Blog Archives

15 Ways to Use Wild Orange

2/25/2017

Have you ever smelled Wild Orange? It is heavenly!! I am diffusing it in my office as I am writing this blog. It is energizing and up-lifting. When I teach essential oil classes, I always give the attendees an "oil experience". The oils I use are a combination of Wild Orange and Peppermint. It is truly an amazing smell - and it ensures that nobody falls asleep while attending one of my classes. Lol!

Wild Orange is a very economical oil and can be used in many ways. Here are just some of them...

To Reduce Anxiety - Place 1 drop of Wild Orange in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Then cup your hands over your nose. Inhale and exhale deeply for 30 seconds. Voila - anxiety reduced!
To Improve Slow Digestion - Rub 1 drop of Wild Orange oil over your stomach twice a day.
For Energy - Diffuse 3 drops of Wild Orange oil and 2 drops of Elevation.
Mouth Ulcers - Rub 1 drop of Wild Orange oil and 1 drop of Melaleuca on the area of concern twice a day.
To Freshen the Air - Diffuse 2 drops Purify and 3 drops Wild Orange.
To Clean Your Kitchen - add 10 drops of Wild Orange oil to your favorite non-toxic cleaner. Or, make your own cleaner with 1 cup organic vinegar, 1 cup water and 10 drops Wild Orange oil.
To Help Reduce Inflammation - Rub 1 drop of Wild Orange oil and Eucalyptus oil on the feet twice a day.
To Increase Circulation - Rub 2 drops of Wild Orange oil on the area of concern.
For Extra Antioxidants for the Skin - Add 1 drop of Wild Orange oil and 1 drop of Frankincense to a small amount of face cream and rub into the skin.
To Add Flavor and Antioxidants to Water or a Smoothie - Add 1 drop to a glass of water or any smoothie that you are making.
Stress Reducer Diffuser Blend - Diffuse 3 drops Wild Orange, 2 drops Frankincense and 2 drops Lavender.
For acne-prone skin - Rub 1 drop of Wild Orange and 1 drop of Melaleuca to the area of concern.
To Boost the Immune System - place 1 drop of Wild Orange oil in a veggie capsule and take internally. (If you are not comfortable using pure essentials oils internally, then you can choose a different method.)
When Studying, or Needing to Maintain Focus - Diffuse 3 drops of Wild Orange and 3 drops of Peppermint.
To Cut the Grease - Add 1 drop of Wild Orange oil to your dish detergent before running the dishwasher. It also helps clean the dishwasher!

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ARE YOU READY TO TRY ESSENTIAL OILS?

Essential oils can be incredibly beneficial for you and your family. Instead of loading up on toxic synthetic chemicals, consider using these life-giving essential oils which have been used for thousands of years for health and healing.

The brand that I trust is doTERRA therapeutic essential oils. If you want to get started with essential oils, click here to go to my doTERRA website to set up an account and get your oils at wholesale (up to 55% less than retail).

If you want to start with some great oils, start with a kit. The Home Essentials Kit is one of the most popular kits and it comes with 10 important essential oils, a 4-hour oil Diffuser, plus you save over $80 off the wholesale prices.

You can also send me an email or call me. It can be overwhelming to decide which oils are best for you and I am happy to help. I do one-on-one consultations and give classes. If you have several friends that are interested in improving their health, you may consider hosting a small class in your home.

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Is it possible to be dehydrated in the winter?

2/23/2017

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Hydration is a very important consideration even at this time of year. People are typically more dehydrated in the winter than in the summer. We don't usually associate colder weather with dehydration because the body does not get as hot in the colder months and the body's thirst response is diminished. In order for the body to conserve heat at its core, our blood vessels constrict and prevent blood from freely flowing to the extremities. The body is fooled into thinking that it is properly hydrated because we do not feel thirsty and therefore, we are less likely to drink water voluntarily. But hydration is critical - and here is why...

What does water do for my body?
Water is a nutrient essential to life. It is the primary component of all bodily fluids - blood, lymph, digestive juices, urine, tears, and sweat - and is involved in almost every bodily function. Water makes up 60% of our total body weight and is second in importance only to air for sustaining life. It is impossible to sustain life for more than a week without it.

