Knocking Out the Harsh Season with Four Tested Natural Remedies to Colds and Cough

Common Colds, Cough and You: Who Gets Knocked Down?

Don't let the cold season beat you out of your senses (pun intended) because of colds and cough. Knock them out, not the other way around.

The cold season in some parts of the world right now are beating people relentlessly. On my end, it's a bit cold too, (though it's definitely not snowing in my tropical country, the Philippines) and I'm down with colds and cough myself. 

However, through several tested natural remedies, I've reduced the time that I usually have these horrible illnesses and stopped them from escalating to fever.

Why combine remedies to colds and cough, some of you ask? Usually these sicknesses go together, and some of these tested remedies can beat, not just colds, but cough too. 

These are "tested" remedies because I've tried them on various occasions on my kids and myself and they have helped ease the symptoms and clear these illnesses faster.

Tested Natural Remedies to Colds and Cough

The following are four tested natural remedies to colds and cough. Go for these natural and practical solutions, but make sure you're not allergic to any of these ingredients though. 

The Lime that Killed the Colds with Sour-Sweetness

The first natural remedy is quite popular, simple, and easy to make. It is even seen as a pre-colds remedy, or that time when you feel that your throat is itching before the full-blown colds sets in. As a pre-colds remedy, you can take it to help prevent colds. 

The usual online recipe uses lemon. Lemon, however, is quite expensive in the Philippines, but calamansi or lime is much more affordable here. My sense of practicality demands changes in the usual apple cider vinegar-honey-lemon remedy to colds.

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV)
1 tablespoon of raw honey
1 tablespoon of lime (or lemon if you have that instead)

One Simple Procedure

Mix them up and drink them two to three times a day. The taste is alright. Honey masks the vinegar's sour taste. 

Effects

1. Relieves dryness and itchiness of throat for dry cough.
2. Helps phlegm to be coughed out easily after a day or two for those with phlegm.

Lime's Health Benefits

The Super Fruit that Stole the Soul of Colds 

The second natural remedy is eating a cup of fresh guava or drinking a glass of pure guava juice twice a day. 

Effects

1. I noticed that guava fruit/juice heals my colds and cough faster than other fruits rich in vitamin C. Though of course, every case might be different. 
2. I ended my kids' colds in a day too several times because they drank two glasses of guava juice the day before, while also taking the lime remedy.

Guava's Health Benefits

Green Tea's Gingered Solution to Colds

The third natural remedy is green tea with a teaspoon of ginger juice. You can juice fresh ginger or boil ginger and add a green tea bag to your cup of ginger tea. Double greatness for a gingered approach to beating colds and cough. The taste is quite zingy-spicy, and to some, bitter. You can add a teaspoon of honey for sweetness and to triple its nutritional goodness.The sourness is quite good for itchy throat though.

Effects

1. Relieves itchy throat.
2. Loosens and moves mucus.

The Benefits of Ginger, One of Which is Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment

Dr. Oz Natural, Homemade Cough Syrup 

The fourth natural remedy is from Dr. Oz. It is a natural homemade cough syrup. I tried this and it helped ease the itchiness of my throat because of phlegmatic cough.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ACV
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Two Simple Steps

Mix ingredients in 2 tablespoons of water. Gargle before swallowing.

Effects

1. Relieves itchy throat.
2. Loosens and moves then removes mucus.

Cayenne Pepper's Health Benefits

How Do These Remedies Achieve Their Benefits?

Cranks up the immune system. ACV, honey, ginger, and green tea, and lime, based on anecdotal evidence and several studies (green tea), can boost the immune system. In turn, they promote vitality and energy that can help you defeat these viruses plaguing your body. 

Vitamin C sources. One of the reasons that ACV, guava, honey, and lime can improve the immune system is that they are good sources of Vitamin C. Some studies showed that eating/drinking foods and liquids that are rich with Vitamin C can help decrease the duration and severity of cold symptoms.

