Restless Leg Blend

What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which you have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, usually due to leg discomfort. It typically happens in the evenings or nights while you’re sitting or lying down. Moving eases the unpleasant feeling temporarily. (source: MayoClinic.org)

What can I do about my RLS?

Essential Oils can be used to ease the frustration experienced with RLS.  Try the Restless Leg Blend displayed below:

Restless Leg Essential Oil Blend

Blend 2 – 5 drops each of the the following oils:
Basil
Lavender
German Chamomile (blue)
Cedarwood

Massage blended oils on lower legs and feet prior to going to bed.

Update 10/19/2020:

While we are on the subject of RLS, I want to share an article about pain & sleep.  The author, Jennifer Walker-Journey, presents a very thorough article on the many conditions that cause pain and keep us from getting the rest that we really need.  Included, is a section on RLS. I recommend this article to RLS sufferers.

You can read the article on The Mattress Nerd site.

Pain and Sleep

by Jennifer Walker-Journey

If you are losing sleep due to a painful condition, you could be making your condition worse with each night that passes. In this guide, you’ll learn more about how pain & sleep are connected and find a way to get a good night’s sleep once and for all. (read more)

Excerpt: RLS and Sleep

RLS is most often classified as a neurological sensory disorder. But it is also considered a movement disorder because symptoms are relieved by moving the legs, as well as a sleep disorder since symptoms are generally worse at and can disrupt sleep.

About 7-10% of U.S. adults have RLS, and about 80% of RLS sufferers also experience periodic limb movement of sleep, or PMLS, a condition in which a person involuntarily twitch or jerk their legs or arms every 15 to 40 seconds during sleep. For some people, these movements continue throughout the night.  (Read Entire Article)

Disclaimer:

Statements concerning essential oils contained in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article and the products discussed  are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

This article is a conversation concerning essential oils, diet options= and the author’s personal experiences.

Follow the general safety guidelines and discuss essential oil treatments with your healthcare provider prior to treating a specific disease or ailment.


Spikenard Essential Oil – Pantry Staple

All about Spikenard

Uses

  • Diffuse or apply one to two drops to back of neck or to temples to promote feeling of calmness and relaxation.
  • Create a personalized fragrance by combining Spikenard with Clove, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Myrrh, Wild Orange, Rose, and Vetiver.
  • Combine with a hydrating cream to soften and smooth skin.
  • Add one to two drops to your favorite cleanser or anti-aging product to promote healthy, glowing skin.

Diffuse 2 drops Spikenard, 2 drops Lavender, and 2 drops Ylang Ylang to help reduce stress and relax the body.

 

https://www.mydoterra.com/terisalisbury/#/


Gluten Free Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Use your doTerra Lemon essential oil in this recipe!

Sugar Free Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Directions:
  1. Mix flour, xanthan gum, baking
  2. Beat egg in medium bowl; add milk, butter, brown rice syrup, and Lemon essential oil and blend together.
  3. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients.
  4. Mix in blueberries.
  5. Fill lined muffin tins 2/3 full.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

See original post at https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipes-sugar-and-gluten-free-blueberry-lemon-muffins


Hummus Recipe – Optional Ingredients for Added Variety

Basic Hummus Recipe

During our online Rosemary conversation, Mark asked for a basic hummus recipe and ideas for optional ingredients, which of course include essential oils 🙂

I wrote up the recipe and sent it, but then decided to share it with with everyone.  So, here it is

Basic Hummus Recipe Including a Variety of Optional Ingredients

(Gluten Free of course)

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (do not drain)

Minced garlic to taste

Sea salt to taste

Lemon juice (about 2-3 Tablespoons — to taste)

About 1/4 cup Tahini

About 3 tbs Olive oil

In a sauce pan, heat chickpeas, garlic, salt, (if using cayenne, add it now). Let the chickpeas come to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 10 min.

After the chickpeas are done simmering, pour the chickpea mix into a food processor.

Add olive oil, tahini, & lemon juice. You can add any optional ingredients at this time.

Process until smooth. Taste and if needed add ingredients, process again & repeat.

When done pour into serving dish & drizzle olive oil on top. Add your choice of garnish (I like kalamata olives 🙂

For variety try adding one or more of these during the food processing stage:

1-2 drops Rosemary Oil

1-2 drops Basil oil

1-2 drops Ginger oil

1-2 drops cilantro oil

1-2 oregano oil

Black olives

Green olives

Kalamata olives

Diced red, green, orange or yellow peppers

Parsley

Roasted red peppers

Crushed nuts

Avocado

Pine nuts

Sunflower seeds

Crushed nuts

Cayenne pepper to taste

Black truffle olive oil

Green chile olive oil

Substitute white beans or black beans for chickpeas to change it up

Shop for essential oils here:  https://www.mydoterra.com/terisalisbury


Relax – Detoxify – Destress – Reenergize

Relax & Rejuvinate


Soak: Run a warm (I like mine very hot) bath, filling the tub full but not overflowing J

Add 3 lbs Epsom Salts (Walmart has least expensive)

10 – 15 drops Lavender

10 – 15 drops Rosemary

10 – 15 drops Peppermint

If you have Jacuzzi jets, let them run before you get into the bath, this mixes the oils in the water.

