Healing Season

There are so many ways to support our bodies that don't have to cost us anything. In my last post, I shared products I'm using to support our bodies while detoxing mold. It was feel difficult when we're trying to heal, but it keeps costing us more and more for all of the protocols. Today I'm sharing ways you can support your body without having to purchase expensive supplements and equipment: Sunshine- Get outside and enjoy 20 minutes of unfiltered sunshine. The sun helps to literally dry up mold because mold thrives in damp darkness. So if you have any fungal situations on your skin, the sun will help dry it up. Just practice sun safety by not going out during the brightest/hottest part of the day. A bonus tip: Getting morning sun helps regulate your circadian rhythm which will help you sleep better...which means your body has more time for recovery during sleep! Grounding- yes, you can purchase special products to help with grounding (like grounding mats, bracelets and sheets) but you can also ground (also called earthing-there's a whole documentary on it for free too!) by just going outside and standing barefoot on the ground. The best is supposedly wet grass, like first thing in the morning when the dew is still out. Lemon water or water with apple cider vinegar- yes, you'll have to purchase lemons or apple cider vinegar, and water isn't actually free either, but I'm still counting it because its almost free. You're probably already buying these things anyway as just part of your groceries. 

Last week I shared our mold story, and the process we're going through to eliminate it from our home. This week, we're chatting about what I'm doing to support our bodies while we eliminate it from our physical bodies. I am using a few different brands of supplements including one brand (CellCore Biotics) that can only be purchased through a practitioner. This isn't a post about sales or anything like that, so I won't be linking directly to specific products. I will be sharing the types of supplements etc so you can do your own research and find what is best within your own budget. (I do share the specific products I''m using in my Mold Highlight in my stories on instagram, so you can see them that way if you just want to know what I'm using. Here are the types of products I'm using: Binders- you need some kind of binder to literally "bind" the mold spores and mycotoxins so you can safely eliminate them without it recirculating. Detox Baths- I chose a clay one that helps draw out heavy metals as well Bath filters- either a whole house filter, or at least one for your shower head and one for your bath faucet. We want to reduce how much our bodies are having to work through, so we want to reduce chemicals from being absorbed in the bath. Dry Brushing- this assists our body's lymphatic system, allowing it to do it's job better Castor Oil Liver Packs- placing castor oil over the abdomen (over the liver space) supports the liver so it can do it's job better. Milk Thistle- either a tincture or supplement to support the liver. Modified Citrus Pectin and Alginate- to support gut and circulatory detoxification (also helps bind heavy metals that play along with mold, and prevent recirculation) Mimosa Pudica Seed Supplement- helps digestive health and bacterial environment, helps with elimination. Lemon water to help with hydration Sunshine!

Our mold story. Chronic illness. Mold illness. Mold toxicity. Listen to your gut. Holy Spirit prompting. Root cause to sickness. How we are eliminating mold from our home,

I'm sure you've already heard about bone broth. This isn't anything new. Actually, it's quite old. I'd be willing to assume all of our grandparents, or at least great grandparents made bone broth. They ate real food. Even though the modern "health food industry" is continually expanding, so are our waistbands. We need to get back to real food; food that our bodies know how to use. Eating out occasionally, or using convenient options wisely is okay. This isn't a post about "demonizing" foods or labeling foods as good or bad as if a food product holds a moral value. No, this is about learning to view food as digestable or not. Usable or not. Do our bodies recognize GMO potato chips, skittles full of chemical dyes, or an almost neon cupcake as food? What happens when it doesn't know what to do with it? Our bodies store things it's unsure of in our fat for safe keeping. Too much sugar? Stored in fat. Chemical dyes? Stored in fat. Basically anything synthetic? Stored in fat. On and on it goes. Even if it's "low calorie" or marketed as "healthy"...if it's not real food, you can assume it's getting stored in your fat. This is one reason it's so important to sweat, so we can get these toxins out of our bodies! But this post isn't about sweating or assisting your detox systems; unless you consider nourishing your body as a way of fueling your detox systems so they can do their job better. So let's talk about how broth can be healing. It contains minerals and amino acids that are easily recognized by our bodies. It also contains collagen. You know that super trendy, but sometimes expensive thing you've seen everywhere lately? Yeah, it's right there in your bone broth. Regular consumption of bone broth has been known to reduce inflammation, improve digestion, reduce blood pressure, and improve mood. If you do a quick google search, you'd find many benefits to bone broth. Some of them seem wild, but I like to only share things that can be sited and proven, so I'll leave it at that. It also helps hydrate our bodies. We all can use better hydration, right? A major perk to making your own bone broth is that it's basically FREE. You buy your meat to stew, roast, poach etc. Then you save the bones, add them to your slow cooker or pressure cooker (or stock pot on the stove top) with some water and apple cider vinegar. Let it cook all day (or night in your slow cooker/instantPot) then strain the liquid out. Practical Ways to Use Your Broth: -Salt to taste and sip it as is -Make soup -Use it in place of water to cook rice -Make "bone broth hot cocoa" Yeah, I know that last one sounds crazy. I thought so too, but it's actually one of Sally Fallon's (of Nourishing Traditions) most famous recipes. Everyone has their own take on the recipe now, but it's basically a mild flavored bone broth blended with heavy cream or raw cream if you have it available to you, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; all to taste. Be sure to tag me on instagram  ( @NurturingLegacy ) if you try making your own!

