 More than 15 years ago, we made the decision to begin drinking raw milk. You can learn more about that journey here and here. It was not a decision we took lightly, and I literally did over 100 hours of research before embarking on this new path. I know. I can see the smile on some of your faces, and I can see the nose wrinkling in disgust on others. Raw milk seems to divide foodies, nutritionists, medical professionals the way God divided the Red Sea for Moses. I never gave milk much thought thru my early 30’s. It came from the grocery store, and we consumed it like many people do. I knew people with ‘lactose intolerance’ and felt remotely sorry for them… not because they couldn’t enjoy milk, but because they also didn’t get to enjoy ice cream, yogurt, and cheese. Yes, I’ve been a dairy lover my whole life. It’s likely the reason my cholesterol started rising in my early 30’s. Cholesterol and Osteopenia were the driving force behind our introduction to raw milk. It was suggested to me after my diagnosis of both. Being the bookworm researcher that I am, I promptly went out and bought a few books: The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid, ND (Foreward by Sally Fallon of Weston A Price fame) The Milk Book by Dr. William Campbell Douglass (an easier read, not quite as detailed) I have to say that The Untold Story of Milk was likely the catalyst that changed the course of my life. It completely revealed true nutrition and wellness in ways I never found in college. I want to leave you with a few thoughts:
To each his own, but I’d encourage you all to have an open mind. Do a little research… and give raw milk a try. It has the flavor of mildly sweet melted vanilla ice cream.  3 generations  Morning Milking. Notice the froth!  Milk is slightly yellow… not white.  I know, it looks like whipped cream… truly this is how it comes out….. milk with a foamy top. Farmgirl style!
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Hey ya’ll, I’ve sent out the link to the Gut Health Class (scheduled for tomorrow…. Monday, July 24th at 7pm CST). If you signed up, and did not receive the link tonight, please message me and I will resend it. (To keep those spamming robots at bay, you can find my email address here . )
God Bless, and looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! Liz  Henri continues to keep her babies hidden, although we can hear them now. I’m pretty confident that we’ll soon see how many she has. She leaves them for longer periods of time, and is spending time relaxing on the porch with us, the cats, and the dogs. The interaction between species really is an amazing thing to witness.  She can be a real talker!  Today is a ‘pet me’ day.  Looking for a handout.  She loves rosehips, but in this pic she looks like she’s giving me ‘the treatment’.  Back to our conversation…  She doesn’t like it when I wear tank tops because when she jumps, there’s nothing to hold on to. I don’t care for that either! Squirrels have sharp claws! Here’s a few pics from one of our afternoons together. She is a wild squirrel now, and much like a temperamental cat, she chooses when and where she wants interaction. There are days that she is incredibly affectionate and wants petting, and there are other days where she just wants food and a brief hello. Aren’t we all like that, really?
We don’t push her, we just appreciate her presence. I’m still toying with getting her spayed, and really need to start investigating my options (ie: look for an exotic animal vet that will do it). Otherwise, we’ll be rehoming youngsters for the rest of our lives!  Good morning friends,
I saw an article this morning, and wanted to share it . Here are a few excerpts from the study referenced: “Investigators led by Caroline Wallace, PhD candidate, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, found that symptoms of mood, anhedonia, and sleep disturbance were significantly reduced with probiotic therapy after just 4 weeks, with results maintained at 8 weeks. The findings are of particular interest because probiotics are not associated with any of the adverse effects of current antidepressant therapies and can be safely taken over long periods. These results, the investigators note, “suggest that probiotics may be effective in alleviating depressive symptoms such as mood, anhedonia, and sleep quality.” Our gut is just so dang important for our overall body health…. not just physically, but also emotionally. Antidepressants are among the top three medication classes prescribed by doctors. I can verify that as a pharmacist. While antidepressants are not addictive, they do have the ability to completely change the wiring in your brain, making them very difficult to discontinue. I’ve been told by more than one patient that