Spring Into Wellness ~ Nitro

So, have you discovered Young Living's Ningxia Nitro yet??  If you haven't you are totally missing out!!!  I mean, seriously!!  You need to stop reading right now & go order your Nitro.  Go ahead, I'll wait.....then you can finish reading!!! :)

 Okay, everyone ready now?  Let's move on.  I seriously believe this is some of the BEST stuff EVER!!!!  NingXia Nitro™ combines 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils with naturally powerful ingredients to lift mental clarity and focus while also providing a surge of energy when needed.

Primary Benefits: *Increases mental fitness, cognitive alertness, and physical acuity* *Enhances athletic performance and endurance* *Boosts energy and serves as a daily pick-me-up*  See, doesn't that sound like something EVERYONE needs in their life?  I know I do!  Even Young Living's founder, Gary Young LOVES NITRO.  At the 2013 Convention he said, "I can't give you more time, but I can give you more energy."  You can see more of why Nitro (along with the amazing propterties of Ningxia Red) is the answer to the energy question by reading HERE.

  So, how do you Nitro?  Let me tell you, there is no wrong way!!  You can slurp it right out of the tube or you can enjoy it mixed with another drink or smoothie.  The possibilities are limitless.  My favorite way to enjoy Nitro is to add it to my morning smoothie.  I start with our homemade goat's milk yogurt.  Then I add fresh & frozen fruit, a little Ningxia Red, a tiny splash of maple syrup, & a tube Nitro.   Then I'll usually add an essential oil for enhance flavor.  A smoothie of this caliber is sure to power me through my morning!!

Nitro is also a perfect pick-me-up for that afternoon slump we all hit.  Instead of reaching for the coffee or energy drink, why not grab a Nitro?  It is so much better for you. Here are more ways to use YL's Nitro.

Nitro along with Ningxia Red is a powerful way to start your day.  Try it the next time you need an extra kick of energy. 

One of my goals of this series is to get myself back into exercising & taking care of myself.  I mean, I can't take care of my family if I don't take care of myself, right?  So, I'm really enjoying slurping a Nitro before a brisk walk. 

What is your favorite way to have your Nitro?

Spring Into Wellness ~ Power Meal

I have always like the idea of "meal replacement shakes" when I'm trying to diet & lose weight.  Somehow it helps me better manage my calories by having something like that & just know, "Okay, this is breakfast."  Well, by this point in this series, you have to know that Young Living has the perfect product for that purpose.  I'm talking about Power Meal.  I love to use Power Meal to make my smoothies at home.  It is super easy & yummy.  I throw in come fresh & frozen fruit.  Then I use my homemade goat's milk yogurt, Ningxia Red, a tiny splash of maple syrup, & Power Meal.  After I blend all that up, I add whichever essential oil I want to add flavor to my smoothie.  This morning I used Citrus Fresh.  I know that when I make a smoothie like this, I am getting full & complete nutrition.  And I can certainly feel it throughout the morning.  I have a little extra pep in my step & stay full much longer. 

Power Meal is rich in calcium, antioxidants & amino acids, & it delivers an impressive 20 grams of protein per serving  plus a complete vitamin, mineral and enzyme profile.  How's that for whole nutrition!?!  I have found Power Meal to be  a delicious, satisfying, rice-based meal replacement.

 How do you know you're getting the BEST nutrition.  For me, the thing that "sold" me on YL is the Seed To Seal process.  This is completely unique to Young Living.  No other company out there can offer this kind of purity promise.  And because of their integrity, they will not compromise on this process.  It is truly top notch.  Here is a link for you to check out more on the Seed to Seal.  Check out the amazing process Young Living goes through to create all of their top notch nutritional supplements & see this great list of products from Young Living to aid in weight management.

Which products have you tried or are you looking forward to trying to reach your health & fitness goals?

Spring Into Wellness ~ Slique

Have you heard of Slique?  Young Living has an entire Slique product line specifically designed to help us reach our fitness goals while using good for you products. Slique Essence combines grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, spearmint, and ocotea with stevia extract in a unique blend that supports healthy weight management goals. These ingredients work together to help control hunger, especially when used in conjunction with Slique Tea or the Slique Kit. The pleasant citrus combination of grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon essential oils adds a flavorful and uplifting element to any day with the added support of spearmint that may help with digestion. Ocotea essential oil adds an irresistible, cinnamon-like aroma to help control hunger, while stevia adds an all-natural sweetener that provides a pleasant taste with no added calories.  This is a wonderful line of products & there is something for just about every need you have.

