The Uplifting Power of Oranges: How This Simple Scent Reduces Stress and Anxiety
There’s something instantly calming about the fresh, sweet aroma of oranges. It’s not just in your head—science shows that citrus scents like orange can help lower stress levels, ease anxious thoughts, and even lift your mood.
The essential oil from oranges is packed with natural compounds that soothe the nervous system and encourage relaxation. Simply taking a moment to inhale this bright, cheerful scent can create a sense of calm and clarity, even on the busiest or most overwhelming days.
In this post, we’ll explore why smelling oranges has such a powerful effect on stress and anxiety, and share simple, everyday ways to use this sunny aroma to bring more peace and positivity into your life.
And this is why I go through so many bottles of orange ??
Seriously though, I use this oil more than any other in my personal use and sharing in my yoga classes. It is super affordable and just amazing. I love to add wild orange to my drinking water or plain yogurt. Diffusing this one gives your whole house a smell of fresh, uplifting goodness.
Also, Wild Orange is the “Oil of Abundance” and encourages the individual to let go of scarcity mindsets and reminds the soul of the limitless supply found in nature. What you focus on, expands! When you give, you receive so much more.
Check out this gorgeous ebook to learn more about the basics of essential oils!
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If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Most people know me as a yoga teacher. A Pilates teacher. An essential oil guru. A mom and grandmom. A friend (although I strive this year to be a better friend from now on). A fierce entrepreneur with a strong spirit. An advocate. A rock star. A light.
What many don’t know is I am also a woman who has chronic pain and a diagnosis of lupus.
It’s not something I choose to talk a lot about—not because I feel shame— but because I don’t have time to dwell on it, or worry about it, or even hate it.
Instead, I choose to learn from it. I learn from the subtle whispers it speaks to me through aches and pains and unbelievable fatigue. I learn what fear looks like and how I can see those thoughts as just that—thoughts.
I can learn what compassion is on a deeper level, mostly for myself and for those who care about me.
Truth is Lupus sucks. Pain sucks. And being the observer of it and as it relates to my day-to-day, and how it impacts my family, well, it sucks.
I believe I am an amazing woman. I know that I am an excellent yoga teacher and strong advocate of goodness. But, I am also vulnerable and really struggling.
Now you know.
I’ve made radical changes to my schedule and my life, and my comfort now surpasses my need to achieve or exhaust myself working. Instead, I want to feel joy and feel the spirit of being alive. I want to welcome in days where I feel less pain than those days that I do. I want to be present with myself and others.
Lupus or not, I am choosing to live beyond the labels. I just am.
If sleep is an issue in your house, here are some of the top essential oils that can support you or your children and hopefully provide restful sleep throughout the night. The chemical constituents within each essential oil or doTERRA blend are highly supportive of bringing a sense of calm and peace during nap time or at night time.
Favorite Sleep Essential Oils
LAVENDER – is one of the most popular essential oils for restful night sleep. It’s floral, fresh, clean, and the calming scent is perfect when using in a nap time or night time routine, and is excellent for a beginner. Diffuse 4-5 drops of Lavender in the diffuser in your child’s room during sleep time, or apply on the bottoms of the feet about 20 minutes before bed.
JUNIPER BERRY – has been used for years, and is a favorite essential oil for emotions, irrational thoughts, reoccurring nightmares, and disruptive sleep. It has a deep earthy scent and is perfect for diffusing at night or nap time. Add 2-4 drops to a diffuser, or apply on the bottoms of the feet or across the forehead.
CEDARWOOD – has an earthy, warm, woodsy smell that is both comforting, relaxing and offers a feeling of being supported. Diffusing 4-5 drops in a diffuser can create a calming atmosphere, and applying on the bottoms of the feet promote rest.
PEACE -is a blend of Ylang Ylang, Vetiver, Lavender, Frankincense, and other essential oils. This fragrant oil is a beautiful addition to the baby’s night time or nap time routine. It has light citrus, yet calming aroma. Diffuse 3-4 drops of this oil in a diffuser, or apply on the bottoms of the feet.
