Sharing Is Caring

I had a bath.

This may seem random, or unimportant. However, quite the contrary.
It was not just any bath – it was the best bath of my life.

Let me back up here a bit. A couple weeks ago I woke up with a sore throat, swollen lymph’s, fever, congestion, and a head that felt so heavy that it could be used for bench pressing.
My sinuses were clogged, my chest didn’t feel good AND my tummy was making thunderous sounds which didn’t project an exciting future.  The next day came & went without much improvement, and on the 2nd day I was the epidimy of congested.

Throughout the day I thought of how wonderful a bath would feel in the evening – and I had a jar of gifted bath salts that I knew had something to do with “breathe easy”.

Not knowing how much of it to use, I assumed it was similar to taking an Epsom salt bath, so I dumped a good cup in there, with additional drops of my own eucalyptus & peppermint essential oils. I wanted relief.

After putting the oils & salts into the tub of running water, I left the room & closed the door to keep the warmth in the room while I gathered my drinking water, tea, tissue box, phone, and of course my laptop with “More Business Of Being Born” disc 3 of 4. =)

I come back into the bathroom with an aroma that was powerful enough to heal an army of congested soldiers.  I smiled. I smiled even bigger while slightly closing my eyes … my sight was compromised, but chest relief was here.

For the next hour I soaked in the best, comfort bringing bath ever. My sinuses, my chest … everything. I just felt amazing.

My first thought was ordering more and having a continual supply. Then I remembered the business who made this product was started by 2 moms in Tennessee. One of them has a little boy with Cystic Fibrosis. Found this on one of the news articles about them “My son, Josiah, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth," said Bausch. "Because we know what you put on your skin is as important as what you eat, because it absorbs into your skin, we came up with 'Breathe Easy' for him especially, just to help him breathe when he's congested.”

Hmmm so true. Anyways, just wanted to share. It seems there’s always somebody out there who gets hit with a bug of some sort and needs relief from congestion. Breathe Easy Sea Salt Soak is the answer!

This stuff should knock Vicks VapoRub off of anybody's congestion list. Big time.

Go. Buy it. Support some awesome Mama's. Relax. Enjoy the best bath of your life.

You're welcome.

The last year & a half has been beyond crazy & wonderful & challenging & awesome all at the same time. Of which left little time to blog =) However – I am alive & well, and ready to blog some more.

My last post here was on the awesomeness of nebulizing all kinds of great things.  Today, I talk about a totally new topic. This is something that was brand new to me, and made me cringe when I first heard of it. My first thoughts were “are you kidding me right now?!?…” (With a super high pitched voice). However, my opinions on the topic have drastically changed as I've seen jaw dropping results that would be WRONG of me not to share with all my health buddies out there.

Ready?

COFFEE ENEMAS & COLONICS

Don’t shriek & don’t go into cardiac arrest.  Not allowed. Not this time.

I got to a place in my health journey that made my husband & I wonder why certain aspects of my health seemed to plateau. Especially since our everyday food consumption consisted of organic, non-GMO, best-that-we-can-do type stuff. No white flour or sugar – mill our own grains, raw honey, raw cane sugar (complete sugar replacement), lots of new things made at home after discovering they were GMO (Miracle Whip for example, which now I make at home and it’s like the same, message me for the recipe :) … anyways, the point is – excellent diet, top of the line supplements & herbs, but yet not an increase in health or wellness.

My husband & I were talking about it, and he wondered … is there some sort of lining that is preventing absorption of all these nutrients? Especially since being diagnosed with CF at 3 weeks, and struggling big time with weight & malabsorption.  

He did oodles & oodles of research and we decided to try coffee enemas out. The benefits alone for the gallbladder & liver seemed to be well worth it.  According to our research, coffee enemas are not new at all. They've been around for hundreds of years. Once again we got reminded of King Solomon's words "There is nothing new under the sun".

“Coffee enemas are believed, by alternative practitioners, to enhance gallbladder and liver function and, in turn, process and excrete accumulated toxins, dead cells and bile waste products from the gallbladder and liver.

