Liz James

Is It Time to Rethink Psychiatric Medication? A Reader’s Reflection on ‘Unshrunk’

Liz James · July 14, 2025 ·

One of the gifts my parents gave me early on was a love of reading. Give me a book any day over screentime. I use them to learn/research, become better myself, and also to relax. This is one I finished last month.

Considering the state of the world’s mental health in general, Unshrunk is an incredibly important book for many reasons, not the least of which is informed consent.

I have had suspicions about the effectiveness of psych meds for years. Not just the efficacy, but also the safety due to the collateral damage the body experiences over time, and in 2023, there was an incredible broad study done which confirmed those suspicions.

I’m happy to have a conversation with anyone on this topic. Mind, body, and spirit are so intertwined. If one is ailing, the others will follow.

If you are a reader and curious…. this book is for you. (Here’s a short blog too: https://www.madinamerica.com/…/the-cat-is-out-of…/…

If you are better with auditory learning, this is a GREAT interview with the author, Laura Delano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PdWKkyooCk

Here is another interview that you may find interesting (for the record, I would never suggest getting off of a psych drug without the help of a medical professional): https://youtu.be/6OMbza-fHrk

When You Need It Most: How PanAway Saved My Road Trip

Liz James · July 8, 2025 ·

I took an epic fall yesterday afternoon walking in my socks on our porch. A nail grabbed my sock, and I literally went almost face plant, but instead, landed hard on the right side of my body. Within 2 hrs, I had a grapefruit sized knot right below my hip bone and it was getting increasingly swollen/uncomfortable.

Enter Panaway.

I slathered that baby up about 5 times in the next couple of hours.

This morning…… no bruise, no swelling, just a tiny bit sore.

Panaway’s my superhero oil of the day this week. I’m prepping for a super long road trip (both for YL and BBHB) and there’s no time to be gimpy!

)

And yes…. said nail has been hammered back to its rightful place

I don’t use Panaway often… in fact, rarely. But this is one oil I’m never without.

#WhenYouNeedIt #GoodMedicine #pharmacognosy

Young Living Brings Essentials for Our July Free Gifts

Liz James · July 1, 2025 ·

July’s gifts with purchase are more than summer perks. They’re a celebration of our roots and history.

I’m curious….. how many of you have been saved from seasonal sniffles because you are deeply familiar with our LLPC winning combo?

( If I just spoke an acronym foreign to you…. welcome to our community education page….. your oil and health vocabulary and skillset is about to expand in beautiful ways!….. the ways of our ancestors. )

I wonder how often our country’s

forefathers and foremothers reached for peppermint

and lemon

to aid in their health??

Both were a health kit staple even before Paul Revere rode his midnight ride

, tho lemons were often hard to come by and dear in price in many parts of the world!)

One thing our ancestors didn’t have to worry much with was Magnesium deficiency…. the soil was rich with it and not tainted by fertilizer that bound up magnesium making it unusable by plants (as has been the case since the 1970’s). Nowadays, unless someone is supplementing, it’s estimated that roughly 85% of the population is magnesium deficient. And when you know that magnesium is used about 600 different ways in the body for everything from enzymatic activity to cardiac and gut function to muscle and immune system support to bone health…. well, as you might imagine, a deficiency can be problematic. If you aren’t already using magnesium in your daily supplement regimen…. the freebie supplement this month may just help you with some “not so normal” things going on in your body that you thought were “normal”. (Normal ain’t always normal

Here’s everything you can earn this month:

100 PV loyalty order

Lemon essential oil, 15 ml

Retail value: $17.11

YL tip: Skip synthetic sprays! Add a few drops of Lemon to a spray bottle with witch hazel and water to freshen the air and uplift your space, naturally.

200 PV one-time and loyalty order

Peppermint essential oil, 15 ml

Retail value: $49.68

Pro tip: Dilute and rub Peppermint onto tired muscles post-workout or diffuse it for a crisp, cool pick-me-up on hot summer afternoons (or hot flashes…. which if you have these, we should talk

300 PV one-time and loyalty order

Super Magnesium supplement

Retail value: $93.10

YL tip: Ditch short-term sleep aids. These nature-powered capsules can be taken daily to support restful sleep, healthy energy levels, and over 300 essential functions.

Who is happy to see these three as a way to restock your necessities for free this month?

Happy July friends! How are you celebrating our country

this weekend?

Young Living's free gifts for July, supplements and essential oils

How to Fix Bad Sleep Habits Naturally: Tips from a Retired Educator

Liz James · June 14, 2025 ·

by Terry Billups

Do you get up in the morning because you’ve had enough sleep or because you need/want to get up and going?

I was always the latter!!!

As a child/teenager/college student I hated missing anything, so, consequently, I went to bed late and got up super early for a kid (6:00 AM). I loved all the moments I experienced throughout the day.

As a teacher, I enjoyed the early morning time at school before everyone came in, just to have a little quiet time to do what I wanted in the room… tweak lesson plans, grade papers, move furniture around, put up new bulletin boards… or whatever I wanted. But, I also would grade papers til late at night. Turning the mind off was the hardest thing to do… it still is!

As a principal, I went in to school early to accomplish all the things I knew had to be done that day, because I knew there would be so many interruptions. My time was not mine and there were priorities that had to be completed… so early it was!

Now, I am retired. I have had many years of bad sleep habits to change. For all those years, I may have had 3 to 5 hours of sleep a night. The body needs more sleep than that. That’s when fatigue settles in, our bodies slide into survival mode, and illness hovers waiting to find a crack to slip in. And I can tell you, I was ill more than well the entire 34 years I was in education. Not good!!!

Isn’t it strange that we totally settle for what we feel is a norm, when in fact it is a bad habit.

With retirement, I had to “work” on fixing my bad sleeping habits. I learned that when I sleep, I should go to bed… even for a nap.

I’ve also learned:

to set a time to go to bed

to turn off all electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed

to read something for a few minutes

work on a puzzle… paper and pencil!

to rub Young Living body lotion on my legs and arms (I’m not choosey… I like them all and love the calming sensation they create)

use Deep Sleep Essence and/or ImmuPro right before I climb into bed

rub Valor, Lavender, Tranquil… any of the Young Living calming oils or blends under the back of my big toes… I also rub them on my wrists

when I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, if I feel I need more sleep, I stay in bad and relax my mind (whether I fall back to sleep isn’t the point… I’m allowing myself the time to sleep and rest)

Since I have been addressing this bad habit of jumping up at the crack of dawn and staying up ’til I can’t keep my eyes opened, I am now getting between 6 and 7 hours of sleep. I feel much more rested, alert, and haven’t had so many colds… in fact, I hardly have any everyday illnesses anymore. Running on totally fatigue is a thing of the past.

Are you like me and have had to change this bad habit of living on little sleep?

What do you do? We want to know!!

More Sleep Tips

Why America Spends the Most on Healthcare — But Still Ranks Dead Last in Health Outcomes

Liz James · June 9, 2025 ·

How the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes profit over prevention (and what you can do about it)

Let’s start with a truth bomb that’ll make your head spin. 💣

We live in one of the most medically advanced nations on the planet… and yet, we’re among the sickest people in the developed world.

Despite having nearly unlimited access to doctors, prescriptions, and high-tech medical equipment, the United States consistently ranks dead last in health outcomes among developed nations — no matter your age, race, or income level. 💰😷

So what gives? How can we spend more on healthcare than any other country and still be this sick?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: We’ve bought into a system that prioritizes quick fixes over root causes. A system where more prescriptions equals “better care.” A system that rewards speed over strategy and profits over prevention.

The “Insta-Medicine” Mindset That’s Killing Us

We’ve been conditioned to believe that every symptom deserves a pill. Headache? There’s a pill for that. Trouble sleeping? Here’s another pill. Feeling anxious or “off”? Let’s add two more to the mix. 🙃

As a pharmacist, I talked to people at the counter every day who can’t name the medications they’re taking — or explain why they’re taking them. They just know they need their “little yellow pill” and their “big white one.”

This blind trust in the system has replaced personal responsibility for our health. And friend, that’s not just concerning — it’s dangerous.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:

1 in 5 Americans takes 5 or more prescription drugs daily
Most prescriptions are written by different doctors with zero cross-communication
Prescription drug errors kill over 100,000 Americans every year
Medical error is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S.

That’s not healthcare. That’s a crisis disguised as care.

Your Body Was Designed to Heal — Not Just Be “Managed”

Here’s what really gets me fired up: The top killers in America — heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers — are largely preventable through lifestyle changes.

But instead of teaching prevention, we hand out prescriptions. Instead of offering education about nutrition and stress management, we give insurance billing codes. Instead of supporting the body’s natural healing pathways, we’re told to “just manage it” with medication.

Friend, your body isn’t broken. You’re just stuck in a broken system that profits from keeping you sick, not making you well.

From Blind Trust to Holy Spirit-Led Discernment

It’s time for a wake-up call — not just about how this system is failing us, but about how we’ve unknowingly participated in our own health decline.

We were fearfully and wonderfully made for more than symptom suppression. We were created with built-in healing pathways that are God-designed and beautifully complex. 🙏🏼

The truth is: You don’t need more medication. You need more information. More discernment. And someone who’ll walk alongside you as you start asking the right questions about your health.

Questions Like:

What is my body actually trying to tell me through these symptoms?
What do my lab results really mean (beyond “everything looks normal”)?
How can I support my body’s natural healing instead of just masking symptoms?
What lifestyle factors might be at the root of my health struggles?

It’s Not Just the System — It’s the Mindset We Inherited

This isn’t about doctor-bashing or throwing shade at modern medicine. There’s a time and place for pharmaceuticals, and I’m grateful for life-saving interventions when we truly need them.

But when we’re popping pills for problems that could be solved with better sleep, cleaner water, stress management, and addressing nutritional deficiencies? That’s when we’ve lost the plot.

Next week, I’m diving deep into the history of how we got here. (Spoiler alert: It involves oil money, medical schools, and a systematic dismantling of natural medicine that’ll blow your mind.)

Ready to Become Your Own Health Detective?

For today, I want to leave you with this game-changing truth:

You don’t need a medical degree to understand your body. You need to become a detective — curious, prayerful, and willing to slow down long enough to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Is It Time to Rethink Psychiatric Medication? A Reader’s Reflection on ‘Unshrunk’

When You Need It Most: How PanAway Saved My Road Trip

Young Living Brings Essentials for Our July Free Gifts

How to Fix Bad Sleep Habits Naturally: Tips from a Retired Educator

Do you get up in the morning because you’ve had enough sleep or because you need/want to get up and going?

Why America Spends the Most on Healthcare — But Still Ranks Dead Last in Health Outcomes

How the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes profit over prevention (and what you can do about it)

Let’s start with a truth bomb that’ll make your head spin. 💣

We live in one of the most medically advanced nations on the planet… and yet, we’re among the sickest people in the developed world.

Despite having nearly unlimited access to doctors, prescriptions, and high-tech medical equipment, the United States consistently ranks dead last in health outcomes among developed nations — no matter your age, race, or income level. 💰😷

So what gives? How can we spend more on healthcare than any other country and still be this sick?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: We’ve bought into a system that prioritizes quick fixes over root causes. A system where more prescriptions equals “better care.” A system that rewards speed over strategy and profits over prevention.

The “Insta-Medicine” Mindset That’s Killing Us

We’ve been conditioned to believe that every symptom deserves a pill. Headache? There’s a pill for that. Trouble sleeping? Here’s another pill. Feeling anxious or “off”? Let’s add two more to the mix. 🙃

As a pharmacist, I talked to people at the counter every day who can’t name the medications they’re taking — or explain why they’re taking them. They just know they need their “little yellow pill” and their “big white one.”

This blind trust in the system has replaced personal responsibility for our health. And friend, that’s not just concerning — it’s dangerous.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:

That’s not healthcare. That’s a crisis disguised as care.

Your Body Was Designed to Heal — Not Just Be “Managed”

Here’s what really gets me fired up: The top killers in America — heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers — are largely preventable through lifestyle changes.

But instead of teaching prevention, we hand out prescriptions. Instead of offering education about nutrition and stress management, we give insurance billing codes. Instead of supporting the body’s natural healing pathways, we’re told to “just manage it” with medication.

Friend, your body isn’t broken. You’re just stuck in a broken system that profits from keeping you sick, not making you well.

From Blind Trust to Holy Spirit-Led Discernment

It’s time for a wake-up call — not just about how this system is failing us, but about how we’ve unknowingly participated in our own health decline.

We were fearfully and wonderfully made for more than symptom suppression. We were created with built-in healing pathways that are God-designed and beautifully complex. 🙏🏼

The truth is: You don’t need more medication. You need more information. More discernment. And someone who’ll walk alongside you as you start asking the right questions about your health.

Questions Like:

It’s Not Just the System — It’s the Mindset We Inherited

This isn’t about doctor-bashing or throwing shade at modern medicine. There’s a time and place for pharmaceuticals, and I’m grateful for life-saving interventions when we truly need them.

