Dehydration

Health Clues from Your Hair -part 2

Liz James · August 24, 2021 ·

💈In addition to hair loss, the hair and scalp scalp also give clues.

💈Brittle hair may be the result of something as simple as regular exposure to harsh treatment. This may include parabens or sulfate laden hair “care” products, tho those companies who create such products certainly aren’t using ingredients that actually do care for hair! Hair that is heavily treated with commercial dyes, perms, and relaxers is also prone to brittleness. Do not underestimate the destructive power of a toxic☠️ personal care product. These commercial mainstream products can be so damaging to hair, scalp, and even have an effect on us internally. Remember, skin (and scalp) is like a sponge….what you put on your body is absorbed and affects the body systemically. Young Living continues to stand in the gap by providing an amazing line of shampoos, conditioners, and body care products that are safe and wonderfully beneficial to our bodies!

👉Chronic dehydration is another cause of brittle hair. Are you prone to split ends? 25% of hair is water, and this may be a very telling sign that you are not consuming enough water daily. Have you noticed how many clues there are that lead back to low grade dehydration? Approximately 75% of the population in the USA are chronically dehydrated! Think about how many irritating clues might vanish by simply drinking more good clean filtered water! If water isn’t your jam because it lacks the flavor you crave, get yourself the Young Living Vitality Drops. The bonus is that Lavender Lemonade and Grapefruit Bergamot also contain needed electrolytes, while the Jade Lemon Berry and Spearmint Tangerine flavors provide an added energy boost! My workouts are visibly better when I’ve added one of the energy flavors to my water while at the gym.

👉Other possible reasons for brittle hair include zinc deficiency (something that will ultimately affect your immune system function), a thyroid disorder (a full thyroid lab panel can reveal this easily), or too much processed food and not enough Omega 3’s in your diet. Unless a diet is absolutely loaded with natural Omega 3’s, I’d highly encourage adding OmegaGize3 or MindWise to your daily routine.

👉Certain medications may cause hair to become brittle, altered in texture or color, or change in receiving a color. Antidepressants, birth control pills, chemotherapy meds, anesthesia, statins, singulair, biologics, anxiety meds, and certain blood pressure meds are among those which may be considered likely suspects.
“Gray hair is a crown of glory: it is gained by living a godly life.”
~ Proverbs 16:31

💈Gray hair is usually well earned, but sometimes, medications, life events, and deficiencies can cause it to happen too early. Prematurely gray hair may happen with a B12 deficiency, an extremely stressful life event, or occasionally, certain medications.

💈The scalp also holds clues! Dandruff is often due to a gut imbalance, an unbalanced diet (where are your Omega 3’s?), or a sensitivity to a food ( commercial dairy is often the perpetrator).

There are really 4 main types of dandruff:
👉Dry skin dandruff: This may happen from washing hair too frequently, living in a very dry atmosphere, or chronic low grade dehydration. It is characterized by small white flakes. YL Copaiba Vanilla Shampoo is formulated for dry and damaged hair. What’s good for the hair is also good for the scalp!
👉Oily skin dandruff: These flakes tend to be yellowish and larger in nature. This type of dandruff requires more frequent washing. A diet high in processed foods is frequently the culprit. YL Lavender Mint Shampoo is formulated to lift away product residue and pollutants and excess scalp oils.
👉Yeasty dandruff: Candida infections can and do commonly appear on the scalp. Candida is opportunistic and is prone to setting up camp when the conditions are right. A suppressed immune system, an unhealthy diet, chronic stress, certain medications, and harsh chemicals in hair care products all may contribute to ideal conditions for candida to become a problem. Candida generally has larger flaky scales than dry skin dandruff, and the areas involved may appear somewhat moist.
👉Eczema and Psoriasis may also appear on the scalp appearing as patchy areas which may appear thicker than the normal skin and the flakes are generally quite large. Both eczema and psoriasis are immune system and gut health/diet related. Remember, the skin is a reflection of the health of the gut!

Overall, the most important thing you can do for the health of your hair and scalp is exactly what you’d do for the rest of your body…. A well balanced healthy diet, avoiding toxins however you can, and managing stress and sleep.