Coffee enemas are effective in stimulating a complex enzyme system involved in liver detoxification (called the Glutathione S-transferase enzyme system). The activity of these enzymes decreases free radical damage and blocks the activity of potent carcinogens. This increases the body’s detoxification rate by almost 600%. Studies have shown that coffee enemas also stimulate the contraction and emptying of the gallbladder. Coffee contains choleretics, substances that increase the release of toxin-rich bile from the gallbladder. ” 

– (Taken from “Precision Healing” by Gary L. Tunsky)

Side note: Some CFers suffer from CF associated liver disease or are at risk for it. Something for people to be proactive about. 

So, we ordered organic coffee specifically for enemas, bought an enema bag ($11 - $12 at your local drug store = making it financially doable. No crazy prices involved!) and started doing 2 enemas a day – AM & PM. In the evening we followed the coffee enema up by doing a chamomile enema so that I wouldn't have an issue sleeping. We did it for 3 months, and then decreased to 1 per week or 1 every other week.

Then we began Colonics. So far I've done 3 over a period of 1 ½ months. The day following my 2^nd colonic, I passed what I decided to call a “foreign object” (with a very strong French accent) … it was just under 5” long.

I sent it into the lab for testing because I wanted confirmation of what I thought it was. 3 weeks later I got a call, with the results. Drum-roll ...  It had been a long piece of mucus. In total I have passed about 18" of mucus.

Hearing that was a big time cause for celebration! It was SUCH an encouragement to me. Filled me with hope for not just myself, but for others.

At the end of the day, you can eat & drink as healthy as possible, but if you’re not digesting or absorbing it properly, it helps you virtually nothing. A lot of expensive urine & bowel movements would be more accurate terms.

Especially with a history of antibiotics, junk food or unhealthy diets – … we have stuff inside of us that’s probably been there since we were kids. Not even kidding. During colonics, some have passed things that have been in there 20+ years. Disgusting! Now you may shriek. It’s justified.

I'm all about cleansing the body and getting rid of what doesn't belong there, and enhancing the body’s ability to function the way God designed it to. This is an excellent way to do it.

Here are a few reasons why you should try an enema:

1. Reduces levels of toxicity by up to 600%. 

2. Cleans and heals the colon, improving peristalis.

3. Increases energy levels, improves mental clarity and mood.

4. Helps with depression, bad moods, sluggishness.

5. Helps eliminate parasites and candida.

6. Improves digestion, bile flow, eases bloating.

7. Detoxifies the liver and helps repair the liver.

(Taken from this website)

There is so much helpful information online – even youtube videos (not of the actual process, don’t worry) which explain the many benefits, the many testimonials, how to make & store the coffee, the different amounts one can do … et cetera. You might come across mixed opinions of which side to lay on, whether to massage your tummy or not, but it’s a totally up to you. What worked best for me was to lay on my right side.

Here’s a really good link about enemas from an awesome blogger =)

This was the protocol that worked best for me:
AM: ½ cup pre-made enema Coffee with 1 ½ cups filtered water. Heat to body temp &  go! Hold 15 minutes. Release.

PM: ½ cup pre-made enema Coffee with 1 ½ cups filtered water. Hold 15 minutes. Release and follow up with, 1 cup organic pre-made Chamomile tea with 1 cup filtered water. Again, hold 15 minutes.
Sometimes 15 minutes feels like forever. Don't feel bad if now & then you can't keep it that long. Try and breathe through it and hold as long as you possibly can. However, when you get to that point of nature calling, one must answer. =)

Side note: Avoid using a paper or cloth filter to strain coffee since some of the prime elements such as Cafestol will be lost by filtering the coffee this way.

If you don't have organic Chamomile at home & you're interested in adding this to your protocol, BulkHerbStore is a great place to get organic herbs. Click here for organic chamomile.

Now, grab a glass of juice, or water, or tea – and raise it up. 

~~To health & longevity. To defeating any and every statistic that is anti a long & healthy life.~~
{{hearing imaginary glasses clinking together}} 

 L’Chayim!

