Running with the Wind

Posting for the heck of it today :)  Haven't done that in awhile, so I figured it would be a nice change for a moment.  After all, this IS a blog, so logging things in my life can be expected every now and then, right?

I just got back from a run, and Harlee's still napping with Justin so it's a good time to write.  I ran 3 miles straight for the first time this year.  I've just been doing 2 miles at a time, which is great anyway, but I'm always looking to improve!  3 miles in 31 minutes.  Not bad!  And it felt great.  I'm sooooo glad I decided to get into running.  I guess it's Harlee's fault - I knew I needed to exercise but finding the time for it with a little guy was hard.  I had a jogging stroller and a neighborhood laid out nicely like a track, so I decided I better figure out how to run, because that was going to be my only mode of exercise.  Now here I am, Harlee's going on 2, and I've started personal training twice a week, been running at least twice a week, usually three, and spinning once a week.  I have met goal after goal after goal.  I actually went swim suit shopping yesterday, and ENJOYED it!  (And no, not JUST because swimwear was half off at Old Navy yesterday, though I did enjoy that too!)

As I was running and I passed up my usual stopping point on West Mill Street and kept going, I thought about all the progress I've made and how far I've come.  I'm so grateful I've pushed myself this far.  I came from a pit of doom after Harlee was born and rose from the ashes, and it's been an incredible experience.  From making that original decision to seek therapy a year and a half ago, to finding that last ounce of determination in my depressed spirit to pick up the pieces and heal naturally, to pressing forward, changing my outlook on life, learning how to not stress out about stuff so much, learning to trust outcomes, to find the silver linings and the bright sides to all situations, to appreciate the little things in life, to be humble, to be respectful of nature's turbulence and tranquility, and to ride the current wherever it takes me, rather than fighting against it.

Running and exercising gets the endorphins pumping through me that keep me in that state of mind.  I cheered for myself in my head as I passed my usual stopping point, I took in the sound of the wind in the trees, the birds chirping, the water running in the creeks I passed.  I breathed in the scent of blooming honeysuckle (ooohhh that right there could have been worth the run alone!), and as I took off down a hill I got a big goofy grin on my face as the wind blew past me and I ran under the shade of the trees along the road and recharged.... and I realized, THIS is my drug.  I was on natural antidepressants before (St. John's Wort), and I haven't needed to take it in over three months.  I've healed myself, and that's one of the most rewarding feelings I think I've ever felt.

And I have Harlee to thank for all this.  Last year this time, I was in the throws of planning a huge 1-year birthday bash for the kiddo, and I realized I was going all out with homemade decorations and party favors because it took my mind off of the fact that his birthday was also the anniversary of the worst day of my life.  It kept me from feeling guilty about that, too.  Now, here I am, a year later, and I hold a strong sense of gratitude in my heart for that horrible day.  I am a new person because of it.  Brighter, stronger, and humbler, and I wouldn't want to be any other way.  I would have never gotten here if it hadn't been for that day, if it hadn't been for my son, and I'm so grateful for the lesson, for the growth, and for this new-found joy.

A quote I got from my new therapist sticks out in my mind right now: "Ironically, gratitude's most powerful mysteries are often revealed when we are struggling in the midst of personal turmoil." - Sarah Ban Breathnach.

So true.

I collapsed in the grass when I got back to my house.  My breathing had become loud and heavy, my whole body felt like it weighed another hundred pounds, and my tibialis anterior muscle and my knee really appreciated the break when I stopped (gonna have to work on that!).  I watched the sun catch in the leaves of our tulip tree and just appreciated everything.  I appreciated that this is my yard, in small-town southern Illinois, that this my home here in the midwest, that I got married to a guy whose roots are here, that I had a child before I thought I was ready, all this stuff that I didn't want five years ago.  I so appreciate it.  Not to mention that guy and that child are some pretty spectacular people.  I own a business that is flourishing and gives me a great sense of pride as I help so many people, I have some really awesome friends in my life who are all so very different and special and have so much greatness to offer the world, and I'm probably the healthiest I've been in, well, my whole life!

Life is good.

I hope you're all having a fabulous Memorial Day weekend.  If you get the chance, do something that pushes your mind or body to its limits, or beyond, and then just collapse in the grass and soak up the earth's energy and review all the great things in your life that you love and appreciate.  Then carry that feeling with you for as long as you can savor it.  It's quite wonderful :)

My view from the ground

Guilt-Free Friday: Lower-Calorie (Dairy-Free) Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Man I'm happy I discovered the cauliflower pizza crust recipe.  I don't know what I would do without it!  But I got to thinking about the cheese in the crust, and how the pizza overall is, like, double the cheese that would be in a normal pizza... and that's a lot of calories... and I'm still trying to lose weight sooooo... Let's think about this.

After gaining some experience using flax eggs, I wondered if they would work as a substitute for the cheese.  Just extra binding capabilities, but less calories and better nutrients.  Win-win, right?  I only had to screw up once, and then it worked.  I ended up needing an extra egg, but in the end, it held up nicely, tasted great, and made a beautiful pizza!

I started out with 2/3 head of cauliflower, grated (with the handy-dandy food processor).  I let them sit in the oven for a bit to soften, while I made two flax eggs.  That's two tablespoons of flax seeds and 6 tablespoons of warm water, and the handy-dandy hand-held blender.  Just blend them up until they turn into fluffy goop!  Then I beat a real egg, pulled the grated cauliflower out of the oven, and mixed all of this together with some spices.  I took about a third of the mixture and pressed it into a circle on parchment paper on a baking sheet and stuck it in the oven.  It looked gorgeous when it came out, but when I peeled it off the parchment paper it all crumbled apart.  Boo.  So back to the leftover mixture, I beat a second egg and added it in, then pressed out another circle with half of the mixture, and baked it.  Voila!  It worked!  I let it cool on the side, pressed out the remainder of the mixture, baked it, and was left with two lovely pizza crusts!  Horray!  Pile on some toppings and pop it back in, and there ya go.  A pizza with fewer calories!  According to MyFitnessPal.com's recipe calculator, one slice of this crust is only 23 calories!  I'll take it!

So here's what you do:


1/2 head of cauliflower, grated or "riced"
2 eggs, beaten
2 flax "eggs" (2 tbsp flax seeds & 6 tbsp warm water, send through a blender until fluffy/goopy)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place cauliflower in the oven for about 5 min or so to cook it a bit.  Not sure how necessary this step is - I think it holds up fine if you don't cook it too.  You can make your flax eggs while you wait for it.  Combine all the ingredients together until you've got a goopy dough, and spread half the mixture on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes (until golden).

Let the crust cool completely, then pile on your toppings and stick it back in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, until everything is heated through.  Let cool a bit, then slice and serve!  The longer you let it cool the better the crust holds up too, if you'd prefer to hold it to eat it rather than eating it with a fork.  Enjoy!

My Beef on the Red Meat Debates

I’ve been noticing more and more that people are asking me about my opinion on red meat.  Or have I heard about this study or that study “proving” that red meat is bad for you, or did I know that red meat is linked to this or that cancer or disease?  I haven’t looked into these studies at that time, but I decided I probably should, as this goes against everything about my new way of eating and living.  But hearing what I’ve been hearing was definitely not resonating with me, and I had a funny feeling some of these “studies” could have a flaw or two, and they could all be leading to another dangerous health fad like the low-fat craze started in the 80s (that only led to more disease and obesity…).  But I didn’t want to discredit it until I read more for myself.

