Monthly Archives: July 2018

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…

If you would have asked me 25 years ago if my life would be anything like the way it is now I would have ‘laughed-out-loud’. That’s the funny thing about life though; it evolves, molds, and paves ways most of us wouldn’t have chosen. I can say that I LOVE my life and I couldn’t fathom a life any different than the one I am living. However, this life was given to me by many circumstances that was completely out of my husband’s and my hands.

My husband has been a home builder for over 20 years. We have moved and started from scratch six times over the past 13 years. Starting from scratch isn’t for the faint of heart. Packing, storing, keeping the houses ‘show ready’ and never being able to put down roots hasn’t always been easy. We have lived in barns, fifth wheels, and campers while we would establish our property enough to live ‘properly’ in. My husband would joke and say that we were the 21st century pioneers. We have homeschooled for 10 of those years, making our ‘moves’ even more challenging, but we always managed to land on our feet. With each home we learned so much. Sure, I would dream that each home could be our last one but God grew the ability of detachment in me as it was all vanity. Through the years, we have learned to simplify our needs and to focus on our healthy lifestyle. The path that led me to study as a Holistic Practitioner was due to a few personal health issues and a very personal vaccine injury in my family. This really made me focus in on how I am raising my family and how I can help to improve their health. My main focus through the years has led me to live as natural and toxic-free as we can.

I am very happy to say that, Lord willing, we have found our final resting place and even though we are starting from scratch…..again, we are thrilled that we finally get to call a place “home”. We have taken all the lessons over the past 20 years, downsized our dreams just a bit, and are fulfilling our current dreams that have been placed in our hearts. My husband, the provider, has worked very hard to allow us to live debt free. Me, the country hippie, animal lover, and garden dweller…well, I have the dream of running a year-round, organic-producing farm.

With that being said, I have put a list together of a few of my favorite things that I couldn’t live without. Whether you live on a farm or not, these products have made my top ten list and I know you will love them too. These products have made our lives easier and healthier and I can’t wait to share them with you.

My Top Ten Must-Haves

#1 NurtiBullet

The first product that I would be lost without is my NurtiBullet. This is a new product to me but it has changed my life. While studying to be a Holistic Practitioner, one of the key health points we learn about is the importance of REAL, raw, organic, nutrient-dense food. Smoothies have been a great way for my family to eat raw foods (and the kids don’t always see what goes into those smoothies). Smoothies are also a great way to detoxify and help your body to run smooth.

#2 6 Quart Icecream Maker

This is a summer treat that my family absolutely loves. This product allows me to make a completely organic treat for my family. I don’t have to worry about unwanted ingredients and harmful chemicals like Polysorbate 80. This is a toxic ingredient found in many ice creams. It has been shown to negatively affect the immune system, cause infertility issues, and it is also an ingredient found in some vaccines.

By making my own ice cream I don’t feel guilty because I know exactly what is going into it. Yes, it is an occasional indulgence , so don’t overindulge.

My handed-down recipe for homemade icecream is here:

The World’s Best Homemade Ice-cream

#3 Mortar and Pestle Set

If you are a culinary extraordinaire (or at least you pretend to be), a hobbyist herbalist, or even just beginning to learn about how important herbs are, you are going to want to invest in a good mortar and pestle set. From muddling mint for mojitos to grinding dried pepper flakes, this set will be your best friend. Plus, it makes a killer guacamole.

#4 Cast Iron Set

Once you move to ‘the other side’ of toxic-free living, you will soon learn that you need to ditch the ever-so-popular, non-stick cookware. Yes, cast iron cookware does need some attention and love but they are worth it. If you think about how often you cook with contaminated cookware, it would be cheaper to buy a set of good cast iron and worth the maintenance to keep it nice than a heavy metal detox….and speaking of heavy metal detox…. if you’re needing one, let’s talk Cleansing Options.

#5 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration System

I really shouldn’t have to talk about the importance of good, clean water, but, alas….here we are. You should be consuming half your body weight in ounces of pure H2O every single day. If you’re not, you are backing up one of your body’s main elimation pathways. No…..coffee, tea (not even green tea), energy drinks, etc. do not count towards your daily ounces of pure H2O. City water treatment plants are not as healthy as you think. Depending on the level of chlorine, you might even think about putting a filter on your shower head to block out the chlorine. Heating chlorine is NOT your friend. We are blessed to have our own well drilled, but as soon as our living arrangements are finalized, this filtration system will be in place.

#6 Coffee Press

We are now living three months with no electricity except with the occasional treat that the generator gives us. I invested in a good coffee press right away. I only drink a cup a day and I make it super charged. Sitting outside, sipping on some coffee on warm summer mornings while overlooking our beautiful pond and thanking the Lord for another day is one of my favorite times of the day.

My Morning Coffee

And, either a splash of organic half and half or coconut milk.

#7 Diffusers

Talk about diffuser withdrawal while being off-grid. I run them when ever I can while we have the generator running. But, when we have permanent electricity, I do have a diffuser in every room. They have wonderful effects on our limbic system. They help support not only or physical needs but also our emotional needs. There are some tips and tricks to using EOs and diffusers. One thing most people do not know is to NOT over diffuse. We tend to think, the more the merrier. This is not the case with essential oils. You can become sensitized to them and actually develop an allergy to them.

If you need some EO education and support on how to use this wonderful modality, I would love to help.

Online Aromatherapy Class

#8 Etee Wraps

Ditch your plastic and keep your food fresher, longer. Toxic plastic wrap, storage containers, and aluminum foil are no longer needed thanks to my washable Etee Wraps. I use them to wrap up sandwiches, cover bowls, and store food safely in the frigde.
100% Hand made and 100% all natural, organic, non-GMO.

#9 Is My Top Farm Products

This could have dominated my list of favorites so I combined them into a sub-category. I have had to learn a lot about running an organic farm and I am sure I still have LOTS to learn. The care and products my animals receive are very important to me. After all, they are giving us great nutrition in return.

1) Diatomaceous earth, Food grade

Whether you are maintaining a parasite-free coop and stable or ridding parasites naturally, DE is one of my favorite products to have on hand. There are some health precautions to know about with handling DE. Make sure it is food grade. Do not inhale while dusting animals or the stable floors.

2) Colloidal Silver

Silver is always with me. It is in my tack room ready for any occasion that I may come across, I recently was able to help a new chick that had developed some congestion with silver along with helping a badly injured leg from one of my does. When it comes to fighting off infection, this is my go-to product.

3) Apple Cider Vinager

Okay, really, what can’t ACV do? All the farm animals get ACV in their water. It is especially helpful for chickens in egg production and helps feather growth when molting season arrives. For more on what ACV can do read my blog https://myfitfarmlife.com/2018/07/09/apple-cider-vinegar-uses-on-the-farm/

#10 Dyson V7 Motörhead

I never knew I could love a vacuum so much. This is a workhorse that can go from carpet to floor to couch with no conversion necessary. I love that it is cordless and can be converted to a handheld in seconds, which works great when I use it for the cars. Even my kids enjoy vacuuming because it literally takes minimal effort!

I am always on the lookout for new ways to make our lives simpler, healthier, and easier. What are your favorite must-have products that make your life easier, but healthier?

As always, I am here for any questions or health concerns you have. Feel free to email me and don’t forget to follow me of FB, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Blessings,

Stacey Upchurch, CNHP
Star Member through Young Living

Disclaimer
All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I love. This means I earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links.*

No More Canola Oil

3 Replies

Sadly, I used canola oil for years. It was a great frying oil because of the high smoke point and we were still in the era of “all fats are bad for you” so this was a healthier option….or so they told me.

Let’s start with the name…canola. What plant exactly does that come from? I know olive oil comes from olives; coconut oil comes from coconuts; peanut oil comes from peanuts. I don’t know about you but I haven’t seen any canola plants growing around here lately and that’s because canola oil doesn’t come from plants. It is made in a lab.

The rapeseed, where canola oil was derived, has been found to be very toxic to humans. So, what is all the rapeseed farmers to do? Get scientists involved. They found that by eliminating the glucosinolates and erucic acid out of the rapeseed plant, it lessened the toxicity. This was accomplished by cross-breeding traditional plants. The newly developed plant was named canola. A combination of the names, Canadian and Ola (meaning oil) was given to the new plant from where it was first developed. So, you’re looking at a genetically modified product (GMO).

I am just giving you a very brief reasoning on why you should step away from the canola oil. But if you are a research junky like me, I have included some more in-depth reading on canola oil. Dr. Axe has put together a great read called, 6 Canola Dangers. What I want to do is show you some healthier, NATURAL options so you don’t have to use canola oil anymore. Let’s just all agree to stay away from oils that are made in labs.

I am so glad that we are beginning to understand how important good fats are for our brain, skin, hair, and nails. Using oils both cold and hot have an important purpose, and knowing which ones to use will not only benefit your health, but will make your food taste better too!

Cold Oils

Cold oils have great properties when they aren’t heated. They make wonderful salad dressings and marinades. They also can be used for natural body care products such as moisturizers, carrier oils, and scrubs.

Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Macadamia Oil
Almond Oil
Walnut Oil
Avocado Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Sesame Oil

Smoke Points

Moving on to cooking with oils now, I need to discuss smoke point. Smoke point is the temperature at which an oil releases smoke. I didn’t know this for years. I would always cook with basically two oils and would occasionally burn food and have no idea why.

Low Smoke Point Oils

This would be used for light sautéing or basting. Smoke point goes up to 350 degrees.

Olive Oil
Butter/Ghee (clarified)

Meduim Smoke Point Oils

This would be for the intended use of sautéing, low frying, basting, or popping. The smoke point would be between 360 and 410 degrees.

Coconut Oil
Macadamia Oil
Almond Oil
Walnut Oil

High Smoke Point Oils

This is for use when deep frying and has a smoke point of 420 degrees and higher.