Nebulizing Colloidal Silver & Garlic

Hola!! Just a few things I figured I’d add to this post that either didn't make it into the vlog, or perhaps required wording correction… first of all - The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called Allicin. When attempting to mention this in the vlog, I had a bit of a wording mix-up =) Haha, forgive me!

Allicin is the chemical produced when garlic is chopped, pressed, juiced, chewed, or bruised. The finer the chopping and the more intensive the crushing, the more allicin is generated and the stronger the medicinal effect. (Woot woot!!!)

Timing is everything. I mentioned that when you start cutting/pressing/crushing, the clock starts ticking. After 10 minutes and within 30-45 minutes is the short time window that is provided to absorb the allicin, which AGAIN is released only when garlic is pressed, chewed, or juiced. After 30-45 min, the majority of allicin’s potency is gone … = not good.
For us girls, 8ml (cc) of Colloidal Silver with a few drops of garlic juices takes approximately 30-40 minutes to nebulize (depending on how much deep breathing we do) so the timing works out quite well. We just make sure that we have everything ready to go, so that once the garlic/allicin is ready, we are too!

Some fun facts about Garlic:

• Garlic has had a lot of cool historical uses … because of its antibiotic properties, garlic was used to treat wounds and infections and prevent gangrene during World War I.
• Garlic is known to stimulate T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells. Strong activity of these key cells promotes healthy immune system function, and strengthens the body's defenses.
• Garlic promotes the well being of the heart, and the well being of the immune system by enhancing the body's immune cell activity.
• Garlic has antioxidant properties
• Garlic helps maintain healthy blood circulation... 
• Ohhh and one of my favorite features that I just have to re-mention - garlic supports natural killer cells (the body's defense)

Picture it like this … a bunch of bad guys declaring war against your lungs. Then, BOOM! - You take garlic therefore strengthening and releasing a bunch of top-of-the-line soldiers that are armed with amazing weapons and just start killing and defeating the bad guys. It’s a shame you can’t grab a bowl of popcorn and sit back and watch.

For the adventurous individuals out there – here’s another great thing we came across online that you could to try: Nebulizing with colloidal silver and lobelia extract (5 parts colloidal silver to 1 part lobelia) to help bring up mucus, heal the lungs and eliminate any pathogens present.
Adding 1 part mullein can make the treatment even more effective. Mullein is an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory herb, which also fights respiratory viruses and aids in lung healing.

You can also just start out nebulizing colloidal silver on it's own - then try adding whatever else. =)

Annnnd that about sums up today’s post =) This was our first attempt at a vlog, so if you have any constructive criticism, or any other questions for that matter - send it over this way!
It’s hard to believe 2012 is almost over… we have a few weeks left. Make them count!

Aline & Kate

Today

What is a day? A pile of fleeting moments that just pass us by. How many of you stopped today and thought, “I am thankful for life” … or “I’m thankful for my family” … 

Days like today make me question so many different things. Like … why are some people taken, but yet here I am, alive and well?

Lezly Hodge. My friend … 22 years old, with the most beautiful blue eyes you've ever seen … took her last breath this morning. It’s hard to even accept – because a few months ago she was doing just fine. Fighting CF everyday like we all do, but always coming out on the winning side. And now? That last conversation we had, was the last. The last “hey girl, talk to you later” was the last.

Now, in our normal everyday conversation with friends and family, we casually end conversations assuming there will be many more. Assuming we have forever. But just think – if you knew that the last time you said “hi” or “goodbye” to your loved one, would be the last time, would you do it differently? Would you hug them tighter? Kiss their forehead? Would you choose to just agree to disagree on whatever topic you couldn't find mutual ground on? Would you forgive what they did to hurt you, even though it went against every grain in your being? Lezly said it well “Changing your actions are more important than you think” …

So. What actions in your life need … “changing”? Which people in your life do you have unsettled issues with? Go. Find them. Do the right thing.

