Did you know that there are ten (eleven when pregnant) glands that make up the Endocrine System?
Our endocrine system and hormones support our bodies from conception through old age.
From conception, the placenta acts as an endocrine organ and produces several important hormones through pregnancy.
Here are some more big hitters:
The Hypothalamus: This is the gland that drives the whole endocrine system by linking our endocrine system with our nervous system.
The Thyroid: This gland is crucial to healthy development and regulates your metabolism.
The Adrenals: This gland is actually made up of two glands: the cortex and medulla. These glands produce hormones in response to stress (cortisol) and regulate blood pressure, glucose metabolism, and the body’s salt and water balance.
The Pancreas – The pancreas is responsible for producing glucagon and insulin. These hormones help regulate sugar (glucose) in the blood.
The Gonads: Ovaries and Testes both produce steroids that affect growth and development and also regulate reproductive cycles and behaviors.
This month, I’m diving into a topic that affects us all, and one I’m particularly acquainted with!
Hormones!! ??????? I had a complete hysterectomy at age 30 and learned in an instant just how important hormones are. Not having ovaries has been a huge challenge. I finally found some things that work!
The journey hasn’t always been easy… and that’s why I’m excited to share a whole months worth of education, tips, practices and products that will help you in your own journey with YOUR hormones!!
Did you know that humans possess 50 hormones? 50!
From adrenal health and blood sugar to fertility and thyroid function, hormones are the root of, well, everything!
•Hormones control or regulate many biological processes and are often produced in very low amounts within the body. •Hormones regulate our blood sugar. Thanks, Insulin! •Growth and energy production (Growth Hormone and Thyroid Hormone) Differentiation, growth, and reproduction hormones (Testosterone and Estrogen)
The Endocrine System is made up of all the hormones in the body. This system supports brain and nervous system development, reproduction, metabolism, and blood sugar.
I plan to break down what hormones do for our bodies (male and female) through our life cycle, how to keep them balanced and supported, and living a non-toxic lifestyle to keep the hormone disruptors at bay.
Stay tuned and follow me for a deeper understanding of how hormones influence so much of our life!
On those hot summer days, when hunger gives way to thirst, there’s nothing that tastes better than a refreshing drink. Smoothies and lemonades are a great way to quench your thirst, plus they help to incorporate more fruits into your diet! Adding a few drops of essential oil will bring an extra twist to the flavour. Here are some simple and tasty ideas to juice up your family’s summer!
Lemon Berry Smoothie
A great start to the day and the perfect breakfast on the go. Berries have countless anti-oxidant properties — plus nutrients and fibre — which help protect your body against seasonal threats.
A great start to the day and the perfect breakfast on the go. Berries have countless anti-oxidant properties — plus nutrients and fibre — which help protect your body against seasonal threats.
Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed until all ingredients are well combined and smooth.
Serve immediately.
Honey Ginger Lemonade
A twist on classic lemonade, Honey Ginger lemonade is the perfect refreshing drink to help lift your mood. The juiced ginger helps add a little spicy kick, while both lemon juice and Lemon oil keep the recipe light and cool.
Combine all ingredients, except the ice, into a jug. Mix well.
Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serve with some ice cubes.
Raspberry “Lime-onade”
If you are having friends over, then surprise them with a very bright pink “lime-onade”. With only three ingredients, this combination of raspberries and lime is definitely a crowd pleaser.
Add the raspberries to a blender, and blend until smooth.
Press through a fine strainer into a jug, and discard the seeds and pulp. (TIP: You can also put the seeds and pulp in a small jar, cover with vinegar—like white wine or rice wine vinegar—and store mixture in the fridge. Strain later for salad dressings or for marinades).
Add the lime juice, essential oil and water. Stir to combine.
Stir in the honey until combined.
Pour into glasses, and top with ice cubes. Serve and enjoy!
Tropical Smoothie with Tangerine Essential Oil
This tropical smoothie is just like a dessert (a healthy one!) that will make you forget your sweet cravings. Omega-3, fibre and potassium are just a few of the benefits you will pour in your glass.
Ingredients
1 cup (230ml) of organic coconut milk
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 banana
1 tbsp of ground flaxseed, sunflower and pumpkin seed
Summer time is in full swing and not only is it hot out there, but all the great berries and produce are in full abundance! It’s so fun to eat fresh, sweet and amazing fruits and veggies.
I love summer, but the heat is not my friend. I get easily cranky on hot days and am always looking for a healthy way to cool down. This little snack is a go to for me…I can swipe a piece mid afternoon or as a dessert and not feel guilty at all.
It’s simple to make and tastes amazing. You’ll see I add a few drops of lemon essential oil. Be sure the brand you choose to use in recipes is safe to ingest. Most aren’t and you have to be safe. The lemon oil gives a pop of summertime flavor but is also has amazing health benefits. Peek at this gorgeous ebook to learn more.
HERE IS WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
• Yogurt: Use a full fat yogurt for the best texture and flavor. Vanilla yogurt is a great base to use, but you can use any flavor you like.
• Fruit: Fresh strawberries and blueberries add a great pop of color and it’s a tasty way to get some fruit into your family’s diet. You can make this bark with other fresh fruits like mango, raspberries or kiwi fruit.
HOW TO MAKE YOGURT BARK
1. Before you spread the yogurt evenly over a lined baking sheet, add two drops of lemon essential oil and stir. 2. Top with chopped strawberries. 3. Top with blueberries or any other fruits. I love kiwi! 4. Option to finish with granola and freeze until firm. I usually skip the granola but it does give it a great crunch. 5. Once it is fully frozen, slam on counter and remove pieces. You can also cut into bark shapes if it doesn’t make its own by slamming it. I store in a Tupperware up to three months, but it also never lasts that long.
TIPS FOR MAKING FROZEN BARK
1. Use full fat yogurt. Using yogurt with full fat means that the texture will less likely get icy when frozen. It will also have a better taste that’s more creamy. I have used Greek Style Coconut milk yogurt too and it’s fabulous for the dairy free people. 2. Chop everything small. Small fruits like blueberries work very well here and chopping larger fruits to be about the size of blueberries helps with cutting the bark. Make sure the fruits are not too bulky either so the bark looks flat. 3. Line your baking sheet. This will help to remove the bark easily from the tray, if you don’t line it, the yogurt will freeze to it and it will be really tough to remove. Use parchment or wax paper to line the entire surface of your sheet pan. 4. Allow time for the bark to set. It will take around 3 hours for the bark to fully set in the freezer. Make it the night before to enjoy the next day.
Enjoy!
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According to researchers, multiple environmental factors determine how you feel. These include physical factors around you as well as the community spirit. Your housing environment, for instance, can have an effect. People tend to have higher levels of well-being when they live in attractive, warm, and cozy properties. Their homes recharge their batteries, so to speak, enabling them to take on the challenges of the world with more confidence. Well-being tends to decline when properties are dilapidated, dirty, or affected by dampness.
In the Yoga world, we call the practice of purity and cleanliness Suacha. It is the practice of cleaning up our thoughts and our space and eliminating clutter in both areas of our lives.
The level of tidiness can also make a substantial difference in how you feel. When your rooms are tidy, it has an influence on your unconscious. The less cluttered your environment — the less you have to think about — and the more you can ease into life.
The lighting, smells, and color of an environment can also profoundly affect your mood. Shutter companies know this very well. They understand that the level of light that gets into a room determines how the occupants feel. When light levels are high — as they should be in the daytime — it helps to calibrate the your natural sleep-wake cycle.
The people you spend time with also have a profound impact on how you feel. If you are around elevating people who support you, you’ll feel like you can do just about anything you want with your life. Likewise, if you are around negative individuals who bring you down — life will feel like a constant series of battles.
Surrounding ourselves with people, calm colors and a clean and serene space can play a big part in our overall wellbeing.
How do you control your environment to better your mind, body and spirit?
Breathe essential oil blend makes it easy to take simple respiratory support on the go when seasonal threats are high (just swipe on the bottoms of your feet or over your chest with a bit of carrier oil. Rub on neck, chest, back, or bottom of feet for a restful sleep.
Breathe essential oil blend is my go to when I feeling stuffy or have any sort of breathing discomfort. It is also amazing for those who sleep with a snorer. Just have that person apply a little on their mustache area or pop in your diffuser*!
This blend is safe for all ages too, with proper dilution of course. I like to apply this one to the bottoms of feet and not only do the feet feel amazing but breathing gets a little easier! Perfect for little ones!
Breathe Essential Oil Blend includes:
Laurel Leaf
Eucalyptus
Peppermint
Tea Tree*
Lemon
Cardamom
Ravintsara
Ravensara
* be mindful using this around dogs and cats. Never apply to animals directly and make sure if diffusing the animals have a way to leave the room.
“A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses” Chinese Proverb
It is mentioned many times in ancient scripture and holy writings that rose essential oil is the most divine. Rose has been used since the beginning of time for its therapeutic and medicinal value…as well as enjoyed for its glorious fragrance and beauty.
Did you know that rose essential oil is known as the “Queen of Flowers” and it takes about 12,000 rose blossoms to make a single 5ml bottle of pure essential oil?
Why is Rose so special?
Researchers in Washington State, using Tainio Technology measured the vibrational frequency of essential oils and found them to be the highest of any natural substance known to man. And ROSE oil tops that list!
