Tag: wellness

Kendall’s Natural Cold Remedies

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Kendall’s Natural Cold Remedies

Well the cold has come and gone about three times since school started in August. Having small children means having large amounts of germs. It’s a parental rite of passage that my husband and I accept. Now, while we may accept it, we also fight it with both modern and traditional forms of medicine. Here are a few of my favorite natural remedies that we keep in stock in our house.

Flu Bombs
You can’t go wrong with homemade flu bombs that you can store in your freezer. There are a ton of recipes out there but here is the one that I use:

  • 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice (2ish oranges)
  • 1/2 cup of lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
  • 1 cup of coconut water
  • 1/3 cup honey (plus an extra dollop)
  • 1.5 tsp of Turmeric (you can use fresh turmeric as well… I use like an inch and a half)
  • Smidge pinch of pepper

Throw it all in a blender and pour into an ice cube tray (I use a deep square one) and freeze.
When you are ready to enjoy, pop a cube out and throw some hot water on it. Voila- goodness in a cup!

Homemade Cough Syrup
Cut up about a quarter to half a white, red, or yellow onion. Throw it in a mason jar. I use a large one so I use like half an onion. Cover the onion with honey but leave some room at the top. Close the lid and let it sit for 24 hours. I store mine in the fridge. Take a tablespoon or two as needed. This serves as both a cough suppressant and decongestant.

Fermented Garlic and Honey
Why? Need help with inflammation? CHECK. Good for your cold? CHECK. Helps activate immune system? CHECK. This is the recipe I use. I also use the cloves (once fermented) in my cooking and the honey on toast or drizzled on charcuterie (credit for these uses goes to my friend who got me hooked on this).

Fire Cider
Just google it. There are a plentiful amount of recipes for you to choose from. Since I am not patient, I buy mine from the fancy organic store in town. A shot of this when you are sick or others are in your house are sick helps activate all the good things in your body that are needed to fight sickness. It also helps with coughing and sore throats. Recipes vary so find something that appeals to you.

Italian Penicillin
This recipe is a family favorite. There are MANY versions of this out there. Here are two that I think are worth checking out.

The first link is for a vegetable only version:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1430971577532420

This second link is for a more traditional chicken recipe:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=1714313876116569&external_log_id=724b4c4e-8a54-45fc-9193-0d7647e9d7e3&q=chicken%20italian%20penicillin

I am not a doctor and as such, my tips and tricks are just that… tips and tricks. If you are sick, see a doctor! This is just where I start my journey. I am not stubborn… if I need medicine, I take the medicine. Do what is best for your body!

Be well!

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

Shari’s Cold Remedies

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Shari’s Cold Remedies

My most requested blog post of the year has to be the herbal remedies that I recommend going into cold (& flu) season. I HAVE to start this off by saying I am not a doctor and am only giving my personal opinions of what has worked for me and my family, this is NOT medical advice. I’m not making a commission off of any items, just linking some of the products that I have and that I like.

Okay now that we got that out of the way… a little back story:

GUT HEALTH

Earlier this year I got a chronic sinus infection, it was so bad that I went on three different antibiotics before finally having to take antibiotics and steroids together to get the inflammation and infection out of my sinuses. These back to back infections sent me down the rabbit holes of researching natural remedies to make sure I didn’t have to go on multiple antibiotics like that ever again. However, if you are going to take antibiotics I HIGHLY recommend taking SEED every day, a symbiotic that includes prebiotics and probiotics. I never had any GI issues while taking the antibiotics, they didn’t ruin my gut or make me feel terrible which they definitely have in the past. This time though, I was taking SEED every morning which saved my gut microbiome during those back to back antibiotics. I still take SEED daily for gut support and am so grateful it comes in a subscription so I never run out. Number one recommendation for going into the flu season as well. Protect your gut health!

NATURES ANTIBIOTIC

While being terrified of another sinus infection after having an ongoing infection for three months, I learned quickly that natures’ antibiotic is Oil of Oregano which I buy in capsule form, from my local co-op (similar but not exactly to what I linked) and Black Seed Oil which I bought from HB Naturals (exactly what I linked). This combo when started early on in the feeling of getting a sinus infection can really combat your cold. I followed the recommended dose for each and took it once a day before dinner time. I took it with a juice drink to get the varnish taste of the black seed oil out of my mouth. Taste aside, this combo worked for me and naturally kicking a sinus infection that wanted to come back a few months after my traumatic three month infection. It also works when you feel like you are going to get an ear infection, again, if you can catch it earlier the better. It takes about 4-6 days to see a difference but recently my dad became a believer himself after flighting the start of a sinus infection which was also causing pressure in his ears. He noticed symptoms gone in about 5 days.

COLD COCKTAIL

Whenever I feel cold symptoms coming on, whether that be a runny noise, scratchy or sore throat…I bust out my go-to “cold cocktail” my sister-in-law taught me about years ago. Again, all capsules are from my local co-op store, I will link them on Amazon but I recommend you go to a co-op to buy them. I don’t love buying “pills or supplements” off of Amazon. My vitamin cocktail includes Echinacea with Goldenseal, Garlic supplements, and Vitamin C supplements and take the recommended doses of those per day and I usually drink it down with some electrolyte water to stay hydrated. The best medicine for a cold is also getting proper sleep, take some magnesium before bed or drink some Sleepytime Tea to get you relaxed. This vitamin cocktail when taken daily is really helpful to help your body fight off the cold and I tend to start taking these days before I travel anywhere or know I am going to be exposed to more germs than normal.

TINCTURES

I am new to the world of tinctures but I am liking what I am learning and how helpful various tinctures can be when needed. I follow Noble Task Homestead and am a big fan of their tinctures, balms, and loose leaf teas. But for the sake of this post, I am going to focus on the tinctures I have of theirs. I’m still in the thick of researching these tinctures and how often and when to use them. Lobelia and Mullein are suppose to be good for respiratory health. There are so many great tinctures but I may have to write another blog post on them once I have tried them out a little longer. For now, those are the two I recommend and I suggest you look into the benefits of other herbal tinctures too.

There you go, my top recommendations during cold and flu season! Stay safe and HEALTHY!

xo, Shari

Kendall: The Never Ending Journey to Wellness… or Whatever…

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Kendall: The Never Ending Journey to Wellness… or Whatever…
Kendall: The Never Ending Journey to Wellness… or Whatever…

In late 2019, I rededicated myself to “wellness.” I knew it was going to be a long journey and not a get rich quick scheme. I wasn’t expecting dramatic results for a few reasons: 

  1. I wanted to give myself some grace and not be too ambitious and then, as a result of potential failure, be disappointed in myself. 
  2. I really wasn’t focused on anything other than establishing a routine, finding new ways to care for the various parts of myself that motherhood had pushed to the side, and creating a mental space in which I could healthily address all the thoughts and feelings that go along with being healthy and well.

Despite 2020 being a bit of a total mind f&#k, I think I did a really good job of prioritizing my health and what it means to me. I got to know my body again through pushing the limits in workouts, figuring out what I actually like to eat (because that’s not quite what I originally thought it would be), what I need mentally, and in prioritizing my partnership with my husband. All of these things taught me one thing: Obsessing about my body and losing weight really isn’t for me (see my post from a few months back about that). And, it still isn’t. I have been thinner, and I have been bigger. The truth is, I like myself in THIS moment… it only took 32 years to happen, but hey, it did. I have a bit more cellulite than my past self and my backside looks WAY different than it used to but oh well. I really don’t mind it. What my journey to wellness enlightenment has given me is a better appreciation for my body and what it’s capable of and why I need to take care of it. 

The truth is, I wasn’t emotionally mature enough to tackle the weight stuff and the self-confidence of that issue until now. I am one of just many people who grew up associating worth with weight. And oddly enough, you feel like you have MORE worth when you weigh LESS. And when I used to try and fight that battle, I always ended up losing and hating myself for it. To be fair, health and being mindful of your body and the decisions you make with it ARE important. It is common sense that a healthy salad is probably a better choice than a triple cheeseburger and fries… now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t indulge. BECAUSE YOU SHOULD. But you should also eat the salad and find a way to not hate it. Don’t like salads? I have some alternatives that I will share with you in a bit. I learned that I really like salads. I don’t like plain salads… I like really hearty salads that are full of mixed greens, protein, nuts, maybe some blueberries, and a great homemade vinaigrette and some feta. I genuinely like that stuff. I also love to stuff my face with pizza… So, how do I balance?

