This morning I was on a mission. I got up, tended to our wee 6 month old bundle of mayhem, and went straight for the fridge. There was something waiting in there for me, something that called out to my tastebuds and superseded any thoughts of breakfasty etiquette.
That little something? A tray of freshly minted chocolate cherry bites. The night before, I allocated a small portion of my evening to pit a batch of fresh cherries from my parents’ orchard, and then made them a whole lot more exciting by DIPPING THEM IN DARK CHOCOLATE.
I’m sure you can understand why I made an immediate beeline for the fridge first
thing in the morning. After a night of chilling, the chocolate had hardened around the cherries, creating a textural masterpiece. And it didn’t taste half bad either.
So, a sweet, decadent, HEALTHY dessert or guilt-free snack? What more could you ask for?! Without further ado, here’s our super easy dark chocolate cherry bites recipe.
Dark chocolate cherry bites
Aside from pitting the cherries, you can whip this recipe up in no time at all. You can also use pre-frozen cherries (either from the supermarket or from a batch you froze last summer), but it’s best to coat the cherries in chocolate before they fully thaw, otherwise they tend to get a bit mushy.
If you're starting with cherries that haven't been pitted, take some time to do that now. If you've got a dedicated pitter, you should be able to complete this step in less than 20 minutes. If you don't, it may take a little longer (I used the blunt end of a kebab skewer before I got my pitter, and it was better than nothing!).
Break the dark chocolate block up into smallish squares, and place in a double boiler. I fashioned a double boiler by putting an inch of water in a saucepan, then placing a stainless steel mixing bowl on top. Leave the chocolate for a few minutes to fully melt.
Put 5-6 cherries into the melted chocolate at a time. Use tongs to mix the cherries around in the chocolate until they're fully covered, then transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all cherries are used up.
Place the tray in the fridge for around an hour, or until the chocolate casing has completely hardened (I left mine in the fridge overnight, to resist temptation!). They're now ready to eat!
The cherries will only keep for a few days in the fridge, so eat up or transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer if you can't keep up.
Having jumped on the essential oil bandwagon 3 years ago, I still remember what it’s like at the beginning. doTERRA, along with rival companies like Young Living, offers hundreds of oils and a whole heap of other essential oil-based products, supplements, and of course diffusers.
Where are you supposed to start? How can you get the most from your essential oils, without putting a gaping whole it your wallet? Essential oils aren’t cheap, so you really want to make sure you’re making the right oil choices, rather than just taking an aromatic stab in the dark.
These days, it’s fair to say that we’re very much up with the play when it comes to essential oils. We’ve spent the big bucks on oils (and made them back tenfold) and we now know what works best and what’s not really worth the money. We’ve definitely got our go-to doTERRA oils and other products, and I thought I’d share those with you right this very second.
Our favorite doTERRA oils and products
As doTERRA affiliates, we always make a point of trying out all the oils and products that doTERRA produces – it would hardly be fair otherwise! The benefit of this is that we know exactly what we like, and what we don’t like…and chances are this information can help you as you sit down to make your next doTERRA oils order. Here’s what we use almost every day in our household.
Lavender essential oil
Of course this oil had to be on the list! Lavender is easily the most versatile of all the doTERRA oils – it smells amazing, it’s gentle (unlike “hot” oils like oregano or peppermint), and it can be used on both humans and pets! Here’s what we use lavender for:
diffusing in the bedroom of our 3 month little girl, Isla, as she naps during the day – but a VERY DILUTED concentration! Lavender is one of the safest oils to use with infants, as it doesn’t irritate their respiratory tracts, but we’re always very careful with it anyway. The lavender soothes her and helps her sleep better, and the diffuser helps to alleviate the dryness of the air and enable her to breathe better.
dabbing under our noses when we’re stressed or putting a drop or two on our pillows to help us sleep better through the night
diffusing in the living room to make the place smell a whole lot nicer, relax us while we work, and neutralize smells from all the nutritious cooking we do!
On Guard essential oil
We like doTERRA’s On Guard oil for two reasons: it smells fricken amazing (making it a nice oil blend to put in the diffuser) and it’s loaded with potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial essential oils – trust me, I’ve done the research. We use it:
while traveling, especially flying, as a hand sanitizer and as a way to boost our immune system and protect us from all the colds and illness that flies about in public places!
at home in bathrooms and other damp areas that might have a risk of mold
whenever we feel a cold or sore throat coming on – a dab or two on the neck and behind the ears does the trick!
Melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
The quintessential “first aid” oil, the potent antimicrobial agents in tea tree have made it a go-to antiseptic agent for centuries – and why mess with a good thing? We’ve always got a bottle or five of this stuff on hand for anything that needs sanitizing – be it a toilet bowl, shallow wound or graze, or questionable surfaces in and around the house. I’ve even put it in a spray bottle with some water and used it to kill mildew on grape and squash leaves!
Frankincense oil roll on
I’ve recently started using frankincense essential oil a lot after I did some research on it and discovered it’s anti-inflammatory, pro-immunity, and anti-oxidative powers…they’re pretty impressive! I’ll use it on knee joints that are a bit sore, questionable developments on my face, and on any moles that I think might be up to no good – frankincense essential oil has been shown to kill cancer cells, making it a good failsafe for any parts of the skin that seem inclined towards melanoma.
doTERRA MicroPlex VMz
I was actually pretty impressed when I read the list of ingredients in doTERRA’s MicroPlex VMz – while some of their products can contain certain things we neither need nor want, this one seems very much top quality. I pop 2 to 4 per day as a broad-spectrum multivitamin, and I certainly feel like it fills in all the nutritional gaps in my otherwise bulletproof diet. I especially like that it doesn’t have carrageenan as a filler – more of that, please!
doTERRA TerraZyme
As I mention a lot (probably a bit too much, if I’m honest), we eat a ridiculously nutrient dense diet – sort of like a hybrid Paleo and Primal way of eating, with certain biohacks thrown in for good measure. But I don’t always feel 100%, and I’m beginning to suspect that maybe my digestion isn’t as good as it should be – meaning I’m not absorbing all the nutrients that I’m putting my stomach.
With this in mind, I’ve been taking 2 TerraZyme capsules with each meal, and while the results aren’t exactly spectacular (I’m not THAT sick!), I definitely feel like I’m digesting my food more efficiently and getting more goodness from what I eat. TerraZyme has decent concentrations of all the major digestive enzyme strains, and it has the added bonus of betaine HCL, which directly stimulates stomach acid production – a very good thing!
doTERRA PB Assist
Even the healthiest of people need a good probiotic to ensure their gut is in ship shape, and as such I usually make a point of taking one at least every other day with a meal. I like doTERRA’s PB Assist as their enteric coating seems quite strong – meaning the live bacterial cultures actually have a chance of making it through your harsh stomach acid intact, ready to make their new home in your gut! I also like that it doubles as a prebiotic, which ensures that the good bacteria you’re feeding your gut with can get settled in and start thriving faster – prebiotics are a type of fiber that acts as food for gut bacteria.
Ready to get started? Find out how to get the most from essential oils AND make money doing it by clicking here.
As a species, we’ve become laughably disconnected from the world around us. As we evolved from our apish ancestors, our growing intelligence and sense of self increasingly contributed to a burgeoning arrogance. Simply put, humans began to think that they were better than all other life.
With our slow progression through the ages, new discoveries and innovations enabled us to further seclude ourselves from what we came to call “nature”. Nature was this thing separate from ourselves, filled with untamed beasts and untrustworthy variables outside of our control. To announce that you were going outside into nature was to announce your potential impending doom.
Even today, with our increasing awareness of ecological connections and the intricacies that join everyone and everything on this planet, we still divide our world in two. There’s the human or anthropocentric world, and then there’s just “nature”. We might plan the occasional weekend excursion out into nature, armed with bug repellants, synthetic camping equipment, and perhaps a can of bear spray, but for the most part we live within this insulated world and pretend nature doesn’t exist.
Personally, I think this mentality is killing us. With an increasing disassociation from the outside world over the course of our species’ history, our collective health has plummeted. Coincidence? I think not.
You see, at the end of the day, we’re still just animals. And we can only truly thrive when we step outside of our anthropocentric bubble and into the real world…the world that isn’t encased in concrete and glass.
My experience with nature
I grew up in the small town of Queenstown, New Zealand. In hindsight, I was unbelievably lucky – Queenstown is widely accepted as the adventure capital of the world, offering almost any outdoor pursuit one can imagine – skiing, skydiving, bungy jumping, mountain biking, boating, fishing, ziplining…few thrillseekers could ever manage to get bored in Queenstown.
Beyond the thrills and spills, however, was an underlying drive that governed my developmental years – get outside as much as humanly possible. At that time, mobile phones were the size of watermelons and I could only play Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego so many times on our tiny Apple Mac.
Outside, then, was a world of possibilities that would keep me and my buddies entertained for hours. We’d race around on our bikes, float down the river on air mattresses, go fishing or swimming, foolishly play around with the patches of quicksand around the river margins, hunt for lizards and bugs, and generally just do stupid boyish things. It was fantastic.
But then, as my life shifted to adulthood, the urban environment became my proving grounds. As a young professional, cities were the only places where I could make a decent living and enjoy the cultured high life I thought I wanted to live. I spent 2 years in London, England and another 4 in Toronto, Canada, and eventually discovered that a pattern was emerging: I was unhappy.
With a growing sense of discontent came new health issues. I had trouble sleeping, was constantly tired, my joints began to ache even though I was still in my 20s, and my immune system went away on vacation and never came back.
Realizing that I was becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world that had nurtured me as a kid, I did what everyone else in the city did on weekends – I went camping, hiking, or visited the cottage. These excursions were fun, but they always ended the same way: on Sunday afternoon we’d have to pile back into the car and join the queues of other weekenders heading back into the city. My fling with nature was over once again, and the discontent seeped right back in.
It wasn’t until my girlfriend and I quit our jobs and began traveling that I realized just how much I had been missing immersing myself in the outside world. I don’t mean occasional “walk in the park” immersion, I mean spending days, perhaps weeks at a time surrounded by trees, lakes, rivers and mountains. We drove a beat-up old motorhome through the Canadian Rockies, stopping whenever we pleased and in no particular hurry, and my long-lost happiness returned.
The health benefits of getting outside
At the end of that amazing 16 month-long road trip, I had a decision to make: head back to city life, where the money flows and the nightlife is second-to-none…or return to my semi-rural roots. The decision was an easy one. My girlfriend and I are now happily settled in Wanaka, New Zealand, just a stone’s throw from my childhood home of Queenstown and within walking distance of lakes, mountains, rivers and forests. Our home has a large yard filled with native trees and shrubs, and our property backs onto a semi-wild park. Compared to our tiny inner-city apartment, it’s utter heaven.
These days, I work from home as a freelance writer and have a 180 degree view of trees, mountains and the endless sky at all times. When I feel myself getting frustrated or stressed, I simply take a step outside into my yard, stroll through the adjacent reserve, or jump on my bike and head down to the lake. I always come back refreshed, relaxed, and with a focused mind ready for the tasks ahead. I sleep better, I have less health problems, and my thoughts are largely on the positive side (the same can’t be said for 2 years-previous me living in Toronto).
And while this physical and psychological transformation was a dramatic one, it was also no great surprise. As a health writer, I’d been stumbling across research for years touting the many health benefits of simply getting outside. There’s literally hundreds of studies showing that getting out into nature can treat depression, improve mental capacity and focus, lower stress and reduce inflammation.
And it makes sense. Most of the stress that’s present in our lives has its roots in our social circles and urban environments. But when you step outside, none of that stress matters – it’s just you and the elements. They don’t require anything of you, and this glorious indifference will see your troubles quickly seeping away. It puts things very nicely in perspective.
How to immerse yourself in nature, even in the city
Obviously, if you’re struggling in your current life and feel like the world is out to get you, my advice would be to pack it all in and find your own little piece of natural paradise. But family ties, financial limitations, or a deep-seated love of your homeland might prevent that move towards a rural way of life.
Luckily, there’s a little slice of paradise around every urban corner…if you know where to look. Here’s a few tips for finding natural settings within urban environments to get your daily dose of green:
Join a community garden: these are small allotments inside urban areas that offer members the chance to grab a slice of the action and grow their own produce. Getting your hands dirty (literally) and working with plants is one of the best ways to get back with nature and rebuild your gut microbiome. Plus, you’ll have amazing, fresh, organic produce in no time!
Seek out parks that are less intensively managed: don’t get me wrong – I like manicured lawns and stately oaks as much as the next person, but I kind of think thats cheating. To really get some serious outside factor, seek out those parks that are a bit more on the wild side.
Find a water body: this might be a lake, river, sea, or even just a large pond. There’s almost always abundant wildlife growing around water, meaning it’s a great place to kick back with nature and get away from it all.
Vacation somewhere wild: rather than spending your usual two-week getaway at a plush resort in the Caribbean, why not pack up the car and head for the hills? Not only will you save a whole lot of money, spending your vacation time in forests, mountains or national parks will help to alleviate all that pent up stress and remind you that your troubles aren’t as insurmountable as you think.
So next time you’re anxious, depressed, frustrated or tired, you know what to do: just take a step outside! Nature will take care of the rest.
Fact: a person can never be happy without cake in their life. Few people would disagree, and those few would, whether they recognize it or not, be quite unhappy.
So as I found myself edging towards the 1 month mark of a 3 month autoimmune protocol (AIP), I discovered my life lacked substance. For 30 days, I had gone without cake, and the time had come to rectify the situation.
The problem was, the Paleo autoimmune protocol is one of the strictest, perhaps the strictest, diets on the planet. For those of you unfamiliar with it’s dictates, AIP means cutting out any foods which might be potential allergens. That means all nightshades (potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, etc), nuts, seeds, dairy, grains (of course!), eggs, chocolate, and probably plenty of other food staples that have just now slipped my mind.
The AIP, while undoubtedly effective in identifying problem foods, doesn’t leave a person with a whole lot of foods that they can eat. This meant that I had been subsisting on a diet of meat and vege for as far back as my troubled mind could remember, and it was starting to get a bit old.
You see, I love meat and (to a lesser degree) vegetables as much as the next person. Probably more than the next person, if I’m honest. But there’s only so many times a man can have meat and vegetables for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert without starting to get a bit grumpy.
And so I found myself wondering whether there was a way to piece together what few ingredients I could eat to form some semblance of a cake.
Luckily, there was. Funnily enough, it’s called the Paleo AIP Spiced Apple Cake.
Easy Recipe: Paleo AIP Spiced Apple Cake
Before we begin, a disclaimer: every time I make this cake, it varies considerably. A little more apple, a little less banana, a little more coconut oil, a little less raisins….but every time it’s come out utterly delicious. I’d even substitute desiccated coconut instead of coconut butter if I didn’t have any to hand (just whizz it in the blender and it comes out a similar consistency to coconut butter).
So don’t be afraid to deviate a little from the recipe – that’s what I did, and everything worked out just dandy!
1/2 cup rice flour (technically not necessarily AIP, so can substitute same amount arrowroot flour)
1/2 cup raisins (optional, but delicious!)
2 tbsp coconut milk (ONLY if you add in the optional raisins)
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp clove powder
Instructions
Throw a banana and a cored, roughly chopped apple (don’t bother peeling) into a blender with around a tablespoon of water to make it easier for the blades to do their thang. Blend on high until a smooth paste has formed. If your blender is having trouble, force the apple bits down towards the blades (when it’s off, of course!) and add in a little more water.
Set the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 celsius), and melt your coconut oil in the warming oven if it’s below room temperature (and therefore hard!). If you coconut butter is also hard, put it in the oven for a minute or two to soften it as well.
Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with baking paper (aka parchment paper in other parts of the world!).
Mix the wet ingredients (coconut oil, banana and apple paste, lemon juice, vanilla, honey/maple syrup, and coconut butter) together in a bowl until combined.
In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients (the flours, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and clove) and mix to ensure consistent. Then add to the wet ingredients and stir until everything is perfectly amalgamated. At this point, if you’re feeling a bit racy, add in 1/2 cup of raisins and see whether the consistency of the batter is still wet but sticky. If it seems a bit dry, add in a tablespoon or two of coconut milk. If it’s still too wet, add in some desiccated coconut or rice flour. Play around with it until it looks right to you – it should be thick enough to hold its shape for a while, but wet enough that you could (technically) pour the batter into the cake tin if you stood there for like ten minutes. You get my drift, right?
Next, spread the mixture into the pan. If you’re having guests over and want the cake to look fancy schmancy, slice another apple in half, core it, then slice thin strips of apple and place them lightly on top of the batter to create a rustic apple pie-type effect. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to complete the aesthetic ensemble.
Cook for around 25 minutes. When it gets close to the 25 minute mark, start checking to see whether it looks cooked. Really depends how moist you like your cake – I like it to be still ever so slightly gooey inside, so I take it out just before it gets to the point where it springs back when you press your finger into the top. It should be golden around the edges and smell ah-may-zing!
Lift the cake out of the pan using the baking paper, and place on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes. The longer you wait, the easier it’ll be to cut and less likely to crumble.
Cut a healthy slab, pour over a little coconut yoghurt and (if you’ve got a serious sweet tooth) a bit more honey, and enjoy! Liivi isn’t on the AIP but she still eats this cake and swears it’s better than any of the Paleo cakes she’s made lately – she just slathers on a slab of grass-fed butter instead of the yoghurt! I’m only slightly jealous.
Have you tried the recipe? How’d it go? Got any variations you’d like to suggest? Tell us about it in the comments below!
In today’s climate change-savvy world, we’re constantly on the lookout for outdoor air pollution. Cars and trucks spewing clouds of particulates have us shaking our heads in disgust, factory smoke stacks have us up in arms, and don’t even think about lighting a fire! But all the while, there’s been a quiet offender much closer to home…inside our homes, to be exact. It turns out that in many cases, indoor air quality is many times worse than the air outside.
Indoor air pollutants are everywhere
The sad truth is that, no matter how health-conscious we are, our houses are absolutely jam-packed full of potential air pollutants. Here’s a very quick run-down of all the things in and around your home that may be lowering the quality of your indoor air, and possibly making you sick:
Mold. Ah yes, our old arch-nemesis mold. Mold is a sneaky little blighter, lurking where you least expect it and colonizing any areas where there’s poor ventilation or high moisture content. Mold can contribute to chronic respiratory problems, sneezing, allergies, asthma, and low-level inflammation. Do not underestimate the polluting power of mold.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). You may have heard me harp on about VOCs in the past – I’m definitely not a fan! In essence, VOCs are toxic gases that are released from certain solids or liquids, with top offenders including paints, varnishes, glues, adhesives, cleaning products, building materials, and furniture. Even the pillow you rest your head on at night could be loaded with VOCs, which then seep into your skin and get sucked into lungs to wreak havoc on your health.
Radon. This compound sounds like something straight from a crappy sci-fi film, and in fact that guess isn’t too far off the mark. Radon is an odorless radioactive gas that can be emitted by certain rock formations under your home and in some building materials. Radon can contribute to lung cancer, and may be responsible for tens of thousands of deaths every year.
Carbon monoxide. Yet another odorless, colorless gas, carbon monoxide is emitted via the combustion of fossil fuels. In the home, carbon monoxide can be emitted by anything from cigarettes to faulty furnaces and certain cooking appliances. Carbon monoxide is infamous for causing countless deaths across the globe, mainly on account of the fact that there’s really know way to tell whether it’s lurking in your personal airspace or not.
There’s plenty of other sources of pollution in your household or office, particularly with regards to cleaners, air-fresheners, detergents, and basically anything that isn’t natural. And if you’ve got carpet, be prepared to breathe in a heady mix of dead microorganisms, skin flakes, and a bunch other unmentionables that are better left outside of your nasal passages.
How to improve air quality with indoor plants
Sure, you can spend hundreds, perhaps thousands, on fancy schmancy air purifiers and filters…but let’s be honest, you’d rather save that money for your next tropical vacay, or perhaps a pair of overpriced leather boots. I don’t judge. So how, then, do you get crisp, toxin-free air without forking out a small fortune? Why, indoor plants or course!
But I’m not just talking about any old plants. Back in the 80’s, NASA went to great lengths to determine how to purify the air in their satellite facilities and spacecraft. The result was a series of very convenient studies which showed that certain indoor plant species are a cut above the rest when it comes to removing pollutants from the air and cleaning things up nicely. Based on their findings and those of subsequent studies, here’s the best indoor plants for improving your air quality at home or in the office.
Philodendron domesticum
Also known as spadeleaf or burgundy philodendron, this luscious little indoor plant was shown by NASA studies to effectively remove large concentrations of formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide from indoor air. Liivi’s grandma has philodendrons growing ALL OVER her house, so we took a couple of cuttings, shoved them in some soil, and soon had 2 very healthy individuals growing in our own home. I took one of them to work to cleanse the air around my desk, and it had soon sent out 3 meter-long shoots in every direction! If you have a very un-green thumb, this is the plant for you.
Aloe vera
Believe it or not, this super handy succulent is the gold standard when it comes to improving air quality in and around the home. Aloe vera is even better at removing formaldehyde from the air than philodendron varieties, and has the added bonus of being a must-have first aid plant for burns, blisters, and sun damage.
Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant)
In a 2014 study that examined the pollutant-removing abilities of 12 indoor plants, Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant) turned out to be the most effective in removing the VOC toluene. We’ve got a couple of these plants around the house, and I can confirm that they’re wonderfully easy to keep healthy and they look super cool.
Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant)
We’ve gone from snake to spider, and things are looking mighty fine in the indoor air department! The same study that was all about the toluene removal of snake plant also found that spider plant was the most efficient at removing ethylbenzene (another carcinogenic VOC) out of 12 different indoor plants. This is another easy one to look after, but if I’m honest it doesn’t look quite as cool as snake plant.
Yucca
There’s plenty of different species that belong to the Yucca family, but if you go to buy one for your home it’ll likely be Yucca elephantipes. Whatever the species, yuccas are a great choice for improving your indoor air quality provided you have enough light infiltration to help them grow big and healthy. Interestingly, I couldn’t actually find any scientific evidence to verify the claims about yucca, but we have a large yucca growing in our hallway and the air always seems fresh and clean out there. If nothing else, it’s a great ornamental plant!
The best setup for your indoor plants
One thing that many of the studies noted was that there’s a certain formula for success when setting up your indoor plants to improve air quality. Here’s a quick summary of how to maximize the air-purifying potential of your indoor plants:
Plant leaves can only absorb so many toxins from the air, so if you’re worried about indoor air pollution, buy more plants or allow your existing plants to grow bigger by transferring them to a bigger pot. Greater leaf surface area means more toxin removal.
It’s best to cover the soil around your indoor plant with a sterilized medium like sand or clean gravel. This is due to the fact that exposed soil can harbor mold and other potential organic contaminants.
The NASA study noted that “a combination of activated carbon and plant roots have demonstrated the greatest potential for removing large volumes of volatile organics along with smoke and possible radon from closed systems.” Now, growing plants in straight activated carbon (aka charcoal) is tricky, but I’ve talked to plenty of people who have had success growing their indoor plants in a moist medium of 50/50 activated charcoal and soil. Give it a go, and if it works your indoor air quality will soar!
Personally, I think the biggest thing is to keep your plants healthy and ensure that you’ve got at least a couple of plants for each large living space. Smaller rooms like bathrooms and bedrooms may only require one plant to keep the air nice and fresh.
Other ways to improve indoor air quality
It’s fair to say that investing in some good indoor plants is the best move you’ll ever make for improving the air quality in your home or office, but there’s plenty of other things you can do besides. Here’s just a few.
Essential oil diffusers
Diffusing certain essential oils fulfills multiple air quality functions within the home. Firstly, essential oils are hands-down the best way to make your home smell ah-may-zing, and they do this without exposing your lungs to harmful chemicals…the same can’t be said for conventional air fresheners. Secondly, certain essential oils have powerful anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, meaning they can be used to kill off airborne mold and other organic toxins. I often pop 3-4 drops of doTERRA’s onguard essential oil, or sometimes lemon essential oil, into the diffuser and set it going for 2 hours in our bathroom to ensure we don’t suffer from any mold issues.
Beeswax candles
Burning regular paraffin or soybean oil candles in your home is one of the worst things you can do for your health. If we walk into somebody’s house and they’re burning these types of candles, we usually either step back outside or sneakily put the candles out while they’re not looking and pretend it was the wind! Studies show that these candles actually release a toxic mix of VOCs and other harmful compounds into the air.
The solution, then, is to invest in beeswax candles instead. They may cost more, but they burn for longer, smell far nicer, and provide a net benefit for your indoor air quality. Pure beeswax candles burn with no smoke and release negative ions into the air, which bind to airborne toxins and contribute to their removal.
Salt lamps
While there’s a notable lack of scientific evidence, there’s no shortage of anecdotal evidence suggesting that salt lamps are good for improving indoor air quality. They’re composed of Himalayan salt crystals that, similar to beeswax candles, emit negative ions into the air when heated slightly. In addition, the light they produce is a warm orange color, which incidentally is the only light spectrum that won’t interfere with your melatonin production. For this reason, salt lamps make a great night light for babies or kiddies, as it won’t keep them awake and it cleanses the air.
Got any air-purifying techniques that I’ve missed? Or have you experimented with different indoor plants and seen great results? Let us know in the comments below!
In case you hadn’t already noticed, we’re big on essential oils. We use them for anything from fighting off colds to cleaning around the house. It’s fair to say that there’s a doTERRA essential oil for almost any ailment, and in the right hands essential oils can really be a powerful therapeutic tool. Today, my focus is going to be on doTERRA’s frankincense essential oil, easily one of our top five most-used essential oils. Stay tuned for more reviews on our favorite oils, as we examine the scientific evidence for their effectiveness and how they help us on a personal level.
Frankincense essential oil uses
Frankincense essential oil is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic…meaning it can be used for a wide range of applications in and around the home. Here’s a quick overview of the more popular uses for doTERRA’s frankincense essential oil.
Relieve indigestion
Frankincense essential oil can help to relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as gas, bloating, tummy aches, constipation, IBS and cramps. Frankincense essential oil acts similar to a digestive enzyme, speeding up the process by which your gastrointestinal system breaks down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. You can simply rub frankincense oil straight on your stomach to get the benefits, or, if you’re planning on taking it internally, make sure you use only 100% therapeutic-grade essential oil. If you’re using doTERRA frankincense essential oil, it meets this important criterion so you’re good to go.
Treat skin problems
For whatever reason, anecdotal evidence suggests that frankincense essential oil can speed up the healing of superficial wounds and visibly reduce scarring over time. It can be used to treat eczema (just make sure you mix it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba to reduce potential sensitivities), stretch marks, blemishes, and acne. Remember: a little goes a long way, so just a drop or two mixed with a carrier oil should be enough for each application.
Relieve joint and muscle pain
This is where the anti-inflammatory powers of frankincense really come into their own. Frankincense has been used to effectively relieve joint pain, muscle pain, and areas of swelling from blunt trauma injuries. Usually just rubbing a drop of doTERRA frankincense essential oil along with a small amount of carrier oil on the affected area is the most effective way of treating the inflammation and pain, but for faster relief try putting a drop of frankincense on a warm, moist towel and leave it on the affected area until it cools.
Reduce wrinkles and signs of aging
Frankincense essential oil is an astringent, meaning it causes the skin cells to contract and appear smoother and younger. This means that applying frankincense to your skin, along with a moisturizing carrier oil like jojoba or coconut, can not only reduce the development of wrinkles, it can actually make your skin appear younger. Essentially the same as what a toner and moisturizer would do, but without the chemicals and nasty side effects.
Alleviate stress
The aroma of frankincense oil is amazingly soothing, make it a great companion to lavender essential oil for relieving stress and relaxing your mind and body. The best way to whip up an anti-stress remedy with doTERRA frankincense essential oil is to simply put 3-4 drops in your diffuser and allow the aromatics to spread throughout your home. If you haven’t yet invested in a diffuser, sprinkle 2-3 drops in a hot bath and soak away your worries for 20 blissful minutes.
The science behind frankincense oil benefits
It’s one thing to read about all the anecdotal success that people have had with frankincense essential oil, but what about the cold, hard facts? I’ve reviewed the scientific literature, and here’s what I found.
Frankincense oil fights cancer
Happily, the claim that frankincense can actually inhibit the development of cancer is very much true. There’s countless articles in the literature demonstrating frankincense essential oils ability to kill tumor cells and induce cancer cell death. In addition to fighting breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, frankincense has also been shown to alleviate bladder cancer via oxidative stress.
Frankincense oil and immunity
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of evidence to back up this claim, however what research has been completed suggests that frankincense essential oil exhibits “lymphoproliferative activity“. This means that it supports your lymphatic system, a critical part of a healthy functioning immune system.
Frankincense oil and microbes
There’s plenty of research showing the antimicrobial prowess of frankincense essential oil (which comes from the genus Boswellia, FYI). As this study indicated, frankincense essential oils were particularly effective against the fungal strains B. carteri, B. papyrifera and C. albicans. Another article indicated that frankincense may also be effective against B. cereus and E. coli.
Frankincense oil and inflammation
They weren’t lying when they said that frankincense is anti-inflammatory. This 2006 study tested frankincense’s anti-inflammatory effects on mice, and the results were favorable. Another study in the same year indicated that frankincense species are effective in treating a range of chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative bronchitis. Another study found much the same thing, concluding that frankincense can be used to treat inflammatory diseases and inflammatory pain.
Our personal experience with frankincense essential oil
We probably bust open a bottle of doTERRA frankincense essential oil 2-3 times a week. I use frankincense oil on the bottom of my feet after my bi-weekly sprint sessions, as I used to have plantar fasciitis and it reduces post-workout inflammation. I also use frankincense on a mole or two on my stomach that I don’t want to turn into melanomas, and I often mix it in with some coconut oil and lavender essential oil to create a soothing aftershave, or even a beard oil when I’m giving my razor the cold shoulder. Liivi likes to diffuse frankincense when she’s feeling uptight or stressed, and rubs some on her adenoids when she feels a sore throat coming on.
If you’re keen on getting your hands on some wonderful therapeutic-grade frankincense essential oil, or you’d like to learn more, click here.
You’re all about taking your health into your own hands, using diet and healthy remedies to keep diseases and health problems at bay. But what about your dog? Why shouldn’t they enjoy a healthy, vet-free life? Luckily, for many of your beloved pooch’s ailments and health problems, theres an essential oil solution waiting just around the corner.
Are essential oils safe for dogs?
The simple answer is: yes. But only when you’ve done your research, and you know which oils are ok to use (see below), how to use those oils, and in what quantities. Where many people trip up is recognizing just how potent essential oils really are. It’s important to remember that just one drop of essential oil is many thousands of times stronger than a leaf or stem from the original plant it was made from. Practice caution when using essential oils for dogs, just as you would do with yourself and your family.
Why you should use doTERRA essential oils on your dog
Nobody’s forcing you to use essential oils on your furry friend, but there’s a whole lot of reasons why you should give it a try! Essential oils are literally tiny bottles of home remedies just waiting to be unleashed (pun unintended). They contain a wide range of healing properties, and because they’re so powerful they can really work wonders on your dog. We’ve used and promoted doTERRA essential oils for the past 5 years, and are happy to give them our seal of approval – they’re high quality and have never let us (or our dog!) down. More importantly, they’re therapeutic grade, which means they’re safe to use on (and sometimes in) the body – unlike many of the cheaper oils, which are only safe to use via aromatherapy (diffuser).
Here’s a few reasons why you should use doTERRA essential oils for dogs:
Just one essential oil can provide many different natural remedies. Lavender essential oil, for example, can reduce inflammation, speed healing, prevent infection, and relax a stressed pawed companion. All in one tiny bottle. Imagine what you could do with 6, or even 10 different essential oils!
Essential oils are non-toxic…when used in the right amounts, that is. We’re trying to avoid having your dog go to the vet and being prescribed liver-destroying anti-inflammatory drugs or gut-ruining antibiotics, so essential oils provide a great non-toxic alternative to conventional treatments.
Essential oils are simple to use. If you’re familiar with using essential oils on yourself and your family, it’s an absolute breeze to use them on your dog as well. And if you haven’t used them before – no worries! Just read on for some easy actionable tips.
Using doTERRA essential oils to help and heal your dog
Because there’s just so darn many essential oils out there (we have at least 100 different kinds languishing around our home!), this post would be a very long one indeed if I was to go through EVERY SINGLE ONE. Luckily, certain oils are jack of all trades, and can be used to solve any number of complaints from your pooch. Here’s some of the most popular essential oils for dogs, that can be used to make effective home remedies for your beloved pooch.
Lavender essential oil for dogs
Just quietly, lavender is my fave. Lavender essential oil is easily the most versatile oil we have at our disposal, helping to calm frayed nerves, help us sleep, soothe inflamed cuts and wounds, reduce inflammation at sites of injury or arthritis, and fight off infection. How many dog meds do you know that can do all those things, and without any side effects as well? Lavender essential oil is:
antibacterial
calming
anti-itch (especially with bug and tick bites, and also with healing wounds)
antihistamine (reduces symptoms of allergies)
pain-alleviating
anti-inflammatory
Based on the above abilities of lavender essential oil, it’s fair to say that this is one of the most important essential oil for dogs! Lavender essential oil even has strong anti-mutagenic qualities, making it a proven method of fighting canine cancer.
Because lavender is one of the gentler essential oils, you dog likely won’t be bothered when you apply it to their wounds/bites/aches/pains. To promote milder healing and relaxation, you can also use lavender in a diffuser.
Helichrysum essential oil for dogs
We’ve used helichrysum essential oil on our pup’s injuries countless times, and it seems to work wonders. I myself have used it on a sore lower back and lower leg injury, so I know that it works. Be warned, though – helichrysum is expensive (just another reason to buy it wholesale!), but that being said a little goes a very long way. You usually only need to use around one drop, mixed in with a carrier oil, to provide pain relief and healing for your pooch. Helichrysum is:
If you can get over the price, helichrysum is a must have for all your dog’s aches and pains, and is particularly effective for more troubling injuries. doTERRA’s helichrysum essential oil speeds healing of scars and bruises, soothes irritating skin conditions, and alleviates pain.
Roman chamomile essential oil
Roman chamomile is one of the most widely used essential oils for dogs, and for good reason. It’s second only to lavender in terms of it’s versatility, and its essential oil can be used for a range of problems associated with your dog, including:
pain relief (analgesic)
relaxation (calms a stressed or restless dog)
treatment of cramps and other central nervous system issues (anti-spasmodic)
Roman chamomile essential oil is also a strong anti-oxidant, meaning it could be a good defense for your dog against cancer and other mutagenic diseases.
Thyme essential oil for dogs
Thyme is another must-have for your dog’s medicine cabinet. It is a strong anti-inflammatory, making it a great choice for achy joints and muscles, and arthritic pooches. Thyme essential oil is also great for fighting off infection, and for treating internal parasites. Thyme essential oil is:
Because thyme essential oil is quite a strong brew, consider using it in conjunction with a carrier oil like coconut oil to ensure your furry friend doesn’t get any irritation.
Cedarwood essential oil for dogs
I’ve included cedarwood essential oil not only for its antiseptic and circulation-stimulating properties, but also due to its ability to repel fleas. Some of the conventional anti-flea products are downright harmful to your dog’s health, so it’s worth considering cedarwood as a natural alternative. Cedarwood essential oil is:
You can make a cedarwood anti-flea spray by mixing up a small solution of water and several drops of cedarwood essential oil (add more cedarwood for a stronger brew) and using a brush to expose your dog’s skin. Then spray the solution directly onto the skin, avoiding the eyes and ears. For the head area, simply put some of the cedarwood solution on your hands and rub it into all the furry bits – but still make sure not to get too close to the eyes or ears!
How to use doTERRA essential oils on your dog
The best practice is always to apply the essential oils directly to external areas of your dog. One to two drops is usually more than enough for a specific ailment, and I almost always dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil to ensure it doesn’t irritate my wee furry friend. If you’re planning on using essential oils internally, I need to stress that you really need to do your research, and always make sure you use therapeutic grade (like doTERRA’s range) essential oils.
That’s it for now! Have you used essential oils on your dog before? How did it turn out?
This is a guest post from Sally Writes, a freelance writer specializing in health and outdoors topics.
If you’ve ever had plantar fasciitis, then you know pain. That sharp, stabbing pain or deep, aching pain in the middle of your heel or along the arch of your foot caused by the inflammation of the connective tissue that runs from your heel to your toes. While unpleasant, there are a few easy ways to minimize the discomfort so you can be back on your feet in no time at all.
Resting
Although gentle exercising with plantar fasciitis is an important part of the recovery, one of the most recommended treatments for this condition is also resting and staying off your foot. But if you are an athlete or an active person, this could be hard for you to do. If that is the case, try to stay off your foot as much as possible and limit the daily activities that are causing you pain.
Resting can be frustrating for those who are itching to get going, so this will require a bit of patience.
Ingest Anti-inflammatory Agents
The most commonly used anti-inflammatory agents are Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil, and ice packs or ice baths, but these are not for everyone. Some foods naturally reduce inflammation, and while it is not a commonly recommended treatment for plantar fasciitis, a sensible diet can help it heal, especially when combined with other therapies. Here’s a list of some of them:
Fruits and vegetables, which are rich in anti-oxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Oils and fats such as those you get from seeds, nuts, and avocados
Sources of protein such as fish and poultry
Stretching and massage
Stretching is one of the most common recommendations for physical therapy of plantar fasciitis. There are multiple stretches you can do to strengthen the muscles in your foot and make them more flexible. Here are only a few of them:
Sometimes doctors might recommend that you wear a night splint. A night splint stretches your calf and the arch of your foot while you are sleeping. Because the plantar fascia is in an extended position overnight, it allows for it to heal and makes for less painful first steps in the morning.
Recovery from plantar fasciitis takes time!
Recovering from plantar fasciitis is not something that will happen overnight. It will take patience, perseverance, and self-discipline to recuperate fully. Most importantly, though, as dull as it may seem, you want to be sure you listen to your specialist because that’s the key step to a hassle-free recovery!