The oils lease stress (lavender), soothe & rejuvenate sore muscles, as well as energize your mind (rosemary & peppermint).

Epsom salts pull toxins & muscle soreness from your body.

Diffuse Lemongrass in a diffuser that has a light (I like to set the diffuser to blue or purple lights for relaxing).  To set a calm mood, use the diffuser as the only light.

Listen: Play music from a nice relaxing playlist that is unobtrusive and calming.

Block Out the World for at least 30 minutes while you soak and enjoy a nice chilled glass of Prosecco.  Remember to also drink lots of water while soaking in the bath.

Shop for essential oils here:  mydoterra.com/terisalisbury


Supporting Gout Sufferers Using Essential Oils

Have you ever thought about gout?

A friend of mine asked me if there was an essential oil blend for gout.  GOUT????  I really didn’t think that was a real thing.  If it was, I thought only old people had gout.  How could I support a gout sufferer?

I told him I would do a little research and find out if there was anything we could do to support him and help ease his gout symptoms.  I learned a lot!

Here are a few facts about gout:

Gout Signs & Symptoms
www.scientificanimations.com/

About half of the time, the first attack of gout causes the sufferer intense pain in the first joint of the big toe.

The initial gout attack almost always happens at night.

Men over the age of 30 are more apt to experience a gout attack.

The Mayo Clinic lists the signs and symptoms of gout on their site.  I’ve listed them here:

Intense joint pain. Gout usually affects the large joint of your big toe, but it can occur in your feet, ankles, knees, hands and wrists. The pain is likely to be most severe within the first four to 12 hours after it begins.

Lingering discomfort. After the most severe pain subsides, some joint discomfort may last from a few days to a few weeks. Later attacks are likely to last longer and affect more joints.

Inflammation and redness. The affected joint or joints become swollen, tender, warm and red.

Limited range of motion. Decreased joint mobility may occur as gout progresses.

GO TO THE DOCTOR IF:  You experience sudden and intense pain in a joint.

SEEK MEDICAL CARE FAST IF:  You have a fever and a joint is hot and inflamed.  You might have an infection.

So what is it that puts people at risk for gout? Here’s what the Mayo Clinic says about the risk factors:

You are more likely to develop gout if you have high levels of uric acid in your body.  The things that can raise your uric acid level are:

  • Diet. Eating a diet that’s high in meat and seafood and high in beverages sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) promotes higher levels of uric acid, which increases your risk of gout. Alcohol consumption, especially of beer, also increases the risk of gout.
  • Obesity. If you are overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid, which greatly increases your risk of gout.
  • Medical conditions. Certain diseases and conditions make it more likely that you’ll develop gout. These include untreated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases.
  • Certain medications. The use of thiazide diuretics — commonly used to treat hypertension — and low-dose aspirin also can increase uric acid levels. So can the use of anti-rejection drugs prescribed for people who have undergone an organ transplant.
  • Family history of gout. If other members of your family have had gout, you’re more likely to develop the disease.
  • Age and sex. Gout occurs more often in men, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels. After menopause, however, women’s uric acid levels approach those of men. Men also are more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 30 and 50 — whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms after menopause.
  • Recent surgery or trauma. Experiencing recent surgery or trauma has been associated with an increased risk of developing gout.

All of this is interesting – but what was I going to do to help my friend?  I went back to researching and came up with a few different things.

I created an essential oil blend for topical use:

To affected joint, gently apply 1 to 3 drops each of:

 frankincense (Chosen for its following properties: pain reliefantirheumatic, reduces anxiety)

 lavender (Chosen for its following properties: analgesic, nervine, reduces fever)

peppermint (Chosen for its following properties: ant-inflammatory, reduces fever)

fractionated coconut oil – use enough drops so the combined drops of essential oil is diluted to 50%

Dose:  Several times a day.

See additional essential oil therapies to support gout sufferers.

I had my friend put an ice pack on his toe for about 5 minutes, in order to get his circulation moving.  Following the ice pack, he then applied 1 – 3 drops of the gout blend.  If you choose to invest in quality essential oils, please try shopping here: Shop for Essential Oils

Juice for gout:

I found information that suggested that juice made from the ingredients Breville Juice Fountainbelow can help reduce uric acid in the body.

Cabbage (1/4 head)

Carrots (1 very large)

Celery (3 large stalks, including leaves)

Lemons (1 large, to help balance PH)

I use a Breville Juice Fountain  This thing is super speedy.  I don’t chop, peel (except lemons) or remove extraneous leaves.  I can get a great glass of juice in just a few minutes!

Just like most health issues, changing your diet is a good solution.  In the case of gout, balancing the alkaline in your body is a good first step.   When an abundance of uric acid is in your system, you can guarantee your system is too acidic.    A diet that is gluten free (gluten causes inflammation) and high in alkaline could be a real healer.  Greenopedia has a nice downloadable alkaline-acid food chart.  Going gluten free has never been easier!  Shop the gluten free sections in the grocery store, ask for gluten free menus at restaurants, buy gluten free ingredients to use in preparing meals at home.  It really has gotten easy!!

Do you suffer from gout?  See your doctor, consider adjusting your diet, make use off essential oils,  and juicing therapies.

Disclaimer:

Statements concerning essential oils contained in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article and the products discussed  are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

This article is a conversation concerning essential oils, diet options= and the author’s personal experiences.

Follow the general safety guidelines and discuss essential oil treatments with your healthcare provider prior to treating a specific disease or ailment.



Essential Oil Therapies to Support People With Gout

Essential Oil Therapies for Gout Sufferers

If you should decide to invest in essential oils, I would appreciate it if you would take a look here:  Research & Purchase Essential Oils


Disclaimer:

Essential Oil therapies in this post  have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Therapies in this post and/or any products discussed  are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

The therapies were posted based on the author’s personal experiences.

Follow the general safety guidelines and discuss essential oil treatments with your healthcare provider prior to treating a specific disease or ailment.


 


What the Heck is ADHD??

ADHD is a neurological condition.

You remember the movie Up, right?  The dogs all lost focus when a squirrel appeared.  You  have no idea how many people use ‘Squirrel!’ when I’m existing in all the areas in which I am observing, hearing or thinking something.  I’ve probably heard it 1,000 times.

SQUIRREL! From the movie Up

Typically, it runs in families.   According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the definition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is:

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.

  • Inattention means a person wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.
  • Hyperactivity means a person seems to move about constantly, including in situations in which it is not appropriate; or excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with constant activity.
  • Impulsivity means a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have high potential for harm; or a desire for immediate rewards or inability to delay gratification. An impulsive person may be socially intrusive and excessively interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the long-term consequences.

The ‘W’ Word

Friday, February 6, 2009

Okay – so our jeans get a little tight…no big deal. These things happen occasionally and then we go back to normal. Well, when the part about going back to normal stops happening you are on the road to 50! It happened to me at 44 – bad year that one.

I was baffled. I just knew there was something dreadfully wrong with me. I mean really, what horrible disease must I have to make my body turn on me this way?? When I started researching, I found out that when you have a disease, you’re probably going to lose weight not gain it (sigh). So much for that. Did that mean I was in an unhealthy state of healthy??

Seriously, it took me a couple of years to figure out how to deal with the chronic weigh issues. In the meantime, I went from 115 lbs to 150 at my highest. I know this is going to sound really melodramatic, but it was the worst time of my life. I felt like I was stuck in a foreign body and I couldn’t get out.

What did I do? I tried eating less. Then eating less than that. Then eating even less. The doctor just told me that I was older and I need to consume fewer calories. It was baffling. How could being older cause these problems!?

I got a lot of advice like: “This is it – get used to it” and “At your age, be happy you don’t have to worry about looking good anymore” and “Why are you worried – you’re married.” That didn’t help. Then there was the all time winner (this was said when I was 30 lbs heavier than I had ever been) “Oh, I don’t think you look any different than you looked at 25.” I nearly shot myself (laugh).

I read books on weight. I read books on perimenopause. I read books on exercise. I tried all sorts of things but nothing changed. Then I developed an alergic reaction and had to take steroids – eeeek! Do you know that those things make you swell up like a balloon??? I quit taking them.

Finally, out of desperation, I tried Nutrisystems. That worked. Why? Because I didn’t have to figure anything out. I didn’t have to know how much to eat. They just sent me the food and I ate it. I learned something from that. I realized that prior to the Year of Bad Tidings (when I was 44), I ate a lot. There were no consequences, so I didn’t think about it until I was presented with appropriate portion sizes. Looking back, I see that I probably ate five or ten times more than what is “appropriate.” It turned out that I had just been lucky for most of my life. As I ate better and worked out (we’ll talk about that in another blog) and I was able to tolerate myself.

I have learned that some foods are the enemy. They are: bread, sugar, refined flour, chips, and sodas. There are some friends in the food world, though they are rare. The freindly foods are: water (yes, I know that’s not technically a food – but it is my best friend), fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, humus and salmon. If I remember nothing else, I remember PORTION CONTROL. This was a life style that was really difficult. One tip: carrot chips and homemade humus are great staples to have in the fridge.

My first lesson on this road to fifty was that I can’t eat the way I used to. Of course, the lessons were only beginning. I’m glad I didn’t know that then!