Shark Week + Essential Oils: Yes, Please!

At the close of Shark Week 2018, we thought that Suzanne Rodolfich's Shark Week-themed posts were too good not to share on our blog! Enjoy:) 

Shark Skin? No, Thanks! Best Essential Oils for Skin Care 

Essential Oils are a great, natural way to take care of your skin! 

Did you know that shark skin actually looks and feels like little interlocking teeth? Um, no thank you!

Young Living offers SO many options for your skin! Here are a just a few top skin oils:

Top Essential Oils for Skin

• Frankincense—helps create youthful appearance 
• Tea Tree—cleanses skin
• Geranium—helps provide healthy, clear, glowing skin
• Cypress—smooths skin
• Copiaba—reduces redness
• Sandalwood—soothes, tightens, cleanses
• Blue Tansy—soothes, reduces redness, provides antioxidant
• Kunzea—provides antioxidant benefits (check out the pics of how the Kunzea plant affects a barbed wire fence)

DIY Skin Care Recipes

My Toner Recipe

• Witch Hazel  
• Equal parts Frankincense (glow), Lavender (soothe), Lemon, (brighten), Copiaba

My Skin Cream Recipe

I originally created this as a diaper cream, but now I use it for all sorts of skin issues.

• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Equal parts Frankincense, Tea Tree, and Lavender

My Facial Serum Recipe

• 3 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Myrrh,
• 1 drop Rose

Lots of options, right? I love that we can take care of our skin with non-toxic products that meet our skin’s unique needs!

Do you sleep like a shark? Best Oils for Sleep Support

So many sleep support oils, which are your favorites? 

So apparently there’s lots of controversy about how and if and when sharks sleep:

• They seem to be very active at night
• Most species have to remain in motion, so for years scientists thought sharks didn’t sleep
• However, now scientists think they enter periods of rest where they slow down, but their eyes are open, and it’s not a true deep sleep

Did I describe any of you with those facts? Maybe your kids?

I think many of us seek out essential oils because we need sleep support—that was my reason 5 years ago!

But just like there are lots of things we don’t know about sharks’ sleeping habits, there are so many variables with our own sleeping habits that finding an Essential Oils combo for sleep support can be trial and error.

Best Oils for Sleep Support

• Lavender: Most people start with Lavender—this doesn’t work for me or Jonna 
• Frankincense: this is a fav in our house and a Lavender + Frankincense combo can be powerful
• Stress Away
• Peace and Calming

If you really want to sleep like the dead, then consider these heavy hitters:

• Valor
• Valerian
• Rutavala
• DreamCatcher

And then there are a few that kids especially find calming:

• Gentle Baby
• Roman Chamomile 
• SleepyIze

And finally, you may want to consider WHY you aren’t sleeping: Are you worried? Is your child needing a little extra security? Sometimes if we can support our emotions, we can sleep better.

Suzanne's Picks

So—what do WE use for sleep support in our house?

The Kids

• Jonna (6)—Frankincense, Valor, or Palo Santo
• Zanna (5)—Frankincense,  Valor, or Palo Santo
• Mila (3)—Palo Santo and White Angelica
• Vin (1)—Lavender or Peace and Calming

The Adults

• Me—Valor or Rutavala (the kids would use the Rutavala, too, but that’s liquid gold and I’m a little stingy with it )
• The hubs—whatever I’m diffusing 

And despite this lengthy post, there are still more options—I feel like I am leaving so many good ones out!

Maybe you can help me out—what are your family’s favorite oils for sleep support?

Skip the Blue Shark Blues: Essential Oils for Mood Support

No need to feel like the Blue Shark! Try out these tried and true mood boosting oils. 

This is the blue shark—according to my friends Google and Wikipedia, they are sort of sluggish and lethargic in their movements. 

Top Oils for Mood Boosting

If you’re feeling the same way, maybe a little down, a little blue, here are some oily tips to try:

• A drop of Frankincense Vitality daily under the tongue (this is a my go-to mood lifter)
• Frankincense + Lemon in the diffuser
•  A few drops of Joy in your hands and inhale
• Ylang Ylang + Orange in the diffuser
• Super B an energy and mood lifter all in one—do you know how much our body NEEDS B vitamins? They are vital! I made this a part of my daily routine after I had Vin.
• NingXia Red—daily, daily, daily! In addition to about a hundred other things, it supports healthy energy levels and regulates blood sugar (anybody else get HANGRY?)

