Life Style Changes

Recently my husband and I have embarked upon a life style change. Being college students and working full time, we ate out a lot. We now try to limit eating out to twice a month and we have been exercising more.

It's time to ramp that up. We will now be participating in the Whole 30 Diet. I would personally like this to continue for more than 30 days, but we will see how it goes. It won't be as hard for me as I love veggies and fruit. My husband on the other hand... might get bored with it because he is more of a meat and potato kind of guy.

I was really excited to find out that I can still have my doTERRA Vanilla Trim Shake with almond milk and a couple drops of Tangerine oil! The only kickers will be not having cheese and garlic bread. I will survive though.

I will let you know how it goes via blog posts and things of that nature! I'm excited to try something new!

Emotions

Hello, Friends!

This past month has been a difficult one for me. This August marked 25 years since my mother has been gone. You would think as time passes, it would get easier, but it doesn't. Not for me any way. This past Saturday I had one of the biggest emotional break downs ever. I miss her like crazy and I want her here with me. I'm selfish like that.

My husband, bless his heart, held me close and cuddled me as I cried. He went and got my elevation and massaged it on my neck and I applied some to my chest over my heart. I just sat there cradled in his arms breathing deeply. Then my melt down was over. I've applied it every day the past few days and have been able to keep my tears at bay.

I love my oils and I'm glad that I have a supporting husband. Hold those you love tightly as you never know if you will see them again.

Peace and Love!

Zyto Scan

Just a quick reminder that the following is my testimony. I am not a doctor and do not claim to be one.

First off... I'm a total skeptic with everything. I got invited to do a Zyto Scan earlier this week. If any of you have read my previous blog posts, you know I have PCOS. This causes my menstrual cycle to be crazy and all over the place.

I have been spotting for months now, which is not unusual for me. It sucks, but I just deal with it! Anyway, I ended up doing the scan and it said the oils I needed were Clary Sage, Cypress, and Arborvitae. I got home and made a roller bottle of oil. I apply it daily in the morning to the bottoms of my feet and nightly to my feet, wrists, and abdominal area.

To my amazement... I stopped spotting. Me being the skeptical person that I am... Stopped using the oils for a day and the spotting resumed. Needless to say, I started the oils again and it went away! I will never be without these oils again!

If you have never had a Zyto Scan done before, I strongly suggest it! It was spot on for me!

A Month of Firsts

Hello Everyone!

I just want to provide you with some very useful information! I have recently been trying out the TerraZymes, Mito 2 Max, and using essential oils as deodorant. It's been a crazy month of firsts! I talked about Mito in my previous post, so it won't get much mention here. Other than... I love it! I love having just enough energy with no crash!

If you just started or are about to start taking TerraZymes this is for you!

1. The first couple of days taking it, you might find yourself running to the bathroom. This is normal as it is ridding your body of all that nasty crap. Literally and figuratively speaking! :)

2. You might notice an increase of acne. My face broke out horribly. It takes about 2 weeks for your body to adjust and get rid of the toxins. Then your skin will start to clear up and look amazing!

I have always heard that antiperspirant deodorant can cause breast cancer. I don't know how factual this is, but if I can do anything to reduce the risk... I'm all for it! I have recently been using essential oils as deodorant. I have not been making my own deodorant, I just apply straight oil! I was really skeptical at first and even placed my deodorant stick in my purse just in case.

Here are a few things I have learned.

1. I love the smell of citrus bliss. It is great as a deodorant and your pits smell great. However, it is citrus based and it burns, at least it burned for me. I had to wash my underarms midday and apply another oil.

2. Immortelle works the best in my opinion. The scent is nice, it doesn't burn, and hey... my pits are going to stay youthful! :)

Many people say they wouldn't use it because it's too expensive. Price wise at first it can be a bit pricey. This is what I did: I divided my Immortelle up into 4 roller bottles, then I topped it off with FCO and it works like a charm. These 4 bottles are going to last me quite a while. How long exactly? I have no clue, but a little bit goes a long ways.

I was hot and sweaty all day yesterday. I reapplied the oil midday, just to be on the safe side. I had sweat rolling down my face, but my pits were still smelling like roses and myrrh! It was awesome!

Mito 2 Max

I have recently been working crazy hours at work. I got a gym membership a couple of months ago, but I've been too exhausted to use it. I go to work at 6 am and I get home between 5 or 6 pm. I eat dinner and I'm ready for bed at 8.

I finally got some Mito 2 Max to try out. I took it a few days and didn't notice a huge change. Before I knew it, I wasn't yawning as much throughout the day and I was more alert. I didn't get jittery and I didn't crash after taking it. It was kind of nice to come home and enjoy a few hours with my hubby before wanting to crawl into bed.

Now that I have established the blend in my system, I only take one a day now and I still have that little bit of extra energy to get me through the day. So much so that instead of going to bed at 8 pm last night, I went for a walk! I got home and went to bed a little later around 10. I woke up around 7 this morning and I feel great! I will definitely be taking this daily!

If you need that extra little boost, give it a try! I love it!

Verage Skin Care

Hello Everyone!

I have been using Verage Skin care for a few months now. I stopped using the 4 step process for about a week and I started breaking out like a teenager. I started using it again and my face started clearing up. I've gone back to using it morning and night. The moisturizer I use every other day.

It is the most expensive facial care I have ever purchased. I bought it in March and consistently (with the exception of the one week) use it morning and night. It's not even half gone. The results I saw with my own skin, is well worth it.

See my results below. All I know is... I'll never be without it again!

What I saw in DoTERRA

I have been purchasing DoTERRA products now for 9 months. I am 100% a believer in DoTERRA and everything they stand for.

I was not fond of the idea that DoTERRA went to other countries to grow plants for oils. Why not create more jobs in the USA? Then I went to convention last year and:

I saw how they do co-impact sourcing.

I saw how dedicated DoTERRA was in changing lives.

I saw the lives they changed.

I saw that DoTERRA wanted the best growing conditions for the plants that our oils would be extracted from.

I saw that they cared about others and the products that they were creating.

I saw some of the growers and harvesters come in person. They were emotional and full of gratitude.

I saw hope in the eyes of the children that just received a new school building from DoTERRA and the Healing Hands Foundation.

I saw smiles and tears of joy from communities that just received running water to their village in Haiti. They no longer had to walk an hour and a half one way in the 100+ degree heat just to get clean drinking water.

I see the difference they are making and I'm glad to be part of it. I love DoTERRA and everything they do!

I see the difference in my life alone with the oils I use daily.

I see how the oils are helping those around me.


Thank you DoTERRA! Thank you for the gift of the earth!

Verage Skin Care

For those that saw my post about the Clear Skin, I found out some really helpful information! Clear Skin or HD Clear is primarily for those with real oily skin. I broke out from using it because my face was excessively dry. If you have oily skin, this stuff is for you! :)

Since then, I finally had the chance to try the Verage line. I went to a Verage facial class that was presented by my upline. This stuff was amazing. The smell was awesome (I wasn't a fan of the clear skin scent). It made my face feel clean and refreshed. I decided to use some points to get some for myself. I also got the Reveal Facial System!

My order got here during my lunch break one day and what did I do? I used it, I used everything I ordered. I washed my makeup off and used my new stuff. Then I reapplied my makeup. Let me just say this:

1. My face was as smooth as a baby butt!
2. The scent is nice and light!
3. It's easy to use!
3. My face was as smooth as a baby butt!
4. I have not had any of the big huge zits! I've had very few blackheads too!
5. My makeup (Bare Minerals) went on so smoothly, I didn't even use primer!

I use the Reveal System twice (sometimes 3 because I love how it makes my face feel) a week. I use Verage twice a day (in the morning after my shower and at night when I wash my makeup off). I absolutely love it. In fact, I immediately purchased another set of each because I don't ever want to run out!

Hiatus is Over

Hi Everyone,

I am back to blogging. I was away for a while because I moved to a new house, got promoted at work, and school has been hectic. Needless to say, I've been bathing in oils... I'll be posting a new blog shortly!

UPDATE: CLEAR SKIN???

Hello Friends,

I recently posted a blog titled "Clear Skin???" and some of you would like to know the tips I was given. Here they are:

1. Use the oil once a day, at night, after your face is clean and free of makeup.
2. Only use the oil every other day or twice a week, but still use the face wash.
3. Use the face wash and only apply the oils to a problem area as needed.

I tried the first option, it was a no go for me. The second option was marginally better, but it still caused break outs. The third option was the best of them all and it gave me the most success. I have adapted it.

This is one of those products that you must adapt to your skin type (I guess). What I have been doing with great results:

1. I wash my face with the Clear Skin/HD Clear foaming face wash in the morning.
2. I apply the HD Face Cream after the shower and just before I blow dry my hair.
3. I will dry my hair (allowing the lotion to soak in), then I apply my makeup on top of that (I use Bare Minerals).
4. At night I wash my face with Simple Face Wash or Scrub (I don't like the smell of the scrub, but it works great).
5. I apply the Clear Skin/HD Clear oil to problem areas.

I have really dry skin and I believe the oils were just drying my face out that much more. I no longer use the oil daily. I only use the face wash and lotion once a day (opposed to twice a day that I was doing before). This has really helped my skin.

Sometimes all it takes is an adjustment to your routine to make things work! I'm glad I posted and had so many great suggestions! Thanks Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am truly thankful for doTERRA!

With PCOS your menstrual cycle is never consistent.  I started taking the Phytoestrogen about a month or so ago (could have been longer). I'm not consistent in taking it. I'm horrible at taking a pill everyday... I forget. When I do remember though, I only take 1 per day.

The past several months my cycle has been light and spotty. Which isn't unusual for me. Then about every 3-4 months I will have the worst one ever. Doubled over in pain, heavy, and I'm always an emotional wreck. I usually miss at least a day of work because I can't move. I just stay curled up in a ball.

This month was one of the bad ones. I have been taking the Phytoestrogen. It was still very heavy, but it was not painful. I felt the pressure and that's it. I didn't miss any work. I didn't spend a day in tears or crying over stupid stuff. Did I mention that I didn't miss any work? :)

I am very thankful for this product and I will continue to purchase it. Thank you doTERRA!

Now that I have probably grossed ya'll out... I'm going to finish cooking my chicken and noodles. I just took the apple pie out of the oven and it smells delish! Then my hubby and I are headed over to a friends house (they also couldn't go home for Thanksgiving either). We shall stuff ourselves while visiting, playing games, and making memories. 

I hope you find yourselves surrounded by family and friends. 


Much Love!

Ashly

Clear Skin???

Hello, Friends! 

Just as an FYI... "Clear Skin" and "HD Clear" are the same thing. The only thing that changed was the look. All of the oils are the same. I thought they modified the oils with the HD version. I guess I'm a sucker for new labels! :)

Anyway...

I have been trying an experiment for the past month and a half. I was still using makeup everyday. The only thing I changed was the face wash and using the oils on my face. 

I used Clear Skin for a week (oil and face wash) and I started breaking out with really bad acne. I thought it was just my skin needing to adjust to the oils (I used "Simple" before) so I kept at it. It kept getting worse. I stopped using it for a week and went back to using "Simple" and my face started clearing up. 

Once my face was completely clear and acne free, I started using it again. The same thing happened. I broke out with huge, painful, almost boil-like zits. I stopped using it again and went back to "Simple." It cleared up within a matter of days. 

Needless to say... "Clear Skin" does not work for me! That brand new bottle of "HD Clear" I have will be going into the give away basket. Hoping others have better luck with it than I did. I also have a nearly new, barely used bottle of "Clear Skin" oil and "HD Clear" face lotion that I no longer have a need for. I have no idea what to do with those. 

I still LOVE doTERRA. It's just that this particular oil isn't for me. I have the "Verage" line in my cart now, but I'm hesitant to try it out. 

Has anyone else had this kind of reaction with the "Clear Skin/HD Clear" before? Have you tried the new skin care line and did you have the same reaction?

UPDATE: I have received some really good tips. I will be giving this another try, but not using it daily. I will let you know what the results are when I have them! :)

Trim Shake - Update

Hello! It's been a while since my last post. Life has been a bit hectic with school and work lately. I just going to provide a quick update to my Slim Shake breakfast challenge.

I have been drinking one Chocolate Slim Shake a day (usually 8-12 oz of 2% milk). I was just drinking them for breakfast when I first started. Now I have my body and mind trained to LOVE breakfast. This morning I really wanted a slice of toast and an egg. So that's what I cooked for myself. It ended up being a crazy day... so I had a shake for lunch.

I have been working out at the gym 3 days a week. I haven't been to the gym in the last 5 days because of  random dizziness and I have been dreading the scales because of it. Today I was curious. The last time I weighed, I was down 7 pounds from my starting weight. I knew I had gained weight back... I mustered up the courage and I weighed myself today. I was down another 4 pounds. I'm down a total of 11 pounds since starting this journey on October 13th, 2014!!!

I am pretty happy with those results! I guess breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

Thank you doTERRA for providing a product that I can actually stomach and doesn't taste like I'm drinking a pure chocolate bar for breakfast!

Trim Shake

I can't stand to eat breakfast and my doctor has been after me to eat breakfast for the last few years. He has told me time after time that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just eating dinner was not cutting it and that is why I have not been able to lose weight.

I decided to try doTERRA Trim Shakes. I purchased the chocolate one and was a bit nervous about how it would taste. I've tried many different shakes: SlimFast, Special K, Nestle, and Benefiber. To me they all leave this horrible after taste in your mouth and I could barely stomach the smell.

Trim Shake doesn't have a horrible smell and the taste is rather nice. It mixes well in my blender bottle and doesn't leave clumps or chunks. I'm kind of in love with it. I find drinking this shake is much easier for me than eating a meal. I just can't force myself to eat anything in the morning. So a drink is a nice alternative.

I have been drinking the Trim Shake the past week. I personally don't like a strong chocolate flavor so I mix 2 scoops in 16 oz of milk (opposed to 1 scoop per 4 oz) with a drop of wild orange. Next on my list is vanilla.

So far after 1 week of drinking Trim Shake, I have lost 5 pounds. We will see if it keeps happening for me! :) I believe with this shake and an awesome workout, great things are bound to happen for me! 

DIY Vapor Rub and Tabs

My husband is coming down with the same stuff I had a few weeks ago (Head Cold). He applies the oils one time and expects to be better immediately. I explain to him that he has to reapply throughout the day. It's like medicine in the aspect of wearing off and needing application every 1-2 hours. He's horrible about reapplying.

I have noticed if there is a jar premixed with organic coconut oil, he is much more likely to reapply. Why? I have no idea. I personally find roller bottles much more convenient. To each their own, I guess.  

I decided today to make him some homemade "Vapor Rub" and "Vapor Tabs" for the shower. I have not tried anything like this before and I must say it was extremely easy!

Vapor Rub:

I find it easier to place the solid coconut oil in the jar (4 oz), then place it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt (does not have to be completely liquid).Take it out of the microwave and allow it to cool down. Be careful not to allow it to get solid again.

Once the coconut oil cooled off. I added:

20 drops Eucalyptus
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Rosemary

Stir Gently or you can place the lid back on the jar and shake (kids love that part).

Vapor Tabs:

Yields 12 Tabs

Mix the following together in a bowl.

2 cups baking soda
2/3 cup of water + 2-4 tablespoons (as needed)

These are approximate measurements. I'm one of those that doesn't measure a lot of things. The consistency should be a paste.

At this point I would suggest using either the foil cupcake liners or use the silicone cupcake pan. Let me just tell you, the paper ones don't work so great! Fill your liners up with the baking soda/water mixture. Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.

Pull them out of the oven and let cool. Once cool, I added generous amounts of essential oils to the top and bottom of each tab. I only added oils to a couple of them. On the rest we will add the oils to them right before shower time.

The oils I used are:

5-10 drops of each Eucalyptus, Lavender, and Rosemary.

I store mine in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Any air tight container will work.

*** Most recipes ask you to mix in the essential oils prior to baking. I am always afraid that it will lessen the effectiveness, so I add it to the tabs once they are cooled and ready for use.

This seemed to work really well. I have never used the Vick's brand shower tabs, so I can't really compare it for you. Sorry about that. However, my hubby has reported that he feels much better and he can breathe out of both sides of his nose. :)

Shampoo and Conditioner... UPDATE

I must say that after a few more uses my hair does not feel stringy or oily like it was when I first started using the Salon Essentials S&C. I can run my fingers through my hair without any tangles.

I will probably purchase these products again. I guess my hair just needed time to adjust to the lack of chemicals going onto the strands everyday!

Head Cold

I love fall, but it is the worst time of year for me, I spend half of the fall and most of the winter sick. I always get the head cold that inevitably turns into a sinus infection with bronchitis. It usually takes me 2-3 months (yes, months) to get rid of it all. Bronchitis always last forever with me and it usually take 2-3 rounds of antibiotics to kick it. Then the cough lingers for another month.

The weekend before last I started to feel run down and had the sniffles. I knew what this was leading to. It was leading to the sinus infection. Soon to follow would be the lovely cough that leads to the deep chest congestion. After that would be the bronchitis.

This year, I have oils to try. On Friday, September 26th, is when this all began. I woke up and felt the sinus pressure with the stuffy nose. I immediately started the following:

Morning:
Breathe on my chest
Breathe on my nose (not in it)
On Guard on the arches of my feet
DigestZen across my sinuses
.
Afternoon:
Breathe on my chest
Breathe on my nose
DigestZen across my sinuses

Night:
Breathe on my chest
Breathe on my nose
On Guard on the arches of my feet
DigestZen across my sinuses
3 drops each of Breathe and On Guard in my diffuser

Let me tell you. I thought it was crazy talk when I came across a comment on doTerra IPC Sharing Group on Facebook that mentioned DigestZen across your sinuses. I mean this stuff is for stomach issues, right? Not so much. I applied it to my sinuses and had almost instant relief. The first time I tried this was at work. It burned. It was a bit strong and my eyes started to water. The only thing I had on hand was my organic coconut oil with lime mixture. I applied some of that over the top of my DigestZen and it was so much better. No longer burned.

I have been doing this off and on for a week and 3 days (Sometimes I forget about it or fall asleep without loading the diffuser). Today, I woke up feeling good. I still have a bit of a stuffy nose, but it never turned into a sinus infection. I have only had a little cough, but it never turned into chest congestion or bronchitis.

I do believe I will keep doing this until I feel 100% better. Which should be in the next day or two. I can't believe how well these oils work for me. The sinus pressure is gone. I have a little tickle in my throat and that causes a small cough.

Honestly, I'm surprised that I feel so great. It has only been a week since this all started. Normally it just keeps getting worse and worse. I would be downing the Nyquil at night and popping Dayquil softgels during the day. This time around I only took 2 pills (both in the same day). During the worst day (Monday, Sept 29th) I took Allegra D. It helped some, but not much.

Again, I'm just blown away by these darn oils. I'm so glad that I was introduced to doTERRA. I will always keep these 3 oils on hand!

**********************************

Keep getting asked where I applied the DigestZen so I have included a visual of my ugly mug. I have marked in red where the oil was applied. 

Shampoo and Conditioner

I told ya'll from the beginning that I would be honest and up front about the products as I use them.

With that being said. I recently used my LRP points to purchase the Salon Essentials Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo smells amazing. The wild orange and lime together are heaven. The conditioner smells good as well.

The first day I used it, I loved it. I got out of the shower and brushed my hair with few tangles. The more I use it the more I don't like it. By the end of the day my hair is full of tangles and feels gross and oily. The first half of the day my hair seems okay, but that last half I just want to go home and wash my hair. I might give it another few days. Maybe my hair is trying to adjust, I don't know. All I know is I will give the shampoo and conditioner until the end of the week. If my hair still feels that way I will be going back to my salon brand hair products.

Who Needs Breakfast?

Last night as I lay awake, watching Netflix, I came to the realization that I want to get in shape. Yes, I know... round is a shape, but I don't want to be round anymore.

I have been told numerous times by my doctor that I will start to lose weight if I eat more. Come to find out I do not meet my daily calories and my body stores everything I eat. I am one of those people that can't eat breakfast. I have tried bananas, yogurt, oatmeal, granola bars, and I just can't do it the majority of the time. I also rarely eat lunch. I will sometimes snack on almonds or a granola bar at work. Then I get home and eat dinner. Yeah, I know I shouldn't do it, but I just can't help it. :)

I have decided that I am going to give doTERRA Trim Shakes a try. I just placed them in my LRP order. I think I'm going to get the vanilla one. In my mind I can do more with it as far as flavor goes. Maybe if I can drink one of these in the mornings instead of eating something, I will have better results.

This is an example of what I'm going to try:

Breakfast: Shake
Morning Snack: Apple and peanut butter
Lunch: Sandwich or wrap
Afternoon Snack: Almonds
Dinner: Home cooked meal (no more eating out!)

I am kind of excited to try this out. I know I can lose weight because I did when I forced myself to eat breakfast. The most I was able to lose was 15 pounds. This time I'm going to put a little more effort into it.

I will blog and update to this after I have been doing this for a month and let you all know how it is going! :)

Oh, My Aching Sinuses

Over the weekend I went to Oklahoma to surprise my Granny for her 80th Birthday!!! I felt myself getting run down. I started applying On Guard, Purify, and Breathe. I got home on Sunday and I was so achy and felt like I was run over by a truck. I thought this was the nonstop flying and travelling over the past 2 days.

Monday morning I woke up with an uneasy stomach and a headache. I figured if I got up and around I would just work through it. Sometimes I start to feel better. I went to work and about an hour later I was home, under the blankets, and had the chills.

I love my oils to death, but I don't want to die. I'm a baby when it comes to sinus issues and head colds. This is primarily because they turn into infections so easily with me. It's ridiculous. I broke down and bought some Allegra-D.

Don't get me wrong, essential oils are awesome, but so is modern medicine. I have taken 1 Allegra-D tablet and I've been slathering the oils on like crazy. We will see if I can stop this from turning into a sinus infection! Finger Crossed!