Kick Cravings To The Curb With Healthy Snack Options

Cravings happen...PERIOD...even to the healthiest of us!! When your hunger, energy and cravings are out of wack, a whirlwind of out of control taste buds are sure to follow.  So be sure to keep yourself in check with these delicious and nutrient packed snack options to FUEL your body, instead of crash it!

Often, when a craving hits in the afternoon or in the evening after dinner, we get the urge to snack. Snacking can be a bad habit to get into, because the snacks we choose are often junky, un-nutritious, and high in calories, sugar, or fat.

The trick to snacking without piling on the pounds is to find healthy alternatives to the regular snacks you might normally reach for.

Usually, when we get a craving it is for either something sweet (chocolate!), savory (potato chips!), creamy (ice cream!), or crunchy (crisps!). Obviously, my examples are foods you shouldn’t eat all the time if you are trying to loose fat and be healthy. But that doesn’t mean you have to fight your cravings for the rest of your life. Instead, you just need to substitute.

Next time you get a craving for something sweet, why not try:

• fresh, whole fruit
• apples and almond butter
• dried fruit
• green smoothies
• banana “ice cream” (peel a banana, freeze, blend in a food processor with nuts, berries or  raisins ,and serve)
• dates stuffed with almond butter or other nut butter
• organic dark chocolate chips or carob chips

For your savory cravings, try these healthy alternatives:

• olives
• pickles and pickled vegetables, such as carrot, daikon, beets, and lotus root
• hummus
• steamed vegetables with tamari
• freshly made salsa or guacamole
• salted edamame

Your creamy cravings can be met by eating:

• smoothies
• avocados
• rice pudding
• dips and spreads, like hummus
• puréed soups
• mashed sweet potatoes (also a great sweet craving snack!)
• coconut milk

Finally, don‘t cave and reach for the Pringles, when you can eat these crunchy (but still healthy) snacks:

• apples
• frozen grapes
• rice cakes
• light popcorn or plain popcorn
• carrots (particularly the sweet, organic baby carrots)
• celery and nut butter
• raw, unsalted nuts like cashews, almonds, and walnuts

Don’t fight your craving. Instead, listen to what it is your body wants specifically and choose the healthier option that will be good to your waistline and will keep your hungery and cravings in check!!

3 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Health Today

Can I tell you something, and let's be honest...

There’s something that I didn’t realize when I first started working with people who want to make their health and wellness a priority.  People are sick of feeling less than amazing, and people are confused about who to listen to for advice...

BUT

Most of us already know a thing or two we need to be doing to improve our health and are not doing them!!

There is a lot of information (and mis-information) when it comes to the foods we eat. Just look at the variety of books in the ‘diet’ or ‘health’ section of your local bookstore. But when it comes down to it, we still know the basic things we should be doing to improve our health.

If I were to ask you, “What are three things you think you could be doing, to improve your health?” I'm almost positive I would get responses similar to these below:

1.    Be more active.

2.    Stop eating junk, stop drinking soda or stop smoking!

3.    Eat more vegetables.

We intuitively know how to make ourselves well, but when it comes to following through, that’s where we fall apart. I know!! I have done it, too. I still do it, we are all human! I eat chips, I drink wine, and sometimes I don’t eat as well as I know I can. The most important thing to remember is that it is ok to let yourself induldge some, just know how to get yourself back on track! Follow the 80% : 20% rule! 

For the next week, I’d like you to think about the obstacles that are stopping you from living your healthiest life. Think about it, journal about it, reflect on it.

What obstacles are standing in your way? Maybe you work long hours and cooking a healthy meal seems too time-consuming, or maybe you feel that the price of healthy food is too high. Perhaps you're too tired to get in a workout when you get home in the evening.

Your job for the next week is to simply think, reflect, and journal on these obstacles and come up with some ideas to knock these walls down. Knowing your obstacles, habits, and patterns will help you figure out how to work around them!!

I would love to hear your comments below. Tell me what is stopping you! Let’s work it out together!  You've got this!!

Stress, Adrenal Function and Sleep

OK - What is the deal with stress, adrenal fatigue and sleep and what do they have in common? The “fight or flight” syndrome – you’ve heard of it, right? Accompanied with the image of the saber-toothed tiger dashing after a hunter, getting ready to attack. I’m sure we all have experienced this right? In modern times, we’re not literally in that frantic position, but our bodies are often reacting as if we were fighting for our lives. This “flight or fight” response is controlled by the adrenal glands and takes over when we are stressed.  Our adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney, are forced to work overtime in an effort to deal with stressors we encounter on a daily bases:  injury, disease, work, family, finances, environment, etc. In today’s world, we have managed to create all kinds of stress for ourselves and our overall health begins to pay the price.  We start out in adrenal overdrive trying to over compensate for the stress, and we are left in adrenal burnout or ADRENAL FATIGUE!!!

It’s hard to imagine these small adrenal glands, essentially the size of a walnut, are responsible for the producing hormones that help the body to control blood sugar, burn protein and fat, help to regulate blood pressure all while reacting to the stress we put on our bodies everyday. One of the most important hormones is cortisol.  Cortisol production is crucial for the body to combat stress and it is also just as important for cortisol levels to return to normal following a stressful event. Nowadays, stress seems to be a state of being for so many people that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal, resulting in health issues, adrenal fatigue, low thyroid function, sleep disruptions, lowered immune function, increased belly fat along with other negative effects.

Although not getting along with a boss or missing a bill payment are not life-threatening like the saber-toothed tiger, our bodies react to these stressors in a similar fashion. The body starts to feel unsettled. More and more cortisol is produced because the body believes it needs massive amounts of energy to “run for its life” or get through the day. This happens over and over again throughout the day:  getting the kids ready for school and getting yourself ready for work, traffic, spilling coffee on your new suit, your assistant calls in sick and you’ve got to send out 20 packages today, the babysitter is late picking up the kids from school and taking them to soccer practice, your late afternoon meeting runs over and you leave the office late so family dinner becomes you eating leftovers alone...so you can see how the body doesn't necessarily have enough time during the day to return to "normal".  And all this is going to happen again tomorrow!

Here’s the problem:  chronic stress can overload the adrenal glands to the point of exhaustion. For some, the fatigue will become overwhelming and the adrenals will no longer function properly to provide the energy and resources the body needs on a day-to-day basis. When someone is exhausted, the most natural and most suggested solution is to,

 get more sleep!!

That’s not always easy with adrenal problems because insomnia is a common symptom. There are, however, steps you can take to prepare yourself for a better nights sleep, which is certainly one of the best ways to refresh and rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit!

For better sleep and to begin to heal your adrenal glands:

1.  Go to bed at the same time every night between 9:30-10pm. Your adrenals do most of their recharging from 10pm-2am, with 10pm-12am being the most important, so be sure to stick to a sleep schedule as much as possible.

2.  Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and sugar in late afternoon/evening (or remove them completely from your diet to avoid any rollercoaster-like blood sugar surges).

3.  Keep a gratitude journal near your bedside. Every night, list five things for which you are grateful. Remind yourself that even though you may feel fatigued, there are wonderful aspects of your life and many reasons to heal.  Gratefulness and acknowledgement of successes in life have the power to lift moods and release stress!  Give this one a try!

4.  Take a relaxing bath with Epsom salt, not only is this detoxifying to the body, it will also allow your muscles to relax as well.

5.  Skip the alcohol and grab a night time tea.  Alcohol depressed the adrenal glands and lowers cortisol production.  Over time this can lead to low immune function, increase in inflammation and sleep disruption.

6.  Before crawling into bed, write your to-do list for the following day, or things you want to get accomplished.  The last thing anyone wants to do once in bed is to constantly think about what they have to do the next day.  Write it down and get it out of your head and onto paper.

7.  Shut off the electronics a few hours before bed.  I know this one can be tough but give it a try to see if this helps your sleep!  Instead, grab a good book, a book for personal development, personal growth and log in some reading before hitting the pillow.