CALMER – from d?TERRA’s kid’s collection, a blend of Lavender, Cananga, Roman Chamomile and Buddha Wood essential oils. It also contains fractionated coconut oil, which is a nourishing carrier. This oil blend is perfect for bedtime, bringing a calmer aromatic environment with a comforting scent. It is a d?TERRA blend specifically designed for kids and babies. It is pre-diluted ideally so you can apply on the feet, down the spine, wrists, or chest.
SERENITY – is a blend of Lavender, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Ho Wood, Marjoram, Vetiver, Sandalwood Vanilla, and Roman Chamomile. It has a tranquil yet woodsy scent, making it pleasing to inhale when applied to the skin. Apply to the bottoms of the feet or diffuse 4-5 drops 20-30 minutes before bedtime.
Check out this handy guide on the basics of essential oils!
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Your sense of smell is much more accurate than any of your other senses. Your ability to smell comes from sensory cells called Olfactory Sensory Neurons, found in a small patch of tissue very high in your nose. Those cells connect to your brain.
Each of those sensory neurons has one odor receptor – and molecules released by substances around us stimulate these receptors. Once your neurons detect your molecules, they send messages to your limbic lobe of your brain.
Our sense of smell is 10,000 more sensitive than our other senses. Scent travels faster to the brain with smell than it does with sight, or even sound.
The limbic lobe is a group of brain structures that is below the cortex of the brain – it includes the amygdala and the hippocampus. Your limbic lobe (system of brain structures) is directly connected to the parts of your brain that control many aspects of your body – hormone levels, stress, memory, breathing, heart rate, and more.
The only way to stimulate the emotional brain is through your sense of smell – which is one of the reasons why Essential Oils can work so incredibly well. Feelings of depression, fear, anger, happiness, joy and even anxiety all originate from the limbic lobe of the brain.
Essential Oils can help alleviate symptoms at a cellular level through their therapeutic properties. Stimulation of hormones and chemicals can drastically affect physiology and behavior.
Essential Oils can be stimulating (Peppermint), calming (Lavender), sedative (Cedarwood), balancing (Frankincense, and so much more.
Top Five for Emotions:
Roman Chamomile: Helps support feelings of peace, love and acceptance.
Cedarwood: Helps support healthy focus and encouragement while also grounding.
Lavender: Helps support relaxation and calming. This one also helps with communicating feelings.
Bergamot: Uplifting and will help support healthy confidence levels. This one also helping foster self love and self worth.
Frankincense: Powerful cleanser of the spirit – grounding and can help during times of negativity.
REFERENCES: How do Essential Oils Affect our Mind and Our Emotions. Retrieved from http://www.biospiritual-energy-healing.com/essential-oils-affect-our-minds.html
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Pain-Relieving Essential Oils: Nature’s Support for Your Body
When pain strikes, whether it’s a dull ache or a sharp discomfort, finding relief is a top priority. While over-the-counter remedies can help, there’s also a natural way to ease discomfort—through the power of essential oils.
Certain oils have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and calming properties that work gently but effectively to soothe sore muscles, reduce tension, and ease pain. From muscle aches to headaches, essential oils like lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus can offer the comfort and support your body needs without the side effects of synthetic pain relievers.
In this post, we’ll dive into the best essential oils for pain relief, share how they work, and provide tips for using them safely and effectively in your self-care routine.
This is the go-to blend for PAIN. If you experience muscle pain, nerve pain, arthritis pain or joint pain this is for you. Check out how amazing these oils are. I have samples of Deep Blue Rub if you want to try them! Just shoot me a message and I can get them to you!
Remember, you can use some or all of these oils in a roller! The top three listed below are pretty affordable and have a variety of uses. Making up rollers is the easiest and most cost effective way to use and apply the oils.
Pain Relief Blend
Lemongrass has anti-inflammatory, analgesic (relieves pain, regenerative (promotes regenerations of cell tissue) and anti-rheumatic properties. It is amazing for connective tissue and joint/ligament/tendon pain.
Marjoram has antispasmodic (relieves spasms of involuntary muscles) and vasodilator (relaxes/dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow) properties. Marjoram is great for carpel tunnel, tendonitis, arthritis, muscles cramps or sprains.
Siberian Fir has analgesic properties and is amazing for muscle and joint pain, muscle fatigue and regeneration, rheumatism (inflammation to the joints, muscles, tissues)—especially rheumatoid arthritis.
Helichrysum has antispasmodic, analgesic and neuroprotective properties. It relies nerve pain.
Deep Blue is awesome for muscle/joint pain, arthritis, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, whip lash, muscle tension, and so much more.
To learn more about the basics of essential oils, check out this handy guide!
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
If you haven’t started using gemstones with your essential oils, you’re missing out! Seriously amazing.
When it comes to understanding how these two work so well together it starts with the basic knowledge that it’s all about vibration: everything in the universe vibrates. This vibrational energy surrounds all beings, even those objects generally perceived as inanimate. Through the phenomenon of resonance, the vibration of one object can affect another object without its even touching it. This happens because vibration is an energy that travels through space. So, each individual is affected by the vibrations of people and things around us.
This relationship can be used to our advantage, especially when it comes to our emotions. For example, if energy our levels feel low, in addition to resting and staying well-hydrated, we can select a crystal or an essential oil (or a combination) for a pick-me-up.
“Crystals and essential oils, like yoga and meditation, are tools to help us feel our best,” explains crystal expert Heather Askinosie, co-founder of Energy Muse and author of CRYSTAL365. “And in the same way that other healing practices pair well together, crystals and essential oils work together to enhance the energy you seek to create.”
So what do crystals and essential oils have in common? Well, they’re both made from earth’s natural resources and often used for healing purposes — crystals are naturally-occurring minerals found all over the globe, while essential oils are distilled directly from plants, trees, and flowers. Using essential oils for healing is wildly popular, as these potent plant essences are touted for their physical and emotional benefits, and used in various forms for different types of ailments (they can be applied topically, diffused in water, and sometimes even ingested). Additionally, crystals are revered for their purported healing benefits and cultures around the globe have used crystals for healing for thousands of years.
My favorite crystal varies depending on what is currently going on in my life, emotionally and physically. Lately, I have been really drawn to the cooler gems like larimar, turquoise, aquamarine, fluorite, green aventurine and amethyst. For many years I tended to be drawn towards warm and denser gems like carnelian, garnet, jaspers, hematite, tigers eye and citrine. Af ew months ago, my body (and mind) needed some cooler vibes and I switched up my crystals into a few of my daily blends of oils.
I personally love these gemstone rollers that pair fabulously with my high quality essential oils. To learn more about the basics of essential oils and how to order, check out this free guide.
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Safe Internal Use of Essential Oils: What You Need to Know
Essential oils are incredibly powerful plant extracts that can offer many benefits when used thoughtfully. While most people are familiar with applying oils topically or inhaling their aromas, some wonder about using essential oils internally for added support.
Using essential oils internally requires extra caution, knowledge, and respect for their potency. Not all oils are safe to ingest, and improper use can cause irritation or other unwanted effects. When done correctly, however, internal use can be a valuable way to support digestion, immune health, and overall wellness.
In this post, we’ll explore important guidelines for safely using essential oils internally, which oils are commonly used, and best practices to ensure you get the benefits without risks.
Wherever you get your oils, always double check this label. If it doesn’t have a supplement facts label then it is a HUGE NO to internal use.
I choose only doTERRA essential oils because I can be assured they are certified pure therapeutic grade. That means they are the highest quality and purest oils on the market. Many, many hospitals across the country are using doTERRA and that makes me feel even better.
A kind word of caution tho—if you think buying doTERRA on amazon is the same, you could be scammed. It’s super easy to uncap the oils and refill them with cheaper and less quality oils and be selling them as doTERRA. Why take that chance? It’s as simple as a Costco membership—get wholesale prices for a small fee (or waived with a kit) and start using the best and safest oils available.
Check out this handy guide and learn how to get started!
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
The Gentle Glow: Benefits of a Himalayan Salt Lamp
There’s something soothing about the soft, warm glow of a Himalayan salt lamp. More than just a beautiful addition to your space, these lamps are believed to offer subtle wellness benefits that support both body and mind. From purifying the air to promoting a sense of calm, they create an atmosphere that feels like a breath of fresh air for your soul.
Himalayan salt lamps are said to release negative ions, which may help counteract the effects of modern life—like screen time, stress, and stagnant energy in our living spaces. Whether you place one in your bedroom for restful sleep or keep one on your desk for focus and clarity, this simple tool can bring a little more peace and balance into your daily routine.
In this post, we’ll explore the many benefits of Himalayan salt lamps and how you can use them to create a cozy, supportive sanctuary at home.
How many of you have Himalayan Salt lamps?
I actually have seven around my house. Not only do I love the warm ambiance their glow creates, but the benefits are so amazing.
Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps
Cleanses & Deodorizes the Air
Reduces Allergy & Asthma Symptoms
Increases Energy Levels
Better Sleep
Improves Mood & Concentration
Reduces Static Electricity In the Air
Neutralizes Electromagnetic Radiation
Reduces symptoms of disorders like rheumatism and arthritis
Increased relaxation & calmness
How does it work?
WebMD explains some of the benefits of negative ions:
“Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy,” says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.“They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation.”
And for a whopping one in three of us who are sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a window and breathe in fresh, humid air.
Ready to go get one? (Or two, or seven) ? I really like this one.
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Understanding the Language of Your Brain: Anxiety, Stress, and Neurons
Have you ever felt caught in a cycle of worry or overwhelm and wondered what’s really happening inside your brain? To better understand anxiety and stress, it helps to learn the basic language your brain and body use to communicate. Words like neurotransmitters, neurons, and synapses might sound complex at first, but they hold the key to understanding why we feel what we feel—and how we can begin to find calm again.
In this post, we’ll break down the essential vocabulary around anxiety and stress in simple, clear terms. From the way neurons fire messages to how stress hormones influence our mood, you’ll gain insight into the inner workings of your nervous system. Knowledge is power—and learning about your brain can be the first step in soothing it.Tired of worrying and having anxiety run your life?
By the way, our life expectancy is down again for the THIRD year in a row. The last time this happened was 1915-1918, during World War One. We are killing our selves with our stressful lives.
The limbic system is the emotional control center of the brain. It processes your sense of smell and deals with three key functions, emotions, memories and arousal (stimulation).
Here is a quick vocab lesson:
Neuron: (also called neurone or nerve cell) is a cell that carries electrical impulses. Neurons are the basic units of the nervous system. There are up to 100 billion in the brain and they can send information from the brain to the rest of the body.
Neuropeptides: small protein like molecules used by neurons to communicate with each other.
Neuropeptides stimulate hundreds of activities in the body including food intake, learning taste smell and memory.
Receptor: a cell usually a neuron which receives stimuli from neuropeptides.
Neurotransmitter: sends information between neurons, via a neuropeptide by crossing synapse. They are chemical messengers.
Now this is what happens in the brain.
There is an outside stimulus of some sort (I call them circumstances) and the brain has a chain reaction that is set off quicker then we can realize- you have a thought, and that thought is actually converted into a neuropeptide that is sent to the cells in the body, literally changing the chemistry of every cell in you body and causing a physiological response based on the neuropeptides released. So in a very real way, your thinking becomes part of you on a cellular level. The different neuropeptides that are sent are what we feel as emotion in the body and the physiological response.
Smell is so powerful because the olfactory bulb gives smells a direct passage into the limbic system, where they imprint with emotional responses we have to that outside stimuli.
They become part of the memory of the thought/emotional response to a circumstance. The more we think a thought and have an emotional response, the more the memory, or neuropathway is strengthened in our brain.
That is why emotions can trigger such strong responses in us. Essential Oils, in my research, work different ways in the body and brain to effect emotions. First, they can interact with the limbic system and the amygdala, which plays a major role in storing and releasing emotional trauma. When you smell an oil, it can clear receptors in the cells, detoxing emotion. Citrus oils are great at clearing receptors in the cells, which means they can help with emotional detox on a cellular level. Oils can also help to disrupt thought patterns and help establish new ones (new neuropathways).
Personal example, when my thoughts would start spiraling and I’d start having anxious feelings, I would stop, smell serenity and repeat thoughts that my brain could believe (this is really important) that helped me change the response in my body. Ex. “I am in my home, I am safe.” My brain starts to recognize the pattern of smelling an oil and having a positive thought pattern and “chemical response” in my body.
Our bodies are synergistic.
Emotions happen on a cellular level, just as physical health is on a cellular level. When we use an oil, we will have a physical and an emotional component because they are inseperable in the body. Oils that cause emotional responses are having specific effects either in the limbic system or in the cells of the body.
Learn more about the basics of essential oils here.
Let’s talk.
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
I think of early March as a time to prepare for growth. To toil the ground and prepare ourselves for deep growth. I also love spring and the symbolism it represents. It is during the spring time that we often think of beginnings, newness, and growth. For some, this is a great time to begin to cultivate your “soil” to soon plant seeds of intention. One way to do this is to write down anything in your life you wish to increase–friendships, health, abundance or joy, are just a few ideas. Be clear with your visions as this brings life to your “seeds”.
Next, it is so important to prepare your inner “soil” by eliminating and removing the old and now transpired blossoms of last year. The memories of past that have come and go and no longer as vibrant as they were just a few short months ago. When we invest time in preparing ourselves for a season of growth (no matter what time of year, really) we must start with cleaning up the areas so that we are open to allow space for growth. When we spend time doing this we are investing time into right now. We are dirtying our hands with the fertile soil that awaits.
As you do this, become aware of the subtle changes in Nature during this time of the year. You might see the peeking of crocus bulbs emerging from the hardened winter ground. Watch as the trees begin to grow tiny nubs that will soon break into full leaves. Listen as the birds start to make song in the early mornings and the air has a scent of newness. Use all of your senses to experience what is happening around you.
As we connect with Nature we also connect with ourselves. We realize that we too, are ever-changing and growing beings. We can set the seeds of intention and begin to nurture and cultivate what we wish to have grown in our lives.
This month in my classes we will be exploring cleansing postures to eliminate the old and make space for new. We will also be looking at ways our bodies can twist and unwind to come fully into the now.
Here is to growing, less pain, more joy and flourishing! Happy Spring and while you are preparing your soul for growth it is never a bad idea to get your hands dirty in Mother Earth, either.
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
Cooling Balance: An Essential Oil Blend for Pitta Dosha
Pitta dosha, governed by the elements of fire and water, gives us drive, focus, and a passionate zest for life. But when Pitta becomes excessive—especially in the heat of summer or during stressful times—it can lead to irritability, impatience, and an overheated body and mind.
This calming essential oil blend is designed to soothe and balance Pitta’s fiery energy. With cooling, sweet, and grounding aromas, it helps you restore inner harmony, release tension, and invite a sense of ease and flow. Perfect for moments when you need to cool the flames and reconnect with your natural state of balance.
I finally figured out why I have so much heat (inflammation) in my body. I have a really hard time this time of year and I remembered a few days ago that historically the time that is summer turning to fall is sooooo hard on me because of my Ayurvedic dosha Pitta. (Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga that looks at body constitution). I seem to burning on fire inside and outside, and interestingly bugs and insects are obsessed with me. They must sense my inner fire and want some.
The last few weeks have been really hard with a constant inner burning. My joints are on fire, my belly is boiling, I have a burning in my stomach no matter what I eat, my temper is a tiny bit shorter and I am overall just hot.
I have started to implement eating more cucumbers, taking cooler showers and baths, drinking cool water, spending time with blues and greens, meditating on cool water imagery and just doing what I know to do. I also created a lovely and pitta-dosha calming blend—it’s all the lovely cool florals; rose, jasmine, neroli, lavender, helichrysum, geranium and sandalwood. Plus, I added some peppermint for a topical cooling sensation. I added turquoise to amplify it’s cooling properties and bring in the cool vibes of turquoise. I apply this to my neck, chest and spine a few times a day.
If you’d like to know more about your dosha, let’s chat. I have some great resources and can do a quick assessment. Also, be sure to check out this free ebook for reference to essential oils.
If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating.
Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.
If you would love to be part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.
