Got pine?

Having a guest blogger was so much fun, I've asked someone else to contribute.  Today's post comes from Sheila Stevens.  She describes herself an an amateur naturalist and uses many homeopathic remedies to care for her Rochester MN family's minor illnesses.  And with 5 school-aged kids at home, I'd imagine every winter brings on plenty of stuffy noses and fevers...  Whenever I sneeze, the first thing she says to me is the get the pine needle oil.  Here, she explains why.

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As the holidays get closer many of you are thinking of where you will put your fragrant Christmas tree this year, for others they might be deciding whether or not they will be using a live or artificial tree but either way, is it not the familiar smell of the tree itself that puts you in that over all holiday mood?

The answer to question may vary by person, but that’s not really the point of this literary admission; the point is actually the scent.

The beloved conifer holds much value. It's more than just a simple place to show off our holiday decorations.  It's a means to improve your health as well!

• Blood pressure problems
• Common cold
• Cough/bronchitis
• Fevers
• Inflammation
• Infection

Pine can be used internally but out of the 232 species in the pine family, only specific varieties can be ingested, and it will say on the packaging whether it’s intended for internal use or external only. DO NOT CONSUME Pine Needle Oil UNLESS IT SAYS IT’S FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION!

White Pine, for example has been used to treat a variety of respiratory conditions, including coughs, sore throats and colds. It’s rich in vitamin A and vitamin C and is obviously edible and ready to be used when your looking for a quick recovery!

Pine Needle Oil is antiviral and antibacterial.  When using the pine needle extract I run my bath first, I make it almost as hot as I can take it, when the water is almost to the level I want –which is usually full, I add about 12-16 drops to my water and mix. Make sure to have your water still running when you do this so it breaks up the carrier oil into smaller beads so you don’t have blobs of oil floating about your tub.

DO NOT apply it directly to sensitive regions directly, like under your eyes, on your inner arm (where your forearm connects to your upper arm) and certainly NOT your genitalia… Trust me on that one, you want to make sure its mixed into the water before sitting down!!! Ouchie if you don’t.

If you'd rather not take a bath, add 6-8 drops to 4 cups of simmering water on your stove to fill your whole house with scent.

TIP:

When you begin to sneeze chances are you just inhaled some bacterial hitchhiker, or worse, virus. Sure it could be dust, but why take chances? This is the time you want to take that pine needle bath or simmer that pot. It actually decreases your chances of getting sick, I have tried out this theory time and time again, it works great! None of my 5 children get sick as much, in fact, after a bath in this, they aren’t sick for long.

Remember that you need to not freak out if you or your child gets a cold or flu, it’s a good thing as every time you get sick, your body takes a snap shot of (a.k.a. builds a resistance to) that particular strain so it recognizes it as a bad guy in the future.  The pine needle oil simply speeds it up so it’s less miserable.

Internally, Pine Needle Oil (the one that says it’s intended for human consumption) is a valuable commodity. Blood cleanser and more, I would encourage you to read up on the many benefits Pine Needle Oil has to offer!