8.  Be sure to get some form of exercise in during the day. Though not too much because with adrenal fatigue the last thing you want to do is put extra stress on your adrenals.  But a good sweat session with a HIIT class, sauna session, or some restorative exercises like yoga, pilates, walking will do the trick.  This will help you deal with the feelings of stress too!

We hope these tips for getting better sleep, decreasing stress and beginning to heal your adrenal glands was helpful!

Eating Healthy When You Are Crazy Busy

Let’s face it; SUMMER SEASON IS HERE!!  We are all “crazy busy” with vacations, holidays, weddings, keeping the kids entertained this summer and can’t possibly fit another thing into our schedule.  I wanted to share some tips with you for when you are really busy, out and about and always on the go but still want to eat healthy, take care of your body and make this “crazy busy” schedule work for you.  Because, come on, it makes you feel GREAT to keep eating healthy, right?!

And we aren’t going to let “being busy” stop us from feeling great!!

Well, I have some tips for ya on what you can eat to stay healthy when you are busy!

Smoothies and Protein Shakes.
So fast, and perfect for on the go!  Just pour some coconut water, rice milk, hemp milk or almond milk into the blender, then throw in your fruits AND some veggies (spinach, cucumber, romaine lettuce, just to name a few).

Add some protein if you would like (hemp seed or chia seed, or maybe a scoop of hemp/vegan protein powder).

For extra flavor, add some vanilla extract or dash of cinnamon.

Salads.
Chop up a bunch of lettuce – romaine or red leaf – and add some spinach. Pile on some other veggies – tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, sliced beets, bell peppers, onions…whatever you like.

Add some protein. Choose pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, cooked organic chicken breast, kidney beans, sprouts, a hard-boiled egg, or salmon or tuna.

Make a quick dressing with olive oil, vinegar, a juiced lemon, or a couple sprays of Bragg’s Amino Acids (or just a bit of sea salt if you don’t have Bragg’s); find a combination you like!  Watch out for dressings already bottled, check the lables!! Toss it all together and eat.

If you chop the veggies in bulk you can make a couple salads at a time, don’t add the dressing to them yet, and they usually last a couple days.

Know where you can get healthy take-out.
This could be from a nearby restaurant or you could find a place where you know you can get some healthier options.  Have a few places in mind where you can get a great quick salad, cold pressed juices, who use raw whole foods and have fresh options to chose from. When traveling, do some research before hand and set yourself up to succeed. 

Some of my favorite go-to places: Frutive, Virginia Beach, VA; SaladWorks, Virginia Beach, VA; Village Juice Co., Winston-Salem; any Panera; any McAlisters Deli; any Jason's Deli, just to name a few!

It’s always the small habits that add up. Don’t let yourself fall back into old habits that cause you to not feel so great! I’d love to hear from you, too:  what and where do you like to eat when you are really busy? 

How Food Affects Your Mood And Energy

Did you know that food has vibrations that allow it to create change in our bodies on a cellular level?  So what does this mean and how does food affect your mood and energy. Food that is alive, raw and from the earth will energize and invigorate you, creating a positive change in mood and energy, while processed, pre-packaged, “dead food” will leave you feeling lethargic and uninspired, like a light that has fizzled out.  Makes sense doesn’t it?

Dark green leafy vegetables are full of chlorophyll, which is basically liquid sunshine. Now, that’s what I’m talking about!!  It is the substance in plants that allows them to absorb light from the sun and convert it into usable energy.  When we consume raw dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and Swiss chard, we fill our body with the equivalent of the plant’s life blood – the very thing that allows a seed to flourish and take form.

Chemically, the blood of the plant, chlorophyll, is very similar to our blood and, when consumed, it helps us to oxygenate and breathe life into every cell.  Pretty cool, huh? Chlorophyll is also extremely cleansing and detoxifying.

Here are some other high vibrational foods for you to try:

1.    Tree Fruits – try apples, pears, bananas, coconuts, avocados, nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, oranges, lemons, limes, mangos, pomegranates, blueberries, cherries, and olives.

2.    Non-green veggies

3.    Raw Cacao – chocolate in its pure form has over 1,200 phytonutrients. It contains nutrients like magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese.  It also contains phenylethylamine, which are the feel good characteristics, and theobromine which dilates the cardiovascular system to allow all the benefits to come in.