Well, that’s the kicker isn’t it? There are a bunch of different avenues to go down when it comes to the subject of wellness. And, boy oh boy- EVERYONE has an opinion. Not just an opinion… but like, an opinion… you know what I mean? And the truth is, everyone’s body differs in what it needs. The key for me to properly address my health is to not be afraid to ask questions, not be afraid of my scale (not an easy emotional feat), and to have ownership of my decisions. That’s ME. I have friends who do other things and stay in great health! And for some other friends, it takes like no effort… and yeah, you can bet I am jealous. Imagine how much mental space would be freed up if staying in shape and keeping your body truly healthy took absolutely no effort? What a different place the world would be… Instead, my instagram and facebook feeds are littered with ads for different weight loss teas (seriously… WTF), workout styles (I personally love Cassey Ho from Blogilates and was doing her program super consistently before getting pregnant), and different diets… oh, the diets. It’s an endless puzzle of sorting through these things. And here’s the thing… I have a lot of knowledge of food. A lot. It’s all jumbled in my head and it’s been hard for me to make sense of it all. So… I caved. I researched a bunch of different programs to see if one of them might be a good fit for what I was trying to achieve. What was that, you ask? Well, now that I am on a good physical fitness path, I am trying to figure out how what I eat affects my body. Do I bloat? Do I lose sleep? Is my energy depleted or lifted? HOW DO I FEEL? And the truth is this: ALL of this is very much influenced by your own personal goals. As I said, I am not in this journey for immediate results… I barely have a final “number” in mind because for me it isn’t about that. I am ok with the slow and steady race that I can actually maintain for the rest of my life. I am in no mood to be let down by a program that promises a lot of things in a short amount of time that is either impossible to maintain or too expensive to maintain. Enter, Noom.

Noom. It’s EVERYWHERE. Truth be told, their success stories were, sure, inspiring. But I didn’t really care about them… what I did find out I was interested in is that I got to set the script for my goals; how I got there, how I am motivated, and more importantly, doing all of that and not instantly reverting to 24 year old Kendall (ugh- she was a mess) and hating myself for not being perfect at it all. Noom has things in place to keep you accountable such as food and water logs, exercise logs (hey NOOM- add a HIIT setting, will you?), daily lessons that are a required part of the journey, and your very own personal goal specialist to help you meet milestones and give you support along the way (a real person, not a robot). Personally, I like Noom; despite the extra cheesy factor, I like them and feel comfortable taking 10 minutes out of my day to do the work. I am a relatively new Noom user but will be keeping you updated in the coming months about how I feel, how it helps, etc. I think what I most appreciate about Noom is that everything is on me to accomplish. Sure, I have support (and they teach you a lot about the psychology of food (which I knew a lot of but had a hard time organizing to make it relevant to me) but it’s up to me. I don’t feel bad that I am getting out of the holiday food funk and some days are great and some are bad. There is no beating myself up. I am just chugging along on my journey. That alone is something I could not have done in my twenties. I simply wasn’t mentally mature enough to really understand health and wellness… but then again, it’s not like they teach you how to love yourself in school. That S*^t just comes with time. And patience.

I could go into all the different tips and tricks that I find useful, but the truth is… you don’t need it. As I said, the idea of what constitutes wellness and health is different for everyone… whatever that looks like, YOU DO YOU. What I will share with you all are a few different links to great articles that give you truly good and wholesome recipes (nope, not all of them are salads). So go forth and live well. Don’t take that for granted. At the time of this writing the US Coronavirus death toll is 406K. Life is really fragile, y’all. Take care of yourselves… Whether that’s eating a quinoa bowl, running a 5K in your city (by yourself of course, because, you know- COVID), or biting into a big ole’ bowl of homemade mac and cheese- make sure to be feeding yourself in every possible way. Get the facial. Binge the show. Take the nap. Go on a walk. For me, it will be taking my daughter out into the snow to play and be merry. That trumps my workout today. Be well, my friends. 

