New site design coming Tuesday!

Hi there!  I’m glad you could stop by. Almost two years ago when I began writing about healthy living with essential oils my focus was very specialized. I’ve realized online and in classes I am teaching that there is a need to simplify the information overload in the holistic living community. To complicate matters further, green washing is everywhere. Words like natural, green, clean and even organic are never clear indicators of something truly PURE, unless it is certified organic food. Industries are cluttered with these adjectives and are no guarantee of a product that is safe and pure. I value your time – even though my focus is broadening, I am committed to keeping things simple and straightforward.  Think of PHB as HD for your wellness: you, your home and the earth.  Having a Pure Home and Body means aligning your whole being and continually growing to a better You, mind-body-spirit. Even if you know a bit about healthy living, I know you’ll get a different perspective or ideas about building better, more efficient habits into your life when you read Pure Home and Body, your inspiration for Natural Living.

Pure Home and Body is grounded in:

Simplicity – Being healthy should not have to be complicated.  I’ll help you cut through the clutter of a market saturated with products claiming to be Pure. You’ll find answers that are simple, organized and easy to use.

Truth –My articles are grounded in accuracy and the most current research – no fluff. I will challenge you to look for truth in your world and make decisions based on facts not emotions.  I won’t just be writing about do’s and don’ts of healthy living, I’ll equip you to think for yourselves and have discernment to make the best choices for you and our environment in any situation.

Authenticity – It’s my desire to really make the world a better place for all of us, and we can learn from each other. I am willing to be transparent with what has worked for me and what has not, my struggles and challenges, and I look forward to hearing what works for you. We are all unique beings and my perspective may help you sort through the facts and better apply simple, natural living habits that fit into your life.

Clarity –Pure Home and Body is a place where you can strip away the chaos of life and really think and begin to see where you are headed. You’ll be inspired to take initiative where you can and green up your living. An amazing “side effect” of removing chemicals from your life is clearer thinking and better concentration.

Integrity – Everything I publish and link to on Pure Home and Body will be in alignment with healthy, green, organic living principles. I will never promote or write about anything that is “greenwashed”, something portrayed as “good for you” when it really is not. The things I write about and link to are also those I have direct experience with and believe in.

Wellness – The principles I write about are all grounded in basic foundations of healthy living, many that have stood the test of time. Our culture has distorted the path to health with marketing, over the counter and prescription drugs, misinformation and  greenwashing. The many choices consumers have make things complicated. The whole living habits  you adopt will be more effective when you take time to understand yourself better, listen to your body and trust your intuition.

Direction: Pure Home and Body is your simple guide to finding the resources that will have the biggest impact in your life. Make the most of your time with real green, pure living ideas you can use every day. Because how you live in your home affects everyone – a Pure Home and Body = a Pure and Green Earth!

On March 27, 2012 I checked Amazon’s inventory which included:

• 12,766 body cleansers
• 33,953 shampoos
• 50,111 lotions
• 6,595 toothpastes
• 1,964 sleep aids
• 25,330 perfumes

After diapers, the top selling personal care product (consumable) was whitestrips for whiter teeth.

Body care in the US has gotten pretty complicated.   In 1880 there were only 67 Perfume and toiletry goods.  By 1900 that jumped to over 262 . Most recently, the Cosmetics Ingredient Review Expert Panel has evaluated 2,650 ingredients to date, that is just ingredients, not products!

Taking care of our bodies doesn’t have to be this complicated, in fact, all these products are just adding more chemicals to our environment. Every time we purchase products we are casting a vote for growth in the personal care industry.  Where are you putting your money? You can make this as simple or as complicated as you’d like:  (lotion for your face, body, hands,feet,eyes, sensitive skin, pregnant women, babies, etc). There are plenty of options if you’re looking for hope in a bottle.

We don’t spend a lot on personal care items in our home and we keep it pretty simple. I’m glad I don’t have to think much about what fragrance body wash or lotion to buy.  When you just cover the basics in body care, you don’t need a lot,  it really just comes down to  hair, teeth and skin.

For those who just want to stay clean here are 6 essentials for pure body care. And of course, organic is always best. These have no artificial preservatives or a long list of ingredients that you have to research or be a chemist to understand. You’ll most likely find that looking and feeling healthier is a nice side effect of simplifying your daily routine. These essentials are perfect for everyone, babies to adults and takes the fuss out of deciding what products to buy for every age.

