Make your Own Flavored Water with Essential Oils

Have you ever enjoyed flavored water? There are so many commercial brands out there but some, if not most, are flavored with more than you bargained for.

Check the labels on these waters. Some may be sweetened with sugar, or worse aspartame, and some may contain "natural" flavors (which in essence means imitation flavoring), coloring, or preservatives.

Tinted Stainless Steel Water Bottles. Banish disposable bottles and waste Only: $12 each

Some waters even claim to boost energy - careful, these may contain caffeine. How about added vitamins? This can be an issue too if you've already taken your supplements for the day. Plus, the vitamins that are added are more than likely synthetic and not in their natural state.

Water is suppose to be pure and healthy. Adding any of these things to your water definitely isn't pure and healthy.

Further, if you are drinking these flavored waters from plastic bottles then you also have the disadvantage of adding unwanted chemicals to your drinking water like DEHP, styrene, and BPAs. Not a good thing indeed.

So, what's a flavored water drinker suppose to do? Make your own flavored water and use Stainless Steel bottles.

Making flavored water with your Young Living Essential Oils is so easy and so tasty too! Try using Lemon, Peppermint, or Citrus Fresh. All of these oils have a very uplifting effect and you will get some added benefits from using them.

Lemon is very alkalizing (you can read about alkalizing with lemon by clicking here), peppermint is very cooling and helps to clear brain fog, and Citrus Fresh is extremely uplifting.

If its vitamin water you are looking for, flavor your water with a shot of NingXia Red. It is so light and tasty and you are sure to get a good boost of energy from drinking it, not to mention the health benefits that come from these vitamins and minerals.

Order Young Living Essential Oils Here..............

Please be careful not to use your essential oils in a plastic bottle. The essential oils can break down the plastic and the chemicals can infiltrate your water. I suggest using glass or stainless steel water bottles.

The stainless steel bottles shown above are the best priced bottles I've seen in a long time. They are being offered by Gaiam and if you combine this sale with either the free shipping or discounted pricing coupons (scroll down and look on the right of this page) you will end up with great pricing.

Stay cool, stay healthy, and enjoy your essential oils in your water.

Need help ordering? Have any questions regarding Young Living products? Contact me, I'd love to get you started with Young Living or answer any of your questions.

Yours in Scentsible Wellness,

Elizabeth

Please note Essential Oils should not be consumed unless they are pure 100% Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils such as Young Living's Essential Oils - Know your source!!!

Your Mama was Right and Studies are Proving it…..

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Statistics tell us that only one in four adults eats breakfast and many people are missing out on its important benefits.

Did you know that eating breakfast improves overall nutrition, the ability to concentrate, and the ability to control weight?

Other studies have reported that those who eat breakfast start their day in a better mood, and have more energy to burn. And still other research shows that eating breakfast on a daily basis is one of the most effective ways to lower bad cholesterol (or maintain an already low level) and to reduce the risk of developing hypertension and type-2 diabetes.

Need I go on? By simply adding breakfast to your morning repetoire you can make a great impact on your well being! Be warned though, not all breakfasts will yield the same results.

To make certain you get all the great benefits from your breakfast make sure it supplies at least one quarter of the calories you need for the entire day and that it includes those ingredients that most nutritionists agree make a nutritious breakfast:

1. At least one serving of fiber


2. At least one fruit and/or vegetable


3. Milk or another source of calcium


4. Protein, i.e., from nuts, meat, cheese or eggs

You can make this habit even easier by adding Young Living’s Balance Complete to your morning routine!

Balance Complete is a superfood meal replacement that contains the same NingXia Wolfberries found in Young Living’s NingXia Red Juice. For those pressed for time or wanting something simple and tasty, Balance Complete is quick to prepare while providing you with high fiber and high protein. It contains the good fats, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals needed for a nutritionally dynamic meal.

Ask Me How to get Wholesale Pricing......

I drink Balance Complete most mornings. I mix it with my NingXia Red Juice and Hemp or Almond milk. This is a great way for me to make sure I have my breakfast and it certainly ties me over until I can find a moment to sit and eat. Its cleansing properties are an added bonus too.

For more information on Balance Complete click here

Make smart choices to start your day and your body will reward you tremendously!

If you have any questions regarding any of the Young Living Products please contact me and I would be more than happy to assist you.

Yours in Scentsible Wellness,

Elizabeth

Beach Bag Essentials - Oils that is!

Ahhh, Summer - its officially here!

Despite the debate as to whether the Summer Solstice (the unofficial mark of Summer's start) is the 20th or 21st of June, I know its here because the kids are finally done with school and my thoughts are turning to lazy days and fun times.

If you live in the proximity of the beach then another unofficial mark to the start of summer is the packing of the beach bag.

My beach bag has expanded to more than one bag over these last few years, heck, just needing 6 beach towels will do that! But for the most part my beach bag still includes the basics with a few extras for the little ones. Gotta keep 'em happy!

Here are some suggestions for a well packed beach bag. Some are no-brainers but there are a few "essential" additions that just might make that trip to the shore a bit more enjoyable:

• Beach Bag - of course, can't pack a beach bag without a bag



• Sunscreen - I know you don't need to be reminded of this however, I did want to point you to a report of the best and worst sunscreens with regard to the amount of chemicals they possess and their effectivness. Take a look at the Enviornmental Working Group's Report they released last year and choose wisely. I think you'll be surprised, like me, to find that 85% of 1,074 sunscreen products they tested had inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns.



• Water - goes without saying. Try spiking your water with a couple of drops of Lemon Essential Oil or Peppermint Essential Oil. Both are very refreshing and envigorating. Read how great Lemon water is for you here.



• Snacks - Add some non-perishable high energy snacks in your beach bag and even when the cooler is empty there will be snacks available. I like to keep pouches of NingXia Red, trail mix, or granola bars. I'm going to order the new Manna Bars and add them to my bag. They'd be a good addition as they are loaded with great whole food nutrition and they sound super yummy!



• A Good Read - The beach is a great time to catch up on your reading, so grab something new from the Bestseller List or that book that you've been meaning to read for years. I'm starting my summer reading with Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston.



• Disposable Camera - capture those precious moments without the worry of having your good camera getting ruined.



• Peppermint Essential Oil - great for helping you cool down! Add a couple of drops to your water, rub on your feet, or you can put a few drops on a bandana to wear around the head for summer cooling. Mixing Peppermint and Lavender oil with water makes a very simple and pleasant Cooling Spritz (see recipe below).



• Lavender Essential Oil - Make a Cooling Spritz and Sunburn soother in portable spray bottles and add to your bag (see recipes below). Feeling a little stinky? Apply a couple of drops of Lavender under your arms to use as a portable deodorant. Lavender will not only cover any unpleasant odor, it also prevents the occurrence of odor-causing bacteria.



• Lavaderm Cooling Mist - if you don't want to make your own Sunburn Soother than you can purchase this pre-made skin soother. It includes Lavender Essential Oil and Aloe Vera. Its great as a first aid spray and for soothing bug bites!




If you purchase an Essential 7 Kit you'd have 3 essential oils mentioned in this post.....




• Horsefly Repellent - to me, nothing can ruin my day at the beach more then when those pesky, biting, flies arrive to nibble on our toes, and legs, and arms and well, you get the picture. You can repell them by making a floral water with Idaho Tansy essential oil (see the recipe below). Bathing on the dock of the bay? Then mosquitos may be your problem. Check out my Mosquitoes Bugging You? post for an insect repelling recipe.



• Cornstarch - easliy removes sand from your feet. If you'd like to make it more refreshing add some essential oils (see the recipe below). Please don't use babypowder. Inhaling baby powder has been linked with respiratory illnesses.



• Garbage Bag - please bring an extra bag with you to stash your trash! While you're at it, do what my family does and get each one in your beach party to pick up their trash and one extra piece of trash. The beach critters and us loyal beach goers would greatly appreciate it!

Order Young Living Essential Oils here.......

Recipes:

Lavender and Peppermint Cooling Spritz

Add 5 drops Lavender and 1 drop Peppermint to 1 cup distilled water. Spritz on arms and legs to help you cool down. Do not spray near face; if you wish to use this mixture near the face, dampen a cloth and lightly apply to the face.

Sunburn Soother

Add 20 drops Lavender to 1 ounce water and 1 ounce Aloe vera. Spray on affected areas as needed.

Horsefly Repellent

Add 10-20 drops of Idaho Tansy Essential Oil to a spray bottle filled with distilled water. Spray generously on exposed skin being careful to avoid the eyes.

Foot Powder
Measure the cornstarch and pour it into a widemouthed glass jar or a spice powder container. Then add the essential oils. Tighten the cap, and let the foot powder sit for a day. Shake before using.

Chamomile: 20 drops
Clove: 5 drops
Cinnamon: 5 drops
Cornstarch: 2 Tbsp

Foot Powder Recipe from 500 Formulas for Aromatherapy: Mixing Essential Oils for Every Use by Carol & David Schiller, ©1994.

Happy Summer! I hope you enjoy it and that you create many special memories with your family and friends!

If you have any questions or need help placing an order please contact me. I'd be more than happy to assist!

Yours in Scentsible Wellness,
Elizabeth

Increase Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables

A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Cancer Institute revealed that most Americans are not consuming the daily recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables suggested by the USDA MyPyramid diet guideline.

The pyramid is based on age, gender, and activity level but generally recommends that Americans consume at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day as part of a healthy diet. Because of the far reaching benefits that fruits and vegetables provide, most experts in the field of nutrition argue the USDA recommendations are still low. Walter C. Willett, M.D. author of the national bestseller Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, recommends fruits be eaten 2-3 times/day and vegetables eaten in abundance.

Do a simple Google search using “fruits and vegetables” and it quickly becomes clear why eating fruits and vegetables are so important. I did just this at my favorite health related website (NewsTarget.com) and here is a sampling of the headlines I found:

• Fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure



• Fruits and vegetables help protect vision



• Plant- based diet greatly reduces risk of cancer



• Darker fruits and vegetables found to fight colon cancer



• Availability of fruits and vegetables improves the eating behaviors of schoolchildren



• Blue, red, and purple fruits and veggies fight cancer



• Water rich food (read fruits and vegetables) allow people to eat more while losing weight

And the headlines went on and on, for 12 pages to be precise. If you were to read just one of these articles there would be no question as to why increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables is probably the single best thing you can do for your health.

So, we know we need to add more fruits and vegetables but how can you make this work for you? Easy, upgrade your diet by adding one more fruit or one more vegetable into your daily diet. Or, even easier, you can supercharge your upgrade by simply adding one ounce of NingXia Red® to your diet.


NingXia Red is a naturally delicious, nutrient-infused wolfberry drink that will energize, fortify, and replenish your body. Whole Ningxia wolfberries and other nutrient-dense fruit juices, like blueberry and pomegranate make NingXia Red the perfect choice for optimizing wellness and stepping up to a whole new level of health.

Young Living NingXia Red vs. Noni





To order NingXia Red click here.

If you have any questions please contact me and I'd be happy to answer them for you.

Yours in Scentsible Wellness,
Elizabeth

Baby, Its Hot Out There!!

Its hard to believe its only the beginning of June. Here in the Northeast we have been seeing temps at 100 degrees and that has been at 3:00 in the afternoon! Are you looking for some relief from the heat? Below are some recipes made with essential oils sure to hit the spot!

If you have children, the NingXia Red Creamsicle is not only a tasty treat but is a powerhouse of nutrients you can feel good about your child eating (read more about the nutritional value of NingXia Red here).

NingXia Red Creamsicle

1 cup Young Living's NingXia Red juice
1 cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, banana, etc.)

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into your mold of choice. Freeze about 4 hours, serve.

Try and avoid plastic molds because of the chemicals; Some good substitutes might be: a glass Pyrex dish (scoop the frozen mixture into pretty serving dishes). Or, use regular paper cups, nonwaxed - wax is a petro chemical, and stick a wooden popsicle stick in the center, peel the paper cup off for serving.


Lavender Vanilla Ice Cream

Wow, is this easy and excellent!!! Who would have thought this combination would taste soooo good!

1 quart of nice quality vanilla ice cream (soften a bit)
2 drops Young Living's Lavender essential oil

After the ice cream has softened enough to stir, scoop it out into a mixing bowl. Put 2 drops of Young Living's Lavender essential oil into the ice cream and stir well to disperse the lavender oil. Put the ice cream back into the freezer so it can harden. Serve.

Lavender Lemonade

7 lemons, peeled and juiced
2 limes, peeled and juiced
14 c. water
1 ½ c. Blue Agave
1 drop lavender essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Add more water or Blue Agave, depending on the size and tartness of the fruit.

Need help ordering these items? Contact me and I'd be happy to help!

Yours in Scentsible Wellness,
Elizabeth

Remember use only 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Oils such as Young Living Essential Oil in recipes. With other oils you just don't know whats in them.

Recipes courtesy of Evelyn Vincent's newsletter, The Very Essence. Evelyn has a wonderful blog called Aromatherapy 4U that you should check out and Young Living's Lavender Farm Blog , also worth a visit.

Why You Should Drink NingXia Red Juice

How often have you found yourself in the grocery or health food store and see all the different Goji drinks available. There are so many out there that its hard to know what is the best. Even more, its hard to understand why one drink would be better than another.

Here is a great article to help you understand why Young Living's NingXia Red is THE best goji berry drink out there! http://www.naturalnews.com/022639.html

Please take a moment to read the article as it is very informative and helps clear up some misconceptions about all the Goji berry drinks out there. The article speaks very strongly about the NingXia region of China and its superior wolfberry. This is the precise berry that Young Living uses in its NingXia Red Juice. In addition, it is important to note that Young Living uses the entire berry in their juice. This is an added bonus as it is like drinking the whole berry, skin, pulp and all. If you don't know, eating the whole of anything is better than just drinking the juice. Now, how many Goji juice makers can tout that the whole berry is in their juice - only Young Living as far as I know.

Here is a snippet of the article:

So next time a goji berry juice sample flies at you wherever you may be, just stop and ask 3 simple questions:

1) Is it Lycium Barbarum species?

2) Is it certified organic?

3) Is it from Ningxia province in China?


If the source scored "yes" to all 3 of these questions, you have the goji that is a true superfood.


Young Living has the best!!!! With Young Living's NingXia Red you CAN answer yes to all three of these questions! Get some of this great berry into your body and feel the difference it can bring to your health!

For more information on Young Living's NingXia Red click here and to order NingXia Red click here