Raise your hand if you had fun with Essential Oil SHARK WEEK! Share any skin, sleep or mood support tips below. Bonus points for Shark-themed ideas:) 

Breathe Deep with Raven

Suzanne Rodolfich has taken over the blog this week. She loves to share about oils, and today, she's sharing about Raven: one of the newest additions to the Premium Starter Kit. 

I am so excited that Raven is now included in the Premium Starter Kit! What I love about Raven is that it includes one of my favorite single oils, Ravintsara, but it also has four other oils—lemon, peppermint, wintergreen, and eucalyptus radiata—that make it a very powerful blend.

A year-round fave, Raven is especially helpful in winter and spring. Breathe easy with this addition to the Premium Starter Kit. 

So, how do we use it?

• This is a year round oil for us, but it is definitely in heavy rotation during the winter as part of our winter wellness routine and in the spring as we deal with all the pollen in the air.
• We alternate it with RC—we’ll rub RC on our feet and Raven on our chest or vice versa.
• It’s very soothing when rubbed on joints or achy muscles.
• When mixed with solid coconut oil, it makes a fabulous chest rub.
• And we love it in the diffuser at night with Lavender. The Raven helps us breathe deeply and the Lavender helps us rest well.

DIY Essential Oils for Back to School

We’ve reached our final course...errr post...in this series: Back to School DIY. As you’re settling into your new routine, you may just be inspired to do some DIY projects, and we are here to help with some of our fav recipes. Much like our diffuser post, these recipes will take you from Good morning to Goodnight.

So, class, are you ready? Let’s get started!

Smooth(ie) Sailing: Rise N Shine Smoothie

Make mornings easy with this quick and tasty breakfast treat. 

Need Breakfast at the push of button? Enter the Rise n Shine Smoothie. We award this one bonus points for being delicious and nutritious. Switch up ingredients to customize to your family’s tastes. Vitality oils, milks and fruits can all be swapped for your favs.

Everyday Wellness: Germy Hand Kid Soap

Feeling DIY-inspired? Try this wellness-boosting, Thieves-powered foaming hand soap. 

While we love Thieves Foaming Hand Soap, this recipe is a great DIY alternative if you’re feeling creative. Either way, you’ll be supporting your family’s wellness with the power of Thieves.

After School Anti-Smell: Stinky Kid Spray

Keep this spray with you anywhere stink can happen: aka EVERYWHERE.

Purification (obvious alert) purifies the air. That means that it can even refresh things like middle school boy bedroom, volleyball bag or mysterious minivan odors. Don’t leave home without it.

After School Snack: Dreamsicle Fruit Dip

Ease into homework time with a yummy snack: Dreamsicle Dip + Fruit. 

Treat your students to a sweet treat after school that’s not packed with sugar or strange ingredients. Fruit + this yummy Dreamsicle dip will please even picky eaters. Want to make it even healthier? Replace the cream cheese with Greek yogurt and the powder sugar with agave, honey or stevia.

Night Night: Sweet Dreams Cream

Relax...Sweet Dreams Cream to the bedtime rescue! 

We will share anything that helps kids have a good night sleep. Just apply this cream after evening bath to help your kids relax. It’s an easy way to use oils with your family and with Lavender and Peace & Calming II, it’s bound to invite (you guessed it) Sweet Dreams fast.

Class Dismissed 

Thanks for attending our Back to School crash course! Do you have any Essential Oil DIY inspiration to share? We’d love to hear from you!

Stay tuned, we'll share September Promo details soon!

Newborn & Baby Oils

Welcome to our Family + Essential Oils series. We plan to cover every age and stage: Oils for Toddlers, Moms, Dads, Grandparents and Family Vacation. Someone we left out? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to our plan!

This is actually our second week, so if you missed our Postpartum post, take the time to catch up (we’ll wait:). Oh, and while you’re at it, check out the Top 10 Oils for Pregnancy – it happens to be one of our all-time top 10 posts.

Ok, now that we’ve talked mamas-to-be and new mamas, we’re ready to share some general guidelines and tips for using oils with your baby.

Essential Tips for Your Oily Baby

Ready for baby's first oil? Try out these oily newborn tips. 

Ingestion Tips

Gotcha! No tips here. Young Living suggests waiting until after babyhood to try any of our vitality line with your child. We agree! The oils are powerful and highly concentrated for such little bodies.

Topical Tips

Young Living’s official recommendation for littles 0-1 is a 1:8 oil to carrier ratio. We say that’s a good starting point, but remember that every baby is different. Test dilution with your little one.

And if you are going to try a new oil on your child it’s a good idea to use just a drop or two on a small patch first, like the forearm. After a successful patch test (a few minutes with no reaction), you can apply as needed!

Pro Tip: Apply the essential oils first, followed by your favorite dilution oil.  

Aromatic Tips

Again, think “start gently” when it comes to aromatically sharing oils with your baby. You can create a bond with baby by simply wearing an oil while skin to skin. And, just like the topical patch test, you will want to diffuse an oil for a short time at first to ensure your child has no sensitivity.

First Oily Days

In their Oils for the Nursery post, Young Living lists a few oils to use with caution with your baby.

• Idaho Tansy
• Clary Sage
• Hyssop
• Wintergreen
• Eucalyptus
• Peppermint

While watching for these oils is a good idea, it’s an even better idea to try out some of our favorites to support your little one’s health.

• Ear Support: Melrose & Roman Chamomile, apply 1-2 drops behind and around ears
• Diapering Support:
  • Lavender & Frankincense, apply 1-2 drops on diaper area after a change with some coconut oil
  • Try our DIY Baby Powder
•  Respiratory Support: Lavender or Peace & Calming, apply to chest, bottom of feet and diffuse intermittently during nap. Also, try diffusing Lavender & SniffleEase during the night or nap.
• Sleep support: Lavender & Cedarwood,1-2 drops on chest and bottom of feet.
• Mood Support: Frankincense & Joy, 1-2 drops over the heart
• Digestive Support: DiGize/TummyGize, apply over the chest and belly 15 - 20 minutes before feedings. You can also apply after feeding, if needed.
• Gut Health: Fennel, apply 1-2 drops over the colon area, rub clockwise

And that’s it, baby! Again, let us know if there are any ages or family members you’d like to see included in our series and we’ll get a writer on it!

Storing Essential Oils: Tree of Life Tackles a FAQ

You love your oils. Now, learn how to treat them with a little love. Get the most out of each bottle with our tips on the do’s and don’ts of Essential Oils storage.

A few quick tips to help you get the most out of your oils! 

The Don’ts

Heat & UV Light

Heat and especially UV light can break down the integrity of your essential oils. Don’t store your oils in cars, near windows or anywhere they’d be exposed to extreme heat or direct sunlight. If an oil does get too hot, here’s a trick: wait until the oil has cooled to room temperature before opening the bottle. This can help save your oil and its effectiveness.

Plastics

Plastics + Essential Oils = Big No-No. Many oils may break down plastic storage containers, which could pollute your oils or waste them.

The Dos

Room Temperature and Even

Cool temperatures with little fluctuation will protect your oils from the breakdown of even the most delicate constituents. Although not ideal, extreme cold will not freeze or destroy the efficacy of your oils.

Dark and Dry

To protect your oils from heat and UV light, store them in a dark, dry place. Cabinets in the bathroom or kitchen work well for everyday oils, but we recommend you buy an oil storage box for your growing collection. If you make your own blends, make sure to protect them from light with an amber glass or a stainless steel container.

Upright and Tightly Sealed

This might seem like a no-brainer, but keeping your oils upright and tightly sealed will ensure you won’t spill a single drop. Keeping your oils tightly sealed will also cut down on any evaporation. You may even want to transfer oils that are running low to a smaller bottle to cut down on oxidation.  

A Couple More FAQs

Thick Oils

Sometimes you do have to apply heat to oils. These thick oils, like Rose or Myrrh, can be gently heated by placing your bottle in bowl of warm water. Lids can also get sticky or oxidize with thicker oils. If this happens just put some coconut around the rim so it doesn't get stuck again. You'll be glad you did!

Citrus Oils

Once you open your citrus oils (lemon, grapefruit etc.), they are best if used within a year of opening for maximum effectiveness.

Expiration?

Young Living Essential Oils don't ever really expire. Woo Hoo! Just follow our tips for good oil storage and you'll get to enjoy them to the very last drop. Have more questions? Leave us a comment or contact us!

Switch & Ditch: Personal Care Edition

Did anyone already switch to all-natural cleaning products (like this one!) and ditch your chemical-heavy cleaning cohorts? Let us know! A clean sweep never felt or smelled so good.

This week, we are continuing our switch and ditch theme, but now: it’s getting personal. Personal care products, that is.

As far as personal wellness goals go, treating your skin to natural products should be right there on your resolution list along with healthy diet and exercise. And Young Living has plenty of all-natural, essential-oil infused goodies. Ready for some switch and ditch tips? We thought so.  

Switch & Ditch: Personal Care Edition

Make your 2017 resolution a reality with a few of our favorites like the ART skincare system, Young Living's super popular face cream, foaming face wash and toner. 

Oral Care

Let’s start with something you do everyday: brush your teeth. Time to ditch toothpaste with artificial sweeteners and toxic chemicals and switch to natural toothpaste that will freshen your breath and gently wash away staining.

The Thieves lines makes this easy. Try one of three Thieves lines toothpastes along with Thieves Dental Floss and Thieves Fresh Essence Mouthwash.

Hand Care

Make sure washing or cleaning your hands actually washes and cleanses without artificial fragrances or toxins.

I’m in love with the Thieves Foaming hand soap. It smells wonderful and is a great way to introduce guests to Thieves goodness. For on-the-go cleansing, Thieves Waterless Hand Cleanser is on my must-travel list.

Face Care

Whether you are focusing on cleansing, restoring, moisturizing or refining, Young Living has products and oils to try. Some of my favorite anti-aging oils include:

• Rose - high-frequency oil great for moisturizing and refining skin
• Patchouli - favorite oil for daily moisturizing
• Lavender - skin MVP, a must for cleansing, moisturizing and refining
• Frankincense - sacred oil that restores and moisturizes skin  
• Myrrh - another must-have for moisturizing  

Start slow and experiment. We suggest adding a beauty oil to your order each month. Everyone is different, so everyone will have different favorites. Once you find your favorites, here are a few tips to get the most out of your beauty regime (and save some money).

Make a Homemade Cream

Make your own body and face cream and infuse with your favorite essential oils. That way you get a daily dose of oils, while stretching your supply.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shea butter
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup liquid oil (like almond, grapeseed, jojoba or avocado oil)
• 5-10 drops of essential oils of choice

Directions:

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil on stovetop
2. Let cool completely
3. Add liquid oil and essential oils for choice
4. Whip to decadent texture

Homemade Serums

Another way to stretch your beauty oils and save time in your routine: create your own serums. Add your favorite oils and apply after your cream morning and night. To make, you will need to gather a few supplies like 1-oz glass bottles, roller ball fitments and funnels.

Ingredients:

• 1-oz. favorite carrier oil (again: think liquid food oils like almond, grapeseed or avocado)
• 1-2 drops each of your favorite anti-aging oils

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a small, amber glass bottle. Yup, it’s that easy!

Hair Care

Tame your locks with natural care products. This one is especially important, considering when you rinse off shampoo it flows down the rest of your body. Young Living has some great daily shampoos (like yummy Lavender Mint) to nourish and cleanse hair.

You can also add oils to your hair care routine. When styling, I add a drop of Ylang Ylang to my hair for a gorgeous floral scent and curl-boosting moisture. Other great hair oils include:

• Geranium - rehydrates hair, try adding to your conditioner
• Lavender - nourishes and may thicken hair
• Rosemary - allows nutrients to penetrate hair and scalp
• Tea Tree - soothes your scalp

Body Care

Body Wash

Like hair care products, body wash is exposed to large parts of your body. Making your own body wash was never easier with Young Living’s bath and shower gel base. Just add 5-10 drops of your favorite oil. Any of our favorite hair and skin oils would work, or you can try an uplifting blend like Joy.

Deodorants

And finally, we’ll end with another daily personal care product: Deodorant. Young Living offers great aluminum-free options that smell great! (Like this one). You can also experiment using an oil as a deodorant. Purification is a great, cleansing and aromatically fresh option to try!

Switch, Ditch & Save

Ready to ditch commercially produced personal care products? Easy. Switch to buying your natural shampoo, hand soap and floss with Young Living’s autoship program, Essential Rewards. We love it because we get to buy the products we love while earning freebies and points toward even more products we love. We think you will, too!

Any questions? Ask away in the comments.

Ho-Ho-Holiday Foods & Gut Health

The holidays (and seasonal weight gain) are upon us! Work parties, class parties, family get-togethers… there’s no escaping the food spreads! And oh, it can be soooo tempting to go back for seconds!

But there’s more than just an expanding midsection at stake this holiday season, did you know that your gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health is the cornerstone to 80% of your overall health? Find out how to promote, maintain and support your GIT health this holiday season – and year round with these tips and tricks.

Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) Health: Cornerstone to Your Overall Health

If your digestive system is in order, it should be filled with healthy bacteria (flora) and enzymes that break down your food while supporting your immune system, nervous system and all of your hormonal functions. Translation: You’ll feel great!

Common body functions/systems a healthy GIT can help support:

• Energy
• Positive Mood
• Healthier Cravings
• Digestion
• Immune System
• Skin
• Vaginal health
• Mental Focus
• Healthy Weight Maintenance

What damages the gut flora lining?

Our gut lining is one cell thick, so supporting its health (and preventing the spread of candida yeast) is crucial. Candida spreads and is hard to kill! The result: a “leaky gut” that allows partially digested foods to flow through the damaged area of the intestinal lining and enter the bloodstream directly (Yikes!).

This leak can cause intolerances and the release of stress hormones. One of these stress hormones, cortisol (produced in Adrenal Glands), further taxes the body, starts to IMPAIR the body's immune system, and promotes WEIGHT GAIN in the mid-section.

Substances that damage the GIT

• Pain Killers
• Poor food choices (processed foods)
• Viruses
• Parasites
• Caffeine
• Alcohol consumption
• Antibiotics
• NSAIDs
• Bad bacteria

The 4 R’s of GIT Health

Support your GIT health by remembering the 4 R’s.

1. REMOVE

God created our bodies and our foods... let's just try to stick to His foods – His plan. Start your journey to GIT health by removing stressors and these unhealthy food choices from your life:

• fake foods that are loaded in toxins (aka “processed foods”)
• strong & excessive caffeine
• sugars
• sugar substitutes
• diet colas & regular colas
• preservatives
• alcohol
• gluten & dairy (test these one at a time to see if your body responds because not everyone is sensitive to them)

Rule of thumb: If there are words on the ingredients list you can’t pronounce, then don’t buy it. And if the ingredients probably won’t be found in your own kitchen ingredients pantry, then don’t buy it.

2. REPAIR

I take  Oregano Oil, Copaiba, and Thieves to promote organ health. Organic coconut oil is great for its probiotic power. 

Time to take action! Here are 4 steps to help repair your GIT health.

Step 1: As part of an unprocessed diet, be sure to include omega-3s like OmegaGize and vitamins such as zinc, antioxidants (vitamins A, C, & E), L-glutamin, quercitin, aloe vera, and turmeric. Master Formula contains all your vitamin needs, plus oils that research has proven to support organ tissue health.

Step 2: Allow your gut to rest by juicing or fasting.

Step 3: Consume Caprylic Acid, which comes from coconut oil, to kill candida yeast. Longevity contains coconut oil plus essential oils that support healthy cells.

Step 4: Take Oregano Oil, Copaiba, and Thieves to promote organ health.

3. RESTORE

Life 5, a powerful probiotic, is on my DAILY supplement lifst! 

Probiotics help restore gut flora. It’s a good idea to take a probiotic daily. On days you are taking antibiotics or are sick, increase your dosage. This is why Life 5 is on my DAILY supplement list!   

Life 5 builds and restores core intestinal health by providing five clinically proven probiotic strains including two advanced super strains to enhance intestinal health, sustain energy and improve immunity. Life 5 contains 10 billion active cultures and improves colonization up to 10 times.

Try to also include fermented food & beverages such as greek yogurt (no sugar), water kefir, milk kefir, kombucha, kimchi, or sauerkraut. These fermented foods and drinks are high in probiotics. Go to your local health food store for all of these (or brew your own... or contact me for grains to get started on your own)! I take Life 5 DAILY along with drinking Kombucha!

4. REPLACE

Young Living’s Core Supplement Kit contains EVERYTHING you need for gut health (Master Formula, Life 5, OmegaGize, and Longevity).  I would also add in Essentialzyme for the breaking down and absorption of vitamins and minerals from your food!

Help the gut ease back into proper functioning by taking digestive enzyme supplements, such as Essentialzyme. Continue taking Life 5 probiotics for gut health maintenance. Try to eat ½ a plate of vegetables at each meal and also eat something raw at each meal. “Raw” foods provide live enzymes! This could be an apple, mixed salad, or raw cheese.

Young Living’s Core Supplement Kit contains EVERYTHING you need for gut health (Master Formula, Life 5, OmegaGize, and Longevity) and I would also add in Essentialzyme for the breaking down and absorption of vitamins and minerals from your food!

Ask Santa (or Me!) for Help Stuffing Your Stocking with Essential Oils

Holidays can be exciting! Just try to enjoy the company more than the second plate of food! Get plenty of sleep and rest for the gut. And, oh yeah… ask Santa for a stocking full of Young Living supplements and essential oils!

Christie Brooks, Registered Dietitian

Level 1 CrossFit Trainer

Young Living Essential Oils Distributor & Educator #1376241

Website: www.WhyWeightLifestyle.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhyWeightLifestyle

Owner & Educator of the Why Weight Lifestyle Program