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Kristen Anne Glover

Five in Tow

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Healthy Living and the Stomach Flu

Stomach Flu

Stomach Flu

About three-quarters of the way through the grocery store, Micah started complaining of a stomach ache.  “I have to go poopies, Mommy,” he whined, doubling over the steering wheel of the blue police car cart I swore I’d never drive again after this incident.

“Okay, Baby.  Jonathan, can you take Micah to the bathroom?” I asked, secretly thankful that I have a child old enough to escort his younger sibling to the bathroom so I don’t have to drive those carts any farther than necessary.

Jonathan gladly trotted down the aisle with Micah at his heels.  Two minutes later, Jonathan was back, face pale and eyes big.  Micah was nowhere in sight.  “Mom!” Jonathan gasped.  “Micah just threw up all over the bathroom!”

Sure enough, Micah was standing in the middle of the men’s bathroom covered in all the loveliness of the stomach flu.  I cleaned him up as best I could, summoned a poor pock-faced boy with a bucket mop who looked at me like I had just ruined his life, snagged four dozen organic eggs, then rushed home before Micah could use the double grocery bags we gave him to hold under his mouth in case of a repeat incident.

The stomach flu is like Ground Zero for Mommyhood.  Is there anything worse?  Of course there are worse things but I don’t want to talk about it right now because my kids have the stomach flu and I just know all those germs are crawling all over me and I hate throwing up like nothing else in all the world.

Allow me a moment to feel sorry for myself.

I feed my kids well, make sure they get plenty of sleep, smear all kinds of oils on their feet and noses and chests, dole out vitamins like a pharmacist, mix up kefir and kombucha and sprouted things for their benefit…and still.  The stomach flu. 

This, on top of our nearly six-week bout with strep, makes me feel defeated.  How can a healthy family be so unhealthy?!  I swear, we’re allergic to Texas.

Of course, I do not maintain a healthy lifestyle so that we don’t ever get sick.  (It’s a good thing, too, since there’s a pretty good chance we have the plague).  I remind myself of that as I switch loads of sheets in the wash.

I maintain a healthy lifestyle because I believe it is the best way to care for the little bodies God has given me.  It is the best way I can ensure they are physically able to live up to the potential God has for them.

It is my gift to their adulthood.

I believe I can nourish them now so they can better live life better later, without the complications that result from an unhealthy lifestyle.

By God’s grace, my children will have a healthy relationship with food, an appetite and appreciation for real ingredients and whole foods, solid immune systems, an understanding of the cycle of sickness, and a knowledge of natural remedies.  They will have strong bodies and clear minds.  They will know how to make healthy choices on their own, and they will understand why it is so important to do so.

Healthy living and the stomach flu

The stomach flu isn’t so bad with a friend

They will come down with stuff.  They are kids, after all, and kids smear all the germs on all the stuff and then put all the stuff in their mouths.  It’s amazing any of them survive.

Sickness is just part of the deal, and that’s okay because I am confident that God has made their bodies well, and l believe that in most instances, their bodies can heal themselves if given the rest and resources they need.

I no longer fear the symptoms.  Symptoms, like the stomach flu, are a gift.  Usually, they are an indication that my child’s body is doing what it was designed to do: to protect, defend, and heal.  Symptoms alert me to the fact that I need to come alongside them and provide the right resources so they are most equipped to overcome the problem.

Usually, it works very, very well.  Even our six-weeks of strep was not as bad as it sounds.  None of us developed the high temperatures or sore throats associated with the infection.  Only one of my children ended up needing antibiotics.  The rest of us were cured with homeopathic remedies including a dragon-breath concoction of raw honey, raw garlic, cayenne, and Bragg’s apple cider vinegar.  Zowie!

Even our current epidemic has hit a bit of a lull already.  Micah’s body fought the stomach flu in record time.  He rested all afternoon and was back to normal by evening.  Paul got it next, in the middle of the night last night, and was well enough to eat me out of house and home for breakfast.

Maybe someone else will get it before dinner.  Maybe not.  It doesn’t really matter (the washing machine is nearly caught up) because I don’t do this so we won’t ever get sick.

I do this because I know it’s the very best way to live.

*If you’d like to know more about healthy living, or want to be more equipped to live a healthy lifestyle, check out the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle, available now through November 9.

The Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle

Health and Beauty, Parenting 7 Comments

All the Awesome

All the Awesome

All the Awesome!

If you follow my Five in Tow Facebook page, you know I’m pretty excited about Monday.  Not every Monday, mind you, just this particular Monday.

Even though this Monday is the day after the dreaded time change (grrrr….) I’m still happy because Monday, November 4 is when all the awesome starts. 

Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle

On Monday, the Ultimate Healthy Living E-Bundle goes on sale.  For just under $30, we can purchase over $1,000 worth of books on every topic imaginable, from natural gardening to cooking with quinoa.

Cortes

That’s only $0.34 per book.

Ah-ha!  My book-loving self is in heaven!  Some of the books I can’t wait to get my hands on are:

Dehydrating by Wardee from GNOWFGLINS  (It’s a $20.00 book all by itself!)

The UnWired Mom by Sarah Mae

Much Ado About Chicken by Debra from Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal from Money Saving Mom

Sweet Freedom: Desserts You’ll Love without Wheat, Eggs, Dairy or Refined Sugar by Ricki Heller

Plus, I plan to devour every single one of the books on the Natural Health shelf:

natural-health

I’m also super excited about the bonus offers.  Ya’ll, they are giving away $25 of eco-friendly laundry detergent with each bundle sold!  So think about it this way: you’re getting 1,000 e-books books free with the purchase of laundry soap!  Score!

But that’s not all!  How about a 4-month membership to an online meal planning service?  Or $15 of free skincare from Jenuinely Pure?  Maybe you’ll be excited to receive a free sourdough or kombucha starter, plus $5 to spend on anything at Cultures for Health, one of my favorite online stores!  The bonuses are so outstanding, you’ll have to check them out for yourself here.

The best part is, all of the bonuses are included in the $29.97 price.  But maybe you want an even better deal.  $0.34 per book just doesn’t do it for you.  Well, how would you like to get a  bundle absolutely free?  Just purchase 2 bundles and the third is on the house.  That makes Christmas giving super easy!  Two for them, one for you.  Laundry soap for all.

Life is good.

The only bad thing is, you have to wait until Monday to get it, and you’d better hope I leave you one.  I need all the free laundry soap I can get.  Free Laundry Soap

 

 

Health and Beauty, Home Leave a Comment

It Works! Body Wrap Giveaway

How many of you have heard of the company It Works! and their almost too-good-to-be-true body wraps that claim to shrink the fat right off your body?

I have, but I’ve always been a little skeptical about their claims. But recently, I had the chance to try one myself thanks to Saundra and Heidi, two independent consultants for It Works! And I have to say, it really does work!

You can read the full review over at Embracing Beauty. You’ll also see some pretty amazing before-and-after pictures like this one:

It Works! Testimonial

After you read the review, you’re going to want to try It Works! yourself, so here’s your chance! Heidi and Saundra are giving away an It Works! makeover package, including 1 Ultimate Body Wrap (like I tried), 1 Facial Applicator (great for the neck area) and 1 mini Defining Gel. That’s a $60 value!

You can enter here, and don’t forget to come back each day to share the giveaway and earn more entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reviews 31 Comments

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I believe you can find grace for the mother you are and help to become the mother you long to be—a mom who has the freedom to choose the better things and enjoy her kids right now.

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