With Prudence and Thanksgiving

I was raised in a very health-concious home; my parents only used whole grains, we never had refined sugar in the house, we gardened and ate abundant amounts of fruits and veggies, we rarely ever had processed food, and I only remember eating out at a restaurant a handful of times throughout my childhood. All that seemed to work, as we were hardly ever sick when we were children. (Incidentally one of my mother's favorite books on nutrition is SuperImmunity for Kids by Leo Galland, it really helped and inspired her. It is almost 25 years old however, so some of the information may be outdated as new research on nutrition continues to come out. As always, use your judgement and follow your feelings in implementing ideas from this book.)

I haven't been as diligent as my parents were in regards to healthy eating. I do only cook with whole grains, use natural sweeteners the majority of the time, we love our garden and eat lots of veggies. But we eat more processed food and refined sugar than I would like. We definitely have room for improvement! I have recently recommitted to be more careful in what we eat, so that I am truly nourishing my children and giving their bodies what they really need to function optimally. I totally agree with the quote, "The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison." (Ann Wigmore)

My parents were very open to "alternative" natural medicine. They taught me that the Lord has given us many tools to use for the benefit of our health. It's like we have a big tool belt, and we can't think that a hammer will fix everything, because sometimes we need a screwdriver or a wrench. Each tool is valuable and useful for its unique purpose. Conventional doctors, medicine, and treatments are tools. Natural medicine such as herbs, homeopathics, and essential oils are also tools. Our stewardship is to learn about the tools the Lord has provided and inspired, then follow the Spirit as to which ones are appropriate and needful for each particular problem that comes along. I really appreciate the balanced and open-minded view that this has given me. I love the scriptures that say,

"And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving." (D&C 89:10-11)

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.

And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." (D&C 59:18-21)

I am truly grateful for all the "wholesome herbs" and "things that come of the earth," and I know God created them for our use. I'm sure it pleases Him when we learn about these natural medicines that He has given us, instead of thinking that it's "weird" or "strange" to use them. I find this scripture at the end of Alma 46, in the Book of Mormon, very interesting;

"And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate—" (Alma 46:40)

I do use homeopathics with my children, like my parents did, and they have really helped with the sicknesses that have come our way over the years. My husband thought I was crazy when we were first married, but he has seen how many times the homeopathics have worked (and sometimes, most dramatically, on him). Homeopathics are a great tool, and since they do not have any side effects or reactions with any other medications, they are probably the very safest alternative medicine to use. When I choose the right remedy for a particular ailment (which is often a challenge because there are over 50 main ones to choose from), they really work to help the body heal itself. I found some great books to educate myself on the use of homeopathics. My favorite two that I refer to all the time are, Homeopathic Self-Care by Robert Ullman and Homeopathic Medicine at Home by Maesimund B. Panos. Others I have are, Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants by Dana Ullman and The Family Guide to Homeopathy by Andrew Lockie. I've had these for over 10 years, so I am sure by now there are some more great resources out there. I would be interested to hear of any recommendations any of you may have. Also, my favorite brand of homeopathics is Boiron. They are a European company, and as such have regulatory standards, similar to our FDA, to oversee the production of the homeopathics. In Europe homeopathics are much more mainstream, and not as "weird" as they are here in the U.S. The production of homeopathics is not regulated in the United States, so although I'm sure these U.S. based companies are doing their best, my opinion is that their quality and potency could be questionable. I just stick to Boiron. I just noticed that their website has a free Training Program Series which looks like a great introduction to homeopathy!

Though I have been using homeopathics for years, I hadn't yet ventured into other natural medicine. Since I have recently felt inspired to learn about and use the tools the Lord has given me, I have had a great desire to learn about essential oils and herbs. I really feel that herbs must be used with wisdom, as they are potent and powerful medicine. A careful study of each herb, the effects it has on the body in varying amounts and in different preparations, is essential in my opinion.

But where to start? There is an overwhelming amount of information on these topics, and it is hard to know who to trust and who to rely on for correct information. Again, I am profoundly grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is amazing to me how I can be lead to know what it true, even in secular things. By following my feelings, I found some resources that I have been comfortable with and I have learned so much already.

I looked into taking courses, but I don't have the money to spend a couple hundred dollars right now, so I kept looking for other educational options. And I found an excellent resource at HerbMentor.com. You can watch a video on their homepage that gives you an overview of what they offer. It is $10 a month, but I can already tell you it is SO worth it to me, and I can be a member of it for at least 2 years before it will cost as much as a typical herbalist course. I can learn what I want, when I want. They have courses, articles, videos, plant walks, interviews, and a forum to ask questions and get responses from expert herbalists. Love it!!! I have voraciously devoured the information, following the Spirit to know what is right for my family. (My only caution is that there are a couple herbalists that contribute to the site who have very different beliefs than we do, they may worship Mother Earth for instance. And though I value their knowledge of herbs, I absolutely do not agree with their beliefs. As with any site on the internet, use your own wisdom and discretion. The Spirit will always testify of truth.) The people who started HerbMentor are the ones who developed the game Wildcraft! that was mentioned in this post, here on Latter-day Homeschooling. And if you are a member of HerbMentor, you get 10% off at Mountain Rose Herbs, a very highly recommended source for organic, high-quality herbs.

I love how empowered I feel as I learn about the bountiful tools the Lord has blessed us with, both in the things of the earth, and in the knowledge that He has given to mankind. I know that as I use these tools with prudence, balance, and thanksgiving, God will bless me and my family. I know that His Spirit will be with me as I do my best to fulfill my stewardship as a mother in taking care of the health of my family.

What resources, books, and websites have you found that have taught you about natural medicine?

Marcina and her husband, Aaron, have recently welcomed their sixth child into their family! Children are truly one of God’s greatest gifts. In her spare moments Marcina enjoys family history, gardening, reading, singing, listening to beautiful music, and learning new things.