Pain

Health Clues from Your Liver -part 4

Liz James · July 13, 2021 ·

Oh I hope you’ve come to appreciate your liver and its clues as I do mine! The three most important health decisive organs in the human body are the heart, brain, and liver. The liver really acts as a body guard and protector for the entire body, and it “takes one for the team” 24/7/365, no matter if it feels sluggish, dehydrated, or filled to overflowing with toxins.

🙌Ideally, we would eat the perfect liver friendly diet, balance stress, avoid petrochemicals (including plastics, gasoline and engine oil, exhaust fumes, chemical solvents and standard household cleaners, paint, and even carpet!), chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. We would ferociously protect ourselves from chlorine and fluoride (something that is highly toxic to the liver), and run from artificial sweeteners, MSG, and preservatives of all kinds. We’d wean off caffeine, alcohol, and gluten and throw anything cooked with canola oil in the trash. In a perfect world, viruses and other harmful pathogens (The liver has to work so hard to clean up after those litter mongering microbes. ) wouldn’t exist, and medications wouldn’t wreak havoc on the liver (and other organs).

🙌We’d improve our air quality by ditching “fragranced” candles, toxic air fresheners, (oh please tell me you’ve already done this, or I feel I may have failed you!), commercial hair sprays, hair dyes, and conventional cosmetics. Dry cleaning would be a bad word, and conventional laundry detergent would be an unwelcome house guest.

I’m exhausted writing all of this and frankly a little depressed☹️ just imagining how many people unknowingly cause their liver such serious harm. The reality is that we can’t possibly avoid all the things that cause liver distress, but we can avoid complacency. Ignoring the toxin truths☠️ (and solutions) will get us nowhere fast, and will ultimately lead to a slew of liver related symptoms that you now know as “clues”.

We just have to do the best we can and fix what we are able to control. Plug in your diffuser, swipe a drop or two of Stress Away across each wrist, and take a look at all the ways you can support your liver.

*Ditch known toxins and switch to healthy alternatives within your sphere of influence wherever possible. Young Living makes this incredibly easy to do without worrying about reading labels or being duped by companies who “greenwash” their product line…. a form of trickery that is just pure evil.

*Eat liver healing foods such as organic apples, apricots, artichokes, asparagus, kelp, bananas, beets, berries, carrots, celery, cherries, cilantro (binds to toxic heavy metals!), coconut, cruciferous veggies, cucumbers (very hydrating to the liver), dandelion greens, dates, figs, eggplant, garlic, grapes, hot peppers (eat them red, not green!), kiwis, leafy greens, mangoes, REAL maple syrup, melons, mushrooms, onions, oranges, tangerines, papaya, parsley (helps dislodge poisons, and has a healthy effect on gallbladder sludge), peaches and nectarines, pears, pineapple (helps dissolve gallstones), sweet potatoes (feeds the liver and helps the liver regulate hormones), radishes (disinfects the liver), raw honey/ pollen (provides fuel, minerals and other nutrients to the liver), tomatoes (lycopene helps the liver detox red blood cells), turmeric (helps with purging toxins deep within the liver), winter squash, and zucchini.

*When taking a supplement that is deeply impactful to the liver, consider taking it with a piece of fresh fruit🍏🍊🍐🍉🍇🍒🍓 to enhance the delivery to the liver.

*Young Living’s Juvatone is an amazing supplement designed for liver support. I opt to do a cleanse of some sort a few times throughout the year, and several years ago, one of those cleanses resulted in a skin rash that I could not shake off…..and I had tried nearly everything! My liver just could not handle the toxin load that was being rattled loose from this particular cleanse. It wasn’t until I gave it the support of Juvatone, that I (and my liver!) came to appreciate💃 the liver love in these tablets, and my six week long rash disappeared in just a few days.

