Category: Essential Oils

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Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

 

Who doesn’t suffer from anxiety.

I mean, it is so unbelievably common these days. When you step back, if you can step back, and look around there are so many factors that heighten anxiety ALL. DAY. LONG. We live in a world of go go go and it never stops. We constantly feel like we have to keep up to survive. But in reality none of the things we dwell on matter. And yet we are so consumed with that feeling of tightness and tension that it becomes our reality.

I suffer from anxiety. 

I allow my mind to become consumed with unrealistic expectations. I get caught up in seeing on social media all the greatness others are doing and I get devoured by the awful feeling of “failure,” whatever that means. I allow unnecessary conversations to take place in my mind. But I tend to bring myself back to what is important. Sometimes it takes me longer than I’d like to admit but I usually find my center again. And believe me…

It’s hard.

It’s hard to realize that you’ve been living in that state of mind. It’s hard to see the beauty around you when that heaviness is upon you. It’s hard to breathe. It’s hard to appreciate. It’s even harder to pull yourself out of this state of mind.

But you can. Especially if you have the help of Mother Nature. She has strategically placed specific herbs on this earth for us to utilize. She has provided us with what we need to help keep us our optimal selves. And you know what…..

These herbs work. 

Here are a few ways I help deal with anxiety and living in an ugly state of mind. There is no one answer here though. You have to find what works for you, honestly. You have to put in the work to conquer it.

Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

  1. Yoga. I know, I know you’re probably thinking “oh goodness of course she said yoga.” But seriously yo, yoga is one of the only things that keeps me centered. It keeps me connected. It allows me to be open and accepting. Which in turn helps my body accept the help from Mother Nature and all she has to offer. Yoga teaches you how to be present. It teaches you what you are capable of, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Many will say to me, “I hate yoga, it just makes me more angry.” Doesn’t that tell you something? If yoga, one of the most peaceful practices in the world, makes you angry what are you really holding on to? Yoga is literally the connection of your breath to the movement of your body. The two things in this world that are truly yours. How can that make you angry?

What I have learned is that those who become angry during the practice are entering the practice with the wrong motive. There is ego present. Ego is telling you, you need to be better than the video you are watching or the person who is practicing next to you in class. But in reality, when you step onto that mat, it is just you and your breath. And when you learn how to connect your breath with the movement of your body…

You begin to see the beauty that surrounds you.

When I lose my balance, it is usually a direct result from losing the discipline of my daily practice. And that is when I become devoured by anxiety.

Along with yoga, I need….

2. Essential oils. Again, I know. It is such a hippie thing to say, but essential oils are Mother Nature’s powerhouses. Essential oils give you the opportunity to reap the benefits of herbs in such a small powerful dose. Essential oils are one of the only things that actually penetrate the blood brain barrier, providing you with incredible benefits in a timely manner. My go-to oils for anxiety are:

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Lavender, I mean that is a given, right?!? Lavender is such a beautiful oil that helps supports  your central nervous system. It allows your mind to reach a relaxed, more clearer state.

Balance, this is a grounding oil which is a delicate blend of oils that work cohesively to provide your mind and body the support it needs to overcome tense emotions.

Siberian Fir, which is heavenly to inhale. It can “help promote feelings of easy breathing, while calming the emotions and providing a grounding effect.”

Arborvitae, made from the tree of life. It is known to be a “powerful cleansing and purifying agent.” I use this during meditation as well. It is an incredible grounding oil.

Vetiver, is an incredible oil for anxiety and ADHD. According to Dr. Eric Z,

For Anxiety…

“The direct effects of aromatherapy inhalation on the limbic system (responsible for reason and choices, among other things) make it a perfectly suited remedy and tool for conditions like ADHD and anxiety, which can be a trigger for ADHD and like concerns.

A 2015 in vitro study compared the effects of vetiver oil with diazepam, a commonly used anxiety prescription. Again, these preliminary results show vetiver to be quite effective.”

For ADHD…

“While we often think of lavender as a calming oil, one study weighed the effects of lavender, cedarwood, and vetiver oils on children with ADHD. The study was small but the results were clear: vetiver was the strongest choice.

This simply study only asked parents to help their children smell the oil right from the bottle a few times each day. Off the record because it wasn’t part of the design, parents reported better attention and behavior from their children during the study period.”

These oils, I use topically in a roller bottle. And let me tell you, I roll that sh!t on me ALL. DAY. LONG. Another thing that has saved me on multiple occasions is wearing a diffuser necklace. I get laughed at all day because when crap is hitting the fan at work, I will mindlessly grab my necklace while I am talking with someone or thinking about my next move and I will just INHALE as if it were crack! I highly recommend a diffuser necklace or bracelet. I must tell you though, I do not wear bracelets, but I provided you a link to them to get you started but I have not purchased that specific product. The two necklaces that I provided links for, I have purchased and absolutely love.

Another way I use essential oils are internally. But I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH….Please, please use a high quality oil that is certified pure and can back its testing up. Oils are not FDA regulated and that means they can literally put anything in that little bottle and still be able to slap a “therapeutic grade, 100% pure” on it and call it a day. So please do your research and pick a company that you trust with your life because you literally are putting your life at risk when you put something into your body. Me and my family trust doTERRA. Click here to read why and make your own decision.