1.  A simple soap – I like a bar soap because it lasts longer and it is less likely to contain odd ingredients to thicken, color and emulsify the mixture. I try to choose artisan soaps for a couple of reasons. The first is most store bought soaps are just detergents, chemical mixtures to suds and foam, not unlike cleaners for clothes and dishes. Most artisan soaps are made with pure oils that nourish your skin.  Other reasons I like to buy Artisan soaps is they can often be bought locally and they are beautiful.  When you buy local you can ask artisans about the ingredients they use. I love anything that is Pure and comes from REAL plants and herbs (I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now)  When I buy soap I want to choose products that are earth friendly and good for my skin.

Artisan soap from Wisconsin

2. Body oil – I only use sesame oil or an Ayurvedic oil blend from Banyon Botanicals. I’ve made my own lotion but didn’t want to worry about shelf life and storing it in my fridge, and who wants to put cold lotion on?  I put my body oil on before I shower (yes, before). Water and soaps strip away moisture from your skin, when you apply the oil (sparingly, not that you are all greased up) before a shower, you protect the skin from drying out before it happens. Just don’t scrub your skin with soap or you’ll wash away all the moisture. For warmer weather, I just use aloe vera, the next ingredient in our pure bathroom.

3. Aloe Vera - this is not to be confused with the gloppy clear gel sold in pharmacy stores for sunburn. These clear gels often have additives, fragrance and even coloring (you’ve probably seen them in varieties of orange or green which is not natural) Read the labels! The only aloe vera I use is from Aubrey Organics, it contains aloe vera and vitamin E to preserve it.  I could use Aloe Vera juice, but I don’t like to put cold things on my body ( unless it’s 90 degrees outside)  And while I use many ingredients for body care from the kitchen (like my sesame or olive oil) I’ve tried the Aloe Vera juice on my skin and it just didn’t feel right (maybe it’s psychological as I remember what happens to spilled juices as they dry and get sticky). I’ve also found Aubrey’s brand to really fit with my needs. I use it as a toner after washing, for sunburn and for itchy skin. It’s really soothing after shaving my legs and cools the skin in hot weather. Aubrey Organics is one company I have found that takes care in preparing and selecting ingredients for their line. Combine aloe vera with lavender oil and the anti-inflammatory effect to any skin (even babies) is magical.

4. Baking Soda – makes a gentle scrub for the skin, It makes a super fine polish for glowing skin when you massage it into wet skin. It makes a soothing soak for the bath tub (awesome cleanser for the tub too, no bleach!) and you can even clean your hair with it. I first read about trading out shampoo for baking soda from Good Girl Gone Green. I have not made this a regular habit, but I do use this method once a week and find it really takes any shampoo residue off my hair and gives a lift to my locks.  If it works well for you, it can be a significant cost savings.

You can brighten finger and toenails with a blend of baking soda and fresh lemon juice, simply dampen fingernails and scrub the surface of your nails with an old toothbrush dipped in the mixture. You can also brush your teeth with baking soda. It’s a bit salty, but I find I really don’t like using traditional toothpastes anymore and the mouthful of suds they generate, it reminds me of the “scrubbing bubbles” in a bathroom cleaner for soap scum (ew!) I’ve even made my own toothpaste which I like. My kids liked tangerine oil in theirs, I opted for peppermint oil.  Baking soda is a must have for any pure bathroom, the uses are endless.

DIY body scrub with baking soda, sea salt or raw sugar

5. Salt – Salt is naturally anti-bacterial so it makes a great addition to a DIY body scrub or toothpaste. It polishes the skin and purifies it at the same time. Toss a handful of coarse sea salt in the tub if you have sore muscles or need to rejuvenate from colds or flu. This tub soak is really therapeutic and will help to gently detoxify your body. If you really want to be restored, add 3-5 drops of therapeutic grade lavender essential oil and use Epsom salts (which aren’t really salts, but I included them here because most people think of them as “salt”) I use Ancient Minerals, which is the most natural form of Epsom salts, most grocery store brands are just manufactured chemicals. The Ancient Minerals brand is high in magnesium and is very soothing to the skin. My youngest had eczema as a baby and soaking in the mineral bath really alleviated the dryness and itching.   You’ll get the most benefit staying in this bath 20-30 minutes, followed by a cool shower. You can enhance the effects when you dry brush the skin before soaking and oiling up your skin after.