Sunflower Oil
Safflower Oil
Avocado Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Sesame Oil
Palm Oil

What I didn’t Know…

When I used oils with the incorrect smoke points, the improper temperature would actually breakdown the qualities of the oil, much like microwaving our food does. I would also have a lot of smoke in the kitchen. I want the good qualities left in the oils so that my body can have the benefits from them… remember…. brain, hair, skin, and nail perks? This is why I like cold-pressed oils and stay away from fractionation and hydrogenation.

My Top Five

It’s hard to choose, but if I would list my favorite oils they would be:

Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Almond Oil
Grapeseeed Oil
AND, of course, my favorite fat…. organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised BUTTER! Can we please throw away the fake butter now….

Blesssings,

Stacey

The Fit Farmacy, Inc.

Disclaimer
All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

Apple Cider Vinegar Uses On The Farm

Pest Control

If you have animals you have had to face pest control one way or another. Flies, fruit flies, fleas, and ticks will have met their match once you have your rinse or spray formulated. For heavy contamination of bugs, a rinse with 50/50 ACV and water mixture should be used to bathe the animal. For maintenance, have a spray bottle diluted 50/50 ACV and distilled water and spray down animals once a day. It also helps to disinfect the coops, pins, buckets, and feeders.

NOTE* ACV isn’t a friend of metal pans or feeders.

Digestive Health

ACV is a great way to maintain a normal pH balance in our animals and in us! When our bodies have the proper pH, we can absorb the nutrients it needs to function and fight off disease. It helps to fight off bacteria and candida overgrowth that could lead to many health problems. This also helps pest control when taken internally. It literally makes the bugs NOT want to bite! WIN WIN!

For Humans – 1 TBSP added to 1 cup of warm water daily

For Poultry- 1-2 TBSP for 1 gallon of water

For Dogs and Cats- 1 tsp in water bowl

For Goats/Sheep- 2 TBSP for 1 gallon of water

Chickens

I already listed why chickens need ACV for digestive health but they benefit from it in so many other ways. Both meat birds and egg layers need ACV in their diet. With ACV being so rich in minerals, it aids in the production of healthy eggs. It also helps them recover lost feathers after molting. We want our meat birds as healthy as they can be. ACV gives them the health boost they need along with providing very tender meat.

Disinfectant

Remember me talking about keeping the coops and pins clean? A 50/50 spray will be in every tack room you have. You can spray down nesting boxes, feeders, bowls, kennels, brushes, and combs. ACV can help to kill pathogens, including bacteria. It can be used topically or internally, which makes it perfect for cleaning and disinfecting. It can also be used as a food preservative (very important in canning foods) which can stop the growth of bacteria like E. coli.

*NOTE -ACV isn’t a friend to metal pans or feeders.

Fruit and Veggie Wash

Of course I am going to promote buying only organic produce. However, sometimes that just isn’t an option. I have had to rely on conventionally grown produce more than just a time or two. A great way to clean all those toxins off is in a veggie soak.

Dilute 1 Tbsp ACV in 1 cup of water.
Add fruit or veggies.
Soak and stir (literally shake the food around) for about 5 minutes.
Rinse well, dry, and store properly.

If you’re not sure it works, just look at the bowl after you have removed the food. YUCK!

Now, giving your produce a ACV wash isn’t just to clean them. It also preserves them a bit so your produce will last longer in the fridge.

Here are some great tips on how to store your produce after an ACV wash:

AIR-TIGHT CONTAINER

bell peppers
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cherries
cucumber
radish
spinach asparagus

VENTILATED CONTAINER OR PLASTIC BAG IN THE FRIDGE

berries
eggplant
mushrooms
snap peas greens and lettuce (they can be washed and stored in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel however, I have had better luck with them in an air-tight container)

ON THE COUNTER

avocado
bananas
mango
melon citrus peaches and plums
tomatoes (don’t ever put tomatoes in the fridge, it may preserve them but it will greatly affect their taste)

Hives

My final use for ACV that I am going to share is for hives. A diluted formula of 1/5 ACV to water (in a glass spray bottle) works wonders. My daughter kept breaking out in hives after an ATV accident. It was from many different issues that was going on with her but we turned to the ACV spray for immediate relief. We added in a few dietary changes to help as well but every time she broke out, her hives would dissipate in a matter of minutes after the spray had soaked in.

Need More Help?

I hope that you have found some new and beneficial uses of ACV. I have my favorite brand linked straight to amazon if you can’t wait to add this to your natural medicine cabinet. I have used ACV in many other ways such as removing moles and warts and it is a great aid in helping to regulate blood sugar. These are just some of the ways that a CNHP can help show you how natural methods can improve your health. You can set up a consultation and learn of all the ways you can benefit from being on my client list.

https://myfitfarmlife.com/holistichealth/

I am also leaving y’all my favorite coleslaw recipe…enjoy!

As always, I am here for any questions or health concerns you have. Feel free to email me and don’t forget to follow me of FB, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest @myfitfarmlife.