For Ladies only

Sorry guys - but this blog is for the ladies and is full of lots of TMI type information.

VAGINITIS/Yeast Infections

We all get them.  We all hate them.  Unfortunately this is something that, over the years, has plagued me with more times than I care to count. I do the normal thing and get the OTC medicine and usually by the 3rd day all is right with the world again.  NOT this time.  Actually by the 6th day things just seemed to be worse.  I had a vague recollection of Rebecca at Camp Wander doing a post about this sensitive subject and decided to look it up (you can read her post here).  I was at work and extremely uncomfortable and decided that I couldn't wait to get home and go to bed to try this out so I did what any woman that is desperate for relief would do....ok well maybe only I would do this but I WAS DESPERATE. I applied the Essential Oils at work (I'll let you figure that one out on your own).  The oils for this are Lavender, Melaleuca and Frankincense (I am out of Frank - and it worked just fine with out it).  The relief that I felt was almost INSTANT.  I was able to actually work and not only think about my discomfort.  Thank you for EO's!!  And of course I ALWAYS have my oils with me so thank goodness for that too!  When I went to bed I prepared the ingredients as per Rebecca's post (minus the Frank and sorry... no organic tampon) and slept soundly.  Am I completely healed? NO but I can tell that the road to recovery is imminent and I am VERY thankful for that!

Rebecca suggests to use this protocol as follows:

4 drops  Lavender
4 drops Melaleuca
4 drops Frankincense (this can be omitted but EVERTHING is better with Frank)
1tbs Coconut oil
Organic Tampon (I used regular ones)

Cover tampon with the mixture and insert. Go to sleep. Remove in the morning. This should be followed for a week to be sure but you should feel relief by morning.

You can purchase the oils mentioned in this post at Spark Naturals and you can use coupon code NIKKINOR for 10% off your order.

Yay for natural relief!!

The wondrous power of essential Oils in a Salve

Salve and Essential Oils

I discovered the wonderful power and healing of essential oils by reading One Good Thing By Jillee.  Who then introduced me to her sister's blog, Camp Wander, where I have been able to learn even MORE about essential oils as well as learning about the wonders of Coconut Oil and the incredible Salve that she has created.  I use her basic salve recipe found here but make my own additions/subtractions to it to suit my needs.  I like the Salve SO much that I made my parents some for Christmas.  My parents are in their 70's and aren't up for trying new things much but I think since I sent it to them they figured they might as well give it a try, you  know "waste not, want not".  I sent four jars, Healing, Dream, Aches and Pains and Plain.  My thought process for this was as follows.... my mom had a partial mastectomy in April of 2013 so I knew she had some scars that were still fresh (she had come complications in the healing process) AND they live in a very cold/dry climate so they have very dry skin.  My dad has thin skin that he cuts easily.  So for those issues I wanted them to use the healing salve.  My mom also has terrible pain in her hips and back from arthritis so I figured the aches and pains salve would be great for that.  Then the dream salve - well who doesn't want better sleep!  and finally the plain salve was just for whatever - dry skin or to add essential oils that I send them (like the black pepper, I want my daddy to try that when he has cold hands or feet).

About a week after Christmas during our daily phone call my mom interrupts me and says "you know that stuff you sent us for Christmas?"  "yes ma'am"  "well we LOVE it!  I use the healing one on my scar and it is no longer hurting like it did and the aches and pains one is helping my arthritis and I use the dream one on my feet and it makes my feet SO soft - they are almost healed (her heals crack and bleed a lot)!".  Well I could hardly contain my excitement that this amazing stuff that I love and use EVERY DAY was also helping my parents!  She timidly asked me..... so you make this?  How did you start doing that?  And I gave her my story and told her that when she was running low to let me know and I would make her some more.  She said "YOU WILL?!?!"  She was so excited.  So about a week ago she told me that she was getting low on the healing and aches and pains.  I have since made her a double batch of healing and triple batch of aches and pains which she should be receiving tomorrow in the mail.  She can't wait to get them because they are really helping her.  I told her that I thought the healing salve would be great for daddy's thin skin ---- he said she won't let him use it because she is afraid to run out!

Bottom line:  Healing salve has stopped her mastectomy scar from hurting and is is no longer red.  The aches and pains salve she uses on her back, hips, joints .... well all over and she is now comfortable enough at night to sleep better.  The dream could be helping with her sleep but all she cares about is that heels are no longer cracked and painful.  Daddy uses the plain salve for various things.  in my opinion - this was a HOME RUN for a Christmas gift!

You can purchase most of what you need to make this incredible Salve from Spark Naturals and my favorite Coconut oil comes from Tropical Traditions.  Orders from Spark Naturals will receive a 10% discount when you use coupon code nikkinor.

This is a GREAT way to incorporate the use of essential oils into your daily routine.

DYI Deoderant

In my quest to live a healthier lifestyle and to combat all the junk that the government allows to be put into our food, I decided to try making my own deodorant.  Of course I went to my favorite source Camp Wander.  Rebecca is my go to for all Essential Oil remedies and recipes. 

I finally ordered me some Frankincense from Spark Naturals my Essential Oil distributor. And I ordered some deodorant containers from Aroma Tools. I had all other ingredients on hand.  I was READY to do this.  I had read the comments on Camp Wander's post and they all sounded wonderful!  Even going so far as to state that this works as an antiperspirant as well as a deodorant! 

My Deodorant recipe is made with coconut oil for it's anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and infused with 3 PURE essential oils, specially selected to protect, cleanse and rejuvenate. 

Lavender:  Eliminates waste   Lemon:  Increases function, cleansing   Frankincense:  Anti~cancer properties

What you will need is:

1 cup organic cold pressed Coconut oil
1 cup Baking soda
1 cup corn starch
3 tbs Bees Pastilles
20 drops Lavender
20 drops Lemon
20 drops Frankincense

Combine all ingredients except the Essential Oils in a sauce pan and melt over LOW heat.  This will take a while as this is a SLOW, LOW melt.  Stir to mix well and make it smooth.  When all is melted add the essential oils and stir.  Then add to your deodorant tubes.  I filled SIX deodorant tubes with this recipe as it is a FAMILY size recipe.

I have now used this for almost a week and I LOVE it.  Granted it's not hot outside right now but I have been in hot rooms where I was perspiring but my underarms were not! and no stinky smell either.  I had my son try it before his soccer game and just checked with him on how it worked.  Well needless to say he has JUST NOW told me that most deodorants make him break out in a rash - including this one!  Nice of him to tell me this before right?  So I think I will try another batch at a later date and cut down the amount of baking soda and corn starch to see if that helps him any and possibly add a different oil and/or exchange one.  All in all I feel like this is a success.  I am sending some to my mom and dad for Christmas and will see how it works for them.

If you order your oils from Spark Naturals be sure to use coupon code NIKKINOR at check out for 10% off your order!

Nikki

Thanksgiving

So this year for Thanksgiving we are staying home.  My mother-in-law is coming over and my cousin and his son might be coming also.  The holidays are a struggle for me simply because I am not near my parents and I really HATE not being with them during the holidays (well everyday for that matter!)  I have told my children that while it might seem like a good idea at the time….. Please do not EVER move across the country from me.  I guess if I had one regret in my life - that would be it.  I am lucky to still have my parents after all these years when SO many of my friends have lost one or both of their parents.  I call them pretty much every day but it just isn't the same.

my weekend expierences

Good evening Bloggers,

So this weekend has been a rollercoaster of emotions. My beautiful daughter is a senior in high school and on Friday night we had 'senior night' at the football game. I did pretty well.... only teared up a little which is very unusual for me - I am a crier. I cry at most everything and I am fairly certain that I was a mourner in a previous life. With that being said.... it was COLD outside Friday night!  Saturday I did some major cleaning of the house... then went to work at a fundraiser for a new Miracle League field in a nearby community. So this is all the background story to what I want to talk about.

Due to the cold and the cleaning I was in desperate need of some EO (essential oils) therapy today. I think I have tendonitis in my elbow. Yep my right elbow and yes I  am right handed. So needless to say I used some birch on my elbow Saturday night and have had to use it today as well. The birch almost immediately took the pain away. I love it! Then I started to not feel so great I am assuming from the cold and just the general time of year. Now let me just say no one in my family is as into EO's like I am so when momma gets sick I'm out of luck on getting help. So until I made myself get up and go into the kitchen I just felt bad. I made me up a flu shot of sorts. I don't have gel caps to make the pills so I just make it in a shot glass. I used lemon, oregano, shield, and melaleuca. 2-3 drops of each with some water and downed it. Guess what?  I feel a little better! I will be taking another shot before I go to bed.

I am so thankful that I have found a supplier for these awesome oils that are pure and high quality.

Get yours at www.sparknaturals.com and  use coupon code:nikkinor for 10% off your order