We Fought the Cold and the Oils Won**

Living in a cold climate, such as we do in Michigan, can sometimes leave us a bit slower than usual and a lot sicker than usual.  Even though spring is right around the corner,  as I sit here watching the first of a big snow roll in, I thought I could offer some ideas to boost your health and your mood in this time before we turn our thoughts to seed sewing and barbecues.  With cold and flu season in full force right now and on through spring, maybe this post is not quite as late as I feared.

To help prevent catching these nasty bugs, and to help keep from sharing them with those in your life, I can’t stress enough the importance of washing your hands.  Of course, our moms told us to wash our hands as kids, and our doctors tell us that, and even public restrooms post signs reminding employees to wash their hands, and how to wash their hands.  I won’t detail the how to.  I trust that you already know how.  If, in the case of no running water around, you could resort to the harsh alcohol based hand sanitizers that are being hyped everywhere, or you can kill germs and smell good by using On Guard essential oil blend.  Deb and I each always carry small bottles of On Guard with us, and we use it every day.  When I can’t get to a sink, I put a drop in my hand, and rub.  doTERRA also makes a whole line of products using On Guard, from Foaming Hand Wash to wipes and toothpaste.  On Guard smells great (think orange and clove) and contains oils that can kill bacteria, mold and viruses.  We diffuse it in our house using our beautiful Lotus Diffuser pretty much daily.  We make sure to diffuse more often if one or both of us is starting to feel a bug coming on, or if we have friends coming over who may be sharing latent germs with us.  With Deb’s immune system compromised, we always want our home to feel welcoming, yet she needs some extra support to stay healthy.  Using On Guard or Breathe oil blends in the diffuser lets us open our home with confidence and love.

We have invested in some empty roller bottles (kind of like mini deodorant roll-on bottles).  We each keep a roller bottle of On Guard nearby as we are getting dressed for the day, and again, right before we crawl in for a winter’s nap.  We roll the On Guard on the bottoms of our feet to help our bodies fight off anything we are exposed to.  The feet have large pores, which draw in the oils and send them into the bloodstream very quickly and efficiently.  Also, the feet have reflexology points that correspond to all of the vital organs and systems of the body.  As those areas are stimulated, especially with the added love of the oils, each system is stimulated to help it function properly and stay healthy.  (Other oils also can be used this way as well.)  The ears and hands have reflexology points for each part of the body, too.  Remember the trick of using On Guard when you don’t have water around?  You can also use that moment to stimulate the reflexology points in your hands.

I work with teenagers, so of course, I am exposed to colds, flu, MRSA, ringworm, and any other kind of ick that you can think of.  These oils help to keep me healthy, but inevitably, no matter how diligent I am, at some point, something is bound to catch up with me, and through me, to Deb.  

In our time since committing to using Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade doTERRA oils whenever possible instead of prescription or over the counter medications, we have stayed healthier and have recovered quicker than ever before.  We definitely do still see our doctors and nurse practitioners (and veterinarians, for our pets), but we try to rely on natural remedies first.  (Since doTERRA came into our lives, I have not had to take NSAIDS for pain, and Deb has been antibiotic and emergency room free for the longest time in about ten years!  Even our doctors and veterinarians have perked up their ears and want to know more about our success with the oils.)

I have had three instances this season where I began to get really bad ear aches.  Each time, I thought I would have to go on antibiotics for an ear infection, but committed to try the the oils first.  Basil oil is most recommended for ear aches and ear infections, but we haven’t yet fully stocked up on every oil, so I used the next in line of recommendations.  I took a bit of doTERRA’s melaleuca alternifolia oil on my fingertips and massaged my entire ear with it.  (just a drop or two is all it takes).  I worked all around the rim and lobes of my ears, and also massaged the interior part of my outer ear.  I did not put the oil in my ear canal.   There are cautions against that.  (Besides, I am very careful of my ears since my brother punctured his eardrum when we were little.)  The pressure in my ears was bad enough to make my jaw, neck and head hurt, so I put a bit more on my fingertips and massaged behind my ears and down the side of my neck, following the path of my eustachian tubes, where I could feel the congestion, inflammation, and pressure.  I also tugged lightly on my ear lobes, helping the oils to work better into the tubes.  I did this 2-3 times in a day, and each time I had the problem, my ears were fine by the next day, usually much quicker.  (I also put a drop of On Guard in my mouth 3-4 times per day when I felt the infection begin.)  Phew!  Doctor visit, antibiotics and pain averted!