I simply place one drop of each oil in a capsule and take it one to two times a day. Here are the oils I am currently using.

Copaiba, “can help soothe anxious feelings and it can be applied to the skin to promote a clear, smooth complexion. Taken internally, Copaiba essential oil supports the health of the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, nervous, and respiratory systems.”

Vetiver, has calming and grounding effects. It also has been known to help support ADHD.

Lavender, well because lavender is just a beautiful medicinal herb and calms my soul nicely.

3. I use tinctures. Man oh man, these tinctures save me. They go straight to work the moment I take them and I am so thankful for their healing properties. I use…

Bring Me Peace, which is a beautiful blend of lavender, chamomile, feverfew and lemon balm. All herbs that make the mind more restful and focused.

Rosemary, which is an incredible herb for the brain. It helps with memory, focus, depression and so much more.

All other tinctures available in our shop are used daily for various things but for the sake of anxiety, along with everything else mentioned above, I use these two every morning. And if you are new to tinctures grab our Complete Guide to Tinctures eBook to help you feel a little more confident.

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4. Smudging. When I feel like I just need a little extra something, I will smudge myself with sage. White sage has spiritual healing properties that will cleanse your soul of all that is negative. It is such an incredible experience but you have to be open and willing to accept its healing powers.

Anxiety is a part of everyones daily life. Mother Nature has provided us with all we need to keep our selves healthy. Allow yourself to be open. Allow yourself to feel what you feel then release that energy as best as possible.

We need to help guide each other out. If you found this post to be helpful, we would love to hear your feedback. If you have any suggestions and want to share how you help your anxiety, please leave a comment below. You can potentially be helping another readers tremendously.

Happy living in peace!

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DIY Bug and Gnat Spray

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We have a ton of house plants, they just make us happy. So we tend to do a lot of transplanting. And just like anyone else, where do we keep our soil…

Outside of course.

But do you know what happens to soil when it sits outside long enough?

Little tiny gnats like to lay their eggs in the soil.

You know, those damn little fruit fly things that will do anything in their little power to try and fly into your mouth. If you are thinking eww gross, then I guess you have never experienced one of these little bastards.

They multiply faster then you can say, “yoga with goats.” I mean, yoga with goats, I love goats but doing yoga with them….I don’t get it. Oh wait, I was talking about gnats, back to gnats. So, needless to say they can infest a house super fast.

So here is a little story; a while back I redid our bathroom. I was very proud, if I do say so myself. Well, in that little redo, I hung a plant, in an awesome purple pot that just fit the bathroom perfectly but what kind of soil did I use?

You guessed it y’all, soil from outside.

A few weeks later, we were infested. It was so bad that the walls had little tiny gnats everywhere. I was done. I had enough. These little F-ers had to go and they had to go now.

So I did a little research and came up with this gnat spray.

Let’s make some shall we.

Whatcha need is:

Glass spray bottle (plastic works too, whatever floats your boat yo)

White vinegar

Water

Essential oils:

Eucalyptus

Rosemary

Geranium

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Direction:

  • Fill spray bottle with 1 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup water
  • Add 10 drops of each oil.

Boom Son you’re done!

I mean, how simple is that.

I literally sprayed my entire bathroom. I sprayed the walls, the gnats, the bottom of the pot the plant was in, the rim. I was careful not to actually get the plant, I didn’t want kill it.

But what I also did was I took the plant outside and sprayed it down with our neem oil spray that kills gnats, aphids, and all sorts of other nasty little plant critters. I sprayed this little plant probably about 4-5 times over two days.

We are living gnat free right now people, gnat free. All thanks to this little spray.

Got a Gnat problem? Leave a comment below let me know how it works for you. I’d love to hear from y’all.

Happy gnat killing!

 

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Using Essential Oils Around the House

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Essential oils are an incredible resource for health and well being. They can be used in more ways than your than your pretty little brain probably realizes. I get it, the word essential oil sounds kinda hooky. Every time someone asks me a health question or a suggestion, the word essential oil comes out of my mouth and I see them slightly roll their eyes. But seriously people, I wouldn’t be yapping about it if I did not freaking believe in them.

So……

I wanted to yap about some ways that essential oils can benefit you and your family other than just using topically, aromatically or internally.

Y’all ready?!

Dog shampoo: If you haven’t read about our previous devil pup, by all means mosey on over here to read about her and this awesome dog shampoo I made.

Glass cleaner: In a glass bottle, fill half with distilled water and half white vinegar. Add 20-30 drops of lemon essential oil. Lemon will not only clean your glass it will help neutralize the smell of the vinegar. As well as, provide an invigorating and uplifting smell. And who doesn’t need that while cleaning!

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Floor cleaner: I use this bad boy and let me tell ya, it is fan-freaking-tastic. Once I am done mopping the floors I just throw the mop part in the wash and BAM, no mop mess to deal with afterward. Since it has a water reservoir, I like to fill it with half water and half white vinegar. Then I add 10 drops of Onguard, 10 drops lemongrass and 10 drops tangerine and 10 drops of grapefruit. The combination smells heavenly and Onguard helps protect against seasonal threats.

