Nature! - Environmental Year in Review and 2016 Goals

This week is all about looking back on this year and seeing where we have been and where we are at currently, while forecasting what is to come in 2016.  There have been major changes in my family's lifestyle since the start of 2015 and we will be continuing to build on those changes in 2016.  (See the Food! post from Dec 28, 2015 and the Let's Learn! post from Dec 29, 2015.)  Surprisingly, even with my background tied to the environment, I have learned of some new environmental issues which I was not aware of previously.  "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret" has made an impact on my life and is shaping, reinforcing, confirming how I think about the environment and will be a guiding force as I post about nature related topics in 2016.

As I wrote about in previous Nature! posts (Growing Up In Nature, Maturing In Nature, and Living In Nature) I have always enjoyed the great outdoors!  From spending time exploring and playing outside as a child to working to helping reduce our impact on the environment in my professional work, my love and enjoyment of nature continues to grow.  With our children, my husband and I promote outdoor play and exploration.  We pick up trash and recycling on our walks and our children usually recognize recyclable products.  We ID birds and fish and spend a lot of time checking them out at the bird feeders, around the lake and catching fish.  My husband is better at it than I, but we try to minimize the amount of electricity and water we use on a daily basis.  Overall, we have a pretty solid foundation of sustainability and environmental awareness for our children to build on.

Of course there are some areas we need to work on.  For 2016, I would like to set three (3) nature based/environmental goals for my family to achieve.  The first goal is to continue spreading the word of "Cowspiracy".  Animal agriculture is destroying the planet far faster than any individual water, electricity, and fuel saving measures we attempt to implement in order to slow the destruction.  The second goal is to have a more successful garden in 2016.  Our 2015 garden started out promising with starting seeds indoors, but ended up being quite a let down as one thing after another happened and we only harvested a small amount of tomatoes and a few tiny green peppers.  The third goal is to explore more of the natural features close to home.  Every year I want to take the children to nearby nature spots (State Parks, Nature Preserves, Historic Sites, etc.) but usually only make it to one or two.  Now that I am publishing my goals for 2016, I intend to hold myself responsible for them.  Starting with three goals is doable.  Each year I hope to have at least three environmental/nature based goals to work towards.

To start 2016, I will expound on each of the goals and future posts will document our progress.  Of course there will be some Nature! posts not directly related to the goals.  If I seem to not be posting regularly about the goals, please ask about them! I'm looking forward to building off of what I have learned in 2015 and sharing my experiences with my readers in hopes that they will see that if I can do it, so can they!  

What are your nature based/environmental goals for 2016???

Let's Learn! - What I've Learned about Essential Oils in 2015 and What's in Store for 2016!

To put it mildly, 2015 has been a year of changes for my family!  Specifically, I discovered essential oils (not sure why it took me so long!) and watched "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret".  2015 has been an eye-opening year and 2016 looks as though what has been set in motion in 2015 will continue!

I happened upon essential oils mid year.  For quite some time I had been trying to use the "greenest" cleaning products that I could find in the stores, I was using fragrance free detergents and keeping my eyes and ears open for new products that were not potentially harmful for my family but yet were effective.  A friend (and now a business colleague) had been posting about essential oils and when I was approached by another multi-level marketing company about a different product line, it made me reach out to my essential oils friend and I started asking questions.  As I began learning more about essential oils, I began doing my own independent research on them.  Needless to say, I was impressed with what I discovered and could not wait to get my hands on my very own set of essential oils!  (Read my Essential Oils Page to find out what Essential Oils are, why I choose to use Young Living Essential Oils and what the various purchasing options are.)

11 essential oils come in the Young Living Premium Starter Kit with diffuser.  Here is how I use each one of the 11 essential oils every day:

Lavender - I love the smell of a little Lavender EO!  Too much Lavender can be overwhelming!  (It is important to remember that with all essential oils, a little goes a long ways!)  I like to wear it under my arms as a natural deodorant!  When my children or I have a runny nose a little Lavender EO helps slow it down.

Peppermint - Peppermint EO in my water in the afternoons gives me a natural boost, it is especially useful when I'm going to be driving in the car for long stretches and need to stay alert.  I also use it on my children to help open them up so that they breath better before going to bed.  Peppermint EO also repels spiders!  During the warmer weather, I spray Peppermint EO around the doors and windows and spiders stay away.  Such a great alternative to scary pesticides!  I don't have to worry about my children's health when using Peppermint EO around them, like I would with the traditional pesticides.

Lemon - I mix Lemon EO in my homemade cleaning products.  It fights stickiness and grime naturally!  We love cleaning our small fruits and vegetables in a big bowl of water with 1-2 drops of Lemon EO.

Copaiba - Copaiba EO can be added to many of our essential oil blends to enhance/boost the effects of many of the other essential oils.

Frankincense - I have been using Frankincense EO on my children daily to help promote health and wellness, especially since they have a tendency to cough often.

Thieves - I probably use Thieves EO the most!  I have run out of it in the past and everyone ended up sick!  Not a coincidence - I will never run out again!  I diffuse and clean with Thieves to help maintain a healthy environment and to boost wellness.  I made a spray with Thieves EO that I spray in the child sized potty after every use and I use it as an air freshener in the bathroom, garbage cans or anywhere with a funky smell!  Every night before bed I apply Thieves EO to my children's feet.  My homemade toothpaste also has Thieves EO in it!  I love putting Thieves EO in my hot tea when I'm not feeling the greatest and when a sore throat is trying to make one of us uncomfortable, a spoonful of honey with 1 drop of Thieves EO makes us feel so much better! 

Purification - If I feel a blemish growing on my face, I put a tiny bit of Purification EO on it a few times during the day, or if I do mess with the blemish before applying Purification EO, the Purification EO calms it down and helps it go away quickly.  Purification EO is also great on my wool balls in my dryer.  It makes our clothes smell great naturally!

R.C. - As the weather changes and everyone is coming down with a cold, I enjoy diffusing R.C. EO with Lavender EO.  It smells amazing!  It is great for my children at night, as the R.C. blend helps open them up and the Lavender calms them. 

DiGize - For me, if I start to feel sinus pressure, I reach for my DiGize EO and apply it to the flex points on my toes.  Putting it on consistently for a few days, helped relieve the pressure and kept me feeling great!  I'll also keep DiGize EO handy for the times when I may overindulge on food and or drink and my stomach is a mess.  DiGize EO settles my tummy issues quickly!

PanAway - For someone who likes to be active, and for someone who seems to always have a little ache in my neck, I need to keep my PanAway EO close!  I use it as Icy Hot on aches and pains.  It feels great on my neck and shoulders and on my hands where an old softball injury flares up as the weather changes.  

Stress Away - I have three young children and taking them out in the public can occasionally be stressful.  I like to apply Stress Away EO to my wrists and neck and take some deep breaths of the aroma before entering the situation.  I keep Stress Away EO in my purse in case I need to reapply while we are out.  The smell is wonderful! 

As you can see, I use my essential oils throughout the day!  My husband and children picked out a nice plastic case - similar to a tackle box, for me to put my oils in.  Now I will bringing my oils with me EVERYWHERE! They can go upstairs, downstairs, and out of town with us easily and securely!  I can whip up a solution quickly if something comes up while we are gone.  I feel so empowered using the oils!  I can finally take charge of what I am cleaning my house with and I don't have to be as reliant on over the counter medicines and prescription drugs to help my family feel good.  

I am so excited to continue using Young Living Essential Oils in 2016!  I have plans on trying some different essential oils that I have not tried yet and making more products for personal and home use.  Don't worry, I'll keep you updated on my oily journey!

If you are interested in joining me on my journey and would like to find out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!  I'd love to help you and your family take charge of your health and wellness and reduce your dependence on synthetic chemicals!  Please let me know how I can help!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Food! - Year in Review and What to Expect in 2016!

To put it mildly, 2015 has been a year of changes for my family!  Specifically, I discovered essential oils (not sure why it took me so long!) and watched "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret".  2015 has been an eye-opening year and 2016 looks as though what has been set in motion in 2015 will continue!

As I mentioned previously, the Netflix movie "Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret" is quite thought provoking and moving!  After watching the documentary, and doing some research, I have really cut way back on purchasing meat, eggs, cheese and other dairy products.  I'm even reading labels and trying to avoid products with milk, whey and egg ingredients.  My family now eats most of our meals without meat, eggs and dairy.  We have increased our consumption of beans and fresh vegetables.  I am much more aware of agribusiness and am now constantly on the look out for healthier, less processed foods to feed to my family which are free of animal products.

Easy tip - Use non-dairy milk in your (or your children's) cereal every morning.  The cereal adds sweetness to the milk and you can hardly tell a difference.  We use a lot of Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk, or Cashew Milk and occasionally Flax Seed Milk or Coconut Milk. 

In regards to Food! posts, 2015 has mostly consisted of recipes that I have tweaked or revamped to fit my family's liking.  I intend to keep posting recipes in 2016 that work for my family and me.  I am also going to try to have themes for each month.  For example, in January 2016 let's start the year off with healthy meal replacement shakes!  I intend to post recipes for protein and green smoothies. Most people make New Year's resolutions, and many include dieting or eating a cleaner/less processed diet.  I will be right there with the masses and hope that my weekly food posts provide some helpful and easy to follow ways to implement dietary changes.

If you have something that you would like me to write about, please let me know!  I'm sure I can fit it in somehow!  I hope that you had a very Merry Christmas with your family and friends and that you have a safe and enjoyable New Year's!  See you in 2016!

Let's Learn! - Frankincense Essential Oil!

I think that learning about Frankincense Essential Oil is quite fitting for this Christmas week!  Until learning about essential oils, I had not heard about Frankincense outside of the Bible.  Nor had I thought about Frankincense.  I guess maybe I thought it was just something from Biblical times.  BUT, when I began researching Frankincense, I was VERY surprised that it is VERY much still around and VERY useful!!!

Many of us are familiar with the Wise Men who came to visit Baby Jesus.  They saw the star appear in the sky that signified Jesus' birth and they went to find HIM.  They brought valuable and important gifts to Jesus: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  Bible History Daily has an explanation about why the Wise Men brought the gifts that they did.

In my research, I found that Frankincense is from the tree Boswellia carterii which is native to the Middle East and contains the naturally occurring constituent boswellic acid.  Frankincense comes in a few different forms, but the most pure and potent forms include Frankincense Resin and Frankincense Essential Oil.  The Resin is obtained by tapping the tree and collecting the Resin and letting it harden.  The Essential Oil is obtained through the distillation of the dry resin.  Young Living actually carries both the Frankincense Resin and the Frankincense EO.  More on the Resin later, as I haven't had a chance to use it yet!

Frankincense EO has a woodsy, warm, balsamic aroma. Frankincense can be diffused during meditation for grounding and purpose. Applying this oil topically may help smooth the appearance of healthy-looking skin, and is excellent to use for massage after activity.  Young Living also suggests that one can inhale Frankincense EO to spiritually refocus and one can rub Frankincense EO on the bottom of your feet to help alleviate nervous energy.

I have come to the conclusion, based upon my research, that Frankincense can and should be used for just about everything!!!  If you're feeling ill and coughing, rub some Frankincense EO on your chest with your other oils for respiratory health (like Eucalyptus and RC).  Diffuse Frankincense EO to help correct your mood and to trigger your Olfactory Region to respond.  Use Frankincense in your homemade skin care products to promote healthy skin.  

Finally, PLEASE do yourself a favor and complete an on-line search of Frankincense EO, Boswellia carterii and Boswellic acid.  Look for collegiate reports and medical and/or science journal papers.  One site that has a lot of information is the National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health.  Since this is a government site, I would suspect that it would be quite biased one way or another, but I have been pleasantly surprised that the information seems to be the facts and what they report about Frankincense makes me happy!  Let's just say that I will consistently use Frankincense EO to encourage overall health and wellness, internal and external!

What is your favorite way to use Frankincense EO?

Interested in finding out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils?  Check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Food! - Vegetable Medley!

What do you make when you have a lot of vegetables that have been waiting patiently to be eaten?  You make a concoction or Vegetable Medley!  Following I'll describe what I did one night when I had a counter full of squash and potatoes that I wanted to use!

Vegetable Medley

This does take a while to prepare, mostly due to the cooking of the Squash, so plan accordingly. 

Ingredients

Feeds about 4+

1/2 of as large Acorn Squash (1 small Acorn Squash would have been perfect)

1/2 of a large Spaghetti Squash (I've really just seen one size of Spaghetti Squash, but if you can find 1 small one, that would work too!)

About 1-2 lbs of Red Potatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 - 8oz carton of Mushrooms

1 Red Onion

A few big handfuls of Baby Spinach

3+ cloves of Garlic

Salt and Pepepr

Seasonings to your taste

Directions

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees
2. Cut both types of Squash in half, sprinkle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and salt and pepper
3. Place Squash cut side down in baking dish, add 1-2" of water to dish to help speed up the cooking and to keep the squash from sticking to the bottom of the dish
4. Cook both types of Squash in oven together for about 30-45 minutes, or to desired tenderness
5. Cut Potatoes into about 1" pieces.  Steam to desired tenderness.  I used my DeMarle Cookware with a little bit of water on the bottom and steamed in my microwave to lessen the mess!
6. Chop Mushrooms & Onion and place in large saucepan with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
7. Mince or Crush Garlic and add to saucepan
8. Add Spinach to saucepan (spinach can be chopped into smaller pieces if desired)
9. Sautee vegetables in Olive Oil until desired tenderness is achieved. 
10. Add the steamed Potatoes to the saucepan with sauteed vegetables
11. Scoop the flesh from the Acorn Squash, shred the Spaghetti Squash and add to the saucepan with sauteed vegetables.
12. Season with additional Salt and Pepper or Seasonings of your choice and warm all ingredients together for a few minutes before serving.
13. I'm just learning about Nutritional Yeast and you better believe that next time I make this I will be adding it!!!

For Herbivores, this is a meal in itself thanks to the heartiness of the potatoes!  For Omnivores this can be served as a side with a meat of your liking.  It is also Gluten and Soy Free!

Weekend Oily Tip! - Add Peppermint!

This week has been all about Peppermint!  Which is PERFECT for this time of year!  Christmas is next week and there are peppermint flavored goodies all over the stores, Pinterest and people's homes!  In one post I discussed some general information and basic ways to use Peppermint Essential Oil.  In another post, I mentioned using Peppermint Essential Oil with a Diffuser Necklace.  This post is going to offer some quick and easy ideas on how to incorporate Peppermint Essential Oil into your food for a fun twist on some Christmas-time staples!

Young Living's Peppermint Essential Oil is All Natural!  There are no fillers, additives or alcohol.  Leaves and flowers from the Peppermint Plant, Mentha piperita, are distilled and the essential oil is extracted and bottled, all while strictly adhering to Young Living's Seed to Seal quality commitment.  (It takes about 1 entire pound of Peppermint Plants to make a single 15 ml bottle of Peppermint EO.)  You know exactly what you are getting when using Young Living Essential Oils, so you can feel confident that you are using a top notch product.

Basic Conversions
Use 1/8 teaspoon of Peppermint EO for every 1 teaspoon of Peppermint Extract called for in recipe.
OR
Use 2 drops of Peppermint EO per batch of brownies, cakes, cookies, etc.  More if desired.

Peppermint Brownies, Cakes & Cookies
Follow your favorite recipe, but before pouring the batter into the pan, add 2 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil for each batch and stir thoroughly!  If you want a bolder peppermint flavor, add 3-4 drops per batch.  But remember a little goes a long way!

Peppermint Fudge
Here are a couple Peppermint Fudge recipes that I'm going to have to try!  They look delish!
White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge from Real Housemoms.  Substitute Peppermint EO for the Peppermint Extract using the conversion above.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Fudge from AllRecipes.  Again, substitute Peppermint EO for the Peppermint Extract using the conversion above.
OR
Transform your favorite fudge recipe by adding Peppermint EO and mixing thoroughly before allowing the fudge to cool.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate
There is nothing easier & tastier than adding ONE drop of Peppermint EO to your mug of Hot Chocolate once it is heated!  Stir it all together with a peppermint candy cane for added peppermint.  But be careful, the Peppermint EO is very strong!  More than one drop per serving may not taste very good.  A benefit is that you will suddenly be able to breathe very well as the menthol in peppermint really opens you up!

Peppermint Patty Cocktail
Out of Peppermint Schnapps or Creme de Menthe?  No problem!  Grab your Peppermint EO and Vodka and wallah!  Mix with a little cream/milk or non-dairy milk and some chocolate syrup to your liking.

What is your favorite holiday recipe with Peppermint in it?  Have you tried it with Peppermint EO?

Enjoy!!!

Interested in finding out how to get your hands on these Young Living Essential Oils?  Check out my Essential Oils and Monthly Promotions Pages!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Chemical Free! - Teacher Gift Idea - Diffuser Necklace!

Another great Gift Idea for a teacher, party hostess, bus driver, day care provider, etc is a Diffuser Necklace with a sample of Essential Oils!

Diffuser Necklaces are awesome for anyone who likes to wear a little simple jewelry or a lot of jewelry.  The great thing about them is that there are little pads that come with each necklace and the essential oil is dropped directly on those, so the essential oils do not need to be applied to the skin or clothes in order to get the benefit of the essential oils!  The desired strength of a scent and the material of the pad will determine how many drops of essential oils to use.  Since everyone is different, it is very useful to include sample packets of essential oils or a small sample bottle filled with essential oils so that the gift recipient can adjust the scent as necessary.  (Read this useful article about how scent affects the brain!)

This Christmas, I am gifting Diffuser Necklaces to the teachers in my children's classrooms.  My sons' teachers will be receiving a dram/sample bottle of Young Living's Stress Away Essential Oil.  The name says it all!  It is a wonderful smell!  My daughter's teachers will be receiving a dram of a blend of Young Living's Peppermint and Lemon Essential Oils.  It is a very uplifting and refreshing blend!  I even started wearing a Diffuser Necklace!  One day my stomach was a mess and I was tired, but I had stuff to do!  I dropped Peppermint EO on the pad, put the necklace on and got on with my day.  The scent is not overwhelming at all and the locket can always be brought up to the nose for a quick whiff.

Diffuser Necklaces come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes.  There are many available on Amazon and Etsy if on-line shopping is preferred.  I have seen bracelets too.  It is true, there is something for every price range and style!  Get some now! 

My monthly promotion for December is even giving away a Diffuser Necklace for all new members who purchase a Premium Starter Kit AND for those existing members of mine who make a purchase of 190 PV or more!  They are such an easy way to start using your essential oils right away!  Contact me for more details.   

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.