11 reasons you should take CBD on a daily basis

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Ever wondered what CDB oil could do for you, or why all the interest? CDB oil has some amazing benefits you may not be familiar with.

Fights bacteria growth – Cannabidiol fights the bacteria that causes things like gum disease and intestinal issues.

Keeps focus – CBD produces no psychoactive results, no hallucinations, no paranoia, and no anxiety.

Reduces inflammation – CBD has analgesic effects, an anti-inflammatory that fights muscle pain, fights arthritis, and treats migraines.

Supports bones – Bones and joints deteriorate over time. But, studies are looking at how CBD helps strength and spur bone growth.

Regulates immunity – For those who suffer from autoimmune conditions, CBD can reduce the activity in the immunity system, allowing systems to relax and recover.

Relieves pain – People have used CBD and CBA-derivatives for centuries to relieve chronic and depilating pain that attaches to arthritis, Chron’s Disease, arthritis, and more.

Represses muscle spasms – Researchers are interested in the benefits of CBD for treating the muscle spasms and seizures connected with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, infantile spasms, and similar conditions.

Tempers anxiety – CBD will reduce anxiety as a condition. But, it also soothes the anxious nerves that follow from chronic pain, long term disease, and daily social concerns.

Balances blood sugar levels – The chemistry of CBD helps regulate blood sugar. That’s of special interest to diabetics.

Helps insomniacs – People having trouble sleeping will benefit from CBD. Endoca reports on a Brazilian study that “CBD oil affects sleep in a positive way because of the anxiolytic (anxiety-inhibiting) properties more than direct sleep regulation, per se. In particular, it may block rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.”

The best spots for applying essential oils and enjoying their benefits

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Essential oils are some of the most potent natural products that can restore health. When used in combination with beneficial lifestyle choices, these volatile oils help restore the body’s natural ability to balance hormones.

Essential oils can also restore calmness to the mind and soothe emotions. Some examples of these are basil, cedarwood, clary sage, geranium, jasmine absolute, lavender, lemon, neroli, peppermint, Roman chamomile, rosemary, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang.

Essential oils also lift the mood and restore energy to the body. Bergamot, lemon and citrus essential oils have the most potent energizing effects.

Lastly, essential oils can help with mental grounding and balancing hormones. Cedarwood, rosemary, sandalwood, and thyme essential oils are the best oils for this. (Related: Essential oil of bald cypress can prevent food spoilage).

To get the most out of them, apply essential oils to the skin directly above the parts that need them or as close to those spots as possible. For example, people who want to remove tension from their backs can apply essential oil to spots that feel sore. A headache, on the other hand, can be alleviated by applying the oil to the forehead or temples.

Pulse points are spots where the heartbeat is felt the strongest. They are located behind the ears, on the ankles, neck, temples, wrists, and over the heart. Applying essential oils to these spots speeds up their absorption into the bloodstream.

Another way to accelerate the absorption of essential oils is to apply them to the soles of the feet, the ears, and the wrists (FEW). The FEW points host the largest pores of the body, so applying essentials oils to these spots will make it easier for oils to enter the skin and make it into the blood.
Safety reminders when picking and using essential oils

Geranium, lavender, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang essential oils are safe for aromatherapy, but other oils may be more restrictive. Lemon and thyme need to be diluted first before they can be applied to the skin.

Patients with epilepsy or high blood pressure must avoid basil and rosemary oils. Along with thyme, these essential oils are not suitable for people with hemophilia and other blood clotting problems.

Clary sage essential oil may trigger contractions in the uterus. Women should not use it while they are pregnant, but it might be helpful during childbirth.

Jasmine essential oil contains benzyl acetate that can cause mild allergic reactions. This compound can also be found in geranium, citronella, lavender, petitgrain, and sweet marjoram.

Bergamot and lemon essential oils are phototoxic. They react poorly to ultraviolet rays, so avoid sunlight and sources of UV light for 12 hours after using lemon oil and for 72 hours after using bergamot oil. Diabetics who are taking medications are also advised to avoid bergamot oil as it reduces blood glucose levels.

Neroli clashes with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), a class of synthetic antidepressants. People who are taking MAOIs should not use this essential oil.

People taking iron supplements must remember to wait for three hours before using peppermint essential oil. Those with hypertension or are taking medications for digestive problems must also be cautious. Additionally, peppermint oil contains menthol that can slow breathing, so it is not recommended for children below six years of age.

Basil, cedarwood, peppermint, Roman chamomile, and rosemary essential oils can affect the production of breast milk. Pregnant women and mothers who breastfeed should avoid using them.

Alkalime and Apple Cider Vinegar

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I would like to pick your brain…. with the world understanding more the benefits of ph balance, how much better is the YL Alkalime vs the wonders of Apple cider with the mother? Would you please educate me?

Sonya: Great question! They do similar and different things.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is great to sip in some water WITH a meal to aid in digestion, pour on your head for hair (diluted with water), it’s great to dissolve what the book “Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System” calls “acid crystals ” in the neck and spine and some say it’s been their saving grace with arthritis and many other conditions. So I LOVE raw apple cider vinegar!

And yes, it does seem to help with the acid/alkaline balance in the body. There is a great old book called “Folk Medicine: A New England Almanac of Natural Health Care >From a Noted Vermont Country Doctor” and he treats so many conditions with ACV and kelp/iodine and a few other natural substances. It actually helps turn the urine more acidic, which is important to keep a healthy functioning kidney and bladder. When these organs get too alkaline, infections can grow more easily.

Alkalime, on the other hand, is taken either at bedtime, after a meal, or at least an hour before a meal. Why is this? Because it has the effect of neutralizing the occasional excess stomach acid. And believe it or not, we actually do want stomach acid (HCL) right before we eat. So an over acid condition, is actually not enough acid at the right time, which is before a meal. Since ACV is acidic when it enters the body, it can be taken with meals, Alkalime should be take apart from meals.

It also may soothe the occasional upset stomach, relieve occasional heartburn and indigestion.

Alkalime also is awesome for body hydration. The body needs minerals for the water to uptake into the cells (so the speak). Alkalime contains nine biochemical mineral cell salts (different forms of calcium, potassium, and sodium) Lemon and Lime essential oils, and organic lemon powder. So it’s also great to put into a water bottle when hiking, or any time your body needs extra electrolytes.

An over acidic body has also been linked to occasional panic attacks and anxiety along with more serious chronic conditions.

So either way, they are both a great addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle!

Diluting Essential Oils

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Source https://naturallivingfamily.com/diluting-essential-oils/

We love essential oils because incorporating them into our lives can help us achieve a better degree of clean living. Diluting essential oils in appropriate levels for applications is one of the basic standards of safe use, especially when applying directly to the body.
Easiest Method for Diluting Essential Oils – Carrier Oils

By far, the most simple and common way to assure that essential oil is properly diluted (and so not used at full concentration on the skin) is to use carrier oils. Carrier oils work nicely to reduce (or dilute) the concentration of essential oils because their overall chemical qualities match that of essential oils. Both are lipid-loving substances. Remember that like dissolves like? So, we are able to use carrier oil to sufficiently dilute our essential oils.
Solutions and Emulsions With Essential Oils – A Step Up in Complexity

Real life isn’t always simple, however, so sometimes we need a base beyond just a carrier oil. Sometimes we need our essential oils to mix into substances that they are not normally miscible in – meaning they don’t fully dissolve or mix into each other. When this is the case, we have two potential options. 1. We can reach for a substance that will help dissolve the essential oil into the uncooperating substance, thus creating a solution. 2. We can utilize something with that will force the essential oil to combine with something it normally wouldn’t, creating an emulsion.

Solutions: You get a solution when one substance (referred to as a solute) is dissolved into another substance (known as the solvent).

Substances that can be used to dissolve essential oils include 190 proof alcohol, perfumer’s alcohol, and 91% isopropyl alcohol. When the essential oil is first added to one of these substances, it can later gently be added to an aqueous substance like water, witch hazel, or hydrosol. Likewise, the you can add an aqueous substance directly to your solubilized mixture.

The essential oil, being dissolved into a substance that cooperates nicely with these other mentioned substances, is able to be safely incorporated (or really, diluted) into something it typically would not work well with. In other words, add your essential oils to the alcohol first, and then to your other ingredients.

Emulsions: An emulsion occurs when one liquid is dispersed through another it is typically not miscible in.

Where essential oils are concerned, an emulsion occurs through the use of something called a surfactant or another substance with surfactant properties – such as liquid soap. Surfactants work by reducing the surface tension of the substance it is to be dissolved into, allowing for a substance (in this case essential oils) to be distributed throughout another liquid, such as water. (3) One important thing to remember is that you need to add your essential oil to your surfactant first and make sure it is sufficiently mixed with it before attempting to add it to the other liquid.

