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March Madness: Floods, Flights, and Fighting for Truth

Liz James · March 15, 2025 ·

My Spring schedule is definitely on “in like a lion status”

. In the last 20 days, my office was massively flooded by a broken fire sprinkler system pipe (its a mess, over 100K in damages/cleanup, but i am so grateful for the amazing people/companies who have been helping

), I traveled thru 5 states, taught saw and enjoyed the company of a beautiful farming community in Ohio (still need to post pictures on that trip), came home, changed suitcases, ran to Austin to speak as invited testimony in a Senate hearing regarding SB125 which will protect and preserve the right to directed donor blood (THANK YOU Senator Bob Hall for your fierce protection of your bill!!

, and to Senator Angela Paxton for co sponsoring it!), met with about 15 other Representatives and Senators later in the day, secured two House Bill sponsors (God bless you Reps Olcott and Shofner

), drove home (well, actually, I didn’t drive…. my most precious prayer warrior friend Robin volunteered to help in any way she could, and driving was just one of the many things she did to help

), got home about midnight, had a 7am ZOOM call with about 30 Legislators from all over the USA who are interested in creating Legislation like Senator Hall’s Bill, submitted an invited testimony on behalf of a Bill modeled after Senator Hall’s Bill in Rhode Island, had 3 Good Medicine client appts yesterday afternoon, and then went to bed.

All this to say….. I apologize if I have not returned a call or been slow to respond to emails for the last few weeks.

Have a beautiful Friday!

I’m off to represent www.blessedbyhisblood.com at the National Health Federation conference this weekend. Thankfully, it’s in Dallas, so I don’t have to pack a suitcase

…. I’m commuting (would much rather sleep in my own bed with my hubby and cats

! )

(Those of you who know me well know that I’m an introvert and our farm is my happy place. God is stretching and growing me in ways I would have never imagined. My Bible verses [Psalm 119] today were interesting, especially in light of His call to protect the blood on a legislative level, and to bring light to the broken blood donation industry….. it’s not actually broken…. it’s profit centered as opposed to being patient care centered. Happy to talk to anyone who wants to learn more about what I’m doing and why

. Not my will, but His. )

Pumpkins For Health

Liz James · October 11, 2024 ·

I caught this cutie

assessing the pumpkin situation at a local greenhouse this week.

Most people think of pumpkins in terms of Fall decor, and while they are that….. they are multipurpose!

I look at pumpkins

and the first thing I think of is Fall deworming for our cows

. The seeds have a chemical in them called cucurbitacin which paralyzes roundworms

and tapeworms

making them lose their slimy little grip on their host and be expelled. (Other species

can benefit from this too

….. save, roast and eat those pumpkin seeds! )

Pumpkin seeds also have a compound called beta-sitosterol…. a lovely God made chemical which reduces inflammation and has been shown to support prostate health by reducing symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and help maintaining healthy cholesterol balance.

Pumpkin seed oil is one of the key ingredients in Young Living’s Prostate Health.

I love that YL harnesses the goodness God created for us in very strategic ways!

study on prostrate health and pumpkins

study on pumpkin helath benefits

recipe for pumpkin seeds

Relax Your Jaw, Loosen Pelvic Floor

Liz James · March 10, 2024 ·

As the song

says, it’s not just about the “knee bone connected to the thigh bone”. Fascia, muscles, and ligaments matter too (as do organs and yes, even emotions stored in certain parts of the body).

Did you know that grinding your teeth (also gritting) could have a profound impact on pelvic floor health?

My gal Miranda knows her stuff!

https://www.facebook.com/share/EJsFd2R5JXMRA9sd/?mibextid=xfxF2i

April “No foolin” Freebies

Liz James · April 1, 2023 ·

NO FOOLIN’! APRIL IS HERE, AND SO ARE SOME FANTASTIC FREEBIES WITH PURCHASE THIS MONTH

Do you know your oils? Remember friends, YL oils are products with a purpose. While smelling great does fulfill a purpose, there are other actions these two house faves accomplish as well.

YL Orange essential oil is happy

in a bottle. I recently read a study about the positive/supportive effects of simply smelling orange essential oil on the production of oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin is a “feel good” hormone that gives us the “warm fuzzies” (it plays a pivotal role in social bonding, reproduction, childbirth, and post-childbirth). When oxytocin is produced, it trumps the production of “fight or flight” cortisol. Considering the amount of stress the average person is under nowadays….. I think “they” should be dumping this stuff from planes! Not likely that will happen…… but we can add it to our diffuser, and “diffuse the situation” or create a happy calm environment in our sphere of influence.

YL Lemongrass essential oil is another one of my faves. I personally use it internally to support “an unhealthy environment for candida” (3 drops in a capsule…. it comes as a Vitality/white label….. remember that no matter the label color….. it’s the SAME oil inside the bottle. It’s an FDA requirement that if a supplement or RX can be used more than one way, it has to have two different labels). If used topically, it must be diluted with a carrier oil …. it’s a hot oil but it has so many benefits. Check out the Research section on the YL page of each oil.