6. Castille Soap – Liquid soaps are some of the most toxic body products, anti-bacterial soaps contain ingredients like Triclosan and hormone disrupting fragrance. Dr. Bronners is a brand I found that is purest. I use the Baby Mild Soap for everything: body wash, shampoo for the kids, hand soap and general household cleaning. It’s really versatile and I don’t have a cache of body wash for everyone.  I don’t use the versions with essential oils in them because I can add my own and make my own scent. This simplifies my routine too because I usually buy the biggest bottle and replenish around the house as I need: one bottle, many uses.

You’re probably thinking that shampoo and deodorant would be good additions, and for most people, they are. If you use a deodorant, there are many safe alternatives, make sure you use one that does not contain aluminum. I scheduled my first traditional mammography appointment last summer (which I later changed to Thermography) and was surprised to be given directions to avoid deodorant or anti-antiperspirant 3 days before my exam. This is because the aluminum particles are absorbed into the lymph glands and can appear as “landmarks” on your imaging. I use Young Living’s Mountain Mist deodorant that has 10 different essential oils in it.  I get compliments on it all the time, especially after I teach a yoga class. Students have asked me what oil blend I used in the class and that it smells like a spa – it’s just my sweat, nice benefit from a healthy deodorant.

Before you wash your hair again, watch for an upcoming article on choosing pure shampoo.

Simple Baby & Child Care

Babies are big business, and loving parents want only the best for their newborn bundles of joy. While I don’t want to push my agenda onto anyone, I like to give you information and let your conscience and current circumstances help you make the best decisions in your home at any given moment. I do have one bit of advice to new parents, skip the traditional baby care products and start saving that money for college or some other future investment for your baby.

I’ve used this simple kid care routine for over 15 years and it works nicely for newborn babies up to teenagers. Growing bodies and changing skin requires a bit more strategy (including deeper cleansing and healthy diet for teens, which deserves it’s own post). All I use for the little ones is Castille soap for body and hair, olive oil to moisturize and lavender for any skin issues. None of my kids rarely had diaper rash  except a couple of them  I was nursing, after I ate spaghetti sauce.  Poor things got a burn on their bottom which was remedied pretty quickly with some lavender water I applied every hour, keeping them in dry organic cloth diapers in between (I waited to moisturize with the olive oil until I was sure the skin was healed which was only a couple of hours). Another point to consider, the only time (besides the spaghetti sauce episodes) their bottoms got sore was when traditional baby wipes were used.

Diaper care can be so simple!  I always used soft, organic flannel squares with warm water for when they were tiny, small washcloths with plain water as they got bigger. If you want to DIY wipes, skip all the crazy ingredients. All you need is a high quality lavender essential oil and water. Mix 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil in a cup of 8 oz. of warm water. Mix vigorously and pour quickly over a stack of flannel cloths or thick paper towels (I realize this isn’t the most “green” option, but it is much better than any disposable chemical wipes you’d buy) Store them in an air tight container or even a eco-friendly zippered pouch. Lavender is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial so you don’t need to add any soaps or preservatives.  Keep it simple! These homemade wipes are wonderful for  kids of any age, grown ups too. They make very nice hand and face wipes when you are out around town and can be used to clean soft toys and surfaces that can’t go into the washing machine.

Quality is Essential  Make sure you use a food grade lavender which is the purest grade. There is no regulations in the essential oils industry so a company could fill a bottle labeled 100% essential oil with 5% lavender and 95% synthetic fragrance.  True lavender will heal a 1st or 2nd degree within 5 minutes if applied right away, yes heal. I just used this yesterday when my 12 year old burned the inside of her wrist on steam from a tea kettle – the pain and redness was gone 5 minutes after we applied some cool water, then 2 drops of lavender oil – this is a must for any kitchen!)if you put a synthetic lavender on a burn it can actually make it worse. Only time and experience will tell the purity of an oil . If you purchase ready made bath products for your family, make sure you check www.EWG.org/skindeep first to find the safest products.

Oh, and BTW, the FDA has not evaluated my statements and I cannot make any claims to healing or treating and disease or illness. I’m just sharing with you what has worked for me

There you have it!  6 simple essentials for your Pure Bathroom. What are you using? Do you already use these?

Leave a comment and share how you’ve been inspired,

Thanks

Essential oils and pure, truly natural fragrance are today what organic foods were 25 years ago.  Decades ago, those eating organic foods were thought of as radical, tree-huggers, paying too much for organics for no reason.  A frivolous luxury that wasn’t really necessary.  At least the organic food industry was self-regulated.  Today, the U.S essential oil industry is unregulated – no standards.  A company could include 5% pure essential oil and a chemical filler for the rest and still call it “100% essential oil”.

