NHPs – natural health products
As I mentioned earlier this week, Health Canada approved 19 Young Living essential oils which are now registered as Natural Health Products (NHPs). These 19 oils can be used topically or inhaled as a natural supplement to reduce and relieve symptoms of everyday ailments.
(note: images used from Young Living's Product Guide Insert).
We are slowly but surely trying them out one by one and already loving the results. My headache was gone within a few minutes yesterday after applying lavender on my temples. I would take oils over the pill anytime.
If you have any question, please let me know. I would love to help you to discover the benefits of going natural.
the magic combo | lava jewelry & essential oils
I have never been a girly girl. I think I just don’t have the right genes for it. I feel most comfortable in pants or shorts and a T-shirt, without make-up (which I wear very sporadically). I hate going to the mall; I would rather go for a 5-hours long hike than do some shopping in a mall. But, I have to admit, that lately I enjoy wearing little pieces of jewelry.
Last year I’ve discovered lava jewelry made by Sara from At Heart Essentials and immediately have fallen in love with it. Sara’s designs are very simple yet very elegant, exactly the way I like it.
Her work is beautiful, you can tell right away that she makes her jewelry with lots of love and passion.
When I bought my first necklace from Sara last year (not shown on the pictures here), it immediately has become my favourite piece to wear. And for a lover of essential oils, the bonus that you can actually use your favourite oils directly on the stone, it can’t get any better.
This is what Sara says about her jewelry:
” To me the fact that lava can be used for aromatherapy purposes is a really cool & unique perk. But another big reason why I love this stone is for its qualities: Lava is said to help keep you stable through changes in your life & because lava comes from the earth, it is known for its grounding properties {hence it being connected to your root chakra}. I once read that during war people carried lave to help keep them calm. I think there are reasons why we are drawn to certain stones & sometimes it’s surprising that what you think you would want, doesn’t turn out to be the one you need. “
When Sara asked me a few weeks back if I could take some pictures of her bracelet and necklace (shown in this post), I didn’t hesitate for a second. I’m really honoured that she trusted me and left it on my creativity.
I was curious what Sara’s favourite go-to oils for her jewelry are, these are her choices:
“I’m a big lavender fan, it’s a go to for my jewels and I like to layer lavender and geranium. I also love frankincense, especially before yoga or when I need to feel more grounded and citrus fresh/orange with peppermint! Perks me up and helps clears headaches. So many to choose!”
I absolutely agree with her, there are so many to choose from! I am still in the “trying mode” with my choice of oils, but I do enjoy wearing citrus fresh, lemon, orange or purification. Last week I tried peace & calming and loved it. The possibilities are endless and it totally depends on your mood or what you are looking for at the exact moment. And it is so easy! You just put one drop of your favourite oil directly on the lava stone and it will absorb into its pores and will smell for hours.
If you are looking for a handmade, beautifully done jewelry, I highly recommend Sara’s little corner at Etsy called At Heart Essentials. She has so many different designs and styles in there, that I believe that everyone will find something of her/his taste.
A perfect gift for your special someone can be for example a simple key chain with a lava stone. I love mine; when I drive and it’s handing down and smelling nice in the car, it’s so good!
For more inspiration check out also Sara’s Instagram page and if you are on Facebook, don’t be afraid to stop by on her page and say hi.
She is a sweetheart. You will love her work. I can guarantee you that.
THIS IS HOW WE ROLL
- At March 01, 2016
- By Living Essentially
- In around the house, diffusing, DIY
- 0
Ok. I have to admit that I have forgotten one thing while getting rid of the toxins in our home…
The air refreshener (crossed out on the photo above) was hidden behind the toilet. The top was covered with dust, it didn’t “smell” anymore and it just looked gross. I pulled it out to just take a photo of it and it went straight into garbage. Just looking at the ingredients makes you wonder; what exactly SCJ formula #35*14785 means? And what about the Dye and Fragrance? Do you know that’s in it? Artificial fragrances are definitely on the Dirty Dozen list which we teach in our classes.
To be honest, how many of you have those in your bathrooms? Well, not us anymore. As I really do care about the health and wellness of my family.
You are probably asking so what do you use for air refreshing? We use our homemade air sprays, which are safe to breath in, and just recently started using this very simple trick which was recommended to me by the awesome ladies in our oil community. Put a few drops of your favourite essential oil into the inside of your toilet roll and every time you roll the paper, the amazing smell will get released into the air. How awesome and simple is that?
We use Young Living‘s oils at home because I trust this company for many reasons I’ve mentioned already in my other posts; but the main thing is their Seed to Seal process. So far I’ve tried Purification in our downstairs bathroom, Citrus Fresh in kids bathroom and Northern Lights in our master bathroom.
So next time when you want to refresh your bathroom or any room at home, just think what you use and how it effects your health.
my green fix
We are definitely an outdoor people. Who wouldn’t be in our corner of the world?!
Our forests are magical. Just look! No matter if it’s January or July, the forest is always green. And when the light shines through the trees, it just takes your breath away.
When I need a “break” from the everyday rush, I just go to the forest. The smell of the forest, and all the breathtaking greenery around totally clear my mind and recharge me with a new energy. Totally works every.single.time. It’s my happy place.
No wonder that Northern Lights Black Spruce is one of my favourite oils. It’s like bringing the rainforest inside into our home.
Northern Lights Black Spruce (grown in BC) : diffuse this rich, woodsy, and invigorating scent during meditation to create a fresh aromatic atmosphere. Add it to skin care products or apply topically to help improve the appearance of dry skin or to help maintain the appearance of healthy-looking skin.
Northern Lights Black Spruce can also be applied anywhere, including to the bottoms of feet, along the spine, back of neck, or used for massage. This oil includes the naturally occurring constituents alpha-pinene, camphene, and beta-pinene and is an important ingredient in many products, including Valor II™, Peace & Calming II™, Light the Fire™, and Shutran™ essential oil blends.
fighting cold with a diffuser
Few weeks back the weather changed dramatically overnight and we went from cold sunny days back in our rainy, winter weather. The gray cloudy skies brought unfortunately runny noses and cough into our household. Even though we eat a lot of veggies and fruits, use vitamins and multi probiotics as prevention, sometimes you just can’t avoid the winter blues.
Mid January it was our little man’s turn with the cold. Most of the time, when he catches a cold or a virus, he ends up with a bad cough which always worsens at night. So I was on a quest to help him to ease this whole process the natural way this time. When he first started to sneeze, I turned the diffuser on and have been running it downstairs with thieves blend during the day. But I also put our second diffuser to work at night too. I did a little research about what blend would be the best to diffuse at night and ended up with a mix of 2 drops each of Lemon and of R.C.
When he got to bed, he was coughing a lot. I was a little bit skeptical at first if the diffuser will work or not but to my surprise only after 10 minutes of running it, he stopped coughing and slept through the whole night. He came downstairs in the morning saying that he slept well thanks to the diffuser. I absolutely love this thing. It uses mix of water and essential oils to create a cool mist but it also doubles as a humidifier, which is beneficial in winter. We ran the diffuser for three nights in a row and his virus was gone. No cough medicine or anything was needed. This is definitely my “go-to” combo for the next time.
Another example is my very good friend who was fighting a virus as well. I mixed R.C. and Lemon and borrowed her our diffuser. One day later she texted me that it was very helpful and she is feeling much better. Sometimes an easy thing such a running diffuser with essential oils can speed up the recovery time and makes you feel better.
So what exactly is R.C.?
R.C. is a blend of eucalyptus (E. globulus, E. radiata, E. citriodora), myrtle, spruce, peppermint, pine, lavender, marjoram, cypress}. It gives relief from colds, bronchitis, sore throats, sinusitis, coughs, and respiratory congestion. It decongests sinus passages, combats lung infections, and relieves allergy symptoms.
