Tag Archives: essential oils

3 Surefire Ways to Take Charge of Your Sleep Naturally

Posted on 6 February, 2015 by liivih | 3 comments

When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep? Do you drag your arse out of bed every single day cursing your alarm and dreading the day ahead?

I’m here to tell you that there are 3 little- known factors that are keeping you from a restful sleep.

I’m not going to waste your valuable time telling you how important sleep is. Well OK just these 2 mind blowing facts.

Losing sleep destroys your health

1. According to this 2009 study people who expose themselves to light at night don’t produce enough melatonin for proper restful sleep. A lack of melatonin production causes us to be

not only immune suppressed, but … also at an increased risk of developing a number of different types of cancer. […] Sleep disturbances can lead to immune suppression and a shift to the predominance in cancer-stimulatory cytokines.

2. This 2010 study had one group sleeping 8.5 hours a night and the other sleeping 5.5 hours a night, while eating a healthy diet in an effort to lose weight. The results showed that:

Sleep curtailment decreased the proportion of weight lost as fat by 55% and increased the loss of fat-free body mass by 60%

Meaning that it’s 55% harder to lose fat, and 60% harder to keep your healthy lean muscle. Those are pretty shit odds!

So, in a nutshell, losing sleep makes you fat and cancerous. Ready for better sleep??

Let’s get straight to the action plan.

3 little-known factors which hugely impact how you sleep

Magnesium
According to Marek Doyle, a nutritional medicine practitioner who writes for the Huffington Post, magnesium is rarely mentioned in conventional recommendations, but it effectively cures 90% of his insomnia patients within 24 hours.

Magnesium plays a vital role in over 325 basic reactions in human biochemistry, but in regards to sleep specifically:

Magnesium is vital for the function of GABA receptors, which exist across all areas of the brain and nervous system. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter that the brain requires to switch off; without it, we remain tense, our thoughts race and we lie in bed staring at the ceiling. (source)

How do you know if you’re short of magnesium? (it’s estimated that at least 80% of us are). If you have trouble falling asleep, wake easily, or wake at odd times. Also any of the following:

If you get cramps regularly, find that fluids pass through you easily, have cold hands and feet, experience tightness in the neck and shoulders or notice twitches in small muscles (the eyelid, for example)

There’s no harm in trying it, and certainly a lot to gain. So what’s the best way to replenish your magnesium? Oral supplements are often poorly absorbed, so I recommend a magnesium bath, lotion or spray. The lotion being the easiest, fastest and least fussy.

Be aware that magnesium may sting your skin slightly at first while you are recovering from deficiency. I would recommend using it 30-60 min before bed so it has time to absorb.

Calming Essential Oils for Better Sleep (Knock yourself out naturally)

This month I am so excited to try this blend from Megan Card.

She calls it the “better than ambien” blend since she suffered from insomnia for years, having tried numerous medicinal sleep aids. She never had such effective results (without the scary side effects and addiction risk of sleep aids) until she tried this essential oil blend.

It contains the most naturally relaxing sedative oils which will help calm your thoughts and prepare your body for sleep.

Here is the recipe:
(Combine in an amber or blue glass bottle)

25 drops Serenity blend
20 drops Ylang yang
15 drops Vetiver
15 drops Marjoram

Get the best oils HERE – this is where I buy mine from.

Apply several drops of the blend to the bottom of each foot before bed. The soles have the largest pores to allow oils to safely and rapidly enter the bloodstream.

Check out more about essential oils, or grab some and get started now at this page.

Blue-blocking Lenses
So you may have heard that the blue light from TVs and devices tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime and keeps you awake. This is absolutely true.

However the problem is that most recommendations are along the lines of don’t use your phone past 9pm or don’t watch TV two hours before bedtime, etc. I’ll be the first to admit that most of the time in our modern lifestyle this is just never going to happen. It’s just not realistic. Although I do think it’s vital to practice ‘technology cleansing’ and not be glued to our phones every moment, especially not in the bedroom, I acknowledge that turning off all tech a few hours before bedtime is a bit of an idealistic notion.

Luckily I’ve discovered a way around this.

Grab yourself some of these babies and you will be effectively blocking the blue light that inhibits your natural melatonin production. I’ve heard a number of wellness experts discuss this simple and effective technique including Dave Asprey (The Bulletproof Executive), Katie the Wellness Mama and Chris Kresser.

I’ve read that it takes 3-4 hours of no-blue-light exposure for melatonin production to kick in, so try to wear your sweet orange or yellow specs from the time the sun goes down.

Grab some for your whole family or your flatmates and be awesome silly orange-lens-wearers together. Will and I rock these every night and we find it really helps. I can literally feel my brain kicking into “rest mode” when I wear them, and switch back into “alert mode” if I take them off.

If you’re worried about them ruining your sex life, that is a valid concern (ha). Although sorry to be a smartass but I’ll just point out that not sleeping well and being tired and grumpy, and/or getting cancer, will also do that. Solution: Use beeswax candles, low-blue lightbulbs, or salt lamps as it gets closer to bedtime or on evenings when you don’t want to wear your glasses! These all emit warm-spectrum light that won’t shut down your melatonin production.

A couple of other tips:

install f.lux on your computer
light your home with salt lamps at night (they clean the air and reduce EMFs too)
get bright natural light as soon as you can upon waking in the morning to signal your brain that it’s awake time. This helps regulate your circadian clock.

What about melatonin supplements?

You might be wondering about melatonin supplements. It’s natural right, so it must be safe?

Well, according to The Sleep Solution by Emily Benfit, exogenous melatonin may make you feel sleepy, but it’s merely inducing limpness in your body where blood is restricted to the brain and heart and your general cognitive function is impaired.

Emily outlines the possible side effects of melatonin consumption:

Vasoconstriction of the brain, organs, and heart.
Shrinks and involutes the thymus gland
Shrinks sex organs
Increases heart rate and perpetuates the stress cycle
Inhibits fertility

This insight is thanks to this article from Hollywood Homestead.

What helps you get restful sleep?

Have you tried any of these techniques? Did you find success? Share your experiences below so we can all support each other!

3 Comments

Posted in Essential Oils, Primal Lifestyle, Safe Natural Remedies, Stress

Tagged anxiety, cancer, essential oils, insomnia, magnesium, natural remedy, rest, sleep, sleep apnea, weight loss

doTERRA Balance Essential Oil: Benefits & How to Use

Posted on 4 February, 2015 by liivih | Leave a comment

Don’t we all need a little more balance in our lives? This is definitely something that I’m seeking in my quest for a slower, more natural lifestyle.

Even if you’re rushing around in the city, at the office, through the supermarket, in and out of appointments and vehicles, you can maintain a little bit of connection to the Earth with the grounding, woodsy scent of Balance.

Balance is one of my favourite essential oil blends. To begin with I know it’s pure and safe for the one precious body I have to care for, because of where it comes from. Whenever I inhale it, I immediately get images of beautiful shady trees, dappled sunlight and warm earth. My lungs open, I breathe deeper, and I feel muscles that I didn’t even know were tense begin to relax. I feel clearer like I’ve just taken a mini little mental walk in the forest.

The blend is made up of 5 different essential oils in a base of coconut oil. Frankincense, Blue Chamomile, Blue Tansy, Ho Wood, and Spruce. Each of these have potent molecular activity on the brain and cell processes, however even just the pure aroma itself, and the act of taking a quiet moment to yourself to inhale it, is very therapeutic.

Here are some details about the 5 essential oils which make up Balance: (source)

Spruce: Spruce is found to ground the body and balance our ability to give and receive. Its herbaceous scent helps expand the bronchials to deepen breathing and release tension or emotional blocks that may reside in the throat, jaw and chest.
Ho Wood: Ho Wood is slowly taking the place of Rosewood. Rosewood is becoming endangered and so good companies are choosing to remove it from their blends. It is very similar in composition, just simply more sustainable. Ho Wood is a powerful sedative, offering grounding and calming effects on the nervous system and emotions.
Frankincense: This oil has been used for centuries in physical and emotional healing. It contains sesquiterpenes, which oxygenate the pineal and pituitary gland, passing the blood brain barrier to promote brain health. It strengthens skin and nails and promotes cellular regeneration to prevent the appearance of aging. It also balances mood and strengthens a person’s spiritual connection and sense of understanding. See more on this incredible essential oil here.
Blue Tansy: This is a detoxifying oil, thought to help detoxify the liver and lymphatic system, which is closely related to the emotions of anger and depression. The mind-body connection allows this oil to aid in promoting self-control and well-being.
Blue Chamomile: A calming and sedative oil, Blue Chamomile has also shown properties of being pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory, which helps when dealing with stress, joint support and muscle health.

Why buy ready-made essential oil blends?

It’s fun to make your own blends too (I’ve collected lots of recipes on Pinterest) but when you buy a pre-made blend you know that it has the correct and unique proportions which make the plant constituents interact and compliment each other effectively. With so many incredible properties in one bottle, the Balance blend from doTERRA can take a lot of the guess work out of worrying about which oil to use.

The therapeutic-grade quality of each individual oil and the particular proportion of each is what makes Balance such a valuable and effective tool for grounding techniques.

When and how to use the Balance blend

These are suggestions gathered from various essential oil resources and success stories. Use them as inspiration to see what works for you and your family. If in doubt or if you’re using oils on babies / children / during pregnancy or breast-feeding, please dilute your oils with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, and research first.

Topical uses for Balance

Use topically for the following conditions. Apply 2-3 drops to the bottom of the feet in the morning, at bedtime, or when experiencing symptoms. You can also apply oils specifically to reflex points on the feet that are associated with particular organs or systems in the body.

The reason that oils are recommended to apply to the feet is that the feet have the largest pores, so applying oils here lets them enter the blood stream quickly (20-30 seconds). The feet also have hardy skin which won’t be irritated by any hot or tingly oils (although Balance is not a hot oil – this is more for oils like cinnamon, clove, oregano)

The throat, back of the neck, wrists, around the ears on the lymph nodes, and on the solar plexus are also good places to apply oils topically.

Note about topical use: If you ever feel that an oil is too intense on your skin, do not apply water – water and oil don’t mix so it won’t help. Just apply more clean carrier oil (ie coconut oil) to the area. This will dilute the oil and relieve the sensation quickly.

ADHD or lack of focus
Anxiety, stress and mental or emotional balance
Back pain and muscle pain (you can also use a blend such as Deep Blue)
Bursitis
Brain healing and regeneration
Convulsions and seizures (after seeking medical attention)
Hot flashes
Jet lag
Lupus
Metabolism balance
Parkinson’s disease
Patience
Vertigo
Spirituality

Aromatic Uses

Using a diffuser is the best way to breathe the benefits of essential oils. The Home Essentials Kit comes with one plus lots of oils to get started with, at a hefty discount.

You can also inhale straight from the bottle, put a few drops in your hands and inhale, use a diffuser necklace.

ADD / ADHD and Focus
Anxiety
Depression – you can also use an elevating blend like Citrus Bliss
Dizziness
Energy
Grief or a feeling of loss
Grounding
Hot flashes
Hyperactivity
Jet lag
Mood, balance and stress-relief
Vertigo
Spirituality

Internal Use

The Balance blend is not recommended for internal use; most blends are not (other than OnGuard and Slim & Sassy which have been tested as safe for consumption). It’s easy to check by just glancing at the back of the bottle – if it doesn’t have a “Supplement Facts” table on the back, that means you should not consume that oil internally.

Want a free bottle of Balance?

During the month of February 2015 my doTERRA team is running a promotion. If you grab a kit with us this month, you’ll be entered for a chance to win!

Balance doesn’t come in some of the smaller kits so it would be great to grab a free bonus one. Or even if you do choose a kit that contains Balance, an extra bottle is great to have on hand to send to school or work with your loved ones, lend to a friend in need, or to replenish your supply quickly since it’s such a versatile, use-many-times-a-day sort of blend.

Go HERE for more info on essential oils, and why I choose to use the doTERRA brand

Go HERE to get started and buy your oils. doTERRA’s Balance is also available for $22 on Amazon.com

Go HERE to learn about partnering with Dani and I in our heartfelt holistic business

Go HERE to get in touch with questions!

Things I’m Loving in January 2015

Posted on 26 January, 2015 by liivih | Leave a comment

I want to make this blog a little different in that it’s not just about the serious health stuff. I want to share some fun things too! Maybe even a little fashion, music, and other fun lifestyle stuff.

These things are actually very important for primal lifestyle design, because they play a big role in personal development and the ‘lighter side’ of a primal lifestyle – meaning the social, play-related side.

I also find I’m always curious about the real NITTY-GRITTY of someone’s day to day lifestyle. Like what they ate for breakfast, or what sort of relaxation tools they use. I mean the actual specific things or strategies, not just general philosophy.

So I hope you find the “Things I Love” series fun, useful and insightful! Hopefully we can find even more things to relate to each other with, beyond just our nutrition obsession :) Plus I’d like to strike up a discussion in the comments where we can share our favourite go-to’s, latest discoveries and best tips.

LISTENING: Asgeir Trausti

Sooo the other night, I listened to Asgeir’s album 3 times in a row in English, then twice in a row in Icelandic, and then once more in English. Obsessed much?? The more I listen, the more I love… Check out his album here or grab a copy here. Plus I totally dig his tats ;) Let me know in the comments what you’re listening to lately!

READING: The 5 Love Languages

Personal development and relationship development is a big part of primal lifestyle design. I had heard that this book is great for understanding one’s partner’s needs and ensuring they feel loved in the particular way that they most relate with and value. I think continuing to consciously cultivate one’s relationship is vital, so Will and I are reading this book this month! Check out a copy here.

EATING: Grass-fed beef bone broth

I’m healing my teeth and keeping my joints and gut healthy this month (and every month) with bone broth! Check out my tips here on how to always some ready to go in the fridge. Find out where to grab properly-raised meat in your area with farmmatch.com or eatwild.com. I know there’s also US Wellness Meats in the states, but haven’t found a good online supplier in Canada. Let me know if you know of one! Also, you’ll be needing a crock pot! (aka slow cooker). Do yourself a favour and get this pretty one, which won’t be such an unsightly beast in your kitchen ;)

USING: Immunity & Metabolic blends

These doTerra oils are serving 2 important purposes for me this month. Slim & Sassy is helping me cleanse toxins and lose some paunch collected over the holidays. OnGuard is helping us keep our immune systems working optimally. Neither of us have gotten sick yet this season! Despite being around LOTS of sick people, like over Christmas when my little sister was literally coughing germs all over my face. I was just like bring it on! I feel iron-clad! Here’s how to get your paws on these essential oils.

DRINKING: DIY Rooibos Latte

I love crafting deluxe teas and coffees at home. I’m often making fatty coffees on weekend mornings, but I’m always looking for caffeine-free options to enjoy later in the day or as dessert. Rooibos has lots of antioxidants and minerals and I love the flavour. I made Will a latte with a little cinnamon this evening and he said it tasted like ‘baked apples’ – yum! Just heat up some milk on the stove until slightly steaming, then shake it in a jar and pour on top of the tea in a mug. Grab some good rooibos tea here.

WEARING: Big Infinity Scarves

I am basically permanently wearing a big chunky scarf like this in the winter. Like I basically have no neck. It’s so cozy and I love all the textures and colours. Usually I layer a big scarf with a long top or sweater, leggings and boots. Plus a long necklace with some natural stone or amber, and some fun earrings. That’s my winter uniform!

Let me know in the comments what your ‘winter uniform’ go-to outfit is! :)

MOVING: Biking in the snow & Yoga with Adriene

I’ve just made the decision recently to not let the cold weather keep me off the roads with my bike. Public transport in Toronto is frustrating to say the least, so biking is free, faster and keeps me moving! I’m still in the process of figuring out my perfect winter biking gear combo…Let me know if you have any pro tips!

Yoga with Adriene is often my go-to for indoor movement or restful exercise. I love her genuine personality and how she instructs. Oftentimes the way she describes a pose makes me adjust my body slightly and then I go “ohhhh, that’s how that’s supposed to feel!” I love Yoga with Adriene!

RELAXING: Beeswax candles

I absolutely LOVE beeswax candles. They smell SOO nice (like honey!) and they have so many benefits. Turns out regular paraffin candles are pretty darn toxic (!!) since they’re made from the sludge in the bottom of oil barrels and are subjected to various chemical processes, resulting in a carcinogen-emitting abomination. I wish I would’ve known that a long time ago! I totally used to crank through those cheap tealights from Ikea. Anyway! Beeswax is awesome, it purifies the air and helps against allergies. Grab some here and get burning! Using candles at night is great for a calming atmosphere to get away from blue-light pollution and enhance sleep.

Share what you’re loving below

Well that’s a wrap folks? What are you loving this month? Any great discoveries or lessons learned? I’d love to hear from you ;) or share on the Thrive Primal Facebook page!

How to wash your hair with DIY egg shampoo (no-poo alternative)

Posted on 9 January, 2015 by liivih | 2 comments

Over the past couple of years, Will and I have been getting more and more “crunchy”. Eschewing commercial cleaning and self-care products, and instead making our own, or sometimes just foregoing them altogether :)

The time that I didn’t wash my hair for 3 months…

I tried that foregoing thing with shampoo for awhile – I was determined to make my hair self-cleaning. I stuck it out for about 3 months, which I thought would surely be enough to let it adapt. Some days it looked ok, but mostly I looked like a drowned rat and felt pretty darn un-sexy.

The classic no-poo method

Previously to that I tried the no-poo method, which is baking soda mixed with some water and poured onto the scalp to cleanse, (rinse out), followed by some apple cider vinegar mixed with water and poured over the hair as a conditioner to balance the pH.

I didn’t mind this, but felt that after awhile it made my hair kind of dry and brittle. This is a common review if you google around a little bit.

Effective DIY natural no-poo alternatives; aka washing your hair with breakfast

Most blogs I’ve read lately have shared the most success with occasional baking soda/ACV washes, alternating with various natural food-based rinses and cleanses in between.

You could basically walk into a diner and rob some unsuspecting person of their breakfast, smoodge it all over your head, and walk out with clean hair.

You can wash your hair with:

kefir
rye flour
egg
coffee
honey

And any number of other items. Personally I’ve had great success with both rye flour, and an egg-honey mixture.

How to make DIY non-toxic egg & honey shampoo with essential oils

This is such a quick and easy process, just grab a bowl and get mixing.

crack a free range egg, grab the yolk with your fingers and put it in your bowl. (keep the white for something else if you like)
whip it up a bit with a fork, then mix in a heaping teaspoon of raw honey (if your honey is creamed, you may want to dilute it first with some warm water to soften it)
drop in 2-3 drops each of rosemary and lavender essential oil.
use comfortably warm (rather than hot) water in the shower so the egg doesn’t cook on your head

You will find your hair is silky and infused with protein to make it stronger. The honey is a good gentle cleanser, and the essential oils add strength, cleansing power and a nice scent as well.

My no-poo routine

Lately my routine looks something like this:

baking soda/ACV wash once a month
egg wash once every 1-2 weeks
rye flour wash 1-2 times per week

In between I just rinse my hair with water, or preen it using my natural boar-bristle brush, or use a little dry shampoo (I just use baby powder).

Pretty easy, non-toxic, and it keeps your hair healthy with a variety of different nourishing, natural cleansers and conditioners.

One last tip: coconut oil for hair

If you find the ends of your hair get dry, try this:

Wet your hair in the shower
Scoop out a little bit of coconut oil and rub just through the ends of your wet hair
Continue with your chosen no-poo cleansing method and rinse well

Your ends should be just conditioned and moisturized enough, without getting a greasy ratbag head from too much coconut oil. The key is to put it on the ends only!

How is no-poo shampoo working for you?

Have you been experimenting with any DIY non-toxic natural shampoo alternatives? What’s working for your hair type? Are you finding balance in your routine? Please share so we can all help each other out!

2 Comments

Posted in Natural Self Care

Tagged alternative, DIY, egg, essential oils, honey, natural, no-poo, no-poo hair shampoo, non-toxic, shampoo

How to find relief from stress and anxiety with essential oils

Posted on 6 January, 2015 by liivih | Leave a comment

This is a follow-up to my previous post on anxiety. In addition to breathing techniques, music and other strategies I’ve talked about before, I’ve recently discovered the wonderful potential of essential oils.

Not just a pretty scent…

We all understand that smelling something pretty, like inhaling the perfume of a rose for example, makes you feel happy. But it’s worth understanding a little deeper, because the therapeutic power of essential oils goes a lot further than that.

