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**