Greenwashing is when a company uses words like “natural”, “pure” and “green” in products that also contain questionable ingredients, many companies are not even required to disclose all ingredients. For example, one of the most common questions I get is what do I think about Aveda? For a while, it made me uncomfortable to answer specifics about another company’s products because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.  But this is not about sharing with you what I “feel”, it’s about facts that are written on product labels.  No one can dispute that.  Unfortunately, there are many who are uninformed about what they are consuming. All you have to do is read the labels on your products , look up a few ingredients at www.EWG.org and you’ll have the answer.

A lot of this is a personal process, and not everyone is ready to let go of products, because they have an emotional connection. Often, love is blind.  It may be just a matter of time before you can open your mind to seeing the truth in the labels, and that’s ok.  I see my site as a place to direct you to resources that will answer your questions. It’s up to you to take action.  I have had my share of personal battles over things I was using, but knew they weren’t the best choices. And I haven’t figured it all out,yet. I am still looking at ways to continue to improve, downsize and remove hidden chemicals in our home.   All that said, when you replace chemicals in your personal and home care products, make sure it is with products of quality.  Otherwise you may just be replacing one inferior product for another. Here are some simple steps to take when you’re ready to minimize your consumption of home and personal care items:

1. Clean out the cabinets – just what do you have lurking under the kitchen sink or in the linen closet?  Toss out anything that is expired, broken or leaking. Start a box of products that you do not use that can be disposed of properly at a local waste management facility. Many communities have special collection sites for toxic cleaners, solvents, prescription and over the counter drugs.  DO NOT dump anything down the drain. Antibiotics, drugs and household chemicals dumped down the drain will eventually enter the water supply.

2.  Take inventory of what you have left and plan on using up and donate unopened products you want to get rid of. Start to research what you will replace.

3.  Be authentic  with yourself.  Why do you love that mango body wash or Brazilian scented room spray (who exactly determined what that smells like, anyway?). Are you drawn to the graphics on the labels or was it an ad that first caught your eye? Marketing giants reach us through our senses and an entire industry is built on the Psychology of Scent. Starbucks isn’t a coffee giant by chance, they serve coffee with atmosphere, including sandalwood infused coffee cup insulators. Sandalwood essential oil is an earthy fragrance that has been used to uplift the senses. It’s also an ingredient in perfumes as a musk-like stimulant. If you want to minimize your consumption,take this critical step to realizing why you purchase products so you won’t be tempted to just replace one chemical cocktail for another. When you see advertising for what it is, you can better understand your true needs and desires and make the best choices for what you really need. You’ll naturally reduce your consumption.

4.  Choose healthy alternatives to chemical products. Better yet,  do without when you can.

5.   Enlist your family. Change is never easy, and may be grounds for a mutiny if you instill too many changes, too quickly, without everyone’s enthusiasm. Use this opportunity to have real conversations about what is important in your family.  Lorilee at Loving Simple Living has some great points on minimalism and it’s dynamic in relationships. She also just released her first book, 3-2-1 Stop. Check it out if the concept of minimalism is new to you.

6.   Enjoy the extra space you have and breathe deeply the purer environment you’ll have by eliminating some more chemicals in your home.

What are you eliminating in your home right now? Has it been easy or difficult? I’d love to hear about what you are discovering!

Watch for my upcoming posts for more simple tips to continue creating a Pure Home and Body.

Lemons

Buying some fresh lemons is a practical, easy way to start living a more pure life. They are packed with vitamin C (2 times more than oranges), potassium and folate to nourish your body even when you apply them to your skin.  Lemons work to gently detoxify your body and they even dissolve petrochemicals. Toxins are stored in your cellulite, so whether you drink the juice in your water or apply to your  skin you’ll help move the junk out of your system. Why add more garbage to your system from hydroquinone or mercury tainted creams on your skin when you have lemons! Any type of lemon will do.  I would only use organic lemons for cooking or body care though, traditional grown lemons are most likely sprayed with fungicides like thiabendazole and gassed with ethylene to speed the ripening process, who wants that on their skin? Yuck! . Meyers lemons will give you more juice than other varieties. Here are 9 of my favorite uses to brighten your skin and your mood:

1.Drink fresh squeezed juice into warm water in the morning to wake your body up. Drink it in cool water in the afternoon to perk you up without caffeine. You’ll also boost your immune system with the vitamin C.
2. Lighten finger and toe nails yellowed by nail polish, squeeze some juice into a teaspoon of baking soda, scrub into nails with an old toothbrush.
3. Add shine to your hair when you rinse. Add the juice of 1 lemon to 2 cups of water and use as your final rinse water.
4. Scent. Lemon blossoms smell exquisite, add a handful of blooms to your bath water to gently scent your skin.
5. Remove dead skin cells and brighten your complexion. At bedtime, use fresh lemon juice as a toner on a damp face after washing, dab on a couple drops of olive or sesame oil.
6. Massage gently areas of cellulite with dried lemon zest or ground almonds, a pinch of sea salt and coconut or sesame oil before showering.
7. Dry up a blemish. Apply pure juice to blemishes, repeat throughout the day to dry it up.
8. Head-off the start of a cold sore, apply fresh lemon juice on location every hour until gone.
9. Polish your skin with fresh squeezed lemon juice, ¼ C organic sugar and ¼ Colive oil. Massage all over and rinse in a gentle shower. Be careful, this might make your tub slippery!

*Lemons do cause photo sensitivity, so don’t apply lemon juice within 24 hours of sun exposure or you’re likely to burn. You can also use food grade lemon essential oil in place of the fresh lemon juice, just make sure the essential oil is organic, food grade is the purest (lemon essential oil is distilled from the rind so any pesticides or fungicides will become highly concentrated). Fresh lemon juice has more active enzymes that will remove dead skin cells to brighten your skin. Lemon essential oil is rich in limonene, found to decrease the incidence of cancer.  You can substitute lemon essential oil for all uses:  1 drop of essential oil, diluted in 1 tsp aloe vera juice or water. Check out this video on 6 of my favorite uses of lemon essential oil.

McCornack, STATUS OF POSTHARVEST FUNGICIDES FOR CITRUS FRUIT1, (229-232).

Therman, Ferrer, Analysis of Postharvest Fungicides and Their Metabolites in Citrus Fruits and Their Juices. www.agilent.com.

My most recent check on Amazon for “cough medicine” indicated 1242 options. Expectorants, suppressants, decongestants, non-drowsy,  you get the picture.   The back of the label will most likely be filled with side effect and cautionary information.  Our family deals with coughs from colds and allergies naturally without all the man-made chemicals found in these over the counter drugs.  Essential oils have been our best form of defense with taming coughs.  The first thing we do when a cough occurs is to have a spoonful of agave nectar with a drop of lemon essential oil added to it.  The lemon soothes a dry, scratchy throat  and can boost your immune system as well.  For adults, add a drop of  Thieves to this spoonful for a super charged boost in immunity.  The Thieves will also relieve any soreness in the throat.

There are specific essential oils that are helpful for coughs: Eucalyptus Radiata, Eucalyptus Globulus, Ravansara, and wintergreen are especially effective.  Young Living has made a couple of essential oil blends that we use for coughs and colds in the winter.  R.C. is one of the most used oil blends in our home – it has four different kinds of eucalyptus in it  plus peppermint, lavender, cypress and pine essential oils.  At the first sign of a cold or cough, we apply a drop or two to each foot.   Commercial Eucalyptus oils on their own can be too potent for children, but when it is combined with more gentle oils of lavender and cypress it is a great choice for kid’s colds & coughs.  For children under 3 dilute a drop with a 1/2 teaspoon of a carrier oil and massage onto the feet.

Raven is another Young Living blend of ravansara, wintergreen, Eucalyptus radiata, lemon and peppermint essential oils.    The ravansara encourages expectoration and the wintergreen, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils open up airways.  We find just one application of the oils onto the feet at bedtime is enough to settle a cough for sleep.  For children and those with asthma apply the oils to the soles of the feet.  For adults, massage the oils into the chest, add to bath water or place a drop in a bowl of warm water and breathe deeply.

