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Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil

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My goal has always been to become more self-empowered in taking care of myself and my family, and then pay it forward by passing along what I’ve learned so that others can do the same. It’s baby steps all the way….. get good at doing the little things, so you are proficient and confident when the big things go down!
In 2024, I’m making a concerted effort to focus on bringing the science🤓 to you in a way that is easy to understand. Oftentimes, people fear or turn away from what they don’t understand. At the same time, they are often quick to accept what a supposed authority states to be true without doing their research… only to find out much later that the information was🧐 slanted. Discernment and evaluating information are key if we are to be our healthiest version of ourselves!
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In addition to Thieves and Lavender, one of the first oils I researched heavily more than a decade ago was Peppermint! (The 15ml size is part of the freebies this month when 190PV is purchased.) I thought it might be fun to kind of unpack some of the science behind this oil over the next few days….. and even then, I’ll only be touching the tip of the iceberg. It’s such a powerhouse🌿💪 plant of versatility!
Starting with the effects of peppermint on the brain 🧠, heart🫀, and lungs🫁….. can a scent affect alertness and focus? You betcha!
Note that YL Peppermint EO can be used topically, diffused, or taken internally. Not all peppermint EO can be used topically or internally because of adulterants. I use peppermint in all 3 ways regularly!
🤓Study 1: involved consuming 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil, and then evaluating both cognitive performance and fatigue at 1 and 3 hours after consuming the peppermint. Note the graph pic…… the 2 drops of EO had a profound effect, especially at the 3rd-hour mark.
🤓Study 2: involved consuming 1 drop of peppermint EO and then exercising. Grip force, vertical and long jumps, blood pressure, heart rate, and breath rate were evaluated at 5 minutes and one hour. Compared to the placebo group, those who received peppermint oil had an average of 36.1% increase in grip force, 7% increase in standing vertical jump, and 6.4% increase in standing long jump. There was also considerable enhancement in the breathing of the peppermint group.
I’ll post links to each study in the comments. Both studies can also be found on the YL website under the “discover the research” button at the bottom of the Peppermint Vitality page.
Stay tuned for more peppermint factoids!
xoxo~ liz

January Young Living Gifts 2024

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Good morning friends and Happy 2024!
Are you ready for a fresh start? I believe this year is going to be one for the record books in soooooo many beautiful ways and woke up with a feeling of anticipation and happy energy…… and THEN when I hopped on the computer (after my quiet time) and saw our YL gifts with purchase… I was celebrating🥳🙌🙌 all over again! There’s not a single thing here that we don’t use on the regular, which means 💰💰💰savings for us!
The YL Vitality Drops in Grapefruit Bergamot….. have been a staple in our home since they came out a few years ago. Not only do they taste as delicious as flavored water, but they truly are tasty as tasty does…… it’s a healthy way to keep your electrolytes in balance (as well as getting a dose of over 70+ naturally occurring ionic trace minerals).
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve given a tube of my stash of Thieves Chest Rub to people who are sick with respiratory gunk. Thankfully, we are rarely sick at our house (thanks to our continuous efforts in kicking all kinds of mind, body, and spirit toxins to the curb). Nonetheless, we have a robust tool kit on hand, just in case! Lung junk is no joke….. I grew up with it constantly (I was a pretty sick little kid) and being often congested is a strong growing-up memory for me). People who have used Thieves Chest Rub know how powerful it is in helping with congestion. Apply to the chest (or the bottoms of feet) to help ease breathing and congestion issues. The best time to have this on hand is BEFORE you need it!
Peppermint….. how do I use thee? Let me count the ways! Oh, there are about 100 different reasons to use peppermint and keep it on hand. I won’t be without it and use it for everything from getting rid of headaches, fresh breath, keeping myself alert and away, poison ivy remediation, fevers, digestion, being overheated, at the gym, sore muscles…. the list goes on. Do your research on peppermint….. God made the peppermint plant for so many aspects of our health and wellness!
Inner Beauty Collagen…. collagen has been on the health and wellness radar for several years now, and just as in all supplements…. not all collagen is created equally 😉(know your supplement company and where their ingredients come from!). Inner Beauty Collagen was formulated specifically for our hair, skin, and nail health. If you have fine lines and wrinkles you wish weren’t so prominent, or if you have sun-damaged skin, weak/brittle nails, or hair that needs healthy help…. you’ll be thankful for this freebie! This goes into our “morning ritual” drink every day at our home. 🥤
Super C.….. unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the value of Vitamin C. 🫶I’m including a nifty summary of all the things Vitamin C does in our body (thanks Oregon State U for this easy-to-read Vit C bio! …. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C ). The biggest thing to remember is that not all Vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid) is equal. Where it is sourced from is important! Unfortunately, much of Vitamin C sourcing comes from “isolated ascorbic acid” most frequently derived from GMO’d corn. This is problematic for a couple of reasons…..1. anything from a GMO source is not healthy for us, and 2. when you “isolate” something like ascorbic acid, you are leaving behind all the essential co-factors that God-given whole foods contain. These are needed for the Vitamin C to work properly in the body. Thankfully, Super C’s sourcing comes from whole food bioflavonoids so we don’t have to worry about all that!
Do you have a favorite freebie listed here?….. or are you like me and thrilled to see ALL of them in your basket for free this month? 😍
Wishing you Joy, beautiful Anticipation, and a Peace that passes all understanding for all 2024 has in store for us! xoxo~ liz
 
