamed appendices. 

EIGHTY-EIGHT PERCENT!! 

Researchers concluded that “certain combinations of virulent E. coli and other bacteria (such as anaerobes) act in concert and cause inflammation.”

E. Coli bacteria is pervasive in conventional meats as a result of those animals being fed corn and raised in unnatural conditions.

For instance, cows are not meant to eat corn. Even Scripture tells us that cows are to be grass-fed. 

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate– bringing forth food from the earth… (Psalm 104:14)

 

I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 11:15)

 

Higher amounts of corn lowers the cow’s intestinal pH. This acidity favors the growth of acid-tolerant bacteria like E. coli. 

We are seeing a substantial and steady increase in problems related to E. coli bacteria, yet most people do not realize this. Doctors do not inform their patients that E. coli may likely be the cause of appendicitis or urinary tract infections. (Stay tuned for HFFG’s post on UTI’s!)

So the first step to preventing appendicitis is to avoid meat from animals fed grain. This includes most meat from grocery stores, restaurant meats, and unfortunately even those found at farmers’ markets from animals fed grain. Be sure the meat you eat is specifically labeled as “100% grass-fed.” Simply stating “grass-fed” could mean that the animal is fed grain at the end of their life, so be sure it is 100% grass-fed. It is best to purchase your meat from a local farmer where you can see the animals being raised yourself. Go to www.localharvest.org to find a farmer in your area.

2. PROBIOTICS!

In order to help maintain a healthy gut flora (and thus a healthy appendix), it’s important to provide it with a continual source of beneficial bacteria. That’s where probiotics come in!

I recommend that everyone take probiotics every single day to counteract the onslaught of Gut Destroyers (see below) that are pervasive in our food and environment.

Probiotics can come from supplements or foods. Probiotic foods such as homemade milk kefir, yogurt, kombucha, and lacto-fermented vegetables are an inexpensive and delicious way to get great-quality, high-potency probiotics. 

Click here to read my post on Probiotics that includes more information on homemade probiotics as well as brand recommendations for good probiotic supplements.

3. FIBER

Fiber is the part of natural foods (plant foods, the only place fiber is found) that isn’t digested. It provides “roughage” for everything that you eat and helps things move through the digestive process. In Dr. Rex Russell’s book, What The Bible Says About Healthy Living, he notes the importance of fiber based on a group of African men, some living in Africa and some attending school in England. The African natives ate a traditional high-fiber diet and rarely needed medical attention. The Africans who were at school in England were enjoying processed foods without fiber. They suffered from episodes of appendicitis, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and gallstones. 

In over four years of providing nutrition counseling to clients, I can count on one hand the amount of people who consume enough dietary fiber from vegetables. Even those who ate Paleo, gluten-free, no sugar, and/or other very healthy dietary choices still did not consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruit (more vegetables than fruit is healthiest) per day. 

This is a big problem, especially considering that THESE are the original foods God intended for us to eat (see Genesis 1:29) and that He designed for our bodies to consume.

Ideally, 2 of those servings should come from organic dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, romaine, chard, beet greens, etc. 

These foods provide fiber as well as other nutrients that help increase the body’s transit time (time it takes for food to be digested and eliminated) as well as provide the gut with the nutrients needed for healthy digestion (such as vitamin K).

4. AVOID GUT DESTROYERS

Finally, it’s important to avoid things that destroy beneficial gut flora such as:

• Antibiotics (directly via prescription and indirectly via meats/dairy from animals treated with hormones)
• Chlorinated water (chlorinated swimming pools, drinking chlorinated tap water, etc.)
• Birth Control Pills
• Infant formula
• SUGAR! Sugar feeds pathogenic (bad) bacteria which overwhelms and then outnumbers beneficial (good) bacteria.
• Genetically-modified foods (GMO’s)
• Birth via c-section or vaginal birth from a mother who does not have healthy gut flora
• Gluten (For more info, click here for my Gluten eBook)
• Stress
• Improperly chewing food

For my full post on Gut Destroyers, click here.

 For information on my personal nutrition health evaluation services to help change your family’s diet and health, click here.

Blessings of good health,

~Sara

REF: Clinical Infectious Diseases 1996; 23:1038-42