Author: Linda Leath

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Away, away dry skin

Love your skin again!!

It is winter and those of us who have dry skin are fighting the cracks flaking and general misery. If you are one of the lucky ones who do not have this problem I salute and envy you. For the rest of us, dōTERRA has a few solutions.

The first is the dōTERRA SPA Exfoliating Body Scrub.


“The doTERRA SPA Exfoliating Body Scrub is a natural, indulgent body scrub that gently exfoliates and polishes skin with natural sugar cane, leaving a healthy, natural glow. Infused with CPTG® essential oils of Wild Orange, Grapefruit, and Ginger, this luxurious scrub provides a custom at-home spa experience that entices the senses, pampers the body, and warms the soul. Formulated with a rich blend of kukui, macadamia, and coconut oils, the doTERRA SPA Exfoliating Body Scrub not only removes dead skin cells through exfoliation, but replaces vital hydration to keep skin looking smooth and soft. “

I use this on my legs and arms, and it really does gently exfoliates the skin and leaves the skin with a smooth luxurious feeling. I love the smell it leaves after I rinse it off. The oil blend aroma of Wild Orange, Grapefruit, and Ginger is invigorating and warming.

The second recommendation is the dōTERRA SPA Replenishing Body Butter.

“Pamper your skin with the rich hydration and luxurious feel of the doTERRA SPA Replenishing Body Butter. The base of this natural formula combines shea and cocoa seed butters, known for their deep moisturization and ability to promote skin suppleness. Jojoba seed oil absorbs quickly into the skin and helps keep skin looking hydrated while avocado oil provides essential fatty acids to nourish and soften skin. CPTG® essential oils of Wild Orange, Douglas Fir, and Frankincense turn this indulgent formula into an intensely aromatic spa experience while providing purifying and rejuvenating benefits. “

This product contains coca seed butter, Shea butter, Jojoba seed oil, and Avocado oil along with the essential oils Wild Orange, Douglas Fir and Frankincense. This combination leaves the skin smooth, hydrated, balanced, and moisturized.

Since I have started using these products I no longer have flaky dry skin. My arms and legs are smooth and flake free. I feel pampered without the cost of an expensive spa treatment.

You can find both of these products at my business site.

http://my.doterra.com/integratedoils


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No one wants to be stuffy!!!

This has been the worst cold and flu season in years.

“As of Feb. 10, a total of 43 states continued to experience widespread flu activity, down from 48 the week before, according to the latest surveillance report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”  1Flu Season Shows First Signs of Slowing  WebMD

The incident map from CDC is also alarming.       CDC flu surveillance map

I know because I have had the flu or a severe upper respiratory infection  twice,  once in October, and again in January.  I am still fighting a sinus infection as a result.  I was having headaches, fever, chills and general malaise.  I was desperate at one point to open up my head and nothing seemed to work.  I tried several over the counter medicines, an finally  wound up in the Doctors office.  I am currently on a broad spectrum antibiotic and hopefully on the road to wellness.  Even though I do not go to the doctor unless desperate, I RECOMMEND being checked out by a Doctor or a secondary provider if you are suffering from flu like symptoms or symptoms of a sinus infection.  These can be very dangerous!!!  The secondary infections that result from a cold or flu should not be ignored.

So what else did I do?  I used my Essential Oils to relieve some of the symptoms.

To relieve the congestion, a couple of times a day I boiled water, poured it in a glass bowl and added Eucalyptus oil – two drops, Arborvitae oil – two drops  then carefully inhaled the steam.  It really helped, relieved the pressure and allowed my sinuses to drain.   So you ask , why those oils? Here is my rationale:
All of this information is taken from Modern Essentials  The Complete Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils    Ninth Edition  Available from Amazon.com

Eucalyptus Oil Properties -Analgesic, Antibacterial Anticatarrhal *, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiviral.  Eucalyptus is used in rubs for symptom relief.  This oil can be applied neat, with dilution (recommended for children and sensitive skin) or diffused or inhaled.
*Anticatarrhal combats catarrh or  inflammation of a mucous membrane in humans or animals; especially : one chronically affecting the human nose and air passages.

Arborvitae Oil Properties – Antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic. This oil can be applied with dilution or diffused.

Other oils that can be added to this are  Rosemary, antibacterial, anticatarrhal Thyme highly antibacterial,  Peppermint antibacterial, antiviral (prepare to be opened up) and Cinnamon.  Although I used Cinnamon in my mixture, and (inhaled carefully!!!) this oil is best applied with dilution to the feet or chest as it might irritate the mucus membranes.  Cinnamon has very strong antiviral and antibacterial properties.

As a side note, when my chest aches as in pleurisy, I rub Thyme neat (without dilution) on the affected areas and the ache goes away.  I smell like a pizza, but I feel much better.

So I hope this helps you.  If you want more information visit doTERRA Essential Oils

Or contact me at linda.leath@gmail.com

Thank you for reading this!!!!  Stay Healthy!!!!

 

 

 

 

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Why Wellness?

My name is Linda  and I hope this blog will be a forum for readers to share their ideas that help them maintain a good healthy lifestyle.

This is not a medical blog.  I do not diagnose. prescribe or advise.  My intention is to put new information and ideas here for consideration.  The idea is to share information  that may enable people like me who are concerned about their well-being  to take control of their wellness, health, and not break the bank.

I first became interested in alternative healthcare when I was in my thirties.  I found a book that discussed herbs, vitamins and minerals and their effect on overall health.  Up until then I had not realized how little I knew about the consequences  to health of poor diet and lack of sufficient vitamins and minerals. I grew up eating the typical southern diet that consisted of fried meats, overcooked vegetables and  breads made from refined flour. Biscuits and cornbread.   Delicious, but not nutritious.

I started using some of the suggestions in the book and realized that the information was not only accurate, but the vitamins and minerals worked!!!!

I will also write about essential oils and what I feel is their place in maintaining health.  Essential oils are concentrated herbs and offer the purest way to use the helpful properties of the plants that have been put on this earth to aid our well being.

I hope some of this information will be helpful and informative and I welcome suggestions.

 

 

 

 

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Small and large regrets or, aging is inevitable.

I admit it, I don’t like aging, or rather I do not mind getting older. Getting older is a gift. I just really do not like looking like it.  So I am a bit vain.
I like many women have searched for the miracle cure for aging. Companies bombard us with advertisements that this or that “wonder product” will reverse the signs of aging completely. Hogwash. Their models are 12 years old. Let us get real.

 

Question: Have you ever used a skin care product that, after  you saw the results you thought to yourself ” If I  had known about  this when I was younger, I would look great now!”  Well I  have.  Twice.  The first was a product line that is very expensive, as in arm and leg expensive. I am not quite that vain, or that rich.  it worked well, but was not budget friendly.  The second is a new  line of skincare that contains essential oils and worked as well as the expensive line. It is the new Verage skincare line.
The Verage line contains these products:
Cleanser, Toner,  Serum, and Moisturizer.
The key to the effectiveness of this line is the  Serum.  The oil blend serum  is a extremely healing blend of the finest oils available. This blend, exclusive to this company, really does enhance the body’s ability to heal. This blend can be purchased separately, and now  it is included in the Verage complete package. In addition the cleanser and moisturizer, to me, are less drying and more healing than other skin care lines
The Verage skincare sells retail for $112.67 retail, or 84.50 wholesale. And it lasts for more than a month.

If you would like more info:

Contact me at linda.leath@gmail.com for help, and comments

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Joy in the Morning

Or at least a little PEP!!!

Do you wake up foggy and bleary eyed in the morning?
I know there are many days I do.

Recently I learned some easy, inexpensive ways to wake myself up that do not involve excessive coffee, but DO involve Essential Oils.

 

Inhaled scents go directly to the Amygdala the seat of the emotions, and can enhance emotions and motivation.

First one:

Take  pure  Wild Orange oil and drop a few drops on your forearm.  Rub the arms together then inhale the scent.
Wild Orange will energize the mind and body. Also diffusing Wild Orange will energize and uplift the mind and body while purifying the air. It is a powerful antioxidant and purifier, and has a great scent.

Second one:

Pure therapeutic  Invigorating Blend, merges the benefits of citrus essential oils. We combine the powerful essences of Wild Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tangerine, and Clementine with a
hint of Vanilla Absolute to form this unique and harmonious blend.

