Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Lavender ~ Spike Lavender ~ Lavandin

…what’s the difference and why does it matter?

Whether you are using a Lavender essential oil or are using products that contain “Lavender”, knowing the difference between Lavender, Spike Lavender and Lavandin is quite important.

We expect Lavender essential oil to smell beautifully soft, floral, and light, with a hint of sweet and warmth but why does some Lavender smell more herbaceous or camphoraceous, similar to eucalyptus or rosemary? Why are some more soothing and calming than others?

Let’s take a look:

The species called Lavandula angustifolia, the True Lavender, is the Lavender known to be soothing and calming to the skin, body and mind. Lavandula angustifolia is native to the Mediterranean (France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, etc.) and grows at higher altitudes. It is high in linalool and linalyl acetate, giving it soothing and regenerative properties for the skin and sedative properties to calm body and mind. Make sure your Lavender essential oil was steam distilled (not solvent extracted), from the fresh Lavender flowers and not of any other part of the plant.

Spike Lavender or Lavandula Latifolia has a much higher camphor content, which makes it energizing, supports focus and concentration, is good for achy muscles and joints, and great for respiratory support but it is not the right Lavender when you are looking for something to soothe your body, mind, and skin. So picking the right Lavender makes all the difference in the benefits you will experience!

Then what is Lavandin? Lavandin or Lavandula x intermedia is a hybrid of True Lavender and Spike Lavender. Lavandin is high in alcohols and esters, which are great for boosting immune response and cleansing effects but it does not have the strong calming effects to body and mind or regenerative effects to support the skin that we usually look for in a Lavender. The Lavandin plant also looks different, it grows larger than the other two species and has a unique three-pronged stem, with that producing more flower spikes to harvest.

Make sure to read labels, sourcing, distillation, production and quality control information provided by the manufacturer of your Lavender or “Lavender infused” products, to make sure you are using the right Lavender, for your specific needs, in its best and purest form.

10 Ways to Use Lavender

Most of us have Lavender essential oil in our repertoire of natural tools to support health and wellbeing but maybe there are some uses, we don’t think of that could be a wonderful addition to our daily/weekly routines.

Here are my 10 tips for using ‘True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia):

#1 – Enhance your skin care / facial care products
Add Lavender essential oil to your cleansers, toners, moisturizers and lotions to soothe and support the regenerative process of the skin. How many drops? Click here for suggested dilution ratios.

#2 – Make a “skin care blend”
Create a special blend to support healing of the skin for minor cuts, scrapes, and skin irritations. For a 10ml roll-on bottle, add 20 drops Lavender, 8 drops Frankincense, and 8 drops Helichrysum, fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil. Apply as needed (do not apply to open wounds).

#3 – Create your own “after sun spray”
Create an after sun remedy that is cooling and soothing to your sun exposed skin. You’ll need a glass spray bottle, add 1 cup Aloe vera juice, 1/4 cup fractionated coconut oil, 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil, 10 drops Lavender, 8 drops Peppermint, and 5 drops Helichrysum. Shake well. Spray onto sun exposed skin. Avoid eyes and other sensitive areas.

#4 – Nurture Hair & Scalp
Does your hair break easily, needs to be stronger and more nourished? Do you have dry or itchy scalp? Lavender essential oil helps to nourish hair by hydrating, strengthening and offering soothing effects. Nourishing Hair Mask recipe (for breakage and dry hair): combine 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil and 1 tablespoon jojoba oil. Warm mixture in the microwave for 10-20 seconds until it can be blended smoothly. Add 12 drops of Lavender essential oil, blend well. Apply to clean hair from roots to tips, massage your scalp as well if you have dry/itchy scalp. Leave in for 15 – 20 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Finish off with 30 seconds to one minute of cold water.

#5 – Pamper Your Nails
Massage your nails with Lavender essential oil for nourishing and strengthening. This also offers wonderful support to nail beds and nail growth.

#6 – Diffuse at Night
Diffuse 4-6 drops at night for more restful sleep. If you don’t have a diffuser, create a mister with distilled water and Lavender, to lightly mist your pillow (shake well) before going to bed or apply a few drops to a cotton ball and place it next to your pillow.

# 7 – Release Stress & Relax Tension
Feeling stressed or tight in your shoulders, neck and traps? Add 1/4 teaspoon of fractionated coconut oil to your palms, add 1-2 drops of Lavender, rub hands together, then massage your neck, traps and shoulders to relax muscles tissue, release stress, and benefit from the calming effects.

#8 – Foot Soaks & Relaxing Baths
Add 4-8 drops of Lavender for each one ounce of himalyan or dead sea salt, blend well, then pour the Lavender infused salts into the bathtub or foot soak tub where the water is rushing in, that really helps blend it well with the water. Soak and relax. This can be a wonderful addition to a soothing evening routine.

#9  – Lavender Scented Laundry
Add 4-6 drops to cotton dryer balls. Use instead of dryer sheets that are loaded with harmful chemicals and irritants affecting the skin and respiratory system.

#10  – Infuse Your Dishes
Add 8 drops of Lavender essential oil (oil bottle has to be labeled as internal supplement – safe for internal use) to one ounce of Himalyan sea salt, stir for 1-2 minutes to blend well, add to salt grinder or salt shaker. Use Lavender infused sea salt for dressings, vegetable stir fry, sauces, roasted chicken, on top of roasted or backed potatoes or squash, sprinkle on bread with butter – get creative and enjoy!

How Do I Ease Feelings of Anxiousness?

This is a question which is very frequently asked. Here are some tips that can be very helpful to shift from feeling anxious towards feeling calmer and more grounded.

1. Use Calming Essential Oils
2. Develop a Grounding Morning, Daytime & Evening Routine
3. Incorporate Affirmations
4. Practice Breathing Exercises
5. Divert Your Focus
6. Incorporate Calming Exercises

#1 – Use Calming Essential Oils to Ease Feelings of Anxiousness

It can be beneficial to diffuse or apply topically calming/grounding/soothing essential oils throughout the day, in the car, at work (if possible) to ease feelings of anxiousness.

Some great choices are:

Lavender
Frankincense
Sandalwood
Cedarwood
Melissa
Roman Chamomile
Copaiba

The following blends can also be helpful:

Blissful Tranquility
Balance
Serenity
Peace
Adaptive

Best ways to use these calming essential oils:

• Diffuse 2-4 drops in aromatherapy diffuser
• apply to inside of wrists and rub together several times a day as needed
• apply to chest over the heart area as needed
• apply to lava bead on aromatherapy bracelet or necklace to smell throughout the day
• apply to inside of palms, rub hands together to create a little bit of heeat, hold 6” from face, close eyes, inhale for 1-2 minutes as needed

When using essential oils topically, make sure to dilute appropriately or purchase a roll-on essential oil that is ready-to-use.

#2 – Develop a Grounding Morning, Daytime and Evening Routine

Please read this in-depth article with tips on developing grounding routines, to ease feelings of anxiousness.

https://www.myoilguide.com/essential-oils/calmer-grounded-balanced/

#3 – Incorporate Affirmations

Find a few affirmations or mantras that speak to you and tie them into regular occurring tasks / situations throughout the day (i.e. brushing teeth, washing hands, waiting at a red light, putting the cell phone down, etc.). Here a few examples that may ease feelings of anxiousness:

“I am safe an under no direct threat.”
“As I relax breathing out, all anxiousness leaves my body.”
“When I’m anxious, I’m just uncomfortable. I will be okay.”
“I will let all anxious feelings flow through and out.”

#4 – Breathing Exercises

Incorporate 2 minutes of calming breathing exercises throughout the day. Click here for video and tips. Breathing exercises help you take control of your heart rate and your muscle tension.

#5 – Divert Your Focus

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique which is the most common grounding technique because it calls upon all the senses to bring you back to the present. It involves thinking about:  Five things you can see;
Four things you can feel;
Three things you can hear;
Two things you can smell; and
One thing you can taste in your immediate environment.

Bringing the focus to things in your physical world slows your heart rate and takes your attention off intense anxious feelings.

#6 – Incorporate Calming Exercises

Incorporate regular calming and grounding exercises such as meditation, walking, yoga or chi gong into your daily/weekly routines. This will help boost inner balance, resilience, and helps to create a foundation to feel calmer and more grounded which grows and gets stronger with time.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Benefits of Essential Oils in Cooking

Chefs of many fine restaurants, personal chefs, nutritional coaches and At-Home-Chefs have discovered the value of fortifying recipes with digestible grade essential oils that are labeled as nutritional supplements and can be used internally (do not use any essential oils in cooking unless labeled as safe for internal use).

Using digestible essential oils in cooking, we can fortify meals and enhance flavors on many levels.  Adding just one drop of an essential oil to a dish can elevate the flavor to a new level as well as support health benefits such as increasing antioxidant intake, aid digestion, act as a cleansing agent, and generally support health and wellbeing in a variety of ways.

You may be asking yourself, “I’m already using herbs, why should I use the same thing in essential oil form instead?”. The answer to this frequently asked question is because essential oils are so powerful in their aroma and also much less expensive than fresh herbs. Pure tested grade essential oils are 50-70 times more potent than used in herbal form. Just imagine what that can do in terms of enhancing aroma and flavor and other supporting wellness benefits! When you purchase fresh herbs, let’s use cilantro as an example, a fresh bunch of organic cilantro may be around $2-$3. One drop of cilantro essential oil can cost you as little as $0.11 and the taste will always be amazing and fresh.

Your next question may be, “What about shelf life?”. Essential oils, kept out of direct light and heat, can last us for many years (citrus oils generally three years), other essential oils much longer than that. That’s why my spice cabinet contains many different essential oils that I like to use to enhance my cooking (see table below with suggestions).

How do we use essential oils in cooking?

Important is to always remember their potency. One drop is often already sufficient. If you are making a large quantity of food and are unsure, start with adding one drop, blend well, taste. You can always add one more drop if the flavor could still be enhanced a little more.

Essential tips:

1. DO NOT drip directly from the essential oil bottle over your pan or pot. Some essential oils drip very fast and instead of 1 drop, 2 or 3 drops can come out quickly and ruin the dish. ALWAYS drip into a teaspoon first, so you know that you only have one drop.
2. When I make small quantities of food and would actually need less than one drop, I either dip a toothpick into the essential oil bottle and swirl in the food I’m preparing or I add one drop to a table spoon, then let it drip from the table spoon into what I’m preparing. Some of the essential oil will stay on the table spoon reducing the amount to less than a drop.
3. ALWAYS add your essential oil drop(s) to the liquid part of your recipe and blend well. This way you will achieve equal distribution throughout your dish.
4.  When using essential oils in cooked dishes, add at the end when you are basically done cooking, reducing the heat to a simmer or turning it off. For instance, when I cook a dish in a saute pan, I will add the essential oil to 1 teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon of my cooking oil of choice, reduce heat to simmer, drip the blended oil around the food on the outside of pan so it can permiate to the inside for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes, then serve. When making soups, sauces and stews, I will add my essential oils blended with a little bit of my cooking oil at the end of the cooking cycle, stir well, let sit for 2 minutes with heat turned off.

Why add essential oils at the end?

Essential oils are sensitive to heat and light. Both will reduce the potency of the essential oil. Adding essential oils to cooking oils that have a high smoke point (i.e. avocado oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, sunflower oil) will help preserve the potency of the essential oils. Therefore, I add my drop(s) of essential oils to a small quantity (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon) of my cooking oil before adding it to my dish at the end of the cooking cycle. When using essential oils in marinades (for fish or meat cooked in the oven), I will use a high smoke point carrier oil in my marinade and use at a cooking heat of less than 400 degrees.

Some Common Essential Oils used in Cooking

Looking for a kit of essential oils for your kitchen? Connect with me and simply email me which oils you would like to use in your cooking and I will let you know how much your kit will be. You can order it directly with me. 

Essential Oils Commonly Used to Enhance Water, Smoothies & Other Drinks

Click here for some ideas to make your own teas!

Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions and let me know if you are interested in a cooking essential oils kit!

One of the most frequent support question I get is ‘how can I increase my energy levels’. Feeling overwhelmed and low on energy is a common challenge for many, myself included. So we are constantly looking to find ways to boost our energy levels.

The starting point in boosting energy is really increasing ‘SELF AWARENESS’ – really looking into what makes our energy dip. We often generalize and say what drains our energy is ‘work’ or ‘the kids’ but what specifically is it that drains our energy? Making notes throughout the day of when we start feeling drained or what specifically happened or triggered our energy to dip, is a great starting point of making changes. Is it the amount of work or a specific type of task? A certain person at work? Constantly multitasking? — I think you get the point. Only when we know the ‘root’ cause of an issue, do we have the chance to create real change. Yes, there are essential oils that can help boost mental and physical energy and I’ll get to them below but we really need to tackle the energy issue at its root to really start feeling better and consistently feel that our energy levels are where we want them to be.

TIP: Take notes for a whole week:

When did I feel my energy slip (date and time)?
What was I doing right before?
What was the specific trigger?

After making notes for a week, sit down when you have a quiet moment and go over them. See if you notice any patterns and pin point your main triggers. Then you can brainstorm about how to make small changes, reorganize, ask for support, set boundaries, try a different approach — find small solutions and steps so your energy draining triggers have less of an impact on you going forward. Even if you start with changing just one little thing and letting it become routine, it will have an impact. Then you can build on that, changing another little thing, letting it become routine — until you’ve tackled all your major triggers that make your energy dip. Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once, that often makes us feel overwhelmed, and we end up doing nothing CONSISTENTLY.  Small steps can have the biggest impact!

Additional Tips: Support your mental and physical energy levels by incorporating…

• proper hydration
• healthy diet (carbs and sugars drain energy)
• physical exercise (7 minute high intensity cardio is all it takes to boost energy levels)
• meditation (to let the mind rest)
• find ways to better manage strong emotions (strong emotions drain energy)
• find ways to increase compassion and understanding (getting upset or irritated drains energy)
• practice a healthy morning and bedtime routine (sleep is important for energy levels)
• incorporate energy boosting essential oils (see tips below)

My favorite energy boosting essential oils:

Peppermint, Spearmint, Black Pepper, Wild Orange, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit and Rosemary

Suggestions:

DIFFUSING – Diffuse energy boosting essential oils at home, at work, in the car driving to and from work.

BACK OF NECK – For an immediate energy pick-me-up, apply a drop of Peppermint essential oil to the back of the neck.

INHALE – You can also apply a drop of Peppermint along with a citrus oil like Wild Orange to the palm of the hands, rub together to create a little heat, close eyes (do not touch eyes) and hold palms 6″ from face and breathe in and out, inhaling the scent of the Peppermint/Orange blend for an immediate energy and motivation boost.

DIFFUSER BRACELET OR NECKLACE – Apply a drop of Peppermint or another energy boosting essential oil to your aromatherapy jewelry, so you can benefit from the scent all day long.

There is also an energy boosting supplement which I can recommend: Mito2Max.

Many of my customers have also felt lasting energy boosting effects taking a supplement called Life Long Vitality. Click on the link to read about all the important health benefits this supplement offers. Try it for an entire month and if you don’t feel it makes a difference for you, you can return the empty bottles for a full refund (empty bottles have to be received within 45 days from order).

As always, I hope this article contains some helpful information.

For personalized support please reach out to me using the following links:

Physical Wellness  – Emotional Balance

Life can be very challenging at times. I’ve had my personal share of facing very difficult times, some days so dark, filled with tears and sorrow making it difficult to see the light. But no matter how hard times may have been, I’ve always held on to the strong belief that thinking about something I’m grateful for, even during the most challenging of times, has helped me shift my energy. Every evening before I fall asleep, I try to think about something I’m grateful for, not just for a second but really thinking about what it means to me.

Besides feeling grateful (for even the smallest things) every single day, it is just as powerful to express gratitude towards others. It creates positive energy not just for yourself but also for the other person. Expressing how much you appreciate someone’s effort or support, kind words, someone really listening to what you are sharing, someone checking in on how you are doing, someone sending you a funny meme to make you laugh — think about your interactions with others in person or virtual and express your gratitude – a phone call, a sweet message, an image that shows how much you appreciate them. It will uplift you and the other person!

If you don’t already practice a daily ‘moment of gratitude’ I challenge you, for one whole week, create a daily ritual for a moment of gratitude and express gratitude towards another person at least once day, to see how your energy levels will shift.

We can make the World a better place with gratitude and kindness.

My favorite essential oils blended together to open the heart and mind for gratitude:

Frankincense,
Sandalwood,
Black Spruce or Palmarosa,
and Bergamot.

Giving myself permission to heal?
What does that mean?

I think I’m speaking for many of us when I’m saying that often we don’t take the time we need for ourselves. We tend to jump right back in, chores around the house, taking care of the kids or grandkids, working, being there for others and their needs. We feel guilty about taking time out for ourselves. We try to rush the process, thereby only prolonging what we are struggling with.  Keeping on struggling and juggling, our focus and energy often stays with the wellness issue we are dealing with, whether physical or emotional. We rob ourselves of the opportunity to shift our focus and energy towards healing, towards truly making progress and feeling better. Giving myself permission, takes away feeling guilty taking time for myself. Giving myself permission, I’m aware and conscious of what I need to focus on to heal.

“Today I pledge, I give myself permission to heal.”

Helpful Essential Oil Blend:

Sandalwood – promoting clarity
Ylang Ylang – promoting self love
Cypress – promoting flow of energy
Eucalyptus – let go of attachment to illness
Bergamot – shift towards optimism and feeling well

Perseverance is the ability to keep going despite facing obstacles. It is the power of staying committed to a goal, passion or belief no matter how difficult the journey. Perseverance grows from falling and getting back up. It is a skill that can be learned and developed.

How can we improve our perseverance skills?

Finding Passion
Turning our focus inward, finding what stirs our heart and soul, what attracts our interest, what keeps coming back into our thoughts or into our life – being fully aware of what drives us, fuels our passion, helps us stay the course to persevere.

Great oils to fuel passion: Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Neroli, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Setting a Goal
SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goal setting is a MUST. The goal has to be attainable, even if difficult to achieve.

Consistent Practice
Breaking up a bigger goal into several smaller goals or steps, practicing and honing our skills to continuously work towards what we want to achieve. Setting challenges, working on strengthening self belief and boosting motivation, helps us persevere.

Reflecting and Learning
Developing our ability to look at an experience, learn from the experience, see the experience as “ A LESSON” — a valuable learning opportunity that helps us grow. Reminding ourselves to focus on the POSITIVE of the experience and applying the LESSON to future mindset and actions.

Great oils for learning and positivity: Rosemary, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Patchouli, Lemon, Wild Orange, Bergamot, Spearmint, Peppermint

Boosting Resilience
Picking ourselves up after falling down. Not allowing ourselves to get caught up in self pity, self blame or self sabotaging thoughts. Learning to release, let go, and move on.

Great oils to boost resilience: Cypress or Black Spruce combined with Bergamot and another Citrus Essential Oil such as Lemon, Lime, or Wild Orange

Staying Focused
Distractions and simply a full life with all it’s challenges and detours can make us lose focus. But when we remind ourselves of WHY this goal or passion matters so much and how it ties in with our core values, can help us stay the course and persevere.

Great oils to stay focused: Rosemary, Vetiver, Patchouli, Peppermint, Lemon, Wild Orange, Frankincense

Embracing the Journey & Experience
Reminding ourselves that it is not just about the end goal but the journey, expressing gratitude for all lessons learned, for all advances achieved, for all hurdles overcome. Cherishing the moments along the way.

Great oils to accompany celebrating gratitude: Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Neroli, Grapefruit

Great Perseverance Blend Recipe (10ml roll-on):

1 drop Sandalwood
1 drop Ylang Ylang
1 drop Frankincense
3 drops Black Spruce
3 drops Cypress
6 drops Bergamot
3 drops Grapefruit
3 drops Peppermint

Fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil. Like me to make you a perseverance roll-on? Contact me.

Make sure to be proud of yourself and reward yourself for your achievements along the way. Persevering is all about making small but constant progress.

When in the midst of struggle or self doubt, it can be challenging to find the resolve to truly believe in ourselves. Self belief is so important as it really works two fold: helping us move forward, finding the strength to go after our goals but also because it brings out the best in others around us! Here are a few tips and tools that may help boost self belief. If you’ve read my article on “How to get better at Self Love“, then a some of the items below will sound familiar, as self love is really one of the backbones to strengthening self belief. So, if you haven’t read it yet, make sure to take a few minutes to take a look.

Positive Words
Only use positive words when talking to yourself in your head or speaking about yourself. Reframe negative thoughts in a positive way.

Be Your Greatest Cheerleader
Don’t wait for support or praise from others, cheer yourself on like you would cheer on your very best friend.

Be Proud of Yourself
Look at any achievement, no matter how small, and practice being proud of yourself. Maybe even reward yourself in a healthy way for an achievement.

Challenge Yourself
Try something outside your comfort zone and reward yourself for even trying, no matter the outcome.

Nurture Yourself
Nurture your body, to nurture your spirit. Be conscious of the brain-mood-nutrient connection and feed your body with essential nutrients.

Movement & Exercise
Walking, biking, exercising, dancing, nature hiking, and other sports or exercises that get our heart pumping, stimulate the production of feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, which can strengthen our resolve and self belief.

Become Mindful
Turn your focus inward, listen to your body and emotional needs and put the importance on them they deserve.

Set Healthy Boundaries
Learn when to say no and focus on developing healthy and positive relationships.

Improve Stress Coping Skills
Work on improving coping skills to achieve greater balance and thrive even during stressful times. Find the right tools to relieve and manage stress.

Overcome Limiting Beliefs
Shift your self image from “I’m not…” to “I am…(positive word)”, from “I can’t” to “I can…”. Set yourself small achievable goals, praise yourself for the progress you are making.

Stop Comparing
Comparisons are unhealthy, they can make us feel envious and bad about ourselves or our life. Recognize your triggers and become fully aware of the negative impact they have on you. Let the thoughts pass through, don’t attach to then, instead turn your full focus on something you are grateful for.

End Self Judgement
Turn your “I should have…” thoughts into “I did the best I could at the time” and release yourself from self judgement, self blame or feelings of shame.

Strike a Pose
Stand for 2 minutes, feet hip width apart, hands on hips, chest out, tall, striking the “Wonder Woman” pose. According to Amy Cuddy (Harvard University) our body language shapes who we are.

Affirmations & Mantras
Find a few affirmations or mantras that speak to you and tie them into regular occurring task / situation (i.e. brushing teeth, washing hands, loading the dishwasher, waiting a red light). Here a few samples that boost positivity and self belief:

“I will succeed”
“I’m strong and resourceful”
“I am ready to create change”
“There is nothing that will hold me back”

Strengthen Positivity
Positivity fuels the perception that we “CAN” achieve something, which fuels self belief. All the items listed above may help us become more positive.

My favorite essential oils to accompany the journey of boosting self belief:

Bergamot, Neroli, Wild Orange, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Patchouli, Cedarwood

My favorite essential oils to help release limiting beliefs:

Cypress, Black Spruce, Juniper Berry, Grapefruit, Bergamot

“Boosting Self Belief & Releasing Limiting Beliefs” blend (10ml):

1 drop Ylang Ylang
1 drop Sandalwood
1 drop Cedarwood
3 drops Cypress or Black Spruce
3 drops Juniper Berry
6 drops Bergamot
6 drops Grapefruit

Fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil.

Loving yourself has nothing to do with being narcissistic or self absorbed. Loving yourself has a lot to do with getting to know yourself better, value your unique qualities, learn not to compare, and push beyond limiting beliefs that have often been thrust upon us growing up or through life experiences.

I know practicing self love can be daunting. Often we are raised with a mindset of that we shouldn’t pay much attention to ourselves but always be there for others. While being there for others and showing compassion plays an important role in life, not having learned to love ourselves, cherish ourselves and value ourselves is a common thread in the life stories of so many. So here are a few routines and tips that have proven very helpful for me on my journey towards getting better with ‘Self Love’.

Set the Tone for the Day

Set the tone for the day by develop a calming and grounding self care routine in the morning (see example). You may want to incorporate breathing exercises, meditation or movement exercises. Cherish the time you spend with yourself and for yourself. Enjoy creating an inner resource of strength you can draw on throughout the day by starting your day feeling grounded and balanced.

Taking time for self care = self love

Great essential oil choices to accompany a morning routine:
Frankincense , Sandalwood, Balance Blend, Cedarwood, Myrrh, Heart & Soul Blend, Lavender, Rosemary

Take Breaks

Taking breaks is not just a luxury; it’s a fundamental need for our well-being. In our busy lives, we often push ourselves to the limit, neglecting the importance of pausing and recharging. Breaks are a compassionate way to show ourselves self-care and self-love. They give us a chance to breathe, destress, and reconnect with our inner selves. These moments of respite are like little oases in our day, where we can find solace and regain our strength. By taking breaks, we honor our physical and emotional needs, which in turn, helps us perform better, both at work and in life. Remember, it’s okay to take a break; it’s a gesture of kindness towards yourself.

Great essential oil choices to help us pay attention to our own needs:
Bergamot, Neroli, and Blue Lotus

Nourish Body & Mind

Another form of self-love is nourishing your body with good food and all the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids your body and BRAIN need. Yes, it’s not just our body that needs those wonderful nutrients, our brain and emotions are very much influenced by how we nourish our body (read “The Brain Mood Nutrient Connection”). Take some time to put together your meal plan for the week. After your beautiful morning routine with some “me” time, reward yourself with a yummy smoothie or shake, packed with everything your body and mind need.

Great choices for nourishing body and brain:
LLV supplement, protein shake, greens, Turmeric (love to add that to my morning smoothie), Probiotic

Music & Movement

Moving your body to music can help boost self love. Put on some tunes that uplift your soul and spirits, move your body, dance, sway, exercise to music, whatever feels natural and comfortable. Create little breaks throughout the day and simply move to your favorite music.

Great choices for supporting your routine:
Cypress, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Wild Orange – use a single oil or mix and match

Hugging & Affirmations

Have you ever hugged yourself? It might be a strange concept at first but it actually feels really good. Especially when living during a time where social distancing is necessary. Try it! Cross your arms, hug your shoulders and just hold tight for minute and repeat a self love affirmation while doing it. Here a few sweet affirmations:

I am enough.
I am grateful for being me.
I am worthy of love and joy.

Affirmations can become very powerful tools. Especially when we are able to “hook” them into a repetitive task we perform several times a day. Find a positive affirmation that speaks to your heart and repeat it every time you brush your teeth or wash your hands (for the entire duration of the task). Hook it in and stay consistent.

Great essential oil choices to support self love affirmations:
Neroli, Bergamot, Rose, Jasmine, Geranium, Ylang Ylang

Positive Words

Choose words wisely, not just the words you speak out aloud but pay attention to how you “talk” to yourself and about yourself.  Don’t say anything to yourself you wouldn’t say to your very best friend. Be encouraging and try to replace “negative” words with “positive” alternatives. This may not seem easy at first and may take some practice but it is very effective and powerful in shaping a more positive self image. Instead of saying “It’s too complicated” say “I’ll try a different approach”. Instead of saying “it won’t work out” say “I will try my best to make it work”. Try and put a positive spin on your words and add some humor if you can. Let’s say you are struggling with an issue, instead of saying “that’s a problem” say “I’ll have to get creative with this one”. We don’t become optimists over night but by paying attention to our self talk and consistent practice of using more positive words, we can lesson self criticism, become more self accepting and self loving.

Great choices to support positivity:
Bergamot, Orange, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Clary Sage, Cardamom, Cypress, Basil

Don’t’ Compare

Let go of comparing yourself to others. We are all unique. Your unique qualities are what make you “YOU” – a beautiful human being inside and out. Cherish that thought. Learn to cherish everything about yourself.  Practice gratitude for all your gifts and focus on your personal strengths. Try and increase self awareness and when you catch yourself comparing, imagine a big red STOP sign. Turn your focus on all the things you do have, all the things you can be grateful for. We tend to compare to what we “see” and tend to “inflate” that but are not aware of someone else’s struggle, illness, life challenges “within”. So don’t compare, turn towards being grateful for the blessings life has given you.

Great oils to help “let go” of tendency to compare:
Combine Bergamot or Neroli with Cypress or Black Spruce

Be Selective

Surround yourself with people who love, support and encourage you. Let go of toxic relationships and be mindful of who you reach out to when you need loving support. Some people are good at listening, some people can show compassion. Some people simply don’t. Recognize that they are not trying to be mean but it is just not one of their strong qualities. When you need loving supporting, make sure you reach out to someone you know is compassionate and a good listener and will support and uplift you.

Great oils to boost awareness:
Clary Sage, Frankincense, Rosemary, Peppermint, Lemon

Be Proud of Yourself

Be proud of your achievements, no matter how big or small. Reward yourself. Praise yourself. It is an important part of practicing self love. You don’t need the approval of others. Don’t even look for the approval of others. Praising ourselves and feeling gratitude is all we need to boost our self confidence. Perhaps take an opportunity to do something outside your comfort zone! Praise yourself for even trying and should you succeed, enjoy the amazing feeling that you’ve done something you thought you couldn’t do before. If you make a mistake, see it simply as a learning experience and that you’ve gotten smarter and stronger because of it. Even something negative can become something very positive, it just depends on how we look at it.

Great oils to boost courage and confidence:
Bergamot, Jasmine, Cypress, Rosemary,  Juniper Berry, Black Spruce, Cassia, Cinnamon, Lavender

Set Boundaries

Sometimes life, friends, family, work and life situations can drain us and make us feel like we don’t have any time left for self care. Learning when to say no and expressing limits is an important step in setting boundaries that are healthy for our own personal growth. Boundaries also help us feel less stressed, less drained or resentful. Important is that we are clear and direct in communicating our boundaries, honoring our own feelings and needs.

Great oils to help express boundaries:
Vetiver, Frankincense, Clove, Bergamot, Rosemary, Juniper Berry

Free Your Mind

An hour or so before bedtime it feels good to write down thoughts, anything that has been occupying the mind during the day. Once we write those thoughts down, it frees the mind from having to think about them. This simple routine can make us feel like a weight was lifted off our shoulders and can also help clarify things. It may help us process emotions better and allows us to perhaps look at a very emotional situation more rational or from a different angle. Writing is a form of release which also supports a better night’s sleep.

Great essential oils to inhale while writing down thoughts:
Rosemary, Vetiver, Frankincense, Lemon, Cypress, Black Spruce

Revisit a Good Place

When having a bad day or a negative experience or encounter, it can be very helpful to find a quiet place, close your eyes and revisit a time and place in your life where you felt happy, peaceful, positive, and resilient.  Try and remember it using all your senses – smell, sensation of your skin, sounds, light surrounding you. For me it’s standing on my skis going downhill, feeling the cold wind on my face, the sound of the snow below my skis, the sun reflecting on the snow crystals, feeling eternally free and happy. Find your place and go to it while breathing in a citrus essential oil like Wild Orange, Bergamot or Lemon from the palms of your hands. It will help uplift your spirits and give you renewed energy.

Great essential oils when having a bad day:
Wild Orange, Bergamot, Lemon

Release and Let Go

Try to let go and release negative thoughts, feelings, and attachments that can make you feel stuck. Professional counseling and health practitioners specializing in this area can offer great support with helping us move out of feeling stuck and forward, releasing what no longer serves us. Personally, I’ve had wonderful success using the Forgive Blend which I use daily on my aromatherapy bracelet simply to get past little things that might come up during the day that I don’t want to emotionally get “stuck” with. Forgive helps release and move stagnant energy but I don’t just use it for my daily challenges, I had a major emotional trauma I was dealing with and using this oil blend in combination with taking RIM sessions (regenerating images in memory) I experienced the most wonderful  progress. If you are interested in learning more about this, just reach out to me and I’ll be happy to send you more details.

Great oils to support release and letting go:
Forgive Blend, Cypress, Black Spruce, Juniper Berry, Bergamot

Be patient and consistent on your journey to loving yourself more and more. Every change takes time but what we practice daily will become routine and start feeling completely natural.

Love creates understanding.

Understanding creates harmony.

Harmony leads to feeling at peace with yourself.

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Motivation – it is the essential ingredient needed to achieve any goal, to affect change, to be able to get through the tough times, when we feel challenged and doubtful. So it is vital to have tools and techniques that will support us in getting motivated and staying motivated, to help us shift from where we are to where we want to be in life with health, relationships, business or anything else.

Quick Introduction

Just scroll through the slides.

Creating Awareness

Being fully aware of the things in life that motivate us and which make us procrastinate or stumble is an important part of our toolkit in achieving a particular goal. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left list things in no particular order that are motivational, on the right list items that make you procrastinate, create self doubt, are “hurdles” or cause lack of motivation.  Keep the list “open” and add things to it as they come to mind (over several hours and even days).  When you feel your list is “complete” highlight or circle your top three items that help you stay motivated and your top three “challenges” in staying motivated.

Essential Oils to help increase awareness:
Clary Sage, Frankincense, Rosemary, Peppermint, Lemon

Essential oils can be beautiful tools supporting us in the process of becoming more self aware. Diffusing awareness increasing essential oils while working on the list or applying them over the heart area, to pulse points, and/or to diffuser jewelry (bracelet or necklace with lava beads) can proof very beneficial.

Three Diffuser Recipes:
2 drops Frankincense, 1 drop Clary Sage, 1 drop Rosemary
2 drops Clary Sage, 2 drops Rosemary
3 drops Lemon, 1 drop Peppermint

Awareness Blend (10ml recipe with 5% dilution):
2 drops Frankincense, 4 drops Clary Sage, 3 drops Rosemary, 3 drops Lemon – fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil.

Increasing Positivity

Positivity fuels motivation. The more we feel that we “CAN” achieve something, the greater the chance of actually achieving it. So what are some of tools we can use to shift our mindset and increase positivity?

Affirmations

Affirmations are really powerful tools in helping us shift mindset. Finding an affirmation (or multiple affirmations) that speak to the core of our heart and mind, is essential. Here are some examples:

“I will succeed”
“I am ready to create the change I deserve”
“I am grateful for the choices I’m making”
“There is nothing I can’t do”

An effective way to use affirmations is to incorporate them into a repetitive task. For instance, repeating a particular affirmation over and over in our head while brushing teeth or every time when washing hands. Also practicing equal breathing  several times a day (breathing into the belly counting to four, holding the breath counting to four, breathing out counting to four) while repeating an affirmation is very powerful. Personally, I practice equal breathing and repeat an affirmation every morning after I wake up and every time I sit at a red light in traffic during the day. It calms my body and mind, reduces feelings of stress, and helps me shift my mindset to get closer to what I want to achieve.

Tip: Find what works for you and practice it daily.

Essential oils that increase positivity:
Bergamot, Orange, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Clary Sage, Cardamom, Cypress, Basil

Three diffuser recipes:
1 drop Ylang Ylang, 2 drops Clary Sage, 3 drops Bergamot
1 drop Frankincense, 1 drop Clary Sage, 1 drop Cypress, 1 drop Basil, 2 drops Orange
1 drop Frankincense, 2 drops Cardamom, 3 drops Lemon

Positivity Blend (10ml recipe with 5% dilution):
1 drop Frankincense, 1 drop Ylang Ylang, 2 drops Cardamom, 2 drops Cypress, 3 drops Bergamot, 3 drops Lemon – fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil.

Imagining the Future as a Part of Positive Thinking

What will my live be like when I achieve what I have set out to do? Picturing where and how we are living, our relationships, our health, our lifestyle – describing it in detail, seeing it in our mind is very powerful. How will I be feeling?

Setting Goals

Sometimes we can feel like we are stuck in a hamster wheel, working hard but not getting anywhere. Desiring change and improvements but struggling to fulfill our ambitions.  Goal setting is a crucial part in realizing change and moving forward. When goals are unrealistic, we can lose motivation quickly. But what if we have a “big” goal we want to achieve but feel it may be out of reach? Perhaps we can create smaller goals, moving forward step by step, only focusing on the smaller goal one at a time but ultimately helping us achieve our “big” goal.

Setting SMART Goals is important in staying motivated working towards the change we desire.

S – Specific(what is it we want to change or achieve?)
M – Measurable (how can I measure increments of success working towards it?)
A – Attainable (is it possible to achieve it? If not, set smaller goals supporting the bigger goal.)
R – Relevant (is this goal helping me to get closer to the way I want to live?)
T – Time-Bound (by when do I want to achieve this goal? Create a timeline for accomplishing steps along the way in support of the end goal.)

When working on goal setting, it is important to be in a clear and balanced state of mind. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, chi gong, using crystals and essential oils can be very helpful in feeling centered and balanced, a place from which we make the best decisions. We can support any of our practices by using essential oils, bringing into balance our energetic vibrations, balancing our Chakras.

My Top 8 Essential Oils for creating balance and harmony:

Frankincense
Frankincense essential oil is calming, grounding, comforting, opening the heart towards self love and spiritual connection, purifying, protecting, harmonizing, and clearing negative energy.

Myrrh
Myrrh essential oil is grounding, promotes self-acceptance, opening the heart to trust and love, detach from negative memories, while instilling deep tranquility.

Sandalwood
Sandalwood essential oil is grounding, balancing, opening the heart to trust and feeling emotions, promoting intuition and clarity, feeling protected, healing emotional wounds, instills a sense of feeling rested while mentally alert.

Cedarwood
Cedarwood essential oil is calming, centering, flushes negativity, and encourages focusing inwards.

Vetiver
Vetiver essential oil is grounding, centering, calming, relaxing, comforting, uplifting, calms mind chatter, and eases anxious feelings, fear and insecurity.

Neroli
Neroli essential oil opens the heart to love, light, reflection, and pure intentions, instills a sense of feeling protected, promotes self love, self acceptance and courage, and uplifts the mood and spirit.

Clary Sage
Clary Sage essential oil promotes mental clarity, creativity, boosts intuition, instills emotional balance, and helps clear negative energy

Black Spruce
Black Spruce essential oil is calming, grounding, harmonizing, promotes mental clarity, boosts mental energy, and helps to let go of limiting beliefs.

The Simple “Starting the Day on the Bright Side” Routine

Having a morning routine that sets us up for having a good day is a vital tool in our daily arsenal of staying motivated to affect change. Important is to develop a morning routine that really works for us. Selecting the right tools and routines as well as the perfect timing, create a recipe for success. Here some ideas to get you started with creating your morning routine, setting you up with motivation and inner strength for the day ahead.

• Practice diaphragmatic breathing while laying in bed (before getting up)
• Apply Balance essential oil blend or other grounding blend under sole of foot when getting up (or before practicing your breathing exercise)
• Engage in a grounding exercise for 15-20 minutes min. (meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, walking, stretching, etc. while listening to zenful music and diffusing or applying grounding and uplifting essential oils)
• Diffuse 2 drops Rosemary, 1 drop Peppermint, 2 drops Wild Orange while getting ready in the bathroom, in the kitchen, or even in the car while driving to work
• Use an affirmation while brushing teeth
• Use an affirmation while practicing a breathing exercise
• Think about three things you are grateful for
• Apply the Motivate Blend to the inside of wrists, pulse points and diffuser jewelry when getting ready for the day

Anything that helps us feel grounded, fuels our inner strength, helps uplift our spirits, instills mental and physical energy are great tools to help us get through the day and stay motivated to follow our heart, goals and dreams.

Boosting Energy & Motivation

Last but not least, here are some of my favorite essential oils and blends to simply boost overall energy levels and motivation.
Peppermint, Wild Orange, Lemon, Bergamot, Rosemary and the doTERRA Motivate Blend

Diffuser recipes:
1 drop Peppermint, 2 drops Wild Orange (or Lemon), 2 drops Bergamot
1 drop Peppermint, 1 drop Rosemary, 1 drop Wild Orange, 2 drops Bergamot

doTERRA Motivate Blend (10ml roll-on):
Peppermint, Clementine Peel, Coriander Seed, Basil, Yuzu, Melissa, Rosemary, and Vanilla Bean Absolute

Remember your “Awareness” list with your top three items that motivate you or create hurdles? Revisit the list and make notes. How can I have or create more of what motivates me? What can I do when I experience one of my top three hurdles? Having a plan and exercising consistency are vital tools in creating lasting change.

There is so much we can do for ourselves – we just have to find the MOTIVATION to do it.

Do you find yourself at a point in time where you want to break an unhealthy habit?  You are not alone if you’ve been feeling like you are craving more sweets or chocolate, need that third cup of coffee, simply want to eat all the time, grab that cigarette, drink more alcohol or can’t stop playing video games simply to ‘ease stress’ and ‘unwind’. For many, stress can be a culprit in forming addictive tendencies and I think we ALL have been faced with one of those struggles at one time or another in our lives. But when those tendencies become constant, a habit that seems hard to break, start interfering with life and health, you may find yourself at a point where you are trying to break an unhealthy habit. Essential oils can become powerful tools in our repertoire supporting the process of changing habitual patterns. Find out how below.

Inhaling essential oils is a great way of supporting the process of shifting habitual patterns.

You can inhale essential oils by:

• Diffusing them (at home, at work, in the car)
• Use a personal aromatherapy inhaler (learn how easy it is to make your own inhaler)
• Wear diffuser jewelry (necklace, bracelet)
• Apply topically to pulse points on neck, inside of wrists and over heart area
• Apply a drop to palms of hands, rub together to create a little heat, cup 6″ in front of face (do not touch eyes) and inhale for a couple of minutes

Which essential oils can help break habits?

Grapefruit and Black Pepper

Reduce cravings for food, coffee, nicotine, sweets and help to calm any feelings of anxiousness that may arise when trying to change habits. They are both powerful antioxidants, help boost serotonin levels, and great supportive tools in breaking negative patterns.

Peppermint

Powerful tool for nicotine cravings and food cravings! Immediately interrupts the craving sensation when inhaled. At the same time also uplifts moods, boosts energy and mental alertness.

Bergamot

Bergamot is the oil of courage, inner strength and self belief. This can be powerful when trying to create lasting changes and alter habitual patterns. Bergamot also helps to relieve tension and stress, and uplifts moods.

Vetiver

Wonderfully grounding and centering when feeling stressed. Powerful essential oil to help calm the mind, quiet mind chatter, and allowing to be more focused.

Suggestions for creating some powerful blends:

‘Curb My Cravings’ Diffuser Blend:

1 drop Black Pepper, 1 drop Peppermint, 2-3 drops Grapefruit

‘Curb My Cravings’ Essential Oil Inhaler
(interrupt cravings – keep in your pocket or purse for immediate use when needed):

1 drop Black Pepper, 3 drops Peppermint, 2 drops Grapefruit

‘Changing My Habits’ Blend:

Create a 5ml blend in a glass container combining:

1 drop Vetiver
2 drops Black Pepper
2 drops Peppermint
3 drops Grapefruit
2 drops Bergamot

Fill remainder with fractionated coconut oil, shake well. Apply to diffuser jewelry and to pulse points on neck, inside of wrists, and over heart area several times a day as needed.

Popping a Peppermint Beadlet in your mouth when experiencing cravings is another great way to curb cravings immediately!

Consistency is Key!

Habits often form over months or years. Stay consistent with your routines. It will take time to ditch unhealthy habits but you’ll see from week to week how your essential oils can become powerful partners on your quest to changing negative patterns.

Links to the Essential Oils mentioned in this blog post:

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Designed to help protect a positive mindset and good intentions from negative energy of outside influences.

Stay in your positive space, focused on your goals, create inner balance and strength. Make this routine part of your morning practice and feel a sense of inner peace, strength, and resilience growing day by day.

In the video above I’m demonstrating the routine incorporating an essential oil blend with properties to help us feel grounded, loved, connected, and protected. I practice this routine every morning supported by my special “Heart & Soul” Blend (formerly referred to as protective bubble blend). This special blend combines the powerful effects of Frankincense, Sandalwood, Palmarosa and Neroli essential oils in a base of fractionated coconut oil (see details).

Getting Started

Imagine forming a three dimensional bubble all around you, creating your safe space, filled with calm and peace, filled with positive energy, warmth, and light. A place where your energy can flow freely, giving you strength and resilience, protecting you from negative energy of outside influences, reducing the impact of the words, actions and energy of people around you. Strengthening your personal resilience despite of events unfolding in your life, your community, or in the World challenging your positive energy and outlook.

Settle into your bubble with your body, soul and spirit, let it fill every cell of your being with positive energy, strengthening the body and calming the mind. Follow the flow of movement exercises demonstrated in the video. Focus on your breath, inhale deeply, feel your lungs expand with every breath, filling your body with life and joy, and exhale fully, releasing any stress you may feel, releasing pent up emotions, releasing fear or worry, releasing anything you’ve been holding on to that you need to let go of. Let it flow through you and out, escaping your body, released into your bubble and dispersing as tiny little fragments, through the pores of your bubble, out into the universe.

Now place your protective shield on the outside of your bubble. Imagine anything reflective you love. Sometimes I imagine snow crystals because I love how they shimmer when hit by the rays of the sun. Sometimes I picture tiny little mirrors or crystals or gems – imagine putting reflective pieces all around your bubble, creating a shield, reflecting any negative energy coming at you. Fill the entire surface of your bubble and see yourself inside it, peaceful, calm, centered, protected.

Practice this routine every morning. Create a beautiful space supporting the flow of positive energy.  Start feeling calm, peaceful, and strong.

Disclaimer: Essential Oils are not medication. The information and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Sensitivity may occur. Discontinue use if irritation or sensitivity occurs. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult a licensed health care professional before using essential oils. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and other sensitive areas of the body. Use essential oil products at your own risk.

Essential Oils can assist in opening and balancing chakras.

Chakras are flowing energetic vibrations associated with emotional and spiritual energy, linked and in tune with each other. When one or multiple chakras are blocked or unbalanced, physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing is affected. 100% pure tested grade essential oils have inherent energetic vibrations with the ability to assist in opening and balancing energy flow, aiding in restoring harmony to the chakras.

Root Chakra Essential Oils

Sacral Chakra Essential Oils

Solar Chakra Essential Oils

Heart Chakra Essential Oils

Throat Chakra Essential Oils

Third Eye Chakra Essential Oils

Crown Chakra Essential Oils

Root Chakra (Muladhara)

Element: Earth
Location: Base of Spine, Pelvic Floor, and the First Three Vertebrae
Color: Red
Organs associated: Blood, Feet, Vertebral column, Skeleton, Bone, Legs

Balancing the root chakra to feeling grounded and safe, creates the foundation for opening the other chakras above. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: Feeling Balanced, Grounded and Secure

Root Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml roll-on)

My specialty essential oil blend contains 100% Certified Pure Cedarwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Basil, and White Fir Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply to base of spine, massage lightly. Apply under the soles of the feet, massage lightly. To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms and inside of wrists, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Cedarwood Essential Oil:
Cedarwood is a grounding essential oil, clearing away negativity, calming anger, and releasing tension. It instills positive energy, is soothing to the mind and soul, and opens communication with higher realms.

Vetiver Essential Oil:
Vetiver is a grounding and calming essential oil, bringing about not only physical but mental calm. It bridges the gap between the root and crown chakra, calms mental chatter and soothes feelings of anxiousness.

Patchouli Essential Oil:
Patchouli increases sensory levels, aids in feeling stable, peaceful and abundant, feeling connected,  liberation from boundaries, and caring for ourselves and others.

Basil Essential Oil:
Basil assists in feeling strengthened,  restored, and secure, easing nervousness and anxious feelings.

White Fir Essential Oil:
Assists in developing healthy patterns, stay true to the path of healing, and offers spiritual protection.

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Element: Water
Location: Pelvic area
Color: Orange
Organs associated: Kidney, Bladder, Reproductive system, Genitals
Yoga poses: Bālāsana, Natarajasana, Parivrtta Trikonasana

The sacral chakra is the center of feelings, emotions, experiencing pleasure, sensuality, and intimacy.  It is the center of connectedness between the body and emotions, the center that fuels passion and creative energy. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: Feeling present in your own body and connected to your feelings, experience joy, feeling bright, enjoying intimacy and relationships, sparking passion and creativity.

Sacral Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty essential oil blend contains 100% Certified Pure Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage, Bergamot, and Wild Orange Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply about 1” below naval, lightly massaging lower abdomen. Lightly massage into lower back area. To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Sandalwood Essential Oil:
Sandalwood essential oil is calming and instills deep tranquility. It also creates heightened awareness and clarity.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil:
Ylang Ylang is the oil of passion and intimacy, opens the flow of emotional energy, paves the way to self-love, and enhances feelings of gratitude.

Clary Sage Essential Oil:
Clary Sage is strengthening and relaxing at the same time. It is emotionally balancing and uplifting, and promotes clarity.

Bergamot Essential Oil:
Helps release repressed emotions, releases tension, encourages confidence, enhances the expressive state of being, and instills feelings of joy and inner strength.

Wild Orange Essential Oil:
Wild Orange frees up stagnant life energy, creates feelings of optimism and abundance.

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Element: Fire
Location: between naval and solar plexus
Color: Yellow
Organs associated: Digestive system, Pancreas, Liver, Large Intestine, Lung, Stomach, Adrenal gland
Yoga poses: Dhanurasana, Virabhadrasana I, Virabhadrasana II

The solar plexus chakra is the center of our personality and identity, self worth, self expression willpower and self discipline. It is the source of personal power and the power to transform. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: Moving forward in life, being proactive instead of reactive or inactive, feeling fulfilled, complete, and confident, developing a strong sense of purpose.

