Super charge your Neti Pot

I know I don't post very often, but that is because I only post things that have been helpful to me. I'm not here to make money, just to help. 

That's one of the things I detest about Dr Oz and the like: they always seem to have something new to say. Is it really possible to have a handful of new remedies everyday!? 

Ok. Rant over. So the whole fam is squeezed into the car on our way across the country to visit my sister and we've been hit with the head cold virus. So imagine how super fun it is in our car right now. 

In a desperate attempt to clear us up before our final destination, I got creative. I took our Neti pot and added two packages of salt and added a healthy squirt of the nasal spray Xlear. Xlear has xylitol in it that is excellent at clearing mucous out, and it also has grapefruit seed extract, which has been used as a disinfectant, natural immune booster, and  antioxidants. 

It was amazing. 

It broke through the stuffiness. Usually when I'm that stuffy, I can't use the Neti pot, but this new mixture barreled through the gunk. Everything just came out. I could breathe again. I felt so much better and was able to drive all day. 

What do you put in your Neti pot?

Yummy chocolate peanut butter protein shake

Ok, so this isn't technically an alternative medicine, but it was too yummy not to share. It does involve essential oils, so that counts, right!?

I am not a paid endorser of doterra, but I have to say that their shake mix is the best on the market. Not only is it low in fat and carbs, it is the lowest in sugar. It uses all natural ingredients without using artificial sweeteners, colors, or preservatives. 

Seriously, check out these stats:

3.5g fat

7g carbs

5g fiber

0.3g sugar 

16g protein

Are you kitten me here!? 

And even with all that awesomeness, it tastes great. I've tried a lot of protein bars and shakes in my lifetime, and this one is the best. I've tried other shakes and they give me, forgive me for being gross...the runs. Not this one! 

When I drink this in the morning, I feel calmer throughout the day. What I mean is that I am not as hungry, not as junk food crazy, and not as snacky. 

Recently I went to Jamba Juice and got their choco banana drink. It was pretty good, but deep down I knew I could have had a couple doughnuts for the same calories and sugar. So the thought crossed my mind: I bet I could use my chocolate trim shake and make something similar.  After making it, I'd say it was better! 

So here's my recipe: 

A few ice cubes (4-8)

1 cup milk (I've tried skim, coconut and almond)

A scoop of natural peanut butter

1 whole banana

1 scoop of doterras chocolate trim shake mix

Blend. Enjoy. Be satisfied. 

I don't do shakes very often because I like the feel of something heavy in my stomach in the morning. Usually shakes just run through me without giving me a full feeling, but this recipe helps me feel full and satisfied for several hours after. 

You could add in some chia seeds for extra health benefits, or wheat germ, but, honestly, it's wonderfully healthy as is. 

Oh, I just had a thought. Take out the ice cubes and add in chia seeds to make a pudding!! I'm going to try it right now! Happy blending!

Liquid ambien

Many of you don't know this, but I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Over the last few weeks, going to sleep has been a daunting endeavor. As soon as I get comfortable, my mind and body wage war against each other. This happens in random spurts from time to time. It usually lasts a few weeks to a few months. I usually suffer through trying everything I can without resorting to medicine. I use ocean wave music, lavender, rescue remedy, meditation, and sometimes A even has to pound on my back to help me calm down.

 

Sometimes nothing works. 

This is one of those weeks. 

So as I lay down last night, feeling a fit coming on, I remembered a pin I saw briefly the other day: liquid ambien.

 

I dismissed it initially because I know people who take ambien and they become nut jobs on that stuff. One friend buys random infomercial products and has no idea until the purchases show up at her door weeks later! 

Being in my awful state, I was willing to try anything. I looked it up and was happily surprised that I had all the oils needed. I quickly ran to the kitchen and made this concoction. I applied it behind my ears and at the base of my skull and laid back down. 

With my eyes closed, I could feel a difference almost immediately. My thoughts were clear.  I felt as if synapses were firing that hadn't been. It was almost trippy: I could see colors flashing. Imagine a broken down fair and someone finally turns on the generator after years of decay and the lights sputter at first before blazing back to their intended glory. 

Yeah. It was kind of like that. 

 This will be my new nightly routine. 

Thanks to Brandi King for this little goldmine. 

Now for the recipe:

I put it in a roll on bottle for easy application. 

Oh Lavender (sung to the tune of Oh Canada)

I am singing lavender's praises right now! (Hence the musical tribute in the title). 

I have struggled for years with sinus infections. Essential oils have dramatically reduced the number and length of these infections, but the one thing it didn't help was the sinus headaches. Even if I don't get a full-blown infection, I still get sinus headaches all the time. 

Well, not anymore! A friend of mine said that she puts a little lavender on the bridge of her nose when he nose is runny, and it clears it right up. I figured if it worked for that, it might just help my headaches. It did!! I can't tell you how much relief I've gotten over one drop of lavender. One drop, people!! 

So from now on, instead of reaching for sudafed, grab the lavender!

The pits!

Have you seen what's in a run of the mill deodorant lately!? Check this out:

Now, I will say the evidence for aluminum causing Alzheimer's is a little sketchy, but look at all those chemicals! We are putting that on our biggest, most porous organ! 

My skin is so sensitive that I can't wear deodorant—remember I make my own shampoo!? I have tried every alternative out there: Tom's, those funky crystal, but mostly I just went without. Sure, I could get a little funky at times, but it was better than the alternative...red, swollen, itchy, painful pitts. 

I was mostly ok with my pepe lapew pitts, but there are times when deodorant is nice, even appreciated. I have come across several different recipes in the past. I've never made any if them because they called for weird things or required weird techniques to make it. Until recently. The recipe I will share with you today caught my eye because it had simple ingredients like coconut oil and I could add EOs. 

Now before I tell you the positive things, let me tell you the drawbacks. First, it had coconut oil in it, so the consistency changes—sometimes it's solid, sometimes it's runny. That also means that it doesn't do well in an old deodorant container. I'm still working on a solution for that. Also. a little goes a loooong way, so if you use a scent combo you don't like, you're stuck with it for a while. Finally, you have to get two fingers covered in goop. 

Now for the good things. A little goes a loooong way, so not only is it natural, it's cheap!! Seriously, I use a piece a little bit smaller than the size of a pencil eraser per pit. Because of the coconut oil, it melts as soon as it touches your skin. Not only does it help deodorize, it draws toxins out! I find that it keeps me incredibly dry. 

So here a the recipe: 

(The original pin can be found here-http://pinterest.com/pin/64809682111684726/

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 corn starch

6 tbs coconut oil

EOs of your choice

Mix everything together and store in an airtight container.  

Hopefully, this will no longer be a stinky subject. 

Sick of being sick!

Holy cow! I was so sick this week! It was the worst I've had in a long time. I felt like my body was being tortured by an inexperienced torturer. It. Was. Awful. 

I tried all my usual tricks and finally resorted to Tylenol and that didn't even help. Time just had to tick away. I started feeling better a few days later but I was still stuffy. Finally I remembered a good little helper for such times: Xlear

It's a nose spray. One that doesn't use nasty chemicals that actually wreak havoc on your sinuses after short lived relief. No! This product uses xylitol a natural sugar (sugar that actually helps your teeth regrow minerals and keep them from getting cavities...I'm not kidding! http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol) 

and it works quickly without side effects. 

A few squirts later and the pressure build up subsided and I was actually able to blow my nose. This stuff is amazing!! This is a medicine cabinet staple, especially if you have sinus issues. 

Mish mash

It's been awhile.  Who missed me!? Well, I'm back.  I don't know what happened really except that life get busy.  Oh, I know what it was: we got a new foster placement.  She's an adorable 1year old.  Did you know that 1year olds are very needy? Yep. I just found that out.

Anywho...

We did some spring cleaning around our house this past few weeks.  We found that a bunch of gasoline spilled in our shed over the winter, peeling paint off a piece of furniture. As I was stripping the peeling paint off, my hands reeked of gasoline.  I hate that! I tried dawn, I tried regular hand soap, nothing took the smell away.

Guess what worked? Lemon essential oil. Are you surprised? I wasn't.

The best part is that it didn't mask the smell (lemon scented gasoline) it eradicated it.

Another great tip for essential oils:

My SO hates orange air freshener.  I think it works great, but she doesn't.  A lot of air fresheners only mingle with the offending odor making it smell more like "shittrus." Doterra makes an oil called citrus bliss.  I put one drop in the toilet before....you know, "dropping off some timber" and it keeps the bathroom smelling fresh.  It's amazing. I bet lemon would work too, but I haven't tried it.

If you have some tips for us, please leave them in the comments!