Summer days... And refreshing drinks

I don’t know what it’s been like where you live, but we’ve been having our share of hot, humid days this summer. I love/hate them. I enjoy it at first, the feeling of true summer, when you have cold suppers and sleep only with a sheet at night, with all the fans going. (We only have a window AC, since here in the north, it’s only a week here and there that it gets over 90.) Like one old-timer told me one sweltering day, we have to have this “so we know we had summer”. Yep, it’s great. Ok, well it does get old after a bit, feeling sticky day and night, and skipping your walks because it’s too hot… There’s where the hate comes in, but we’ll leave it at that for now.

Iced tea seems to be another part of summer, however, I don’t really like to buy that much, because it’s basically just flavored sugar water. In our house, we usually drink milk or water, and every once in awhile I’ll make up a 100% juice concentrate. We’re content with that, and I figure we get enough sugar without drinking it too. But when it’s hot you get a craving for something really refreshing and different than plain water. That’s when I remembered that you can make herbal iced tea! I made some a couple days ago, and will make some again when that’s gone. It’s just the ticket for us. Here’s the recipe I used:

2 cups boiling water poured over 4 tea bags. Let steep 4-6 minutes. Remove tea bags and add 4 cups of cold water. Refrigerate.

I added some honey while it was hot so it would dissolve, and that added to it. Even my husband, who is not really keen on many “healthy” recipes, liked it. I used peach herbal tea. I’d like to try some mint sometime, too. And wouldn’t it be good if you grew your own mint, to add a few fresh leaves? Mmmm! I’m excited that we can add a little variety to our beverages with another “good for you” drink!

The hand that rocks the cradle...

While I have no desire to “rule the world”, it is so important to remember how high a calling is motherhood. Sometimes it is easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day cares and responsibilities of being a mother, and forget that we are shaping lives that will someday shape nations.

The Hand That Rules the World

Infancy, the tender fountain,

Ever may with beauty flow;
Mother’s first to guide the streamlets;
From them souls unresting grow—
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or darkness hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Mother, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of mother!
Fathers, sons and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky—
Mingled where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Frugal Fridays: Homemade Toothpaste

My most recent experiment with natural, homemade things, has been to make my own toothpaste. I read a bit about different ingredients, and then decided to just experiment on my own. The result has been fabulous! I now prefer "my" toothpaste to regular, storebought stuff. I just mixed plain baking soda, (which cleans and whitens the teeth) with enough water to make a paste, and added several drops of peppermint oil for taste, as baking soda alone isn't so palatable. Peppermint oil has antiseptic properties as well, which aids in cleaning your mouth. You can also use clove or cinnamon oil if you prefer. I might add, that if you want an extra whitening agent, you can use hydrogen peroxide as part of your liquid.
I just store mine in a tiny rubbermaid container and wet my toothbrush before using.

I know that essential oils seem to be a bit expensive, but in reality, the little 1 oz. bottle I have that I paid $5 for, will last me a long while, seeing as you only use a few drops per time. It's taken me over a year to use up a bottle.

I made my own toothpaste because it was fun and I wanted to try something different, but it's proved to be a great cost-saver too! Try it out, and let me know what you think!

Baby skin care

I just used cornstarch in place of baby powder on my 3 mo. old, and I was surprised how great it worked! From what I've read, something in baby powder is bad for a baby's lungs, so I've avoided using it. Cornstarch made Joseph's damp skin dry instantly, and oh-so-soft. I will definitely use that again!

My own tendency to dry skin seems to be inherited in my son, and I've been trying to find ways to keep it moisturized without the typical baby lotion. (Though it's tempting to use, it smells so good!) I've rubbed a bit of olive oil in, and that seems to help. I've also used a detergent free baby wash on him too, although Johnsons's baby wash is supposed to be extremely mild. I'm thinking I should start taking a EFA supplement myself, (flax, evening primrose, etc.) in hopes that some of it will be passed to him through nursing.

What do you use on your baby? Do you have any favorite natural products?

More on non-toxic cleaners

Just an additional note on natural cleaning products... If making your own solutions is not up your alley, I highly recommend Melaleuca products. They are non-toxic, and work wonderfully. I got a large supply as a gift, and I love them! No strong smells, just a light fresh scent, and there's no chemicals to be afraid of. I think my favorite is the Sol-u-Mel cleaner, which is an all purpose spray. Try them out!

Works-for-Me-Wednesday: Natural Cleaners

I enjoy cleaning. My own home, that is. I can't say that I just love cleaning for it's own sake, but I love to make my home sparkle and shine and smell good. When I used to use commercial, name brand cleaners the smells used to make me get a headache, and were so overpowering. (I'm slightly allergic to airborne things.) But then I discovered that you can make your own cleaning solutions! I just love to make things, so I started experimenting with different things. Now what I use is so simple, saves a lot of money, and is not endangering my health!

Floors:
My favorite solution for cleaning my kitchen floor is a bucket of hot water, about 1/2 cup of white vinegar and rosemary oil. This works great, and the rosemary oil smells so delightful!! (More on essential oils another time)

Bathrooms:
For my bathroom I use white vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle. Spray this on your faucets and wherever you need a shine. Let sit a few minutes, then wipe off. This takes those hard-to-clean water spots off and leaves everythings so shiny! I think it's my favorite. I love to use it on my kitchen sink faucet, and get it dazzlingly clean! :)
Baking soda works really well on tubs, sinks and almost anywhere.

White vinegar kills bacteria and germs. The Good Housekeeping Institute reported in 2000 on CBS 48 Hours, that white vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of viruses. I have also heard that if hospitals used vinegar as a disinfectant, the infection rates would go way down. Good to know!

These are a few things that work for me to help keep my family healthy!

Welcome!

Welcome to Mama M.D.! I've created this blog to share with you my discoveries in healthful living. Being a wife and mama, my goal is to take the best care of my family that I possibly can, and that includes keeping them all well. Over the years I've learned that there is a lot a person can do to prevent sickness and disease, and that prevention truly is the best medicine. However there are also great, simple, natural remedies that one can use when you do get sick. Many are very inexpensive, and actually help your body to be stronger in the long run, than using medication.

I am not a doctor, and do not claim to know how to treat medical conditions. This blog is meant to inspire you to a healthy way of life and help you to take responsibility for your own health. While I am a great advocate of doing things naturally, I definately recognize the medical profession for being wonderful caretakers in times when a doctor truly is needed. So, this is my disclaimer, anything you read here concerning health or healing you try at your own risk.

I've got many things "brewing" to post, so stay tuned! Oh, and if you would be so kind, share this blog with your friends!