Take this blend  and put 1 drop on your wrist and rub both wrists together for a great mood enhancing everyday perfume.  Put a few drops in the hands, rub them together and inhale the scent.

Oils enhance the body’s natural abilities to get out and face the day.

Use either of these oils to uplift your spirits and motivation.

Reference:

“Amygdala is the integrative center for emotions, emotional behavior, and motivation.”1

1.  http://neuroscience.uth.tmc.edu/s4/chapter06.html

 

Read more about the effects of scent on the body at http://wisechoiceliving.com/our-brains-and-aromatherapy/

Happy Living!!!!!!!

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The unkindest cut, or how I realized I needed to learn how to use a sharp knife, and keep oils handy when I do.

 

To begin with , I am a klutz, I freely admit it, and have been for most of my life. Grace is not my strong point. I know this about myself, and still I use knives.
I realized one day that my knives were not sharp, when I had to put my whole weight behind my chef’s knife to cut a baked chicken breast. at this point I was wishing I could find someone to sharpen my knives. At least find a reasonably priced knife to buy.
Then I found a whole set of knives, with covers even, at the Sams’s club. Eight knives for $20.00. Can you believe it? eight knives for the price of one good paring knife Well the bargain hunter in me could not pass this up. Gift from heaven. (smile).
I happily came home with my bargain, opened the knives and put them in my knife drawer.
All is well (or so I thought).
The next day I needed to chop something, so I get out one of my new knives and the first thing I do is slice my finger!!! I am not talking a small cut, I am talking a mini filet of the side of my finger. I was bleeding profusely and I probably needed a stitch.
I will not go into the gory details, and no I do not have pictures. I did not have time to go to the emergency room, (there would go my cost saving). So, I got out my trusty essential oils.
Helichrysum and Geranium both stop bleeding, so I used liberal amounts of those with pressure. When the bleeding stopped, I needed to treat the cut with something to prevent infection so I used the Protecting  blend. Myrrh, (very antiseptic) Lavender (healing) and Frankincense (healing and enhancing). Then I wrapped my finger in a band-aid and went about my merry way
My finger has healed, and I do not even have a scar. I am amazed. and pleased.
The healing properties of pure  therapeutic Essential Oils still amaze me.

Be sure to use only pure therapeutic essential oils, many oils cut with other oils and sometimes alcohol.  

 

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Go Go Away!!! (mosquitos that is)

I wrote this post several years ago, but I feel it should be revisited, after the rain an flooding we have had in many areas.  Plus there is new information to share, so I am posting this again.  LNL

The time of the mosquito is upon us.  There has already been an article in the local news
paper warning of the dangers of the Culex mosquito and West Nile Virus.  Scary stuff.
1.  Not go outdoors at dusk and dawn.
2.  Wear long-sleeved clothing.
3.  Eliminate standing water, the breeding ground for mosquitoes.
4.  Use a Mosquito repellent.

All of these are great suggestions.  I know because in 2007, I had West Nile Virus.

My husband and I were digging a Koi pond.  It was the Monday of  Labor Day weekend,  and it was hot, dry  and miserable.  We decided to take a break and soak in our hot tub, to relieve sore muscles.  As soon as we got in the tub I was attacked   by mosquitoes.  They LOVE me.  The pests bit me  several times, and I  decided enough is enough.  I went inside and cleaned up.

A day later I noticed one of the bites had become a very large whelp.  Over the next week, I began to break out in a rash.  The distinctive rash progressed over the week from my left arm, the site of the bite,  to my right arm, chest, abdomen, then my legs.  By the next Monday the rash was down to my toes, and I had a fever and a severe headache.  I wound up in the hospital with meningitis, or encephalitis, unknown cause.  When the diagnosis of West Nile Virus was made after three days, the doctors sent me home  There is no treatment for this virus.
I recovered, and I am thankful for that!!!!

I hope my story will be a warning to all who read this.  Use an insect repellent!!!!

Several products will work  and have  excellent repellent properties without  harmful chemicals.  One is the  Outdoor Blend.   This blend contains:
Skimmia Laureola, Catnip Plant, Amyris Bark, African Sandalwood, Cabrueva Balsam, Wild Orange Peel, White Fir Needle, Cedarwood, Citronella Herb, Eucalyptus Leaf/Stem, Hawaiian Sandalwood, Genet Absolute, and Rose Flower essential oils in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil.
All natural ingredients.
It does not contain harsh or dangerous chemicals and does not have the side effects of many of the over the counter repellents.  It is easy to use, easy to carry, and requires  just a few drops.  It can be mixed with a carrier oil or water  and sprayed on exposed areas.
For information on this Outdoor Blend ,  contact me.

Another natural repellent with no side effects  that I know works from personal experience  is Thistle Farms Rose Geranium Repellent.  It is available from http://store.thistlefarms.org/

Ordering from this group is an act of love for you (because the repellent really works) and for the people of  Thistle Farms.  These people do  wonderful work with women at risk.  “The products are made with the finest ingredients, by artisans who nourish and heal their bodies and souls through their work.”

Please visit their site for more information.  They have many fine products.  (unpaid ad, I admire and support what they do)

Stay safe outdoors, and enjoy your wonderful life!!!!

 

 

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Essential Oil Skin Care

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If you have  been researching how to fix and repair dry cracking skin, I have a natural inexpensive answer, and a simple recipe that really works.
I know personally this works, and works better than expensive costly creams.
I have always had dry skin, which was great when I was a teen.  Minimal acne.  However, now that I am older, not so great.
This past winter my fingers and feet cracked and bled.  I tried many things, and nothing helped.  I tried everything, I even consulted a doctor to see what might work .  The problem was, by the time I saw the doctor, I found something that really saved my poor skin. 

I was complaining bitterly to my grown daughter,  and she gave me a recipe to try.  I of course modified it, and I found that the combination really worked, not only on my fingers, but my poor sore feet.
Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup coconut oil, preferably 100% organic. ( the kind used for cooking)

a few drops of pure lavender oil

a few drops of dōTERRA Clear skin blend  (optional)

a few drops of Melaluca essential oil

A small glass jar with a lid ( a cleaned out face cream jar works well)

Place the coconut oil in the jar  without the lid, and place in a pan with water.  Heat the pan gently until the oil becomes liquid.
Add the oils listed, or oils of your choice.  Mix well and allow to cool.  Place the lid on the jar.

This mixture can be stored at room temperature and applied directly to the affected area.

I use only dōTERRA essential oils because I believe they are the best available.  If you use another company’s oils, just MAKE SURE they are unadulterated.  Many oils sold are cut with alcohol or things like mineral oil, and are labeled as pure.  They are not.
You can also buy fractionated coconut oil, but it is expensive and sometimes hard to find.

I even use this on my face, and it feels great!  One of my daughter’s in law uses Melaluca and coconut oil on her face  and her skin is very smooth.

So happy oiling!!!!
PS Another friend recommended adding Myrrh oil to the mixture. Myrrh is expensive, but very effective.

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What a pain in the mouth!!!! Burn treatment that works!

Have you ever burned the roof of your mouth?   Hurts doesn’t it?

The other day I burned my mouth doing something if not stupid, not totally smart.  I bit into a boiled egg I thought was cool.  Guess what, it was not!!!  I burned the roof of my mouth just behind my front teeth.  So I thought “this will go away soon”.  Wrong again.  Every time I ate or drank anything my mouth hurt. It hurt to chew, and one thing I like to do is eat!!!!   After a couple of days of waiting to go away,  one night  I decided to take a look.    It was more severe than I thought.

Enter lavender oil.  I had heard that lavender oil was good for burns, but I had no personal experience with this.  I thought, what the heck, I am miserable now, am having trouble eating and at this point I was willing to try anything!!!

I put a bit of doTERRA lavender oil on my finger, rubbed it into the roof of my mouth and went to bed.  The next morning my mouth was much better.  I did the treatment again, and I must say the pain is gone.  Completely!!!

doTERRA oils are certified pure therapeutic grade, and can be taken internally.  I would not try this with any other oil. This is burn treatment that really works!

Lavender oil is the universal oil, and can be used for a variety of issues.  Lavender is tha all calming oil.  It has aroma therapy uses for calming, sleep and mood.  It also has healing properties as well.  It can be used to treat bug bites, burns, cuts, wounds.  It will also eliminate giardia if taken internally.

Lavender oil can be ordered by visiting the link to my website.   I highly recommend having this all-purpose oil around.