Folks, this post is HUGE! Yes, it's taken me a couple weeks for me to gather my thoughts and get them down, but hear my heart, here. There is so much that we don't know from a holistic standpoint that has been "squashed" by folks from Big Ph@rm@ that research had come to a standstill in the 70's in favor of the "quick fix" of the psychotrop1c drugs that completely took our people away from us. Hear my heart, here. I am NOT saying to squelch Western Medicine at all. There is a time and a place for it. However, before going to Western Medicine, try diet changes (ie: Removing all dyes, sugar, and getting tested for food allergies) first. Add some challenging games and regular exercise for about 30 minutes a day. Make sure to get enough rest. If someone you love isn't getting enough rest, do all that you can to make sure they get as much as they need. When you don't sleep well, your brain doesn't function to it's best ability.
Supporting mental health, your own or someone you love, requires a holistic approach that addresses emotional, physical, and mental well-being. For someone with a mental health diagnosis, achieving feelings of acceptance, hope, love, and a clear mind is crucial for overall wellness.
Why is mental health so important to me? I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am doing proactive things in order to have it less often. One of the biggest things we did was to move to southern Georgia where there is more sunshine throughout the winter. Sunshine and increased Super Vitamin D helps with the seasonal issues. But, what about all the other mental health concerns that are out there? Will using essential oils diminish the effectiveness of prescribed medications? Where do I start?
I have enclosed some things that may help as a comprehensive approach that includes essential oils, supplements, diet, and exercise:
(Note: All links to each product are bold, underlined, and in dark red for your reference if you'd like to order.)
Emotional Needs:
1. Acceptance: Everyone has a need to feel accepted and loved for who they are, "warts and all." As we navigate this world, it helps that each one of us are aware of that specific need, especially those who have any kind of Mental Health diagnosis. Let's be ready to help, grant grace, and be extra patient because sometimes folks feel the same way we do, but with BIG feelings. Those things can be overwhelming and embarrassing to some.
Simply diffusing a couple oils, adding a drop to wrists, behind the ears, on the feet after a shower and before putting sock on may help. There are roll-ons for a few of the products that you can look in to. My personal favorite is Stress Away.
Emotional Balance: Feeling accepted often starts with self-acceptance. Essential oils can be part of a daily routine to promote a sense of grounding and inner peace. Frankincense or Lavender can be diffused or applied topically to wrists, between collar bones, or to the back of your neck, to enhance emotional well-being and self-acceptance.
Aromatherapy: Create a daily ritual using a blend of Valor and Orange essential oils to help foster a positive outlook and a sense of belonging. How? Add a drop of each to your hand, put your hands together and mix by rubbing hands together in a clock-wise rotation. Cup over your nose and mouth and breath deeply for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat that process as may times as you feel that you need to. Remember: Essential oils can be found in your body in measurable amounts in 30 seconds. Inhaling them takes them directly to your brain where your Amygdala is!
Hope:
- Mental Clarity: Essential oils like Peppermint and Lemon can help clear mental fog and inspire feelings of hope and renewal. Diffuse them in your workspace or home to create an uplifting atmosphere. Two others that I liked using with my college age young adults are Clarity & Vetiver. I combined them with equal drops in a roller bottle and added 40 drops of olive oil. (You can use any liquid oil that you'd like as a carrier oil.) They rolled this on their wrists, behind their ears and along the back of their neck to help them focus.
- Positive Affirmations: Combine aromatherapy with positive affirmations. Use oils such as Joy, with its uplifting aroma, to inspire hope and happiness.
Love:
- Self-Care Routines: Incorporate Rose or Geranium essential oils into your daily self-care routine. These oils are known for their comforting and soothing properties, promoting a sense of love and compassion. Self care takes on different meanings for each of us, whether it is a special soap, getting mani-pedis, our hair done, or any number of other things, find something that helps you feel good. If you need a starting point, let me know and I'll ask you some questions to better help you get started. There is no guilt in taking care of yourself! For many folks, others have told them to "deny themselves", which in some cases is good, however when taking care of simple body needs, it is paramount to our own mental health to care for ourselves. If we don't care for ourselves now, then who will?!
- Connecting with Others: Use Ylang Ylang to create a warm and inviting environment that encourages meaningful connections with loved ones. Additionally, you can use the oils in the Feelings Kit to help with a variety of circumstances that may help with feelings of overwhelm, anxious, and helping you feel more brave.
Physical Needs:
1. Clear Mind:
- Focus and Concentration: Essential oils like Clarity and Brain Power can be beneficial for enhancing concentration and mental clarity. Apply them to pulse points or diffuse them when working on tasks that require cognitive focus.
- Calmness: Stress Away or Lavender can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, leading to a clearer and more focused mind. I like to combine Stress Away, Lavender, and Copaiba in a roller bottle and roll-on easily to your pulse points. Just combine 20 drops of each oil in a roller bottle, add 60 drops of a carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, etc...). Shake a bit before each application. You can also combine a couple drops of each of these oils in a diffuser and breathe deeply. You'll be surprised at how calm you and your family members, or even coworkers feel after breathing in these calming oils.
2. Supplements:
- MindWise: Supports normal brain and heart function.
- NingXia Red: Provides a daily boost of antioxidants and essential nutrients that support overall wellness.
-Green Omega 3™ Softgels: Contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for brain health and cognitive function.
Lifestyle Needs:
1. Healthy Diet:
- Focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains.
- Stay hydrated and avoid excessive intake of caffeine and sugar, which can negatively impact mood and energy levels.
- Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and flax seeds, which are beneficial for brain health.
2. Exercise:
-Regular Physical Activity: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3-5 days of the week. Activities such as walking, yoga, and swimming can improve mood and reduce anxiety.
-Mindful Movement: Practices like yoga and tai chi can enhance mental clarity and emotional stability. Add Eucalyptus Globulus or Peppermint essential oil to your workout routine for an invigorating experience. Both Eucalyptus and Peppermint give greater breathing support during exercise as well as seasonal concerns.
Supporting mental health involves multi-faceted care. By incorporating Young Living essential oils, supplements, a healthy diet, and regular exercise into your routine, you can create a balanced lifestyle that promotes mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall well-being. Remember, self-care isn't a luxury; it’s a necessity.
If you have further questions or comments, please let me know.
Love & God Bless,
Regina Graham
I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or treat anyone
for any disease or sickness.
On this Black Friday, I want to tell you to that many of our loved ones are suffering with a variety of maladies that they simply need help with.
For me, to give a gift is to bless someone with something they need. But then, to educate them on how to effectively use it. And continue to educate with further products that could possibly help them.
One of the greatest issues we are facing currently in our society is the medical and pharmacological entities prescribing more and more medications to people, effectively putting a band-aid on a problem that could potentially be helped with a change in diet, appropriate exercise, some good quality supplements, and yes, essential oils.
What I am NOT saying is to stop taking your medications. What I AM saying is to prayerfully study other options for you that do not have side effects, or that could cause you to need a domino effect of other medications in the future to "fix" the side effect of this one medication.
Unfortunately in our society today, we have to do the research on how to take control of our health. But with each one of us that creates a "rabbit hole" of needing to find the right option for our own bodies. We are each created fearfully and wonderfully by God and as such, each of our needs are different. So it is up to us to become our own greatest advocate and researcher for every single medication, supplement, food, exercise, and essential oil out there to see whether the benefits outweigh the detriments. With all of this research, there isn't a "one and done" type of answer where one type of diet/plan/exercise/supplement/essential oil is a one size fits all type of situation.
We each have to find what works for ourselves.
How do we begin? PRAYER!
Pray about everything, from finding out about what GMO wheat does to your gut, to repairing your gut with LIfe 9 and NingXia Red. Click those links and read all about how those 2 items help your body! I have a friend who has been on both of those since the beginning of C0v!d!
Pray about those wonderful organic green leafy arugala and spinach that you found at Aldi's and look up the vitamins and minerals in both of those foods and how often you should eat those things to get maximum benefit for YOUR body and the bodies of those who you are in charge of.
Pray about the use of sugar in your diet and how you should use it, or if you should use it. What kind of substitutions can you make to help remove it from your diet? Why? Take a look on any search engine about the detriments of sugar.
Pray about the exercise you do and how much you should be doing. I need to increase my daily walking, adding in a few more low impact exercises to help strengthen my arm further, and to help strengthen my back due to osteoarthritis. I find that when I'm up and moving that it hurts less. When we first moved to southern Georgia in 2015, just the move helped the back pain decrease. I only felt the hurricanes coming, whereas in Pennsylvania, I felt every dip in the barometric pressure in my back. Now, I need to continue to add some basic stretches to keep my back strengthened to keep the pain away. What do I do when the pain comes? I have my hubby roll some Deep Relief on the muscles beside my spine as well as on top of my spine. I've been researching and here very soon I plan to delve in to the CBD Muscle Rub, as well as many of the other CBD products to help with greater health.
