If you are prone to sore throats, then I am sure would try just about anything to make it stop!  Besides, one can only eat so much ice cream right?...

There is a natural waxy and resinous protectant, that also has antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, that bee's produce to build, repair, and protect their hives.  This waxy substance just happens to also be super beneficial for humans to ward off germs and help give the immune system a boost.  It is called bee "propolis". 

Honeybees make propolis from local tree buds and other botanical sources.  Propolis is usually brown (can be other colors though) and is soft when it is above 68℉, otherwise it is hard and brittle. 

There are different types of propolis, depending on the location and the tree or plant sourced from the bee.  

Using bee propolis throat spray can be a very helpful friend in your home apothecary to prevent illness.

Before you run off to spray your child's throat with bee propolis spray, please note the precautions and ask your health care provider if there is any reason NOT to use this spray with your child's specific health profile, allergies, or sensitivities.  Also, never give a child honey under the age of 1 to prevent any chance of infant botulism.

Do not use if there is a possible or known allergy to bees.

If you are all clear to use this spray, you may find it very helpful to use at the start of a sore throat.  Not only can all the beneficial bacteria in bee propolis spray (over 300 beneficial compounds) help to prevent different microbes from housing in the mouth and throat, it can soothe the sore throat too and alleviate some discomfort.

In addition to using bee propolis spray, you can tackle a sore throat with many other helpful natural and simple ways -

• Use a humidifier
• Apply a diluted blend of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) to the sides of the neck and over the tonsil area (blend dilution appropriate).  *Check precautions prior to use and do a spot check (if using a new essential oil, always apply the blend to a child's inner arm below the elbow to check for a reaction... wait at least 30 min, my preference is up to two hours, before even thinking about applying near your throat or your child's... just to be super safe to prevent any possible swelling type reaction near the neck and throat that could cause breathing issues
• Make homemade sorbet to nourish your child and soothe their sore throat
• Rest is key
• Tea with elderberry honey is also very soothing.  If you do not harvest your own herbs, you can browse the options of organic tea at your local nutrition center too.  Some blends include elderberry, lemon balm, slippery elm bark, and marshmallow root which can all be beneficial to the body, immune system, and help soothe a sore throat.  We will save diving into those herbs for another blog!
• Stay hydrated and enjoy organic fruit juice popsicles
• Snack on frozen fruits

I hope this helps a busy Momma out!  Don't forget to boil the tooth brushes, rinse with vinegar, or discard and buy a new one!

Having frequent headaches can be very frustrating for mom and child. I'm honestly not sure which is worse. There is so much emotion involved, and worry, stress, frustration, and even sadness when we are bummed that we can't be doing the things in life that we would rather be doing. Mom may have to miss work, and the child may be missing out on playtime or fun activities, sports, etc.

If you think about the last time you had a headache, you probably can't remember exactly what you ate and drank that day or what other things you may have been exposed to such as fragrance plug in's, aerosol sprays, and such.  But, if you can write these things down the next time you or your child do get a headache, it can be very helpful information.

Many headaches in children are caused from dehydration.  I think we can easily say the same for adults.  Life gets busy and it easy to forget to drink water on the regular.  Keeping track of what you eat and what you drink is helpful as you can then monitor if you or your child might be dehydrated.  How would you know?  Well... check you pee!  If it is dark yellow, you will want to grab a glass of water as it should be yellow or light yellow, but not dark yellow and certainly not orange!

Teach your kids this trick from little on!  Little kids love to check the color of their pee!  Plus it helps them want to head to pot so they don't have an accident or helps with potty training.  And believe it or not, most of the time, they will tell you if they need a cup of water or not.  It's pretty fun.  Try it!

Foods can also cause headaches such as foods cooked in old grease or rancid oils, highly processed foods (like the kind that never grow mold!), MSG, food coloring, and sugars.  Chocolate, dairy, and peanuts can be triggers as well as many other foods and ingredients.  It is a process to find out the cause, but if you can write down the clues, then you will get closer to knowing what to avoid.

If you notice you are walking in your office or in your home and you have a spray or fragrance that triggered your headache to become worse, that is another clue.  Replace the product with something more natural or with no fragrance.

So writing these things down and keeping track when you have headaches, is really to note your clues on what to do differently or better in the future.  And that is key for prevention of getting more headaches.

Then I suggest coming up with short term and long term therapies that can help.  So short term will be "What can I do right now to help alleviate my headache."  Long term would be "What can I do regulary (daily, weekly, or monthly) in order to prevent getting headaches."