I’ll use Lemongrass as an example here…. all these studies are on the Lemongrass page:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22675383/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4149144/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4149144/ (14 Day Resetters…. ya’ll will find this one particularly interesting!

…. our next Reset starts April 10th…. please message me if you are interested in participating)

Gut health is one of my passions….. because if your gut isn’t healthy….. guaranteed… you won’t be either. MightyPro is a pre and probiotic for kids and adults alike. It tastes like a treat, but the real treat is that it’s a healthy habit that benefits gut health (and therefore total body health and immune support). Research has shown that poor gut health as a child can have far reaching effects throughout adulthood (poor gut health as a child contributes to developing obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, depression, and even cancer later in life). It’s TOTALLY worth it to support gut health at all times in life…. not the least of which is as a kid. Get your free bag of MightyPro this month, and begin investing in their future health if you haven’t already been doing so.

This last one…… I think this might be the first time we’ve ever been offered a CBD product for free as a monthly gift! Soothe CBD roll-on is loaded with THC-free, full spectrum CBD, peppermint, Copaiba, and 4 eucalyptus essential oil types. You know I love a multi-use product….. not only will this powerhouse roller be a great addition to the gym bag for sore muscles

, it is also a FANTASTIC item to keep on hand when your lungs

might not be working so well (ie: you’ve fallen below the wellness line and the respiratory system needs a little TLC).

I’m a science girl

…. and I realize this post leans heavily on the science side of things…… So thankful that Young Living makes products with a purpose…. and almost always MULTIPLE purposes for each product. They can do that because God made plants to do that for us, and YL just harnesses the goodness He gave us and puts it in forms we can easily grab and go!

Happy April friends! Oh yes….. I almost forgot! When you are a Loyalty Rewards subscriber, you get 10 free bonus points (1 point = 1 dollar) with a 100+PV order!

If you’d like to partake in the YL lifestyle, here’s a link to become a member: https://bit.ly/3oFccZj

If you’d like to partake in the 14Day Reset…. next one starts April 1st, and you will need a good supply of NingXia Red ….. it’s the secret sauce to the Reset. Even if you drink NingXia Red daily…. the way it’s used in the rest will likely impress you with results. Here’s a link for the most cost-effective NingXia: https://bit.ly/14-Day-Reset.

xoxo~ liz

#ifyouarentusingloyaltyrewardsyourespendingtoomuchmoney

#theapplicationofknowledgeispower

#thanksYL

#BYOHD

The Ovarian Adrenal Thyroid Symphony

Liz James · June 23, 2022 ·

Putting the Pieces Together: The Ovarian – Adrenal – Thyroid (OAT) Symphony

Before we reach the nether regions of the endocrine system, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about a very important concept called the Ovarian-Adrenal-Thyroid (OAT) axis. The goal is to live in hormonal harmony within our own body, and that can get tricky pretty quickly when you have a bad conductor directing a personal symphony

orchestra.

A typical symphony orchestra

has more than forty musicians and is an ensemble composed of wind, string, brass and percussion instruments. There are very few great conductors in the world simply because such a job requires charisma, deep knowledge of both music and musical instruments, and major people skills. A stellar conductor must also know the style and history of music and excel in anticipating and then cueing each musician at exactly the right moment. Some of the more extraordinary conductors I’ve seen also appear to have a playfulness within them to balance the exacting attention to detail that must be required to execute a flawless concert.

The endocrine system is much like a symphony

, often with “the conductor” being the level of stress we unwittingly allow ourselves to live with. Remember, stress on the body isn’t only caused by meeting deadlines or trying to achieve a long “to do” list. Stress on the body will look different for each person, and may be emotional or physiological… It doesn’t matter the type or combination thereof!

Chronic busyness to the point of exhaustion
Chronic physical pain
Chronic infection or illness
Toxin load
Heavy metal load
Emotional stress
Chronic sleep deprivation
Too much exercise
Nutrient deficiencies due to poor eating habits, medications causing depletions, a physiological inability to absorb certain nutrients properly, or even relying on poorly made supplements for nutrition

Stress always affects the adrenal glands first, and then thyroid and ovaries will begin to suffer.

Conductor: “A little less cowbell please!”

By the time a woman reaches her mid 30’s/ early 40’s (unless she has incorporated solid stress mediation tools into daily life ), there is a high probability that the excessive “cowbell” coming from the adrenal glands has begun to successfully drown out the harmonizing ovaries and thyroid. Because we’ve already fairly thoroughly discussed the adrenal glands and thyroid (reread those sections for a refresher!) I want to focus on how ovarian function is impacted by chronic stress.

