jessie hawkins

The mission of Vintage Remedies is to contribute to the health and wellness of all people and we are eager to offer assistance to relief projects in Haiti during this time. Therefore we have pledged to donate up to 15% of all proceeds from each enrollment, registration or order placed with Vintage Remedies or the Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health over the next month to Heartline Ministries in Haiti.

Heartline Ministries, Inc. is a 501c3 organization who has spent over 20 years in Haiti doing humanitarian work, adoptions and education. They run an orphanage, provide wellness services to childbearing women and even have programs in place to provide nutritious meals using sustainable methods to those in their care.  Heartline has been greatly impacted by the devastating quake. 100% of all donations will be used directly in Haiti to rebuild and to deliver humanitarian aid. Learn more about their ministry here.

Specifics: The Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health will contribute 10% from each enrollment, and Vintage Remedies will contribute 15% from each event registration, bookstore purchase or consultation purchased from our website between January 15 and February 15 directly to Heartline Ministries in Haiti.

Filed under: Uncategorized on January 15th, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Whew! 2009 ended with a flurry of excitement in the Hawkins’ home with a trip to Rome and Ethiopia to bring home our newest family member! She is adjusting well and doing great – so are the rest of us! Now that we’ve had the holidays to relax and catch up on things, we’re excited to bring in the new year with lots of exciting new events and services to help your family become healthier! January kicks things off with a 2 week blog series filled with tips you can’t miss – and our brand new virtual classroom will be put to use with our New Year = New You miniseries – and as always, there is so much more on the way!

New Year = New You 8 week miniseries

Resolve to be healthier in 2010. Learn how to lose weight, spend fewer sick days and save medical dollars while becoming healthier with natural options! Our new eight week miniseries helps you to move your home and family into a healthy lifestyle with simple steps and clear directions. Each weekly package includes not only healthy habits, but scientifically sound advice for each tip and practical applications that can easily be included in any busy lifestyle or tight budget, complete with recipes to include healthier meal options on the dinner table – tonight!

Learn why popular grocery saving tips usually lead to increased medical expenses later – by leading you to buy cheap and synthetic foods that are known to cause weight gain, diabetes and decreased immunity! We help you master the grocery store, saving money without compromising quality or nutrition. Cook fast and easy meals that help to boost immunity, reduce overall intake and contribute to greater health and cognitive functioning! Learn how to really read the nutrition label, and choose only the best for your family’s health.

Each week, a new concept or habit is introduced, and we provide everything you need to apply that tip to your home immediately! By the end of the series, your home can be effortlessly transformed into a healthy haven, with energized parents and healthier kids.

Each week for eight weeks, you can expect: a new healthy habits lesson with scientifically sound information and practical tips for applying the information to your home, a sample menu emphasizing the new habit complete with a day’s worth of recipes, practical tips or projects to further explore the week’s topic, interaction with your fellow classmates for encouragement and fellowship! Class is taught by Jessie Hawkins and hosted by the Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health. Registration is only $39 – less than $5 per week!

Click Here to learn more about the series, our virtual classroom and to register!

Filed under: Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health, family illness, healthy meals, prevention on January 4th, 2010 | No Comments »

Reports released by the CDC on Oct 5 reveal what many parents and professionals have long been claiming – the rate of autism among American children is on a steep incline. While previous studies indicated that 1 in 150 children had been diagnosed with a disorder on the autism spectrum, two important new studies revealed that the current numbers are a whopping 1 in 91 children. These reports were conducted using the exact same methods as previous numbers, which eliminates the possibility that the numbers were distorted somehow during collection or compilation. In some European countries the rates are already even higher – as high as 1 in every 50 children – and even higher among young boys. This silent epidemic is sweeping our countries and dramatically affecting our most valued and vulnerable population – but why? And how?

Multiple theories exist – many of which should have been abandoned long ago. One common argument among some ill informed care providers is that the diagnostic criteria are slacker and the diagnosis is being handed out far too easily than in previous years. This notion is a convenient one, as it often follows a parent’s questioning of vaccine safety and allows the parent to be reassured of both vaccine safety and their child’s development in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, it is simply not true. Many parents of children on the autism spectrum have to wait years for a diagnosis and often have to advocate for their child to receive the help he or she needs. Many of the signs of autism spectrum disorders are blatantly obvious – even to the untrained eye – and could not have been merely overlooked years ago. When a three or four year old is non verbal or a two year old literally trembles with fear and runs to hide in the back of a dark closet when company comes over, parents notice. And they ask questions. These things were not simply missed 5 or 10 years ago.

To be fair – there is a small number of high functioning children (children with less noticeable signs of autism) that may have been considered to be simply uncooperative or strong willed a few years ago, but professionals estimate that these few children account for less than 30% of the overall increase in numbers – leaving little explanation for the rest of the cases.

Other old theories include the genetic argument. We have probably all heard that autism is a genetic disorder, which reassures those of us that don’t apparently have autism in our family. Yet, this theory is not at all plausible – especially in light of these new numbers. Genes simply cannot change that fast. Autism is epidemic, and there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. It is not scientifically feasible. Furthermore, the massive amounts of money that have been spent by the National Institute of Health have revealed loose links with nearly every chromosome.

Yet, while the NIH may have been looking in the wrong place, researchers from other organizations, most notably the Autism Research Institute, have found other important factors that may largely explain this dramatic and downright scary increase: environmental factors. The CDC does acknowledge that environmental factors play a significant role in autism, but according to Cathy Rice, a CDC researcher (who also led the new study), “Our research tools just are not as good for understanding them.”

These factors include heavy metals, pesticides, flame retardants, vaccinations, pharmaceutical overuse, nutritional deficiencies, air pollutants and even medical interventions during pregnancy and childbirth. While environmentalism is often considered to be a luxurious worry of the wealthy with plenty of leisure time, the effects of ignoring environmental risks are affecting our children in measurable ways. The current evidence points to what has been termed the multiple trigger theory – which basically means that our individual bodies each have a predisposed tolerance point. When a combination of these factors (many of which are mentioned above) build up within our child’s body, they cross that line and begin to affect growth and development. Autism is a medical condition – not a psychological one, and the signs and symptoms include much more than the traditional social anxiety and lack of communication. Children on the spectrum often have decreased immunity, recurrent ear infections, leaky gut syndrome (which leads to decreased nutrient absorption and intestinal flora imbalances), and other very real physical manifestations.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this new information is that 38% of parents in one study revealed that their children no longer qualified for a diagnosis. Over 1/3 of the children initially diagnosed with autism overcame the disorder! This is incredibly significant, as it reveals that for some children, this situation is reversible. Since every single child on the spectrum battles a different set of signs and symptoms, and entered the spectrum due to a vastly different set of factors, this recovery is not possible for every single child. However, with treatment and interventions, many children can and do recover and with life long prevention, can return to their previous health. It also tells us that these treatments serve as very good prevention methods, potentially preventing a child from initially crossing this unknown tolerance limit.

These treatments and interventions are covered in many of the Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health’s distance learning courses, and a list of licensed care providers that offer individualized assistance for children on the spectrum can be found at www.Autism.com (As a side note: We also highly recommend the care providers on this list for anyone seeking a holistic family doctor as these providers are often trained in additional methods of integrative medicine and / or open to natural health options.)

Filed under: prevention on October 12th, 2009 | No Comments »

A year ago, health conscious mamas everywhere flocked to websites and stores that offered BPA free water and baby bottles for their families. The run on bottles produced by SIGG, a brand offering an aluminum bottle, was so huge that the company couldn’t keep up with the demand at times, creating shortages, which only served to fuel the demand further. While Born Free produced glass bottles and BPA free plastic alternatives and Klean Kanteen released stainless steel options, SIGG and GAIAM held the market on aluminum versions, which, with cutesy pictures painted on the side, became instant hits, despite their $15-$20 price tags – for a single bottle.
Aluminum you say? But aluminum is not good, either, right? Right. Which is exactly why SIGG and GAIAM coated the bottles with an epoxy resin to protect the fluids from the aluminum – just like canned goods have a golden colored epoxy lining coating their insides. And, herein lies the problem. Those that research BPA know that canned goods, not water bottles, are the most common source of BPA. Their cans and epoxy linings leach BPA into the foods they contain, especially when said foods have an acidic nature. Many people called the companies out on their claims, and crunchy mamas everywhere were shocked with the formal announcement from SIGG about 6 weeks ago that their linings did in fact contain BPA. It was definitely an act that risked the fate of the entire company, but someone at SIGG has a good head on their shoulders, as the company released formal announcements, information on determining whether or not your bottle leached BPA and a replacement offer – send us your old bottles and we will send you new BPA free versions for free. Whether or not they can recover from this remains to be seen, but they do get kudos for getting the word out and trying to make amends.
Right on their heels, however, is an example of what *not* to do. GAIAM has also been suspected of containing BPA in their epoxy lining, and they had recently taken off the BPA free claims from their website. Yet, their site today freely admits that they not only leach BPA (whereas despite the BPA in SIGG bottles, they claim the amounts are “trace” and do not leach) but they leach high amounts of BPA – nearly 20x what was found to be in a SIGG bottle. However, GAIAM, the health and yoga resource partly owned by Whole Foods, has not issued a single statement, no apology and no offers for replacements.
The BPA content of a bottle is a significant determining factor in purchasing for health conscious mamas, who usually pay a hefty price tag for their child’s health. So, how can we be sure our expenditures are actually protecting our kids? My advice – Stick with substances that do not contain ingredients known to harm the body. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, causing female infertility in animal trials. Worse yet, researchers at Yale University have seen that mice exposed to BPA while pregnant with female babies give birth to babies with altered DNA, which leaves the offspring with increased sensitivity to estrogen and altered uterine development. So the transgenerational effects of BPA on baby girls born today may not become apparent for another 20-30 years!
Bottom line? If you have a SIGG bottle with a bronze colored lining, send it back for a new one. If you have a GAIAM bottle, stop using it. With pressure or even lawsuits, they may decide in the future to compensate you for the false advertising, so I would not trash it. Healthier options – right now glass bottles with silicone covers (to prevent breakage) seem to be the best option for babies Klean Kanteen and Camelbak also seem to sell what they promise – and have some great durable products. We often pass out Camelbak bottles at our healthy living open house events. Got another favorite healthy and safe solution? Let us know!

Filed under: prevention on October 7th, 2009 | No Comments »

This is an updated version of the newsletter Vintage Remedies sent out in mid April. Over the summer, our  flu concerns seemed to diminish, but with the new vaccine and the regular flu season approaching, we have received many requests to post the info on the blog. So, here it is! (We have made some updates, as the newsletter was first sent 6 months ago and some things have changed a bit. And yes, back then it was still the “swine” flu!)

Swine Flu: What You Should Know

With words like “pandemic” and “deadly” flying around, the recent media blitz on the swine flu has left many with concern, panic and above all, lots and lots of questions. Is my family safe? What are our chances of getting the swine flu? Is there anything we can do? What are the symptoms of the this flu, anyway?

Let’s get some answers:

What is swine flu anyway?
Like humans, pigs regularly catch a flu virus. This usually occurs during the late fall / winter, just like human flu. Classic swine flu is an influenza type A H1N1 virus. Like all microbes, these viruses have the ability to change, becoming resistant to common treatments and swapping genes with other viruses to form new traits. Pigs are particularly notorious for serving as a mixing vessel for microbes. By adding genes from human flu, the virus can be transmitted to humans. This typically occurs about once every 2 years (in the US) but we have recently seen an increase to roughly 4 confirmed cases a year since Dec 2005. This most recent outbreak has brought a total of 91 laboratory confirmed cases and 1 death in the United States. The vast majority of these cases occurred in Texas, California and New York City. (This was correct in April – since then 60 pediatric deaths have been associated with the swine flu. Most flu cases reported this year are the swine flu, and many states report widespread outbreaks. The CDC stopped compiling data on case counts in June. They estimate that over 1 million individuals became ill with the swine flu between April and June 2009.)

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of the swine flu are the same as any other typical human flu. It begins rather quickly with fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. The swine flu outbreak has also produced gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. Currently, the swine flu appears to be much milder than the seasonal flu, often producing less intense symptoms for a shorter duration. Some professionals have even suggested that experiencing the flu now, while it is mild, may provide lasting immunity that would protect an individual from a recurrence of the flu, that may be more dangerous due to treatment resistance and stronger symptoms.

What are the real chances of getting the swine flu?
Oddly enough, according to epidemiologists, this flu is not easily transmitted from person to person. It is not airborne, but spreads through droplets ie: sneezing, and is less easily transmitted than the seasonal flu. The virus typically sheds for the first 4-5 days, though it can shed for up to 10 days in children. Currently, the swine flu seems to be following a pattern similar to the seasonal flu. With the recent drop in temperatures in the southeastern states, an increase in flu like symptoms was seen. The biggest concern with such outbreaks is not with the actual influenza, but the complications and secondary infections that can arise, particularly pneumonia.

Is there anything we can do?
Of course. History has shown us that rushing vaccines through the system is rarely safe and reliable. Furthermore, this particular strain is resistant to two of the four currently licensed (in the US) pharmaceutical antivirals. Which leaves us returning once again to prevention. Now, I’m definitely not talking about the kind of prevention you may have seen recently on the morning shows or afternoon news. Drenching the house in bleach is neither safe nor an effective long term solution. Likewise, antibacterial products not only are ineffective against viruses, evidence suggests they actually hasten the mutation process. As we have already seen, microbes can change and change quickly. We certainly don’t want to encourage them to speed up the process! As mentioned above, the most pressing risk with any flu outbreak is not the actual flu, but the secondary infections such as pneumonia, which are often bacterial. Instead of viewing germs as the enemy and pulling out our weapons, we are much better off learning how to live within this world of microbes and protect ourselves from the few that can actually be harmful. Here’s a quick glance at the Hawkins’ protocol:

Avoid Sugar: Even natural sugars can lower the immune system by up to 40% for up to 4 hours. During times of increased exposure, we don’t want to limit our protection. I personally find it to be no surprise that the typical flu season begins around Halloween and ends at Valentine’s Day!

Elderberry: This berry helps to boost immunity, and is especially effective against viruses. Quality brands can now be found in many major drugstores, and small daily doses offer great protection. Dosage can be increased according to the package directions if / when symptoms are present.

Adaptogens: Herbs such as astragalus and holy basil help the body adjust to stressors and prevent the decrease in immune function that can occur during seasonal changes. These are great for long term use and can actually boost immunity as well, offering numerous benefits for multiple bodily systems. Astragalus is particularly beneficial for the respiratory system, making it a great choice for flu prevention. It also has been shown to increase the white blood cell count, which would be a beneficial supplement for protection when sugars or other factors have lowered the immune system.

Nutrient Rich Whole Foods: Vitamins C and D are both helpful at ensuring the body is able to withstand illness producing microbes, and the best way to get these nutrients is through locally grown organic produce and lots of sunshine! If a deficiency is suspected, which is not uncommon, supplementation may be on our list as well. Be sure to look for a high quality reliable brand, as many vitamin supplements are practically worthless. Fish oil supplementation should also be on this list. We recommend Nordic Naturals brand for their unsurpassed quality and reliability.

Awareness: While running around with antibacterial sprays and sanitizers may not be a good option, practical germ awareness can still be effective. Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to rinse off microbes. Remember, the goal of handwashing is not to actually kill anything, rather to scrub and rinse away the germs. Technically speaking, viruses are not living things, rather they contain chemical signals that need to be inactivated. Attempting to kill a virus is an exercise in futility! To chemically denature viruses, antiviral essential oils have been shown to be extremely effective and make great additions to natural handmade cleaners during this time. (Recipes and formulas for such cleaners can be found at VintageRemedies.com ) My favorites are lemon and eucalyptus, but a good blend of 3-5 oils is the best way to avoid resistance.

Want to Learn More? For more questions and information on boosting immunity, treating viruses naturally or natural wellness, I highly recommend the family herbalist programs through the Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health. They provide a great background in basic sciences such as anatomy and physiology so that the family care provider (mom or dad) can effectively increase wellness safely at home! For those brand new to natural health, The Handbook of Vintage Remedies is also a fantastic introduction.

Filed under: family illness, prevention on October 6th, 2009 | 5 Comments »

Late summer / early fall always seems to be the busiest time of the year around here, and we have been preparing several new projects on the homefront in the Hawkins household as well as  the Vintage Remedies business front. I’m always excited about the new things this time of year brings, but always go to bed absolutely wiped out as well! Can’t say that I am complaining though!

So… while our new projects will be under wraps for a while, I am hitting the roads in October to discuss healthy and green living. If you are in the Salem area, you absolutely do not want to miss the Green Living – Room by Room workshop Oct 10th. We will figuratively walk through each major room of the average home and point our potential heath concerns with greener and healthier solutions that are perfect for families and individuals alike! Each attendee receives a little workbook filled to the brim with recipes and formulations that are simple to make at home on the fly and we will have a Q and A session for you to get answers to all of your green / natural living questions. Seriously guys, this is one you don’t want to miss! Get more info and register HERE!

Filed under: events on September 15th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Whew! After sifting through all thousand or so posts, we have arrived at our final number of 987. We usually simply scroll down through the comments and have one of my kids tell me when to stop – or ask a random person on facebook for a number, but with so many entries, we thought we should be a bit more intentional about the drawing, so I am relying on random.org to provide us with a winner.

I have a new window open and am entering the numbers now… I’ll be right back when it gives me a winner… number 363! I am posting the screen shot for all of you to verify my accuracy

So, we double and triple counted the entries to verify that we had the correct person and are thrilled to congratulate Sara as the newest owner of a VitaMix 5200 blender! And, because we are Vintage Remedies, we are tossing in a complimentary copy of The Handbook of Vintage Remedies. Enjoy Sara!!

Then, just because the random number generator is so fun to use, we went ahead and picked 7 more lucky numbers to win complementary copies of The Handbook of Vintage Remedies, so congrats to Kelly, Jasmine, Lura, Zoil, Pamela, Gwen and Alberto! We will be contacting all of the winners this evening to collect shipping addresses. Congrats again and enjoy your goodies!

Filed under: jess on August 31st, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Over 1,000 entries! It is now noon here on CDT, so no more entries will be accepted. However, it will be a couple of hours before we hold the official drawing… we have to verify all 1,012 entries! For the curious: We will verify that each individual posted no more than 3 comments (see the rules below) If you came back later with a 4th or 5th comment, it will be deleted. We did this as we approved the comments, but being human and having over 1,000 comments leaves room for error! Once that is finished, we will randomly choose a number between 1 and … whatever our final # ends up being! Starting from the top, the person with that comment # will be the winner! We will post on the blog and send you an email right away letting you know the fantastic news!

So… enjoy your afternoon and we will be back soon to announce the newest VitaMix owner

Filed under: jess on August 31st, 2009 | No Comments »

We have had an absolute blast giving away some healthy and green goodies this summer – and true to our word, we have saved the best for last! While I love organic sheets, green bags, BPA free bottles and G Diaper starter kits, this one is an absolute must have in any healthy kitchen. For our grand finale, we are giving away…. are you ready for this? A Vita-Mix 5200 BPA free blender!! Retail value? Over $450!

If you are not familiar with the greatness of Vita-Mix, ask anyone that owns one – they are outstanding! Not only do they blend delicious green smoothies, they can chop veggies for salsa, mix soups and prepare frozen treats. It is perfect for just about every kitchen task!

Here’s the scoop: To enter, post a comment below (note: comment must be on the blog). Easy peasy. Want another entry? You can earn up to a total of three entries by linking to this post on your facebook page, blog or twitter acct. Once you post the link, come back here and post a comment showing us your link. At noon (CDT) on Monday, August 31st 2009, we will randomly chose the winner based on the numbered blog comments. You will be notified by email and we will post the results here on the blog.

For some fine print: When you post a comment (on this blog entry only), your email will be added to our super informative newsletter list. We email this list once every 4-6 weeks – or when this crazy busy homeschooling and working mama of four has a wellness tip that must be shared! Employees of Vintage Remedies and their immediate family members cannot enter the contest – sorry guys! And finally, as much as we absolutely love our international fans, the winner must provide us with a continental US address for shipping.

P.S. Did you come to the blog through a link on a friend’s blog / facebook page / twitter acct? After you enter the drawing, be sure to head on over to our main site (www.VintageRemedies.com) for some great wellness tips and resources!

Reminder: For the bonus entries, please post the actual link to your blog / facebook page / twitter acct! Otherwise we have to look you up to verify your entry! Thanks!

Filed under: jess on August 18th, 2009 | 987 Comments »

Do you have a copy of The Handbook of Vintage Remedies yet? If not, what are you waiting for? We are giving away FIVE free autographed copies today! Be one of the first 5 people to post a comment below and someone from our office will contact you for shipping details. Ready, Set…. GO!!!

**And if you are not one of the lucky 5, you can still snag an autographed copy with FREE shipping by using the code “autograph” through Aug 5th here: http://www.vintageremedies.com/vr/index.php/handbook-of-vintage-remedies

Filed under: jess on July 31st, 2009 | 11 Comments »