Breathing

Black Box Warning

Liz James · March 4, 2020 ·

t’s certainly an upside down world we live in………

Today, I read yet another article about yet another 💊medication that is getting its very own black box warning.

Montelukast (Brand name: Singulair)….. a medication used for seasonal allergies and asthma. Given to big people and to little people 👶👧….. as young as 2 yrs old (although I’ve seen prescriptions for even younger).

The warning labels for the prescription bottle have included a statement about change in mood or behavior in tiny print for years…. so really, this is nothing new to the FDA.

In the retail pharmacy world, montelukast is considered a “fast mover”…. meaning LOTS of people are on this medication for allergies and asthma.

Today…. the FDA announced it was finally acknowledging that this medication needed stronger wording and would get its black box. ….. a medication that has been around 22 years.

I have quite a few questions swirling in my head:
After 22 years. Why did it take so long for the FDA to come to this conclusion, especially given the millions of people that have taken it?
The children…. how do they even know how to verbalize how they might be feeling while on this medication? #blesstheirhearts
Why did it take public outcry in the form of a petition to get this warning updated?
Why is it still ok to prescribe to little people who can’t even verbalize how they might be feeling in their little heads?

Did you know that homes using standard commercial cleaners, air fresheners, glass cleaners etc that are toxin based have a 30-50% greater risk of having an asthma or allergy sufferer living under the same roof?

OR…. that the risk increases as the chemical soup thickens if you use multiple products?

I’m wondering how many prescribers ask this simple question before writing the prescription:
“What have you done in the way of removing respiratory irritants from your home?”

Presently, 1 in 10 children in the USA has asthma. (It was 3.6% in 1980). There are many reasons for this tremendous increase…. but the quality of our home/indoor air is one thing that we can ALL control. #dothethingsthatmatter

Have you ever heard of Thieves Household Cleaner?
👉NonToxic
👉Non Irritating to the Lungs
👉Plant Based
👉Immune supportive instead of harmful
👉Ultra concentrated / economical
👉Effective… heck, we even use it to clean our cows udders around here, and we drink our milk raw. THAT ought to tell ya my confidence level 😉

We mostly use Thieves simply… a capful or two in a standard spray bottle. That’s it. Easy peasy.
If you are a DIY’er or a healthy minimalist, there are lots of ways to clean with this one simple product:

Thieves Household Cleaner…. it actually does a body good.

Hugs and love friends, liz

#ThanksYL
#YLisahealthylifestylecompany
#andtheFDAthinksLavenderisdangerous #SMH

medscape article

With Her Weight In Gold

Liz James · May 30, 2018 ·

Well. This morning started off with a bang. Literally. I was not sure whether to name this post “Family First”, “Farm Life Reality Part II” or the above title.

About 6:30am I heard a very specific series of barks. For those of you who are well tuned in to your dog(s), you know exactly what each bark means. Our dogs have some very specific ones:

Herding yip-barks
Hot air balloon notifications (we appear to be on the regular flight path of a few )
Sirens (the dogs will start yip-howling before we can even hear the sirens on the highway a few miles away)
Skunk/Possum barks. These are more excitable bark patterns, but not a “Danger Will Robinson” kind of bark.
Happy barks.
Warning barks (stranger danger!)
And then there was the one this morning….. ‘the enemy is here‘ bark.

As soon as I heard it, I flew out of the house wondering which enemy it was. When I rounded the corner on the back side of the property I knew we had a situation that wasn’t going to end well. Lily, our livestock guard dog, had backed a coyote into a corner (between fences), and no way was she going to stand down. Lily is an Akbash, a dog very similar to a Great Pyrenees, but in my mind, a far superior LGD for many reasons (another post for another day). These dogs are not fighters, although pressed to do so, they will defend themselves and will kill if necessary. No, their instinctive drive is to protect their family at all costs using intimidation first, and force as a backup if necessary.

We do not kill predators for the sport of it, but if we have one threatening our farm family, we will not hesitate. It is a rare day that we pull out a gun and use it for this purpose, but this morning, it was necessary. We have shot sick skunks and poisonous snakes. Coyotes, although they live all around us, generally stay off our property thanks to the dogs. This one had gotten brave, and that’s not good. A brave coyote will find a food source and then our farm becomes Luby’s cafeteria for she and her friends. This means that our chickens, our cats and kittens, and even our calves and smaller dogs become potential meals…… not to mention vet bills that start rolling in as our LGD’s have to sometimes engage the enemy in battle.

Today did not end well for this coyote, and it was stressful for Lily too. She would not back down even tho she is terrified of guns. She held the coyote at bay, and Charlie shot it. Lily scrambled back to the porch, shaking…… not because of the coyote, but because of the gunshot.

Lily prefers to spend her time outdoors guarding her farm-ily……unless there is thunder, fireworks, or gunfire in our area. Any of those, and she’s at the door begging to be let in (which we do). This said, I was concerned about her response to gunfire literally that close to her.

Young Living has an oil that is well used and loved by those who know it: Stress Away. I would venture to say that several million bottles of this relaxing blend have been used and relied upon over the years. It is one of my favorite oils, and for a very good reason too…. it is my ‘go to’ in times of stress. Consequently, I keep a bottle in my purse, and one in my lab coat at work, as well as one on my desk at home. It is literally like letting out a gentle sigh of relief simply by applying it to the neck and wrists.

Now, this morning, while the situation was an elevated one, it was not as stressful for me as say….. driving in Dallas traffic during rush hour…… or working in an intensely busy pharmacy with not enough help (Frankly, that’s waaay more stressful than the previous scenario!). Poor Lily, however, WAS stressed… not from the coyote, but from the gunfire.

So, after all was said and done, I slathered our hard working girl up with Stress Away and gave her some extra special loving for the good job she had done. Young Living oils are amazing for many reasons, not the least of which is that they work just as well (if not even better) on animals as they do on humans. I believe this is because animals have no preconceived notions about what therapeutic oils can and cannot do. They either work, or they don’t for our four legged friends…. but in my experience, they nearly always do.

I am happy to report, that after about 30 minutes, Lily had a very spoiled breakfast (with treats), AND she had no interest in coming inside to recover from the gunfire. In fact, she spent the rest of the morning laying in the midst of the chickens, guarding her peeps. I’d say both she and Stress Away did their jobs well this morning!

Hugs and love from the farm y’all…. Life goes on. ~ liz

It’s Not Just the Water

Liz James · March 21, 2018 ·

We’ve lived on our farm for nearly 24 years. When we first moved here, our hometown, Anna, Texas was population 900. Today, I believe it is pushing 10,000. Although we’ll likely never move, we’ve learned some valuable lessons about buying property, utility companies, and government. All these things would play a part in a ‘do over’ if that were possible in life.

Little towns everywhere (but especially those within an hour or so of booming metroplexes) are frequently the assailed and hostaged of the aforementioned entities. Things happen. Deals are made behind closed doors. Money exchanges hands. The voices are too few to fight back. In a town of 900, those who try to fight are easily outnumbered by big business and big government. It is tragic. There is a difference between growth and what I can only call a hostile takeover of urban life. Residents in small town USA bear the brunt of the outcome.

In the last 24 years we have fought:

Enormous power lines delivering power to other cities, all while emitting dangerous levels of EMF’s to those who are forced to live close to them due to eminent domain laws. These laws allow the power company to place these things on private citizen property). We’ve fought this battle more than once.
An enormous landfill (aka: The Dump). This was a long hard and lost battle with the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD). The deal was done and small towns in our area were dealt a blow once again. It wasn’t even our trash…. it is trash from Dallas and other surrounding large cities. A back door deal that eventually landed a local mayor in jail a few years back when it all came out. Too late tho. The deal was done.
And now, the water. Thankfully, our personal water supply does not come from this company (Is it any coincidence that the same company manages both water and trash?) ….. but I work and serve people within our community who have been deeply impacted. Groups of us have attempted to speak against the water quality for months (if not years), and have been hushed, pacified, and condescended to. I spoke at a city council meeting many months ago regarding the impact that I, as a pharmacist, saw on local resident’s health. Anna, Texas truly is one of the most nauseous towns (I mean this literally) I’ve ever filled prescriptions for. I determined years ago, that it had to be the water. No other explanation fit. Local Facebook groups had long discussions about it… but still nothing was done.

Last week, Erin Brockovich (yes, that one!) drew the NTMWD into the spotlight for the quality of water it has been delivering to its people. Hundreds upon thousands of families. No longer is this a small town situation. Thank God. I’ve seen mention more than once that Anna, Texas might be of particular concern.

If you’d like to read more about this particular fight, please read on here.

Suddenly, we have thousands of people interested and concerned about their health and their personal safety. We are such a litigious society these days….. it’s so easy to place blame for woes we have (on others) without giving due introspection on how we ourselves have played a part.

Friends, the water quality is important and we do need to fight it hard…. but it is a ‘drop in the bucket’ (excuse the pun) when you look at the bigger picture. The chemicals in the water are causing rashes and other health concerns. This is truth ya’ll, and unfortunately, we have no choice but to use the water that is supplied to each of us.

I know thousands of families in this area buy and drink bottled water to circumvent the crummy tap water, but this still leaves themselves exposed to the SAME chemicals when they take a shower or bath. Our skin is not like saran wrap…. keeping everything out. On the contrary…. it is our largest organ and absorbs chemicals like a sponge. (Precisely the reason that drugs applied topically have a systemic effect! ).

Now, here comes the self introspective part of this post that may hurt a little …. people are squealing about the water quality…. which we pay for and have no choice but to allow into our homes…..But what about the items we DO have the choice on what we do or don’t bring into our homes? These things cause equal damage (if not greater)…. and yet you may unconsciously do this every day.

Toxic words to look for in your products:
Fragrance (about 300 chemicals hide behind that word)
Dyes of any sort (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green)
SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate)

This is only 3 in a LOOOONG list of harmful chemicals that are in nearly all standard body care products.

We point fingers at the water company who is doing us wrong , but we may also need to begin to take a close look at ourselves too ….. are we grabbing things at the store that are also causing insidious damage? Just because it’s for sale, doesn’t mean it’s safe……. case and point with our water source. Our government does not do an adequate job of regulating chemicals in our country…. again… just look at this water situation.

I know many of my friends have also realized this over the years and now make conscious decisions when buying products…. whether that be food, house cleaning supplies, or personal care products.

The problem, is that now we have companies who operate on subterfuge to sell…. they brand themselves as ‘healthy alternatives’ but then slip in damaging chemicals. One bad apple then spoils the barrel. Take a look at this article by Food Babe (one of my vocal heroes) on the company LUSH as an example: https://foodbabe.com/lush-bath-bombs-not-think/…… and DANG, their products aren’t cheap ($8.95 for a bath bomb?)

I put my pharmacist detective hat on each time I look at a product… and for a long time, that made shopping incredibly time consuming. Over 4 years ago, I found Young Living, and quit reading labels. Originally, it was about the incredible health properties of their oils (because I believe in doing life’s ups and downs naturally instead of with man made chemicals), but YL has evolved into my ‘everything company’. I pretty much just shop once a month for TRULY non-toxic body care products and household cleaning supplies (and yes, they have bath bombs that actually have heal-th benefits, smell great, and cost less than Lush’s… or, you can make your own if you are a DIY’er for even cheaper!).

diy shower bombs

People argue that living healthy is expensive, but I would argue that just the opposite is true. Studies have found that people spend (on average) 16x more on their health on the backside (when all heck has broken out in your body), versus taking care of things up front by eliminating toxic chemicals, exercising, eating right, etc. Our environment really does determine (90%) our health outcome, and we have to take some personal responsibility for creating that environment.