These are just things that I use on a regular basis, but where do YOU start?
I want to ask you some questions to get you started. I want to help you get the most bang for your hard earned buck and if a diffuser and an essential oil kit isn't where you need to start, we can go a different direction. I can completely tailor your orders to fit your life and the needs you and your family have.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I cannot diagnose or treat any illness you may have been diagnosed with.
That said, I will HIGHLY recommend every single time, that you take the suggestions of potential supplements to your Dr and have them read the ingredients list and get their official "Okey Dokey" first before ordering. If you have medications that some oil or some other supplement may interfere with, you need to be aware of that as well.
Are there Black Friday deals that you can take advantage of? Yes! You can find them HERE!
But, if you're looking for a life change, health supporting, start replacing toxins in your home type of beginning, I just might have what you're looking for. You can go to the top of this blog page and click the "Contact me" feature above. I will get back to you to help you.
If you're looking for a business opportunity, of course go ahead and click "Opportunity" and see what that's all about. I'd love to talk with you about it and get you started.
What about gift giving? Let me know what you're looking for and I can point you in the right direction! If you'd like to bless a loved one with a Premium Starter Kit with 12 of the most awesome oils, I can help you there, too.
If you'd like to schedule coffee at a local restaurant, I'd love to do that, too! Just let me know and we can do that, too!
I hope you have a wonderful day!
Love & God Bless,
Regina Graham
I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or treat anyone
for any disease or sickness.
As many of you know, I finished up 2021 with an overnight hospital stay for a dislocated shoulder. I've gone through Physical Therapy and was released in April, but my arm is still weak. The therapist tells me that it will take a year for it to completely heal.
My husband recently had a 4th shoulder surgery and will begin Physical Therapy soon. With our local therapy place, I can go with hubby and work on arm strengthening with the machines while he works on his therapy.
Did this come about by accident? No! It came about by thinking of the best possible way to help regain not just function, but strength in my own arm.
As far as my hubby is concerned, I am pretty sure he'll be in physical therapy for a while, so we can still go together.
What about the rest of our bodies? Do we have a plan for activity, keeping fit, and working toward continued health? We have a lose plan, so we need to get that a bit more solid...
...like a type of non-negotiable type of thing we do daily for movement. Sometimes just walking around the block isn't enough. So, we're needing to take a good, long, hard look at our goals, and take in to account our blood test results to see how everything looks. We'll make plans for activity according to how our blood work looks. Neither of us are interested in running a marathon or a tri-athelon, so realistically for us, walking here in southern Georgia works well in the 70º range. This is where it isn't too hot, and it isn't too cold. Then we can take our dogs with us, too.
We plan to do xy & z, but we need to also plan for the unplanned, spontaneous fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants things too. Those fun all the sudden things. But, for now, we work on canning foods in season while he does PT, take walks when the temperatures are not "hotter than the surface of the sun", and work on muscle group exercises inside, at home and at the gym.
Now, under "every day" circumstances, I probably would have opted to do more manual exercises here at our home. However, as I type this post, the temperature is 81º at 10AM.
What about long-term goals? Everyone seems to be trying to push back the clock in an effort to look younger. However, we're taking things in stride by simply moving daily. For me, that means simply increasing my daily steps. I don't have a pedometer or an iwatch. I do have a phone that I try to keep in my pocket to count my steps and that's what I try to use as a reference. It helps me to know if I'm on target to reach my goal. What is my goal? I'm up to 5,000 steps per day, except Sundays which is my day of rest. Some days are way more than that, around 7,000, but usually end up between 4,800 to 7,000. I would like to get up to 10,000 each day, so that's my goal for the next 6 months.
What will this do? For me, it will help to bring my HDL levels up more. Once again, I'm not aspiring to a marathon, so I'm getting these steps in naturally by taking care of things, people, and critters around my house. I add in a couple blocks as needed, or at the gym, but it's mostly around my house.
The rest of those blood work numbers will naturally get healthier too with increased steps and a bit of an adjustment in our daily food intake here and there.
