Ningxia Red-the last "energy drink" you'll ever need!

As some of you know, I'm passionate about oils. Along with oils, I'm passionate about overall health and performance as well. During my days as a college basketball player, I realized the importance of body performance. Every single time we went on Thanksgiving, Christmas and when the season was completely done, I would get sick. Really sick! It was like my body had given all that it could and recognized the down time it was due. 

I thought this would end when I finished basketball, wrong! It seems my body is much smarter than my mind. I at times have a tendency to push my body too hard and for too long. When this gets excessive, I would get sick just like during bball. Not only that, I started to exhibit autoimmune responses (looking back I've had chronic health issues until the last 1 plus years). The tissues around my eyes would swell shut, I'd struggle to breathe if it got really bad. This ended in ER trips leaving with a body shock full of steroids to reverse the effects. My Doctor couldn't figure out what triggered these responses. I also got tired, drop dead tired. It would take me a week plus to recover. I realized eventually that it was stress. My body would literally shut down when I was too stressed. 

The last time this happened was right before my Endometriosis surgery. I was really stressed about the surgery, prognosis, future and how long it would take for me to get back to normal. I was new to oils at this time (had the kit for 1 week). About 2 days before surgery I started to notice my autoimmune response being triggered. I also was running a fever. If I didn't get it under control I'd have to reschedule the surgery for a month out and I was prepared for it right then, not later. In the Premium Starter Kit there are two 2oz packets of Ningxia Red. I had read somewhere that it helped with the immune system. I thought why not?! I chugged one packet, put Thieves on the bottom of my feet, Peppermint around my navel and Lavender on all of my limbs. After a 2 hour nap, I felt noticeably better. A few hours later, right before bed I drank the last packet. By morning I was normal. No swelling, no breathing issues and I wasn't fatigued! On my mother I have never had an autoimmune flare up that didn't end in an ER trip. This was the first time! I laugh now at how amazed I was by how powerful Ningxia Red was. Now I just expect results from the oils in Ningxia. 

So over a year later how do I useNingxia Red? I drink 1-2oz every morning. Sometimes I take a shot of it in the afternoon if I know I have a lot to do or if I'm just feeling run down. It tastes delicious in my opinion. I even got my friend who started me on oils to try drinking it for a month. She's still drinking it and so am I. I love the stuff and notice a difference when I don't take it. I'm a bit more tired, less focused, soreness after working out seems to last longer. I struggle with short-term memory details. My old roommates will tell you I used to have OCD about doors. I could never remember if I had locked the door and HAD to check to make sure I had. Now I can remember if I've locked the door and can also recall details about locking the door (looking in the window, struggling with the key, etc). 

Recently I added Ningxia Nitro. Ningxia is great and I stumbled over Nitro on accident. I was given a box and thought why not? Boom, the stuff is awesome! I notice that my workouts are better, my self diagnosed ADHD is controlled and I just feel sharp. Real sharp :). I sleep a lot better now than before. I sleep throughout the night and feel rested in the morning, but I still struggle with energy levels. I honestly think that's a hormone issue. There are so many hormones in the body and although I'm managing the hormones for my Endometriosis I think I still have a ways to go. I won't lie, what I eat directly effects my energy levels. When I'm strict paleo I feel awesome and the Ningxia Red and Nitro make me look like CatWoman. When I cheat or am stressed my energy hits the bucket! What's that tell you about food? 

So enough about me and more about them! 

Ningxia Red has Orange and Lemon essential oils. They are both known to help maintain normal cellular regeneration. They also are high in antioxidant d-limonene which is important for bioactivity. Bioactives are natural compounds that work in your body to promote the healthy function of a large variety of body systems. Tangerine oil is also in NR and has a positive effect on maintaining cholesterol levels. When you add these oils to the other ingredients in NR they help to support normal digestive health, healthy immune function, normal brain function, and a healthy cardiovascular system. 

Wolfberry (Goji) Superfruit:
The wolfberry has one of the highest percentages of fiber of any whole food and contains zeaxanthin-a carotenoid important to maintaining healthy vision. It's also chuck full of polysaccharides, amino acids and vitaminmineral pairs which helps promote optimum internal absorption of all that good stuff. 

Supporting Juice Blend:
Grape Seed Extract which contains polyphenolic compounds that may help support cardiovascular health. Blueberry, Plum, Aronia, Cherry, and pomegranate juice also continues high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols, which helps block oxygen based free radicals from damaging tissues. Having high levels of antioxidants provided in Ningxia red helps prevent against numerous health risks and helps maintain healthy bodily functions. It also helps with inflammation. That's a topic for another blog but it's true!  

Want some research? Here's some about the effects of Gojiberries which are good for managing blood sugars! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24817112

It also helps with weight loss and fighting off disease. I'll say that when I drink Ningxia Red, I crave nothing! It's really great when you're trying to lose weight. When a craving strikes take a shot of Ningxia and put your favorite citrus oil in your water and craving be gone! This is a very sciencey article about that. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22739381

Since you haven't spent a lot of time reading this already watch this video! 

One quick testimony about Ningxia Red that isn't mine! A friend of mine has high blood pressure. Medication was used, but if you're familiar with blood pressure medications there isn't a good one out there. Lots of side effects. He asked about Ningxia. I had read some research about using Ningxia Red and Ylang Ylang to reduce and manage high blood pressure. So he tried it. He started with just Ningxia and blood pressure was normal in the AM, but by the end of the day when stress had taken it's tole it was high again. So what did he do? He drank more Ningxia and put Ylang Ylang on the bottom of his feet. How's his blood pressure now?! Normal! He has better numbers now with NR and Ylang Ylang than he did when he was taking medications! Take that pill! 

17 reasons to drink Ningxia Red:

1. The Ningxia Wolfberry provides ample antioxidants to strengthen the immune system.

2. Antioxidants of this berry fight arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis-aiding the circulatory system, including the heart.

3. The Ningxia Red Wolfberry is powerful in helping the liver function properly. The liver is one of the main vital organs in the body and it's a cleansing machine.

4. It has the capability to help your eyes, cataracts, glaucoma and visual acuity. Ningxia Red Wolfberry has the highest sources of carotenoids in all known foods. Beta-carotene is best known as a nutrient for the retina.

5. Cancer help. Wolfberries contain Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide (LBP) which helps cancer patients rebuild their white blood cell count.

6. More cancer help. Acetone extract from Ningxia Wolfberry inhibits gene mutation.

7. Minerals and vitamins found in NX Red act as enzymes and co-factors in the digestion process.

8. Studies involving seniors in China showed a direct correlation between longevity and those that ingested wolfberries.

9. NX helps stabilize blood sugar and lowers blood sugar levels.

10. NX strengths the brain's neurotransmitters against free radical activity.

11. Promotes a sense of well-being. This reduces stress and anxiety, which helps avoid oxidative stress.

12. Has a B Vitamin complex essential to the body.

13. Provides powerful anti-fungal and antibacterial action because it contains solavetivone.

14. Reduces pain caused by inflammation. The berry contains beta-Sitosterol.

15. The Ningxia Red Wolfberry is higher in protein than whole wheat.

16. The Ningxia Red Wolfberry, unlike most berries, has natural Vitamin E, which is a natural restorative antioxidant.

17. A healthier romantic life. The Wolfberry increases overall health performance, including sexual responses.

To close this out, drink Ningxia Red! You won't regret it! 

Citations:

Young Living 

http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/wellness/energy-stamina/new-ningxia-red

Hormones, am I crazy? No! Balancing hormones with essential oils

So, I've been busy and I realized the other day that when I don't make myself stick to a schedule I get all over the place! So my goal for this week is to get back on track with blogging and working out. One thing I know about my body, is that when I'm stressed my hormones go crazy. Cortisol is an old foe.

What first started my passion for essential oils was my Endometriosis. I talk about that in my first blog so if you want to know the background story check that out! Today I want to focus on Progessence Plus. I totally credit this oil and a diet change with my Endometriosis being cured!

To talk about hormones we need to talk a little about biology, anatomy and history. The history plays a part in the fact that women and men have been terribly misdiagnosed and treated for hormonal issues. "She's bipolar" "unstable" "over sensitive" "going through the change" All of these phrases usually describe something that has to do with hormones in my opinion. I'm not a Dr, yet,but I think there's enough research and background information to support the fact that hormones are not addressed the way they should be. Also, food plays a huge role in hormone balancing. Conventional food especially meat and dairy are PUMPED with hormones (2). Don't get me started on how preservatives effect hormones :) If you'd like to learn more, read this book! http://www.amazon.com/It-Starts-Food-Discover-Unexpected/dp/1936608898/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403058813&sr=8-1&keywords=its+starts+with+food

The Endocrine system is all about hormones! If it's a hormone it's connected to the Endocrine system.  The Pituitary Gland is this tiny thing in your brain that is probably the most important organ when talking about hormones. It sits between your eyes, about an inch and a half back. It's super duper fragile and controls hormones and influences moods. Its crucial to growth, mental development, reproduction and also influences the rest of the Endocrine system. It is the boss of your other hormones! It also helps to regulate blood pressure, influences some aspects of pregnancy, controls sex organs, water regulation in your body and is the Thyroid's friend (1).

It can be injured so easily through: whiplash, TBI, an air bag deploying, mild to moderate blows to the head (soccer balls, bumping), sexual abuse as a child (stops development of the pituitary gland), Tumors, snorting or huffing drugs, radiation exposure, and prolonged stress. I personally had 2 concussions while playing college basketball and was involved in 2 car accidents. During this time I also had a major change in my family status. I honestly believe that those events, between the physical damage on top of the emotional trauma triggered my Endometriosis.

So what's the problem with synthetic hormones? Well, they increase your chances of getting cancer. Check out this article and the study behind it. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Jul24/0,4670,EstrogenBreastCancer,00.html
There's a lot out there about it and I think it's only going to get worse based on how our food is treated with hormones. This article also has some great info. And when he talks about bio identical hormones, Progessence Plus (P+) is a bioavailable hormone because it's made from yams (3)! Which means it reduces your chances of cancer (3).

So I've spent enough time talking about how important hormones are and it's even more important to use bio-identical because your body receives it. Taking 1 birth control pill increases your risk of breast cancer by 120% (3). Synthetic hormones also don't address the problems of not having a hormone balance. Most women have more estrogen than progesterone. Most hormonal issues disappear with an increase of natural progesterone and good news, P+ contains the P4 progesterone that we make in our bodies. Progesterone is super important because it helps regulate body functions, maintaining pregnancy, normalizing blood sugars, helps us use fat for energy (weight loss), beneficial anti-inflammatory effects, reduces swelling and inflammation, and helps regulate mood (3).

Some signs of having low progesterone may include:
Menopausal symptoms
inconsistent cycles
sugar cravings
ovarian cysts
low basal body temp
irregular periods
allergy symptoms
arthritis
spotting in the days before your periods begins
recurrent early miscarriage
blood clots during your cycle
cold hands and feet
brittle nails
cracked heels
decreased sex drive
menstrual cramps
depression and/or anxiety
acne
fatigue
fibrocystic breasts
PCOS
endometriosis
fibromyalgia
gallbladder issues
foggy thinking
headaches and migraines
infertility
vaginal dryness
slow metabolism
mood swings
weight gain-especially if around the middle of your body (3)

Remember when I said too much Cortisol was a bad thing? Well, it blocks progesterone receptor sites (stress reduction is very important!)

To the rescue! P+

I could go on an on about this, but it works! Great places to use it is on the inner forearms, on both sides of your throat, on the ankles, inner thighs, in the middle of your forehead and over the abdomen. I think it's best to start using P+ at night before bed. You may experience a detox and hormonal balancing and that can cause headaches, keep using P+ until it goes away. If you start at night, you'll probably bypass that! I didn't experience that, but I believe in full disclosure and I think knowledge is power!

It's also important to balance your hormones through exercise, eating, sleeping, and lifestyle choices. All of those things trigger a hormonal response. Make sure you're triggering good hormonal responses. Exercising  every day is extremely important. I admit, I've struggled with it the last 2 weeks, but I've tried to do something very day. That's better than nothing! Eating lots of healthy meats (organic and hormone free) and fresh fruits and vegetables are also helpful. Stress is huge, find ways to reduce stress in your life or at least lessen the effects. Go for a walk, get a pedicure or massage, call a friend, take a nap. Do something that helps you cool down, or better yet, not get upset!

If you'd like to know more, msg me on here, email me daniballard@hotmail.com, call or tx me, find me on Facebook. If you're like to order and you're already a member or customer, just add this to your cart. If you're new to oils and are interested in purchasing this, go to http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/beauty/life-balance/progessence-plus-serum

Click on purchase, and add number 1412935 where it asks for sponsor/enrollee, finish filling out the rest of the information and get excited for your oil!

Thanks so much for reading and I hope this benefits you as much as it has me! I believe it will!

References:

(1) Hormone Health Network-http://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/the-endocrine-system/endocrine-glands-and-types-of-hormones#Pituitary

(2) Hartwig, Dallas & Melissa. It starts with food. 

(3) Purser, Dr. Dan. Hormone Health 

Medical disclaimer 

The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The information represents what I, an Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family.  Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.

Information found on this site is meant for educational and informational purposes only, and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment. Individual articles and information on other websites are based upon the opinions of the respective authors, who retain copyright as marked.

With that being said, every drug that has been recalled by the FDA, was first approved by them.

What's in the bag-Frankincense (memory/dementia is addressed in this blog)

So this week has been crazy! On Friday my grandma was involved in a farm accident. A bad one. I'll leave it at that because I know if I gave more detail, she'd be embarrassed for the World Wide Web to know. But this situation although taxing, there's been some positives. My grandma for the last several years has struggled with memory and is even showing some dementia. Dementia is a nasty beast and can't really be diagnosed, but those who have gone through it know  how bad it can be! So, this segment part of the blog is dedicated to my grandmother and anyone else going through memory loss or other tough issues with the family.

I hated the smell of it when I first started oiling, but I love it now. I used it for scars on my face. After a few weeks of putting it on a couple times a week the spots weren't noticeable or were completely gone. I often think what would have happened had I used it daily?! I also like it in the Slique gum which is good for weight loss, controlling cravings and overall gum health.

So, at times my grandma is off. She's one of the strongest people I know and the last few years she's just been different. More forgetful and not as quick. The first time I saw her in the hospital it took her awhile to recognize me and she asks the same questions several times. As you yourself become more familiar with oils, what oils you use will just come to you. I instantly thought of Frankincense  and orange oil. So what have I noticed in my grandma after diffusing Frankincense for 3 days?

Improved memory! She doesn't ask the same questions and seems more assured in herself. Lately she's been self-guessing a lot and that's stopped. She's also more consistent in mood. She's also been sleeping 10 hours a night along with taking naps. Maybe skeptics will say the pain meds are causing that...but in my own little experiment I've noticed that when she takes the meds and I don't diffuse she's lost. She thought it was 1994 today. Within an hour of using Frankincense she was asking me about work and remembered what book I was reading. That's huge for her! Sooo huge! Even my family has noticed a difference.

Frankincense is a pretty popular and old oil. Remember the Christmas story, the one that includes Jesus :) well Frankincense was brought to him along with myrrh. It's mentioned over 52 times in the bible as a single oil and there's other references where it's used in a blend. Check out Exod. 30:34, Lev. 2:1,2,15,16 and Matt. 2:11.

It's good for: being anticancer, antidepressant, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, anti-tumoral, sedative and is an immune stimulant. So why's this important? Well again, oils help our body function at it's highest capability. Having the above isn't our highest potential! So I believe it works, but even the conventional science world is realizing it works! Check out this article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8505251.stm
 Cool stuff, right! Here's my favorite part from that piece

"Frankincense separates the 'brain' of the cancerous cell - the nucleus - from the 'body' - the cytoplasm, and closes down the nucleus to stop it reproducing corrupted DNA codes.""Cancer starts when the DNA code within the cell's nucleus becomes corrupted," he says. "It seems frankincense has a re-set function. It can tell the cell what the right DNA code should be.

Working with frankincense could revolutionise the treatment of cancer. Currently, with chemotherapy, doctors blast the area around a tumour to kill the cancer, but that also kills healthy cells, and weakens the patient. Treatment with frankincense could eradicate the cancerous cells alone and let the others live.

All oils are really great at improving cellular function and communication, but Frankincense seems to work really really hard in that area. The historical use of Frankincense was to improve communication with God. It's a highly regarded oil and luckily for us,Young Living distills the oil in the most optimal way to provide us with all of the benefits Frank can help us with. Here's a great abstract from a study about Frank and cancer http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24137478

You can use the oils however you want, but here's some ways I've had great success! 

1. Diffuse for mood or wear as a perfume. Science tells us that when we smell the olfactory system in the brain produces an emotional response before we have a cognitive thought. Boost that initial response to be a positive and pleasant one! 

2. Apply to temples or wrists to relieve stress. 

3. Put it on your skin--anywhere :) it promotes regeneration of skin and healthy cells. Helps prevent and reduce wrinkles when used topically. 

4. It repairs and fades scar tissue from stretch marks, acne and surgery. it also helps those areas heal quickly. 

5. Stops itching. Apply a few drops to help those itchy areas. 

6. Pain reliever-put on joints, injuries or areas that are hurting.

7. Disinfectant- put it on wounds to clean and disinfect. 

8. May help remove warts. Apply it several times a day until the wart is gone. This may take a few weeks. This works for skin tags too! 

9. Reduces inflammation. You can apply it topically or put it in a capsule. 

10. Strengthens the immune system-apply to the bottom of your feet or in a capsule. It increases the activity of leukocytes in defense of the body against infection. 

11. Having a baby? Apply it to lower back to ease pain--can also help with calming. 

12. Apply it to insect bites to reduce swelling and speed up healing. .

13.  Enhance Visual Acuity – Many have eliminated the need for reading glasses by applying frankincense around 
the eye area – on the cheek bone and brow bone. Over a period of months, the vision often improves. 
Some have even regained the peripheral vision that had been limited. They put one drop of frankincense in the 
palm, rubbed the palms together, and cupped the palms over open eyes for 3 minutes 2-3 times each day.

NOTE:  This can cause the eyes to water and/or tingle as the molecules of the essential oils disperse. In addition, remember that the condition did not occur “overnight”, and it may take many months before significant improvement is noticed.

14. Improves Concentration - apply 1-2 drops of on temples and/or back of neck to help improve concentration. Or diffuse it! I think this has really helped my grandmother! 

15.  Brittle Nails – 1 drop on nails  to help strengthen brittle or weak fingernails.

16.  Cysts -apply 1-2 drops on cyst 2 times a day until it disappears.

17.  Overall health – Healthy Maintenance. Dilute 1 drop Frankincense oil in 1tsp. honey or 4 oz. rice milk and ingest daily for health maintenance.

18.  Cancer – Frankincense is anti -tumoral.  Several documented cases.

Hope this was helpful! I'm so grateful that you took the time to read this :)

Information for this blog was taken from the above studies and the 

 "Reference Guide for Essential Oils" (New 2013 Edition) by Connie and Alan Higley. If you don't have this reference guide get it on Amazon or msg me for ways to order it! 

Pre and Post Surgery using Young Living Oils

 One big thing about surgery is arming the body. The healthier the body is going into surgery, the quicker recovery takes place. Here are some suggestions that may be helpful for an upcoming surgery.

Pre-Surgery:

Put lemon in water several times daily. This should be continued after surgery.

If you're not eating 8-10 servings of fruits and veggies and even if you are, Super C and Super B and MegaCal are really great options for arming your body pre surgery!

With that I'd say add Ningxia Red. By nature it's antiflammatory and antioxidant. This will helpyour body   recover faster.
Here is Gary Young's Anti-inflammatory/Anti Pain recipe. 
Valerian -20 drops

Vetiver -20 drops
Helichrysum -10 drops
Clove -5 drops
Idaho Balsam Fir -5 drops
Peppermint -5 drops

Take in 2 capsules every 3-4 hours as needed. You can also put this in coconut oil and rub it on the site of incision. 

Valerian: in old times it was revered to as the "heal all" It's anti-anxiety and antibacterial. It's going to help keep the bad stuff out, but will also calm the central nervous system (CNS), which in turn calms you. Stress prohibits healing in all aspects (2)!

Vetiver: is also antiseptic, calming, grounding, stimulates the immune system. It's used to help heal after trauma and surgery is a big trauma (2). 

Helichrysum: helps improve circulation and also controls bleeding and works on pain. It also helps regenerate new tissue, but reducing scaring. The less scar tissue the healthier the body. Sulfurzyme is also a great product for helping digest scar tissue! Sulfur is the 4th largest element in our body and most people show deficiencies in it. Especially if you weren't breast fed as a baby (2) 

Clove: Clove is a great fungal killer! It's also has a high antioxidant, antibacterial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The people of Penang (among the "Spice Islands") had no history of epidemics until the 16th century when Dutch Conquerers destroyed the clove trees. Clove is also great for sinus infections (2).

Idaho Balsam Fir: is great for being an antiseptic, stringent, its anti-inflammatory and helps sedate nerves. It may also help enhance the body's production of hGH (human growth hormone) which is needed for healing and production of new tissue. It may also helps reduce levels of cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone=bad and surgery is stressful on your schedule, lifestyle, but its also super stressful on your body. Any time you can reduce that hormone, it's to your overall benefit!

Peppermint: If you've read my previous blogs you know that peppermint is my favorite! It's a pain killer and also helps amplify the affects of the other oils. Its invigorating to the senses, but also your cells. It helps kick your pain, but also helps speed up recovery.

If you're just interested in oils that can help in surgery  this is your ending place, but since I love the body and talking about it I couldn't help, but talk about how it heals itself :) 

The body goes through 4 phases of healing. The body is super smart and realizes what needs to be done. It's important to realize that even if the surgery is neccesary, it reeks havoc on your body. I mean your colon shuts down for up to 72 hours after being under amnesia...I wish I would have known that when I had surgery :) Make sure you're eating tons and I mean TONS of fresh fruits and veggies to help get fiber and nutrients, but to also give your digestive system plenty of healthy enzymes.

Phase I-Vascular response-
This happens immediately. As soon as the tissue is cut the body works to slow down bleeding and blood vessels constrict to prevent contniued bleeding and protect against infection. Platelets form to clot the injured area (1).

Phase I-inflammatory phase-can last up to 5 days: 
Your body has figured out that it's been compromised and is responding with a force. Blood will clot at the incision/injury site and white blood cells will spike as the body prepares for possible infection. Macrophages then remove damaged cells and other bad stuff(1). 

Phase II-The Proliferative phase can begin anytime from 2 days to 3 weeks after the surgery or injury.  This is when the body works to secrete collagn to reconnect damaged tissue. Vitiamin C, Zinc, Oxygen and Iron are required for this...drink the ningxia! The oils will help oxygenate the body and increase nutrient absorption (1)

Finally, Reconstruction (maturation) phase occurs from 3 weeks to a years after the surgery/injury.  The body replaces collagen put in place in the poliferative phase with stronger, more sturdy collagen and tissue, but this is not as strong as the original tissue. (1).


Thanks for reading!!! Hope this was helpful :) 

Citations 

(1) http://www.wrha.mb.ca/professionals/ebpt/files/WC-03NormalWoundHealing.pdf

(2)  "Reference Guide for Essential Oils" (New 2013 Edition) by Connie and Alan Higley

What's in the bag-Lavender!

I have mixed feelings about writing a blog versus posting a video. After doing my first video workshop, I'm kind of in love! I had several bloopers :) I referred to back pain as a grumpy back! I'm not living that down in my boyfriend's eyes. But down to business.

Lavender is one of those oils that doesn't get enough credit. I once heard someone say, "if you don't know what oil to use, use lavender." That has never steered me wrong. I've heard people tell me that lavender smell gives them headaches and this might. I won't make a claim like that, but 95% of lavender fragrance is from the plant lavandin. One thing that is great for burns is Lavender, 100% pure theuraputic grade Lavender. Lavandin will actually push the burn in further. There's like 50+ strains of Lavender and only 2 are therapeutic. If you look at your Young Living label it will show you the Latin name. That guarantees you're getting the correct oil. Lavender is known for figuring out there's a problem and going after it!

I like to use Lavender for:
-I put it on my scarves for a nice fragrance, but also for relaxation. If you ever see my sniffing my scarves you know I've got an oil on it ;)
-I use it for infection and cuts.
-I put1 or 2 drops on a Q-tip and swab the inside of my nose for my allergies. With that and lemon water I've had no problems with my allergies this or last season.
-Bug bites and rashes.
-I put 2 drops of Lavender in my mascara and I think it's helping my eyelashes become thicker and longer.
-I love putting it on the crown of my dogs head for calming it helps to make her coat shiny.
-Lavender is great to diffuse as well!

Here's what the handy dandy reference book says about Lavender-
It's an analgesic, anticoagulant, anti-convulsive, antidepressant, anti-fungal, antihistamine, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory,antimicrobial, anti mutagenic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, anti-tumor, cardiotonic, regenerative and works as a sedative.