Let's look at some short term tips:

• use an essential oil roller blend across the head or even down the neck and shoulders if tension is the cause
• use a flax seed eye pillow to cover our eyes to nap - these can even be put in the freezer to cool them prior to use
• use a cold cap
• remove anything giving an unwanted fragrance
• avoid using chemical sprays and aerosol products
• avoid using chemical wipes and use a more natural alternative
• switch fragrant detergents to a more natural and fragrance free option
• avoid eating foods that could be triggers
• drink calming herbal teas to manage stress
• get plenty of fluids and add electrolytes if needed
• get off the screens and let your eyes rest
• make extra time for stress reducing activities or quiet time activities to reduce chaos
• reach out to your provider to see what natural supplements may help for you or child that are safe to use

Now let's look at some long term tips:

• get a massage every other week or monthly
• see a reflexologist every few months to help balance any imbalances
• try acupuncture
• walk or workout
• do yoga or stretch and meditate often
• eat a healthy and balanced diet
• monitor fluid intake to always stay hydrated
• journal your thoughts, goals, and set backs and next steps to succeed
• keep learning how to incorporate more natural products and therapies
• keep learning to create balance in your life, including emotional balance for you and your child

Remember to run any new therapies or natural products past your provider first to make sure there isn't any reason you shouldn't do a certain therapy or use a certain product.  This goes for your littles or big kids too.  Always check precautions and do the research.

Questions are welcomed!

Before you dig deep into creating balance, don't miss a beat this year with your wellness goals.  Jamie loves to send weekly inspiration, tips, natural wellness and health tips to you!  Sign up below!

Are you finding yourself with many of the same thoughts circling through your mind on an every day basis?

It can be really hard for a busy mom to create balance between work life and family life. Not to mention it can be extremely hard to fit in time for self-care.

The reason we sometimes have thoughts that keep circling through our mind, is because we are not solving the riddle. Why is the thought there in the first place? Is it a goal that needs to be accomplished? Is it something we wish we could get done, but can't seem to find the time? Is it a frustration or a feeling that we have not dealt with or learned to cope with yet?

All of these repeat mental to do lists can be absolutely exhausting. So the question is, how do we create balance in a busy world? How do we create time to not only create a self-care routine, but actually do it. How do we create time to enjoy the moments with our children without feeling stressed and like we should be doing some thing else?

The answer may lie here.  But I need to sneak in a quick P.S. note here!  

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If you are really truly wanting to do the work to create balance, it starts with you spending time with yourself.  I know that sounds crazy, but think about it, if you would spend 15 minutes doing something you love, that is relaxing, that allows you to think, that allows you to open your creative space, that will give you time to push the repeated chaos in your mind to the side, how could it be anything but beneficial?  Right?

In order to spend time with yourself, you need to schedule it. You need to decide what you want to do and for how long.  Do you want to commit to taking three relaxing 15 minute lavender and epsom salt baths per week so you can unwind and think?  Do you want to go on a daily hike and allow yourself time to process your thoughts and plan your day or your week? Do you want to journal every day for 10 minutes a day and allow yourself to see your dreams and goals written on paper and have this as a reminder?  Do you want to inhale your favorite essential oils and meditate?

After you've spent time with yourself, the next step would be spending time with nature. You have now allowed yourself time in your busy schedule to spend time with yourself. You are an amazing person and you should want to spend time with yourself. Nature is also amazing. It can provide you a clear space to organize your thoughts and allow yourself a change of perspective.

Just as trees grow, we need to have our feet on the ground to feel rooted and grounded.  Being with nature can be extremely relaxing, calming, grounding, and can offer a breath of fresh air. Taking time to review your thoughts, your dreams, and your goals that you wrote down or took a mental note of can help you plan the next steps of what you need to do to continue to create balance in your life, accomplish goals, and achieve the loving moments and memories that you want to create.

Being in nature also gives us the ability to see things in a different light, and notice things that we don't get to notice during a typical busy day.

What you are doing to create balance, you should also be doing with your children. Make sure you are letting them know that you are taking time for yourself and why that is important. You can then have them take time their own time and teach them why that is so valuable. Then when you are out in nature you can let them know that it is a coping tool that is offering balance to you and how it is doing so or how it makes you feel.  

More easily said, let them know what you love about being in nature so they can learn to love it too or love something in nature just as much. Take a deep breath's with them and let them know that it feels amazing to breathe in fresh air. Look up at the sky and explore and let them know that the sky is the limit, but in order to reach our goals in life, we need to be healthy and well, and we need to be out in nature looking up to the sky and exploring everything around us.

Once you learn to spend time with yourself, be consistent. This should last you all year, not just one or two weeks to see how it goes. It takes us a long time to become unbalanced and it can take us a very short time to become unbalanced. So we need to do things short-term and long-term to continue to create balance all year long. We need short term tools and long-term tools.

