Hello!
Our family got a whopping initiation this New Year: everyone but me had the flu, Cora had an ear infection, and then an allergic reaction to the antibiotics, and I had the pleasure of tending everyone while developing a perplexing and undiagnosed eye infection (picture in the video ↑).
It’s been a two-week blur of daytime napping, Bluey marathons, doctor appointments, fitful nights’ sleep, and tea on repeat.
And as if that weren’t enough, somewhere in there we adopted a 9-month, very black, golden doodle named Buddy (AHHH!!!!).
Guys! I’ve never had a dog.
Not only have I never had a dog, my father refused to let me around dogs as a kid on account of being a surgeon and seeing far too many dog-related casualties.
A 20-pound, non-shedding poodle is about as much as my - and my cat’s - nervous system can handle. (Even though I NEVER thought I’d be that lady with a poodle, sorry, a doodle.)
Ok, I’ll be more generous and admit that perhaps my nervous system is thanking this pup. He’s getting me offline and outside WAY more that I can discipline myself to do.
I mean, who doesn’t want to catch the moon set at 6 am?
The kids are smitten yet tentative, and I’m hoping that having a dog will be a formative experience for them that they will grow to love. I mean, he’s a living stuffed animal for crying out loud!
But dog news aside, I want you to know the 4 HEALING POTIONS that got me and my family through this period of illness, and that I believe, have fortified us in its wake.
Tending sick family members is stressful. IS IT NOT!?
As parents, we’re not trained medical professionals, and we often don’t have a bank of traditional healing knowledge passed down to us.
Thankfully, our family doctor was incredibly attentive and supportive to all of us through this time.
There’s also the internet, but I prefer not to go down that rabbit hole unless I’m sourcing information from a highly trusted source.
So beyond medical advice and prescriptions, I repeatedly turn to 4 EASY recipes that help deliver hydration, soothe symptoms, and boost our immune systems:
Two recipes are timeless and foolproof
Two recipes draw on the healing power of abundant and local wild medicine, which you can source through my favorite purveyor (linked below)
I consider the first two 1,000% essential for having on-hand at all times in your home, to boost your immune system and nurse illness. They are both accessible and easy to make or source.
The second two are less common but amazing natural healing aids and easy to make at home.
Note: you do not need to make ALL these things.
In times of illness, rest and simple hydration are top priority. Don’t make yourself more sick running around trying to prepare everything.
But having just ONE of these healing potions on-hand will help speed healing.
Here are the recipes, all variations from my book Seasonal Family Almanac, with relevant links and additional information you need to know.
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