It can be used for: Acne, ADD/ADHD, allergies, anxiety, blisters, repelling bugs, calming burns, chapped lips, chicken pox, cholesterol, cooling, improving concentration. dandruff depression, diaper rash, dry skin, hair loss, high blood pressure, hives, impetigo, postpartum depression, scabies, scaring, sensitive skin, stretch marks, sunburn, wounds and wrinkles.

Thanks for reading!!

Essential Oils 101 Video!

I've been slacking, I'll admit it! It's been way too long since I've blogged. I decided today to take a break from the "what's in the bag" segment. I wanted to do a quick intro to oils class for people that are interested in what oils are, what they do and how to use them. In this video I explain the oils that come in the starter kit!

Please excuse the "ums" I'll work on that for next time :)

Also, I feel I could have done a better job of explaining why YL oils are different.
-Most essential oils on the market (like 95%) are 'perfume' oils. They don't have any medicinal s purposes. Young living oils do have medicinal properties. It's guaranteed through the Seed to Seal process (See why young living blog).
-They should be kept in a dark bottle. You'll notice the YL bottles are dark.
-YL oils are labeled and have a dietary supplement label.
-They should have no expiration date
-If it says should always be diluted or should not be taken internally--they're not therapeutic grade! .
-The Latin name should always be used. There's over 50 different strains of lavender, but only 2 have medicinal purposes. If you know the Latin name you know it's legit.
All of the essential oils I've seen at WholeFoods and other health food stores do not meet these standards

So enjoy, if you're new to oils or thinking about them I hope this helps! Here's a great visual about all the things the oils in the kit can do.

What's in the bag?-Lemon!

Lemon! I love it and always have it on hand. It's an oil that doesn't get enough credit. It's a simple and inexpensive oil ($11 wholesale) that does a ton! Just look at the above picture. When someone is new to oils, lemon is a great place to start! I use it in my water daily. Usually 2-3 drops a couple times a day (people new to oils should use 1-2 drops, 1-3 times daily to avoid overload of detoxification. Upcoming blog topic!).
It flavors water, but is beneficial! What's the point of using crystal light or other water additives when they're actually adding toxins to your body?! It's also great for the skin and breaking up mucus. If you're sick grab lemon, thieves, lavender and peppermint and you'll knock that thing out! I also use it if I've eaten or possibly drank too much :/ lemon water before bed after eating or drinking helps reduce bloating and the hangover feeling. Super great for cleaning and you can make a green non-toxic bleach with it for cleaning! I use it in a lemon water bath to clean fruit!

If drinking any oil use glass! If you use plastic the oil will actually disintegrate   the plastic. Sound scary? In your body it's doing the same thing, breaking down all that junk! Try putting a drop of lemon oil on plastic, cool science experiment! I started with a leftover snapple bottle until I splurged and bought a glass water bottle from Target. 

Here's a great testimony to Lemon from someone new to oils! After using lemon in her water for 1 week and doing nothing else different, this is the message I got!! I mean wow, after 1 week she was able to wear jeans she hadn't worn in a year.

It detoxes the liver; which the liver is another thing that doesn't get enough credit. The liver is responsible for cleansing blood before it's sent out to the rest of the body. For our purposes, lets call it the gate keeper. The liver works hand in hand with the pancreas, gallbladder and intestines to digest, absorb and process food. The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. As it does so, the liver secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines. The liver also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions. The liver is also a major gate keeper and storage bin for hormones. So, today when I had a rush of adrenaline aka epinephrine which probably also spiked my cortisol and norepinephrine my body absorbed what I needed. What was leftover, the liver takes and stores. We have hormone spikes on a daily basis due to stress, diet,environments and a bunch of other factors. The liver collects and stores all that to give us cleansed blood. Which is why lemon is awesome, helps clean out the gatekeeper/24 hour storage bin, aka the liver. 

The desk reference describes Lemon as having the following properties: anticancer, antidepressant, antiseptic, anti-fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, astringent, invigorating,  and tonic. 

Common primary uses: antioxidant, antiviral, anxiety, cleaning, brain injury, colds, concentration, constipation, Cushing's syndrome, depression, dish sanitizer, disinfecting, dysentery, fever, furniture police, gout, gum/ grease removal, heartburn, hangovers, kidney stones, malaria, mumps, overeating, varicose veins, water purification. 

Historically, lemon has been used to fight food poisoning, malaria and typhoid. Lemon has also been used to lower blood pressure and treat muscular aches and pains. I freaking love this oil :) 

Thanks for reading!