Convention Wrap-up: New products, Part 2

I am pretty sure I am even MORE excited to talk about this new stuff than you are to learn about it. I will try to control myself, though it will be difficult. Arborvitae oil. Arborvitae = Tree of Life. It is sourced in Washington State and has been used by the Native Americans for centuries. It is basically amazing. Some of its main properties are: Protecting against environmental and seasonal threats, Promoting healthy cell function,  Powerful cleansing and purifying agent, and Natural insect repellent and wood preservative. Read more about it HERE. Watch a quick presentation HERE.

Convention Wrap-up: New Products, Part 1

First, let me just say that going to the annual dōTerra Convention 2014 was one of the best things I have done this year! It was amazing! The amount of information and education I received in 3 days was incredible. I will try my best to convey a little bit of it to you, but it will be a challenge. I’ll try. The new products launched just a couple of weeks ago are: Arborvitae (Tree of Life) oil, Cardamom oil, Reformulated Breathe oil, Breathe drops, Terra Greens, OnGuard CORRECT-X First Aid ointment, OnGuard toothpaste samples, Verage Skin Care kit, HD Clear Skin Care kit, and the NEW petal diffuser (only $47 wholesale!).

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 7

Something that is absolutely essential to hormone health is getting plenty of Omega 3s. Unfortunately, due to the depleting nutrients in our natural food supply, it is difficult to get enough through food alone. I recently started giving this to my kids along with their A2Z vitamins every morning. It’s called IQ Mega. It tastes like Wild Orange. The texture is... Well, it’s pure oil, so, you know. The dose is 1 teaspoon a day. If you have a daughter, I would definitely recommend trying this out. Unless she’s a bit older and can swallow pills. Then I would recommend the regular Omega Complex softgel by dōTerra that comes as part of the Lifelong Vitality Pack. I take the vegan version, which does not contain fish oil, but contains lots of other omegas. At any rate, give yourself and your daughters enough Omega 3s and ALL of your hormones will thank you!

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 6

I’ve been saving one of my best-kept secrets for next-to-last. If only I had known about this power-house essential oil blend YEARS ago! Seriously. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a MUST HAVE! Clary Calm, monthly blend for women, is a complete life-changer! Admittedly, I was skeptical at first. You see, I normally don’t have too many symptoms. I don’t get too moody. I don’t get too emotional. I don’t have terrible PMS. Yeah, that’s what I thought until I tried using Clary Calm. Now I don’t have ANY of those things. At all. Ever. In fact, the downside to using it every single night, whether I need it or not, is that I am sometimes caught unprepared because, let me repeat, I HAVE NO SYMPTOMS! Do you know how life-altering that is?! Ok, I keep it on my nightstand and apply Clary Calm topically over my thyroid and across my abdomen. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I draw a small circle on my right abdominal area and draw a line across under my belly button, draw a small circle on my left abdominal area and then draw a line across above my belly button. Done. When you try this for the first time, PLEASE let me know how you feel after 30 days. You can read more about it HERE.

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 5

Emotional health is so important for kids, girls in particular. Your daughter should have one-on-one time with each parent as often as possible, preferably daily. Give her time to decompress after school, vent, unload all of the garbage piled on her during the day, and talk about friends. One thing I am working on right now is scheduling regular one-on-one dates for my kids. I can’t remember where I read it, but I recently read somewhere [probably online] that an easy way to remember when it’s their turn is to go on a date on their birth date each month. For example, my oldest daughter was born on the 3^rd, so we could go out together each month on the 3^rd. We have chosen to rotate and Mom takes her out on even months, Dad on odd months. Let us know what works best for you. Her hormones will thank you.

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 4

Remember what I mentioned before about being what you eat? Well, when it comes to hormones, you really, really are. What to eat lots of: Fruits and Veggies, Leafy greens, Whole grains. Endocrine disrupters: Soda [sugar AND chemical sweeteners], Dairy [concentrated cow hormones—we definitely do NOT any added hormones floating around in there!]. I would challenge anyone facing any hormone issues to avoid completely soda and dairy for 1 week. Let us know how it goes! Your hormones will thank you.

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 3

Sleep. Some girls like it more than others. We all need it. Hormonal girls need enough sleep! I’m talking, in bed by 10. Going to bed late and not getting enough sleep is a recipe for a hormone disaster. Remember that female [and all] bodies heal themselves, balance themselves and get themselves together at night while we’re asleep. We each have a built in hormone-balancer. Did you know that?! It’s called sleep. I can tell the difference in my hormones when I go to bed early and when I’m up way too late blogging. Try it. Her hormones will thank you.

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 2

One thing that has skyrocketed in the past few years is our Standard American Sedentary Lifestyle. I don’t know what else to call it except for plain sad. Kids need to run around, they need to play. Unorganized playing, organized sports, whatever they like is fine. The more girls [of all ages, might I remind you] sit, the more their endocrine [hormone] systems are disrupted. Excessive electronics are not good for kids and they are especially not good for hormones. So, first things first, to keep her hormones in check, let her run around and play, outdoors is better but indoors is acceptable. Her hormones will thank you.

Back to School – For GIRLS, Part 1

This coming week, I’m excited to discuss a much-needed topic. Girls, hormones, hormones, and more hormones. I have been researching the topic of hormones, females and essential oils for quite some time and have drawn some conclusions that I’d like to share. Boys, of course, also have hormones. I have not studied hormones, boys and essential oils quite as in depth, but I know there is lots of positive research out there. I don’t yet have any personal experience with it, so for now I’m sticking to what I know.

Let’s talk hormones. There are lots and lots of things that affect them. We’ll highlight the biggest culprits. We’re talking about endocrine disrupters. Your endocrine system includes all your hormones and hormone-producing organs [pituitary gland, thyroid, ovaries, etc.]. There are several endocrine disrupters that really, really, really mess things up. Let’s talk about those first. Her hormones will thank you.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 7

And now that I’ve spent the entire morning applying essential oils to my daughter’s entire body, 2 things have happened. First, she smells like a bouquet or buffet or something. Wow! Secondly, she is now late for school and it’s almost time for her to come home. :)

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 6

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning. another oil I would apply would be something citrus-y over her heart. Lemon, Wild Orange, or Citrus Bliss would be good candidates. I would apply a citrus oil of her choice and remind her to seize the day, to approach life with enthusiasm, to be kind and uplift others along the way, to feel happy and grateful about learning and about being with people. Do you notice how, for me, the physical and the emotional ailments and resources are very much interconnected? I have found through my own research and experience that they really are.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 5

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning, I would make sure to apply some DigestZen in and around her belly button. Although I would try to send her with a healthy lunch, she may drink some nasty water at some point. She may feel upset to her stomach due to something non-food related. She may feel nervous and have a hard time digesting her breakfast. Regardless of the cause, I wouldn’t want her tummy to hurt when there is something that can be done about it. HERE is a clip about DigestZen, the digestive blend.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 4

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning, the fourth oil I would apply before she left would be InTune. I would apply it behind both of her ears, a little bit down her neck. InTune helps me focus. It helps me remember why I’m at school in the first place. It helps me learn and retain information. It helps me control my impulses. Read a bit more about InTune HERE.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 3

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning, the third oil I would apply each morning would be Serenity on her other wrist. Then I would ask her to rub both wrists together. Serenity is a calming blend that helps me feel calm. Not like I am ready to go to sleep, but more like I am a confident person who does not need to feel anxious about what others think of me. I would want my daughter to feel this extra support as she faces the world each day. I think that the combination of Balance and Serenity is especially important for our children. Read HERE more about Serenity.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 2

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning, the second oil I would apply every morning would be Balance on one of her wrists. Balance is a grounding blend that helps me feel strong. Strong. Not like I can boss people around, but more like I am a person who makes her own decisions without caving to negative peer pressure. It helps me remember who I am and what I stand for. I would want my daughter to feel some extra support as she faces the world each day. If OnGuard is a protection against the germs found at school, then Balance is a protection against the emotional and dramatic germs found at school. Watch a short clip about Balance HERE.

Back to School: What OILS will help? Part 1

If I were sending my daughter off to school in the morning, the first oil I would apply every single morning would be OnGuard on the back of her neck and down her spine. OnGuard is a protective blend that wards off harmful bacteria that often causes illness. OnGuard has a fall/winter scent that I just love. Check out a short presentation HERE.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 7

Continue to take your vitamins. Getting all of those nutrients is of utmost importance when fighting illness. We will be discussing individual oils and additional things to do when you’re sick later. For now, get some fresh air, get additional sleep, additional water, eats lots of fresh produce, avoid sugar and dairy, use Breathe and OnGuard religiously, and take your vitamins.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 6

Now that your children hate me, there’s more! Stick with the OnGuard and Breathe on the bottoms of the feet. For any respiratory issues, apply Breathe to their chest, back, and back of neck. Be careful when applying to their face as it is strong and could cause eye irritation. For any illness symptoms at all, apply OnGuard down spine and possible on location of illness, depending where that happens to be. Remember, apply essential oils in the morning to prevent. Apply essential oils at night to heal. Our bodies do most of their amazing healing at night while we’re asleep.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 5

Eat more raw fruits and veggies. Raw produce contains necessary digestive enzymes. What that means for you is that your body doesn’t need to expend extra energy to digest them. It can then channel most energy into healing. Cut out sugar and dairy [even cheese]. I’m talking, you see a glimpse of a runny nose and you STOP the sugar and dairy. The tiniest stomach pain and you STOP the sugar and dairy. Read labels. If it has anything sugar-like or dairy-like in it, STOP IT!

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 4

Drink more water. Seriously. You’re drowning, I know. Up the water [not juice, not Gatorade, NOT MILK, just plain water] to as close to ounces in body weight possible. That means, if they weigh 55 pounds, aim for 55-60 ounces of water. This will aid their poor little body in flushing out the bad junk that has collected inside. A good rule of thumb: their urine should be clear. If it isn’t, they need to drink more water.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 3

Sleep. More. If he or she normally sleeps 12 hours each night, add a nap or try putting them to bed a half hour earlier. Maybe they aren’t quite ready to fall asleep, but a half hour of quiet reading time in bed will likely allow them to fall asleep faster than usual. Cut out some optional activities so that they can rest and relax [after running around outside, of course]. Remember, our bodies do most of their amazing healing at night while we’re asleep.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 2

Get outside! Unless your child is lethargic and sleepy constantly, send them outside to run around. Seriously. For some of you, this may sound counter-intuitive. I am a firm believer in parent intuition and what works for some may not work for others. But, stop and think about it for a minute. If being cooped up in a classroom with 20 to 30 other students helped all of that bacteria grow like a living Petri dish, what better way to get rid of it than running around outside. This serves many purposes. I will just mention a couple. First, it allows the fresh air to clear eyes, noses, mouths, throats, ears, and lungs. Second, the fresh air rejuvenates the body and actually boosts its ability to heal itself. Try it! It just might work.

Back to School Germs: What to do if you get SICK, Part 1

After all of the preventative tactics don’t work, what should I do if I happen to get sick? Or my kids get sick? Or my kids get sick, stop sleeping, wipe their noses all over me and I come down with it too?! This week's topic. First, what are some things that have worked for YOU?

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 7

I love these vitamins! How many of you give your kids a vitamin of some sort almost every day? I'll admit, I had never given my kids any vitamins until I tried these. I had just been researching our current food supply and the nutrients it does and does not contain. I came to a sobering conclusion and started taking a supplement along with a healthy diet and felt AMAZING! Then I thought, "If I feel this good taking this, I need to find something for my kids!" They love it. They tell me they feel good, more energetic. [Let's be honest, I'm not 100% sure that's a good thing.] But seriously, they feel great and act healthy, you know, like energetic kids.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 6

I would not be able to live healthy and happy without these two essential oil blends. Every single night, whether they need it or not, I apply OnGuard protective blend on one foot of each of my 3 kids. Yes, every night. On the other foot I apply Breathe respiratory blend. I love my kids. I want them to be healthy. I want their bodies to fight whatever germs they've run into during the day at night. I believe that OnGuard and Breathe together assist in that night-time mission. Last year none of the 3 had a cold, runny nose, flu, etc.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 5

You are what you eat, sort of. Do eat lots of fruit. Do eat lots of veggies. Do eat lots of leafy greens. Do eat a variety of food with a rainbow of nutrients. Do eat fresh produce in season. Do snack on all of the above. I like to set a bowl of cut up carrots or apples on the table for my kids [and me] to snack on all day. If it’s there, they will eat it.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 4

Drink lots of water. I mean, lots and lots. Water keeps us hydrated. Hydrated bodies are healthy bodies. Rule of thumb: Drink 1 ounce per pound in body weight each day. When you set the example for your kids, they will follow your lead.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 3

Sleep. Yeah, back to the old bedtime routine. Wasn’t summer great when kids were running around barefoot all evening and we would call them in at dusk (you know, 9pm)? Well, going back to school along with the change in season go hand in hand. In order for your body to fight all of those school germs, you need to rest. Kids need about 10-12 hours of sleep per night. I’m the mean mom who puts her kids to bed at 7pm during the school year. They wake up rested and refreshed and ready to learn and play.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 2

Once school starts, it seems that the endless summer days of running around, riding bikes and scooters, and playing outside come to a close. Unfortunately, being inside all day everyday doesn't help your body fight illness. Get out. Get some fresh air. Enjoy the weather before it starts snowing! Your immune system will thank you. I like to compare this to airing out the house after the long winter. After being cooped up inside all day, air your insides out by running around, swinging, sliding down slides, playing outdoor sports, etc. I like to have my kids run around outside from right after school until just before dinner. They love it and I love it.

Back to School Germs: How to PREVENT illness, Part 1

Everywhere in the United States, kids have returned to school. Public schools, charter schools, private schools, colleges, and universities have all resumed classes. Your children have advanced and are anxious to learn new things. Yay! One thing we often forget about is our sudden exposure to foreign germs. Boo! This week I talk about some ways to keep them from getting sick. Yay! Just like you, I’m a parent trying to do the best I can. I wish I did some of these things perfectly, but I am a work in progress. What are some things YOU do to keep you and your kids healthy?