A couple of drops of Slique Essence in your daily shot of Ningxia Red makes for a great start to the day.  The Slique bars are a delicious way to take your healthy lifestyle on the go.  I keep a couple of these bars in the car.

I'm looking forward to trying more of these products & learning how to use them to reach my health goals!!  I'm so thankful to have found Young Living & to know the dedication they put in to having quality products available to us.  I need the BEST help available.........I've got a long way to go to hit my goals!!

Here are a couple of really helpful posts from the Young Living Blog about SLIQUE  & SLIQUE COLLECTIONS. These are fabulous products to help you reach your goals!!  

Spring Into Wellness ~ Ocotea & Cinnamon Bark

Today we'll turn our focus to two oils that help your body maintain healthy function. The first oil that we'll talk about is Ocotea.  Ocotea is extracted from an Ecuadorian tree & it has the highest level of alpha humulene of any Young Living essential oil, which is a compound that helps aid the body's natural response to irritation and injury. Ocotea also has natural cleansing and purifying properties.  Now I'll share some ways to use Ocotea:

Here is an article with more information & uses of Ocotea.

Let's also look at Cinnamon Bark.  The warm, spicy aroma of cinnamon has been sought throughout the ages both as a valuable commodity & for its ability to improve wellness. Cinnamon is thought to promote healthy cardiovascular & immune function. You can also use it to enhance your cooking, or dilute and massage into chakras to create a soothing, relaxing sensation. 

We'll talk later this week about the Slique product line, but here is a YL blog post using Cinnamon Bark in a recipe.

I love this plan for using these oils.  In fact, I have me about two weeks worth of capsules already made & I'm keeping them in the freezer (I'm doing this so the citrus oils won't eat through the capsule before I can take them).  Have you tried this?  What were your results? 

Spring Into Wellness ~ Workout Performance & Recovery

Exercise............love it or hate it, it is something we all desperately need. I
 know this lady right now does not get enough of it!!  But we all know we need to take care of our body......we only get one!!  We have to take care of our body through  diet & exercise.  
So, in this post I'll be sharing some of my favorite exercise oils.  There are oils & other products that are beneficial for pre-workout & post-workout.  Some of the oils shown in this post will be discussed in greater detail later this week.
This graphic just happens to have some of my favorite products listed.....Deep Relief!!!  It is amazing......sore muscles, headache, knee pain, back pain, shoulder pain. I could go on & on.  Deep Relief is a convenient roll on blend containing Peppermint, Lemon, Balsam Canada, Clove, Copaiba, Wintergreen, Vetiver, Dorado Azul, Helichrysum, & Coconut oil.  WOW!!  What a powerhouse!! Besides all that it has a energizing & invigorating scent. Now, do you understand why I won't be without?? 

 Besides already being AWESOME, now our roll ons have brand new gorgeous packaging!!! 

 














Sore muscles are just a part of exercising.  We all know this.  I think it helps when we know safe ways to help us deal with & relieve the pain.  Panaway is another fabulous blend by Young Living.  Think of it this way:  Panaway = PAINaway.  :)  Make sense?  Panaway contains Wintergreen, Helichrysum, Clove, & Peppermint.  Here is what Young Living says about Panaway:  "

PanAway® was created by Gary Young following a severe injury to the ligaments in his leg. Containing wintergreen essential oil, which is often used for massage, PanAway is soothing to the skin while providing comforting warmth to muscles after exercise."  Young Living also offers these tips for using Panaway: Product Tips

• Rub PanAway essential oil blend across your lower back if you feel discomfort from sitting in front of a computer.
• Rub PanAway essential oil blend on muscles to help alleviate stressed muscles or other physical discomforts.
• Rub PanAway essential oil blend on your temples to ease minor head tension.

 Recently I developed some sort of problem in my left shoulder.  It didn't bother me all the time, but it was especially tender if I slept on my left side or did too much lifting & pulling during the day.  During this time I decided to sweep our garage out for my hubby while he was at work one day.  We live on a mini farm.......full of dust & dirt & grass.  So, the garage was in horrible shape.  Our driveway is gravel & when it is dry is super dusty & when it rains it is super muddy.  So this does not bode well for our garage.  Our vehicles bring in either dust or mud.  So I spent about an hour sweeping all the mud/dust out of the garage.  Now, this is not traditional exercise, but let me tell you, I burned some calories that afternoon.  When I was about halfway through I could tell that it was a mistake for my shoulder that I had done this.  That evening I was hurting BAD!!  So, I alternated a couple of roll ons on my shoulder.  I started with Deep Relief.  Then I used a "Pain Bomb" blend that I made myself.  In it I put Panaway, Peppermint, Valor, Lemongrass, & Copaiba. I put in about 10 drops of each essential oil & then filled the bottle with grapeseed oil.  This recipe is "the BOMB!"  After alternating these two roll ons, I woke the next morning & was almost 100% pain free in my shoulder!!!   

Lemongrass & Copaiba are two wonderful oils from Young Living.  So many therapeutic properties.  Lemongrass is know to support overall well-being and I personally find that helps help tension & pain for me.  Copaiba is a powerful essential oil from South America.  It supports the body's natural response to irritation & injury.  This makes it a perfect fit for use after workouts & exercise.  Copaiba also acts as a magnifier.....meaning whatever you pair it with, it will "magnify" that oil's properties.  I discovered Copaiba when it came to be as a freebie one month and boy am I glad I got that freebie!! It has truly become a favorite oil of ours. Here is some more information from Young Living about Copaiba Essential Oil. 

No matter what kind of exercise you're doing you can be confident knowing that Young Living has the best oils & products for you.  Whether you are doing yoga or running or anything in between. 

  Here are just a few more tips & ideas for your workout & recovery part 1
 & part 2.
So, now tell me, what are YOUR favorite YL products for your exercise program?

Spring Into Wellness ~ PLG Trio

I cannot believe we are already to week 4 of our Spring Into Wellness series.  This has been so much fun & so great for ME...........I hope you've been able to get at least half as much from this as I have.  WOW!! I continued to be amazed each day by these essential oils & other products & supplements.  I am so thankful that I found this incredible company to help me take natural, pure care of my family!!!  

So, this month we've taken a specific health focus for each week.  I've tried to share some of Young Living's amazing products & supplements with you along with their essential oils.  For this last week in the series we will be focusing on Diet/Exercise.  I mean, seriously, who doesn't need this??  I'd venture to say that almost everyone we know has made these statements, "I'd like to lose a little (a lot) of weight.", "I'd like to be in better shape."  I saved this topic for the last week because it is the one that I need help with the most.  I've struggled with my weight most of my adult life.  It seems I've never been satisfied with my body.  I've tried every quick fix out there.  Now that I've hit 40 I know my battle is going to get that much harder.  So, at this point in my life, I do not want a quick fix.......I just want pure, natural, good for me products that are going to help me take care of my body.  Do I still want to lose weight??  YES!!  Do I still want to look better??  YES!!  BUT my main focus now is NOT to be skinny or hit a certain number on the scales.  My focus now is to make MY body the best it can be & the healthiest it can be.  I will be sharing products, supplements, & oils this week that can aid me (& you) in life's health journey.  I hope you find this helpful.  As always, feel free to ask me any questions that you have OR if you've decided to join the oil train, message me & I'll gladly help you get started!!

The first thing we'll talk about is a well know little "trio" of oils.  These are used by lots of people to help aid their bodies into losing weight.  The three oils I'm talk about are Peppermint, Lemon, & Grapefruit.  Each of these oils is capable of doing great things on their own. When you use them together.......WOW!!!!  I'm including several amazing graphics to help you see what these oils can support your body to.  All three of these oils can be used aromatically, topically, & internally.  

Can you believe there are so many uses & ways to use these oils??

 

 

I am also going to include some graphics that share ideas on how to use these oils.  There are so many ways!!!  Some of these I have tried & others I have not yet.  I'm excited to have new ways to help me meet my health goals!!!  Which ideas do you see that you'd like to try?

We have already talked earlier this month about the amazing Ningxia Red.  I believe this is something everyone she have daily!!  Over the past several months I have participated in two "30 Day Ningxia Red" challenges.  And it is unreal just how much better & more energetic I feel when I'm having my daily red.  So, why not up the benefits by adding the oils that will aid in a healthier body?

 Only Peppermint & Grapefruit are pictured, but lemon is also a very nice addition to the red!! 

We all know that one key to losing weight & being healthy is to stay hydrated.  I'm gonna be completely real & honest with y'all.......this is an area that I need MAJOR improvement in.  I honestly just cannot stand water!!!  I wish I did.  I will try to make myself drink enough water & most of the time I end of gagging.  I have had plenty of times when I could tell that my body was dehydrated.  So, I've got to figure out a way to change that.  I love the idea in this graphic......adding these citrus oils to water does seem to help me drink more.  Now to just stay focused & do it daily!!!  What are your favorite oils to use in your water.  **Note:  When adding citrus oils to your water, make sure that you are drinking from a glass or stainless steel cup.  Citrus oils will pull toxins from plastic.  So, if you're drinking from a plastic cup, you will be ingesting the toxins while I drinking your water!!  YUCK!!!! 

Do you have tips on how you make sure to get enough water?  I'd love to hear them.  Here are ore ways to up your HYDRATION.

Spring Into Wellness ~ Tranquil

Let's continue our discussion this week about using Young Living products to enhance our sleep.  We all know that quality sleep is a vital component to our overall well-being.  I'm sure we are like all other families out there & we have our own bedtime routine.  

I remember when I had my first child I was told by so many that a bedtime routine was so important to get them to sleep through the night.  So, I tried desparately to have a consistent bedtime routine.  Guess what???  She still did NOT sleep through the night!!!  Bless her, she didn't sleep through the night until she was about 4 years old.  NOW she sleeps great.  Anyway, when I figured out that a rigid routine was not going to work for her, I relaxed.  No need to stress over a routine that is not working, right.  Even though I relaxed, we still had a "bedtime routine."  I think that is normal for most people.  We all have things that we do to settle down in the evenings.  It may be as simple as watching a favorite TV show to relax or it may involve many more steps.  

At our home we all have our own way of getting ready for sleep. After supper the girls get to play outside for a while.  Then it is bathtime.  After baths, we sometimes have a bedtime cartoon.  After the cartoon it is time for everyone to apply their oils.   Most of the time I already have the diffuser ready to turn on.  I usually diffuse lavender & cedarwood.  If we are dealing with anything else, I will add more oils accordingly (high stress day = Stress Away, coughs & stuffy noses = RC or Eucalyptus, germs = Thieves &/or Purification, etc...).  

For my husband, it is as simple as rolling on some Tranquil.  With its soft, pleasant aroma it will help relax your body in just a few minutes.  

 Tranquil is a blend of lavender, cedarwood, roman chamomile, & coconut oil.  The fact that it comes in a roll-on makes it that much better.  It is perfectly convenient & portable.  My husband & I love to use Tranquil right before bedtime.  My oldest daughter also uses it at bedtime along with something other oils to help her relax from her day.  

 Young Living has recently revamped all of the roller bottles!!  Look how pretty they are!!! 

If you are looking for something new to try to help you sleep, give Tranquil a try.  I truly believe you'll be very glad that you did!!! 

Spring Into Wellness ~ Cedarwood

This week we've been discussing ways to get a better night's sleep.  By this point we all know that sleep, enough good, quality sleep is vital to one's health.  Now let's discuss another oil that is a wonderful edition to your bedtime routine. 

I am talking about Cedarwood.  Cedarwood's warm, woodsy aromo creates a relaxing, calming, & comforting atmosphere. Cedarwood works on the limbic region of the brain (the center of emotions) & the pineal gland.  It stimulates the release of melatonin.  I love to use Cedarwood in the diffuser at night while we sleep.  I usually pair it with Lavender.  Such a relaxing scent that really helps us wind down & sleep.  Another great way of using Cedarwood for sleep is to make a bedtime rub that is safe for the whole family to use. 

 

Have you tried Cedarwood yet?  What do you use it for?

Spring Into Wellnes ~ Peace & Calming

Did you know that you have flex points on the bottom of your feet?  If you have ever studied reflexology then this will be familiar to you. There are flex points on the bottom of your feet that are connected to each area of your body.  This is so fascinating to me.  How does this relate to your Spring Into Wellness Series??  Well, because I've learned during my time using essential oils that if you are in doubt about where to apply an oil, then always go to the bottom of your feet.  You'll never miss there!! 