being on an antidepressant is like experiencing your world thru a filtered lens. Everything is muted, and while you may have muted depressed emotions, you will also find you have muted joy and pleasure. And yet, for mild to moderate depression, doctors offer this alternative over suggesting non-prescription remedies first. As we age or assault our gut with diet, antibiotics and household toxins, the good bacteria in our gut can’t maintain their healthy colony size……and, I’ve read that some of these little beasties (the Bifidobacterium strains specifically) really start to struggle when we’ve reached ‘a certain age’, leading to (among other things) anxiety, depression, and sleepless nights…. all things the elderly (or those with a gut issues) can struggle with. Sadly, almost no insurance pays for probiotics. Such a simple aid for such a widespread problem!……Just one more aspect of our broken healthcare system here in the USA. Not all probiotics are created equal, and there are hundreds of brands on the market. Among the many I have researched, there are only a few brands I would recommend. The reasons are diverse: packaging (not protective enough), strains (not diverse enough), quantity (not enough colony forming units to make much of an impact), release mechanism (releasing directly into the stomach is a death sentence for these beasties)….. the list goes on. While you can be thrifty and bargain shop for many things, probiotics is not one of them. In this case, you truly do get what you pay for. The best ones aren’t cheap; you can expect to pay about 25-30$/month. Even then, purchasing a pricey probiotic does not mean all the criteria above will be met. A close dissection and understanding of the label is very important. I know…. that sounds like a lot of money, but at 300-400$ per year, it is a darn cheap way to invest in your life, your health, and your emotional balance. I know people who spend that much on designer coffee and fast food each month (to the detriment of their health). We all have choices to make in life. One of the things I love and respect about Young Living (the company I do business with and endorse) is their ability to simplify my life. I really appreciate that their products do not require ‘label dissection’ (that was a game changer and time saver for me). All of them. Clean. Pure. Unadulterated. Researched & developed with attention to the minutia of detail….. making this pharm/farm girl one happy camper. Ya’ll take care and have a blessed day! Liz (Oh, and yes…. this picture has nothing to do with this article…. even tho these thistles are terrible weeds, I still thought it was a pretty thing ;). I love finding beauty in the everyday-ness out here.)  OK ya’ll….. I’m coming clean here… Sleep is important to me. I’ve researched sleep for several months now, and the more I researched, the more I appreciated its value. These last few days have been ginormously busy for me…. so much so, that I have not had a moment to catch my breath except when it’s time to head to bed. By 9:30 each night, I had to make some decisions…. what was more important? Sleeping or blogging. I know that many of you have hung out and reached out to me during sleep week, but I also knew that none of you would lose sleep if I missed a blog posting day. So….. I chose to make a good example of myself, and picked respecting my bedtime hour over blogging and sharing with you all. There is much more to sleep than I could cram into 7 days anyway, and I’d love to share more. If you’d like a more in depth class I’m happy to schedule one at some point. In the meantime, I leave you with this video about simple habits you can either break or create to gift yourself quality sleep. If I’ve piqued your interest in any products that have helped me and thousands of other people sleep please let me know, and I’ll show you the most economical way to own your own stash. Everyone deserves healthy restorative sleep! Enjoy!  Good morning friends! I hope you all got your rejuvenating, anti-aging 7+ hours of sleep last night! There is so much to cover, and so little time left in the week.
Blood sugar fluctuations… we all have them…. some people have a much larger span between high’s and low’s but more than 86 million Americans are fast approaching a ‘diagnoseable condition’ because of these fluctuations. Only 1 in 4 are actually aware of this ‘oncoming train’ that will ultimately affect their life in big ways. As I head off to farm chores this morning, I leave you with these thoughts. I see people with newly diagnosed conditions daily at the pharmacy. Often, they are blindsided by the diagnosis of a PREVENTABLE condition, and so the first trip to the pharmacy for their new prescription I see their ‘deer in the headlights’ look. This tells me that likely (in these instances) the person had not ‘listened to his/her body’ for an extended period of time, and a symptom finally forced him/her to the doctor. We’ve got to learn to be the CEO’s of our health. Your restless sleep (and other signs) may be trying to tell you something, and it’s up to you, the commanding officer of YOU, to decipher the clues. There is nothing more important than this.. The richest people have nothing if they do not have the health to enjoy life. I hear patients complain about the price of medication and healthcare at work. On top of that, they are now having to deal with a new ‘condition’. That condition may also cost them time and quality of life. We can choose to address our health PROACTIVELY (diet, SLEEP, exercise, avoiding toxins, man-made chemicals in the form of skincare, cleaning products….even hygiene goods, and chronic stress whenever possible, etc) and ‘pay for our healthcare’ by doing things to be well…. OR we can be REACTIVE and pay for our health later in the way of doctor visits, medications and healthcare related expenses, quality of life, and perhaps shortening of life. Life is full of choices, and this is a big one. I hate to leave you with such a heavy topic this morning, but if it resets at least one person’s thinking, then I think it’s worth it! Make it a great one! Tomorrow is our last day, and then it’s back to business as usual! This is such a huge topic… I’ve realized I can’t cram it all into 7 posts. I think I’ll ultimately have a longer online class later in the year for this topic if there is enough interest. Take care and make it a great day! Liz  Sleep! The saga continues…. so many pieces must fall into place for us to get a well rested night of ZZZZZZZ. (and I’m keeping this one short so I can hop into bed!) Both men and women need balanced hormones. A LOT can go wrong within our bodies if our hormones go wackadoodle (I know…..not a scientific term, but it’s FDA compliant !). Sleep pattern disruption is just one of those things. While this post focuses mainly on ‘The Change’, be aware that ‘wackadoodle’ hormones can happen at any age , but especially during puberty, pregnancy/childbirth, and ahem….. the aforementioned time. Disturbed sleep patterns caused by hormone imbalance aren’t just for women… men can have their own issues when testosterone levels begin fluctuating.  At the age of 50, I’ve found that my personal sleep is best supported by Tranquil on my toes at night, Progessence Plus on my forearms at night, and Estro drops in my NingXia Red the morning. These are all products that are available to you at wholesale pricing with the basic lifetime membership ($45) from Young Living.
Signing off for the day…. but know that I’m here for you if you’ve got any questions about some of these products I’ve just mentioned. Looking for a sheep herder? I’m happy to help!  Good morning sunshine! I hope you all woke up refreshed. This morning, I wanted to talk a little about melatonin.
Melatonin isn’t just for sleep. Small daily doses may also support our thyroid function and healthy estrogen levels (in women aged 42-62 years). I find it so interesting that ‘natural night time light colors’… think campfires, moonlight or fireflies are acceptable to our bodies, while unnatural (ie:manmade) lighting colors are disruptive. God certainly knew what he was doing Too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing…High doses of melatonin supplementation can actually cause the reverse effect and aggravate good sleep. Thank goodness Young Living knows this (those smarty pants!), and have given us ImmuPro and SleepEssence*. Immupro is an excellent immune system supporting supplement. Melatonin alone also supports the immune system (in proper amounts of course). This is one of the reasons it is an ingredient in ImmuPro…. while it does aid in sleep, it also does so much more! Remember, healing occurs greatest while we sleep.But did you also know that if our bodies are not producing enough melatonin (see the graphic above) due to even the briefest exposure to light at night or due to aging then our thymus gland begins to atrophy. And if our thymus isn’t functioning properly…. that is bad news indeed! A shriveled up thymus means that a key component of your immune system has been compromised. Approximately 9 million people in the USA take prescription sleeping pills regularly. Meds like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata (etc) are only approved by the FDA for short term use, and yet, doctors prescribe them like night time candy. I know this because they are some of the fastest moving drugs in our pharmacy. There are significant (and sometimes long term ) side effects of prescripton sleep aids… especially when taken regularly.
