I mean, I ask because my name isn’t followed by anything except Hunt so it’s not like I have any degree to make you trust me. I am, however, 26 years deep with my mother who, if they could give a degree based on knowledge, would have a ton of homeopathic & nutrition degrees under her belt. I mean seriously. I can toot her horn because it’s not the same as tooting your own. Right? It’s never wrong to toot your mother’s horn. So I will.
She has been saying things since the 70s that people are just now starting to say–like know where your meat comes from, heal the body through the body (instead of masking symptoms with things like Tylenol), sugar is bad bad bad, and good fats are good good good! My primary care doctor wasn’t a physician at all but was a chiropractor (I’m talking one week old, I was getting adjusted), and enemas and foot reflexology are her drugs of choice when hit with something really nasty.
So, I’ll share some of her tips here and you can use em or lose em.
Lemon is a natural cleanser so it’s just good
Don’t save this for only the times you’re sick–do it to avoid getting sick!
Uh…our moms might be related 🙂 And while I am not on as familiar terms with the big E bag, the rest is very familiar and true – true people!!
While busy nodding as I read your post, I may have been giggling at the thought of dooing a google image search for an enema bag. Just a little tho. I may have also winced.
Ack – BTW, been meaning to say how gorgeous the family photos are. As in hollywoodish-so-amazing-i-love gorgeous. Cheers & Happy (almost) New Year!
huge believer in the cider vinegar. i like to take a teaspoon (or a tablespoon cause its yummy) a day.
also water. YES. i swear i carry around a 1.5 liter bottle wtih me at all times. i'm crazy but i'm obsessed. and it's helped with eight loss!!
Great post! I think you should add a button on your blog that links back to this post for quick reference =) Happy New Year!
Hey – does your mom have any tips to help progress labor!?! I am in need!
i freaking love your mom and i want to be her.
This is wonderful. That's for this post. And I agree with Kris.10.K you should redirect back to this for the season.
@shannon- my mom would say castor oil! but she didn't actually do it herself so she says she can't speak from experience!
Yeah on Apple Cider Vinegar! Works great when you have food poisoning! A shot of that will kill the bacteria in your stomach!
@everyone else – my mom is gonna love reading these comments. and maybe i will do a button!
thanks, ladies!
Loved reading this post about mom. We joke that she will outlive is all…but it is probably true. A few other tidbits mom has taught us that came to mind: eat until you aren't hungry, don't eat until you are full. And chew your food well because digestion starts in your mouth. Our mom chews each bite at least 20 times and is definitely the last one to finish her dinner every time.
@everyone – i should add that the bathtub should be empty when you get in it for the enema – it's just a place to lay really. ALSO make sure someone is at least home. some people can get a little faint when they give themselves an enema… of course, if you're brave enough to give it to someone else like my mom (eww) don't worry about it!
I love that you highlight Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar – their liquid amino's are great too.
Also, my husband's uncle is a radiologist, professor, cancer researcher, blah blah blah, and he has been doing lots of studies on both cinnamon and tumeric – there's already lots of evidence out there that they're great for you, but he's finding even more. Make them dietary staples!
@megan- i am so glad you mentioned those! i have been adding cinnamon to cut-up fruit – good tip. tumeric, my sister is drinking in her water… i havent used it yet but i am going to give it a try!
and i love their liquid aminos! i use it in place of soy sauce!
Bridget, This is such a great post. We are familiar with most of these in our household thanks to my vegan hubby who doesn't believe in western medicine but in natural alternative healing methods. I start every day with a hot lemon water with a dash of cayenne. So good! We use Braggs ACV a lot – I love making homemade salad dressings with it.
I have only one more tip to add – Cheese the devil too, right up there with sugar and flour and everything processed that comes from a package. The more natural foods we eat, the better our health would be.
Your mom and my mom are TWINS!!!! That's exactly how I grew up. Aaaaaand she didn't vaccinate us and I don't my own children. Go ahead and stone me but I don't care. She swears by Sweedish Bitters too (google it), it's like a miracle holistic drug. I'll have to tell you of the weirdest way to rid of fever/congestion/bad cough. Put a cabbage leaf in steamed hot water for a minute, enough to soften it up, take out and smear it with bunch of honey on the inside, put on on your chest and/or back honey side down (or for a baby on it's bald head), cover with ceran (sp?) wrap (so the honey doesn't seep out), cover with small towel or watever cloth you have then bundle up in a sweatshirt/put on a warm hat and go to sleep for a couple of hours. You'll wake up in a big sweat being fever free, congested free and on the mend. Take a hot shower and dress comfortably. Sounds crazy but it alwasy worked for all 9 siblings and I did it with my own. It's almost as if the cabbage and honey mixed with the heat sucks out the congestion. The honey has to be organic and perferably local. I'm sure you know all about benefits of local honey. I've never had allergies because of it. Antibiotics were only given when it was REAAAAL serious. Traditional medicine definitely has its place and benefits.
