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February 2023 Free from Young Living

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FEBRUARY IS HERE YA’LL! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? FEBRUARY WRAPS UP THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN OUR BODIES ARE CRAVING “REST AND REFRESH” TIME.
(Total sidebar factoid🤓: yes, we’re all seeing and hearing and perhaps paying high prices for “rare” chicken eggs right now. Who knows exactly “why” this is going on this particular year 🧐(hang on while I adjust my well worn tinfoil hat), but winter months ARE common for chickens to rest and rejuvenate their oviducts. God made them that way so that they can lead longer productive lives. He did the same for us too…… embrace this last month of hibernation and take care of you!)
 
Young Living is kindly giving us tools for free (with qualifying purchase) this month to help us rest and restore alligator winter skin and eyes that may have been spending too much time in front of a screen.
 
I don’t know of another company that will give someone $190.00+ worth of product for free when spending 300+$, (or $96 for spending $190+), and yet YL does…. every single month. 🥰
 
Lushious Lemon is one of my all time favorite Young Living essential oil blends. I don’t know of a single person who doesn’t LOVE this aroma. This month we’re getting the Lushious Lemon Hand Lotion as part of our gift with purchase. YL never creates a product without a healthy purpose, and not only does the hand lotion nourish skin, the aroma just makes a person happy! (If you’re feeling grumpy or perhaps have a grumpy family member, you’ll never go wrong by diffusing the situation with a few drops of Lushious Lemon EO in your diffuser 😉)
 
If you aren’t yet utilizing the Loyalty Rewards opportunity (more free products and points to accumulate and use for purchasing MORE free products of your choosing), consider the benefits! You can learn more about how Loyalty Rewards works here: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/learn/loyalty-rewards
 
Loyalty Rewards orders also have the opportunity this month to receive 10 extra points (=free product) and the BLOOM YL essential oil blend. BLOOM can be used topically or diffused. It is a beautiful edition to skin care ( a combo of Vetiver, Blue Cypress, Davana, Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood, Clove, Jasmine, Carrot seed, Spearmint, Geranium, and Sacred Frank). During your hibernation time, do a little pubmed.gov 🤓digging on each one of these, and you find out exactly why (purpose) BLOOM was created 😍.
 
I’m especially excited that we’re getting IlluminEYES for free this month, as it’s something I’ve recently added to my daily regimen. Too much screen time is definitely taking a toll on my eyes, as well as normal aging…… and I’ve got a strong genetic predisposition to macular degeneration (and my eyeballs aren’t getting any younger🤪). It’s much easier to be proactive than to try to reverse an active degenerative state in the body, so here I am…. give me all the eye health tips! I’m already wearing blue blocker glasses when in front of the computer, I use beneficial essential oils around the bony orbits of my eyes, and drink NingXia Red daily. Our eyes need the proper support tools to function well, and IlluminEYES supports eye health. In addition to eye happy vitamins, you’ll notice that IlluminEYES has Wolfberry fruit powder, Marigold Flower Extract, and Acerola cherry extract. Do some digging friends…. God gave us so much protection and healing directly from the garden.
 
Coconut Lime Replenishing Body Butter is another one of my favorites! My dry winter legs soak this creamy body butter in, and it literally smells like I just stepped into somewhere tropical, warm, and happy⛱🏝☀️! You won’t be disappointed, and neither will your skin!
 
Embrace this final month of hibernation! I know your body is appreciating the tools and recovery time you’re spending so you can be at your very best come springtime!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
(PS: If you aren’t yet enjoying free health tools from YL but would like to, join me! https://bit.ly/3oFccZj )

January Young Living Sale!

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It’s a snowy 🥶☃️❄️cold day here in North Texas, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to meet with health coaching clients virtually so neither one of us has to be on these slick roads😬. (Texas black ice is no joke).
 