4.    Goji Berries – packed with antioxidants, which can help minimize free radical damage to our cells.

5.    Cultured and Fermented Foods –a great source of probiotics, which will help your digestion stay on track.

I firmly believe in the old saying, “You are what you eat.”  Junk in = feeling like junk, and rich, living, nutrient-dense food in = much happier body and mind.  Don’t just take my word for it.  We’ve all tried the junk in, junk out experiment, so don’t you think it’s time to rock your body and mind with some fresh and fabulous food? By eating food that vibrates at a higher frequency, we increase our life-force energy and feel more radiant inside and out!!

Why Juicing Is So Beneficial

Did you know that when you make juice from raw vegetables, your body absorbs the nutrients within 15 seconds? Talk about a shot of energy! No need to buy those sugary concoctions from your local drug-store or grocery store that just gives you a crash later in the day. Juicing is an all-natural way to boost your energy and feel amazing. When you juice your fruits and veggies, you end up extracting all the water and nutrients from them and leave behind only the plant fibers. By separating the fruit or vegetable from its fiber, we gain access to all of the amazing vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients which are much more easily assimilated by our body than if we were to eat them.

This allows your body to absorb the nutrients more quickly, without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. You can also fit an amazing amount of veggies into a single glass of juice, making it a great way to use up those extra veggies from your garden or refrigerator. PLUS, you will end up with a glass of deliciousness that packs a powerful nutritional punch. This is also a great way to make sure you are getting enough veggies throughout the day, especially if you are someone who doesn't eat veggies regularly.  Although some would also say that the cost of stocking enough fresh organic vegetables to make daily juices can be somewhat expensive, my feeling is that if you stop buying all of the pre-packaged foods/snacks you were buying, you will end up saving money in the long run on your food AND your doctor bills.  And, you have to admit, there is such a satisfying feeling when drinking a glass full of real, whole foods doing amazing things for your body!

One more thing before I go:  while you can control the quality of ingredients when you are making fresh juice at home, always read your labels when it comes to buying store-bought juice. These juices can be high in sugar and have a high glycemic load, which may cause blood sugar imbalances and can lead to fat storage!  So grab out your juicer and get to juicing!

Essential Oils for Skin Care

Essential oils have been used for centuries for their toning, regenerating and healing properties.  They are easily absorbed through the skin and will help you to have luminous skin in no time!  Mix with carrier oils to create you own anti-aging blends!! 

Do you want glowing skin??  Here are essential oils we love. 

Roman Chamomile

• Anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, calming and relaxing
• Increases the ability of the skin to regenerate
• Calms skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema, rashes and sensitive skin

Geranium

• Geranium can be used in place of Rose Oil. (not rosehip carrier oil)  True rose essential oil is very expensive and geranium essential oil has very similar properties.
• Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic
• May balance sebum secretions in the sebaceous glands to keep skin supple
• Good for skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema and acne
• Improves skin elasticity and tone

Lavender

• Anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic
• Calming to the skin so great for dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and rashes
• Aids in cell turnover so it helps minimize scaring

Frankincense

• Anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, anticancer
• Decreases the appearance of pores and evens skin tone
• Helps protect existing cells and encourages new cell growth
• Reduces wrinkles, tightens skin and reduces the appearance of scars
• Soothes dry, chapped skin
• Our favorite essential oil!!

Patchouli

• Anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiseptic, astringent
• It’s anti-inflammatory properties make it great for irritated skin conditions like acne, dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema
• Promotes new cell growth and smoothes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Ylang Ylang

• Antiseptic
• Controls oil production and minimizes breakouts
• Helps regenerate skin cells reducing fine lines and improves skin’s elasticity

Sandalwood

• Antiseptic, antitumor, astringent, anti-inflammatory, calming
• Similar to frankincense in their action
• Contains antioxidants that reduce free radical damage
• Soothes and tightens and cleanses the skin

Myrrh

• Anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antitumor, astringent
• It’s anti-inflammatory properties make it great for eczema, psoriasis, acne and dermatitis
• Increases cell turnover helping to smooth the skin reducing fine lines and wrinkles
• Also may help with chapped, cracked skin and dryness

Melaleuca

• Antibacterial, antifungal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic
• Promotes cleansing and purity
• Antiseptic properties helps to heal acne
• Helps to relieve eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis

Get our favorite essential recipes for skin!!