Peace & Calming is a gentle, comforting blend that freshens the air & creates a calm, peaceful atmosphere throughout the home.  This blend works particularly well on my youngest daughter.  She is past taking naps most days now, but when I first got my kit, she was still napping daily.  I made a prediluted roller bottle of Peace & Calming just for her.  At naptime we would get in the rocking chair & I would roll some P&C on the bottom of her feet.  She also wanted a tiny drop on the tip of her nose so she could smell it.  To this day she says it is her favorite oil to smell!!  We would only have to rock for 15-20 minutes & she would be asleep.........& not just asleep, but MOUTH HANGING OPENED ASLEEP!! Just like MAGIC!!!  

Peace & Calming can completely relax your body & mind.  It is great to diffuse before bedtime.  Check out some other ways it can be used: 

• Massage Peace & Calming essential oil blend on the reflex points of the feet and back of the neck for a soothing and relaxing effect.
• Rub Peace & Calming essential oil blend on feet to release tension and promote a good night’s rest.
• Rub Peace & Calming essential oil blend behind overactive pets’ ears after an afternoon of playing with the kids.

Peace & Calming also helps me relax after exercising.  I prefer to exercise in the mornings (right now, I'm trying to get myself back into a routine), but sometimes life doesn't allow this & I have to exercise in the evenings.  When I do this my legs get really restless.  A little Peace & Calming & Lavender applied to my calf muscles really calms them down so I can sleep!!

Check out a few more ideas on how to use Peace & Calming.

Spring Into Wellness ~ Valor

If you've been around Young Living any length of time you know that the oil blend known as Valor is the same as liquid gold!!!  It is a highly sought after blend that is so popular that it spends much of its time out of stock.  Valor is one of those products that I always have on my order when it is available & I always get the maximum that I'm allotted. This blend must be amazing to be so wildly popular, right?  Why is everyone buying & hording & celebrating when they get their hands on a bottle?  

Valor is another oil blend that provides beneficial & therapeutic properties for so many things...........from spinal pain & alignment to anxious energy to low self confidence to sleep to snoring!!  Yep, you read that right.........SNORING!!!!  Did you know that snoring is the primary cause of sleep disruption for approximately 90 million American adults???  Amazing!!!  Now you also know...........there's an oil for that!!!!  A drop of Valor on the bottom of the big toe will alleviate snoring for most people.  Go ahead, give it a try!!!!  

Valor also helps promote relaxation & calming so that you can get a good, sound night's sleep.  I have also discovered that Valor helps eliminate teeth grinding. My oldest daughter & I both grind our teeth at night.  So, at bedtime we put a little Valor on our lower jaw.  It helps ease the tension & relax the jaw so that we don't grind our teeth.  That makes us ALL sleep better!!!

So, who all has a stash of this amazing oil blend??  I know I do..........there'll be good sleep at this house. 

Spring Into Wellness ~ Lavender

Wow.............so hard to believe that we are already starting week 3 in our Spring Into Wellness series!!  Time really does fly by!!  This week our health focus is on SLEEP!!!!  It is something we all need!!!  And I would imagine there are very few people who are actually get the recommended amount of quality sleep!!  Sleep is just as important to our health as diet & exercise.  A healthy adult typically needs 7-9 hours of sleep a night!!  If sleep is this important for our bodies, don't you think we ought to figure out ways to help ourselves get a proper amount of quality sleep??  Seems logical to me......

The first oil we will look at for sleep is Lavender.  Lavender is often called the "Swiss Army Knife" of oils because of all the great properties it possesses.  Lavender is naturally a very calming & relaxing oil.  This makes it perfect for soothing your body into a blissful night of sleep!! 

Just look at all the amazing things this oil can do!!!!  Lavender is a daily oil at our house.....for everything from allergies to burns to bug bites to skin irritations to sleep to anxiety (Swiss Army knife,remember??)  For sleep it works really well for my husband to take 4 drops in a capsule with olive oil.  My oldest daughter also likes to apply lavender to the back of her neck before bedtime.  

Is Lavender part of your bedtime routine?  I'd love to hear how you use it in your home.  Here are more ideas for implementing your SNOOZE ROUTINE.  

Just one more really cool thing to share........I have also used Lavender oil in my kitchen.  Last summer we made some lovely Lavender lemonade.  And this cookie recipe is one my girls ask for often!!!  Try it out & let me know what you think!!!