Essential Oils

“Feed Me Seymore!” Candida Exposed

Liz James · February 5, 2017 ·

“Feed me Seymore!” if you remember, this is a famous line out of the movie, Little Shop of Horrors. When I teach gut health classes, I use this analogy in reference to another monster within us who has an insatiable appetite….. Candida.

Candida is a sugar fermenting yeast that naturally lives within our digestive tract, and is helpful and necessary in our gut ecosystem when colonized in appropriate amounts. Unfortunately, 70-80% of all Americans have fallen below the wellness line and now suffer with chronic Candida overgrowth. How in the world did this happen to so many of us? The possible list of culprits is long:

Immune dysfunction in the form of:

exposure to toxic metals
poor digestion leading to buildup of toxins within us
stress

Reduction of good bacteria (who act as the national guard and keep Candida in check). This happens by:

heavy consumption of refined carbs, alcohol, and caffeine
heavy consumption of refined sugar
antibiotics
mercury fillings (double whammy! they also affect our immune system)

An adjustment in intestinal pH (allowing Candida to flourish). This commonly occurs when:

acid blocking medications (like Prilosec, Nexium, etc) are used regularly and in excess
we have a decrease in production of digestive enzyme
we age. In the normal aging process, our stomach acid actually becomes less acidic, allowing Candida to grow out of control.

One of the hallmark signs of a Candida overgrowth is an insatiable craving for sugar and carbs. It feels almost like something is living inside you telling you that you MUST eat sugar and carbs…..ie: Feed me Seymour! If you have those feelings (and can’t stop after just one cookie), chances are, you have a heavy Candida load. Candida is ASKING for this “nourishment” to survive, and you are feeding it each times it asks….. just like the plant with the voracious appetite in Little Shop of Horrors.

Symptoms of Candida overgrowth are varied… they include anxiety, depression, panic attacks, hyperactivity, sinus problems, bad breath, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, eczema, psoriasis, skin fungus, yeast infections, chronic fatigue, swollen joints, and gout. The list is much longer…. but you get the idea…. Candida overgrowth is very problematic in all aspects of wellness.

Young Living has many products that will help keep you above the wellness line (ie: Healthy!) when it comes to Candida. One such product is called Detoxzyme. This powerhouse capsule combines digestion enhancing essential oils with several fast acting enzymes that assist in the complete digestive process. They help detoxify and promote intestinal cleansing (a critical component for maintaining overall body health). The enzymes within the capsules are designed to help us digest starches, sugars, proteins, and fats. Efficient digestion helps the body detoxify. Importantly, Detoxzyme also helps in opening the gallbladder duct and cleansing the liver, preventing Candida and other yeast overgrowth…. also important in the detoxification process. Remember, your liver is the main “garbage processing center” organ of our bodies…. and if it has a backlog of work, then toxins simply sit in our body and wreak havoc as they wait to be excreted.

So, if you are looking for ways to lose that sluggish feeling and regain your energy, quit feeding that monster no matter how much it asks to be fed, and grab yourself a bottle of this dragonslayer!

Have a great day, and contact me if you have any questions!

DISCLAIMER: ALL POSTS, ARTICLES, LINKS OR TESTIMONIALS ON THIS SITE ARE FROM OUR “INDEPENDENT YOUNG LIVING WHOLESALE MEMBERS” WHO RECEIVE COMMISSION ON THE SALE OF COMPANY PRODUCTS. THEY ARE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES, REFLECTING THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO USED OUR PRODUCTS. HOWEVER INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY. WE DO NOT CLAIM, NOR SHOULD THE READER ASSUME, THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES RECOUNTED ARE TYPICAL OR REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT ANY OTHER CONSUMER MIGHT EXPERIENCE. TESTIMONIALS ARE NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT ANYONE ELSE USING OUR PRODUCTS MAY EXPERIENCE. YOUNG LIVING IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPINIONS OR COMMENTS POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE, AND DO NOT SHARE THE OPINIONS, VIEWS OR COMMENTARY OF POSTINGS ON THIS WEBSITE. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE STRICTLY THE VIEWS OF THE POSTER OR REVIEWER. 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.

Body Chemistry 101

Liz James · February 2, 2017 ·

Body chemistry 101…. Is your body acidic or slightly basic?… and why does it matter?

pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14, with “7” being neutral. Our bodies are generally happiest when we are slightly basic… somewhere between 7.35 to 7.45. However, without a proper diet, our bodies frequently hover in the acidic range, and when that happens, body system dysfunction begins occurring…sometimes on a grand scale.

A chronically acidic body will begin stealing minerals from your cells that make up your bones, organs, and tissues in an effort to become more alkaline (basic). Robbing minerals means that they won’t be available for use, and when THAT happens…. toxins build up, oxygenation within our body is negatively affected, pathogens become active, our immune system becomes depressed, and vitamin absorption is compromised…. and THIS is just the short list! Chronic acidity within our bodies has been identified as a contributing factor to a myriad of diseases and dysfunction over time… including chronic inflammatory conditions, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. Kidney stones are also a not so gentle reminder that your body is likely chronically acidic.

So what causes acidosis? In a nutshell… it can happen predominantly thru our lungs (respiratory acidosis) or thru our kidneys (metabolic acidosis) by way of any of the following:

chronic airway conditions such as asthma or COPD
alcohol overuse
obesity
sedative overuse
antibiotic overuse
regular use of artificial sweeteners
chronic exposure to toxic household cleaners, BPA , pesticides, herbicides, and many beauty products
poor diet ……ie: regularly eating processed and refined foods (if the ingredients sound like chemicals, they probably are!)
pollution exposure
chronic stress

By far, the biggest contributing factor is our diet. We can encourage our bodies to stay at a more basic pH by eating more fruits and veggies (raw or lightly steamed is best), and avoiding processed foods, excessive quantities of dairy and standard processed red meat, and most grains (remember, corn is a grain, NOT a vegetable). Drinking alkaline water is also helpful, as is exercise.

You can read more about acidosis here

Alkalime is a supplement made by Young Living, and it is designed to help ensure the body’s proper pH balance…. thus preserving or even restoring our chances at better health. I encourage you to do more research on both acidosis and Alkalime…. it just might be the thing that helps you live above the wellness line!In health,

Liz James, RPh

NSHC Certified Health Coach & Wellness Educator

YL Brand Partner #1602257

“Making Wellness A Contagious Pursuit”

Fragrance x Effectiveness

Liz James · February 2, 2017 ·

You may have researched oil companies thoroughly and then came to the obvious conclusion that YL’s company, ethics, products, and people are unmatched in the industry….. OR, you may have accidentally stumbled across Young Living and joined the wellness journey just because you like things that smell good!

Regardless, I’d like to focus for a minute on the absolute science behind these biblical era products you’ve brought into your home. You see, as a medical professional with a strong science background….Well……that is what brought me to Young Living. Frankly, I didn’t even care what the products smelled like as long as they worked!

At its very core, YL’s focus is one of purity and consistent effectiveness. No other essential oil company on the planet is as committed (or able!) as Young Living to ensure that their product (our product) retains its therapeutic effectiveness when that little bottle of magic is sealed. What does that mean?

Think of an essential oil like a chocolate chip cookie (I know, weird analogy… work with me here!). The essential oil that comes from a plant is comprised of natural chemical structures called constituents (think ingredients). Every constituent (ingredient) plays a vital role in making that oil “work its magic” in our bodies. If key constituents are compromised in the process, it will probably smell the same, but it sure won’t work! (Just like a chocolate chip cookie…. if you leave out a key ingredient like flour, sugar, butter etc, it might smell similar, but it sure won’t taste the same!).

Constituents are very delicate and can be easily altered and destroyed in the oil distillation process, and for maximum therapeutic value, each and every batch of oils must be tested multiple times during the distillation to ensure they are protected. This is done by gas chromatography (see the video below for a little more info on that process). No other company has their own farms and dedicated partner farms who must contractually abide by the same testing procedures to protect these valuable molecules.

In addition to protecting the constituents within the oils, Young Living has several other “non-negotiables” that we can be guaranteed by using YL products. The oils are guaranteed to be free of:

Contaminants (plasticizers, pesticides, trace solvents etc)
Biocides (chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides etc that are frequently used in agriculture)
Solvents (benzene… a known carcinogen, cyclohexane) & Phthalates (plasticizing agents commonly used to liquify more resinous oils)
Adulteration (adding substances in order to dilute an oil). This is a very common issue with other oil brands. If you find a normally ‘expensive’ oil for an inexpensive price….. don’t walk…. RUN…. from that product! Adulteration has taken place.
Exposure to excessive heat and pressure during the distillation process. (While higher pressures and temperatures do make the distillation faster, it nearly always ensures destruction of key constituents)

I did not choose to use Young Living products without some serious thought and research. And I’ll be honest, it took several years to find them. Looking back, before finding Young Living, I used oils from companies with no true trail, and no commitment to supplying me with superior effective product. My ignorance ‘before YL’ shames me… especially as a pharmacist.

If you’d like to learn more about Young Living, please contact me.

If you already use YL products, know that you have made a brilliant decision in your choice to become part of the Young Living family. Whether you intentionally did it or not, you hit the wellness jackpot. Well done my friend! Well done!

Ningxia Red

Liz James · February 1, 2017 ·

Goji berry nutrition drinks aren’t all created equally: NingXia Red® and our other healthy drinks with wolfberry juice are created using Young Living’s proprietary Seed to Seal® process,

Ensuring high quality beverages that deliver goji berries’ health benefits. To do so, we work directly with Chinese vendors to grow wolfberries—another name for goji berries—on land that is rigorously tested for pesticides, heavy metals, and other potential contaminants. In this video, learn about the process that ensures our antioxidant drinks harness all the goji berries nutrition goodness we can!

Learn more about this beverage by selecting “Ningxia Red” under Categories.

Health Preparedness

Liz James · January 18, 2017 ·

Hey there,

Let’s talk for a minute. You have been reading (and hopefully learning) on this site for about a month now.

We (my husband and I) are “preppers” in the truest sense. By definition, “to prep” means “to make ready”. As a responsible adult, shouldn’t we be doing this in ALL aspects of our lives. If you spend life flying by the seat of your pants, chances are you will be caught with your pants down more than you’d care to admit, right?

So we prepare for life… We have insurance. We have careers. We plan and save for our future and retirement. We plan for our vacations, and we plan what we’re going to get at the grocery store. We create goals in life. WE just happen to plan in the event that those safety nets (the government) that we assume are in place fail us.

In essence, ALL of us are preppers to one degree or another whether admitted or not…… AND YET….. When we discuss this, the reactions are all over the board:

You might think us nuts.
You might think…. “No worries, I’ll just come live with you should “the poop hit the oscillator”. (Ummmm, no you won’t…. unless you have a skill,trade, or asset that we believe can be utilized, or you have been previously invited).
You might be the…“Hey! I’m with you in spirit, but I don’t have the knowhow or environment to do what you do. NOT. Everyone can learn and prepping can occur anywhere!
Or, you might be walking right along side us and prepping in your way that is relevant to your way of living. If that’s you……hopefully you’ve now embraced the notion that you need to be preparing on a level that is unique to you and your family’s personal health concerns. (If so, message me or email me… it’s time to get serious about the planning.)

Health preparedness is different. It is not as simple as just storing product.

While product is nice to have on hand when you need it, the ability to apply knowledge that you’ve accumulated thru personal experience and thru experience of others could be a gamechanger. Proficiency in anything requires practice. It is my personal goal that every single person who joins in this journey with me will have access to as much education as they desire (in the form of private Facebook groups, books, education here (thru my blog and private emails), and also direction to science backed resources)….. so that they (you?) can become proficient in their unique health and wellness plan BEFORE a crisis situation dictates that it must be implemented. However, when a crisis happens (and it WILL happen someday), what if you don’t have access to your internet, phone, or your “go to person” when a “how to” question arises? Then you must rely on what you have stored in your brain & what you have in your Bug Out Bag to implement your plan.

Today’s the day… make a commitment to do this. Let’s pack your bag with the essentials that will be pertinent to YOUR health, (along with the 400+ page essential oil manual you’ll get for free from me) AND begin training your brain to think a bit differently. Let’s get some practice under your belt! Who knows…. by implementing what you learn now, you will likely become healthier for it, and THAT itself could actually save your life… even if the SHTF doesn’t happen anytime soon.

Let’s do this!