Tag: health

essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Why I Chose Young Living

Essentially Better Living1 Comment
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In 2013, I experienced the bittersweet paradox of losing my mom to Alzheimer’s and giving birth to my daughter in the same year. It was then that I started pursuing a healthier, more natural way of living. I was searching for natural remedies to help promote memory for my mom before she passed, while at the same time learning healthier habits during my pregnancy and for my new baby following her birth. Since then, I have become passionate about health and wellbeing for myself, the ones I love, and really for everyone.

This was the beginning of my essential oils journey and I continue to use the protocols I that I learned during that difficult season of my life today. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, always building and expanding on my knowledge of essential oils and wellness and sharing it with others. My personal mission is to promote natural health and wellness options to others and educate about harmful chemicals found in our daily products that are so heavily promoted and sadly trusted world-wide. Media and popularity evoke a feeling in us that what is common is normal and therefore safe. I want to challenge you to see it different: What’s healthy should be our normal, not what’s popular.

We have normalized antibiotics. When my girls were little, antibiotics seemed to be doctors’ answer to every ear infection and virus that we encountered, but I was simultaneously reading and learning about how too many prescribed antibiotics can weaken the immune system, impacting the gut microbiome. I realized they were annihilating the good bacteria as well as the bad, and making my children more susceptible to future illness. It’s why your child may be given an antibiotic only to immediatly catch another virus. I’ve seen it over and over with friends’ kids.

This led me to discovering THIEVES and a host of other immune system building protocols. This also led to me becoming the guardian of the threshold of my home – mindful of the foods we were eating and products we were using. Understanding that the air we breathe and what we put on our skin matters as much as the food we consume. The best change that you will make for your family is becoming discerning and skeptical about the products marketed to you.


This includes FRAGRANCE and PROCESSED FOODS. If you are wondering “if these are so bad, why are they allowed to be sold?” I have BILLIONS of reasons for you, and it is spelled M-O-N-E-Y. We are the least healthy generation that has ever lived on this planet. Our grandparents and their parents ate from the earth. They worked and moved and exercised all day long. They did not have the fertility issues that we have – they did not have hormone disrupting artificial fragrance (read that again). Yes, artificial fragrances can disrupt hormones and may impact fertility. Endocrine disruptors, including phthalates and parabens, found in many scented products, can interfere with hormone function, potentially leading to reproductive problems. 

Past generations didn’t even have access to all the drugs that we have. They relied on herbs and botanical tinctures that God put here for us. Why is it that people are so trusting of man-made drugs, but skeptical and downright resistant to the oldest pharmaceutical available – natural and plant based options?

I was particularly awakened to the impact artificial ingredients and food sensitivities can have when our oldest daughter (who is now a teen) struggled with severe and frequent migraine headaches. She showed dramatic improvement after we tried diet alterations (stemming from sensitivity to sugar, reactions to artificial colors and not drinking enough water). To protect her and our family, I became even more determined to be mindful of what we ate and brought into our home.

Young Living has ESSENTIALLY developed a non-toxic alternative for every toxic product we have in our homes. This thoughtful and innovative company has checked so many boxes for our family: 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils (we use oils instead of meds for most physical ailments and especially to PREVENT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE), bath and skincare products (from Lavender Lotion to Satin Mint Facial Scrub), non-toxic cleaner (Thieves Cleaner), high quality supplements. Young Living has became my one-stop shop for all things natural and has continued fill this need for our family for almost ten years now.

I continue to pursue a better lifestyle and live life by a mantra “things are getting better all the time.” We are constantly seeking out more real food and less ultra-processed foods. Maintaining a chemical free home something I will strive for as long as I live (I still have a lot to learn and many more changes to make!). As a result, I’m always seeking healthier options and research on improving health because we will never know it all, and there is always more to learn. You can be sure that as I do, I will be sharing it with others.