Deb and I did both end up with the creepy crud cold going around.  Sneezing, coughing, headaches, just general miserable feeling.  Because of Deb’s lack of a working immune system, it took her a few weeks to totally get over it.  Keep in mind, that a year ago, this would have meant a trip tot he doctor’s office and anti-viral drugs, along with an antibiotic to prevent the viral infection from turning into a bacterial one as the cooties collected in her mucus membranes to percolate.  (And, of course, there would have been side effects from the antibiotics to boot.)  

The cold hit fast and hard.  I was supposed to sing in church in a few days, and I was so congested and snotty and miserable that the minister was already trying to decide how to replace me in the service.  I assured her that I’d be able to sing, but I may sound a bit nasally and scratchy, but I should have most of the sneezing, coughing and groaning in misery over by Sunday’s service.  That conversation was on Monday.  I used ⅔ of a large box of tissue on Monday alone!  Tuesday was our official planning session meeting, and she was very surprised when I walked in with Monday's red nose, but only an occasional sniffle and a voice a bit gruffer than usual.  I assured her that at that rate, I would be fine and ready to sing on Sunday.  (I was ready, and it went great, even with two accapella solos.  Not scratchy, not nasally, and I could hear my pitch perfectly, which I couldn’t if I was full of mucus.)

Here is what we did to get well:

*We diffused doTERRA’s On Guard and Breathe essential oil blends, alternating them each time the diffuser ran out of water.

*We used Zicam, an over the counter natural cold remedy consisting mainly of zinc.

*We used On Guard on the bottoms of our feet and put it in our water-plenty of water.

*We used doTERRA’s Breathe essential oil blend to keep our lungs open, with just a bit under the nose.

*We got plenty of rest.  (I even called in to work one night because, working midnights, a good, restful healing sleep is hard to come by.)

*We watched funny movies (laughter stimulates the immune system).

*We gargled with 2 tablespoons warm water mixed with 3 drops lemon oil and 2 drops of Frankincense.  We gargled with this solution for 45-60 seconds then held it in the mouth for another 15-30 seconds, then swallowed the whole thing.  The taste wasn’t bad at all.  (The first time, I meant to use lemon and On Guard, but grabbed the Frankincense on accident.  When I gargled with it, My sore throat was IMMEDIATELY relieved.  Deb’s result was a bit slower, but again, she does not have a functioning immune system and she did get better!

*We bought Puffs with lotion, since the regular tissues just weren’t protecting our worn-out noses.  I usually don;t care what tissues I use, but I have to say that I felt so much better honking into those.

*We ate soup and spicy food.  Soup just makes you feel better, and hot spices are a traditional folk remedy for colds and flu.  Spicy food also tastes good, although our taste buds were barely working.

*We drank tea, and limited our dairy because dairy can cause mucus buildup.

*We tried to be patient and compassionate with one another.

*When at work, I sprayed my work area down with a solution made up of 4oz water, a drop or two of On Guard, and a few drops of lemon.  This not only sanitizes the area and smells good, but it likely helped prevent my cooties from being passed on to my coworkers.  with the same solution, I also sprayed down my steering wheel, blinker switch,, door handles, radio dials, etcetera.  After all, I kept sneezing while driving and closed up in that small space.

That is how we are dealing with this winter's round of sickness.  You may try one or all of them.  You may have some tips that I didn't mention.  We would love to hear from you and how you are maneuvering this cold and flu season.

Blessings,

Aimee

Peppermint Bark Recipe

We got this recipe in an e-mail and it sounds really good.  I haven't tried it yet, but I wanted to share it with you in time for the holidays. 12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips 5 regular sized candy canes, crushed up 3-4 drops of Peppermint 1 Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint oil and stir. 2 Pour the melted chocolate out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands. 3 Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container. Great gift for friends, teachers hair dressers, neighbors, anyone you'd like to give a sweet treat to.   Recipe borrowed from www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/peppermint_bark/

