​Good morning friends! Yesterday as I was driving home, I passed a large section of what I thought was ragweed. I stopped, hopped out, and snapped a pic..... (planning on writing about allergies). I Googled ragweed and lo and behold,  I'm fairly certain what I had snapped a pic of was our highly esteemed Goldenrod!  
This got me to thinking... and I messaged my friend Danette. Neither of us was 100% certain it was even tho it definitely looks like it. 😂 #weareamateurbotanists 
This little scenario made me value Young Living and all of their science and attention to detail even more so..... I mean, who wants to guess on a plant like this? It could mean the difference between effectiveness or a bad rash 😳. #wherethesundoesntshine
I also love how God gave us plants that have healing powers often just in the season that we may need it.
Most of us YL'ers know Goldenrod as that magical bedroom oil💖☝️....
.....But it's so much more than that! #alloilsaremultipurpose
Just a few other uses....
🌾seasonal respiratory support👈🙏🍂
🌾relieves gassiness
🌾helps loosen mucus (drink more water too!)
🌾acts as a tonic to nourish and support kidneys and urinary tract #valuable
🌾supports healthy liver function
🌾creates an inhospitable environment for fungus
🌾supports a proper inflammatory response #greatforjoints!
All this to say.... don't leave Goldenrod in the bedroom! God blessed Gary with the know how and the willing spirit to share with all of us. It's up to us to maximize the potential of all our gorgeous and healing oils!
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info
(☝️your pure Goldenrod depot)
#caringisharing
#whatwouldGarydo
#Goldenrodharvest
#goodmedicine
#pharmacognosy
#ThanksYL

​Serendipity is one of my most favorite things!💖.....like a little gift from God. And it's highly underrated!
About 5 days ago, I had a  raging case of poison ivy. If you've ever had the poison ivy itch before, you know how bad it can be (especially when you are trying to sleep! 😭) I had put a bottle of Peppermint by my bed to use when the itching would wake me up at night (along with the rest of my nighttime oil stash). 
So, in the middle of the night, I grabbed what I thought was peppermint, and rolled it all over my arm. It took me a sleepy minute to realize I had accidentally grabbed Thieves (which I use on the bottom of my feet at night for immune support).... a little spicy, but in a good way.
Here's the shocker tho...... it worked! 😱.... and it stopped the itching and dried up my poison ivy quicker than anything else I've ever tried.🙌... and only using it a couple times a day. I will definitely be adding this to my farmgirl arsenal👩‍🌾 against this common skin irritant.
What's something that you figured out by accident (serendipity) that rocks your world now? 
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info 👈(the joy is in the journey!)
#Thievestotherescueonceagain
#serendipity
#farmgirlskills
#alwayslearningalwaysgrowing
#ThanksYL
#sharingiscaring

​We've had some really aggressive hornets attempt to take over our porch this week. (I'm pretty sure they aren't officially Murder Hornets😜), but act like close cousins, so I've named them Mayhem Hornets!🐝 Any entomologists out there that can identify these? They are HUGE and have a nasty long stinger. They aren't yellow jackets... too big .... any thoughts?   
#mycurrentIndiannameisRunsFromWasps
#thehornetsarereal

I thought I knew which plant this essential oil comes from looked like. ( I was wrong.) So much for knowing what I thought I knew! 😜 But seriously, curiosity is important in the learning process.
Shall we play a game? 
🌿 This essential oil is available as both "regular" and vitality. (If you are unfamiliar with those terms, it means this particular oil may be diffused, taken internally (or cooked with), or used topically.
🌿 It comes from several different countries (none of which  is the USA)..... and was found to be used by the Egyptians in the mummification process. (Historically, it was highly valued for its varied uses)
🌿 Primary constituents (that which makes it an effective "tool" in our 'at home' wellness box) include :
Sabinene - known to support healthy inflammatory response and also create an unfavorable environment for fungus & wayward bacteria. Also a potent antioxidant
Beta-Caryophyllene -  also known for its strong support of a healthy inflammatory response, and a potent antioxidant.
Limonene- known for enhancing skin health, supporting kidney function, and also acts as a potent antioxidant.
🌿 This essential oil has been found to support and stimulate metabolism.
🌿 A study conducted in 2002 found that inhaling the fragrance from this essential oil induced a marked increase in plasma adrenaline concentration (ie = more energy!)
BENEFITS ENERGY AND METABOLISM AND SUPPORTS HEALTHY INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE......... THROWING IN A LITTLE PROTECTIVE "ATTITUDE" AGAINST FUNGUS AND WAYWARD BACTERIA.....
Who am I? 😎
Drop your guess in the comments!
#sharingiscaring
#alittleknowledgegoesalongway
#Godgaveusallweneedinthegarden
#ThanksYL