The vegetarian lifestyle has caught my interest a time or two in the past, back when I was exploring different diets and lifestyles in my attempt to get healthier.  I know how plenty of fruits and vegetables are not only good for you but necessary for good health.  I’ve gone a few weeks to a month without eating meat, to see if I’d notice a difference.  I didn’t feel the greatest… but that was before I learned what carbs and sugars do to the body, and I certainly wasn’t avoiding breads and pastas at the time like I am now.  So I don’t know, I won’t knock the vegetarian lifestyle – to each his own – but I’m not sure I feel okay about the omnivorous lifestyle getting knocked.  Since I’ve been following a more Paleo way of eating (and I’m not strict, by any means, but I do my best) and learning more about that lifestyle, it just makes more and more sense to me.  It’s balanced, first of all, with lots of vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats and oils.  It also takes us back to our roots.  Simply put, it’s the “caveman” diet.  What did we eat before there was industry and agriculture interfering with everything?  We existed for thousands of years living off the land – that meant gathering vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, roots, berries, etc., and also hunting for animals for their meat.  And in wintertime, that meat was critical to our survival.  If meat leads to all these cancers and diseases, wouldn’t the human race have been wiped out long ago?

Since I’ve been following this lifestyle more closely, I’ve been feeling amazing.  I can think clearer, I feel stronger, I just feel, overall, good.  I know most of that is because I’ve been avoiding bad carbs like breads and pastas.  But I have been eating meat...

Now, I will say one thing… processed meats and meats from animals that had not-so-healthy lifestyles probably aren’t the best to consume.  I truly believe they’re not.  So many animals are not fed healthy, natural, balanced diets; they’re injected with steroids, artificial growth hormones, and too many medications, and all that gunk gets stored in their fat cells and muscle tissue.  Which is what we then eat.  Yuck.  What are all those residual steroids, artificial growth hormones, and medications going to do to OUR cells?  Lead to all the cancers and diseases that red meat is blamed for, I bet!  Consuming the meat of animals that ate the grasses and plants in their natural diet is probably a better idea than eating those that were injected with unnecessary junk that really only serves to make them more profitable to the farmer.  That’s what the cavemen were eating, after all, and the human race survived that era!

There are a lot of studies that demonize red meat… Here’s a link to one of them that I’ll pick at for now: http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1134845
It’s basically saying that the data was gathered by food frequency questionnaires, so people had to chart what they remembered eating over the past two years… I’m lucky to remember what I ate for lunch a week ago, soooo…  Anyway.  The study groups weren’t very well controlled either.  Factors weren’t taken into account like the subjects already being overweight, smokers, drinkers, or sedentary, which that alone can bring about risk factors for your overall health.  And were these people eating grass-fed meat…?  Here’s some more info on that topic: The beef from corn-fed cows can have as much as 50 times more omega-6 fatty acids than grass-fed cows. Too much omega-6 in the diet is known to promote inflammation and oxidation in the body, which, *drumroll*, leads to heart disease and cancer.  Hmmm…  But that bit of info was excluded from the studies.  I think a lot of the anti-red meat studies were conducted without paying attention to these facts.

But enough about those claims and studies that make red meat seem deadly.  Let’s focus on the proof of WHY humans ARE omnivores.  The evidence is a little more sound here, and isn’t generated from faulty “studies” but rather historical, archeological, and physiological evidence. Our stomachs produce hydrochloric acid, which herbivores do not produce, and our pancreas can produce a large array of digestive enzymes to break down a wide range of foods, from vegetable to animal.  The teeth in our skulls contain both teeth for tearing meat and teeth for chewing vegetables, and have been that way since the dawn of our evolution.

According to anatomist and primatologist John McArdle (who, believe it or not, happens to be a vegetarian himself) expects we would have a specialized colon, specialized teeth and a stomach that doesn’t have a generalized pH for digesting meat if we were designed to be strict vegetarians.  That isn’t our case though.  We also have a low synthesis rate of DHA (a fatty acid) and taurine, which suggests that our ancestors required animal foods for these nutrients.  Vitamin B12 is another nutrient that is essential for our development but only found in meats.  Even in The China Study (a vegetarian bible), Dr. T. Collin Campbell recommended that the Chinese village people in his study eating a vegetarian/vegan diet take a B12 supplement.  If vegetarianism were how our bodies are designed to eat, we wouldn’t need supplementation then, would we?  Also, from what I understand, “animal-protein” was a lump category including not only meat but milk as well.  Most of the diseases contracted by the villagers in the animal-protein-consumption category were linked back to casein, a protein in milk, not red meat.  And I do support avoiding dairy (although I do have trouble with avoiding it myself… I love me some cheese… but someday I hope to eliminate it) – we happen to be the only mammals that consume other mammals’ milk, and I do find that a bit strange…  But even when I try to look past that, just knowing the processing most milk goes through from its raw state to its state in the carton at the grocery store is a bit disturbing…  I have way more researching to do on this subject, though, so stay tuned in the future when I decide to write an article about dairy!  Let’s get back to the topic at hand, though.

