I recently made a series of videos on how to take care of your skin naturally. I am no skin care expert by any means, but I have learned a lot about skin being an herbalist. Mainly because I suffered with eczema for years and years, and had really sensitive skin that broke out with so many products. I literally had to go without regular products and learn how to take care of my skin naturally and with homemade remedies to really help my skin heal

Now that I have gone through that whole process, I know so much is tied to the health of our inner bodies. Our liver is key to great skin. The liver is the great detoxing organ, and hold our emotions. So there is a physical component with what we eat and an emotional component, with what we think that determines what our skin will look like.

Changing my diet to a more plant based diet, removing processed foods, and caffeine and alcohol, was only the beginning. There are so many herbs that cleanse and nourish the liver so that it cleanses and nourishes the entire body. Two of my favorite for the job are Dandelion root, and Burdock root (see my previous post). 

For this particular post I have made a video where I share 3 ways I take care of my skin externally with natural means, and the natural- when you go natural, has an emotionally healing and spiritually healing component. 
The first is a sugar scrub with lavender infused olive oil. I make this oil- and it is found in my ETSY store (you can see the link to my store in the footer at the bottom of this page). You can also make your own very easily and I have a video on that. My calendula ointment video will go into the details on how to make an infused oil. How to Make an Ointment / Salve with Calendula, Beeswax, Olive oil, Lavender essential oil 🌸 - YouTube 

The sugar scrub is gentle and nourishing and the lavender oil is very healing emotionally. It is a wonderful at home treatment. Then I demonstrate how I do a clay mask with clay from our property. Lastly I tone with Witch Hazel extract which can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs (see banner in the footer). I hope you enjoy the video and if you do leave a comment here, or over on YouTube. What is your favorite natural skin care remedy? Have a beautiful day!

I literally enjoy better looking skin now in my early 40's than I did as a teenager. Maybe that is not so novel, the teenage years can be very difficult for naturally beautiful skin. I knew nothing about herbal remedies, and taking care of my body naturally through my teens, but thankfully I know now for my own children. I know I can help save them a lot of agony. 

Skin eruptions can be downright terrible, and embarrassing and can literally leave a person scarred for life. Like every thing in this world, there is an answer, and a solution to literally every single problem. Typically we look to fix the outside every time there is a problem. I repeatedly hear even celebrities' talking about this or that skin care for beautiful skin. I am not opposed to proper cleansing and caring for the skin, but it really does not cost hundreds or thousands of dollars on topical products for beautiful skin.

It is work though. It is dedication. It is some difficult, and maybe even very hard decision to make lasting and permanent change for your inner beauty to see that change in the outer body. Most of us though do not want to do the hard work. We want a pill, a magic bullet, or are even willing to spend thousands of dollars on beauty procedures and treatments, rather than look inside. Oh if more people were willing to look at their insides. We would have a much different world. 

The remedy I am suggesting for clearer skin, and I say clearer because this is part of a lifestyle and a way of living. For some people drinking dandelion and burdock root tea will be enough. However, for others, you may need to make more changes, including dietary to see excellent results, but the results are very possible for each person who is willing to do them. 

Dandelions are fabulous, friendly plants. Their proximity to our living environments tells us so much about this plant, as well as its abundance. It is like the dandelion is begging to be picked. How terrible that so many people kill their dandelions, when this plant (all parts included) could be their bodies best friend. All parts of a dandelion are edible (as long as they are grown in healthy soil). The leaves make an excellent salad, and the roots are fabulous for cleansing the liver, toning and flushing stored emotions that are held in the liver. 

Burdock too is another one of the plants that grows in abundance, but not so close. I find burdock closer to the edge of things or a field. They are bigger, much bigger than dandelions and can be a great friend to help rebuild a body. The leaves can be eaten (young are better), and the root is a vegetable in many cultures. I use the dried root, mixed with dried dandelion root because both are liver friendly herbs that through their joint abilities will cleanse and nourish and create  healthier, lovelier skin. 

To understand more, and to see my actual HOW TO- watch my full video below. Don't forget to share a comment after the video. Do you eat dandelions? Comment down below, or on YouTube. Thanks!

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Herbs are a funny business. There is no hiding behind the natural. The natural exposes things for what they are. Maybe that is why more people reject natural healing, than embrace it. Most people want to hide behind the metaphorical and sometimes physical mask they have created. To be exposed and to be seen as we are is very scary, but it is the only true way to being free and naturally healed as a soul.

We are not here to perfect our physical bodies. I am not opposed, at all, to taking care of oneself, but the obsession with perfecting something that perishes, is a foolish exercise. I hope that word is not too harsh. Foolishness is defined as "a lack of good sense or judgement." It is a lack of good sense to worry about and try to change our outsides, while ignoring a swirling storm on the inside. Do you know that the more you work on your inner character, your spirit self, that the more beautiful your outsides will be?

I want to jump for joy at how free I feel in my own skin. My skin has not been cut and pasted, and shaped and puffed up. Freedom is embracing yourself and feeling so good as you are. This peace comes from a deep well of acceptance of all of me, that includes all of my mistakes and all of my errors, my history and life. 

I love love love to see a confident older woman embracing their gray hair, wrinkles and smiling or laughing,  exuding confidence. May we all desire to give our best selves for the younger generation. I know for me, I grieve at the whisperings I hear to turn us into some sort of partial technological being with science. A combo person does not sound natural, but many people have already agreed to this. They have agreed by deciding that who they are is not enough. Oh my heart goes out to the world. 

In my video below I talk about how you can't hide behind herbs. Herbal or Natural walks are ones designed to be authentic. You have no choice but to be authentic. Our whole premise is the root, the wholistic being, what is mind, body and spirit. Truly we are Spirit- in temporary physical bodies. We are here to transcend limitations, and I believe give to others from the well-spring of our deep acceptance of who we were created to be. 

I am currently in the process of writing a book about Herbal and Natural remedies. Since I am already writing thousands of words a day, my blog posts are going to be a bit short for a time. I will be posting my recent videos as my post, and hope you enjoy them. 

I made a video today on how to take care of your hair naturally. This may be old news to some of you, but hopefully it is new news for some. When I learned about going more natural, and cutting out the harsh chemicals on my scalp, it was certainly new news for me. I thought that if something was packaged in a pretty bottle than it was good, right? 

Fortunately I had no choice but to seek some kind of alternative way for caring for my hair and scalp because I was experiencing dry, flaky, irritated skin. In fact some spots were down right itchy. I thought it was my diet, and worked on my diet with great care, but I have found that even with a perfect diet, chemicals being habitually rubbed onto the skin is bound to build up and cause some kind of irritation. 

So I cut out the sulfate shampoo, went through a period of cleansing my hair and scalp where my hair looked horrible. I stopped dying my hair with chemicals. I stopped using chemical products on my hair, and went au natural. I am really happy with that choice! Why? Same reason I continue to eat differently than most of the population- it makes me feel really good. I'd rather feel good, than "look good." No that's not right. I'd rather feel good long term than satisfy some short term gain. 

Here is my video where I talk a bit more on my natural hair care routine. P.S. I use Rosemary essential oils to enhance my hair growth. Only natural brands- like Young Living. I also like Starwest and Mountain Rose Herbs has great oils. You can click on Mountain Rose Herbs (banner) in my footer to search their oil collection.

My husband and I decide each year to make the next year, the best year of our lives. To be honest, even though I had personal loss, even the loss of a beloved family member, not to mention the trials of 2020, it really was our best year in our entire marriage. 

It was my best health year- even though I shed many tears over the loss of my dad. It was our best earning year, even though there were many reasons and shutdowns everywhere. It was a year of transformation, but more than that it was a year of pinpointing. I felt that I became laser focused last year. I was able to see what I really wanted from myself, my family and my life. I felt like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. 

I am deciding though, that 2021 is going to be my best year. I am going to rock it with my finances. I am going to rock it with my marriage, and other relationships. My health is going to be amazing. It is going to be a year of growth and accomplishment, and I am saying this- despite what is happening around me and beyond my control. 

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To most of us, these statements sound crazy. You may even be thinking, "she is crazy." 'How can she say that?  Or maybe if this happens, then yes, or if that does not happen, or if things go back to normal- I can see that happening.' Part of me wants to lean into those safety statements, but I also know that the world is created by imagination. My imagination and your imagination is very powerful. It is a creative force, and if I am going to create something with my mind, I am going to create something amazing, and not something to be feared. 

You know you might say, "if I don't hope, then I won't be disappointed." You may be right. There is bound to be some disappointment. There always is, but I am going to hope, and imagine and shoot for the stars, and I will settle for landing on the moon, rather than step out trepidatiously, afraid to be disappointed. 

How am I starting 2021? First of all, I have decided to go off of social media. I am bucking the trend. You will not find me on Facebook, or Instagram, or Twitter, or whatever is the hot media channel. This may be a risky thing for someone is business, but I am dedicated to being a healer. As a healer, I need to be in a state of healing, and flow, and good energy. Social media has become such an emotional roller coaster or exaggerated emotions and feelings. I know that there is good, there is. As a healer, I want to keep my space free. I see it like I keep my home free of clutter, I need to keep my mind free of clutter too.

What else am I doing? Today, Jan. 1st I am doing a juice fast. I decided to start the year with juice, and healing. When you pause from heavy eating, your body has time to cleanse, heal and repair. My fast will last only a day or two, but it will give my mind time to clarify. Besides the benefits of fasting, and juicing, which I will not go into here, fasting from food groups can be spiritual enlightening. (If you want to learn more about fasting/ juicing one of my favorite books on the subject is Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Avery). For that matter fasting from all kinds of things is enlightening; you will see how much you turn to X, Y, Z thing for comfort and when you are attempting to remove that "thing" you will find some emotions rising to the surface.

This is ok, and in fact can be very healing. 

 I started this post early today, and now it is almost time for bed. I found myself looking to eat numerous times today, and instead had to redirect my thinking. I focused on breathing and relaxing. These two activities are exceptionally healing and will help you to reach your goals much more than frenetic activity. I also found that I had a number of emotions creep up which I will take to prayer. In my 2 decade long journey as an herbalist, I have found a slight or more than slight discomfort just before a time of revelation. I look forward to more revelation and a deeper spiritual connection.

I will leave you by saying. Life is a choice. We have choices, although it feels like we do not at times. If you are use to being a "victim" of life, you will really balk at this statement. I know because I played the victim role for many years. I know that a God who created us with free will, also gives us that free will to decide what kind of life we will live. He, or Spirit of Divine Creator- works ALL things to the GOOD for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. 

Faith- faith is what I am exercising. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. Faith is the seed, the moment of conception, where you conceive our dream in its invisible state. It is a matter of holding that faith until the dream or goal or belief has time to grow and manifest to the visible. Start this year with a renewed belief and faith that you are here for a darn good reason and have a real purpose for your life. Make this your best year ever!