People constantly say, “Life is to short”. Yes. It is. But what are you doing about it? Just quoting that like everyone else?

How are you to know what will come of tomorrow? Sure it could be just like any other day – a sunrise, your busy schedule, and the normalcy of life. Or it could be the day that changes everything. The day that something happens that you would never think would happen to you. Sure, someone else, but not … you.

Wake up. Shake your head once or twice and realize – there are no guarantees. So, forgive, learn, love and be grateful for everything. Even problems … be grateful for them. They are lessons & opportunities disguised in work clothes.

Today started out like any other day, but ended so differently. The CF community not only lost Lezly, but also Deb & Michelle. 3 girls that had their whole lives ahead of them.

Their chance is done.

You still have yours. You still breathe 18,000 times everyday. How often do you thank your Creator for that ability? Does it even cross your mind? 

Just stop and think about it for a moment. Take a break from your day. Find a quiet spot, sit down, close your eyes, and just think. As your day goes on, frame every so-called disaster with these words "In 5 years will this matter?". If it won't, then don't make a big deal out of it. 

Regina Brett said it well - "Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special". 

James 4:14  "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." 

Be grateful.

Pay attention.

-Aline

Boom.

This summer has been full of family, gardening, and discovering new ways to maintain good health. It seems we’re learning something new everyday – and I like it!

So the newest thing around our house is nebulizing colloidal silver. We’ve been drinking it for years as it’s helped with many different issues, and now we’re taking silver to a whole new level. Inhalation my friends. Inhalation.

Ohhhh the vapor!!

We’re hearing more about how people are having very positive results, even getting rid of bacteria’s that antibiotics haven’t been able to kill. **Woot woot**

It’s definitely a controversial subject … when one brings it up, you’re sure to hear in return “but what about that guy who turned gray”?? Many have been lead to believe that if they inhale, drink or so much as look at silver that they will turn gray. Nobody finishes the story of why … it’s simple cause & effect – if you produce a product in the wrong way, your results will likely be faulty. However, if you make & take silver in the correct way, it can change your life. We actually make our own ionic silver, and colloidal silver.
Saying, “change your life” sounds kind of dramatic, but I’m quite serious. I’m one of those people who have to go on very strong antibiotics just to knock a bug down a few notches, meanwhile never actually getting rid of it. I like to call these bugs repeat offenders.

As more research comes in, they’re finding that Pseudomonas is now one of the most highly antibiotic-resistant pathogens on earth. That combined with the knowledge that Pseudomonas is what has killed some of my friends … leaves me uneasy. Medical professionals have stated that once you have cultured Pseudomonas it is very, very hard to get rid of. (Ahem. I got rid of it) =) Click here to read more about Colloidal Silver and Pseudomonas Infections

So. What to do. Keep on treating symptoms? Or defeat it entirely?

Since controversy is already the topic of conversation, I feel the need to clear my head. The following thoughts and feelings have been milling around for quite some time. I find writing - or typing if you will, to be quite therapeutic. So, here it goes…

People often quote Albert Einstein “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.” – I agree. Would it also be fair to say, “Insanity is CF patients giving doctors control/permission to treat their disease and expecting not to end up a statistic”? By statistic I mean dead.

This photo is as good as it's gonna get. This = role model

If I’ve just stepped on your toes, big deal. You’ll recover. It’s about time people stopped tiptoeing around these types of issues in the name of being sensitive. You want raw? I am SICK of seeing my friends die. I write this with tears streaming down my face. Generally people start losing their friends to death somewhere in their 60’s, 70’s, or 80’s. I began to lose my friends at age 14. They’re kids. Young adults. Gone because a transplant didn’t come soon enough. Gone because they trusted their lives to their doctors who are only human. Gone because they weren’t informed.

It seems that everybody out there is holding out for the famous “cure”. Ever heard “Lets make CF stand for cure found”? If (big if & when) a "cure" was to be found for any number of diseases, how do you think it would affect all those at the upper management of their related research foundations, the Pharmaceutical industry, Scientists, Doctors and related health care professionals? Would their pay decrease? Would they be out of a job? Is your illness actually a business?

Health Care (better called sick care) is a multi billion-dollar a year industry. “What many Canadians may not grasp, however, is that Canada is a really big spender in health care. Recent estimates show that Canada spends 10 percent of its GDP on health (that’s more than $180 billion a year), which is higher than most countries, “... (Taken from http://www.irpp.org/po/archive/may10/maioni.pdf ) In Canada it’s the number one expenditure. A friend of mine said it well “no profit to be made from well people”.

Am I saying never see a doctor again, and never take antibiotics? Absolutely not. The goal here isn’t to go from one extreme to the other. The goal is balance. The medical professionals have their place in this world, along with helpful treatments.

Some of my favorite oils =)

Here’s what’s not ok:
-People using drugs like preventive candy and being buried 6 ft under because of it.
-People letting others make decisions for them that end up costing them their lives.
-People viewing any professional as a god, instead of the human that they are.

Why is it that our doctors don’t tell us about the positive effects of taking raw garlic? Or supplementing? Or nebulizing colloidal silver? I could go on naming a list of things that people can do in their own homes to prevent illness, so that they have a better quality of life. Could it be that our health is not their priority? Or could it be that they don’t know any better. They’re taught a specific way to deal with sickness and disease effectively limiting them to surgery, radiation, and prescribing of toxic pharmaceutical drugs. Anything outside of this can be cause to lose their license to practice.
At the end of the day it’s our job to do our own research and figure out what is the best way to go.

Another good thing to point out is, not all doctors are the same. I am very blessed with an excellent family doctor who is open to what we do. Yay =)

Doctors are the lifeguards to our pool life. What are they there for? To be with us, constantly every day holding on to us as we try and free swim? No. They are there to intervene when we need help to stay afloat. This same logic can be applied to today’s birth industry, but that’s a topic for another time. Continuing on …

Bacteria’s are becoming less susceptible to antibiotics because instead of using it when it’s absolutely necessary (lifeguard intervention), they’re inhaling it on a daily basis. Many CF patients are on one or more antibiotics at all times, even when healthy.

Who’s the genius behind all that? Where is the logic behind treating the symptoms verses treating the cause of the problems?

Our therapy train. From right to left: my niece Linaya, Katherine,
and me. Being pounded on.

Now for CFers, the cause of the problem can’t just be treated or cured in the normal realm, because it’s a genetic issue. But ... we can change our DNA expressions. You may be thinking, whaaaat? Read on. Our bodies contain trillions of cells zooming around bringing special messages to other cells and organs. With proper bodily nutrition, our cells stay healthy and are able to communicate properly therefore correcting problems we all deal with on a daily basis.
But lets face it. This is the 21st century. People are more unhealthy, ill and lazy then ever before. Due to depletion in our soil, and the drastic effects GMO has had on our fresh produce we can't solely depend on it for good health. Our fresh produce today has only a fraction of nutrition that it used to. You’d have to eat more than half a dozen 2009 peaches to equal the nutritional content of a single 1959 peach.

“Agricultural practices are stripping the soil of nutrients with remarkable implications. They are devastating the nutritional value of crops, making dramatic changes at an alarming rate — in less than a lifetime, to be specific. As an example, the presence of Vitamin A has decreased from 41.1 (% loss) to 100% (loss) in 6 items tracked, apple, banana, broccoli, onion, potato, tomato. Of them, both onion and potato saw a 100% loss of Vitamin A, in a 48 year span from 1951-1999.”
(Taken from http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/effects-of-pesticides/nutrient-depleted-soil )

“The Earth Summit Statistics meeting in 1992 revealed that farmland in the U.S. is over 85% micronutrient depleted. Many people think that buying organic vegetables will remedy this problem. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. Just because a product says organic does not mean it was grown in nutrient rich soil. It simply means that many of the harsh chemical fertilizers were not employed. Of course, this is a step in the right direction, but it still doesn't answer the problem of nutrient deficiency.
Short of growing your own vegetables in soil you know is rich in nutrients, there is little you can do about this problem. Thankfully, your body can still receive all necessary nutrients by taking high quality nutritional supplements. You can still live a vibrantly healthy life if you are aware of the problems nutrient deficiency causes, and take action to protect yourself.”
(Taken from http://voices.yahoo.com/is-nutrient-depletion-soil-causing-poor-health-205270.html?cat=70 )

So true. Once our bodies have what it needs for our cells to communicate, things seem to harmonize =) It will send correct messages to our immune system.