So what about protein?  Protein is found in not only meats and eggs but in beans, nuts, and grains as well.  So you should be fine on protein if you’re not eating meat, right?  Well, here’s the thing about protein: it’s a chemical made up of chains of amino acids, and they form all animal tissue – muscle, bone, everything.  They transport and store minerals and oxygen.  They are required for motion.  They are needed for body structure, for blood clotting, for immune system strength, for hormone production in cells, for enzymes (which are also proteins) to do their jobs in chemical reactions in the body.  It’s needed for good energy, for blood sugar stability, and bowel function assistance.  Protein is fuel.  As I said before, proteins are made up of amino acids.  Our bodies require around 22 amino acids, and we need to consume around 10 to 12 of them – those are essential amino acids, and the rest can be manufactured from those essential ones.  Some protein foods contain all the essential amino acids, and these are called complete proteins.  These are mainly meat, poultry, and eggs.  Grains and beans are considered incomplete proteins, but, from what I’ve read, in the right combinations they can create complete proteins, making vegetarianism doable for some people.  Some foods are much more balanced in essential amino acids, and a food with good balance has what’s considered a higher biological quality.  Egg protein is the highest, and meat protein is the second highest in biological quality.

So, all that being said and considered, I’m not going to put much stock in all these “studies” claiming that red meat is going to kill us.  We are clearly designed to eat it as well as vegetation, and so long as we eat responsibly (not consuming processed meats or meats from animals that led unnatural lifestyles), we’ll be just fine.  Eating vegetarian is more of an ethical choice rather than a necessary diet for humans, and I have no problem with that, so long as you’re making sure your body is getting all the necessary nutrients it needs to grow and progress.  It’s definitely a humanitarian move to eat vegetarian, especially with all the terrible conditions our food animals have to deal with, and then in turn we have to consume…  But my ethical choice is to follow in my ancestors’ footsteps, eat what God or Nature or whatever you believe in provides us, and support the farmers that care for our food animals in a humanitarian way (or, in my case, go hunting!).  And on another hand, I also believe every individual is different – body chemistry, ethnic background, and lifestyle are all factors in how your body responds to what you consume.  Perhaps some people’s body chemistries require more protein than others, or protein from various sources, or some need more vegetables than fruit, or more fruit than vegetables… I don’t know, I’ll have to look into that more!  But, no matter what lifestyle you follow or choose, do your best to eat clean – as I’ve said before and I’ll continue to say, avoiding the chemicals that find their way into both meats and produce and eating clean, grass-fed meats and organic, non-GMO and pesticide-free produce will do your body a huge favor, both now and in the long run.


If you want to read more, this link has some good food for thought: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/08/chris-masterjohn-criticism-of-the-china-study.aspx

Sources:
http://robbwolf.com/2012/03/14/red-meat-part-healthy-diet/
http://institutefornaturalhealing.com/2012/03/five-reasons-why-red-meat-is-still-good-for-you/
http://rense.com/general20/meant.htm
http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/protein.htm

Spring is in Bloom!