So the main goal is greater health so that we can enjoy our life, where ever we are. We also want to be able to move our bodies easier. Sometimes when things like arthritis steps in, we are sore and slow to get up and get moving. When we moved to Georgia in 2015, the drastic weather changes in Pennsylvania took a toll on our backs. The barometric pressure was terrible! But, as we acclimated to Georgia, we've gradually been able to move easier. Couple that with daily 2 ounces of NingXia Red which helps with inflammation and we're doing much better!
Do you have a chair DVD that you do daily? Great! When I had surgery on my knee in 2016, I couldn't walk a mile a day, so I had to do something else. That's what we need to do throughout all of life is just simply make adjustments. If you can do the P90X, then that's great! Every one of us is on a different level of ability. The important thing is that you are moving however your body can move.
What are you doing to move your body daily?
Love & God Bless,
What are you doing to move your body daily?
Love & God Bless,
Regina Graham
I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or treat anyone
for any disease or sickness.
We are currently in the 6th month of 2022 already!
What a crazy year it has been! I’m pretty certain that all of you who read my blog are truly wondering if everything is “ok” in spite of all the challenges we’ve faced this year.
Truthfully, some days I’m good, and some days I struggle. The stress of constraints holding me here at home, not able to go to South Dakota again to help with my mother is truly bothersome for me. In my heart of hearts, I am also deeply wanting to see my family more since my Dad passed away on May 1st, 2019. It is one of those feelings that, “before anyone else passes I need to spend more time with them!” kind of feelings…
…I just need family.
There is so much that I’ve missed over the years, and I don’t like it. I miss my Mom, my aunt, my sister, my brother and their families. I have yet to meet my great nephew! My sister’s wedding last July brought a bunch more family members who I’ve only met with the wedding celebration but have yet to spend time with and develop a relationship. It’s heart wrenching to me! 
It's safe to say, it's time to take care of my own needs now. I want to build relationships, spend time together, and love eachother. I cannot do that as well as I'd like 1,400 miles away.
Regardless, my heart needs this!
But, what about the stress? There’s A LOT of stress involved in all of every part of life making decisions, no matter which direction we decide to take in our lives!
So the questions are mounting and the research is too, but...
Handling stress, we begin with prayer, always. It doesn’t make sense to try to make decisions without prayer. Prayer changes things, folks!
Next, to combat fear of the unknown, we research! Research answers our questions, creates more questions, and takes us down rabbit trails, too, but we get answers.
Another thing we do is ask questions of people who already have experience in the area where we want to go.
Why? Scripture tells us in Proverbs 11:14, “there is safety in a multitude of counselors.” It makes sense to talk with at least 3 people in each situation before making firm decisions. Why 3? Because you may get the same answers from 2 people. Adding the 3rd person will give us the greater chance to cover areas where the other 2 have not had experiences in.
Why? Scripture tells us in Proverbs 11:14, “there is safety in a multitude of counselors.” It makes sense to talk with at least 3 people in each situation before making firm decisions. Why 3? Because you may get the same answers from 2 people. Adding the 3rd person will give us the greater chance to cover areas where the other 2 have not had experiences in.
Keep in mind that all through this timeframe, we use stress lowering practices of eating good quality foods, taking walks getting some good oxygen, praying together, and spending time with one another. Additionally, throughout this entire time, we use our oils. Which oils do I suggest? I started with Stress Away, Lavender, Copaiba, and Peace & Calming when I began in 2015. We’ve made using oils a part of our lives, so why not use these wonderful plant juices that are so pure and as close to the Garden of Eden as you can get, using them and allowing the Lord to help us with things He’s made?! As time has progressed, I’ve added CBD Calm roll-on to my “stress relieving” list and it’s been invaluable! I love finding some “new to me” kinds of things that will help with as many things as possible. Interestingly, when I use these oils for one thing, they not only help with the thing I use them for, but they also help with things I don’t know that I’m dealing with internally! What a blessing the Lord has created for us to use!
So, what do I use for bravery to be able to conquer these things? Valor! For kids there is also KidPower essential oil blend for them to use! Those work well for test taking days, feelings of anxiousness, and it’s so easy to use! Both Valorand KidPower come in a 15ml bottle as well as a roll-on. Just click the links and you'll see them! As a matter of fact, many of the oils I've mentioned come in a roll-on!
Now that we’re “oiled up”, here we go! Onward and upward!
Have a great day!
