by Pam | Sep 26, 2017 | book reviews, Essential oils
Well, I read a ton of fiction this month, so that’s what I’ll be sharing. A couple of REALLY good ones, so check them out: I really loved this book. It was quirky, funny and emotional. Leia has a chance encounter with a masked Batman at a comics convention with interesting consequences. As she is coming to terms with that, she discovers her Grandmother is quite ill, so she heads down to her home to figure out what comes next. Finally, her step-sister has a situation of her own that Leia gets involved with. Throughout it all, the bonds of family are what keeps everything together. My rating 5 out of 5. Another great and very entertaining book. Eleanor Oliphant is quite the unusual heroine. Eleanor has no social skills, she likes things a certain way and doesn’t deviate from her routine at all. She’s created a very small and safe life for herself. When she and her co-worker happen to help out a older gentleman who collapses, her life starts changing. The question is, can Eleanor keep up, and does she want to? My rating 5 out of 5. Yet another unique main character (I’m starting to see a theme with my favorite books this month!), Ginny Moon is an autistic teenager who is living in her “forever home” with her “forever parents.” However, Ginny’s “forever mom” is expecting a baby. And Ginny’s birth mother has found her and wants her back. Ginny doesn’t want to go back to her birth mother, but needs to in order to get back something she left behind when she was taken. The...
by Pam | Sep 12, 2017 | Essential oils, healthy tips, Relaxation, stress
Just as critical as eating well, getting a good night’s sleep will help keep you healthy this fall. Without adequate sleep our bodies start to run down and can’t function as well. We start making poor food choices, we become more susceptible to colds and we aren’t able to fight off germs as well as if we are well rested. I’m sure you’ve noticed how you often get sick after a time period of being really overworked and worn out? Late nights, stress and early mornings almost always lead to illness. Getting a good 7 to 9 hours of sleep allows your body to do its job to restore and repair. You may want to use the sleep time calculator, to see how much time you personally should sleep. Cut that time short and eventually you’ll start feeling it. Need some tips for a good night’s sleep? Create an evening routine to get your body ready to go to sleep. If you do the same few things every night at about the same time, pretty soon your body will recognize that this means sleep is coming soon. This will make it easier to fall asleep quickly. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Don’t do that “one more thing” – if it is bedtime, go to bed. This might mean leaving some tasks undone and that’s okay. When you are well rested tomorrow morning you will be able to tackle them more efficiently (and with a better attitude). Try diffusing a calming essential oil or even rubbing it on the bottom of your feet – this can be very...
by Pam | Sep 5, 2017 | Essential oils, healthy tips, nutrition, recipes
With the kiddos in school, the germs are flying. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to get sick these days. Sometimes you just can’t avoid a cold, but you can bet I plan on doing everything I can to stay healthy this year. With those thoughts on my mind, all month I’ll be sharing my best tips and tricks for staying healthy. As a bonus, doing these things will also help you feel healthier and happier! Eating well is an important component to staying healthy. When you consistently eat junk, your body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs and you’ll start to feel run down. Today I’ll share some of my favorite foods to bump up your immune system and load your body with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Dark leafy greens. Greens such as kale, spinach and swiss chard are wonderful to add to your daily diet. They are full of antioxidants, calcium, vitamins A,C, K and fiber. Greens are also rich in anti-inflammatories. Try to enjoy a cup or so each day. Apples. Yes, that old saying about an apple a day keeping the doctor away has some validity to it. Apples are loaded with fiber and also pectin – both of which keep you full longer. So eat an apple and you are less likely to be hungry for junky snacks. They are also very fresh and perfectly in season right now so will taste delicious and cost less. My favorite way to stock my fridge with apples right now is a trip to the apple orchard. Sweet potatoes. Another fabulous fall food with...
by Pam | Aug 10, 2017 | Essential oils, Goals, nutrition
This is the time of year I always get fired up about learning new things. After all, the kids are in back to school mode and once they start I have a little more free time. All the back to school prep gets me excited about learning too – why should they get to have all the fun? Every year I make a concious effort to learn something new. It might be something business related (this year I’m working on improving my group programs) or something fun (wine tasting anyone?). Why do I do this? Learning new things gives us an appreciation for life and a range of different ideas and perspectives. Getting used to learning something new can also help us adapt when new situations in life come up – the whole idea of “something new” isn’t foreign to us. Learning can make us more confident and improve our self-esteem. Plus it feels GOOD to get better at something. All of this can help create feelings of happiness (and who doesn’t want more happiness in their life?). Learning also stimulates our brains which increases our imagination and creativity – this can help us feel more energetic and excited about life. I’ve also found that when I embark on learning something new to me, I have something positive to focus on and a goal to reach. As a goal-oriented person this keeps me interested and excited about each day. Plus, learning is FUN! All month I’ll be sharing different ways you can learn as an adult and resources to get you started, so check back each week. In the meantime,...
by Pam | Jul 18, 2017 | Essential oils, Exercise, healthy tips
Hopefully you agree with me on the need to exercise (remember all the benefits?). This week we’ll talk about what exactly you should be doing for exercise. There are three main components to exercise: stretching, strength and aerobic. Ideally we’d do all three most days, but very few people have the hour plus each day available. If you are a busy working mom it can be a struggle to find even 20 minutes! Instead of stressing out about what you can’t do, focus on what you CAN do. For example, if you can squeeze in 20 to 30 minutes a day, switch it up each day between something aerobic and something strength based. Then do a few stretches when you first wake up as part of your morning routine or in the evening before you get into bed. Even a 5 minute stretch break at work will do wonders for you! Right now I’m a huge fan of Pilates as it combines the strengthening and stretching. Find yourself with a day with more free time? Go for an extra walk or run. Another great way to cover all the exercise bases is to add in short bursts of exercise whenever you can. Stretch during commercials, lift light hand weights while watching TV, take a ten minute walk after lunch and dinner. Last Thursday I did a super quick Facebook Live sharing 3 easy ways busy moms can get more exercise. Check it out HERE. However you fit it in, make sure you are getting a bit of all three and doing something every day. I know it seems impossible,...
by Pam | Jul 10, 2017 | Essential oils, Exercise, healthy tips
One of the critical pillars of a healthy lifestyle is regular exercise. Yes, what you eat matters and yes, how you feel emotionally is important, but exercise is a key component to total body health. Without exercise you will not achieve your healthiest you. Exercise improves your mood and helps you feel better. It helps you sleep. It helps to control your weight (even if you eat an optimal diet you still need to exercise to lose any significant weight). Exercise delivers oxygen to your tissues – this can help give you more energy. The more active you are, the better your heart and lungs work. A healthy heart and lungs can contribute to a longer life. With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why exercise is critical. This month, we’ll be talking about not just why we should exercise, but how to exercise. I’ll introduce easy and fun ways to increase your exercise levels. Just what you need to live a healthier and happier life. Join me this Thursday at 12:30 EST on Facebook for a live video where I’ll share 3 easy ways moms can sneak in more exercise as well as a terrific way to use Peppermint (our essential oil of the month). In the meantime, want to get started exercising a bit more? Go out your front door (take the kids and dogs if needed), walk for ten minutes, turn around and walk home. Repeat every day this week. How do you struggle with exercise? Share in the comments and I’ll be sure to address your issues at some point this month!...
