Well, Life Throws Curves Unexpectedly

Things have been crazy around here lately. I did the unexpected…I broke my pinkie on my left hand. Now most would ask if I was right handed or left handed. Well, I am right handed…so I can do most things BUT NOT typing on the computer, organize several areas in my home, regular chores (that I can live with) and a myriad of other things in regard to clothing that I will not mention. I think that I might have invented a new exercise program with that last one. I am still laughing about that.

So what happens when life throws you a curve ball? How do you handle the stress? What are the things that you do to reduce that stress? Think about that for a moment. You need a plan of action. Too often we focus on what we haven’t done or the time it takes to get those things done. We go to bed and then we can’t sleep because our minds are racing. We lose sleep, get up grouchy and often time late.

So what can we do to reduce stress and sleep better? We need that plan. I have several steps for you to try.

  1. Live a simple life. Often we can eliminate things from our lives to slow down and reduce stress. You need to go through your schedules, priorities and responsibilities and choose what is truly necessary.
  2. Organize your time. Know what is important to you…those goals and responsibilities. Plan your time around those. This will help reduce stress. And yes, there will be unexpected things…we all have them. Planning times of rest and play give you the flexibility to handle the unexpected.
  3. Organize your space.  I get so frustrated when I can’t find things. So, a time to declutter is a good idea.For those who are overwhelmed with clutter, choose to do one thing a day. There are a multitude of declutter tips on Pinterest. Just find a list that works for you and do it.
  4. Live healthy. Make choices that reflect the lifestyle that you want. Healthy food choices make a difference. Exercise makes a difference.Start with ten minutes a day. Use essential oils to help maintain good health…more about that later.
  5. Live in the present. You only have the present…the now.  You can’t change the past so worrying about what you should have done doesn’t change the present. It just adds stress. Worrying about the future doesn’t change anything either, besides you might not have tomorrow. Just live in the now, the present. God will provide what you need now…let Him handle the future. He understands it better than we do.
  6. Be thankful. You are blessed in so many ways. Just stop and think about those blessings. Then go out and thank God for those blessings.

Now I mentioned earlier essential oils. What can they do?  For one, they can be used to reduce stress and ground us during times of the unexpected. I use several oils for this: Balance (Grounding Blend), Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Lavender. Applied to the neck and bottoms of the feet, these oils help to calm and soothe. Lavender is great in your bath with some epsom salts. The cedarwood and vetiver are especially helpful to calm down the brain to help you ease into sleep. Balance is my oil of choice during the day to help calm me down.  If you want to know more, contact me.

So back to the beginning, I am typing this with a broken hand…no, it is not easy but I am not stressed over this. Hopefully, my orthopedic hand surgeon will release me soon to rehab. But in the meantime, I am going to enjoy my break from the routine and enjoy this time of refreshing. Have a great day, friends!

Debbie

 

A New Day

couple-sleepWow, the year has truly flown by. So how have you been?  Are you dealing with stress or sleep issues? Well you are not alone.  Most people have dealt with both of these at one time or another.  I know that I have.  Life is not always pretty and straightforward.  Circumstances with jobs, family and health can bring stress into our lives and disrupt even those with the best of sleep habits.  Trying to find peace and rest doesn’t always happen. There are some great resources out there that can help with sleep. A book, Sleep Smarter, that I have been reading, is a great way to begin to improve your sleep habits.  Think about this….what does your bedroom have in it besides the obvious bedroom furniture? Most likely, you have your phone, electronic readers and even a television. Does that really help you sleep?

Sleep deprivation is rampant in our society.  We are told that to succeed, we need to get up early, exercise, have devotions and still get to work by 8 am. But most of us don’t make it to bed by midnight. We are trying to get things done for the next day, deal with our family issues…clothes, lunches, school homework and projects and then spend time with our spouse if we are lucky.  We extend our day as late as possible and then try to get up as early as possible to just have a few minutes to ourselves. Sleep takes a backseat in life.  We go to bed thinking about what we have to do and even dream about it…sometimes as nightmares. Ugh! Our minds just do not want to shut down for sleep.

But wait….we need sleep more than ever. What are just some of the few things that our bodies do while we sleep?

  • It helps to improve your hormone system.
  • It helps to repair your muscles, organs and tissues.
  • It provides protection from diseases
  • It helps your brain work at peak level.

Sleep is a means of taking care of the systems in your body.  You can’t go without sleep.

So what are some simple things that you can do to improve your sleep.

  • Plan your sleep just like you plan the rest of your day.  Be consistent on the time that you choose to go to bed.
  • Get out in the direct sunlight for about 30 minutes a day. It helps to set your biological clock.
  • Avoid blue light and coffee. The caffeine in coffee disturbs sleep.  And yes, the blue light from your tech devices disturbs the normal sleep pattern by delaying the onset of sleep and producing poor sleep quality.
  • Having some downtime prior to bed promotes restfulness.
  • Keep the temperature in your bedroom about 68 deg F.
  • In addition, sleep in the dark or maybe use a sleep mask if you can’t.  I use a sleep mask that is padded and provides complete eye coverage….not one with elastic. (If you want to know where I got it….contact me.)

These are just a few things among many listed in the book, Sleep Smarter. There is a lot of research on sleep. Well, I hope that you see that sleep is important.

My favorite way to improve my sleep is to use essential oils.  Lavender is the most common essential oil for helping you sleep.  Vetiver and Cedarwood are also great for helping improve sleep. If you want to know more, I teach classes on the use of essential oils and sleep.  Just contact me through my contact page.

Nighttime is here and my bed is calling.  Goodnight and sweet dreams!

Debbie

 

Welcome

Hi, if you are new to essential oils or a seasoned pro, you have come to the right place.  My name is Debbie Smith, the owner of The Oil Advantage. I started using essential oils in 2013 after exhaustive visits to multiple doctors and specialists. Relief for my year-round allergies was no small matter. I had tried everything that was available on the market.  As a chemical engineer and former first responder, I understood that not all medicines worked the same way for each person. My body chemistry and its response to any ingested substances were different from even my family’s responses.  I now was on a mission to find something that would work to ease the seasonal discomfort that lasted all year round for me. The research for help started and led me to essential oils.

When I was introduced to the Respiratory blend from my favorite oil company, I still was skeptical about the effects, how it would work and if it would work for me.  I was tired of being a guinea pig for the doctors and any new “cure” or regime that they wanted to try.  I  decided to give oils a try as this is what my grandmother would use when I was sick as a kid.  I often remember her fixing concoctions (some smelled good…others just awful), soaking a washcloth in it and putting that washcloth on my chest or throat when I stayed with her.  The cold or respiratory issues would be gone in one to two days.  I realized that I was rarely sick at my grandparents when I stayed with them.  But when I was home, I lived at the doctor’s office.  Amazing, yeah!

So my journey with oils began and now I am improving my health in so many areas. I have always wanted to be proactive in taking care of my health not wanting to leave it to chance. Being proactive to me meant that I would use the tools, these oils, that God provided to keep my body and health in the best condition possible.

So my question to you is this: What do you want to do in regard to your health? If you are interested in using essential oils, then you are not here by chance. Join me on this journey and let’s see where this road leads. I am learning new things each day and I would love to have friends to share with!

 

 

 

 

Back to School and Essential Oils

Hello, Everyone,

Now that school has started, I am sure that you have been bombarded with papers to sign, supplies to get and the never-ending need for money to buy clothes.  Boy, do I remember! Well, some things just do not change! But are you prepared for what your child will bring home from school?? How about the stomach upsets or respiratory issues? How would you like to have a way to minimize these interruptions to their schedule and yours?  There are so many essential oils that do just that.  There are those that build and support immunity as well as relieve the discomforts from the start. Best of all, essential oils are all natural. Using them is very simple. All essential oils can be diffused aromatically or applied topically and if 100% pure,  some can be taken internally.  I know, you have heard that is not good. But let me assure you that I use oils that are 100% pure and the company that I use has oils that can be taken internally.  Just another thought on using essential oils…if your child is below the age of two years old, dilute any oil by the following ratio ( 1 drop of oil to 1 TBSP of carrier oil). If your child is between two and six years old, use this ratio (1 drop to 1 tsp of carrier oil). If the child is older than six, you can apply the oil neat (no dilution) unless your child has sensitive skin.  One of the best ways to apply essential oils is to the bottom of the feet.  It only takes about 20-30 seconds to get into the system. Pretty cool, right!

So you want to know more, please contact me at debbie@theoiladvantage.com. I am willing to personalize according to your needs.

Until next time,

Debbie

back_to_school