Drinking the lawn

I'm a pretty big fan of juicing.  About 2 years ago, a good friend loaned me her juicer so I could drink my meals after getting my wisdom teeth out.  I had heard about juice cleanses and thought, "Now seems like a good time to try it!"  I expected to first feel cruddy while my system went through detox, then to feel amazing.  That's exactly what happened.  What I didn't expect to happen was the nearly instant healing of my eczema.  I had battled a nasty patch of eczema on my ankle for ten years.  TEN YEARS!  Nothing I had tried made any bit of difference.  Three days into my veggie juice diet, the eczema was significantly better.  A few more days of veggie juice and it was gone.  GONE.  Just healed up and disappeared.  I went back to my normal diet, purchased my own juicer, and added in a few glasses of juice a week.  I remained eczema free for over a year.  It was glorious!

Last summer I had a terrible eczema flare on my entire lower leg that was coupled with an allergic reaction to some unknown something or other I came into contact with (yeah, really helpful, I know).  I half-heartedly tried juicing, but couldn't manage the self-discipline to kick it this time.  When I broke out in itchy spots all over my body, I decided to see the dermatologist. I ended up taking both oral and topical steroids.  The flare up eventually went away, only to rear its ugly head again this spring.  UGH!  I went back to the steroid cream and wet wrapping my leg in the evenings.  No matter how diligent I was about the treatment, the new patch of eczema was not only NOT going away, but slowly getting worse.

That's when I got out my juicer.  I can't say I've been super disciplined about the juice cleanse this time, but I have managed to get down about 32 oz of liquid veggies a day - kale, basil, lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes have been my standby drink, as friends have shared their garden abundance with us.  Nathan calls it "Drinking the lawn."  The kids refer to it as "Swamp Water."  Braxton told me yesterday the foamy top looked like moss.  I suppose they're all correct in one way or another.  But a week into this process, the redness and inflammation are gone, and I think I'm on my way to complete healing again.  I write this for one primary reason.  Praise God for the gift of healing!  He has provided medical care and natural means of curing disease.  The more I learn about the effects of food on our body and the use of essential oils, the more I stand in awe of His great creation and His great provisions.  So go ahead, drink the lawn!  You might be surprised at the results.  :)      

And we're back!

Hmm, it's been almost 2 years since I've written anything on this blog.  I've had this itch to start journaling again, but I don't know that this is the answer.  We'll see how it goes.  My posts are meant primarily for myself... to look back on, smile at, learn from... and for any curious family and friends who wonder what it is we do each day.  :)

There's no sense in making two years worth of updates in one post.  If you're reading this, chances are you know us anyway.  So we'll just jump into life as we know it...

It's that time of year again when everyone starts thinking about Back to School.  I've been running in circles trying to get the house super-clean and everything planned, prepped, and organized to start school in two weeks.  I thought I was the only crazy person who required shampooed carpets and freshly organized closets to peacefully kick off the school year... then I talked with a friend at church on Sunday and found out she was doing the exact same thing!  Love it!  Although the house certainly isn't perfect (and who wants it to be anyway?!), the FlyLady would be pleased with my progress.  :P

Part of my back to school prep is making a menu plan for the first month.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Monday through Friday.  Weekends are for eating leftovers.  We're trying something new with snacks this year.  Once upon a time I bought a really cool tray from Pampered Chef that has divided sections, cold packs, and a lid.  I plan on filling it each day with fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts, etc. and leaving it in our school area for "grazing," along with water bottles.  Right now this seems like a really great idea.  Ask me in a couple months how it's working out!  :)