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Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher
health · inspiration · personal development · self help · teaching

Achieve Work-Life Balance as a Teacher

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Over the years as a teacher, I have observed my colleagues stay at school way into the night hours, take stacks of work home, and complain they have no time for themselves or their families. Some even come to school to work on the weekends. They struggle with home-work balance, finding time to be a great parent, teacher, friend, family member. Their workload takes its toll on their mental and physical health. If there is a complement I consistently receive from other teachers, it’s that I have good home-work balance. Part of this stems from placing a priority on my inner peace above and beyond else, but there also are many habits and protocols I have put into place over the years to accomplish this. I realize there are countless blogs and posts on self care, but this one is for my teacher friends.

Set boundaries.

Teaching can consume all of your time if you allow it to. There is always something else to do! You have to start by setting some time boundaries. Now, I am not one of those teachers who spend all their time at school, but nor am I one who gets there at the last minute as buses are unloading and driving off as buses pull out. I come in an hour before kids and often stay an hour after my contracted day. I am motivated to be a great teacher and I love my students! But I also love my family and protecting and guarding my own mental and physical wellbeing. You will never look back ten years from now and think “I wish I spent more time at work,” but you may wish you spent more time with your family, chasing your dreams and taking care of your health.

When you’re thinking about setting time boundaries, set a time that you can be consistent with and agree with yourself that you will stop working and leave at that time daily. For me, the school day ends at 2:30 and I am committed to leave at 3:30. That is a personal time boundary to set for yourself that allows you to get your work done, but also have time for your family and for yourself.

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

You have also probably heard the expression that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Some of the things you should consider doing to fill your cup are:

  • Exercise (bonus points if this includes a yoga class once a week)
  • Go to a spa, get a massage, or go to the infrared sauna once a week (*stay tuned* – future post topic)
  • Allow yourself to indulge in a hobby whether that’s reading, writing, art, or playing an instrument
  • Get outside. Work in the garden. Take a neighborhood walk or go for a hike – make it a point to get outside and get some sunlight.
  • Make a point to go outside and get some sunlight EVERY DAY during your lunch break or planning at school. This helps your circadian rhythm and will help you sleep through the night. Hit me up in the comments if you want to know more about circadian rhythm or you can Google it.
  • Start taking a magnesium supplement. This will also help promote sleeping through the night.
  • Consider quitting drinking – that’s a whole different post.

My list is a little different than your typical “self-care list.” That’s because TRUE self care means taking care of yourself. Not filling yourself with gluten or breathing in artificial fragrance from scented candles. Not lounging on the couch for hours and binging shows. Not coming home and napping which disrupts your natural circadian rhythm and is no doubt the reason you can’t sleep at night.

Redefining self care.

While some think of self care as comfort, true self care means you’re improving your health and not detracting from it. True self care means taking care of yourself. If you get on Pinterest and type in “self care,” you’ll no doubt see suggestions like binging your favorite show, napping, having a glass of wine, enjoying your favorite comfort food or lighting scented candles (learn more about exposure to artificial fragrance here). However these all lower your immune system or interrupt your sleep. Take this challenge if you wouldn’t mind humoring me: list the things you do for self care and make a two column table beside it. Label one column “raises my immune system” and the second one “lowers.” If you go back and reread my list of self-care items, they are basically exercise, getting sunlight exposure, getting extra sleep during the night, and eating healthy. These all BOOST the immune system.

We find time (and energy) to do the things that matter to us.

If you are mentally pushing back, thinking how can you take a walk or exercise when you are exhausted from the school day, I hear you! Me too! But that’s the thing and the mindshift change you have to make. YOU GO ANYWAY. I rarely feel like going, but once I’m there I enjoy the routine and I feel AMAZING afterward. I think we mistakingly think of exercise as energy draining, but in actually it is life-giving! You will sleep so much better and you will feel so much stronger and more energized the next day. You will feel proud of yourself for doing it and more confident because your clothes will fit better.

Better sleep, better life.

The amount and quality of your sleep are paramount to your overall mental and physical health. Quality sleep belongs in this post because it’s a time boundary you need to set for yourself and a priority you have to set as well. Make sure that you are going to bed early enough to allow yourself the change to get 8 hours of sleep or rest. The big three that help me go to sleep and stay asleep are taking a magnesium gummy before bed (I like these), diffusing lavender and cedarwood in your bedroom, and temperature – keep your space cool and pile on extra blankets as needed. If you struggle with either going to sleep or staying asleep, I would encourage you to read my post on quality sleep, as there is much more to this than what I am sharing here.

