Yoga

Rosemary Lemon Hummus

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I am not a great sit-down-and-eat-a-meal kind of girl, especially during the day. I love a good solid protein rich dinner but my daytime eating is much more like grazing.

I love grabbing a few things I can eat in the car as I travel around to all my assisted living centers to teach yoga. I usually have nuts, grapes and a container of this hummus because it is so easy and so tasty. I usually eat it with veggies or crunchy crackers.

So easy!

Ingredients

1 can organic chickpeas (½ liquid drained)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons organic cold pressed olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

2 drops lemon essential oil

1 drop rosemary essential oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth.
  2. Chill in refrigerator 30 minutes and serve with sliced cucumbers, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and crackers.

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Choosing Life

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Every morning each of us is faced with a choice—focus on the things that are challenging or focus on life.

I choose LIFE. I choose to notice the colors I see. I choose to listen to the birds that fly in and out of the yard. I choose to feel the aliveness in my body—even if that aliveness is pain. I choose to get up and live LIFE.

I choose to embrace all aspects of my experience each day and not to dwell on the parts of being human that are tough.

Pain sucks.

But I am alive, determined, magnificent, and so amazingly grateful for this life.

What do you choose?

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Why Supplement?

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Ok, be honest. How is your nutrition? ?

I know if you are anything like me, nutrition can be put on the back burner especially when we are always so busy.

Today, the standard diet is not what it used to be. There are many factors in play when it comes to food’s depletion of nutrients in the soil to the increase in consumption of highly processed foods.

Proper nutrition supports your body’s natural hormones and keeps them balanced. We are in luck because d?TERRA has us covered with their supplements, the Lifelong Vitality Pack.

LLV, the foundation to your health and wellness, consists of Alpha CRS®+, Microplex VMz®, and xEO Mega®. The ingredients in these 3 products are designed to ensure you are supporting your cells, getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs as well as supplying the fatty acids and other nutrients that are necessary to look and feel your best.

? Sleep better
???? Have more energy
?? Feel more balanced

It is no wonder this is one of d?TERRA’s most popular products! Hormone and total body support at its finest.

By the way, a good friend who lost a good amount of weight, grew back her healthy hair and is feeling better than ever after a divorce last year, said one of her biggest changes was splitting her LLV and taking her morning and afternoon doses separately! I’m starting that tip RIGHT AWAY!

?Do you take LLV every day? Ready to? Did I mention it has a 30 day moneyback guarantee? It’s on day 29 or 30 you don’t feel amazingly better, you can simply return them and get your money back. I’m pretty sure you’re going to love how you feel though. Also, I would like to gift you with a free wellness consultation just for getting started.

Buy LLV

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Five Ways to Balance Hormones

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SAVE THIS POST

I believe that big changes start with small steps practiced consistently!

If you are ready to jumpstart your hormone balancing journey, here are 5 Simple Ways to Balance your Hormones Naturally.

Eat enough protein-protein provides essential amino acids that your body needs for cell turnover and repair

Get physical–-movement that is. Exercise has been known to increase levels of hormones that decrease with age

Take care of your gut health–your gut biome regulates ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and has been known to moderate insulin resistance

Reduce your stress levels–lower to fight or flight response and give those adrenals a much-needed break

Get quality sleep each night–lowers your cortisol levels and increases your HGH

Along with reducing sugar intake, adding fiber, and eating a good amount of healthy fats you are on your way to a better, healthier, balanced body.

What are you tackling first?

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Daily Thyroid Support

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This must have is in my daily regimen! This blend for Thyroid Support sits on my kitchen counter so I can roll it on, morning and night.

20 drops Frankincense
15 drops Myrrh
10 drops Lemongrass
15 drops Clove

In a 10 mL roller ball, add oils and top with carrier oil of choice.

Do you need thyroid support?

Let me ask it this way… do you have a history of holding back your voice out of fear, nervousness or trauma? Or would you like to speak your truth and use your voice more confidently and more often?

Did you know that issue is often the emotional root of thyroid issues? ?????

You can grab everything you need to make this blend HERE.

I know it is pricey, but if you used these oils only for this blend it would make about twenty thyroid blends! Oh, and each roller I make lasts me about 3 months. So we are talking YEARS of use but I guarantee you will find many other uses for these four oils. Lemongrass is my go to for cleaning surfaces, diffusing for a fresh aroma and insect repellent. Clove is great for oral health—I add a drop to my toothpaste to support my gums! It also smells like fall when you diffuse it! Frankincense is a daily for me—I take a drop internally everyday day for healthy cellular support and immune system, I roll it on my spine to calm my overactive nervous system and I use myrrh in my skin care. I’m telling you the uses are endless!

Th investment is so worth it! You’ll even get wholesale pricing for a year for free! I will also plug you into my education and community support and send you a personalized gift to get you started using them. Check out this gorgeous ebook to learn more!

Purchase Here

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Thyroid Basics

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In a nutshell, the Thyroid is our metabolism driver.

When your Thyroid hormones are unbalanced, this can lead to:

Underactive thyroid
Overactive thyroid

A healthy thyroid is supported by:

Clean whole foods
Getting your H20
Quality sleep each night
Movement
Ditching hormone disruptors (stop spraying perfume on your throat)

Each of these little steps creates consistent payoffs for a healthier thyroid and a healthier you.

Check out my favorite thyroid blend of essential oils is found here. It’s a stabilizer for the thyroid and helps support it’s function.

On a scale of 1-10, how healthy is your thyroid?

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The Endocrine System

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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.

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Imbalanced Hormones

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Does this sound like you or someone you know?

Weight Gain
Irregular Periods
Low Libido
Acne
Hair Loss
Mood Swings

Hormones are the root of everything. While we love to overcomplicate what we need to do with our bodies to get healthy, we can overlook the basics.

We try to sprint, when we’re actually in a marathon and wonder why we feel so exhausted before we get to the finish line. ????

Are you ready to get back to the basics when it comes to your hormone (and specifically thyroid) health?

Here’s what I’m talking about:

  • Throwing the candles and scented air fresheners in the garbage and switching to diffusers
  • Eating enough clean, whole foods to regulate your blood sugar, and not using coffee to replace meals and water.
  • Supporting your natural circadian rhythm (think natural vitamin D on your belly in the morning!)
  • Avoiding hormone-disrupting lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and deodorants because they “smell good”

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Essential Oils & Hormones

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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!

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Summertime Drinks

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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.

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup (230ml) of plain yogurt
  • 3/4 cup (130g) of frozen mixed berries
  • 2 drops of Lemon essential oil

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.

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup (230ml) of plain yogurt
  • 3/4 cup (130g) of frozen mixed berries
  • 2 drops of Lemon essential oil

Instructions 

  1. Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed until all ingredients are well combined and smooth.
  2. 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.

Ingredients

  • 1–2 tablespoons of ginger juice
  • 3 lemons, juiced
  • 3–5 drops of Lemon essential oil
  • 1 cup (230ml) of water
  • 3 tablespoons of raw honey
  • 1 cup of ice

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients, except the ice, into a jug. Mix well.
  2. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
  3. 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. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250g) of raspberries
  • 3 cups (720ml) of water
  • 1 drop of Lime essential oil
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 cup of ice
  • 3 tablespoons of raw honey

Instructions 

  1. Add the raspberries to a blender, and blend until smooth.
  2. 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).
  3. Add the lime juice, essential oil and water. Stir to combine.
  4. Stir in the honey until combined.
  5. 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
  • 120g of frozen mango chunks
  • 1 drop of Tangerine or essential oil
  • 1 passion fruit, to finish

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into two glasses.
  3. Cut the passion fruit in half and scrape the seeds on top.
  4. Serve immediately.

Follow me for more goodness! Also check out this gorgeous ebook to learn the basics of essential oils!

Confinement

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“The confinement that I feel is only what I ALLOW myself to feel.”

I often say that I am putting all of the amazing nuggets of wisdom that come from my students with brain injuries into my future book. Who knows, maybe someday a future Ted Talk. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Year after year I am humbled at the insights that come from people living with brain injuries. I feel so strongly that they can teach the world so many things about truly living. Over the years I have kept a little notebook with some of the teachings that they bring to my life. It is common that I often pull inspiration from that notebook and share with others.

This one is a keeper.

I have been teaching from the theme of freedom this month. According to Webster’s dictionary, freedom is defined as having the ability to think, speak and act without hindrance or restraint. As we broke down each of those areas and shared the hinderances in our lives it is easy to see that everyone has certain hinderances or restraints that keep them from living fully free. For some, it is living without the ability to move their legs, or for others it is not being able to drive or work. Although I can drive and work, I have certain physical limitations and responsibilities that keep me from being fully free in my actions.

We then moved onto our ability to speak without hinderance or restraint and it was evident that while the idea of free speech exists, there is a limitation to what we can all say and not get into a little hot water, whether that it within our own home or in the community.

We finished our discussion with the realization that the only true place we have freedom is in our thoughts. It was decided that we are all free to think what we think. No matter what our challenges or our struggles are, it is ultimately what do with it through our mindset.

Here is the moment of ah-ha that has stayed in my heart for weeks. As we were closing up our discussion on living freedom, this was spoken:

“The confinement that I feel is only what I ALLOW myself to feel.”

Read that again.

The woman who said this is a student who lives in assisted living and occasionally comes down for yoga. Her body is riddled with pain so her practice is breathing and sharing. She is brave and wise.

She also lost her independence, her family, her ability to work and drive, and do things that feed her soul. And yet, she has the insight to see that despite all of her lack of freedoms, she can escape the cage with her thoughts.  She is one of the most insightful and grateful people I have ever met.

To think that I am called the teacher. I disagree.

The truth is, I am a conduit for their wisdom. I get to be the messenger. 

Freedom Is

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Freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

We have all heard of the metaphors of feeling stuck in a cage and not able to be free to fly, or the imprisoning walls that have been built around us. Sadly, it seems that the brick and mortar is often what we place around ourselves that create our own version of prison.  This can include negativity, questions of worthiness, regrets of the past and worries of the future. Similarly the key to the cage that we so often feel trapped in resides in our own hands. It is our choice to stay in the cage or take the key and unlock it.  No matter what circumstance we are in, we ultimately have choice in what we do with it.

There are a million examples of how we can feel stuck, trapped, locked in, or caged.  Whether it is a relationship, a job, a location or a belief you have about yourself, freedom truly means that WE have the power to act, speak and think without restraint and hindrance. 

We are in control of what we do with our circumstances. Certainly opening the cage door or tearing down the walls that give us a false sense of safety takes incredible courage and sometimes can be the scariest thing we ever do, but the payoff is much better than feeling closed in and stuck.

I hope through a practice of mindfulness and yoga, I can help others to see the freedom that is available through the spaciousness of our hearts and minds. This month we are going to chisel away the beliefs and fear that build a wall around ourselves.  We are going to slip the key into the lock and learn to fly. We are going to feel free. Just as the little finch sits on a branch that perhaps has no insects or is not protective enough, she has the freedom to find a branch that is and we too can jump from a negative thought to a positive thought.

Consider what it would be to take a look at some hard questions and then prepare to take flight.

Do you feel imprisoned?  Are you the one laying the bricks down and filling them with mortar?  Do you hold the key in your hand and refuse to unlock the door?

What would freedom feel like for you?