XOXO~S & A

Our Favorite Carrier Oils

We have been obsessed with natural skin care since we learned that there are so many toxic chemicals lurking in skin care products that can have an adverse effect on our health.  Carrier oils are wonderful for keeping your skin looking healthy and hydrated.  They protect the lipid layer against environmental stresses while deeply moisturizing the upper layers of the skin improving the skin’s softness and elasticity.  These oils are loaded with vitamins, minerals and an array of fatty acids, omega 3, 6 and 9, that deeply moisturize and nourish the skin.  Use a combination of these carrier oils to dilute essential oils to provide your skin with the best care to stay young looking!!

Here are our favorite carrier oils!

Jojoba Oil

• Slightly nutty aroma
• Shelf life:  2-5 years
• High in Vitamins B, and E, minerals
• Fatty Acids:  Eruic, Gadoleic, Oleic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care
• Great for dry skin conditions!  Great for inflamed skin, acne, eczema and psoriasis, Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, Similar to the sebum in our sebaceous glands and is very effective skin softener because it is highly penetrative.  Great for removing makeup!  It’s said to help to dissolve oil collected in clogged pores, Can be used on a dry scalp before shampooing, can be used in the hair before blow drying to add moisture

Evening Primrose Oil (Borage Seed Oil has similar properties)

• Nutty aroma
• Shelf life: 6 months refrigerated
• High in vitamin E, omega 3 and omega 6
• Fatty acids:  Gamma Linolenic, Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care massage, dietary supplement
• Healing, Helps skin retain water, helps skin cells stay plumped, Improves moisture, elasticity, firmness and roughness of skin, great for eczema, and rashes

Carrot Seed Oil

• Earthy aroma
• Shelf life:  1 year
• Often considered an essential oil
• High in vitamins B, C, D, E, minerals and beta carotene, provitamin A
• Fatty acids:  Stearic, Palmitic, Oleic, Linoleic, Linolenic
• Uses:  skincare, hair care
• Use small amounts because of the bright orange color, Great for cell turnover due to the beta carotene (vit. A), Great for premature aging, itching dryness, psoriasis and eczema, antioxidant and antiseptic properties

Rosehip Seed Oil

• Earthy aroma
• Shelf life: 6 months refrigerated
• High in Vitamins A, C, K, (trans-retinoic acid)
• Fatty acids:  Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic
• Uses:  skincare
• Contains super-antioxidant lycopene that helps repair sun-damaged skin
• Trans-retinoic acid (vit. A) encourages cell turnover and diminishes discoloration, anti-inflammatory benefits, Helps skin retain water, decreases sun spots, improves appearance of fine lines, and encourages a smoother skin texture, Deeply moisturizing, removes redness and irritation so may be beneficial for rosacea 

Sweet Almond Oil

• Sweet, nutty aroma
• Shelf life: 1 year
• Rich in protein, vitamins A, B, E, glucosides and minerals
• Fatty Acids:  Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care, massage, makeup
• Good for all skin types, helps skin to retain moisture, non-comedogenic
• Helps relieve itching, soreness, dryness and inflammation
• Great base oil for adding other carrier oils

Avocado Oil

• Nutty aroma
• Shelf life:  6 months
• Rich in vitamins A, B, D, E, protein, Panothenic acid, lecithin
• Fatty acids:  Lecithin, alpha linoleic, linoleic, linolenic, oleic, palmitic, palmitoleic
• Used in skincare, hair care
• Great for dry, dehydrated skin; eczema; improves skin elasticity, increases collagen, removes impurities from the skin, blends well with other carrier oils

Fractionated Coconut Oil

• Mild coconut aroma
• Shelf life:  2-4 years
• Fractionatedoil contains only the medium chain fatty acids (long chain fatty acids removed)  Raw coconut oil is not best for dilution of essential oils. Long chains may interfere with absorption of essential oil.
• Contains Vitamin E, Squalene, Sterol, Tocopherols
• Uses:  skincare, massage, hair care, food, great oil for general essential oil dilution, great to use on children when diluting oils
• Fatty acids:  Caprylic, Capric, Lauric, Linoleic, Myristic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic
• Strengthens and softens skin, eliminates dead skin cells on the surface, High in lauric acid which has some antimicrobial activity that may be useful in treating acne, Long shelf life and blend well with other oils.

Grape Seed Oil

• Mild, sweet aroma
• Shelf life: 1 year
• High in Vitamin E, Tocopherols, Omega 6, Omega 9
• Fatty Acids:  Linoleic, Linolenic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, massage, food
• Penetrating, reduces skin aging, does not agrivate acne, non greasy, antioxidant properties increased in blood, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, great for oily skin and sensitive skin

Marula Oil

• Sweet, nutty aroma
• Shelf life:  1 year
• High in Vitamins C, E, proteins, tochotrienol, phenolic compounds, flavonoids
• Fatty acids:  Oleic, Linoleic, Alpha-Linolenic, Palmitic, Stearic, Arachidonic
• Uses:  skincare
• Fast absorbing, for all skin types, Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, redness and blotchiness, Improves elasticity, promotes collagen and elastin production, Reduces water loss, hydrates deep layers of skin, anti-inflammatory

Hazelnut Oil

• Sweet, nutty aroma
• Shelf life:  1 year
• High in vitamin E, minerals and protein, high in catechins and tannins that give the sensation of dry oil when applied
• Fatty acids:  oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic linolenic
• Uses: skincare, hair care
• Good for all skin types, moisturizing and emollient, softens and soothes the skin, recommended for treating irritation of dry sensitive or damages skin, antioxidant properties reducing free radicals, helps to filter out suns rays, antibacterial so it helps treat oily skin and seborrheic dermatitis and acne, helps to tone and firm skin, can be applied to hair before shampooing to moisturize hair, Blends well with other carrier oils

Kukui Oil

• Light, nutty aroma
• Shelf life:  1 year
• High in Vitamins A, C, E
• Fatty acids:  Linoleic, Alpha Linolenic, Palmitic, Oleic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care
• Great for dry skin, Highly emollient, Excellent antioxidant properties, Helps relieve symptoms of eczema and psoriasis, no greasy feel

Baobab Oil

• Light aroma
• Shelf life:  3-4 years in cool. dark area and sealed tightly
• Rich in vitamins A, E, D, protein
• Fatty acids:  Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linoleinic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care, massage
• Quickly absorbed, great for dry skin, Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, Smoothes out fine lines by possibly stimulating collagen and elastin, Calms itchy skin of eczema and psoriasis and dermatitis, Helps reduce scaring

Argan Oil

• Faint aroma
• Shelf life:  up to 6 months
• High in vitamins (A,E)
• Fatty acids:  Oleic, Pamitic, Linoleic, Linolenic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, hair care, cosmetics
• Very hydrating, absorbs quickly, very moisturizing, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, improves elasticity, anti-inflammatory, minimizes scars and stretch marks, reduces sebum production in oily skin, helps heal acne

Apricot Oil

• Faint aroma
• Shelf-life:  6 months
• High in vitamins A, C, E, and protein
• Fatty acids:  Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Stearic
• Uses:  Skincare, massage, hair care
• Good for all skin types especially prematurely aging, sensitive, inflamed, dry
• Good for skin rejuvenating 

Check out our favorite essential oils

for skin care!