Mouth wash: After brushing and flossing I like to fill my mouth up with water and I add 1 drop peppermint, 1 drop frankincense and 1 drop of myrrh. Peppermint freshens your breath while frankincense and myrrh provide support with oral health issues such as tooth decay, cavities and oral infections.

Diffuse: Sounds kind of obvious but hey I gotta say it. Diffusing oils can do so much for your mental state, as well as, your overall well being. My favorite mood lifter is tangerine, grapefruit, wild orange and lemongrass. Add 2-4 drops of each oil for an instant mood lift. My favorite for calming is siberian fir, balance, lavender and geranium. Holy moly, does this smell heavenly. Again just add a few drops of each oil.

Face oil: You’ll want to find an oil of preference for your face. For me argon and jojoba oil are two perfect oils that blend beautifully together to give me exactly what my face needs. In a 1 oz dropper bottle fill a 1/4 of the way with argon oil. Then add 4-6 drops frankincense, 2-4 drops lavender and 2-4 drops geranium. Fill the rest with jojoba oil, shake and gently rub in to face.

***I use the oil cleansing method for my face. I just massage oil onto my face after a shower, then I put a hot wash cloth over it for a minute, then I gently wipe off my face. Feel free to change up your oils.

Deodorant: There are so many deodorant recipes out there. I wanted one that I could rub on just like a normal deodorant. This one works fantastic. However, you do have to be mindful of black shirts. It will leave a white residue. In a bowl combine arrowroot powder, baking soda and just enough coconut oil to allow the powders to stick together. I have a full post here if you want to read it in detail. You can add any oil that tickles your fancy but I like to use lavender and tea tree.

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Wood polish: Holy moly, I am in love with this wood polish. It smells absolutely heavenly and it works fantastic. In a glass bottle combine equal parts olive oil and white vinegar. Then add 5-10 drops of arborvitae, wild orange, tangerine and lemon. Shake that bad boy up and spray your toots off.

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Linen spray or air freshener: This is a fantastic way to finish off your day of cleaning. I especially like to spray this when I change the beds. It just feels like it seals the deal. In a glass bottle you are going to mix 1 cup of water, 3 tbs of rubbing alcohol and 30-40 drops of lavender, geranium or any other essential oils that just puts your soul at ease.

***If y’all don’t want to make this but still want it apart of your life, mosey on over here and y’all can purchase it!

Alright y’all, I hope you found some sort of inspiration from this post. Essential oils can be utilized in every part of your life. This post was just how to use them around the house, I haven’t even tapped into how you can use them to reach optimal health. I know, I know, I’ll get a post out on it soon.

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Happy essential oiling y’all!

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All Natural Cleaner? Yes Please!

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Alright y’all, it’s time to dump just one of your “favorite” chemical cleaners and give this bad boy a try. This whole living a clean non-toxic life, can get super overwhelming. We have learned that you have to take it slow. Just add one thing here and there to contribute to the clean and all natural life you are after. This little gem here is going to replace that disinfectant spray you use to clean your kitchen counter tops, bathroom sink, toilets, even your mirrors and windows.

Here is what you do.

Get yourself a glass jar with a lid and fill it with lemon rinds. We put lemon in our water everyday so instead of dumping the lemon down the drain, I just throw it in the glass jar I have sitting by the sink. Now add white vinegar to the top. Scratch that, add vinegar as you go. If you add it to the top when you have one little baby rind in the jar, you are not going to be able to put anymore lemons in without it spilling out. Now, allow this to sit on a sunny window for about 1-2 weeks. Allow the sun to warm up those lemons, so that they release their beautiful benefits into the vinegar.

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Once it is done steeping. Strain out the lemons into a bowl. You may get some pulp left over in the liquid. That’s cool, just use a jelly bag strainer or cheese cloth to strain out the pulp.

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Pour this liquid gold back into the jar and BAM you’ve got yourself a powerful disinfectant spray.

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Now, add to a glass spray bottle and spray away my friend. You can use straight or you can cut it with water, 1:1 ratio. Vinegar is a very strong smell and can get a little overwhelming when you first start using it as a cleaner. But the lemon adds a beautiful clean fresh smell.

That is it yo! Take baby steps. Don’t get overwhelmed. You cannot change your whole life over night. Pick one thing at a time and find a way to replace it with a non-toxic solution. Get comfortable with that solution, make it apart of your daily life. Then move on to the next. This is journey is not a quick one, it takes time, patience and a ton of trial and error.

Share your thoughts.

Happy safe cleaning!

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From The Tree of Life

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Mother nature is an incredible mother. She heals with love, she sends energy out to guide you, she even gives you all you need in order to thrive in this life. This one life we get to live.

But we get distracted.

We forget that she is here for us. We forget that we are her top priority and our health and well being is the main goal in this whole damn thing. So let’s stop for a freaking second here people and take a deep breath. Do it with me now….

Inhale…………..

Now exhale…….Ahhhhhhh

See, now don’t you feel just a tad bit more centered. Now that you are in the right mindset, let’s talk about the essential oil called Arborvitae. It comes from the tree of life. I mean hello!!! The tree of life, why wouldn’t you want this oil to be apart of your daily routine. And meditation.

Arborvitae is a powerful cleansing and purifying oil. When used for meditation it has been said that is rejuvenates your soul and spirit and cleanses the bad energy away. And let me tell you, you feel that the moment you apply it. It has this woody, warm earthy  aroma that just brings peace to your soul and connects you to earth.

This specific Arborvitae oil is harvested from the Thuja plicata tree that is native to North America. While it comes from a tree, the sourcing method used for this oil is still respectful to mother nature. It is distilled from residual wood materials to ensure that no tree is unnecessarily harvested for production.

It has specific chemical compounds that make it a wonderful insect repellant. As well as, an incredible preserving agent for wood.

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How the heck do you use this amazing oil?

  • Add a few drops to wrist, ankles and behind the neck for a fantastic insect repellant.
  • Use during meditation to bring peace to your soul.
  • Make a wood polish. (Surprise, recipe will be included below. Can I get a heck yes!)
  • Add to diffuser for overall calming relief, and to keep insects away.
  • Apply to bottoms of feet and/or spine with a carrier oil to help with bacterial support.
  • Apply to chest with carrier oil to provide possible respiratory issues relief
  • Diffuse or apply to temples and back of neck for grounding effect.
  • Add 10-20 drops in glass spray bottle with water to use as a protecting solution on surface areas or hands.

Are you super excited yet about this beautiful oil?

I know I am, in fact, I have some on as I share this with you!

If you are wondering where in the world do you buy this oil, well it just so happens I have a fancy little link. If you have more in-depth questions about buying the oil or about the oil itself please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to share more!

And now as promised here is your all natural wood polish:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of vinegar

10 drops Arborvitae (pairs wonderfully with lemon and/or wild orange)

Directions:

  • Add olive oil and vinegar to glass spray bottle.
  • Add your 10 drops of Arborvitae essential oil.
  • Shake your booty while holding the spray bottle!
  • Apply to microfiber cloth and wipe wood surfacing clean.

Repeat every 2-3 months or as often as needed.

Damn, now how easy was that, and you have a fantastic all natural wood polisher that is not only safe to breathe in but will calm your ass while you’re cleaning.

Score and  score!

Happy Tree of Life People!

Buy your essential oils here

Don’t be scared to reach out y’all. I would love to share any and all information around oils and why I choose doTERRA to help heal me and my family. 

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The Real Flu Shot

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Mother nature gave us these amazing resources to stay healthy. But some how along the way we got side tracked by shiny things. There is a reason why food has so much power. It is made to heal our bodies. Food is what we are meant to metabolize. We are so quick to pop a pill to help head tension or the feeling of a flu or cold coming on. But really, we need to put food, whole food, in our body to give it what it needs to heal itself. Let’s back away from the pills, cold medicines, cough syrups, and nyquil and trust that mother nature gave us all we need to fight off any harmful bugs that enter our body. Ready to fight this flu naturally?

Let’s do this.

This is our version of the flu shot. It actually has multiple parts to it so keep on a reading. It has some power behind it that will knock out what ever is a brewing inside you within a couple days. If caught early, you can even knock it out before it settles in.

Let’s talk a little it about why these ingredients are so important to help your body fight a cold, flu or infection.

Lemon: Is known for its antibacterial properties. It can help protect against throat infections. It can provide relief from fever by increasing perspiration. It can relieve congestion. Lemon is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, folate, zinc and iron, to name a few.

Ginger: Is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It can help lower chances of bacterial infection. The spice of ginger will help relieve congestion. It also helps provide a healthy digestion.

Garlic: Is mother natures antibiotic. It provides the body with the strength to fight against infections. It helps increase a healthy immune function. Garlic is a powerful microbial and anti-inflammatory.

Cayenne: Is a high antioxidant that helps provide support for the immune system. It will also help loosen mucus within the nasal cavity and chest.

Honey: Is a well known antibacterial and antimicrobial. It provides the body with soothing relief of sore throats, coughs and congestion.

*** It is best to use all organic ingredients. When choosing a honey, choose one that is raw and unfiltered. This means that it is in it’s purest form, with more health benefits.

Directions:

  • In a glass you are going to add half a juiced lemon, 1 TBS honey, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, 1-2 TBS grated ginger, a dash or two, depending on how brave you are, of cayenne. Add about 4 oz of water.

Now chug like a gansta.

***Do this about 2-3 times a day when you feel something coming on. If it has already hit, still do it yo! It will decrease the duration of the cold or flu.

Everyone has their variations, it is best to try all and find your groove. You can also add apple cider vinegar to this to kick it up one more notch. Apple cider vinegar has incredible properties to it, that will give your body the strength to fight off anything.

Second part to our flu shot….

We also like to take 2-4 doses of oil of oregano or oregano essential oil, when we feel something coming on. I will put a drop of oregano essential oil in a veggie capsule and take it 2-4 times a day. If I am doing oil of oregano, I will do about 8 drops under the tongue 2-4 times a day.

What is the difference? 

Oil of oregano is dried or fresh herb steeped in a high quality oil such as olive oil that is cold pressed and organic.

Oregano essential oil is oil derived from the plant through distillation.

*** Remember if taking an essential oil internally, please do your homework and find a high quality oil from a company that can provide you with certainty that it is in fact pure essential oil. Please contact me if you would like to hear more about essential oils.

Third part to our flu shot…

Elderberry Syrup! This berry has incredible properties to it that helps keep your body happy and healthy. If you haven’t heard of elderberry check out this post.  and if you want to make it check to this post. On the onset of a cold or flu we take this 4 times a day. If something is going around and we don’t want to get it, we start taking this 2 times a day for an added immune boost.

Lastly…

Black Seed Oil. This is the mother load here. If you haven’t heard of black seed oil check out this post and get yourself some black seed oil. We will take this 2-3 times a day when we feel a cold coming on. We take this daily but increase it by one or two when cold and flu season is around.

That’s it yo!

Our version of the flu shot. It may sound like a crap ton, but I swear by it. My house hold got hit with a nasty flu where the kids had fevers for about 4 days. Then five says later they came down with the stomach flu. I managed to escape both illnesses magically. And I owe it to this regimen above. Screw going to CVS and getting a flu shot filled with who knows what. Use what mother nature gave us, use food to help heal your body.

Happy Healing!

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Organic Homemade Pup Shampoo & Rinse

Easy Organic Homemade Dog Shampoo

Organic Homemade Dog Shampoo Recipe

So this is our pup. She is our devil pup. It’s been about a year since she’s joined our family and since I am doing a post on dog shampoo I figure why not introduce her. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Kaya. No we didn’t name her Kaya for that reason, But after we figured out what it meant we didn’t change it either so….. She is the sweetest pup in the world, she is very well trained she loves us so very much, BUT she’s the devil. I know, you’re thinking wait, how can that be her face is so sweet looking?

Well…….

She has torn up almost every single drip line throughout the back yard. She has eaten probably about five feet worth of our watering hose. She has straight up stolen the kitchen rug within seconds of me opening up the kitchen door. She will take that hat off of the boy’s head and bolt the other way. She will knock down the girl, then nip at her shirt as she’s sitting there screaming. Every morning when I go out to feed the chickens, she runs full speed ahead and slams her body against the chickens coop, which then sends them into a flying flurry, usually resulting in a wing slapping me in the face. She will nip at the foot that is in mid air while walking, you know the one that is suppose to catch your ass as it comes down. When she steals something she doesn’t necessarily run, she walks back and forth and stays just out of reach. She has chased me with a dead rat, pinning me in the corner of the chicken coop. So there was me, yelling at 5:50am on a Tuesday, “DON’T YOU FUC***NG DARE, YOU A$$$HOLE!!!!”

She’s our devil pup.

She is a beautiful Red Fox Labrador. She is super smart and just wants to love. She has enough energy for 50 elephant. She protects the kids while they play, once she calms the F down. She doesn’t run out the gate when it opens. She listens at the snap of a finger. She doesn’t come running in the house any chance she gets. When you stand up she backs down. She’s an incredible pup.

BUT she’s still a devil pup!

Well let’s get on with the reason why you are here. Since the seasons have changed, so has homegirls fur. We thought something was wrong with her so we took her in and the Vet was like umm, this is her undercoat. $48 bucks later to tell me it was her mutha f-ing undercoat, I am making my own damn shampoo.

And you know what! It worked beautifully.

 

Dog Shampoo Ingredients:

Dr. Bronners Lavender Castile Soap

Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

Filtered water

2) 16 oz Bottles or containers

Apple Cider Vinegar

Using Essential Oils For Dogs

Directions:

  • Fill your bottle half way with Castile soap.
  • Add 6-8 drops of Melaleuca
  • Add 6-8 drops of Lavender
  • Fill the rest up with filtered water.
  • In another container fill a quarter of the way with apple cider vinegar and the rest with filtered water.
Homemade dog shampoo to make your dogs hair soft and smooth
Look how smooth homegirl looks!

Boom son. You just made your pup some organic dog shampoo and rinse that didn’t cost you an arm and a leg. It lathers up very nicely. It smells heavenly and it actually has medicinal properties to it.

After lathering, rinse your pup really well with water. Then use the apple cider vinegar rinse like a conditioner. Let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse well with water.

The Castile soap has a ton of good oils in it like coconut oil, jojoba oil, hemp oil, which all will help moisturize your pups skins and coat.

Lavender soothes occasional skin irritations. And is known for its calming and relaxation properties. (Hmm, now that I think of it, I actually should’ve increase the amount of lavender I put in this!!)

Melaleuca is known for its purifying properties. It cleanses the skin and helps promote a healthy immune system. It is also great for occasional skin irritations.

Apple cider vinegar rinse will restore the ph balance in your pups coat and skin. And not to mention make his or her coat really soft.

So not only will your pup smell incredible, all the oils in this shampoo will help keep healthy beautiful skin and coat.

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I also used the Furminator on her coat as well. The Furminator is an intense brush that is SOOOOOOOO worth the money. It will get the thickest undercoat out with no problem. And it will last forever.

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Can you see her smiling!

Happy shampooing!

**If you are interested in where and how to buy doTERRA oils, contact me through email or leave me a comment. 

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on a product that we suggest and purchase through that link, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support. 

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A Journey into the World of Essential Oils

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Essential Oils?

