Cedarwood Hazelnut Facial Scrub

Who else gets excited when they're able to reuse materials instead of putting them directly into the trash? I find it invigorating! Speaking of invigorating, this facial scrub is rather invigorating. It utilizes used coffee grounds and cedarwood essential oil. I found a recipe on Wellness Media's blog (which actually lists ten great uses for used coffee grounds), and I kept two ingredients, and changed the rest. I think that what I came up with is a real winner!

I used to use a microdermabrasion scrub from a very well-known makeup company. It was expensive and the recommendation was to use it every 2-3 days. My facial scrub just needs to be used about once a week for silky smooth and fresh, clean feeling skin! It's a few dollars worth of supplies to invest and will last a good six months or so. I was honestly pleasantly surprised with how wonderful my skin felt after just the first use. I thought maybe I'd start feeling like I needed to use it again in well less than a week, but I really don't! I use the facial scrub every Sunday and I use my homemade facial cleanser (recipe can also be found on my blog) every day, sometimes twice a day. Between the two products, my skin is feeling much smoother and cleaner throughout the week. I start to notice slight changes by Friday or Saturday in my skin which help remind me to use the scrub on Sunday.

I'll admit that when I started storing my husband's used coffee grounds, he was a little suspect. I told him NOT to throw these away; I'm saving them for something. At that point, he just kinda realizes that he's used to me doing some strange things with my passion for reusing and making my own homemade products around the house. He didn't ask questions, he let the stockpile of coffee grounds accumulate over the next week or so. In the meantime, I figured out what ingredients I would choose to use.

My son has a coconut allergy (and an all nut allergy), so I knew that the ever trendy and popular coconut oil needed to not make its way onto the ingredient list. I began looking for an oil that was solid at room temperature and liquid when heated. I discovered palm oil and shortening. I didn't like the idea of just using shortening, so I looked into palm oil. I quickly learned of the controversies surrounding palm oil farming and harvesting. Sadly, rain forests and wildlife are being destroyed to make room for palm trees in which to harvest palm oil. I was fortunate to come across a brand that is organic, certified fair trade, and non GMO verified, and habitat friendly. It was Red Palm Oil by Nutiva.

So, what is red palm oil? It is not palm kernel oil, it's derived from the fruit. The red palm oil is only 50% saturated fat while the kernel oil is upwards of 89% saturated. Red palm oil contains beta-carotenes and lycopene which are rich in antioxidant nutrients; more than carrots or tomatoes! This seemed like a great choice for my facial scrub, not to mention a nice buttery substitute in other recipes so I actually consume the oil. If you wish to read more about red palm oil, I suggest this article written by Dr. Oz.

The next ingredient listed was organic brown sugar. I looked for this and I honestly had a tough time finding it, but something that was readily available and cheap was raw turbinado sugar. I opted for that.

The ingredients I kept from the original recipe was epsom salt. I love me some epsom salts! I also kept the used coffee grounds, but I opted for hazelnut coffee just because I think the smell is rich and luxurious.

I added the ingredient, cedarwood essential oil. This wasn't my first choice. My first consideration was lemon oil because its smell is fresh and fruity. I discarded that idea because I felt that the scent would not blend well with hazelnut. My next choice was the blend Joy because it's a flowery and beautiful scent and a wonderful way to start the day, but again, I didn't feel that would blend well with the smell of coffee. My next ideas were bergamot and cedarwood. Based solely on scent, I would have chosen bergamot. It's that deep, sensual smell that gives Earl Grey tea its unique flavor. I used my essential oil reference book to compare the actual chemical benefits of each oil.

Bergamot boasts calming effects and can be used for hormonal support and has a calming, comforting aroma. Historically, bergamot has been used in the Middle East for skin conditions consistent with an oily complexion. The key constituents in bergamot include limonene and linalyl acetate. As you can see, this easily would have been a great choice and I certainly do suggest you try it especially if you have oily skin and struggle with feelings of depression or anxiety. I personally use bergamot itself to settle myself when I'm feeling anxious.

Cedarwood is recognized for its calming and purifying aroma. It can be used to support health. It can stimulate the limbic region of the brain and stimulate the pineal gland, which releases melatonin. It has constituents such as himachalene, which make it great for a facial scrub. I opted for cedarwood in the facial scrub. Let's say it was a very close call.

By now, I'm sure only a select few of you have actually read my giant monologue about each of the ingredients, while most have scrolled down to the good stuff: the recipe! Well, here it is folks!

Ingredients:
1 cup raw red palm oil (preferably sustainably grown)
1 cup used hazelnut coffee grounds
1/3 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
20-30 drops essential oil (cedarwood, bergamot, or a combination of both)

Mix all the ingredients together and then store in an air-tight container.

Use about 1-2 tablespoons once a week. The recipe filled two and a half of the little jelly canning jars pictured, which is why I project it will last up to 6 months. The only problem with that is, what to do with the coffee grounds in the meantime? Pull back and secure your hair, and wear an old shirt. The red palm oil will be, well, redish orange-ish and it will stain!

Scrub and gently rub the facial scrub onto your face for 2 minutes. Rinse with cool water. I have to keep a rag nearby to wipe the remaining oil off my face because it won't come off easily. I also use it to wipe down the sink. Enjoy the smooth skin feeling all week long!

How I Supported My Reproductive System

Way back when I was first married, my husband and I wanted to start a family right away. Little did I know just how much we would struggle! My cycles were normal and regular before marriage and after I was married, they spaced out to almost 90 days between cycles and never the same. We practiced Natural Family Planning, so I was constantly tracking things. I would see a build up to ovulation, but then it would drop back down, and I never knew if I'd ovulated. Then the cervical mucus would build up again, and we'd try again, then it would back off and disappear again. Finally, I think I ovulated, and a couple weeks later, we'd be depressed with my period starting. This went on for two and a half years before we finally conceived.

We sought help from a fertility specialist. By conducting a transvaginal ultrasound, he noted that there were about 30 follicles less than 5mm on the left and about 20 on the right. The volume of the left ovary was 15.3cc and the the right side was 11cc. I had NO other signs or symptoms. None. I was advised to lose weight (I was slightly overweight, like 15-20 pounds overweight) and to begin taking a medication normally used to treat type 2 diabetes. This would address the insulin resistance I was assumed to have, and would somehow help us conceive.

Medication sucked! I was SO sick. I couldn't eat anything. I was throwing up. I didn't understand why I had to be so sick just so I could get pregnant and endure morning sickness. I was working my way up to 2000 mg a day, beginning with 500. I never made it past 1000 mg. It was awful. I felt like that medication was way too harsh. The same dosage would be prescribed for someone who was obese. I didn't understand how my body was supposed to tolerate that amount. I finally had to stop taking it. I couldn't do it. The doctor's advise to lose weight sent me over the edge. I began severe calorie restriction and over-exercising. I did lose weight. I did not get pregnant.

When I finally ended up going to a treatment center for an eating disorder (already existed but made worse by the trigger of what the doctor advised), I was made to eat and my exercise was significantly limited. As soon as I came home, we conceived. This was two and a half years after being married.

Okay, fast forward to a year ago. My son was two years old and my husband and I wanted to start trying to conceive again. My periods had returned. I was still breastfeeding and cosleeping, but my periods were regular. My cycles were even consistently around 36 days. At least this time, we were going to have more than four tries per year! After six months of trying, nothing. We felt like we were right back in that frustrating, depressing, awful era of trying to conceive. I knew that my essential oil company made a blend that was supposed to support female hormones. I figured it couldn't hurt. I ordered Progessence Plus. I applied 1-2 drops to the back of my neck and 1 drop on my forearm, then rubbed them both together. I also began applying one drop to the inside of each ankle of Clary Sage. Clary Sage is reported to support reproductive organs of both genders.

I had my husband using the blend called Mister on the bottom of his feet, and he was also taking Nugenix supplements.

Well, one month later, we found out we were pregnant! I don't know what exactly to attribute this to, but I do feel that my essential oils were helpful. I don't know if my ovaries became un-polycystic. All I know is that I conceived and didn't have to take Metformin, didn't have to feel horrible, didn't stress about losing weight. I simply added some oils to my daily routine. If we decide to have another baby after this one, I won't hesitate to use my oils again.

Today I'm 13 weeks along and having no complications whatsoever! Things are looking great and we are looking forward to expanding our family early next year!

*Please also see my post on Adrenal Support as it ends up being part of my conception story.

My Story with Adrenal Support

I see a dietician regularly to maintain a healthy me. She often asks me questions that seem totally unrelated. For a while, she was hinting that maybe my endocrine system needed more support, specifically, my adrenals. I didn't want to believe her because I'm a pretty healthy person and honestly, I have a fear of something being "wrong" with me. I always brushed her aside. When my son turned two, my husband and I decided to start trying for baby #2. I was still breastfeeding on demand, and cosleeping. My son would nurse every 1-3 hours at night, so I was never getting a full night of sleep. After about six months of trying unsuccessfully, I decided to maybe address some of the issues my dietician spoke of.

For me, my essential oils were the best approach. I had tweaked my diet and I really was eating a very balanced and nourishing diet, so I wasn't sure I'd see much results from changing much else. I began a protocol of using a blend of rosemary, clove and nutmeg. I mixed it in an old bottle. For every teaspoon of carrier oil (I used organic olive oil), I added 7 drops of rosemary, 3 drops of clove and 3 drops of nutmeg. Every night, I would put 1-2 drops of the mixture in my hands, rub them together, then rub them on my back above where my adrenals are located (above my kidneys, so basically, both sides just at my bra line). The first week or so, I actually covered the area after I applied the oils with a hot washcloth and I laid down for 15-20 minutes. I found this very relaxing even if it didn't "do" anything. The hot compress is supposed to help your body absorb the oils. After that first week, I went to just applying the 1-2 drops before bed, then smelling my hands with a few deep breaths.

After about a couple weeks, I noticed some differences! I was shocked! If you had asked me about these symptoms before I started the routine, I never would have been able to identify them because they had become so normal to me. For example, I suddenly felt like when my muscles were relaxed, they were truly relaxed. I could now identify that I had always been holding a little bit of tension in my muscles. The other thing were my thoughts and reactions to stressors. I noticed that my thoughts seemed to be slower and more manageable. When I was faced with a stressor, my reaction wasn't so dramatic or drastic. My husband could talk to me without pushing my buttons. My toddler didn't frustrate me easily. It has been an amazing change! As an added bonus, we were able to conceive after only one month! I have since stopped using the blend every day because I'm super sensitive to smell, and because clove oil, used in excess, can be dangerous to maintaining a pregnancy.

Adrenal fatigue can be triggered by any sort of stressor: getting married, moving, working long hours, death of a loved one, parenting small children, or big children, being a caretaker, surgery, dieting, chronic infections, etc.

Some symptoms include: anxiety, fatigue, feeling tired even after sleeping all night, weight gain, craving salty or sweet snacks, changes in your period, hot flashes or night sweats, mood instability (for me, it was manifested in anger outbursts), low tolerance for stress and decreased libido.

In addition to maybe trying some essential oils, also address stress in the ways we've all heard of: meditate, laugh, enjoy good company, pray, listen to music, gently exercise, practice yoga, deep breathing exercises, journal, and eat a healthy, balanced diet, limiting processed foods.

Try it out and see what might change for you!

**Please also see my post about supporting my reproductive system as it ends up also being part of my conception story.

An Upset Doggie, Oils to the Rescue!

A couple weeks ago, I was a BAD doggie mom. I was grooming my Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrior and I accidentally cut her elbow with my scissors. I felt HORRIBLE! My husband has a history of wound care, so we were treating it at home, but after about five days, I didn't feel it was getting any better and I took her to the vet. She needed stitches. They had to sedate her. When I took her home, she was drugged. She had to wear the "Cone of Shame." She hated it. When it was on, she wouldn't lie down and rest. She would just sit there, but be SO tired, she'd almost fall asleep, but then sit back up. Then she would just cry because she wouldn't lie down, but was so tired. If I took the cone off, she'd get all agitated, and run around and try to bite her stitches. I needed to help her. This was pitiful.

I diluted one drop of Lavender with about a teaspoon of olive oil and rubbed it on her leg around the cut, but not on the cut itself. I also diffused about 4 drops of Peace and Calming. Within ten minutes, she went from the above picture of crying sadness, to a melted pot of doggie relaxed-ness, below.

Later, when she began getting agitated again, I did the same thing, and she calmed right back down. A week later, and she had managed to get half the stitches out, but the wound wasn't opening up, it just wasn't healing as well as it could. I put a drop of Melrose on the cut itself and overnight, the healing began to increase its pace. She will have the stitches in until the end of this week, and I will apply a drop of Melrose every day. I will keep y'all posted on her progress using the oils.

