The Essence of Thanksgiving

Since my childhood it has been a common practice to stuff the turkey and let it slow roast overnight. This year I got a 25 pounder to insure that there would be plenty of leftovers to share with other family members. My roaster just barely accomodated the huge bird, but I was pleased that it did indeed fit into my oven. I was looking forward to that traditional turkey fragrance when I woke up in the morning. My nose detected something unpleasant before I was fully awake. As I decended the stairs I could see a smoky haze over the living room. Uh Oh!

The roaster accomodated the meaty fellow, but apparently not all of the oily juice which was now bubbling over onto the bottom of the oven,creating a nasty burnt greasy smoke. Yucky! I flung open the windows, and hoped the stove and ceiling fan would move the smoky air out of the house. Thankfully we have another stove in the lower level, to which I promptly moved Mr. Turkey so he could continue roasting, minus a quart of oily juice. I turned on the diffuser down there which contained Purification essential oil blend and filled another one upstairs with Christmas Spirit to freshen the air.

As much as I dreaded it, the greasy oven was next on my list. Yay! Oven cleaning before my eyes were open, I groaned. First, I wiped out the pooling oil with several paper towels, then sprayed Thieves Household Essential Oil cleaner on the inside of the entire oven. I let it sit for a few minutes, then wiped. I repeated this a few times just with the cleaner and paper towels. It came clean without any harsh oven cleaners or scouring pads. When my family arrived I told them about the scary incident this morning. The house had a pleasant cinnamony scent and everyone said that they could hardly smell any smokiness at all. Whew, essential oils to the rescue and yes, the turkey turned out delicious to my great relief!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Avoid Flame Resistant PJs for Kids

Please read this before buying your little ones sleepwear this winter!

http://www.5minutesforgoinggreen.com/299/avoiding-flame-retardants-in-cozy-childrens-pajamas/trackback/

Winterize Your Body With Inner Defense

Just like draining the sprinklers, putting on snow tires, and checking the furnace in preparation for winter, our bodies also require special maintenance during the cold time of the year.

Young Living has pioneered the formulation of therapeutic/medicinal essential oils for internal use. In Europe, the internal use of essential oils is commonly called aromatic medicine. Here in the US, it is still a fairly new concept. First of all, few essential oils are available that are pure enough to be called a supplement. If you plan to take an essential oil internally be certain it has a white "supplement facts" label on the bottle otherwise it isn't meant for internal use.

Inner Defense was put to the test for me last winter. A friend and I decided to do a mid winter getaway to stay in a cabin( yes, it was heated-somewhat!) for the weekend. It was 20 below zero outside and when my friend got home she developed bronchitis and used an inhaler and antibiotics for a few weeks. I immediately started taking Inner Defense 3 times a day with meals. I could tell something was trying to lower my immune system on our trip because my throat was starting to get a little scratchy. Long story short, I took these high powered oils for about 10 days and never got sick even though I was directly exposed to the germs/virus all weekend besides being chilled in subzero weather.

What is Inner Defense?

These liquid gel caps are filled with some of the most potent immune supporting essential oils.

Including Thieves Blend: Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus radiata, Rosemary

Thyme, which is a rich source of thymol, a substance known to create an unfriendly environment for yeast and fungus.

Oregano, which is high in carvacrol, known to support well-being when the body is distressed.

Citronella has mild cleansing properties.

Don't let the cold and flu season get you down; winterize today with essential oils on the inside!

Available on my website or contact me for more information.

Essential Tip of the Week-Freshening Bathrooms

No need for those synthetically fragranced toilet paper roll deodorizers!

Simply apply a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the inside of the cardboard tube. The fresh scent can last for days while purifying the air.

For bathrooms with moisture/mildew issues, I recommend Purification Blend.

Favorite Holiday Scent Giveaway

Win a terra cotta diffuser ornament and Christmas Spirit, a festive blend of orange, cinnamon, and spruce essential oils!

How the giveaway works:

Leave a comment about your favorite scent of the holiday season and why you love it!

Winner will be randomly drawn on December 1st.

Essential Tip of the Week-Headaches

Headaches can be due to hormone imbalances, shortage of oxygen, sinus pressure, stress, muscle tension/injury, sugar imbalance (hypoglycemia) or colon/liver congestion. Other triggers for migraines can be monosodium glutamate and other food preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and environmental allergic reactions.

Essential oils boost the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and oxygen infusion into the cell. They can also soothe inflammation which can reduce pain.

Here are some EO's that work well for specific headache types. I like to mix a drop or two of a single EO or blend with a few drops of pure jojoba oil in my hand and apply to neck and shoulders. Holding firm pressure under the protruding bones at the base of your head (brain stem) with thumb or fingertips can bring great relief as well.

Hormone Imbalances: Lavender, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Fennel, Bergamot, Dragon Time Blend.

Hypoglycemic Migraine: Peppermint, Lavender, Dill, Di-Gize Blend

Migraine: Helichrysum, Frankincense, Lavender, Basil, Rosemary, Peppermint (great for migraines with nausea), Eucalyptus radiata.

The vast majority of migraine headaches may be due to colon congestion or poor digestion. I use Young Living's Cleansing Trio for an annual or bi-annual cleanse.

Note: Lavender and Basil, layered (not mixed together) on the forehead and temples, have relieved migraines.

Muscle-Related Headache: Lavender, Marjoram, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Frankincense (my personal favorite).

Sinus-Related Headache: Lavender, Eucalyptus radiata, RC Blend, Raven Blend (the BEST!).

Structural-Bone-Related Headache: Lavender with Wintergreen, Basil, Lemongrass, PanAway Blend.

Please keep in mind that the oils that can produce these benefits MUST be pure, therapeutic/medicinal grade. I use Young Living's EOs because of their exceptional purity, potency,consistant quality and excellent results. All the EO blends listed in this post are either trademarked or formulated by Young Living.

My Son Gunnar, The Aromatherapist