From Holiday Stress to Holiday Peace

Stress can adversely affect our health.  It can raise blood pressure and blood sugar, it can make our bodies store up cortisol, causing us to gain extra weight, and, stress can make us crabby.  Stress is not created by just those things that we perceive as negative.  Your body reacts to positive things as stress as well.  Any change can be perceived by the body as stress:  a touchdown by your favorite college team, or a burned souffle. To our bodies stress is stress is stress.  There are varying degrees of stress, but good or bad is not really differentiated by our neutral, nonjudgemental cells and nerves.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Solstice, or the football bowl season, the holidays are “supposed” to be one of joy and love, fun, love, caring and family.  The stressful crabbies can overtake the holidays in a moment and turn a party into a chore.  We want to share some ideas with you that may help to reduce stress and make your holidays more enjoyable. 

*If you are planning on entertaining a houseful of guests:  make as much ahead of time as you can.  In this wonderful modern age of freezers, refrigerators and even coolers, we don’t have to cook everything in one day.  Cook ahead of time, do prep ahead of time.  Slice your cheeses and veggies a day or two in advance, have casseroles put together ahead of time, ready to just pop into the oven or microwave.  Minimize the amount of time that you are tied to the kitchen while everyone else is having fun!

*Speaking of chilling-don’t forget to make time for yourself throughout each day.  Even a minute can help you through the chaos:  pause and breathe at least 3 long, slow, deliberate deep breaths in a row.  This helps to lower blood pressure and oxygenate your brain.  This is a quick, instant stress reducer.  Use it often.

*Diffuse your favorite essential oils as you are preparing for your holidays, and even during your celebrations.  Smell goes directly into the limbic area of your brain, which affects emotions.  I like to use uplifting scents like “On Guard”, “Balance”, and citrusy scents like lemon or wild orange.  

*Another scent-filled stress reducer, is to smell the food you prepare.  The smell of fresh bread or simmering soup does wonders to reduce stress.  Enjoying the smell of food is a great part of enjoying a meal, and meal preparation can be a treat instead of a chore.

*With family or friends, drive or walk around your town, looking at holiday lights.  

*If you are feeling really edgy or stressed, when you shower or do the dishes, envision the water washing you with peace and love.  Allow ally of your stress, anger and frustration flow down the drain, washed away by the water’s love and peace.

*Put a bit of “Balance” or lavender oil on your earlobes, wrists and behind your ears to help you stay calm, balanced and relaxed during those stressful holiday moments.

Whether you are a parent or an adult who knows someone with kids, spending time with kids is a great way to reduce stress.  During the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, sometimes kids can seem to be a hinderance to getting things done in the way and in the time that the adults want them to be done.  But really, kids are great teachers of how the holidays can be done.  They know that playing is always a priority.  What better time to re-learn the priority of play than the holidays?

*Read them a story (or have them read to you!).  See what kind of outrageous voices and faces you can make for the characters as you read their lines.

*Get a coloring book and crayons and color together.  

*Wrap gifts together.  Kids love to help with this super-secret rite.  Let them put their finger on the ribbon as you tie the bow.  Let them hand you the tape, and teach them how to make neat creases.  You can even let them in on a secret by letting them wrap some of the presents that are not for them!

*Make your own wrapping paper together.  Cut up paper grocery bags and decorate them with rubber stamps, crayons, markers, or apples cut in half and dipped in paint.  Use your imagination.  You can also use the comics section of the newspaper, or, for small gifts, beautiful magazine pages.

*Make snow angels or snowpeople together.  Then go inside and make hot cocoa or “candy cane tea” (see the recipe in an earlier post about recipes).

*Cook together.

*Sing together (maybe even sing while you cook).

*Play video games together.  There are great dance, sports and exercise games to play together on systems such as the wii or xbox kinect that are fun and will get you up and moving, physical activity is a great stress reducer!

*Watch a holiday movie together. 

*Don’t forget that kids (and adults) are not perfect.  They won’t do things the way you do them, or in the time frame that you do them, but teaching them and allowing them the space and time to learn can be a great stress reducer.  Letting go of the expectation of perfection allows space for joy and creativity.

No matter what you celebrate this season, enjoy yourself and be safe.

Happy Holidays.  Merry Christmas.  Blessed Solstice.  Happy Hanukah.

