Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is one of the most popular doTERRA essential oils because of its light, powdery aroma, and its myriad of uses for everyday life. Taken from the highly aromatic lavender flower, lavender oil has been used for centuries for its distinct aroma and powerful benefits. Whether you need to soothe the occasional skin irritation, ease feelings of tension, or promote restful sleep, lavender oil has many practical uses.*

As a naturally soothing and calming essential oil, you will find that lavender is a helpful oil to keep on hand. I love it and use it for a restful sleep every night as well as for scarring and skin irritations.   It really is amazing.

 

It seems the 20 years of the “Got Milk” campaign has really got us believing that milk is so good for our health and bones.  But is Dairy really good or not?

Now a days there are all kinds of nut milks on the market. Is it a fad, is everyone allergic or lactose intolerant?

There are some cultures that can tolerate lactose (milk sugar) – but many do not. There is also casein (one of the proteins found in milk – the other is whey) which is another issue for some and is slow to digest – it takes around 7 hours to digest.

Dairy was not even consumed until after the agricultural revolution. Here in the U.S. parents usually switch their babies to cow’s milk after age 1. We are the only species that drinks another animal’s milk which if you think about it – it’s kind of weird! Babies produce lots of lactase which is an enzyme that helps absorb our mother’s milk.  After weaning, they stop producing as much lactase which is why some become lactose intolerant. Like I said, certain populations tolerate it better(1).

Dairy in general is inflammatory, mucus producing and is growth producing.

It has been linked to ear infections in children, tumor growth, joint inflammation, increases insulin, skin issues like acne, psoarsis and eczema as well as respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

Dairy sometimes produce vague symptoms. And, by vague I mean you are not having an acute reaction to it.  It shows up in different ways – usually inflammation of some sort. If you are lactose intolerant, you may have an acute type reaction usually within an hour or so – such as stomach pain, diarrhea, gas or bloating.

If you are drinking conventional dairy you are likely adding hormones and antibiotics that causes issues in your gut and disrupts your endocrine system. Furthermore, most milk here in the U.S. is produced from A-1 cows which is part of the problem. And before I totally go off in another direction on A1 vs. A2 cows because that in itself is a whole other story. I’ll just give you the short version. Regular milk mostly here in the U.S. contains A1 beta-casein, which is partly broken down to beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) in the stomach. BCM-7 has been linked with several adverse health effects. In Europe, they have A-2 cows and it seems they do not have the problems we do with dairy.

RAW, full-fat, organic grass-fed dairy on another hand is said to be extremely beneficial to our health. New York is one of 26 states where it can be bought with restrictions although where I live I have not come across where you can buy raw milk. California for example is much more readily available and even sold in stores because it’s legal. Pasteurization in conventional milk kills any nutrients that are valuable to our bodies which is why raw milk is the better option.  Raw milk contain live bacteria which is what makes it beneficial. If you do find raw milk in your area, make sure you are aware of the farmer’s practices so to be sure it is safe.  The FDA will demonize raw milk, however, I don’t have confidence in an agency that is paid by the US treasury as well as receives pay checks from drug companies. They are far from protecting us from dangerous foods on the market.

Organic, raw, grass-fed fermented diary in the form of kefir or yogurt has beneficial nutrients and in some cases healing to your body. Be sure to make sure the yogurt you are buying is not filled with sugar and other fillers.

What about Calcium?

There really is not a high amount of calcium in milk and there are much better sources. There is actually more calcium in leafy greens then there is in dairy.  Nuts and seeds are another excellent source of calcium besides it also has fat which helps absorption. Many people are under the assumption drinking low-  or no-fat milk is good but it leads to low absorption of calcium. Sardines is another excellent source of calcium. Dairy is acidic and vegetables are alkaline so another plus for eating vegetables over dairy for calcium. Plus, because dairy is acidic your body naturally aims to neutralize the body and will take calcium from your bones. Much contrary to many beliefs about dairy for preventing osteoporosis.  Studies show vitamin D is better for your bones than calcium.

Bottom line:

For me, I don’t drink milk or eat yogurt for quite a number of years. But I do eat grass-fed butter, ghee (which his actually dairy free but I mention it as a butter alternative as it also has a lot of healing properties) and occasionally eat cheese. When I do eat cheese, my joints are inflamed and my face breaks out – so I always regret it.  It also causes me digestive distress and bloating. It has caused me more harm than good so I stay away for the most part.  I seem to be okay with grass-fed butter on occasion or at least I think so.  Even with all the negative side affects it has been the hardest for me to 100% give up.  I try not to focus on it honestly and it works for the most part.
It’s always good to declare you don’t eat something rather than you can’t have something (even if it’s only you are talking too :).  When your brain hears can’t it connects it with deprivation.
Now, that’s not to say you will have the same issues. Some tolerate dairy well but I’d source your dairy from grass-fed cows at the very least.  And, if you are able to get raw dairy from a reputable farmer/source that would be your best option to reap the beneficial nutrients.
Cows that are raised on pasture and eat grass have a different nutrient profile than cows that are eating grain (which actually makes them sick which is why they need to give them antibiotics). Grass-fed/grass-finished cows have more more Omega-3 fatty acids and up to 500% more Conjugated Linoleic Acid.  The omega-3 to 6 ratio in grass-fed cows is perfect.  Grain-fed/conventional raised cows omega-6 ratio to omega-3 ratio is about 20 to 1.  The much higher ratio in omega-6 creates inflammation.  And if the cow is eating antibiotics so are you causing disruption to your microbiome.  This is the same for eating conventional beef vs. grass-fed.
Dairy sometimes has vague adverse symptoms and the best way to see if you have a sensitivity is to do an elimination diet for at least 7-9 days then reintroduce it for 3 days and see how your body reacts.  Most people do not even realize that dairy is in fact causing a lot of disruption to your health until you take it out.
Here is a website I found very informative about milk facts from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences – Cornell University.
How well do you tolerate dairy?  What’s your take on it?  I’d love for you to share in the comments.

Are you someone that gets sick often throughout the year?

What you eat can suppress or boost your immunity!

Don’t wait until you are sick to get better.  It will take twice as long to recover if your immune system is suppressed.

With the kids back in school, germs seem to spread like wild fire.  Cold and flu season is just around the corner.

Here’s what you can do to help boost your immunity. 

Digestive health is key to keeping your immune system healthy.  

Approximately, 70-80% of your immune tissue is in your digestive tract.  There are tens of trillions of microorganisms living in your gut.  Keeping your gut flora in balance will help boost your immunity to fight off infection.

It’s not so much the food in themselves that prevent you from being sick.  It’s food that helps support your digestive system and liver.  These are two areas in your body that help keep you healthy in the first place.

Here’s what you can do:

  1. eat cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, radish, etc.
  2. include a rainbow of vegetables and fruit in your daily meal plan
  3. take a high quality probiotic supplement
  4. take a high quality vitamin d3 supplement
  5. include fermented foods in your diet to boost your gut bacteria
  6. sip on homemade bone broth regularly
  7. eat seasonally, it has a profound ability to improve your gut health
  8. eat zinc rich foods like shellfish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds to name a few
  9. drink lemon water first thing in the morning to alkalize and oxygenate your blood
  10. use lots of fresh herbs in your meals – they have anti-viral/bacterial properties
  11. eat shiitake, reishi or even regular mushrooms in your meals often
  12. replace coffee with green tea or matcha tea (there is also lions mane mushroom coffee!)
  13. add ginger to your tea and meals
  14. cook with garlic & onions
  15. take elderberry syrup daily
  16. ditch the chemicals you are using in your home, they disrupt the good bacteria in your gut

Do you need to do everything?  No, but doing quite a few would be most beneficial.  It could look something like this.

Wake up, drink fresh lemon water, take your supplements, start your day with veggies and a high quality protein,

Here’s what you should stay away from if you want to keep your immune system healthy

  1. sugar
  2. alcohol
  3. processed foods
  4. dairy

What to do if you get sick?  Here’s ways to help you recover quicker:

  1. drink bone broth regularly
  2. rest as much as you can and give your body time to heal
  3. drink echinacea tea
  • Echinacea herb
  • Elder flower tea or elderberry syrup (you can take elderberry syrup every day)
  • Ginger and lemon tea
  • Turmeric golden milk or tea
  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic
  • Shiitake or Reishi mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Green tea
  • Clove
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme

Using essential oils is also another great way to boost your immunity.  I love and use doTERRA brand because I know they are of high quality.

doTERRA On Guard  protects against environmental and seasonal threats with essential oils known for their positive effects on the immune system when ingested. I use this particular oil on the bottoms of my feet after my shower. It can also be used on surfaces throughout the home as a non-toxic cleaner. When diffused, doTERRA On Guard helps purify the air, and can be very energizing and uplifting.  They also have caplets you can ingest and take on a daily basis.