I’ve had several requests to write a post on how to combat seasonal allergies, since it’s that time of year right now and it seems like EVERYONE is suffering.  I wanted to do a little research first, though (of course), and also run a little experiment on myself - I’ve ALWAYS fallen victim of seasonal allergies, all my life.  But I must say I’ve been having a very successful spring!  Until Harlee picked up some mystery bug and took it home with him… Last week he came down with a fever, which would come and go, and he’d act all droopy and sleepy one moment and then be back up and playful the next.  No loss of appetite or thirst, just on and off droopiness and fever.  Poor kid.  Then as he was showing signs of getting over it, I got a sore throat.  And then my nose started running.  And I thought, crap, I lost my battle against allergy season.  I started pumping up my vitamin intake, and every supplement under the sun that I thought would help, but alas, the fever got me, and I was down and out.  Boo.  So I guess this wasn’t seasonal allergies getting me, but instead Harlee is just a good sharer.  Body aches, fatigue, but I guess I have the same thing he had because it comes and goes.  I’ll have a fever and feel like crap one minute, then a little energy the next, then back to feeling like crap again.  No loss of appetite, though, and no nausea, so this could definitely be way worse than it is, but still, being sick sucks no matter what you’re dealing with!  So I took off work today.  Naturally this would have to happen to me on a day that I had six clients lined up, but I figured it’s better to stay home and rest this off and not share it with anyone.  And now here I am, snuggled up to my laptop with my green tea with honey, hoping Mickey Mouse Clubhouse keeps Harlee entertained enough to let me just chill here, resting and writing.

So, we should probably start with what allergies actually are.  It’s your body’s immune response to substances that aren’t dangerous to most people, like pollens or pet dander.  Your immune system thinks the certain substance is an invader, so it produces antibodies that release chemicals from your cells, causing allergic reactions.  Next thing you know you’re coughing and sneezing and carrying on.  If you’re not careful, those symptoms can fester into actual serious problems, like sinus infections or ear infections or bronchitis.

Normally, seasonal allergy sufferers end up reaching for medications that relieve their sneezing, itchy eyes, or coughing.  But, if you’ve been a good follower of this blog, you’ll see what’s wrong with this picture.  See it?  You got it – you’re only masking your symptoms and not targeting the cause!  That’s what this natural lifestyle thing is all about.  That’s what conventional medicine doesn’t seem to get.  The pharmaceutical industry and medical doctors are happy to hand you drugs that will make your symptoms go away and ease your suffering.  And sure, it’s great to not have to suffer anymore, but you’re not getting to the root of the problem by doing that.  So you’re just setting yourself up for the problem to come back.  In fact, the problem is still THERE, just hidden.  Not only that, but there are usually some yucky side effects that come with conventional allergy medications, like drowsiness, mental disconnect, or sinus irritation that ends up messing up your day anyway.  So you really don’t win.  Boo.

Okay so what can we do to prevent allergic reactions in the first place?  Some simple things are to keep your windows closed, both in the house and in the car, and limit how much time you spend outside.  But since that can be difficult for some people, especially if you’ve been cooped up all winter and are chomping at the bit to get out in the garden, some other things you can do are keep your sinus passages clean.  A neti pot is good for this – it’s a little pot that you fill with a saline sinus rinse, and you can use this a few times a day to keep the sinuses flushed.

As far as remedies go, quercitin is a compound found in citrus fruits, onions, apples, parsley, tea, tomatoes, broccoli, and lettuce, and it’s a natural antihistamine, which means it’ll build up your body’s cells to combat allergens more effectively without all the nasty symptoms.  It’s best to start taking about 1000mg per day in supplement form about six weeks before allergy season.

Omega-3s are also great for reducing inflammation, and studies show that people who eat foods rich in omega-3 suffer from allergies less than those who don’t.

Stinging nettle is a weed, and the freeze-dried leaves can be found in capsule form.  This remedy is a natural antihistamine that actually acts that same way as OTC antihistamines, only without the side-effects.  A 300mg dose can ward off symptoms for a few hours, so if you forgot to build up your system for prevention before allergy season and need an option for symptom relief, this might be a good choice!

Butterbur is another weed that grows in Europe, and can be found in capsule form, and it’s a natural antihistamine as well.  It’s said to be as effective as Zyrtec, only without the side effects (always a good thing!).  I know my family has always had good luck with this one!

Probiotics are always a good idea.  They build up the body’s immune system and repair any damages to it.  I’ve had huge success with probiotics.  In fact, back when I first discovered the powerful effects of probiotics and was repairing my own damaged immune system, my seasonal allergies were considerably less severe than I had ever experienced them before.  Pretty awesome!

