Be Flexible This Holiday Season...

LIVE LIFE NATURALLY

I was compelled to share a verse from the Tao Te Ching as translated in Dr. Wayne Dyers book "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life".  I have this book on CD and love it! It is meant to listen to one verse at a time then put that verse into practice. Some verses resonated more with me. This one is of my favorites. In this book Dr. Dyer reviews all 81 verses in the Tao Te Ching. Originally written somewhere between 605BC - 531 BC by Lao-tzu.   The 76th verse is as follows;

When a man is alive, he is soft and supple,
When he dies, the body become hard and stiff.
When a plant is alive, it is soft and flexible. 
When it is dead, it becomes dry and brittle. 
Therefore, hard and rigid shall lead to death.
Soft and gentle shall lead to life. 
Thus, a strong army with rigid force shall not win. 
A thick and big tree will be cut down for its use. 
The big and strong will take an inferior position.
The soft and gentle will take superior position. 

As Dr. Dyer translates, Staying loose is part of living in the present moment. You may have been taught that strength is measured by how hard you are in your thinking, opinions and weakness is associated with those that bend and are flexible.  If you really think about it those that bend and adapt to what life throws at them tend to be those that live longer, happier lives. I notice this as I focus on everyday life. I listen and feel how my body physically reacts to things. If I feel tightened up I realize that is not the right thought, or direction I should go in. And when I am relaxed and at ease, I know that is what I should be doing. 

I bring this up as we go through this holiday season. Though we all tend to love the holidays they can also be stressful. So listen to your body and go with what FEELS good. 

DIY Lip Balm

So this week I finally made my own lip balm. Not sure why I put it off so long. It was easy and I am really happy with the results. I'm leaving the recipe below. I did purchase some tin containers off Amazon. I'll leave the link below. I also refilled one of my previous lip balm tubes which I really like. 

2 teaspoons of organic beeswax (I ordered off Amazon)

1.5 teaspoons of organic coconut oil (Trader Joes)

1.5 teaspoons of organic Jojoba oil ( I ordered off Amazon)

1 teaspoon of unrefined Shea butter (I ordered off Amazon)

4 teaspoons of organic olive oil (Trader Joes)

15 drops of you favorite essential oil ( will try more next round for of a flavor)

I used doTerra Citrus Bliss 

Melt all ingredients in a double broiler. You can use a metal bowl and small pan of water like I did. 

Whisk until melted. Be careful to not over heat. 

Pour into your containers. Allow to cool, then place cap on. 

Tin Container
CLICK HERE FOR TIN CONTAINERS ON AMAZON

Morning Dose of Lemon

My sister Stephanie gave me this idea. She drinks this everyday and a few weeks ago, when I had a bit of a cold I started drinking a cup in the morning. It's easy and quite addictive.  Buying local organic honey is your best option. I purchased some Meyers lemons from Trader Joes but you can use any lemon. And I used cinnamon from my cupboard. I'm going to experiment with doTerra cinnamon oil and potentially lemon oil.  ENJOY!

1 cup of hot water

Juice of 1 lemon

Cinnamon

Honey

Here are a few reasons this is so good for you to start your day with.  

1. Tastes delicious

2. Helps flush your digestive system and rehydrate the body. 

3. Cleanses your system. Because lemon is a diuretic is flushes your system through increase of urination and releases toxins.

4. Boosts your immune system. Lemons are high in vitamin C and potassium. Has anti-inflammatory effects which helps support respiratory systems and helps with iron absorption. 

5. Mood Enhancer and Energizes you. Lemon (as most citruses) is known to uplift your mood which provides you with more energy. 

6. Balances pH levels. Lemons are one of the most alkalizing foods for the body. Though acidic on their own, once inside our body they alkaline. This helps lower chances of candida. 

7. Clears Skin. Being high in vitamin C and anti-oxidants helps to combat free radicals which decrease wrinkles and blemishes.    

8. Promotes Healing. The absorbic acid helps promote would healing. 

9. Freshens Breath. 

10. Aids in Weight Loss. Lemons are high in fiber which helps fight hunger cravings and because lemons help flush toxins and move food through your body and gastrointestinal tract smoothly. 

For all you Essential Oil needs give me a call, text, email or check out my website. 

WWW.MYDOTERRA.COM/ELAINEHANSEN

 CLICK HERE FOR MY WEBSITE

For those just finishing up I hope you had a wonderful Hanukkah! And for those finishing up their shopping, Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!

Welcome December....

As we slide into the last month of 2017 most are busy with their holiday shopping. I'm going to give some gift ideas as well as food, or should I say dessert, drink and diffuser recipes. As always, I am open to any suggestions for information you would like to learn more about. Enjoy your month.....

HOT COCOA

Tis' the season for hot cocoa: doTERRA style. This delicious chocolatey treat is something that will trick your taste buds into thinking you are drinking something a lot more indulgent than what you really are. By using stevia and agave instead of sugar, and almond milk instead of a dairy milk, you will be able to indulge in a rich drink with fewer calories and fat, but which tastes just as rich and succulent. Customize your drink by adding your favorite essential oil(s) for your preferred flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

5 teaspoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia (amount of sweetener can be adjusted to taste)

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or agave (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups almond milk

 

Essential Oil Flavoring Options:

Cinnamon bark, Lavender, Wild Orange, or Peppermint.