Need some food inspo? Check out these articles- they’ve got some good and healthy recipes!

EatingWell: 21 High-Protein Dinners for Healthy Aging

EatingWell: 22 Comfort Food Dinners for Weight Loss

Delish: 29 Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That You Can Make In A Slow Cooker

Shari: Health- Beyond Diets & Workouts

by thesaltyexchangeLeave a Comment on Shari: Health- Beyond Diets & Workouts
Shari: Health- Beyond Diets & Workouts

Health: what a LOADED word that is. It can mean so many different things to so many people and, sadly, most of us still struggle to define it in a truly healthy way.

My adolescent brain associated heath with weight and athleticism. As a 16 year old, going into my junior year of high school, I trained all summer in the hot and blistering sun to attend a soccer camp at what would eventually be my college alma mater. All of that hard work was put in to obtain athleticism and yet… that time was really just a thief of joy because I never felt good enough… no matter how much energy I exerted. Countless days during camp left me nearly crawling back to the dorms, feeling nauseous and fatigued for the majority of the summer. My hard work and consistency paid off though. I made the varsity team that year only to sit on the bench because the coach had her own methods of not allowing her subs to play, if she did, it was never for long. Due to her warped coaching agenda she single handedly ruined soccer for me. After playing soccer for 12 years I never played again after that year. Dramatic? Yes. Absolutely. However, I wish I could go back and tell my younger self during that season of life how proud I was that I did not allow my mental health to go through the abuse of that ignorant coach. Instead, I used my own, hard earned money and took private tennis lessons after school and around my work schedule my senior year. Again, my hard work had paid off, I was captain of my tennis team. High fives, 17 year old self for being competent enough to re-route that energy into something positive (a major enneagram 7 trait, I’ll blog on that in the near future).

In college, fad diets and an unattainable image of what women were supposed to look like was the standard. Although I wasn’t particularly mad at my weight or pant size, I was constantly striving to be smaller which translated to petite, cute, attractive… UGH. I remember looking at all my beautiful girlfriends and thinking I was the largest one of the group (*facepalm*) when the truth was I actually wasn’t and probably had slight body dysmorphia at the time. Also in my 20’s, I did fall victim to fad diets. There was, however, one fad diet in particular that was a 24 day challenge which made me rethink my cooking skills and try some fun food switches like using spaghetti squash instead of pasta (who knew?). Although I am not a fan of fad diets because they are usually not attainable for the long term, I did enjoy improving my skills in the kitchen and still reference several of the recipes from that challenge. I like to lovingly refer to ‘the experimental food phase’ as a major advancement in my appreciation for food and eating thoughtfully. Food is fuel! It really is AND we are allowed to enjoy it too. I learned that I could make a vegetable soup that tasted delicious and ALSO have a cookie with no shame or punishment at the gym. What a liberating concept!

Now I am in my early 30’s and looking at health in a completely holistic way. I have the experience and maturity to understand that health is not only about weight, athleticism or food…it is about your mental health, financial health, spiritual health, work/business health, and relational health. Health takes EVERYTHING into consideration which is why it is such a loaded word. We all search for what health means because to be healthy isn’t one specific answer. When I write out my health goals now compared to when I was younger my goals include budgeting my finances, incorporating spa days, traveling, daily prayer & gratitude, sleep, meal prepping, movement, career goals, and lots of family time. The vision I have of myself at my healthiest looks like hiking up a mountain barely winded, cooking meat and veggies over the open fire, with my husband and friends laughing nearby, bare feet in the dirt, security of a job and a home to come back to after this idyllic, healthy, and welcomed getaway. And during this getaway I envision being well-rested with energy to explore and swim in the alpine lakes. I will also see my family when I get home – we’ve made dinner arrangements. I am out enjoying God’s creation where I honestly feel the most spiritually connected. I am happy, I am content, THIS is what HEALTH is. 

If you’re reading this, I hope it is a reminder that there is more that comes into play with your health than diet and exercise. How do you envision yourself at your healthiest?