If you have been blessed with baldness, here’s some love for you!
BALD EAGLE BALM
10 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil
10 drops of Carrot Seed oil
5 drops of Myrrh
½ cup organic jojoba oil
Mix oils, shake well and massage onto that beautiful bald head after showering.
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#ThanksYL
#lovingyourtressesisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine

Health Clues in Your Colon part 2

Liz James · June 1, 2021 ·

What’s your lack of poo 💩 telling you? Colon Part II
There’s no time like the present to start talking about poo, or in this chat…. lack thereof! Chronic constipation affects roughly 28% of the North American population if we abide by the western medicine general rule that it’s “okay” to have only 3 bowel movements a week. (No wonder we have so many chronic illnesses based on this information alone!😱)
Let’s flush that “3 times a week okay-ness”, and look at how an optimally healthy colon should be functioning.
Healthy gastrointestinal transit time should run somewhere between 12 and 24 hours…… optimally, 1💩 to 3💩💩💩 bowel movements a day help keep the toxin load of a body in check. What happens when the body’s toxin load grows due to lack of appropriate time on the throne? Sickness and dysfunction begin rearing their ugly heads in a variety of ways:
1. Weight gain – toxins stored in fat and it becomes increasingly difficult to lose weight.
2. Fatigue – metabolism is disrupted (yet another avenue of weight gain too!)
3. Skin irritation and rashes occur – we expel toxins thru poop, pee, breathing, and thru our skin. When pooping isn’t happening as it should, other organs often can’t keep up with the detox process either!
4. Headaches and migraines
5. Mood Swings
6. Joint and muscle pains and spasms
7. Insomnia
8. Increased or excessive sweating (the body is trying hard to shed the excess toxins!)
9. Constipation breeds an increased toxin load which leads to even more constipation!
Per statistics found on the National Institute of Health’s website, chronic constipation (THEIR version…. 3x/week pooping) accounts for over 5 million healthcare visits or hospitalizations per year, and over 5.3 million prescriptions written singularly for constipation.
These are large numbers☝️☝️, but imagine how much larger those numbers would be if they were to include not pooping daily and the subsequent results….(numbers 1 thru 8 above).
Constipation is a clue, and it’s also largely fixable with lifestyle changes. Oftentimes, if you fix constipation, other health concerns will also begin to quietly fix themselves! 😉
Low fiber eating habits (ie: processed foods), lack of gut microorganism balance (YL’s Life 9 is KEY here), lack of exercise, dehydration, certain medications (Opiates, some antidepressants, calcium channel blockers used to treat blood pressure and heart disease, medications used to treat Parkinson’s, Iron supplements, NSAIDS, diuretics, antihistamines are all known to cause constipation), a magnesium deficiency, hormonal fluctuations, hypothyroidism, SIBO (refer to earlier discussion) and even colon cancer are common contributors to constipation.
For most people, eating more whole fresh foods, exercising regularly, drinking plenty of quality water, and including a top notch probiotic food or supplement source (Did I mention Life 9 or MightyPro for the kiddos?) along with digestive enzymes (Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Detoxzyme, Allerzyme, or Mightyzyme for kiddos) will often solve the constipation conundrum.
For those who still need a little extra boost to get you on that throne consistently, consider adding in Young Living’s ICP (that acronym has been affectionately known to stand for “I see poop” amongst those who use it). #useittoloseit ICP is a powder (loaded with soluble fiber and other goodness) that is added to juice or smoothies, making it an easy addition to daily routine.
If constipation is something that plagues you, and you’ve tried #allthethings, it may be time to investigate possible food sensitivities, leaky gut syndrome, or severe gut dysbiosis (unbalanced gut bacteria) with the help of a health professional who is experienced working with patients in this demographic.
Happy flushing!
xoxo~ liz
#knowbetterdobetter
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#fixyourplumbing
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Teeth – part 3

Liz James · May 3, 2021 ·

Do you utilize vitaflex/reflexology points on your hands, feet, and even ears👂 when you apply essential oils? Do you have an excellent massage therapist who is able to make you feel better both physically and emotionally after a nice long appointment? Have you ever employed the powerful tool of acupuncture or acupuncture point based therapy as a means of retaining or regaining health or function?

