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The last year has been one of the worst for my personal health, with a slew of sinus infections and most recently an allergy diagnosis. Lil had her share of colds and Alex spent a good amount of time at the doctor dealing with his log splitting accident this year too. It wasn't a great one for our family who aspires to live naturally.

That's why as we head into the fall, we are making some changes to better our family wellness.

We are working on the preventative side by exercising as a family more often. We're taking long walks with the dogs as often as possible and having dance parties or doing floor exercises when the weather is poor. Lil and I checked out the Worthington Rec Center indoor pool last week based on the review by Cbus Mom. We'll definitely return when temperatures drop.

Lil and I made a chart to track how many days each family member eats five servings of fruits and vegetables. We are a slightly competitive family; charting our healthy food intake will certainly result in better eating.

We are also taking steps to prevent illness by ridding our home of allergenic carpet and soft furniture. A new linen washing routine will remove even more allergens. And we all have our minds on safety when Alex picks up the axe (his fancy new Wetterlings axe) these days.

On the reactive angle, we are stocking up on natural remedies for common winter concerns like sore throats and sniffles. We dried homegrown mint and chamomile for soothing teas. Some of our garden's chamomile flowers are soaking in raw honey for an all-natural cough syrup that actually works - honey has scientifically documented curative properties.

Only time will tell if our new efforts lead to better overall wellness. In the meantime, I'm curious: How do you maintain family health?

Don't forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Herbs are big and bushy around Central Ohio right now, which means it's time to think about drying some for the winter. Many people also grow herbs inside and we'll certainly try that, but indoor gardening remains difficult for me.

Here's how I dry big leafed herbs like basil, oregano and mint:

1) Pick whole stalk (or buy from the farmer's market)

2) Wash and pat dry

3) Hang by clothes pins on the clothes line in bright sun. If you don't have a clothesline, look for a sunny spot where air circulates well.

4) Bring in at night (to avoid dew re-wetting them)

5) Hang one more day

6) When herbs are completely dry (they will be crispy textured), bring inside

7) Use fingers to rub off the leaves

8 ) Package in labeled glass jars or ziploc bags

homegrown mint tea awaits us in winter

For more delicate herbs (thyme, chamomile), I modify the above steps by hanging them inside a cut up paper bag on the clothes line.

notice the tiny cut holes in the sides

The bag catches any little pieces that might dry and fall off. This is particularly important for chamomile, as the best tea is made from the flowers.

Come visit me on Saturday 12 - 3 at Wild Goose to make your own drying bag and take home a stalk of herbs to dry for yourself!