In fact, their technology showed the following vibrational frequencies:
Dead Foods: Hamburger/Chicken: 3-5MHz Raw Almonds 50MHz Greens Like Broccoli & Wheatgrass – 70MHz Healthy Human – 62-70MHz Colds or Flu Present – 58MHz Candida Yeast Overgrowth Present – 55MHz Epstein-Barr Virus Present – 52MHz Cancer Present – 42MHz Death Process Begins – 20MHz Lavender – 118MHz Sandalwood – 96MHz
That being said…guess what Rose Essential Oil measured in at? A Whopping 320MHz!!!
That fact alone makes me pull out rose essential oils and use it every day!
I also use it on challenging skin issues that need extra attention! From an Emotional Standpoint…the vibrational information alone makes it the #1 Emotional GO TO oil!
Essential oils and emotions
Emotions also have vibrational frequencies and you guessed it, the low MHz vibrational frequencies include Shame, Guilt, Apathy, Grief, Fear, Anger…etc…. and higher frequencies include Courage, Acceptance, Contentment, Love, Joy, Peace.
Rose is the Oil of Divine Love…of which there IS NO HIGHER LOVE.
This oil helps us let go of any and all lower vibrational frequency emotions such as grief, sadness, anxiety, apathy and a host of others. Rose oil allows us to exchange those low vibration emotions for higher, emotions that flow from Divine alignment and love…such as Contentment, Bliss, Joy, Gratitude, Peace and Love.
This oil is amazing when used in prayer, meditation or any time you desire to open your heart and receive an outpouring of Divine Grace & Love into your soul!
How To Use Rose:
Topically on area of concern, or on area of body where emotional congestion feels tight…ie…forehead, temples, behind ears, chest, gut area, neck…also applying it to wrists and elbow creases, bottoms of feet, inner ankles and bottom of big toe are also super amazing places to apply. I apply directly under my nose….for aromatic benefits too.
Aromatically – This is the MOST recommended way to use Rose, especially for Emotions. Inhaling rose deeply 3-4-5 or six times will shift the chemical messages to the Limbic Brain and shift your emotions, memories, stress responses, and even your hormones.
Internally – This is fine to take internally, although doTERRA’s only offering of Rose is in a diluted roller bottle, so it makes the process of taking a drop or two internally…more tricky. I personally stick to aromatic and topical just for the sake of ease.
Ready to get one of these precious oils into your life? Just order here. I can’t wait for you to start using it. You’ll love it!
Are you feeling under the weather? Did you know some simple spices that you probably have in your cabinet can give you the perfect potion for wellness. This yummy clove wellness tea will warm you from the inside and its powerful ingredients can help support the immune system.
Whenever I feel a little sniffle coming on, I pour myself some of this and take in the benefits. I especially love to use clove essential oil in place of the clove spice. I only use pure essential oils that are safe for internal use. You can learn more about the brand that hospitals and I use here.
Check out these interesting facts about clove oil:
In a study from 2012, researchers found that clove oil had the ability to kill staph bacteria cells in liquid culture and in biofilm. A biofilm is a community of bacteria that lives together, shielded by a protective, slimy film.
Most antibiotics aren’t effective at penetrating the biofilm and killing staph bacteria but, according to this study, clove oil seems to be able to.
A 2017 studyTrusted Source looked at the antifungal activity of several essential oils. Of the oils tested, clove oil was the most effective at stopping the growth of a range of fungi with environmental origins.
In a 2005 studyTrusted Source, researchers investigated the effect of eugenol, a major component of clove oil, on the yeast Candida albicans. This yeast can cause fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, oral thrush, and vaginal yeast infections.
According to the authors of the study, eugenol had the ability to kill the yeast, both in culture and in a rat model.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source looked at the effect of essential oils on a variety of bacteria that cause respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and influenza.
Although the effects were lower than the antibiotics tested, clove oil did have antibacterial activity when added to liquid culture or introduced as a vapor.
Pretty amazing, eh? If you’d like to have a sample of clove oil or talk about your own health and wellness needs, send me a message.
It has been awhile since a certain old friend of mine made a strong appearance in my life. Honestly, I can say that I have felt her presence for months. A decade ago she had stuck around for many years and then disappeared. Or maybe she just stepped into the shadows for a while. I always knew though that in a moment of vulnerability she could easily step back into my life.
This friend of mine is smart, as well as sneaky, in how she can slip into my life and easily take over. Her presence is big even though she has a tendency to come incognito and honestly, I didn’t really recognize her this time until the middle of the night whispers invited me to take off the blinders and see the truth.
My old friend has name and it is control with a middle name of addiction.
Last fall as I was starting to experience more physical pain than I liked. I also started walking far more than I normally do. My old friend convinced me that this was to manage pain. She told me that the more I walked the better I would feel. She was right. For months and months I walked further and further each day. Indeed the pain felt less. My mind felt clearer and I was more content. Being outside for a couple hours a day walking was balm to my pain.
At first my old friend cheered me on and celebrated with me the miles and miles I would walk. She was step by step with me and the conversations we had were about overcoming the physical pain and building confidence in my body while not letting the pain be the focus.
She told me instead to see and celebrate what my body could do.
In her incredibly manipulative way, soon the walks weren’t enough. She convinced me that I had to have more. My friend persuaded me to attach an outcome to a number of steps and if I wasn’t there, then I was shamed and begrudged for letting pain win. Years ago she had convinced me that if I could just walk a certain amount of steps a day I would be amazing and that anything less than that number was weakness. It took a real friend at a beautiful restaurant in Sedona to shed light on the fact that a silly number was stealing joy from my life. That day, I let my friend control go and she stayed away until last fall.
I have been teaching the yoga principles called yamas and niyamas this month. I realized in the quiet moments of the night that I was allowing this so called friend to blind me from ahimsa (non-harming) and asteya (non-stealing). In demanding my body to perform at a certain level each and every day, I was stealing joy from myself. My walks have become no longer about nature, quiet meditation, health or connection. Instead they became about speed, distance and numbers.
Control + Addiction = Stealing joy.
In doing this for months, I have also turned an eye to non-harming. Yes, walking is the best thing I can do for myself. It DOES reduce my pain greatly. It does clear my head and help my mood. But many of my recent walking has also become a space for shame, anxiety and unworthiness. The addiction to performance and outcomes has begun to overshadow the benefits. The panic that takes over when I am not close to the target increases my agitation and negative thoughts.
One the best feelings in the world is my ability to trust in my inner wisdom to acknowledge it, listen to it, share it and own it. This awareness is the antidote to control and addiction. It also helps to have the real and honest friends who rather than join the negativity and shame, just listen and give advice that is from the heart and from that space of truly seeing me.
This morning as I walked that old friend called control and addiction was thanked because I know that she shows up every once in a while to reel me back into living the authentic life I want to live.
She comes around occasionally to help me peel away another layer of self-worth and doubt to reveal an even clearer and brighter version of myself.
I will keep walking everyday to manage my pain and to bring me joy. I will no longer allow the numbers to steal my joy and harm my heart. Instead I will notice the birds, the changes of the season, the aliveness that is in and around me.
I told control and addiction thanks for the insights and until next time…
Known for their bright, summery scents, citrus oils are among the most common essential oils that cause photosensitivity. That’s because compounds found in citrus oils – known as furanocoumarins – greatly increase UV sensitivity. While most photosensitive oils are citrus that have the same harmful effects with sun exposure.
SAFETY FIRST
When we use certain oils topically where the sun is exposed to our skin, our skin can get a bit red and tender. However, for some people the effect are much worse.
Almost all citrus oils are photosensitive. Meaning they should be avoided topically before direct sunlight or artificial UV rays (think tanning beds or booths).
If you will be heading out in the sun, be sure any rollers or sprays you apply that contain citrus oils are applied “where the sun don’t shine” (AKA the bottoms of your feet, under your clothes, etc).
The following oils and blends have been labeled as photosensitive by doTERRA:
AromaTouch®
Bergamot
doTERRA Breathe®
doTERRA Cheer®
Citrus Bliss®
Clementine
Cumin
doTERRA Forgive®
Grapefruit
InTune®
Kumquat
Lemon
Lime
doTERRA Motivate®
doTERRA On Guard®
Purify
Slim & Sassy®
Sunny Citrus
Tangerine
Wild Orangw
Zendocrine.
To learn the basics of using pure essential oils, grab this free ebook!
Nothing say nurture more than a loving Mother’s energy. Plus, the renewal of spring reminds us that Mother Earth is soaking in the rain and nurturing her beautiful land and animals.
This perfectly crafted blend is earthy, reassuring, soft, and feels like a giant hug. Applying this to your wrist and your heart so that you can smell the aromas all day long.
Did you know that Myrrrh essential oil is often referred to as the oil of the Divine Mother because it offers feelings of safety, healthy attachment, trust, feelings of being nurtured, loved and secure? Pretty amazing, right?
Adding myrrh first gives the bottom note of aroma a grounded element. Magnolia is often said to bring out feelings of compassion so gives you another layer of goodness at the end of this blend. Layered between these two essential oils are earthy, warm, love inducing essential oils with lavender petals and amethyst. Amethyst is a powerful and protective stone. It alleviates sadness and grief, and dissolves negativity. Amethysts are said to promote serenity and calm and is the perfect addition to this blend.
Need some nurture in your life? Pop over here to grab one.
