Friday, March 30, 2012

Homemade Shampoo with Only 2 Ingredients!

I receive e-newsletters from The Old Farmer's Almanac & one that came earlier this week really caught my attention.

One of their writers, Margaret Boyles, wrote this little article from her own experience ~ as you will see. I've never thought of using Borax or baking soda for a shampoo, but when I was a little girl, my mom used to use white vinegar on my hair for conditioning and shine. Margaret used apple cider vinegar. (FYI ~ According to her photo, below, that I reposted, she uses Eden Organic apple cider vinegar. While that is a fine product, & I have used it, I personally prefer Bragg's
apple cider vinegar.)

So, here's her article w/the recipe. It looks very interesting to me; if I have a chance to try it I'll let you know. You do the same, won't you?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

~~~~~~~~~~~

Photo by Margaret Boyles

I spent years wondering off and on why commercial shampoos and other hair-care products—even high-end “salon” products and those from the health-food-store—contain so many ingredients.

One day early last spring I counted the ingredients of three shampoos and two conditioners sitting on a bathroom shelf; each contained at least 20 ingredients, many of them unpronounceable and three or four of them suspected toxins. Two contained fragrances that made me sneeze.

That day, I decided to try one of the no-fuss natural methods I’d read about for years, but that had always seemed too hokey. I’ve never looked back.

Borax (or baking soda) and cider vinegar

My new strategy calls for an alkaline washing ingredient—either borax or baking soda—followed by an acidic rinse of apple cider vinegar. That’s it!

To my surprise, the two-ingredient method worked well, leaving my hair clean, shiny, and more manageable than any of the hundred products or combination of products I’ve used through the decades.

Cheap, easy, remarkably effective, and probably a lot safer. I always have these ingredients on hand for various household uses.

Like me, you probably won’t believe that the baking soda or borax methods (either works equally well for me) will actually clean your hair, so you’ll want to give it your first try on a vacation or weekend day when you have the time to repeat with your usual routine if you don’t like the results.

I’ve seen dozens of “recipes” for this natural approach to hair care. I don’t think the exact proportions matter. I just fiddled around until I found what worked well for me.

Here’s how I do it:

  • I pour a bit less than half a cup of either baking soda or borax (either or a mixture of both works equally well for me) into a small bowl and ½ cup of cider vinegar into another, then add a couple of cups of warm water to each bowl.
  • I pour the dissolved baking-soda or borax solution through my wet hair.
  • Then I rinse my hair well. Borax may leave some undissolved grit, but that rinses away quickly.
  • Finally, I pour the vinegar solution thorough. I usually don’t rinse it out, but you can. Either way, the vinegar smell disappears within minutes.

It took me a while to get used to the idea that just pouring a solution through my hair with no scrubbing or lathering could get it clean, but it really does.

I haven’t found a need for conditioning, but I haven’t tested my new shampoo through a dry New England winter yet. Advocates of this hair-care method suggest adding a few drops of olive, sesame, castor or some other oil to the washing solution for frizz or static control. I’ll give that a try if it seems necessary.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#60~ What is Truth?

PASSAGE: "Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, 'Are You the king of the Jews?' . . .

"Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place.'

"'You are a king, then!' said Pilate.

"Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.'

"'What is truth?' Pilate asked." ~John 18:33, 36-38(a)

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" ~John 14:6

LESSON LEARNED: This may be one of the shortest devotionals I've every written. As always, Jesus describes Himself better than anyone else ever could. HE IS THE way, truth and life and NO ONE comes to the Father except through Him.

THAT is truth.

Did you ever notice that after Pilate asked that important question, "What is truth?", that he didn't stick around to hear the answer? Our world is a lot like that, isn't it? Scared or the answer. People are searching for truth but never sticking around to listen to the truth of Christ. Except . . . during the holidays . . . Easter, in particular.

Let's be loving epistles of Christ this Easter season and be willing to answer earnest questions with The Truth.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim<><

Monday, March 26, 2012

Marmee-isms ~#26~ Queens of Their Castles


"I don't think I ever ought to call myself 'Unlucky Jo' again, when my greatest wish has been so beautifully gratified," said Mrs. Bhaer [Jo after marriage] . . .

"And yet your life is very different from the one you pictured so long ago. Do you remember our castles in the air?" asked Amy . . .

"Yes, I remember; but the life I wanted then seems selfish, lonely, and cold to me now. I haven't given up the hope that I may write a good book yet, but I can wait, and I'm sure it will be all the better for such experiences and illustrations as these;" and Jo pointed . . . to her mother, sitting enthroned among her daughters, with their children in her lap and at her feet, as if all found help and happiness in the face which never could grow old to them . . .

"Yes, Jo, I think your harvest will be a good one," began Mrs. March . . .

"Not half so good as yours, Marmee. Here it is, and we never can thank you enough for the patient sowing and reaping you have done," cried Jo, with the loving impetuosity which she never could outgrow.

"I hope there will be more wheat and fewer tares every year," said Amy softly.

"A large sheaf, but I know there's room in your heart for it, Marmee dear," added Meg's tender voice.

Touched to the heart, Mrs. March could only stretch out her arms, as if to gather children and grandchildren to herself, and say, with face and voice full of motherly love, gratitude, and humility, ~

"O my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this!"

Little Women ~ Ch. 47

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Friday, March 23, 2012

Homemade Muscle Liniment


I work at a health food store, & in doing such, I am on my feet a good part of the day . . . walking, bending, stretching, lifting. Once I reached 50 I started noticing that I'm simply not as limber as I used to be. The knees are starting to be an issue so I started using Baxyl ~ liquid Hyaluronic Acid ~ which is great. But not only do we need to address our problems from the inside, but there are times when we need to add a little extra help from the outside.

This is a great liniment & is also effective for bug bites, cuts & scrapes.

You will need:

~a pint-sized jar for preparation, w/a good lid
~another slightly smaller bottle for finished product, w/a good lid
~1 pt rubbing alcohol
~1 oz echinacea flower/herb
~1 oz. goldenseal powder (organic, if possible)
~1 oz. myrrh powder (NOT essential oil)
~1/4 oz. cayenne powder

Directions:

1) Put all herbs, cayenne powder & alcohol in a jar, covering the herbs by 2" above
2) Cover w/a good, tight lid & place in a warm area for 4 weeks
3) Strain out the herbs & put the liniment in a different bottle to use
4) For external use only

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief

"A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid . . . When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around foaming at the mouth.

"' . . . if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.'

"'If You can?' said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes.'

"Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbel
ief!'" ~Selected verses from Mark 9:17-24

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father love His Child as well . . . Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." ~I John 5:1&5

I am always struck by this desperate father's prayer to Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Isn't that just like us? As Christians, we are all so caught in this tug-o-war between the spiritual and the physical ~ between the head and the heart. We KNOW and we BELIEVE that Jesus heals; if you've been a Christian for very long, you probably know of someone who "beat the odds" and was healed from some malady. But because faith isn't something tangible and because our emotions are such fickle things, we always seem to think that God is always there for everyone else but . . . ourselves.

When a loved one is sick and hurting ~ or when we come to the end of our rope and know that we need a Savior ~ we desperately grasp at any and every straw of hope that the world has to offer. Oddly enough, it seems that the last person we go to is the Lord, when He should be our first Source . . . for everything. This world says, "Go to the doctor and throw in some prayers for good measure . . . um, IF you think you must." Or "Shake it off, get and grip! You don't need anyone but yourself. God will let you down just like everyone else."

One of the hardest things for unbelievers ~ AND some believers ~ to understand is that no one has to jump through any hoops to make the Lord love you or hear your prayer. Nope. You don't have to drink poison, you don't have to walk on burning coals, and you don't have to live on locusts and honey. Some believers did that, but you don't have to. Our Pastor often recites the quote: "Nothing you can do will make God love you any more or any less."

Nothing.

God LOVES you. He loves you with an everlasting, never ending love. He will help you overcome your unbelief.

Blessings, Kim<><

Monday, March 19, 2012

Who Just Had a Birthday? I Did!

Yes, yesterday was the 53rd anniversary of my birthday. I always begin the day by silently asking the Lord to wish my twin & only sister, Kathy, a happy birthday (she only lived 4 hours).

As we grow older, at least in my case, we don't get so many gifts as we used to when we were little; but this year I was blessed w/an exceptionally "gifty" birthday. :-)

The 1st gifts were from my sweet DD#2 (before she got sick). We happened to both have Wednesday off work so we went on a girl's day out to a local outdoor mall ~ The Green ~ & had lunch & zipped in & out of lots of great shops. She got me a lovely lace & linen-ish top & I got myself a neato necklace (above).

The 2nd gift was from ourselves, lol. About 3 weeks ago my old stove bit the dust ~ fortunately, I hit the breaker before it took the house with it! So, on Thursday my new stove arrived! I'll let you in on something . . . b/c I had no stove, for the 1st time in years I HAD to BUY a loaf of bread AND a small bottle of laundry detergent! ACK! I nearly choked when I saw the price of the detergent . . . 1 more reason to keep making my own detergent! And, of course, the 1st thing I baked in my new oven was a loaf of bread. :-P

Friday, my co-workers sang Happy Birthday to me & our manager, who is a jewelry maker, gave me a lovely set of earrings that she made ~ fallish-earth-tones ~ totally "me."

With my actual birthday being on a Sunday, the day was a bit of a whirlwind . . .

My sweet 21 yr old DD#2 now has a cold (she's doing better today, thank you) which she "lovingly gave" to THE Man. So, DD#2 spent the day on the couch being warmed & worried over by Maggie (the dog), while my sweet Man went to church early for the 8:30 service for Deacon duties (I don't DO 8:30 services), even though he was under the weather. I then went in before the 2nd service for worship team practice. THE Man went home to rest a little before we went out for lunch, after completing his Deacon Duties for the 2nd service, while I stayed for that service.

I went home to check on DD#2, pick up THE Man & then we met DD#1 & some dear friends at O'Charlee's. I have to tell you that I am very undeservedly BLESSED to have my little family & our dear friends who love me. Sundays are such busy days for many of us ~ sadly, not the Day of Rest that it is meant to be :-/ ~ & to have dear ones who will take the time to celebrate w/us means the world.

When we went out to eat, our sweet DD#1 got me a bag of mini Reese's cups :-P

& the sweetest card! It says:

My Amazing Mom ~
For all you are

and all you do,
I'll always be
in awe of you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
~

Love you so much!!
Happy Birthday!
Love, J & J

How could I ask for more from my girls?

Then our friends gave me the most gorgeous scarf/shawl. (Does this match the shirt above or what?!) The funny thing is that just that morning, it was a little cool & I was wishing for something exactly like it to put over my bare arms! And as if that weren't enough, a lovely necklace to boot! The Lord is SO good!

Their son, our sweet god-son, got me a card w/balloons on the front. 11 yr old "D" drew the faces of each one of us ~ his parents, himself & our family (including Jessica) on each of the balloons. Too cute. Inside, our friends wrote:

There is simply not enough words
in the English language to tell you
how much we love you, "T" &
the girls. It is a privilege to be on this
journey in Christ with you.
It is your love that demonstrates God's love
for us. "D," "M" & myself are blessed
to love you

Why do people like to make me cry in public?!?! lol

And as if that weren't enough ~ my Sweetheart, THE Man, got me a lovely card which reads:

A man like me has a lot to
be thankful for ~
And at the top of the list
is you ~
a woman who knows me,
accepts me,
and whose love has made
so many things right.
I'll never know what I did
to deserve a life this good.
But I do know what's at the very
heart of it:
You.
Beautiful you.
Happy Birthday
~
I love you more each day.
Me

I hope our girls will have men that will give them cards like this. (I think one already does.)

Thank you for letting me gush a little
. It's been such a long 3 yrs since THE Man's layoff, my mom's illness & passing, having to go back to working outside the house & all ~ I just wanted to share my wonderful day w/you.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Homemade Toners & Astringents

Since I've already given you some fantastic homemade face washes ~ both for oily & dry skin-types ~ I'd better give you some recipes for for homemade astringents for oily skin & toners for drier skin.

With my oily skin (even though I'm in my 50's), I love anything with tea tree essential oil in it. These astringents fill that bill ~

The basics of the 1st one actually came from the Aura Cacia site & then I tweaked it '-) . . .

Tea Tree/Lavender/Rosemary Astringent

You will need:
~1 TB rubbing alcohol
~1-1/2 ts vegetable glycerin
~10 drops tea tree essential oil
~10 drops lavender essential oil
~5 drops rosemary essential oil

Directions:
1) mix all ingredients, store in air-tight bottle
2) dampen a cotton ball & gently swipe across face in up-ward motions; avoid eyes & lips
3) This recipe lasts about 1 week

Chamomile/Mint Astringent

You will need:
~4 c. water
~2 heaping TB Chamomile
~2 heaping TB Mint

Directions:
1) put everything in a sauce pan & bring to a boil; boil for 20 minutes
2) let cool for 5 minutes
3) strain mixture through cheese cloth & into a jar or bottle w/a good lid
4) apply w/a cotton ball
5) this will last about 4-5 weeks; store in refrigerator

Now for the drier skins . . .

This recipe is also good for sunburned & chapped skin.

Lavender/Lemon balm/Milk

You will need:
~2/3 c milk
~1 TB dried lavender
~1 TB dried lemon balm

Directions:
1) Bring milk JUST to a boil
2) remove from heat & add herbs
3) cover, let cool
4) strain through cheese cloth into a bottle or jar w/a good lid
5) apply w/a cotton ball
6) store in refrigerator for up to a week

Luxurious White Wine/Rosemary/Thyme/Mint

You will need:
1) 1 c. white wine (any cheapy brand is fine ~ just like when making a tincture, the alcohol cooks away)
2) 1 ts dried rosemary
3) 1 ts dried thyme
4) 1 ts. dried mint

Directions:
~put all ingredients into a sauce pan & bring JUST to a boil;
~reduce heat a simmer for 10 minutes
~remove from heat; let herbs steep & cool down for 1 full hour
~strain through cheese cloth into a jar or bottle w/a good lid
~apply w/a cotton ball
~keeps indefinitely

When you try one, let me know how you LOVE it.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#59~ Do You Want to Leave, Too?

PASSAGE: "'I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world' . . . From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

"'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve.

"Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.'" ~Selections from John 6:47-69

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction . . . But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life . . ." ~Matthew 7:13-14

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" ~John 14:6

LESSON LEARNED: One of the reasons that Jesus was such an effective Teacher is because He taught with "word pictures." Any good story-teller, novelist, poet or composer will tell you that to be effective in communicating what you want people to understand is to paint word pictures, to paint a picture of the mind.

One of the most graphic word pictures that Jesus painted was the seriousness of believing in Him ~ ONLY in Him ~ as our Source of salvation. He was so serious that His followers understand that He was (is) the way, truth and life that He put His illustration in the strongest possible words. "I am the living bread" ~ bread is meant to be eaten to sustain life. This illustration was so important that He repeated the it with tangible objects (bread and wine) during the Last Supper of His earthly life for the disciples who would be carrying on His earthly ministry.

I think that Jesus used this drastic word picture to winnow out those who weren't serious about the cost of discipleship; and in doing so, He got His wish because His audience of nearly 100 would-be disciples quickly shrank to some pretty small numbers. Jesus then turned to His original hand-picked twelve and asked them if they were going to leave, too? For once, dear Peter said what I hope I would have said: "Lord, to whom shall we go? YOU have the words of eternal life." Yes, Peter, believing is the easy part but following can be costly.

What about you? Is following Jesus worth everything to you? Will you "walk the talk," take the risks? You may be called upon to change your long hoped for plans . . . to change your job . . . to lose some friends . . . to stand while others bow to false idols. Can you do it? Will you do it? Or . . . do you want to leave, too?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Monday, March 12, 2012

Marmee-isms ~#25~ God Looks at the Heart


[Belle said] "Now do let me please myself by dressing you up in style . . . "

"You are very kind, but I don't mind my old dress, if you don't; it does well enough for a little girl like me," said Meg.

On the Thursday evening, Belle shut herself up with her maid; and, between them, they turned Meg into a fine lady . . .

"Mademoiselle is charmante, tres jolie, is she not?" cried Hortense, clasping her hands in an affected rapture.

"Come and show yourself," said Miss Belle, leading the way to the room where the others were waiting.

As Meg went rustling after, with her long skirts trailing, her ear-rings tinkling, her curls waving, and her heart beating . . . Margaret got safely down stairs, and sailed into the drawing-rooms, where the Moffats and a few early guests were assembled. She very soon discovered that there is a charm about fine clothes which attracts a certain class of people, and secures their respect. Several young ladies, who had taken no notice of her before, were very affectionate all of a sudden; several young gentlemen, who had only stared at her at the other party, now not only stared, but asked to be introduced, and said all manner of foolish but agreeable things to her . . .

The "queer feeling" did not pass away, but she imagined herself acting the new part of fine lady, and so got on pretty well, though the tight dress gave her a side-ache, the train kept getting under her feet, and she was in constant fear lest her ear-rings should fly off and get lost or broken . . .

She went and stood at a quiet window, to cool her cheeks, for the tight dress gave her an uncomfortably brilliant color. As she stood there, major Lincoln passed by; and, a minute after she heard him saying to his mother, ~

"They are making a fool of that little girl; I wanted you to see her, but they have spoilt her entirely; she's nothing but a doll, tonight."

"Oh, dear!" sighed Meg; "I wish I'd been sensible, and worn my own things; then I should not have disgusted other people, or felt so uncomfortable and ashamed of myself."

Little Women ~ Ch. 9

~~~~~~~~~~

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ~I Samuel 16:7(b)

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Friday, March 9, 2012

Homemade Face Wash for Every Skin-Type

I have very oily skin ~ even though I'll soon be 53 years old. I have made my own face wash for oily skin for about 5 or 6 years, now, & plan on using it for as long as I can. I very rarely have acne anymore . . . ask ANYONE who has known me before I found put together my simple-but-effective recipe. (It's also great for back or check acne.)

But I have had some friends & customers at the health food store I work at ask me about an effective face wash for drier skin-types. And even oily skins can use this for those occasional dry patches ~ yes ~ we all get them, especially in the winter months.

This recipe is very effective and so easy to make ~ whether you are acne-prone (use occasionally) or dry (can be used daily) you will benefit from this!

You will need:

~1 ts honey
~1 TB cream OR whole milk
~1 ts oats (finely crushed works best)

Directions:

1) slightly warm the honey ~ 5 seconds in the microwave is fine
2) mix in the cream/whole milk
~this mixture in itself is a great face wash . . . but if you want a little bit of exfoliation . . .
3) mix in the oats
4) w/your finger, apply the mixture w/gentle rotating motions around your face; avoid lips & eye area
5) rinse w/warm water & splash w/cool water; dry gently w/a towel.

Let me know how you LOVE it.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Obedience Among the Disobedient

"The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says' . . . whether they listen or fail to listen . . . You must speak My words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious . . . Go now to you countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen.'" ~selected verses from Ezekiel 2 & 3

"Where did this Man get these these things?" they asked. What's this wisdom that has been given Him, that He even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's Son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us?" And they too offense at Him.

Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." ~Mark 6:2(b)-4

Many of us have known scoundrels in our lifetime. I would even venture to say that many of us WERE scoundrels. Things that we have done ~ good and bad ~ give us a reputation . . . or as my grandparents would say, they give us a "good name" or a "bad name."

For those of us who didn't become Christians until our early adulthood, some of the hardest people to witness to and to convince of the change in our lives are our family and those who have known us most of our lives. Why is it that those who know and love us best find our faith in Jesus so hard to believe? Why does Jesus seem to be such a threat? Is it us? Or is it Jesus?

And when we experience such wonderful changes, when we have been changed from death to life, when we realize that all because of ~ and ONLY because of ~ Jesus we have been saved from the eternal punishment of hell and will live eternally with Him in heaven . . . we want people that we love to know that forgiveness and peace as well . . . but . . . what if they won't listen?

We are required to tell this lost and dying world about the forgiveness and freedom found ONLY in Jesus. Some will listen and, sadly, some will not. We are required to tell. Usually, it's nothing against us, but this is a fallen world, a rebellious world. We can only do what we are called to do; to be faithful with the tasks that God has given us ~ to be obedience among the disobedient.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Monday, March 5, 2012

Homemade Help for Dry, Rough Skin


{Google Image}

I don't know why, but for whatever reason I have had the worst "winter itch" this year that I can ever remember. From my elbows down to my hands, & from my knees down to my feet. It has driven me CRAZY!!!

I have tried my own wonderful healing salve & some specialty lotions from the health food store that I work at. They offer great relief, but now I'm left with some scarring & rough spots. :-(

What I need is a good, healing
oil. Good oils penetrate into the skin & can heal inside and out. I looked in my "Herbal Antibiotics" book & modified a healing oil recipe for my own needs. Hopefully, this will be something that will help you, too.

You will need:

Crock pot
1 c. of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 oz echinacea root
1/2 oz garlic granules
1/2 oz sage
Straining cloth/cheese cloth
Glass container w/tight-fitting lid or gasket lid (I like the gasket lids)

Directions:

{Google Image}
1) Add oil to crock pot (do NOT use aluminum or cast iron pots) & turn on "Low."
2) Grind herbs as fine as you can.
3) Add herbs to oil in crock pot.
4) Cover, heat on "Low" for 7 days.
5) On the 7th day, use pot holders to remove hot crock pot from the heating element & place on a cold burner on your stove, or a trivet, to cool.
6) Using a straining cloth/cheese cloth, strain the oil mixture into a
glass container.
7) Seal tightly & keep out of the sunlight; no need to refrigerate.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Vitamin D3 ~ More Important Than You May Think


[Please read disclaimer at bottom of page.]