Do your work at work (and how you can do this better.)

I VERY RARELY take any work home with me. The number one way I’m able to accomplish that is by setting planning, lunchtime and before/after school boundaries. In short, I close my door. Now a student here or there may need me and knock on my door, but for the most part, just by closing my door I’m able to work uninterrupted. This is not to be antisocial, but it gives me the time that is the topic of this entire post. I have also realized over the past few years as I have pinpointed my stressors and worked to minimize them, that interruptions are very high on the list. By setting the closed door boundary, I have minimized my interruptions, increased my productivity, and lowered my stress level.

Right or wrong, I eat in my classroom. I’m able to multi-task and get papers graded and recorded while I eat. My lunch is typically composed of finger food so it’s easy for me to be able to eat while I work. Then, as I mentioned earlier in this post, I make sure to get sunlight during this time. I set a timer to go off 8 minutes before students return. This gives me time to walk outdoors to the nicer faculty bathroom and wash my hands using nice hot water. There’s also a water bottle filling station there so I can refill my water bottle with ice and cold water.

Whether you are a teacher or not, a parent or not, the strategies and boundaries shared in this post can help anyone who is wanting to improve their sleep, energy, time management and quality of life. Please share your favorite tip in the comments and let me know if you have other suggestions for how teachers can set better boundaries and prioritize themselves.

Top 10 Life-Changing Young Living Products
essential oils · health · natural lifestyle

Top 10 Life-Changing Young Living Products

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

I sat down to make a list of my top 10 Young Living products, and ended up with a list that was 30+ items long!

Asking me to pick my favorite oil or Young Living product is like asking me to pick my favorite child. It’s not really possible because I love them all differently, and for different reasons! However, I made the attempt.

To narrow it down to TEN, I set some criteria. I made a web and categorized all of my favorites by use. Then I really thought through which ones have been the most life-changing, most frequently ordered, have multiple uses, and why I used each of them. After MUCH contemplation, these are the ten that think I love the most.