Or, are you just not sure “those things” are real? As a 100% science minded health professional, I needed some strong evidence….. After all, these applications are not taught in the Western medicine education system. So, as any good doubting Thomas would do, I set out not to disprove what I didn’t understand….. but to dig for validation and information of what was confounding me! Never discount something because it doesn’t make sense to you or doesn’t fit the mold you’ve been taught! Dig until you find the truth. My own digging has led me through many books, conferences, professional journal articles, and pubmed…. and through these…. Hard facts and data.

We are energetic beings. Energy⚡️ is measured by the rate of oscillation of an electrical current (measured in hertz/ Hz). The rate of this oscillation of current is called frequency. EEG’s and EKG’s are measuring the frequency of the brain and heart respectively. Those are only two organs….. The entire body is one big energy frequency machine! ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Acupuncture is based on 14 energetic meridians in the body. (For ease of discussion, I will refer to them as rivers) If one of those energy “rivers” (meridians) becomes stagnant, damaged or “clogged”, the entire “river” will be affected. Over time, that damaged “river” flow will cause pain, dis-ease or dysfunction within the parts of the body it runs through. As that meridian becomes more damaged, it will begin to affect other meridian functions too.

The role teeth play within a body’s energy circuits is one of the most important clues I will write about. This is where physics meets biology! Our teeth are crystalline structures, and they act as a circuit breaker for the meridians in our body. A decayed tooth or a root canal (which actually leaves residual decay behind even when patched up) acts as a resistor on the specific electrical circuit, and eventually, this will show up as pain, dysfunction, or illness somewhere else in the body along the same meridian (river). Interestingly, over 90% of malignancies are associated with a root canal or decayed tooth on the same meridian.

The easiest way to utilize teeth as clues for both present and future health concerns is to reference a chart. ( I will include an example of one below this article).I often use teeth as a clue to “root cause” and “root prevention”. Pun intended!

Let’s take my 1st upper molar as an example. If I had a root canal or untended cavity in that particular tooth, over time, the frequency would drop within the stomach meridian of my body. Because I know my frequency is now prone to dropping in the stomach meridian, I would pay special attention to, and support all of the corresponding organs and tissues in an effort to prevent future dis-ease and dysfunction. (Refer to the chart )

* I would watch my thyroid numbers closely thru comprehensive annual (if not more frequent) thyroid labwork, and support my thyroid function as needed with Young Living’s Thyromin capsules and/or Endoflex essential oil blend.

* I would also make sure my liver, pancreas and stomach had the tools they needed to function efficiently. Digestive enzymes (Detoxzyme or EssentialZymes-4 are my two favorites), and Juvatone capsules for liver support on the regular!

* I’d work to keep my body well hydrated, exercise, and avoid medication that is particularly hard on the kidneys (ex: Ibuprofen and other NSAIDS).

* I’d know that my weakest point on my spine was potentially going to be where the thoracic vertebrae meets the lumbar portion of the spine, and I would work to keep it strong, healthy, and flexible thru exercise focusing on core strength and flexibility.

* I’d know that my jaw and knee joints would be things to keep an eye on and support accordingly to prevent injury.

* I’d know that my trunk muscles needed extra focus at the gym in terms of muscle groupings. #legday #BLMandSulfurzymeforthewin

* I’d want to support my maxillary sinus in a healthy way so that I don’t become prone to sinus infections. I would do this by diffusing all our healthy “breathing oils” and by using my home made (amazing!!!) nasal spray regularly.

All of these body parts I just mentioned are tied to the stomach meridian in the body, and they are going to need a little extra TLC to keep them healthy since the tooth itself is now working against the body.

Forewarned is forearmed, right?!? Using the health of specific teeth to determine how best to support your body is an easy and excellent way to hopefully sidestep potential issues elsewhere in your body in the future!

