There is an old farm saying, “No hoof, no horse.”. The savvy horseman looks at hooves very carefully because he or she knows that a horse with poor feet will not be able to function optimally, and that a horse with chronic hoof issues often has metabolic, digestive, or rarely… a genetic anomaly . The same holds absolutely true with humans.
If you’ve had an excellent massage therapist (or perhaps even an astute pedicurist), perhaps they’ve told you a little bit about yourself simply by examining your feet while they worked. It’s lovely to have a day of pampering, but don’t depend on anyone to look for clues. It’s time to get to know your feet really well if you haven’t done so already! Our feet are an excellent barometer of overall health. Clues often appear below the ankles before any other place on the body, giving ample time to reverse the course of your personal story should it happen to be heading down a rocky road.
26 bones. 33 joints. 100 ligaments. More than 100 moving parts. What could possibly go wrong? 😬Well, take a seat….shuck the shoes 👟and socks, and take a close look at your hardworking utterly complex feet. I’m going to group feet clues into two categories: What you can SEE and what you can FEEL.
Visible Foot Clues:
*Do you see dry, cracked, peeling, blistered, red, or scaly skin, usually on the bottom of the foot or between the toes? Sometimes these clues may be accompanied by a burning or itching sensation. Athlete’s foot is a fungus known as tinea pedis that thrives in dark, damp places….an excellent reason to go barefoot whenever possible! Fungal infections throughout the body are fueled by high sugar diets. A sustained change in diet (along with allowing the feet to breathe!) often eliminates chronic foot funk. Occasionally, all of these clues may point instead to contact dermatitis. When contact dermatitis occurs, it’s most often due to a chemical / toxin exposure. It’s just one more reason to use the Thieves Household Cleaner line of products!
*Now, check your heels for cracks. Going barefoot or wearing flip flops often do not cause cracked heels, though this is a popular belief. Cracked heels is a classic sign of a struggling thyroid.
*Hairy toes. Do you have them….. Or, did you used to have them but now you don’t? The same can be said for the tops of the feet and the lower legs. Hairy toes, feet, and lower legs are a sign of healthy circulation. Nourishing hair follicles on the lowest extremities is one of the first things to go when the circulatory system starts struggling. A poor nourishment pathway in the legs starves the follicles, and hair ceases to grow. Don’t panic if you’ve never had hairy toes. Not everyone is genetically predisposed to furry distal digits. The important thing to remember is your uniqueness, and to learn to watch for these clues so that you’ll notice when something changes, or goes missing! This is a clue easily caught on men, and less easily caught on women.
*Swollen feet and ankles. So very common in pregnancy, but an important clue for those who are not pregnant. Even if you are standing all day, feet and ankle swelling should be minimal with good circulation. This is a clue that may indicate impaired circulation or lymphatic drainage. Additionally, the kidneys remove excess fluid from the body. If they are not functioning properly, excess fluid tends to accumulate in the body. An under-active thyroid may also contribute to fluid retention.
*Sores that are slow to heal on the feet are a significant clue also indicating impaired circulation. This particular clue is often seen in diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is a narrowing of the arteries which reduces blood flow to the legs. If nourishment cannot get to a wound, it will be slow to heal.
*If you have noticed circulatory system clues in your feet, try to avoid crossing your legs when you sit. Sitting like this further constricts blood flow and will only exacerbate the clues you’ve noticed!
*Stinky feet! You may have noticed that some people have stinkier feet than others. Feet are loaded with sweat glands: 250,000 give or take a few. But odor is not caused by sweat alone. It is caused by the byproducts of bacteria, possibly fungus, and ALWAYS the toxin load of the individual. Simply put, the more toxins ☠️ within a person’s body, the greater the odds of some rank stank. All the more reason to help your liver out and choose healthy, toxin free options whenever possible in life! #thanksYL
If you know someone with stinky feet, consider gifting them this easy peasy helpful spray for their shoes (and feet!), and get them on the path to a less toxic lifestyle.
***Stink Stank Stunk no more Shoe Spray***
👟3-4 oz glass or metal spray bottle
👟2 oz witch hazel
👟1 ounce filtered water
👟30-40 drops total of essential oil using any of the following (Purification, Eucalyptus Radiata, Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary)
Shake well before each use!
Take some time to look at your feet at least once a week. I do a quick assessment every night as I apply Thieves to the bottoms of my feet before bedtime for immune support and Tranquil to the base of my big toe for a good night’s sleep.