We are just about 12 hrs shy of saying “sayonara” to January. If you had big plans for your health at the beginning of the year, but those plans are still sitting there untouched 30 days later, maybe it’s time to find a mentor.
I’d be honored to light the path and show you the way.
xoxo~ liz
 

Young Living Free Gifts December 2022

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Happy December YL Framily! Great freebies this month for our personal use (or for gifts or stocking🧦 stuffers!)
I’m praying ya’ll are well familiar with all of these very common YL products because I’m going to share my personal useage on each of these and I hope you’ll chime in the comments with yours too so we can help each other out. I always learn a little something when other people share their stories with me. 🥰
Thieves bar soap AND wipes! I keep a package of the wipes in my truck at all times. Don’t forget that Thieves are no ordinary wipes. Not only do they clean up germy surfaces and messes quite well, they have immune supportive properties we receive in the process of using them. I tuck them in my suitcase for ease of use when traveling (no worries about liquid limits if flying ✈️. )
 
The Thieves bar soap is interesting and I’m only going to speak for myself here (you do you 😉), but I’ve used all manner of Thieves for keeping myself healthy and well for almost 10 years now. Here’s my personal longstanding tip: It doesn’t happen often, but (surprise surprise 😬🙄) wounds are a fairly regular occurrence out here on the farm, both for humans and animals. I’ve used Thieves cleaning products for years as wound care (like i said…. you do you…. I’m just telling you my story) with fantastic results. ( I’ve also switched over 100% to using Thieves Aromabright toothpaste …. a little pea sized amount totally takes amazing care of my pits while providing another avenue of immune support to those tender lymph nodes so close to “the ladies”. I would imagine that Thieves bar soap on the entire body would be especially beneficial to stinky all over body odor…. anyone with teen boys may thank me later for these tips! Remember, bacteria is generally a large reason for the stank! 🥴) I’ve also used Thieves bar soap as a pre-laundry application on some gnarly clothing stains.
 
En-R-Gee is such an interesting oil blend. In my early oiling days, I didn’t quite understand how oils like Rosemary increased focus, how Nutmeg supported healthy adrenal gland function, or Black Pepper enhanced energy, but then I began reading scientific studies (Pubmed.gov and other sites), and it all made sense! God really did give us all we need in the Garden! I use this beauty when I need to get things done or when I’m driving long distances and I’ve started to lose the pep in my step! Diffuse or apply topically (I personally apply to the adrenals). This (along with Zyng, NingXia Nitro, peppermint in my water and other “clean” energy alternatives) helps me get to my goals. Ya’ll…… the world has GOT to get away from those dangerous energy drinks. I had yet another health coaching opportunity with a family who now has a member with a heart arrythmia their doctor directly attributed to over consumption of those dang Monster☠️ drinks. Don’t wait to be forced to make changes in your life because of a health scare. It’s not a fun place to be.
 
I’ve been using the Super C chewables like they are going out of style for a couple of years now because they are so healthy and immune supportive (and tasty!!!). This month’s freebie is the non-chewable tablet. April Pointer and I had a discussion about the tablets. After doing some digging several years ago, I found out that Ascorbic Acid is usually synthetic Vit C made from GMO’d corn.🤮🫣. YUCK. April had the same questions I did, and she has asked the hard questions…… “where does the YL Super C tablet’s Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) come from?” Young Living knows the dangers and they’ve got our backs!… no GMO’d corn for us. It’s made from fermented foods of the healthy variety ❤️. The added bioflavanoids enhance the Vit C’s activity in the body.
 
I use Super C like it’s going out of style because:
#1. I know YL gives us the best of the best, so I know it’s both SAFE and EFFECTIVE. Remember, the body is much more fond of natural than it is synthetic!
#2. I personally follow most of the FLCCC protocol for maintaining health and wellness and they reccommend 500-1000mg of Vit C daily as part of their protocol. (If you’d like more info about their protocol, look up their website, and message me for info on how I have personally tweaked it to make it “cleaner”. There are a few things I don’t want in or on my body because of their chemical components.
 
