Friday, December 16, 2011

I Swear By These Methods


We try to take a natural approach to wellness in our house.  This means trying to avoid the doctor and medications, if possible.  Allen and I have been using these techniques for a while now and we are definitely believers in natural remedies.  However, you can't exactly get a kid to drink apple cider vinegar or use a neti pot, so when it comes to the kids, we preach hand washing, an organic healthy diet and plenty of sleep.  {our kids get 9-10 hours of sleep every night}  Getting sick is a part of life, but here's how we try our best to stay healthy, naturally.

Apple Cider Vinegar
This has been my medicine for a year now.  And for a year now I have not been to the doctor. {except for that pesky flu last January} and have not taken any medicine, other than Tylenol. 

I mix 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar with 8 oz cold water.  It has a unique {nice way of saying disgusting} taste to it.  Allen is a chugger, I am a slow sipper.  After every chug or every sip, we both make the same sour face.  BUT, it works! 

I try to drink it a few times a week to maintain good health.  It is said that apple cider vinegar helps with allergies, sinus infections, acne, flu, blood pressure, cholesterol, gout, fatigue and weight loss.  I can definitely vouch for it curing my sinus and allergy issues.  When I start to feel sick, I drink it 2 to 3 times a day and it does the trick.

Gargle Salt Water
I remember watching my Grandma gargle salt water at night.  I recently read that in addition to relieving a sore throat, it also prevents bacteria from growing.  So now I use it as a daily preventative. 

Humidifier
I'm a huge believer in humidifiers.  I pretty much use mine year round.  But it's definitely a good idea to use one when you have cold or sinus issues.  Using a humidifier every night also keeps my skin from getting dry and irritated.

Neti Pot
Ah, the neti pot.  It will probably freak you out the first time you use one.  But once you get the hang of it, it is a lifesaver.  I have definitely dodged sinus infections by using my neti pot at the first sign of an issue.  It provides instant relief. 

{Note: I wrote this post earlier in the day and since then, this article was released.  Whoa!  That's a little scary, although I'm sure it's rare.  Just to be safe, I may start using distilled or boiled water.}

{I am not a doctor.  Just a girl sharing what works for me.}


4 comments:

Alexandra P. said...

Hi, Liz.

I read your post on the home remedies you swear by and appreciated your recommendations. I have heard that Apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for acne, but wasn’t aware that it is helpful for so many other ailments, like allergies, sinus infections, acne, flu, blood pressure, cholesterol, gout, fatigue and weight loss. I too have sinus and allergy issues, so I’m intrigued to see whether your 1tablespoon/8 oz of water combination, 2 to 3 times a day, will work for me as well. I also saw that you use Neti pots. When I’m feeling congested, I also swear by Neti pots to irrigate my nose and sinuses. However, Neti pots were recently linked to two deaths in Louisiana and I thought your readers might appreciate more information on the dangers of Neti pots if they aren’t used properly. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals issued a warning several days ago about not using Neti pots with tap water because it can contain Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba that can be lethal.

This video analyzes the dangers using news coverage from several sources. It discusses the warning issued by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and explores how tap water containing the deadly parasites can penetrate the thin bone between the sinuses and the brain, causing an infection that eventually leads to meningities. I think your readers might appreciate more information on the dangers of improper Neti pot use and hope you will consider embedding the video in your post.

http://www.newsy.com/10236/

Thanks again for sharing your recommendations for maintaining good health. It is always helpful to get other people’s perspectives on healthy living.

Jessica said...

I'm going to have to start taking the apple cider. My grandfather swears by it. 30 plus yrs of drinking it! And he is 86 y/o! You need to go to Wellness mama blog, great things.

Indie Liz said...

Alexandra,
I'm glad you enjoyed the post. These methods have done wonders for me, but everyone has to find what works best for themselves. That is scary about the two Louisiana deaths linked to neti pots. I had never heard of such a thing and will definitely start using distilled water & replacing my neti pot from time to time. I did link an abc news article to my blog post alerting my readers of the recent news. However, thanks for sharing the newsy.com link too. It was very informative.

Indie Liz said...

Jessica,
Thanks! I will check out that blog.