More and more, people are waking up and realizing that it’s up to them to take responsibility for their own health. At this rate the patients of today are becoming the doctors of tomorrow because we have a vested interest, and it’s not our wallet.

Aline

Today's quotes:

-"All that mankind needs for good health and healing is provided by God in nature... the challenge to science is to find it."

-"Let your food be your medicine, let your medicine be your food. "

Remember Me

A thought came to my mind today ... a sobering one. Sometimes life is hard, sometimes it's super challenging, but we have a Heavenly Protector ... one who loves us more than we can fathom. When these things come to mind, end that thought with "Remember Me".

The next time a situation makes you want to lose it. Remember Me.

When a person hurts you deeply. Remember Me.

When someone angers you and you want to get even. Remember Me.

When you're so broken and you feel like nobody gets it. Remember Me.

When you're so happy, that you can't help but dance. Remember Me.
When everything is going right and you think you have it all. Remember Me.
When forgiveness seems impossible. Remember Me.

Just ... Remember Me. Giving My life. Separating your sin as far as the East is from the West.




Have a wonderful Leap Day,
Aline



P.S. If you want to be super blessed and blown away at how He loves and cares for you, read II Samuel 22.

Fighting It Naturally


Hola! I'm blogging from Canada ... burrr. It's been a nice few months since returning, but now the weather is cooling down =( We've had frost twice, and many days requiring our coats & toques & scarves. So, if you happen to think of us Canadians in pity, send up a prayer for an Indian summer. 


This post is to continue on with a few more ideas & things that we do naturally to help us stay healthy. My last post on this topic included:
* Gargling with salt water * Steam Rooms * Raw Garlic * Chest Physiotherapy * Physical exercise * Cough Tea * and of course Nutritional Supplements!!! Below are a few more =)

Drum-roll ...

Essential Omega Oils for joints and cognitive brain function (Omega 3) - I take fish oils & D3 (5,000 IU 3x per day) Another great way to naturally get Vitamin D is to get out in the sunshine for at least 30 minutes a day if possible. I envy all you living in a warmer climate that can do this year round =)


Casein Removal - 80% of the protein in Milk is Casein. When you consume casein, your body is seeing it as a foreign protein, and you land up producing histamines which end up as mucus. That's why it's mucus forming. This process takes 10-12 hours.
Let's not forget the law of replacement ... people use milk everyday in so many different things. So, substitute Cows Milk for Almond/Rice/Hemp milk. I personally use and LOVE Almond milk. We either buy non-GMO Almond Milk or make it ourselves. We have a great, simple recipe =)

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) - MSM is great for so many things. It helps detoxify the body and increase blood circulation, it relieve stress, inflammation, etc ... the list goes on. I get a glass of warm water, dissolve 1 tsp, and drink as often as I remember. Anywhere from 1-4 times per day.

Alfalfa  - Most CF patients are on either on ADEK's or SourceCF or some other form of Vitamin K. Vit K is excellent for blood vessels and much more. We started using Alfalfa in January of this year. We buy it in bulk and make them into pills for daily use.

Colloidal Silver - Kills virus' & bacteria ... I take it only when I'm sick, or if I feel something coming on.

The Nutritional Supplements I take (product name not listed on my blog) include Vitamins & Minerals, Enzymes (natural ones), Probiotics, Carbohydrates, Phytonutrients, Phytosterols, and Antioxidants.

That's all I can think of for now, have a great day & stay healthy!
Aline

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin to Winnie The Pooh :)