After you have gotten to experience the importance of connecting with nature, the third way to continue to create balance, it's just simply slow down. In order to slow down, having a calendar that includes hours of the day and a monthly page to take quick peaks, and goals or side notes, can be extremely helpful.  This will allow you the ability to take time with yourself daily, you could even sit outside while you do this, and go through your agenda and plan things per hour. I would suggest having younger babies or children to allow yourself an extra hour or two for every small task. This way you can actually accomplish some thing and not feel so extremely overwhelmed while trying to work on 10 different projects at once.

If your children are older and in school, it is always a good idea to give yourself a few days per month that are open in case your child has sports events to attend that take up extra time, is home from school with an illness, etc. These extra days are so beneficial. They are so hard to put into the calendar, but I truly believe in you and if you put extra time in the calendar, you will accomplish more and be thankful for the extra time. It is always a nice surprise to have the extra days or hours to catch up, or even work ahead on the next goal or project.

Did I mention new Mom's could actually even sneak in a NAP!  That helps create balance too!

There are many ways to create balance, but it all has to start within ourselves. We simply cannot use one or two products to create this balance, but if we start here, we can then start to learn the other natural ways, products, and therapies that we can incorporate into our self-care routine to help allow us to destress, relax, calm, focus, and all of those wonderful things that help us feel balanced.

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Let's chat about stomach bugs.  If it isn't going around in your area yet, chances are it will be, especially if you have kiddos in school or day care.

Sometimes kids can get stomach aches from eating too fast, having too much candy, sugar, or junk food, running or playing too soon after eating, etc.  Stomach aches are no fun, but even worse is a bug I want to talk about today.

The Norovirus.  Have you head of it?  It is known as the stomach bug or the stomach flu.  This virus causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines.  It spreads very easily and therefore it is very contagious.  It is absolutely no fun for anyone and comes with symptoms that last 1-3 days such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps or pains.  For most adults and children, this virus will pass and one will recover and recoup, but for babies, young children, immunocompromised, and the elderly, this virus can lead to severe dehydration and cause a boat load of more severe problems.

Let's really dive into this bug because I want this blog to be information that you WANT to share and spread to as many other parents and caregiver's out there.  Why?  So you can help prevent the spread because no busy Mom has time for this bug!

The first few tips are on prevention -

• Stay hydrated so your body can eliminate toxins.
• Wash hands!  This one is huge because hand sanitizers do not kill the Norovirus.
• Disinfect surfaces as this virus can live from days to weeks on different surfaces.
• Eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fruits and veggies for much needed fiber to keep the digestive system functioning, able to absorb nutrients needed to stay healthy and well, and to eliminate waste from the body.  Be sure to wash all your fruits and veggies well.
• Drink fresh squeezed organic lemon juice in warm water to help cleanse the digestive tract, balance ph, and for much needed nutrients and vitamin C to keep immunity up.
• Drink herbal tea's such as peppermint, chamomile, lavender, and so forth to improve the health of the digestive tract by calming the nerves and stomach muscle tension, improving digestion, and relaxing the mind which in turn relaxes the body.  
• Take probiotics.

Next, let's cover a few tips in case you do catch the this stomach bug -

• The biggest concern is dehydration.  Some symptoms of dehydration include headache, fatigue, decreased urination, darker yellow urine, and dizziness.  It is so incredibly important to try to stay hydrated.  You can do this by adding an electrolyte powder or liquid to your child's water or juice.  You can also add in a few lemon wedges if they will allow it.  (Always check proper dosing with your health care provider).
• Depending on the child's age for safe use of essential oils, you can properly dilute essential oils into a lotion or carrier oil such as lavender, lemon, spearmint, orange, or ginger and add to their stomach to help alleviate nausea and stomach discomfort, help a kiddo get some rest, and because it never hurts to topically add any blend with antiviral properties (depending on the essential oils used) in hopes to help one recover more quickly.
• Stick with bland foods such as mashed potatoes (make with chicken bone broth to amp nutrient intake, not milk, and use ghee instead of butter), bananas, or plain toast or crackers.  Eat small amounts as able to.
• Diffuse essential oils that help with nausea such as orange and ginger or spearmint (again, check safety precautions prior to use for those in your family).
• Continue to do all of the preventative measures listed above to prevent the spread to others in the family.

Lastly, here are some tips to recover if you caught this horrid flu -

• Continue for the next few weeks doing all the preventative tips above, as this virus can be tricky to rid from your home.  Even though it can be tiresome and a hassle, it could help prevent you or one of your sweet kids from catching this awful bug.
• Continue with the next set of tips - Stay hydrated, continue to eat plenty of healthy foods, fruits, and veggies, and take prebiotics and probiotics to help the digestive tract rebuild and rehouse some of the good microbes.
• Add herbs into your diet or spruce up a regular meal by really thinking about what your can swap for ingredients or what you can add to your meal that will amp up your digestive system health and your immunity.

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When I working full time as a nurse I was often asked how to tell the difference between a common cold and or a viral cold.  Both are actually caused by viruses though, so it gets really confusing!  Then there is also the complicated "flu" word thrown in there which can be the stomach flu or a viral cold!  Does this frustrate you too?  When you are trying to figure out what everyone is talking about when they are referring to one of the above?  I used to hear other Mom's talking about what was circling around the schools, and it definitely got confusing!  Let's see if I can change your perspective a bit to make the bottom line much easier...

So we can all easily catch a little cold here or there.  Sometimes viral cold's can last up to fourteen days!  Then there is the stomach flu.  The time that lasts can vary as well.

Instead of trying to figure out if a cold is just really that... a cold with a cough and some sniffles... or the viral flu, let's just make the bottom line this -

Prevention is key to preventing catching any illness.

If you do come down with something, regardless of if it is the cold or flu, you need to focus on recovering more quickly, getting back on your feet, and preventing the spread within your household.

A few things to know in order to change your perspective and shift your focus may be as follows...

No matter what cold you have, if you have sinus drainage or congestion, you want to prevent what could possibly come next.  This would be sinus pressure, headache, earache, and drainage into the lungs which can lead to a bronchitis.

What does all that mean?

It means that when you have a cold, you could have symptoms that follow that can lead to an infection as well.

Always think prevention by using the natural therapies that work for you to prevent your symptoms from getting worse.  Even if you do not want to or do not think it will help, it will. 

Here are a few ideas:

*  Eat healthy even if you do not want to.  Get creative.  Add herbs or drink herbal tea.  Add herbal syrups such as elderberry syrup or elderberry honey to your tea.  Eat fruits and veggies.  Stay clear of junk when you are ill. 

If it doesn't nourish your body, it will only bog your immune system down more.

*  Try a facial steam for sinus pressure.  You can do this by warming up distilled or natural springwater water in a bowl until it is warm enough to give off some steam.  Place a towel over you head and inhale the steam for ten minutes.  Be careful not burn your face!  You are simply taking in warm moisture to help loosen your sinuses and get them to drain.  This is also adding moisture to your lungs which is great for a dry cough.  You can add a drop or two of your favorite essential oils as well that may help open the sinuses and chest such as lavender, tea tree, or eucalyptus.  Keep your eyes closed though if you do add essential oils.

By getting congestion to move, you are possibly preventing pressure in the ears and sinuses that can lead to the earache and headache.  By moistening a dry chest, you are getting your lungs to move mucus, which can prevent bacteria building in the mucus in the lowest part of your lungs that can lead to a chance of getting pneumonia on top of your common cold.

*  Drink plenty of fluids to help your body rid toxins and germs.

*  Stretch to move the lymph in your lymphatic system.  This also helps your body filter and rid toxins and waste.

*  Get rest!  Even if you do not feel like sleeping.  Apply (properly diluted) your favorite calming essential oil, practice deep breathing, focus on relaxing your muscles, and lay down to watch a movie at the least.

Deep breathing also helps open up the lungs and move any mucus that may be stuck.  It also exercises the lungs.

*  Take a warm epsom salt bath.  Add some lavender, tea tree, or frankincense in proper dilution, to get in another aromatic steam in.  After your bath, you can apply your favorite sinus or chest relieving essential oil in your lotion and apply to the sinus area, down the sides of the neck, and over the chest to promote fluid movement, drainage, and let the antibacterial or antiviral properties in your essential oils help ward off the bug.

*  Take your supplements, especially if you appetite is low.  Talk to your health care provider and get the vitamins in that are essential or known to help boost immunity (such as vitamin D, C, and zinc).

So you ask if it is a cold or the flu?  If you are ill and need to stay home, does it matter?  I do of course know there are scenarios where it absolutely does.  But for the sake of not needing to know, it certainly makes it so much easier to change the perspective to "I just need to get better, prevent the rest of the family from catching this, and carry on with my busy self."

What about preventing the whole family from catching it?  You do the same as above for everyone!  You amp up the healthy meals, supplements your health care provider agrees with or recommends, and continue with natural therapies and remedies that you know work for you and your family. 

The intention is to build immunity to prevent and to recover.

What about that confusing "flu" word?  Bookmark this page and stay tuned because the next blog is on preventing the stomach flu, how to prevent the spread, and what you can do to get over it more quickly if you do catch it!  

Is it possible to fully attend to the holiday gathering without the feeling of overwhelm and stress?

It certainly can be if you start putting self care for you and your child at the top of the list.  This may mean you have to say no to a few things over the next few weeks, but holidays only happen a few times a year.  This will be the only Thanksgiving and Christmas your child will be this exact age too!  Such precious moments and memories we are given to have and to hold.  No Mom wants to feel overwhelmed and exhausted by taking on too much.

If you are willing, do me the favor of grabbing your calendar right this second and putting in three time slots a day just for you or you and your sweet kiddos.  I know it is hard to do, but can you spare three 20-40 minute slots in each day from now until after the New Year?  Even if you have to start out with 15 minute slots.  Please just add them in.  

Maybe this means you will spend time after school with your kiddo, electronics out of mind.  Or maybe this means you will read to your child while they play in the tub and then enjoy a little play time after.  Could it be time to stretch and have hot cocoa after with a big kiddo?  There are so many things that come to mind and only you know what will work for you. 

Now that you have some breathe time in your schedule, lets go over a few more great ways to keep your mind focused on what matters, keep those shoulders from tensing up, and be sure you immunity is up for the gathering of smiles, laughter, and good ole germs.

• Stay hydrated.  Keep your kiddos hydrated too.  The air is dryer and there is illness going around the schools and day cares because the weather can be crazy this time of year (at least in Wisconsin it is!).  Think hydration being natural spring water, electrolyte water, coconut water, watermelon, cucumbers, fruit infused water... get creative.  Adding lemon or making fresh squeezed juices are also a great way to hydrate with the addition of much needed vitamin C.
• Stay on a sleep schedule.  You can splurge here or there, but your energy levels and immunity will be more elevated if you are on a good sleep schedule.
• When it comes to holiday gatherings, think before, during, and after natural wellness and immunity planning.  What can you do the week prior to boost your immunity?  What foods and drinks can you serve during to keep everyone's immunity balanced?  Last, what can you do for the week following the get together to keep your immunity elevated?  

I know that last one was a lot but here are some ideas...

-->  One week prior start having the recommended dose of elderberry syrup daily for two weeks.  Or you could drink organic herbal tea with immune boosting herbs such as lemon balm, elderberry, or hibiscus... just to name a few.
-->  For the holiday meals and snacks, you could think of adding more healthy and immune boosting herbs to your meals like rosemary, sage, garlic, onions, pepper, and turmeric.  You could make homemade pesto, hummus, a fruit or veggie platter, homemade soup, use herbal infused bone broth for your potatoes, soups, and dips, make homemade lemonade to sip on, or have sliced lemons and oranges served with herbal tea.  You can also do some healthy ingredient substitutions to prevent gluten and sugar overloads.
-->  For after the special gathering, you can continue with all of these tips and offer a bit more "ME" or "Me and Kiddo" down time than normal so you aren't always on the go and in a rush.  Plan ahead because it really will make things easier.  Remember, when our bodies feel nourished and well, our mind's ability to stay focused and balanced is also greater.  

Here are a few more tips -

• Use a hepa air filter in your home or in the place where family will be gathering.  You can also use a diffuser and use a child safe blend of anti viral and antibacterial essential oils to help keep the air cleaner.
• Take time for good ole epsom salt baths.  Add the recommended safe diluted blend of lavender and sunflower seed oil to the bath to help moisten little's skin.  If you all aren't up for baths, you can add a few drops of lavender to the side of the shower floor to steam the relaxing aroma while you shower.  Bathing gives us time to clear our minds and the warm steam moistens the mucous membranes of the nose and lungs to help keep the lining in tact to prevent microbes from harboring.
• Ask for help or simply say no.  If someone asks if you want them to bring a dish... take the offer with open arms.  On the flip side, if you are busy working 9-5 and care for your kids every hour around your work schedule, feel free to say no or simplify what you are bringing.  Even if that means you simply cut up fruit for a fruit tray instead of making your extra moist and delicious chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.  It is okay.  Your kind of busy Mom's will know just how busy you are, even if some friends or family don't understand.
• Apply essential oils made for a specific intent to your lotion over the next few weeks before your "me" time breaks.  Think of what your body needs that day.  Is it focus, relaxation, muscle tension relief, or grounding?  What do you need in that moment and what do you have on hand that you could use for essential oils or aromatherapy products that will help?  For example, one day you may want to add the safe diluted amount of Frankincense e.o. to your face and body lotion because you are feeling anxious and need to feel more grounded.  Or maybe you would like to feel less muscle tension and need to feel more relaxed, so you may choose to add the safe diluted amount of blue chamomile e.o. to your lotion on this day and apply it before your time to focus on your child's self care and Mommy and me time.

I wish you a wonderful holiday season and hope this helps you on a deeper level than just that of drinking a glass of water and going to bed at eight.  

Being a mom means having to have a healthy mindset, especially during holiday season.  Be kind to yourself.  Take time for yourself.  Set limits for the expectations others have of you and stay focused on your children so can truly enjoy and take in the moments.  Healthy and Well Wishes,  Jamie

Sometimes we get lost in the word mother or in the meaning of motherhood and try to follow one hundred too many rules.

Can you relate?  Ever try to go on a date night after having kids and feel guilty, run into someone and wonder what they will say about you letting loose, or wonder how many day spa appointments or or date nights is too much?

It seems we are more self conscious after becoming Mom's and sometimes that puts us in overdrive of trying to do everything right.  The problem with this is that we get run down.  Mom's simply need a break.  There are a few ways to change your perspective if you have caught yourself in this trap of feeling like you shouldn't "do" this or that.

Here are some tips to get "unstuck" from what others think and get into habits that are good for your soul!

1.  This is the most important and you have to start here.  GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION FOR "YOU" TIME, SELF CARE, AND SELF LOVE.

2.  Focus solely on what your own goals are and block out all other noise.  This may mean that you need to say "no" to certain occasions or others requests, but you need to stay in your lane and do what is best for you and your kiddos.  This helps you stay on track and prevents you from doing too much for others or at other's requests which takes away time for you and your kiddos.  Stay focused and do you!

3.  Reevaluate your time now that you have done step one and step two.  Every single day make time for yourself.  You care for others, you love to do this, therefore you need to care for yourself in order to continue to keep caring for others.  Mark time on your calendar.  When will you go sleep?  When will you stretch?  Will you allow yourself to go to a yoga class, swim class, go for a walk, get out and jog, ski, anything outdoors or that includes movement.  When will you meditate or get a massage?  Plan a date night, scenic day drive, or coffee morning!

4.  Now that you have allowed yourself time for nourishment, you are focused on what is most important to you to save time and energy, and you have it on the calendar... you will need energy and nourishment to feel good, motivated, and inspired to do those things.  I know how easy it is to make plans and then feel exhausted and not want to stick with the plan.  To prevent this, stay on your sleep schedule as much as possible.  Stay hydrated.  Eat well. 

Repeat again.... Three things I just mentioned.  Rest, Hydration, Healthy Eating.  These basics are so incredibly helpful to give you energy.

5.  Enjoy your "YOU" time.  It really is that simple.  There is no right or wrong when it comes to being a mom and what you will do with your "YOU" time.  You just do YOU.  Don't worry about what anyone else says.  Workout if you want to workout.  Take your kids skiing if you love to ski.  Go on three dates if you want to go out with your kiddos Daddy!  After all, a healthy relationship is the strength of the home for which everyone resides. 

Just because your a Mom doesn't mean you can't look beautiful, can't go take time for yourself, can't work on your own health and wellness, have to worry about what everyone else may say or think when you do something for you that doesn't involve scrubbing floors, wiping doopa's, and snuggling sweet kiddos.  Just do YOU busy Mom!

Using essential oils with kids can be a really great way to support their immune system, overall health, and improve their emotional balance, and general wellbeing.  However, choosing the correct essential oils and safe uses is key to their support.

I know you may be new to using essential oils with your child, so instead of sharing all the ways to use essential oils, today I just want to share five ways NOT to use essential oils with your child.  Sometimes learning less is what sticks rather than learning too much at once. 

If there is something to remember before you carry on with your aromatherapy uses, let it be these five - 

1.  Do not use essential oils topically on or around (diffusing/sprays) your child unless you have checked precautions in relation to how old your child is, their health profile, special sensitivities, allergies, and how to safely use that essential oil to prevent an adverse reaction.  This also means, note if the essential oil is safe for kids!

There are more essential oils that are NOT safe for kids than safe.  

2.  Do not apply essential oils undiluted topically (on your child's sensitive skin).  Essential oils should be combined with a lotion or carrier oil (such as jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, etc.).  There is a certain dilution ratio that you can memorize and follow for all your homemade creations, including chest rubs, lip balms, healing salves, and roller ball remedies.  The dilution ratio's are set per age, but it is noted that if your child has specific health ailments or sensitivities, to go down the ratio line and start using much less of a dilution ratio to prevent adverse reactions. 

I actually always recommend using less as most of the time, less works on a therapeutic level just fine, which in turn saves a possible adverse reaction and money on products.

3.  Do not let your child ingest essential oils.  This means they must be kept out of reach of your child.  Essential oils are best kept in cool dark places away from heat and sunlight exposure.  Make sure your caps are secured on after each use.

4.  Do not add undiluted essential oils to your child's bath.  Essential oils do not mix with water.  They float on the top and can gather on your child's sensitive skin, which can possibly cause an unwanted burning sensation.

5.  Do not use essential oils that do not have a botanical name and have "fragrance" in the ingredients.  Find a trust worthy company that only offers "true" essential oils.  True essential oils are completely different than fragrance oils.

There are many more precautions, and I must add one more. 

Do not use essential oils on any sensitive part of your child's body. 

Do not put essential oils in your child's ears, up their nose, or anywhere near their eyes... or again, any other sensitive body parts.  

Sometimes it seems when getting started using essential oils it is easy to follow along in groups and see what everyone else is doing.  However, this isn't always the safest choice.  You and your child are your own person, with your own health profiles.  One person's go to use can be another's not so good experience.  

Follow my Rule of 3 - 

Always research precautions and safe uses for an essential oil by the botanical name.  Look for precautions in regard to your child's age, health profile, allergies, and sensitivity scale by using three different sources for information.  You can choose books, online resources, or ask a certified clinical aromatherapist.  Note which precautions you are seeing the most.  Note which safe uses your are seeing the most.  

Always know the intention of essential oil use when searching for precautions and safe use.  Aromatherapy can be used both aromatically and topically for certain ailments.  When you are clear on the intention of use, it makes it easier to understand, follow along, and note the most common safe uses from your reputable resources.

Not all kiddos are sensitive, I get that.  However, your child is your true treasure, your gold.  The education I deliver will always be more on the cautious side because I myself, have sensitive kids with allergies.  I know what it is like to worry about what your use around your child or topically with them.  I have seen reactions due to allergies during my years in the medical field.  I have heard and can never forget Mom's telling me at the doctor's office how scary it is when their sweet child has an asthma attack.  How worried they are every single day.  This is why I try my best to deliver education that keeps all those sweet sensitive kiddos in mind.

P.S.  Did you know babies and toddlers do not even need essential oils use.  Essential oils are very concentrated.  Safety and sensitivity is a huge concern and using products that are much less potent, have proven themselves to be just as effective.

I invite you to ask questions and to grab a limited time only FREEBIE I created for safe use of essential oils, carrier oils, and other natural products with your baby, toddler, little or big kid.  Learning how essential oils work within our bodies to improve immunity, prevent illness, and balance emotional wellbeing isn't something that can be taught in an hour, a day, or even a week.  There is so much information to take into consideration.  My goal is to make learning as simple as possible for the busiest of busy Mom's (Dad's, caregivers, teachers), and deliver education, tips, and information that lasts a lifetime.  

Grab your free "Quick Notes" today to start learning!  Only available for a limited time! ~ Wishing You Wellness!  Jamie

Sending the kiddos out to jump into those fall leaves?  I know, it's so much fun watching their cute smiles, but if your kiddos have allergies, those smiles are usually followed with runny noses and sneezes.

So how do we help our sweet kiddos with allergy symptoms?

How do we prevent those allergy symptoms from turning into something worse, like ear infections and bronchitis?

We can do things like this -->

• Close the windows - Even though the fall air feels amazing and the sound of the leaves blowing is relaxing, sometimes it is super helpful to keep the windows closed when the kids are struggling with allergies.
• Invest in a Hepa Air Purifier - This is certainly one of the best items in our home (in my opinion) that has helped our family with allergies, clean the air, pull odors from the air, and prevent colds from spreading.  Check to see that your vacuum also has a Hepa filter.
• Keep the kids hydrated - Allergies are often accompanied by sinus pressure that can cause a headache.  Being dehydrated can also cause a boatload of unwanted symptoms, including headaches, so it is best to offer fluids often. 
• Saline nasal spray or an all natural aloe based nasal spray - Allergies cause the sinuses to be dry, even though the nose may be running, using a moisturizing nasal spray twice a day can be super helpful, or just simply using the nasal saline spray to help flush the sinuses to help prevent germs from harboring.
• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Epsom Salt baths - Have you ever heard that lavender is good to get drainage moving?  It is a very beneficial essential oil when it comes to allergies and sinus conditions.  Adding the appropriate amount of lavender to a carrier oil, and then into the warm bath, can be very relaxing, and sinus clearing.  Have your child gently blow their nose after the bath by only blowing one nasal side at a time, not both at the same time.  Only us a "true" lavender essential oil, not a fragrance oil.
• Apply (correctly diluted per age and health profile) Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil in a carrier oil - Apply this blend over the sinus areas a few times a day, especially before bedtime to help the sinuses drain.  This can be very helpful to open sinuses and allow your child to breathe better at night and get a better night's sleep.  You also rub this blend down the sides of their neck to again, help promote drainage, and over the chest.
• Diffuse Essential Oils - Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) also proves to be helpful when diffused for sinus symptoms.  Depending on the child's age, you may also be able to add Niauoli (Melaleuca quinquenervia) or Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), both of which are helpful for colds, coughs, bronchitis, and sinusitis.

The best way to alleviate allergy symptoms, is to try to prevent them from starting in the first place.  By keeping the air in your home cleaner, you are giving your child a chance to prevent allergy symptoms. 

By using some of the tools above for allergy symptoms, you are helping alleviate those symptoms much more quickly and preventing them from becoming something worse, such as an ear infection or bronchitis.

Remember, any time there is sinus pressure or drainage, that drainage must be released or it will cause a domino effect.  This usually starts with the headaches, then the ear pressure, then the drainage down the throat which turns into a sore throat, then that drainage enters the lungs and tries to harbor there.  Always think ahead and think prevention.

Have you ever attended an event and ended up sitting next a person who can't stop coughing, sneezing, or sniffling?  You can feel a cloud of doom hover over you because you know you are most likely getting front row seats to being exposed to some kind of nasty virus or illness.

If we look at food as medicine, the first step when exposed to illness, should be to make sure we are hydrated and eating healthy from that point on.  Eating a variety of foods that boost immune function should be at the top of the list, with a glass of water.

Toxins cannot leave the body if the body is dehydrated.  Everything becomes sluggish within.  Hydrate with some water, electrolyte water, fresh squeezed organic fruit juice, fruit juice popsicles, or coconut water.  You can also get creative and sneak these hydrating options in foods and smoothies, such as coconut water or unflavored electrolyte water.

Eat a variety of foods and herbs that boost immunity.  Be sure to add in foods that are high in Vitamin C.  Some healthy immune boosting options include garlic, onions, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, citrus fruits, vegetables, herbal infused bone broth, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, bell peppers, kiwi, and whatever may be in season and available near you.

A few extra ways to boost immunity include getting enough sleep, using aromatherapy products, using natural therapies for stress reduction, drinking herbal teas that boost the immune system, stretching, exercising, walking and moving.

When we stretch and move, the lymphatic system can drain and flow to assist in removing unwanted toxins and germs within.  This is what we want, a clean, healthy system so that if germs to get in, our bodies can filter them out.

Exercising our bodies exercises our lungs and heart.  When we breathe during exercise, our lungs are cleaning out any extra germs that may be trying to house way deep down there.  Exercising the lungs strengthens them.  Exercising also increases circulation, which means more oxygen is getting to our muscles.  

Using aromatherapy for illness can include diffusing essential oils, adding essential oils diluted in a carrier oil in the bath (bath safe e.o.'s only), applying essential oil blends to the affected areas such as chest and back or stomach, spraying hydrosols or adding to bath, etc.

When choosing essential oils to use for illness, it is best to use a combination of essential oils that have antiviral and antibacterial properties.  Note the age, health profile, proper dilution ratio, and precautions prior to use aromatically or topically.  

Some common antiviral essential oils are eucalyptus, tea tree, and lavender.  Some common antibacterial essential oils are lemon, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, and lime.  Note that lavender and tea tree are listed in both categories.  There are many more but here are some that you may hear more often. 

There are many precautions, especially for children, pregnant women, nursing mom's, and those with certain health profiles with essential oils in general, but especially eucalyptus.  It is important to note the species you are using, by looking for precautions, using the botanical name.   

Always check precautions prior to using essential oils... always.  Or feel free to reach out!  Be cautious with eucalyptus and use it as directed in correct dilution.  It is not to be used with babies and young children.  Although it is such a beneficial essential oil, it has been noted to cause breathing problems in babies and children and can possibly induce asthma attacks for those who suffer with asthma.

As always, be sure you are using a "true" essential oil that is from a trusted company.  If you have fragrance oils, these will not give you a therapeutic effect to boost immunity.

It takes extra time and thought to prevent illness.   It takes a grocery list, weekly snack list, and a meal plan.  It takes writing time slots daily on your calendar for self care, but I promise, it is all worth it in the end.  Preventing illness saves valuable time, money, and energy.

We do not have time to get sick.  Stay healthy, well, and vibrant!  And if you are ready to learn more, remember this -Education that promotes healthy habits, lasts a lifetime!  Just reach out!  Jamie