Increasing productivity with essential Oils

Our workplaces can be hives of productivity or a place of negativity. Let’s face it we all want the former whether you are a business owner or worker or both. Everyone wants to feel good and being in a stuffy workplace is not conducive to an efficient and enjoyable atmosphere.

Australians spend on average 90% of their time indoors. I was recently reading about an article where Japanese company Takasago scented their building to see the effect it has on their workers. They found that those who work with computers made 54% fewer typing errors when the workplace was scented with lemon, 33% fewer errors when they smelled jasmine, and 20% fewer mistakes with lavender in the air.

It is important to note that using artificial fragrance to scent your workplace has health risks due to the use of Phthalates which acts as a binder and makes the smell last for a long period of time. Not the mention the other questionable ingredients used in them. There have been numerous studies showing the link between phthalate exposure and the increased risk of developing wheeze, asthma and allergy.

So let’s keep it simple. Ventilate your space with fresh air when you can. Ditch your synthetic air fresheners as they are increasing your exposure to pollutants.

Improve your indoor air quality by setting up a diffuser and use pure essential Oils. I find it fascinating that there are more and more studies being done and show that they have the ability to reduce air borne fungi with Lemon being one of them.

It is important to use Pure essential oils. Ask questions where you buy them from. Does the company produce them, test them, farm sustainably, provide full transparency to their processes?? The last thing you want to to buy essential oils that are adulterated!

The thing I love about using essential oils is you are bringing the scent off plants inside and they smell amazing and really can make you feel good.

Who knows what will happen hen you try this blend. Maybe you too will have fewer errors at your desk! What you will have is peace of mind and did I mention an amazing smell.. yep I think I covered thatfullsizeoutput_1ad3

Pop 3 drops Lavender Essential Oil , 2 Lemon Essential Oil and 1 of Jasmine Essential oil in your diffuser and enjoy your day.

Don’t have essential oils? order yours here

Lemon and Lavender are included in Young Living’s popular premium starter kit that includes 11 Essential oils and a diffuser. It is a great place to start.

 

Enjoy Belinda X

 

 

 


Dishwash Powder

For quite some time I have been wanting to make Dish wash powder myself but I have never been able to get the results I wanted i.e clean glasses, plates etc. Everything has come out cloudy. So frustrating!

Most dishwasher powders and detergents have artificial fragrances in them which is a big red flag for phthalates- endocrine disruptors. You will notice this when you open the door at the end of the cycle and are greeted with a strong artificial smell, not something I wanted my dishes coated with.

Some powders include Chlorine based bleaches which are not great for your digestive tract, and also kill off organisms in the environment which is why chlorine bleach is used in swimming pools.

Colours in your dishwasher powders are simply artificial, more than likely derived from petroleum with small amounts always left on your dishes. No thank you.

Finally I have come up with a mix that I am happy with

Ingredients

Mix all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and store in either a glass jar or repurposed container.

Use 1-2 tablespoons per wash.

For best results

  1. don’t overload your dishwasher
  2. rinse dishes of large particles of food before hand
  3. use hot water

Results will vary depending on the hardness of your water. Hot water works better as there are no harsh chemicals used to clean your dishes.

For bulk supplies of salts I like to shop at Blants. Bulk goods come in handy for cleaning, bath bombs, bath salts, scrubs. otherwise try your local health food shop or hardware store.

If making your own is not your thing, because it is not everyone’s I love the Ecostore powder. The best low tox option that I have found from the supermarket.

 

 



Seedlings Baby Range

 

Parents make hundreds of decisions about the health and happiness of their families. When young Living formulated the Seedlings range, they wanted to take the worry out of what might be in the lotions and soaps used on their babies skin.

The soothing, plant-based formulas use infant-safe essential oils and are free from harmful ingredients to help you gently comfort and care for your little one. With essential oil-infused products made by experts and diluted to a strength safe for your baby, Seedlings leaves you with peace of mind and your baby feeling snug and secure.

Features and benefits

  • Non-Greasy
  • Dermatologist Tested
  • Formulated without harsh chemicals
  • Worry Free

 

 

Seedlings Starter Kit

$253(AUS)  Basic Starter kit + Seedlings Bundle on ER.

NZ, US, EUR pricing pricing also available.

Become a member of Young Living today!!

Wholesale pricing, free product points and products you can trust!

Order Here

 


Home Made Lip Balms

A hand bag essential, lip balms keep your lip soft. A little while ago I checked out the ingredients in a store bought version and here is what I found

  • Oxybenzone- derived from petroleum is a UV absorber, associated with endocrine disruption, produces damaging reactive oxygen species upon exposure to sunlight
  • Mentyl Anthranilate- synthetic UV absorber not assessed for safety in cosmetics. produces damaging reative oxygen species upone exposure to sunlight
  • Fragrance- synthetic scent which contains phthalates
  • parabens- synthetic preservatives- suspected endocrine disruption, contact dermatitis and skin irritation in some people

(source: Info from the Chemical maze App)

I am not happy about any of these ingredients going on my lips or my families for that matter. Here is the good news. It is really easy to make your own and the recipes are good enough to eat. Chances are you will already have some of these ingredients in your pantry. Here are a couple of recipes and places I have sourced my ingredients from. These recipes are great for nourishing your lips and are quick to make.

Choc Mint Lip Balms ( approx 18 tubes)

  • 15 g beeswax
  • 15g Shea Butter
  • 15g Cacao Butter
  • 15g Coconut Oil
  • 1 tsp cacao Powder ( or more)
  • 18 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Melt beeswax, coconut oil and butters in a glass pyrex dish over a pot of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat and stir through Cacao Powder and Peppermint Essential oil. Use syringe to fill lip tubes and set in the fridge.

Lavender Lip balms ( approx 18 tubes)

  • 20g Shea butter
  • 20g avocado Oil
  • 20g Beeswax
  • 15 drops lavender oil

Melt beeswax, butter and oil together in pyrex dish. Remove from heat and stir in lavender Essential oil. Syringe into tubes and set in the fridge

Tips

  • Use a ramekin to stand your lip tubes in
  • pick up a syringe from your local pharmacy
  • decorate your lip tubes with washi tape
  • work fast before the lip balm sets. You can always re-melt
  • make sure lip tubes are wound down fully before filling

Supplies

  • Lip Tubes you will find online. I purchased mine from Aussie candle supplies
  • Butters and Beeswax try Biome
  • Oils from your local supermarket
  • Essential Oils from Young Living. Get started here with a Premium Starter kit (Lavender and Peppermint are in this popular kit)
  • Cacao pwder and other great wholefoods from The wholefood collective

Homemade Granola

For some time I have been experimenting with making my own granola. Since ditching cereal out of a box, I wanted an alternative breakfast cereal that tasted delicious and was whole food based.

Making your own is easier than you think

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Oats (quinoa flakes for gluten free)
  • 1 cup Almonds chopped
  • 1/2 cup Pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup Sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup Cashews or any other nut of choice chopped
  • 2 cups Flaked coconut
  • 1 cup Currents
  • 1 cup Ningxia Wolfberries
  • 1/4- 1/3 cup Coconut oil (melted)
  • 1-2 drops Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

Wholefood Collective has bulk wholefoods at great prices! (aff link)

Method

In a bowl combine oats, coconut, nuts, seeds.

Drizzle dry ingredients with coconut oil and roast on trays for 60mins at 120 degrees. A long slow roast will produce lovely crispy granola.

Once done return granola in mixing bowl add cinnamon bark essential oil and dried fruit. Mix well. Cool and store in glass jars.

For a plain granola omit the coconut oil and add dried fruit and you are done!

Store in Glass jars in the pantry and enjoy with your preferred milk and yoghurt.

