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Oh Peppermint, how I love thee.

Let me count the ways….

I cannot tell you how many times I use peppermint in a day. I rub Young Living peppermint oil on my gums throughout the day, at the end of a meal, or before going out. It freshens my breath like nothing else. It also kills bacteria, which is something I’m struggling with. I’ve been seeing a holistic dentist for months, trying to combat my gum disease, which was at stage 3 out of 4. I’m now at stage 2. I attribute the peppermint oil to a lot of this bacterial death. (Read more about oral health and essential oils.)

And tummy troubles… oh yes. I’ve had food poisoning about two times in the last three years and it is an awful experience, laying me out for approximately 24 hours. Usually, it’s about 12 hours of sickness and 12 hours of exhaustion, fever, nausea until slowly easing back into regular life. Last weekend though, this was not the case! The food poisoning hit very suddenly and we had just eaten a lunch of leftover take-out. (Now, you know we are really picky about the food we eat, so there aren’t a lot of places we frequent. I am disappointed to have such a bad experience at one of my “safe places”.) Running to the bathroom, I was sweating, overheating and nauseated; the room was spinning and panic was setting in. I could not find relief from it. I threw a cold, wet towel over my face begging for it to stop, and finally, I called for my husband to bring me peppermint oil. I couldn’t even think straight as I struggled to open the cap and rub the oil on my stomach. I tried to smell it, but I couldn’t stand smelling anything. Within minutes, I felt relief. The intensity of the nausea and dizziness had dissipated, just enough that I wasn’t hyperventilating anymore. Grateful, I rubbed more on my stomach. The heat was leaving my body and going to straight to my stomach. No longer sweating, I crawled into bed. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was weak, but not nauseous. I was even able to eat dinner that night. Unheard of!

So, let’s look at the beauty that is peppermint oil:

–       Improves symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) (see this study where it helped 75% of children)

–       Antiviral (this study shows its effects against herpes simplex)

–       Antispasmodic (in this study it’s used during endoscopies)

–       Improves taste & smell (inhale before eating)

–       Supports liver and respiratory systems

–       Improves concentration, attention and mental sharpness (read this fascinating study)

–       Triggers sensation of fullness; affects brain’s satiety center (see this study)

–       Boosts exercise routines (read more)

–       Soothes headaches and head pressure (rub on temples)

–       Improves energy (rub on neck and shoulders)

–       Relieves digestive upset (rub on abdomen)

–       Reduces bruising (rub directly on bruised area)

–       Reduces swelling & chronic inflammation (rub on unbroken skin)

–       Relieves arthritis & tendonitis pain (rub on affected areas)

–       Reduces sore feet (rub on feet mixed with your favorite lotion)

–     Deters pests (our organic pest guy uses organic peppermint oil to spray everywhere!)

Let’s use it:

Diffuse or inhale it.

Dilute it and apply topically.

Drink it in water or tea.

Read more about why we choose Young Living oils ONLY.

If you’re ready to sign up and begin using essential oils, CLICK HERE and use Sponsor ID & Enroller ID: 1414775. Your body and mind and spirit will thank you.

For the week of July 21, 2014.

Weekly meal planning is so important for our family to stay on track with our budget and our food. No matter what’s going on in our schedules, we know what we are eating and the food is there for us!

We’ve gone back and forth between Martins and Kroger as far as prices are concerned. Each week it’s a toss-up. With this season of plentiful fruit, we’ve been choosing Kroger because their organic fruit prices definitely give Martins a run for our money. It was a little disappointing to have Kroger be out of foods we went there specifically to purchase, but their prices are still better this week!

Organic strawberries and blueberries: 2/$5
Organic red cherries: $2.99/lb
Organic kale: $1.99/lb
20% off Simple Truth chicken

Because there wasn’t much by way of fish or meat on sale, we pulled from our freezer this week for those recipes.

Hope you have some great meals planned this week too! Here are ours:

Monday: Creamy chicken quinoa and broccoli casserole (new recipe to us – looks delicious)

Tuesday: Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon broiled, sugar snap peas and rice

Wednesday: Gluten-free Mac n Goat’s Cheese with ground beef

Thursday: Easy Sweet Potato Kale Soup (another new recipe!)

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You may notice on my Weekly Meal Planning Inspiration posts that I roast a lot of vegetables! In my opinion, there’s no better way to bring out the delicate flavors of nature’s great vegetables than to drizzle them lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast! I made Roasted Asparagus this week, as well as roasted cauliflower. The recipe remains the same, for the most part; the only thing that changes is the length of cooking time.

The recipe is simple!

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus washed, hard ends snapped off (snap in half – optional)
1-2 TBSP high heat oil (like Safflower, Sunflower, or Coconut – not olive)
Salt & pepper to taste

Arrange your asparagus on the pan and drizzle your oil evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix the oil and spice into the asparagus and spread it out.

Place in your oven, preheated to 425F. Set your timer for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, poke your asparagus with a fork. If it’s still very firm, shake the pan a little and put in for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat until desired firmness. Usually, I cook for 12-15 minutes total.

Is it hot where you are? It is here. There’s not much, other than air conditioning, that brings much relief, but there are scents and oils that can definitely boost your energy and make your daily water even more refreshing.

Citrus Fresh.

It’s becoming a favorite. I know there are SO many health properties in this delicious Young Living oil blend, but it also just smells and tastes amazing. I add a couple drops to my glass bottle of water and absolutely love it. It would taste great in a glass of ice water too. (Glass is important here. Therapeutic grade oils will draw out the chemicals of plastic and no one wants to drink those!) You know you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces, right? Not so hard in the summer, but a little flavor can really help a boring water bottle in the winter too!

When I drink it, I am acutely aware of the orange flavor, which I love more than the lemon. The oils in Citrus Fresh are: orange, tangerine, mandarin, grapefruit, lemon and spearmint. (For those that like the scientific terms, or even just like trying to pronounce them, here they are respectively: Citrus aurantium, Citrus nobilis, Citrus reticulata, Citrus paradisi, Citrus limon, and Mentha spicata.) The citrus oils in Young Living therapeutic grade oils contain limonene, a powerful molecule with incredible health benefits. I’m thrilled that I can get these oils into my body and let them do their thing! What thing is that? Well, the cancer inhibiting, cancer regressing thing. Limonene also has been proven in research to break up cholesterol-containing gallstones and prevent or treat heartburn / GERD.   Works for me because it happens to taste great!

Citrus Fresh is absolutely refreshing. As soon as I get my diffuser, I’m going to be diffusing it in our home as well as drinking it. According to many testimonials, diffusing Citrus Fresh can increase memory and concentration, while supporting emotional balance. Who couldn’t use some of that?

The amazing thing about these therapeutic oils is that they are so useful for so many things. (Read why we ONLY use Young Living: here.)

* Citrus Fresh is great to ingest and diffuse / inhale.
* It’s also great as a cleaner. You can put some in baking soda, mix well, allow to sit overnight to dry, and then sprinkle it on your carpets before vacuuming to create a wonderful fresh scent in your home. I’m thinking I’ll try this in my car!
* Applying diluted Citrus Fresh to hands, feet and legs can relieve fluid retention.
* Massaging with diluted Citrus Fresh helps to release lymphatic congestion.
* Make cleaning up sticky residues a cinch, with Citrus Fresh – apply to leftover stickers or Band-Aid goo.
* Add to your laundry or put on a cotton ball in your dresser drawers to freshen clothes.
* Some have even said that Citrus Fresh can tighten sagging skin, suppress appetite, and dissolve fat. (If you apply to your skin, dilute it and do not go in the sun for 12-hours. In other words, do this at night, before bed!)

Let’s review some of the amazing benefits of the Citrus Fresh blend:

–       purifying

–       antiseptic

–       antifungal

–       antidepressant

–       stimulates immune system

–       uplifts mind & body

–       reduces stress & irritability

–       helps with insomnia

–       calming

–       helps with anxiety & restlessness

–       decongests lymphatic system

–       nurtures feelings of joy & peace

–       combats depression

Try it today! Young Living Sign-Up is quick and easy – Sponsor and Enroller ID: 1414775.

I’m also teaching classes introducing oils and other therapeutic grade products from Young Living. Contact me if you’d like to attend!

For the week of July 14, 2014.
So. Hot. Please, no oven! I don’t want to do salads EVERY night, but wow, it’s hot. What are your cool dinner ideas for hot summer days and nights?

We chose Kroger this week again. With how much amazing fruit is available right now and how much our kids want to eat it, we couldn’t beat the prices. Their organic fruit prices are cheaper than Martin’s organic fruit sales this week (again). So, while we’re saving on fruit, we kind of have to settle with what else they happen to have for the rest of our grocery needs.

Mahi Mahi $5.99/lb
Organic Cherries $3.99/lb
Organic Mini Peeled Carrots 2 bags for $3
Organic grapes $1.99/lb
Organic strawberries 2 packs for $5
Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt Cups 10/$10 (plus coupon)
Blue Diamond Nut Thins 2/$4

All this great fruit, who needs to eat real food? Sigh. We do! Here it is:

Monday: Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, quinoa and roasted asparagus (the fish is cooked in a skillet and I can roast the asparagus in the toaster oven)

Tuesday: My husband’s favorite oven baked BBQ chicken (drumsticks and thighs – the cheaper chicken), cauliflower roasted in the toaster oven, and mashed potatoes (yeah, I’ll have to use the oven for this one….)

Wednesday: My daughter’s favorite: spaghetti and meatballs with spinach – all stove top

Thursday: Vegetarian curry with sweet potatoes, tofu, broccoli, red pepper and coconut milk, served over rice (we are not big tofu eaters – it’s SO controversial, but every once in a while….)

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I don’t really believe in bad and good, like good food vs. bad food, or “I’ve been good” or “I’ve been bad”. I think almost everything is on a spectrum, including our behaviors and attitudes. So, when a voice in my head said, “I’m not being a very good mom this week,” I just stopped. Familiar tears sprang to my eyes and I shuddered. I reminded myself that it’s not about being bad or good, it’s about loving and noticing, awareness and honesty.

Sigh.

It’s been a hard week.

We’ve never glossed over death with our children, especially with our almost-4-year-old, who asks about everything all the time. From bugs on the floor to a mouse fallen victim to our hunting kitty, our child has seen death. She doesn’t have a problem saying, “Lily killed a bird. It’s dead.” And maybe it’s because of this that her questions have probed deeper and she’s trying to understand the loss of our own pet, Willow.

Willow Rose was 17 years old when she passed this weekend. She’d been with me my entire adult life, having acquired her when I had just turned 19. She has seen it all with me and been my companion. She was there before my husband, my children, my dog and my other kitty. She’s been the alpha among the animals, and even the children. And then she was gone.

My grief is indescribable. But if you’ve ever experienced grief, then you can imagine. Because I am a mom first and foremost, managing my grief has been challenging; fielding my child’s questions, painful.

So how do you deal with death and grief in a holistic way? As with all things, I try to approach this season with loving and noticing, awareness and honesty.

Loving. I love my children. I respect their feelings and I know they are sad, while lacking a full understanding of what has happened. I love my husband, who is my rock, even as he sheds his own tears quietly in order to be there for mine. I love myself for being able to love so fully and openly and for mourning the loss of my friend because I am capable of such big love.

Noticing. We all notice her absence. We all notice the sadness clinging to our day-to-day’s. Noticing is not judging it as good or bad. Noticing is just that: noticing. I notice that my patience is short and my energy is waning. I notice that tears appear on my cheeks without much provocation. I notice the sighs I breathe more often and I notice I’m tired. So tired.

Awareness. How is awareness different? Awareness is bringing those things we notice into the forefront of our minds and allowing them a right to be there. Awareness makes me capable of noticing my short patience and acknowledging its presence, while calming myself with a deep breath and addressing my children’s needs. Awareness gives me permission to take a nap because I noticed my energy was low and I want to be able to have more to give to all these people that I love. Awareness is how I can tell my toddlers, “Yes, Willow is gone. Yes, I know, I want her back too. Yes, I miss her and I see that you miss her too. Yes, we can trust that her spirit is freed from her body and we will always have her in our hearts.”

Honesty. Seems like this should be simple, but there are degrees of honesty. I’m not going to tell my children the step-by-step of how my beloved cat passed away. I am going to be honest and say she is gone from us, not “just sleeping”. I’m not going to tell them how broken-hearted I am or how much I’ve been crying, but I will say, “I am sad.” Honesty walks the spectrum with everything else: loving, noticing and being aware.

As my oldest asks, “What if I die? What if you die?” I take a deep breath. I love her curiosity. I love her intelligence. I notice her fear. I notice my resistance to the question. I notice my own fear. I’m aware of her need for reassurance and my need to shelter her. I honestly reply, “We pray that will not happen for a very long time.”

When I ask my youngest if she wants to say goodbye to Willow, she says, “Have a good nap, Willow!” She runs off giggling and playing with something. I love her innocence. I love her playfulness. I notice she doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation. I notice how sad I am that she’s too young for a proper goodbye. I am aware that she needs this freedom, innocence and playfulness. I am aware that I envy that in her and want to let her have it for as long as she can.

Still, the next day, this same playful youngest child spent the morning in tears. Over everything. EVERY THING. Dropped a drink. Dropped a stuffed animal. Wanted an apple. Begged for a show. Everything brought tears out of her eyes. Finally, after hours of this, I sat down in front of her and said, “Why are you so sad?” She didn’t say a word. She just stared at me, into me. I felt her love. I noticed her concern. I became aware of her sadness somehow being a reflection of mine, even though she didn’t know why. Looking at her and taking her hands, I said, “Mommy is okay.” Her eyes widened just a little and she smiled, “Oh! Okay. I fine then.” Perhaps I hadn’t noticed that she was aware of my pain even in the midst of her innocence.

There’s really no right or wrong, good or bad way to address death and grief with toddlers. There’s only the way that works for you and your family. There’s only honesty, wherever it falls on your spectrum of belief. There’s only awareness of each passing day, question, feeling, and expression. There’s only noticing each other, bringing awareness to everyone’s feelings and responding in love. There’s only love.

So, I want to say thank you to Willow Rose for teaching me even more, as a mother, as a loving pet owner, and as a person. I want to thank her for coming into my life at a tumultuous point, rolling with the punches that my wild 20’s dished out. She went across the country three times, stuck her paw in the Mississippi River once, lived in a car with me for years, moved from apartments to rented rooms, townhouses and homes. She witnessed my relationships, my marriage, the birth of my children, and the introduction of new pets. She greeted every person who has ever walked through my door, into our lives. She was more like a dog in how she would come running when I came home, but she was all cat, as she snuggled with me every night as soon as I sat down. I thank her for shedding a tear with me as I shed my own during our goodbye, I thank her for teaching me how important it is to love, even when it hurts. Rest in peace, Willow. Willow Rose. Wee-yo. Miss Bug. Bill. Bilbo. Miss Baggins. Ow-Wow. Oh the nicknames that came from one little beloved creature! The memories. The laughter. The irritation and frustration. The sadness and agony. The peaceful acceptance. The love. Thank you.

For the week of July 7, 2014.
There is sadness in our home this week. We said goodbye to our 17-year old cat this weekend and one thing that brought it home for me was sketching out our meal plans for the week. Each day, I knew she would not be with us. I share this loss with you, as my loving readers, to say that, grief is real, no matter what triggers it and we all deserve our time, however much time we may need. Meal plans are necessary in our home. Eating take-out is not going to make my body, heart, or budget feel better even if all I want to do is sit around and cry. I may be slow to writing, posting and responding as we mourn our loss, but I am still here, still committed to health and healing.

Some sales this week at Martin’s to share:
– Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (fresh): $11.99 / lb – the BEST salmon to eat and one that is usually too expensive to purchase fresh
– Nature’s Promise chicken (whole, drumsticks or thighs): $1.49 / lb – great time to stock up
– Stonyfield Greek Yogurt cups: 10/$10, also use a coupon to save $0.50 – perfect for Monday breakfasts when we’re a little slow-moving

Monday: Roasted salmon, roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Roast chicken with potatoes, carrots and steamed green beans

Wednesday: Ground beef casserole with pasta, spinach and cheese (think spaghetti but baked with cheese on top) with salad

Thursday: (new recipe) Healthy Loaded Black Bean Nachos

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Just to be clear, I have a Super Oil, one that I will never be without. It wasn’t that special to me, back in the days when I purchased oils off of store shelves. I thought it was good, but not THAT good. Now, I know better. This oil is anti-bacterial, antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antiseptic, and even anti-tumoral. Please read on as I introduce you to an oil that has stood up to so many tests and come out ahead.

Melaleuca alternifolia (also known as Tea Tree Oil) is a super hero in the essential oil world. Even if you don’t know much about essential oils, you need to meet this one. Shown to be anti-inflammatory, this study touted its benefits in treating psoriasis. Melaleuca alternifolia, with its antimicrobial properties is used successfully for skin infections. In this study, it treated warts caused by the human papilloma virus. Tea tree oil was shown to be MORE effective than the cleaners used in hospitals (including ethanol / rubbing alcohol) to combat MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (See study here) You’ll also see in this article that tea tree oil is effectively used to treat toenail fungus, dandruff, candidiasis (external / oral), and athletes feet. And let’s not forget cancerous tumors, specifically melanoma. Tea tree oil showed its super powers again in this study, by impairing the growth of human M14 melanoma cells. Talk about empowering, hopeful news!

On a personal note: Therapeutic grade melaleuca alternifolia has healed my fingernails that were ridging and splitting for over a year.

It was the only thing that helped me after my strep infection led to a bronchial cough that kept me up at night. Rubbing it (diluted) on my spine  brought me tons of relief, followed by healing.

Despite the many benefits of other oils, melaleuca alternifolia is the only oil that stops the itch from the many mosquito bites I acquire around here. I will not be without this superhero. I hope you’re not either.

So why, why are we still using alcohol to disinfect? Why are we grabbing cleaners off store shelves filled with harmful chemicals, totally unsafe around our children, instead of using this simple, natural, incredible oil that has been proven to be more effective? You need this in a spray bottle at your house! You need this in your mop, in your toilet cleaner, on your counters and in your holistic medicine cabinet.

To read about why you need therapeutic grade (as opposed to store bought) oils, read more here.

To order right now because it’s that awesome, go here. Sponsor ID / Enroller ID: 1414775.

If you like to research stuff on your own, like me, I encourage you to get this incredible book (affiliate Amazon link below):

For the week of June 30th, 2014. We are heading into July with open arms! I hope yours is filled with great summer plans, like ours.

Kroger wins this week. Our grocery budget has been a major concern of mine. Trying to trim where we can, but not trimming out healthy food, has not seemed to work lately! Our grocery bill continues to be high and rising. How about yours? A glance at Martin’s competitor store made me do a double-take. Kroger had way more organic food on sale this week. We got wild Alaskan silverbrite salmon for $4.99 a pound, organic chicken 20% off, organic cherries for $4.99 a bag and organic berries 2 packages for $6. These prices do NOT compare to Martin’s prices this week. Word to the wise, keep an eye on the competition.

Monday: Salmon salads (broiled salmon atop lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber)

Tuesday: Chicken fried rice (pretty easy to cook up some onions, garlic, chicken, eggs and vegetables and mix with rice and spices)

Wednesday: Tamale Pie (have you tried this yet? It’s so versatile!)

Thursday: We are doing take-out night early because it’s a long weekend – hooray!

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Thus far, I’ve dedicated Mondays on this blog to helping bring some meal planning inspiration to all my awesome readers! I haven’t really mentioned breakfast, have I?

What are your mornings like? My alarm goes off at 5:45 a.m. and breakfast is on the table at 6:30 sharp. Daddy is out the door at 7 a.m. and my kids are early risers as it is. I’ll admit that I sometimes hit snooze once or twice, which means I’m running into the kitchen scrambling to cook something healthy and nutritious for my family of four.

So, how do I do it? I don’t meal plan for breakfast the way I do for dinner. Instead, I usually think about it the night before and get things ready. Take the picture above, for example: berries with coconut cream. I set an open can of coconut milk in the fridge and placed the stand mixer on the counter the night before. We had an abundance of berries (thanks to Kroger’s sale this week) that I quickly cut up while the mixer was whipping the coconut cream with a heaping spoon of coconut sugar and a dash of vanilla. I used the coconut water (at the bottom of the can) to pour in with the oatmeal I quickly brought to a boil on the stove. While it’s all coming together, I’m sipping my lemon water (read why, here), packing Daddy’s lunch, turning on the iron for him and grabbing snacks for my kids who cannot seem to wait for breakfast before they start eating.

Pancakes and waffles are for the weekend. No time for that goodness! Fresh fruit is always on the table. So, how can I keep an interesting and healthy breakfast plan unfolding each weekday?

Here’s a sample of our breakfasts:

Monday: Cold cereal and smoothies
             Simple smoothies
             – 1 cup organic frozen berries
             – 1 cup milk (we use almond or coconut)
             – 1 cup organic yogurt (we use Stonyfield – coupons here)
             – 1 banana
             Blend til smooth.

Tuesday: Eggs (2 fried for Daddy & big girl, 2 scrambled for Mommy and baby girl) with toast or leftover pancakes / waffles

Wednesday: Oatmeal and fresh fruit

Thursday: French Toast or toast with cheese melted on top (I’ll admit that I have to get up at 5:45 to do French Toast otherwise it just doesn’t happen! Setting the bowl and griddle out the night before helps!)

Friday: Eggs like Tuesday and toast

Your turn! Share with me your weekday breakfast favorites so I can add to mine!