When someone around says, “oh man I’ve got a neck tension.” and your response is, “Oh I have peppermint oil if you’d like.” and they look at you like you’re a crazy weirdo, don’t lose your confidence homie. The more we look like weirdos, the more we spread the word! If you are reading this and you are the one who looked at someone like they were a weirdo for offering you peppermint oil for your neck tension. Keep on a reading yo! Let me please change your mind.

What in the world are essential oils?

Essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds found in seeds, barks, stems, flowers, roots and other parts of plants. What the heck are volatile aromatic compounds? I’m with ya, let me further explain. Volatile aromatic compounds are are small organic molecules that easily change the state they are in, from solid, liquid to gas. For example, let’s say you busted open your new bottle of lavender oil. The second you crack that bad boy open, you immediately smell the aroma. The physical and chemical state of the volatile aromatic compounds allow it to quickly connect to the olfactory sensors in your nose. By inhaling the essential oils, your body can quickly respond and retain the benefits.

Dang, right! And this is only one way essential oils are beneficial. Lets talk about how they actually work.

Wait, how the heck do they work?

Let me break it down easily, our cells including our brain have essentially a layer of fat that surrounds them and protects them from harm. Essential oils are essentially a form of fat. Fat and fat go hand in hand. Kind of like how bacon grease makes everything taste better when you use it to cook! Oh sorry, I got side tracked with bacon! Anyway, essential oils are one of the few things that can actually penetrate that layer of protective fat. Thus allowing all the benefits of that oil to work with your body to heal it. This includes the blood brain barrier, that layer of fat that I mentioned that surrounds your brain. Can you believe it! Essential oils can actually penetrate through that layer giving you incredible results.

Essential oils are a natural substance. Our bodies are designed to metabolize them with little to no effort. Have you ever noticed that when you take a specific medication you notice you’re more tired, nauseous, your stomach may hurt….. whatever it may be, you just don’t feel right sometimes? Essential oils easily pass through our body’s system and allows the body to start healing itself the way it was designed to.

Small example, Ylang Ylang will speed up ones heart rate but is used for maintaining an already healthy blood pressure. I know, you’re like wait what! Wouldn’t your increase if your heart rate speeds up? But in the case of a natural substance like essential oils, no. They allow your body to do exactly what it was meant to do to heal itself.

What in the world!!! Is this for real! Yes, yes it is! Is your mind blown yet, cause mine is!

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A wee bit about quality.

Did you know that essential oils are not regulated by the FDA? What does this mean? This means, companies are legally able to put 100% pure, therapeutic grade or all natural as long as that bottle contains at least 5% actual essential oil. The rest of the bottle is allowed to be filled with synthetic oil, carrier oil or other toxic chemical.

Ever wonder why essential oils say DO NOT INGEST, DO NOT USE WHILE PREGNANT OR NURSING, DO NOT USE ON CHILDREN.

Why? If oils are a natural substance and our bodies are made to metabolize them,  then why can’t we ingest them? I have come to find that many people fear oils for this reasons. They feel like they are toxic in a sense so they tend to stay away from them. Obviously some oils, because of the herb, have their own safety guidelines but could quality be the reason for these warnings. When buying oils you want to buy from a company that has a certified pure seal. This means that each oil has gone through multiple, rigorous testing to ensure that what is in that bottle is actually pure essential oil. When a company is true to their quality, they will provide all third party testing information.

Okay, I’m feeling better about essential oils but how the F do I use them?

You can use essential oils in three different ways, topically, aromatically, and internally.

Topically:

Remember, essential oils are a “volatile” compound meaning it evaporates quickly. To apply topically simply use a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, even olive oil. This allows the essential oil to stay on your skin for a longer period of time, which gives it enough time to enter your pores and begin doing its magic.

Best places to put the oil. Neck, chest, back of neck, wrists, temples and/or bottoms of feet.

Aromatically:

Diffusing oils in a diffuser is a fantastic way to benefit from oils. The oils travel through the air and are absorbed by your smell receptors. You can also place a drop or two on your palm and inhale the oils that way. Using oils aromatically is still allowing the oils to enter your body. It still allows them to penetrate your cells. So using a less quality oil in your diffuser is not the best way to go. Often times I hear that people will use the good stuff on them and their kids then use the crappy stuff from the store in their diffuser. IT’S STILL ENTERING YOUR BODY! Use the good stuff all around.

Internally:

Now, here is why quality is extremely important.

You are not going to just go to the grocery store and pick an oil off the shelf and take it internally. There is a reason why most oils say do not ingest. Quality! So please, please be mindful and purchase from a reputable company that completely provides all quality testing information. A company that stands by their product and puts directly on their bottle: “For internally use take one drop in 4 oz of water”

So, with that said. You can take oils by placing in liquid, or in food to cook with or by placing a drop or two in a veggie capsule.

Sold! But wait, where in the heck do I buy these oils from, since quality is so important?

doTERRA, is the only company I feel 100% confident taking internally, using topically and using on my children. That is a huge plus. When my kids are in need, I reach for oils to help heal. When I am in need, I reach for the oils. When my husband has an issue, first question is, “did you use an oil?” This is our family’s source of health. A natural solution that makes us feel incredible. Quality is what you need in a natural resource and doTERRA gives you just that. The extent they take to ensure each bottle of oil is cared for, is an incredible feeling. They not only take care of the farmers they buy from, they take care of my family and for that, doTERRA is the only company I trust.

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Happy essential oiling!

 

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If you would like advise on where to start in your oil journey, leave a comment below. If you want to know what oil is best for a specific ailment, comment below or email me. If you would like more information on doTERRA, please send me an email or comment below. I would love to help guide you anyway I can. 

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Medicinal Herb Series: Lavender

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Oh my, let’s talk lavender for a second shall we. I mean there is nothing quite like it. The fragrance just fills the air with this delicate aroma. The flowers stand tall and proud. The deep purple color just pops against the muted green leaves. It is just a heavenly plant that is filled with medicinal properties that you should not be without. Let’s do it to it.

Growing lavender

Lavender, or lavendula angustifolia, part of the mint family. It is a drought tolerant plant that loves full sun. Allowing for adequate soil drainage can help keep this plant happy and thriving. Lavender is a bush that grows best in zones 5-9.

Medicinal Properties

Sleep Aid: Lavender is a fantastic sleep aid. It helps rest the mind from the daily chatter. It allows the body to fall into a restful sleep, as well as, fall back to sleep easier when awaken.

Reduces anxiety and stress: Lavender helps relax the mind and body during times of high stress and anxiety. Lavender is a grounding herb that allows one to stay centered.

Used for minor cuts and burns: Lavender is an antibacterial, antimicrobial and an antiseptic. Rub some lavender Essential  oil on minor scraps and burns to help relieve the pain almost immediately.

Reduces headaches: Diffusing lavender oil or taking Lavender internally can help decrease headaches.

Anti-depressant: Lavender helps increase the serotonin levels in the brain that give us that “happy feeling.” By diffusing lavender or by taking it internally one can lower the feelings of depression. This is a great go to for mamas that are dealing with baby blues or postpartum.

Skin care: Lavender is used in a lot of skin care products. It helps rebuild the cells within the skin allowing for a beautiful peaceful glow.

How to use lavender

Essential oils are a fantastic way to get all the benefits of lavender. Essential oils can be used topically with a carrier oil if needed. Rubs some on the temples, chest, neck and or bottoms of feet. It can be taken internally by placing a drop in 4oz of water and drinking. Or it can be used aromatically through a diffuser.

Tinctures are our go to. Tinctures are to be taken internally by placing a dropperful under the tongue and holding for 30 seconds. This allows all those beautiful properties of this herb that we just talked about to enter into your blood stream faster.

Lavender salves can be used on the bottoms of feet or on chest to help promote sleep and reduce anxiety.

Lavender tea is a great way to relax the body after a long day or to be sipped on while sick.

Lavender is one of those herbs that can be found everywhere. Please do your research on the product you are using. You want your essential oils to be distilled in the purest form, especially if you are going to take it internally. Remember the FDA does not regulate essential oils, so what you buy from the store may not be lavender. The bottle can read “therapeutic grade, organic, 100% pure” as long as it contains at least 5% essential oil. The remaining 95% can be chemicals, carrier oil, or synthetic oil. So buy from a reputable company that provides third party testing.

Tinctures are available in our shop for purchase. It is one of more popular tinctures and for a good reason. There is not a night that we don’t take a dropperful to help us relax before bed. In fact I took two dropperful today when both the kids were driving me to the point of ripping all my eyelashes out! Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do right?!

Hey, don’t forget to check out our Instagram page, we have a ton of fun stuff on there to!

Happy Lavendering!

 

 

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Comfrey and Lavender Salve Recipe

Lavender Comfrey salve recipe

Let’s make a comfrey lavender salve people.

How do you make a salve?

A salve is an ointment made with healing properties. And as with most things I try and do, this comfrey lavender salve recipe is super duper easy man. You can literally make a salve with any dried herbs or oils. I choose to make a comfrey and lavender salve because well, if you don’t know by now comfrey is just straight up amazing and lavender is just heavenly. So there ya go. Let’s roll shall we.

There are a few ways to make a salve. You can use dried herbs from your garden or Mountain Rose Herbs, which I’ve been super pleased with. Or you can add essential oils to it. When using dried herbs you need to make an infused oil with it. You can cold steep it for ten weeks like my husband is doing with some comfrey, post to come. Or if you’re impatient like I am, you can crock pot it for 3-4 hours. Let the crock potting begin! Let’s get this lavender comfrey salve recipe goin’!

What you’ll need for your lavender comfrey salve:

Dried herbs

Essential oil

Vitamin E oil

Carrier oil of choice

Beeswax: 2 tablespoons for every 1 cup of oil

Glass jar

Step 1: Lavender Comfrey salve recipe

I happen to have a little baby crock pot that came with our crock pot. Feel free to use your regular crock pot or you can use a double broiler as well. A double broiler if you’re unfamiliar, is a pot with water on the bottom and a bowl or another pot that fits on top. This helps heat stuff without putting direct flame on to it.