XOXO~S & A

The Big Question: To Dilute, or Not To Dilute Essential Oils

If you are new to the essential oil scene, you’ve probably heard lots of talk about the need to dilute essential oils with carrier oils.  On the other hand, you will hear many saying that some of the oils can be used “neat”, or by themselves.  So what is right?  The answer is, when in doubt, DILUTE!  Always dilute essential oils if you have sensitive skin.  Always dilute if you are putting oils on children.  Always dilute “hot oils” like oregano, cinnamon, clove, thyme and cassia.  These "hot oils" are common skin irritants and can cause skin sensitization.  Initially, they can be tolerated being used neat, but then all of the sudden, cause a disproportionately strong dermatitis reaction.  When the dermatitis has cleared, even a small amount can cause a reaction. Low quality, adulterated oils, even ones that say “organic” can cause skin sensitization as well due to the impurities that can be in the oil.  So, always dilute "hot oils" to prevent this kind of reaction.

This is one of the main reasons why we only use essential oils that are Certified Pure, Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) to ensure that we are using the highest purity and quality of oils on the market. 

So, what is the difference between essential oils and carrier oils? 

Essential oils are the volatile liquids (they evaporate quickly) that are distilled from the plant’s seeds, bark, leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruit, etc.  They are not “oily” like carrier oils.  Their molecular size is very small and they are lipid soluble and can easily penetrate the skin’s lipid bilayer.  Essential oils contain the chemical constituents that allow them to be therapeutically beneficial.  Within twenty minutes, essential oil constituents have entered the blood stream and have the potential to affect every cell in the body.  In the cell, they have a therapeutic benefit, and then, metabolized like any other nutrient, unlike synthetic chemicals, that are not metabolized easily and tend to be stored as toxins in our bodies.

Carrier oils are vegetable oils derived from the fatty portions of the plant, usually the seeds, and they are used to “carry” the essential oil into the skin.  These are full of fatty acids that also provide nutritive benefits to the skin.  Unlike essential oils, carrier oils can become rancid so they need to be stored in cool places.  They do not evaporate like essential oils so they can be used to dilute the essential oil and prevent it from evaporating too quickly allowing more essential oil to enter the body.  It only takes a couple of drops of an essential oil to have a therapeutic benefit.  The carrier oil allows the couple of drops of essential oil to be distributed over a greater part of the body and it also prevents wasting the essential oil.  Because of their larger molecular size, the carrier oil does not penetrate enough to get into the blood stream like the essential oils.  They penetrate the top layers of the skin and nourish it with their fatty acids and vitamins and minerals.  There are so many carrier oils coming into the market that it is hard to decide which one is the best.  They each have a different fatty acid profile and some are more suitable for dry skin and some are better for oily skin.  So which ones do you choose?  Play around with different oils and blend carrier oils that provide different benefits to the skin.  First, make sure that you purchase carrier oils that are organic and cold pressed. These are the best to use on the skin.  They are richest in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids that nourish the skin.  Avoid using cooking oils that you typically buy at the grocery store.  They are highly refined and may contain solvents and petroleum residues. 

Check out our favorite carrier oils!!

XOXO~S&A

The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman's Diet Part 3

So What Can You Eat?

SO PUMPED you have taken the time to read all the way to Part 3 of The Ultimate Guide: All About Paleo, The Cavewoman’s Diet! You’re going to be glad you kept reading because there is a sweet bouns at the end!!  Plus, if you haven't yet read the first 2 blogs in this series, jump back and do that now!  Part 1 & Part 2

So… you know what the Paleo lifestyle is all about and all the things that are on the “DO NOT EAT” list and the reasons behind each one.  Now for the best part, what you CAN eat!!! 

Breaking Down What You Can Eat

Here is a basic list with what you should and shouldn’t be eating in your Paleo diet. However, for more advice on this, please contact me or refer to our Paleo program!

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DO NOT EAT:

• Cereal grains
• Legumes (including peanuts)
• Dairy
• Refined sugar
• Potatoes
• Processed foods
• Salt
• Refined vegetable oils

EAT:

• Grass-fed meats
• Wild-caught fish/seafood 
• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds
• Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)

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Since you’ve made it this far, here is a sample day in the life of a Paleo lifestyle!!  Hope you enjoy!! 

Curious to find out what your perfect nutrition plan is?? 

Contact me at SandAWellnessDuo@gmail.com

for more in depth Health Coaching, and we will figure out what is perfect for you and exactly what your body needs to be living vibrantly!

XOXO~S & A