Learning to Heal Without Chemicals

One of the things that I remember most from growing up from southern roots is that there was a lot of home remedies when someone in the family was sick or injured. There was always a concoction brewing on the stove to cure a cold or something pulled out of a relative's purse to aid a skin wound. The mere smell of some of those concoctions made you lose your lunch along with the phlegm that was causing the congestion.

One time at an outdoor family function a bee stung me while I was playing at the playground. As I was telling my mother what happened, my grandmother immediately made a paste, and plastered it on my leg. I also remember the look of disgust on my face as she did that, but that went away just as fast as the sting did.

Yet soon the homemade cold and cut remedies were replaced by over-the-counter fixes with a list of side effects that should make every person say, “Oh hell no!” Sadly, we live in times of convenience, and everything has to work fast regardless of the crappy side effects associated with it. My doctor discussed a potential medication for me that contradicted the very thing I was trying to get rid of and added much worse. Why, would I take that? I could, instead, meditate, monitor my diet, and use plant based remedies. I prefer to take a more natural approach knowing that my body can manage it. We come from the earth and the earth is equipped to heal us. Now, I am not against all medications as some are necessary as they act faster than a more natural approach, yet when I am able to take the time needed to let my body heal naturally, from the earth is the route I take.

I am back to using those home remedies I saw as a child void of chemicals that irritate my sinuses, membranes, lungs, skin, sleep cycle, hormones, digestive tract, emotions, need I go on. I’ve gotten rid of most synthetic and processed items from my home when it comes to my health. After coughing so hard from one squirt of a cleaning product, I have gotten rid of those as well. I now use essential oils for cleaning, and there is a plethora of essential oils which are antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and they smell amazing. Combine them with the same baking soda toted on the chemical based cleaning solutions and I have a safer, just as effective method to protect the external environment as well as my internal body environment.