What’s in Mom’s Medicine Cabinet this Fall?

A few weeks ago I was doing an inventory of my medicine cabinet, organizing with my daughter, and teaching her more about homeopathy and herbal tinctures. It dawned on me, how I wish someone would have taught me before I was a mom.

I could have avoided MANY doctor visits as a young mom, as well as using over the counter medicines every time there was a fever or a cold. If someone would have simply showed me what to get for what. If someone would have empowered me as a mom and said, “You don’t have to go to school for 12 years know how to treat a sore throat and fever.”

Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT anti-doctor. We love ours and my mother-in-love is an amazing doctor as well. So no disrespect here at all. There IS a time and a place for professional help. But our culture needs to claim our health back and moms need to be empowered to follow their gut when it comes to discerning something wrong with their child. Part of the battle is won when we are equipped with the right tools and know how to treat the simple symptoms before they become big problems.

Imagine catching an ear ache before it becomes an infection needing expensive anti-biotics that destroy any good flora your child had in their gut. Imagine knowing what to give your child if they did need antibiotics, to help build up those good flora bugs during the dosage period. Imagine bringing a fever down without… ah… ibuprofen.

This past month as we were changing insurance coverage, and I had to report all health care visits for the past five years, for all eight of us. Upon researching and compiling information, it came to my attention that each person had only been to the doctor’s 3-4 times in five years. For a family with six children under 13, that might seem pretty good, but the reality is that we do still get the runny noses, ear aches, and sour stomachs, but I usually can treat the kids at home and if I catch it fast enough, then we don’t need to visit the doctor.

Proactive health is the best preventative medicine against getting sick.

As I share about what is in our medicine cabinet, I want to leave you with this thought: The key is to not get sick, to not need the medicine. In the years where we were better at investing in our proactive health we were drinking smoothies or juicing almost every day, taking herbal immune boosters and supplements, getting adequate physical exercise and sleep.  But of the three, the nutrition made the biggest difference in our immune systems during the cold wet months here in Oregon.

In our smoothies are a variety of added daily immune boosters of herbs, local raw honey, hemp seed, coconut oil, kelp, proteins, fiber, and flax oil or flax seeds. Here are a few pictures of products we have liked to help enhance the nutritional substance of our juicing and smoothies.

Moms, I urge you to stay diligent with your healthy habits and routines!

We went through a season when I was writing my book, where this aspect of proactive health was tossed to the wayside. I wasn’t really all that sure it made THAT much of a difference. It was only a matter of time until we started getting sick and like most large families it would knock us out for a month. My conviction is even higher in this kind of proactive health now. After realizing the direct correlation to our health and eating living food. It truly is the best way to fight against the illness that plagues the rainy fall and winter. But just in case we get sick, because eventually someone will, I am ready… stocked up and sharing with you what I have prepared for this fall and winter. I don’t want to be running to the store for this stuff when my kids are sick… I need it on hand, ready to go!

Books I recommend for moms:

Dr. Mom’s Natural Healthcare for Children by Kathy Duerr

Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook by Alan Schmukler

Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants by Dana Ullman

A Couple Posts I have on Natural Medicine/ Treatment:

Homeopathy Archives
Treating Croup Naturally & Hydrotherapy
Building Our Defenses and Curing the Sore Ear {2009}
Juicing, Exercising, and Getting Healthy {2009}

More personal info/disclaimer: I am not a doctor and have no formal training in medicine. I am simply a mom of six who is sharing what is in my medicine cabinet. Do not simply use what I have pictured here to treat your children without first seeking the advise of a professional with knowledge of these products.

When was I first introduced to homeopathy? When my midwife gave me arnica montana directly after the birth of my first born child, in the year 2000.

When did I begin learning about natural medicines/health care? Crazy as it seems, I didn’t begin looking into homeopathy until about 7 years ago. My second born was struggling with severe chronic croup symptoms and the doctors were of no help at all. The basic scenario played out with his airway closing, myself driving him in the middle of the night to the ER so the paramedics could give him a shot of steroids. So I sought out natural doctors, even though our health coverage didn’t cover it.

My prayer is that you would be empowered to leave a legacy of living healthy, not for sake of health or making an idol out of how you look or exercise/wellness, but so you can be equipped for the work our Lord Jesus calls you too and enjoy the freedom that comes from caring for your body. We have but one physical body of our own to steward in this life, and as a mother, we are also stewards caring for our children’s bodies and teaching them how to responsibly. I mess up all the time, and am constantly evaluating my stress level towards these things upholding “balance” or harmony as the main goal. Even healthy living can easily become an idol. Be on guard.

I am praying for you my sisters. As you serve your family… may He guide you and give you the wisdom you need as a mother.

Your Sister in the Journey,

Angie Tolpin

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