Solar Plexus Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty essential oil blend contains 100% Certified Pure Spikenard, Ginger, Clary Sage, Peppermint, and Grapefruit Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply about 1” above naval, lightly massaging upper abdomen. To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Spikenard Essential Oil:
Spikenard aids in letting go of negative patterns, inviting connectedness with inner spirit, easing feelings of anxiousness. It opens the soul to acceptance and gratitude, bringing about inner peace and harmony.

Ginger Essential Oil:
Ginger instills feelings of being present, accountability for life circumstances, commitment and empowerment to bring about change, and promotes moving forward mentally and physically.

Clary Sage Essential Oil:
Clary Sage allows to be fully present and seeks truths. It brings about clarity, feelings of strength and calm to move forward in life, emotionally and physically.

Peppermint Essential Oil:
Peppermint infuses life and clarity into the energy system. It is invigorating to body, mind and soul and fuels mental and physical stamina, optimism, and strength to face emotional pain.

Grapefruit Essential Oil:
Grapefruit helps move stagnant energy, alleviate irritability, reduce feelings of stress, and aids in the acceptance of body, strengthening feelings of self-worth.

Heart Chakra (Anahata)

Element: Air
Location: in the center of the chest at the heart level
Color: Green
Organs associated: Heart, Circulatory System, Lungs, Breasts, Lymphatic System, Thymus gland
Yoga poses: Uttanasana, Bakasana, Ustrasana

The heart chakra is the center of love, compassion, kindness and joy – the unifying chakra where body and spirit meet. It harnesses the essence of our spirit and soul and allows us to see the fundamental truth how everything in life is connected. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: Accept and love yourself, move beyond grievances, truly forgive and let go of anger, fear, hatred or jealousy, open the heart to love, empathy, and compassion.

Heart Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty heart chakra blend contains 100% Certified Pure Ylang Ylang, Cypress, Marjoram, Bergamot, Wild Orange, and Neroli Essential Oil blended with fractionated coconut oil.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil:
Ylang Ylang is calming to the heart, helps to release tension, reunites emotional aspects of self, and opens the flow of emotional energy, paving the way to self-love, experiencing joy, and compassion for others.

Marjoram Essential Oil:
Marjoram is cleansing, soothing, relaxing, and helps opening the heart to love and trust.

Cypress Essential Oil:
Cypress supports physical and energetic circulation, provides strength and comfort to a discouraged heart, helps overcome fears, release tension, and helps encourage to move forward.

Bergamot Essential Oil:
Bergamot releases pent up feelings and repressed emotions, releases tension, encourages confidence, enhances the expressive state of being, and instills feelings of joy, inner strength, and courage.

Wild Orange Essential Oil:
Wild Orange frees up stagnant life energy, creates feelings of optimism and abundance.

Neroli Essential Oil:
Neroli helps opening the heart to love, light, reflection, and pure intentions, it encourages self-love, self-acceptance, and courage.

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Element: Aæther, Spirit
Location: neck
Color: Green
Organs associated: Thyroid, Parathyroid, Esophagus, Cervical vertebrae, Larynx, Trachea, Neck, Jaw, Mouth,  Tongue, and Shoulder region
Yoga poses: Ustrasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Matsyasana, Simhasana

The throat chakra is at the center of seeking and sharing of truth. Listening, communicating openly and with honesty, and expressing beliefs with authenticity.  Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: speaking truth with kindness and compassion, verbalize what is important to you and others, connecting with intuitive abilities, projecting ideas and realizing your life’s purpose

Throat Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty throat chakra blend contains 100% Certified Pure Frankincense, Cypress, Geranium, and Eucalyptus Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply to center of throat. To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Frankincense Essential Oil:
Frankincense increases spiritual awareness and openness to communication. It enables to let go of lies, deception and negativity, connecting the soul to the inner light, enabling to express thoughts and emotions with kindness.

Cypress Essential Oil:
Cypress supports physical and energetic circulation, provides strength and comfort when feeling discouraged, helps overcome fears, and instills courage to speak your truth.

Geranium Essential Oil:
Geranium moves stagnant energy, clearing the way for self expression, speaking your truth, intimate communication, and creative expression. It restores confidence, facilitates trust, and aids to communicate with empathy, tolerance, love, and openness.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil:
Eucalyptus aids the body and soul in clearing the throat, creating a feeling of expansiveness and instilling inner freedom. It paves the way for clear communication and self-expression.

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

Element: Light
Location: Between the eyebrows, behind the forehead, above the base of the nose
Color: Indigo
Organs associated: Eyes, Nervous system, Brain, Pineal gland, Pituitary gland, Ears
Yoga poses: Bālāsana, Janusirsasana, Ardha Pincha Mayurasana

The third eye chakra is at the center of intuition and foresight, self reflection, and spiritual connection. It enables us to see deeper truths, have clear thought, access psychic abilities and reach a state of illumination. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: overcome self limiting thoughts and beliefs, seeing not just with the eye but observing with conscience and wisdom, heightening awareness, accessing inner visions, creating balance between both hemispheres of the brain (creative and logical thinking), sparking inspiration, and creativity.

Third Eye Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty third eye chakra blend contains 100% Certified Pure Vetiver, Frankincense, Marjoram, Juniper Berry, Cypress, and Galbanum Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply to center of forehead, above the base of the nose (do not touch eyes or allow to get into eyes). To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Vetiver Essential Oil:
Vetiver promotes psychic awareness and intuition.

Frankincense Essential Oil:
Frankincense increases spiritual awareness, aids with visualization, supports focus and concentration, and creates balance.

Marjoram Essential Oil:
Marjoram opens the third eye, instills balance to the mind, is restorative and cleansing, and brightens emotional state of being.

Juniper Berry Essential Oil:
Juniper Berry heightens psychic awareness, sparks intuition, and improves self-awareness.

Cypress Essential Oil:
Cypress supports physical and energetic circulation, provides strength and comfort, instills courage to let go of the past and trust in the flow of life.

Clary Sage:
Clary Sage opens the soul and thought process to new ideas, new perspectives and experiences, helps overcome limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns, opens creative channels and clears creative blocks.

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

Element: Space & Time
Location: Crown of head or slightly above the head
Color: Violet
Organs associated: Brain, Nervous System, Pituitary Gland, Pineal Gland, Hypothalmus, Endocrine System
Yoga poses: Shavasana, Vriksasana, Sirsasana, Half Lotus Pose

The crown chakra is at the center of experiencing unity with oneself and the universe, it is a receiver and giver of energy, the point where physical body and spirit meet. Meditation, yoga, mantras, chanting, colors and gems, can be enhanced with aromatherapy.

Goal: experiencing higher consciousness and wisdom, feeling interconnected with the universe, open to the divine but at the same time firmly rooted, liberated from limiting patterns, develop the ability to live with faith, trust and gratitude, and experience bliss.

Crown Chakra Essential Oil Blend (10ml Roll-on)

My specialty crown chakra blend contains 100% Certified Pure Sandalwood, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, and Rosemary Essential Oil in a base of fractionated coconut oil.

Application (at beginning of meditation, yoga, mantra, chanting, using colors or gems):
Apply to crown of head. To use aromatically, you can also apply the blend to your palms, cup hands 6” from face, close your eyes, inhale counting to four, hold your breath counting to four, exhale counting to four, repeat three times.

Sandalwood:
Sandalwood quiets mental chatter, instills feelings of peace, creates mental clarity, and allows to access a higher state of consciousness.

Frankincense:
Frankincense invites tranquility, spiritual liberation, and spiritual connection. It aids visualization, supports focus and concentration, creates feelings of balance, while awakening the soul.

Lavender:
Lavender invites life force to flow freely through the body, releases pent up emotions, and has calming effects on the body and mind.

Lemon:
Lemon is clarifying, increases awareness, and focus, helps to release negative emotions.

Rosemary:
Rosemary stimulates the conscious mind, mental clarity, openness to new experiences, and trust in higher power. It enables to look deeper, ask soul searching questions, and develop true intellect.

Want to move from feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious towards balance, inner peace, better sleep, more energy and motivation?

Enjoy this FREE 25 Minute SESSION below to inspire and motivate you to start changing from how you are feeling towards HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL. During this introductory session you will learn about stress and its affects on body and mind, and how our self-paced online course  “The ABCs of Stress Management & Living Well” will introduce you to lifestyle routines and tools to help you better manage stress. Plus, in this free session you’ll also get to experience and practice transformational breathing exercises. Let’s get started, just click below.

Do You Want to…

Dial Down YOUR Stress.

Move Out of Feeling Stuck.

Regain the energy, motivation and emotional resilience
you need to tackle your daily life challenges.

Learn to “Live Well” despite your busy life
and shift your energies towards the Life that You are Meant to Live!

I you’ve answered YES to any of the questions above, you are not alone. Life has it’s way of throwing challenges at us, often multiple challenges at once. Taking small steps incorporating easy routines and intuitive tools, can make all the difference in helping shift our energy from how we are feeling towards how we want to feel. Learning how to respond under stress, keep control, and learn techniques to switch off and truly relax are of vital importance.

“The ABCs of Stress Management & Living Well” –
6-Week Self-Paced Program includes:

Coaching Videos for Each Week

Weekly Workbooks & Tip Sheets

Weekly Routines & Exercises

Weekly Guided Meditations

Complete Essential Oils Toolkit to Support the Goals of Each Week

Direct access to Scarlet and Moira to request extra support or clarification on content

How to Keep Face Masks Clean & Use them as Aromatherapy Tools

Sharing my quick tips on how to increase peace of mind with wearing masks and cleaning them. Plus, they make awesome aromatherapy tools! Just watch this 3 min video. Want to try any of the items mentioned? On Guard, Breathe, Adaptive, Cheer, Forgive and the special laundry detergent. Simply message me.

Watch the recording of the live “Reset 4 Success” chat with Marian LaSalle, Louise Dewey and myself on the subject “Holiday Stress Busters”!

Links to items mentioned in our chat:

Free Introductory Session to Stress Reduction Course

Aromatherapy Bracelets

Holiday Trio Set

Any questions? Simply contact me.

Moira Hutchison chats with Scarlet Strapko on Well World TV about stress management and living well and how essential oils and mindset can be of benefit to all of us.

Got too much sun? Yes, I did weeding for hours in the Florida heat. So I quickly made an ointment to soothe, calm, cool, and hydrate my skin using Aloe Vera Gel, Jojoba Oil and Lavender Essential Oil. Great DIY. Quick and easy. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. For large portions I can freeze it as ice cubes.

Disclaimer: Essential Oils are not medication. The information and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Sensitivity may occur. Discontinue use if irritation or sensitivity occurs. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult a licensed health care professional before using essential oils. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and other sensitive areas of the body. Use essential oil products at your own risk.

Essential Oil Inhaler Recipes

The topic of “Managing stress better to minimize the physical and emotional toll it takes on us…” and “finding the right tools to regain that peace and calm that’s been eluding us…” is a subject very dear to my heart. I’ve personally been through traumatic life experiences and had to face great health challenges, causing intense phases of stress which affected my physical health and emotional balance but I was determined, developed tools and techniques supported by my education as a professional aromatherapist that allowed me to start living feeling happy despite the challenges, grateful despite the losses, and healthy despite tremendous health situations — which have put me into this special position where I feel, I have so much to share, so much to give. If you are looking to chart your own path, out of feeling stressed and overwhelmed, recapturing that inner calm and peace that has been eluding you – I’m the best person to support you on your journey.

So, how stressed are YOU?

To get started, want to rate your stress level?

An important first step is recognizing the degree to which we are affected by the stress in our lives and then move toward strategies to alleviate and better manage stress.

For each question add the number from the scale that is most appropriate:

0 – never; 1 – almost never;  2 – sometimes; 3 – fairly often; 4 – very often;

_____ 1. In the last month, how often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?
_____ 2. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?
_____ 3. In the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?
_____ 4. In the last month, how often have you found that you could not cope with all the things that you had to do?
_____ 5. In the last month, how often have you been angered or frustrated because of things that happened that were outside of your control?
_____ 6. In the last month, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?

4 – never; 3 – almost never;  2 – sometimes; 1 – fairly often; 0 – very often;

_____ 7. In the last month, how often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?
_____ 8. In the last month, how often have you felt that things were going your way?
_____ 9. In the last month, how often have you been able to control irritations in your life?
_____ 10. In the last month, how often have you felt that you were on top of things?

Add up your points, then check the score ranges below to see where your stress levels falls:

Individual scores on the PSS (perceived stress scale) can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress.
Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress.
Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress.

Let’s take a look at how stress affects us, physically and emotionally.

We are all familiar with our bodies stress response – the fight or flight response – where the adrenaline kicks in, cortisol is released into the body and you become faster, stronger, highly alert, you react quicker – this response in your body can keep you safe when danger looms – it is a healthy and amazing response happening in your body.

But when we are under constant stress, when stress becomes chronic and the HPA axis stays activated, our bodies are continually flooded with cortisol and adrenaline. What is the HPA axis? The Hypothalamus – Pituitary – Adrenal System which regulates our long-term stress. The Hypothalamus releasing CRH (corticotrophin) which is a hormone that activates the Pituitary Gland to release ACTH (adrenocorticotropic) which is another hormone, that stimulates the Adrenal cortex to release cortisol into the body.  When we experience chronic stress, it becomes difficult for our body to switch from the fight or flight response of the sympathetic nervous system back into rest and digest response of the parasympathetic nervous system.

When we suffer from chronic stress it can start affecting any of our body systems, we can become irritable, may develop anxiety or depression, chronic stress affects the nervous system so we can start developing headaches or nervous disorders. The cardiovascular system is affected and we might experience high blood pressure, and increased risk of heart attack. Stress also lowers our immune system making us more prone to infections and illness, and it can even affect the respiratory system, muscles and bones, put us at higher risk of developing digestive disorders, and can even affect the skin. Stress can be at the root of developing diabetes, weight gain, developing addictions, and auto-immune disorders.

A Study released out of Sweden monitored 100,000 people over 30 years. Those who had been diagnosed with a stress disorder like chronic stress or PTSD had a 30-40% higher likelyhood of develop an autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more) which underlines the high correlation between stress and physical illness.

Stress can make us physically sick and the stress itself and the physical manifestation of stress can cause emotional strain (feeling irritable, anxious, angry, worried, depressed, etc.). Stress can also have a huge impact on our sleep, especially the quality of sleep and quantity of sleep, which affects how rested we feel when waking up in the morning. Did you know that your brain and body actually process stress while you sleep? So, if you don’t get the enough restful sleep, your body won’t process stress effectively while sleeping.

Research suggests that 70% of sleeping problems are related to psycho-physiological issues and only 15% each are related to the environment or medical issues. Increased cortisol levels impact our body’s ability to maintain melatonin levels that promote restful sleep. Many people wake up during the night, especially between 1am and 3am. According to Chinese medicine our organs work on a 24 hour clock, and the time between 1am and 3am is liver time, the time when the liver performs its regenerative functions. One thing the liver needs to carry out its restorative function is energy, and for that it uses glycogen from the body’s sugar stores. So, if we spend the whole day stressed and with your blood sugar levels going up and down by the time it gets to 1am, there will not be enough glycogen left for the liver to carry out its regenerative functions. In this scenario, the body produces adrenaline as an energy source to compensate – and as adrenaline is designed to keep us awake, we will wake up and may have a hard time going back to sleep. That’s why managing stress levels is so important when we want to improve our quality and quantity of sleep.

Unmanaged stress can be at the root or contributing factor to many physical and emotional challenges we may be facing which means finding tools and techniques to help us process stress better, increase our stress management capacity, and incorporate routines that help us to release, restore, and recharge to experience greater balance and inner calm, are central to living a heathier lifestyle.

Are you ready to discover some of these tools and tackle YOUR daily stressors?

Watch 45 Minute Video

Discover Essential Tools & Knowledge Guaranteed to Help You Manage Your Stress Better

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Please find below the list of ingredients and supplies needed for each DIY project along with the video recording of the live DIY class. Please watch the introductory part but if you need to come back and review instructions for a particular item, I’ve noted below the starting point in the video.

Stress Rescue Inhaler

• inhaler tube with wick and cap
• 1 tsp. FCO (fractionated coconut oil)
• 4 drops Cypress Essential Oil (Cypress helps us release pent up emotions, promotes flow of energy, opening the heart to letting go but at the same time comforting)
• 4 drops of Wild Orange Essential Oil (Wild Orange is stress releasing, energizing, uplifting moods and spirits, and promotes positivity)

Video instructions start at 15:15 minutes (see video below).

Balance Shower Melts

Balance Essential Oil contains Spruce Leaf, Ho Wood Leaf, Frankincense Resin, Blue Tansy Flower, Blue Chamomile Flower, and Osmanthus Flower essential oils in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil. Balance has a warm, woody aroma creating a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. Spruce, one of the oils in Balance, was used by Native Americans for health and spiritual reasons and is still used today to bring harmony to the mind and body.

• 6 Tbsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp distilled water
• 8 drops Balance Essential Oil
• glass or ceramic bowl for mixing
• craft stick for blending
• mold to create shower melts (let air dry in mold for 24 hours – remove carefully)
• air tight container (store in air tight container)

Video instructions start at 24:40  minutes (see video below).

Lip Balm

Quantity is for making 2 lip balm tubes. Please wash and dry your shot glass as we will need it again for this recipe.

• 5ml (1 tsp) Beeswax
• 5ml (1 tsp) Coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp Cocoa Butter
• 1/2 tsp Shea Butter
• 4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 4 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
• 2 Lip Balm tubes
• shot glass for melting ingredients
• small pot/water/stove for boiling water
• craft stick for blending
• optional (pipette with tip cut off to make opening larger; you can pour directly from the shot glass into the lip balm tubes but if your hands aren’t steady use a pipette – make sure to let melted ingredient cool only for 2 minutes when using pipette)

Video instructions start at 44:00 minutes (see video below).

My Morning, Daytime & Evening Routines to Feel Calmer, More Grounded and Balanced

Grounding Morning Routine

In the morning after I wake up, I DO NOT jump out of bed right away. I will lay there and use an essential oil blend called Balance which has a light and fresh scent, with a little hint of sweet and woody undertones. The Balance goes on the inside of my wrists and under the sole of one of my feet. I’ll inhale this beautiful essential oil belnd from my wrists and sometimes if I wake up feeling nervous right away, I will put a drop on the pit of my stomach right below the sternum where my ribs come together. Then I will set my feet on the mattress so my legs are at about a 45 degree angle because that takes pressure off my lower back. Next, I will close my eyes, rest my hands on the sides of my belly on the left and right, and breathe in, slowly counting to four raising my belly, then hold my breath counting to four, and then breathe out counting to four. I’ll repeat this diaphramatic breath 5 to 6 times, then breathe normally for a few breaths and then repeat. I’ll will lay in bed practicing this routine for about 5 minutes, sometimes up to 10 minutes. This helps me create a foundation for my day, a foundation for instilling an inner sense of calm, more inner balance.

Then after I get up, I will do something that is calming and grounding for my emotions and body for about 20 to 40 minutes. It really varies from day to day, and there is no set time frame, I just try to listen to my body. Some of the calming routines I have included are meditation, yoga poses, going for a walk around the block, or reading. To experience an even greater effect from my grounding and calming routine, I’ll use an essential oil blend before I start. The ones that help me the most are: Serenity, Peace, Blissful Tranquility or Ease Fear and Worry Blend. I’ll apply one of these blends over my heart area, to the inside of my wrists and under the sole of my foot. I also apply the blend onto one of the lava beads on my crystal bracelet because the scent stays on it for almost 24 hours. Peace has a rich scent, very deep and earthy with a little hint of sweet and little mint. And let me tell you, this blend has been a savior when going through challenging times. But if someone is not into earthy and woody scents and prefers something lighter, Blissful Tranquility, Ease Fear and Worry Blend or Adapative would be my suggestions — a really beautiful combination and of deeply calming and soothing essential oils.

Feeling More Balanced During the Day

During the day, to help me feel more balanced and less anxious, I will reapply and smell my chosen blend whenever needed. I may put a drop into my hands, rub together to create a little bit heat, cup 6″ from my face, and breathe in and out slowly, taking in the aroma and letting it help calm my nerves. Sometimes I reapply over my heart area or onto my pulse points on my neck or on my wrists. When I’m on the go and don’t have time to apply the oil blend, I just smell it from the lava beads on my bracelet. Essential oils are just such powerful tools when it comes to modulating emotions because of the neurochemical releases in the brain which can help us in interrupting habitual emotional responses and develop new pathways. Diffusing citrus essential oils such as Lemon, Lime, Wild Orange, Bergamot and Tangerine can be stress reducing and at the same time energizing and boosting our mood. Please do not diffuse citrus oils around cats. They miss an enzyme in their liver that lets them effectively metabolize citrus oils. To learn more about safe use of essential oils around cats click here.

Unwind with a Soothing Evening Routine

When I’m going to bed in the evening,  it can happen quite frequently that I’m laying there and my brain just doesn’t let me go to rest, my thoughts will jump from one thing to another, and I keep thinking and thinking. Sound familiar? So to be able to go to sleep easier, I will apply the Serenity Essential Oil blend to my neck and traps, onto the inside of my wrists and put two drops into my diffuser. I will also add 2 drops of an oil called Vetiver to my diffuser and will apply a drop under the sole of my foot. And when I am going through extra challenging times, I may in addition take one or two Serenity softgels or Copaiba softgels (about 20 minutes before I go to bed). While laying in bed, I’ll repeat the same breathing technique I practice in the morning and imagine my bed as an island, an oasis of peace and beauty where nothing can harm me, and imagine beauty and peace all around me. To read more about my ENTIRE EVENING Routine and Sleep Hygiene tips click here.

So this is my daily routine using my essential oils to help create a sense of inner calm, inner balance, help me feel more grounded and centered. I feel this is just so important, not just on an emotional level but also because I know that it will help support healthy immune function. Emotions directly affect our immune system! Plus, I know that feeling anxious and nervous can zap all my energy, can make me feel a bit paralyzed at times, so when supporting my body to feel more balanced and grounded, I can better focus on my daily tasks and move forward.

Sending Wellness and Peace Your Way thank you for watching or reading!
Please reach out to me using the form below if you interested in trying free samples.

Learn more about each product I use:

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

Suggested Ratios for Alcohol / Distilled Water or Alcohol / Aloe Vera:

When Using 99% Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol:
2/3 Alcohol
1/3 Aloe Vera Gel or Distilled Water

When Using 91% Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol:
3/4  Alcohol
1/4  Aloe Vera Gel or Distilled Water

When Using 70% Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol:
90% Alcohol
10% Aloe Vera Gel or Distilled Water

If you don’t have Rubbing Alcohol you could substitute with a high percentage alcohol like Vodka.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need essential oils for your recipe.

Disclaimer: Essential Oils are not medication. The information presented is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Skin sensitivity may occur. Discontinue use if skin irritation occurs. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult a licensed health care professional before using essential oils. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and other sensitive areas of the body.

Sleep is essential for our physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of the heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

REM sleep, when dreaming occurs, is essential to our minds for processing and consolidating emotions, memories and stress. It is also thought to be vital for learning, stimulating the brain regions used in learning and developing new skills.

How do I support more restful sleep? Here are my lifestyle tips for a truly soothing bedtime routine:

• I avoid light sources such as cell phone, ipad, tablet, computer, TV at least one hour before bedtime; I do not keep cell phone, ipad, tablet, or computer in your bedroom at night.
• I avoid laying in bed “planning” my next day, I try to sit down at least an hour before bedtime and write down tasks, appointments, reminders, and thoughts about my next day, freeing up my mind when going to bed.
• About 30 minutes before going to sleep, I’ll take 1-2 Serenity Sleep softgels, they contain Lavendar (soothing and calming to body and mind), Tart Cherry (which is a natural melatonin that does not interfere with hormonal balance like the synthetic melatonin products), and L-Theanine which is an amino acid  that affects sleep by promoting relaxation and reducing anxious feelings, which can help us fall asleep more easily and improve sleep quality.
• Sometimes I take a relaxing bath with 4 drops of soothing essential oil such as Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang or a blend called Serenity; best is to add the drops of essential oil to 1 oz of pink Himalyan salt or dead sea salt first, then empty the salts into the running water; when I don’t feel like a bath, I make a relaxing foot soak with the salts and oils instead.
• Then right before going to bed, I’ll apply 1 drop of Serenity Essential Oil Blend to the back of my neck and traps (that’s where we carry so much tension and stress), under the sole of my foot, to the inside of my wrists and rub them together.
• When I have a lot on my mind and I have a hard time “calming” my thoughts, I’ll apply an extra drop of Vetiver Essential Oil under the sole of my foot and onto the inside of my wrist and rub my wrists together (it is also part of the Serenity Blend already).
• I will also add 2-4 drops of a calming essential oil (or oils) to my diffuser such as the Serenity blend or Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Copaiba, Cedarwood, Spikenard, or Vetiver; if you do not have a diffuser you can add 1-2 drops to a cotton ball and place it next to your pillow (scent stays on cotton balls for up to 24 hours) or create a mister with soothing essential oils and spray your pillow.
• When I’m going through phases of having bad dreams, I’ll add Juniper Berry essential oil to my regimen (applying a drop topically to my wrists and adding it to my diffuser).
• Once I lay in bed, I apply the Serenity & Valerian stick to the inside of my wrists and under the sole of my foot and practice diaphragmatic breathing (breathing into my belly, raising the belly and counting to four, holding my breath counting to four, breathing out counting to four) – I will repeat 3-5 times then breathe normally, then I’ll repeat the cycle for a minimum of 5 minutes.
• After my soothing breathing routine I will focus on the crown of my head and let go of any tension I might be feeling there, then I’ll walk down focusing on back of my head and face,  again letting go of any tension especially in the jaw and back of my neck, I try to completely relax and work my way down my body, from my shoulders and upper back to my lower back, from my chest to my belly, down to the legs, feet and toes, focusing on each body part, relaxing any tension I may hold in those areas.
• When I go through phases where I have trouble waking up during the night and not being able to fall back asleep, I make sure my diffuser runs all night. I’ll reapply my soothing oils to my wrists and over my heart area.  I’ll repeat my breathing routine and try not to get up (hence I keep my oils on my nightstand always!).
• I try to make my bed an “island” or “oasis” of relaxation and peace. I avoid “planning” my day ahead when laying in bed. Sometimes I play relaxing music or water sounds which turn off automatically. I will think of at least one thing that I’m grateful for not matter how difficult my day might have been and try to make that my last thoughts before drifting off.

Also, working on reducing feelings of stress during the day and increasing your stress management capacity will have a great impact on how you sleep at night. Here a link for you to get started with the essential oils for sleep mentioned above.

Essential Tip: It takes 21 days for the body to adapt to a new sleep rhythm.
Developing a CONSISTENT routine every night can make all the difference!
Play with different options and see what works best for YOU!

Here some Additional Thoughts on Waking Up During the Night

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, our internal organs work to a 24 hour ‘clock’, with certain times of day being peak times for that organ. Chinese medicine believes that his is the time that the organ will carry out its most essential functions.

The schedule is as follows:

Large intestine: 5am-7am
Stomach: 7am-9am
Spleen: 9am-11am
Heart: 11am-1pm
Small Intestines: 1pm-3pm
Bladder: 3pm-5pm
Kidneys: 5pm-7pm
Circulation: 7pm-9pm
Endocrine system/pancreas: 9pm-11pm
Gallbladder: 11pm -1am
Liver: 1am-3am 
Lungs: 3am-5am

In Chinese medicine, any repeated issues that occur at a particular time of the day suggest a possible imbalance in the corresponding organ. For example, if we often feel excessively tired at around 6pm this could be an indication that the kidney function is not in balance.

As you can see from this schedule, 1-3am is ‘liver time’. One thing the liver needs to carry out it’s restorative function is energy, and for that it uses glycogen from the body’s sugar stores. The problem is that adrenaline production also uses up glycogen, and adrenaline is what we produce when we are stressed and when our blood sugar levels are unstable.

So if we spend the whole day stressed and with your blood sugar levels going up and down by the time it gets to 1am, there will not be enough glycogen left for the liver to carry out it’s regenerative functions. In this scenario, the body has to produce adrenaline as the energy source to compensate – and as adrenaline is designed to keep us awake, we will wake up and have a hard time going back to sleep.

So, if Chinese Medicine is correct, reducing stress is key to a good night’s sleep!

Hope my lifestyle tips for a soothing bedtime routine may prove helpful to you to get better rest at night, wake up refreshed in the morning, and have the energy you need for your day ahead! If you are interested in leering about how food choices affect your sleep, click here.

Sending Wellness and Peace Your Way thank you for reading!
Please reach out to me with any questions or if like to try any of my essential oils.

Disclaimer

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for medical counseling. The statements made above have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness.

Lately, more and more people have been approaching me asking…

“What do YOU do to try and stay healthy?”

So, I’m happy to share with you my FREE eBook offering a comprehensive list of lifestyle tools and tips that have helped me and my family have more peace of mind when thinking about the immune system and respiratory system, and how we can best support them through living a healthier lifestyle. Please see below my outline of what I’m about to share with you.

For the Immune System to function well, it requires balance and harmony.

A healthy lifestyle is the first line of defense in
keeping our immune system strong and healthy.

So, let’s take a closer look at:

Please watch this 5 min video sharing tips on how to create a grounding and balancing morning routine that get’s your day started on the right foot and helps you create a resource of inner strength and resilience you can tap into when things get challenging during the day.

Suggested essential oils to accompany your morning routine:

Balance Essential Oil: contains Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile, and Osmanthus in a base of fractionated coconut oil. This is my favorite essential oil blend to get started with my day.

Other single essential oils with wonderful grounding effects are Frankincense, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Sandalwood or Myrrh.