Ingredients:
Myrtle – supports the respiratory system and helps treat chronic coughs and tuberculosis. Is is suitable to use for coughs and chest complaints with children. It is a sinus decongestant and alleviates throat infections.
Eucalyptus Globulus – has shown to be a powerful antimicrobial and germ killer. It is expectorant, mucolytic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, and antiseptic. It reduces infections in the throat and lungs, such as rhinopharyngitis, laryngitis, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Marjoram – supports the respiratory system and reduces spasms.
Pine – opens and disinfects the respiratory system, particularly the bronchial tract.
Eucalyptus Citriodora – decongests and disinfects the sinuses and lungs.
Lavender – is antispasmodic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. It is relaxing and grounding.
Cypress – promotes blood circulations and lymph flow. It is antit-infectious, antiseptic, refreshing, and relaxing.
Eucalyptus Radiata – is anti-infectious, antibacterial, and expectorant, and anti-inflammatory. It has strong action against bronchitis and sinusitis.
Spruce – helps the respiratory and nervous system. It is anti-infectious, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory.
Peppermint – is a powerful nasal and lung decongestant with antiseptic properties. It opens nasal passages, reduces cough, improves airflow to the lungs, and kills airborne bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
So there you go. So much goodness in such a little bottle.
Lemon – increases microcirculation and promotes immunity.
If you have any question or comments, please let me know through comments or the Contact tab at the top of the page. If you are interested in trying essential oils and don’t know where to start, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I can help you start.
Please keep in mind that the information provided on this page, are intended for informational purposes. It is not intended to treat or diagnose, nor is it to be substituted for professional medical advice. You should always consult a healthcare professional if you have any questions concerning diagnoses or treatment of a condition .
happy weekend
- At February 13, 2016
- By Living Essentially
- In diffusing
- 0
We are diffusing and watching The Simpsons on TV while The Simpsons are watching their TV and are diffusing.
Gotta love my kids’ creativity and their love for nice smelling home.
Happy weekend!
diffusing oils
Let’s talk about diffusing oils.
We use the Home Diffuser – Dew Drop Design , and diffuse every.single.day! The choice of oil (or oils) totally depends on the mood, occasion or what we want to achieve. My daughter sometimes after coming home from school goes straight to the oil box, picks her favourite oil and turns the diffuser on. I love how easy it is!
I love to diffuse Northern Lights Black Spruce when we get home from a walk in the woods, it always feels like bringing the nature inside and smells like a forest.
In the morning I put on Lemon & Peppermint, or Citrus Fresh or Orange & Lemon, the fresh citrus-y smell wake us up right away.
In the evening I love to put on Lavender for calming down and just relaxing.
Purification is perfect to get rid of smells while cooking. And I could go on and on and on….
So what happens while you are diffusing oils?
Diffusing oils alter the structure of molecules that create odors, rather than just masking them. They also increase oxygen availability, produce negative ions, and release natural ozone. Many essential oils such as Lemongrass, Orange, Eucalyptus Globulus, Lavender, Frankincense, and Lemon, along with essential oil blends (Purification, Melrose and Thieves), are extremely effective for eliminating and destroying airborne germs and bacteria.
A cold-air diffuser is designed to atomize a microfine mist of essential oils into the air, where they can remain suspended for several hours. Unlike aroma lamps or candles, a diffuser dispers essential oils without heating or burning, which can render the oil therapeutically less beneficial and even create toxic compounds. Research shows that cold-air diffusing certain oils may among many:
- reduce bacteria, fungus, and unpleasant odors
- relax the body, relieve tension, and clear the mind (yes, yes and yes – all three)
- improve concentration, alertness, and mental clarity and many more.
If you haven’t tried diffusing pure essential oils yet, I highly recommend it to you. You will love it.
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me through comments or the contact tab on the top tab of the page.