Essential Oils--The Top Five from "Oily Mom" aka Patti Dolan

Hello!   I am Patti Dolan, a busy mom of two boys, happily married to a wonderful husband.  I am a registered nurse and a Christian yoga instructor. I'm known as the "Oily Mom" because I'm also a  Young Living Essential Oils Independent Distributor. 

Essential oils are the essence from plants, flowers, trees, roots and seeds. Used since Biblical times, they're known for their life-enhancing, healing properties. 

I am going to share with you my FIVE favorite oils that I use for my family --these five oils have literally replace my medicine cabinet!

#1! Peppermint: I use this topically, to cool fevers (placed on temples, nape of neck, and feet). We also drink a drop of peppermint in a glass of water to relieve tummy aches!

#2! Thieves:  This is a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.  My boys have this rubbed on their feet every night at bedtime for immunity protection.  We diffuse Thieves in our house in the winter and also add it to our water.  There is also a huge line of Thieves household cleaning products and personal care items (such as toothpaste).

#3!  Lavender:  I begin diffusing  lavender an hour before bedtime in each of our bedrooms to promote a relaxing environment for sleep.  (LOVE the diffuser, because it will turn off a few hours later on its own after we are all in dreamland.)  Lavender provides itch-relief from bug bites and if applied quickly, can help keep a burn from blistering.

#4!  Lemon:  Each morning, before I put anything else in my system, I drink a large glass of water with 1 or 2 drops of lemon.  Why?  Our bodies are generally acidic.   This drop of lemon in water helps alkalinize our body.  Research has shown that cancer cells can develop and grow more rapidly in an acidic environment.

#5!  Panaway:  This is a blend of wintergreen, helichrysum, clove and peppermint.  I use this for everyday muscle aches, pains, or headaches.  Soothing and cooling - Love, Love, Love it!!!

 

 

Well, these are my favorites in a nutshell. There are literally hundreds more available. 

 

From time to time Patti receives a $20 voucher.  If you're interested or you'd like more information on essential oils and Young Living, email Patti: at dpsad95@gmail.com. Check out her Facebook page.
(Please note, the publisher of this blog receives no compensation from this product.)

God Bless!!!

Patti

Feeling Emotional? Show it!

Dr. Lauri Nummenmaa,
Aalto University School of Science

 

As an emotional person, I found the following article "Study Finds Emotions Can Be Mapped to the Body" (by @ Shannon Firth), fascinating.

 

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, was conducted by Finnish researchers in an attempt to determine if emotions cause universal physical reactions.  (A simplistic example: Do most people feel "butterflies in their stomach" when they are nervous?)

 

The study included 701 participants.   Using words, stories, movies, and expressions to illicit emotions, the participants were then asked to highlight their physical sensations on two human -shaped silhouettes. (Note: the sensations were based on a participants' "perceived physical reaction" and were not monitored or confirmed medically.) One silhouette was to be used to depict increasing sensations, the other to depict decreasing sensations.   Body parts colored red indicated the most intense sensations, yellow were strong, blue meant dulled sensations, black equated to absent sensation.  

 

 

Emotions Mapped:

ANGER     FEAR     DISGUST     HAPPINESS     SADNESS     SURPRISE      NEUTRAL

ANXIETY     LOVE      DEPRESSION      CONTEMPT     PRIDE     SHAME     ENVY

 

 

Visit Emotions Mapped to see the results.

 

Find Actual Study Here

 

Feeling Emotional?   Click here for Middle-Stage Mom's version:

              





 (For entertainment purposes only)

Crying Kids? Encourage it.

 

 

 

Well, maybe not always.   Crying for attention, show or just plain whining, isn't quite what I'm referring to.

 

 

However, crying emotional tears (genuine frustration, anger, sadness) is very healthy and important--even for boys!  Your moody teen?   The perfect example of someone who should be allowed to cry--and often.  (Just think back to your pregnancy and those wacky fluctuating emotions.)

Research shows emotional tears release harmful chemicals and stressors from our bodies. They also contain natural endorphins, painkillers and antidepressant chemicals.   For more detailed information visit: Go Ahead and Cry

One New Thing

. 


Learn to Bird Watch

We all want to make improvements in our lives (at least, we should want to).

So, why not set up a challenge? Just one itty-bitty trial a day.  Is there any fear you've wanted to conquer?  A hobby you've wanted to take on?  

I'd like to give credit where it's due.  This idea came from my teenager prior to her first year of middle school.  I remember how frightened she was (and excited).  Yet by the end of the week, she'd met plenty of new friends (as did most of the other children). 

What I didn't know was that she had made a pledge to say "hello" and compliment one new person every day.  Every day. 

So, what's your challenge going to be? 

 

• -striking up a conversation with someone in the grocery line
• -taking the elevator instead of the stairs (if you're scared of heights or claustrophobic) or
• taking the stairs instead of the elevator (if you want to start exercising)
• -learning one fancy word every day
• -learning a new language (one new word a day, one phrase a week)
• -starting a journal
• -applying for jobs you'd love, even if you don't meet all of the requirements
• -writing your spouse love notes
• -reading a famous novel
• -paying for an extra coffee and giving it to the person in line beyond you
• -signing up for a class you've always wanted to take
• -volunteering for something you believe in
• -sending hand-written notes to friends you haven't seen for years
• -apologizing to or forgiving someone
• -writing a paragraph a day, a page a week, a chapter a month, a novel in a year
• -helping a neighbor with a chore
• -scheduling an appointment for a physical, a massage, a mammogram, or whatever it is your body needs
• -trying a new food
• -swapping your unhealthy snack for a fresh piece of fruit
• -calling someone special just to say "I love you."
• -asking a friend about her day
• -creating a piece of art
• -learning to read music
• -playing the guitar

Share your own personal challenge in the comments section or see Your Words.

 

Exhausted?

Sleep deprived? You're not alone. 

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 30 to 40 percent of adults have insomnia symptoms at least once a year. 

Up to 15 percent of adults have chronic insomnia--they struggle every night with sleep. Another group of adults have chronic-intermittent insomnia, meaning they sleep well several nights in a row and then have a few bad nights. In fact, eleven different types of insomnia have been identified and cover those who can't fall asleep, those who can't stay asleep, and those who wake up too early and can't return to sleep.

Some of you might not even realize you have insomnia. But if you're a light sleeper who never makes it through the deep revitalizing stages of sleep, or if sleep apnea interrupts your sleep stages, you're likely to feel the exhausting effects.

Women are far more prone to insomnia than men. If you're tossing and turning at night, you don't need a list of how bad a restless night is for your body (you feel awful enough).  What you do need are tips to help you get a better night's sleep. Often the solution is as simple as determining the cause.

 Here's a list of many common causes of insomnia:

1. Parenting: It's not uncommon for parents, particularly mothers to disrupt their sleep cycle when caring for children. The disruption can come as early as pregnancy and continue as the mother tries to keep up with her baby's short sleep cycle. Even when a growing child requires more and more sleep, mom is the first one woken up after a nightmare of during an illness. Moms quickly adapt by becoming light sleepers.
2. Bad sleeping habits: Because we try to pack so much into each day, our sleep schedules suffer. Bedtime can vary by hours. Instead of slowing down at night and preparing our body for sleep, we increase our busyness. Other bad sleeping habits include watching TV in bed, reading and any electronic usage.
3. Hormones: Hormones can easily wreak havoc with sleep, particularly during pregnancy, menstruation, peri-menopause and menopause. Hormone imbalances are not limited to woman and could include problems stemming from improperly firing glands (thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, etc.)
4. Medicine: Many medications can affect sleep, including anti-depressants, one of the most often requested prescriptions. 

Additional causes of insomnia include pain, health issues, weight, sleep apnea, anxiety, grief, intestinal issues, GERD, and many more. 

What can you do if you're plagued by sleepless nights?
Talk to your doctor if you believe your medication, pain or a health issue is behind the insomnia. Changes in prescriptions or added prescriptions, such as GERD medication may solve the problem.   Depression, anxiety or grief can often be reduced through therapy and/or medication.  Make sure your doctor helps you choose a prescription that does not have the potential to aid insomnia.

Weight and sleep apnea are often (but not always) correlated.   While sleep apnea is extremely dangerous, surgery, weight loss and special breathing machines can help patients manage the problem. If you're not sure if you have sleep apnea, or can't pinpoint why you have insomnia, your doctor may suggest a sleep study.

Another great inducer of sleep is exercise. There are some caveats, however, especially if you have chronic insomnia. For more information, check out tomorrow's blog on a recent exercise/sleep study.

If you believe your insomnia is due to bad sleeping habits, the solution is often as simple as a sleep routine.

-pick a bedtime and stick with it, every night.

-wake up the same time every morning, even when you can sleep in.  Regulating your external schedule helps your body regulate its internal clock.

-lower the temperature in the bedroom. (We sleep better when our body temperature is lowered. The actual range of comfort varies among adults, but most specialists agree 60 to 68 degrees is optimal.)

-avoid caffeinated drinks/foods
 
-utilize a fan or white noise machine

-keep the room dark or wear an eye mask

-use your bed for sleep only (ummm, yes, sex is allowed--but that's it).  Over time, television, reading, electronics and brain stimulating activities convince your brain that a bed is not for sleeping. 

-if you have trouble falling asleep or wake up at night and can't go back to sleep, doctors often suggest getting out of bed and tending to a quiet activity: reading, writing, etc. The goal is to redirect your thoughts temporarily, wait for your body to "feel" tired again, and then return to bed.  

What about drugs?
Prescription medications are available for sleeping, including Ambien and Lunesta, but these are meant for short-term use. Such medications are often less effective over time.

Unisom, Tylenol PM and similar over-the-counter products contain diphenhydramine (the same ingredient found in Benadryl) and often work for light insomnia. Again, these should be used short-term for intermittent insomnia.  

Natural herbs and vitamins may also help. Some of the more common over-the-counter options include: valerian root, melatonin, chamomile, lemon balm, passion flower and many others.  And a warm glass of milk?  Perhaps it's not just a wives' tale.  Milk contains tryptophan, an important amino acid that raises serotonin and thus melatonin levels.

See your doctor if you're concerned about insomnia or your sleeping habits.  If you wake up every morning feeling exhausted, it may be a sign of poor sleep or sleep apnea.

Here is a useful link to NIH for more information on sleep

Exercising and Sleep

If you have insomnia, exercise can help-but don't expect immediate results. Research shows it's more likely to take months before the benefits kick in.  But the effort will pay off!

Here are some tips and information on a recent study that may eventually, with patience, lead to a great night's rest.  

First never exercise in the evening, it raises your core body temperature and your energy levels.   Morning workouts are fine, but studies show mid-afternoon workouts are actually the best. 

Also, note, that a new study conducted by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that while exercise definitely helps, it may take up to 16 weeks (four months) to see a difference.   But don't give up!  The biggest concern noted in the study was that the less sleep participants had (all women), the less they exercised. 

By the way, none of these women had an exercise program in place before the study.   The workout (usually walking on a treadmill) started slowly until the women were exercising just 30 minutes, about 4 days a week.  That's doable!  The women kept an exercise and sleep diary.  They also wore monitors that noted how long it took them to fall asleep, how often they woke at night, how long they slept and other useful information.   Eventually, the women improved their insomnia by adding a full 45 minutes to the length of their sleep. 


For any of you who haven't had the time, energy or luxury to implement an exercise program you now have a new incentive.  Why not start now?  Exercising, even walking 30 minutes every couple of days, offers too many benefits to lose out on.

Go Ahead and Have a Good Cry!

 

Do you hold back tears or are you an emotional waterfall? 

Despite decades of study, little is known about tears, but there’s no doubt crying is a healthy, natural and important process. 

Did you know that humans are the only animals who shed emotional tears?

For any of you who swear your favorite pet has actually wept, those tears were either lubricating (providing moisture) or irritant (cleansing) tears.  Humans have those types of tears too.  But, only people cry when sad, grieving, frustrated, tired, even happy. 

Biochemist and “tear expert” Dr. William Frey, at the Ramsey Medical Center in Minneapolis, discovered that emotional tears contain a 24 percent higher concentration of protein than reflex tears.  Researchers have yet to determine the full significance of these proteins, but note emotional tears also contain stress hormones including adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).  A predictor of stress, ACTH has been linked to high blood pressure, heart problems, peptic ulcers and other health issues.  Emotional tears also contain chemicals with antidepressant effects, and they stimulate the production of natural endorphins and painkillers.

Dr. Frey believes emotional tears allow us to physically release the chemicals that build up during stress.  “Crying is an excretory process, removing harmful materials or waste products.  Literally, we might be ‘crying it out.’”

Really, it doesn't take a scientist to tell us crying makes us feel better. Most women agree they feel more emotionally balanced after a good cry.  Other women use meditation, exercise or venting to a trusted friend to achieve the same emotional release.   All of these activities have been found to produce hormones, endorphins and other neurochemicals that relieve anxiety and elevate mood.

Poor men!  Studies show women cry four times more than men (on average once a week, compared to 1.4 times a month for men--although, honestly, I think I've seen my husband cry 1.4 times since we've been married!)   Hormones are likely the main reason for this discrepancy.  In adolescence, boys and girls cry about the same amount, until puberty takes over.  Crying is also a social issue.  It’s far more acceptable for a woman to cry, but men are discouraged from showing such emotion.   The protein prolactin may also be a factor.  Women have 60 percent higher levels of prolactin in their blood then men.  Another surprising fact:  men’s tear glands are smaller than women’s.

Don't Let Life Pass You By

Breast Cancer VACCINE!

Approximately one in eight (1 in 8) women will battle breast cancer.  This number is higher if you have a family history of breast cancer.   BRCA is a gene mutation that greatly increases a woman's chance of getting breast cancer (as well as other cancers including cervical and ovarian).   If you carry the gene, you can pass it on to your children--as can fathers.  (Note: this is the same mutation that caused Angelina Jolie to undergo a preventative mastectomy.)
 
Sadly, I'm somewhat familiar with this gene, as it runs in my husband's family. His mother had breast cancer, as well as his grandmother and thirty-year-old cousin (passed through her father).  His aunt had cervical cancer.   All are survivors except for his grandmother.  My nieces and two daughters are at risk.   Eventually we will have them tested for the gene.

However, a wonderful new opportunity may be available for women in the future, including BRCA carriers.   Dr. Vincent Tuohy (PhD), and his colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic are working on a vaccine that has shown promise against breast cancer in mice.  In addition to successfully reducing existing tumors in the mice, the vaccine appears to prevent the mice from getting breast cancer in the first place--including BRCA mice!

The vaccine probably won't be available to the public for another ten years.   Still, it's an incredible step toward these awful disease.  Even more exciting, this study could lead to protection against other forms of cancer.   

See the links below for information on the vaccine, as well as links to BRCA information and gene testing.

Breast Cancer Vaccine Cleveland Clinic
Prevention article on vaccine
BRCA information and gene testing

There is also a vaccine (NeuVax) that has successfully prevented the recurrence of breast cancer in survivors during trial phases.

NeuVax vaccine for breast cancer survivors

'Renew' receives no compensation from these links.

Winter Sun Safety

Skin Tips


Clouds do not stop dangerous ultraviolet rays.  And on sunny days, these harsh rays can reflect off concrete, water, snow and other surfaces. Like summer, winter rays are still the strongest during the middle of the day.  (If your shadow is shorter than you are, the UV rays are very strong.)

So grab the sunscreen, a hat, a good pair of sunglasses (100 % UV protection) and lip balm with SPF protection when you're outside.  SPF of 15 or higher is best.   And have you skin checked regularly by your doctor.

Understanding Sunscreen
Sun Protection Tips

Where will you live?

No Excuses

 

 

NOW is the time to make the changes you've always wanted.