Juliana Coles was one of the first women who taught me how to be in the process of creating art; how to get out of my head and just put whatever was living in me at that given moment on to paper.

A few years ago, I was drawn (pun intended) to take a class in extreme journaling that Juliana was offering in Chicago. Being a creative, I was intrigued with the notion that one could journal and create art at the same time. My inner critic was very LOUD and it seemed like just the right push that I needed to move into a new area of expression. Let me tell you a secret………it was amazing. She made us move so fast in our process of putting thoughts and feelings onto paper that there was no time for those mind-monkey critics to even begin their chattering. And while my work will never find it’s way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it certainly serves to integrate the many pieces of myself that otherwise would be left flapping in the wind.

Expressing our creativity is one way we nourish ourselves. And, dare I speak for the multitudes, it is often one of the last gifts we offer ourselves because of our demanding lives. Take a few moments and check out Juliana’s online presence and take the baby steps you need to begin giving your thoughts, ideas and feelings a voice. We would love to hear of your experience……

Each week we feature an EnVisionary Woman Creative; a woman who moves us with her talent and vision. This week we celebrate Adele… I feel the power of woman in this song. The uncontrollable force of the feminine when she has been pushed over the edge. How does this song make you feel?

I have been using Young Living Essential Oils for forever.  And because of that, I sometimes lose my beginner’s mind.  (I often lose my entire mind, but that is another story.)  And then because of my science background, I often make explanations way too technical.  With that said, today I am consciously putting on my beginner’s mind and sending my science geek out of the room to tell you about something that I find fascinating about essential oils.  Here it is:  micro-organisms cannot develop an immunity to therapeutic grade essential oils.  For real!  This is what makes them so effective as natural antibiotics, disinfectant hand soaps, hand sanitizers and cleansers.  And it is also the reason why pharmaceutical companies do not sell them.

Think of it like this:  an essential oil is the liquid part of the plant.  This fluid moves through the plant very much like lymph moves through our bodies.  It serves to protect the plant from microorganisms and insects that want to chew on its tender leaves or bore into its stem.

Essential oil is made up of many different types of molecules.  The types of molecules and the amounts of each molecule determine the kind of oil.  Outside factors influence the amount of each type of molecule in the oil.  These factors include soil conditions, temperature, rainfall and the amount of sunlight.  As the factors change from day to day, week to week, it effects the amounts of each type of molecule.  Hence, no two batches of one kind of essential oil will be exactly the same.  They will be very similar, but not identical.

Remembering back to your high school science days, microorganisms can develop a resistance to something over time by modifying their DNA.  If they continue to be exposed to the exact same something over and over again, their DNA modifies and it become resistant to that something.  Now let’s say that ‘something’ is antibiotics.  Where each batch of antibiotics is exactly identical to the next.  Which is exactly identical to the next batch.  Those little microorganism are going to learn real quick what is coming and they will mutate their DNA so that antibiotic has no effect what-so-ever.  This “each batch being identical to the next” is why pharmaceutical companies can obtain patents on their drugs.  It is duplicable.  They cannot obtain a patent on essential oils because each batch is not identical to the next.  It is for that very reason that essential oils are more effective against microorganisms.  Do you see the irony here?

I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put the pieces together here.  On one hand, you have the pharmaceutical companies creating “super antibiotics” to which microorganisms will eventually become resistant.  Ultimately this creates “super-bugs.”  Against which you need stronger antibiotics.  Which creates “super-duper bugs”.  Against which you need stronger anti… oh, never mind.  I think you get the picture.  For us, it is a no win situation.  Bacteria have been around for a lot longer than humans and I guarantee, they will out live us as well.  Antibiotics, by the way, kill off all your helpful intestinal bacteria as well, setting you up for a huge fungal infestation and a compromised immune system.  Isn’t that what we were trying to cure?

Or, on the other hand, you have essential oils like clove, cinnamon and rosemary, all found in Young Living Thieves, where each batch is slightly different from the next.  Microorganisms cannot develop a resistance to them.  They are highly effective, natural antibiotics.  And because they are from living plants, they are similar in chemical makeup to our bodies.  They work in harmony with our bodies.  They do not create microbial upset in our digestive tract and they do not create “super-bugs.”   They keep microorganisms guessing and that is just all right with me.

Want to put some wiggle in your walk and turn heads at the same time?  Wear therapeutic grade essential oils that will support your body and emotions while turning up your mojo.

When we inhale, various molecules in the air stimulates our olfactory system.  This in turn, regulates our emotions by releasing and modulating our hormones.  Different smells will stimulate different emotions, among those are passion and attraction.  Essential oils have been known to be libido enhancers since the time of Cleopatra.

