Kidney Stone Natural Cure

Doctors of modern Western medicine perhaps mean well, but there is much that we have forgotten from our Western traditions, and much to be learned from others.

I have had kidney stones since at least 1996, with my first hospitalization for them coming a few years later.I have had every kind of medical procedure for kidney stone removal that I am aware of: the basket they shove through your penis, through the bladder and up the ureter; lithotripsy; and invasive surgery. I have missed months of work waiting for hospital treatments over the years, and spent thousands of dollars on treatment. And yet every few years my stones reminded me that they were there, always lurking, ready and waiting to cause pain when they moved and potentially blocking the ureter, killing my kidney. The first time my ureter was blocked, I was the recipient of a stent - and I've never been the same since.

About a month ago I had another attack. I passed a stone on Saturday morning when I awoke, was quite excited and thus went about my day gleefully, but that night I became tired quickly and then the pain started. I couldn't move all Sunday. I did go to work on Monday, but wasn't fully productive and tired quickly. Tuesday I called in sick, staying in bed all day, rolling around in pain. Mostly I find the fetal position helps, but really, no position is good for any length of time.

I was determined not to go to the hospital, because I knew how long that process took, and what they could do for me in the interim: strong painkillers - no thanks! So then I was blessed with a thought... why not try herbs? So I got online and looked up what was good for kidney stones and drove to my local natural food store, The Pantry, in Mission, BC. I really shouldn't have been behind the wheel as I was preoccupied with the pain and probably swerving a bit. But I put my mind to it and reached the store. I could hardly stand and they had me sit. I asked for what I thought would be good and they got it for me. Then the owner of the store saw me and asked what was wrong; she recommended a couple of other things, and then I was on my way home. I hadn't eaten since Saturday afternoon, so having a bit of fruit juice really helped give me energy for the drive home.

So when I reached home the first thing I did was make a magnesium tea. I was shaking with the pain, but within just a few seconds of taking the tea, I was considerably calmed. It was an absolutely amazing feeling. It was almost like I had received a shot of morphine, but I wasn't cognitively impaired.

These are the other things which I purchased that I then made tea out of:

Celery seed - balances acid/alkaline; lowers uric acid; antiseptic; diuretic
Gravel root - expels gravel (stones) from kidney
Marshmallow - softens things up
Uva Ursi (Bearberry, & many other names) - powerful urinary antiseptic, diuretic; painkiller
Corn silk - relaxes ureter, prostate and bladder
Horsetail - excellent at expelling stones (not to be used if kidney is inflamed)
Chanca Piedra - from South America, meaning "stone breaker"

These things work... if you want to deal with your kidney stones... spend only a little money, or collect some of these yourself, and cure yourself with God's pharmacy!

I haven't passed a stone since starting on these; the stones are dissolving...

To the end, they will fight, kicking and screaming!

I cannot let this go by, since I posted a bit back about the new White House garden. The garden is to be free of agricultural chemicals (as all food should be). However, it seems that the agricultural chemical folks have taken exception to this. How sad their plight is... but even sadder will be their fate... unless they realize how they poison and destroy everything.

Of course, raw milk is available in B.C., too!

I recently became a shareholder in a cowshare operation in Chilliwack, British Columbia, called Home on the Range. The milk is expensive at (CAD)$17.50/gallon, but at least it is wonderfully available on this side of the border. Okay, the price is rather outrageous, it's about what we paid for organic heat treated milk in Korea (by the pint). But for the time being I'm willing to support the raw dairy movement here. Here's a good article describing the situation for Home on the Range.

In other excellent raw milk news, the lovely Susan, recently found a lovely Oregon cow to provide her with milk. The cow's name is Opal and her milk is fine, indeed. Sweet and rich (around 6%). Susan pays (USD)$10/gallon to Opal's caretaker. Susan is really enjoying the milk and hoping it will help her body~

It is really quite fascinating: on the West coast of North America there are 5 jurisdictions (4 U.S. states and 1 Canadian province), all with very different raw milk laws:

-Alaska: raw milk sales are illegal; cowsharing is legal (as of February 2009); "pet milk" sales are legal

-British Columbia: selling raw milk is illegal; cowsharing is done by about a dozen farms (from what I can tell), but most are given cease and desist order (which they don't comply with). There is a court battle looming, pending the judgement of the Michael Schmidt case in Ontario. Nobody here knows what "pet milk" is.

-Washington: raw milk dairies (and there are lots of 'em) are licensed to sell and distribute their milk by the state: this means you can walk into a grocery store and buy raw milk off the shelf, right next to other kinds of "milk products". Of note, local jurisdictions may prohibit raw milk sales. Also, raw milk delivery is legal.

-Oregon: goat and sheep milk sales are totally legal on-farm and in stores. Cow milk is limited to on-farm sales and the farmer musn't have more than 3 producing cows. Of note, state law prohibits advertising on-farm raw milk sales.

-California: raw milk is legal to sell on-farm and in stores. Of note, state law allows local jurisdictions to prohibit raw milk sales.


So, British Columbia is at the bottom of this pile, eh. Something's got to give soon here in B.C., with so much going on underground.

