During the winter, hot tea is one of my favorite treats. Not only does it taste great (usually) there are so many different types that I never get burnt out, plus they're natural healing agents! There have been a couple specific tea recipes shared here at Old Fashioned Families, including a cinnamon honey tea and an elderberry tea, both of which have a long list of benefits. Since tea is great for warming you up and keeping you healthy during the cold winter months, I thought we would take it ... [ Read More ]
6 Medicinal Herbs You Need This Winter
Since I hate the cold and love herbal remedies, it should not come as a surprise that I'd like to do a round up of the best herbs to use during winter! We have already discussed some herbal remedies that can help you stay healthy during the cold season, like elderberry tea, cinnamon honey tea, and a DIY vapor rub but there are still so many possibilities out there! Read on! Echinacea Echinacea is a beautiful flower that's part of the daisy family. It has been used for centuries in combating ... [ Read More ]
8 Surprising Ways to Use Epsom Salt
Epsom salts have a really wide variety of uses, some of which might come as a surprise to you! The salts are rich in magnesium and sulfates which have a variety of health benefits, but Epsom salts are good for a few other things as well. With its multitude of uses, it would be silly not to use Epsom salt. It's super cheap to buy, you can easily get a pound for $2. After reading this 8 unique ways to use Epsom salt, you'll always keep a supply around the house! 1) Soak in a bath This one is ... [ Read More ]
How to Make Cinnamon Honey Tea
There's nothing quite like tea to help when you have a cough or a sore throat. In fact, tea is one of my go-tos for, well, most things. And, around this time of the year, there are really two primary kinds of tea that I make: elderberry tea, and cinnamon honey tea. We've talked about elderberry in the past, so here, I wanted to focus on cinnamon honey tea. Health benefits of cinnamon honey tea Both cinnamon and honey are absolutely excellent for you. Both have pretty crazy antimicrobial ... [ Read More ]
All Natural DIY Vapor Rub
It's that time of the year again. It's freezing outside, snow is on the ground, and everyone takes their turn getting sick. Stuffy noses and coughs are no fun, though sometimes unavoidable. At this point, you guys probably know that I am not much of a fan of store-bought medicinal supplies and I prefer to look for an all natural remedy. If you haven't yet started a journey with essential oils, I really really recommend doing so. They open up a bunch of different DIY healing options, from ... [ Read More ]
10 Natural Uses for Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is a small bush native to Asia and North America. Although the strange yellow stringy flowers don't look like much, this plant was used medicinally by Native Americans and later by European settlers. It also enjoyed use in parts of Asia. The witch hazel used medicinally shouldn't be confused with the English wych elm, which is also sometimes called witch hazel. Regardless, witch hazel is one of those things that should be in every old fashioned medicine cabinet due to its varied ... [ Read More ]
Use Elderberries to Combat the Flu
Cold and flu season is officially here and, judging by the coughing fits and empty chairs of my coworkers who had to stay home, this year is going to be a bad one. So, of course, I've been turning quite a bit to my favorite natural flu fighting tea: Elderberry. Elderberries come from the elder plant, which grows naturally in Europe and a few other parts of the globe. Historically, elderberries have been used to fight inflammation, diseases, relieve skin conditions, help heal burns, and boost ... [ Read More ]
10 Natural Benefits of Using Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is often called a "super food" and is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet with over 1,500 studies to back it up. Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which include caprylic acid, lauric acid, and capric acid. More than 60% of of coconut oil is composed of those three healthy fatty acids, and more than 90% of coconut oil is healthy saturated fat. The issue with consuming a lot of fatty foods is most fats go through a 26 ... [ Read More ]
A Fall Guide for Essential Oil Blends
Fall is in full swing here. Leaves have already turned colors and fallen to the ground, mornings are cool and frosty, and Thanksgiving is days away! Call me crazy, but one of my favorite things about the holiday season is the smells! Rather than overspending on candles and scentsy's like I have in years past, now my essential oil diffusers help keep my house smelling great and like fall! I know it sounds weird, but you know what I'm talking about— pumpkin, apple pie, cinnamon, etc! So, I ... [ Read More ]
4 Ways Himalayan Pink Salt Can Benefit You
Over the past couple of years, there has been a lot of hype associated with Himalayan pink salt lamps. I am always talking about how the world we live in is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, and therefore we are becoming more and more surrounded by it. While there are the most obvious downsides to technology, did you know too much technology around can actually effect your health? Technology, everything from your cell phone to your TV and back to your computer, actually release ... [ Read More ]