What’s the Perfect Cup for Tea?

January 20, 2016 livehealthy Leave a Comment

The Perfect Cup For Tea

If you like to drink your tea in BIG cups, you’re our kind of people.

No delicate little cups for me.

A nice sized pottery mug full of steaming tea in your hands has a warm, heavy, real feel to it. I always run my hands over it, feeling all the textures of the clay.

Why I think Big pottery mugs make the perfect tea cups:

I haven’t found a to-go cup that equals it. Metal, plastic, or paper against the lips just doesn’t taste as good.

China cups are for tea parties, they have their place and time. They are fun for practicing lady-like sipping with upturned pinky finger and crossed knees.

And I serve coffee and cider in small everyday cups.

But when I am steeping some good tea, I go BIG.

For one thing, a tea infuser of loose leaf tea can nicely infuse a BIG cup with tasty flavor several times over.

A BIG mug doesn’t have to be re-filled as fast. And yet it holds heat well, while being carried around doing various tasks.

Some of our favorites:

If the handle is comfortable and the mug is easy to palm, it is used daily.

I also like ones with a variety of color.

Some sentimentality goes far too; if the cup has a story, was a gift or was made by a favorite potter, it warms the heart as well as the hands.

5 Simple Ways to Speed Sports Recovery

January 4, 2016 livehealthy Leave a Comment

5 Ways to Speed Sports Recovery

nature works

Whether you are training for an event, just exercising, or doing school sports, when you work your body hard, recovery is needed.

Here are some easy, proven ways to help speed your rebound time and get you back on your feet faster.

Replace fluids: Drinking water after exercising is important for recovery but even better is adding Vitamin C into that water. Vitamin C helps repair tissues and replenish your cells.
- You can do this with lemon, lime or orange squeezed in water or use an electrolyte recovery drink like Emergen-C.
- Drinking green tea also helps, being high in anti-oxidants, inflammation reducing properties and tannins which help healing
Compression Clothing: Lycra is your friend. It doesn’t have to be special or expensive, leggings or under-armor clothing will work to support recovering muscles and joints.
Shower stretching: Or a bath, even better; with Epsom salts or dry mustard added to the water to pull toxins and lactic acid build up out of your muscles. Gently stretch sore muscles under water. Rotating from hot to cold water speeds recovery even faster.
Inflammation reducers: Arnica Spray helps reduce swelling and speed healing.

T’s Tonics Arnica Spray has peppermint oil added which also helps relieve pain and re-energizes muscles!
Taking ginger and turmeric internally or on food can help reduce inflammation also.

Eat Protein: Before exercising and after, it is important to eat the right foods. Protein helps to build muscle and endurance and is important for sustainable energy.

You will be back on your feet in no time with a little rest, recovery and following these tips.

“In times of Stress, be Bold and Valiant!” -Wallace

New Balm Sticks!

December 11, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

Our Balms Roll On

Relieving balms now come in roll-up sticks for easy, finger free application!

We are in love! Our favorite balms just got easier!

And now we are carrying them around and using them more than ever!

Because it’s so fun and simple!

Arnica Balm Stick

Arnica in a stick

Potent inflammation, bump and bruise reducer
Take the lid off, roll up, and apply. Relief at your fingertips!
More potent than ever with White Willow Bark for pain relief
Slips into your pocket or purse
reach the spots you need without getting sticky fingers
stocking stuffer worthy
proclaimed “the million dollar treatment”
long lasting, soaks in deeper & deeper for long relief
Easy for athletes to take in their bags

Breathe Better Balm

Breathing Better made easy

Infused with 5 herbs and 7 therapeutic oils for decongesting support.
Great for noses, glands, & chest
easy to take along with you
no bad smells
Organic coconut oil & pure bees wax to ease dryness pleasantly
same amount, same price, better ease, more potency
What’s not to Love?

“These are better than ever!” – Catalina K

“Glad you thought of this. I love the containers and we love the arnica.” – Steve H

Thanks to all for your support and feedback so we can keep bringing you what you need.

They are available online here, arnica balm, breathe better

12 Reasons We Love Skeeter Beater

August 4, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

Why do we love Skeeter Beater?

The bugs have been really bad this year and so they have been the topic of a few conversations. Recently we were having a discussion about bug repellents and why we prefer T’s Tonics Skeeter Beater (besides the fact that we make it).

Skeeter Beater

Here is 12 reasons why:

The most obvious reason is because:

it is natural, organic and great for our skin!

But there is a lot more:

Proven effective for over 2 hours of protection against mosquitoes and other flying insects. (Effective for as long as DEET products, but has better results)
10 therapeutic grade organic essential oils
25% active ingredients, more than most other products
Easy PET free spray bottle
Safe for kids, animals and sensitive skin
More than a bug protection! Good for your skin and you too.
Relieves bites and itches
Smells great!
Soy Free, chemical free, all organic goodness
Won’t harm your clothes, belongings or you.
Friendly on the environment too: safe for water systems, oceans and coral reefs

Here’s what other people are saying:

Skeeter Beater Testimonials

“The Skeeter Beater worked great in Africa! I need two more bottles to share with friends.” -Lashae

“I had a large spider bite and after I sprayed it the swelling and discomfort went right down.” –Tena

“The deet sprays others in our group brought weren’t working. By the end of the trip everyone was using my Skeeter Beater. I didn’t get one bite and I smelled great!” -Jenay B.

Pick up your Skeeter Beater today! You’ll love it! The bugs won’t! Click here to order on-line. Thanks!

How arnica helps pimples shrink and other uses

June 2, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

How arnica helps pimples shrink!

We have found many more uses for arnica spray than just to relieve aches and pains, (although we are always amazed at how fast it does that.)

We use our arnica spray to quickly lessen pimple bumps! It takes the inflamed skin down within 10-15 minutes, lessens visibility and speeds the healing of skin eruptions.

We love how fast it does this because a big pimple always seems to appear right before an important evening out!

Arnica spray is fast at disappearing the blemish; just spray directly on site, then follow with your cover up, if you wish. Note: Do not use on broken skin or open sores.

Arnica can help eczema, skin irritations, and shingles!

We have an elder in our life that daily uses the arnica spray to help relieve the pain and inflammation of a strange skin condition. I also know a few having challenges with eczema, shingles and tricky skin issues that the medical community doesn’t have many good solutions for.

If it causes inflammation, arnica spray can help relieve the swelling and discomfort. It is not a cure, but it is a great aid in helping speed healing, because inflammation is usually a major factor in keeping the body from being able to heal itself.

Arnica saved us from social services.

Arnica usage in our home reached a whole new level when our third child, Arianna, reached the age of two. For some reason she started running into walls; on purpose! She was always getting bumps and bruises and we were concerned that she would have a permanent knot on her forehead, she hit it so often. We were sure someone would start to wonder if we were abusing our child!

That same child started gymnastics and finally had a channel for her energy and daring. The wall banging stopped but the sore muscles and injuries increased.

Around that time, my sister-in-law mentioned seeing arnica growing in the hills. Bells went off in my head. I was experimenting a lot with combining essential oils and herbs, using them to doctor our family. Pain relief was a big factor in them.

It took many attempts at making salves before we found a combination which was pleasing as well as powerful! And then we went to a straight tincture and loved the quickness.

We are still amazed at it and also love the stories of others:

“I it on my dog’s leg when he was limping around and had been listless for days. The next day it was like nothing had happened. He was all better!”- Marjie O.

“I gave it to a woman that gets headaches often and she sprayed it on the back of her neck. Within moments she looked at me and said the pain was gone.” – Greg C.

“I got hit on the forehead by a falling metal bar and it quickly started growing into a good sized bump. I sprayed arnica on it right away and several times that day. By the end of the day you couldn’t see that anything had happened; it was gone!” -Jason S.

7 Reasons to Adventure Naturally

May 22, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

We challenge you to adventure naturally this year!

Adventure naturally

Here are 7 more reasons to use natural products when going adventuring this summer because we believe nature works better for us on so many levels.

We challenge you to trust that natural ingredients will perform better for you than the chemical choices out there. Here’s why:

Chemicals put on our skin or taken internally can’t be used or easily expelled from the body so our bodies have to store them in fat cells. No biggie in small doses, our body is good at this, but the build up over time is what bogs our systems down, compromises our health, gives free radicals the advantage (damaged cells), adds hard to get rid of weight, creates allergies, etc.
We find people every day who want to believe in using natural products but when push comes to shove they slip into using what their parents used or going with the leading, cheapest visible brand.
Choosing natural requires mindfullness. It requires consciously choosing what is best for you. It requires turning off your auto-pilot long enough to be open to and create new, healthier patterns. (It may require going somewhere different than your normal grocery store to find what’s best for you.)
The products you use don’t only effect you, they also rub off on anyone who comes within breathing room of and/or hugs you. They effect your pets, your kids, your environment. ie.: Some of our ocean’s coral reef is dying off from the sunscreens left behind in the water. = you are impacting more than just your own self with everything you do.

Now for the good part:

nature works

Nature works!

“It [arnica] actually works, I use it all the time!” – Dr Oz

5. Nature tastes better, smells better, feels better, engages all the senses better. (my opinion) We aren’t left with a synthetic or chemical remnant.

6. Nature works harder for us. It not only performs on the surface but goes in deep to repair and help us be healthy on the cellular level too.

7. Choosing natural products, foods, and ingredients, tells the world what is important to us, and helps us value ourselves more = high integrity.

Choose to adventure naturally this summer!

Learn more about natural choices and find our natural outdoor skin protectors Here.

“I spray the Arnica on my neck everyday. It keeps me moving and functioning without too much pain from my injury.” – Bernie S., Newport, OR

“I use the Sun & Skin Soother on my face and body everyday, it keeps my skin feeling great and seems to hold my tan longer.”- Tena F., Colorado

“It gave relief soon after I sprayed it on my knee injury.” – Steve H., Idaho (Bump & Bruise Spray)

12 Favorite Health Books

May 11, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

12 Favorite Health Books & Resources

We have google to thank for quick resources and information at our fingertips. But I like having some old fashioned books on hand to look up. Here are some of my favorite references:

Quick ailment look-ups

Essential Oils Desk Reference

Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal

Heal Your Body by Louise L. Hay

Earl Mindell’s Herb Bible

Favorite Cookbooks

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Healing Tonics by Jeanine Pollak

Rodale’s Basic Natural Foods Cookbook

Mighty Spice cookbook by John Gregory-Smith

The Flavor Bible

Fun Reads

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die

Oddball Ointments, Powerful Potions & Fabulous Folk Remedies

Mary Jane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook by Mary Jane Butters

Things That Give Back More Than Required

April 20, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

What Gives More than Required?

laughter

There are some things in life that naturally give back more than you put into them. I was thinking about some of those things the other day while feeding the chickens. You can probably add to this list yourself:

Chickens – they don’t require much yet eat your table scraps, give an egg nearly every day, and make excellent manure.
Regular exercise– pays dividends far greater than just staying in shape; the mental, emotional and inspirational pluses are great too. My running consistency over the last 10 years has had a ripple effect beyond the personal need that started it. It has helped inspire my kids, friends and husband far more than I realized.
Praying – The hope, faith, confidence, and spiritual strength can’t be measured here.
Laughing – Not only physically and chemically boost all systems but is contagious too!
Hugging – Doesn’t require much effort for the rewards of good feelings.
Plugging for other people – Sharing what you like about someone or someone’s business/product can have big ripple effects in many directions.
Being in nature – refreshing in every way!

So I was realizing it is important to me to have things in my life that contribute a lot. I like products that benefit in more than just one way. I like things to be multi-purpose.

And I realized T’s Tonics has that. All of our products benefit health in several ways and can be used for different situations. It is important to us that they give a lot more than required!

Here’s a few:

Sun & Skin Soother– Protects from sun damage, repairs skin tissues, moisturizes everyday, heals burns, good on diaper rash, keeps bugs away, good for rashes, break outs and sensitive skin.

Traveler’s Spray – I listed alternative uses for this here. Multi-purpose companion for travels near and far.

Grab Salve – loved by climbers, this is also used by moms on babies butts, on lips (not at the same time), on burns and post- surgery injuries, helps prevent scarring, on rashes and skin issues. It is a multi–purpose healing aid.

Sore Muscle Soother – Decreases inflammation, aches and pains, also helps circulation, is warming, increases feeling in numb feet and ankles, in runner’s fingers, helps prevent bruising, speeds healing of injuries.

Hair Tea – Used to condition, strengthen and encourage hair growth, increase shine and manageability, but also is naturally uplifting to the emotions and can be a refreshing spray for the face.

We want our company to be that way too. Our company supports the world it believes in:

We give back to Ocean Conservancy because having clean, safe water is important to us.
We also support student travel organizations to third world countries and outdoor programs because gaining a bigger vision of the world’s needs is important for the future.
We seek to partner with organizations doing good for the underprivileged.

Share with us in making the world a healthier & safer place to live, travel and play.

6 Actions to Energize your Brain!

February 10, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

6 Actions to Energize Your Brain!

Some fun and quick ways to stay energized and stimulate your brain! I hope you enjoy some of these as I do. The world is an amazing place and there is so much to learn I want to keep my brain stimulated and working. Good thoughts to you.

Quick scalp scratch: Donna Eden, in her book Energy Medicine, calls this the crown pull. It’s a simple technique you can use sitting in your office or at home for releasing mental congestion and refreshing the mind. Start with your fingers on your forehead in the middle with your thumbs at your temples and pull your fingers along your forehead away from each other towards your ears, continue this on the top of your head, finger tips lightly scratching/massaging as they work down towards your ears, then start at the top again further back until you have done your whole head. This helps reset your energy and mental clarity.

Stand on your head: A 90 year old man still going strong told me to do this every day. He said he stands on his head first thing every morning and it gets the blood rushing to his brain. He believes this has helped keep him healthy and alert. I have started to do a handstand against the wall instead and love the feeling it gives my whole body and the rosy flush to my cheeks.

Sleep: There is a great TED talk online about the reason we need sleep. It shows new brain research pictures that are amazing. Deep sleep is the only time that our brain flushes the waste toxins built up from the day. So set yourself up for good sleep! Not sleeping well or long enough creates that foggy feeling in our brains (toxin build-up).

Trigger Talk: Negative thoughts shut down the creative/intuitive center of our brains. When you are feeling down, discouraged or just “off”, and your mind starts spiraling into the negative zone, here’s what you do: have a quote, saying, affirmation or just positive words READY that you can chant to yourself, to jump your mind back out of the gutter. It is proven that your mind can’t stay negative if chanting positive words, especially if done with a smile on your face. Find some that work for you to have when you need them. It’s powerful! Here are some from the Bible, the most read self-help manual in the world:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1;7.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Phil. 4;13
“Do not fear for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you.” Isaiah 41;10.

Exercise: Most people know that aerobic exercise releases serotonin (our feel good hormone) in our bodies. Research is now showing that movement is the #1 best thing for keeping our brains healthy and alert as we age! Moving our bodies in an active way helps our brain feel good and stay young. Yay! “Just do it” -Nike

Eat Brainy Foods: Our brains are made up of 90% fat and need fat to feed them! That is, the right kinds of fats and oils. Listed are some good foods and herbs to feed the brain and the body. Enjoy!

Walnuts – They look like little brains and they are excellent food for our brains. Walnuts contain good fats that are perfect food for the brain.
Avocados – again, great fats to feed the brain.
Safflower, flax and coconut oils – great oils for the brain, along with omega rich, mercury free fish oils.
Herbs – Rosemary, Sage and Gingko Biloba have been used for many years to stimulate the brain and prevent memory loss. They are most effective when taken together and are lovely in our Thinker’s Tea.
Peppermint Therapeutic Essential Oil – shown to stimulate the brain 28% on some studies of test takers. Very quick to relieve headaches, clear stuffed up sinuses, and recharge thinking; one drop of peppermint oil placed in hand then carefully rubbed on temples, up back of the neck, on nose or breathed in enough. Caution: do not get in eyes or inner ears.

Burdock Root uses

January 20, 2015 livehealthy Leave a Comment

7 Healing Uses for Burdock Root

Burdock Root is quickly becoming one of my favorite herbs. We used it initially for skin problems and I saw it working equally well helping clear up our older teenagers’ pimples as it did on helping my younger daughter’s extremely dry skin (to the point of eczema and dry scalp problems.) I then was requested to put it in a kidney tonic for some therapists and noticed how good it seemed to work for pain. That led to more research on it’s inflammation reducing properies. The more I find out about it and use it, the more I like this root for multiple uses. Here are over 7 uses for this amazing herb:

Burdock Root is claimed to be one of (1) nature’s best blood cleansers and is helpful in not only ridding the body of dangerous toxins, but is a binder and expeller of heavy metals in the body. The root contains trace amounts of natural mercury, which makes it useful in mercury detoxification programs.

It is an excellent (2) liver and kidney cleanser as well as helpful for the whole glandular system. Because it increases the flow of urine and promotes sweating, it is used today as a (3) diuretic. It will help rid the body of excess water weight.

Burdock is also used in (4) reducing swelling and deposits in the joints. Therefore, it is commonly used to ease arthritis, rheumatism, sciatica, and lumbago (backaches).

It is helpful for most (5) skin conditions and is a major treatment for eczema, psoriasis, and even canker sores. It is used externally and internally for skin solutions. Because of its (6) high mineral and calcium content, people have also found it helpful for hair and nail growth.

Some people have also found it helpful for (7+) fatigue, nervous disorders and soothing hemorrhoids.

How to take: Although it can be found in some external skin ointments the most common way to take this herb is internally in capsule form, available at your health food store (or buy bulk burdock powder and make your own). You can also find this root fresh in some stores, generally in the fall, (it grows wild in most parts of the country, and is an adaptagen and ammender of the soil) to prepare and add it to your own recipes. Here are a few ideas:

To Process: Chop the root fine in a food processor and add it into soups and stews. It has a strong, not very pleasant taste, but can be disguised in good sauces or vinegars. Any left over can be dried or placed chopped in a jar and covered with vinegar to keep for months in the refrigerator. It can also be added to tea or made into it’s own decoction. I generally like it better in combination with other herbs.

Recipe for Internal cleansing and Skin: (Made into capsules)

1 part Burdock root powder

1 part Pau D’ Arco powder

1 part Black Walnut powder

1 part Slippery Elm Bark

1 part Chaparral powder

Found in: At T’s Tonics, this herb can be found in our Pain in the Joint Tea, Pain Support Tonic, Burly Bone Tea and Kidney Tincture.