Why I use Oregano Essential Oil

About a year ago, I started dabbling in essential oils.  As someone who aspires to a healthy lifestyle, I was intrigued by the positive impact it seemed to be having on people in regards to not getting sick once taken at the onset of a cold.  As a teacher, I would often get sick, especially in my first years of teaching toddlers.  They always had runny noses, coughs, sneezing and putting their mouths on everything imaginable!  I decided to buy a bottle to have as backup for the day I would need it.  Sure enough, I had that achy feeling come on weeks later and decided to give it a whirl.  BEWARE!  It tastes TERRIBLE!!  I recommend honey or putting it in capsules.  I took three doses that day and by the next day, all symptoms were gone.  GONE!  Now...as a single mother of 2 little ones, THAT was nothing short of a miracle.  What mother wants to be sick with two demanding children running around the house?  And, I would have to take a sick day or two and I am not really fond of using my days off for being sick.  I would rather...go to the beach or visit family.  I now knew for myself the power Oregano Essential oil!  There was no turning back for me.  I carried Oregano Essential oil in my purse like it was a bottle of Tylenol or Aleve (both of which I never ever use, btw).  The moment I felt that icky feeling, I would consume Oregano Essential oil and continued up to 3 times a day until symptoms were gone.  At most I would need to take it for 2 days - AT MOST!  It was usually a 1 day ordeal and I was like new again.  I made sure I went to bed early and by the following day, I was ready to conquer the day!  I knew I had liquid gold in my hands...this tiny little unconventional secret that most people, when you mention it to them, look at you like you are a Martian...but soon my co-workers were asking me for some once the onset of a cold came their way and when they found success with it, well...I felt like I was the Messiah leading the flock! 

Here is how to use Oregano Essential oil:  I use only 100% therapeutic grade essential oils, namely Young Living.  I will either dilute the oil in 1 tsp. of raw honey and consume or I will place two drops inside a capsule and drink with water.  You can order capsules through the Abundant Health website:  http://www.abundanthealth4u.com/default.asp

Oregano Essential oil may also help with the following conditions: sore throats, calluses, candida, carpal tunnel, pneumonia, warts, whooping cough, strep throat, staph/MRSA, and viral infections. 

Children over 6 years should use with caution and in greater dilution.  You can mix with coconut oil and rub on the bottoms of their feet or you can diffuse it.  

Where to purchase?  www.youngliving.org/heidig1

Have a blessed, abundant day!

- Heidi

Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Twenty-one days ago, I decided to commit myself to a 3 week cleanse through Beachbody.  When everything arrived in the mail, I looked over all of it and couldn't wait to get started.  It does say in the packet to make sure you look at your calendar and block out three weeks of your life to fully commit to this.  It is not meant to be half-ass.  It's all or nothing.  It explicitly stated - NO CHEATING!  I saw Valentine's Day was ahead of me, but really, it is pretty much a Hallmark holiday and I can feel the love from my amazing boyfriend without food and chocolates, so....in one week, I began. 

What did I love about the Reset? 
   - the variety of meals
   - doubling recipes at times to have it ready for the next day
   - no cravings!!!!  (Except on day 18 when I was exploring Pinterest and wanted fish tacos and                  pancakes - DO NOT EXPLORE PINTEREST WHEN CLEANSING)
   - was able to resist my kryptonite...chocolate cake from Le Chocolat - TWICE! 
   - 21 days were broken up into 3 phases so it didn't seem so long
   - losing 10 pounds in 3 weeks!!!  That just deserves a raised eyebrow....
   - more energy during the day
   - feeling lighter
   - having a whole book of delicious recipes at my fingertips

What I found challenging at times about Reset?

    Rather than make bullet points on this, I'd rather explain it through complete sentences compiled into paragraphs.  :)  So, the first two days I had to get used to taking the supplements during the day.  Supplements are taken 4 times during the day - all before meals or snacks.  I teach in a toddler classroom where my focus is on 14 children - definitely not on myself and stopping the day to remember to take my supplements.  Like I said, the first two days were a learning experience and by day 3, I had it all calculated as to when I needed to take my supplements so that I could excuse myself for 2 minutes to do what I needed to do.  Another challenge was preparing all the meals.  I am a working mother (2 jobs), so I had to prepare lunches, sometimes dinners if I was staying late the night the next day.  There were a couple of times when it took about an hour to prepare my meals and my daughter's meals.  One fact I would like to point out is that I am a single parent, so by the time I got home after teaching 14 children for 8 hours, I was now faced with my own children and their demands of food.  My two hands were the only two hands available.  And yes, I made 2 separate meals for 21 days....that was probably my biggest challenge.  The last week of the reset was the easiest because the meals were definitely simpler. 
     My energy was great during the day, but by 9pm, put a fork in me because I was DONE!  That is the point of the Reset....to rest.  There were nights though that 9pm would come around and I had to push it one more hour because I still had either laundry to finish, a client call, dishes, meal prep, or....I was out with the love of my life.  But for the most part, I was in my bed, asleep.  Another unexpected challenge was around day 5 and 6, I had the itchiest skin ever.  All the toxins were coming out of my body through my pores.  For that, I used a body brush morning and night to get it off of my body.

