Falling Into Winter

If you are anything like me, you dive in to September with great joy at the onsite of Fall. I love Fall- it is my favorite season! I tend to stay pretty active in the fall because I love the cooler air and, of course, the fallen leaves on the ground.

Come October/November though- I tend to tire and slow way down. My throat gets scratchy as I feel the arrival of the dreaded “cold/flu season”.  I start to feel the heavy burden of winter as the coats and boots cycle back in to my wardrobe. 

I need a boost- an immunity boost- and apparently the best way to do that is with a detox.
After researching ways to build up my immune system, I came across many articles on detox/cleansing. The best way to ward off sickness and stay healthy is to boost your immune system, and the best way to boost your immune system is to detox your organs. According to Jolene Hart, you should cleanse the large intestine (colon) and lungs in the fall to prepare for colder months ahead.

The large intestine and the lungs are linked to skin and breathing problems like asthma, eczema, rashes and dry skin- have you experienced any of these conditions in the colder months? More than likely you have- why not try a detox this year and see if your body fights them off?

How can you detox and support these organs?

®     Add warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and anise to fall meals. These support both intestinal and respiratory function.

®     Drink more water, since urine output triples when temperatures are cold!

®     Use essential oils like eucalyptus and peppermint to decongest nasal passages.

®     Limit refined sugar and flour, dairy, caffeine and alcohol to keep your gut healthy.

o    You can also take Oregano oil which will aid in cleansing your gut.

®     Try drinking fenugreek tea, which softens and dissolves mucus in the lungs and large intestine.

®     Exercise outdoors and feel the cool air in your lungs!

For those that thrive on lists- here is one I found by Melissa Wood- this top 10 list should keep you in good shape all winter!

1. Drink the optimal amount of water.
2. Keep stress to a minimum. Studies have linked high stress levels to making a person more susceptible to catching colds and flu. Minimize your stress by working reasonable hours at your job. Aim for at least one night per week to spend with friends and family. If your stress is out of hand and you feel like you need some help, let me know. Frequently, I work with people who have stress or emotional challenges and utilize Bach Flower Remedies to bring their emotional health back into balance.
3. Eat a healthy diet. Maintaining a good healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and minimal amounts of organic meats is another way to keep your body clean and in good working order. Try eating an extra piece of fruit or veggie every day too!
4. Do your homework to find the best supplement for your health. Even if you eat “perfectly” all the time with loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, you still need to boost your nutrition with a supplement. What supplements you will need will depend significantly on your lifestyle. If you’re not sure whether you need them at all, read this post on why we need supplements. Let me help you choose the best supplement program for your lifestyle. Some supplements I recommend taking during the winter season include:
• Young Living Thieves & Purification: These two powerful therapeutic essential oils are a must-have to protect yourself against bacteria. Thieves has been university-tested and found to be highly effective against airborne bacteria. Thieves and Purification Essential Oil are very powerful when mixed together.
5. Exercise regularly.
6. Get the right amount of sleep every night. The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night.
7. Wash your hands regularly. Keep the bacteria and viruses off your hands and out of your mouth and eyes. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close-by for those instances where you can’t get to soap and water.
8. Don’t smoke.
9. Eliminate all forms of sugar. This includes not only the obvious kinds (cake, cookies and sweets, in general), but bread, pasta, rice, yogurt and commercial, store-bought fruit juices. Although all of these things are made with different types of sugars, your body still converts them to sugar, which will compromise your immune system.
10. Despite your best efforts, you still can feel like you’re “coming down with something.” Some things you can do to help your body recover more quickly:
• Eliminate all dairy products.
• Eliminate all alcohol.
• Eliminate all grains (bread, rice, pasta, etc.).
• Boost your Vitamin C (with bioflavanoids) intake when you initially feel something coming on.
• Boost your intake of Zinc.
• Increase water consumption (even more than normal!).
• Eat less food as this will give your body a much needed rest from digestion and give it a chance to concentrate on fighting off potential invaders.
• Add herbs like Echinacea, Goldenseal and Grapefruit Seed Extract to your supplemental regime.
• Get more rest than normal. If you normally get 6 hours of sleep a night, try increasing it to 7 or 8.
• Increase the recommended supplementation above.

Apparently singing and laughing also effectively boost your immune system- who knew that rocking out to Debbie Gibson on your commute home would actually benefit your health!

If you are looking for more information on cleansing/detox try Pinterest. I found some great recipes, tips, products, etc.  I personally am pursuing the Young Living Cleanse Trio which was recommended by Inner Transformations Using Essential Oils, a great read that I highly recommend if you are interested in detoxing your body year round.

Happy cleansing!

The Lowdown on Essential Oils:

I made the switch only months ago- I was actually willing to try just about anything and thankfully a friend suggested I try essential oils. I have restless leg syndrome- it got worse through my pregnancy and never ceased after my son was born. I was unable to take any medication for the condition throughout pregnancy/nursing so I had to focus on stretching, staying hydrated, etc. That was not enough! If you have RLS you know the irritability and anxiety that can accompany the actual condition. I tried oils, more specifically a blend called Peace & Calming mixed with lavender- let me just say that I have never slept so sound. I wake up completely refreshed in the morning without the hang over that accompanies other sleep aids. From day one I was sold.

Since then I have switched to oils for a number of other things- allergies, air purification at home, nutritional supplements, and energy boosters.

Essential oils and plant extracts have been woven into history since the beginning of time and are considered by many to be the missing link in modern medicine. They have been used medicinally to kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and to combat insect, bug, and snake bites in addition to treating all kinds of mysterious maladies. (EO Pocket Reference p. 1)

With their growing popularity and praise- I thought- why not do some research and share my findings; after all, I want to know what exactly I am diffusing in my home and applying to my skin.

What exactly are essential oils?  Essential oils are non-water based phytochemicals made up of volatile aromatic compounds found in seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. The simplified answer- plant extracts. Think of the oil you get from an orange peel when you squeeze it- that’s an extract.

Essential oils are clean, crisp, and are immediately absorbed by the skin when touched. Essential oils can be fragrant or odorless.

Essential oils can be diffused, ingested, or applied topically. Diffused oils alter the structure of molecules that create odors, rather than just masking them. They also increase oxygen availability, produce negative ions, and release natural ozone. Research has shown that diffusing certain oils may: reduce bacteria, fungus, mold and odor; relax the body, relive tension, and clear the mind; help with weight management; improve concentration, alertness, and mental clarity; improve digestive function, improve hormonal balance, relieve headaches. (EO Pocket Reference P.37)

Topical application refers to massage, acupuncture, acupressure, warm compress, cold pack, or in the bath and shower.

Why should you use essential oils? Essential oils, when used properly, can heal or repair damaged cells. Have you ever broken a piece of bark off of a tree and noticed the sap that immediately seeps to the surface? The essential oil in the sap works to repair the damaged area, that’s what the oil in sap is made for.

Essential oils are composed of tiny molecules that are created to pass through the tissue of the plant and into their cells- they bring in nutrition and carry out waste. This is exactly how it works in our bodies too.  

There are a few oils that come to mind if you are just starting out. I’ve listed them below with a brief description of what you can use them for- of course- there are many other uses but since we are all Moms I thought this would be helpful:

Lavender: diaper rash, bug bites, burns, bruises/bumps, relaxation for a rowdy kid

Apply to affected area or rub on bottom of feet for relaxation.

Lemon: stains, immunity booster, upset tummy, flavored water, sticky substances (ex: pine tar)

Ingest with a glass of water for upset tummy.

Purification: odors, deodorant, earaches, bug bites/bug repellent

(Ingredients: citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, melaleuca, lavandin, and myrtle)

Diffuse in a diffuser or humidifier.

Peppermint: fever, diarrhea/constipation, upset tummy, cool down

Apply to temples, back of neck or tummy (this oil can burn so use a carrier oil).

Thieves: immunity booster, numbing (ex: toothache), disinfectant

Apply to bottom of feet before school (boost immunities!).

Peace & Calming: allergic reactions, naps, overstimulation

 (Ingredients: tangerine, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, and blue tansy)

Apply to bottom of feet for naps or overstimulation.

Joy: anxiety, depression, uplift spirits

(Ingredients: bergamot, ylang ylang, geranium, lemon, coriander, tangerine, jasmine, roman chamomile, palmarosa, rose)

Diffuse in a diffuser or humidifier.

You may also replace some over the counter medications with the same oils:

Peppermint vs. Pepto-Bismol, Imodium-AD, Mylanta, Prilosec/Zantac, Tylenol/ Motrin, Beano/Gas-X, Midol

Thieves vs. Dayquil/ Nyquil, Chloraseptic, Robitussin, Abreva, Orajel, Lamisil/ Lotrimin, Vicks VapoRub, Nicorette

Lemon vs. Children’s Tylenol, Children’s Motrin, Imodium-AD, Mucinex, Alli, Azo Cranberry

Lavender vs. Neosporin/ Bacitracin, Aleve/Motrin, Advil Sinus, Tylenol PM, Unisom, Zyrtec/ Claritin D, Benadryl, Calamine Lotion

**As always- you should read the labels and use the oils accordingly- every brand is different so be sure to check first before ingesting or applying directly to your skin.

Are you now interested in giving oils a chance? If so- you’ll need to choose a brand. You will need to do some research to find the right brand for you. Everyone has their own opinion about the best product- do your own research. Read about the product, company, business model, cost, certification, chromatography, customer service, etc. Read testimonies, ask friends, read Facebook posts (most companies have Facebook support forums).

I chose a specific brand based on feedback I had received from other users and I really liked the company mission. You have to find the brand that works for your budget and your family needs- here are a few sites that published their findings but I would encourage you to do your own research. The blends I mentioned above are from Young Living- I am happy to help you with your first order if you decide to pursue oils!

http://essentialoilblogging.com/2013/12/06/comparison-chart/

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/09/best-essentialoils.html  http://www.nourishingherbalist.com/where-to-buy-the-best-essential-oils-part-two

Lastly, oils can be very overwhelming at first- so if you are diving in here are a few tips that were given to me that I would like to pass on to you-

1.      Pick one symptom/problem to tackle at a time. Find one thing that you want relief from most and focus on mastering that. Give yourself a reasonable time frame to see results- anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months. Do not be discouraged, the more you use the more you will notice your body detoxing!

2.      Research and read up on at least one new oil a week. Even if it’s not an oil you need right away, you may eventually and you can always share your knowledge with others. Follow some user blogs or bookmark those that you enjoy for quick reference. Ask questions and share testimonials.

3.      Keep them where you spend the most time, out of sight-out of mind.

4.      Consider your alternatives, follow your intuition, and work with your doctors, not against them. You might be surprised how many physicians are encouraging oil use.

I hope you find this information helpful! Cheers to trying new things and living a healthy lifestyle while doing it!

DISCLAIMER

The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The information represents what I, an Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family.  Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.

Information found on this site is meant for educational and informational purposes only, and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment. Individual articles and information on other websites are based upon the opinions of the respective authors, who retain copyright as marked.

Welcome to my blog- Le Meri-Mint!

"Meri" because I’m so happy you stopped by, and "Mint" because, well, it’s so refreshing! 

First order of business- what is my business? 
I am here to enlighten you, NO, to educate you, NO, to - well- hold your hand and guide you on your way to happiness... isn't that what all blogs promise?
I am in no way an authorized or trained professional on any topic that I'll be discussing here- however- I do have a keen eye for things and will do my best to research before posting to ensure I'm offering accurate information.

Alright readers-- hope you are all buckled in because I have a feeling this will be a wild ride! 

       Stay Calm 

and 

Mint On!!