Aroma Inspired Oils for Your Pilates or Yoga Practice

Essential oils have the power to do so much for your life. They can make an earache disappear, boost your mood, relieve anxiety, help your sleep, boost your metabolism, decrease joint pain, detoxify your house, rid the bugs from your garden, the possibilities are endless.

 

How about incorporating them into your Pilates or Yoga Practice?

Calming Blend:

Finding Calming Blend in your practice can some times be the hardest thing. Trying to find clarity and calmness almost seems impossible in today’s chaotic and hectic world. Silencing the chatter inside your head seems nearly unimaginable. Leave the to do list, the hustle and bustle, the racing of the clock, the constant dinging of your phone or email box at the door. Find centering, peace, quiet, and focus on yourself for that one-hour. Add a drop to the inside of your wrists, side of your neck, diffuse into the air, even rub some on the bottom of your feet to reduce anxiety and stress. Calming Blend also promotes a clear open-mind, relaxation, calm, and a stress-free environment.

Citrus Bliss:

Citrus Bliss is a mood booster, it invigorates and is uplifting. It also helps reduce stress, helps with emotional balance, and boosts the immune system. It can be applied to the skin or diffused into the air. Place a couple drops in a spray bottle with some water and spritz onto your mat. Promote happiness, revitalize, distress, and reduce tension. Bring some positivity and uplift to your practice, as well as your day.

 

Grounding Blend:

This is one of my favorite oils. Rub on the bottom of your feet, dab at the wrists, or diffuse into the air. This oil will keep you grounded and into your practice. Grounding Blend also helps create a sense of gentleness, calmness, peace, and relaxation. Use it to harmonize, promote a sense of balance, and tranquility. (Don’t we all need this!) Sometimes I wear this one as a scent or perfume for everyday life.

These are just a few of the oils I use personally and at my studio with my classes, my practice, and I share with my clients. They aid in the healing process of everyday stress and life as well as help take your Pilates or Yoga practice to another level.

Have questions or interested in oils and learning more about them. Leave a comment below or feel free to ask questions.

Make Your Own Non-toxic Bug Spray, Sunscreen, & After-Sun Spray Using Essential Oils

Hearing a lot about essential oils lately? Wondering which oils would work best for you and your family? How do they heal? How do you use them? There are so many questions out there and the benefits of essential oils can be confusing and often overwhelming. Here’s a little insight into the world of essential oils.

Essential oils are 50-70 times more therapeutically potent than the actual herbs or the plants they are derived from. To put that into perspective 1 drop of peppermint oil equals 28 cups of peppermint tea! Each oil has specific healing properties, everything from rosemary for brain function to wild orange to help boost your mood. There are even oil blends with anxiety, ADHD, even sugar cravings and oils to boost your metabolism.

Oils have the ability to penetrate cell walls to help deliver nutrition and oxygen to help eliminate toxins. They help strengthen the immune system while also bringing balance to the body. Oils can be diffused into the air or applied topically to the skin. Some can also be ingested and used while cooking.

The benefits of essential oils are endless. Most are antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. They can be used as disinfectants and detoxifiers. They can relieve pain, sleeplessness, even improve stamina and circulation.

Citrus Mahi Mahi with Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw

Sometimes you just want something that tastes fresh and zesty, especially after this crazy frigid winter we’ve had. I can’t wait till the weather finally breaks for good! I’m ready for warm days and cool nights, trips to the farmers market for spring veggies, and the fishing boats will finally start running in again with loads of fresh fish. (Hence my husband is obsessed with fishing so that part may not be the best thing for me!) 🙂

I also have a small addiction to slaws! My biggest cravings are always for something crunchy. People laugh at me when I tell them this, but my go to at 8:30 every night is not chocolate or something sweet. It’s always Kale Slaw or I’ll make up a batch of whatever I can mix with cabbage. Something about those crunchy, zingy, and earthy flavors, I can’t seem to get enough of!

So here’s my recipe for Citrus Mahi Mahi with Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw and I topped it off with some fresh mashed avocado. These started off as tacos, then I thought the tacos shells would ruin the freshness! I don’t usually eat tomatoes in the winter because they’re out of season, but I had a couple left over from cooking meals for some of my clients. So I through them in there and I think a little more of the acid made the slaw that much better! Let me know whatcha think! Here’s to hoping spring is really right around the corner.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 oz of Mahi Mahi (preferably fresh but frozen is ok too)
• 3 tablespoons of good olive oil
• 5 drops doTerra lime essential oil or juice of 1 1/2 limes
• 1/2 head purple cabbage-shredded
• 1/2 head green cabbage-shredded
• 2 carrots- peeled and shredded
• small handful roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 shallot-chopped
• 6-7 cherry tomatoes- sliced
• 1 avocado (ripe)
• Sea Salt
• Fresh ground pepper

In a medium saute pan, add a little olive oil, add Mahi, 2 drops of lime oil or 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly. In a separate bowl, add cabbage, carrots, shallots, tomatoes, cilantro, 2-4 drops of lime oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Slice open avocado, remove pit, mash into a small bowl. On a plate, place slaw, top with Mahi, then add a spoonful of fresh avocado! Soooo good!

Make Your Own Home Cleansers & Shaving Cream with Essential Oils

We all know sprays, cleansers, scrubs, and detergents are expensive and loaded with toxic chemicals. What if I told you by using essential oils you could make your own  cleansers, save money, get rid of a lot chemicals and toxins in your home. And if you’re a mama (or dad) like me, you worry about what your children or pets come in contact with when they touch counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, even the kitchen floor with whatever you just sprayed to clean.

In a matter of minutes you can make your own disinfectant, laundry detergent, even your own shaving cream! (Ever read the label on your shaving cream? It usually says it’s flammable! I don’t know about you, but would you shave your legs with gasoline? Kind of the same thing right?) Well here are a couple secrets to make a few things around you house to rid yourself and family of life-threatening chemicals. I use  oils because they are Certified Therapeutic Grade, which means they are the most potent oils you can get. Feel free to change up the scents on some of the things you make if you’re not too crazy about a certain smell.

Some of these I have made before and love them. A few I’ve gotten from doTerra. Here’s to clean, safe, and healthy homes and bodies! Looking for essential oils?

Laundry detergent:

• Borax
• Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda)
• Ivory Soap or Fels Naptha
• Fine grater
• Lavendar essential oils
• Glass container or metal bucket

Instructions:

Grate soap bar. You need 1 to 1 ratio- 1 cup Borax to 1 cup of Arm and Hammer washing soda. Stir well. 3-5 minutes. Add 15 drops of Lavendar or your favorite scented oil. Stir well again. This makes 32 oz which equals 64 loads of laundry. Use 1-2 scoops per load. Double or Triple the recipe to save yourself time. I load of laundry using this recipe will only cost you 3 cents per load!!! Huge Savings!!!

Counter and Kitchen Cleaner:

• Spray Bottle
• 2-3 drops Lemon essential oil
• 2-3 drops Purify cleansing blend essential oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• water

Instructions:

In a spray bottle, add all ingredients and spray away!! 🙂

Shaving Cream:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup virgin coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 drops of your favorite essential oil
• Glass container

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or stir really well with fork. Place mixture in glass container. Shake well before each use.

Essential Oils-Perfect for the Holidays

With the holidays in full swing and the New Year headed our way, we have so much to do in less than a month! Holiday preparation, cooking, shopping, parties, gift giving (make your own!), not to mention the stress, lack of sleep, and anxiety that goes along with this time of year. And how can we forget the nagging thought in the back of our minds that when December is in our rear view mirror, we’ll be tackling the New Year’s resolution list to eat better, lose weight, get healthy, exercise more, and destress. Well I’ve got the answer for every one of those things on your to do list and for the little voice in your head telling you after the holidays, there needs to be a significant change coming! The Answer…. ESSENTIAL OILS!!!

The benefits of essential oils are endless, cook with them, add them to your baking recipes instead of extracts or dried spices, give them as hostess gifts or presents for everyone on your list. Holiday stress? Use lavender for relaxing and better sleep, or Serenity or Balance to help fight a run-down mind, body, and soul. Use
grapefruit for holiday hangovers and cellulite. Kind of a Scrooge this time of year?? Boost your mood with Wild Orange! Resolutions got you down? Use lemon to detoxify, Slim and Sassy to boost metabolism and help lose weight, ginger for digestion, even cinnamon for fatigue and immune boosting.

Oils are the answer to all your prayers! 😉 Just want your house to smell like the holidays? They can even do that for you! Just diffuse them into the air, sit back with the tree lite, drinking peppermint and chocolate while you read your favorite magazine loaded with holiday recipes, while you think to yourself. “Ohhh I could use clove oil instead of ground spices!” All the while reaping all the benefits!

Here are some great holiday oils that you can diffuse into the air, cook with, use them topically, and even add a couple drops to your daily glasses of water.

Clove:

Uses: Antioxidant, Candida, Hormonal Balance, Liver cleansing,wounds, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Muscle Aches, Lupus, Fungal infections, fevers, and muscle pain.

Cinnamon:

Uses: Bacterial infections, bites & stings, fatigue, immune booster, diabetes,
breathing, and viral infections.

Ginger:

Uses: Indigestion, low libido, nausea, arthritis, vertigo, vomiting, and pelvic pain syndrome.

Frankincense:

Uses: Wrinkles, Asthma, breathing, balance, cancer, Parkinson’s, immune booster, depression, fibroids, memory, and MS.

 

Building a Stronger Immune System for Your Kids

Well, it’s official the kids are back in school and summer is pretty much gone in the blink of an eye. Hard for the kids to head back to school and this year I know a lot of mama’s that have had a hard time letting their little ones rush off to school. It’s that bittersweet feeling…we get some time for ourselves here and there, but with that kicks in the guilt of just keeping them home and young a little bit longer.

Anyway with going back to school comes the sneezing, nose wiping, coughing, hand holding, toy sharing, a complete dirt and germ fest. How do we keep our little ones healthier and out of the doctor’s office a little more this year? With little secrets to help boost their immune system!!

1. Eat Better– It’s hard to eat “right” all the time especially with school in session, we’re rushing in the mornings, rushing to get them to practice, and then rushing home to feed them, bath them, and get them in bed. So plan ahead. Prepare lunches the night before so you can put some thought into them. Make a dinner menu for the week. Plan out what you’re having for dinner for the week on Sunday, put it down on paper or on a chalkboard for everyone to see. For late nights, save the easier dinner like turkey tacos or pasta for the nights they have practice and you’ll be getting home late. Stock the car with healthy snacks, so when they’re starving you’re not running to the nearest drive through. And don’t forget breakfast!! The most important meal of the day. Fill them up with the good stuff first thing in the morning, they’ll be less likely to reach for the candy bar and soda in the school cafeteria.
2. Sleep More– We all fight with them at least a couple of nights a week to “go to sleep!” Make a nightly routine to settle them early, let them read in bed for 30-45 minutes before turning out the lights. Add a drop of lavender to their pillow cases for sound sleep and helps stimulate the immune system. Get rid of the tv and video games from their rooms. It’s proven to cause over stimulation in return causes lack of sleep.
3. Exercise regularly– It’s sad to hear that some schools have started to cut gym from school budgets. With an obesity epidemic in our schools, this is completely absurd to me! Exercise stimulates defense mechanisms, lowers blood sugars, removes toxins, and promotes a positive mood. Get them outside for some fresh air also! Let them run like crazy for 30+ minutes. Believe me it’s good for your immune system too! 😉
4. Stay Hydrated-Kids these days are drinking way to much soda, sugary energy drinks, and not so juicy juice! Incorporate more water into their diets, especially during extreme temperatures and during sports activities. Kids not a fan of water? Spruce it up with some lemon, cucumber, orange, even watermelon slices to make it a little more flavorful. Dehydration weakens the immune system and causes chemical and nutritional imbalances, so start off slow… dilute their juice or give them water for dinner with a couple berries at the bottom of the glass. Then work you’re way up to a couple glasses a day!
5. Incorporate Essential Oils– When you can, add essential oils to water, lavender to help sleep, diffuse orange into the air to boost moods and emotional levels. Peppermint helps with belly aches and Melaluca assists with healing. There are tons of them out there.

****Make sure to always read the labels and ask an oils educator when incorporating essential oils into your life and your children’s life. Some oils should not be ingested and pregnant and small children need extra precautions.***

Hope these simple and easy ways help keep your little ones and family, healthier through this school year and upcoming winter months! It doesn’t have to be a drastic change to make a difference, just small steps into changing habits that make all the difference. Here’s the being healthy, happy, and doctor free this school year!!

Essential Oils for Anxiety & Stress

Take a breath…Exhale…. Whewww! Summer has blown by this year! I don’t know about yours but mine has been jammed packed! These past few weeks I have been running like a crazy woman. Between Pilates,cooking demonstrations, book signings, clients, events, seminars, and fundraisers, I’ve been racing the clock to see if I can get it all done. And with a husband with a huge off shore fishing habit and two small children it’s no wonder I have been feeling so overwhelmed and slightly stressed 😉 With school starting and my “season” beginning to slow down I can see the light at the end of the tunnel finally!

Honestly, the number one thing that has gotten me through this whirlwind of a summer has been my essential oils. I honestly can’t remember a day that has gone by that I haven’t used at least one since I started using them months ago. We all know anxiety and stress can wreak havoc on our immune system, bodies, skin, and overall health. So how can we help ourselves keep the stress at bay and keep the anxiety levels in check when we’re all so busy?

Here are a few of my favorites to help with those crazy days that you want to wish away or when the kids have you so frazzled you can barely think straight to put on your own shoes. These oils are from do Terra and can be purchased right from my website. If you’re interested in trying or ordering some-message me and I can walk you through the process or you can also order retail.

Wild Orange- If you need a mood booster! This is the one! Diffuse it into the air, add it to your water, rub it on your temples. If you’re cranky, irritated, miserable, tired, overwhelmed, exhausted, this oil will put you in the best mood in a matter of seconds!!

Focus Blend- This blend helps support a healthy thought process, enhances focus, helps you stay on task, helps you pay attention, and helps with controlling behavior. This is great for anyone with ADHD as well! Breathe it in, diffuse into the air, or apply topically.

Grounding Blend- Perfect for grounding. It also give you a sense of well-being and calmness. Promotes tranquility, a sense of balance and connect. Apply it to the feet, back of the neck or chest. It can also be diffused into the air.

Calming Blend- This one is guaranteed to calm you down! It gives you a sense of well-being and relaxation. This is great for those days you really have the blues and just can’t get that spring into your step. Use this oil blend with anxiety, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, and even when you just can’t get your mind to settle long enough to focus on one task. Diffuse into the air or apply to chest, feet, and body.

Here’s to a calmer mind, relaxed muscles, and shorter to do list!!!

***Remember to always seek medical help if you have signs of depression and thoughts of suicide. Oils should not replace medication or anything that has been prescribed by a doctor.***

Related Articles:

• Anxiety-Busting Aromatherapy- (www.leoniedawson.com)
• Top 10 Essential Oils to Relieve Anxiety- (www.marycrimmins.com)

3 Essential Oils for a Healthy Lifestyle

For the last year I have been incorporating essential oils into my lifestyle, almost daily. I’m not too fond of going to the doctors and I quickly run away from the prescript pad. I have to be seriously miserable to take something, including aspirin. I can’t remember that last time I took anything other than vitamins, especially since I’ve been studying and learning more about essential oils and how to incorporate them into our everyday lives. Everything from belly aches and difficulty sleeping, to cleaning the house and making my own sunscreen without chemicals or parabens. This especially comes in handy with 2 small children and husband that often acts like a child when he doesn’t feel well. 🙂 I’ve even used them on our Weimaraner who continually has digestive issues.

Just this weekend I scrubbed the house down with a couple drops of lemon oil, made the house smell like we were in Provence with a little lavender, cured a doggie belly ache, cleared up a constant bout of swimmers ear, incorporated natural bug spray with no chemicals, relieved some serious neck muscle tension, and made the whole family sleep like babies in a matter or minutes! Intrigued yet??? If you want to know more about how to incorporate essential oils into your lifestyle keep reading or leave me a message here or on my website. But in the meantime here’s 3 essential oils to incorporate for a everyday healthy lifestyle.

Peppermint:

The best oil for belly aches and nausea. You remember when you used to get a tummy ache and your grandmother would try to give you a peppermint and it was always the last thing you wanted to put in your mouth. Well it honestly works! It helps with digestion, freshens your breath, even eases breathing when you’re congested. Put it in your water for a refreshing taste, relieve muscle tension, even inhale it as an appetite suppression.

Melaleuca:

This oil is also known as tea tree oil and it can take on just about anything, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Kills them on contact. I can be used for cuts, dandruff, even acne. It is also an immune booster and perfect for any skin disorders like eczema or psoriasis. Still not a believer?? My 4-yr old daughter has been a fish this summer in the pool. Diving down to the bottom to grab toys, swimming across the pool by herself, with that has come some serious swimmers ear! I used to be a swimmer growing I remember how bad it hurts, not fun! I tried the alcohol and water, swim drops, nothing was working. So I grabbed some Melaleuca dabbed 2 drops behind her ear, she laid down for an hour and half nap and guess what no more ear ache!!!

Lavender:

My favorite sent by far! I have so much lavender you would think I have fields of it in my back yard. It’s great for calming the mind, diminishes scars, helps with   relaxation and motion sickness. Reduces pain and swelling in bee stings, repairs dry chapped lips, but most of all it aids in a great nights sleep. Add a couple drops to your pillow, and you’re guaranteed to be in REM sleep in less than 10 minutes. I haven’t slept this well since before I had babies and now my little ones won’t go to bed without it on their pillows!

So just by adding these three essential oils to your home and medicine cabinet you can increase your health and lifestyle with just a little lavender to help lull you to sleep instead of those heavy sleep aids that leave you drowsy the next day. Kills viruses and bacteria with a little Melaleuca and even stop a belly ache with a little peppermint. Be sure to always read the instructions for essential oils, pregnant women should be extra careful and some oils should be diluted for children and people with sensitive skin. Leave me a comment and let me know which ones you try out!! 😉

Related Articles:

Different Ways to Use essential oils: (www.essentialoils.co)

How do I Choose and Use Essential Oils? (www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu)