Getting Started with Essential Oils

Todays post is a special gift from a new-found friend! Donna McGee from Donnatrition Wellness! This amazing woman was able to heal herself from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome using nutrition!! Please check out her story/ amazing recipes/ and essential oil info HERE. You can also click the link on the side of my page to connect with her!!!

What Are Essential Oils?
If you have ever enjoyed the scent of a flower, you have experienced the aromatic properties of essential oils. These aromatic compounds are found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, and flowers of plants. Essential oils provide plants with protection against environmental threats and play a role in plant pollination. Essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health-care practices.

The use of essential oils is not new, there are records of their use thousands of years ago. But they have gained more popularity in recent years as people move away from artificial, chemical laden products in the homes and lives.

When I first started using essential oils I had no idea of what I was doing or where to even start. There were so many different essential oils and essential oil companies it was mind-boggling. So I started out on a journey to learn as much as I could. My search turned up these basic principles:

Everyone Has To Start Somewhere.
Most of us have not grown up using essential oils and that’s okay. You are not alone on your journey of understanding. I will help guide you through the terminology, jargon, recipes and the excitement of using essential oils.

Not All Essential Oils Are Created Equal.
It takes a lot, and I mean a lot, of raw material to make a small amount of essential oil. Therefore, if you find a cheap oil it is probably not a high quality one. Possibly even containing synthetic chemicals. You want to get an oil that is always 100 percent pure therapeutic grade, especially if you are going to use them internally. (More on that later.) You can find the ones I personally use here.

Start With A Few Oils.
The world of essential oils is vast and it is easy to get overwhelmed. Start with a few fragrances that you are familiar with, such as lavender or one of several citrus oils. There are also beginner kits that contain several essential oils along with suggestions for use. The kit I would recommend to start with is this collection of ten nurturing essential oils, including six single oils and four blends. It gives you a good variety of commonly used oils.

History of Essential Oils.
People have been using Essential Oils for over 5,000 years, and scientist, researchers and physicians are just now discovering their potential power. Records show they were use in Egypt, China, Rome, Greece, and other regions in their religious ceremonies, cosmetics. and for medicinal purposes.

In 1922, archeologist Howard Carter and his team discovered the tomb of King Tut. As he surveyed the contents to the tomb, he found 35 alabaster jars had contained scented oils and unguents that had been stolen during a robbery of the tomb.

Essential oils are the natural oils found in many plants, trees and seeds. They come from the many different parts including flowers, leaves, bark, roots, sap and peels. You know the smell of a rose when you passed by? You are smelling the essential oil in the flower. In addition to giving plants their distinctive smells, essential oils provide plants with protection against predators and disease and play a role in plant pollination.

Essential oils are both small in molecular size and contain a chemical called sesquiterpenes. These chemicals are known to be able pass through the blood-brain barrier. This allows the essential oils to interact with the brain cells, unlike most pharmaceutical drugs.

How Use Essential Oils.
Essential oils are used for a very wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used a single oil at a time or in complex blends in one of three methods:

Inhalation

Certain essential oils, when diffused, can be very stimulating, while others can be calming and soothing. Diffusing essential oils can also cleanse and purify the air of unwanted odors. Some ways to inhale essential oils are:

Diffusing for an entire room or home. (Ideally for oils that are energizing, antimicrobial, promoting memory and focus, relaxing. Example: lemon, lavender, rosemary.)

Direct inhalation for personal benefits. This can be done with an inhaler or by directly smelling from the bottle. You can also put a drop or two in the palm of your hands and rub them together and then place your cupped hands over your nose and breathe in. I personally use this method for my headaches, sinuses, and when I’m fatigued. (Ideally for personal benefit such as clear breathing, focus, anxiety, headaches, and stress relief. Example: eucalyptus, bergamot, peppermint.)

Steam inhalation, also considered direct inhalation, involves using a bowl of steaming water with a few drops of essential oils in it that you hold your head over with a towel draped over your head forming a tent. (Ideally for clearing the nasal passages and respiratory system. Great for clogged sinuses. Example: eucalyptus, lemon, Melaleuca.)

Sprays have benefits of both inhalation and, in the case of antimicrobial oils, surface cleaning benefits. Combine essential oils, alcohol or witch hazel and distilled water in a spray bottle. Shake well before using and spritz on surfaces, in the air, on clothes or linens as desired. (Ideally for air freshening, cleaning, antimicrobial purposes, and body sprays, and even topical anti-inflammatory benefits and healing. Example: Melaleuca, lemon, thyme. )

Topical

Essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin, hair, and nails and can be safely applied topically. (Some oils should not be applied to the skin without first diluting them with a carrier oil such as Fractionated Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, or Olive Oil.) Some ways to use essential oils topically are:

Direct oils are applied directly on the area of concern. Because the oils are so potent, more is not necessarily better. Usually 1 to 3 drops of oil are adequate. For larger areas mix with a carrier oil.

Massage for stimulation of muscles, skin and connective tissue using a variety of techniques to help promote healing, balance and connections. Massage can be invigorating, relaxing, stimulating or soothing and using essential oils can enhance these benefits.

Reflexology/Reflex Therapy is a simple method of applying essential oils to contact points (or nerve endings, reflex points) in the hands or feet. The oils either help remove blockages along the pathways or travel the pathways to benefit the particular organ in question.

Auricular Therapy oils are applied to the various point on the rim of the ears to effect changes on internal body parts. Small amounts of oil are applied and then stimulated with the fingers or with a glass rod.

Compresses fill a basin with hot or cold water and add the desired essential oils. Stir the water vigorously and then lay a towel on top of the water. The oils will float on top of the water and so the towel will soak them up with the water. Once the towel is saturated, wring out the excess water and place the towel over the area needing the compress. For a hot compress, cover with a dry towel and a hot water bottle. For a cold compress cover with a piece of plastic wrap and an ice pack.

Additionally, after a massage, you can apply the hot wet towel and then a dry towel on top of the massaged area. The moist heat will force the oils deeper into the tissues of the body.

Baths essential oils can be added to the bath water in a tub, in Bath and Shower Gel, Bath Salts, on a washcloth or as a body spray.

Internal

Certain essential oils have a rich culinary history and can be used as dietary supplements for targeted wellness. Only pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils should be used for internal consumption. Other oils on the market could be diluted or processed using harmful chemicals not intended for internal use. Some ways to use essential oils internally are:

Sublingual one of the most effective way to take essential oils internally. Place a drop or two of essential oil under the tongue where blood capillaries are close to the surface. Many oil constituents are able to pass directly into the bloodstream, where they can quickly travel to the different areas of the body where they are needed. This enables rapid absorptions and bypasses the digestive system and the first-pass metabolism in the lives.

Capsules essential oils can be placed inside an empty capsule and then swallowing it. It is common to dilute the pure essential oil by filling the remainder of the capsule with olive oil before closing and swallowing. This is an effective way of taking oils that have a less than desirable taste.

Beverages offer an easy way to take essential oils internally. Place 1 drop of essential oil in 1 to 4 cups of almond milk, coconut milk or water before drinking. I personally put essential oils in my smoothies before blending.

Cooking essential oils can be easily incorporated into your cooking. But remember they are VERY concentrated and usually you only want to add 1 drop or less. Use a toothpick to help control the addition of smaller amounts of oil by dipping the toothpick into the oil and then stirring it into the food.

Bottom Line.
Essential oils are both exciting and promising when it comes to taking care of your own and your family’s health. Whether you’re applying essential oils topically, enjoying the aromatic benefits through diffusing, or taking essential oils internally, the positive effects of essential oils are boundless.

That’s why you’ll want to ensure that the essential oils you are using are capable of delivering on their promise. You’ll want to make sure that you are choosing essential oils for their potency and their purity.

And remember never stop learning, the more we learn the better we can use essential oils to their fullest benefit.

These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
Pregnant or lactating women and persons with known medical conditions should consult a physician prior to the use of any of these products.

Thanks so much to Donna for sharing this wealth of knowledge with us and check her out!!! Share below in the comments any experiences you have had using essential oils along with any more info or topics you would like to know more about!

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Angela in Diet, Guest Blog, Nutrition Leave a comment

Spice It Up!

If the only spices you have in your cupboard are salt and pepper, it is time for you to “Kick it up a notch!” Cooking with fresh herbs not only makes adds fragrance, color, and curb appeal to your dish; but, it enhances the flavor.

I never used fresh herbs because the dried herbs seemed simpler and less expensive, but it’s cheap if you plant your own herb garden. Spring is the perfect time to do just that! This year, I decided to start my garden from seeds indoors and it has been much cheaper. I only have my spinach in the ground as of now. Here are all my early vegetable starts–radish, pepper, tomato, zucchini, cucumber, onion, beets, squash—

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and here are my herb starts—

basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, chives, oregano, thyme, mint

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Here is how easy it is to start your own herb garden…..AND FUN! Here are just a few of the most commonly used herbs:

Rosemary: My personal favorite. It is an annual (have to replant it each year), but can grow from late May thru August. It can flourish with little watering and even though it prefers full sun it can tolerate slightly shady areas.

Basil: It is also an annual, but once it “takes off” there is no stopping it. Plant it in various stages. In other words, plant one or two in May and then another in June and maybe even July. You can never have too much basil. At the end of the season, you can take what is left before the first freeze and make pesto sauce. (I will tell you how to do that later, when we get to that point.) Basil needs lots of sun and normal watering. The most important thing to remember is to always take from the top. You never want it to flower, so keep pinching the tops off.

Chives: Yea! Chives are a perennial (comes back without replanting) so if you get a good base and established roots, they will come back time and time again. Chives are a gimme. It likes sun, but can tolerate it at dusk or dawn. For best results you should divide your root “clumps” every 2-3 years.

Cilantro: Not so easy and personally I think the hardest herb to grow. It too, is an annual. Plant it in early spring. It does great until the end of May and then dies off. At that point I go to market and buy it at a dollar a bunch. Not worth the headache at that price.

Dill: It is technically an annual. However, I have seen dill “pop-up” throughout my yard via the seed that float through air after the season is over. It is pretty easy to grow. Like Rosemary, it prefers sun, but can grow in the shade.

Mint: It is a perennial and will take over your entire yard. Therefore, I would recommend growing it in a pot or other controlled environment. Especially, since I don’t know very many uses for it other than it is fabulous in juicing and beverages/desserts. It likes sun, shade, rain, no rain….beware.

Oregano: Is also a perennial that needs to be controlled or it will turn into fragrant ground cover. Now while there are several more uses for oregano, you need to be sure to keep it contained year after year. Like mint, it requires no TLC and is happy to get what it gets in hopes of being “picked” for that next marinade.

Parsley. It is a perennial. It is one of the most commonly used herbs. In fact, it is probably the only one that most people use fresh or regularly with salt and pepper. I always keep it in my garden mainly for color. It honestly costs about $ .75 a bunch at the store.

Sage. It is a perennial that demands little care. Most importantly, at the end of the season, cut the stems and split the roots periodically through the years. It likes sun or shade. Are you beginning to sense a trend….perennials are a piece of cake!

Thyme. Last but not least. It can come back, but it does demand care. It is a slow-growing herb so it’s only request is to keep weeds and all other herbs AWAY! It needs its space.

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Angela in Diet, Green Living, Guest Blog, Nutrition, Organic, vegan, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Diminishing Returns!

I love some of Dee’s older posts that are so insightful on how we are brain washed into thinking we need to eat so much. It is a complete attack on all of our senses—

Dee writes:

Our wonderful country has transformed into one in which many fortunate citizens are overindulged, overstocked and overfed. I see so many kids who have such an air of entitlement. Many of us use money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need. There is this great sense of getting more, needing more, wanting more. Restaurants and fast food chains jump right into the game of giving us what we want. When you look at a commercial for, lets say, a pancake house you can see exactly what I mean. First, they give you the price of something-99 and then you see the combo – stack of pancakes, two kinds of meat, two eggs and a side of home fries. All of this is for one person. This is such a common assortment of food and it is set up to please every part of the palette, that we really don’t stop to realize that the Grand Slam could easily satisfy the hunger of three or four adults. I know that when I am presented with the option of such a meal, I act before I think…I don’t want to do without the potatoes, and the savory, salty, crispy bacon tastes so great; it all goes really well with scrambled eggs and then there is the warm, fluffy texture of melt-in-your-mouth pancakes – a wonderful symphony of food. The truth is, I’ve had MANY weekday breakfasts that consisted of one hard-boiled egg. And that was a sufficient bit of food to hold me over from morning until lunch. But when we have all of this bundled into one fine presentation there are a couple of things that food marketers use to sabotage our senses. First, there is the “value” catch. For $2, I can order one egg but for another $1.50 I can make it a sandwich with cheese and bacon and for a total of $5 bucks, it comes with tater-tots and a small OJ. So I might have only wanted or needed one egg, but I choose the whole lot. Second, there’s the waste factor. Now that I’ve ordered all of this food, at a bargain price, I need to eat it all as to not waste it. I may have realized I’m full after barely starting to consume the meal, but there are only two alternatives once it’s in front of me – throw perfectly good food into the garbage or eat it.

Now back to the title of my blog, “diminishing returns.” Wouldn’t you say that the very first bite of a piece of chocolate cake is the best bite? The second one is pretty good, and maybe the third. By three bites your mouth is very happy and has had a good chance to fully experience the great flavor. The more you eat, the less fabulous the taste. While the flavor is still good, these subsequent bites from number three to clean plate are really somewhat mechanical, you just keep going and going until the food is gone without the ability to savor the dish as you did with bites one through three. If you order a meal at most restaurants, get a carry out container right up front to box half for another meal. You’ll be amazed to see how many double portion meals you get and how full you feel after only eating half.

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Angela in Body, Diet, Guest Blog, Nutrition, Organic, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

I killed it!!!

So after beating myself up last week for the Epic Kroger fail— I decided that meal planning was a must on the weekends. It’s just too busy during the week to be a superhero. I made the Panera copy cat egg / avocado/tomato breakfast sandwiches (sans bread) and had some healthy dinners. We managed to eat well despite softball games and band practice. This last weekend was perfect for meal prep as well because I was able to prep quite a few meals and watch an entire season of “Beat Bobby Flay” at the same time (dang-that guy aways wins).

So here is how this weekend’s prep started:

: Tomato/Cucumber/Alfalfa Sprouts/Radish/Tomato/Carrots/Bean Sprouts/Romaine

: Raw Organic Ingredients

These suddenly became a Pinterest Win! (Most of my Pinterest creations are a little sad)

Yep —you got it !!!! Salad jars! Some dressing at the bottom to keep them fresh and they became lunch for the week. They surprisingly stay really fresh!

NEXT—

A Mediterranean Chicken Casserole :

We ate it for dinner (even the kids liked it) and then I took leftovers for lunch- it was uber easy my friends!

1 Whole Organic Pastured chicken (can bake or boil)–or a cheat is to buy the healthiest rotisserie chicken you can find

1 can of black olives rinsed well and sliced

1 can of artichokes rinsed well and sliced

1 carton of organic grape tomatoes

1 handful fresh chopped organic spinach

2 chopped organic zucchini

1 TBS of primal kitchen avocado mayo

(add a dash of lemon juice to keep avocado from browning)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350—

Combine all the ingredients and place in a baking dish — then cook covered 25-30min until hot —

VOILA— easy peasy dinner is served —

NOTE: You can use the HOMEMADE MAYO recipe found HERE -as well. I was just lazy.

You can order the primal avocado mayo here or find it in the Angela MD store off the home page of the blog along with other supplements and books I recommend.

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As always– leave me some comments below on any new make ahead recipes you have found! I love your feedback and participation. We are all in this together!!!!

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Angela in Diet, Nutrition, Organic, Weight Loss 2 Comments

Breaking up is hard to do

Here is one of my favorite post’s of Dee’s– such a funny gal!! I thought this would be appropriate on Cinco de Mayo after most of us have been splurging with nachos and margaritas!

I’m Breaking Up with You

Nothing personal. We’ve had a great relationship. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m sorry for the short notice but I’m feeling brave today. It’s been a blast to hang out together after work every night. Remember how fun it was to crank up the stereo and clean the house and then as a reward for a great day OR as a consolation for a stressful day OR as a routine for a routine day…we drank together at night. But I have to move on and get control of my health and many of my bad eating choices have been in your company. You introduced me to your friends: Wings, Nachos, Pizza and Chips. I’m dumping them too. Don’t call or text or yell out to me when we see each other at the grocery store because I will ignore you. I’m better than you…no offense.

Thanks Dee—I know relationships can be hard.

I had considered taking your sloppy seconds but then I met Kale and Broccoli. They are both so wonderful, I can’t choose. I’m going for the threesome! Please don’t judge!

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Angela in Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss 2 Comments

Meet Dee- She needs shoes!

A few years ago, I introduced you to my dear friend Dee. She invited us on her weight loss journey and did quite a few posts regarding her story. I just wanted to repost a few of these because:

1. I miss Dee!!

2. I always love her posts and admire how real and down to earth she is! Hope you enjoy them as well.

Dee is a mom! Dee wants to lose weight. Dee believes we need to eat healthy. I love Dee. She has invited us to follow her weight loss journey with her because she can’t see her feet! Please follow her amazing posts with me! She is inspiring! And to Dee, thank you for admitting that you aren’t perfect and this isn’t an easy thing to do! We should all have that much integrity.

Dee writes:

Funny how people are ashamed to share their weight. I don’t mind telling people who I weigh 190 pounds. When I’m speaking to someone and the issue of health or weight comes up, I freely share my weight…the real number. I share my age too, 49. People are sometimes surprised that I’m 49, but no one has ever reacted surprisingly to the 50 extra pounds. I’m guessing it’s because if they are speaking to me in person, they can see the extra pounds…mostly around my middle. I don’t like this section of me but I’ve gotten used to it. I chose this photo, taken from my chin looking down to show you what I see when I look at my shoes. Get it? No shoes. I’d like to see my shoes and have started a new goal to get there. After years and years of dieting, I am a diet expert. Most overweight people are diet experts. The trick isn’t knowing what to do, it’s doing it. If you want to jump into the journey, I would love the company. It might not always be pretty, but it will always be real.