Spotlight on Cassia

Spotlight on Cassia
Cinnamomum cassia

A close relative to Cinnamon, Cassia has a strong, spicy aroma. It’s one of the few essential oils mentioned in the Old Testament, noted for its unmistakable and calming fragrance . Cassia is a “warming” oil which makes it a great oil to diffuse during cold weather.

Properties

•  Promotes a sense of well-being
• Support's healthy immune function* 
• Warming, uplifting aroma

Potential Health Benefits* of Cassia (source)

Antidepressant: The aromatic effect of this essential oil fights depression, uplifts mood and induces warm feelings in the body and mind.

Anti-emetic: This oil can be used to treat nausea and to reduce vomiting. It induces a refreshing feeling and drives away those feelings which bring on nausea and vomiting.

Anti-galactogogue: This oil can reduce the secretion of milk and is therefore not recommended for lactating mothers.

Anti-Rheumatic and Anti-Arthritic: Being a circulatory and a stimulant substance, Cassia essential oil improves the circulation of the blood and brings warmth to the joints and other parts of the body affected by rheumatism and arthritis, thus giving relief from these uncomfortable conditions.

Antimicrobial: The essential oil of Cassia inhibits microbial growth and protects from microbial infections. This property is useful for treating microbial infections in the urethra, colon, kidneys, urinary tracts and other parts of the body including diarrhea.

Astringent: This property of the essential oil of Cassia does a lot of good. It strengthens gums and hair roots, tightens muscles and lifts the skin. It also helps reduce hemorrhaging by contracting blood vessels.

Circulatory: Cassia essential oil improves the circulation of blood and thereby facilitates proper distribution of nutrients and oxygen to all the body parts. This property is also beneficial in fighting rheumatism and arthritis. It can also help relax menstrual cramps and open obstructed menstruation paths. This also gives relief from symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and drowsiness that are commonly associated with menses.

Antiviral: This oil is also effective in countering viral infections and gives sound protection from cough & cold, influenza and other viral diseases. Being an antimicrobial and antiviral agent, Cassia essential oil helps support the body to fight infections causing fever and thus helps lower body temperature. The circulatory property of this oil also helps boost the immune system of the body. The warming effect of this oil gives relief from the fever as well.

Stimulant: It aids in stimulating bodily functions, the metabolism, secretions, discharges, circulation and also the nervous system and the brain, thereby helping to be more active and alert.

Other Benefits: It can be used to help treat uterine hemorrhaging and other internal and external hemorrhaging due to its astringent properties. For those who suffer with the loss of libido and sexual disorders such as frigidity and impotency it can aid in supporting an increase desire as well as aids in healing digestive disorders, flatulence, colic, stomach disorders, headaches and general body pain.

Uses of Cassia

Blending: The essential oils of black pepper, chamomile,  frankincense, ginger, geranium, rosemary and some citrus oils blend well with the essential oil of Cassia.

Falling for Me Aromatic Blend 

•  1 drop each of doTERRA® Cassia and Clove essential oils
•  1-3 drops of doTERRA® Wild Orange

This is lovely either in your diffuser or in an aromatherapy necklaces this time of year ~ if you do not have an aromatherapy necklace they are totally a must have for your Christmas wishlist from Santa. I have sensitive skin so wearing anything directly on my skin is a challenge but this offers an option to 'smell nice' without having it be direct contact plus I get the aroma benefits of wearing the blends! 

Another Favorite combo

Recent research suggests that Cinnamomum cassia oil has potential to be used as a natural antibacterial agent in food industry ... so makes a great addition to homemade cleaning sprays in the kitchen!

Caution:  Cassia can produce irritation and sensitization on the skin and in the mucus membrane for some individuals, so it should be kept out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, lactating, or under the care of a physician you should consult them before using Cassia in your essential oil therapy.

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Life Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Totallyawake4-life

Halloween Party Prep

Only a few more sleeps until Halloween ~ my other half is getting stoked and the older kids in the daycare have started to show some interest in 'pumpkins and ghosts' so we've started to play some games in the program and I have added a few 'costumes' for them to explore with including the Witches hat.

Here are two of our favorites DIY Halloween games we love to play

Witches Ring Toss 

What You Need

• Witches hat ~ we got ours at the Dollar Store
• Florist Wire
• Washi Tape

What You Do

•  Make 'circles' with the florist wire and twist the ends together to close into your ring.
• To protect little fingers wrap Washi Tape (or duct tape) around the twisted ends to keep them covered while playing.
• We used my 'yoga' mat for the play surface ... children at one end of the mat and the hat at the other end and they 'tossed' the rings trying to get them onto the point of the hat. 
• So as my crew is all under 4 at the moment so they do not need to keep score in a game ~ the game is practicing taking turns and cheering others on!However with older children you could 'score' your ring toss like you would Horseshoes based on how close their ring gets to being 'on' the witches hat.

 

 Pumpkin Toss

What You Need

•  Jack O Lantern or a Cauldron or other equally fun 'Halloween Themed' bucket
• Styrofoam Pumpkins (good ole Dollar Store) you could also use 'orange socks' or soft balls or pom poms or something else to decorate as a pumpkin

What You Do

•  Again we used our trusty yoga mat as our game surface and we tossed the pumpkins into the bucket ~ my crew is all under 4 at the moment so they do not need to keep score in a game ~ the game is practicing taking turns and cheering others on! 

 Other Ideas for Party Fun with things around the house

• Witches Limbo ~ use a broom to play Limbo game to some fun Halloween Music
• Pin the Tail on the Cat ~ make a big black cat silhouette for the wall and some 'tails'... no black paper? No worries use a washable marker on a patio door to draw your cat! When you are done wash it off! 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret
Life Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Totallyawake4-life

My Big Fat Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup - Grain Free and Tasty!

It's that time of year when the colors are changing and leaves start to fall and the temperature gets cooler and the 'viruses' start to try to sneak into the body and well the family starts to crave 'soups' to help warm and nurture the soul.

I also love soup season because with feeding 8 bellies on a daily basis looking for ways to keep them full and within a budget can be a challenge and homemade soups are well in my opinion a super food they can pack a lot of nutrition and be filling but for a fraction of the cost of a traditional meat and potatoes dinner! 

Italian Wedding Soup - serves 6

What You Need

• 2 Tablespoon butter or coconut oil for dairy free option
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade or a low sodium option
• 3 cloves of garlic - minced
• 1 tablespoon Epicure Lemon Dilly seasoning 
• Pepper - too taste
• 3 cups of baby spinach, washed
• Optional freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
•  36 small homemade meatballs - your own favorite recipe or mine below.

Italian Wedding Soup ~ Grain Free and TASTY!

What You Do

• Melt the butter or coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and garlic.  Saute until a little caramelized in color for extra flavor. Then add the chopped carrots and celery, season with pepper, and saute until vegetables are El Dante.
• Add the chicken stock to the pot. Add the Epicure Lemon Dilly seasoning and season with additional pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to keep a simmer going.
• Drop the previously browned meatballs into the simmering chicken stock so that they are 'covered' in stock. If required add more stock to achieve this.  Cover the pot and simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer it simmers the more flavor the meatballs will absorb!
•  Add the spinach into the pot just before you are ready to serve and stir until it is just wilted. 
•  Turn off heat. 
• Serve soup with a bit of Parmesan cheese on top and a side of yummy Cauliflower Cheese Sticks!

  

  Italian Meatball Soup ~ Grain Free and TASTY!

  
  

Margaret's Marvelous Meatballs
What You Need

• 1 pound lean ground beef, chicken or turkey they all work
• 1/2 cup shredded sweet potato
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Epicure Meatballs and Meatloaf seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 

What You Do

•  Mix all ingredients into a bowl until well blended and roll into small bit sizes balls ~ should make about 36 mini meatballs.
• Saute in a pan with coconut oil until evenly browned and than add into soup base or pasta sauce or whatever meal you are wanting to have meatballs for!

Hope you enjoy the soup!


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


 

Happy October - bring on the Decor!

Happy October!

I LOVE October it has to top the list of my favorite months of the year. The colours in nature this time of year are truly breath taking; the lack of humidity means I can spend more time outside breathing easy; the cooler nights means better sleep for me and the HOLIDAYS this month are just so much fun and cannot wait to enjoy the FOOD!  Fall is the perfect time for clean eating - so many amazing foods to harvest! But for the purpose of this post we are going to focus on having fun with Fall Decor!

Stampin' Up Holiday Home Decor

I  love everything that Fall brings. Paper crafting is SO much fun this time of year. Making home decor for Halloween and Thanksgiving with amazing kits from Stampin' Up!!

Scrapbooking pages to commemorate amazing time with family and friends such as pages like these ...

and of course decorating the house for all the Trick or Treaters! 

While inside decorating is my forte - the outside of the house belongs to my other half! He just LOVES getting his spook on for the neighborhood ... dry ice fog, gravestones, zombies, ghosts and black cats that prowl are just a few of his front yard offerings. 

Moving Black Halloween Cat

Groaning Zombies

Moving Zombies

Spooky Ghosts

Have an amazing day!
Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!
Totallyawake4-life