  1. Lavender Lotion. If I stopped using oils today, or started getting oils from another company, this is the product I would continue to buy from Young Living. My whole life I have struggled with dry itchy skin, patches of eczema, cracked hands and heals and no lotion has really made a difference. This lotion is everything. I always keep a bottle at home and at work. When it gets to be half empty I go ahead and order a backup. No more eczema patches, and as a math teacher, I am a HAND MODEL. I have students watching my hands all day long. I cannot have haggard, ratchet looking hands. This lotion keeps my hands and feet soft and smooth, and I think, younger looking! You know how most lotions you apply, only to feel the need to reapply a half hour later or even sooner? Not this one. It is long lasting too! Learn more about Lavender Lotion here.
  2. Thieves Cleaner. This ONE cleaner replaced so many cleaners in our home that were full of harmful chemicals. It’s a concentrate, so not only does it last forever, but each 32 oz spray bottle that I mix up costs pennies, so it saves us a ton of money every single month. What did it replace? Pretty much every cleaner in our home. And when I switched to from using Clorox wipes in my classroom to using Thieves Cleaner, my students with asthma comment that my classroom is the one they feel safe in and that they can actually breathe. That is huge! Read my post on Thieves Cleaner and it’s many uses here. I also did a whole Ditch and Switch series if you are interested in making the shift to a chemical free home.
  3. Thieves Essential Oil. This oil. It is the one I reach for if myself or anyone in my home falls below the wellness line. We are diffusing it, applying it (diluted), adding it to our epsom salts bath, and personally I am adding it to a capsule or making a tea. I have an entire post on Thieves as well. It belongs in every home. I feel the need to add that if you are a DoTerra user and you are thinking “oh that’s basically OnGuard,” I disagree. I have tried OnGuard in the diffuser and topically and 1) it doesn’t smell as wonderful to me and 2) Thieves is the original and OnGuard is a copy. It’s like if you want Coca Cola and someone hands you a Sam’s Cola. If you would like to read more about the many uses and applications for Thieves, I wrote this one on common uses, and lesser known uses in this post.
  4. Lavender Essential Oil. I have indeed bought more bottles of this oil over the past 10 years than any other. The reason I know this is because I do a strange thing – I keep my empty oil bottles. There are SO many more lavender bottles than any other. That’s because lavender is the most versatile of all essential oils. It has been referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of oils. It’s good for allergies, skin, hair growth, sleep and anxiety just to name a few. It has dozens of uses. You can read my blog post on lavender here to learn about even more uses. Be cautioned about using just any lavender. Lavender has no regulation and anyone can slap a lavender essential oil label on a bottle and sell it. Lavender that you find on Amazon or at Walmart likely has no health benefit and is really just lavender fragrance. Fragrance itself is harmful and a whole other conversation for another post. If you want real lavender that satisfies the health claims I am making here, make sure you purchase from a company who has their own farms, grows the plant and distills the oil themselves – Young Living is the only company that does all of that.
  5. Valor Essential Oil. I am honestly surprised that this one is on my list. It didn’t make my original cut. I had to not only include it in my top 10, but put it higher on my list because of one word: VERSATILITY. Once I started thinking practically about what I use from Young Living and started list making what I use most often and why, this one appeared on EVERY list. It’s my go to for: back pain (it’s actually called “chiropractor in a bottle” by many), TMJ! Apply on jawline at bedtime. NO. MORE. TEETH GRINDING. Nerves/Anxiety – it’s in my Liquid X roller which will be the topic of an upcoming post. Valor + 4 other oils in combination have completely calmed this previously anxious girl. Valor also helps so much with SLEEP. And maybe one of it’s stranger uses is that it helps stop SNORING. How weird is that? Don’t take my word for it. Apply to the big toes of the person in your life who is snoring and you can thank me for this life changer.
  6. Life 9. I was reminded of the power of this AMAZING probiotic. I have tried other probiotics in effort to save money, but I would just go back to being bloated, having worse lactose intolerance and gluten issues, and just being backed up. I would also go back to feeling more sluggish overall. My most recent testimony is that in the past year I have hit menopause. I gained weight and inches in my middle. None of my pants fit anymore. I started watching what I ate more closely and working out daily but it didn’t help. I would cry at least once a week over it, mourning the youthful figure I once had and wondering if it was gone forever. I sat down one day and brainstormed if there was anything else I was or wasn’t doing. I had stopped taking Life 9 because of money. I had spent a couple of years trying every other probiotic under the sun just to cut cost. Then I went to a small local Young Living event last month and talked one on one with a Young Living exec who works in the supplement department. He asked me if I was taking Life 9 and when I said no, he asked why in the world not. He said to do that one thing and watch the difference. The next day I started taking Life 9 again. I have lost an inch if not two in my