Overall, I had a very good experience.  I did not miss all the sweets or breads or whatever's.  I managed to tackle it even with the challenges and received wonderful results.  It was only 3 weeks out of my life and now my body is in a much better place.  I am a picky person when it comes to food and honestly, Beachbody does a fantastic job with their menu and supplements.  I am impressed with the quality and substance.

If you are interested in purchasing an Ultimate Reset package, let me know.  I have been through it and am here to walk through it with you if you need my assistance.  My website is www.beachbodycoach.com/heidigeiger
 

Raw Chocolates

That Hallmark holiday is right around the corner....Valentine's Day!  What better way to say "I LOVE YOU" than with these raw beauties?  I have made these chocolates before, but tonight I got a little more creative with adding chopped almonds.  Full of antioxidants and anti-microbial agents, these chocolates are sure to please, easy to make and are truly beneficial to your health.  Are you feeling the love?

All you need are 5 ingredients, a stove top, a blender, flexible molds and a freezer.  I whipped these gourmet delights up in 15 minutes and they turned solid in less than 10 minutes.  Wilton can't touch these.  They want to, but...they just can't.  FAR FROM IT!

Ingredients:

7 oz. cacao butter, melted
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup raw honey
2 cups cacao powder
Seeds of 1 vanilla pod

Melt the cacao butter in a double boiler or over a pot of water at low temperature.  Put the melted liquid into your power blender.  Add the melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla seeds and blend.  Slowly sieve the cacao powder into the mixture and blend on low speed until everything is combined.  All the ingredients can be mixed through by hand if you do not have a power blender.  Pour into chocolate molds or ice trays and allow to set in the freezer.

(recipe is from Rawlicious)

This recipe made a little over 35 chocolates. 

Day 5 - Testing Rye

Today was more challenging to stay on target with my plan, but I walked into the day prepared.  For both lunch and dinner I knew that I would be away from my home.  My school had an outdoor workshop event with food (hot dogs, deli sandwiches, salads, etc.) and I knew everything besides the salad was NOT an option for me.  Instead, I packed my own lunch, arrived 30 minutes earlier, went into my classroom and enjoyed my lunch by myself, which included a spicy vegetarian soup and a salad with goat cheese and carrots.  My snack was a rye cracker with yes, my favorite....raw almond butter....YUM, YUM, YUM!  A friend had asked me to go out to dinner and I told him that it would be a bit challenging since I wanted to stick to this as best as I could, so I made dinner for him.  Instead of chicken, I made quinoa with an apricot glaze....again, delicious.  The quinoa was spread over a bed of arugula accompanied by a side of beet and carrot salad and sauteed zucchini and onions with basil and manchego cheese.  If you've never had manchego cheese, you should.  It's made from raw sheep milk and aged between 6 and 12 months.  It was the perfect touch!  I forgot the chocolate, BUT I did enjoy a few glasses of Cabernet.

This morning I weighed in and lost another .8 pounds.  I was a bit shocked at that because I always thought drinking wine late at night would make me gain weight, but obviously this wasn't the case last night.  In fact, red wine can aide in losing weight, interestingly enough.

I have not exercised at all, btw.  In fact I haven't exercised in months due to my sciatica.  I am nearly healed and hope to start exercising soon.  I tell you this because even without exercise I am still able to shed pounds.  I know, however, once I building more muscles, this may change my scale number.

Day 4 - Testing Cheese

I do love cheese.  And today I tested goat cheese because it's the least culprit of inflammation.  I will work up to other cheeses, but this one seemed do fair out just fine.  My salad and roasted veggie combo for lunch tasted amazing with the added goat cheese.  My snack and dinner ended up being a little later in the day than I had expected, but with two little kiddos expecting a Friday night out for dinner, I didn't have many choices.  But I did snack on my raw carrot sticks with some raw almond butter.  Raw almond butter to me is a bit of Heaven.  I was slightly full by the time dinner came so I did skip part of the plan.  BUT chocolate was on the lineup for dessert.  Yeah, it was a glorious moment.  

One thing I did notice with my body was that I wasn't able to use the bathroom as easily as I have....if you know what I mean.  I have a feeling that's what animal protein does to me.  So, I think from now on I will substitute quinoa for chicken and see how my body responds to that.  We'll see how fish fares out.  

I did weigh in and lost another .2 pounds.  Not bad for some indulgences.  :)