I see the ramifications of NOT doing these things every day I work at the pharmacy and it breaks my heart. It is the reason I have slowly stepped back (not yet completely away) from pharmacy and looked toward ways to help people become whole again. Dolphin MPS, Health Coaching, Christian Yoga teacher training, Young Living product education, other holistic modalities…. all of this. The need for repair in our bodies is HUGE and we need more people being part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

But it starts with what we choose to allow into our own homes …. and that starts with us as individuals…. you and me.

If you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to someone you know who is already walking this path. We all had someone lead us initially too, and I don’t know any one who isn’t happy to share tips and life hacks on how to live a healthier life.

To learn more about the personal care products that Young Living offers, you can take a gander at my Young Living store.

Even our makeup usually contains ‘dirty’ ingredients. Young Living has that covered as well.

Be Well my friends ~

Hugs and love, Liz
#itstartswithpersonalchoice
#todaysthedaytobeginmakingchanges

Sleep Week – day 1

Liz James · July 1, 2017 ·

Hey ya’ll! I’m looking forward to helping my peeps work on catching better ZZZZ’s this week. Twenty five (+) years of pharmacy practice has given me front row seating watching our country’s health woes, and that has really fueled my desire to help people find their way back to wellness. Traditional western medicine professionals are really good at fixing acute health situations, but are sorely lacking in the ability to help people regain optimal health. “Bandaids for bullet holes” in most chronic health situations. If you haven’t already figured it out, I’m passionate about A LOT of things… but they all have a common core…. they all contribute to the wellness equation.

Two of my biggest education passions are Gut Health and Women’s Health. I teach free monthly classes online (see the link at the top of my blog page) because I believe that a little knowledge and understanding will go a long way in helping identify root causes and resources that may help you.

Adequate sleep plays a huge part in both gut health and women’s health issues, but also in so many other areas of our lives, especially when it comes to chronic conditions.

So, let’s start with the very basics here….

Chances are, we’ve all driven when we shouldn’t… when we were too tired to make good decisions. Did you know that drowsy driving is responsible for 20% of fatal vehicle crashes.

1 out of every 25 drivers has fallen asleep while driving in the last 30 days. Yikes!! (Please don’t let this be you.)

Large caffeine loads are never a good answer, and the effects that that practice has on a neurotransmitter called GABA isn’t pretty. You see, GABA helps us feel calm and peaceful, and its natural release into our body is inhibited by caffeine. And THAT results in anxiousness, jittery feelings, and poor sleep.

I found this great article on ways to stay awake while driving…. it is one written for truckers… and guess what, even that article suggests avoiding caffeine!

The following are some great options that can be used to perk you up any time! I use all of these at various times (in addition to many of the tips mentioned in the article above).

NingXia Nitro– I’ve never felt jittery when using NXN. It is a quick little pick me up, and easy to stash in your purse, pocket, or laptop case (or tractor!). There is no ‘crash’ following taking it. I don’t take it past about 5pm, but I know others who do without recourse to their sleep.

Most people never think about fragrances having energy boosting potential, but surprisingly they do! It’s really kind of crazy (in a good way) how well they work. When I’m not working on the farm, I spend a large amount of time working at the pharmacy, studying at home, and writing. Pharmacy requires you to be on your game 100% of the time, with no room for being sleepy. Sleepy = errors…. and in pharmacy, that’s NEVER a good thing. Here’s a list of some very cool oils that have constituents that have been proven scientifically to both improve mental alertness and clarity.

I keep these on hand at all times to help in times of feeling woozy.

En-R-Gee essential oil blend– A blend of Rosemary, Juniper, Lemongrass, Nutmeg, Balsam Fir, Clove, and Black Pepper essential oils. I diffuse it in my office at home, or apply to my temples or back of the neck.

