The Only 3 Essential Oils you Need

Lavender, lemon, and frankincense essential oils, the only three essential oils you need.

1. Lemon or other citrus oil (tangerine, bergamot, grapefruit, or sweet orange).

   Citrus oils are safe during pregnancy and for children over 3 months. Citrus oils are uplifting. Lemon is a great choice for nausea, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Lemon essential oil can be used to clean and removes odors. It can be added to oil to polish furniture or mixed with water and sprayed to remove bad odors.

   The main caution with citrus oils is that they are photosensitive, which means if you wear them on your skin, they will increase your chances of becoming sunburned.

2. Lavender for letting go.

   You open up a bottle of lavender, smell it, and go “Ahhhh” It’s perfect to calm anxiety and soothe nerves.

   Lavender was the first essential oil to be studied for it’s medicinal benefits. Lavender promotes relaxation and is wonderful on a cotton ball inside a pillow to aid sleep. Lavender soothes burns. It is safe for children but can cause uterine contractions, so is not to be used during pregnancy until after 37 weeks gestation.

   During labor, lavender promotes a feeling of calm and encourages progress in a gentle way.

3. Frankincense

   Of course frankincense always reminds us of the three wise men in the Christmas story. Frankincense has been used for hundreds of years in Ethiopia. Ethiopians use the frankincense sap to fill their homes with a beautiful smoky aroma during their traditional coffee ritual. They also use the smoke of the sap to flavor their butter.

   Frankincense is very safe for children and during pregnancy. It is anti-aging, promotes skin integrity, and has been shown to shrink multiple types of cancer, including pancreatic, and skin.

   Frankincense can be blended with oils or salves and applied to the skin. I think of it as an oil that creates sacred spaces.

   How do you use essential oils? Do you have two or three go-tos?

Eat these 3 Foods to Balance Hormones Naturally

Tired of PMS symptoms? Wondering if you can afford fertility boosting foods? Curious about which foods to incorporate into your Diet? Here are 3 suggestions

1. Root Veggies

Root vegetables balance hormones by balancing blood sugar through fiber. Carrots are especially helpful for preventing estrogen dominance. Sweet potato contains compounds that boost progesterone levels. Radishes, onions, garlic, turnips, parsnips, celeriac, and rutabaga balance hormones by providing food for the healthy bacteria in our gut.

Carrots and radishes are easy to eat raw with dips. Turnips, parsnips, and rutabaga are easy to incorporate into soups and stews. Root vegetables can be roasted with olive oil or lard and eaten with sausage, or boiled, mashed, and whipped with butter to make a delicious mashed potato replacement. For extra micronutrients, buy rainbow varieties of carrots, potatoes, and radishes (Trader Joe's is the best grocer I know for making rainbow vegetables available at an affordable price).

2. Seeds

Seeds are great sources of blood sugar balancing fiber, minerals, micronutrients, and hormone balancing omega 3 fats. Chia seeds for example, are a great source of iron, fiber, and omega three fatty acids. Pumpkin seeds contain compounds that balance gut bacteria and prevent the overgrowth of yeast and pathogenic bacteria. Flax seeds are a good source of omega three fatty acids and selenium, which promote hormone balance.

For a seed that is rich in iron and has a calming effect, incorporate poppy seeds.

If you are looking to conceive

or balance out your hormones naturally, incorporate ground flax, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds into your diet for the first 15 days of your cycle. Switch to sunflower and sesame seeds for the latter half. Sesame seeds are rich in calcium and delicate omega 6 fatty acids.

I like to incorporate chia seeds into smoothies and make chia seed pudding. To make chia seed pudding, soak ½ cup of chia seeds in a mason jar with 1 can of coconut cream for 30 minutes. Add water or almond milk to bring to the desired consistency. You can eat chia seed pudding with berries, bananas and coconut flakes, maple syrup, or chocolate chips.

I add pumpkin, ground flax, and sunflower seeds to salads or yogurt and kefir.

3. Dark Leafy Greens

Crucifers such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, bok choy, arugula, cauliflower, collard greens, and brussel sprouts have been shown to rid the body of harmful estrogen.

Dark leafy greens are rich in micronutrients, vitamins such as vitamin K, A, and B vitamins, and trace minerals. Aim for two cups of dark leafy greens per day in the form of salads or cooked vegetables. Stir fry, saute, roast, add to soups and omelettes, incorporate into stews, eat in salads. This food is so healing!

Sprouts are an easy and affordable way to add micronutrients to your diet. You can buy radish or broccoli seeds and sprout in mason jars. Use the sprouts in sandwiches, salads, or as garnish for stews, tacos, or bean dishes.

Have you tried incorporating seeds into your diet?

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