waist just in a few weeks. No more muffin top, back rolls, my old pants are fitting. The waistband of my leggings and joggers aren’t rolling down anymore. I’m having much greater bowel movements (sorry, not sorry if that’s TMI!) I am just blown away by the very recent difference I’m seeing, especially considering the fact I haven’t been able to exercise as much in the past few weeks due to my children’s busy schedule as well as my own. The Young Living exec said the difference (which I already knew and had forgotten) is that all YL supplements are made with essential oils which help make sure the body uses the supplement entirely. The addition of the oils whose molecules are tiny help make sure the supplement travels throughout the body. Over the counter probiotics are often not used by the body at all and just get expelled through our urine. The addition of the essential oils is crucial to making sure the body fully uses what we are putting in it, much the same way you should take a turmeric supplement that has black pepper (curcumin) otherwise you are just peeing it out. The 9 different probioitic strains are the exact ones we need for a healthy gut. We NEED good bacteria and not to take anti-biotics! Healthy gut goals! 75% of our immune system is located in the gut folks. End of probiotic Ted Talk.
  7. Copaiba Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner. This pair was such a great find and game changer and YL favorites of mine! Since we went chemical free in our home and all-in using essential oils, I have developed an intolerance for fragrance. Artificial fragrance burns my nose and makes my throat close up. Sadly, most store bought shampoos and conditioners have very strong artificial fragrance added. I was on the search for a shampoo and conditioner that smelled great but no artificial fragrance added, would clean and condition my hair, were absent of harmful chemicals like pthalates, and didn’t leave my hair frizzy (I have wavy, almost curly hair). That’s a tall order! I have tried dozens and dozens over the years, and this pair is the only set I have found that checks all of those boxes.
  8. Regenolone Lotion. This one also makes the cut because of it’s versatility. Attention anyone with arthritis, knee pain, back pain, painful bunions, healing stitches or deep cuts. As I’m contemplating how to explain to you what Regenolone is, I realize it’s going to sound a little bit like a miracle potion, and I would say that it is! Re-gen-o-lone re-gen-er-ates skin, tissue, cartilage. All I know is that before I started using it I had severe arthritis in my wrists, almost unbearable back pain that made me a huge grouch to be around, knees that ached and crackled when I would scale a set of stairs, and the most painful bunions that would only allow me to wear sneakers. When I use it WITH CONSISTENCY, there is no more crackling or pain in my knees, no back pain or sciatic pain in my legs, my wrist pain is almost a memory and my feet are feeling great and visibly look better! I have recently also discovered it helps with healing scars. I have had the deepest darkest C-section scar for years that I was hugely self-conscious of. It would even hurt from time to time when I lean against the edge of a bathroom or kitchen counter. I have noticed the pain minimize and the scar I swear is getting smaller and less visible! I will keep testing what it can do, but if I need any part of my body made new, I’m putting this on it!
  9. Kidscents Line. This may be cheating a bit, because this line has dozens of products, but there is no way I could pick just one of them for my top ten. It was such a game changer as a busy mom when I discovered this ready-made line of rollerballs for kids as well as chemical free bath gel, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste! And they are all potent enough to use for adults! When I first started using oils, I went all-in and did all the DIYS. For me, the longer I use oils, the fun and excitement of making rollers and products myself wore off, and I wanted something easy and ready made. Enter Kidscents line! Snifflease, Tummygize, Sleepyize, Owie, Geneyus and Kidpower, and they all do what their name implies. The Kidscents line is not only what I recommend to friends with kids, but anyone who is apprehensive about diluting and making rollers themselves. These are READY TO GO, gentle enough for littles, but potent enough for adults! If I get a cut or scrape, I am grabbing Owie. If I want a good night sleep I’m applying or putting Sleepyize in the diffuser (each of the Kidscents oils are available in roller form and regular oil bottles). If my tummy is upset, I’m putting Tummygize on my belly. Can’t focus? Geneyus. Need courage or to soothe anxiety? Grab Kidpower. Runny or stuffy nose? Snifflease. Whether you have kids or not, you need this set in your home. All the relief, only oils have NO SIDE EFFECTS or medicine head!
  10. Lavender Lip Balm. I have tried so many lip balms and chapsticks over the years. For the longest, EOS and Carmex were my go-to. But then I learned about all of the harmful ingredients in Carmex and the toxins in artificial fragrance and flavors in EOS products. And we are putting this on our mouths and licking it off! How about a lip balm with a list of ingredients that we can pronounce and find in nature, that is not only chemical free, but actually heals your lips so you don’t have to apply as often? Have you ever noticed that the more you apply products like Chapstick, the more you seem to need Chapstick? If you will try this lip balm you will never go back. I have one in my purse, my desk drawer, in my car, by the night stand, in the bathroom and for each of my children! THE. BEST. EVER.

If you are reading this and already a Young Living user, I’m curious if you agree with my list. What products would you add? If you are new to Young Living, what are you excited to try? You can get started with your very own account, get 24% off all products, and place your first order here.

If you are wondering why you should consider using essential oils and make the switch to a more natural lifestyle for your family, and why I chose Young Living specifically, I explain all of that in this post.

Note: I am a Young Living Brand Partner and may receive compensation via any links shared here.

Brain health · essential oils · natural lifestyle

Why Green Omega 3?

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment
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You may already be aware that Omega-3 is a supplement that every single person should be taking. Eleven years ago, I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s. Had she taken Omega-3 sooner, it could have potentially added years to her life and quality of life. That is why I want to do everything in my ability to educate others about why this taking an Omega-3 supplement is so vital and beneficial; I am passionate about promoting brain health.

Why Omega-3? Sixty to seventy percent of the brain is made up of fat similar to fish oil, one reason why everyone should be taking fish oil or algae supplement (yes, algae is an equally viable source of Omega-3!) I have been taking Omega-3 faithfully for years, since I learned how much it supports brain health and development. I even increased my intake while I was pregnant and nursing both girls.

Fish oil vs. Algae sourced Omega-3. All Omega-3 supplements are not created equal. The doses of fish oil we really should be taking are pretty high by normal standards. You want to be taking Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates. This type of fish oil exceeds rigorous standards for purity, meaning that toxins have been removed to prevent gastrointestinal issues that occur with lower grades of fish oil. Lower grades of fish oil can also become rancid and be harmful to the body. However, you are not going to find Ultra-Refined EPA/DHA Concentrates in a health food store or supermarket, because the extra refining makes it too expensive. Also, many people struggle with consistently taking Omega-3 due to the horrible fishy aftertaste.

Green Omega 3 from Young Living meets this rigorous standard, but sources from algae instead of fish, so no fishy after-taste! If your primary objection to taking Omega-3 is the fishy aftertaste, but recognize the importance of taking Omega-3, Green Omega is the solution that you’ve been looking for. Because it is sourced from algae, there is less impact on the marine ecosystem, and reduced potential for marine contaminants.

Green Omega 3, like all Young Living supplements, is infused with essential oils. The essential oils prevent bacteria and oxidation, as well as help our bodies to more efficiently utilize the vitamins and nutrients contained in our supplements. There is so much science behind incorporating essential oils into supplements to help our bodies fully process them! You can Google this. Sadly, most store bought lower grade vitamins and supplements pass straight through our bodies – directly to our urine. Basically a waste of money! I don’t know about you, but I spend way too much money on supplements to just pee them all out. I want to make sure my body is utilizing every single one that I take.

When I made the switch from my old store brand fish oil to this high quality supplement, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my clarity of thoughts and memory! I also have an excellent essential oils protocol that I follow for a clear, focused mind.

And, if you are a Young Living member, it makes good sense to get your oils and favorite products from Young Living through Essential Rewards so you are earning points to get your supplements for free. Shop here to grab Green Omega and my favorite oils for supporting brain health. I have learned over time that I earn tons of Loyalty Reward points from Young Living by purchasing all of my favorite oils and products each month. In turn, I use those points to pay for ALL of my supplements! So buy your lavender, Thieves, Thieves Cleaner, lemon, peppermint, Stress Away, Thieves Cough Drops, Lavender Lotion through your monthly order; earn points from your order and spend it on your favorite supplements, getting them for free!

You are going to be hearing more and more from me about brain health! So stay tuned!

What gives you energy?
health · natural lifestyle

What gives you energy?

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Our energy level is so important to doing all the things that need to be done in a given day, and how we feel in our bodies. When our energy is low, life can feel like a huge struggle. But the good news is that there are so many variables are within our control that we can impact to increase our energy level on a daily basis.

Being outdoors is life giving. Sunlight exposure releases seratonin in the brain which is one of the happy chemicals in our brain – mood boosting. You can track your time outside on your devices and try hit at least 100 minutes a day, even in the winter months. On rainy days it doesn’t rain ALL DAY. So you may find even on those days you can carve out some outdoor time. You have to make it a non-negotiable for yourself, just like any other habit that you want to stick. Getting sunlight in the early morning hours (during/after sunrise) is so important. You can set an alarm on your phone that goes off every morning 10 minutes before sunrise. Even days you are at work you can step out and take a short 5-10 minute walk. You can do the same thing at lunch and try to after work as well. Daily sunlight exposure also helps with our circadian rhythm which impacts our sleep!

Sleep is so important to energy level. During the work week, 8 hours may not always be realistic realistic, but you can try to shoot for 6 and a half to 7 at a minimum. On days you don’t work, strive to hit that 8 hour mark. You can track this on your devices as well. You will sleep better when you limit your fluids before bedtime, keep it cool in the room but put on lots of covers. Strange things like wearing socks and certain comfy joggers may impact your sleep. Wearing pants that stay in place is helpful (that don’t ride up to your knee) but also cotton or other lightweight fabrics are helpful. You can diffuse and wear essential oils like lavender and cedarwood. Cedarwood and magnesium are everything for sleep. A total game changer. Reading before bed helps too. Put your phone in “red mode” and airplane mode. Also try to stay off your phone while laying in bed. You should train your brain that the bed is where we sleep, not where we eat, watch TV, or scroll on our phones. This may be far from your norm but I promise it helps!

Exercise can make so much difference for your energy level. After a long day at work, it can be so tempting to go home and collapse on the couch and binge Netflix. It may even feel intuitive to go take a nap! But you will learn different. Once you have made exercise after work a non-negotiable, your energy level will be so much better. Not just after your workout, but the following day. The days you exercise, you will sleep better, and when you sleep better, you feel so much better the day after! I will be honest – at first it will be HARD, but what they say about it taking 30 days to form a habit is so true! Once it’s your habit, it will become automatic. If you don’t already have a practice of daily exercise, I recommend starting with a walk around your neighborhood. And the first week will be the hardest. The most difficult part of starting an exercise practice is pulling on those workout clothes. So just do it! Once you’ve gone to the trouble of changing clothes, it’s happening!

Eating healthier can be another game changer. Anytime you consider eating something, ask yourself if you will feel better or worse after eating it. When you become more mindful of everything you put in your mouth, and start looking at it through this lens, everything will change. If you have an intolerance to certain foods like gluten or lactose, it may become easier for you to say “no” to those foods because you will in time care more about how you feel! If you don’t have an intolerance to any foods, there are surely foods that you can think of that make you feel better afterward, or worse afterward. Eat more of the things that make you feel good and energized and less of those that don’t. Plain and simple.

Finally, spend time with people who fill your tank. These can be friends or family members, but you know who the people are in your life that just make you feel better when you are around them.

These may seem common sense, but they are also all things that require intentionalilty, and are worth making a priority. As you create better habits and a healthier lifestyle, you will find that these life choices will give you more energy and improve your life as a whole.

Processing Negative Emotions in the Body
essential oils · health · natural lifestyle · personal development

Processing Negative Emotions in the Body

Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Let. It. Go. Anger, hate, resentment – all the negativity.

Did you know that each of our emotions are stored in specific organs of our body? Anger, for example, is stored in the liver. If you think about it this makes a lot of sense. Think of the term “disease.” Broken down it is literally “dis-ease,” meaning we are not at ease. Negative emotions then present themselves as illnesses in our bodies. This means the more emotional healing that we do can result in physical healing and better health overall.

Each emotion we have gets stored in a specific organ in our bodies according to traditional Chinese medicine. Learn more here.

Let’s take a look at anger, specifically, how we can process it in a healthy way, and actually release it from our bodies. Because it is stored in the liver, a focus on liver health is imperative. The liver serves as the body’s filter, so the fewer toxins, alcohol and drugs that we ingest the better. The more water and whole foods we take in the better. It’s kind of common sense, but a healthy liver is going to benefit you having a more peaceful life experience if that is the home to anger!

Anger can be released by the use and application of specific essential oils. There are blends of these oils for this exact purpose. Three of my favorites are Juvaflex, Release, and Trauma Life. Trauma Life is great for helping to bring suppressed emotions to the surface so that you can then process them. Release is good for releasing negative emotions in general, while Juvaflex targets liver health specifically.

If your focus is releasing anger, Juvaflex would be your best bet. Anger and hate are stored in the liver, which causes extreme toxicity. Juvaflex contains oils that have been recognized medically and traditionally for aiding the body in cleansing the liver, allowing the body to release the emotions of anger and hate. You can either apply these oils over the liver which is right below the rib cage on the right side. Or you can just add a drop or two to epsom salts in a bath. You can almost feel the negativity melt away.

If your anger stems from trauma or past events and resentment, I would strongly consider Trauma Life. This blend helps bring suppressed anger and other negative emotions to the surface so that you can process it and move through it. I would recommend simultaneously seeing a therapist to help you talk through these feelings in a supported setting. The application and recommended uses for Trauma Life are the same as explained for Juvaflex.