Laughter. Is it really the best medicine?

We live in a fast paced culture. We know this. We also know we "should" slow down sometimes. You know, smell the roses and all. But we have things to do. We have errands to run, kids to raise, healing modalities to try. It's been said that if we don't listen to our body's whispers, then it will scream to get our attention. In other words, if we don't take time to rest when our bodies send small messages, then we will be forced to rest when louder messages- like migraines or flare days etc- will stop us in our tracks. So, what if we chose to slow down and live more intentionally? What if we took such tender care of ourselves that our bodies no longer felt the need to scream to get our attention? I'm not saying you have to quit your job and move to the beach so you can just lounge in a hammock between two palm trees for the rest of your days. I mean...while that sounds amazing... eventually, even that would become boring. What I am saying is we can schedule more time for rest. Like, literally put it on your daily schedule. This can look like scheduling a 20 minute power nap. It could be choosing to soak in the tub for 30 minutes instead of just taking a 5 minute shower. Maybe it's choosing mindfulness. There will still be meals to cook, dishes to wash, weeds to pull, and kids to get to bed. Life doesn't stop, but we can choose to be more mindful while doing our daily tasks. Set aside an hour to cook even if the recipe should only take 20 minutes. The trendy term for this idea is "romanticizing your life". Clean the kitchen counter, light a candle, turn on some music, measure out all of your ingredients and place them in little bowls. Get everything ready. Print off the recipe so you won't need your phone, or use an actual cook book! Slowly follow the recipe, stirring and noticing the smells and textures. Really enjoy the process. It will take longer, but it will be worth it. You don't have to do this for every meal, of course, but maybe try it once a week and see how it feels to slow down. I'll share some breakdowns of other ways to slow down and be more mindful in different tasks in separate posts because I like to keep my blog posts short and not overwhelming. It's my little way of helping you take small steps...while learning in small bites too.

Guasha (pronounced gwa-sha) and face rollers are an ancient form of self care originating from Chinese culture. Traditionally they are made from jade, but they can be found in a variety of stones today. I have pairs in jade and rose quartz. A couple of them were actually gifted to me by one of my best friends, so every time I use them there's just that little bit of extra happiness associated with my practice. So, if you're looking for a great gift idea for a friend, I'd highly recommend these. It's so nice that every time I practice my self care routine with these pieces it reminds me of their love for me too. Face rollers are great for de-puffing the face and eyes. For an added benefit you can store one in the fridge so it's extra cold in the morning to help with the super puffy eye situation that many of us deal with. I would recommend wrapping it in a clean wash cloth and then putting it in a container for storage in the fridge to protect it. Guasha can be used for de-puffing the face too, but they are useful for encouraging lymphatic drainage. They are useful in massage to help break down fascia and relax tight muscles. My Physical therapist usually begins our sessions with a little bit of massage to help release tightness in my chest (left over from CPR when I was in ICU when I first got sick) to ensure that I can breathe well while we exercise. She utilizes a guasha during her massages as well. You can use the guasha to really target small spaces. Lymphtic drainage is important for every body, but especially sick bodies...and even more so if you've been immobile for a time. Our lymphatic system depends on body movement in order for it to flow, so if you're not moving...niether is your lymph. That means toxins and waste products are just sitting still in your lymph nodes. Massaging with a guasha can help it drain out and move on. Not to bad for a pretty little stone, huh?

It may not seem like an actual “healing tool” but spending time with loved ones can sometimes be the best medicine. One of the worst parts about chronic illness is the loneliness. See if a friend can come over and just sit and laugh. Pack a picnic and make it special. Go for a hike if you’re able. The time in nature will heighten the experience. If you’re not at a point that you can go for a full hike, see if your friend can just push you in your wheelchair. Remember, we’re not being embarrassed by needing mobility aids. If you can’t meet up in person, schedule a FaceTime or Zoom date to just see each other’s faces. Chat. Giggle. Be silly. Be real and honest too. Don't be afraid to open up and let them know how you're really doing.

This one is really interesting to me. It originates from Eastern medicine. The traditional method involves lighting a match, blowing it out and immediately placing it under a small glass cup above the bare skin. The heat causes a suction effect, and the cup suctions onto the bare skin. Professionals still utilize this method, but since I was going to be attempting to do this for myself, the kind I have is silicone. It’s a more mild suction, but it gets the job done and I don’t have to worry about burning myself or glass domes falling off and breaking. A massage therapist can slide the cups around, while keeping the suction. This can be intense, but it’s a great way to release the fascia. Otherwise, you may choose to leave the cups static for 30 minutes or so. For the silicone style, you will need to apply some kind of massage oil before you begin. This can be a nice part of the massage experience too. There may be bruising after the cups are removed. This is normal and it’s said to be a sign of how many toxins were drawn out. Regardless, be sure to drink PLENTY of water to effectively flush out all the toxins you worked out in the session. This healing modality is great for moving and decongesting stagnant lymph.