Alternating application of R.C with Raven may be a powerful remedy with coughs.  Layering the oils increases the synergy between the oils.  For adults, apply 2 drops of R.C. mixed with V-6 oil to the chest area, then 2 drops of Raven on top.  This can also be done on the bottoms of the feet concentrating on the lung area points of reflexology.  For children, mix 1 drop of essential oil with a tsp of V-6 carrier oil or olive oil (or lavender essential oil which acts like a carrier oil), massage onto the bottoms of feet, cover with cotton socks and rest.   If you are using Young Living’s therapeutic grade oils you may not even have to dilute oils when applying to the soles of the feet.  Last week my 8 year old had a cough that started with fall allergies.  I rotated oils, one day applying them every hour (the time it takes for the body to metabolize the oils).  I took 2 drops of 2 different oils  (RC & Raven , for example), rubbed them between my hands and held my hands on the soles of her feet a few minutes.  Her face would light up as she said she could feel her chest relaxing.  Within minutes she’d have a healthy cough to expectorate the junk.

Frankincense also offers powerful respiratory support and it has the benefit of reducing anxiety, often associated with violent coughing spells.  Frankincense is also a very gentle oil as long as it is not filled with chemicals or synthetics.  I use Young Living’s Frankincense neat (undiluted) on the chest or soles of the feet.  Frankincense is very soothing to the respiratory tract especially when diffused.

Drinking plenty of fluids and foods rich in vitamin C are essential to feeling better.  For those with asthma, always apply essential oils to the soles of the feet.  For any persistant cough or difficulty breathing make sure to seek medical care right away

This information is not meant as a substitute for medical care, if you are sick, contact your doctor for advice.

Farid A. Badria, Eman A. Mohammed, Mohammed K. El-Fadrawy, et al (2004).  Natural Leukotriene inhibitor from Boswellia (frankincense): A potential for treating bronchial asthma. Altern & Comp Therapies. 10 (5) 257-265.

Inouye S, Takizawa T, Yamaguchi H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact.  J Antimicrob Chemo. 47: 565-573.

Larrondo J, Agut M, Calvo-Torras M. (1995). Antimicrobial activity of essences from Labiates. Microbios. 82: 171-172

• Idaho balsam fir- anti-inflammatory, grounding and relaxing to the body.  Effective against respiratory infections, fatigue and sciatica.
• Lavender – calming, relaxant physically and emotionally.  Supports skin health, speeds wound healing in cuts, scrapes and 1st degree burns.
• Wintergreen – naturally warming, muscle relaxant, highly anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic.
• Basil – anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, also anti-bacterial and anti-viral.
• Copaiba - powerful anti-inflammatory oil, antiseptic with almost imperceptible odor.
• Marjoram – relieves muscle spasms, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, promotes intestinal peristalsis, mucolytic, expectorant.
• Peppermint – cooling, anti-inflammatory, stimulating (don’t use before bed!) Synergistic and increases penetration when applied after other oils.
• PanAway - an essential oil blend of helichrysum (heals tissue & nerve damage, anti-inflammatory), wintergreen, peppermint and clove
• Deep Relief Roll-On is a convenient oil blend in an applicator bottle that you can roll on directly to sore muscles.

Joint Pain – is often caused by systemic issues.  Essential oils can bring some temporary relief, but an honest assessment should also be taken of environment, diet and lifestyle.  You can get a Healthy Home Checklist when you subscribe to the Pure Home and Body Newsletter as a starting point.  MSM can be helpful in decreasing systemic inflammation, as well as looking at your diet.  Ningxia Red is a powerful anti-oxidant that works to give your body added nutrition with whole foods rather than synthetic vitamins.  Consult an Essential Oil Desk Reference, Prescription for Nutritional Healing and your holistic practitioner for management of chronic joint pain and autoimmune disorders.

For serious back injuries, essential oils can help bring relief until medical intervention is needed.   Many individuals have prolonged or even avoided the need for surgery when they used essential oils with integrated care by a chiropractor, physical therapist and gentle exercise like yoga with an experienced instructor.  The Raindrop Technique contains many anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic essential oils that are helpful for chronic back pain and even for individuals with scoliosis.

Name That Product:  Here’s a challenge for you, a product labeled with “Natural Herbal Ingredients”.  Used by chiropractors, acupunturists, massage therapists and nurses in clinical settings to relieve muscle pain.  One of my biggest concerns is the use of menthol (made as a synthetic or watered down peppermint ),  camphor (inexpensive filler that “smells strong”, may be derived from terpentine, used as insect or moth repellant and in embalming)  and lavender “oil” (not even listed as essential oil, this is probably hormone disrupting synthetic oil) and artificial colors, and chemicals that release formaldehyde (also used in embalming):

menthol 5%, camphor 3%, water, aloe vera gel, isopropyl alcohol, lavender oil, triethanolamine, carbomer, ginseng extract, angelica extract, polysorbate 60, DMDM hydantion, imidazolidinyl urea, blue 1, yellow 5

The first person who guesses this product correctly will get a 5-pack of Ningxia Red singles to help fight inflammation from the inside out!

Buyer Beware! There is a caveat to “healthy living”:  there are a lot of products claiming to be “natural” and many are filled with toxic chemicals that many people are trying to avoid.  A study at the  University of Minnesota found many products listed as “healthy” tainted with pharmaceuticals, the biggest offenders were weight loss, sexual enhancement and body building supplements.   Read labels and go with a name brand you trust.  If a product promises unrealistic results or with no effort on your part to change your lifestyle it may be too good to be true and probably will be a waste of your money.

Switching to healthier living requires changing your perspective. Someone once mentioned they could not afford essential oils. At first glance they do seem expensive when you look at packaging size which is pretty small.  In the U.S. we are used to buying chemical loaded products filled with water in big packages to make us feel like we are getting our money’s worth.   Organic foods might seem more expensive, but so are convenient, nutritionless foods  used as entertainment.   The truth is if you compare apples to apples the healthy products win out by far.  Plus, some healthy options like Therapeutic Grade essential oils have been around for thousands of years and are still used in other cultures today, keeping people healthy without chemicals. For what they offer, essential oils are really economical.   Let’s look at a bottle of food grade lemon essential oil that costs $12 for a 15ml bottle.  This little bottle contains the equivalent of 250 bottles of synthetic vitamin flavored water, or can make 15 bottles of cough syrup.  Obviously the savings is with the essential oil – in dollars and in health value.

Where is your money going for healthcare? I thought I had gotten rid of most of the “drugs” in my medicine cabinet and to my surprise the other day I found a drawer full of unused products.  They were all expired, the oldest one a brand new bottle of indigestion medicine  that expired in 2005, another a tube of “anti-itch” medication that never worked.  And honestly, I was so thankful to toss out the chemical, red colored acetaminophen syrup for my kids that I never had to use.  So let me ask you, where is the savings in unused – expired – chemical filled products?  You might even think I’m extreme in saying you should factor in the potential cost of Chemo, ADD drugs, Anti-depressents, Thyroid medication, anti-biotics, name your medication,  whenever you use those drugs with additives, colors and products with unknown or harmful ingredients and packaged foods with controversial additives like  high fructose corn syrup, MSG and aspartame.   I can also say it’s a lot more fun spending money in the health food store and farmer’s markets than the local pharmacy (and there are plenty of them to choose from, becoming as common as those golden arches fast food restaurants)

Do you want to be healthier but don’t know where to begin? Einstein said “Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results”  What are you trying to change in your life?  health? weight? energy? less toxins?   There are essential oils that can help with all of these issues and more.  The great thing is the essential oils are versatile, many are antibacterial and they don’t expire (unless they have chemicals or fillers in them).  You can use peppermint oil for joint and muscle pain, headaches, energy, cold sores, fevers and more.  Each essential oil can replace dozens of over the counter products that have 1  use.  Are you ready to clean out your medicine cabinet and invest in products that will support your immune system?  I’m glad I’ve made the transition to investing in our health and I can help you do the same.    In the weeks to come I’ll be sharing specific ways to save money on health care costs including my next article, a video post on my favorite uses of lemon essential oil.

1.  Take your shoes off – Think about where your feet have been throughout the day: streets, parks (pesticide sprayed grass), parking lots, you get the picture.   Taking your shoes off at the door of your home will keep any unknown dirt off your carpets and floors.  Many cultures remove shoes at the door as a sign of respect, and rightly so.  They may use their common living space as the bedroom at night, rolling out a mat on the floor to sleep.  Even though you might not sleep on your living room floor, taking your shoes off at the door will  keep your interior cleaner.  It  will also extend the life of your flooring which wears down when dirt is continually ground in.   You’ll clean your  carpets less and save money.

2.  Cook a meal at home - most take out food is  heavily processed loaded with extra fat and sodium.  When you cook your own meal, you can use the freshest ingredients even from a local farmer’s market in season.  You’ll know what is in your food and it will be prepared fresher than any restaurant food.   As a second choice, you can find healthy prepared meals from a reputable organic grocer or restaurant in your area.

3.  Open your windows - Indoor air quality is often worse than the outdoors, unless you live in a high pollution area.  Building materials, fabrics and household chemicals can all contribute VOC’s to your air quality.  Give yourself a breath of fresh air with  an exception: if you have seasonal allergies avoid opening the windows when pollen counts are high.   You can also improve your indoor air quality with fresh plants and effective HEPA air purifiers if needed.

4. Go fragrance free - think twice before spraying on that perfume or using your scented body sprays.  Many products with artificial fragrance are just a combination of chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution and may actually disrupt important body systems like the endocrine and respiratory (hormone imbalance and asthma).

5.  Use glass or stainless steel for cooking, food storage and beverage serveware.  The effects of plastic contamination on foods are uncertain, with substances like BPA found to disrupt hormones.  The safest options for cookware can also include cast iron, avoiding teflon coated surfaces which emit harmful toxins when heated.  Always use glass containers or stainless steel for drinking water.  We’ve used glass baby bottles in our home for years, my favorites are those covered with a bright silicone cover to protect the bottle from breaking if it falls.  These also come in glass sport type bottles for adults from BuyGreen, check out the link in the lower right corner.

6.  Use the microwave less, if at all.   The long term effects of microwave radiated foods is up for debate. The safer option is just to heat foods on the stovetop or in the oven which often go just as quickly for individual sized portions.  If you are relying on microwave meals as a mainstay in your diet, you might want to evaluate healthier options that are just as quick and more affordable.

7.  Turn off your cell phone - use the speakerphone when you can.  Research shows more and more the potential risk of overusing cell phones and the effects this has on the brain. When you are not using your phone, turn it off and you will lessen your exposure to unnecessary radiation.

8.  Read - labels, product packaging, research on healthy living.  Be aware of what you are putting into and on your body.  In order to be a wise consumer, you need to keep up on the latest findings in wellness so you can make the healthiest choices.

9.  Reduce your use of plastics - Use glass or stainless steel in the kitchen, reusable bags for shopping (make sure to wash these regularly), and wood or sustainable materials in furniture toys and household items.  Materials like MDF or glued pressboard emit VOC’s that can cause headaches, nausea and difficulty with concentration.   Ideally drink your water out of a glass or stainless steel container.  This is even more important for kids whose smaller bodies are affected more by exposure to plastic toxins.

10.  Pick some weeds  - Are you quick to spray weeds with chemicals?  Lessen your  exposure to toxins in your landscaping just by plucking up some weeds.  Many weed killers are filled with neurotoxins and hormone disruptors that you’ll most likely carry into your home on your shoes.   There are plenty of safe options to tackle yard issues in a safe way.  Gardens Alive is my favorite source for sustainable, organic yard care for do-it-yourselfers. We us  Natural Lawns of America  for our yard, they are  natural lawn care service using a corn gluten product to fertilize grass without harsh chemicals.

Being healthy does not have to be complicated.  These small changes in every day habits can have a long and lasting impact on your overall health.

There are a number of methods of determining what your body needs:  blood tests, hair analysis, biofeedback, etc.  Since many of these are pretty complex, I will be only focusing on one area at this time:  Biofeedback.  In the simplest explanation, biofeedback collects biological data from your body, analyzes it and then provides information about what your body needs at that given time.   There are differing views on biofeedback so if you do some research, make sure you gather all the specifics to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  There are processes in our marketplace called “biofeedback” that are not comparable to the information included in what I am discussing here.  For clarity, I will be focusing on the Zyto Compass technology in this article.

The Zyto Compass technology relies on Galvanic Skin Response technology, (similar to lie detector tests) sensing how the body is responding to outside stressors in this case the stimuli is generated from the Compass unit.   Data is collected from 76 different body markers and ranked by priority to determine what needs a body has.   From this data, the Compass unit can further recommend specific products from Young Living that will balance the body out.  I have used this technology myself and found it accurately assessing what I needed to bring balance to my body.   I’ve also used it on everyone in my family including assessment for acute situations like colds & flu.  I have personally used the Compass in my family to determine what Young Living products to use for acute situations like headache, nausea, earache, sinusitis and flu. 

The Zyto technology has 95% proven accuracy and is used by over 5,000 doctors in various medical settings.  The Zyto technology can be used by people of all ages, including children, to detect what oils and supplements they need to bring them back into balance.    If you are interested in learning more about this technology or to have an assessment , you can contact me via email at http://purehomeandbody.com/contact-information/.   If you would like to purchase your own Zyto Compass for home use, check out my Resources page.