Saving Chickens, Tending my Children

I have to start this post off by saying its not exactly related to essential oils....Ok its not related to essential oils AT ALL actually. But it IS related to my life as a knowledge seeking, sprout eating, garden growing hippie, and I think there's a little bit of that in all of us oil users ;)

About two months ago my sister in law and I decided we really wanted chickens. We love the idea of having our own eggs, produced on our own "land", that contained the vital nutrients that most eggs are missing. We would feed said chickens a diet rich in organic foods, our own table scraps, and no soy. So our husbands rolled their eyes and started building us a chicken coop and run. Then we got chicks. And they were so cute!

See?! Little fuzz balls the kids could play with, we could hold and coddle...


Then they grew up a bit. They were creating so much dust in my house it was undheard of. (See my last post about dust, here). It was time they head outside. So off they went, into the great unknown of the fenced in chicken run in our very own backyard.

They were hesitant to come our, but in the end didn't want to go back into their little box. But they were pretty smart, and once the heat lamp turned back on inside, they were cuddled up under it, getting warm and sleeping soundly after their adventurous day.

Out they went for day two, and this time when I brought them inside they didn't get the heat lamp. Then day three they were out and slept outside, but with a heat lamp...because its still chilly at night and they don't have all their outer feathers yet. Which brings me to day four.

I walked outside after we had some spouts of rain here and there, just making sure the chickens were smart enough to go in their hen house. Of course they werent. They were huddled under the ramp to the hen house, but not in the house. Ugh. Ok, in I go, showing them the way into their new home. One, two, three, four, five. Wait. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Wheres the sixth one? I'm missing a black chick! I looked and looked and she was all the way in the corner, under the house, wet and lifeless. I panicked, got my sister in law, Angie, and proceeded to pick up the little chick. She was breathing, just barely, but when I picked her up she was limp. Eyes shut, head hung, on her death bed. We wrapped her in a microfiber towel (warmest small thing I could find!) and I placed her like a baby in my arms, right under my bosom. Warmest place I could think of for the immediate time. Angie suggested a rice pack and went to do some research. We got all warm (it was already 86 degrees inside and I was sweating...but bring on a hot rice pack!) and I dropped a few drops of water in her mouth. Holding tight, I would rub her every so often. My eldest daughter, Elli, would help, suggesting I place the towel under her wing, on the down feathers which were wet. This helped immensly.

Angie came over and told us there was information online regarding chicks getting wet then coming back to life....there was hope! We kept doing what we were doing and slowly but surely the little chick would move, or stretch her head. She started making small chirping noises without opening her mouth, then opened her eyes here and there. She was exhausted, but alive!

After about two hours of holding her close....and holding my breath....she had made a full comeback. I placed her in a box and she wobbled a bit, so I grabbed her for about twenty more minutes. Then kept her quarantined to make sure there were no other signs of illness, then placed her with her sisters at 11pm, under the warmth of the heat lamp. I still can't get the image of her lifeless body so matted by wet down and her eyes closed and head hanging. That night we brought life into something almost dead.

Go ahead, call me Dr. Jenn if you wish. My eldest is now officially Dr. Elli ;)

This is such an unexpected part of raising chickens...the fact that I feel like a mother hen to these babies, and while I tend my children daily, I now have six new little ones to watch after and care for. Our previously unnamed little miracle chicken now has a name: Angel.

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

Dust, dust, everywhere...I have an oil for that!

After living in the desert (Las Vegas) for three years, I have acquired a sort of acceptance of dust. Dust is everywhere in the desert, especially where I lived, which was on the outskirts of the city, with lots of empty lots and open dirt. Needless to say, that dirt and dust would gather on the streets, the sidewalks, and in our little cul de sac like shared driveway. And then it would whisp its way into our house every time a door was opened or closed, someone walked in with their shoes on (or adversely, if someone walked out without their shoes on, then back in...), and through the windows. I would dust every other day and there would still be dust. The rain would come once a year and the dust would sort of wash off the sidewalks and what not, but it would never truly go away.

Fast forward to the present, where dust hasn't been a big issue. Minot, ND has a lot of great things about it, one being the minimal dust output ;) Then we got chicks. In the house. They're all cute and fuzzy for about a week and a half, then they start to put real feathers out, and flapping around, and all their cuteness dissipates. Now I still love our chickies...I mean we named them after all, but their dust output is ridiculous. After researching and fumbling around pinterest a bit, I found a great recipe to help with all the dust and grossness of chicken dust!

Dust Buster Spray

sourced from Laura Sue Shaw and adapted by Skeptical Me

1 tsp vinegar

5 drops doTERRA lemon essential oil

1 tsp olive oil

3 oz water

Directions: Place first two ingredients in a glass spray bottle. I used a 4 oz size like she suggested in her blog, then fill with the 3 oz of water (or fill to the top if using a 4 oz bottle). Shake before each use, and spray a few sprays on a microfiber cloth and dust away!

Now here's a few fun tips I wanted to share with you....you don't need a special 4 oz glass bottle to use this spray! Did you know that regular sprayer bottle head will fit onto an old vinegar bottle? Double or tripple this recipe and use an old glass vinegar bottle, top with the sprayer from a dollar store spray bottle and you are set to use your dust spray that cost $0.20 for five drops of oil, a few pennies for the vinegar and olive oil and a free bottle. Cheaper than anything I've seen on the market, and way better for you and your house. Want to know why? Here we go!

Lemon essential oil is an antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral oil. In one study on bread, lemon essential oil was actually effective against two kinds of mold! So all those gross chicken dusties which likely contained their droppings and what have you, are disinfected :) Yay! On top of the sanitizing aspects, a component of lemon essential oil (citral) has been proven as an antidepressant in its study with rats and stress levels (Modern Essentials, 2012). Say, what?! Not just a theory on maybe helping stress levels...there are tests and study's that have been conducted. I love this oil. And its one of the most least expensive oils. I love this oil.

Before I peace out for the night, I wanted to share with you my reasons for altering this recipe ever so slightly. Mostly, I have read several things over the years stating how olive oil can help to polish wood furniture, and since I'm super paranoid about the effects of vinegar on my wood, I decided the olive oil would be a nice touch...and it is! It leaves things smooth and it collects dust less which is huge for our house!

So until the chicks are full time outside birds, I will be dusting often and disinfecting at the same time ;) Why not save some money yourself and try it out. Let me know how it goes for you!

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

Oh doTERRA you've done it again...Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex

New Products!

So every spring doTERRA tends to bring out a few new products to keep us oil obsessers happy.

Ok maybe its more for the world to benefit from the amazingness of essential oils...but I'm pretty sure it would be detrimental to doTERRA if they didn't introduce a new product every now and then, because they'd have a lot of angry oilers knocking on their door.

First, I had my doubts. Why change something up when there is so much good already? But then I saw the Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex. Oh my. A pill form of antioxidants that contain frankincense, curcumin (from turmeric), ginger root extract, green tea leaf extract (caffeine free), pomegranate fruit extract, and grape seed extract. On top of those amazing ingredients, doTERRA has a "tummy tamer" blend which helps aid in the distribution of the ingredients without upsetting your stomach. That blend includes ginger, peppermint, and caraway.

So right now, you're probably thinking "great...what does it all mean?!". I've totally been there. And I have found that the more research you do, the more you know...and the more you know, the happier you will be with doTERRA ;) So the Deep Blue line of products from doTERRA is geared towards muscle help. Relieving soar or hurt muscles after exercise, a poor nights sleep, or even after injury, deep blue has been there for me! So when this new "pill form" came out, I was super excited! I read up on the ingredients and I read doTERRA's little "cheat sheet" on it, here, and this is what I found...if you don't want to read it all yourself....cause we all know my blog is more entertaining! ;)

Boswellia seratta extract (Indian Frankinsense) is actually not an essentail oil, but rather an extract like it states. It has been used in Indian culture Ayurvedic medicine and has an established reign on soothing properties. I actually took this one step further and looked up Ayurvedic medicine and discovered that Ayurvedic was recorded over 5,000 years ago in Sanskrit not one, but four sacred texts (University of Minnesota, 2015). If something has been working for 5,000 years...who am I to turn my nose up at it?!

Secondly I want to give a little personal story about turmeric. When I was sick this winter, my friend suggested I start taking "golden honey". I raised my eyebrows and asked what the heck that was. Isn't honey always golden? She explained to me that you add turmeric into honey and take a teaspoon every hour for the first day, taper off the second, and complete the honey until its done on the third. I thought it was gross but totally willing to give it a try...because I'm crazy now. And it was amazing! I was feeling better, and better yet? This was something safe I could give to my kids! Win, win!

I wanted to share this little excerpt from the www.whfoods.org on why turmeric is also good for muscles and inflammation!

"The volatile oil fraction of turmeric has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin's anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as Motrin. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity."

Now I could go on and talk about all the qualities of this polyphenol complex, but I think the first two ingredients along with the tummy tamer blend is enough to go on! And on top of the science, I have a real story to put behind this new vitamin. I hurt my wrist a few weeks ago, but don't ask how because I have no idea! I just know that when I would turn the doorknob or push our backyard gate open, my wrist would shoot a little pain up my arm, reminding me to back off and let it rest! So I started taking the deep blue polyphenol complex and within a week my wrist was back to normal! I can't even give credit to anything else, as I've been trying to cut back on any NSAIDS and over the counter pain relievers, the only thing I started doing was taking the complex! I just added it in once a day (even though the bottle suggests twice a day, I wanted to start small and see what would happen), and voila! Here I am, typing away without pain :)

The moral of this story, is doTERRA introduces new products for all the right reasons. Its not to make a quick buck, but rather to deliver the best possible quality ingredients to the world without the side effects of over the counter medications. Cause those, my friends, are a real pain. Just as my dad who had bleeding ulcers in his intestines...likely due to overuse of NSAIDS. That's a whole other story! Next time :) For now, I will leave you with my happy story of overcoming a sad wrist, and my ever growing love for my oils and their companions :)

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer
jennifergraves.doterra@gmail.com

If you want to find out more about essential oils and holistic pain management skills, (and happen to live in the Minot, ND area!), join me June 11th, at 6:30pm in the Minot Public Library's South Meeting Room! Lots of great information and way more than I could write in a single blog post :)

Out with the old, in with the new

Attitude, that is. My life seems to revolve around the notion that I get to reward myself for doing things that are natural requirements of life. Things that have existed for thousands of years, and all of a sudden I (and in my hopeful thinking, most of my generation) feel is "extra". Why, I ask you readers, is it necessary for me to grab that piece of chocolate and indulge because I've had a rough day? Is it really ok if I get to take an extra long shower because I need to de-stress an extra amount of time tonight since I had to stay up with one of the girls later than the norm? The answer is no, of course. And let me tell you why.

First of all, we all need to have a moment to ourselves. I genuinely believe that without a little "me time", a mama would lose her mind and become momster. That beast your children all know is lurking behind the smile and calm voice...I'm sure most of my friends have met my momster and thank goodness they are still my friends ;) Without further digression, I want to point out that while this mom time is deserved, its not something you should feel awarded. Let me tell you a story.

I married my husband while he was in his first year in the United States Navy. We went through some struggles as all newly weds do, as far as fighting because he's mean, or fighting because she is lazy....yes all things that were implied but never said to each others faces ;) And then we grew up a little and realized that our time together was far too short to be arguing over silly things that meant nothing. Discuss them and move on. Then we had our sweet baby girl Elli. She was quite the colic prone babe, and as much as I rocked, carried, bounced her, or eliminated EVERYTHING from my diet, she was still an upset little girl. I finally started her on formula and she was happier...albeit still a tad cranky, but much better than on breast milk. And looking back I wish I would have stuck it out and done more research, but alas, I didn't know any better and the past is the past. So my mind set started there.

Alone day in and day out, with a baby who seemingly wanted to send me to the looney bin. I didn't have very many friends in Virginia either. In fact I had one, and she lived a ways away so we never saw each other more than a couple times a month. So there we were. Me. Elli. And my entitlement to special treatment. She would go down for a full nights sleep early on, and I was finally able to cook or clean or read or watch tv and just be me....and often that included food. I would reward myself with something yummy from the deli and bakery sections (cheese and bread....mmm), and indulge is crummy tv or video games and let loose.

Then we moved to Hawaii.

You would think this was great, and for the most part, honestly, it was. Who doesn't love paradise? Except when your husband is gone 10-14 days a month in addition to 6 months a year, and working 5am-9pm any day his submarine was actually in port...and then he would spend the night there every third night. So basically in any given month (not on 6 month deployment) I would see him approximately 101 hours. And he was usually asleep. Oh how the entitlement grew! I deserved time to myself, life was hard, I needed this or that and I earned it!

Now I'm not going to go through my life from that point on but you get the idea. We had two more kids, I felt more worthy of special treatment and a good pat on the back, even if from myself, and life went on. We got out of the military and moved to North Dakota. Well we hit a point in our lives recently when my husband was able to be home with us for two months and during that time I took full advantage. I got to sleep in every other day (we take turns), I could nap if I wanted, I shared the housework with him, I went to the grocery store without the kids...life was good. Then he went to work. And I found myself dreading him being gone and me "having" to do all this alone. Well guess what? Thats life! I should be in no way rewarded for the fact that I get up in the morning whenever the first kid awakes. I shouldn't get a pat on the back for singing songs and teaching my three year old her abc's and 123's. And I really shouldn't feel bogged down because I have to spend time with my 7 year old during her "stay up time" where she gets to stay up an hour later than her sisters. I should be grateful that my husband has chosen a career path where I am lucky enough the be able to stay home with my girls. I am their mother, first and foremost.

I found that in my mind, I would become so centered on the fact that it was all about me..and I would forget that the good things in life are the three angels sitting in front of me. My one, two, three blessings. The reasons I want to wake in the morning. The purpose of my existence. I didn't need food, or massages, or a long shower to realize that I was enjoying life and all that comes with it. I'm happy, and boy am I happier than ever.

So what changed? Of course having my husband ground me helped, but I feel like this all started when I started breathing in the Balance essential oil blend. It has such a profound grounding feeling, and no matter if I diffuse it, rub it on my feet/neck/chest, or simply rub my hands together with a drop in there and inhale, I find such a sense of anxiety release. Between balance and serenity, I dont know where my life would be. I am sleeping better, feeling better, and ultimately with those two things in check, I'm eating better and acting better. My kids are seeing a more delightful me, and I'm so happy.

I know I talk a lot about how much I love my doTERRA oils, but I don't know how to say it any other way. They are changing my life, and with the help of my up-line I am truly blessed to be growing my business by sharing what I love so passionately. I'm not selling something no one needs...I'm selling something I personally use every day and honestly couldn't live without. And I'm not even selling it...I feel like I am sharing it. I want the people I love the most to be involved in something natural and pure that works. I couldn't imagine my life would have taken this turn but I'm so glad it did and I can't wait to see whats in store.

Good Night!

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

Serenity

Lately I've been a tad more stressed out than normal. Maybe its the change of weather...maybe its the anticipation of a very fun but also slightly stressful vacation coming up...or perhaps its the enormous semi truck we just spent our life savings on. I think its the latter.

While literally breaking out in hives on our way to buy said truck today, I kept thinking what in the world I would break out in hives over!? I didn't change any detergents or face wash or moisturizers (two out of three things on that list are coconut oil...haha) and I certainly didn't rub my face and neck on some unknown surface...so whats going on? Then it hit me: I'm super stressed out! I have a place to live now and things died down for a little...but then they were dead. Hammer a nail in my coffin, dead. Nothing was happening, including my husband hanging around waiting for his new job to start. Which is great and we had a lot of things to get done with the new house....but then we just gave our money to get this big shiny blue truck. And even I have to admit its pretty cool....and I'm not a truck buff.