If you’d like to know more about teeth and their relationship to our health, here are some excellent book 📚 resources (note that all of the authors are either doctors or dentists who have also done their additional research to learn the truth!!):
Healing is Voltage – Jerry Tennant MD
Toxic Teeth – JM Swartz MD and YL Wright MA
The Toxic Tooth – Robert Kulacz DDS and Thomas Levy MD/JD
The Root Canal Coverup – George Meinig DDS
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#healthcluesyoucansinkyourteethinto
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Mouth

Liz James · April 14, 2021 ·

DRY MOUTH
Hippocrates said “All disease begins in the gut.” Considering the digestive system begins in the mouth, it should be no surprise that the mouth holds bountiful clues! 90% of systemic dis-ease has an oral manifestation.
While everyone has a dry mouth occasionally, chronic dry mouth (known as xerostomia) which persists for weeks may be a symptom of an unhealthy habit, underlying health condition, or side effect from certain medications. If an insufficient supply of saliva is produced, you may notice these signs or symptoms all or most of the time:
👅Dryness or feeling a “stickiness” in the mouth
👅Saliva that seems thick and stringy
👅Bad breath
👅A dry or grooved tongue
👅A chronic dry or sore throat
👅A change in sense of taste
👅Difficulty chewing, speaking, and swallowing

Common habits and health conditions that may cause dry mouth:
👉Dehydration
👉A thyroid condition ….both hyper or hypo thyroid. Roughly 50% of people who have persistent dry mouth have a thyroid disorder.
👉Sinus problems which make people breathe thru their mouth
👉Radiation side effects
👉Tobacco and alcohol use
👉Diabetes
👉Stroke
👉Yeast Infection (remember your tongue clues!)
👉Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia
👉Autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s syndrome causes dry eyes and dry mouth, and often accompanies other autoimmune disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Unfortunately, over 400 relatively common prescription and over the counter medications cause dry mouth as a side effect. Some of the more common classes of medications that may contribute to the problem include:
💊Chemotherapy agents
💊Decongestants
💊Antihistamines
💊Pain killers
💊Muscle relaxers
💊Anti hypertensive medications (beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics)
💊Antidepressants
💊Oral inhalers (for the lungs)
💊Medications treating Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
💊Certain seizure medications
💊Medication for motion sickness
💊Bladder control medications
Interestingly, older age is also listed as a reason for dry mouth, but I disagree. Considering that the average elderly patient is on 9-13 prescriptions, the odds of dry mouth as a side effect to one or more of the above medications is quite high. When combined with the health conditions and/or habits listed above, dry mouth could occur at any age, the odds simply rise with the number of health conditions and medications involved. A healthy 70+ish individual (no meds / no underlying conditions) rarely has issues with dry mouth!

Dry mouth is an interesting clue because it has a cause and effect cycle. The longer dry mouth persists, the more problems chronic dry mouth can cause. Saliva is a necessary component of the digestion process. It washes away food and helps neutralize acid produced by bacteria in the mouth. It also has the capability to both repair tooth enamel thru remineralization (if the minerals are available thru good nutrition!), and wash out plaque. Continual dry mouth will eventually lead to dental erosion, plaque formation, decay, and gum disease, all of which can ultimately lead to more chronic dis-ease throughout the body. It’s a vicious cycle best remedied if possible.
Dry mouth is rarely discussed as a possible side effect from medications. In my opinion, it is one of the most important side effects to be aware of as gum and dental disease plays such an enormous role in overall health. Side effects of medications are some of the biggest reasons it is a good idea to look first for holistic ways to heal as opposed to quickly jumping on to the prescription drug carousel.
I am personally a huge fan of the Thieves oral care line (toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss) as a way to maintain my pearly whites (and gums!). One of the oft recommended remedies for dry mouth is sucking on lozenges or hard candy. Many common lozenge options are loaded with sugar which really feeds the beast of decay.

If dry mouth is a concern, here are some tips and tricks:
🏆Stay well hydrated! Perk up your water’s flavor with Young Living Vitality drops that are so easily squirted into water. Lavender lemonade, Grapefruit Bergamot (my fave!), or for an added boost of energy, try the clean caffeine boosted Jade Lemon Berry or Spearmint Tangerine!
🏆Utilize a humidifier in the bedroom and rooms you frequent. Thankfully, many of our Young Living diffusers (including the Desert Mist) also serve as a humidifier!
🏆Keeping immune and oral health supportive sugar free Thieves Lozenges on hand to suck on.
🏆Avoid salty and dry foods that exacerbate dry mouth.
🏆Avoid tobacco and alcohol use.
🏆Regular dental cleanings from a dentist who doesn’t promote fluoride use!
Dry mouth is both a clue for the past AND a clue for what may come in the future if dry mouth is allowed to persist, so it’s quite important to get it under control whenever possible!
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Fingernails #4

Liz James · January 19, 2021 ·

Let’s wrap up nails today, shall we?