I could go on and on and on!
P.S. Davey too got adjusted at 3 weeks! Which was good, because at the apt we found out his neck and shoulder got slightly disslocated during the emergency c-section.
Forgot to add that after you cover the cabbage leaf-honey concoction with towel, use an ace bandage to wrap around it so the whole tihng would stay in place and not slide around.
And on the contrary, homeade organic cheese is actually VERY good for you (unless lactose intolerant). So is butter and raw milk. Also, soak your grains and use sprouted flour when baking. Don't even get me started on the benefits of Cocconut oil, milk and butter. A great website for eating naturally and healthy is http://www.nourishedkitchen.com
i literally wish your mom was taking care of me right now. good to know about room temp water…and i just took a standard process thymex pill. where is a damn lemon when you need it?
Your mom should start a blog!!! Love these tips.
Love your blog, and love health tips…so keep 'em coming!
My brother actually did coffee enemas while he was fighting cancer drug free. Alternative medicine gave him three extra year with his children.
Loved this post. Now I wish I could just implement the no sugar and bread thing!
Happy New Years!
@daniella – girlfriend, our moms would be bffs. as for the whole vaccinating thing… i'm not denying that this isn't crazy BUT my mom forged doc's signatures so we wouldn't have to get vaccinated for school.
am i going to get her arrested for that?
@april kennedy – that's amazing! my mom is big into alternative meds if she were to get cancer too, god forbid. i am not sure that chemo is the best answer, but i really don't know enough about it to say so i will refrain!
@daniella – i am all about whole fats… whole milk, whole milk yogurt, cheese, grass fed beef… but i suppose for some, fats aren't the greatest.
@daniella – i forgot to mention, i have heard of swedish bitters- in fact i have a holistic friend who takes it but i haven't myself- im googling it!
oooh good post! I wish this came out 12 days ago. I've been fighting a nasty cold/flu for a solid 12 days, and can't for the life of me get rid of my cough!!
I'm still a little confused about the enema? How exactly do you actually GET the water up there? hmmm, maybe a personal email would be more appropriate? 🙂
@yours truly- chelsea, you are hilarious. since i dont embarass easily, i will jsut tell you here.
the enema bag has a hook on it. i hook it to the shower nozzle thing. then, the tube has a stopper on it so that the water doesn't gush out. you hook it on. plug the tube with the stopper thing (so technical, aren't i?) and then lay down. the long skinny tube will reach you, now lying on your side… then you undo the stopper and the water, because of gravity (with the bag being up high) will just flow. there you have it. your first enema. it's totally awesome (not. but sometimes, necessary).
and i say this like i do it all the time. in reality, i have given myself ONE since i have been married. i had a fever and was sick of feeling crappy.
and before that, my mom probably gave me two or so when i was REAL little. this wasn't something we did very often. hahaha.
Oh, the hillariousness! My mom "bribed" our family doctor to sign off on vaccine reccords (lying that we got them) for school purposes too. This, however, was in a communist country so she really took a big riske there. The interesting part is that her best friend who is a doctor begged her to do this because she knew what was going in those vaccines (this was in the 70's and 80's…and to think that the ingredients have gotten worse since then) and told my mom that none of the doctors actually vaccinate their own kids. Fast forward to 2007 when I have my first baby and I'm in the office with C's pediatrician. I look her frank in the eye and with a smile say: no vaccinations. Sorry. She just shrugged and said "No biggie, I don't vaccinate my kids either." I just about fell over. She then asked me not to tell anyone else about that. How 'bout them apples?
i love these and i am a big advocate of chiropractors too! and your mom is doing the splits????? i can't get over this.
Hmmm. Very interesting!! Thanks for sharing all this Bridget! I love to read about stuff like this.
And by the way, I sure appreciate your email. I have been crazy busy, but I have it "marked as unread" so I don't forget to reply!!
Have a great night!! 🙂
This is all so interesting! Thanks, Bridget! Your mom sounds like a wise woman. 🙂
I'm all about the whole cheese, whole milk, whole yogurt. We just recently started working on eating until we're comfortable and not FULL – and realized how much extra food we'd been consuming unnecessarily! Crazy.
Love your family pictures! Beautiful.
so, i'm technically not supposed to check blogs at work. but i always check yours anyway (gasp!) and this post really made me smile today, so i had to come back and let you know! great remedies! xo.
i'm pretty sure our moms are the same person. or maybe long lost sisters? my mom works in nutrition and homeopathic medicine, and she recommends all. the same. things. love it. apple cider vinegar was ALWAYS in our fridge growing up (gross, but so beneficial), and i've taken supplements from standard process for most of my life, my mom sells them in her office! and i'm actually sipping lemon and ginger with honey right now because of this nasty cold i just received from the depths of hell. it really does works wonders.
What does she recommend for the stomach bug? We have been sharing one at my house…
Well here's the wise old woman to answer Kirsten about her stomach bug and weigh in with some comments — in response to all the comments . Health is such a fascinating topic!! So Kirsten, stomach bugs are not something we had a lot of in our house. But here are my thoughts. Acidophilus is something that needs to be part of everyone's regime — so if you don't have any in the house — better get some. I'm looking at my bottle right now and it's got 3 billion active bacteria. Needs to be refrigerated. If it were me, I'd up the recommended dosage while you are fighting this bug. See what Dr. Mercola says — http://www.mercola.com. For anyone who doesn't know this guy — his online free newsletter is worth subscribing to. Anyone else have tips for Kirsten? Daniella — what would your Mom recommend?? I'm fascinated by the bitters. I'll be checking that out today!! Also, love the cabbage and honey recipe. Must be something healing in cabbage leaves — they are also recommended for painful and engorged breasts for nursing moms.
Daughter Kate — 20 chews per mouthful isn't enough. It was definitely 40.
Which leads me back to digestion and the colon. Good health really starts in the colon!! Easy thing to remember. Which is why sugar and wheat are to be avoided. They wreak havoc with the digestive system. If your colon isn't healthy–your entire system becomes sluggish and you along with it. We are what we eat!!
To Yours truly — lots of hot water, ginger and lemon — thins out the mucus for your 12 day cold/flu. Elderberry syrup is also a good remedy for boosting the immune system. Hang in there — colds can be thought of as a good way of cleaning out — if you allow them to run their course and don't use over the counter products to dry them up.
Hey Bridget — thanks for your vote of confidence. It is truly gratifying to see that you (and your sisters) are raising the next generation with what you learned at home. What's more precious than good health!
YOU know how much I love your mom. You just reignited my utter obsession with her health advice:) miss and love you bridget!
–linds
This has totally inspired me. I am going to make 2011 my best "new" year. I'm getting married this year, so I'll have a new last name and I'm graduating with degree #2 (hopefully a new career to follow). Why should my health be great as well? This post has me thinking and that is the first step, right? Thanks Bridget!
http://minimalinfluence.blogspot.com/
i am laughing at all the hype mom is getting- you go mom!! to the person who asked about labor i took castor oil and a few hours later was in full labor-gross going down and hurts coming out the other end but i would do it again- i was 11 days late so eager to get things going- love the tips mom!! i feel blessed to have such a healthy start to life!!
love your blog Bridget! My mom skipped most vaccines for me and my siblings and my dad always did lemon juice in warm water for us…. sometimes with a bit of honey… mmm.
I wanted to mention that ACV (apple cider vinegar — I use Bragg's too) is good for not only drinking or putting on salads, but whenever I feel I'm getting a sore throat, I dilute it slightly and gargle with it every few hours. I think it keeps bad bacteria in check and also does stuff for your overall body pH. (but I'm not a doctor, so don't quote me on that!) It gets rid of sore throats really fast!
And sugar is bad, but especially don't have it if you feel you're fighting illness! it weakens your immune system and inhibits absorption of vitamin C.
thanks for doing this post!
um, i think i love your mom. is that weird? remember when i was chatting about ayurveda. it's a lot of the same ideas. i am all about the natural route. and ps. you are TOTALLY qualified for giving health advice. 😉
WONDERFUL post!! such great tips =)
How about a post on natural beauty/cosmetic products? I would love to hear your recommendations (as well as those of your readers)!
Love this post! Your mom sounds like my kind of woman! I love hearing that other people don't mask problems with medication. I almost never take anything unless I HAVE to. I pretty much follow all of these rules (except for the enema, never tried that before!) I also use my neti pot daily and drink a lovely concoction of green veggie/spirulina powder-psyllium fibre husk-pure cranberry juice. Ohh… it's as tasty as it sounds! Yoga, running and basically never sitting down keep me fit. I try to only use organic and natural skin care products, same goes for household and cleaning products. Plus, I eat organic and homemade about 95% of the time.
Bridge. I am pissed at you. You told me to drink lemon and hot water for my cold. Guess what. I puked.
You owe me some almonds, prunes, bread and lettuce.
Thank you very much for sharing your mom's years of studied/learning/practicing… so that we can benefit from her knowledge. I need this at this time in my life (I'm saving it so that I can look at this weekend!).
oh my gosh! just reading this for the first time and holy cow… our moms are twins. seriously maybe separated at birth or something. my little nan did the enema bag thing too. hahaaaa. never had a flu either (:
Wow. We must have twin mothers. My mother always pressed the no water at the table (as well as most of the other things including the big E which I have yet to try, but maybe now I will). Whenever I go out to dinner with new people they are always so surprised! Servers are always reluctant (Really? Not even a water?!). Unbelievable, I know. She believes that enzymes are the absolute foundation to maintaining good health! Glad to see I'm not the only one.
Also, apple cider vinegar is incredibly versatile in it's ability to heal. I used to struggle with eczema throughout my childhood in my inner arms. Upon introducing ACV it cleared up within days. It even worked well for a dog we rescued with itchy dry spots! Who would have thought the same dog would have such a pretty and fluffy coat of fur today. Miraculous.
Hi Bridget! So I'm a little late to this thread, but I recently found your blog and backtracked to all your healthy tips! Can I ask, what do you drink in place of water during meals? It is a standby for me in place of all those sugary concoctions that I'm wondering what you turn to.
@kaia416 – i don't drink anything during meals!
I am new to blogging and just found your blog recommended by a friend. I love all of this great information you have on health. Thanks for posting it.
Bridg, where are you getting your congaplex?
hey anne! i get them at a natural doctor nearby actually but i have gotten them on amazon before. some chiropractors will sell them too…
Awesome, thanks! I should have you do a health post! This is such great info.
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I'm two years late to this great blog post but so glad I stumbled across it! Great recommendations and I really appreciated all the additional tips in the comments section. Thanks!
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Omg! I loved reading about your mom and reading your blog. Also, comments given by others.
I love how you wrote about your mom. Brought back memories of my mom, aunt and how I raised my three.
I loved the comment given by Marianne, December 31, 2010 at 3:38 pm. Kate is right, good health starts in the colon! And if colon isn’t healthy, the entire system becomes sluggish and constipated. Which means toxins are being held in. This causes ills, bad moods, sluggish and more.
I am older grandma now…70s…my mom and aunt were like your mom…..and I was like them for my kids. Still am.. 🙂
I tell other moms all the time about natural home remedies, adjustments, enemas and more.
Hope can give little insight as to how my mom, aunt and other moms were back in the 50s and 60s for home remedies… Many have no idea these days.
Like you, I remember being taken to the chiropractor and given adjustments. They worked!
Castor oil was given often. The same remedies you listed and described were also given to us.
I also remember getting enemas, foot reflexology, massages, baths with epsom salt, and other remedies ..and other therapies at home. Gave the same to my three.
The enema was the “remedy” for my mom and aunt…yes for most ills! Back in the 50s it was given by most, of not all, moms in the home.
My aunt and my younger cousin lived with us for one summer while she was going through a horrible divorce. She gave the same remedies and enemas
to my cousin.
Being 7 years older than my siblings and cousin, I remember my cousin getting an enema on a table. Never remember the enema given in the tub. Never a mess.
First the bulb was used…then when older the bag one like in your pic on here was used.
You told the enema was “super uncomfortable. I have gotten and given many enemas. Never once heard they were super uncomfortable. Some complained of feeling full in the tummy when getting an enema.
When given slowly, right temp of solution and having the person relax when getting it .. then getting an enema is not uncomfortable at all.
Yes, the enema is still given in the home today. I think it has came back in recent years as a home remedy to give.
Moms know no chemicals. It is totally natural. And always helps.
Not giving medical advice. Just my memories and how things were done. Before giving any home remedies, or enemas, best to consult with your medical doctor first.
Omg loved reading this blog!
Our moms, and my aunt, must have learned together!
All of the remedies and ways you told were also done in our home.
My aunt believed in giving an enema for most ills.
She also had the same red bag!
Blessings for all
Absolutely love reading your article/blog.
We were given the same remedies growing up.
My mom was like your mom. Same ideas and same remedies-treatments given.
She had the almost same red rubber enema bag. And it was used often.
While I was not overjoyed with some of her ways, remedies and such then, I am now thankful was not filled full of otc useless junk. Especially no Tylenol was given in our home.
The enema never hurt. Sorry you told it was painful.
It was the go to home remedy used by most moms for seemed like any ill.
When had a fever, cold, constipated the enema bag was brought to bedside and a enema was given. If staying home from school the enema was always given as soon as the others were off to school.
Sometimes she gave a second enema later that day.
The remedy for a fever was always a cool water enema. I remember many cool water enemas given late at night.
Blessings for all…