Here’s what I’ve been doing this allergy season.  I bet you already know I’m going to tell you about essential oils :).  You’re right, I am, but I’ve also been taking omega-3, olive leaf extract, and vitamin D.  Now that I’m dealing with something else, though, I’ve added extra olive leaf extract along with vitamin C, Echinacea, and goldenseal.  I’ll admit I’ve broken down and taken a bit of ibuprofen, too…

As for essential oils, I’ve been rubbing lavender oil on my neck and throat every morning.  I’ll wake up every now and then, feeling a bit stuffy and irritated like allergies are trying to invade and make me miserable, but every time I use the lavender those symptoms go away.  It’s a natural antihistamine and is also anti-inflammatory.  I also use a little bit of eucalyptus on either side of my nose and above my eyebrows, which helps open up my sinus cavities and reduce inflammation.  Peppermint is another great one for opening up airways, and it can also relieve headaches.  Lemon is another good one, which I’ve been dripping into my water each day, and it builds up the immune system.

And for the kiddos, getting them on a supplement that builds up the immune system is always great.  Probiotics, vitamin C or D, omega-3, and the essential oils on their feet are all helpful ideas.  Eucalyptus on Harlee’s feet has always helped relieve his sinus issues, for instance.  Fortunately he hasn’t been having any trouble with all the pollens and fun things spring has to offer, knock on wood, so I don’t have any personal experience to report back, but I have been told lavender is helpful for kids too, and it’s what I’ve been recommending to families whose kids have allergies.

Hopefully this helps!  I’d love feedback, so if you have any personal success stories with relieving allergy symptoms or preventing allergic reactions, I’d love to hear your story!  In the meantime, I’m going to refill my tea, take another dose of my pile of supplements, and hope for the best…  I keep telling myself it’s not a bad thing to be sick every once in awhile, as it gives the immune system a chance to strengthen itself, but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable.  Hopefully this added immune system strength will continue to help me keep my own allergy symptoms at bay!

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&cont=78

http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/at-a-glance/outdoor-allergens.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/six-natural-allergy-remedies.aspx?PageId=2#ixzz2THg9LMUL

http://www.organicauthority.com/health/essential-oils-to-relieve-hayfever-allergies.html

Guilt-Free Friday: Cinnamon Raisin Cookies (Grain/Sugar-Free)

Oh my goodness.  These cookies are fabulous.  I am so excited to share this recipe.  And what I'm even MORE excited about is that it's MY recipe!  Well, with the help from other cookie recipes that I ended up merging and using as the base... so I guess it's not like I created it from absolute scratch with my own flour and oil and sweetener measurements, but after experiencing outcomes with other cookie recipes I was able to blend my knowledge into what I thought would make these a good turnout, and I was successful!  Horray!


I had an ICAN meeting coming up (for any Metro-East mommas who have had a cesarean and need support for recovery or encouragement for a VBAC the group meets at the Belleville public library on the first Wednesday of every month at 10am, message me for details if you're interested!  It's kid-friendly and a GREAT organization!) and I was in charge of bringing snacks for the group.  I like to go the homemade route, but conventional doesn't happen with me anymore, a) because of my new lifestyle and b) because we literally do not own any grain flour or cane sugar in our house whatsoever (and that is SUCH a nice feeling!).  If we do it will be for making papier-mache.  So anyway.  I threw together some peanut butter cookies, some carrot cake muffins (which would have been this Friday's recipe but I'm more excited about these cookies) and that was it... but I felt like I needed something else.  At first I figured I'd just swing by IGA to grab a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, but then I thought, "What if I just make cinnamon raisin cookies??"  Hmmm.... the gears turned and turned, and I had the idea of how I wanted to make them.  And I couldn't sleep for some reason so I figured baking would occupy my time better than staring at my bedroom ceiling would.

Here ya go!

1 1/2 cups almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients.  Add in the wet ingredients (minus the raisins) and mix well.  Stir in the raisins.
Scoop about a tbsp of dough for each cookie and plop them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  It will be a pretty wet, gooey dough.
Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, place in the oven, a bake for about 8-10 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack and try not to eat the whole batch all at once! :)

Healthy Weight Management... with Essential Oils!

I'm big into this essential oil thing, as I'm sure most of you know.  People come to me with a problem, my response usually involves some kind of oil.  And herbs and diet adjustments too.  But oils are so great.  I love love love them.  Our immune systems have been great, my mood has been great, and I've been able to ward things off like bellyaches with peppermint, sinus issues with eucalyptus, bug bites or allergies with lavender... fabulous.

Swimsuit season is fast approaching.  I still haven't gone shopping for one yet.  My life has been fairly stress-free lately, and I am milking it for all it's worth.  Therefore swimsuit shopping is being put off because that doesn't fit into the stress-free category...  Granted, I've met my weight-loss goals and then some, and I'm probably healthier than I've ever been in my life, but... I still don't think anyone needs to see this body in a swimsuit quite yet...  But I am way better than I've been before, that's for sure.

I know ItWorks has taken off in our area (the get-skinny wraps, for those who don't know), and I totally missed the bus - I was selling it for a year before it exploded and somehow didn't get the right distributors under me to help my end of it take off.  Probably because I didn't promote it as much as I should have.  I offered the body wraps as a "skinny massage" promo, where you could wear the wrap and lose inches while you get a massage.  Aaaah hello, spa.  ... Except I'm not a spa.  I'm healthcare, I prefer to dig into a sciatic nerve or stretch a rotator cuff waaaay more than I like to pamper.  I'm all for pampering and stress-reduction, but if you want that then go to a spa!  :)  So the wraps didn't really give my business the right kind of atmosphere, so I didn't push it much, and on top of that I've been busting my butt over the past year and a half eating healthier and exercising, so the whole "quick fix" thing that the skinny wraps portray was beginning to rub me wrong.

Buuuutttt... I have an advantage.  I make my own schedule, and can fit in time to exercise and cook healthy dinners.  And I am a minority.  So I am doing a lot better not letting myself get frustrated with people who want the "quick fix".  I would too if I weren't in the position I'm in.

That being said, ItWorks is a great product, and I DO still sell it, and you CAN still get a skinny massage if you're interested...

But they're so god-awful expensive!!

So back to the original topic.  Essential oils.  I did some research (surprise surprise) and came up with some options for you all to take into account.  Here's what I've got for ya:

Grapefruit

This is a pretty great oil.  I've been using it myself and have noticed differences.  It boosts metabolism, dissolves fat, and reduces water-retention and bloating, which are all things the wraps can do, BUT it also detoxifies the kidneys, blood, and lymph AND acts as an antidepressant (and hopefully you all know what a huge role stress plays in your attempt to get healthy... but if not don't worry, I'll be writing about it!).  I mix 2-3 drops with coconut oil and rub it on my belly every day, but you can also take it internally (the therapeutic grade like Young Living, that is) or just inhale it.  Even better yet?  It's way cheaper than a wrap and lasts way longer than a one-time use.  Let me know if you want details...

Bergamot

This oil is great as an antidepressant, so if stress is your biggest factor in weight-management then this might be a good one to look into.  It is also a mild appetite suppressant, and can even help kill off intestinal parasites (which can definitely hold up your weight loss...).

Black Pepper

Great for stimulating metabolism, it's good for digestive issues, boosts your energy (if you're wanting to target your weight loss by exercising, this could help you!), and also is a great pain reliever for nerve or muscle pain!

Tangerine

This is great as an appetite suppressant, digestive aid, and also boosts the mood and reduces stress.

Peppermint

This is also a good appetite suppressant, and an AWESOME digestive aid, which I can attest to and so can a lot of my clients.

Fennel

This also aids digestion, and it's also great for diabetics.  It reduces inflammation, which is another contributing factor to weight-gain, and it's a great metabolism booster.

Spearmint

This also boosts metabolism, aids digestion and the gallbladder, is anti-inflammatory, and eases stress by increasing a sense of balance and well-being.  And a drop in water makes for a great taste!

Lemon

Mix this with the spearmint in your water and you've got an even better drink!  Lemon improves circulation, boosts the immune system, aids digestion, and reduces stress.