So when I went to go out for an evening tonight with a girlfriend, I decided I needed something to calm down with, but not put me to sleep. I didn't think I was outwardly stressed out, but rather repressively so. I looked at my arsenal of oils and decide the Serenity blend would be my best bet. I dabbed a drop on my finger and rubbed it behind my ears, then the residue I rubbed into my temples a little...just to get the residual off my fingers ;) I was feeling more relaxed tonight than I had all week...and I didn't really know anything was bothering me!

Here's why it works: Lavender is the first ingredient in Serenity and everyone knows how lavender is great for sleep, but one of the properties of lavender is a sedative. It was actually found that mice exposed to lavender oil exhibited anti-conflict behaviors, as well as patients who receive aromatherapy with lavender oil had lower anxiety levels than those who didn't.

Sweet Marjoram Leaf and Roman Chamomile both have relaxation and calming properties as well and Ylang Ylang also has sedative capabilities just like sandalwood does. Many people have probably heard of sandalwood candles and lavender candles, but the other ingredients carry the same properties or even complimenting abilities to make serenity work so well.

The last ingredient is Vanilla Bean Extract. Because really, who doesn't like a little vanilla bean scent to bring everything together and tie in one last calming factor!

So there you have it...I haven't had any more hives tonight and I have felt my jaw loosening up....which is a huge reason I haven't been sleeping well at night. My jaw is so dang sore in the morning I can only imagine I had been clenching it all night long and my TMJ issues are arising again. Sad. As for now I'm going to rub more serenity behind my ears and get into pajamas and sleep the night away. I will post a Serenity Cheat Sheet another night, promise ;)

Update: I feel amazing :) And here is the cheat sheet as promised!

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

Slim and Sassy!

By the name of it you should already be aware that this is a blend of oils that help you to lose weight, keep weight off, curb appetite and all that wonderful business that goes along with trying to reach your goal weight while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Slim & Sassy can be used in so many different ways and there are shakes and even soft gel tablets that can be taken!

To preface this, doTERRA has a whole graph designing how your lifestyle should be lived which can be found here, and it states that eating right and exercising are the most important aspects of not only weight management but LIVING! EVERYONE should be exercising to keep their hearts healthy, their muscles strong, their body active. EVERYONE should be eating the best food they can get their hands on. Food that doesn't have GMO's , pesticides, hormone changing chemicals, and properties our bodies can't digest. Those two things are more important than using doTERRA oils. Now once you have that figured out and are changing your minds way of processing all that information that has been taught to us...then you are on the way to using oils the most effective way :)

Slim & Sassy can be taken internally by adding a few drops (2-4 is my preference) to a glass (8 ounces) of water and taking it a few hours before and after meals. This helps curb your appetite and calm your stomach. You are also less likely (in my personal opinion) to want to snack when you are drinking a flavored drink! So much healthier for you than soda or an energy drink, but gives you a little pick me up with its invigorating lemon and ginger oils as well as help you digest your meals and fend off hunger with grapefruit and peppermint oils. Add cinnamon to this mixture which enhances the action of the other oils and you are set up to have a healthy day.

Now my personal favorite use for Slim & Sassy is wrapping! I have just started doing it and have been so impressed with the results I can't even tell you! I could show you all the pictures out there of people who have had success with it....but why do that when I can show you me!? Its a little difficult to share my bare belly, I have to admit, but I am working on myself becoming a healthier person inside and out and well...that takes a little time when you've had three kids and the pooch to prove it ;) I'm hoping continued applications of a Slim & Sassy wrap will prove exciting results :)

To apply a wrap yourself all you need is the Slim & Sassy essential oil blend, plastic wrap or a long piece of muslin...and that's it! Add a few drops of the oil to your problem area...or in my case a few on my belly pooch...a drop on each hip...you know...all those fun places...and then wrap yourself up! Don't forget to measure yourself before you apply though...and take a picture! It is so encouraging to see the results in still shots. Drink lots of water while you wait 1-2 hours, and by lots I mean at least 16 ounces, but I'm pretty sure I drank 24 ounces and had no problem with it! And it stung a little at first but its nothing I thought I was burning from, but if you do feel like you need to take it off, do so immediately and rub coconut oil on and that should take care of any burning sensation. After an hour and a half I took the wrap off and drank more water. You would think with all that water drinking that I would have gained inches, but I lost, just like I thought I would! One entire inch was gone...GONE, in just an hour and a half! I couldn't believe it! I even had my husband measure me before and after because I thought I was going to mess it up, but we both got the same results. Crazy! I can't wait to try it again! I'm sure if I leave it on a bit longer it will do more!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer
 
**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

Eucalyptus Oil

Back to my roots tonight, I want to talk about Eucalyptus Oil and my devotion for it.

Backing up any future writings, Eucalyptus Oil has been used throughout so much of history that not only the Aborigines in Australia used it long ago and continually today, but during WW1 it was a huge contributor in controlling the meningitis and influenza outbreak (Ananda Apothecary). So why have we come so far in pushing ourselves away from such a safe, natural, and ultimately effective medicinal tool? As much as I hate to be a basher, be warned, there might be some slight bashing happening soon.