​It must be a bad season for stinging insects. A friend posted just a bit ago in another group about using Basil for a sting (with huge success!). I LOVE that God gave us so many quick remedies for problems such as these, and we are not limited to one solution! After you've used oils for awhile, you'll have found that this is always the case. #multipurposetools
Yesterday, I got stung on the finger by a wasp. What you see in the pic was my 3 step remedy:
1. Cut an onion and rub the onion on the sting for 3-4 minutes. Do this as quickly as you can after the incident to neutralize the poison.
2. Apply YL lavender essential oil to the stung area. #notthecheapstuff
3. Put a tablespoon of baking soda in a shot glass and add a little vinegar (it will get foamy super fast, so do this over the sink). Then apply the mixture to your boo-boo stung area.
I was able to do this immediately after I got stung and had ZERO evidence of a sting 15 minutes after it happened.
Not much later, Charlie was putting hay out and he got stung 3 times. 😳 He didn't get to apply this magical trio until about 15 minutes after it happened.... it did the trick for him too. No swelling. No pain.
Easy peasy!
#wehaveallweneedinthekitchen
#ThanksYL
(Song credit: "My Favorite Things" should be playing in your head right about now. #youarewelcome 😉)
xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info 👈 where to go to learn more about "the good stuff".

One of the fringe benefits of cleaning up your body (ie: ditching toxic ☠️ products) is pretty evident during the summer months. 🌞Sunburns and sun damage (tho they can still happen) usually become a less common occurrence.
Before I began cleaning up my diet, my skin care & personal care products, and our household cleaners and chemicals, it was not uncommon for me to get a decent sunburn a couple times a year. In college (years ago!), I got a few really memorable ones.😳
#thebabyoilyears #ThanksYLforallthetools
#ThievesHouseholdCleanerforthewin
Sun exposure is super beneficial on many levels, not the least of which is its role in the body’s ability to synthesize Vitamin D. We should strive for daily exposure to the sun, not hide from it! Many people fear going out in the sun because they burn so very easily, and while melanin plays a part in whether or not you are prone to sunburn, the reality is that the risk of sunburn and sun damage rises the more “polluted” the inside of your body is. I’m a blonde haired blue eyed farm girl, and have lived this fact.
There is a second part of this equation tho. 
🌞In addition to ditching toxins, seek out foods that are high in antioxidants (like blueberries, wolfberries, kale, dark chocolate, beans, and pecans). These help bind up the damaging free radicals from both toxins and excess sun exposure.
I love that NingXia Red is loaded with both wolfberries and blueberries! It is a daily staple in our home. ( item #3042 for the 2 bottle pack)
🌞You’ll also want to eat foods high in lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant AND it also absorbs both UVA and UVB radiation. Reach for watermelon, tomatoes, red bell peppers, asparagus, red cabbage, and mangos as often as you can!
🌞Omega-3 Fatty Acids come into play as well! Does that surprise you? They help maintain our skin’s integrity and aid in a proper inflammatory response. In other words, they help our body cope with a little too much time in the sun. Walnuts, salmon, cod liver oil, flax, hemp and chia seeds are all loaded with Omega-3’s.
I try to get a handful of walnuts in my diet daily, but I ALWAYS take my OmegaGize3 (item #3097)!
🌞Foods high in beta carotene are also important. Beta carotene converts to Vitamin A in our body, and committing to a diet rich in carrots, dark leafy greens, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, and red bell peppers over time (10 weeks according to one study) provides natural sunscreen protection.
🌞Green Tea contains a flavanol known as EGCG
(epigallocatechin gallate) which has been found to help reduce skin damage from UVA light and also help support healthy collagen (the protein responsible for our skin’s elasticity).
Young Living’s organic Vanilla Lemongrass green Tea (item # 32205) is just as good iced as it is hot. ☕️ Organic tea (and coffee) is so very important because the traditional non-organic processing methods are loaded with ☠️toxins.
🌿Young Living does have an amazing sunscreen (SPF 50 item #24137) that is toxin free (most on the market are loaded with unhealthy ingredients)…. So this was a welcome addition in our home when it became available a few years back!
Enjoy that sunshine friends! 🌞It’s one of God’s ways of smiling on us and it’s an absolutely free health and wellness tool we all have access to.
Be well!
xoxo~ liz
(PS: If you would like to share this post with someone outside of our group, you can find it also posted publicly, here: https://www.facebook.com/thewellnessprepper/posts/1655950537895251?__tn__=K-R
#usethegiftsGodgaveus
#sunshineispowerfulmedicine
#ThanksYL
#ditchthetoxins

June 18th was our first day of Young Living's convention, and it did not disappoint (even tho we weren't all together in one place, since it's virtual this year). I think you'll love the humor in this short little 2 minute clip as much as I do!

Enjoy! xoxo~ liz
www.goodmedicine.info

(PS: I'll post a little info about the new products launched yesterday in the comments)

#VIGC
#ONE2020
#YLEO
​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ52ghsvFqo&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2CB39e1VJufU3C-_sXrihDnx-TPijwKv-PlGrMbxWdJWS6-qi0zypYzNw

Springtime is one of my most very favorite times of the year, for many reasons…. Not the least of which is the anticipation of getting my fingers deep into the earth in preparation for seed planting time.

Spring this year has been somewhat challenging. Lots of distractions, an incredibly wet February and March, and a spirit of unrest that seems to have enveloped our world.

And yet….

The leaves and flowers continue to unfurl from the safety of their buds as if to tell us that life will go on, despite the circumstances at hand.

It makes me want to talk to the old timers…. The ones who were around as kiddos and young adults during WWII. What did it feel like, to have such a great unknown? To know that a loved one could be taken from them because they said yes to following God and their country? With only snail mail letters to communicate in the interim?

I hope a bearer or two of these memories will comment because I have a strong love of history and would love to hear the stories of resilience on the home front…...the peace they perhaps held that surpassed all understanding even when the world seemed anything but calm.

Perhaps this was another reason the people at home returned to gardening in 1942-43? Canned food and buying from grocery stores instead of self sufficiency was a relatively new concept to the world back then.
It had only been about 25 years since the first grocery store (A Piggly Wiggly if you remember those!) opened and self serve grocery shopping had quickly taken over supplying the USA with food.

25 years. One generation. Many had already lost sight of where nourishing food must come from.

1942….. Not 2020.

And then World War II happened.... and it didn't last days....it lasted years. 😥

Ask one of the old timers about those times. Invariably, one of their strongest memories will be the rationing of foodstuffs. Food was in short supply for a variety of reasons:

🍅The processed and canned foods they had become accustomed to buying at Piggly Wiggly suddenly were reserved for shipping overseas to the soldiers who were fighting and to our Allies who were bearing the brunt of the war devastation.

🍅Transportation of fresh foods was limited because of gasoline and tire rationing (priorities were placed on getting those to soldiers and to the war effort)

🍅Many farmers in the USA were off fighting instead of growing food.

🍅Imported food, especially the likes of coffee and sugar, were limited in supply.

Rationing books were issued. (I have one that belonged to my grandmother.) Stamps inside the books were for certain food categories, and if you had already used your stamp for that product for the month, you were not eligible to buy it until the following month rolled around. It prevented hoarding and encouraged creative menu planning. ( Hmmm …. Seems like we could use that principle these days for basic things like toilet paper!)

Suddenly, the skill of gardening became an asset again…. Not reserved for someone living on a farm. By 1920 tho, more Americans lived in cities than in rural areas for the first time in America’s history so this had to have been hard.

Real hard.😔

This situation was something they felt unprepared for, they had no land to make gardens. For others, it felt like they were being called home….. back to their roots…. and it was those whom the former leaned into and learned from….. And a beautiful thing began to sprout around the United States…..

Victory Gardens.

They began to sprout up across America and eventually across the world:

👩‍🌾People plowed up their beautiful front yards and lawns and began growing fruits and veggies.

👩‍🌾They pulled up their rose bushes and flowers and replaced them with edible foodstuffs.

👩‍🌾Pots and containers were used to grow gardens on back porches, patios, and stairways.

👩‍🌾Even public land was put to use….. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park had one of the best public gardens in the country!

Neighbors helping neighbors. 👫

Sharing knowledge.

Sharing bounty.

Relying on God to supply no more or less than they needed.

Back to their roots.

The food, of course, was important, but so was the community idea of doing something for the common good, and the daily grounding… the resetting of emotions and release of nervous energy expelled just by getting dirt under their fingernails. In times like those, I am sure that gardening felt heavenly!

Anyone can do this…. Gardening.

All you need is Sunlight. Seeds. A container or two, or 12 (or a plot of land of any size). ….. And a desire to be part of the solution.

A time to heal.

A time to return to our roots.

If this post is calling to you, there are TONS of seed packets for sale at the feed stores. There are also half grown “teenager” plants if waiting is too much to bear.

Never gardened? Don’t let that stop you. You never know, you might pick up a new hobby you love while in this time of national time out.

The best growth comes during times of adversity…. Knowing that, our Great Nation should be due for a bountiful harvest. The Bible says it. This I know.

Garden on friends!

xoxo ~liz
www.goodmedicine.info

#GodblesstheUSAandtheworld
#wecandothis
#strongerthanyouthinkyouare
#learnsomethingnew
#embraceyourdowntime
#youwillbeproudofyourfood
#springtime2020
#healthyfoodismedicine