In a state of chronic stress, the adrenals cannot keep up with the demand for cortisol production, and in doing so, they begin “stealing” from progesterone production to have the building blocks to make more cortisol.

Conductor: “Add in a little more saxophone.”

As progesterone production drops, estrogen dominance makes its debut.

Conductor: “Decrescendo piccolos!”

Estrogen dominance (which can occur even when ovaries have been removed, thanks to estrogen production elsewhere in the body and xenoestrogen exposure) then begins impeding the conversion of (inactive) T4 into (active) T3 which translates to less active thyroid hormone for the body to have access to. This leads to feelings of sluggishness, fatigue, and all the symptoms related to hypothyroidism. Too much estrogen also interferes with the communication between the brain and the adrenal glands. As time goes on in a state of estrogen dominance, fat begins accumulating around the abdomen. Have you heard the term “muffin top”? It’s a clue, my sleuthing friend! Muffin tops, excessive PMS, infertility or miscarriages, low libido, bloating or water retention, fibrocystic breasts, premenstrual headaches, thyroid dysfunction, irritability or depression, hair loss, thyroid dysfunction, foggy thinking, memory loss, and insomnia are all major clues with the conductor’s baton pointing towards estrogen dominance.

Conductor: “Crescendo violins!”

Estrogen dominance has also been linked to worsening allergies, autoimmune disorders, ovarian cysts, breast and uterine cancers, and is associated with an accelerated aging process. I’ll talk more about estrogen dominance later…. The goal here is to show the snowballing impact of stress on the endocrine system and ultimately the entire body.

Unfortunately, Westernized medicine is usually quick to add to the toxic soup already existing within a body by applying chemical bandaids. Ironically, antidepressants, thyroid replacement medications, and hormone replacement therapies often worsen the OAT imbalance IF addressing adrenal gland health is not part of the health and wellness recovery plan. Understanding the importance of and utilizing stress management tools daily will be a game changer, if you have been identifying with these clues!

Let’s not leave the men out of this discussion. There is a male version of the OAT axis. Abnormal cortisol levels in men cause testosterone levels to drop. Treating low testosterone with a synthetic testosterone replacement while ignoring the adrenal connection does come with risks. Side effects of synthetic testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may include polycythemia, peripheral edema, aggression, diminished testicular size and fertility, exacerbation of sleep apnea, and cardiovascular and liver dysfunction. TRT is another chemical bandaid which fails to address the root cause (another “to be covered later” topic).

Without question, life has the potential to be stress filled, and we must use the tools easily available to us to mediate its harmful effects.

Belonging to a supportive like minded community
Prayer and meditation
Exercise, especially yoga
Spending time outdoors or with a pet daily
Practicing self care daily
Laughter
Minimize phone use and screen time
Healthy diet
Practicing deep purposeful breathing
B Vitamins (have you tried YL’s Super B?)
Elimination of toxins especially xenoestrogens commonly found in mainstream skincare lines. Utilize Young Living’s safe ART, Bloom, or Balance skin care lines for safe xenoestrogen free products!). Xenoestrogens are also found in plastics (ie water bottles), red dye #3, BHA (a food preservative, many insecticides, and birth control pills that contain ethinylestradiol.
Young Living’s Cortistop
Utilize scents that you find relaxing. Many studies suggest that aromatherapy is beneficial for relaxing and decreasing stressful moments. Scents known to promote stress reduction include lavender, rose, vetiver, bergamot, Roman chamomile, neroli, frankincense, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, orange, and geranium. Young Living oil blends designed for just such a purpose include StressAway, Peace & Calming, Valor, RutaVala, or Tranquil.
Setting healthy boundaries in all areas of life
Using adaptogens to help mediate stress response. An adaptogen is any substance that increases the body’s resistance to a negative stress response. These have been around (and studied) since World War II… so it’s not a new concept! Known adaptogens include:

American and Asian ginseng (found in FemiGen)
Ashwagandha (found in EndoGize and PowerGize)
Reishi mushroom (found in NingXia Greens and Immupro)
Turmeric (found in Golden Turmeric)

Reduce caffeine intake. Consider daily NingXia Red, NingXia Nitro, NingXia Zyng, and/or our new NingXia Greens or an adaptogenic “coffee” substitute instead. You may also consider diffusing essential oil blends En-R-Gee or Longevity or Peppermint, Rosemary, or Lemon for an aromatic pick-me-up!

Every body’s symphony

will sound and feel slightly different. We each have the responsibility of constantly “tuning the instruments”, harmonizing within ourselves and among ourselves, and ensuring that “the conductor” (ie: your individual stress load) is neither a taskmaster or curmudgeon!

After all, the goal is an endocrine system which feels like a well played Beethoven’s 5th!

xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring

#OATaxis

#chronicstressisthecornerstoneofillness

#theapplicationofknowledgeispower

#goodmedicine

#BYOHD

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#ThanksYL