Holistic Living
Essential Oils
Essential oils are a huge component in holistic living. They can be used in aromatherapy, cleaning supplies, skin products, and much more. Here are some of my favorite ways to use essential oils.
Skin Care:
Essential oils can do wonders for a variety of skin conditions. There are oils to help remove sun spots, wrinkles, eczema, rashes, redness, and overall skin tone. You can use these oils to make your own face wash, face serum, face cream or body scrub. You can also add a couple drops of essential oils to your bath for added beauty benefits and relaxation.
Here are the oils that are best for your skin and how to use them:
Rose hip oil-this oil is great for anti aging and redness. You can add a few drops to your face lotion or cleanser or even to your bath.
Lavender Oil-This oil is great for fighting acne, soothing dry skin and eczema, preventing wrinkles, and healing injured skin. This oil is safe to put directly on to skin with no carrier oil. You can also add a few drops to a body scrub, face wash, or face cream.
Frankincense oil- This oil is great for tightening skin, defending against skin bacteria, reducing pores, and preventing wrinkles. This oil needs to be used with a carrier oil such a coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or jojoba oil before being put in to your skin. You can also add a few drops to your face moisturizer or body lotion. Rubbing this oil on the bottom of your feet along with foot lotion is said to help detoxify the body and reduce sinus issues.
Tea tree oil-This oil is great for diminishing sunspots and promoting healthy hair. This oil is also great in helping to heal fungal and bacterial infections such as athlete’s foot. I can speak from personal experience that this oil alone helped to heal a huge, nasty bump I had on my hip one summer. I would mix a couple drops of tea tree oil with coconut oil and apply to the infected area twice a day for 3 weeks and it completely went away and has not been back since. This oil need to be combined with a carrier oil before being put on to the skin. ou c
There are many other oils that are good for the skin but these are just a couple of my favorite examples.
Homemade sugar scrub recipe:
One of the best things you can do for your skin is to exfoliate. The best scrub you can use is not the expensive stuff you get from the grocery store but your own fresh scrub made with ingredients you most likely already have. Exfoliating your skin gets rid of all of your dead skin cells and increases cell turnover encouraging your body to make new skin cells which leaves your skin feeling incredibly smooth. This recipe is extremely easy and inexpensive and has room to be modified.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of granulated sugar or pink Himalayan salt
4 drops of your choice of essential oil. Feel free to combine oils.
1/4 cup coconut oil (this is the best oil for a scrub in my opinion)
Directions:
Mix the Ingredients together and then use in the shower. I use the whole thing in one use. Gently scrub onto wet skin and massage in circular motion. Rinse off.
Modifications or addons:
You can use brown sugar instead. You could also use epsom salts. However, if you use epsom salts you will have to use a whole cup of the epsom to 1/4 cup coconut oil because they are larger and more loosely compacted. Another great addition would be Vitamin E oil or Aloe vera oil which are both great for the skin.
Aroma therapy:
If you don’t already have a diffuser, I highly suggest that you get one! Essential oils have many aroma therapy benefits and can be a great addition to your home. Here are my favorite oils to use in my diffuser and their benefits. Use Each of these oils for aromatherapy by putting 2-4 drops in diffuser along with water.
Lavender oil: This oil is great for stress reduction and calming the mind. It also smells AMAZING!
Bergamont oil: This oil is an energizing, uplifting oil when used for aromatherapy. It’s a great oil to diffuse in the morning or midday when you are starting to crash.
Eucalyptus: This oil is great for allergy and sinus problems. Diffusing this oil helps to release sinus pressure and promote deeper, fuller breathing..
Cleaning supplies:
Another wonderful benefit of essential oils is their anti microbial properties. I love to clean the bath tub with essential oils because it makes my bath smell amazing and I feel safer knowing that I’m not getting into the bath with a bunch of left over chemicals. Here are the essential oils that you can use for cleaning and their germ fighting benefits.
Lemon oil-antiviral and antimicrobial and helps to get rid of dirt and grime
Peppermint oil-helps to prevent pest, antibacterial, and antifungal
Pine oil- helps to kill odors and get rid of bacteria, fungi, pathogens, and yeast. Also great for mold and mildew.
Lavender oil-antiviral, antibacterial, safe, non-toxic
All purpose cleaning spray recipe:
Directions:
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
15 drops lemon oil
5 drops Pine oil
10 drops lavender oil
15 drops peppermint oil
Mix together and put in spray bottle. Shake before each use. Best if kept in glass spray bottle.
Ayurveda Yoga
Ayurveda is an ancient practice of holistic living that combines certain diet and yoga practices based on your Dosha. What is a dosha you might ask? Well, it is sort of like a personality type or prominent imbalance you have within your body, mind, and lifestyle. Learning your Dosha can help you to create more balance in the body and your life. In order to figure out your Dosha there are many different Dosha quizzes out there. Below, I have provided you with a link for you to print out and take. I recommend taking the quiz yourself and also getting someone who knows you well to take it for you for more accurate results. Keep in mind you might be more than one dosha. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The Vata dosha represents space and air, the Pitta dosha represents fire and water, and the Kapha dosha represents water and earth. Therefore, Vata personality types are more spacey and free, Pittas are more firey and hot, and Kapha doshes are more grounded, rooted, and easy going. Which dosha do you think you are? If you have digestive, skin, or respiratory issues, than I highly recommend dieting around your dosha. This just means eating certain foods that keep your dosha in balance and staying away from foods that put your dosha out of balance. The links I have provided go in to more detail about Dosha dieting.
Herbal Teas
Okay, if you know me, then you probably know that I am a huge supporter of herbal teas. The are packed with antioxidants and are so amazing for digestion. Whether you are wanting a metabolism boost, digestive support, relaxation, energy, better skin, lower risk of cancer, or anti-aging benefits, there is an herbal tea for you. There are hundreds maybe thousands of studies out there showing that consumption of herbal teas can decrease your risk of certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They can also be extremely helpful in losing weight. In order to really get the most benefit from herbal teas, I suggest drinking at least 3 cups a day but no more than 5. Here are some of my favorite herbal teas along with their benefits.
Chamomile tea-antibacterial, helps with sleeping and stomach problems
Hibiscus tea-helps reduce blood pressure, high in vitamins, refreshing, diuretic
Nettles tea-helps to relieve seasonal allergies, promotes healthy hair, increases energy, can treat arthritis
Ginger tea-anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, eases motion sickness
Tumeric tea-relieves arthritis, boosts immune system, anti-cancerous, helps with IBS
Green tea-helps lower cholesterol, high in antioxidants, calming
White tea-high in antioxidants, low in caffeine, can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, antibacterial
Dandelion tea-helps with digestion, prevents kidney stones, calms hot flashes
Peppermint tea-relieves sinus congestion, anti-inflammatory, relieves bloating, helps to curve appetite
HOW TO MAKE TEA:
Tea is essentially dried herbs. Most teas are best when consumed warm and fresh. You can get your tea in little packets or you can get your tea in bulk. If you get your tea in bulk, then you will need a tea strainer. You will need to let the tea back steep in hot water for the allotted time. The tea package or box will say how long to steep it for. The word steep just means to let it soak in the hot water. It is very IMPORTANT to make sure you let the tea steep for however long the instructions said before drinking the tea in order to get the most benefit out of the. Some teas need to be steeped for 10-15 minutes so be patient! You can heat the water to be used for your tea in the microwave for two minutes and then put a tea bag at the bottom of a dry mug and pour the hot water over it and let it steep. You can also heat water to be used for tea in a tea kettle over the stove. You just pour 2 cups of water in tea kettle, and when you hear tea kettle start to whistle, pour about a cup of hot water over tea bag in a mug and let it steep for allotted time. It’s really a simple process, but when you’ve never done it before it can be a little confusing if you don’t know what your doing.
Holistic Living Resources
One of the best things I recommend on learning more about Holistic living is to read books on the Topic! There is so much information on the internet that can sometimes be of poor quality, so I highly recommend you find and read books written by trusted professionals. Here are some of my favorite eye opening books that I had to read during my yoga and nutrition trainings.
How Not to Die by Michael Greger
Dr. Deans Ornish’s Reversal for Heart Disease by Dr. Dean Ornish
Body Into Balance by Maria Noel Groves’
Deeply Holistic: A Guide to Intuitive Self Care by Pip Waller
The Whole Foods Diet: The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity by Alona Pulde, John Mackey, and Matthew Lederman
Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition by Howard Jacobson and T. Colin Campbell
The World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle
If you don’t feel like getting too serious with books yet, here are some fun resources to holistic living, health, beauty and nutrition on my Pinterest page!
Meditation
Meditation is the art of focusing on your breath and being in the present moment. It is a powerful tool in connecting deeper within yourself and your purpose. Meditation can help decrease the risk of many diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It can even help to manage diseases that have already manifested such as asthma. I recommend starting a meditation practice immediately if you don’t already have one. You can start small with just 5 minutes a day and eventually work your way up to 20 or 30 minutes. There are a ton of different types of meditation out there, so I urge you to try several different styles and see what works for you. The main type of meditation is just focusing on your breath. You can do this by counting the breath or mentally saying “I am breathing in” every time you inhale and “I am breathing out” every time you exhale. Guided meditations are a great place to start. There are free guided meditation apps that you can download on your phone such as oak, Calm, and Headspace. There are also lots of meditation videos on Youtube.
Two of my yogi friends have dedicated much of their practice, lifestyle, and passion to mediation, so here is the link to their website for more in depth info.
Spices & Herbs
The wonders and benefits of spices and herbs are endless! Adding more spices and herbs to your meals can be extremely beneficial to your health. According to Dr. Greger in How Not to die, eating 1 tbsp of tumeric a day can decrease your risk of cancer significantly. There are lots of other benefits of spices and herbs such as anti-aging, decreased blood pressure, decreased blood sugar, better skin, more energy, and better sleep. Here are some of my favorite herbs, their benefits, and how to use them.
Dill Weed: rich in plant compounds know to provide protection against certain forms of cancer, heart disease, and lower blood sugar. Also used to treat digestive issues, colic in infants, and bad breath. I love putting lots of this herb on potatoes, vegan tzatziki sauce, or fish. I love the fresh and the dried version.
Turmeric: One of the world’s super foods, this spice is known to protect against free radicals as it is extremely high in antioxidants, control diabetes, potentially control the growth of tumors and cancer, lower cholesterol, and prevent alzheimer’s disease along with many other things. This spice has an interesting taste when by itself but can be masked super easily when put into other foods. A great way to use it is to put in into an orange smoothie (mango, banana, orange juice, carrots, turmeric, and ice) or to put it in a curry or stew. The flavor goes great in Indian inspired dishes. IMPORTANT: Be careful when taking turmeric supplements because the main ingredient, curcumic, is taken out and does not function the same way it does in its pure form. Therefore, you are wasting your money. Just use the spice powder or actual root itself.
Basil: One of the most delicious and commonly used herbs, this spice has anti-inflammatory effects, helps fight breast cancer, helps prevent and fight heart disease, helps to combat diabetes, and helps to lower triglycerides and cholesterol along with many other things. Most of you probably know that basil goes great with pasta and Italian food! One of the best ways to use basil is in a delicious pesto sauce. Look for dairy free recipes. You can also add basil to your smoothie for a super refreshing taste or to your water.
Epsom salts
As a highly active person myself, one of my favorite ways to relax, detox, and soothe soar muscles is with an epsom salt bath. Epsom salts contain a variety of benefits including stress relief, anti inflammatory effects, pain relief, skin exfoliation, detoxification, and promotion of healing. My favorite way to use epsom salts is by pouring at least 2 cups of the salts in a warm bath and soaking for at least 20 minutes. I also like to add a little bit of coconut oil and essential oils to my epsom salt bath for additional aromatherapy, relaxation, and skin softening benefits.