This is a large batch and lasts our family of 5 at least a week. The great thing is that you can adjust the ingredients to your liking. Pecans and 1/2 tsp vanilla powder make a great addition too. It would however make a lovely gift!

Note

Ningxia Wolfberries (Lycium barbarum)

The wolfberries sourced for NingXia Red hail from the Ningxia province in Northern China. This superfruit has one of the highest percentages of fiber of any whole food and contains zeaxanthin—a carotenoid important to maintaining healthy vision. It also contains polysaccharides, amino acids, and symbiotic vitamin mineral pairs that when present together promote optimum internal absorption.1

There are a number of studies 2, 3 demonstrating the positive effects of the Ningxia wolfberry. Delaying optic nerve degeneration and reducing ischaemic brain injury by maintaining mitochondrial balance both confirm the long standing thought of the people from the Ninxia province in China for supporting our health

Young Living also produce a Ningxia infused drink Ningxia red, that is not only delicious but a easy method for the whole family to enjoy. A 60ml daily dose for adults and 30ml for children to provide an array of health promoting anti-oxidants.

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil a registered culinary oil. It is important you only use a very small amount as it is strong. 1-2drops are plenty. It has a delicous flavour and aroma when added to dishes. It should always be added at the end of cooking. For more great ideas using Essential oils in your cooking visit Young Living blog for a fabulous apple cinnamon chip recipe and Flavour of Joy website and follow Chef kate McAloon use these delicous oils in her recipes.

 

Get started with Young Living with a Culinary Essential Oil starter kit (basic $69 premium $244)  here

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Sources

  1. http://ningxiared.com/benefits/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28807155
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28808422

Healthy Homes

Do you want a healthy home without any nasty chemicals?A couple of years ago I was concerned what I was being exposed to and also what I was exposing my family to. I had noticed that so many people seem to be unwell, people around me were receiving an awful diagnosis.

I decided that I needed to educate myself on what I had been using in my home and personally too. What I use in my home was one thing I could control. Very quickly I started learning about the presence of synthetic cleaning chemicals and artificial substances in products that we use every day. If you want to do some research here which I highly recommend, the visit EWG to check out ingredients. This requires a bit of work. Anything above a 3, is worth steering clear of or minimising. The Chemical Maze book and App are also great. Thankfully I found these amazing products from Young Living. Their committment to purity was a clincher for me. Not only are they all plant based, there labelling is transparent, they source their ingredients sustainably and are committed to improving the health of the planet. Check out seed.to.seal

My aim is to help you ditch and switch. Are you ready? This is the perfect place to start, a Healthy Home Premium starter kit from Young Living

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You will be able to swap out  your air fresheners, spray and wipe, window cleaner, scrubs, bathroom cleaner, mouth wash, toothpaste, hand soap, dental floss, bar soap, dish wash, sanitising hand gel. Do you know what ingredients are these products in your home? The Thieves range is made using a blend of Clove, Rosemary, Lemon, Cinnamon bark and Eucalyptus Radiata essential Oils which have natural purifying abilities. You wil be confident using them as they are made using natural ingredients, free from any synthetic chemicals.

In this kit you will receive

  • Dewdrop diffuser (Diffuse Thieves EO to kill airborne mould and bacteria)
  • Thieves Household Cleaner concentrate (use this one product to replace bathroom spray, scrubs, dishwasher cleaner, stain remover, surface spray, floor cleaner, window cleaner, floor cleaner. This is a concentrate, one capful approx 7ml is all that is needed for one application.)
  • Dish Soap
  • Thieves Aroma Bright toothpaste- all natural toothpaste. I just love it and so will your mouth
  • Thieves Mouthwash. Will leave you feeling fresh, with long last fresh breath. free of alcohol, synthetic dyes and chemicals
  • Thieves Foaming Handsoap Did you know the FDA has banned triclosan in America in home anti-bacterial hand soaps and other products? It is not banned in Australia. Thieves has natural anti-bacterial properties to clean your hands naturally.
  • Thieves Waterless Hand Gel
  • Dental floss (using soy and beeswax not paraffin which is petroleum based)
  • Thieves Spray– (perfect for your handbag as a quick hand cleaner, perfect in public restrooms, shopping trolleys, travelling.)
  • Thieves bar soap
  • Thieves Essential Oil 5ml. Supports a healthy immune system.
  • Lemon essential Oil 5ml. Purifying and calming when inhaled.
  • Peppermint Essential Oil 5ml. refreshing aroma and effective in aiding  mental and physical concentration
  • Lavender Essential Oil 5 ml. Relaxing and balancing.
  • Purification Essential Oil 5ml. The deoderises and neutralises the air. Deters insects.
  • Stress Away Essential Oil 5ml. The label says it all. Diffuse to ease tension and promote relaxation. Wear as perfume!
  • 2 samples of Ningxia Red Nutrient dense drink high in antioxidants.

The healthy home Starter kit is $289. All these items bundled together is a saving of 15%. Amazing value when you look at what you can eliminate from your home and replace with a natural and healthier alternative.

Purchase Here

By clicking the above link you will be taken to the Young Living website where you can set up your own account as a wholesale member. You will see my referral number there too. That means I am here to answer your questions and give you some information about the products. Any future purchases will be 24% off retail price. There is no committment to purchase again unless you choose to do so.

What you will find on the website is a full list of ingredients. They are also on the packet.

Need to chat about the options and if this is right for you? Please get in contact. I love nothing more than helping people work out what is right for them.  Don’t be intimidated by Essential Oils, they are amazing. Once you experience them you will love them.

Know someone who could benefit from these products, Young Living is a global company and chances are you can receive them in your country of residence. A referral is the greatest compliment, please share.


Mother’s Day is just around the corner..

For me living in Australia, Mother’s day is in a couple of weeks. I am not a big gifts person but when I do buy gifts I  think long and hard about what I am buying. I try to support small business and I also like to know what I am buying. After looking into toxins in my home and removing as many as possible, I like to gift things that I would be prepared to have in my home.  After all I don’t want to gift anything that will have a negative impact on the health of my friends and family members! Synthetic fragrances for me are a big no no. Along with the fact that I react to them quite badly, they are not good for our health. For years fragrances have been heavily marketed as the perfect gift, along with scented candles, body products.

The average woman applies between 9-15 products daily and can include over 100 chemicals. Unfortunately in Australia and the US many chemicals are used in personal products with out being tested, unlike the EU! Thankfully there are many companies doing great things with removing toxins from everyday products. You will find that these products are more expensive and that is because they have higher quality standards and don’t use mass produced synthetic products. Having said that I think I would prefer producst that were of high quality that are not full of toxins, wouldn’t you?

If you want to educate yourself consider buying the Chemical Maze Book  or download their app (aff) for your phone. This app has been a great educational tool I have used to educate my kids about what is in packaged food and for me  personal care products we use at our home. Unfortunatley labels can be misleading and the word Natural does not always mean that it is natural. It may include some natural ingredients. After reading a report by the EWG that painted a not so nice picture about what is actually in perfumes, I tossed all mine out. It felt criminal thinking how expensive they were but once I realised that they were full of synthetic chemicals they had to go. It pays to educate yourself. Ok enough of that

There are a few companies that I trust and buy from.   I use Young Living essential oils as my perfume now. Pure plant based essential oils, that smell amazing. Everyone deserves that. Aside from perfume, essential oils have many other benefits too. Think emotional support, toxin free cleaning solutions, natural fragrance for your home. There are many. Why not gift a Premium Starter kit?  Order yours here, once you have an account set up you can order in the future if you wish. However once you experience them I know you will LOVE them. Young Living is a global company, you don’t have to be in Australia to order! if you want more info read my essential Oils page here  let me know if you do as I would love to help show you how to use them.

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If you have essential oils consider making a super simple gift or maybe an excellent treat for yourself.

Lavender Bath Salts

Lavender has been used relaxation and it also a great Essential Oil to use to help overcome feelings of anxiousness. Magnesium salts are a perfect addition to your bath as magnesium is an essential mineral required by every organ is your body. As our skin is our largest organ, it is readily absorbed in a bath and has numerous benefits. I certainly have a much better nights sleep after a magnesium bath. Use 1/4 -1/2cup per bath.

Add ingredients to a jar and shake to disperse the essential oil. It really is that simple

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other companies I love ( that were both founded by women which is also great to see women doing well in business)

Nourished life is your home for

  • Make-up   I love the 100% Pure mascara. Smells like chocolate!
  • Nailpolish
  • eco friendly gift ideas
  • Gift vouchers- perfect gift for someone far away!

Biome is another famulous company that sells all sorts of eco friendly products. I love their

  • beeswax wraps
  • travel cups
  • Dr Libby weaver books- highly recommended
  • diy skin care ingredients
  • gardening accessories

and so much more

 

Most of all this Mother’s day take some time out for yourself whether you are a mother or not.  If you do buy a gift, make sure it a gift that is good for your health. I know that these are not the only choices out there but they are ones I can vouch for. I love that people are being more aware and are voting with their dollar.

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to purchase. Thankyou

Supporting Restful Sleep in Kids

Recently I was asked about essential oils to help support sleep in Children. Without restful or enough sleep we do not function at our best. With Children, lack of sleep can manifest by an increase in tantrums, reduced concentration.  I have trouble winding down and getting to sleep and I am sure that some children are the same. There are a number of things we can do to help our bodies sleep well. Here are some things I do to help get a good nights sleep for my kids and myself

  1. Reducing screen time before bed. Artificial Blue light can be damaging to our natural circadian rhythm
  2. Go to bed at a similar time each night. Children(6-13) on average need 9-11hrs. It can be different for everyone so listen to sleep ques.
  3. Relax in a Magnesium bath. I add 1-2 tablespoons af Magnesium salts with 1-2 drops Lavender Essential Oil to my kids bath. The essentail oils can be mixed with a tsp of jojoba or coconut oil which will leave skin feeling moisturised. There are numerous benefits of Magnesium and sleep is just one of them. Magnesium is also best absorbed through the skin. Lavender Essential Oil has a calming scent and is also excellent for calming nervous tension and anxiety
  4. Foot massage. My kids love a foot massage and find it extremely relaxing. While sometimes it is a love hate relationship with giving the foot massage, I have extremely fond memories of one of friends mum’s doing this for me as a teenager and remembering how relaxing it was. Have a think about how long you are on your feet for each day? Young childrenen  may find that massage helps them to relax and encourages a restful sleep. I will often massage a drop of Lavender Essential oil with a tsp of vegetable oil into their feet at bed time. Read more about and how to massage your kids feet here Applying essential oils to the feet is an excellent option as our skin on the soles is the least sensitive. Always follow instructions on the bottle and test patch first.
  5. Diffusing Essential Oils. Using a ultrasonic diffuser with a few (2-3) drops of essential oil can encourage a restful sleep. I use a small number of drops as I find that is all you need in a bedroom. Lavender is extremely relaxing. Orange Essential oil encourages feelings of happiness. Peace and Calming  encourages deep relaxation and Gentle baby promotes a calm atmosphere for Mother and baby and in my experience everyone! Gentle baby would have one fo my all time favourites to create a calm environment.

For FAQ’s about dilution and safety of essential oils read here

To down load a chart by Robert Tisserand outlinging appropiate dilutions please click here

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Topical dilution guidlines are as follows
0.5% for 2-6yrs old
1% for 6-12
2% 12 +
3% occasional use such as perfume
I don’t use concentrations higher than this as I don’t find it necessary at all.
For topical application for a 8yr old you could add 3 drops of Lavender to a 10ml roller bottle and top up with a carrier oil. All ready to roll on the feet for a night time massage!
Enjoy and have a  restful sleep
Belinda x
If you would like to purchase essential oils, please click here and read about Young Living’s premium Starter pack that I started with. Lavender is in the pack!

Diffuser combinations with your PSK

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Recently my lovely sister  purchased a premium starter it and I have been discussing different diffuser combinations. The combinations really are endless but I just thought I would provide some really easy combinations that you will love.

Relax   4 Stress Away ∗2 lavender

Sniffles 2 Purification∗4 Thieves

Seasonal  2 Peppermint∗2 Lavender∗2 lemon

Wind down 4 Lavender∗2 Frankincense

Clear the air 3 Purification∗3 Lemon

Focus 2 Peppermint∗3 Lemon

Breathe easy 2 Peppermint∗4 R.C

Good Night 2 Copaiba∗2 Stress Away∗2 Lavender

Diffusing essential oils have a number of benefits. Fragrance your home without synthetic fragrances, unlike some candles there is no toxic fumes. Young Living Essential oils are pure plants extracts and their seed to seal guarantee is their committment to providing quality Essential oils. If you don’t have essential oils read my Essential Oil page for more information

An article recently published in the Good Weekend talks about the dangers of synthetic fragrance and it part of a book written by Kate Grenville- The case against fragrance. Read it here She speaks about the headaches she has suffered that after removing artificial frangrance have gone away. In my experience removing artifical fragrance has certainly been positive for my skin too. The Laundry aisle in the supermarket is a challenge for me to walk through down now!  Time to make some Laundry powder again.

Hope you like these combinations, let me know how you go

Belinda

Download a printable graphic  for easy reference diffuser-combinations-psk

 


Yoga- Healthy mind, Healthy body

Yoga has many benefits for the body. Health benefits may include increased fitness and normalisation of blood pressure. It is a known antidote of stress. Reported lower levels of stress, increased health and wellbeing from regular practice occurs as the practice of concentrating on poses and breath acts as a form of meditation. This all sounds good to me!

Diffusing essential oils in Yoga can enhance the uplifting experience when practising yoga. Some yoga studios are using essential oil based sprays to wipe down their yoga mats

For me getting to a yoga studio is not always practical as a parent. I have started practicing yoga at home and there have been a numerous benefits. I can practice any time, my children join in and I use my diffuser to enhance the experience. I am able to work on my strength and flexibility at home and I ALWAYS feel better afterwards

There are a few things I have been using to make my home yoga experience work for me.

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 Yoga Studio App  I recently purchased this app my iPhone and I love it.  Follow one fo their classes or customise your own. Not particularly tech savvy I have worked out how to mirror the screen to my TV and I have my own private class with the convenience of being at home.

I was not keen on using a Yoga mat that was made of synthetics. Recently I purchased a Cork Leaf yoga mat.  The first Australian company making natural yoga mats using recycled cork backed by natural tree rubber. Naturally anti-microbial, smooth and grippy. No need for a cleaning spray, simply let dry and roll away. I love that it feels cool under your feet. They also plant a tree for every yoga mat purchased! More expensive than some others on the market, the fact that it was natural was a big winner for me and as I am not paying for classes I felt that this offset the price. Definitely worth it. However now everyone loves the mat I might have to purchase another.

Essential oils you might like to try to diffuse are Bergamot for its uplifting properties, Frankincense* for its strenghtening and centering, Lavender* for calming and peppermint* for clear breathing. There are so many more options and sometimes it is a personal preference. Blending a couple of drops of different oils works well too. I choose Young Living Essential oils and you can read more why here

In our busy lives, I hope you can take some time out for yourself and benefit your mind and body by practicing yoga.

Belinda

*Essential Oils in Premium Starter kit

Sources

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/pilates-and-yoga-health-benefits

https://www.youngliving.com/blog/energize-your-morning-with-aroma-yoga/

**This post has affiliate links