Garlic on Trial

Garlic...nature's miracle cure for all things bacterial. This goes for colds, ear infections, yeast infections, and countless other illnesses for which we're hopping down to the clinic for some anti-biotics. Don't believe me? Try it!

Colds: Next time you get a cold, start popping garlic- fresh, peeled, whole cloves, or fresh minced on toast or added to pasta- whatever your flavor, just get it in somehow. Your cold won't last too long.

Ear Infections: For ear infections, which most children seem to suffer from often, make your own garlic-infused oil and put a couple of drops in each ear several times a day. Chances are, your baby won't even complain of any pain from the infection and it will heal without a trip to the doctor. Even if you only suspect an ear infection, add the oil. It's perfectly safe, has no side effects (unless your child is allergic to garlic, which I suppose is rare), and can't be overdosed. I make my Garlic Oil in a glass ramekin and store it that way, too, since I only make it when I need it.

How to make Garlic Oil: peel 3 garlic cloves and smash with flat side of knife. Add to 1/2c oil (any kind will do. The oil is only a medium to carry the garlic) in glass bowl or sauce pan. Microwave for 1 min in bowl or simmer over med/low for 5 min in pan. Let oil cool completely. Pick/strain out garlic pieces and discard. Store oil in glass jar. Use oil in ears by the drop when needed. Oil lasts about a week. After that it looses potency.

Now, here's the thing...I'm a baby. I don't take my own advice enough. I would often rather suffer with a cold than stink like garlic- and I LIKE garlic. I don't get myself. Maybe I need you all to try this out and say how much it works for you and all that for me to believe it's worth it. *sigh* But, since I did just give this advice yesterday, and since I do currently have a cold, I've started taking it-by the half-clove swallowed alone. ick. I really wish I could take it intraveneously. boo. I'll post an update about how the cold's going (or not going) in a day or so.

God was really thinking when he made a stinky little plant that we like to cook with, caused it to grow like a weed, and enabled it with over 30 anti-bacterial properties!

Whooping Cough Scare-CA

I recently read an article about the Whooping Cough Epidemic in CA. Apparently, there are almost 600 cases and 5 babies under 3 months old have died. So the local authorities are recomending children be immunized and people who care for children get a booster shot.

Now, one point of the article particularly ammused me: the suggestion that babies who aren't immunized are most vulnerable. First, the people who promote vaccines in children are required to by some higher-ups who make a lot of money on all those shots (some of which have more costly side-effects than the disease itself). Second, the babies who die from whooping cough are the ones who are too young to get the shot anyway!

My bro Sheldon almost died at 2 months old from whooping cough because he hadn't had the shot (too young!), and he cought the disease from the neighbor kids who didn't even know they had it. Clearly, if they didn't know they had it, they weren't on deaths door. Interesting. It all kinda seems like a scare tactic to me (or maybe an effort to get every parent to run down to the local office to get their kids shot up). Just sayin'.

Homemade Yogurt

Whenever someone finds out that I make my own yogurt, they always want to know how. Yes, I do make my own yogurt. Because it's WAY cheaper than buying it! The price of 1 qt of natural plain yogurt is about $3. The price of homemade yogurt is less than $3/gal (depending on the current price of milk). Now, whether you are just curious if this is actually possible or you would really like to know how so you can make your own, never fear-I'll tell you. This is actually quite easy and even the clumsiest in the kitchen should have success.

1. Scald 1 qt milk (this means cook until just before boiling), stirring constantly.
2. Cool milk to about 11o degrees (bathwater). A little cooler is better than a bit too hot. If the milk is too hot, it will kill the starter and you'll never get yogurt. I did this once. Bummer.
3. Pour milk into glass bowl or jar
4. Add 1/4c yogurt (store-bought yogurt or previously-made). This is your starter. It must have live/active cultures. The label will indicate such on store-bought yogurt. No live/active cultures? No yogurt.
5. Combine with wisk
6. Set in warm place (not hot!) for 8-10 hours, not bothering it, and voila, Yogurt! A good warm place is in the oven with the oven light left on. You wouldn't have to worry about the temperature, you wouldn't have to be home to monitor it, etc. A friend of mine leaves hers in wrapped in a towel in a cooler/other insulated box. I'm not sure how you keep it warm enough...unless it just stays.
7. Store in refridgerator and enjoy at your leisure. Add a bit of jam or fresh fruit to sweeten.

Tip: Don't worry if it's thinnner than the store-bought kind. Most of those have additives to make them so.

Tip: Whole milk makes the thickest and creamiest yogurt but any kind works just fine. I use 1% usually.

Stage or Sin? .....the first Tidbit

I've been thinking about toddlers a lot lately, since I have one. Rowan has begun hitting as a show of his defiance toward anyone who tells him 'no,' requires something of him that he doesn't like, or simply as an outburst of anger. And something that gives me pause is this word that people use....because we've all heard it, we're conditioned to believe it, and many of us buy into it... A stage. Most people use the word stage to describe their children's behavior as a way of excusing it.

I don't believe hitting/tantrums are a stage in the way that most use the word. It's the beginning of sin.

"He'll grow out of it," they say. And maybe he will- "grow out of" the behavior. But he'll only learn/develop/discover more and worse ways to behave when he doesn't get his way, whether it's whining, stomping on the floor, throwing things, screaming, etc. These displays are an attempt to dominate others, to gain control of the situation or the parents, thereby demonstrating his sinful nature. (interesting that most parents prefer to difuse the situation instead of dealing with the sin).

Now a stage as a term of the child's development is different. This is just refering to the level of cognisant reasoning present in a child's mind at any given time/age. Rowan's stage of hitting just means that he has figured out that he can react by hitting whenever he feels like he is not the dominant party: another child has taken his toy, he is being prevented from taking a toy, Mama has told him "no," or for any other reason. His natural instinct takes over in an attempt to dominate. The particular behavior or awareness of the child is not really the issue. It's where we go from here that's important.

If left to himself, Rowan's natural instinct will turn to sin....and sin, when it is fully formed, brings death. So, it is up to Daddy and Mama to instruct and correct with the rod and reproof to teach Rowan to make better choices and learn to control his natural instincts which are not all good, for his benefit in the long run.

Sin isn't a stage. It's something that we're all born into and must choose to avoid. So, one reason I spank Rowan each time he hits is to teach him to do what's right even before he can conciuosly make the decision himself. In the long run, he is learning self-control, to make the right choice even though it's harder than lashing out and doing what comes natually to him.

The other reason I'm training him to obey (whether it's to not hit, come here, eat all his lunch, clean up the toys) is so that he submits himself to the higher authority. For Rowan, Mama and Daddy are the authority and our instruction is backed up with the rod/switch/paddle. If we're not in charge, than he is. And he wants to be, as do all children. But he doesn't know what's best for himself and we're the ones with the responsibility to "train him up in the way he should go."

The reason I use a switch to spank him instead of the many other methods used to train children is 1. because the Bible instructs it, 2. because it is quick, effective, and not a drawn out form of punishment, 3. because it works (!) to bring about a change in behavior, and 4. I can discipline him without bringing about an emotional response in myself as threatening/yelling/bribing would bring. I want to gain complete obedience from Rowan every time and I want to do it avoiding the emotional upheaval that these other things would do.

Another thought: spanking does yeild great results, especially in young children whose attention span is not really long enough to benefit from a time-out (what am I sitting here for?), because it is quick and painful. For the child whose parents consistently administer the discipline, pain is soon associated with negative behavior. BUT, it's not fair to the child who doesn't have clear and consistent boundaries. If you only spank after you are exasperated and angry with your child, he will associate the pain of the spanking with your emotion. "I get a spanking when Mommy gets angry enough." The child will learn to push your buttons just far enough and then back off when he senses you're ready to explode. Talk about unjust! You would be training him to avoid your wrath instead of the (sinful) behavior that is causing your irritation.

Just thought you might be interested in a bit of my kid-raising philosophy. :) I welcome questions or comments!