TO GET COOL, UNIQUE, HEALTHY, LOVEY GIFTS!!!
…………………….GIVEAWAY TIME…………………..
…………………….GIVEAWAY TIME…………………..
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.
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Take a look at this short video review
Tropical Traditions has many video recipes for you to check out. Check them out on YouTube!
Click HERE on how to use COCONUT OIL.
Keep in mind that when you cook with coconut oil and it gets on your skin, or you use it in your personal products, it absorbs – like everything does – through your skin into your blood stream… and it’s GOOD FOR YOU! This is another way we are getting rid of those harmful chemicals in our home.
Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil: http://coconutoil.com
If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
“They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 The Message
Frankincense was used to anoint new born sons of kings and priests… and it was brought as a gift to the new born baby Jesus. For the purpose of anointing their king and/or a great first aid to stick in her diaper bag, I know Mary was thankful for this gift!
Tropical Traditions has many video recipes for you to check out. Check them out on YouTube. Click HERE on how to use COCONUT OIL.
Keep in mind that when you cook with coconut oil and it gets on your skin, or you use it in your personal products, it absorbs – like everything does – through your skin into your blood stream… and it’s GOOD FOR YOU! This is another way we are getting rid of those harmful chemicals in our home.
Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil: http://coconutoil.com
If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. 🙂
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.
A few years back, a friend of mine gave me a cute little tin can of stuff called Eden Salve from the BULK HERB STORE. At the time I didn’t know what salve was, but it smelled nice and easily fit in my purse. My friend told me I could use it for bug bites, rashes, stings, burns,… ya know, all those fun things that happen to our kids! It didn’t take long for me to realize that this stuff REALLY WORKS and is now my NEW FAVORITE THING! It’s my “ONE PRODUCT I would take if I were stuck on a desert island.” No one has ever asked me to answer this question, but if you did, Eden Salve would most definitely be my answer! Well, the Eden Salve drew me to THE BULK HERB STORE, where I found out how to make PLANTAIN TINCTURE: THE BEST “ITCH CREAM”
Now let me introduce you to a new friend, Kristin Amaro. I recently found out she was making this salve herself and couldn’t help but ask her to write it down for us! So take a few minutes and follow Kristin as she teaches us how easy it is to make our own healing ointment. Oh, and in case you were wondering, she is a talented photographer as well! You should most definitely check out her website!
One more thing before I pass the baton: Kristin has generously donated a large jar of GREEN SALVE for a GIVEAWAY for one of my healthy readers! ENTER TO WIN at the end of this post!
I have always been a fan of the natural remedy. I do not diminish in any way the value of modern medicine and doctors – I agree there is a place for these things! However, the more I learn and see, the more I realize that so much is available to us right there in our gardens.
Over the past year or so I have been suffering with knee pain – degenerative arthritis/torn meniscus is what I’ve been told. These knee issues (along with the occasional post-workout muscle woes) put me on a quest to find some relief outside of the traditional doctor prescribed treatments & medicines. My search took me to the wonderful world of herbs!
Herbs are not new to me. I have used them for teas, cooking and aromatherapy. One herbal product in particular has made me a true believer in the healing properties of herbs. For over three years I have been a fan of a product called, “Eden Salve” (or “the green stuff” as we sometimes call it). Eden Salve is an organic salve formulated from a number of herbs and other natural ingredients. This stuff……..is………amazing (I could give you many personal testimonials about how this salve has helped me). I have used it on everything from burns to bites, chapped skin to rashes. There are more uses and testimonies on the product’s testimonies page. This product is made and sold by The Bulk Herb Store (BulkHerbStore.com). They also offer a variety of herbs, products and a wealth of information to their site visitors.
So I was on the Bulk Herb Store website recently and came across some herbal “mixes” – one of which was called “Arthritis Salve Mix”. Oh yesssss – that sounds right up my alley!! After further investigation, I found they also offered other herbal mixes (“Muscle Salve Mix” and “Green Salve Mix”).
Hmmm….I wonder if I can put ALL the herbs together in a hot bathtub and just never get out.
It only got better after that. I then found their “Salve Kit” which contains all 3 mixes along with organic beeswax and cute little tin containers. The kit has some cost savings and it would allow me to get my feet wet with salve making!
After seeing all of this, I suddenly had burning within me a very strong desire to be a maker of salve. So I set out to purchase my supplies, gather my tools and turn my kitchen into a salve making factory. I was happy to involve my 10 year old daughter, Abby, in the process. She is the Eden Salve power user of the household so she was eager to see and participate in the process and potentially have an endless supply of Green Salve to use to her heart’s content.
So…..let’s make salve! (All links are located at the bottom of this post to products that are used)
Ingredients & Tools
Before getting started, I got all my tools and ingredients together – let’s take a look at what I used:
The Process
The herbal mixes I received from the Bulk Herb Store Salve Kit have directions on “How to make salve” printed right there on the herbal mix label, as well as on their website. I’m going to go over that process here and show you pictures of how things were looking for me.
Fill mason jars 2/3 full with herbal mix
Pour your oil over the herbs, leaving about an inch at the top – I gave it a nice little stir with a chopstick. Then I wished that I had some sushi to eat.
Put the lids on the mason jars and set them in the crock pot. Fill with warm water (leave about an inch at the top) and set the crock on low. The instructions indicate that water should be “hot” but not boiling.
After getting the oil/herb concoction hooked up in the crock pot, it’s time to wait. In order for the oil to become infused with the wonderful properties of the herbal blend, it must stay in the hot water for 3 days. Take note of the start time and add 3 days – mark it down!
During the infusing process, check the crock pot a few times a day and replenish any water that has evaporated (remember water should be about an inch from the top). If a towel is being used to cover the opening, ensure that it is still damp – if not, run it under warm water, give it a squeeze then replace it over the crock along with the lid. During the waiting process your friends may or may not make fun of you for having a towel-covered crock pot sitting on your counter for 3 days. If this should happen, don’t fret….they will come around when you give them a sample of your awesome salve.
The Salve Making Home Stretch
After the 3 days of waiting, the oil is ready to be made into salve. Here comes the fun part!
Carefully remove mason jars from crock pot….use a dishtowel to remove them since they are super hot from being in the water for 3 days! Get your pot, strainer and straining material ready.
Pour the herbs and oil into the cloth covered strainer. Let it sit until the oil has strained through. While you are waiting, take in the aroma of the infused oil.
Warning….you are either going to really, really like this smell (like me!) or you are going to really, really dislike it. You may also find yourself dreaming of rubbing it on a brisket…. I’m just sayin’
After the oil has strained, give it a nice squeeze – don’t be wimpy, squeeze it good! You want to get every drop you can of this liquid goodness. Take a moment to give yourself a little massage with the oil that’s left on your hands!!
Note: you will need to measure how many ounces of oil you have in order to determine how much beeswax and Vitamin E oil to use in the following steps. To do this, I poured the oil from my pot back into a few of my mason jars and got my reading that way. I first wiped them out to remove left over herb bits. There may be an easier way to do this, but this was how I did it.
The beeswax have just added to the infused oil |
A few of my mason jars with freshly made salve – waiting to be cooled! |
The salve (in a tin from the Salve Kit), after it’s cooled…. |
The This & That’s
The Testimony
I have been using the Arthritis and Muscle Salves for almost a month. I am……loving…..them!
Share with friends! |
The Arthritis Salve
I will confess that I had a bit of an expectation that rubbing this salve on my knees would immediately enable me to do a 3 sets of mountain climbers, lunges and squats followed a time of jumping up and down rejoicing about my new knees.
This ain’t that kind of salve.
However, I will report that when I rub this on my knees, my knees feel better. Do they feel better forever? No. But, they feel better! When I rub it on my knees at night (and I’m talking about a really good rub down with a generous amount of salve) I wake up with knees that feel less stiff.
Not only that, but I feel good about using this because I know the ingredients – and they are all natural.
The Muscle Salve
The Links
The Bulk Herb Store– Buy your complete Salve Kit here.
Eden Salve
Swanson Health Products Essential Oils
Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut
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Thank you Kristin for this awesome tutorial and for donating a large jar of Green Salve for one healthy reader to WIN in this GiveAway! My family and I can testify that this stuff works!
Official Contest Rules:
You must be 18 years or older and live within the United States to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this blog on 9-18 and will then be notified by email. The winner must respond within 48 hours of winning or another winner will be selected.
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WATER IS NOT BORING ANYMORE!
Perfect reason to use your Zinger…Sugary drinks are a leading cause of weight gain including an increased risk for obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, soda contributes 6% of calories which we simply don’t need. Not to mention, the health effects of artificial sweetener in low or zero calorie beverages may not be pretty!
The Zing Team cares about your health 🙂