See you next week…. We’re just getting started on foot clues!
xoxo~ liz
#caringissharing
#footcareisgoodmedicine
#knowyourfoundation
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL
Recipes
Dangers of Cleaning Products & Air Freshners on Lungs
“Frequent use of common household cleaning sprays may be an important risk factor for adult asthma.”😳
“…..one in seven adult asthma cases could be attributed to common (household) spray use.”😳
“…34.7% of the population reported health problems, such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, when exposed to “fragranced” products.” 😳
“Exposure to 1,4-DCB, a volatile compound found in common air fresheners and toilet bowl cleaners ….. may result in reduced pulmonary function. This common exposure may have long-term adverse effects on respiratory health.”
FACT: There is no law in the US that requires the disclosure of all ingredients in fragranced consumer products. 😱
FACT: According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, ingredients do not need to be fully listed on either the product label or the official safety data sheet. They also are not required to list the presence of a “fragrance”.
If asthma, migraine headaches, and/or respiratory difficulties are a problem within your household, give Thieves household cleaner a try.
Toss your common household air fresheners, and diffuse YL oils for healthy home air quality.
Lung damage is a breeding ground for Fall respiratory illnesses. Consider a summertime overhaul (if you haven’t already) and give your lungs a chance to be healthy and happy!
Safe.🙌
Effective (in a smell good, healthy, sparkly way! ✨)
Young Living products are designed to be healthy and UNCOMMONLY good!
xoxo~ liz
#knowbetterdobetter
#sharingiscaring
#Godgaveusallweneedinthegarden
#ThanksYL
#uncommonlygood
(5 min quick video) https://nutritionfacts.org/…/the-effects-of…/…
Heart Health with Essential Oils
My dear friend Jen…… she is a wise one. Good word (and info) this fine Monday morning! 👇👇👇
xoxo~ liz😘
Recently I walked some folks through a bit of time diving into 21 days of heart health. Heart health is so much more about emotional health than even physical health. And if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, spiritual health trumps all that and more.
I have found adding these three to a roller bottle, topping off with a carrier oil such as V-6 has done wonders for soothing and healing the heart- on a number of levels. Using your essential oils to begin the healing process is a must, yet I would caution you to not simply throw on the oil without a thought or intention of telling the oils where to go.
Yes, you heard me. Give the oils their marching orders. If you know, then you know. If you don’t- find me over text and we’ll chat it out.
Vetiver traditionally has been used in aromatherapy for relaxation and alleviating emotional stress, panic attacks, trauma, anxiety, insomnia, hysteria and depression. A 2015 study investigated the effects of vetiver oil as a tool that assists with reducing anxiety and the neurological actions in the central amygdaloid nucleus.
In case you’re wondering as I was when I read it, the central amygdaloid nucleus connects with brainstem areas that control the expression of behaviors; it’s responsible for the perception and results of emotions, such as changes in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.
Ylang Ylang is another one that is powerfully beneficial for the heart. For starters it boosts even the most non oily human’s mood and has the capacity to reduce depression. Beyond that Ylang Ylang has been shown to lower blood pressure and decrease heart rates. So if you’ve got some situations happening in your ticker, this is one to add in.
Geranium– the oil of love and trust. Geranium encourages the opening of the heart space so love may flow freely. If the emotional body feels congested with old grief and disappointments, Geranium opens channels to let it all go, and make space for newness to circulate.
Health Clues in Your Skin Part 5
* Although we could explore skin clues for the rest of the year, today we’ll wrap up dermal geographical points of interest. You’re getting the idea, right? The body, especially its “packaging” gives loads and loads of early clues as to the direction a body’s health may be headed. As with GPS, you can pay attention to the map and gain control over where you are heading, or you can ignore the map/clues……… and who knows where you may end up!
* Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a skin abnormality that results in velvety darker discolorations found most often in body folds and creases. The discoloration develops gradually over time and is most often seen across the back of the neck, armpits, and groin area. Although acanthosis nigricans is sometimes an inherited skin characteristic, the most common cause is diabetes and obesity. Endocrine abnormalities (thyroid) and certain cancers (adenocarcinomas) can also cause this type of skin change.
Chronic use of certain medications can also cause AN. Birth Control Pills and some hormone replacement therapies, steroids, high dose niacin, and a class of drugs used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors) are the most common offenders.
* Keratosis pilaris (KP) is an annoying but harmless skin condition which causes dry rough patches and tiny bumps often seen on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks, or buttocks. You may have heard it sometimes called “chicken skin”. An estimated 40% of the population has experienced it, and though often related to a Vitamin A deficiency (which is seen in roughly 51% of adults in the USA), KP is most often seen in people who regularly eat a very specific set of food triggers.
Who’d have thought that 51% of adults in the USA would have a Vitamin A deficiency?…. And yet we do. Vitamin A deficiency will ultimately affect the eyes in addition to the skin. Young Living has a super eye health supplement called Illumineyes which happens to be loaded with Vitamin A. #killtwobirdswithonestone
Those with KP would do best to avoid common skin irritants found in mainstream bath and body care products. Thankfully, Young Living has us covered here too! They make caring for ourselves so very easy! Have you tried any of the YL bath and shower gels and bar soaps? I’m especially fond of the Morning Start Shower Gel!
Food triggers are a serious influencer of keratosis pilaris. Thankfully, the foods that tend to trigger the outbreaks are 100% unnecessary and are generally void of quality nutritional value.
These would include:
🔥Refined white sugar
🔥High fructose corn syrup
🔥Trans fats (found predominantly in junk and fast foods)
🔥Refined carbs (white bread, pastries, soda, sugary breakfast cereals, etc)
🔥Artificial flavorings and colorings
🔥Gluten
🔥Commercial (homogenized/pasteurized) dairy
My feeling about KP is that, while annoying and harmless, it is an early red flag clue that bumpy waters may lay ahead if reparations are not in order. If food is a trigger, then the gut is compromised and showing early signs of stress. Don’t let this stress escalate…. It’s a slippery slope. The gut is at the root of all chronic disease throughout the body, not the least of which is digestive disorders themselves! YL’s Life 9 probiotic and a digestive enzyme (Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Allerzyme, or Detoxzyme) would be excellent supportive measures to get and keep your gut on track.
KP is a common skin condition among children too….. It’s far better to nip things in the bud than it is to let a situation escalate, even if it means going thru a season of junk food withdrawal. Good eating habits are perhaps one of the best gifts you can give a kiddo! Don’t forget that Young Living has Kidscents Mightypro probiotic packets and Mightyzyme chewable digestive enzymes for little tummies too!
Because KP is actually a buildup of dead tissue, a gentle but effective way to minimize the bumps is by using a “clean” DIY sugar scrub on the areas 3-4 times a week.
2 cups organic brown sugar
½ cup organic fractionated coconut oil
½ cup honey
5 drops of lavender essential oil
* Dandruff affects roughly 50% of the population and comes in a few common types. It too is more annoying than harmful, but clues are flying with each brushing of the hair!
Possible causes of dandruff include:
🔥Chronic inflammatory skin condition(s)…. Remember skin is a mirror of the gut!
🔥Allergy or sensitivity to something either applied or ingested (again, gut flag!)
🔥Yeast overgrowth (gut flag!)
🔥Omega 3 deficiency
Managing stress is key with any inflammatory condition. Stress reduction techniques include yoga, prayer, meditation, deep breathing, and utilizing your favorite calming essential oils.
A whopping 98% of the US population fails when it comes to optimal Omega 3’s in their diet. OmegaGize3 is loaded with what we need so as not to be a part of that epic fail statistic. Other clues of Omega 3 deficiencies may include dry hair, dry skin, depression, dry eyes, joint pain and stiffness.
* Thinning hair is something that happens gradually over time. While it is normal to lose around 100 hairs a day, hairs should also be growing back in as they are falling out. Very few people have the hair in their 50’s+ that they had in their 20’s. #aginghappens
Factors that affect thinning hair may include:
Genetics (family pattern hair loss)
Emotional & physical stress
Medical conditions (thyroid or hormone imbalance, and heart disorders)
Poor nutrition or poor absorption of nutrients
Hair products that make thinning worse
Decrease in collagen production as we age
—Ways to minimize thinning hair include eating nutrient dense foods (and utilizing the YL digestive enzymes mentioned above!), OmegaGize3 !!!, and supplemental collagen (internally).
Medications will always and forever have side effects. By their very definition they are a toxin, and many of them cause hair loss. Some of the top offenders include:
Certain acne meds
Certain antibiotics
Anti-coagulants (after about 3-4 months)
Statins (cholesterol)
Immunosuppressants (methotrexate, Enbrel, Humira etc)
Some anti seizure meds
Blood pressure meds (those whose generic name ends in -olol or -pril)
Mood stabilizer meds (including paxil, zoloft, amitriptyline, and prozac)
Weight loss meds (eg: phentermine)
Gout meds (allopurinol)
Many chemotherapy agents
Steroids (which are also immunosuppressants)
NSAIDS (ex: ibuprofen, naproxen )
I am not a doctor, and cannot diagnose, treat or cure you. I will however, continue to provide you with clues you can use to help you find your way back to the vibrant healthy person God designed you to be (or to support the vibrant health person you already are!). Which body part should we cover next as we continue to unearth clues?
xoxo~ liz
#caringissharing
#pharmacistandfarmacist
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#yourskinisamirrortoyourhealth
#ThanksYL
Citrus Paleo Pancakes made Easy
Merry Christmas Eve friends! Chef Mary Mick’s recipes never disappoint! Do you have a tried and true favorite recipe that always shows up on Christmas morning? Share with us!
xoxo~ liz