But when we’re popping pills for problems that could be solved with better sleep, cleaner water, stress management, and addressing nutritional deficiencies? That’s when we’ve lost the plot.

Next week, I’m diving deep into the history of how we got here. (Spoiler alert: It involves oil money, medical schools, and a systematic dismantling of natural medicine that’ll blow your mind.)

Ready to Become Your Own Health Detective?

For today, I want to leave you with this game-changing truth:

You don’t need a medical degree to understand your body. You need to become a detective — curious, prayerful, and willing to slow down long enough to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Your symptoms aren’t random. Your fatigue isn’t “just stress.” Your digestive issues aren’t something you have to “live with forever.”

Your body has been whispering. Maybe it’s time to start listening. 💗

Want to go deeper? Book a 1:1 Lab Review Session where we’ll decode what your numbers really mean and create a personalized action plan.

Remember: You were created to thrive, not just survive.

xoxo,
Liz

Liz James

Do you get up in the morning because you’ve had enough sleep or because you need/want to get up and going?

How the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes profit over prevention (and what you can do about it)

Let’s start with a truth bomb that’ll make your head spin. 💣

We live in one of the most medically advanced nations on the planet… and yet, we’re among the sickest people in the developed world.

Despite having nearly unlimited access to doctors, prescriptions, and high-tech medical equipment, the United States consistently ranks dead last in health outcomes among developed nations — no matter your age, race, or income level. 💰😷

So what gives? How can we spend more on healthcare than any other country and still be this sick?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: We’ve bought into a system that prioritizes quick fixes over root causes. A system where more prescriptions equals “better care.” A system that rewards speed over strategy and profits over prevention.

The “Insta-Medicine” Mindset That’s Killing Us

We’ve been conditioned to believe that every symptom deserves a pill. Headache? There’s a pill for that. Trouble sleeping? Here’s another pill. Feeling anxious or “off”? Let’s add two more to the mix. 🙃

As a pharmacist, I talked to people at the counter every day who can’t name the medications they’re taking — or explain why they’re taking them. They just know they need their “little yellow pill” and their “big white one.”

This blind trust in the system has replaced personal responsibility for our health. And friend, that’s not just concerning — it’s dangerous.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:

That’s not healthcare. That’s a crisis disguised as care.

Your Body Was Designed to Heal — Not Just Be “Managed”

Here’s what really gets me fired up: The top killers in America — heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers — are largely preventable through lifestyle changes.

But instead of teaching prevention, we hand out prescriptions. Instead of offering education about nutrition and stress management, we give insurance billing codes. Instead of supporting the body’s natural healing pathways, we’re told to “just manage it” with medication.

Friend, your body isn’t broken. You’re just stuck in a broken system that profits from keeping you sick, not making you well.

From Blind Trust to Holy Spirit-Led Discernment

It’s time for a wake-up call — not just about how this system is failing us, but about how we’ve unknowingly participated in our own health decline.

We were fearfully and wonderfully made for more than symptom suppression. We were created with built-in healing pathways that are God-designed and beautifully complex. 🙏🏼

The truth is: You don’t need more medication. You need more information. More discernment. And someone who’ll walk alongside you as you start asking the right questions about your health.

Questions Like:

It’s Not Just the System — It’s the Mindset We Inherited

This isn’t about doctor-bashing or throwing shade at modern medicine. There’s a time and place for pharmaceuticals, and I’m grateful for life-saving interventions when we truly need them.

But when we’re popping pills for problems that could be solved with better sleep, cleaner water, stress management, and addressing nutritional deficiencies? That’s when we’ve lost the plot.

Next week, I’m diving deep into the history of how we got here. (Spoiler alert: It involves oil money, medical schools, and a systematic dismantling of natural medicine that’ll blow your mind.)

Ready to Become Your Own Health Detective?

For today, I want to leave you with this game-changing truth:

You don’t need a medical degree to understand your body. You need to become a detective — curious, prayerful, and willing to slow down long enough to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Your symptoms aren’t random. Your fatigue isn’t “just stress.” Your digestive issues aren’t something you have to “live with forever.”

Your body has been whispering. Maybe it’s time to start listening. 💗

Want to go deeper? Book a 1:1 Lab Review Session where we’ll decode what your numbers really mean and create a personalized action plan.

Remember: You were created to thrive, not just survive.

xoxo,Liz

xoxo,
Liz