Individual essential oils that have been cited to arouse passion in men include: rose, jasmine, neroli and ylang ylang.  Blends from Young Living Essential Oils that contain these individual oils include:  Sensation, Inner Child, Joy and Lady Sclareol.

Individual oils that raise a woman’s eyebrow include:  patchouli, spruce, Idaho balsam fir, ylang ylang and sandalwood.  Blends from Young Living Essential Oils that contain these individual oils include:  Valor, Australian Blue, Gathering and Highest Potential.

Apply a couple of drops to the pulse points on your neck, wrists, elbows, groin or knees.  Then run your fingers through your hair.  You can also create your own scented body lotion by adding a few drops of essential oil to a small amount of unscented lotion.  (Men can use the essential oil as deodorant, after-shave or cologne.)  Then put on fresh lip gloss and strut your stuff!  Oo-la-la!

Product recommendations:  rose, jasmine, neroli, ylang ylang, Sensation, Inner Child, Joy, Lady Sclareol, patchouli, spruce, Idaho balsam fir, ylang ylang, sandalwood, Valor, Australian Blue, Gathering, Highest Potential.

Whether you are looking to add spice to a long-time romance or you are wanting to impress a new lover, a sensuous massage is definitely good to give or receive.  First of all, a massage just plain feels good.  Add mood and intention and you have created an unbeatable combination for connecting with your partner.  Plus, the undivided attention of a massage, even amateur, can create an environment of intimacy and strengthen the bonds of your relationship.

Here are the basics of a sensuous massage:

• Uninterrupted block of time.
• Spend time together before you begin–sharing a bath or shower.
• Set the mood with candles, music and make sure the room is warm.
• All natural massage oil–Sensation massage oil from Young Living Essential Oils is divine or you can make your own blend by adding a few drops of your favorite Young Living Oil in a carrier oil base of pure vegetable oil.  Awaken, Gratitude, Harmony, and Surrender are blends that lend themselves to creating a sensuous massage.  Combine individual oils such as jasmine, nutmeg, orange, patchouli or rose for your own signature blend.  (Create your own carrier oil by mixing equal parts of two or three of the following vegetable oils from the natural food store: sweet almond, grapeseed, canola, safflower, sunflower, sesame, wheat germ, olive, jojoba, grapeseed or safflower oil.  Add a bit of vitamin E oil to preserve the oil from going rancid.)

Now, if you are looking to improve your technique, Jaiya and her partner Jon Hanauer of New World Sex Education have one of the most tasteful yet erotic massage videos available.  Just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Recommended products:  Sensation massage oil, Awaken, Gratitude, Harmony, Surrender, jasmine, nutmeg, orange, patchouli, rose.

Last week the National Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental group, sued the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, contending that the FDA violated federal law in its delay over establishing safe conditions of use for the toxic chemicals triclosan and triclocarban.  In case you don't know, triclosan and triclocarban are the active ingredients found in most antibacterial hand soaps and hand sanitizers.  The suit seeks an order requiring the FDA to finish its study on the conditions of use by a specific deadline.  In 1978, according to the lawsuit, the FDA proposed to ban from interstate commerce both triclosan and triclocarban either six months or two years after publication of its final study, but no action was taken until 1994, when some ingredients were reclassified.  To this day they remain on the market and are unregulated.  While I have my own opinions on the delay, the take-away here is that these chemicals are toxic and have no place in our homes. Laboratory studies have shown that triclosan and triclocarban are endocrine-disruptors capable of interfering with hormones critical for normal development and reproduction. Such hormonal interference has the potential to cause long-term health problems including poor sperm quality and infertility, and damage to the developing brain leading to poor learning and memory. Several studies suggest that triclosan and triclocarban also may contribute to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.  I shudder each time I walk into a public establishment and see anti-bacterial hand soap and hand sanitizers used with reckless abandon.  These products are found in doctors offices, hospitals, schools and libraries.  And while the intent is to keep our children safe, the outcome is quite the opposite.  Watch this recent documentary, The Disappearing Male, about one of the most important, and least publicized, issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male reproductive system.

In all transparency, I am one of those moms who practice the 10-second rule.  If it falls on the floor and you pick it up within 10 seconds, it is still okay to eat.  I don't get freaked out by germs or fevers.  I do, however, use Thieves Foaming Hand Soap and Thieves Hand Sanitizer.  And I offer it freely to strangers on the train.  I do so because it is an effective non-toxic alternative AND it smells wonderful.  And while I question if the most effective way to deal with the triclosan debacle is through the judicial system, one thing I do know:  we vote with our dollars.  So, if you are going to use antibacterial hand soap and hand sanitizers, choose the highly effective yet non-toxic version: Thieves Foaming Hand Soap and Thieves Hand Sanitizer.  You might just be doing your part to ensure the survival of the species.

