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Good Morning! So after my complaints about Seattle weather yesterday, I woke up to this.....  Ok, so I didn't actually take this photo, but it is the perfect illustration for what today looks like here in the Northwest. Yay! Definitely having some outside time today. As promised, today I am continuing my essential oil posts by sharing 4 of my favorite and simple ways you can use essential oils on the body to calm and soothe. Let's get straight into it.....  1. Calm Nervous System/Adrenal Exhaustion Bath Blend Mix together the following in your bath and soak for 15-30 mins: 10 drops vetiver 10 drops roman chamomile 1 cup Epsom salts OR you can also blend 20 drops lavender with 1 cup Epsom salts for similar effect  2. Calming Massage Oil Blend together the following in a dark glass bottle: 12 drops lavender 12 drops bergamot or orange 3 drops sweet marjoram 2 drops clary sage 1 drop vetiver ¼ cup carrier oil (such as fractionated coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, or avocado oil)  3. Sore Muscle Soother Blend together the following in a dark glass bottle: ½ cup fractionated coconut oil ¼ cup beeswax 2 tsp cayenne pepper 15 drops peppermint 15 drops lavender  Sunburn Soother Blend together the following in a dark glass spritzer bottle: 3 drops peppermint 3 drops lavender 100 ml water I hope you’ll try a few of my suggestions and see how you like them! Please let me know if you do, or if you have any of your own favorite recipes using essential oils! I’d love to hear them. P.S. Next week I am going to be on the Aspire Natural Health podcast talking about how to calm an anxious mind. I will be sharing some of my story, along with some tips to help you if you suffer from anxiety or simply need to reduce your stress levels. The podcast will air live on Thursday June 29th at 1pm PST. Here is the link: aspirenaturalhealth.com/podcast/ Hope you can tune in and listen! P.P.S. For those who live in the Seattle area, I will be offering an 8 week course on How To Calm An Anxious Mind starting in early September! I will be sharing my unique Life Model that I created to help me overcome anxiety and live each day feeling calm, centered, and balanced. I will teach you how to apply it in your own life to help you reduce anxiety and feel more calm in body and mind. Stay tuned for more details! Peace.
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 Today I’m following up from last week’s post on my favorite essential oils for calming anxiety (you can find it by scrolling down). This week I’m sharing some of my favorite blends and recipes using essential oils. While the spectrum of properties and uses of essential oils is enormous, what I’m sharing today is focused on calming and soothing the mind, body, and nervous system. In my struggle with anxiety, essential oils have been one of a handful of effective tools that I use every day to help invoke a sense of calm and balance for myself. I find them to be a wonderful support. I only recommend using high quality oils (I use Doterra, but Young Living and Eden’s Garden are two others which are also worth consideration). This ensures you are getting the purest, safest product. So, let’s get right to it! Firstly, blending essential oils for use in a diffuser. Here are 2 diffusers which I own and both are super easy to use and also lovely to look at :-) amzn.to/2sQSmxW and amzn.to/2sqXHLV. Here are a few of my favorite blends for calming anxiety and soothing the nervous system: Diffuser Blends for Calming Anxiety:
COMING IN SEPTEMBER: THE "HOW TO CALM AN ANXIOUS MIND" 8 WEEK COURSE   Essential oils have been around for centuries, dating back as far as Biblical times when Jesus was anointed with frankincense and myrrh at his birth. They are a wonderfully natural yet effective treatment for a wide variety of ailments and conditions. I use them in diffusers, topically, and I also take them internally to stay calm, centered, and healthy in body, mind, and heart. Please note that many oils on the market are NOT safe for ingesting. Many oils found in stores contain artificial ingredients and fillers, so it’s important to buy your oils from a reputable source who employs regular testing to ensure the safety and effectiveness of their product. I only recommend using the purest therapeutic-grade oils you can buy. If you are considering taking oils orally, find a health professional schooled in the art of using essential oils who can safely guide you on how to do so. In my personal struggle with anxiety, I have found certain essential oils to be especially helpful in calming the nervous system and settling an overactive mind. I use these on their own or in combination with other oils for greatest effect. Here are my Top 5 Essential Oils for Calming the Nervous System: 1. Lavender- Probably the most commonly used oil, lavender is well-known for its ability to calm anxiety and restore the nervous system. There are several scientific studies which have proven lavender’s therapeutic effects on anxiety and depression. Each night before bed, I put a drop of lavender oil in my hands and rub together. Then I place my open palms in front of my nose and inhale deeply for 5-10 breaths. You can also place a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or in a diffuser for improved sleep. 2. Rose- In particular, rose oil is very calming and settling to the heart. Thus, making it especially helpful in treating panic attacks, grieving, and shock. It is also wonderful for lifting and healing depression. I find rose oil especially helpful when I am being overly critical or hard on myself. I will mix a few drops with coconut oil or avocado oil and rub on my heart center to relax and remind me to be more compassionate toward myself, which then emanates outward into the world. 3. Roman Chamomile- This oil has a very calming effect on the skin, body, and mind. It specifically helps to calm overthinking and worry. One scientific study also showed it has anti-depressant effects. Place 1-2 drops in herbal teas and hot drinks to soothe the body and mind. 4. Vetiver- A member of the grass family, vetiver oil has a reassuring, calming, grounding effect on the emotions. It is also useful for panic attacks and shock. It is ideal for massage therapy or for restful sleep. You can rub vetiver oil on the soles of your feet to help you feel more stable and grounded in mind and body. 5. Frankincense- The “king of oils”, frankincense is excellent for relaxation and balancing mood. It helps to deepen meditation and to quieten the mind. Frankincense promotes feelings of peace and total wellness. It also can be taken internally to support cellular function. Each morning when I wake up, I use frankincense as part of my morning meditation & prayer time. I place 1-2 drops in my hands and rub them together. Then I place my open palms in front of my nose and inhale deeply for 5-10 breaths. Ideas for use: Topical: rub any of the above oils on the soles of the feet to calm, soothe, and promote a restful sleep Topical: combine with a carrier oil such as almond, avocado, or coconut and use for massage therapy Diffuser: 5-10 drops of oil in aromatherapy diffuser in your room for a calming relaxing effect Topical: Rub 1-2 drops in palms of hands and breathe in for 5-10 breaths, then rub hands on back of neck Ingest: Place one drop in 4 oz of water or juice. If you would like to learn a few healthful essential oil recipes I make and use regularly, I will be sharing these in next week’s blog post. Stay tuned & Be Well! P.S. Coming up on June 27th, I will be a guest on the Aspire Natural Health podcast, talking to Dr Tim Gerstmar about How To Calm An Anxious Mind. More details to come! :-)   1. PLAN FOR YOUR SUCCESS EACH WEEK! There's no way around it. If you have a weight loss goal or you want to maintain a healthy weight, you must plan for your success! I take some time at the beginning of each week to look at my schedule for the week ahead, and plan my meals accordingly. If Wednesday is crazy, I plan a crockpot meal. If I am going to an evening event and don't know the food situation, I prep some healthy food or leftovers to take with me just in case. If I'm going to be home late due to kids' sports activities, I plan a quick and easy meal for that night with items that are prepped and ready. Know what your potential "hitches" are in that week, plan your meals and strategies, and make a shopping list. This whole planning session will take you 30 minutes or less. It will set you up for success in sustaining healthy habits and a healthy weight! 2. BE MINDFUL WHEN YOU SHOP. You have done your planning and have your list in hand. Stick to your list and be mindful when you shop. Are you consistently pulled into the frozen dessert aisle? Are there certain foods that are "triggers" for you, unhealthy foods that you could easily overeat? Pause, take a breath, look at your list, and stick to it. We often shop and grab these trigger foods or junk foods in an unconscious state, victim to the impulses that have controlled us. Bring a mindful approach to your shopping and see how much easier it is to choose foods that support your health and wellbeing! 3. USE A SMALLER PLATE FOR DINNER. I once saw an experiment conducted by an 11 year old boy. He was on a weight loss mission, and he was curious about a relationship between the amount of food you eat and the size of your plate. He decided to conduct an experiment. He invited 14 friends to his house and divided them into 2 groups. His dad prepared a ton of food. The 2 groups sat at different tables and all were told that they could eat as much as they wanted. However, one group had big plates while the other group had small plates. None of the kids were aware of the experiment or the difference in plate size. At the end of the meal, all the kids said they were plenty full. It turned out that the group with the small plates ate 74% less food! Small tweaks like this to your eating environment can make a big difference. Provided you have fueled your body well during the day, eating a bit less at dinner will help you sleep more soundly and awake feeling refreshed and clear-headed. 4. BE YOUR OWN DETECTIVE. Read labels, Understand your habits and triggers. Know roughly how many grams of ADDED SUGAR you are eating per day and get that number down as close to zero as you reasonably can. 5. USE THE 3 BITE RULE. Complete deprivation has never worked for me. When it comes to having a sweet treat, instead of struggling with "should I or shouldn't I", I use a trick I call the "3 bite rule". I eat and enjoy 3 bites of that treat. Then I put the rest away or I pass it on to someone else. Implement at least one of these tricks and take a step toward better health and enjoying a happy body weight!  |
AuthorI am a wellness educator and trainer who is passionate about helping others to look, feel, and be their best in body, mind, and heart. Thanks for visiting my blog! Archives
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