Peppermint Vitality essential oil – Most people think of peppermint as flavoring, and not as a tool to enhance mental performance…. but peppermint can do just that. I drink water flavored with peppermint oil at work, and whenever I need a little extra focus boost. I also diffuse it alone or combined with other oils frequently.

Lemon vitality essential oil – Lemon fragrance is another mental acuity booster. It is also a happy scent and (don’t laugh… there are tons of studies!), its odor actually promotes happiness. OK, maybe you should laugh! Happy people are less sleepy during the day, but when they do sleep, they sleep better. Really! Happy odors can actually cause changes in your brain that make you an overall happier person over time. Maybe that’s why the traditional smiley face is lemon yellow…. just the color makes us happy!

Rosemary vitality essential oil – Rosemary. I LOVE rosemary. I have it planted in various places throughout our garden and farm. When I catch a whiff of it I know I’m home. For me, it is a very secure and grounding scent. But I’m mentioning it today, because it too has some potent mental alertness boosting capabilities. This is a great article if your interest has been piqued.

But back to driving while sleepy…… You can use all of the above fragrances in your car in many ways. Peppermint in your drinking water like I do is a great one!

A car diffuser is a powerhouse way to help you get you from “A to B” safely if sleepy driving plagues you. I’ve tried several out, and finally settled on this one. It runs like a beast for about 5 hours before you have to refill the water reservoir. Both my husband and I each have diffusers in our trucks, and they make all the difference. My husband is a reformed sleepy driver, and had fender benders years ago because of it. We take sleepy driving VERY seriously in our home. (I have a membership to this particular company (Life Science), so if you’d like the diffuser and want the 10$ discount, please message me and I’ll help you get it a bit more cheaply).

I’ll be talking about several products from Young Living this week, and at some point I may mention something you want in your possession. Wholesale pricing is available by ordering $100 or more just one time. (If you choose to sign up with a membership…., I’ll send you a 400+ page hardcopy reference manual and other resources to get you started).

Question: I’m curious to know how many of you get 6 hours or less of sleep at night? And secondly… what is your current ‘go to’ for energy during the day? Anything…. Is it an oil or a cuppa’ Joe? Stay tuned….. more surprising facts about sleep coming ‘atcha!

Is Your Home Sick?

Liz James · February 13, 2017 ·

As a prepper, we need to think of ourselves as a well oiled machine. We would not leave our guns, tools, and food supply in an environment that would ruin them…. so why do we neglect our bodies and purposefully expose ourselves to toxic agents?… especially knowing that we need to be in prime health to survive and thrive.

Chances are that your house is sick, and that means that you are affected too. Household cleaning products are responsible for over 10% of all toxin exposure calls to the Poison Control Centers in the United States. But what about the more insidious silent illnesses caused by seemingly harmless household chemical exposure?

Of the over 2000 chemicals on the market, more than 1/2 of them are known to ACTIVELY cause or promote allergies, asthma, cancer, birth defects, nervous system disruptions, and/or endocrine disruption.

In our preparations for what is to come, we will need to be healthy! …. scratch that…. we need to be healthy no matter what!

Think about the products YOU use around your home, your children, and your pets.

What’s in them? If you are curious, check out the Environmental Working Group website to find out.

Personally, I don’t like to wonder…so I found out, and then I made some serious changes many years ago in our house and on our farm.

This is one of the reasons I love essential oils.

They’re safe. They’re natural. They’re non-toxic…. And they can kick some serious booty when it comes to cleaning. Their presence in your home “creates an inhospitable environment” for bacteria to grow.

Thieves® oil blend and the entire Thieves Cleaner family are miracle-workers…. and giant killers. This blend truly is a David vs Goliath story when it comes to germs.

You’ll see what I mean here.

So, get your house in order! We are told to do that, right?….Both Biblically and in preparedness. Our “house” isn’t just our home… it is also a reference to our body. Let’s clean house!