Self-Care

True Beauty Hacks

Liz James · May 13, 2021 ·

I have been taking Longevity in a capsule for about 5 years now….. supporting healthy and structurally sound DNA (hello!…. who doesn’t want that? There’s nothing good about mutated DNA… nada… zero…. zilch) ….. and then I saw this post 👇👇 in another group..🙌🙌

It may be the continual improvement to lifestyle habits I’ve been making over the past several years in addition to the Longevity capsules I take daily, but I can say with absolute certainty that I look younger than I did when I was in my 40’s….. I certainly FEEL healthier. (I also include 2 drops of lemongrass in my capsules)
If you aren’t already doing what this post👇👇 suggests (many of you have a bottle of Longevity that was a Young Living freebie a few months back but haven’t used it)….there’s no time like the present! (I use 3 drops twice a day, which is a little different than what is suggested)
Always learning and improving….. that’s what we do! ❤❤❤❤❤❤

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Oh my goodness!!! Check out these photos of these women. Totally awesome….yes?!!!
Well, who doesn’t want their face to look brighter and less wrinklie?
Who has ever wanted a facelift or those shots they put in your face to smooth out the wrinkles (I shall not say the name of it).
I don’t want to look like some of the movie stars that have been stretched and stretched. I just want less floppy, and more younger looking skin.

Here are the details…
✔️ Young Living’s C🐝D Rose Oil Beauty Boost—4-5 drops on your face and neck each night before bed.
✔️Longevity Vitality essential oil—orange, clove, thyme, and frankincense—go to PubMed to see all the goodness it can do. Take 7-10 drops in a capsule every day in the morning or evening.
(Side note: for those who attract mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, Longevity in your body helps to deter these pesks.)

So, the 3 products you need on hand are:
C🐝D Rose Oil Beauty Boost–91.75
Longevity Vitality essential oil–17.75
Veggie Capsules–8.25

Here’s what to do:
•Drop 4-5 drops of CBD Beauty Boost in your palm. Gently rub this all over your face, neck, and the tops of your hands.
Avoid dangerous endocrine disruptors and also enjoying the benefits of great skincare by using a clean product line like what YL has!
CBD Beauty Boost is item 32953. It comes in a 1 oz dropper bottle. This will last you a little more than a year by only using a few drops.

According to the YL website, here are some other benefits of CBD Beauty Boost
Helps reduce the appearance of redness, fine lines, and wrinkles
Helps calm and soothe skin
Moisturizes skin
Boosts skin’s natural glow
Ideal for all skin types
Contains 0.0% THC
Meets Young Living’s Seed to Seal quality standards.
xoxo~ liz

Emotions and Thoughts

Liz James · May 4, 2021 ·

Emotions and thoughts are powerful things.🔥 I’m reading a book right now (written by a medical doctor) about the physiological consequences of even low grade chronic fear (most often manifesting as stress and anxiety)…. and the difference between “true” fear (a bear is about to eat me), and “false” fear (all those things we tell ourselves in our head). The body cannot differentiate between the two types, so it acts the same.

The same thing holds true for other destructive emotions and thought patterns that tend to grip us humans (and animals too!).

Oh but oils can’t help with that. Really?? Have you tried? Really tried? Retraining your brain is like working to repair a deeply worn path in the ground. Not only do you have to forge a new path ( thought process), you also will need to fill in the dirt…. plant new plants…. and make a concerted effort to let that old path heal without returning to it. It takes work!

The brain is a powerful piece of machinery, and our essential oils are a powerful tool to help get the job done… the amygdala / limbic system in the brain is more powerful than you can imagine (especially when given the right support tools! )
…… all good things take time and effort, and YOU are a good human!…. very worth the time and effort to train your brain to stop doing whatever is holding you back!
Notice anything interesting about this graphic? Yep! All these helper oil blends are free😍 this month as a gift with qualifying purchase❤.
xoxo~ liz 😘

#sharingiscaring
#thanksYL
#healingcomesinallforms
#slowandsteadywinstherace
(Graphic credit: Mica Kucera. Thank you for sharing!)