This is why it’s so important to uncover the root cause of sleepless nights, and address that, instead of the ‘band-aid’ solution in the form of a sleeping pill. I do not take ImmuPro or SleepEssence nightly, but I do keep at least one of these on hand…. and use them when I struggle with sleepless nights. The nice thing about these products is that you can take them occasionally, or regularly if needed without fear of addiction or side effects. As I’ve posted throughout the week, if today’s discussed products interest you, You can purchase a lifetime membership with Young Living for $45 (they throw in a free oil for stress too!) and then have access to ALL their products at wholesale pricing (24% off retail prices). You can order whatever you’d like with no minimum. Places like SAM’S and Costco charge a higher annual fee, and you get nothing but access to their buildings…. so this is a pretty great deal. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me. (If you choose to sign up with a membership…. regardless of the type, I’ll send you a 400+ page hardcopy reference manual and other resources to get you started). *Note: at the time of this writing, SleepEssence is sadly currently out of stock. DISCLAIMER: ALL POSTS, ARTICLES, LINKS OR TESTIMONIALS ON THIS SITE ARE FROM OUR “INDEPENDENT YOUNG LIVING WHOLESALE MEMBERS” WHO RECEIVE COMMISSION ON THE SALE OF COMPANY PRODUCTS. THEY ARE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES, REFLECTING THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO USED OUR PRODUCTS. HOWEVER INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY. WE DO NOT CLAIM, NOR SHOULD THE READER ASSUME, THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES RECOUNTED ARE TYPICAL OR REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT ANY OTHER CONSUMER MIGHT EXPERIENCE. TESTIMONIALS ARE NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE USING OUR PRODUCTS MAY EXPERIENCE. YOUNG LIVING IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPINIONS OR COMMENTS POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE, AND DO NOT SHARE THE OPINIONS, VIEWS OR COMMENTARY OF POSTINGS ON THIS WEBSITE. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE STRICTLY THE VIEWS OF THE POSTER OR REVIEWER. THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.  Deficiencies. Sometimes our bodies don’t produce enough, and other times, we just don’t consume enough. The only way (aside from supplementation) we can receive minerals like Magnesium or Potassium is thru the plants we consume, and to a much lesser extent, meat from animals who have eaten plants. Additionally, our bodies give us the ability to synthesize D, but D can come from a non-vegan diet as well. Current farming practices have overworked the soil and synthetic fertilizers bind minerals. Both practices prevent the transfer of minerals to the plants. Since the 1970’s, the mineral content of plants we eat has diminished greatly (50-70%). Growing your own food with organic (ex: cow poop!) fertilizer will help, but supplementation has become a growing necessity. This is exactly why we’ve chosen to garden and use our own compost….. and choose very specific seeds. Not all Magnesium is created equal. Some forms are not absorbed well. Highly absorbable forms of magnesium include citrate & glycinate ( Thankfully YL uses both forms). Not all vitamin D is created equal either …..D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Studies indicate that vitamin D2 is much less potent and has a shorter duration of action than D3. Young Living uses D3 in their formulations.  Thank goodness they know this and incorporate the good stuff into their formulations. (Believe me, I see what’s available out there in pharmacy land!)
What are the chances you are deficient in any (or all) of these? Deficiencies abound in the good ol’ US of A. Despite the wealth of our nation, we are sorely lacking in many nutrients. 80% of us are lacking in Magnesium 75% of us are lacking in Vitamin D 98% of us are lacking in Potassium Give yourself a high five if you thought you might be deficient. Now go do something about it !… and work towards that 7 hours of golden sleep. Supplementing is so helpful to keep us above that wellness line. All three deficiencies can cause many more body system dysfunctions than just missed sleep. God made a finely tuned machine when He designed us. If someone finds they are significantly deficient, there are prescription strength D, Pot, (and non prescription, but high strength Mag) available…if you need concentrated help with magnesium, make sure you opt for glycinate and/or malate forms (higher doses can cause diarrhea, and these are less apt to do that, while still being highly bioavailable). If any of the above products interest you, You can purchase a lifetime membership with Young Living for $45 (they throw in a free oil for stress too!) and then have access to ALL their products at wholesale pricing (24% off retail prices). You can order whatever you’d like with no minimum. Places like SAM’S and Costco charge a higher annual fee, and you get nothing but access to their buildings…. so this is a pretty great deal. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me. (If you choose to sign up with a membership…. regardless of the type, I’ll send you a 400+ page hardcopy reference manual and other resources to get you started).  Good morning friends!! I hope you got a good night of sleep last night! Fireworks were fierce out here in the country til nearly midnight (we’ve got at least 2 more nights of them.. July 4th is around the corner)… and our animals were stressed. Needless to say, OUR sleep was affected! Sleep deprivation causes increased hunger and increased stress hormone levels… never a good thing, but especially if you are trying to manage your weight or lose a few extra pounds. Sleep deprivation can make that goal dang near impossible!
 Frequently, poor sleep is simply the result of poor habits (which we’ll talk about later in the week), but just as commonly, it is the result of a physiological dysfunction and/or side effects of the medications that are used to treat a physiological dysfunction.
Y'all have a great day! See you tomorrow… Liz |
AuthorHey there....thanks for stopping by! This is me (Liz James)... an eclectic mixture of holistic (and organic) farmgirl meets pharmacist. It's a synergy that works well as I speak truths and dissect fact from fiction. If you're looking for healthier living options, you've come to the right place! Archives
September 2019
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