Shalom,

Aimee & Deb

My Thanksgiving Blessing of Gratitude

Today, I am grateful for all of my friends in Flesh and ether. I am grateful to the ancesters who came before and paved the way for all of us to be here today. I am grateful to my family of origin and my family of choice for loving me even though I am flawed. I am grateful to all of the beings, flora, fauna and fungus who have given their lives for today's feast. I am grateful for the Mother Earth who sustains us and for Father Sky who fills our lungs with his breath. Blessed Be. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tasting Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs

I am bound and determined to cook something irresistible with essential oils.  Not just a recipe from someone else, but my very own recipe.  Here are some of my concoctions:

Invisible Gelatin: 

(I don’t recommend this one, it was okay, but not something I would look forward to eating even though I like the idea of it.  If you can figure out how to do it right, I’d love to know how you did it!)  

2 packages unflavored gelatin

⅓ cup agave nectar

A few drops of lemon, lime, wild orange or grapefruit essential oil (not too much, but enough)

1 tablespoon juice (lemon, orange, lime or grapefruit)

1 cup cold water

1 ½ cups boiling water

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for a few minutes, until it dissolves.  Add boiling water, juice and agave.  Stir until blended.  Add essential oil, stir again and taste.

Salsa: 

(This was good, but was missing something.  I don’t think I added enough salt.  Let me know if you perfect it) 4-8 servings

1 cup chopped sweet onion

2 cups chopped fresh ripe tomato

Dash of garlic powder or clove of fresh crushed garlic

1 jalapeno, grated or chopped fine

½ - 1 fresh banana pepper (pickled may work)

1-2 drops lime essential oil

1-2 drops cilantro oil

Salt to taste

Mix together.  Adjust amount of oil, peppers and salt to your taste.

Candy Cane “Tea”: 

(This is especially good when you don’t feel well**) 1 serving

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup hot (or boiling) water

1 drop peppermint essential oil

Put honey and water in a cup and stir until honey is incorporated.  Add oil.  If this is too strong, add a bit more water.  (It feels great to breathe the steam into sore or clogged lungs before drinking.  It also makes my face feel good.**)

Rosemary Olive Butter: 

(This is really good on bread, a little goes a long way.  I want to try it on chicken next, I’ll let you know how it goes):  8 servings

4 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons lightly salted butter

1 drop of rosemary essential oil

Cream together and enjoy!

Tart Sweet Fruit Dip:

(You can adjust the sweetness by adjusting the amount of agave.  A smaller amount of honey may be substituted)

1 cup fat free plain greek yogurt

2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 drops lime oil

Mix together and serve with sliced fresh fruit, or try as a dressing for fruit salad.

I hope you enjoy playing with your food, whether it is with my recipes, your own, or some of the delicious looking ones that I found on a website called “Cooking Essentially”.  You can also find holiday inspired recipes in doTERRA’s holiday brochure.

Shalom,

Aimee

Yummy Hot Cocoa for a Cold Fall or Winter Day

From doTERRA's 2011 holiday brochure

(serves 4)

IngredIents:

1 Cup Water

5 tsp. Cocoa Powder

Sugar, agave nectar, or Stevia to Taste

1 1⁄2 tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups Milk

Peppermint, Cinnamon, or Wild Orange Essential Oil

DIrectIons:

Heat water, cocoa powder, and sweetener on stove until ingredients are smooth. Add vanilla and milk and bring to a simmer. Pour into your favorite mug . Introduce flavor by swirling a toothpick dipped in your favorite essential oil.

Essential Goals

Goals!  Okay, this is a new word for me.  I rarely use that term.  I usually say “I hope to…”, “I plan to…”, “my dream is…”.  I think, as part of living more MindFully, I need to be honest with myself.  Those statements all equal goals.  GOALS GOALS GOALS GOALS!  As a writer, I know words are very powerful and important, as well as often inadequate and clumsy.  I’m not sure why words like “goal”, “commitment”, and “I will” are so much scarier than “plan”, “loyalty,” and “try”.  

I will try (oops)...I plan to (oops)...I want to (oops)..  I am Committed to my new Goal of being firm in my confidence to succeed in whatever I choose to succeed.  I Will keep reminding myself of this one.

Someone in one of my classes half jokingly told me that if I were to ever run for office, he would definitely vote for me.  A few others chimed in with agreement.  I don’t want to run for office, but I do want to be more MindFull of how I influence people.  I want to be as encouraging as possible, and empower others with as many tools as possible to make their lives, and this world, better.

Years ago, I worked in a bookstore and in a fabric store.  I loved those jobs, not because I brought home a paycheck, but because I was helping others to find just what they needed.  I did that not our of obligation to sell to them, but out of a genuine human connection and excitement for them.  I learned as much from them as they did from me.  My best days were the days when someone returned to the bookstore, glowing with excitement over a book I recommended that was just the right one.  Or, the best days in the fabric store were when a customer enthusiastically brought in a finished project I had helped them plan.  Those were not moments of selling, but of genuinely touching another life in a positive way, and in turn, they touched mine.

That is how Deb and I feel about doTERRA Oils.  We actually did buy membership in another essential oil company once.  Those were good quality oils as well, and we liked them, but we didn’t love or believe in them enough to sustain our membership or share them at every turn with our friends, coworkers and strangers.  We knew they smelled good, and there were some remarkable stories of how various people were positively affected by this oil or that.  With doTERRA, we’re hearing the stories, but we are also learning about various scientific studies that support the anecdotal evidence as well.  And, even in our short time with doTERRA, I have already felt amazing, transformative results in my own life, with the application of a single oil blend.

I have had chronic neck and right shoulder pain for around five years.  Some days it is so bad I can’t fully turn my head or lift a gallon of milk or turn a key or a doorknob without excruciating pain.  I started dropping things and having trouble pouring myself a cup of coffee.  I found that acupuncture helped for about one to two weeks.  The one time I had a Thai massage, I was pain free for two weeks.  Doing yoga on a regular basis helps to lessen the pain, but if I am already acute, I can't get into position to stretch the right muscles and my shoulder and arm are too weak and painful to get into certain positions safely.  So I have lived with pain pretty much every day for five years.  (I forgot to mention that NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin give me nosebleeds and acetametaphine doesn’t touch the pain.  I take NSAIDs cautiously and they rarely work completely or for more than 2-3 hours at a time- after the 30-60 minutes that I wait for them to kick in.)

One night I was sitting at work, unable to turn my head very far because of neck, upper back and shoulder pain.  My trapezius muscle was so tensed that when I tried to reach back (with my left hand) and press on it for relief, there was no give.  It was literally as hard as a rock.  I had taken my ice pack out of my lunch bag to try to numb the pain a bit.  I was in so much pain that my stomach was upset, I was clenching my jaw from pain and I had a headache starting at the base of my skull and quickly spreading.

In the past, as I said, oral NSAIDs were ineffective and troublesome for me, but had always been my goto solution.  My doctor didn’t seem to care much that I was in pain, and all he did was give me a prescription for a topical NSAID, which had minimal effect, for a very limited amount of time.

This particular night, I was chilly (I work midnights), so I put on my fleece jacket.  In the pocket was a vial of “Past Tense” oil that our niece, Gini, had given me on her visit about a month earlier.  I had forgotten I had it.  I knew it was good for headaches, and, I reasoned, that I did have a headache from a reaction to pain originating in my neck and shoulders.  So I uncapped it and slathered it over the base of my neck and my shoulder muscles.

Within five to ten minutes, the ice pack came off, opening a door ceased to hurt, and I could turn my head without pain.  I was pain free for the first time in weeks.

Sounds like snake oil, right?  Well, after that experience, Deb and I were converted into essential oil believers.  Specifically, believers in doTERRA’s Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, which only get this designation after every batch in every bottle gets put through a “mass spectrometer” to make sure everything that is supposed to be in there is, and nothing that is not supposed to be, isn’t (herbicides, pesticides, contaminants from other plants or pollution, etc.).  Few other companies can make this claim.  With Deb’s multiple allergies and sensitivities, it is essential that in our household we be MindFull of potential contaminants of any kind, and we have faith that what is claimed to be in these oils is there, and that there is nothing else.

I have long combined natural remedies with allopathic medicine, but I have always approached natural and homeopathic remedies as slow-acting treatments that I have to be patient and wait for the results, keeping an eye toward easing pain and illness over time.  I have always paired them with over the counter drugs.  

I am beginning to realize that some natural remedies, like certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, can have an instant, transformative effect on my quality of life.  I like it, and am excited to keep exploring the possibilities.  Let us know if you want to learn more!


Shalom,
Aimee