Has it really been more than four months since I last wrote anything for my blog? I needed to re-prioritize my time over the summer. My husband's franchise was busier than ever before, and we had house guests coming and going most of the summer. It seemed like there were not enough hours in the day. With going on too many nights with not enough sleep, I knew something had to go so I decided to take a vacation from writing. Instead, I tried to get outside every spare moment I could.
My favorite summer past times are working out in the garden and sitting outside with a journal and a good book. We spend too much of our time indoors with our busy lives, smart phones, iPads, and lap tops, that we forget about the simple joy of reconnecting with our glorious natural surroundings. With increased exposure to modern technology and less time outdoors, no wonder many of us are battling through health struggles!
I've read numerous articles and posts about the value in connecting to the earth by getting down and dirty with all that was created for our pleasure. How often do we take the time to be amazed by the wonder of a hummingbird's flight, the glorious hues of a butterfly, or the magnificent design of a spider web among the perennials? These treasures uplift the spirit and bring philosophical meaning to the mundane aspects of life. Not to mention there are real measurable health benefits. Our bodies need the Vitamin D from the sun which is known to help in disease prevention and stabilizing our emotions.
EARTHING
Five years ago, I was in a fairly intense battle with Lyme disease, my body going through a strong herxing reaction with detoxing mercury which resulted bizarre side effects, including extreme sensitivity to EMF's, severe vertigo, and other neurological symptoms. My alternative practitioner suggested I try grounding to help offset some of my symptoms. He told me to go outside barefoot and lay down in the grass as much as my body could tolerate. Within a few days of trying this activity, I had reduced vertigo and tachycardia, and I was able to spend more time out of bed. From that moment on, I was hooked!
What is grounding and how does it work? Grounding or earthing is simply going outside and putting your bare feet in the grass, dirt, or concrete. Our bodies are made up of energy which becomes out of balance from the EMF's in our environment. Pollutants and EMF's from our cell phones, computers, TV's, WiFi, and other electronic devices build up free radicals in our bodies. The natural energy fields of the earth neutralizes these free radicals which restores our natural biorhythms resulting in decreased pain/inflammation, better sleep, improved mood, and numerous other benefits. I have been earthing for years and love spending my summers barefoot. By now, my neighbors are used to me hanging out in our yard with a blanket or towel and laying down on the grass. It's truly a refreshing and joyful experience!
DEFENSE AGAINST TICKS
Here are some natural solutions recommended to me. This is a basic recipe for a natural tick spray that you can use on yourself and/or your pets, which has been recommended by my naturopath practitioner:
Add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar and will be repelled by this ingredient alone. You can additionally add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil such as Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Citrus Oils, or Geranium Oil which give off crisp strong odors that will repel ticks. After mixing the solution, you can spray it onto your clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors and reapplying every four hours to keep ticks at bay. For pets you can add two teaspoons of vegetable or almond oil that contain sulfur, another tick deterrent. When you add lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, this will also repel fleas. You should spray them several times a day if they stay outdoors most of the day.
Another option is ordering specific herbs and essential oils recommended by the Buhner Protocol for tick prevention:
Dr. Stephen Buhner recommends taking 1000 mg per day of the herb Astragalus throughout the year, increasing it to 3000 mg during tick season. For a homemade tick repellent, Buhner recommends taking 1/2 teaspoon each of essential oils--Rhodendrom Tomentosum, Tagetes Minuta, Chameacy-paris Nootkatensis, Artemisa Absinthium, Myrica Gale, Juniperus Virginia, Eucalyptus Citriodora, and Oragnum Majorana. Add the essential oils (4 tsp total) to 8 ounces pure grain alcohol at 995% alcohol or as close as you can get. Blend well and store in a tightly capped brown bottle, keeping it out of the sun. According to Buhner, these oils are available on the internet.
I have to be very careful what natural supplements and products I use and therefor try to keep herbal remedies and essential oils to a minimum. Instead, I have a bottle of 50% water and vinegar solution on hand to spray on my body whenever I go outside. I will also sometimes take a shower and change my clothes after being out in the garden or tall grass just to be sure there are no ticks on me or my clothing. I've read that keeping a lint roller handy to roll on your body/clothes is another good way to pick up any deer ticks which are about the size of a poppy seed and difficult to detect with the naked eye.
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JOYFUL TREASURES: Outdoor Companions!
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Antaole France
Oscar and I also enjoy hanging out together in my garden, and I want to be sure he is safe from tick exposure. For a natural tick repellent, my chiropractor recommends that I give him Petz Life Herbal Defense Powder, a natural alternative to the chewable tick repellents veterinarians often use. The powder can be taken in in soft dog food twice daily for 5 days. Repeat on a monthly basis. The Herbal defense powder can be purchased online through Amazon and at some pet stores.
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For more details about the spiritual benefits of reconnecting with nature, you can read my blog:
For more information about the harmful effects of electromagnetic frequencies and natural ways to live more fully in spite of their strong prevalence in everyday life:
https://puresimplewholeliving.blogspot.com/2017/05/electromagnetic-frequencies.html
To learn more about the benefits of grounding:
https://kimberlysnyder.com/blog/2014/01/16/invisible-benefits-grounding/
https://wellnessmama.com/5600/earthing-grounding/
http://www.chopra.com/articles/grounding-the-human-body-the-healing-benefits-of-earthing
https://grounded.com/what-is-earthing/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/11/21/grounding-effects.aspx
For more information on repelling ticks naturally:
https://commonsensehome.com/natural-tick-repellents/
https://www.mommypotamus.com/natural-tick-repellent-recipe/
For more information about the Buhner's protocol for Lyme and repelling ticks:
https://growsoeasyorganic.com/tag/stephen-buhner/
This is the natural tick defense we use for our dog:
https://www.amazon.com/PetzLife-TickZ-Biting-Insect-Control/dp/B0056EOR3G
