Back sore from putting up the Holiday decor?

The “Oil your Joints blend” for all your holiday aches and pains ... I love deep blue and frankincense for supporting pain and inflammation reduction! 

IMO this is a STRONG dilution  suggestion likely meant for supporting serious pain and inflammation so I personally would suggestion using a quarter suggested drops to start to see if it helps and than only increase if/as needed to get relief as everyone’s body is different and sometimes less is more with essential oils! 

Yours in health

Margaret

Live, Laugh, Love

Be Totallyawake4-life

*post contains affiliate links 

Top 13 Oils for Sleep and Diffuser Recipe Must Tries

Well if you are anything like me last night's time change is going to affect your sleep for a few days until your internal clock catches up to the new time on the real world clock! 

So figured today would be a great day to share some of my favorite sleep supporting diffuser blends - the Serenity Blend from doTERRA is one of my all time favorite ready to go blends. However like anything in life the body can come 'use' to supports we give it so changing up your blends can help to ensure that you do not become resistant to support.

If you are an experimenter like me and want to try making up your own favorite blends. Here are some oils that can help support sleep - please note the asterisk regarding internal use of oils. 

I would also add that 'internal use' can be a very heated debate among those who are passionate about oil safety with a seemingly divided camp on the pros and cons of this type of use. As a result it is something that should not be engaged in lightly and without a complete understanding of safe dosage, risk factors and like anything 'health related' with the support of your treating physicians advice. 

Sleep Well

Margaret 

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Beat the Heat with this Hygiene tip!

Wee bit of a TMI blog post but it happens to all of us so finding the courage to share! 

Not sure about where you live but it has been a HOT one here these past few weeks. So hot and dry where have water bans and backyard fire pit bans do to the dry conditions! 

As a result I have spent a lot of time in my bathing suit at local splash pads keeping cool with the kiddies and well that combination of extreme heat and sweat and wearing bathing suit material all day has resulted in me not feeling so 'fresh'!

So just wanted to share a little 'DIY Spray' that I have been enjoying to help combat the summer phenomena! 


DIY Feminine Hygiene Spray!

What You Need

• 8 oz amber glass or stainless steel bottle ideally with a 'spritz' style top.
• 4 oz witch hazel
• 4 oz distilled water
• 2 drops Rose Oil (or Geranium if cannot source Rose)
• 2 drops Lavender oil
• 2 drops Melaluca / Tea Tree Oil

What You Do

• Add all ingredients in to the bottle and shake well to mix.
• Spritz bikini area after bathing or as needed to refresh and reduce unwanted odors. If you cannot source a spray bottle using cotton balls to apply mixture to your bikini area to help freshen works well too!
• Shake well before each use to ensure well mixed.
• Helps control unwanted orders and reduce ingrown hair.

Now you can enjoy the heat AND feel fresh as a flower!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life

Help with your DigestZen

This is another one of my FAVORITE go to oils on BOGO today only from doTERRA® ... amazing to help restore balance to the tummy after a heavy meal or in my case after a gluten exposure! Diffuse in the room for aromatherapy application or add a couple drops in some carrier oil rub onto the abdomen or if you are comfortable with internal use of oils a drop or two added to a veggie capsule in replace of 'tums' style support.

DigestZen is known as dōTERRA’s “tummy tamer” blend due to its ability to aid in digestion, soothe stomach upset, and maintain overall digestive health.* This unique blend contains Ginger, Fennel, and Coriander to help ease occasional stomach discomfort, including motion sickness and indigestion, while Peppermint, Tarragon, Anise, and Caraway aid with digestion and help maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract.* DigestZen is great to have on hand when stomach upset occurs and is safe and effective. DigestZen is a healthy, natural, and gentle way to soothe an upset stomach or maintain a healthy digestive system.* 

Read in PDF format here

Order yours directly online OR if you are local to the London area and would like to get FREE shipping and additional savings I have an order going in later tonight for myself and can add a BOGO to it for you!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Ease into Spring with todays BOGO!

TriEase Softgels were developed to protect against seasonal and environmental elements and to promote a healthy respiratory system when needed most.* Each softgel contains equal parts of Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oils, known for their ability to maintain clear breathing and a healthy immune response when combined together.* Used by both veteran and novice essential oil users, this well-known blend is frequently mixed together for its respiratory health benefits.* Now, with TriEase Softgels, this combination can be consumed quickly and easily when traveling, attending outdoor events, or when seasonal or environmental elements are particularly high. TriEase Softgels can be consumed safely on a daily basis during times of seasonal discomfort to promote clear breathing and overall respiratory health!

Click here for full PDF

dōTERRA Breathe is a remarkable blend of essential oils including Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Ravensara, and Cardamom. dōTERRA Breathe maintains feelings of clear airways and easy breathing while minimizing the effects of seasonal threats. dōTERRA Breathe can be applied topically to the chest, back, or bottom of feet, or diffused at nighttime to calm the senses and promote a restful sleep!

To find out more about the benefits of dōTERRA Breathe and its easy application options here is a quick little video ...

Click here for full PDF

Also please note that in Canada dōTERRA  Breathe is sold under the name 'Easy Air' it is the exact same proprietary blend its just that it was required to be labelled directly in Canada's label laws.

Have an amazing day!


Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Slim & Sassy Control Instant Mix Sticks

 

Overeating is one of the worst culprits in the fight for weight management. There are many reasons we overeat as well as different ways we overeat. Sometimes we emotionally eat and snack too much, or we eat larger portions than we should, or we just eat too much of the wrong kinds of foods and not enough fruits and vegetables. It all comes down to being able to control our appetite and eat what we should, when we should, and as much as we should.

Slim & Sassy® presents a way to take better control of your hunger and help you on your path to managing your weight and ultimately your overall well-being. Slim and Sassy Contrōl is intended to be used during the course of the day to help control your appetite. It contains a revolutionary ingredient extracted from spinach that has been clinically shown to significantly reduce appetite for up to six hours. Contrōl is also available in a snack bar, (which comes in three different flavors) and also a drink mix format.

PRIMARY BENEFITS

• Promotes feelings of satiety for up to 6 hrs* 
• Significantly reduces cravings for unhealthy food* 
• Functions as a prebiotic* 
• Contains 124 mg of Slim & Sassy® Metabolic Blend (stick pack only) 
• Green, both literally and from a whole foods standpoint

For more info on the line and to read about the benefits of Thylakoids here is the PDF from doTERRA® as an awesome resource.

I personally have not used the add on lines as they are not 'gluten free' enough for me having been made in a factory with other gluten containing line and therefore 'may contain' however the Slim & Sassy Metabolic Blend essential oil supplement in both the pure oil and the oral capsules have been amazing at supporting me in my weight loss journey and overcoming my carb / sugar addiction as I moved to grain free eating! 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Blissful tips and Peppermint Pleasures

Today's doTERRA® bogo is the amazing Peppermint and get a free Citrus Bliss when you order!

 Peppermint

Mentha piperita

Peppermint continues to be one of the best-selling favorites among dōTERRA essential oils. Peppermint is a “cool” oil and can be applied topically when overheated.

I love to add a few drops to my Aloette Nutri-hydrating Mist and keep it in the fridge in the summer ... the benefits of the Aloe and the Peppermint for cooling and healing skin that's been out in the sun is amazing!  

Recently a big fan of Dr Axe and his wealth of information on essential oils and their benefits in health and wellness. He has the following to say about Peppermint. 

Peppermint Oil Benefits

Some of the most common peppermint oil uses include:

• Reduces stomach aches
• Soothe digestive issues
• Freshens bad breath
• Relieves headaches
• Antimicrobial properties
• Improves mental focus
• Clears respiratory tract
• Boosts energy
• Releases tight muscles
• Cost-effective natural solution to replace pharmaceutical drugs

I cannot honestly think of one reason why anyone on the planet would choose not to have peppermint oil in his or her medicine cabinet at home!


DoTerra provides the following product information guide and some usage tips below.

PDF version for easier reading

 Citrus Bliss
Invigorating Blend
Citrus Bliss combines the powerful essences of Wild Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tangerine, and Clementine with a hint of Vanilla Absolute to form this unique and harmonious blend. 


Citrus blend is one of my all time favorites for use as a 'natural perfume' option mixed with a little carrier and applied to behind my ears and wrists. Also love adding it to my homemade deodorant as well as use in laundry soap and on dryer balls ... it is just a MUST have blend. It is also amazing to improve mood in your diffuser ~ I personally have to be careful with the kitty in the room and when I want to enjoy this aromatically I make sure she is not on the same floor as I am diffusing it and do not allow her into the room for several hours after its finished just to be safe now! 

Here is the doTERRA® product guide and suggested ways to use it here 

click for PDF for easier reading

If you want to take advantage of today's BOGO and save on shipping I have an order going in tonight and have 1 spot left on the cap ~ message me asap to secure it! 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Beat the Blues with a good BOGO!

February often tends to be that month where everyone is feeling a bit winter stir crazy and longing for spring ... help beat the blues with some awesome savings on doTERRA Essential oils! 

 These are two AWESOME additions to your essential collection! 

 Ylang Ylang Cananga odorata

Ylang Ylang essential oil is derived from the star-shaped flowers of the tropical Ylang Ylang tree and is used extensively in making perfumes and in aromatherapy. In aromatherapy, Ylang Ylang is used to promote a sense of well-being. 



According to Dr. Axe the benefits of Ylang Ylang could include the following:

Benefits of Ylang Ylang Oil

Ylang ylang is considered an effective antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic and sedative. It has a positive effect on immune health, blood flow and emotions, making it a natural remedy for the endocrine, cardiovascular, reproductive and digestive systems. In foods and beverages, ylang ylang oil is used as a flavoring and preservative. In product manufacturing, it’s used as a fragrance for cosmetics, household cleansers, hair products and soaps.

Ylang ylang essential oil benefits include helping to:

• Increase blood flow
• Relieve inflammation
• Fight  parasites
• Regulate heartbeat
• Lift  someone’s mood
• Promote healthy intestinal function

With a naturally rich, floral scent that’s considered “romantic” and uplifting, many people like to diffuse ylang ylang in their bedrooms or add some to household cleaning products. The scent also has the ability to positively impact emotions and can help create a calming, relaxing atmosphere in your home. It especially can be useful for soothing you through a rough day when you add ylang ylang oil to your bath, lotion or other beauty care products.

doTERRA® offers the following product guide and usage tips as well

PDF version here

Melaleuca 

Melaleuca alternifolia

Tea Tree essential oil has over 92 different compounds and limitless applications.

Tea Tree is best known for its cleansing properties. It can be used to cleanse the skin and nails to promote a clear complexion.

Dr Axe has the following to share about the Melaleuca benefits  which I found very helpful!
Tea Tree Oil Benefits

While records show that tea tree has been used for thousands of years by some indigenous people, thankfully today science is finally catching up and describing why tea tree oil is so effective. To date, over 327 scientific studies refer to tea tree oil’s antimicrobial prowess alone.

Some of the many traditional uses for tea tree include healing:

• Acne
• Bacterial infections
• Chickenpox
• Cold sores
• Congestion and respiratory tract infections
• Earaches
• Fungal infections (especially Candida, jock itch, athlete’s foot and toenail fungus)
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Head lice
• MRSA
• Psoriasis
• Dry cuticles
• Itchy insect bites, sores and sunburns
• Boils from staph infections

And this list doesn’t even include the many household uses of tea tree oil that can replace store-bought products in your cabinets:

• Anti-microbial laundry freshener
• Insect repellent
• Natural deodorant
• Acne face wash
• Removes foot order
• Removes mold
• Household cleaner

In many cases, doctors of functional medicine will prescribe essential oils like tea tree oil and oregano oil in replacement of conventional medications because they’re just as effective and without the adverse side effects. An article published in the Journal of Phytomedicine evaluated the relationship between various essential oils and found that none (including tea tree) caused adverse reactions when taken with several different antibiotics. In fact, they discovered that some essential oils even had a positive synergistic effect, meaning they could help prevent antibiotic resistance from developing!

doTERRA® offers the following product guide with tips for use of Melaleuca! 

PDF version here

Because these are both must havings in my regime I will have an order going in later today - if you want to get FREE shipping by piggy backing on my order and picking it up from me here in East end London when it arrives send me a message ASAP as I only have 3 spaces left on the cap of the order. 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Photosensitive Oil Tips

Image source courtesy Andrea Chessell

Some essential oils, particularly citrus oils, are photosensitive meaning they are sensitive to light. When you apply these oils topically your skin will be more sensitive to sunlight and will more easily burn or develop a rash.

You should avoid sunlight for at least 12 hours after applying these oils topically.

Here is a list of oils you won't want to use before going out in the sun:

• Bergamot
• Cassia
• Citrus Bliss
• Elevation blend
• Ginger (mild)
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Melissa (mild)
• Wild orange

Essential oils are a wonderful gift from nature that can do so much good in our lives but they also need to be used with a moderation and understanding of their potency! 

Be safe when oiling!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret
Live Well, 

DIY lip balm

I love the Slim and Sassy metabolic blend - it smells amazing in the diffuser and works great in a DIY lip balm for appetite control support on the go giving a nice chai type flavour to your lips!

What You Need

• 1 tbsp organic Shea butter
• 1 tbsp raw Beeswax ~ I get mine local from Clovermead
• 2 tbsp organic coconut oil 
• 12 drops slim and sassy essential oil - can buy here

What You DO

• Melt ingredients together in a double boiler so doesn't burn or if you use a microwave that will work too! 
• Mix ingredients well to combine them
• Pour into lip balm container that seals air tight and label. 
• Apply to lips for a nice refreshing taste and amazing benefits of the Shea butter and coconut oil

Have an amazing day!

Margaret 

Live well, Laugh Often, Love much

be Totallyawake4-life

There is Passion in the Air

It is February and that means that Valentines Day is fast upon us ... the various 'theories' behind why we celebrate Valentines Day has always fascinated me but whether you are Christian and believe that the day celebrates the wonderful acts of St Valentine or whether you are Pagan and believe that Valentines day originates from the Pagan celebration of  Luperci the god of fertility or if you come from a BLEND of the two as history re-writes itself or if you have never really thought about 'why' and just accept what we see today where it is all about the 'commercialism' of getting your loved one that 'perfect gift to say I love you' there is a lot of FUN that can come with the holiday regardless!

For me, despite the fact that I personally do not buy into reserving just ONE DAY to celebrate our love for on another with flowers, cards and acts of kind gestures I have always loved celebrating Valentines Day itself ~ even when I was single and had no 'romantic' Valentine to share the day with I would always enjoy the excuse for having fun pampering others with random acts of kindness on this day! 

Being crafty cardmaker I love sending 'Valentines' to others and sharing my love of paper crafting with the kiddies ~ so we will be doing lots of fun and exciting activities the next couple weeks that are heart theme related!  I also am excited to participate in a few handmade 'Valentine exchanges' with other like minded people cause it is AWESOME to get something in the mail that is not a BILL and I love being inspired by other peoples awesome hand made offerings! 

So needless to say I was a little excited when I opened up my doTERRA® newsletter this morning and say that they are kicking off the month of February encouraging others to get some Passion in the air with an offer of 10% off their amazing Passion blend!

The Passion Blend is an inspiring blend that balances spice and herbal essential oils. Combining Cinnamon Bark, Ginger, Cardamom, Clove, and Damiana this blend creates a chemical profile with high concentrations of phenols and ethers to provide warming and renewing benefits.

It is awesome diffused in the morning to start the day feeling energized and enthusiastic! 

You can create a roller ball recipe with it and apply to the pulse points and heart area throughout the day to help you feel inspired and passionate about what you are embarking on! 

Diffuse in the work place to spark creativity, clarity and wonder! 

This blend helps to promote feelings of excitement, passion and joy which is why I LOVE it as a massage blend too! 

  

It is just such an invigorating blend of aromas and the benefits of cinnamon for health and wellness are amazing! 

I do want to share that while WE love this as a massage blend that it is known that cinnamon can be an allergen to some as well as cause skin sensitivity in others and it is therefore not for all skin types ~ I myself have to avoid getting it on areas where my psoriasis has flared up cause it is just too intense in those areas. PLEASE do a skin test before using the blend on yourself or loved one and avoid placing it in an mucus membrane area of the body! 

 If you'd like to get yourself or a loved one in your life a little bottle of Passion this month you can order online here. If you are LOCAL and would like to order let me know I will have an order going in and can help save on some shipping cost as you can pick it up from me!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Eyes are the Window to the Soul

Image Source

Ever since I was wee the importance of the EYES has been drilled into me through challenging life lessons. I have had eye sight issues since birth and have used corrective lenses and had surgery to try to fix my issues. Regardless of the efforts was proclaimed legally blind in my right eye and my poor left eye is left doing all the work. In my 20's I was accidentally poked in the left eye by a child at work and my cornea was scratched leaving me temporarily blinded because they had to patch my only working eye. It reminded me how blessed I am to at least have eye sight in one out of two of my eyes!

As a result I am slightly passionate about protecting my eyes and what goes in or around them ... I want to make sure that I do not inadvertently do something that causes me to loose the sight in my one remaining good eye!  

Which is why when I saw all the pins on Pinterest declaring that 'lavender oil' or the 'oola lash' blend is amazing for helping with lash growth and eye lash mite control and so forth I went to 'google' to find out if this were actually BACKED by science and research to be proven as safe.

The results of which served a an epic reminder that it is a VERY bad habit to form when one just blindly trusts what one reads in the Internet as gospel truth because there is so much inaccurate information out there specially when it comes  to advice that gives health and wellness advice and I totally do not want to contribute to that misinformation! For everyone one 'expert' that tells you to do something cause it is good for you will will find three experts who are telling you NO do not do that do this! It is a mind field trying to decide what is the 'best choice' but ultimately that is the choice that you feel comfortable in confident in making based on your own research and judgement. I always tell my peers just because it is good for ME it might not be good for YOU I am just sharing my experience and why I love doing what I do! 

 

As much I love my essential oils and their potential health benefits I like to remind myself that they are natures MEDICINE and must be treated with RESPECT and CARE and used SAFELY! I have made my own share of mistakes as I have begun using essential oils in my journey to be healthier including putting my precious Nevada at risk  unintentionally using essential oil blends in my diffuser that are toxic to animals so now I want to be doing even more research before sharing. So this is my advice based on what I have been able to read .... just say NO to adding essential oils to your mascara!

So while there are lots of 'advice' out there from wellness advocates in various essential oil industries advising the use of essential oils in and around the eyes with DIY recipes and so forth my advice is THIS ... please do your own research before deciding if this is a risk you want to take with your own eyes! Lots of ladies might be loving it in their mascara, they might be seeing huge benefits in the length and luster and they might just be LUCKY that they still have their eye sight while doing so!

That advice is based on reading experiences and shared research from those more knowledgeable than myself including the  National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy which says the following about essential oils and eye safety: 

"placing any essential oil “in the eye” is extremely dangerous advice. Almost any undiluted essential oil coming into contact with the ocular membranes will be corrosive, possibly causing scarring of the cornea, and certainly causing significant pain.

Conclusions

* There is currently no evidence that applying dilutions of essential oil to the eyes will be beneficial in any condition."

So with adding it to your mascara or anything that is going to be that close to the eye you need to be able to be confident that it is not going to 'migrate' INTO your eye in a strength that could be corrosive and cause scarring over time! 

To be SAFE other essential oil users like the Hippie Punk Mom advice to never use your essential oils IN the ear canal, eyes or nose areas and to avoid mucus membranes! 

The other challenge that I hypothesis with 'adding' things' to store bought products like mascaras and skincare and so forth is that their chemists have carefully designed their products and ingredients to work together and in the quantities that are meant to compliment each other ... when WE add additional ingredients, even natural ones like essential oils, we risk creating an unknown chemical reaction with the other ingredients! 

Remember how the Joker used the various cosmetics people regularly 'mixed' to create a toxic storm that killed people? Kinda that same concern with 'mixing' products from different companies ~ might be GREAT on their own but when mixed with the competitions line result in an unwanted reaction or outcome!

This is something I have experienced personally when just 'mixing' brands in my youth and using one companies cleanser and another companies toner or moisturizer depending on what was 'on sale' and ended up dealing with adverse reactions on my skin all throughout my youth to the point I just stopped using ANY products to care for my skin. I was not making the connection that my reactions were because the products ingredients were not meant  to be used together ... when I found a skincare LINE and used began using the entire system together as it is meant to be I have seen amazing results in my skin. No more painful cystic acne breakouts and the psoriasis on my face cleared up and my skin has a nice healthy glow.  

So if you are looking for an eye lash product to help give you longer lustre to your eye lashes I will share MY two favorite products for my eyes that have worked for ME and that I feel confident using as they do not make my eyes itch and get debris into them plus they both remove with gentle ease using my Enjo eye pad and water or if I have done a 'dramatic eye' look adding a little of the Aloette Essential Cleansing Oil before using the Enjo eye pad to help loosen the mascara. 

 A-List Lash is infused with argan oil and argan stem cells to condition lashes for a long-lasting, healthy looking sheen.  The unique and clump proof wand evenly coats and curls each lash for fast, flawless application every time 

I use this as my daily mascara for the benefits of the argan oil ... it gives a nice light coat to the lashes and is great for daily use!

When I want a little more DRAMA for my eyes after applying the first coat of the A List Lash I than use the buildable formula of the Aloette Intensity mascara which lets you control the intensity - from a hint of definition to bold, full volume - without smudging or clumping. And with lash-loving vitamins and conditioners, Aloette’s long-wear eye miracle nourishes as it separates, lengthens and thickens for a captivating look that lasts all day and well into the night.

It can seriously give dramatic look to the eyes without the 'fibers' or 'extensions' or other add ons that might end up getting IN to the actual eye and causing issues! Just look at the POP in this side by side using the Intensity mascara!

Image Source

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life