 
 

Why We Love Evergreen

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‘Tis the season! 🎄Whether you are team “artificial tree” or “go real or go home”….. pull out your bottle of Evergreen Essence and add a little extra healthy festive forest into your world❤️🎄❤️.
EVERGREEN ESSENCE & EMOTIONS
🤓Evergreen Essence is a blend of conifer oils, all of which contain alpha-pinene, a constituent that helps the mind and body reach a calming, peaceful environment (no wonder we love the smell of Christmas trees)
Tree oils can be a wonderful tool for processing feelings of Unimportant, Un-nurtured, or Disempowered. The Spruce and Evergreen family of oils are the ones to reach for when you feel like you are comparing yourself to others, are feeling undervalued, or as though your unique voice has no place. The alternate side to feeling unimportant is Empowerment. When we can rest secure in who we are then comparison melts away and our unique blend of magic can shine!
 
🤓A 2011 study in Pharmacognosy Magazine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3173901/) looked at the anxiolytic effects of an alcohol-based pine needle extract and its ability to soothe depression in rats.
Don’t we all feel like rats 🐀in a race sometimes in our lives🥴.
Bottom line: however you approach it, pine and other conifer essential oils can be powerful health tools❤️….. but only if you open the bottle and use them 😉.
Interestingly, we are often drawn to these oils during the colder months, when we gather with friends and family, remember years past, and even grieve the things we have lost. Pine, Spruce, and Fir are calming and grounding and help us connect to feelings of strength and protection, which is something we need while processing those emotions. Adding Evergreen Essence to your daily routine is a wonderful way to support mental and emotional health during these times!
 
You can learn more about processing and releasing emotions in a book: Releasing Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils (https://amzn.to/3F0us4N).
* Diffuse this favorite on its own or with Tangerine, Cinnamon Bark, or Lavender.
* Drop onto porous holiday ornaments to create a passive diffuser.
* Some individuals take this oil in a capsule (diluted with olive or coconut oil) for targeted immune support during and after acute needs.
* Add a few drops directly onto the crown of the head for emotional support. Drop directly onto the scalp and avoid rubbing in and your hair will not be oily! Plus, you’ve now turned your hair into a diffuser. Win-win! 💪
* Make a ‘Roaring 20s’ roller to take advantage of all the immune support of these conifer oils! Apply over lymph nodes, along the spine and/or on the bottom of the feet. In a 10mL roller add:* 20 drops Evergreen Essence, * Optional: 10 drops each Lemon, Frankincense, Geranium
* Fill with carrier. * Use liberally and frequently for acute needs.
 
DIFFUSE
Evergreen Essence is amazing diffused all on its own, or you can try one of these combinations:
* Roaring 20s: 5 drops Evergreen Essence, 3 drops Lemon, 3 drops Frankincense
* Sleep Tight: 4 drops each of Evergreen Essence, Lavender, Tangerine
* Campfire Calm: 4 drops Evergreen Essence, 3 drops Cinnamon Bark, 2 drops Vetiver, 2 drops Peppermint
* Relaxation: 4 drops Evergreen Essence, 3 drops Eucalyptus, 3 drops Rosemary, 2 drops Lemon
 
INGREDIENTS: imagine shopping for a real Christmas 🎄there are 14 different tree types to choose from❤️…. now put that scent in a bottle!
xoxo- liz

Insulin Resistance – part 4

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Day 4: Insulin Resistance
 
Natural sweeteners have been around since the beginning of time. The earliest recorded sweeteners were sugar cane and honey (at least 8,000 BC), and it was a rare treat in a home….. it’s no longer a rare treat, especially not when we are knee-deep into the Holiday Season.
 
Nowadays, the average American eats over 100 lbs of sugar a year. (That’s the equivalent of eating / drinking 30 teaspoons of sugar a day, every single day). 😲😬
 
I love that God gave us foods He created to both nourish and heal. Olives have been around at least as long as sugar and many parts of the olive tree have usefulness. Take a look at this study using Olive Leaf Polyphenols: “Olive (Olea europaea L.) Leaf Polyphenols Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Middle-Aged Overweight Men: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3596374/
(after 12 weeks of consistent use of Olive Leaf Extract, the test subjects had an average 15% decrease in insulin resistance. And I quote……” The researchers noted that supplementing with olive leaf extract gave results comparable to common diabetic therapeutics.” )
 
There’s this study too…. (lots of great info! ) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8398612/ Pharmaceutical Drugs and Natural Therapeutic Products for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Of course, it’s just not possible to out-supplement consistently poor lifestyle choices. That said, for people who are attempting to correct some poor lifestyle habits, there are lots of options out there to support your efforts!
 
Do you incorporate Olive Essentials into your wellness routine? (There are several more reasons to do so in addition to supporting healthy pancreas activity 😉)
xoxo~ liz
 
PS: Posts like these are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure anything. Rather they are here to create an awareness of the tools we have available to us in addition to the freedom to address diet, exercise, stress, sleep, hydration, etc. You can do anything you set your mind to!
 

December Gifts from YL

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Oh Christmas tree🎄, Oh Christmas tree 🎄…… look at those tree oils Young Living has put under our Christmas Tree this December 🙌💖. Some of my faves, and just in time to restock my oil cabinet on a few of them.
🎄Cedarwood…. who’d have thought such a common tree could have such uncommonly good benefits for our bodies? Remember, if you aren’t sure what to use an oil for, there are lots of resources (like here on H3…. we’re LOADED with a community that cumulatively has thousands of years of experience using oils). Did you know that Young Living has Pubmed studies highlighting many oils on their website? Scroll down to the bottom of the cedarwood page, and you’ll find 4 studies highlighting its supportive effects for pain modulation, sleep, anti-mosquito 🦟, and hair growth. ( there are 532 more studies on Pubmed 🤓).
 
🎄Thieves … I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need ALL the Thieves… especially when it’s 15ml for free! This is a staple for our house. It’s often in the diffuser, and ALWAYS on the bottoms of my feet every night for immune system support. Thieves is a blend of 5 VIP immune supportive oils, and if you are a researcher, I’d encourage you to research all 5 of them. Bonus points… it’s a great Fall / Winter scent as is, or add a little Orange, Cedarwood, or Northern Lights Black Spruce for a festive Christmas tree upgrade. #scentswithbenefits
 
🎄Longevity Vitality. I’m not gonna lie; this oil blend doesn’t smell great (thanks to the aroma of thyme), but it DOES do GREAT things for the body. It is incredibly immune-supportive and digestion-supportive. It also supports healthy cellular function overall. Once I understood how this blend of thyme, orange, clove, and frank was designed to work, it became a regular in my supplement routine. One of the things I do (you do you, Boo), is take a capsule every morning with 3 drops of Longevity, 3 drops of lemongrass, and 3 drops of Pine.
 
🎄 When I learned the value of Copaiba years ago, I quickly added it to my “must have” stash (yep, I pretty much keep at least 3 bottles on hand at any given time). It’s quite the powerhouse when it comes to supporting a healthy inflammatory response. (there’s healthy and then there’s 🔥🥺). If you’ve got some 🔥somewhere in your body, you might end up feeling like hugging a Copaiba tree for all it did for you. Copaiba can be used safely both internally and externally.
I anticipate December’s free gifts every year because there’s nearly always the opportunity for a free Frankincense under the tree…. I mean, WHO doesn’t use and love Frank? 😍
 
Ya’ll know my reference points always point back to God and science, and Frankincense is a perfect example of this. I mean, anything that was good enough for baby Jesus is surely meant for goodness for all of us (animals too!). I just did a quick pubmed.gov search and noted that there are 920 studies currently listed under the keyword “Boswellia” (the scientific name for our friend Frank). I strongly encourage you to do a little digging. You have likely been undervaluing this plant gift God gave all of us. I use it every single day in my face serum, and frankly (hee hee, see what I did there), I can’t get enough of it.
 
Here’s my DIY Face Serum Recipe that I’ve used for the last 9+ years:
1- 15 ml empty bottle
15 drops of Frank
15 drops of Lavender
2 drops of Peppermint
(8-10 drops of any of the following depending on “how my skin and emotions are feeling”)….. myrrh, 2-5 drops of blue tansy, geranium, cypress, palo santo, ….. you might find your favorites…. these are mine)
fill up the remainder of the 15 ml bottle with your favorite carrier oil of choice. I love organic fractionated coconut, or macadamia nut, or apricot seed oil. Find the carrier oil that works best with your skin.
I love knowing that using Frank on my face has a positive effect on every cell in my body 🙌.
 
If you’d like to learn more (because there is a TON more to learn about our freebies this month…. here’s a link to explore: https://1602257.lifestepseo.com/…/december-gift-with…
Hugs and Happy December friends! ~ liz

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