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How to make Homemade Kombucha

Kombucha is one of the best gut-loving drinks you can make at home — and it's easier than you think! This step-by-step guide walks you through making your SCOBY, first fermentation, and second fermentation with creative flavor ideas.

Posted on July 29, 2021

Haley Maness

Local Honey- cure all for allergies?

You've probably heard that local honey can help with seasonal allergies — but is it true? Here's what the research actually says about raw local honey, pollen desensitization, and how to incorporate it into a natural allergy relief routine.

Posted on October 02, 2020

Haley Maness

Pineapple Immunity Water

Ladies and gents, this is the drink recipe you have been waiting for. It's delicious, nutritious and definitely kid approved.

This recipe has a twist that you might not expect. Typically we peel the pineapple and discard the exterior to get to the golden delicious meat inside.

This time, you won't throw it away. Instead you will utilize the WHOLE fruit to gain the maximum benefits.

Ingredients:

* One Large Pineapple

* 1 tbsp Cloves

* 5 Cinnamon Sticks (We use Ceylon Cinnamon but grab whatever you can find in these crazy times, even cinnamon powder)

* 2-3 inches peeled fresh ginger

* (optional) 1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar (we used honey)

* 1.5 gallons of filtered water

Instructions:

#1 Cut off the stem of the pineapple

#2 Scrub that baby down really really good. I chose to scrub AND soak it in some apple cider vinegar water just because of all the crazy germs going around.

#3 Slice off that pokey goodness

#4 Gather the other ingredients. Slice up the ginger. Easy peasy.

#5 Throw in the peel and core only (not the fruit inside) with all the other ingredients in the pot. I break up the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces. Simmer on low heat, covered, for 25-30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to steep for another 25-30 minutes.

*side note- your house is going to smell like Christmas on the beach. You're welcome*

#6 Once the mixture has slightly cooled, carefully strain it into a pitcher or bowl. All of my pitchers were dirty, so into the bowl it went.

I then opted to add a little bit of raw honey, but you can leave it out or try your preferred sweetener.

And that's it! It's ready to drink. This recipe makes a LOT because my daughter is slightly obsessed. We keep it in the fridge for up to five days and then I freeze the rest in silicon muffin tins, pop them out and keep them in a gallon zip lock bag in the freezer. When we are ready to drink we thaw it in baggies placed in cold water.

#7 I haven't forgotten about the insides. We chop it up, add a little bit of ceylon cinnamon, mix it up and consume immediately or stick it in the fridge for later. So yum.

This recipe was 100% inspired by my previous peruvian nanny, MiMi. She is an AMAZING cook and she introduced me to so many great dishes, new spices, and this fabulous drink in the short two months that we had her before she moved. In Peru they waste nothing, which is why they use the peel and then eat the insides. But just like most fruits, so much of the nutrition can be found in the peel.

The nutritional benefits of pineapple are pretty astounding, see nutritional data below. We typically use pineapple to help aid coughs/mucus, up our vitamin C dosage and as a digestive aid.

source for above data

Posted on March 24, 2020

Haley Maness

Anti-Viral Regimen - 10 easy tips

I receive an overwhelming amount of messages from customers, friends and family almost everyday about what we personally do to stay healthy during times when viruses are on the rise. Many of you are traveling right now and are wondering what we take when we travel or fly. While I cannot give medical advice, or suggest that any of the below will treat, cure or prevent a disease, I can however give you a peek into what we take and do in our home to try and stay healthy.

#1 Eat the Rainbow

I know, I know. It's so cliche and we are tired of hearing our moms tell us to eat our veggies. But there is legit reasoning behind this. We try to focus on eating healthy as a lifestyle but we are even more diligent during the colder months when viruses seem to thrive in the dry winter air and lack of sunshine. We focus on lower sugar/carb and tons of fruits and veggies. We aim to eat fruits and vegetables that are abundant in carotenoids. Carotenoids are vegetables and fruits that are dark in color ranging from orange/purple/green/yellow/red. They provide antioxidants and enhance your immune system. They are also converted to vitamin A which helps to protect our cells against viruses trying to attach and replicate (aka what makes you sick as a dog is the replication). This is also extremely beneficial for eye and brain health. There is a reason I listed eating the rainbow as #1 and that is because you can’t supplement your way out of an unhealthy diet. We also make sure to eat loads of raw garlic, turmeric and ginger. I buy them in season when they are fresh. I peel and then freeze them so we have it on hand all year round.

Other top immune boosting foods that we are eating:

Blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, lemons, bone broth (my recipe here), wild caught fish, walnuts, mushrooms, manuka honey, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, thyme, oregano, oranges, cabbage, apple cider vinegar (with the mother) also in my Fire Cider, carrots, onions, grapefruit.

It's not always easy to eat the rainbow, especially when traveling. When we can't we make sure to take Juice + Concentrated Fruit, Berries and Veggies capsules. There have been 41 third party clinical studies done on this product that shows it is highly bioavailable (meaning our bodies actually absorb it) and more. Juice Plus+ Clinical Research Summary here. And this is a great four min video talking about how Juice + can bridge the gap for your nutritional needs.

#2 Vitamin D

We always make sure we are receiving adequate amounts of vitamin D. Less sun exposure in the winter months sets us up for low vitamin D and more viral infections, including flu viruses. Most holistic physicians agree that your blood work should show levels between 70-100. Mine is chronically low, even in the summer when I walk an hour everyday, so I supplement with it all year round. I have written about vitamin D and the brand we use in a previous post here. My daughter gets 500 mg a day via vitamin D drops with K2 in her elderberry shot every morning. The only brand I use for vitamin D is seeking health brand. They are completely aligned to my high standards, including their vitamin D liquid drops and vitamin d pills.

#3 Vitamin C

We personally take Ascorbic acid (very affordable) and mix it with water or juice. For every day prevention I take around 2,000 mg of ascorbic acid in water everyday and my six year old gets 1000 mg. Vitamin C is virucidal – it kills viruses on contact so it's important to have some on hand. As mentioned above, a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables will supply you with vitamin C. If you are not eating enough then you will most likely need to supplement. If we feel like we are getting a viral infection, we take 2,000 mg every two hours until lose bowels occur and then back off to the previous dose.

#4 Elderberry

We strongly believe in the power of elderberry in our household (obviously). It is an every day staple during winter months in our home. We typically take around 1 tbsp of our elderberry and honey tonic every day, but this year with the flu and RSV being so rampant we are taking it twice a day. If we are exposed to someone who is ill or are traveling we up that even more. Speaking of traveling there are two options with our elderberry. One, you can pour our elderberry tonic into a small container (like a recycled liquor shot bottle) and as long as it is kept cold with a little ice pack you are good to go. The easier solution, when traveling, is our elderberry glycerin tincture which does not require refrigeration even once it has been open due to the glycerin. It's 2 oz so you can take it on the plane without issues. We get the strangest looks on airplanes as I am passing around the dropper and squeezing it into my husbands and daughter's mouths every two hours. Typically a dark purple mess ensues due to a wiggly three year old and we get even more attention, but it's all worth it to us.

***Side note on elderberry*** Recently there have been some concerns posted by some bloggers that elderberry could cause a potential cytokine storm in the body. There is no data to back that up and it is just their speculation and opinion. We have to work within the regulations set by the FDA and the Department of Agriculture. Therefore we cannot claim that our products prevent, mitigate, or cure disease, nor are we able to provide medical advice. This practice protects our customers as well as our business. In this time of uncertainty, many of you are searching for information on elderberry and cytokine storm. Since COVID-19 is a brand new virus, research is inconclusive on ALL treatment options.

I will let my favorite herbalist speak to it here in her article. In addition, a 2016 study showed that a formula based on elderberry inhibited harmful cytokines in people who had atherosclerosis.

This is another great article by my favorite holistic MD.

Dr. Avivva Romm MD stated, “the association with elderberry and cytokine storm is implausible; Elderberry is not able to cause cytokine storm whether used for prevention or invention, or during infection. Were one experiencing cytokine storm, one would be far too sick for herbal therapies; this is an ICU/life support level crisis.”

Dr. David Berger, a pediatrician in Florida, says "In an attempt to reduce the chances of a viral infection, in addition to our other immune supporting recommendations, at the first sign of viral symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath upon exertion, fatigue, body aches, or diarrhea, which early evidence suggests may also be a symptom of COVID-19), we continue to support the judicial use of black elderberry as a component of our complete protocol, along with other supplements, designed to keep the immune system strong and balanced. We acknowledge the concern of cytokine overstimulation exists; however, we feel that, based on elderberry’s antiviral effects and a long history of use within the practice of integrative medicine, the benefits of use outweigh the currently understood risks." Here is a link to his full article.

As always, check with your physician if you have any concerns.

#5 Cod Liver Oil

This is a great source of natural Vitamin A & D and fatty acids. I personally do not like to take the vitamin A listed below every day and feel more comfortable with cod liver oil as a preventative. The adults in our family take about 1 tsp a day and my 6 year old gets 1/2 tsp in her elderberry shot every morning.

This is the brand that I trust.

#6 Vitamin A

If we wake up feeling under the weather we take around 50,000 IU of Optimal Vitamin A Drops from this brand. They go out of stock easily so we always make sure to have a couple of bottles on hand and we always travel with it. There are some holistic doctors that recommend upwards of 400,000 IU per day for two days to abort the viral infection. We have not experimented with anything that high but if we were to be hit with the measles or something extremely serious I wouldn't hesitate to take that amount to strengthen our cell membranes. There is a lot of fear surrounding vitamin A and liver toxicity, but that only happens if you take high amounts for a long time. I feel comfortable with my family taking 50,000 IU - 100,000 IU of vitamin A once a day for three days. Always trust your gut and ask your doctor.

#7 The Gut

So much of our immune strength can be reflected back to our gut health. There is a lot I could say here, and I am sure there is a potential future blog post in me regarding this but for now I will stick to the basics of what we do to ensure our guts are thriving.

Hydrochloric acid (HCL) helps your body to digest and absorb nutrients from food. It also eliminates bacteria and viruses in the stomach, which is kind of a big deal. Many of us are chronically low, especially the very young and the elderly...see a correlation there with the two populations that seem to get hit the hardest with illness? There are some great HCL supplements that you can take with meals to build it up but I don't over-rely on this method because I don't want our bodies to get reliant on the supplement and stop making HCL naturally. We do have the pills on hand if needed and we travel with them. This is my favorite digestive enzyme that has HCL in it, we take it with meals when traveling and a few times a week.

Fermented Foods also help to build up the good bacteria in our stomach that help fight off the bad bugs. We don't love sauerkraut so we do fermented pickles, kombucha, apple cider vinegar with "the mother" via our Fire Cider, etc... I relied on this method when my daughter had reflux as an infant. I did not feel comfortable giving her prescription antacids so I gave her fermented sauerkraut juice in tiny doses via a needleless syringe and it 100% healed her acid reflux within two weeks. No more back arches and horrible screaming episodes at night so we got a LOT more rest because of something as simple as fermented juice. If you don't love fermented foods be sure to take a high quality probiotic.

Herbal digestive bitters are another way to build up the stomach acid if taken right before meals. This brand has some great options.

#8 Nasal Irrigation

When we have been out and about we do a couple of squirts of this product in our noses and this one for my little one that is specifically formulated for kids. It has grapefruit seed extract in it that helps to fight infections and viruses (I could do a whole post on grapefruit seed extract and it's amazing benefits). Stay tuned. I like to purchase the three pack becuase it's cheaper and I keep one in my purse, one at home and one in my travel bag.

#9 Hybrid CR

This is another product we keep on hand at all times. I personally know the pharmacist that created this herbal blend and trust his quality and expertise. Per their website, in regards to one of the ingredients in the blend, Andrographis, "This potent and effective herb activates your immune system and tells your body to start building more defensive immune cells.* Andrographis helps manage the severity of an immune challenge by activating a strong, speedy immune response and supporting a healthy inflammatory response. Popular in Scandinavian cultures, this herb has been proven effective in multiple clinical trials." We travel with it and if we have any signs of illness we take immediately. Only for ages 12 and older.

#10 The Obvious Stuff

Hand washing, hand washing, HAND WASHING.

Drink 1/2 your body weight of water in oz everyday. If you weigh 150 aim for 75 oz of water.

Apply "heat" to your body via exercise, sauna, hot bath, etc... Viruses hate heat, hence the body fighting bugs off with fever.

And there you have it! A peek into what my family does to try and stay immune strong.

*The content of this post and website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute as medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. None of the above supplements have been approved by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.

Posted on March 23, 2020

Haley Maness

Sore Throat Relief

Many of us are struggling with sore throats these days.

Whether it's from allergies, a cold, or something worse. Either way, sore throats are the WORST especially when trying to sleep at night. Sore throats seem to intensify x1000 when sleeping and my below remedies have been tried and true for keeping sore throats soothed.

Sore Throat Tea:

Carefully pour boiling water in a cup and add 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or 3 tsp fresh thyme
Cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes
Strain and add honey to taste once the tea has cooled somewhat to boost the nutritional content and flavor of thyme tea. We prefer to use this manuka honey in sore throat tea.
Drink 2-3 times a day to boost your immunity, help aid a cough, or get rid of that pesky cold faster.
Optional add in's: Splash of our elderberry & honey tonic (you will get a dose of 12 herbs and roots with this added in), fresh or dried sage leaves, squeeze of lemon, cloves for their numbing effect.
Side Note- I am not saying this is the most delicious tasting tea that you will ever have but whatever it takes to feel better? Am I right?

Simple Sore Throat Gargle:

Carefully pour boiling water in a cup add the following ingredients and let steep for 10 minutes, covered:
1 tsp dried thyme or 3 tsp fresh
1 clove garlic smashed
1-2 cloves for their numbing effect
Once the above has infused and is no longer piping hot, add a splash of apple cider vinegar and 1/2-1 tsp of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt.
Gargle this as often as you can. If you swallow it, it won't hurt you but it won't taste great either. Make sure to rinse your mouth out with water afterwards as you don't want vinegar coating your teeth for too long.

Why Thyme?

The antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties of thyme, offer us a great natural choice for respiratory issues and sore throats.

Thyme is also a robust antibacterial plant that can help treat respiratory infections in humans. Research has shown that thyme contains compounds that may help treat cold and flu infections naturally. (1)

Research has also shown that thyme essential oil is effective against multi drug-resistant bacteria. (2) It was found that thyme helped kill off infections in the airways, mouth, and stomach. (3)

We have never had strep throat in our home (knock on wood), but if we did I would automatically turn to thyme gargle and tea as a first step.

Final Simple Sore Throat Tip:

When you can't sleep due to a sore throat believe me when I say you need to ditch that Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray. I grew up taking it too, but let's be real...it only helps for like 1 min to coat your throat, plus the FDA warns about the risks of throat numbing spray. They report that, "Methemoglobinemia impairs the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen. As a result, patients can suffer from signs of oxygen deprivation such as headaches. If the condition is undetected and untreated, life-threatening cyanosis can develop. Patients with a history of breathing disorders including asthma and emphysema, smokers and patients with heart disease may be particularly at risk when treated with the benzocaine sprays." No big deal right? Yikes.

What do we do instead?

Manuka honey for the WIN. Our favorite brand is Bees and Trees manuka honey because they are one of the only brands that have been tested for bioactivity. We use their manuka honey in our skin salve and majorly believe in the healing benefits. So if we end up with an annoying sore throat we keep a small bowl of manuka next to the bed. If we wake up in pain we take a small spoonful and let it slowly coat our throat and try not to swallow too much. I promise this will put you back to sleep faster than any chemical spray ever will.

XOXO

Stay well friends

*as always, this article does not constitute as medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Please check with your doctor if you have any concerning symptoms.

Posted on March 23, 2020

Haley Maness

Nourishing Herbal Bone Broth

Hi Friends! Thanks for stopping by. I have been receiving tons of requests from customers wanting to know how we stay healthy during this season. If you haven't read my other blog post, "Our Anti-Viral Regimen- 10 easy tips" be sure to check it out! You guys have asked what vitamins/supplements I take, what kinds of food we eat, how to help with reflux/digestion- you can probably name it and I have had a customer ask me. I LOVE to share with each and every one of you that reaches out, so starting up a blog was the next logical step to give you all a peek into what we consume and why. Obviously the first line of defense that we take is our elderberry & honey tonic- one tbsp a day for adults and one tsp a day for kiddos over one. If we know we will be traveling (especially in an airplane) we up it to three times a day the week before, during and after traveling.

Nourishing Herbal Bone Broth- the WHY

Every weekend I whip up a batch of homemade bone broth for us to drink on all week. I am especially diligent about making it during cold/flu season. Why would I take the time to do this you ask? So. Many. Reasons.

#1 - DIGESTIVE AID/ GUT HEALING -

Bone broth is one of the best digestive aids you can consume prior to eating your food. You may or may not be familiar with the benefits of betaine HCL for low stomach acid. Betanine HCL helps to boost the bodies supply of hydrochloric acid, which most of us are low in (if you have heartburn/acid reflux I can almost guarantee you have too LITTLE stomach acid..not too MUCH). I take betanine HCL a few times a week with my food to boost production, specifically this one because it has no fillers. I choose not to take it with every meal, as I do not want my body to become dependent on the supplement and stop producing hydrochloric acid on it's own. Apparently, our bodies can become lazy like that. I tend to rotate between herbal digestive bitter tinctures (fennel, ginger root, dandelion root, burdock root, and many more wonderful herbs in tincture form), apple cider vinegar, betanine HCL and bone broth to boost my bodies ability to produce sufficient hydrochloric acid. A great source for herbal bitter tinctures is Mountain Rose Herbs, I 100% trust their quality. You can check out their digestive herbal bitter tinctures here that are made and ready to go. Or if you are feeling adventurous here is a great DIY recipe for digestive bitters. Why do we care about stimulating digestion and hydrochloric acid levels? Check out this article here that explains why.

Back to bone broth. It is also a great addition to your diet if you are trying to heal your leaky gut . I plan to do a separate blog post on leaky gut since so many of you have asked about it so make sure you are subscribed to our newsletters that give notifications on new posts! I personally LOVE the taste of bone broth so we aim to drink about 1/2-1 cup before meals and it is hands down my favorite way to get my digestive juices flowing. Healthy Gut = Healthy Life

#2 - IMMUNE BOOSTING -

You know when you would get sick as a kid and your mom or grandmother would feed you chicken noodle soup? They were definitely onto something (check out this interesting article), except bone broth is like chicken noodle soup on immune boosting steroids. There are so many amino acids in bone broth - like glutamine, cysteine and arginine- just to name a few. Amino acids help to boost immune function. When we are sick our bodies are inflamed, the L-glutamine helps to ease that inflammation in our guts.

Hydration, hydration and more hydration. Bone broth is chalked full of electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, potassium and since 70-80% of your immune system is located in our guts, it's kind of important.

#3- Skin/Cellulite/Joints-

I've never met anyone that doesn't want to have beautiful skin and I am no exception. As much as I loathe cellulite, even my sweet, perfectly healthy 3.5 year old has a tiny bit of cellulite so I have come to embrace mine. Isn't it awesome when your kiddo teaches you to have grace for yourself? If bone broth has even the slightest 1% chance of helping cellulite- then I am on board. Here is an interesting article explaining why it can help our precious dimply spots. Essentially it helps to make our skin more supple as cellulite comes from a lack of connective tissue- even super skinny people can have cellulite if they don't have a proper diet. Bone broth is extremely rich in collagen which is what we need to build up our connective tissues. This is exactly why I add chicken feet to my recipe below as they are loaded with collagen. There is always a method to my quirky madness. Collagen can also help to reduce wrinkles, stretch marks and reduce puffiness. Bone broth shots anyone?

HERBAL BONE BROTH RECIPE

Side note- I don't make anything the "simple" way (as shown in my 12 herbs and roots elderberry & honey tonic). As an herbalist I am always looking for ways I can sneak herbs into our everyday foods, and bone broth is one of my favorite ways to do just that. There are plenty of basic recipes you can find online that will work well too. I add astragalus, parsley, turmeric, fennel and nettle to my recipe which are obviously optional for you. But they are HIGHLY nourishing and I always sneak them in when I can. I grow fennel so I used fresh and not dried, dried can be a little more potent in taste so I would probably use 1 tbsp if all I had was dried fennel. I purchased fresh turmeric and ginger from a local farmer and the rest of the dried herbs from mountain rose herbs- about a handful of each for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Heavy-Bottomed Stock pot or crock pot (my choice because I'm lazy)
One gallon of filtered water- honestly I just fill my crockpot up so I am not 100% sure on the amount of water I use.
Organic/Free Range/or local chicken bones from cooked chicken carcass (for extra collagen add feet, neck and even the head). I get a whole chicken from a local farmer and cook prior, remove the meat which we eat on all week and then use the bones/neck/feet for the bone broth.
1 cup organic carrots and/or parsnips
4 organic celery stalks
1 large organic onion
8 organic peeled and diced garlic cloves
Basic herbs/spices- 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp thyme, 1/2-1 tbsp whole peppercorns, 1-2 tbsp celtic or himalayan sea salt
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar- 2 tbsp at a min, but I have been known to add up to 1/2 cup. Just test and see what you like. This ingredient is crucial as it helps to release the minerals, amino acids and collagen in the bones.
Optional but awesome herbs/roots: fresh fennel, raw ginger, raw turmeric, nettle, parsley, astragalus root (about a handful of each, with the exception of ginger- I only use about 1 tbsp of peeled and diced raw ginger since it has a strong flavor)
Also Optional: chicken feet (2-4)

Instructions:

Let bones and veggies sit in the cool water with the apple cider for at least 30 minutes.
Add the basic herbs and spices (We will add the optional ones later)
Cover and bring to a simmer. This requires the high setting on my crock pot for about an hour. Skim off any scum that might rise to the top and discard.
Simmer on low for a min of 6-8 hours adding water if necessary. I personally keep mine on low for 24 hours, letting those bones become super soft and drained of all their goodness.
If you decide to add in the optional herbs and roots, which I highly encourage you to do- even if it's just one of them! Add them in the last two hours of cooking. You don't want to overcook the herbs, and two hours on a low simmer is sufficient to absorb their nutrients and minerals.
Strain out the solids and store the broth in glass jars.
Broth will keep about 1-1.5 weeks in the refrigerator, but can also be frozen into ice cubes or any other container you choose. I still have a ton of breast milk bags so I freeze them in those because I'm cheap and efficient like that.
You can scrape off the fat and store In a jar for later use in cooking.

Enjoy drinking this delicious, immune boosting, cellulite popping, gut healing drink everyday! If you are still reading this long post, keep scrolling and I will show you how we made this bone broth into dinner tonight......

Finished product, pre-straining. Yep..that's a chicken foot. (if adding chicken feet see below additional instructions)

Chicken Feet Instructions:

We choose to take the raw chicken feet and boil them for five minutes, cut off the toes and peel them before adding to the broth. I may or may not have not known to do this the first time and I just threw them into the broth as is. We may have consumed dirt and chicken poop in that first batch of broth, but we survived. I don't think my grandmother peeled and boiled them first so you decide what is best for your broth!

How we turned this broth into dinner:

We just made this up on the fly, so no "measurements" to share. We were staaaaarving and we needed something quick style! The possibilities are truly endless with broth! I freeze leftover broth in my breast milk bags that work great for freezing and don't leak.

We added the following in a pot and simmered for about 20 mins:

2 cups of broth
1/2 cup water
Two big handfuls of raw spinach
Tons of raw chives
Noodles of choice
10 or so cherry tomatoes cut in 1/2
About 10 banana pepper rings
Garlic powder
A few splashes of coconut aminos
Shake of chili powder

The beautiful result!

Our little ones preferred way to eat bone broth is with diced avocado and carrots- she ate a TON for dinner! Mommy win!

Enjoy friends!!!

xoxo

Haley

Posted on March 21, 2020

Haley Maness

5 Day Water Only Fast

A 5-day water-only fast is one of the most powerful tools for cellular reset, autophagy, and deep healing — but it's not for everyone. Here's Haley's honest day-by-day account of what happened to her body and what she learned.

Posted on March 18, 2020

Haley Maness

Zinc + Ionophores

Have you ever heard the word "Ionophores"? I hadn't either until I started researching the absorption rate of zinc.

The official scientific explanation: "Ionophores are lipid-soluble molecules that transport ions across lipid cell membranes. The subsequent disruption of cell membrane permeability results in antibacterial effects." (source)

My simplified explanation: Ionophores may help to carry zinc into the walls of our cells.

There is a lot of buzz going around concerning zinc, and for good reason. Medical professionals are seeing some great results in regards to zinc and the treatment of this most recent pandemic. As soon as I started doing a deep dive and realized the success that they are seeing, and the little the media is covering this awesome news, I knew I had to share it with all of you! I truly value all of my customers and want you to have the most up to date info for the health of you and your family.

Stop what you are doing right now and watch THIS VIDEO that is pictured below. Hopefully this video will not be removed and censored from the web. It is only 1 min and 31 seconds so it is a very quick listen.

Dr. Anthony Cardillo speaks to the prescription drug, Hydroxychloroquine in the above video. He states that "Hydroxychloroquine opens the zinc channel, zinc goes into the cell, it then blocks the replication of the cellular machinery. So it has to be used in conjunction with zinc to be effective. Every patient that I have prescribed it to has been very very ill with Covid-19 and within 8-12 hours they were basically symptom free"

So, back to Ionophores and how they relate to all of the above. Remember that Ionophores help to carry zinc into the walls of our cells and ionophores can be found in many forms.

Quercetin
High quality green tea
Quinine (can be found in tonic water)
Chloroquine (prescription drug)
Hydrochloroquine (prescription mentioned in video)

Quercetin:

Out of all the options above quercetin is my first choice to help the zinc supplement that I take get transported into my cells. I would use one of the last two options (the prescriptions) if I was in really bad shape in the hospital, without question. But as a daily ionophore to help optimize zinc then this is the no brainer choice because there are no known side effects to consuming healthy foods.

Dr. Chris Majdyło states in this article here that "The aforementioned ionophores also include noteworthy natural substances, devoid of toxicity, such as– quercitin (plant flavonoid, found in many fruits and vegetables) – supports the immune system and increases the effectiveness of treatment of viral infections"

This amazing article lists 93 quercetin rich foods ranked by quercetin density. I have only listed the #1 of the veggie and #1 fruit category below, but please read the article for the full list. I know we will be loading up on local asparagus, onions, cilantro and kale. Those are our fave veggies that are high in quercetin, but pick your favorites from the list and consume some everyday!

Here is another scientific study on zinc ionophore activity of quercetin.

#1 Quercetin Rich Fruit

Guys. I was genuinely surprised to see this listed as the #1 fruit. I know elderberry is amazing and packed full of so many benefits but I was not aware that it may help transport zinc into our cells! Mind officially blown. This favorite berry of mine never disappoints. We are already taking our elderberry & honey tonic a couple of times a day right now, so we are covered on the fruit front for quercetin. But we will also be upping our consumption of blackberries, blueberries and apples since they are also shown to be dense in quercetin and we love them!

#1 Quercetin Rich Vegetable

To be honest I had no idea what this veggie was, I had to google it. I probably won't try to find dock right now, but we will definitely be consuming more of the commonly found veggies on the list that we love.

As far as the other options go, we will also be consuming some high quality green tea every day as it is very high in polyphenols and I also plan to try my hand at making my own tonic water and drinking 2 oz of it everyday. Even though I legit hate the taste of tonic water, at least this version will be free of high fructose corn syrup and homemade. It is made with Cinchona bark, which you can order online here. Recipe for making your own tonic water here. It's easy to get excited about using cinchona bark as a preferred natural remedy. For safety, we recommend following dosage instructions and recipes precisely. While cinchona bark is generally safe at low levels, it does contain quinine, a substance which may cause serious health concerns at high levels. Those with heart conditions should consult a physician before using cinchona bark.

Ok, now that our cells have a transport to be able to put that zinc to work what brand and amounts of zinc should we take?

To be honest, there are so many forms of zinc (over 15 to be exact) out there and since this post is already so long I am going to let The School of Holistic Medicine speak to the different forms of zinc in this very in depth article here. I trust and value their opinions. You can also obtain zinc from some food sources, which is always the best option and in the above article they speak to that as well.

Another Dr. speaking to zinc in relation to this virus and how much to take in this video. He states there is no data to back up taking zinc as a preventative to help, but we are still choosing to take a low doze of zinc every other day right now. Do what is best for you and what you and your doctor agree upon.

Guys, share this far and wide. Your mama, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends all need to know this information! God forbid, if you were to find yourself in the hospital very sick with this virus, wouldn't you want to know this info? What if the doctor seeing you was not aware of these findings? They typically wouldn't prescribe an anti-malaria drug like Hydroxychloroquine to you for this virus unless they had seen this information. This is why it is so important for us to stay informed and I am doing my part sharing this with you so you can share this info with everyone you know. Hopefully the media will begin to share this positive news, but as of now it has not been shared widely to my knowledge. If you aren't subscribed to my newsletter make sure you subscribe (and mark us as a safe sender so it doesn't go to junk/spam) so you can always get the info I share straight to your email!

XOXO

Haley

*as always this post is not to be substituted for medical advice. I am not a medical doctor. This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any illness. Please see a medical professional if you have any concerns about a specific illness or issue.

Posted on March 11, 2020

Haley Maness

Share to WIN! #morethanbasicelderberry

We love to give back to our loyal customers in so many ways because we are deeply grateful for you. One of our favorite ways to share the elderberry love is via giveaways. We have come up with a new monthly giveaway that is fun and a great way for YOU to potentially win...every. single. month.

The rules are simple: 1. Take a picture with our Elderberry & Honey Tonic in whatever fun and creative way you would like. This might mean you spot it at one of our valued retail partners and snap a pic of it on their shelves (be sure to tag them too). Or if you don't have one of our retailer partners near you and we ship to you directly, then you can simply take a picture of our elderberry from the comfort of your home!

2. Simply share your image on your stories or feed

Tag #morethanbasicelderberry to be automatically entered to win! If you share on your feed as a post that will count as 2 entries vs. a story counting as one entry. We will pick one winner on the last day of the month every single month. 3. Be sure that you are following us on Instagram @rootsandleavesinfo so we can send you a private message if you win!

Why #morethanbasicelderberry? Because...look at all of those beautiful herbs and roots that we put into our tonic in our picture below. 12 herbs and roots = WAY more than basic elderberry syrup. Most elderberry syrups contain 4-5 ingredients. Typically ginger, cloves, cinnamon, elderberries and usually an incredible amount of honey or sugar (future blog post on how our elderberry is lower in sugar content than most) is what most elderberry syrups include. We have taken it so much further to help give your body extra support.

Good luck to everyone and have FUN!

Multiple entries encouraged. This is limited to Instagram only at this time, not Facebook. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Valid in the US only.

Posted on February 12, 2020

Haley Maness

Two supplements I'll take for life

When I first got diagnosed with Lyme disease two years ago, I was both thankful for answers that were long overdue but simultaneously overwhelmed. Since my tick bite occurred when I was 18 and it went undiagnosed for 16 years (that was fun) it was too late to treat with antibiotics so the supplement list I was about to undertake was LONG. I plan to write a separate post about my lyme disease journey soon, but it's a long story to tell and I am still gathering my thoughts on how to present the content.

Some of my main symptoms were extreme fatigue, crippling headaches, brain fog so bad at times I couldn't even drive. It was easy for my doctors to blame ALL of my symptoms on the lyme, but when my fatigue and headaches wouldn't let up even after month's of treating lyme I started being my own patient advocate and digging deeper. I started demanding specific lab work be done to check my thyroid levels, hormones (more to come on those later) and vitamin d levels. One thing I have learned is you HAVE to be your own advocate and speak up for what you need and if you are too sick and tired to do that then please hire someone to help you that works more in the holistic realm. I discovered that my vitamin d levels were TANKED and no doctor had bothered to mention it. Thanks guys.

Vitamin D- The Sunshine Vitamin

We all know we should unplug and get outside more often, but most of us don't realize how healing it can actually be to get some sunshine. By exposing our skin to the sun's ultraviolet B rays we get a boost of vitamin D. The amount of vitamin D received will depend on the time of day, where you live on the globe and the color of your skin. For example, a fair skinned individual might only need 10-15 mins but a darker skinned individual may need much longer. You do NOT need to tan or burn to receive vitamin D. You obtain the most vitamin D when you expose a large area such as your back, vs. your face/arms. Even though I walk for 30 mins to an hour almost every single day, it still wasn't enough for me to get the vitamin D I needed (probably because I wasn't walking shirtless). And let me tell you, I was bone crushingly tired almost all day everyday. My vitamin d numbers were in the 30's and from my research one feels their best if it is over 70 and my body definitely confirms that. So I started supplementing with this vitamin d. Because my numbers were so low I started out taking (and still do) 10 IU a day, most people will only need 5 IU. I am going to experiment backing off to 5 IU and recheck my levels in a few months...stay tuned. I have tried getting off vitamin D, just because it's annoying to remember to take it all the time, but every time I get off my numbers tank and I feel awful. That's why I am a lifer when it comes to vitamin D.

One thing I lOVE about taking my health in my hands and being my own advocate is seeing documented results. Before supplementing, my numbers were extremely low but after three months of taking 10,000 IU a day (which is only two pills of the brand I take) my numbers and energy are WAY better. Obviously, I am not a doctor so work with a really good holistic/functional doctor that will help you figure out your dosage and rule out other reasons for fatigue such as adrenal fatigue, hormones, thyroid issues, etc.. Most traditional doctors will prescribe vitamin D2 but in my research, vitamin D3 which is over the counter is much more effective. This article explains why. It's also important for me to have a vitamin that is not packed with fillers which is why I like the above brand since I take this supplement everyday. I also require my vitamin D3 to have K2 added as well, here's the really important reason why. My 2.5 year old takes this liquid vitamin D3 with K2- I give her a couple drops a day in her elderberry shot and I take this one, which has proven to raise my vitamin d levels so it's the only one I take now.

My actual test results- three months apart:

Some (but not all) symptoms of low vitamin D are summed up well in this article. Headaches, dental issues and fatigue were my main symptoms, but others can have a wide range of issues as highlighted below. It's worth a quick blood test to see where your numbers fall.

photo cred: womenfitness.net

The second supplement I will take for life...

Magnesium has been dubbed the "master mineral" for so many valid reasons. Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical functions in the body such as regulating heartbeat rhythms and neurotransmitter functioning- making this one of the most crucial minerals for optimal health. Vitamin D and magnesium work together as well. All of the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D appear to require magnesium, which acts as a co-factor in the enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidneys. You can be taking sufficient vitamin D but if you are magnesium deficient you may not be able to increase your blood levels.

A lack of magnesium in the body can effect us negatively in many ways: heart issues, anxiety, depression, insomnia, RLS and more. According to the The US National Academy of Science’s Food & Nutrition Board, 75% of Americans may be deficient in magnesium, and "the average American 14 or older is magnesium deficient." I began my magnesium journey when I started having some heart palpitations and sleep issues. At the time I was using magnesium gel, which works, but it stings and is sticky. So I created my magnesium body butter, I made it super strong so I wouldn't have to use much and it would last a long time...bonus- it doesn't sting (unless applied directly to an open wound). I apply a fingertip amount to the soles of my feet at bedtime and the result has been deeper and more restful sleep. My heart palpitations are almost non existent these days. I apply a tiny dab to the bottom of my 2.5 year olds feet a few times a week for overall health.

There are magnesium pills you can take- but honestly trying to decide which one (oxide, chloride, sulfate, taurate, glycinate) to take was a little overwhelming and a whole lot of contradicting information exists out there on ye old google. I personally believe that trans-dermal (applied to skin) offers the best absorption rate and your body knows what to do with it. Our bodies were created to heal and our skin is our largest organ absorbing everything we slather on it within 60 seconds. Impressive.

There are also some foods you can eat to supply you with some magnesium (my fave being dark chocolate), but you will most likely still need to supplement in some form. According to the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, healthy adult men should generally consume 400 to 420 milligrams (mg) of magnesium daily. To give some perspective to those numbers: ¼ cup almonds is around 100mg magnesium, a medium banana contains around 33mg magnesium and 1/2 cup broccoli contains around 51mg magnesium.

So....now ya know which two supplements will always be on my bedside nightstand. Of course, there are many other supplements I take on a daily basis but they may not be for life, or I may rotate them and that is why I will chat about them in a separate post. Even my beloved elderberry & honey tonic which has brought much healing to me on my journey, I rotate and don't take it daily in the summer months (Sep-April-ish we take it every single day).

Cheers to greater sleep, improved energy/mood and overall health!

Haley

Posted on January 26, 2019

Haley Maness

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Vitamin D- The Sunshine Vitamin

The second supplement I will take for life...

Haley