Danielle Minerva demonstrates this simple technique as taught by Young Living founder D. Gary Young for natural headache relief.  It takes less than a minute and uses peppermint or an essential oil blend that contains peppermint such as Deep Relief or M Grain in a roll-on applicator.  You might want to try the Colon Massage for natural headache relief as well!

The story goes, that over 2000 years ago, a Savior was born in a stable in the City of Bethlehem.  Following a bright star in the East, 3 Wise Men traveled over hill and dale to pay homage to this special child.  To honor his birth, they presented him with gifts:  Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  They then went on their way.

What we are not told, however, is that these 3 Magi also had a special gift for Mary, the mother of this wondrous child.  Knowing that giving birth to a baby is a lot of hard work and that the hormones of a new mother are swinging wildly this way and that, these three kings had the foresight to stop by the local bazaar on their way to the stable and pick up bars of dark chocolate to present to Mary.  Now, these were not just your ordinary bars of dark chocolate.  Nothing but the best for this Blessed Mother!  These chocolate bars were artisan handcrafted 60 percent dark chocolate imbued with the power of therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil.  (This established the precedent for making peppermint the official flavor of the Christmas holiday.)  Made from the finest red cacao beans and delicately mixed with natural ingredients like sacred Frankincense (notice the theme here?) and the all-natural sweetener,Yacon, these chocolate bars were over-the-top!

Satisfied, Mary settled in to bond with her newborn while snacking on these one-of-a-kind chocolate bars.   Thought lost to antiquity, this secret recipe has been recovered and today they are being produced as Majestic Essence Peppermint Bars by Young Living Essential Oils!  Sure to become a holiday tradition, you can now obtain these luscious bars for yourself, your friends or that special new mother!

You know, they weren’t called the 3 Wise Men for nothing…..

Order #4538 Young Living Majestic Essence Peppermint Bars!

One of my favorite sayings is “Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.”  As a single mom of a teenager, managing my own business with an active social and volunteer life, if it ain’t easy, I don’t do it!  Here is my quick and easy way to slip into a relaxing bath scented with my favorite Young Living Essential Oils…..

First of all, you don’t want to just pour the essential oil into the bath while the water is running.  Why?  Because the essential oil will just sit on the top of the water and eventually stick to one part of your body or to the side of the tub.  By adding it to a handful of Epsom salts, you will be dispersing the essential oil throughout the water.  Here’s what I do:  (are you ready?  Pay attention because you just might miss it!)  With my container of Epsom salt and opened bottle of essential oil on the side of the tub, I allow the hot water to begin to fill the bath.  I scoop up a handful of Epsom salts and add 5-10 drops of Young Living Essential Oil.  I then mix the essential oil into the Epsom salts by rubbing the blend together with my fingers as it slowly falls into the running water, rinsing my hand at the end.  That’s it!  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  One of the reasons why I love this method, apart from its ease, is that I can use a different essential oil each time I take a bath.  Very economical!  No need to buy a ton of different scented bath products.  I also feel safe in the knowledge that I am not using personal care products that contain harmful and toxic chemicals.

A peek at what essential oils I use:

• Inspiration–for automatic brain downloads and to encourage new ideas
• Humility–to check my ego
• Inner Child–to engage my childlike self
• ImmuPower–when I feel a cold coming on
• Joy–some good old healing-heart energy after a long day
• PanAway–after too much yoga or bike riding
• RC or Raven–chest or head congestion, creates a spa-like environment
• Sensation–you know
• Valor–to regain my balance

There you have it!  Done!  See, even this blog post was easy peasy…..

If you suffer from an occasional bout of insomnia, therapeutic grade essential oils might do the trick to get you back sleeping like a baby.  (Why do we say that?  Like babies sleep, right?)   While chronic insomnia might indicate adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalances or other physical disparities, here are a few do-it-yourself essential oil blends that could lull you off to a restful night’s sleep.

Insomnia Aromatherapy Blends

• 10 drops Roman chamomile
• 5 drops clary sage
• 5 drops bergamot

or

• 12 drops orange
• 8   drops lavender
• 3   drops valerian
• 2   drops Roman chamomile

Directions: First, make sure that you are using therapeutic grade essential oils from Young Living.  You knew that I was going to say that, right?  If you need to know why, read about therapeutic grade essential oils.  Blend the oils well in a clean dark-colored glass bottle. Add 1-2 drops to a tissue and place inside your pillow to aid you in falling asleep.  In addition, rub a few drops onto your shoulders and the bottom of your feet.

If you prefer you can also diffuse either of these blends during the hour before bedtime or set the diffuser on a timer to diffuse in your room periodically during the night.  To make a larger portion, make the blends using the same ratio as the ones above.  Keep in mind that 15 ml bottle hold approximately 250 drops of essential oil.  For instance, 30 drops of Roman chamomile, 15 drops of clary sage and 15 drops of bergamot.