Great news! My dog was fully healed within two weeks! Her hair has grown back and she's her happy self again. The only thing left is that the fur on her right elbow now grows more light brown than the white of most of her. My two year old still points to that and says "ouchies," but fortunately, there are no more ouchies!

Dark Chocolate Orange-Almond Bark with Sea Salt

I know, the name of this recipe is ridiculously long. By the time you finish telling someone what it's called, they'll have consumed it! I was making this for the same Rummage Sale/Bake Sale as the Lemon Rosemary Shortbread and I was trying to consider which essential oil to use. At first, I thought: peppermint! Except that I feel peppermint is best used around Christmas time, and it's spring, so that's when I thought of Orange essential oil! Perfect for Spring because my orange tree in the backyard is full of orange blossoms and beauty!

Ingredients:
20 oz or so of Dark Chocolate
1.5 cups Roasted, Unsalted Almonds
10 drops Orange Essential Oil
Sea Salt

In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate. In the meantime, give those almond a nice, rough chop! Once the chocolate is all melty, stir in the almonds and essential oil. Let it cool slightly, then pour it onto a shallow pan, covered in parchment paper. Sprinkle the chocolate mixture with sea salt. Set it in the refrigerator to cool for at least thirty minutes. Once it's fully cooled, break it into pieces as large or small as you desire. I promise you, the orange flavor will balance out the bitter dark chocolate perfectly, the crunch of the almonds will satisfy the mouth feel, and the sea saltiness will be that extra little oomph that makes you say "huh!" Truly, please enjoy this chocolatey snack!

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

I was asked to donate something delicious to my church's Life Teen Rummage Sale and Bake Sale, and so, I delivered! I found a recipe for a rosemary shortbread, and I modified it a tiny bit and inserted essential oils. Let me assure you, these are extremely tasty! Not too sweet, but totally fresh and fabulous! I technically doubled the recipe so that it makes 36 cookies. I mean really, who only wants 18?

Ingredients:
1 cup Butter, softened (do it, just use the real butter this time)
6 TBSP Honey
2 tsp fresh Rosemary, finely chopped plus 3-4 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
15 drops Lemon Essential Oil
3 3/4 cups Flour
1 tsp Sea Salt

Using a hand mixer or food processor (I used a hand mixer), blend together the butter, honey, rosemary and essential oils. Think of this as the "carrier oil" method.

Add in the flour and sea salt and mix until well combined. My dough was extremely crumbly at this point, and I was worried! As it turned out, I didn't need to worry, because it all comes together!

Dump half the dough out onto plastic wrap and use the wrap to kinda help you roll it into a log, about 8 inches long with an inch and a half diameter. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or, if you want to save some dough for later, freeze it at this point, but make certain it's TIGHTLY wrapped.

After this hour long wait, remove the dough from the plastic wrap, preheat the oven to 325 (too hot, and they will melt into sad, flat pancakes; too cool, and you'll be wondering if anything is happening in there) and slice the dough into 1/4 inch thick discs. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet at least an inch apart.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms and edges begin to turn golden brown.

Allow them to cool on the pans.

Cut Out Cookies with an EO Twist

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I wanted to make a special treat for my family. I chose peppermint essential oil to enhance my cookies because peppermint enhances flavors, improves taste and smell when it's inhaled, and it has been studied to directly affect the brain's satiety center, which means, we're not going to eat TOO many in one sitting!

Ingredients:
1 lb margarine
1 lb (2 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
4 eggs
10-20 drops Peppermint Essential Oil, depending on how strong a peppermint flavor you desire
6 cups flour (feel free to swap in a combo of whole wheat flour, almond meal, flax meal, etc to decrease the glycemic index here)
4 tsp baking powder

Directions:
Mix together the margarine, sugar, eggs and essential oil; I used a hand mixer here. Then, mix in the flour and baking powder. Dust your board with flour and sprinkle a ball of the dough with flour. I take about a fourth of the dough at a time. Roll out the dough, and cut out your cookies in the desired shape. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Top with sprinkles as desired. Bake at 350 until the edges are just starting to get golden brown. (8-10 minutes) Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet then remove to wax paper or a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.