Raw Milk is Available in the Fraser Valley (Sumas)

Okay, I've been preparing a longer post about the raw milk situation in British Columbia, but it requires more research and time. So for now, let me at least put this out there for anyone who just wants to get real milk: it is legal to sell in Washington state stores. Today I purchased 4 gallons of raw milk @ 4.79 (USD) for each 1/2 gallon at the IGA grocery store just across the line from Abbotsford. It's in Sumas just a few hundred metres from the border on the right-hand side. They also have unpasturized beer, btw (Stone, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium).

The milk is from Jackie's Jersey Milk.


If you live in the valley and can't cross the border and want some... find me on Facebook~

Now here's some real change!

The new president of the United States has a sensible wife: she's putting in a garden. (NYT article) Now if only Gordon-Conwell Theological seminary would do the same... oh, the money we'd all save and the good food we'd have. As soon as it stops raining here on the West coast, I'll be getting my garden in.

Raw Milk, please

Why is raw milk illegal for sale in Canada? Oh, I know the answer to the question, but there are so many reasons why the answer is wrong. Raw milk is safe, healthy - and delicious!

I want to be a farmer. I guess I'm farming now... but I mean a real farmer... more on that later. For now, let me say that one thing I want to do as a farmer is sell raw milk. This is legal in many jurisdictions around the world. If you think it's something unsafe, fit only for nostalgia and underdeveloped nations, then please.... think again. Raw milk is legal for sale in several U.S. states, including California! The laws vary quite a bit, but one of my fondest memories of Maine is walking into a store and buying raw milk in a glass bottle that was produced on a horse-powered farm. Wow. That's not 100 years ago... it's right now - and I believe - the future, too.

For now, we have a hero in Michael Schmidt.

Someday soon, perhaps Canadian governments will allow freedom of choice for our food~

What a trip!

...and it's finally over. My, we were on the road for a long time!

To make the long story very short:

1. We left Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary without finishing (It wasn't a good place to be)
2. We bought a car (gasp!)
3. We got in the car and drove and drove and drove and drove, stopped for a while, then drove and drove and drove, and finally stopped again.

To elaborate a wee on No.3... We drove from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia, then to New York, then down the eastern seaboard to Florida, across the bottom of the U.S. to California, and then up the west coast to British Columbia, where Gordon worked on a farm, and Susan then went to Florida to work in a maternity home for teenagers. Well, a few months later, Gordon got on a bus, then his bike, then a train, then his bike, then a kind man's car, then the bus, then the train, and finally we met up again in Florida, and got in the car again... basically heading west via Tennessee. Again California, then up to Oregon for Susan where she now works as a nanny, and to British Columbia for Gordon where he again is working on a farm.

Oh, my, that is the condensed version of the past year. With so many miles that car is showing signs of wear... It was good to see most of North America - we sure learned a lot about what it looks like - and what people are like.

So, back in the land of blog we are. Peace~

Fall Weather

After a long hot, dry spell - that would be a drought - we finally had rain. Not enough, mind you, but at least it has kept some things alive.

And we are alive, too! It is a lovely season here in Massachusetts - autumn, that is. The weather is warm and great for studying outside. And that is what we do each and every day - study.

We study the Bible, Hebrew, Greek and Latin. What a lovely time it is~

God's Garden

One of the nicest things around the campus here at GCTS is the abundance of food that the Creator has supplied for us. It is also the most underutilized aspect of the campus, and perhaps the most ignored blessing of Providence in North America.

When we first arrived in June we were still able to pick a few dandelion greens and plantain for salads. All summer long dandelion and clover flowers have been available, too. In mid-summer we were eating as many blackberries as we could pick. We've made choke-cherry syrup from trees on campus and I'm in the middle of picking black cherries to make jelly this week.

This is one of the great joys of not owning a car - life is a slower pace so I am permitted to notice things that car-riders zoom by. We are enjoying riding our bikes around the neighbourhood - to church and to the stores. There really is no need for a car here!

At any rate we are blessed to be able to partake in the natural foods that the Lord has offered... and all without leaving campus. We look forward to the next few months bringing continued sustenance.

The Blog is Back~

Hellow Blogosphere... Gordon & Susan are, indeed, back... now that the summer courses are finished.

A short review. We left Korea. We travelled in Japan. We visited with Susan's folks, then Gordon's. Then we decided for sure on going to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and made the move to Massachusetts. It's been a wild past few months, but it was worth it! We got to see friends and family all over.

So I've just make it through my first 2 courses at GCTS: Hebrew I and Hebrew II. Grades will never be revealed for I believe this is either vain or self-deprecating~ But I could hardly have worked any harder. I did battle with poison ivy during the second week of each course. But by the time the second round came along I knew what to do to keep it at bay: super hot showers and lots of baking soda and calamine lotion (Oh, and lots of loving care from Susan!).

Earlier this week Susan finished her first two courses, as well: Theological German I and Theological German II. From what I understand, it wasn't very theological to say the least, but I'll let her tell that story.


There's so much to say... but I'll leave it there for now...

This is a photo of one of the highlights of the past few months.... Rhubard Pie that Susan made in Nova Scotia... mmmm... fresh rhubarb.