 

Directions: 

Heat water, cocoa powder, and sweetener on stove until ingredients are smooth. Add vanilla and milk and bring to a simmer. Pour into your favorite mug. Introduce flavor by swirling a toothpick dipped in your favorite essential oil.

Makes 3-4 servings.

WINTER DIFFUSER BLENDS

BOOST BLEND                                                      BY THE FIRE

3 drops doTERRA On Guard                                3 drops Wild Orange

3 drops Citrus Bliss                                                 2 drops Frankincense

                                                                                  2 drops Cinnamon Bark

WARM & COZY

2 drops Cinnamon Bark

2 drops Wild Orange

2 drops Clove

DARK CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLES

In the mood for something sweet, but want to keep it natural? Indulge with these chocolate raspberry truffles. Infused with Wild Orange oil, this recipe makes for a healthier alternative to the large slice of chocolate cake from your local bakery. When taken internally, Wild Orange oil helps support digestive health, while also maintaining healthy immune function. These can be made and packaged to give as gifts or set out for your holiday guests to enjoy!

Ingredients
125 grams dark chocolate (65 percent cocoa)
4 tablespoons almond milk
1 teaspoon coconut oil, refined
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 drop Wild Orange oil
Freeze-dried raspberries (or freeze-dried raspberry powder)

Instructions

1. Combine almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond extract in a small saucepan on low heat.
2. Stir until ingredients are combined, but do not boil.
3. Break up chocolate into a glass mixing bowl and pour hot ingredients over chocolate.
4. Stir until smooth, then add Wild Orange oil to taste. Place your mixture in the refrigerator and let cool for 3 hours, or until the mixture is firm enough to hold shape.
5. Using a spoon, form chocolate into balls and roll over crushed dried raspberries. Place back in refrigerator for another 30 minutes, then remove and enjoy.

Tips: The dried raspberries covering the truffles are beautiful, but feel free to experiment with dried coconut flakes, crushed nuts, and (for real dark chocolate lovers) cocoa powder!

GIFT IDEAS

Share the gift of oils. Amazon has some fun diffuser ideas. Below is a diffuser under $20. You can give this and a Wild Orange ($10.50)

 https://www.amazon.com/URPOWER-Essential-Humidifier-Adjustable-Waterless/dp/B00Y2CQRZY/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1512710895&sr=1-6&keywords=diffusers+for+essential+oils

Or these car diffuers 2 for $14.98 They come with multiple felt pads to change with your mood using your favorite oils.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074WNMWFY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B074WNMWFY&pd_rd_wg=0bBEo&pd_rd_r=E4M49ZFXV6JH2A7F05RP&pd_rd_w=Q37mg&th=1

You can make your own blends to hand out as well. I love the Cobalt Blue glass roll on bottles found here
https://www.amazon.com/Cobalt-Glass-Bottles-Stainless-Roller/dp/B013SJWE2G/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1512711453&sr=1-4&keywords=roller+balls+for+essential+oils

Blend Ideas

Holiday Cheer
10 drops Citrus Bill, 1 drop Lavender and 5 drops peppermint fill with fractionated coconut oil. 

Rudolf's Rescue
5 drops each Breathe, Peppermint and Lime fill with fractionated coconut oil

The Night Before Christmas
10 drops Lavender, 5 drops Roman Chamomile fill with fractionated coconut oil

DEAL OF THE MONTH! 

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25% OFF YOUR WHOLESALE MEMBERSHIP

FREE HOLIDAY JOY AND ORNAMENT WITH 125 PV ORDER

Cooler Weather...

LIVE LIFE NATURALLY

The Cooler Time of Year

As we head into the cold season our skin can become dry. I made this recipe last year and used it daily. A few ideas for soothing essential oils; Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Geranium and Melaluca are a just a few. You can also put in a pretty jar and give as a gift! 

DIY Body Butter

1/2 Cup each of organic

* cocoa butter
* shea butter
* coconut oil
* olive oil
*10 Drops of your favorite essential oil.
In a double broiler melt cocoa and shea butter with coconut and olive oil. Remove from heat and chill until solid. Add essential oil and whip with a hand blender until creamy. Fill glass jars.

Vegetable Pottage Soup

While on vacation a couple months ago I had a cup of vegetable pottage soup. This is a soup derived  from the Middle Ages and was for the common people. The best thing about this soup is how easy it is to make. I have used the following and just eyed how much I wanted of each vegetable. I tend to make it when I need to use up a bunch of veggies in my refrigerator. I also will freeze half to save for the next week. ENJOY!

* Turnip, onion, carrots, red and green pepper, jalapeno,  broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Any combination you have in your refrigerator.
I dice each one to bite size then saute in a pan until cooked tender. Then add 4+ cups of vegetable broth and sometimes I was low in broth and added water. Once cooked until the vegetable are soft I add seasoning to taste. Cool a little then I put into my blender and blend until slightly smooth but still has some substance. I like a little extra pepper to mine.

Dr. Josh Axe is a great wealth of natural medicine knowledge. I was recently talking to a few friends about the benefits of Turmeric. Might be time to add this into your diet.