All three of the oils I have shared here can be used to help you process anger and help facilitate moving through negative emotions so that you can lead a happier, healthier life.

Finally, for processing and releasing more deep-rooted emotions and trauma as a result of abuse, there is a blend creating for that called Sara. Sara promotes relaxation into a mental state whereby you may be able to release and let go of negative emotions and the memory of traumatic experiences.

For more tips and ideas for processing negative emotions, check out 6 Healthy Ways to Process Emotions as an Introvert.

This article contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Lavender Essential Oil: Nature’s Swiss Army Knife
essential oils · natural lifestyle

Lavender Essential Oil: Nature’s Swiss Army Knife

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Most people know to use lavender for sleep, calming, and relaxation, right? It’s everyone’s aromatherapy go-to. For the lavender you pick up at Walmart or Target, this is perfect. However, what many people don’t realize is that a little drop of high quality lavender, like Young Living or DoTerra, contains many different constituents. These constituents benefit the body in many different ways, therefore the oil can have many different uses. Here are some lesser known uses for lavender essential oil that you may not be aware of.

  1. Lavender helps promote the healing of minor cuts, scrapes and bruises. Get yourself an empty roller bottle and carrier oil (grapeseed is best for absorbing into the skin) and add ten drops of grapeseed for every drop of lavender. Pompeii brand is my favorite. I use 10 ml roller bottles so I will fill about a tenth of the way with lavender and the rest of the way with grapeseed. This 10:1 dilution will help your lavender last longer and help make sure it is safe and diluted enough for even the most delicate and sensitive skin. This is a go to at our house for all family members! It’s your all natural neosporin, your aquaphor, and your hydrocortizone. Lavender helps accelerate the healing process.
  2. Lavender helps with focus. You can pair it with oils like cedarwood and vetiver. We call these three our focus trio. It’s really good to help with focus and concentration. Isn’t it interesting that lavender helps with sleep and relaxation, but can also help with what we would perceive to be the opposite? The reason for that because it has many different constituents and those constituents help with different aspects of supporting the body.
  3. Lavender helps promote hair growth. You can add a few drops to your shampoo or conditioner, along with cedarwood and rosemary. If you will add these you will be so glad you did. They will help promote thicker fuller hair, or if you are wanting your hair to grow longer. If you dislike DIY and prefer ready made Young Living makes a Lavender shampoo and conditioner that is divine.
  4. Lavender helps with allergies. I love to call lavender “the sneeze stopper.” It’s really good for allergy season. If anyone in your household is sneezing, you can just apply a drop to the tip of your nose and it will help with that.

Lavender is undoubtedly the Swiss Army knife of oils, with many, many uses that I have not even covered here. For more uses, check out my older post, Lavender: Young Living Starter Bundle. However, a part two will definitely be needed in the future.

This article contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Elderberry Syrup: The New Wellness Cabinet Staple
natural lifestyle · Uncategorized

Elderberry Syrup: The New Wellness Cabinet Staple

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During flu and cold season our family has added elderberry syrup to our health and wellness regimen by taking at least a tablespoon each a day, to help support and protect our bodies.

Did you know…Elderberries are rich in vitamins A, B and C and are a traditional cold and flu remedy that has been used for hundreds of years? They are known to have high antioxidant activity and the bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice of the berry destroy the ability of a cold or flu virus to infect a cell. *mic drop*

Check out some of the other benefits of this amazing, NATURAL elixir:

  • boosts immune system
  • protects the heart
  • anti-inflammatory (in other words, helps with pain)
  • lessens stress
  • helps with back and leg pain (sciatica)
  • helps with chronic fatigue syndrome
  • helps with allergies
  • relieves constipation
  • natural diuretic
  • supports skin
  • can help prevent cancer
  • supports brain health
  • boosts vision health

I add my tablespoon of elderberry to a shot of Ningxia Red, an impressive blend of wolfberry, plum, aronia, cherry, blueberry, and pomegranate juices. Ningxia boasts the same antioxidant activity I just described. Talk about a powerhouse of protection!

Do you have elderberry syrup as a part of your wellness arsenal or any other natural preventatives that you love? If you are interested in elderberry and other immune system boosters check out this post on some lesser known wellness supports.