Love & God Bless,
Regina Graham
I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or treat anyone
for any disease or sickness.
The importance of breathing is pretty apparent during this time in history. Many people are in hospitalis on ventilators, needing nebulizer or CPAP treatments. Many people are having breathing issues long after that last negative test.
Breathing is in our consciousness now.
The last 2 weeks, I've covered the need to eat good foods in For the Health of It, and the Need to Move It, and today the need to breathe is next in the line-up of things I'll be covering.
It's no secret that I've covered breathing before here on this blog. I have breathing issues at times and need things to help me recover. But today, I'm going to delve deeper in to a different aspect of breathing.
When we move, we need to increase our oxygen flow. When our airways are clear, the oxygen comes in quite effortlessly. When we exert energy by exercising or singing, for example, we need to breathe in a specific way to help our bodies continue to work hard. Without breathing properly we could pass out or potentially have an asthma attack or any number of other issues.
When we sing and when we exercise, breathing needs to occur from the diaphragm. In singing, we need to breathe at proper places in the music so the music flows and doesn't sound funny with our breathy breathing.
When we exercise, there is somewhat the same type of physical training that needs to occur.
For example, when I was in my early teens I attended a youth camp in Wyoming very close to Devil's Tower. There is a trail around the base of the tower about 2.5 miles in length. A female counselor asked me if I'd like to jog the 2.5 miles with her. (Currently there are 2 trails around Devil's Tower, one that is 1.3 miles and paved, and another that is gravel and is 2.5 miles long) I told her that I'd never done that, but I'd love to try. She prefaced our run with water, of course, then she told me to breathe in my nose and out my mouth. It was to help me keep my breathing regulated. So I did it and it worked!
This gives you a little bit of an idea about the trail. You can see more of it here. It's a fantastic area to walk around! I can't wait to go back and visit with my hubby!
Needless to say, this particular jog gave me such a different perspective of breathing even from a young teen. I had carried that lesson throughout my life and continue to use it now in various circumstances.
Singing and jogging (or any other movement for that matter) are very similar because you have to train your mind and body to breathe in a specific way. But what do you use when you're recovering from a long period of extended activity? Your breathing is labored and you need to catch your breath.
Many people have reached simply for Peppermint Essential Oil to open the bottle up and breathe deeply. This opens up your airways so you can increase the volume of the air coming in to your airways. The same thing applies to singing--I've taken numerous deep breaths of Peppermint Essential Oil before heading in to the choir room.
Another good one to reach for before exercise or singing that I've tried is Breathe Again Essential Oil Blend. This one comes in a roll-on or a 15ml bottle, so you can roll it on between your colar bones or diffuse it.
Of course, last but not least, my personal favorite and the very first oil I'd ever purchased through Young Living is Eucalyptus Globulus. This one came to my rescue when I needed more respiratory support than what antibiotics, prednisone, and Robitussin could give me. What a blessing!
Now, I know there are so many more things you could use to help with breathing recovery after working out or in preparation for singing.
What do you use to help with your breathing after you've been physically active? Let me know in the comments below!
Love & God Bless,
Regina
Needless to say, this particular jog gave me such a different perspective of breathing even from a young teen. I had carried that lesson throughout my life and continue to use it now in various circumstances.
Singing and jogging (or any other movement for that matter) are very similar because you have to train your mind and body to breathe in a specific way. But what do you use when you're recovering from a long period of extended activity? Your breathing is labored and you need to catch your breath.
Many people have reached simply for Peppermint Essential Oil to open the bottle up and breathe deeply. This opens up your airways so you can increase the volume of the air coming in to your airways. The same thing applies to singing--I've taken numerous deep breaths of Peppermint Essential Oil before heading in to the choir room. Another good one to reach for before exercise or singing that I've tried is Breathe Again Essential Oil Blend. This one comes in a roll-on or a 15ml bottle, so you can roll it on between your colar bones or diffuse it.
Of course, last but not least, my personal favorite and the very first oil I'd ever purchased through Young Living is Eucalyptus Globulus. This one came to my rescue when I needed more respiratory support than what antibiotics, prednisone, and Robitussin could give me. What a blessing!
Now, I know there are so many more things you could use to help with breathing recovery after working out or in preparation for singing.
What do you use to help with your breathing after you've been physically active? Let me know in the comments below!
Love & God Bless,
Regina
I am not a doctor. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or treat anyone
for any disease or sickness.