Anti-viral and antibacterial. ACV, honey, ginger, green tea, and lime, based on anecdotal evidence and some studies (green tea), have anti-viral and antibacterial properties. These properties make them potent against colds and cough.

Mucus buster. Cayenne pepper can break up and move mucus.

Knock-out Win against Colds and Cough

These four natural remedies to colds and cough are only some of the traditional cures to these illnesses. You can check out and try more colds-and-cough-busting recipes from other sites, such as DIY Natural, one of my favorite natural health websites. 

The important thing is that you are now aware that you are not limited to over-the-counter colds and cough syrups/tablets anymore for you and your family. 

These natural remedies are kid-friendly too, except the one with cayenne, because my kids dislike spicy foods. 

Nature offers us awesome fighting gloves through homemade natural medicine that can beat colds and cough naturally and practically. 

Arm yourself now. And give those viruses the knockout they deserve.

Homemade Remineralizing Toothpaste

If I tell you that there's a possibility that a combination of the right nutrition and the right remineralizing toothpaste can cure your tooth decay by initiating a self-repair process for your teeth, would you believe it?

I was skeptical at first. I already have a couple of pasta-filled teeth, so in my mind I was thinking, well, how controversial is that! A tooth-cavity-busting-teeth-healing toothpaste for real? 

I mean, if you have a tooth cavity already, some dentists would immediately recommend pasta-filling. Drill the tooth, fill it with pasta, and there you have it, a repaired tooth that would need refilling every now and then. 

That's how it's done. That's how people usually fix decaying teeth. That's how I knew it could only be done.

Apparently, I was so wrong. It is possible for our teeth to repair itself.

For the past fifteen years, studies, such as from Kaufman et al. (1999), Munoz et al. (1999), Zhang et al. (2007) and Fowler et al. (2006), are showing positive benefits from using remineralizing toothpaste. These benefits include rehardening broken or damaged enamel and decreasing tooth sensitivity to acidic products. 

If you want to read more on the process of remineralizing teeth, continue with this article, or you can go ahead to the Homemade Remineralizing Toothpaste recipe below because you already believe that we can self-heal many of our illnesses through a healthy diet and using natural products. 

Also, to read more about homemade toothpaste's benefits, and why commercial toothpaste may actually be bad for you, you can read "Commercial Toothpaste's Ingredients: Are They Safe?" from my post "Three Easy Steps for Baking Soda Toothpaste (Safe for Kids)"

Remineralizing: Activating the Ability of Your Teeth to Self-Heal Tooth Decay

Remineralizing our teeth is the process of delivering calcium and phosphate ions to the teeth, where these ions, in turn, can rebuild enamel through remineralizing the teeth. 

Remineralizing, with its ability to deliver natural tooth-building ingredients to our teeth, can activate their natural self-repair process. 

Sounds freaky? It's not if you think that it's possible for our bodies to self-heal with the right mindset, diet, lifestyle, and natural products.

For me, remineralizing offers a natural way of curing dental cavities. It's our teeth rebuilding itself with the right tools.

Homemade Remineralizing Toothpaste

I used the recipe for our homemade remineralizing toothpaste from Wellness Mama, being a fan of Katie and all that, and because I find her recipe very easy to make. 

Ingredients for homemade remineralizing toothpaste

Ingredients

• 5 parts Calcium powder or Calcium Magnesium Powder
• 2 parts Baking Soda
• 3-5 parts virgin coconut oil to achieved the desired consistency and texture

Note: By 5 parts, you can refer to it as 5 tablespoons or teaspoons as you wish. You can try coconut oil (the one used for cooking), though I've personally used only virgin coconut oil. You can also just make fresh small batches to use for the day and combine the mentioned ingredients according to the consistency you want. 

Optional Ingredients

• 3 parts Xylitol Powder (Note: You may want to include this though because the study of Sano et al. in 2007 showed that xylitol helped enhance the remineralizing process).
• Essential oils for flavor (mint, cinnamon, and orange are all good), Grapefruit Seed Extract, Myrrh and Trace Minerals (Note: I used 5 drops of Peppermint oil. Be careful of using essential oils when nursing and when pregnant though. You have to do research/consult health professionals on these essential oils that may not be good for nursing/pregnant mommies).

How to Make Homemade Remineralizing Toothpaste

1. Mix all calcium powder, baking soda, and xylitol (if using) well in a bowl. I crushed the calcium tablets we have. I did not use xylitol because I don't have it on my end.

2. Add coconut oil slowly so that you can easily manage the process of getting the right consistency.

3. Include any optional ingredients, such as essential oils.

4. Keep your homemade remineralizing toothpaste in a small container. You can use a clean spoon to scoop it out, especially when the oil has hardened.

Eight Exciting Benefits Of Making Your Own Remineralizing Toothpaste

These are the benefits of remineralizing toothpaste according to my experience and some anecdotal and scientific studies:

1) Cleans and whitens teeth better than commercial toothpaste brands.

2) Freshens breath.

3) Decreases teeth sensitivity to coldness.

4) Protects our teeth from acidic products like soft drinks.
5) Reduces plaque.
6) Cures toothache. In my case, I have this tooth ache from tooth decay, but since I've been using my homemade remineralizing toothpaste, the pain is gone.
7) Heals tooth decay.
8) Gives an opportunity for great family bonding time. If you make your homemade remineralizing toothpaste with your kids, they'll have fun making it (at least in my case) and they'll have fun in actually using it too, even if baking soda tastes salty. Let's call that pride in DIY.

My daughter prefers our homemade toothpaste because she dislikes the strong mint taste of commercial toothpaste.

I also made this with my sis-in-law +Hennidyn Portem and it was so much fun pounding and mixing stuff :D

My five-year-old helping mama make our homemade remineralizing toothpaste

The Downsides and Limitations of Homemade Remineralizing Toothpaste

1) It does not have the smooth, foamy feeling like other toothpastes do. If you want some bubble action, you can add one part of natural castile soap to it, which Wellness Mama used in her previous toothpaste recipe.

2) It does not automatically cure tooth decay if you don't change your eating and dental hygiene habits. It means that it won't work if you don't brush at least twice a day and you eat too many sweet/acidic food products daily.

Why Baking Soda?
Contrary to (somewhat) popular (mis)belief, baking soda does not erode tooth enamel, according to the study of Menezes et al. (2004). 

Baking soda can also be used to effectively deliver calcium and phosphate ions to our teeth, which is what remineralizing toothpaste exactly aims to do. 

Furthermore, baking soda, based on my experience and anecdotal evidence, can clean teeth better and freshen breath than commercial toothpaste brands and can result to strong, white, healthy teeth and gums because it can effectively remove plaque.

Finally, baking soda has no fluoride, so it's safe for babies and young kids. Although  for my toddler, I just use virgin coconut oil as his toothpaste (it has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties) because he does not like baking soda's salty taste.

Expiration Date

Based on users' comments from Wellness Mama, our homemade remineralizing toothpaste can last for six months, although it will be consumed much faster for large households. Probably because of the heat in the Philippines, I noticed that mine lasted for two months only. So if it's pretty hot in your area, I think it's best to make small batches. 

Where's the Fluoride?

Well, I am sure my dentist will hate me for saying this, but fluoride is not exactly needed to have clean and healthy teeth and gums. I will make a separate blog entry for that. Also, we can regularly eat food with fluoride, so that we won't need it in our toothpaste. 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these are several fruits that have some fluoride in them: 

• Apple 
• Avocado 
• Banana 
• Cantaloupe 
• Cherries 
• Grapefruit 
• Peaches 
• Pears 
• Plums 
• Strawberries 
• Watermelon

Bananas are mainstays in our diet, while we also eat avocados, watermelon, and strawberries, when they are in season and less expensive. 

Practical Solutions to Dental Frustrations
Remineralize your teeth in the most natural and practical way by making your own remineralizing toothpaste. Free yourself from the expenses of tooth extraction, pasta filling, or worse, root canal because of cavities!

The solution to some of your dental frustrations is waiting to be made.

Add that frugal homemade toothpaste that heals teeth cavities in your life. And let's face the world with less chipped smiles. 


Have you tried making your own remineralizing toothpaste? How was the experience? How long did it take to cure your dental cavity?

The Green DIY Mama's Materials Checklist

Turning green, or pursuing an alternative lifestyle using eco-friendly, natural products, is not entirely inexpensive, as I already talked about in "The High Price of Natural Beauty in The Philippines." Apparently, being a green DIY mama (papa/person) is not as frugal now as it used to be in olden times when commercial brands were not yet existent and people can make their own oils from their gardens.

To help you out, I prepared a checklist of materials to help parents or people like me who want to invest on natural materials for their homemade products. This list is especially cut out for those who live in the Philippines or countries where some of the natural ingredients used in Western DIY or homemade-centered websites are not available locally.

Baking soda, for instance, is not a locally-available product and bulk amounts are not accessible in the Philippines, or at least where I live, which is Metro Manila. Buying small boxes of baking soda may be expensive for those who cannot fully adapt to using it for many health and beauty uses. Witch hazel is an imported product too, as well as cocoa butter and beeswax pastilles. Again, they're expensive when their U.S. dollar prices are converted to Philippine peso.

Nevertheless, despite these expensive natural materials, I've been doing some computations and I realized, that, though the initial expenses for the investment in natural products are expensive, I can still save money in the long run as long as I stick to local products or make some of them on my own. 

Furthermore, nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing that I'm making safer, natural, healthier, homemade products for my family, especially my kids, such as the DEET-free Homemade Natural Bug Repellent Spray that are safe for babies. Homemade products do not have artificial preservatives and coloring that other commercial brands have, which make them the best everyday products for me and my family.

Right now, I'm following homemade recipes from Wellness Mama, Simple Mom, and Crunchy Betty, among others, making some variations along the way, because local products are different from Western ones and I can't always buy or access some of their materials. 

A Checklist of Natural Ingredients for Different Homemade Products

At present, I've invested on the following products, while some of them are already staple kitchen products:

Some natural ingredients for many DIY products that will replace commercial brands

1. Baking soda
2. Brown sugar
3. Apple cider vinegar
4. White sugar
5. Raw honey
6. Virgin coconut oil
7. Castile soap
8. Calcium tablets 
9. Bentonite clay
10. Witch hazel 
11. Vitamin E oil
12. Essential oils: Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and tea tree

I spent around Php 4,000 for these materials. I bought my essential oils from Casa de Lorenzo, and the rest are from supermarkets and Healthy Options at SM Mall of Asia (my source of Castile Soap, Bentonite Clay, Witch Hazel, and Vitamin E oil).

I just learned that you can buy very cheap baking soda from Divisoria at Tabora Street. Only Php 25 to Php 30 per kilo! 

The following below are the rest of the materials that I plan to buy. I'm hoping I can get them from local stores, before finally buying from an online site that sells imported products, Galleon. The products below are for making natural deodorants, lotions, beauty products, and several other DIY natural products.

1. 100% raw cocoa butter
2. Beeswax pastilles
3. Arrowroot powder
4. Beetroot powder

These products can reach Php 5000 to Php 6500 depending on the amount and brands.

Transition to Green DIY Living

Being a green DIY mama doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, but there is a transition stage. Transitioning includes believing in these products and being aware that they take time to make and getting used to. 

In addition, the transition stage also means being aware of some of the essential oils and materials that you may be allergic too (or your kids and other family members) and taking note of pregnancy, because not all essential oils are safe for pregnant people. 

Transitioning also includes preparing the mindset and changing the habits of our family members who are used to manufactured products and who, sometimes, believe in these products laden with toxic materials more than our own homemade natural products.

Also, we have to be aware of the time involved in homemade DIY living. Some of our homemade products are as easy as two general steps, (i.e. Baking soda soak for curing/preventing rashes for babies and kids), while others may take ten minutes or so, depending on the amount of product you intend to make and if you're making some of the natural ingredients yourself. This means that DIY is "effort-full" too because every minute preparing them adds up.

These transitions can be quite emotionally and time-management difficult at first, but we must not give up. Who else will champion natural DIY living if not us?

The Life of a DIY Natural-Living Mama

It will be almost two months since I've ventured into the green, DIY world of natural living. So far, it's been an exciting and mind-expanding experience. 

My creativity and resourcefulness are tested, as well as my time-management skills, because I'm blogging about it, while doing my usual research work and family duties.

It helps that I have an eldest five-year old daughter who supports me in some of my DIY tasks and a husband who is also supportive, but who have yet to embrace the natural scents and texture (literally and figuratively) of health and beauty that he's not used to.

All in all, I'm so happy in finding new knowledge and developing new skills by doing DIY natural products. Hopefully, I can contribute more directly to it by finding local alternatives to imported natural ingredients.

My first love has always been God and my family, and writing and DIY natural living are tied in the second spot.

I hope this journey to a green, DIY lifestyle becomes as satisfying and energizing as yours. 

How is your pursuit of DIY natural living? Do you also find it overwhelming, but satisfying?

Baking Soda Wars: The First Battle at Chapel Hill

The First Battle at Chapel Hill 

Photo credit: Sheldon

Clouds of dust mushroom in the battle-torn field. Clashes of spears and swords strike like lightning in a heavy thunderstorm. Groans of men with sliced arms and legs and heads abound.

Prince Theo, seventeen in form but thirty in war experience, draws his sword. He launches himself to his enemy, Duke Archibald, who has stolen his crown from him.

Jenny turns the TV off.

She is so fed up. Not with Prince Theo of Soda Wars. He's pretty cute, though her hubby is much more gallant. 

Jenny's 31 years old with two lovely kids, one five, the other is two, and a loving husband in the army, and it's a good life. 

She works at home, which is great, but not perfect. Not that she wants it perfect. What is perfect anyway? It's too much defined by other people, and she doesn't care for it.

She's just happy she has the skills that allow her to work at home and be with her children.

She's trying hard to be a hands-on mom, but to work enough, she needs a nanny. She once had one, but her nanny already retired, and so far, she's testing if she can survive for long without one.

Still, Jenny is so fed up. At least when it comes to herself and the products she buys for her and her family.

She's got sensitive body skin, combination of oily-dry facial skin, and dandruff. 

Her kids have rashes every now and then because of heat and sweat. Or perhaps also because of artificial chemicals in all these baby and kid products, as well as cleaning products. 

One time, Jenny checked the ingredients of toothpaste and insect repellent lotion she uses for her kids, and she is disgusted with the chemicals she found. How ironic. What's kid-friendly is not kid-friendly at all after knowing more about these chemicals. 

She's disgusted with herself the most. She should be more careful in what she uses for her family. She's got to learn more about harsh chemicals in everyday products and find natural alternatives.

Back to her kiddos' skin rashes, the Philippines is a tropical country, so it's hot most of the time, and rashes are expected. But there must be some form of damage control.

As for Mama Jenny, dandruff gets her really bad. When she's particularly stressed, she just wants to take off her scalp and beat it up like a carpet to take out the flakes. If only that's possible.

As a home-based researcher, Jenny's ready to delve into new knowledge. Being tired from writing for her research work, she sleeps. 

The Call and Multiple Personalities

Jenny's talking over the phone with her husband who's in a conflict-ridden zone somewhere in the south.

"Yeah, the kids are fine- ZOE DON'T LICK THAT- okay, so when are you coming home? -ACHI THAT'S DIRTY- I see. Well, we'll pray for you my love. ZOE! YOU'LL GET YOURSELF HURT! I'll check air fares later."

The call lasts for an hour. Jenny prepares for her bath.

No 'Poo Battle: Rough on Dandruff

Jenny is ready for battle. She's going to fight the mainstream filled with commercial shampoo and soap with harsh chemicals. If Tsh can go no 'poo and reap its benefits, she needs a good reaping herself.

It's bath time.

Jenny dissolves some baking soda in warm water and pours it into her old shampoo bottle  She shakes it up, and she uses that for shampoo. It doesn't lather, but she doesn't care. She just wants a simple way to clean her hair. Really clean her hair without the chemicals she researched were bad for her scalp.

She massages baking soda shampoo from her scalp down to her hair's tips. After a few minutes, she rinses everything.

Jenny follows up her shampoo with apple cider vinegar (ACV) wash. She puts one tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of water. She stores her new conditioner in her old conditioner bottle.

Her ACV wash does good for her scalp. One time, she'll try this dandruff remedy from Katie.

Apple Cider Vinegar can be very effective against dandruff. Mix with equal parts water and apply to scalp with spray bottle or cloth. Leave on for 1-2 hours with a shower cap and rinse. This can be done 1-2 times a week for best results. Katie of Wellness Mama

Jenny washes her hair well after.

Nowadays, she frequently does away with baking soda/ACV and just scrubs her itchy scalp with Dr. Wood's soap and then conditions her hair later while it's drying up with virgin coconut oil. 

For facial and body soap, she uses virgin coconut oil as soap sometimes, or baking soda in water, like the baking soda wash she uses for her kids.

When she uses body scrubs, she usually uses coffee grounds scrub or sugar scrub. She uses the same for her face.

Jenny has won this battle round. No more commercial soap and shampoo for her with different harsh chemicals she is not comfortable with. She's got the fate of her skin and family's skin on her hands. She is ready for the next battle.

Battle at Face Value

Jenny's got a new facial routine. She washes her face twice a day, if she remembers or if time allows her, to avoid pimples. 

When she wakes up, she washes her face with warm water that has a teaspoon of baking soda. If it's facial scrub day, she uses her sugar scrub or coffee ground scrub.

If there's some time, she mixes her facial mask day with reading.

Her facial mask is just egg white mixed with a teaspoon of honey and lime. 

She'd let the mask stay for 15 to 30 minutes on her face as she reads for pleasure or work on her phone.

She washes everything with warm water afterwards.

Jenny follows the mask up with apple cider vinegar toner. That's one teaspoon of vinegar for a cup of warm water. She doesn't wash after. 

She dabs virgin coconut oil on her fingers and swirls it on her face as moisturizer.

She doesn't buy soap and shampoo anymore. She stops buying lotion and moisturizer too. And she feels so free. 

Practicality beats hyper-materialism. 

Jenny yells FREEEEDOOOOM! the way William Wallace (Mel Gibson) does in Braveheart.

She does it in her mind though because Achilles is asleep.

Onward to natural living! 

Fighting for new mindsets on natural, homemade products! 

Let the slaughter of old habits begin!

Healthy Homemade Energy Drink

If you want a healthier and more natural energy drink, you can always depend on the best manufacturer in the world for the best ingredients- Nature. 

And you can also rely on the best owner and maker of that amazing sports drink- Yourself.

You don't need to buy commercial energy sports drink anymore for your kids or yourself that has too many ingredients that you don't want (i.e. artificial sweeteners, colors, and preservatives). 

You don't need to because you can make one, and turn it into any flavor you desire. 

Excited much? I sure am! Just hearing (actually reading) about natural homemade energy drinks pumped up my energy!

One of the Best Natural Sports Drinks--- Coconut Water! 

Coconut water has fewer calories, less sodium, and more potassium than a sports drink.

I did some research on natural sports drinks and several websites confirmed the effectiveness of plain coconut water plus a tablespoon of lime or lemon juice. 

Coconut water is considered better than commercial sports drinks because it has "fewer calories, less sodium, and more potassium than a sports drink."  

The best coconut water would be one that just came right out of the coconut, not commercially-packaged coconut water.

Also, coconut water is different from coconut milk which is squeezed from the inside pulp and used as a common ingredient in coconut-milk based recipes. 

Coconut water is from young, green coconuts. Coconut water is "low in calories and a natural source of electrolytes including sodium and potassium." The electrolyte content of coconut water is more than double that of traditional sports drinks with only half of the carbohydrates. 

Jennifer Koslo, a full-time faculty member with Kaplan University’s School of Health Sciences and a teacher of courses on Vitamins, Herbs, and Nutritional Supplements, Sports Nutrition, and Contemporary Diet and Nutrition, reviewed two studies on the use of coconut water as a fluid replacement drink. 

One study compared rehydration after exercise using young coconut water, a carbohydrate electrolyte beverage, and plain water. Results showed that drinking coconut water post-workout resulted to the same recovery level as the carbohydrate electrolyte beverage. 

The second study confirmed the results with some variation: "the sodium enriched coconut water was as effective as the sports drink in whole body rehydration."

Clearly, fresh coconut water with added sodium is a great energy drink, and I've tested it as an effective pre-, during, and post-workout drink.

In my country, the Philippines, coconut water is affordable and it is fairly accessible too. If coconut water is not available or too expensive in your area, you can whip up an alternative healthy sports energy substitute with the extra sodium needed for intense workout sessions.

Nutritious Homemade Natural Energy Drink

Here's an example of a nutritious, natural sports drink recipe without artificial flavors or ingredients from Wellness Mama.

Ingredients

• 1 quart of liquid (options: green tea, herbal teas, or plain water)
• ⅛-1/4 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt (regular table salt will be alright, but it will not have the same trace minerals as Himalayan Sea Salt)
• ¼ to ½ tsp crushed Calcium magnesium tablets or powder (optional)
• ¼ cup or more of juice (optional. Some examples are: grape, apple, lemon, lime, pineapple, etc)
• 1-2 tablespoon sweetener (optional, such as honey and stevia)

Instructions

1. Brew tea if you chose that option or prepare a slightly warm base liquid (aka water).
2. Add sea salt and calcium magnesium (if you want that in your drink).
3. Add juice and mix well.
4. Cool in the fridge until ready to use.

Example

My recipe is 1 quart of green tea, 1 fourth teaspoon of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of honey, and one fourth cup of apple juice. A practical combination for practical exercisers!

Homemade Honey Lemon Energy Drink

Another Thrifty Energy Drink 

For the most frugal energy drink, you can do away with the fruit juices. I made it with just salt, honey and water and it tasted fine. Not sweet like commercial energy drinks, but healthy-goodness fine for me. 

Simple, Healthy Energy Drinks 
It's that simple because healthy options should be simple! 

Plus, you'll love the taste of your natural sports drink too. Why? Because you'll be choosing the right mix for your specific taste! 

Sweat it out and drink natural goodness afterwards with your healthy homemade energy drink! 

What homemade energy drinks have you tried? Any natural homemade energy drink recipes you can share?

Kid-Approved Homemade Natural Bug Repellent Spray

Mosquitoes are extra hateful when they bite our precious kids! It seems so easy to just buy commercial insect repellent lotion, but think again. You can make your own homemade natural bug repellent spray in just three easy steps!

Before we begin, you have to understand why you must make your own repellent lotion or spray.

Do you have your insect repellent spray or lotion right now? Check its ingredients. What does it have? 

For Kids, but "Keep out of reach of children"? 

Mine has N-diethyl-meta-toluamide 7.5%, or DEET. Studies are mixed on whether DEET is safe or toxic. One study, however, showed that deet can lead to "rashes, skin or mucous membrane irritation, transient numb or burning lips, dizziness, disorientation, and difficulty concentrating," while another study by Velri et al. (1994) stressed that: "Children were not more likely to develop side effects from DEET exposure when compared to an adult population."

Apart from these side effects, some researchers learned that DEET can "be toxic to the central nervous system." Researchers noted that additional studies must be done to verify the neurotoxicity of DEET to humans, "especially when deet-based repellents are used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides."

DEET is potentially toxic to the central nervous system? And why are we even putting lotions with DEET on our children with their developing bodies?!

No wonder my insect repellent lotion also says: "Keep out of reach of children." It's crazy that it's made for kids, but it's also not entirely safe for kids! Of course I know that this warning means that this product is not safe to be eaten, but still...

So are you still going to use that DEET-based insect repellent stuff for your kids? 

I won't because I found this safe, natural, and homemade recipe for a bug repellent from Katie of Wellness Mama. She actually has several natural insect repellent recipes and they all sound so easy to make, but I'll just focus on the one I tried.

Natural Insect Repellent Spray Ingredients

• Essential oils: You can choose from Citronella, Clove, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput, Eucalyptus, Cedar, Catnip, Lavender, Mint. These essential oils can repel insects.

• Natural Witch Hazel

• Distilled or boiled water  

How to Make DIY Natural Insect Repellent Spray

1. Fill spray bottle half-full with distilled or boiled water.
2. Pour witch hazel to fill the rest of the bottle, but leave some space for your essential oils.
3. Add 30 drops of essential oils. I mixed the following: Lavender, Lemongrass, and Eucalyptus, 10 drops each.

Homemade Natural Insect Repellent from Lavender, Lemongrass, and Eucalyptus Oils

Warning for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

Not all essential oils are safe to handle for pregnant and breastfeeding women. I'm copying the text in italics below verbatim from this article.

Essential Oil Guide for Pregnancy

The following list is from Everything Essential as a guide for using essential oils for pregnancy. If you have any question about using essential oils, seek out the guidance of a holistic healthcare practitioner.
Oils that are generally okay: 

• Bergamot
• Coriander
• Frankincense
• Geranium
• Grapefruit
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Sandalwood
• Wild Orange
• Ylang Ylang

Oils that for some would be better used diluted with a carrier oil (i.e. coconut oil): 

• Clove
• Cypress
• Eucalyptus
• Ginger
• Helichrysum
• Marjoram
• Melaleuca
• Myrrh
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Roman Chamomile

Consult with your healthcare practitioner before using these oils:  

• Basil
• Cassia
• Cinnamon bark
• Clary Sage
• Lemongrass
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Vetiver
• Wintergreen
• White Fir

* Use peppermint essential oil sparingly near the end of your pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Mint is known to decrease milk production.

Expiration Date

I make a 60 ml natural insect repellent spray that gets consumed in a month, and so far, it's good enough to work and to not have any negative effect on my kids. If you think you won't be using too much, make your insect repellent spray in smaller batches (lesser essential oils needed), so you can have it fresh every week.

Your Natural Insect Repellent: Your Brand of Loving

There you go, your very own DEET-free, natural, homemade bug repellent. 

Now you can spray this on your kids without worrying of DEET. You'll love how it smells. 

Another great thing about this natural insect repellent spray is that it truly works. We have mosquito invaders every now and then, especially now that it's the rainy season, and after spraying this on my skin, I don't get any mosquito bite anymore!

Don't forget to shake well before every spraying because the oils float on top of the water after some time and to ensure that you dilute the oils well too. Also, you have to reapply if you have washed your skin or you have sweated a lot already.

Go ahead, try it and enjoy the scent of your DEET-free natural bug protection. 

Your skin will love you for it. 

Your kids will come running for it. 

But insects will hate you for being so vile to them with your natural insect repellent spray.

Have you tried any natural bug repellent product? What's your favorite combination of oils?