Let the Allergies Begin....

As a child I suffered so badly from seasonal allergies that I couldn't even play outside during the most beautiful time of the year. I had the whole shabang- itchy throat, eyes, sniffles, itchy skin, ears, etc. For about 10 years, Afrin nasal spray became my best friend. When I was 23, I lost my sense of smell and taste due to a ginormous amount of nasal polyps caused by the years of nasal spray abuse. Growing up holistically, we tried everything under the sun, including the sun to solve my problems. Things would work, but only for a short time.

Oddly, after my polyp removal surgery, I have not been bothered by allergies again. Sadly my mother who still live in Pollenville, suffers every year. I have not found a concrete, 100% remedy for allergies. BUT, I continue to try and have found some things that seem to at least lessen the symptoms. I am actually working on an evil looking apple cider vinegar infusion as we speak, and hope that it will be the magic tonic to cure the world of all allergies, hunger, strife and disease. Awww, come on, there is nothing wrong with high hopes, right? So, here is a compilation of ideas. Look at the list, intuitively pick what resonates with you. THEN, create your shopping list!

Changes:

-Wash hair every night to prevent pollen from sleeping with you.
-Wash bed linens often in natural detergent- good sources for this are Trader Joe's, Herbally Grounded, Make your own, etc...

-Use a high quality essential oil diffuser. I Love, love, love the ultrasonic diffusers that are sold at Herbally Grounded. Best ever!

-Keep doors and windows closed

Other ideas:

Use a Neti Pot and rinse sinus' with sea salt and warm water. Doesn't hurt to put adrop of Lavender or Tea Tree in there as well. When I had my one and only sinus infection, the neti was a life saver.
Jala neti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herbs & Oils:

-Allergy Formula from Herbally Grounded
-Las Vegas Mix (Homeopathic) by Dolisos ( available at HG)

-Breathe Easy Essential Wellness Oil by Desert Rose- rub over bridge of nose at bedtime or as needed

-Peppermint/Chapparal tea sweetened with agave

-Garlic, garlic, fresh garlic (new post to come all about garlic)

-Inhaling Rosemary and Lemon Essential oils

I am never one to discount the importance of a good positive affirmation. Hre is one to try, or create your own:

"My body is whole, healthy, and perfectly content. I can breathe with ease and am grateful for every breath."

Remember, "As a man thinketh, so is he."- Poverbs 23:7

Picture yourself well!

Sweet Spring

Ahh, sweet spring. It reminds me of a favorite poem by Robert Frost:

A Prayer in Spring

OH, give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

To which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends he will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.

The roses are in bloom, the sun is shining sweetly, which is extra special because the summer sun here in Las Vegas burns so intensely. The birds and bees are busy, the roly poly's have awakened from their winter nap. The scents of Jasmine, Alyssum, fresh cut grass and rose petals fill the air. I gently removed the petals of two large roses for my bath last night, and thanked the bush for it's gift. I try and wait until just before the petals would naturally fall, before I remove them. It may sound strange, but I do not want to take them until they are ready to go. This time of year, our Heavenly Father, nature and the earth give back to us in such a beautiful way. Please take the time to appreciate it.

Considering it takes 3000 + pds. of rose petals to make one pound of essential oil, rose oil is treat, an indulgence and sometimes a necessity. Opening a bottle is like opening spring and letting the sweet freshness escape and float like visible music notes to a fertile ground where they can blossom and grow forever. Roses are the queens of the flowers. They are fragile, yet unbelievably hearty and possess a deeper strength than just paper thin petals. They have attitude, which is apparent in the fusion of the delicate flower and sharp, strong thorns. Their varieties are vast, and even I, a rose lover since birth, have a hard time choosing which color or variety is most beautiful. The pomaceous fruit of the rose, the rose hips are higher in vitamin C, than any other flower. Even after the beauty of the bloomed rose is gone, the rose is still functional and giving with the remaining rose hip, which can be eaten, ground up and dried and steeped as an herbal infusion. The rose to me, is a gift that keeps on giving. Upon the sadness of a beautiful bloom losing it's petals, the bush quickly has other blooming for our viewing pleasure. Whoever said to "stop and smell the roses, " sure knew what they were talking about.