Time goes by and like a blur we look back wandering where the years went.  Psalm 39:5 "...every mortal man is only a vapor."

When I had my first born, Noah, it seemed he went from baby to little boy overnight.  You want to scream, "Slow down!"  When Noah was three God gave us our second blessing, Kye. 

Shortly after I became sick.  Shaun took me to the ER three or four times.  Each time I was sent home and continued to get sicker.  Finally, I visited a doctor at his office and by this time I couldn't walk.  He recommended I be taken to a hospital by ambulance!  I had an autoimmune disease.  This is when time seemed to go into slow motion.  Wait a minute I have a 3 year old and 3 month old and married to a wonderful husband.  I don't won't to leave!

The doctor tells me, "It's treatable 9 out of 10 cases."  My thought went to the tenth person!  I asked, "Does that mean I'm going to die?"  The doctor answers, "Well, you're not dead yet." 

What I went through, with the Lord by my side, was so traumatic.  I was in the hospital paralyzed, breathing on a vent and with a feeding tube.  My stay for treatment and therapy was three and a half months in the hospital.  I had to learn how to walk again.  My parents cared for my children while Shaun stayed with me almost every night.  The Lord brought me through this.  He restored me!  Thank you, Jesus.  And thank you to all my family, friends, and even strangers who helped me in this dark time.

I let you know about this traumatic experience because of what came next.  Fear and anxiety came!  I was terrified of getting this autoimmune disease again,.  Any time I felt like I was getting sick, fear and anxiety were there.  I had dealt with fear and anxiety for years and now it was even more intense.

Fast forward a few years and what came from this struggle is now peace and trust.  You may be asking, "How did you overcome?"  I sought God for wisdom.  He has led me on a incredible journey of discovering how to stay healthy in body, mind and spirit. 

The first holistic approach He led me to was herbs.  I like to think of it as God's medicine cabinet.  Herbs for dealing with fear & anxiety, herbs to help me stay healthy and treat sicknesses like colds.  Thankfully, no one in my family has had to visit the doctor for sickness in years!  I love that knowledge about herbs is powerful. 

I want to share with you a few of the ways I like to use herbs to stay healthy.  It's important for me to note I have no affiliation with any site or brand I recommend.  So, here's a glace at my herbal cabinet.. 


For ANXIETY, I spray my pillow with lavender oil mixed with water and sometimes spray some on myself like perfume.  Drinking Chamomile Lavender hot tea is relaxing.  A great herbal blog and website I refer to is bulkherbstore.com.  Shoshanna, the owner, recommends great herbal books and gives valuable information about individual herbs. She also sells her blends. 

For SINUSES & COLDS, our family drinks a variety of teas.  My husband and I drink Gypsy Cold Care tea by Traditional Medicinals.  This herbal tea company also has Cold Calm tea for kids. Their kids herbal teas are only available online, so stock up to be prepared.    The whole family also drinks lemon, ginger, honey tea.   To make this tea pour boiling water over a half to 1 tsp. of ginger, squeeze lemon to taste (using at least 1 teaspoon) and sweeten with honey.  Add a dash of cayenne for inflammation.  We also use elderberry syrup.  It boosts your immune system.  Elderberry Syrup works best if you use it at the first sign of colds.

I try to use essential oils daily.  Usually thieves oil, a blend of 5 oils with a carrier oil.  I rub it on the back of my neck and glands.  If I am feeling sick will also rub on the bottom of my feet.   I apply at least two or three times a day when I'm sick. 

For FEVER, rub peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil down the spine and a little on the forehead.  This regulates the body's temperature.  We have had great results using this treatment on our kids for fever and have avoided over the counter medicines.

I am still learning, with excitement, about herbs!  Please share your favorite herbal treatment.

Tip of the week:
A good way to unwind after a stressful day is a warm bath with Epsom salt and lavender oil (taken from draxe.com). 

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Alisha



DISCLAIMER:  ANY INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT INTENDED TO TREAT, DIAGNOSE OR GIVE MEDICAL ADVICE.  SEEK A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL FOR ANY MEDICAL NEED

I was born in a small town in North Mississippi.  Summers were spent barefoot at Maime's, my grandmother, she lived down the road.  We lived in the country and I played all day with my siblings and cousins. 

Reminiscing about fond childhood memories gives me a sense of happiness.  While my childhood had it's share of good and bad, somewhere along the way I became, as labeled by my Mother, a "Worry Wart." 

Anxiety latched on and became a part of me.  In my twenties there were several times it sent me to the doctor.  Looking back at this struggle it never occurred to me to give it to God and focus on emotional healing.  Sometimes God heals right away but in my case He chose a different healing journey.  Mine is a faith journey.  It bent me, stretched me, and through this journey God grew me in knowing Him. 

Shaun & I at Mast General Store

My husband, Shaun, said it this way, "When you go through struggles it's not just for you.  You are to use what you have learned in the struggle to help others."  So, hopefully by sharing my anxiety battle and how God led me to overcome, heal, and thrive you will be encouraged to keep striving and learning until you too are healed!

Now, I would like to list a few things that helped me deal with anxiety.  I've been reading books and researching and growing in herbal care.  I began using herbs and essential oils like lavender.  I even enrolled in the introductory course at the New England Herbal Academy online.  My family and I started Tai Chi.  Tai Chi is a form of martial arts that helped me not only exercise but also relax.  Deep Breathing Exercise, which I have more info on below, and prayer.  Yes, prayer was key for me.  I will dive more into the helpful ways God led me to heal in a later post.



At the end of each blog post I want to pass along a tip that I found helpful in dealing with anxiety and fear.

Tip 1:  Deep Breathing Exercise (10-15 min)

1. Sit or lie down and relax
2. Place hand on your abdomen to see if it expands as you breathe.  If only your chest moves with your breaths you are shallow breathing.
3. Breathe deeply through your mouth, and breathe all the way down to your belly button.  Your stomach should rise as you inhale not your chest.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly and fully.  ( from "The Maker's Diet" by Jordan Rubin)

Not only does deep breathing benefit the physical body it helped me relax and let go of emotional stress.
(DISCLAIMER:  Any information or tip in any of my blog posts are not intended to treat, diagnose or heal any condition.)

I hope you have enjoyed this post. 
Please share ways you have found helpful in dealing with anxiety.

Blessings,
Alisha