Health Clues in Our Teeth – part 2

Liz James · April 27, 2021 ·

Our body is highly skilled at sounding alarms🚨 that we often “hit the snooze button” on, ignore out of ignorance, or simply disregard. I was “that person” many years ago when I went through about 18 months of tooth emergencies.😭 I didn’t have a single cavity until I was in college, and always had pretty stellar dental visits. However, when I was in my mid 30’s, something strange started happening. On 3 different occasions, a piece of tooth would literally fall off of a molar while I was driving to work in the morning. 😳 Though I had no evidence of wear on my teeth, my dentist finally determined that I must be gritting my teeth so hard while I slept that I was literally breaking my teeth. Once we figured out the root cause and I found better ways to manage my stress , I quit breaking teeth, stopped having headaches every morning upon waking up, had fewer neck, elbow, and wrist problems, and generally felt better and happier as a human! My body was giving me so many clues, and I was ignoring all of them (or “patching them”) until my body literally started falling apart. It was an expensive but valuable lesson!

* Worn down or regular breaking of teeth are often signs of stress. Internalized chronic stress has the same effect on the body as smoking 5 cigarettes a day, and who wants to abuse their body like that?? Not sure if you are grinding or clenching your teeth? Sometimes the flatness on the teeth can be felt with the tongue or seen in the mirror, or your dentist may have made a comment to you. A chronically stressed body may also see a higher incidence of canker sores or fever blisters…. all are clues that shouldn’t be ignored.

* Chronic stress will cause consistently higher levels of cortisol in the body, eventually wreaking some major havoc. Manage stress properly by incorporating mindset management skills, prayer/meditation, exercise, diet and proper amounts of sleep. Consider supporting healthy cortisol levels with Young Living’s Cortistop. If clenching, gritting or grinding is your nighttime gig, you may also want to consider a mouth nightguard to help mediate damage, and apply Peace & Calming, RutaVala, or Tranquil essential oil blends on the base of the big toes at night.

* Thin enamel or cracking/crumbling teeth are often clues of acid reflux. (We will go over acid reflux clues in greater detail soon.) Several medications may also affect the integrity of teeth. Asthma medications (inhaled), chewable aspirin, birth control pills, immunosuppressive agents, chemotherapy agents, and any of the 400+ meds that cause dry mouth ( revisit that section for more details) are among the bigger culprits. If you find yourself in a situation where any of these medications are deemed necessary, make sure you are rinsing your mouth out often with Thieves Mouthwash to create an inhospitable environment for bad bacteria that may want to set up camp and create further damage.

* Chronically sensitive or swollen gums may be a sign of an underlying Vitamin C deficiency (approximately 13% of the US population), an early sign of heart disease, diabetes, or (less commonly) a blood disorder. It can also simply be a sign of poor oral hygiene! Medications that may cause bleeding gums include blood thinners, aspirin, and regular use of ibuprofen or other NSAIDS.

* Gum overgrowth (hyperplasia) is more pronounced than simply swollen gums. While often a symptom of poor oral hygiene, it most frequently results from the use of certain medications: anti seizure meds, immunosuppressants, or calcium channel blockers (a class of blood pressure medications). There are physiological disorders that may cause hyperplasia too. Diabetes or Crohn’s disease are two of the more common ones.

* Pretty much everyone brushes their teeth in front of a mirror, which is an opportune time to make a quick daily evaluation of teeth, gums, mouth & tongue. Once you get into the habit of doing this, you will notice small changes pretty quickly, and you can often correct a situation without professional intervention!
Next week, I’ll discuss specific tooth health as a predictor for potential health concerns! It’s fascinating and such a helpful tool in knowing how to care for yourself preemptively.
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#healthcluesyoucansinkyourteethinto
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Heart Health with Essential Oils

Liz James · April 26, 2021 ·

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 Teeth – Part 1

Liz James · April 21, 2021 ·

I find teeth mysteriously fascinating, but it used to not be that way. Teeth (and toes) used to activate my gag reflex before I began learning about their wealth of clues. Now I find them to be wonderful guides and tools! 😍

This particular clue is so very important that it’s the only one we are going to discuss today. Any time you have something that changes in or on your body, it should become an instant signal that something has shifted metabolically or physiologically, and the best course of action is to “root out” the cause before bigger symptoms take place.

Perhaps you’ve been to the dentist and the hygienist has remarked that you have more plaque than normal on your teeth, or you’ve looked in the mirror and noticed this yourself. Hopefully this is not the case because you have loved on your oral cavity with Thieves toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss! Sometimes tho, even the best of oral care products doesn’t stop plaque build up. If that has happened, it’s time to start digging for the root cause!

*But first, A little history about teeth and nutrition! Before there was refrigeration or even toothpaste, there were remote people groups worldwide who had solidly amazing teeth and mouths. This is well documented in the works of a dentist from the early 1900’s named Dr. Weston A Price. Dr. Price worked tirelessly to prove that oral decay and degeneration was due more to nutritional deficiencies than to lack of oral hygiene. His work revealed that fat soluble vitamins A and D and a probiotic rich diet were key contributors to healthy mouths, more so than daily brushing. An interesting unifying factor amongst all the people groups he studied was that all had some form of probiotic rich daily food source…. Something that the standard American diet falls woefully short in today.

*What does diet have to do with plaque on the teeth and why is it a clue? Here is where the clue becomes quite important! A diet rich in properly fermented foods (think traditional kefir, sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, cod liver oil, kimchi, kombucha etc) is a valuable tool for supporting a healthy gut. If the gut is loaded with healthy bacteria, the body is able to create other vitamins which are necessary for healthy living. For the course of THIS discussion, that would be Vitamin K2. #life9probioticforthewin

Vitamin K2 (aka menaquinone-7 , or activator X) is an underappreciated nutrient, in that it is vital for building strong bones and teeth. It does this by carrying calcium out of soft tissue (think brain and vascular system) and carrying it IN TO bones and teeth.
Stick with me ya’ll😍….. We are getting to the super important part!

K2 activates something called osteocalcin and matrix-Gla protein. Matrix-Gla is present in saliva and its activity arrests the dental plaque calcification process….. It is also present in the blood, and when activated by vitamin K2, helps to remove plaque in arteries! Isn’t it interesting how matrix-Gla prevents both plaque on teeth AND plaque in arteries??

*If plaque continues to build up on teeth despite your best efforts in oral care, it may indicate a deficiency of vitamin K2, which may be putting your vascular system at risk.

*A 2016 study found that matrix-Gla protein inactivation ( as the result of inadequate K2) led to a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.
*Now to be clear, plaque on teeth may happen as a result of poor oral care or a few other reasons too, but if you’ve never had plaque issues before, and now you do….. It may be time to dig a little deeper to protect your overall well being!

Other signs or symptoms of a Vitamin K2 deficiency may include:
*Bruising easily
*Bleeding excessively (including a heavy menstrual flow)
*Osteopenia, osteoporosis or frequent fractures
*A mouth full of cavities
*Heart disease
*Diabetes or pre-diabetes
*Autoimmune disease flare ups (there is evidence that a Vitamin K2 deficiency aggravates autoimmune diseases….. especially Rheumatoid Arthritis)
*Forgetfulness ( a Vitamin K2 deficiency is linked to Alzheimer’s Disease due to the calcium plaque build up within the brain)
*O blood type – lacks some clotting factors in blood, so K2 supplementation is helpful

If you have noticed regular buildup of calcified dental plaque…..
👉Talk to your favorite healthcare professional and consider asking for a cardiac calcium score
👉Get your vitamin D levels checked
👉There currently isn’t a K2 specific lab test to check for deficiency.
👉Consider supplementation of Vitamin K2 (recommended dietary allowance is 60-120mcg/day)
NOTE: If someone is on blood thinners, talk to a health care professional before starting Vitamin K2 as a supplement. It does affect blood coagulation, and therefore may interact with blood thinners.
And YAY you!!!….If you are currently taking Young Living’s CardioGize, Master Formula or Super Cal Plus, you’ll find that these three already contain K2 within each formulation (100mcg, 50mcg, and 30mcg respectively).

As always, I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose, treat, or offer to cure you. I can only help you be a top notch detective for your personal health and wellness.
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#healthcluesyoucansinkyourteethinto
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL