All posts by Monna

Oct 01
0

OM Cafe Connects: Domestic Violence Month

By | Domestic Violence | One Comment

October – National Domestic Violence Month. www.organicmamacafe.com

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I do not pretend to be an expert on this topic. But as the friend of several domestic abuse survivors, the daughter of someone who was abused by a trusted family member and the former girlfriend of an abuser, it has touched my life directly.

So, all month long I have scheduled for people who are connected to this issue in some way to share their thoughts and experiences in the Organic Mama Cafe.

I have been so fortunate not to have personally experienced DV. But in the last year and a half, I’ve discovered that at least 4 friends in my immediate circle have escaped abusive relationships. As I listened to their stories, it struck me how little I hear people talking about this problem, especially when 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

That’s right. More women are affected by Domestic Violence than the 1 in 8 women who will get breast cancer in their lifetimes.

Look around you. With stats like that, I guarantee you know someone who is affected.

Listen, I know this is not an easy issue to discuss. You may be tempted to take a break from the blog this month to avoid it. (I promise I’ll still post on my normal topics as well.)

I get it.  It’s scary and it’s messy. Many of us come to the table with preconceived ideas, some unconscious, about domestic abuse and who it affects.

Statistics are important. They provide a context for understanding how widespread and serious this issue is.

The stats make it clear that Domestic Violence transcends every boundary you can imagine. It can happen to anyone, man or woman, adult or child, straight or gay, religious or not, rich or poor. We’ll take a look at stats this month. But stats sometimes seem like numbers on a page, impersonal and easy to ignore.

I hope that this month’s emphasis will take us beyond the numbers to the faces of those affected by Domestic Abuse.

So, I’ve invited some thoughtful voices to join this conversation. You will hear from

  • An attorney who prosecutes DV cases
  • The sister of a victim
  • A pastor who works with recovering abusers
  • A psychologist who shares insights on why victims don’t leave their abusers
  • Victims who’ve escaped and how it’s changed their lives

I’ll connect you to resources like contact information for local shelters, explain how to get help if you are in an abusive relationship and how to get involved if you are ready to step up and work to address this issue.

Will you do something in return? 

Please share this post on your facebook page, pinterest, twitter, tumbler, wherever – and invite more voices into this conversation. 

Read this story of survival and transformation from a son.

Sep 29
0

Being the “Somebody”: OM Cafe Announcement

By | Domestic Violence | One Comment

October is Domestic Violence month and I’ll be giving time to this issue on the blog all month.

I’ll share some of the statistics I’ve learned about this issue since beginning to research it.  They are staggering and may shock you – as they did me. In fact, domestic abuse rates are so high, chances are, you know someone who is currently in an abusive relationship.

But this has become a lot more than statistics and facts for me.

It is easy to think about domestic abuse in a theoretical manner when there’s no face attached to the stats.

It is easy to criticize victims for getting themselves into abusive relationships and for not leaving.

It is easy to demonize abusers and write them off as forever broken and not worth saving.

It is easy to read a statistic, feel shocked and think, “Somebody should do something about this issue!” Then, get sucked back into the routine of life.

But this month is not about easy.

It’s not about being shocked.

This month is about taking action. It’s about being the “Somebody” who is doing something about it.

I don’t want to live life theoretically. I don’t want to read a statistic and forget that there’s a person involved.

I intend –

  • to speak the truth
  • share the challenges
  • be involved in the solution

I will be the somebody who makes the difference in my home, my church, my school, my community.

Stick with me this month, friends. I’ve invited people into my cafe who can speak authoritatively on this issue. They’ll share their thoughts, their challenges and the ways where we can join them to make our community a better, safer place.

My two requests for you are –

1. Show up. Many of you have expressed a desire to make a difference in your community. This is a great place to start.

2. Help me spread the word! Share this post with your friends via social media, email, word of mouth. 

Don’t miss the conversation this month. Subscribe to the OM Cafe. I’m committed to your privacy and it’s free!

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Think victims choose to be abused? A Son’s Story of Surviving Domestic Violence might change your mind.

 

Sep 26
19

10 Natural Remedies for a Coughing Baby

By | Natural Health | 24 Comments

Cooler temperatures are upon us and our babies (under 1!) are already suffering through coughs and colds. We don’t use many herbs for babies under one but there are safe, mild, natural remedies to help clear coughs in an infant. We just went through this in our house with Giant Baby who is not even six months yet so I thought I’d post some encouragement and share what we used.

Coughs can be a good thing if they’re clearing congestion. However, let them go too long or be unaware about the kind of cough you’re hearing and coughs can progress into something serious.

By nursing my kids through coughs, I’ve learned that to clear them quickly, it’s best to

  • Keep congestion thin and moving (moisturize inside & out)
  • Boost the immune system

As I regularly say – natural remedies work best when applied as soon as the onset of symptoms occur. When noses start running and coughs begin, head it off at the pass! The duration of illness is usually shorter and not as severe.

Here’s what we used on Giant Baby. I used all of these steps at once because I don’t mess around with coughs.

1. Steam, Steam, STEAM!
If the coughing isn’t clearing the congestion within minutes and a hacking fit seems imminent, we head straight to the shower. I shut the door, drop a little Eucalyptus oil in the corners of the shower and relax until he’s been cough free for several minutes.

I also shower him before bed to moisten his sinuses & loosen congestion because lying down automatically seems to trigger coughing because it’s harder for congestion to clear in that position. The extra moisture helps! I keep him warm after we get out of the shower.

If he coughs in the night and can’t seem to stop, we head right back into the shower no matter how tired I am. I have learned that it’s worth it. It’s the fastest way to calm the cough. I think we showered about three times a day while he was coughing.

2. Hose the nose.
In babies, the nose, throat, ears are so close together and the passages are small. Congestion affects them all. During coughs, congestion or earaches, I “hose my kids’ noses” to loosen congestion so it will clear more easily. Don’t be intimidated by this. Learn how to Hose the Nose.

3. Massage the chest.
After the shower, using a little coconut oil (NO VICKS for babies this small – it’s just too harsh), we rub that little chest gently but firmly. It seems to help ease the cough and  Giant Baby loves it because we talk with him while we do it.

4. Garlic oil.
Man, this stuff is magic! I use it for my kids (and me!) when our ears are sore and my herbalist also suggested we could safely rub a little on Giant Baby’s feet. I probably used 1/2 t. (maybe less?) and massaged his feet gently. I’m not gonna lie to ya’. It was skunk-a-licious! But, it seemed to calm him and he coughed less afterward. Learn how to make garlic oil.

Magic stuff!

5. Moisturize the air.
We use either a vaporizer or humidifier in the bedroom to add moisture and keep congestion moving.

6. Eucalyptus oil or Vicks.
I wouldn’t put Eucalyptus oil or Vicks on an infant. But, I DO think it’s ok to use them to scent a room to provide their expectorant powers. I place a little vicks or Eucalyptus oil on an old diaper and wave it around the room (to infuse it into the air) and then lay it near to the bed so we can smell it all night.

***REMINDER!! While Essential oils are wonderfully healing, they are also super concentrated (read: powerful) and should never be left where little hands can reach them. Be safe. Educate your little ones not to touch them & store them out of reach.***

7. Keep the fluids coming.
I would have offered him warm chamomile tea but my little guy wanted to nurse. So, nurse I did. The only caution I’d add with chamomile is that people with known allergies to ragweed should avoid it.

8. Elevate the sleeping position.
It’s hard for congestion to clear when a baby is flat on his back. That’s why coughing increases at night. Our baby sleeps with us so it’s easy to elevate him on my arm and keep a close ear on him in the night. I sleep better and so does he.If we used a crib, I’d find a way to safely elevate the mattress slightly (no pillows in a crib!).

9. Garlic.
Again? Yep. Only this is for nursing moms. Since I nurse, my baby gets the benefit of what I eat. I ate sliced fresh garlic on buttered toast to pass on it’s immune system boosting benefits.

10. Echinacea tincture.
Another immune booster for use by the nursing mama. I took a few droppers 3 times a day.

Using these remedies from the very start of his little cold to the end, Giant Baby only coughed for about three days and it was very mild, usually worse at night.

Remember – the key to successful natural remedies is to jump on that cough as soon it projects its loud sound. Don’t wait till it sounds scary.

*As always, I’ll remind you that I am not a doctor.  These are common sense choices I have made for myself & my family. I have taken the time to research any health decisions I make and have consulted with my local herbalist. I encourage you to always do the same before choosing to take or administer any kind of remedy, whether herbal, prescription or off the shelf at a local drugstore.*

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Sep 26
2

Garlic Oil for Coughs & Earaches

By | Natural Health, Parenting | 31 Comments

Magic stuff!

When our kids complain about earaches and coughs, we reach for the garlic oil. Garlic has great immune boosting properties but it’s also touted as anti-bacterial and even useful for easing coughs.

Fresh garlic is best because you get more of it’s healing benefits. Plus, it’s already in your pantry!

Here’s what you need to make the oil.

  • knife
  • cutting board
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Carrier oil like olive or coconut

1. Chop the garlic.

2. Add to 1/4 c oil.

3. Swirl to mix & let it infuse for at least 10 minutes. (Some people heat it, we don’t).

I don’t remove the garlic from the oil & it keeps a  few weeks in cooler temps & probably longer in the fridge.

We used this recently when our infant had a cough.

We also use this for earaches. I just dip a q-tip in the oil to saturate it (no garlic chunks on the cotton!) and place 3- 4 drops in the affected ear.

What natural uses do you have for garlic besides cooking? Share!

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