Each night, I have my oily bedtime routine. It takes less than a minute. Two of the oils I use with regularity (I alternate) are Valor and Peace & Calming. I know they are both calming to my system before bedtime. I need that….. because my mind is often on overdrive. Unfortunately, I also tend to grit my teeth when I sleep. Back in the day (ie: pre YL), I would grit my teeth so hard that I broke a few teeth WHILE I WAS SLEEPING! 😭I’m not a grinder…. I’m a gritter. Fancy that. Anyway, I now wear a nightguard at night to prevent any more teeth breaking but I still used to wake up every.single.morning. with a terrible headache……….. UNTIL I MET VALOR 😍 (which I apply on my jawline). I use all the things to help my body relax at night. Sleep is sooooooo important (and so are my teeth!). If you don’t sleep well (I DO sleep very very well…. but that’s after a long stint in my pre-YL life of NOT sleeping deeply enough to even dream). USE YOUR TOOLS….. And they are free this month! )
 
Peace and Calming and Valor both are used by so many people for so many ways! I would LOVE to hear your success stories. These two are among the top “10 beloved YL Hall of Famers ” for the emotional and physical support impact they have had on humans and pets alike.
 
Enjoy your day, and remember that the Holiday season is best enjoyed in a state of “Peace and Calming”!
xoxo~ liz
 
 
PS: If you do not yet have a Young Living account, and would like one so you can have access to these amazing health tools (along with some amazing education access), here’s a link to get you started! https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/1602257
 
 
 
 

They’re Back!

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Thank you Jesus…… K&B is back in stock! I have a few people dear to me whose lives have been forever changed by K&B. K(idney) & B(ladder)…. if you need some support in these areas of your body… it just might be your deal maker too. Have you tried it?
xoxo~ liz
(PS: I’m happy the other two are back in stock too 😉)

The Southern Side of the Endocrine System: Diabetes – part 2

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There are times it’s not good to be Number One. This is one of those times. The United States is recognized as being among the nations with the best medical technology and the newest and best drugs. We spend more per person on healthcare than any nation in the entire world, so we should be among the healthiest, right? Yet, for all that we have, the USA has the worst health outcomes.. We are #1 in diabetes, #2 in neurodegenerative diseases, #5 in cancer, and #6 in cardiovascular disease (source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
An estimated 1 in 3 American adults have prediabetes or metabolic syndrome (both are precursors to Type II diabetes). It’s a common but flawed thought that Type II diabetes only affects “fluffy” people. It doesn’t. There is a relatively new medical acronym called TOFI, which means “Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside”, and TOFI individuals can be just as much at risk as their fluffy counterparts. Lifestyle choices will always be the first line of defense to avoid acquiring a Type II diabetes diagnosis (or succeeding in backwalking out of one).
An astute detective will need some internal monitoring tools to more closely assess clues. Health thieves can be very stealth, and this is a reliable way to monitor gang movement before they leave visible gang “tags” (clues). Forewarned is forearmed! Think of this as another tangible aspect of your body’s security monitoring system.
 
Here’s what you’ll need:
  • An at home blood pressure cuff (every home should have one anyway!)
  • Know your waist circumference (measure at just above the hip bone, level with the belly button)
  • Know your family history. Remember that though genetics are important, they play less than a 10% role in outcome. Environment, lifestyle choices, and emotional tendencies control the other 90%. It’s important to know family history so that we can each be vigilant for what we suspect may be lurking in the shadows…. Knowing the health thief tendency (genetics) may be awaiting the right opportunity to steal, kill and destroy. I find a great deal of peace knowing that 90% of gene expression is fully under my own control!
  • Get labwork annually which (at the very least) includes the following pieces of information:
    • Complete metabolic panel (CMP)
    • A basic lipid panel
    • Uric Acid and Homocysteine
    • Fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and HbA1c
    • The combined total of these tests will run about $250 well spent dollars out of pocket. If you have insurance, these are the tests to ask your doctor for when looking for a metabolic syndrome or prediabetes health thief.
    • NOTE: There is more labwork I’d suggest for a comprehensive look at the body from the inside out…. The above recommendation is specific for monitoring both prediabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Signs of metabolic syndrome and prediabetes nearly always predate diabetic symptoms. Once you have your lab work, and have gathered your other tools, you’re ready to take a hard look at the state of the union of your body. Signs of metabolic dysfunction show up in the following ways:
  • Evidence of fatty liver
  • High blood pressure
  • High uric acid and homocysteine levels
  • High lipids in blood
  • High fasting insulin, HbA1c, and blood glucose
  1. Monitor your blood pressure. For a week, take it before you go to bed, and again before you get out of bed in the morning. If nighttime and morning blood pressure is higher than it should be, cut out all forms of sugar for a week, and retest. Sugar is highly inflammatory and often drives blood pressure upwards. Normal blood pressure runs 90-120 systolic (top number) and 60-80 diastolic (bottom number). High blood pressure is a symptom, not a root cause!
  2. An increased waist circumference (males should be under 40 inches and females should be under 35) is suggestive of inflammation, probable leaky gut, mitochondrial dysfunction, and insulin resistance.
  3. Uric acid and homocysteine are inflammatory markers. Levels are elevated if uric acid is over 5.5 mg/ml and homocysteine is over 10 umol/ L. High uric acid levels lead to a fatty liver. Sugar is a big contributor to this. High homocysteine levels indicate an increased risk for developing heart disease and vascular inflammation. Methylated B12 and methylated folate, omega 3’s ( OmegaGize3 is a great option), and optimized use of Vit D3 are all helpful tools in supporting healthy homocysteine levels.
  4. Within your CMP, you’ll look for two numbers corresponding to AST and ALT. ALT is a liver enzyme which is fairly accurate for assessing fatty liver. If that number is over 25, more investigation is needed. AST is another liver enzyme. If it’s elevated (over 34) it may also indicate fatty liver (it also elevates when exposed to too much acetaminophen, alcohol, certain meds such as statins, and infection….. So do take that into consideration). If both are elevated, it’s definitely time to take a hard look at sugar and alcohol consumption.
  5. Fasting glucose by itself is not enough, and sadly it’s often the only thing that is tested routinely. HbA1c is a window into the last 3 months of glucose control within the body. Fasting insulin indicates how well the pancreas is actually able to keep up. Optimally, fasting glucose should be 70-85 mg/dL, HbA1c should be less than 5.4%, and fasting insulin should be less than 6 uIU/mL. Once you have those numbers, you’ll plug them into this equation: fasting glucose x fasting insulin divided by 405. Your answer to this equation is your assessed risk for developing diabetes. Less than 2.8 is excellent, 4.3 is average, and anything higher is a flag that mayhem is likely already occurring.
  6. When you are looking at your lipid panel, zero in on 3 different clues. The first is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL. Studies have found that if this number is over 2.5 in the Caucasian population or 1.5 in the African American population, it tends to correlate with metabolic syndrome.
The second thing to look at is HDL, the type of cholesterol that is considered “healthy” cholesterol. If it’s between 60-85, it’s generally a sign of good cardiovascular health. If the number is under 40 in men or under 50 for women, there is a greater chance of developing heart disease (a component of both metabolic syndrome and cohort of Type II diabetes). If the number is over 85, there’s a distinct possibility that HDL has a dysfunctional component.
The third thing to evaluate is your LDL cholesterol. If it’s between 100 and 300, look at your triglycerides. “If triglycerides are over 150, metabolic syndrome may be assumed until proven otherwise. “ (Those wise words are from Dr. Robert Lustig MD and his brilliant book Metabolical)
Isn’t it prudent to avoid dark alleys and always lock your car? The same can be said for paying attention to these health clues. If the numbers above look like a dark avenue you’re not wanting to go down, here are some tips and tricks for avoiding shady areas!
  • Cut back on carbs and sugar. Eat a low sugar high fiber diet. If you are not getting enough fiber in your diet, add YL’s ICP Daily, Balance Complete, or Power Meal to your nutrition world. Fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels by slowing down the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
  • Avoid high fructose corn syrup like it’s the plague….. Because it is! It is a strong inducer of insulin resistance. When you start reading labels, you’ll be surprised at how many places it hides in plain sight.
  • Avoid energy drinks that combine caffeine with fructose. That combination can aggravate insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Use NingXia Nitro for a cleaner energy boost option. Try pairing Nitro with diffusing or wearing the essential oil blend En-R-Gee.
  • Exercise! Many studies have shown that weight loss and exercise can increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
  • Diet matters just as much as exercise. A person will never be able to out run, out supplement, or out medicate a bad diet!
  • Consider intermittent fasting. (If you are already on medication for diabetes treatment, you’ll want to talk to your holistically minded health professional before incorporating intermittent fasting into your routine). At the very least, stop eating 3-4 hours before your head hits the pillow at night.
  • Know your labs, and don’t be afraid to ask for them by name!
  • Watch your commercial dairy intake. There is a big difference between commercial pasteurized and homogenized dairy and raw dairy. The former is well known for the amount of inflammation it can cause within the body.
  • Work towards decreasing inflammation within the body. Sulfurzyme not only helps support normal metabolic function within the body, it also helps regulate a more normal inflammatory response. It is one of my top five Young Living Supplements that I cannot imagine life without.
  • Take an excellent highly bioavailable multivitamin such as Master Formula. Not all vitamins sold are bioavailable to the body.
  • Incorporate insulin modulating foods into your diet. Cinnamon, oat bran, fiber, ginger, barley grass (found in Multigreens), spirulina (found in Multigreens and NingXia Greens), chaga mushrooms, rosemary, green tea, cranberries, blueberries, lemon balm (Melissa), holy basil (tulsi), carrots, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, cucumbers, cabbage and salad greens. Healthy whole grain foods such as YL Einkorn products, quinoa, whole oats or oatmeal, and brown rice are also helpful, as are avocados, olive oil, and nuts and seeds. Cacao (natural chocolate) may also help regulate blood sugar levels according to a 2017 study.
  • Regular cold exposure also appears to help improve insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, Type II diabetes is positively associated with living in ambient temperature climates. Get your health care professional’s blessing if you have a medical condition (ex: high blood pressure or heart disease) that is being actively treated before partaking in cold showers, cold plunging, or cryotherapy.
  • Know your iron and ferritin lab values: According to a few studies, it would appear that iron levels that are too high have been positively associated with insulin resistance.
  • Take a closer look at adding turmeric to your routine. It has been found to be a helpful supplement to those who are taking the medication Metformin, and has supportive effects on blood glucose, oxidative stress and inflammation. (YL’s Golden Turmeric is my go to for a turmeric supplement!)
  • Vitamin B12 in the form of methylcobalamin to support a healthy homocysteine levels.
  • Antioxidants! (NingXia Red and Super C)- A 2007 study in the Journal of Hypertension found that people who took adequate levels of Vitamin C had a 13% lower risk of developing diabetes.
  • Approximately 75-80% of US residents are deficient in magnesium. A deficiency in magnesium sets the body up for both insulin resistance and gout (the official diagnosis for the painful symptoms of high uric acid levels in the body).
  • While it’s important to avoid as many toxins in daily living as possible, make a special effort to avoid atrazine (an herbicide commonly used on corn) and pesticides in general. Eat organically to avoid these.
  • Give up the night owl tendencies. Research has found that those who stay up late have a reduced ability to use fat for energy. When fat isn’t used appropriately in the body, it becomes fodder for health thieves. Work towards being in bed by 10pm.
There is so much more to prediabetes, Type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome…..more than I could possibly write here. Hopefully though, I’ve given you food for thought and a desire to learn more. If so, do some digging and think outside the box! The more you know, the more health empowered you’ll be. We have full control of this part of our health story. How will you choose to write yours?
 
xoxo~ liz
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#BYOHD
#thebestdefenseisagoodoffense
#theapplicationofknowledgeisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine

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