Getting Healthier One Step at a Time
Quick Tip: Patchouli
It’s winter and the air is dry and that can take a toll on our skin. Try this to promote healthy skin:
Add 1-2 drops of Patchouli to your body lotion to help improve the appearance of your skin!! An added bonus is that the aroma of this oil is very relaxing… so adding Patchouli to your lotion will be good for your skin and your mind!!
#365DaysOfOils
Oh, Cedarwood essential oil, I do love thee!!! 
Yes, Cedarwood is one of my favorite essential oils… not only does it work great but it is VERY affordable as well (just $11.25 wholesale for a 15ml bottle)!! Cedarwood works great for sleep; it really helps my “mom brain” to be quiet at night so that I can get restful sleep. AND, it works great during the day to oxygenate my brain so that I can handle my day’s activities!! Not sure that I fully understand how it can help me to sleep AND help me to function better during the day… but that’s okay… it works and that’s what counts!!!
The graphic talks about sesquiterpenes… that’s a big, funny sounding science-y word and I’m sure you wonder what they heck it means. Sesquiterpenes are a hydrocarbon group that is found in essential oils. They stimulate the limbic system of the brain which helps to elevate our mood and helps us relax (overcome occasional stress). This explains why Cedarwood is relaxing and may help with focus. (For more information about the limbic system of the brain check out this previous post.)
Regardless of whether you learn the science behind HOW it works, just know that IT DOES WORK!!! Put a drop or two on the back of your head before you go to sleep AND again when you wake up in the morning!! This amazing oil will support you all day and all night!!!
#365DaysOfOils
Looking for a relaxing diffuser blend for a cold winter’s night? Try this one. I’ve been diffusing this in my bedroom at night and I think it is a lovely combination!
Winter Slumber
Sacred Mountain is a blend created by Gary Young when he was living in the city and having difficulty trying to find his own quiet space, so he decided to bring the mountains to himself! This blend helps to disconnect from the busy chaos of life. It also has a calming effect on children because of the pine essential oil it contains.
Lavender is known to be relaxing and calming to the mind and body. A perfect essential oil for bedtime!
#365DaysOfOils
One of my favorite essential oil recipes is Foaming Face Wash! I’ve been using this recipe for roughly 1 1/2 years and I LOVE how my face feels after I wash my face. It takes just a couple of minutes to make the recipe and it lasts for quite a while and it is cost effective (just $1.52 for a 4 oz. batch; I’ll give the breakdown below).
Foaming Face Wash (From “The Chemical Free Home” book by Melissa Poepping)
Combine all the ingredients in a foaming soap dispenser. Once you’ve replaced the top simply swirl the bottle to combine everything and you are ready to wash your face!! It’s really that easy!!
I also mentioned that it is cost effective. My calculations show that it is just $1.52 for a 4 oz. batch.
$1.52
* We ONLY use Young Living Essential Oils!! Young Living Essential Oils the ONLY essential oil company who can give you a Seed to Seal Guarantee (click here for more info on that) so I KNOW that the oils I am using for my family are pure and unadulterated!! If you would like to get your own Young Living Essential Oils, click here for more info on how you can do that.
#365DaysOfOils
Today is Inauguration Day here in the United States of America.
Today our new president takes office.
Today we step out of what we have known and move into a somewhat unknown future.
To encourage all of us to look to our future with hope and peace, today I will feature Young Living’s essential oil blend called Into the Future:
“This blend may help one leave the past behind in order to go forward with vision and excitement. The single oils contained in this blend are all invigorating and uplifting. So many times we find ourselves settling for mediocrity and sacrificing our own potential and success because of the fear of the unknown and what the future may or may not hold. This blend was formulated to support the emotions in helping us create the feeling of moving forward and not being afraid to let determination and that pioneering spirit come through. Living on the edge with tenacity and integrity brings the excitement of the challenge and the joy of success.” {Reference Guide to Essential Oils, Higley}
Into The Future Essential Oil is an excellent blend for moving forward into the future and leaving the past behind. It releases fear of the unknown or things we just don’t have control over. So, if this transition in our country is causing you stress or fear, maybe this oil could help you to move through those fears.
I don’t know what the future is for our country, but with this Into the Future essential oil blend I feel more prepared to look forward with hope, peace and anticipation!
In honor of National Sugar Awareness Week, I wanted to share an amazing tip for curbing sugar cravings: Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil!!
Sometimes I get these crazy cravings for sugar… and they can be hard to resist sometimes. I had weaned myself down to a just one piece of candy instead of a handful of cookies, however, sugar is still sugar… and sugar likes to take up residence in my midsection if I eat too much of it. :-/ So, I am super thankful that I learned this great tip:
I have tried this several times and it really works well for me. By putting the oil on the tip of my tongue I get the flavor of the peppermint without any heat or discomfort. It also freshens my breath and enhances my alertness!! Definitely a win-win!!
NOTE: I do not recommend trying this with another brand of oil; not all essential oils are labeled for internal or dietary use so be sure to read the label.
#365DaysOfOils
SEED TO SEAL SPOTLIGHT “…Because citrus juice has been proven to cause tooth enamel erosion, there have been some questions about the effect of citrus essential oils on teeth as well.
As part of Young Living’s unwavering commitment to quality and safety, our Research and Development team — led by renowned oral care expert and former Section President of the American Association of Dental Research Dr. Michael Buch — performed a series of laboratory tests to determine if citrus essential oils, like citrus juices, significantly lower pH levels in the mouth.
Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, Orange, and Grapefruit essential oils and juices were all tested.
Each of the fruit juices was found to be at least 10X more acidic than its corresponding Young Living essential oil. In fact, the Young Living essential oils caused only minimal pH changes to the water (averaging less than 1pH unit.)
The bad news? Citrus juice does indeed erode tooth enamel over time.
The good news? It’s safe to continue enjoying citrus taste by adding Young Living essential citrus oils to beverages instead of drinking a glass of orange juice or by squeezing a wedge of lemon into water.”
– Source: The Essential Edge, April 2016, Young Living Essential Oils
WHY DRINK WATER WITH LEMON VITALITY ESSENTIAL OIL? The benefits of lemon includes the naturally occurring constituent limonene; and Lemon essential oil has cleansing and purifying properties. Drink in your water every day and reap the benefits!
#365DaysOfOils
Do you live in an area that has been affected by the ice storms? Are your back and shoulders sore from breaking up all that ice? If so, help is on the way in the form of Panaway essential oil blend!!! This is a great oil to use for soothing muscles after outdoor activities or a workout session! Not only does it work great, but it has an amazing wintergreen scent.
Best way to use Panaway for sore muscles: combine a drop of Panaway with a few drops of carrier oil (such as coconut or jojoba oil, but not vegetable or canola oil) and soothe it over the area that needs attention! Repeat as often as needed!
One of the things I like about this oil different from Deep Relief (wish is a great oil for occasional pain as well) is that Panaway includes Helichrysum. Helichrysum is known for helping to increase circulation to the site of application, reduce scarring, control bleeding, improve hearing, as well as reducing pain! This is a great oil blend especially when you consider all the things that helichrysum can do.
#365DaysOfOils
Today our nation is remembering Martin Luther King Jr. One of the many things MLK Jr. is remembered for is his, “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. While MLK Jr. was talking about ending racism and calling for equality in civil and economic rights, I hope that we can also take a little time today to reflect upon our own dreams!! Do you have a dream? Do you have something that you are passionate about, that puts a fire in your belly? Something that motivates you to get out of bed each day? Something that at the end of your life you will have peace in knowing that you did all you could to realize that dream? I hope that you do; everyone should live with that kind of passion!
One essential oil blend that Young Living has that can help people with their dreams is Dream Catcher! “This blend may help to open the mind, to enhance dreams, and to help one visualize their dreams and hang onto them until they become a reality. It may also serve to protect one from the negative dreams that tend to steal our vision. Children love the smell of this blend, and it may even help them to sleep more soundly.” (Reference Guide for Essential Oils, Higley) This oil isn’t in my essential oil “tool box” yet but I am planning to add it this month. One of my sons could use the sleep support… and I would like to have it for those times when my dream seems out of reach! Sounds like an amazing blend that we could all benefit from!
I believe that God has put a dream in each of our hearts. If you don’t know your dream, please search deep in your soul until you find it!! Then, chase that dream with all your heart and soul! God wouldn’t put it in your heart and mind if He couldn’t put it in your hands!!! DREAM BIG!!!
#365DaysOfOils
