Upset Stomach

Do you ever feel like this?

Yesterday I was completely fine. I got up and I did my homework. I was feeling very productive. I got everything done that I needed to get done. Ten minutes before I had to go to class I got completely nauseous. I'm talking extremely nauseous where I had to put sweats on, pull up my hair, grab a bucket, and lay down. I didn't know what to do. I hate throwing up! 

I went and grabbed an oil called Digestzen. It is a blend of oils that contains the oils: Ginger, Peppermint, Tarragon, Fennel, Caraway, Coriander, and Anise. I rubbed several drops all over my abdomen and then breathed in the rest that was on my hands. I went back to lay down. Within minutes I felt a LOT better! I never did throw up and within the hour I was up and about doing what I normally do. Once again I saw the oils work and was very grateful that I had this one on hand. 

For those of you who deal with nausea, indigestion, heartburn, bloating, or cramps, I HIGHLY recommend having some Digestzen on hand. It really helps. You wont realize how grateful you are for it until you have these symptoms, you put the oil on, and within minutes you feel better. 

Relieving Stress Through Essential Oils

Dr. David Hill is doTERRA's Chief Medical Advisor. He is an expert on essential oils. In this video he talks about the future of our health care and what we can do. He also discusses the effects of stress on our bodies.

Dr. Hill quotes Thomas Edison saying "The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

In this video he proposes that if we can control inflammatory responses in our body than we can control bad health and disease. He states that one half of all Americans right now have chronic inflammation.

Inflammation can be caused by excessive infections, antibiotic use, chlorinated water, emotional trauma, stress, poor diet, environmental toxins, bacteria, viruses, and pathogens. He says that stress is one of the top reasons we have chronic inflammation. Stress causes our body to go through a lot of changes. When we are stressed our body releases cortisol and epinephrine which cause inflammation.

There was a study done to see if inhaling essential oils would help to reduce stress. The results showed a 30% decrease in blood adrenaline levels and a 40% decrease in sympathetic activity. He says that we can also reduce the level of stress in our lives by inhaling essential oils such as lavender, citrus oils, and most of the blends.

I have been doing this when I get stressed. I like to smell Wild Orange and/or Lavender. Just by breathing them in I can feel my body become less tense. It has a very relaxing effect. I rub lavender at the base of my neck every night before I go to bed. It helps me to de-stress and also helps me to sleep well. I usually breathe in Wild Orange in the morning because that gives me more energy. I have noticed a huge difference from doing this. I tend to get stressed and become uptight. I have a mentality of "go.. go.. go.." This helps me to slow down and breathe. Not everything in life is a race. I don't want to become so stressed out that I make myself sick. I am very grateful for the effects of the essential oils!

Peppermint Brownies

Since it was just Valentine's Day I have had sweets on my mind. I decided that I would make some peppermint brownies. These seem to be a favorite among our family and friends. You can make brownies from scratch or from a box. It is up to you and how much time you have. 


Costco makes a delicious brownie mix. So this time I decided I would use that. I followed the recipe on the box and made the brownies. Then, while that was cooling, I made the frosting. I use a simple recipe for butter cream frosting. I found it on the food network. I changed it to include the peppermint oil. This is the recipe I used. 


Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
7 to 8 drops of doTERRA peppermint oil
Directions
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and peppermint oil and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency. 


You can find the original recipe here:
Butter cream Frosting

When the brownies are done they have a very refreshing taste. We took them to a party and they were gone right away. Everyone was asking for the recipe. It is also fun to crush up candy canes and put them on top. If you are looking for a yummy treat to take to a party or you just crave sweets for yourself, this would be a great recipe to try! 

Another great way to use essential oils. The more I cook with my oils the more I love them. Essential oils make your food taste delectable. They are the difference between your food tasting good and great!