Depression is a Normal Part of Life

MindTrac is another one of those great formulas to have on hand when you need it. The first time I used it was when my now 20 year old son was in 4th grade. It’s nice to be able to look back at this point in time where he is a grown up young man doing great things in his life, but in 4th grade I didn’t think he had a chance. We were going through some really hard times with him in school and at home. I would get my kids to school and then go back to bed until about noon, drag myself out of bed, get my work done, get some things done around the house and then pick up the kids from school. After about three weeks of this I realized I really had a problem and that I was depressed, stressed, anxious, you name it. I got on the Herbs First website and looked at the MindTrac formula and thought this would be a good one to try because it looked like it would cover every symptom I was having. From the first day that I tried it I was amazed at the difference, I didn’t feel like I had to sleep after getting the kids to school and I was better able to handle the difficult situation with my son until things turned around for him.

I use MindTrac when I need it, sometimes just for a day or two, sometimes for weeks until my body tells me I don’t need it anymore. It worked so well for me I told a family member about it and here is what she had to say:

“I have suffered with situational depression on and off over the last 13 years. When I was first diagnosed, my doctors had me taking a combination ofdifferent prescription medications for depression and anxiety. The side effects were horrendous! Not only did it not alleviate my symptoms of depression, it enhanced them, sending me into a deep spiral of despair. I felt that the medications actually changed my personality and I didn’t like the person I was becoming. Needless to say, that only made the depression worse. For almost 2 years as I suffered with this severe depression, I had thoughts of suicide, something I had not had before being medicated. I made three separate attempts to end my life and was hospitalized. In the hospital all they did was increase the medication until I felt like I was a walking zombie. It was then that it occurred to me that I had only thought of ending my life when the medication had first been prescribed. Once I recognized that the medication only made things worse for me, I stopped taking them altogether and tried to live the best I could with the depression. Since it was situational, once I was able to get out of the bad situations, the depression would subside. I still struggle when life throws me curve balls though! About 5 1/2 years ago, I was introduced to MindTrac. What a difference it has made for me! When I begin to feel down, or stressed out, I know it’s time to take some MindTrac. It helps me to be able to cope with the situations that I’m faced with, and I don’t have to worry about any side effects or having the depression worsen. I love that I can take it only when I need it, and that it helps me cope with the stressful situations in my life. I shudder to think of the roller coaster I was on several years ago and marvel at the changes in my life since I’ve turned to herbal remedies. I don’t know what I would do without this wonderful formula! I always make sure that I have several bottles in the cupboard so that I have it available when I need it the most. MindTrac is a life saver for me!”

Depression is a normal part of life. Life isn’t always easy and people are going to go through hard times and get stressed and depressed. Medication tends to cover up problems, cause other problems and not solve anything. Being able to take MindTrac to smooth out the edges and help people to get through those times is a better way, because you will know when you don’t need it anymore. Relax-Eze is a great formula to take with MindTrac for more severe cases. I have used both formulas apart and together for many years and they are of course on my “must have” list. We are again going through hard times, my husband’s loss of job and my father’s impending death to name a few. I don’t enjoy what we are going through, but being able to take MindTrac when needed makes a big difference.

Complete Tissue and Bone Formula to the rescue, again and again!

A few weeks ago when we were in Washington my husband and I spent our days working on my dad's house to get it ready to sell. My brother came up the day before we were to leave and between the three of us we put in 300 hours of work inside and outside of my dad’s house. When my brother left he put a for sale sign on the house and by the next afternoon it was sold. Our hard work paid off!

On our way home I was so happy to be off my feet, you see I spend a lot of time at the computer and after spending 9 days on my feet they were letting me know that they weren’t used to that. The balls of my feet were especially sore and it just didn’t dawn on me at the time that maybe I should take something for it. Last week when it had been 19 days since we had left my Dad’s I woke up one morning and realized this is not going to be a day that I will be able to exercise. The ball of my left foot was swollen and painful and I couldn’t put any weight on it. That’s when I thought, how dumb can you get? I started taking 4 capsules of Complete Tissue and Bone Formula three times a day and by the end of the second day I could tell the herbs were doing their work. Over the weekend my feet continued to improve.

This morning I was running around cleaning my house with bare feet and caught my little toe on a door and I broke it. I now have a new reason to keep taking the Complete Tissue & Bone Formula, but since my toe is broken I'll be upping my dosage to 6 times a day!

Arm yourself with a great Flu/Cold fighting arsenal

Essential Oils have amazing healing power and my family has grown to love the X-Plague blend from Garden Essence that we have at Herbs First. X-Plague contains Cloves, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus radiata and Rosemary Essential Oils. The highly anti-viral, antiseptic properties of the single oils contained in this blend help protect the body from the onset of flu, E-coli, candida, colds, sore throats, gum infection, canker sores and more. The Garden Essence oils are all full-strength oils and are not to be used straight from the bottle, but should be mixed with a carrier oil. A carrier oil can be any good oil that you may have such as olive oil or almond oil. Since X-Plague is used so often for colds, flu's and sore throats we
like to mix it into a bottle of Glandular Massage Oil. Glandular Massage Oil on its own is great for rubbing on the neck area when we have a sore throat. Here is what Dr. Christopher said about the Glandular Massage Oil in one of his newsletters:
"Tonsillitis: The tonsils are the tail end of the lymphatic system. They swell up with pus and infection when the body is overloaded with toxic material. When the system is overloaded with waste that an inactive lymphatic system cannot eliminate, the tonsils become enlarged and sore. They are a safety valve of the body - a warning system, if you wish. They should never be removed from the body. The lymphatic system can be cleared through exercise. The lymph system has no pump such as the bloodstream has the heart. Exercise can activate the lymph system to carry waste products from the cells. The glandular formula can be taken internally as a tea or capsules and externally as a fomentation around the neck covering the affected glands. Of course the tonsils will diminish in size and infectious content with adherence to the correct principles of nutrition contained in the mucusless diet. "
Adding X-Plague to the bottle of Glandular makes the two formulas together a great combination for keeping sickness at bay. We use is all winter on our necks and the upper chest before we head out to work or send the kids to school, and put it on our feet at night where the healing properties can be distributed throughout our entire bodies via the reflex points. Add 60 drops of X-Plague to a fresh bottle of Glandular Massage Oil and you are armed with a great Flu/Cold fighting arsenal.

In Dr. Christopher’s statement above he talks about exercise clearing the lymphatic system. The best exercise for keeping the lymph system moving is the rebounder also know as a mini-trampoline. I have used a rebounder for over 25 years and it is my main exercise in the morning while watching Good Morning America. The rebounder is fun and easy to use, kids love it, people of any age can use it including the elderly. I feel very energized and ready for the day after exercise. The ReboundAIR comes with a lifetime warranty and are built to last. The Standard and half-fold models are for people under 300 lbs. The Ultimate quarter fold model is for people weighing less that 400 lbs. Included with the Rebounder is a CD & DVD. The ReboundAIR is a great addition to any home exercise and wellness program.

Learn about more immune boosting herbs at Cleanse Nourish Heal.

You can purchase these herbs and and ReboundAIR rebounders at Herbs First.

The Choice Is Yours

A friend called me a few weeks ago to ask if I knew what was going on with her having numbness in her hands and feet. I didn’t know but could tell she was worried, so suggested she go to a doctor to find out what was wrong. She went and found that she has diabetes. Now that she knows what the problem is she can learn what to do for it. She ordered the Pancreas Formula and said wow, these herbs are way less expensive than the medication that they want to put me on.

I think this is a good time to review one of my older posts on my blog about Natural Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine. It is important to read this from time to time to remind us of how herbs and correct diet work in our bodies and why it is a better choice over conventional medicine. We also need to realize that we get ourselves into these kinds of messes from how we eat. My dad is a good example, he is my close family member that is on dialysis in the Natural Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine post, and the reason why we made a quick trip to Washington last month. I kept giving him herbs to cleanse his kidneys, build up his blood etc. He would say they aren’t working. When I was there I brought home the almost full bottles of everything that I gave him over the past few years. The herbs don’t work if they stay in the bottle, you have to actually open the bottle and eat them. He just didn’t want to change, has chosen the medical method and is paying an awful high price for it.

The lesson is this; we all choose our fate, is it eating whatever we want and using conventional medicine to only get worse and worse, or are we going to change our diet and use the herbs to help us maintain optimum health?? Dr. Christopher often said, this is a do it yourself plan. Learn what to do and then do it, and you will be healthy. The choice is clear for me.

I am happy to give links to people that ask. Please email me with what you are looking for if you can’t find it yourself. A great website to learn from is the Herbal Legacy Website from the School of Natural Healing, and where most of the links I give come from. Due to the FTC and FDA regulations we are not able to post this information on our website. We also have available for purchase, Dr. Christopher's School of Natural Healing Aliment CD Rom, $4.95 with a $50.00 purchase, or $13.97 without the minimum purchase. This CD is well worth the investment and has been updated from the old one that we offered a few years ago.

Comment from a subscriber:

Loved this and forwarded it to a lot of people. I keep getting..."So what can I do?" My answer is, "So what is the problem." They don't want to find out but they want someone else to fix it. Loved the story about your Dad. My sister did the same thing.

My question when she found out that she was ill, " Would you like to start an herbal program." Her answer was, " No, the doctor is going to heal me." She died in 2005. It is a planet of choice.
Herbally,
P. H.

Suzy’s First Road Trip

We have had our dog Suzy for almost three years, yet never had the opportunity to take her on a road trip. Besides going to the vet she was only in the car on one other occasion to see how she would do, and she threw up that time. My sister called on Sunday Sept 13th to let me know that my Dad was not able to move and was taken to the ER by ambulance. They found that he had an infection, gave him some antibiotics and released him. The next day my step mother ended up getting him back to the ER because he was much worse and he was admitted to the hospital. By the evening of the 14th things were not looking good and my husband and I decided that we had better

head up to be with him.

On Tuesday I bought a harness for Suzy to keep her safe in the seat. My husband Don tried to get her fitted and ready for the trip and she would have nothing to do with it. He tried to talk me out of taking her, but I just couldn’t leave her at home when I didn’t know how long we were going to be gone. I told him I would give her herbs and she would be fine. So very early on the 16th I gave her a Ginger capsule for the nausea and a Relax-Eze capsule for the hyperness. I could not believe how great she was, usually she would jump from seat to seat, but most of the trip she just slept on the floor, occasionally looking out the window. The trip took 12 1/2 hours to get there due to traffic problems and was a joy the whole way.

We ended up staying until the morning of the 26th, my Dad was released to a Rehabilitation Center on the 23rd which amazed me because I really thought he wasn’t going to make it. During most of our time in Washington we worked on fixing up his house so that it can be sold and move into something smaller. We worked very hard for about 12 hours a day and all I can say is thank goodness for Kava Kava. Both my husband and I have issues with our back & neck when we overwork. We took the Kava Kava at night and woke up in the morning with no stiff muscles. We also added Spirulina to our regular herbs that we take, Spirulina is a great super

food and has always given me energy.

On the 26th we went over to the rehabilitation center to say goodbye to my Dad. Don was going to keep Suzy outside while I went in for a minute. Suzy bolted for the door and ran in, so I asked if it was ok for her to be there and they said yes. We ran her down to my Dad’s room and he was quite happy to see her. On the way out I remembered that I had forgotten to give Suzy her herbs. They had some food on trays, so I put a small amount of scrambled eggs into a napkin to put the capsules in. She would not eat them, Don sniffed the eggs and said they smelled powdered. I went back into the center and got a packet of margarine and dipped the capsules in that. Suzy still would have nothing to do with it, she knows real butter from the imitation. Don ended up pushing them down her throat and holding her mouth closed until she swallowed. We headed back to Utah. Suzy was a bit hyper for about 15 minutes until the capsules took effect and was again docile for the entire trip.

Thank you for your patience while I was gone. I am now able to take phone orders at 801-701-9923.

Nasal Cleansing for Sinus Problems

I have had sinus and breathing problems for years due to allergies. At springtime last year we got these nasal cleansing pots in and after seeing them used on Oprah, Ellen and Good Morning America. They are also called Neti-pots and have been used for years by people living in other countries. I got one for myself and my husband and I started using it and was impressed. My husband held back for a few weeks and then finally gave it a try and he is faithful at using it now. We both love how much better our sinus' are doing and mine were doing so good that I stopped using it for awhile, and then noticed that I was having problems again, so now I am determined to use it faithfully morning and night. This is a simple inexpensive thing that people can do and well worth the effort. I use a little scoop of salt and fill up the pot and do one side, blow my nose, and then the other side. Takes about two minutes and is simple and easy enough that a child could do it. Buy a separate pot for each person, the plastic ones will last a long long time. Happy Breathing!!!!

Zucchini Bread Recipe

We went to a family reunion over the weekend, I usually sign up to bring a dessert so that there is a treat I feel good about eating. After eating lunch I was walking over to talk to two of my cousins who were discussing a piece of cake that they eaten. As I walked up they asked me if that was my Zucchini cake that they had eaten. I said yes, and they said we knew it was yours, it looked so healthy and tasted so good, and they knew because it had coconut in it. They had both gone over to get another piece but it was all gone. It is a bread recipe that I had baked it in a 9 x 13 inch cake pan and took a bottle of whipped cream to use for the topping. I hope you enjoy it too.

Zucchini Bread

Mix together:

3 eggs

1 cup butter, I use 1/2 c butter 1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 1/2 cups raw honey or 2 cups organic sugar

1 tbsp Vanilla

2 cups shredded zucchini, a little extra is ok, I just use what I have up to 3 cups

1 cup organic coconut

In a separate bowl whisk together:

3 cups whole wheat flour (I use sprouted whole wheat flour)

1 tsp. Real Salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Rumford baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon, or a little more if you really like it

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until just blended. Pour into pans. Bake at 350 degrees. Mini pans about 40 min. Regular loaf pan 45 - 50 min. 9x13 pan about 45 min.

I modified this recipe from a great cookbook I recently got called At Tiffany's Table. All the recipe's use honey as a sweetner, whole grains, wholesome recipes. I love this cookbook!

Accidental Poisoning

I love my pets and have been talking for years about treating them successfully with herbs. The other night we had some guests over for dinner and one of them is on seizure medicine. He accidently dropped a pill on the floor and before he could even bend down to pick it up our dog Suzy gulped it down. I called poison control and they told me the signs to look for but didn't know what it would do to a dog. I happened to have some Activated Charcoal in my cupboard, so I dipped one in butter and Suzy gulped it down as well. She seemed a bit hyper before we went to bed but settled down and in the morning thankfully was still with us. Activated charcoal is estimated to reduce absorption of poisonous substances up to 60%, and works by adsorbing chemicals, through the entire length of the stomach and small and large intestines (GI tract). I'm happy that I had it on hand to give at the moment that it was needed.

We sell this and other great herbs at Herbs First. You can order Activated Charcoal on our Nature's Way Favorites page.

Varicose Vein & Spider Vein Treatment

I have been seeing more advertisements on TV lately for Varicose Vein and Spider Vein Treatments. In the past ligation (tying off the vein) and stripping were the norm for the procedure. Now through Sclerotherapy a very small needle is used to inject a solution into the affected vein, causing it to close down and dry up. I know this might sound like a good idea to a lot of people, and I even know people that have had some of these procedures done, but think about it, aren’t the veins there for a reason? Wouldn’t it be better to go to the cause and fix the problem, because if the veins you see are having problems doesn’t it mean that there are veins with problems that you can’t see?

Dr. Christopher states that “sugars, pastries, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, breads, candies, etc., leach the calcium out of the body, causing varicose veins, cramps, charlie horses, loss of teeth, nervous upsets, etc. “[SNH p.531] Here is what Dr. Christopher taught about Herbal Calcium: “We need calcium for nerve sheath, vein and artery walls, bone, teeth, etc. This combination is all pure herbs. It is also used for cramps, "Charlie horses" and for all calcium needs in the body.” If you have varicose veins then your body is telling you that it needs calcium.

Getting more calcium is going to help many problems that are caused by low calcium levels in the body, but what do you do about the varicose veins? It really is a simple solution that anyone can do at home. Make a strong White Oak Bark tea, simmering it gently until it reduced to one-forth. I would use a heaping teaspoon of herb to one cup of water, steep for 15 minutes, strain and then simmer down to 4 oz of liquid. Then soak stockings of white cotton in the concentrated tea and wear them, covering them with plastic, all night. Cut off the foot part of the sock to pull it up to where it is needed. I would do this nightly for six nights a week, also drinking a cup of regular strength tea 3 - 4 times a day, or taking 2 capsules 3 - 4 times a day for a few months. You can read Dr. Christopher's complete article at Herbal Legacy.

By correcting the problem we are avoiding worse problems in the future. I think that it is a blessing to have the varicose veins inform you that you are low on calcium so you can correct it. Bone loss with osteoporosis is much harder to deal with, so avoid that and other problems by building your body up with a good source of plant based calcium.

White Oak Bark is available in bulk 4 oz, 8 oz. & 16 oz., as well as Western Botanicals capsules and extract.

Herbal Calcium is available in capsules, extract, bulk with Comfrey, and as a mix your own formula.

You can purchase these herbs and others at Herbs First.

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Make your own Granola for a fraction of the cost.

There are so many pre-made foods at the store that the easy way is to buy a box of this or a bag or that. I want the best for my family and the biggest reason I like to make my own food is so that I am in control of what goes into it. The best part about making it yourself is you can add things you like and omit things that you don't. I've been wanting to make granola for quite some time and finally got around to doing it. For a while I was buying a natural brand of granola which is very tasty and expensive. I made 96 oz. which is six pounds of granola for a fraction of the cost. It didn't take very long to mix it up, but took a while to dry it out, since I use a low heat method to retain the nutrients. Here is the recipe I used which I modified from the Coconut Lover's Cookbook.

Granola

6 cups organic old fashioned oats

5 cups organic shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup almonds, slivered almonds are easy

1 cup pecans, cut in pieces

1 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

1 cup honey

1 T cinnamon
1 T Vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt coconut oil on the stove with the honey.  When warmed add vanilla and cinnamon, stir until combined.  Add some stevia to it if you want it a little sweeter.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Dry in oven at 250 degrees for an hour, stirring it every 15 minutes so it doesn't burn. For a raw version put in the dehydrator at 120 degrees until dried, about 24 hours. It makes a great topping for cobbler!