As supply and demand goes up, so do the radars of money lovers. Now I'm not saying a money lover is a bad person, heck I love money! If I had some that would be even better ;) As it is, those people who love to invest and figure out new ways to control something while making a profit saw opportunities. And thus modern medicine grew and expanded and we have this overload of confusing pressure to give ourselves and our kids possibly unresponsive medications that we don't need, but might, and that will take us a week to read the side effects on.

Would you like to know what the side effects of Eucalyptus Oil are? Let me list them for you, according to WebMd....which is according to the government....which is a whole separate issue ;)

1. If consumed more than 3.5 mL of undiluted Eucalyptus Oil, you MAY get Eucalyptus poisoning. (This has got to be an accidental dosage, because there is nothing in my database of knowledge that would recommend you take any amount of Eucalyptus oil internally. I'm sure the Aborigines know how to do it though. As for me and doTERRA, don't ingest.

2. Possibly unsafe for direct skin contact without being diluted. As for me personally, I have used it on my skin, my husband and kids as well, and nothing has happened. But it doesn't hurt to dilute it in a roller bottle with coconut oil just in case :) Its not considered a "hot oil" though.

3. There is concern that if you have diabetes and are taking medications to control blood sugar, that Eucalyptus Oil might lower your blood sugar as well, and thus make your blood sugar too low.

4. They deem possibly unsafe for kids.....again I have given it to all of my children. We are fine.

5. Since blood sugar is affected by Eucalyptus, it is recommended that you stop its use two weeks prior to surgery. Apparently its hard to regulate blood sugar during sugery.

Not going to try and sugar coat it here folks, but thats a pretty short (and I have to add silly) list of side effects for Eucalyptus Oil. Try looking at the side effects of a vapor rub.

"Severe Allergic Reactions: (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); severe irritation at the application site." (Drugs.com). And that's just the list of side effects for one medication. Eucalyptus Oil has so many more uses than acting as a replacement for a vapor rub! That being said...

I'll take the chance with my Eucalyptus Oil.

Now for my personal testimony of this amazing doTERRA oil. When we are all sick (and as much as I like to talk about how wonderful we do when we take all our oils and are consistent and stay healthy...we have been in a real slump that once one kid gets sick, they all get it, and then they have now had three illnesses in the past month because their immune system hasn't been able to recover! Ah!...Ok back to topic...) I dab a little Eucalyptus Oil right under our noses so to help as a decongestant...especially the little ones. My husband and I, and even our sweet seven year old, can plop our head over a steaming cup of water with a drop of oregano in it and clear ourselves up pretty fast, but the littles are just to...well...little :) And if I'm chasing after kiddos and don't have a few minutes to sit down, Eucalyptus under my nose it goes.

As for other uses, Eucalyptus has been known to help with Asthma, Bronchitis, Pain, cooling of the body, coughing, Ear Inflammation (external use, never put oils in ears), Flu, Lice, Measles, Pneumonia, Shingles, Sinusitis, Tennis Elbow, Tuberculosis, and there are more, but basically its the best for the respiratory system and skin. So many more that I had to pick and choose what to put on my cheat sheet! Anyway all that information is according to the Modern Essentials book of course. I love that book.

All right, cheat sheet time. Enjoy, and as always feel free to share, tweet, instagram, etc.

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

Taking it Further: with Coconut Oil

In the beginning of this crazy journey of mine, I was determine to make this blog solely about doTERRA and how essential oils are changing our lives for the better....but lately I keep finding myself wanting to write about other things that are affecting my family in positive ways. And I thought, hey its my blog, why not!

I've already talked about my love of fermented pico de gallo, and how I'm obsessed with doTERRA, so today I am going to write about coconut oil. Oh coconut oil, I could write a poem called Ode to Coconut Oil I love it so much...but I wont because that would be silly...and you might stop reading my blog ;)

Jumping into it, there are so many reasons to love coconut oil. If we are talking nutrition labels here, coconut oil has a lot of saturated fat. Now don't get scared off, because there are so many wonderful reasons for these particular saturated fats! According to Nutrition and You:

• Despite its high saturated fats composition, coconut oil characteristically has its own set of health benefits. MCTs absorbs passively and enter the blood system inside the gut without the mediation of transport channels. Several research studies suggest that these fats help reach early satiety and increase blood HDL/total cholesterol levels.
  
• Lauric acid and other MCTs absorb passively into the blood stream and thus save energy and bring early sense of satiety. These characteristics of coconut oil strongly commended by some nutrition scientists like Mary Gertrude Enig who is among the strong advocators of saturated fat benefits. When consumed in moderation over the period of time, saturated fats, particularly medium-chain triglycerides may help control body weight and a reduction in risk of atherosclerosis.
  
• Cold-pressed oil contains a small amount of vitamin E and other tocopherols. 100 g fresh oil composes of 0.19 mcg of vitamin E.
  

As for moving past all that mumbo jumbo, coconut oil has saved me from going insane. Seriously. Not only do I use it on my babies bums for diaper rashes, I also use it to remove eye make up, and moisturize my face after a good wash. But my favorite is still cooking. Without coconut oil there are so many things I wouldn't have been able to eat when I was obligated to be dairy free. And now that its looking like our littlest one is going to continue to be lactose sensitive, coconut oil is an answer to a prayer. How? Let me tell you :)

Coconut oil can be used to replace any recipe calling for butter. Any. Recipe. At first I noticed the coconut taste and I wasn't terribly sure I was going to love it on everything, but I was proven wrong. I use it in baking like making brownies from scratch (or hey, if you use a box you can use it to substitute the oil!) and in cooking like frying corn tortillas or as a non stick agent instead of butter for grilled cheeses, quesadillas (dairy free cheese options) or anything going in a pan on the stove. Frying hashbrowns? Throw coconut oil down first. Need melted butter for cupcakes? Coconut oil. Whipped butter for icing? Coconut oil. Caramelizing onions for dinner? Coconut oil. I. love. coconut oil!

Here's a recipe I brought to a function last night and they were raved about....I love brownies!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

Fermented Pico de Gallo

Let me start with this: my absence has been well warranted. With the hubs home things that should have been done before we move into this place are actually getting done! Its only a couple months later, but hey, I'll take what I can get. In fact I've come to the realization that I'm not much of a persistent person when it comes to things I'm not terribly passionate about. And here I thought I was pretty strong headed and stubborn with everything!

Alright, down to brass tax (where did that originate?! Its been on my mind all day..random).

Fermented Pico de Gallo is my first ever ferment and oh my land its possibly my favorite thing ever! I looked at a few different recipes, one from Megatarian and also from Pickle Me Too and then I just went with what I liked and boy were my instincts right! I bet both these recipes are delicious also, but I really enjoy a plain old pico to be versatile and so my kids will eat it so I made this recipe.

 First you get yourself a huge bunch of organic tomatoes! You can use any variety but what I enjoy are the ones I can find here in the cold Minot winter...through bountiful baskets! Yum.

 I bring out the tomatoes I am going to cut and wash them all and set them on my cutting board ready to become delicious pico.

 Now, this is totally your call, but I really really like to take the stem out of all the tomatoes first...It feels like I'm prepping the whole batch versus one tomato from scratch over and over again. Speeds things along for me.

 Now is the tedious part....chop! Seriously it takes a while...especially if you got a few kids running around trying to grab your knives and tearing toys away from each other...I try to do this during nap time :)

 When the tomatoes are finally done (it really does take a while....) then you can chop up some yummy white onions! Try to make them the same size or just a tad smaller then the tomatoes you chopped.

 Chop your cilantro. Have I ever told you I love cilantro? In dressings, in pico, in salsa, as toppings...mmm.

 Mix it all together! This is the part I love the best. Squirt your lemon juice and add your salt then stir it up....then taste if you really want to ;) Make sure to use clean utensils and toss the one you ate off in the sink.

Lastly you can fill your Fido jar, or whatever vessel you are fermenting in, and life will be delicious in three days! Squish it all down so the juices go to the top and there is about an inch of air from the top of the pico to the lid. Then wait with terrible patience until you can eat this incredible-for-you condiment!

Fermented Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
8 large tomatoes

1 large white onion

1 bunch cilantro (give or take on your taste buds)

2 Tablespoons Himalayan or sea salt

1 lemon, juiced

1.5 qt Fido Jar

Directions:
Chop the tomatoes onion and cilantro, or add them to your food processor or blender and chop to desired size. I like to hand chop them because I'm afraid I will have no restraint and they will be pulverized...just saying. Add your lemon juice and salt then stir! Throw everything into your Fido jar and squish it down as you go so everything is nice and tight and all the juices are mingling. Sit on the counter for 3 days then move to the fridge. This salsa is assumed to last up to a year in the fridge...but our first batch didn't last 2 weeks soo....good luck ;)


Til next time~

Jenn
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition** 

Peppermint Oil

Well I have to go off track and discuss this little gem. I know I said I was going to write my recipe for fermented Pico de Gallo, but my house has come down with a case of the nasty cold! I have been putting Breathe in our diffuser and rolling it all over the kids chests, but the oil that I really witnessed an amazing reaction to today was Peppermint Oil.

Here is some background on my littles: when they all have the same illness, rarely do they all have the exact same symptoms. When one gets sick, it could be hours or weeks before the next one gets sick. And without fail, if there is a fever to be had, someone will get it and vomit will ensue.

Vomit. Its like a swear word in our house. I cant stand it. Its gross, it smells, it inevitably gets all over something that I end up having to clean, and it likes to come at the most inopportune times. Middle of the night, in the car, cuddling with mommy, you get the idea.

So today my little Adalyn was acting really lethargic and definately more sick than she has been the past two days. I feel her head and she is a little warmer than normal. I immediately get the peppermint oil and dab some on her neck and behind her ears. About 45 seconds later she vomits (into a bowl! What?!) and then she starts to feel better and I touch her forehead after about 30 minutes and the fever is gone!

I'm not going to lie and tell you all that I knew exactly what to grab and that I am the master of all the oils, because I'm not. I really don't know what I'm doing half the time but I know enough to get me by on most things and I have a great book my SIL got me (Modern Essentials) and of course pinterest and the rest of the internet to help me out. This one, however, was a trial. I knew that peppermint really helped with headaches. It has helped me a lot when I have TMJ problems and tension headaches so I just went with it figuring it might help and boy was I right! I can't wait to try this the next time someone else has a fever....which I hope is a long, long time from now ;)

Below is a cheat sheet for Peppermint! As always, feel free to share, pin, put on facebook, twitter, instagram or whatev's. There are so many uses for it, way more then I listed here!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

A little off topic...

So this post will be a tad off the oil topic...but I really want this blog to be about more than oils, I want it to be about my amazing journey in finding all these wonderful things for my loved ones. This one, my dear readers, is about canning. Not just any kind of canning...but fermenting in Fido jars canning.

I know what you are thinking. Its the same thing I was thinking when I first heard of this craziness. Your eyebrows are raised, your face has a slight smirk on it and your mind is thinking "This girl is crazy. No way will I ever want to do this. It sounds gross." That's exactly how I looked at my Sister In Law when she started talking about it. "What the heck is she saying?" along with "She feeds her kids rotten food!?". So I had to start researching this because she does a lot of amazing things for her family and their health that incorporate into their diet, so I couldn't imagine she was feeding them something harmful!

After reading on Pickle Me Too and Its a Love/Love Thing I decided maybe she isn't so crazy. I followed several of their links they had and really delved into this whole thing. By the end of the week I was ordering my own Fido Jars from Sur La Table! Ah! I was totally crazy! Well they finally got here last week and I was able to wash them all and gather my supplies throughout the week and now, I have things fermenting!

I first made Pico de Gallo using a variation of a couple different recipes, and now I'm onto the big stuff! I bought 20 pounds of tomatoes from Bountiful Baskets and started slicing and dehydrating. After they were done I followed the recipe for sun dried tomatoes from The Homestead Lady and I can honestly say not only are they going to be amazing, but they look so cool! I have them steeping on my counter and plan to put them in my fridge where they can last up to a year...but I'm pretty sure they wont go that long ;)

As for my other jars, right now I have carrots, mini bell peppers, green beans and pico de gallo again...because honestly its so stinking good the first jar is almost gone already and its only been a few days! I think I'm going to put my recipe for that up in a couple blogs, so keep your eyeballs open.

I hope you enjoyed this kind of random post, and I can't wait to sit down and write again about the greatness of doTERRA oils and now fermenting too!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition** 

Balance Cheat Sheet

As promised, here is my cheat sheet for Balance!

Feel free to save it to your computer, share via pinterest, facebook, twitter or email!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition** 

Balance Yourself

My latest obsession with doTERRA oils is with a particular blend called Balance. When I'm in crazy mom mode and trying to get my kids out the door at 830 in the morning to get my 7 year old to school on time and NO ONE can seem to get their shoes on, their coats on, their favorite item of the day to take into the car for the 5 minutes it takes to drop her off and drive home....I get a little crazy. I was talking to my husband a few nights ago about my anxiety levels and how I feel like I need something else going on to help curb my blow up moments when no one is listening or being timely and I just snap. Then I got to thinking...what if someone asked me what to do about this same problem? I would tell them to turn to doTERRA! So why didn't I think of that two weeks ago when this all started?

Cause I'm too busy to remember me. Ever feel that way? Yea, I thought so.

I haven't ventured too consistently into rubbing balance on my feet, but when I diffuse it into the air after a few minutes I feel my shoulders relax a little and my head gets a little more clear. It grounds me. I feel more at ease and not so "do it now or else".

Why this blend works like it does: Spruce, Rosewood, Blue Tansy, and Frankincense.

Spruce has been said to have the ability to dilate the bronchial tract which can improve the oxygen exchange...hence I dont start getting all short of breath with my growing impatience.

Rosewood has a gentlness about it that appeases the mind and relaxes your body. Every article online and in the book Modern Essentials that I have seen claims Rosewood to create this feeling of relaxation and peace.

Blue Tansy has been said to enhance a feeling of self-control and reduce nervous tension...no wonder I love this oil!

Frankincense...where do I begin. There are so many wonderful things about this oil, but for the sake of Balance, I will stay on topic! Frankincense can help promote a positive attitude and it contains sesquiterpenes which helps bring oxygen to the pineal and pituitary glands...I'm not going to lie, I just googled what those glands do ;)

So with this blend, I have found a sense of peace. If I continue with it and I roll it on the back of my neck or chest to inhale it when I'm not home, I think I will find it works even better. The more you apply these oils, the better they work and the more you will see results.

Alright, I will add a Balance cheat sheet tomorrow but tonight I'm off to bed already...its been a long day!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition** 

Breathe....no really just Breathe!

Continuing on my journey of how I use essential oils from doTERRA for my family, today I want to discuss the blend of Breathe. Breathe is used for so many awesome things that I had a hard time picking where to start, so I decided chronological order of how I used it would be best.

The first I heard of breathe was when I started researching a vapor rub for my little ones sniffles. My kids always have a harder time breathing at night when they are horizontal versus during the day. So when its time go to sleep after a day of runny noses...babies need some relief and mama needs some sleep too! Instead of using a menthol smelling vapor rub on their chests, I started using Breathe. Oh it smells so wonderful and better yet, its all NATURAL! No nasty additives to make it gooey or marketable. Laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, melaleuca, lemon, and ravensara are brought together in one bottle to give you the ultimate relief from stuffy nose.

In the same realm of things, I decided that I would use Breathe in a humidifier in the "inhalant" part. Disclaimer: there have been some mixed things said about using essential oils with heat, but this humidifier is a "cool air" one and so I didn't worry about it! All in all, it worked great to get the whole room smelling like the kiddos could breath through the night.

As of late, I have a diffuser I use Breathe in, but if you don't have one a humidifier will do the trick...you might end up using more oil that way though and I recommend a good diffuser so you aren't using up all your oils ;) There are some great ones from doTERRA and I personally have the aroma lite and LOVE it! If you are looking for a good diffuser, they can be found here.

Another way I use breathe is putting it into a roller bottle with a little bit of a carrier oil (I personally use fractionated coconut oil ) and roll it onto their feet and throw some socks on. All these oils will then go through the body and work internally just as inhaling it would. My 7 year old isn't a big peppermint fan....so feet and socks are better for her when she is feeling ill.

Lately I've been doing a lot of reading about how to use different oils for different things, and the Modern Essentials book states that Breathe can be used for anxiety! Say what? Guess who has some anxiety issues? Yours truly. Long story short, when I have a lot of stress I feel an anxiety attack coming on and I need to try and remind myself to breath and calm down and not snap at my poor innocent kids or husband! There are quite a few oils for anxiety but I figured since I have this on hand, I'm going to try it and see what happens. Dont you worry, there will be an entire post on anxiety in the next few weeks I'm sure.

Alright, so now I will leave you with a fun little picture I made of all the great ways Breathe can be used!

Have a great night everyone!

Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer


**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

A Better Introduction is in Order: Oregano Oil

Hello people of the blogger world! I'm going to start making myself do this blogging thing if it kills me. I will call it my new years resolution...or maybe something I tell my kids I NEED to do so ssshh its mommy time now. But what if, just perhaps, I call it work? And I like it. Nay, I love it. I enjoy it! I like this writing thing, and heck I love my doTERRA products so why would this be work?! Lets jump in!

I'm going to start my first few posts on this blog with personal stories. I will later get into the nitty gritty of science and specifics, but for now, what I know best, is how to be a mom.


Oregano Oil : (<--you can find it on this link!)


I have seen Oregano Oil work more than once, in completely different situations. The first one has been on me personally. When I start to feel a cold coming on, the first thing I grab is my roller bottle of 1 part Oregano Oil and one part fractionated coconut oil. I take a hot shower and afterwards I roll that sucker on the bottoms of my feet (along with On Guard....but that's another post!) and I swear 7/10 I am feeling myself by morning! 2 out of those 10 times I am stuck with a shortened cold, but short is better than long! And there is that nasty 1 every once in a while that gets me bogged down for a while....but I have other things for those suckers.


Another reason Oregano Oil is in my must have arsenal is for warts. I have used this bad boy undiluted on my 7 year old daughter who had a wart growing on her knee. Not the most conventional place, and not the easiest to suffocate with tape. It took about 10 days of applying undiluted Oregano Oil to the wart directly with medical tape over top (the clear kind, not the white kind) and the head of the wart just peeled off! We still had the root though so we used it a few more days and now her wart is no more. She says she is happier than I am...but I just rid her body of a wart without the use of freezing or chemicals in all those over the counter medicines, AND saved our family money by not going to the doctor! I think I might be happier than her...but I wont tell her that ;)


Lastly, Oregano Oil has been used on my youngest and middle daughters for ear infections. Oregano Oil is anti-everything bad. Seriously. Its antiviral, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic. To help my kiddos with ear infections I dilute another roller bottle with 60% fractionated coconut oil and 40% Oregano Oil and roll it around her ears. While this doesn't give immediate relief, it helps start to fight the battle against the viral or bacterial infection that is causing the inflammation in her middle ear. My real weapon for quick relief is garlic oil....olive oil infused with garlic that you simple make at home on the stove, cool down and then squirt a few drops into the ear. My baby girl calms right down when we do this one. Its magic :)

Lastly, to fight that nasty cold I get every once in a while, I have taken 1 drop Oregano Oil along with 1 drop On Guard, 1 drop Melaleuca, and 1 drop Lemon Oil in a tiny shot glass of water a few times a day. That kicks my sore throat and cold in the pants! I was so happy to try that one out for myself even if I did have to suffer through a nasty cold for a couple weeks before I learned about it.

Alright, those are my PERSONAL uses for Oregano Oil, but there are TONS of them! I'm going to go ahead and list a few before I peace out for the night. Ready, set, go!

Uses for Oregano Oil:

Immune Booster

Fight off Infections

Has vitamins C & E, magnesium and zinc!

Sore throat relief

Supports healthy digestive tract (who knew, right?)

And I'm sure there are more I cant think of this late at night ;) Off to watch trashy TV and then crash....night!



 Jenn
 Skeptical Me
www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer 

**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**

doTERRA, I have time for you

Silly skeptical me.  Not enough time in a week to pluck my eyebrows but I seem to get a brilliant idea to start researching and really indulge myself in this doTERRA craziness. What the heck!? Lets back track shall we?

Three years ago I was in my very first paid by us house. We were officially grown ups with a mortgage, 1.5 kids and a husband who was home every night. Fast forward to today when I am living in a single wide trailer with my mother in law and father in law, brother in law and his wife and two kids...and our ridiculously growing family of five...plus the dog. So why not start a blog right?

I want to settle something before I even post my first article or blog or whatever it's called. Im no good. I probably won't be very consistent or on topic or heck, I might not even write for periods at a time. Dont worry! This is the start of a great friendship. The kind that only grows stronger every time you are away and builds trust with every word. So hang on tight and wait for who knows how long until my next off topic ranting post!


Jenn

www.mydoterra.com/doterrabyjennifer


**I am not a doctor. Consult with your doctor before trying any essential oils or doTERRA products, especially if you have a medical condition**