Step 2: Lavender Comfrey salve recipe

To make the infused oil, place dried herbs in a crock pot and pour enough oil to cover the herbs. So the amount can vary depending on what you have and or need. You can use what ever oil tickles your fancy. I used olive oil here. But avocado oil, apricot oil, almond oil, jojoba oil and fractionated coconut oil are also great options. So, in whatever cooking method you choose, place herbs and oil in and cook for about 3-4 hours. The longer the better but you can still get a nice oil from 3-4 hours.

Step 3: Lavender Comfrey salve recipe

Step 4: Lavender Comfrey salve recipe

Once your oil is done, strain out the liquid into a pot. I used a jar and that was pointless because I made a mess and I had to just transfer it anyway to a pot. So save your self the oily mess and strain in into a pot. Now add your beeswax. Melt down your beeswax but make sure not to bring to a boil. So you are going to have to watch this part carefully. Once your wax is melted turn heat off and add 20-30 drops of your choice of essential oil and 5-10 drops of vitamin E. You’re done homie, pour into a glass container and bam you got yourself some lavender comfrey salve. See now wasn’t that easy peasy. Feel free to use like lotion.

If you’re interested in making a cold infused oil. Place dried herbs in a mason jar or glass container. Pour oil of choice until it covers it. Place a lid on and steep for 6-10 weeks in a dark cool space.

There is also what is called solar infused oil, which are the same steps as above but you place outside or on a sunny window and allow the sun to infuse the oil. Allow to steep for 2-4 weeks. When using either method remember to shake and move around the oil and herbs everyday or a few times a week. I like to send it some good juju while I’m shaking it and just repeat a little prayer, if you will. Whatever I’m making will be used for my family or someone I care about. So sending out that good energy or juju only makes it that much stronger. Enjoy!

Happy salving!

Learn more about the benefits of comfrey here!

Also, check out my step-by-step instructions on how to make a comfrey poultice!

This post contains affiliate links. That means when you click on a product and buy through that link I get some cents here and there at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

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Homemade Deodorant

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Say what! You heard me mang, homemade deodorant. It really is a satisfying thing to slowly start weeding out commercial products and replacing them with natural resources. To tell you the truth I’ve gone back and forth with weeding commercial products out. I go for a long time with using homemade products and then I second guess myself or think, is this product really working? I go back to using chemically filled tubes of lord knows what. I don’t feel totally great about it but it’s what I’m used to and it feels and smells nice. Then it hits me again, wait why am I using this? So here we are again. My plan this year is to completely weed out skin and hair care products and replace them with natural resources. Let’s see if I can make it an entire year. So far I’ve stopped using commercial shampoo and conditioner. Ive replaced it with Dr. Bronners soap and citrus hair rinse. Now let’s replace this nastiness we call deodorant.

Why love your armpits? Well they are your bodies way of expelling toxins. When we sweat we expel toxins and if allowed, much of that sweating is done by those lovely little armpits of yours. When we use commercial deodorants that contain nasty chemicals like, aluminum, formaldehyde, carcinogens, and antifreeze agents we are contaminating our bodies even more then we realize. These chemicals block your pours from releasing sweat or toxins. They fill your body with unnecessary hormones. It’s not good people. So let’s love our armpits again and make them some deodorant that’s going to allow them to sing again……and sweat.

I’ve made a ton of different deodorants over time. There are a lot of good recipes out there. I’m not saying this is the ONLY one I’ll use. But it’s by far the best most familiar feeling recipe I have found. I may experiment with another recipe later but I’ll keep you posted. For now let’s make this armpit goodness up.

You’re going to need:

Arrowroot powder

Baking Soda

Coconut Oil

Esential oils of your choice. I suggest tea tree oil and lavender. Tea tree will help protect against unwanted bacteria or pathogens. Lavender smells delicious and is an antibacterial and naturally cleanses.

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Now for those of you who need exact measurements, this is where your anxiety is going to peak, there are none. You just need to throw a little of this maybe a lot of that to get the right consistency. If you need a measurement to start with, I would start with a cup of each arrowroot and baking soda and go from there. What you are looking for is, when you crush some in your hand, it will stay intact. If it doesn’t, then add a little more coconut oil. You do not want a paste but you do not want it to be powder. Once you have your consistency down, add in your oils.

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I had an empty Dove deodorant stick that I cleaned and then just packed in my homemade stuff. It packs in pretty nicely and you are still able to use the dial to turn the deodorant up when needed. Boom son, you’re done. Now go on and let those armpits of yours breath and detox.

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I am serious, they need to detox. This takes about a week or two depending. The first few days you’ll be like, oh yea this is cool, I’m not sweating I smell great…! Then BAM a week or so later you start sweating like a hog and a nice little musty smell starts taking a toll on your self confidence. This is where you start reaching for the damn commercially made crap. I encourage you to keep going, my friend. I promise this stage is only temporary. Your little armpits need time to detox and your ph needs to balance back out. Once this happens you won’t sweat as much and the smell may lessen. I say may because you just might be a naturally smelly mofo.

So let’s do this thing together. High five for happy pits!

Happy deodorant making yo!

This post contains affiliate links. That means when you click on my suggested products and buy them. I get a few cents here and there but there is not additional cost for you. Hasn’t happened yet but I’m very excited for it to!