The foundation of the champagne is simply sparkling water, Soda Stream now makes it possible for you to add carbonation to your tap water if you choose.  I like San Pellegrino, partly because I love all things European, and  glass bottles. The “champagne goes together very quickly, you simply add 1 drop of  citrus essential oil to your glass champagne flute: tangerine, orange, lemon or grapefruit. Add garnishes like organic cranberries or twists of lime, lemon or orange.  Then pour in your sparkling water to mix it all together.  You could even add a couple drops of agave nectar to the glass bottom before adding the water to sweeten your drink for a pure, refreshing spritzer.

The options are endless and can suit your personal taste for the moment. You could even bring along a bottle of San Pellegrino or Perrier and a bottle of Young Living Therapeutic Grade  Tangerine, Orange or Lemon as a gift for your hosts this season. Whatever combination you choose, the citrus essential oils work to gently detoxify your system and will give your taste buds a boost.  Many citrus oils naturally have anti-depressant qualities versus alcohol which is a depressant, so you’ll be giving your psyche a lift too when you choose to go healthy this season.

1 drop of citrus oil will infuse 8-16 ounces of sparkling water~

Optional garnishes:

• fresh, organic cranberries
• lemon, lime, orange twist
• fresh pomegranate seeds

1 tsp agave nectar for a sweet drink (optional)

Cheers!

The most important steps include frequent hand washings ( Thieves foaming hand sanitizer), washing bed lines and towels (I add a drop of Thieves or Purification essential oil to my laundry soap for extra disinfecting), cleaning my bathrooms with Thieves wipes (you can make your own wipes with Thieves household cleaner and tough paper towels, store them in an old baby wipes container for convenience) and diffusing highly anti-bacterial blends like Thieves, Purification, Christmas Spirit and Frankincense to kill airborne bacteria.    Young Living essential oils are also the most important items in our medicine cabinet.  In fact, we really don’t have anything else in our medicine chest – no ibuprofen, acetaminophen,  or over the counter cough syrups with artificial flavors & colors.  This is what  we use for colds & flu symptoms:

1st onset:  For adults, make up a  capsule of Thieves:  2 drops of Thieves essential oil plus 3-6 drops of lemon in gel cap.  For kids  under 6, a spoonful of agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil added and 1-2 drops of R.C applied to the bottoms of feet.  Use Thieves hand sanitizer to keep germs from spreading.  Keep mouth clean where germs multiply with Thieves mouthwash.

Cough medicine -  1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil.  For adults add 1 drop Thieves for extra boost. Suck on Thieves lozenges.

Fever – Adults, 3-5 drops peppermint essential oil on each foot.   Repeat as needed until fever is gone.  Children under 7 – Lavender & Frankincense on bottoms of feet or along spine – repeat as needed until the fever is gone.

Sore Throat – 1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil (Lemon essential oil contains many more nutrients and antioxidants than just lemon juice as the essential oil is distilled from the rind – use only food grade lemon essential oil for ingesting) .  For adults and children over 6 add 1 drop of  Thieves oil to the spoonful of lemon/agave nectar.  Thieves lozenges are also helpful.   Gargle with Thieves mouthwash.

Sinus & Chest congestion – R.C. applied to the bottoms of feet, rubbed on the chest or inhaled.  Add a  few drops to bath water and breath deeply.  Frankincense supports the respiratory tract and viruses.  Apply to the chest and throat area on lymph glands.  Place a drop of frankincense on the tongue to fight viruses.  Raven is a Young Living blend made of Ravensara, wintergreen, eucalyptus radiata, lemon and peppermint.   It is especially effective when layered with the R.C blend.  Breathe Again Roll-on is a convenient blend to apply directly to the chest or Vita-Flex points for breathing relief due to cold and asthma.

Cold/Canker Sores – suck on a Thieves lozenge or apply a drop of Thieves essential oil directly to the spot to alleviate pain and speed healing.  Peppermint oil also may help when applied directly.

Headache /body aches – Raindrop Technique, apply peppermint or Panaway on the forehead and temples or  lemon essential oil on the big toe.  Soak in a mineral bath like Ancient Minerals with 3-4 drops of lavender essential oils added.

Vomiting/diarrhea - peppermint essential oil applied to bottoms of feet, on the belly and 1 drop in water to sip.  Children under 6 should not use peppermint oil, instead use Frankincense or ginger essential oil on the feet and belly.  After 1 hour of no vomiting, gradually introduce liquids. Dilute 1 oz. Ningxia Red with 4-5 ounces of water is a gentle way to start adding nutrients.

Inner Defense is a supplement that contains 4 different types of Oregano.  This is highly antibacterial, research shows this blend is as powerful as some antibiotics.  When using Inner Defense, 10-12 hours later take a probiotic likeLife 5.   For example, Inner Defense in the morning, Life 5 at bedtime to replenish healthy intestinal flora.

In addition to some of these suggestion make sure to add some homemade chicken soup, drinking plenty of  high quality fluids, rest and some common sense to ensure a quick recovery.  Always seek the advice of your doctor for serious illness.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are meant for educational purposes only, they are not a substitute for medical care.

• Food, the good and the bad – This is a no-brainer and there are enough articles written on foods to banish belly fat to occupy you for years.  It’s also something many people are already doing.   Bottom line is there are best choices in foods and those I’d avoid at all times.  Whole foods, fruits &  veggies are best, blueberries, grapefruits and avocados among some superfoods (not slathered in sugary, fat laden sauces though).  Limit meats, balancing protein intake to include beans, legumes and grains like quinoa.  Learn the good and bad fats, my favorite is Coconut oil, I use it for sauteeing veggies, baking, and even as a moisturizer – it melts with your body temperature.  No No’s?   Anything in the traditional bakery/deli department, white bleached flour breads & pastries,  processed deli meats with nitrites and preservatives,  high fat pasta salads guaranteed to expand your waistline, packaged, processed frozen foods, chemical vitamin waters and diet drinks (more chemicals for the cells) and sugary sodas .  Ningxia Red is an excellent natural option instead of chemical energy drinks.
  
• Curb Your Appetite Naturally – Watch your portions.  Drink a cup of tea 30 minutes before eating.  Find healthy ways to deal with stress instead of eating to comfort your mood.  Prepare your own foods when you can,  rather than rely on take out or restaurant food where you may be inclined to eat more.
• Move It and You’ll Lose It  – As we get older our muscle mass diminishes.  When you build strength movements into every day you can fight your body’s tendency to accumulate fat as you age.  You can exercise and fit movement into every part of your day, not just a couple times a week.  Pilates is a great form of body strengthening and you can benefit from the principles in between regular exercise.  Make active movement a part of your everyday routine, whether you engage your backside as you stand in line at the grocery store or walk briskly to your car parked in the back of the lot.   If you slump in your chair or seat while you drive, your body’s muscles will support this posture, even more so if it’s done on the couch for hours at a time.  Research shows that those who watch TV more than an hour a day tend to gain weight more readily.
• Keep your Digestive System Healthy   – Slowed plumbing equals toxin build up.  Keep your body moving regularly to allow toxin removal and enhance nutrient absorption.   Enzymes help breakdown foods so vitamins and minerals  can be better assimilated.   Chew your foods slowly and completely to assist the body’s digestive process.  Drink 8-10 glasses of pure water and eat enough foods with fiber.
• Banish Chemical Laden Body Products That are Stored In Your Fat – I feel like I’m becoming a broken record on this subject matter, but this element is so critical.  I have experienced this firsthand, especially in my weight loss from pregnancy.  My weight loss was very tough my first couple of pregnancies because I was surrounded by toxins and didn’t know it.  I was applying chemicals to my skin in the form of “natural” body products,  cosmetics and scented home products.  It is proven that the synthetic fragrance in many of these products is affecting your ENDOCRINE system.  In brief, the endocrine system regulates metabolism, hunger, thyroid function, hormones, literally every body system is affected by the Endocrine!  Would you knowingly put something on your body that may disrupt this essential system?  Read your product labels and eliminate anything with the term FRAGRANCE in the ingredients.  This is just a combination of chemicals.  Would you put caramel syrup on your frisee?  Don’t put FRAGRANCED products on your skin, instead massage on some cellulite dissolving Therapeutic Grade essential oils like Grapefruit or Lemon (not before sun exposure though).  Check out www.EWG.org to see how your products rank for toxicity.
• Be realistic about your goals  Be honest with yourself about what your lifestyle is really like and what habits you are willing to change.  Losing some extra weight often involves letting go of emotional baggage and seeing what influences the food and lifestyle choices we make each day.  Healthier living is rewarding not just because your clothing will fit better, but because you’ll have more energy, you’ll sleep better and you’ll have a healthier perspective on life when you exchange poor habits for life-enhancing ones.

I’d like to challenge you this week to read your body product labels and comment back with what you are finding.   As a thanks for your input, I’ll send the first 5 comments back with what you found , a sample of the new Slique Tea from Young Living – an immune boosting, sugar stabilizing tea that can help curb your appetite.  This “weight loss tea” was introduced  in late September at the Young Living Convention in Florida and is already out of stock~   Limit 1 per address.

As with all my articles, I’m not a nutritionist or a doctor and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  But I am a fitness instructor and a mom who has gained and lost about 240 pounds over the past 15 years.  I’ve been at my current weight for 2+ years and look forward to maintaining my weight for many more.

2 T organic butter

1 T organic, extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil

2 small organic onions, chopped

3 large cloves organic garlic, minced

2 oz. organic cream cheese

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 lbs steamed organic butternut squash, peeled and cubed

6 T organic white miso dissolved in 4 C purified water

2 drops Young Living oregano essential oil

1 drop Young Living lemon essential oil

Heat soup pan over medium heat.  When hot, add butter and olive oil.  When the butter is melted add onions and saute’ for 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic and cream cheese. Heat until cream cheese is melted,  add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Add squash to mixture and saute’ 1-2 minutes. Add miso broth and bring mixture to a boil.   Allow to cool, then spoon out 1/2 the mixture into blender and blend until smooth.  Return to soup.

Add essential oils and allow the soup to simmer 5 minutes.  Garnish with whole grain croutons, shredded carrots or fresh oregano.

Makes approximately 5 1/2 cups.

And yes, you can even make Lemonade with Young Living’s food-grade lemon essential oil.  Just add 1 drop of lemon essential oil to a glass, fill with 8 – 10 oz of purified water, sweeten to taste with agave nectar or stevia liquid.  Add ice if desired, Enjoy!  For a special treat instead of soda, use sparkling water like San Pellegrino.

Select research on effects of limonene (found in lemon essential oil) on cancer:

• Cancer Chemoprevention by Phytochemicals and their related compounds.  Nishino H, et al.  Asian Pac J. Cancer Prevention.  2000;1(1):49-55
• Involvement of YY1 and its correlation with c-myc in NDEA induced hepatocarcinogenesis, it’s prevention by d-limonene. Parija T, Das BR. Mol Biol Rep.  2003 Mar 30;(1)41-6
• Inhibition by D-limonene of gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitroguanidine.  Cancer Lett.  1999 April 1;137(2):161-8

These statements are for educational purposes only and  have not been evaluated by the FDA and Pure Home and Body LLC and it’s associates do not attempt to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.  The uses in this video are only editorial and not meant to be prescriptive.    For medical treatment, consult your doctor.  Essential oils should not be ingested unless you are under the guidance of a licensed practitioner, and should only be done with Therapeutic, food grade oils in  quantities as directed by a professional.

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.

Another way we manage headaches in our family is with some simple exercises. Try some of these the next time you start to feel a headache come on and maybe you can save the medications for more intense situations. Cold compresses and retreating to a quiet place when possible may also be helpful. Find what works for you and do it before the pain gets out of control.

So, thanks to Michelle K. for giving me this tip – My feet have never been softer, and I have no cracked heels!  I try to do this every day, but don’t feel my feet deteriorate overnight if I miss a day or two like they would with other products. I also used to struggle with scrubbing my feet with a pumice stone to try to soften them – My hand held foot stone is now pretty much retired – I really only use it a couple times a year if I’ve neglected my feet for a week or two.

Immediately after a shower or bath (after a  body scrub session would be especially nice) I drop 2-3 drops of Young Living Lemon Essential Oil (which is food grade) into my palm and rubs hands together.  Quickly rub onto the soles of feet paying attention to the  heels, toes or any other dry area.  Finish by rubbing in Young Living’s Lavender Hand & Body Lotion – only a drop is needed, this lotion is highly concentrated.  I find my bottle lasts me several months, even when I’m applying it daily!  Massage the lotion in well and cover your feet with socks or slippers.   Enjoy your soft feet!

So, thanks to Michelle K. for giving me this tip – My feet have never been softer, and I have no cracked heels!  I try to do this every day, but don’t feel my feet deteriorate overnight if I miss a day or two like they would with other products. I also used to struggle with scrubbing my feet with a pumice stone to try to soften them – My hand held foot stone is now pretty much retired – I really only use it a couple times a year if I’ve neglected my feet for a week or two.

Immediately after a shower or bath (after a  body scrub session would be especially nice) I drop 2-3 drops of Young Living Lemon Essential Oil (which is food grade) into my palm and rubs hands together.  Quickly rub onto the soles of feet paying attention to the  heels, toes or any other dry area.  Finish by rubbing in Young Living’s Lavender Hand & Body Lotion – only a drop is needed, this lotion is highly concentrated.  I find my bottle lasts me several months, even when I’m applying it daily!  Massage the lotion in well and cover your feet with socks or slippers.   Enjoy your soft feet!

Lemon essential oil is antiseptic, antitumoral (because of the limonene content), an immune stimulant (increases white blood cells).  It is helpful for skin issues like acne and can have antidepressant effects.  Studies in Japan found that when lemon oil was diffused in an office setting it resulted in 50% fewer errors.  Jean Valnet M.D. conducted many studies on the effectiveness of lemon oil to kill many bacteria when diffused including meningococcus, Staphylococcus aureus,  Pneumococcus, diphtheria and tuberculosis.  Lemon oil is a very powerful essential oil, but it must be a therapeutic grade to fight these bacteria.

We use Young Living lemon oil in a capsule to fight colds and flu.  At the first sign we take a clear gel cap filled with 3-5 drops of lemon oil and repeat every 4 hours to combat a cold.

We use our lemon oil for a great cough syrup as well – I mix 10-15 drops of Young Living lemon oil into a 4 ounce bottle of agave nectar.  For a cough or scratchy throat we take 1 tsp of this.  For an even more powerful cough syrup (not for kids under 6, add 1 drop of Thieves essential oil blend to the teaspoon and mix in well.

Young Living Lmon essential oil   15ml   Wholesale  $9.75   Retail  $12.83

You can order Young Living oils at wholesale (select Independent Distributor and order a $40 Start Living Kit for lifetime wholesale pricing, and no monthly minimums)  or retail (select customer).