Some uses of water

Regulates the body’s temperature
Cushions and protects vital organs
Lubricates and cushion the joints
Aids the digestive system
Helps with weight loss
Acts within each cell to transport nutrients and dispel waste
Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and evacuation.

Should I drink only when thirsty?
Thirst is not fully reliable. Thirst is a signal that your body is already on its way to dehydration. It is important to drink more than thirst demands and continue to drink throughout the day .

Must I get all of my fluids from water?
You can become hydrated in a number of ways, but water is the best fluid replenisher for most individuals. Other beverages that may be hydrating are herbal teas, 100% juice, smoothies, coffee, soda or energy/sports drinks. Some view these beverages as fine substitutes because they contain water, but beware. Coffee is a diuretic and in excess can cause us to excrete more water than it contains. Soda, juices, and energy/sports drinks contain much sugar, which upsets water balance. Also, sugar sweetened beverages provide empty, unneeded calories. In addition to drinking water, you can get hydration from fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, and celery.

Dehydration
Without enough water, we literally dry ourselves out. Dehydration is linked to chronic health problems like arthritis, diabetes, colitis, high blood pressure, kidney stones, and multiple sclerosis.

Dehydration symptoms

Dark urine / constipation
Dry skin / dry mouth
Extreme thirst
Dizziness / fatigue

How much water do we really need?
Water requirements vary greatly from person to person and depend on the climate in which we live, our activity level, and our diet.

Water goals
Divide your body weight (in pounds) by 2. Aim to drink that many ounces of water daily. If you weigh 160 pounds/2 = 80 = ounces of water needed daily. Add 8 ounces for every half-hour of exercise.

Don't think you can reach these goals? Of course you can! Here are some tips for reaching daily water goals:

Drink an 8 ounce glass or two of water upon waking in the morning (literally gets things moving).
Drink an 8 ounce glass about 30 minutes before each meal (this helps satiate you; the sensation of thirst is often confused with hunger).
Drink an 8 ounce glass before bedtime.
Or drink a glass of water at the top of each hour for easier tracking.
Include extra glasses of water if you exercise, live in a warm climate, have fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or certain medical conditions.

Don’t like the taste of plain water?
Infuse your water with flavors, like cucumbers, strawberries, lemons, or fresh herbs. A water pitcher infused with fruit is great to have on hand.

What if I do not have any fruit or herbs on hand?
Try essential oils. Besides making your water taste great, they have additional benefits (see chart to the left). The brand that I trust is doTERRA. You can use doTERRA oils internally. They last for a very long time and are portable - you can take them with you anywhere. If you are interested in trying these incredible oils, please contact me or click the above doTERRA link and then click "Join and Save".

Sources:
American Council on Exercise. (ACE). (2008). Fit facts: Healthy hydration. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/1jScu31
Family Doctor. (2011). Hydration: Why it’s so important. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/1i12PLi
Haas, E. (2005). Staying healthy with nutrition. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Healthy Living for Life. (2011). Water education. Retrieved from: http://bit.ly/1lDcd5f

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Pulled Barbecue Chicken

2/8/2017

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Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours
Serves: 6

Are you looking for a quick and simple meal? There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but all you have to do is throw them all in the crock pot and forget about it. It doesn’t get any better – or any easier- than that. The meat is slow-cooked and is very juicy. This recipe makes a lot of food and it can be served many different ways. One night I served it as a taco. You can use corn tortillas, a lettuce wrap, or a paleo wrap, which is a tortilla alternative made from coconut meat, coconut water, and coconut oil. It is super yummy!!

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¾ cup yellow onion, diced
½ cup + 2 tablespoons white vinegar
½ cup honey
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 ½ tablespoons all-natural liquid smoke
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preparation:

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, then return to the pot and continue cooking for 1 hour.

2. Serve over roasted vegetables, sprouted rice, or in a corn tortilla.

Source: Walker, D. (2013). Against all grain. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Publishing.

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