- 8 drops Thieves essential oil
- 8 drops Lemon essential oil
- 6 drops Oregano essential oil
- 4 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 4 drops Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil
- Top it off with Young Living's V-6 oil and place the roller on the bottle.
Are you in the “prevent getting it” mindset? It might be time to think “What will I do WHEN I get it?” Even better, “How can I support my body now, before I get it?”
- Are you getting adequate sunshine and fresh air?
- Do you drink plenty of clean, filtered and fluoride-free water?
- How do you take care of your mental health?
- Are you staying active?
- Do you take care of your gut health? Your immune system depends on it!
- Do you eat whole foods? (think LOTS of fruits, veggies, green juices, bone broth and nutrient dense foods) Our Functional Medical Doctor recommends a Paleo type of diet.
- Have you reduced the toxins in your home? Artificial fragrance is in everything and is the absolute worst. GET.IT.OUT.OF.YOUR.HOME! Replace your scented candles, wax warmers, air fresheners, dryer sheets, scented fabric softeners, detergents and scented cleaning products. I have replaced all of the above with pure essential oils, plant-based cleaning products and clean, pure, safe self-care products.
- What supplements do you take?
- We all have to start somewhere, and baby steps add up to big changes.
Here’s a short list of some options!
- Vitamin D (Super D)
- Vitamin C (Super C Chewable or Super C)
- Melatonin (Immupro)
- NingXia Red (whole food antioxidant liquid supplement)
- Multivitamins (MightyVites for the boys)
- Mineral Essence (Combines the benefits of minerals with premium essential oils)
- Longevity essential oil
- Probiotics (Life 9 and MightyPro)
- Inner Defense (reinforces systemic defenses & promotes healthy respiratory function plus offers immune support)
- Thieves essential oil blend: diffused 24/7 in a diffuser and in a roller bottle; applied to our spines and feet every day and more often if we’re feeling off.
- Thieves Chest Rub
- Breathe Again applied to our chest area, RC and/or Raven in the diffuser.
- Do you take Epsom Salt baths? These can help pull out the toxins and ease the aches and pains. Aim for at least 30 minutes of soaking. Some lavender, peppermint and PanAway can be added to the bath for more support.
- Prayer & meditation to help manage stress.
- Do you get plenty of rest? Every body is different, but on average, 8 hours of sleep certainly helps you stay above the wellness line! A cool dark room, no electronics for an hour before bed and a quiet, calm environment to set the stage before sleep is also helpful.
There are plenty of ways you can support your health and adjust these suggestions for your own comfort. If you are curious about any of the products mentioned they can be found here or click on the "Place An Order" button up in the right-hand corner!
Just know, you are the only one in charge of your health and NO One cares more about your health than you. Empower yourself and make self-care a priority. You can do it! I believe in you.
Sending love,
Traci
Happy 2022!
I am on a mission to improve my exercise and eating habits; these improved habits also require a fair amount of grace J Are you with me? I'm going for progress, not perfection.
I started my morning with 15 minutes on an exercise bike and a few stretches, plus play with my two golden retriever puppies once we started to get some light outside.
My doctor recommended that I add in more avocados to my diet (and veggies as always), which I have incorporated with some success. This recipe allows me to enjoy my chocolate (which I prefer to veggies and avocados) and eat avocados too!
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Ingredients
3 large avocado, soft and ripe
¼ cup cacao powder
3-6 tablespoons coconut milk (depending on what consistency you like, start with 3, then add a little more if you want)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey
In addition to the above ingredients, I also like to add some cinnamon, so I add 1 drop of Young Living’s Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil. It’s safe for consumption, great for satiety and oh so good!
Directions
- Combine avocado, cacao powder, coconut milk, vanilla, coconut oil and honey in blender or food processor; blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth.
- Add 1 drop Young Living Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil (peppermint would also be good!)
- Blend for another minute.
- Transfer to a glass container, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Sometimes new recipes work out, other times, not so much.
Some people are great at meal planning, me- not so much. I’m a wing-it kind of gal.
Today’s wing-it recipe is the result of a recipe search with a tweak.
We had three trips to town on the schedule for the day:
orthodontist at 1:20pm
Tiger Taekwondo at 3:45pm
2nd degree black belt Taekwondo at 7:30pm
plus we threw in an extra trip to town just because.
SO, FIVE trips to Sioux Falls in one day…insert the need for either a crock pot toss together or frozen pizza. I opted for the first option and it is Tuesday, so, Tacos it is! Our usual is ground beef, but those pork loins we froze a while back were calling to me so I went in search of a Pork Carnita option.
This is what I came up with:
Ingredients:
4 lb. boneless pork (we used a part of a loin we had purchased a couple months ago)
3 Tbsp. Himalayan Pink Salt
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 drops YL Lime Vitality essential oil
Juice from 1 orange
1 Cup Chicken broth
2 bay leaves
- Pat the pork dry with a paper towel.
- Combine salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder and rub the pork with the seasoning (I didn’t use all the seasoning, but probably about 2/3 of it)
- In the slow cooker, add broth, lime juice, orange juice, Lime Vitality essential oil and bay leaves.
- Add the pork to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker. We sliced the pork into fajita sized pieces but it could also be shredded.
- This recipe tasted great on soft taco shells with all their favorite taco toppings, but really, this meat had enough flavor to be eaten all on its own. It was so good!
So there you have it! I love it when a plan comes together! Hmm, can you tell me what television show that line is from? Also, what have been some of your favorite toss together wins?
This “please stay home” request isn’t all bad. I have enjoyed a little more horse time since we haven’t been running boys to Taekwondo, Wednesday night church, baseball or t-ball. This introvert is usually OK with being at home with my family. Life will start picking up soon though, they can start attending in-dojo classes next week! We may even get in a little baseball this summer.
While I can, I’m soaking up a little extra horse time. I hauled my mare to a nearby arena the other day, and while getting ready to ride this energetic, extroverted Horsenality ®, I thought of this little saying:
“A trip to the E.R. is not an option.” I’ve thought of this more than once lately.
Those who have known me a long time may have visited me in the hospital after a horse ride that hasn’t gone as planned.
There I was, riding my 4-H horse, Playboy, at my brother’s place out in the arena. At 18 years young I was not afraid of what can easily accompany riding horses….and that is injury. We were cantering circles and my English saddle, paired with me leaning to the outside of the circle, slipped. I can remember thinking, “oh no! I’m going to fall!” As the saddle slipped around to his belly, I fell. Playboy stepped on me just below my ribs and squished some parts that were not meant to be squished. Five days later, one ruptured spleen and one collapsed lung later, I was released from the hospital. I was “sentenced” to 6 long weeks of not being able to ride horse. I jumped back in the saddle (western) as soon as possible. I was excited to be back!
Anyone who rides horse probably has their own stories of injuries, broken bones, E.R. visits and more. If you haven’t fallen off a horse, you probably haven’t ridden enough. However, I’m not 18 anymore and the thought of serious injury from horses does change how I do things nowadays. I don’t bounce like I used to. Nor do I have any desire to pick myself up off the ground. Fortunately, I have gotten much wiser when preparing to ride. I’m grateful to have learned to teach ground skills and have actually learned to love teaching the horse from the ground, first. It’s improved my natural horse-man-ship and also helps me connect with the horse better. It helps them get over most of their silliness before I step into the saddle and they learn respect and to stay out of my bubble if I don’t want them there.
Still, there are days when even after playing with a horse on the ground, my sense of self- preservation can be quite high; so can my mares. She gets silly, I get tight, and that can be a recipe for injury…hers, mine, or both. It’s those days that I have to focus on my mindset.
Respond, don’t react.
See it the way I want it.
Energy flows where attention goes.
All are thoughts I keep at the forefront. If I focus on something I think the horse is going to spook from, then she’s probably going to spook. If I go into a ride fearing the worst, guess what? It doesn’t go well. Instead, I take a deep breath, oil up with some Valor ™, apply Grounding ™ to her and focus on how I actually want the ride to go. It makes a huge difference! I stay relaxed, she stays relaxed and we have a much better ride together.
That’s also a great life principle.
Focus on the good you have and want in life. Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to. Life is truly beautiful and amazing and we do have so much to be thankful for.
Enjoy your weekend!