Since going back to work outside the home in the Spring of '09, I have found myself in a the happy position of learning more about health/home care/personal care/food alternatives ~ right up my alley!

In the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing with you some of the things that keep coming to my attention & I have asked many questions of several people (from my VERY patient store manager, for one) & have done some extra research on. In this business, it's SO easy to want to take every single supplement that graces our shelves (& many customers seem to think we do! . . . "Have you ever tried this?" . . . "Nope." . . . [astonished] "You haven't?!?!?!?!"). Although I'm not against taking Rx meds when necessary, I do however look at some supplements as Rx that I'm not taking, & side-effects I'm not dealing with. Now . . . having said that, not every supplement is necessary for everyone & not everyone can take every supplement. Success with your supplement "cocktail" depends entirely upon you ~ after you weigh your needs, family history, medical needs & body's tolerance.

Some vitamins cross over almost all boundaries & are beneficial for everyone ~ to one degree or another. One of those is Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is "the sunshine D" & is especially good for women. And because we know we can't always be the "sun worshippers" we thought we could in our younger years (for us Baby Boomers), we HAVE to get our sunshine benefits in the next-best way.

Scientists are finding more & more that almost everything in our body can benefit from D3 ~ almost 2,000 different genes are regulated by it! Astounding. Vitamin D3 can help with pregnancy problems, avoiding some birth defects, depression, skin cancer & many other cancers, heart disease & even multiple sclerosis. Within mere days, many people notice a better feeling of general well-being. Archives of Internal Medicine has said that as many as 77% of the general American population are low in D3 & recommend around 1,000 IU per day; many requiring more.

Even though D3 is fat-soluble, it's rather hard to "over-does" on it. According to an article in Women's Health magazine, we can handle A LOT more than previously thought; "You'd have to inject 10,000 IU everyday for 6 months before before you'd even begin to approach problem levels." When shopping for a D, check the labels & make sure it says D3, this is type of D vitamin that your skin makes.

On top of the benefits I listed earlier, a recent Newmax.com article listed these as the top 5 benefits of taking Vitamin D3:

1. It helps the intestine absorb nutrients, including calcium and phosphorus. This ensures strong bones and a strong immune system.

2. Vitamin D prevents osteomalacia and rickets. Osteomalacia, which causes weakness of the muscular system and brittle bones, is most prevalent among adults with vitamin D deficiency. Rickets is a skeletal deformity mostly seen in children with vitamin D deficiency.

3. Vitamin D provides calcium balance in the body that prevents osteoporosis or arthritis.

4. Vitamin D regulates blood pressure, reduces stress and tension, relieves body aches and pains by reducing muscle spasms, reduces respiratory infections, helps in differentiation of the cells, aids in insulin secretion, helps fight depression, improves overall skin health by reducing wrinkles, makes skin soft, strong, and smooth, and improves cardiovascular strength by providing a protective lining for the blood vessels.

5.Vitamin D is recommended in the treatment of several diseases. It may prevent preaclamsia by improving kidney function, cancer by controlling abnormal multiplication of cancer cells [a big reason why I take it; family history of cancer on both sides], diabetes mellitus by controlling insulin production, hyperparathyroidism by reducing parathyroid numbers, osteomalacia by improving bone and muscle strength, hypophosphatemia by controlling the phosphates in the body, hypocalcaemia by preventing abnormal deposition of calcium, and renal osteodystrophy by regulating calcium content and fibromyalgia.

The benefits of vitamin D can be obtained by increasing exposure to sunlight and including vitamin D rich foods into your diet like fish, cod liver oil, milk, and eggs. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamin D.

Vitamin D3 is truly an amazing vitamin; the more I find out about it, the more I am convinced of it's benefit. And just in case you are interested, I take Carlson's D3 drops ~ 1 drop a day ~ you can drop a drop in your mouth or many will drop a drop on top of their hand & simply lick it off (kids LOVE to do that); 1 little bottle has enough for 1 person's use for 1 year.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><