I am grouping “half and half” nails and “Terry’s” Nails into the same group, although they mean different things. Nails that exhibit lunulas that extends halfway up the nail (whiteness) while the upper half remains a darker tone are very specific for significant kidney malfunction. Terry’s nails look similar to “half and half nails” except that there will be a reddish brown band separating the extended lunula from the upper portion of the finger nail. Terry’s nails are associated with diabetes, liver dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, or congestive heart failure. In both cases, it’s time to have a medical professional involved and extensive lab work if both have not happened already!

Brittle nails are more easily managed on your own! Healthy nails require a regular diet of quality proteins, healthy fats, minerals and water. The protein and minerals (including trace minerals) add strength to your nails. Fatty acids and water lubricate nails and allow for a degree of flexibility. Dry skin and hair are additional signs that fatty acids are undersupplied in your diet. (This is where I personally would be reaching for OmegaGize or MindWise on a daily basis and making sure I stay well hydrated!).

Side note: if you are doing “all the things” to take care of your nails properly and you eat in a healthy manner, my next health clue would be to assess digestion. It will only be helpful to add in EssentialZyme4, EssentialZyme, AllerZyme, or DetoxZyme to maximize the absorption of the nutrients you ingest. Enzymes are our friends and they facilitate countless processes within our body.

Yellow nails….. But first!……rule out other reasons nails may be yellow tinged. Cigarette smoking or staining from fingernail polish/remover needs to be taken into consideration. True yellow nails may reflect impaired lymphatic drainage, low albumin levels, chronic sinusitis, an immunodeficiency or Reynaud’s disease. We should all want to support our lymphatic system regardless of nail color (Do you add a few drops of YL’s Lemon Vitality EO to your water on a daily basis?) Lymphatic massage, regular exercise and deep diaphragm breathing #ontheregular are additional ways to keep the lymphatic system moving!
Immune supportive measures (again, something we should all be doing as second nature! ) might include ImmuPro, ImmuPower (EO), Thieves on the feet, ditching as much daily exposure to toxins as possible, plenty of sleep, controlling stress, and eating in a healthy manner. Thankfully, Young Living has given us so many tools to help in all of these categories!

Raynaud’s is a condition which causes reduced blood flow to fingers and sometimes toes. Support of the circulatory system may be something to consider, in addition to increasing oxygenation opportunities within the circulatory system. Our favorite beverage, NingXia Red comes to mind as a supportive measure, as does CardioGize. Single oils that support a healthy blood flow include (but are not limited to) ginger, cypress, eucalyptus, coriander, wintergreen, juniper, black pepper, lavender, neroli, and cumin.

Beau’s lines are a visible indented line that goes from side to side on the nail. It actually looks like crosswise bumps and dips on the nails. Beau’s lines are usually associated with physical trauma (if just on one nail), parasitic infections, malnutrition (you may surprised that malnutrition is not an uncommon disorder here in the USA), zinc or iron deficiencies, Raynaud’s, or illnesses associated with high fevers. I would caution you also not to discount parasitic infections….. They are a very very common problem even in first world countries, and they are underdiagnosed in traditional medicine. Do a little digging on your own and know that Young Living has given us very functional tools for supporting an inhospitable environment for these little critters (Parafree and DiGize come to mind). I personally do a parasite cleanse 3-4 times a year!

Over the last 4 weeks you’ve gotten some great “hands on” clues to help get yourself situated as to which oils and supplements may best serve you and your body. Stay tuned…. Because we’re travelling to a new region next week as we continue to search for more revealing clues!
As always, give me a shout if you’d like to learn more about this topic or the mentioned products!
xoxo~ liz

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#keepaneyeonyourfingernails
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL