Month: October 2023

Thriving with a Bulging Disk Herbie Freebie

~ mindycapello ~ Leave a comment

I got a bulging disk last week!

So, I thought I would share what I did to help it be bearable.

Physically, movement felt best… When I was up walking around, my back felt the best. Sitting in a vehicle was the worst; walking up stairs would pinch, and sitting and standing made my back feel worse. Check out this website here for some exercises I did to help. The cobra stretch was hands down the best stretch. I had to move into the position very slowly so as not to pinch anything, but it would help to put my disc back into place the best. Then, I could move around better until it went back out, and then I would repeat the exercise. Cat Cow was okay because curving my back towards the ceiling bothered it the most. I do a modified Piriformis stretch. My hips get out of place, and this can cause my bulging disk. I can put my hips back into place with this maneuver.

Herbs I used.

Internally, for the pain, I used 2 different blends.

  • I used my “Alleviator” Tincture for pain the 1st day, and then I ran out. It had the herbs White Willow, Kava, California Poppy, Jamaica Dogwood, and Wild Lettuce. This made things manageable.
  • I then used a Tincture formula for inflammation. It is a formula based on a formula I got from Thomas Easley. It worked better in this situation for this pain. It has Solomon’s Seal, Frankincense, Turmeric, Ginger, Black Cohosh, and Arnica.

Externally for the pain: I used many things… my back was lathered all day!

  • I used a lymphatic blend topically. Supporting the lymph surrounding an injury can often be forgotten but is an integral part of the inflammatory response.
  • I used an Anti-inflammatory salve with Solomon’s Seal, Frankincense, Goldenrod,           Turmeric, Ginger, Cayenne, Lobelia, and Arnica.
  • I used an Amanita Liniment with Amanita, Kava, Lobelia, Solomon’s Seal, Black Pepper, and Wintergreen EO. I think this one helps the most.
  • Occasionally the middle section of my back would get stiff because it protected the lower back, so I would put a straight antispasmodic “Tenz Oil” Blend on it, which has Kava, Lobelia, and Cayenne in it.

Other things I tried were red light therapy every evening on my back and heat on my back. I mostly walked around with a heating pad stuffed in my pants at home and fell asleep with one on my back! The heat felt great. I also drove my husband’s truck instead of my van because his truck had heated seats.

I’m sure you’re all wondering if I used any medications. I did! Bulging discs are NOT fun. I did not use any medication during the day, though, just herbs. They really did make it all manageable. Sleep is vital to me; therefore, I decided to try some extra things at night to get good sleep. On the 1st evening, I used a 4-year-old Valium.  It helped me sleep solidly for 4 hours, but the pain was there when I awoke. I tried the same the following evening with the same results. On day 3, I did try a lidocaine patch for 4 hours during the day, but it did not help at all. The topical herbs worked better. On the 3rd evening, I switched to 600mg Ibuprofen, slept wonderfully, and awoke with no pain at all when rolling over and getting up in the morning. On the 4th day, my back was fairly good unless I was sitting. That night, I opted to take 400mg of Ibuprofen and again slept great and felt great when I awoke. On the 5th day just kept putting topicals on it all day and refrained from sitting if possible.

The 6th and 7th days were overall rather good unless I sat in a vehicle or sat too long.

Hopefully, my experience and use of herbs can help inspire you in the future.

In the future, I will try to expand upon this post and explain why the herbs are helpful and even more things you can do to help yourself. For example, a Turmeric Milk tea would have been something good to try I just never thought of it. I might post in the future about keeping your back healthy, but I might have extenuating circumstances. My left leg is shorter, and I didn’t know until after 20 years of weight-lifting and I have created significant imbalances that now have holding patterns. I’m much better now than when I made things worse by competing in Strongman competitions for a year! One thing I do recommend is Postural restoration therapy.

Garlic Syrup – Herbie Freebie

~ mindycapello ~ 1 Comment

I like the taste of Garlic Syrup better than Onion syrup. But everyone has their own tastes. This can be a bit much for some flavor-wise. It’s got a lot more benefits than onion, but not as often in someone’s pantry. If you don’t care for a spoonful of garlic honey, it is still nice to keep on hand for rubbing on the feet or chest. This is a much hotter remedy than an onion. Be careful with children when applying topically, as their skin is very delicate, which could burn them. You can add it to a thin linen cloth and apply it to their feet.

Garlic, like Onion, has powerful sulfur compounds that are released when crushed from the fresh bulb.

For the respiratory system, garlic acts as an expectorant, helping to loosen and expel mucus from the lungs. This can be beneficial in conditions like bronchitis and the common cold, where excess mucus can cause coughing and difficulty breathing.

Garlic oil has long been used as drops in the ear for ear infections, and many swear by it as being very helpful. To make it, you would take some freshly crushed garlic cloves, add them to a good quality oil like olive oil, and warm them on very low heat on the stove for 10 minutes. Then let it sit and cool down, strain out the garlic, and put a drop or two in the ear for relief as needed. Caution: do not put oil in ear if you have a ruptured ear drum. If you are unsure then you can apply the oil topically on the outer ear. Or you can apply the honey on the front and back of the out ear also. I’ve never tried garlic in the ear for ear infections, nor do I recommend it often since most people do not have a scope to check for ruptured ear drums. I find most people have an onion on hand so I recommend the “Roasted Onion Method”. You can find more about that here.

Garlic is known for its antimicrobial properties. It can help fight off harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, bolstering the body’s defenses against various infections and boosting the immune system. While I prefer “food as medicine”. Garlic supplements have been used to boost the immune system.

If you’d like to know more about using Food As Medicine, Check out my “Transform Your Families Health with Food Course” Here

In conclusion, garlic helps to clear out any excess mucus and can fend off viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens more effectively.

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Onion Syrup – Herbie Freebie

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Benefits of Onion Syrup

Click on the image above for a free Recipe Card, or download it here.

There are many benefits of onions. They are rich in nutrients like Vitamin C, which is helpful for Cold and Flu Season and boosts the immune system. The syrup above is good to use with any dry, unproductive cough. If you have the flu with its many anti-inflammatory benefits, it can provide some relief for the aches and pains that come with the flu. It can also help break up sinus congestion.

It has long been a tradition of putting a cut-up onion in a sock on the feet when sick. Many people swear by it, saying it helps their cold symptoms, helps them breathe better at night, and more. In theory, the sulfur compounds soak into your skin, get into your bloodstream, and support your body in that aspect. It could also be related to Reflexology. While there are no studies on this, I find the history of this use and the benefits those who do use claim to be a reason to try, particularly for kids who are less likely to want to take a spoonful of medicine.

One of my favorite remedies for using onions is for an ear infection.

You can learn more about that here.

Onions are rich in Quercetin, which helps fight free radicals and reduce inflammation. One of the best benefits of Quercetin is its ability to help relieve allergies and is often now found in many allergy supplements. Quercetin is one of the reasons why it is so helpful for colds and flu.

Onions are beneficial for heart health and diabetes control. The Quercetin and sulfur compounds are helpful here.

In this course, learn more about how food can support your family through cold and flu season.