So, for example, if you are wanting to safely mix essential oil into your bathwater, your best bet is to add the essential oil to some liquid soap (good options for this are unscented bubble bath or liquid castile soap), mix it in that thoroughly, and then add that mixture to your bathwater, creating an emulsion.

Another product that could be used to hold essential oil for topical applications is thickened aloe gel. These gels differ slightly from pure aloe gel in that they have a thickener like carbomer or xanthan gum added to them which offers some stability in being able to bind up the essential oil when mixed well enough.

Want to make a quick pillow or air spray? Diluting essential oils by first solubilizing them is the way to go. Add your essential oil to some 190 proof alcohol and then gently add your water to it. The solution you create from the high-proof alcohol and essential oil is able to then be diluted into the water (using at least a 1:4 ratio of alcohol to water should ensure some preservation and a longer shelf life as well!).
Substances That Don’t Properly Dilute Essential Oils

The above mentioned options are solid choices to reach for when solubilizing or diluting essential oils or otherwise create some cooperation between them and liquids they won’t normally mix in. But there are a lot of substances thought to work with essential oils like this that really do not.

Many substances promoted in aromatherapy traditions or in online DIY recipes don’t actually blend with essential oils the way people think they do, and this could potentially leave you at risk for skin irritation or sensitization.

When I first started learning about essential oils some of the information out there was misleading or incorrect. When you learn the chemical properties you learn a lot of what is out there doesn’t actually work. Here’s a list of substances that cannot dilute or be used to disperse your essential oils:

distilled water
deionized water
witch hazel
hydrosols
vodka
sea or table salt
Epsom salts
magnesium oil
baking soda
sugar
aloe vera juice
pure aloe gel
glycerin
milk
honey
peroxide

In a nutshell, the chemical properties of these substances don’t match up with that of essential oils, so without incorporating a surfactant, like discussed above, diluting essential oils into these things will not be effective.

A quick note on honey: while it is not recommended to use honey when diluting essential oils into water, it does contain enough binding properties to mix essential oils into for quick internal dosing should it be necessary.

DIY Essential Oil Mixing Cheat Sheet

Here’s a brief list of products often made in the home done just a little bit better using the principles for diluting essential oils mentioned above. For DIY products containing aqueous ingredients, such as water and witch hazel, be sure to make small batches to use up within a week since home DIY products have short shelf lives!

Witch hazel facial toner: Add 6 drops of your favorite essential oil for supporting a healthy complexion to 1 ½ teaspoons of 190 proof alcohol. Stir and gently add this mixture to a 1oz bottle, slowly filling the bottle the rest of the way with witch hazel.

Shot glass bath: Add 10-20 drops total of your favorite essential oils (don’t use hot oils!) to a shot glass and fill the rest of the way with liquid castile soap, diluting essential oils properly. Stir thoroughly until the soap takes on a smooth, milky appearance (this let’s you know the essential oils have been adequately mixed in), and then add to your bathwater. Running water will help the mixture blend into the tub. If you add it after the water has finished running, be sure to swish it around with your hand to incorporate it into the water.

Quick countertop cleaner: Add 36 drops of your favorite antimicrobial essential oil to 2 tablespoons of liquid castile soap in an 8oz spray bottle. Mix thoroughly and fill the rest of the way with distilled water.

Sunburn relief gel: Add a total of 48 drops of your favorite combination of cooling, anti-inflammatory and analgesic essential oils to 4oz of thickened aloe gel. Mix well until the aloe gel becomes milky in appearance. For children, reduce the number of drops to 24. Be sure to store this in the refrigerator as a chilled gel helps bring even more relief to skin suffering too much sun exposure!

Sleepy-time pillow spray: Add 60 drops of your preferred relaxing and sedative essential oils to 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of 190 proof alcohol. Stir and add to a 2oz spray bottle, filling the rest with distilled water.

Antifungal Essential Oils: Your Top 10 Choices for Fungal Infections

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source https://naturallivingfamily.com/antifungal-essential-oils/

There’s definitely nothing fun about fungal infections, and the sad thing is that more people are getting them than ever before. What’s the #1 culprit? Candida! As more research is being done to find the solution, antifungal essential oils top the list and are one of the most promising alternatives.

Acidic, processed foods that are rich in sugar along with the overuse of antibiotics are the primary cause of fungal infections in the body today. The problem many people face is that the fungi being treated are resistant to most of the drugs on the market! Antifungal essential oils to the rescue.
Fungal Infection Causes and Symptoms

More than just a cause of jock itch and vaginal yeast infections, it’s important to keep in mind that not all men and women present fungal overgrowth in the same way. Here are some of the more common symptoms:

ADHD
Body odor
Fatigue
Insomnia
Leaky gut
Low sex drive
Sugar cravings
Seasonal allergies

Unfortunately, most people don’t see these symptoms as fungal-related and usually don’t go to their doctor unless they get a yeast infection or jock itch. It is important to visit your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms and you cannot explain why.

Fungal Infection Risk Factors

There are a number of reasons why people suffer from candida and other fungal infections and these top the list:

Antibiotic use
Being immune-compromised (HIV and cancer patients)
Diabetes
High acidic, sugar diet
Unprotected sex

In most cases, the infection is caused by fungi (like candida) that co-exist in your body. The problem is when your immune system gets compromised or the environment in your body changes to favor fungal growth.
The Problem with Antibiotics & Antifungals

Multidrug-resistant fungal strains are on the rise because antifungal drugs of choice have been overused. Not to mention, they are dangerous! Even the FDA recognizes this; they issued a warning against using these drugs for “uncomplicated infections” recently!

Antibiotics enter the mix because they are usually broad-spectrum and kill the healthy microorganisms that help keep fungus in check, particularly candida. Hence, the reason why so many women with urinary track infections come down with yeast infections after taking antibiotics.

This is where choosing the right health care provider is key. You should be able to work with your doctor to manage simple infections naturally first. Then, if you don’t get the results that you’re looking for, consider more aggressive measures like drugs.

Antifungal Essential Oils: The Top 10 Essential Oils for Fungal Infections

Tea tree essential oils is one of the most well-known essential oils for fungal issues and is typically a safe option for treatment. It’s exceptionally gentle, widely used, and even highly diluted tea tree soaked tampons have been said by clinical aromatherapists to stop candida infections in just 3 days in some cases!

This is not to say that other antifungal essential oils can’t kill candida. No, not in the least. But tea tree is often the first choice for many, and for good reasons.

* Safety Notes concerning antifungal essential oils:

Be very careful when treating topical fungal infections by ensuring that you always heavily dilute (1% – 5% max depending on the area of the body).
Use gentler oils on sensitive area like the underarms and genitals and never more than 1% unless otherwise advised by a trained health care professional.
Essential oils can be consumed to treat fungal infections, and you’d do well to work with a trained health care professional to ensure safety and efficacy.
Culinary use of essential oils, 1-2 drops per recipe is also a safe way to use some of the more aggressive oils like cinnamon, clove and thyme.

With that said, here is the list of the top 10 antifungal essential oils to use after you try tea tree.

1. Lavender – There is a reason lavender essential oil is so popular. It’s a popular essential oil for skin care, headaches, sleep issues, stress, anxiety, and is widely used in many blends. A distant second to tea tree for balancing safety with effectiveness, it’s the next best oil in my opinion.

A study in the journal Scientifica, compared the use of Lavandula angustifolia to the antifungal drug clotrimazole on vaginal candidiasis. Interestingly, researchers uncovered that in the first 48 hours of infection, clotrimazole had more effect than the lavender essential oil, but after 48 hours, there was no difference between the effects. What this tells us is that lavender essential oil has a positive effect on fungal infections if given the proper time to work. Remember, natural therapies aren’t usually the fastest remedy, but it’s slow and steady that wins the race!

2. Thyme – Useful in aromatherapy to promote blood circulation, thyme essential oil – especially thymol chemotype – is known to heal the gut and battle antibiotic resistant bacteria. Thymus vulgaris is such an effective antimicrobial against bacteria and fungus that more studies are investigating its effects at reducing or eliminating both bacteria and fungus in food. Able to combat several different fungal strains in particular, thyme has shown to be a natural antiseptic with applications in the pharmaceutical and food industry, which may interest those of you homesteaders out there.

3. Peppermint – One of the most recognizable oils with long list of uses, peppermint essential oil is well known to help ease upset stomachs, headaches and as an aid to boost mental focus. Mentha piperita was tested in a clinical setting along with nine other essential oils against 22 strains of bacteria and 12 strains of fungi. The study showed that peppermint oil had a positive effect against 11 of the 12 fungus strains tested.

4. Geranium – A highly sought after tool for promoting healthy skin, geranium essential oil also can play a key role in helping people balance hormonal levels, and for menopausal women; it may help relieve the symptoms associated with menopause. The Microbios Journal and the U.S. National Library of Medicine listed geranium essential oil, Pelargonium graveolens, as one of seven tested oils that was able to inhibit the growth of all 12 fungus strains tested. The conclusion is that geranium essential oil is, in fact, a powerful antifungal agent

5. Black Pepper – Containing several medicinal properties, we usually recognize black pepper as a condiment. It is best known as a support oil for antioxidant effectiveness, to boost our circulatory system and to calm the hunger pangs of addiction. It can also be used to help reduce anxiety and as an aid for digestion. A study in the journal Natural Product Communications aimed at isolating the chemical components of Piper divaricatum oil (different than the usual Piper nigrum), and verifying its effectiveness as an antioxidant and antifungal agent. The study showed that the essential oil was sufficient as an antifungal agent; even at low doses fungal colonies were impacted.

6. Cinnamon bark – An ancient spice with a long history as a medicinal aid, cinnamon works well as an antiparasitic and antiviral treatment. Cinnamon essential oil is helpful as a tool to stimulate the immune system. The Evidenced Based Complementary Alternative Medicine Journal has provided an overview of Cinnamomum Zeylanicum oil, which confirms what we have known for years: cinnamon is multifaceted with a long history of use as an antifungal and antimicrobial.

7. Citronella – Citronella essential oil is commonly known as an insect repellent. However, it has many uses including the reduction of free radicals which are known to cause aging, and also a bactericide and an aid for respiratory infections. A study in Microbios Journal discusses ten essential oils that were tested against 22 strains of bacteria and 11 strains of fungi. It was found that Cymbopogon nardus was effective against all seven strains of fungi making this a powerful antifungal essential oil.

8. Clove – A very familiar spice with amazing medicinal qualities, clove oil is used to treat acne, and is an effective means of killing parasites. As a dental treatment, it helps to reduce gum disease and works as a wonderful anti-inflammatory agent. Research from the Journal of Medical Microbiology tested the power of Syzygium aromaticu oil against candida strains and the result was that clove essential oil reduced the fungi to near zero levels! The study concluded that clove essential oil has considerable antifungal properties.

9. Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus essential oil is well known and very pungent and has helped people with asthma and lung conditions including pneumonia for many years. Its strong antimicrobial properties make is perfect for treatment against the common cold and flu as well. A recent study shows us that Eucalyptus globulus oil is highly effective as an antifungal and antibacterial agent in several in vitro tests performed against 22 types of bacteria and 12 strains of fungi, making it another broad-spectrum approach.

These antifungal essential oils have many other useful benefits. Some are capable of helping with common health issues such as colds and flu, while others help to reduce the devastating effects of emotional conditions such as depression. Learning to use them will give you a great health advantage. Here’s to your good health!

Is CBD Effective In Helping With Chronic Pain Management?

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From Young Living:

A number of researches, with a lot of letters behind their name, have concluded that CBD may indeed hold promise regarding chronic pain management.
Conditions considered, among others, include migraines and fibromyalgia.
Google the research done by Ethan B. Russo.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/can.2016.0009

Basil Vitality & Copaiba Vitality

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Dr. Peter Minke: Since absorption of essential oils into the blood is very fast and noticeable, I consider them ideal supplements for the #CardiovascularSystem.

#EssentialOils as supplements can be potent. With ‘sharper’ oils, penetration into the tissue and blood stream can be felt immediately in the mouth.

This month we experience taking Basil Vitality and Copaiba Vitality mixed together in a capsule.

Use of Basil and Copaiba date back to ancient times and are heralded as having many healthy properties.

Basil oil is up to 70% methyl chavicol and Copaiba oil is up to 70% beta-caryophyllene.

The combination of these two amazing oils needs to be experienced.

Secrets to Inner Peace

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If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs…

She knows inner peace

Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

And you thought I was going to get all spiritual …

Handle every Stressful situation like a dog.

If you can’t eat it or play with it, pee on it and walk away