The Blessing of Thanksgiving

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln instituted Thanksgiving as a national holiday?  Did you know that Thanksgiving was first observed as an official holiday in 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War?  It seems that while the country was in the midst of a horrible dividing conflict, a wise president had the insight to institute a holiday that encouraged people to remember all they had to be thankful for, something that may have been very hard at the time.

President Lincoln couldn't possibly have known what modern studies show, that feeling gratitude actually helps us feel better.  One particular study showed that writing daily gratitude in a journal made a difference in both emotional and physical well being, something that would have made a big difference in the middle of a national crisis.

I have found that while gratitude doesn't change anything, it actually changes everything.  Being grateful doesn't change your circumstances, but it changes how you feel in your circumstances.  It makes you more positive, happy and content.  This ultimately can help you change your circumstances.

At this time we are going through a somewhat different kind of national crisis than in Abraham Lincoln's time, a crisis that hurts my heart from all sides.  In addition, many people in our nation are suffering from personal hardships of their own.  A wise man once said that if you treat those you interact with as if they were in serious trouble, you will be right more than half the time.  Many go through unseen trials, invisible to the public eye.  Abraham Lincoln was onto something valuable when he proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving.

As with any gift, the amount of benefit you get depends entirely on you.  This Thanksgiving you may choose to enjoy the day off, and eat delicious foods prepared by you or others...... or you may take it a step further and add listing those things you are thankful for......... or you make take the opportunity to start a journal of daily things you are grateful for, considering the ways your life is blessed.  You may even choose to give thanks to your Higher Power for the good things in your life. 

Thanksgiving itself is a gift, an opportunity to think about and contemplate the good things in life.  May each of us use that gift to the extent we choose, and may we each see the many good things our life in this country contains.

Imprints

When you think about someone walking across a sandy beach barefooted, you can almost see the imprints of their feet left in the sand behind them.  You may have a sweet memory of making imprints of snow angels in the fresh snow, or of imprinting your fingers into soft play dough.  These are physical imprints.

There is another kind of imprint, the kind you can't see. These are the prints that are made on one's soul.  These can be positive or negative imprints, but they make a mark on us that stays with us.  If we could visualize our souls, we would see that all of our experiences leave imprints on us that affect us in some way. 

Many years ago when I had a house full of little children our washing machine broke down.  It wasn't fixable, and we had no money to replace it.  My generous neighbor across the street offered to let us use her laundry room one day a week......for as long as we needed.  Her laundry room was right inside her garage door, and she left her garage door up every Monday so that I could walk through her garage to do my laundry.  It was a real life saver.  I did this for months until we could afford a new one.  I have never forgotten that kindness.  It made a permanent imprint on my soul.  That experienced changed me. 

Another neighbor would use a blower every fall to blow all the leaves from our road, gutters and sidewalks onto our lawns.  She didn't just blow the leaves in front of her own house, but all of the houses around her as well.  She made it easy for us just mow up the leaves from our grass, and our street looked well manicured.  She performed this act of kindness for all of us for many years until she moved away.  The imprint this left on me has instilled a desire to be aware of the needs of those around me, and help in ways that I can.

Another imprint came when I came home at dinner-time after a hectic day of taking care of little ones, driving carpool, parent-teacher conferences and transporting children to far away dance classes that ended at dinnertime, then fighting traffic to get home.  I walked in the door exhausted with my hungry children and wondered what I could make for dinner.  There, sitting on my counter, almost to my disbelief, was a beautiful casserole and a basket of rolls.  I literally had to touch it to make sure I was not hallucinating.  Not only was I not hallucinating, but it was still hot!  I later found out it came from a neighbor a few streets over who had made double and thought of me.  Her timing was unbelievable.  That meal, on the busiest of days, left an imprint on my soul that will never be forgotten.

We all have the ability to leave positive as well as negative imprints on each others souls.  I pray that in our efforts to make the world a better place we seek to leave positive imprints on all those around us, and on our own families most of all.

How to Treat a UTI Without Antibiotics

Do you suffer from recurring UTI's, or know someone who does?  UTI (Urinary tract infection)  studies show that around 60% of women suffer from recurring bladder infections.  I have suffered from them practically my whole life.  I have five sisters.  Most of them struggle on a regular basis as well.  For years I have taken antibiotics every time I get an infection.  For me, these infections come on quickly, usually in less than an hour.  When this happens I drop everything and beeline it to the closest Instacare.  It is hugely disrupting, upsetting and painful.  I have even had to have doctors call  in prescriptions for me to take on vacations and camping trips in case an infections should crop up.

Besides the inconvenience of these emergencies, it is also not good for the body to take antibiotics so often.  Many antibiotics have unwanted side-effects, resistance can build up, and the killing of good bacteria or flora of the body as well as the bad, putting the body out of balance for prolonged periods of time.  I recently read an article from the Mayo clinic outlining the risks of taking antibiotics too frequently.

After years of taking antibiotics multiple times per year, one of my sisters told me she had discovered a way to treat UTIs without antibiotics.  I was instantly interested.  She gave me a recipe for an aloe vera drink to be taken for 1-2 days when symptoms start to manifest.  I went out and got a giant aloe vera plant immediately.  The first couple of times I tried this method it totally worked.  Then...... it stopped working.  It would hold the symptoms at bay, but it no longer cured the infections for me.  I still had to get an antibiotic, just not quite as urgently.  Nevertheless, this experience opened my mind to the possibility that a UTI could possibly be cured in ways other than antibiotics, and I spent the next several years searching for any such solutions.  The internet surprisingly was of very little help.

Eventually another of my sisters told me that taking Alka Seltzer cures her UTIs.  Crazy, right? I tried it.  Though it works for her, it only held mine at bay. But it worked well enough for me to put off getting an antibiotic until it was convenient within a short 24 hour period.

Eventually I was led to oils and holistic methods, which, being a nurse, I never thought I would turn to.  Surprisingly, I have actually had success with this method!  Since spring I have successfully cured 3 UTIs without antibiotics. I am so thrilled with this success that I want to share it with you! 

I have no idea why some methods work for some people but not for others, so here is a list of all the possible things that may work for you.  Try different things and find the combination that works for you. (listed from easiest things to try first to more involved methods)

1. Alka Seltzer: Take 1 Alka Seltzer dissolved in water when symptoms occur, and one right before bed so it can sit in your bladder all night.  Take one more as needed.  If this method is going to work, it will by this point.

2. Aloe Vera drink:
Three large aloe vera leaves (YouTube how to cut and gut if needed)
Two Tbsp lemon juice
Three Tbsp honey
Water/ice to make 6 cups total
Blend all in blender and drink this throughout the day.  May need to make a batch/day for 2-3 days.  Again, if this method is going to work, it will by this point.

3.  DoTerra oils: (DoTerra brand specifically because it has no additives/fillers and is more concentrated/pure than other brands)  *Independent studies about this available upon request.
In an empty gel capsule add 3 drops each of oregano, tea tree and lemon oils.  Take these oils 4-5 times per day.  You can put the oils directly on your tongue, but they are very unpleasant to take straight.  Gel capsules are very inexpensive and much more pleasant to use.  Do this method for 10-16 days or until you feel the infection is gone.

4.  Goldenseal/Silver spray combination.
Again, you will need gel capsules.

Drop 1 dropper-ful of this specific Goldenseal liquid into a gel capsule.  Take this 3-4 times per day. Also spray 10 sprays of this specific silver spray directly into your mouth 3-4 times per day.  (do not eat or drink for 5 minutes after spray) Use this combination for up to 6 weeks, or until you feel you no longer need them.  The amount of times per day can be decreased as time progresses.  If you are not sure, just do 6 weeks.

5.  Here is the most complicated method.  I have had to do this extreme combination only once, and I'm going to warn you now, it is pretty involved, and feels somewhat overwhelming and consuming at first until you adjust to the routine for the duration. 

*First, take 2 dissolved alka seltzer tablets.  May take AZO (pyridium over-the-counter for bladder pain.  Do not take pyridium on an empty stomach.  Believe me, I have done this and throwing up this bitter pill is one of the worst things I have ever done.  Also, it turns your urine bright orange.)

*Rub on your lower abdomen moring and night: a combination of DoTerra oregano, tea tree oil, lemon, lemongrass, onguard and thyme.  This is easiest if you combine them in a roller bottle.  You can add equal amounts of about 30 drops of each to the roller bottle for ongoing use.

*Apply to bottoms of feet morning and night:  1 drop of oregano oil to 10 drops of coconut oil or fractionated coconut oil and   (Oregano is a natural bacteriocide)

*Take a gel cap of 3 drops each of oregano, tea tree and lemon oils 3-5 times per day.

*Take the ACS 200 Extra Strength Colloidal silver spray (pictured above) 10 sprays in the mouth 4 times per day, not eating or drinking for 5 minutes after application. (easiest if you do it the same number of times as the last step, and at the same time)

*Take Natures Answer Goldenseal Extract drops (pictured above) 1 dropperful in capsule 3-4 times per day. (easiest if you do it the same number of times as the last step, and at the same time)

*Alter your diet to sugar free and dairy free for the duration of the infection.

*Drink half your body weight in ounces every day. 

*During bathing, wash peri-area with combination of liquid soap, 10 drops coconut oil, 2 drops oregano, 2 drops tea tree, 2 drops lemon, mixed in hand until lathers, then lathered in peri-area.

*You may also want to consider taking Prescript Assist specifically, a pro-biotic daily.

All of the products mentioned are available on Amazon.  DoTerra oils are cheaper directly on their website, DoTerra.com, especially if you pay the $35 membership fee  per year, or even better,  join a team to get even more perks from joining.  (I can give you more info on how to get the most out of your membership should you choose this route)

If all of these methods fail, you may have to break down and get an antibiotic.  I did have to do this once since I started using natural methods.  Some bacteria are nastier and harder to get rid of than others.

If you are someone who struggles with these unpleasant infections, may I suggest that you be proactive and procure the needed supplies ahead of time, so that when the crisis hits, you are prepared and ready for action!  Yes!