Dr. Mom - Intro & Garlic

[Please note: Decide for yourself whether using herbs can aid the body. Never, ever let your loved ones get too ill before you see a doctor you trust. In time you may decide how much you are willing to treat at home.).

I admit I love doing anything myself - a kin to frugality and thriftiness. Anything and everything that I figure I can do short of brain surgery or shooting a rocket into space, I will do it myself.

I love to read about and find ways to heal sickness. Let me rephrase that. I love to help the body heal itself of sickness. I am a firm believer in special creation by a loving God who didn’t make mistakes when He designed us. He designed this miraculous “machine” to live, well, forever. And had not sin entered into this world, we could have lived forever. (thank you, Jesus, we still can live forever!)

Anyway, this wonderful body just needs pure water, real fresh food and lots of exercise and really we will live like we could live forever, or at least to a ripe old age in good health to the last breath.

I said “could” because frankly I didn’t start on this do-it-yourself kick till I was already 20 something and had 3 or 4 kids. We had a lot of back tracking to do to get to square one. I am glad my husband was willing to humor me as I “experimented” on him and his (our) children trying weird cures instead of running to the doctor for everything.

I learned to trust my instincts (God given, thank you). Even my doctor told me a mother knows her children better than he, a doctor, would. So, I took my natural interest in health and dug into herbs and found an amazing array of plants right in my own back yard or easily available at the store could help the body heal itself of illness.

I found garlic right off the bat. My kids squodged up their faces when I came at them with “the cure” but in time we saw ear infections, bronchitis, even pneumonia cured (Again, and I say this with confidence, but you will want to take care for your own family’s health. Decide for yourself whether using herbs can aid the body. Never, ever let your loved ones get too ill before you see a doctor you trust. In time you may decide how much you are willing to treat at home.).

I use the garlic in various ways. Raw is best. We have done everything from mincing it and spreading it thick with butter on bread, mincing it into salsa and munching it down with chips, eating raw (munch, munch – too brave for me!), or lately I peel a cup of cloves into a Vitamix and cover it plus an inch with 100 proof Vodka and blend it till it resembles apple sauce. This I put in a quart jar and cover. I set it in a dark place out of the way and everyday I shake it up. After at least two weeks I press the juice through a fine sieve (you can leave it sloppy if you want) and use ½ to 1 teaspoon every 3 - 4 hours during acute illness.

Another way is to mix equal amounts of garlic, onion, ginger root, hot pepper (at least a jalapeno – habanero is for the BRAVE ones) and horseradish in a Vitamix and cover with Apple Cider Vinegar and blend till sloppy. Put in a jar and shake daily. We have called this Szechwan sauce due to its spicy gingery flavor. You can use it right away, a teaspoon at a time. This is delicious as a marinade or salad dressing. Just add oil and herbs and voila!

Blend garlic in olive oil to make an ear oil suitable for healing ear infections. Rub garlic oil on the neck and throat of a sick one to get the goodness of garlic in through the skin.

During flu season or when someone else in the family is coming down with something, the rest of us take a dose once or twice a day to fend off the ickies.

I like garlic simply because it is easy to find at the grocery store and grow right in my backyard, too. Lots better for you and your body never builds immunity to garlic like it does with antibiotics.

One of my favorite user friendly herb books is called 10 Essential Herbs by Lalitha Thomas. I like her philosophy - use herbs you can find in your neighborhood or at the grocery. Simple, easy to understand. Garlic is one of her favorites, too.

It’s fun to help your family stay well. With God’s help we have managed to get well and stay well in the midst of flu and other nasty bugs. But remember to see your personal health care professional. It took me many years of watching my family go through illness and learning to trust my gut with when to see the doctor. Most doctors will humor your attempt to help your family get well with herbs IF you use your wits and don’t wait too long before you see your family Physician if your sickness should get out of hand.