*Remember, as toxins build, common side effects often appear throughout the body. Skin conditions, rashes, fatigue, mood swings, digestive disturbances, brain fog, muscle / joint pain, and dizziness are only some of the most common clues. Every one of us is built differently and are exposed to a different array of toxins that must be disposed of. Sometimes clues may pop up during a cleanse, while in other situations, liver overload clues are a daily occurrence.

*The combined ingredients in Juvatone promotes and supports healthy liver function. The Essential Oil Desk Reference suggests using Juvatone in tandem with Comfortone or ICP. Indeed, this makes for a great partnership, and creates a highly efficient “exit strategy” for those unwanted toxins!

What ways have you best found to love on your liver?
xoxo~ liz

#knowbetterdobetter
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL
#loveyourliver

Health Clues from Your Liver(Gall Bladder)

Liz James · June 22, 2021 ·

The gallbladder is a literal bountiful bag of body clues! It’s a small pouch that sits just under the liver, located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. It’s a little bag with a big responsibility! 💪

The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver. Bile digests fat and helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E & K) and fatty acids (think omega 3/ 6’s). It becomes extremely important to take a quality Omega-3 supplement if your gallbladder is MIA. #Omegagize3forthewin.

Additionally, without a gallbladder, vitamins A,D,E &K become poorly absorbed from foods, and it is prudent to supplement with these vitamins as well. #MasterFormulaandSuperDforsupport A well functioning gallbladder also helps the body excrete fats and fat soluble toxins. Fat soluble toxins☠ are sadly found in common household cleaners, personal care products, food, beverages, and even in cosmetics. To keep the ☠toxin load☠ down, make the most of your Thieves Household Cleaner (All things Thieves really! ), the wonderful personal care products Young Living has available for us, and the Savvy Minerals cosmetic line. There are hundreds of fat soluble toxins to avoid, and Young Living has done the hard work so that our bodies may enjoy a decreased toxic burden!

Gallbladder removal is THE most common surgery in North America. Gallbladder symptoms (clues🔎) don’t evolve overnight…..there are years of foundational “sludge” building up beforehand that may have been unintentionally ignored. Most people are under the impression that if the gallbladder is removed, the pain will stop.While the immediate pain will likely go away, it will ultimately be replaced with a different set of pain points and problems.

People without a gallbladder become even more prone to digestive problems. If the offending diet and lifestyle is not altered, gallstones can still occur..…. they just stay in the liver.. Risk of developing fatty liver dis-ease is also greater in people without a gallbladder. In the absence of a gallbladder, bile slowly trickles into the intestines and never becomes concentrated enough to digest fats well. Often this results in diarrhea, nausea, bloating and heartburn-like symptoms.

If your detective gears are moving, you’ll have just read a wealth of clues 🔎for those people who may be missing their gallbladder and are still struggling. Here’s the biggest clue of all…. A gallbladder’s health is dependent upon the liver’s health….. So while the gallbladder became the “fall guy”, the liver was (and still is!) actually screaming for some support. A poorly functioning liver will produce sludgy bile. That’s as gross as it sounds. Sludgy bile eventually will eventually cause stones or, like a sewer pipe, a significant clog.

A compromised diet is at the heart of most gallbladder dysfunction:
💥Having a diet high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup (learn to look at labels… sugar and HFCS hide everywhere!)
💥Having a diet high in “modern” grains. This leads to fatty liver (we will talk about that soon), which will eventually lead to an unhealthy gallbladder too. There is some pretty compelling research linking gluten intolerance to gallstones. This is another reason Gary was so adamant about getting us our YL Einkorn products!
💥Having a diet high in “bad fats”. (think processed food/ “fast” food)

Other clues indicating an unhappy gallbladder is on the horizon:
🔎Regular use of Aspirin (we have many natural alternatives friends ….. Use them!)
🔎An existing or suspected diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, SIBO, or candida overgrowth. Remember, the liver is an important part of the digestive system, and all parts are ultimately affected when one part begins to falter. The majority of people with gallbladder dysfunction have had poor digestive health for years and have not modified their diet and added supportive digestive enzymes (Essentialzyme-4!) and probiotics.
🔎Gout flare ups
🔎Seemingly common bouts of “food poisoning”. This is a sign of weakened bile flow. Strong bile flow kills pathogens and assists in a healthy and harmonious digestive tract.
🔎Common “strep” infections. (“common” is a relative term…. In this case, even once a year would be considered common)
🔎“Hot flashes”. We often only think of this clue as hormonal, but there is a correlation between a toxic liver and a gallbladder that can’t keep up with eliminating the toxins.
🔎A mysterious “come and go” chronic pain in the abdomen or rib cage area. (The gallbladder doesn’t usually have gallstones at this point, it has toxic sludge that has become so heavy the gallbladder actually droops from its original position putting pressure on some very sensitive nerves around the liver. The “drooping” also causes a pulling on the neck of the gallbladder)
🔎Chronic constipation and “slow GI” transit time.

The gallbladder really is the “canary in the coalmine” when it comes to liver health. Ultimately….. If the liver ain’t happy, the whole body ain’t gonna be happy eventually either.
Consider starting and ending your day drinking a glass of water with a few drops of YL lemon or lime vitality oils to support “decongesting” lymphatic tissue. Other ways to support healthy lymphatic drainage include lymphatic massage, dry brushing, exercise, eating fresh fruits and leafy greens, drinking plenty of water, deep breathing exercises on the regular, avoiding “reloading” with toxins, and wearing loose clothing that is not binding.

These health clues are sooooo important friends. There’s no sense crying over spilt milk or a missing gallbladder! Work with what ‘cha got! 😘 You didn’t know. But now you do, and the good news is you now know you’ve got some serious but entirely doable work to give your liver its best life, so that you can lead your best life too! And thank the good Lord (and Young Living) we’ve got the tools to do it!
xoxo~ liz

#knowbetterdobetter
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL
#loveyourliver
#Godgaveusallourorgansforareason
#thegallbladderneedslovetoo

Health Clues from Your Small Intestine

Liz James · May 18, 2021 ·

How much attention or thought do you put into your small intestine? Rarely do we hear much about this “small” organ. “Little things” can often be overlooked and in doing so, clues can easily be missed. Truly, the small intestine isn’t so very small….. It’s a 15-20 foot long digestion and absorption machine….. Usually overshadowed by its fore and aft kinsmen, the stomach and large intestine..

I relate to the small intestine as a middle child myself!😜 The stomach and large intestine have their individual strengths and frailties. While the small intestine has its own set of “responsibilities”, its wellbeing is greatly affected by sister stomach and brother colon.

If you’ll recall from last week’s chat about the stomach, having low stomach acid is not a good thing and may lead to some significant issues that literally drain into the small intestine. Have you ever heard of the term SIBO? It’s an acronym for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, occurring when bacteria in the colon (large intestine) travels upwards into the small intestine where a relatively small amount of bacteria should be present on any given day thanks to stomach’s healthy acid content and cousin pancreas’s contribution of digestive enzymes! If either the stomach or colon (or both) don’t perform as they should, the small intestine will suffer.

I’ve listed common clues of SIBO on the graphic. None of them are drop dead urgent clues, right? Annoying, irritating, and perhaps even aggravating ….. but nothing that would cause an urgent SOS trip to your favorite health professional.
In a perfect digestive family environment, a healthy small intestine is a strong contributor to overall health. It facilitates absorption of some minerals (including sulfur, calcium, copper, iron, & zinc), fat soluble vitamins A,D,E &K, B vitamins, and Vitamin C. Small intestine also facilitates absorption of sugars, proteins, cholesterol, and bile salts. It allows these nutrients to be absorbed all the while blocking foreign substances (ie: toxic “bullies”) from also being absorbed. If the small intestine walls become inflamed and damaged, it is unable to effectively discern between friend and foe, and bad influencers make it into the family body.

SIBO, if left unattended, contributes to:
🔥IBS, Diverticulosis, Crohn’s, Celiac, poor gut motility (greater than 75% have confirmed SIBO)
🔥Fibromyalgia (78% have confirmed SIBO)
🔥Restless Leg Syndrome
🔥Interstitial Cystitis
🔥Diabetes
🔥RA, Scleroderma, and other autoimmune disorders
🔥Skin conditions
🔥Nutritional deficiencies
🔥Neuropathies due to deficiencies

In addition to poor stomach acid production, common contributors (aka lifestyle clues!!) to SIBO include:
🔎Stress
🔎Poor diet (review what is typically known as the “Standard American Diet” / aka “SAD” indeed!)
🔎Mechanical issues (low stomach acid included here!)
🔎Antibiotic use (especially recurrent use)
🔎Regular use of acid reducers or proton pump inhibitors (ex: Nexium, Protonix, Prilosec)
🔎Opioid use (results in gut motility issues)
🔎NSAID use (ex: Ibuprofen, Naprosyn… damage the lining of the intestine)
🔎Gastric bypass surgery
🔎Moderate (or greater) alcohol use (est 90% have confirmed SIBO)
🔎Aging (due to decreased stomach acid and enzyme production)
🔎Long term colon dysfunction ( 78% of those with IBS have confirmed SIBO)

👉👉Note that while SIBO can be age related, it’s not uncommon to find it in children👦👧👶 who have chronic constipation/ diarrhea, have received antibiotics, are formula fed, or have received medication for reflux, or whose eating habits mirror the standard American diet.

It is estimated that 20-22% of the US population has some form of SIBO, and while there are ways to identify it through functional medicine testing, perhaps it may be more economical to simply identify existing physical and lifestyle clues, and then proceed towards alleviating the problematic areas.

❤️Showing the small intestine some love thru a healthy diet, adequate exercise, proper amounts of sleep are an excellent start! ❤️
Additional ways to support and love on the small intestine include:
❤️Consume 30-45 grams of soluble fiber daily (Hello Young Living ❤️Balance Complete Meal Replacement Shakes!)
❤️Digestive Enzyme supplements that contain Betaine HCl (Hello YL Essentialzyme caplets!)
❤️Probiotics (Hello YL Life 9 and for kiddos….. MightyPro!)
❤️Organic bone broth
❤️Olive leaf extract (Hello YL Olive Essentials capsules!)
❤️Young Living’s Peppermint, Caraway, Oregano, and Cinnamon Vitality essential oils. If you are a science hound, do some digging in pubmed.gov for a gold mine of information. If you are not a science hound, just know that these oils are your small intestine’s friends!

Remember that our bodies are constantly giving us clues which buys time before “big things” generally happen. I’m so thankful that the body has the resilience and capability to restore itself to good health when clues are recognized and supportive measures are implemented. SIBO is a clue itself, indicating a potential downward spiral of the entire body at some point in the future if not addressed.
Indeed…. Seemingly small things can often be important big ones!
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#digestivehealthclues
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#findingSIBO

#ThanksYL

Breath Clues part 2

Liz James · March 23, 2021 ·

Becoming aware of HOW you breathe is important both as a health clue and an (inexpensive and valuable!) wellness tool.

Did you take the quick quiz on the graphic? If not, take a moment to do so!
Statistically, chronic shallow (mouth, neck, and upper chest) breathing is the most common type of breathing in Westernized cultures. This type of breathing perpetuates stress and anxiety, activates the “fight or flight” (sympathetic response), and suppresses the immune system.

Conversely, diaphragmatic (deep belly) breathing balances the nervous system, supports heart health, improves circulation, promotes lymphatic drainage, reduces stress, calms the mind, and brings the body back into a more homeostatic state.
Do you notice how some people remain calm, cool, and collected while others become a tightly wound spring with every stressor? The ability to pivot from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” is incredibly important to health outcomes! ( Pharmacist tip: Learning to do this is helpful in keeping you away from the pharmacy!)

The longest nerve in the body is called the 👉vagus nerve 👈. It runs from the brain thru the lungs and on to the gut, and affects every organ and body system it comes in contact with along the way ….. stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, heart, lungs, and the immune, endocrine, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. In other words, the vagal nerve pathway is kind of a big deal! 😍

High vagal tone is incredibly important to overall health and wellbeing….. really, it’s a use it or lose it situation. Low vagal tone is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, GI disorders, and depression. Diaphragmatic breathing increases vagal tone!

If deep belly breathing is not something you do on the regular (ie: it’s become second nature to you), Here are a few tips and tricks:
👉 Start with just 2 minutes several times a day.
1. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage, so you can feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
2. Inhale deeply thru your nose for the count of 6-8 seconds (or 4-5 seconds if that’s too much)…. allowing your belly to expand. Try to fill your lungs with air. NOTE! The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
3. Slowly exhale through your nose for the count of 6-8 (or 4-5) drawing your belly button in and down as your abdomen moves inward.
4. As you breathe inward deeply, envision oxygen flowing inward and recharging your body. As you exhale, envision all the stress and tension leaving your body.
5. Practice this for 2-3 minutes at a time (20-30 breath cycles). Graduate to 5 minutes as you are able!

Scientifically noted benefits of diaphragmatic breathing can be further enhanced when you pair your breathing practice with Young Living essential oils known for their supportive roles in health and wellness goals:
🌿Want to improve mood? Pair your practice with Citrus Fresh eo blend!
🌿 Looking for better concentration? Try Brain Power or Frankincense!
🌿 Looking to better manage pain? (Yes, deep breathing helps with this too!) Add in PanAway or Deep Relief
🌿 Wanting to lower your blood pressure (Yep, deep breathing exercises does this too!)….. support happy vascular system breathing practices with Joy, Aroma Life, Ylang Ylang, or Lavender.
🌿Lowering blood sugar (amazing what regular deep breathing may do! Consider deep inhalations of Coriander, Melissa, or Christmas Spirit!
🌿 Improve your sleep. Pair pre bedtime deep breathing with a diffuser loaded with Cedarwood, Orange, and Lavender!
🌿 Use as a tool in your weight loss journey. Have you tried Grapefruit essential oil or Thieves on the bottom of the feet?
🌿 Strengthen the pelvic floor muscle (which will also improve bladder and bowel elimination function!). Consider pairing with Clary Sage, Cypress, or (Digize 👈 for colon support).
🌿Better lymphatic flow?…. You’ll love Lemon essential oil (both regular and vitality!)!

Noticing how you are breathing, and then making corrections as needed is a simple, but VIP wellness tool and health clue! Just as diaphragmatic breathing is helpful, chronic shallow breathing will exacerbate many health problems, and over time, may also contribute to lung infections and lung diseases.
Just breathe…… deeply!
xoxo~ liz

👈 if you’d like to know more about additional breathing practices or the oils mentioned above, let’s chat!

#sharingiscaring
#Godgaveusthetools
#goodmedicineisgreatbreathinghabits
#goodmedicine Breath Clues: Part II
Becoming aware of HOW you breathe is important both as a health clue and an (inexpensive and valuable!) wellness tool.
Did you take the quick quiz on the graphic? If not, take a moment to do so!
Statistically, chronic shallow (mouth, neck, and upper chest) breathing is the most common type of breathing in Westernized cultures. This type of breathing perpetuates stress and anxiety, activates the “fight or flight” (sympathetic response), and suppresses the immune system.
Conversely, diaphragmatic (deep belly) breathing balances the nervous system, supports heart health, improves circulation, promotes lymphatic drainage, reduces stress, calms the mind, and brings the body back into a more homeostatic state.
Do you notice how some people remain calm, cool, and collected while others become a tightly wound spring with every stressor? The ability to pivot from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” is incredibly important to health outcomes! ( Pharmacist tip: Learning to do this is helpful in keeping you away from the pharmacy!)
The longest nerve in the body is called the 👉vagus nerve 👈. It runs from the brain thru the lungs and on to the gut, and affects every organ and body system it comes in contact with along the way ….. stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, heart, lungs, and the immune, endocrine, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. In other words, the vagal nerve pathway is kind of a big deal! 😍
High vagal tone is incredibly important to overall health and wellbeing….. really, it’s a use it or lose it situation. Low vagal tone is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, GI disorders, and depression. Diaphragmatic breathing increases vagal tone!
If deep belly breathing is not something you do on the regular (ie: it’s become second nature to you), Here are a few tips and tricks:
👉 Start with just 2 minutes several times a day.
1. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage, so you can feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
2. Inhale deeply thru your nose for the count of 6-8 seconds (or 4-5 seconds if that’s too much)…. allowing your belly to expand. Try to fill your lungs with air. NOTE! The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
3. Slowly exhale through your nose for the count of 6-8 (or 4-5) drawing your belly button in and down as your abdomen moves inward.
4. As you breathe inward deeply, envision oxygen flowing inward and recharging your body. As you exhale, envision all the stress and tension leaving your body.
5. Practice this for 2-3 minutes at a time (20-30 breath cycles). Graduate to 5 minutes as you are able!
Scientifically noted benefits of diaphragmatic breathing can be further enhanced when you pair your breathing practice with Young Living essential oils known for their supportive roles in health and wellness goals:
🌿Want to improve mood? Pair your practice with Citrus Fresh eo blend!
🌿 Looking for better concentration? Try Brain Power or Frankincense!
🌿 Looking to better manage pain? (Yes, deep breathing helps with this too!) Add in PanAway or Deep Relief
🌿 Wanting to lower your blood pressure (Yep, deep breathing exercises does this too!)….. support happy vascular system breathing practices with Joy, Aroma Life, Ylang Ylang, or Lavender.
🌿Lowering blood sugar (amazing what regular deep breathing may do! Consider deep inhalations of Coriander, Melissa, or Christmas Spirit!
🌿 Improve your sleep. Pair pre bedtime deep breathing with a diffuser loaded with Cedarwood, Orange, and Lavender!
🌿 Use as a tool in your weight loss journey. Have you tried Grapefruit essential oil or Thieves on the bottom of the feet?
🌿 Strengthen the pelvic floor muscle (which will also improve bladder and bowel elimination function!). Consider pairing with Clary Sage, Cypress, or (Digize 👈 for colon support).
🌿Better lymphatic flow?…. You’ll love Lemon essential oil (both regular and vitality!)!
Noticing how you are breathing, and then making corrections as needed is a simple, but VIP wellness tool and health clue! Just as diaphragmatic breathing is helpful, chronic shallow breathing will exacerbate many health problems, and over time, may also contribute to lung infections and lung diseases.
Just breathe…… deeply!
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#Godgaveusthetools
#goodmedicineisgreatbreathinghabits
#goodmedicine

Little Oilers

Liz James · September 30, 2020 ·

Start ’em off right my friends! I absolutely love that Young Living now has a starter kit just for kiddos!
Do you know anyone who needs help with their kid’s sleeping, 😴emotions, focus, owies and all the things?

* And who can say no to Feather the owl diffuser? #cutest

Have you gotten the all new Little Oilers Collection Kit? Our littles NEED all the help they can get to be healthy and keep a low toxin load. (This is one way to eliminate many common toxins kiddos are often exposed to!). The prediluted bottle with the rollers make it safe to apply anytime!

Which oil will be your favorite ?
This kit will be a game changer in so many homes…. it could be in yours too😘.
xoxo~ liz

Get the good stuff for your kiddos (and for yourself too!)