Taking 2 tablets of ImmuPro or applying RutaVaLa Roll-On before bedtime also aids in a restful night’s sleep.

With the holidays upon us, there are many ways to inexpensively incorporate essential oils into the festivities.  You will be creating lasting memories because as we all know, our sense of smell can create impressions that will stay with us for a lifetime.  (Think grandmother’s perfume or the paste in kindergarten.)  Using Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils ensures that along with creating happy recollections, you are also affecting mood and health with essential oils that are certified pure and non-toxic.

12 Ways to Use Essential Oils During the Holidays

1. Diffuse Citrus Fresh, Christmas Spirit or create your own seasonal blend of essential oil in the main area of your home as guests arrive.
2. Add a drop of Idaho Balsam Fir essential oil to your vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming.
3. Diffuse simple scents like tangerine, lemon, grapefruit or Peace & Calming in children’s rooms.
4. Provide wet/warm hand towels soaked in hot water and lemon or lavender essential oils.
5. Diffuse Thieves to minimize the spread of germs and to boost immunity.
6. Show overnight guests how to make their own quick and easy bath salts for a relaxing soak.
7. Carry peppermint essential oil for upset stomachs or headaches.
8. Scent wrapping paper or greeting cards.
9. Diffuse Insomnia Aromatherapy Blend to get a good night’s sleep.
10. Attach samples of essential oils to little cards and leave in the guest room as gifts.
11. Add a drop of lemon, orange or tangerine to the water pitcher for flavored water.
12. For those stressful moments, remember to take Stress Away as you travel or shop.

Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) has a sweet, warm, balsamic aroma that is stimulating and elevating to the mind. Useful for visualizing, improving one’s spiritual connection and centering, it has comforting properties that help focus the mind and overcome stress and despair. Frankincense is considered the holy anointing oilin the Middle East, where it has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years and is still used as incense in the Catholic Church.  It was well known during Biblical times as a treatment for a range of ailments. It is mentioned in one of the oldest known medical records, Ebers Papyrus, which lists frankincense in hundreds of prescriptions and recipes. This “holy anointing oil” was valued more than gold during this time, and only those with great wealth and abundance possessed it. More recently, it has been used in European and American hospitals and is the subject of substantial research. Frankincense is also a valuable ingredient in skin care products for aging and dry skin. Frankincense can ease many minor aches and pains, clear the lungs, act as a skin tonic, as well as calm and soothe the whole body and mind.  It also contains sesquiterpenes which stimulate the limbic system of the brain—the center of memory and emotions—and the hypothalamus, pineal, and pituitary glands. Young Living has chosen a vendor in northern Africa near the Arabian Peninsula as its primary source for frankincense. Frankincense trees grow without soil out of polished marble rocks. Deep cuts are made along the tree and the yellow milk-like juice that flows out soon hardens. The frankincense globules are scraped off and distilled for the essential oil.

How to Use Young Living Frankincense Essential Oil

Because it is therapeutic grade, Young Living Frankincense can be used topically, as a dietary supplement or diffused.  To achieve desired results, always make sure that you only use therapeutic grade frankincense.

• Rub on temples or place a drop on tongue and push to roof of mouth to relieve stress and sadness.
• Diffuse to increase spiritual awareness and uplift the spirit.
• Diffuse or inhale directly to stimulate the limbic system of the brain (memory and emotional center).
• Take as a dietary supplement for immune stimulation.
• Take internally or apply topically to relax muscles and reduce tension.
• Rub on skin to decrease signs of wrinkles.
• Rub on skin to lighten age spots, decrease inflammation of acne and boils.
• Rub around orbit of the eye for improved vision.
• Diffuse to reduce congestion and voice loss.
• Blend with massage oil and used for circulatory support.
• Apply to wounds to lessen formation of scar tissue.

As yet another National Breast Cancer Awareness Month winds to a close, we have indeed had our share of pink ribbons and walk-a-thons for the cure.  I leave you with a humorous take on monthly breast self-exams as well as some key points on preventing breast cancer.

Common Sense Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

In a recent post I gave an alternative view on The Cure for Breast Cancer.  Along those same lines, here are common sense tips for preventing breast cancer.

• For heaven’s sake, live a healthy lifestyle.
• Eliminate or limit alcohol consumption.
• Perform monthly Breast Self-Exams.  See above video.  And make it fun.
• Stop smoking or breathing second-hand smoke.
• Eliminate exposure to carcinogens examples of which are cancer-causing foods, unnecessary x-rays, chemically laden household and personal care products/cosmetics.
• Minimize exposure to pharmacologic estrogens which are found in hormone replacement therapy, pesticides, industrial chemicals, non-organic dairy products, meat and poultry, personal care products and cosmetics.
• Adopt a routine of massage with Young Living Essential Oils:

Layer on the breast and massage daily for 4 days, then rest for 4 days.  Repeat.
15 drops frankincense
12 drops Idaho balsam fir
10 drops orange
10 drops lavender

These simple habits to prevent breast cancer can also help you to stay vibrant and healthy, develop a strong, resilient immune system and reduce your risk of colds, flus, viruses and many other degenerative diseases.  My wish for you is that you will take your life choices seriously yet with a sense of humor and may you never get to a point where you get up close and personal with any type of cancer.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  From the NFL to the annual Race for the Cure, pink buckets of KFC to Save Second Base T-shirts, the country is awash in a sea of pink.  Yet some experts are questioning whether this awareness campaign is truly helping women with breast cancer.

The stark reality is that in the 26 years since the campaign began, deaths from breast cancer have dropped only slightly–about 2% per year, starting in 1990. According to the National Breast Cancer Coalition in Washington, D.C., 117 women in the U.S. died of breast cancer every day in 1991; today, 26 years and billions of private and public research dollars later, that number is 110.  So where has all of the Think Pink gotten us?  Where has all of that money gone?  Why don’t we have a “cure”?

Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places.  Maybe the cure is right under our noses and we have been seduced into thinking that it comes from a drug.  Or radiation.  Or chemotherapy.  Or if that doesn’t work, how about if we just let them cut the ole girls off?

Ours is a predictable Universe.  Day follows night.  A penny dropped from a 20 story building will fall to the ground.  Stick a knife in an electric socket and you will get a shock.  Why, then, are we so surprised when we become ill?  Do not these same cause and effect Rules of the Universe apply to our bodies?  And because we do not understand these rules does not make them any less so.  It just makes it more frustrating.  And heartbreaking.  We are still bound by them.  So is it in our ignorance that we blindly mutilate and maim our bodies in an effort to get well when understanding and knowledge and a shift in our paradigm is what is really needed?  I know that you understand what I am talking about.  I know that you know, deep down inside, that there IS a reason why illness occurs–why breast cancer occurs.  And it is our frustration and our sense of loss that makes us gird ourselves up to support each other as we rally together around the pink.

We all know someone who has suffered with breast cancer.  Maybe you yourself are a survivor.  Yet instead of donning our pink Nikes and walking for a cure to fill the coffers of research institutions and pharmaceutical companies who are no closer to a cure than 26 years ago, maybe our time and resources would be better spent researching breast cancer for ourselves.  Maybe we would discover that our diet and our stress and our anger and our lack of exercise and our choice of medicine and our cosmetics all have slowly accumulated over the years until our bodies became so compromised under the weight of it all that breast cancer was the result.  We could connect the dots and share and learn from each other instead of turning ourselves over to an experiment of chemical and biological warfare.  If we took up the gauntlet of preservation and prevention and reclaiming responsibility with as much intention and verve as we wear the pink ribbons, perhaps we can be the cure…..

Let me ask you a question…. Do you ever pay attention to the warning labels on common over-the-counter medications?  You know, that teeny, tiny print that is on the folded up piece of tissue paper inside of the box?  Most of us don’t.  We trust that our doctor or pharmacist will keep our best interest in mind and guide us to products that are safe as well as effective.  This is not the case.  If you took the time to read the label on the box of Tylenol you will find that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is toxic to the liver.  In addition, recent studies have linked Tylenol to causing asthma in kids.  Not to mention the recent Johnson & Johnson recall of children’s Tylenol products because of contamination that was making kids sick.  How safe do you feel now?  Will you continue reaching for Tylenol for headaches and fever or are you open to considering safe and effective therapeutic grade essential oils for your natural pain relief?

Natural Pain Relief Alternatives

I am in your corner.  I remember how challenging it was to make the switch from aspirin and antibiotics to holistic remedies.  It felt foreign and I had tons of questions.  Daily we are bombarded with TV, radio, magazine and internet advertisers touting this drug and that medication.  We have history with how our caregivers handled our own childhood health issues.  What is the best practice to follow?  How do we break from habit and set out on a new course for our health?  Answer?  One baby step at a time.  Here I have compiled a list of common ailments or illnesses and the Young Living Essential Oil to use as an alternative to Tylenol.  Without the liver toxicity…..

• arthritis:  wintergreen, PanAway, peppermint on location; Ning Xia Red for inflammation
• back pain:  Aroma Siez, peppermint on location
• ear ache:  lavender, Melrose, Purification rubbed in a circular direction around the ear (NEVER put essential oils directly in the ear)
• fever:  peppermint applied to bottom of feet, wait 10 minutes. Repeat. Wait 10 minutes. Repeat.
• headache:  peppermint or PanAway on temples, back of neck.  Put drop on tongue and push against roof of mouth.  Colon Massage.  Simple Headache Technique.
• menstrual cramps:  Progessence Plus on side of neck, valerian 2 drops internally in blank gel cap or Dragon Time topically
• muscle aches:  peppermint, wintergreen or PanAway on location
• sinus congestion:  peppermint, R.C. or Breathe Again on location
• sore throat:  Thieves Spray on back of throat, gargle with melaleuca alternifolia, Thieves on bottom of feet
• toothache:  clove or PanAway on location

Please note that the above suggestions are very abbreviated.  For more in-depth insight and suggestions, please refer to The Essential Oil Desk Reference.

In summary, Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils provide safe and effective natural pain relief.  It is also important to discover the cause of the ailment and not just treat the symptom.  This is where true healing lies.

Order Young Living Essential Oils.

The best six doctors anywhere, and no one can deny it,
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air, exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend, if only you are willing.
Your mind they’ll ease. Your will they’ll mend.
And charge you not a shilling. ~Nursery Rhyme

Many times during the week I am asked the same question:  “What do you do that keeps you staying healthy?”  Because my son and I are rarely sick, I assume that people are curious if we have a secret protocol to keep us from missing a beat.  We do have a protocol but it is far from secret.  And it is actually quite simple.  Yet in its simplicity, there comes a certain level of commitment by which most people are not willing to abide.  And herein lies the secret!

My Secret Protocol for Staying Healthy

On a daily basis, I make sure that I:

1. Meditate.
2. Exercise.  One or more of the following:  walking, stretching, bike riding or light weightlifting.
3. Keep my house/car in order.
4. Laugh.
5. Eat simple meals and snacks of wholesome food–I have eliminated sugar, soda, caffeine, wheat and dairy from my diet.  I limit my intake of meat.
6. Drink plenty of fresh, filtered water.
7. Sleep 6-7 hours at night.
8. Learn something new.
9. Do something creative/
10. Take special care to foster relationships that nourish me and give no energy to those that do not.
11. Diffuse the following essential oils on a rotating basis:  Abundance, Believe, Clarity, Frankincense, Idaho Balsam Fir, RC, Thieves and Transformation.
12. Include the following supplements:

• 2 oz Ning Xia Red with 5 drops of Mineral Essence
• 3 Omega Blue
• 2-4 drops of Progessence Plus topically
• 1-2 Inner Defense (breakfast/lunch)
• 1-2 Life 5 (bedtime)

With each change of seasons, I also do a digestive cleanse.  I use Young Living’s 5 Day Nutritive Cleanse, but any cleanse should do.  And while I do not suggest fasting for children or teens, we do adopt a very simple diet for the duration of the cleanse, so my son benefits from my cleanse as well.

Remember that we nourish ourselves not only with food, but with everything we take into our bodies.  Music, books, thoughts, activities, relationships and our environment, all serve to nourish us.  We could eat the healthiest of food and use Young Living Essential Oils daily, but if our home life is in chaos, it causes us stress and thereby weakens our immune system.  Be mindful of all of the ways you nourish yourself and reduce or eliminate those that do not serve you and you will soon be on the way to staying healthy.

Thieves Essential Oil is a potent blend of Eucalyptus radiata, cinnamon bark, clove, lemon and rosemary therapeutic grade essential oils.  It is best known for it’s anti-microbial and immune-boosting properties and there are as many ways to use Thieves as there are people who use it.  Here are a few of my favorite Thieves applications:

Thieves Essential Oil

• Add a drop of Thieves in a glass of warm water and gargle to soothe a sore throat.
• Rub a few drops on the bottom of the feet to boost immune system.
• Add a few drops in washing machine to disinfect and leave clothes smelling fresh.
• Add baking soda and a few drops of Thieves in your dishwasher soap container for dishes that are clean, clean, clean.
• Create your own disinfecting floor wash by adding a few drops of Thieves Essential Oil to a bucket of 1/2 cup of white vinegar mixed with 4 cups of hot water.
• Use a solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar and a few drops of Thieves to clean your toilet.
• A couple of drops of Thieves essential oil will dissolve gummy label adhesive.
• A couple of drops of Thieves on your toothbrush will keep it germ-free and smelling fresh.
• Need a quick breath freshener?  Add a drop of Thieves on your tongue.
• Diffuse Thieves to prevent or eliminate toxic mold.
• Make a soothing tea by adding a drop of Thieves to a cup of hot water.
• Diffuse Thieves daily to boost immunity and eliminate airborne micro-organisms.
• Cleaning your carpet?  Add a few drops of Thieves to your carpet steamer/cleaner to disinfect and eliminate odors.
• A few drops of Thieves on a cotton ball placed with stored items will prevent mold and mildew.
• Add a drop to your vacuum filter to freshen the air and keep your vacuum smelling fresh.
• Pet accidents?  Add a few drops of Thieves to a wet rag and scrub area to eliminate odors.
• Got ticks?  Rub a drop of Thieves on the tick and it will back right out without your pulling.

Thieves Spray

• Feel a sore throat coming on?  A few shots of Thieves Spray to the back of the throat will ease the pain.
• A few squirts on shopping cart handles will disinfect and purify.
• Wipe down restaurant tables and high chairs with a few spritzes of Thieves Spray.
• How about spraying on a clean cloth and wiping down your computer keyboard?
• Do the same on your television remote control.
• Spritz the inside of stinky shoes.

Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier

• Stinky?  Rub a small amount of Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier under your arms as an emergency underarm de-odorant.  (Might smart a bit in a good way….)
• Daub on insect bites to stop itching or stinging.
• Purify cuts and scrapes by rubbing a small amount of Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier on location.
• A small amount of Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier and some rubbing will remove scuff marks from tile.
• Daub a small amount a facial blemish to speed healing.

During the fall and winter, I diffuse Thieves in the common area of my house by plugging my diffuser into a good old-fashioned lamp timer.  Making sure there is plenty of Thieves in the diffuser, I program the timer to run 4-5 times daily for about 5 minutes each time.  We also make a habit of rubbing Thieves on the bottoms of our feet before putting on our socks each morning and before going to bed each night.  It is a rare occurrence for anyone in our household to be sick with a cold or flu.  So tell me, how do you use your Thieves?

Because Young Living Essential Oils are therapeutic grade, most of the conversations about them center on their healing benefits.  But what about their delicious scent?  Can you wear them just for perfume?  Of course!  And, you will receive healing benefits from them just the same.  What a bonus!  Most colognes on the market today contain synthetic chemicals and solvents that have been proven to be toxic.  How wonderful that you can smell good and not worry about poisoning yourself in the process.

5 Fragrance Categories

To help you decide what Young Living single oils or blends might be right for you from a ‘scentual’ point of view, consider that there are five major categories of fragrances in the perfuming world.

Fresh/Fruity Fruity fragrances use fruit scents as part of the formula to create a spicy, fresh, and youthful scent that is versatile and may be worn in all seasons. These fragrances provide a classic scent with an added twist, and are ideal for outdoor wear, particularly during milder weather.  As an aside, in 2005 Chicago’s Smell & Taste Treatment & Research Center tested a variety of perfumes and found that grapefruit caused the wearer to be perceived as six to ten years younger than her actual age!

Examples of Young Living Oils that are fresh include:  CitrusFresh, Harmony, Inner Child, Peace & Calming and Stress Away.

Florals These scents tend to be very feminine, passionate scents.  For the true romantic, they inspire visions of picnics for two and long strolls in the park.  Floral fragrances are the most popular and widely used fragrances in the world, and are generally suited for all age types. As the name suggests, floral fragrances have strong flowery overtones, making them ideal for those looking for a feminine or romantic fragrance. These fragrances can include rose, jasmine, geranium and lavender.

You might find these Young Living Oils to be floral:  Humility, Joy, Present Time, SARA and Sensation.

Green Green fragrances provide a lighter scent that is reminiscent of freshly cut grass or spring growth. The predominant notes of these fragrances are derived from green plants such as pine, juniper, grass, leaves, and herbs.  Generally speaking, green fragrances feature more neutral tones, making them ideal for all occasions, particularly for younger or sportier women.

Envision, Grounding, Into the Future, Surrender and Valor are examples of Young Living Essential Oils that are in the green fragrance category.

Oriental These scents are imbued with sophistication and are ideal for the woman who loves being the center of every party.  Oriental perfumes are strong and full-bodied, creating a sensual, exotic, and warm impression.  It is very exotic and enjoyed most by women who are bold, strong, and radiant.  Oriental fragrances include ingredients such as spices, balsams, resins, vanilla, and sumptuous flowers. Fragrance tones in this category cross over from spicy fruit scents to warm and woody ones. Oriental perfumes are ideal for corporate environments and special events.

In addition to Abundance, Egyptian Gold, Exodus II, Gathering and Gratitude would also be in the Oriental category.

Woody The woody scents round out the last of our categories.  Woody scents are as warm and inviting as a cup of hot chocolate, but remain balanced by the sensual and the mysterious.  Woody perfumes (sometimes called “chypre”) are unique in that they feature hints of earthy tones such as tree bark or moss that are associated with forest scents. Since it combines scents of earth and floral, it is perfect for those that love being in nature and the outdoors. Woody scents are generally suited for the mature woman, since they have a very sophisticated quality. These scents, which can include sandalwood, patchouli, bergamot and cedar are particularly suited for cooler evenings, and add a rich, natural and fresh air.

In the Woody category you might try Dream Catcher, Inspiration, Live with Passion, Sacred Mountain and 3 Wise Men.

Apply essential oils for scent the same as you would with conventional perfumes and colognes.  In addition, you can use your favorite Young Living Essential Oil to create personalized body moisturizers and hair care products.

Tips for Making Your Decision

• Consider which parts of your personality you want to bring out with your new scent and think of the types of non-cosmetic fragrances to which you are naturally attracted. For instance, if you love the smell of baking, you may want to choose an essential oil blend containing vanilla, but if you love the smell of gardens, a floral scent may be right for you.
• Remember, different aromas may be better suited to different times of the day, different seasons, or different age groups. For instance, sensual oriental fragrances containing balsams and spices are better suited for the winter season, while a green scent may be better suited for younger women and for daytime wear.
• Lastly, remember that essential oil blends create complex tones that change on the surface of your skin as you wear them. This means that the initial scent you may have experienced when applying a new essence will evolve into different stages as it blends with the oils of your skin. Make note of the different individual oils specifically designed in your blend in order to get a truer sense of the type of fragrances in which you may be interested.

‘My wife uses fabric softener. I never knew what that stuff was for. Then I noticed women coming up to me, sniffing, then saying under their breath, “Married!” and walking away. Fabric softeners are how our wives mark their territory. We can take off the ring, but it’s hard to get that April Fresh scent out of your clothes.’ ~Andy Rooney

Fabric softener, or fabric conditioner, is used to prevent static cling and make fabric softer. It is available as a liquid or as dryer sheets.  Fabric softeners work by coating the surface of the cloth fibers with a thin layer of chemicals; these chemicals have lubricant properties and are electrically conductive, thus making the fibers feel smoother and preventing buildup of static electricity. Other functions are improvements of iron glide during ironing, increased resistance to stains, and reduction of wrinkling.

What you might not know is that these well-known laundry products contain chemicals that are toxic.  Ingredients found in fabric softner and dryer sheets include: alpha-terpineol, benzyl acetate, camphor, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, pentane, and chloroform.  According to the manufacturers’ Material Safety Data Sheets, these chemicals have the potential to do things to you such as:

• cause central nervous system disorders, headaches, and loss of muscle coordination
• irritate mucous membranes and impair respiratory function
• cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or drowsiness
• cause liver or kidney damage
• cause skin disorders and allergic reactions
• cause cancer

These chemicals enter our system not only through our skin as the coated clothing rubs against our body, but through the air from dryer vents and through our water supply as the rinse water goes down the drain.

Simple Steps for Fresh Laundry

• Substitute Thieves Household Cleaner for your regular laundry detergent.
• Use white vinegar in your laundry’s rinse cycle instead of fabric softner. About 1/4 or 1/2 cup with a few drops of Young Living Therapeutic Grade essential oil will do a good job of keeping things soft and static free with no odor.  The essential oil will also disinfect the load of laundry.  Try lemon, lavender, Melaleuca alternifolia or bergamot for a fresh, clean scent.
• Add a damp washcloth on which you have added 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to the dryer when you add the wet clothes.

Reduce That Cling Naturally

• Static cling is the direct result of over drying your laundry.  Try lowering the dryer temperature, shorten the drying time or both.
• Since natural fabrics don’t develop static, begin switching to fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen, silk and rayon.
• Shake your clothes when taking them from the dryer.
• Stop using the dryer altogether! Utilize clothes lines and drying racks whenever possible.

Begin the simple process of following the suggestions listed above as you do your laundry.  You will find that it will save you money, reduce the risk of illness from exposure to toxic chemicals and it is good for the planet.

This June saw two new diffusers released at the 2010 Young Living Convention.  One is an ultrasonic diffuser and the other is a cold-air, or atomizer type of essential oil diffuser.  Both are top of the line.  To determine which type of diffuser is better suited for your needs, read this post on Comparing Essential Oil Diffusers.

TheraPro Premium Cold-Air Diffuser

An atomizer, or cold-air diffuser is my favorite way to diffuse essential oils.  My only complaint was how difficult it was to change oils.  I would have to go through all sorts of changes from either waiting for the current oil to diffuse out completely or I would have to pour the oil into another container or down the drain because it was gunky.  Neither situation made me happy.  The new TheraPro Premium Diffuser solves the problem by diffusing the oil right from the original essential oil bottle.  No muss.  No fuss.

Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser

The Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser is the Porsche of ultrasonic diffusers.  From music to lighting to a timer, this diffuser has all of the bells and whistles.

In addition, by diffusing therapeutic grade essential oils, you are creating a soothing atmosphere in your home or workplace as well as purifying the air and eliminating micro-organisms that cause illness.