Without going too deep into the sciencey part, when your nose detects a scent, it means that tiny molecules have evaporated from an object, and entered your nose. The molecules interlock with specialized receptors and communicate with the brain through the olfactory bulb. This captures information from the scent molecules, and actually helps to form and record memories.

Ever had a sudden flashback from smelling an aroma wafting from a restaurant, or the perfume of someone walking by? I can totally recall the moldy, nasty but comfort-inducing scent of my parents’ old minivan, for example (lol). When you think about it, scent has a profound effect on our memories, feelings and emotions.

What you inhale affects your health

We all understand that inhaling bad molecules from the air can negatively affect our health. Car exhaust, glue fumes, poison gases, cigarette smoke, mold spores and airborne viruses for example. We easily acknowledge that these things, which we can’t see with our naked eye, wreak havoc on our health when we smell and inhale them into the body.

So what if good, happy, healthy airborne molecules could do the opposite? Re-program our system for better balance and energy, and help prevent and reverse illness? Well surprise, they can! Essential oils are the lifeblood of plants; they are the substances that help protect and support the successful growth of the plant. When they are harvested through gentle methods from excellent quality plants, they form wonderfully rich natural medicines for the human body.

And it doesn’t stop there…

Out of all five senses, smell is the only one directly linked to the limbic system in the brain, which is our emotional control center. The limbic system is directly connected to the parts of the brain that control heart rate, digestion, blood pressure, breathing, stress levels, arousal, and hormone balance. What this means is that essential oil molecules can impact not just emotion, but the body’s physical function.

All of these physical functions compile to form the body’s sympathetic and asympathetic nervous systems. The asympathetic system is the one you want to activate to calm down and turn off the stress response. Influencing the limbic system with essential oils is one way you can directly activate the asympathetic nervous system, like pressing a “chill out” button.

In summary, the use of therapeutic grade essential oils can have profound effects on our physical and emotional well-being. Recent research is showing that essential oils may help relieve symptoms just as effectively as medication, but without the side effects of anxiety drugs.

The best essential oils for anxiety and stress relief

Frankincense

Frankincense is a beautiful, warm woody oil distilled from the sap of the boswellia tree. The sap is sustainably harvested in crystal form, as shown here. Then it’s steamed and the distilled oil is collected.

The sesquiterpene molecules in frankincense help calm anxiety and create feelings of joy and happiness, by stimulating healthy neurotransmitter and hormone production from the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands.

I like to rub frankincense on my face as it helps smooth and heal the skin, and that way I can inhale its calming scent and get a prettier complexion while I’m at it.

Lavender

Lavender oil is distilled from the flowering tips of the lavender plant. Hundreds of pounds are collected and steamed to make the precious essential oil.

Lavender oil has been commonly used for centuries as an antiseptic, a natural antibiotic, an insect repellent and a calming sedative.

Lavender is well-known as a natural sleep aid to bring relief from insomnia. I like to put a few drops on my pillow before I go to bed, or add some to my epsom salt bath water.

During the day I also mix a few drops with a little bit of frankincense and rub on the back of my neck. This is a nice stress-relieving ritual; take a few deep breaths as you massage your neck and clear your mind a bit. The warmth of the skin helps waft the calming aroma into the air.

Citrus Oils

Citrus oils are made by distilling the oil-rich peels of fruits such as Sweet Orange, Bergamot, and Lemon.

They are excellent for the purpose of uplifting the mood, creating a sense of well-being and chasing away those dark shadows in the corners of an anxious mind. They are said to aid in the body’s ability to respond to stress and also help with circulation and detox.

I like to diffuse these oils at home for a freshening and uplifting vibe. You can also add a drop of therapeutic-grade citrus essential oils to your drinking water or to recipes.

Quality is important

Please take into account the quality of the essential oils you purchase. By using natural medicine you are already saving a huge amount of expense on conventional medical care, plus the lost time you would have wasted with being sick, plus the side effects and toxicity that medications place on the body.

So it’s worth investing in the best quality essential oils to apply and inhale into your one precious body.

Drug-store or health food store grade oils are often laced with synthetics and they have very few quality standards applied. I choose to respect my body and my health, and in turn get the best results (!) by only using the best essential oils. Here is where I buy mine.

Please share your tips…

What oils do you like to use to relieve stress and anxiety? What strategies do you combine with essential oils? Please share so we can all help each other! :)

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