It’s been a little quiet here lately; life happened. I’ve been busy keeping my ship from sinking, dumping out water while it’s still spilling in.
Being a wife and mom is hard enough, but adding chronic illness to the mix makes it even harder. I’m the ship with a chronic disease, and holes keep springing with new side effects pouring the water in.
One issue I’ve had since my open heart surgery has been brain fog. Brain fog can be annoying, frustrating, and embarrassing when you forget something again or can’t recall that word you’re trying to think of.
Brain fog can cause one or all of these:
Fuzzy thinking
Problems with short or long term memory
Problems with working memory
Problems with concentration and focus
Problems thinking of the right word or using the right word
Problems with numbers or math
As I’m writing this, I struggle to find my words or remembering where I saw that quote—writer’s block on a whole new level when your words are in a blender inside your mind.
In the midst of all this, I have found some things that have helped me start a routine to keep my mind working and help ease some of the symptoms. Like I said above, I’m still struggling daily; this is something to do continually.
Reading is not only a great way to ease stress, but it also helps with memory, along with increasing your vocabulary. You can learn more about reading and memory here.
Try a new hobby or pick up an old one. We are trying to challenge our brains. Instead of a hobby, I signed up for a free summer college class. I’ve been able to see my hard work paying off. You could also do crossword puzzles, regular puzzles, play strategy games, etc.
Self-care is so important in managing our mental health and stress. Stress is hard to avoid, mainly when the pressure is caused by your own body failing you. For me, hot Epsom salts baths with my essential oils are a go-to, and I’ve been using Balance, a guided meditation app. If your self-care is exercise, shopping, thrifting, crafting, whatever it is, make time for yourself.
If you’re curious about which essential oils are good for mental clarity and alertness, you came to the right place. Peppermint, Rosemary, Intune Focus Blend, and Frankincense can also help you regain focus while working. You can learn more here:
You’re walking through the grocery store (or browsing online for pick-up items like me), you are going about your normal routine. Then you stumble into the cleaning section with the fragrance section right there and we all love our homes to smell good. So it’s easy to add all the air fresheners, plug-ins, scented candles, scented wax warmers, and dare I say those drug store “essential oils” – which give all essential oils a bad name -to your cart.
Once your home you spray down your house, light your candles, etc you may realize you have a headache but of course, that’s from you being tired or <insert excuse here>. The reality is that in our attempts to make our home smell good we are releasing hundreds of different toxic chemicals into the air we breathe. The same air our kids, husband, wife, pets, etc are breathing too.
There are better ways to scent your home. Goodbyes don’t always have to be hard, I doubt you’ll even miss those synthetic fragrances. And if your anything like me I found that now I can’t stand the “fake” smell and I’m much more sensitive to the effects.
The Better Way
Plants have been used since the beginning of time for medicinal and religious purposes. We can thank Clove for helping numb tooth pain for dental procedures, Yarrow and Clary Sage we’re used during childbirth.
Centuries of salves, teas, and tinctures uses passed down through the generations. With the help of modern technology we’ve been able to study these plants and make medicines like aspirin, morphine, codeine, opium, and many more.
Anyone can use the power of nature to improve their home air quality, seriously it’s so easy. DoTerra created the Aroma Essentials Collection bringing together 10 powerhouse essential oils and blends that are tried and true for creating a fresh, clean environment that smells incredible.
Pure essential oils are unadulterated and incredibly potent, so it only requires a few drops of oil. Drops of essential oils go much further than synthetic fragrances. Depending on usage this kit could last 6 months to a year! A whole year without toxic scents wafting through your home should make you feel wonderful. You have taken a huge step in reducing the toxic load to you and your family.
As a mom with a chronic illness, I don’t need to add anything extra to my toxic load. I’ve used these oils for 5 years now and I’ve seen the power of plants in action, On Guard, for example, smells like Christmas to me but it also helps boost our immune system. In our home, medicinal and western medicine combine- it doesn’t have to be a this or that, but working together can make a bigger impact on our overall health and wellness goals.
February is the month of love. Women and moms everywhere give so much love to others that we often forget to love on ourselves. Taking a shower and running errands alone, while great, isn’t self care.
When we think of Women’s health most of us assume that we’ve got it covered, because we have our yearly paps, breast exams/mammograms, and take a multi-vitamin. Most of us are so consumed with everyday life that we fail to stop and listen to our bodies, if we did stop, there’s so much we can learn.
2 years ago I noticed my body changing, I went to my doctors and at first they all said the same things. It’s normal for a mom to be tired, depression can cause these symptoms you’re having. I was prescribed anti-depression medicines and sent on my way, however as my symptoms progressed I had to learn how to be my own advocate and take control over my health.
My surgeon told me that I was very in-tune with my body, listening to my instincts and not giving up when doctors dismissed me had saved my life. At 29 years old I discovered I had a bicuspid aortic valve and a 4.9cm aneurysm, I was in complete heart failure. – Check out my Open Heart Surgery Post if you want a more detailed story –
Cardiovascular Diseases continue to be a deadly threat for women, The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women is a platform to bring awareness to Womens heart health. As a heart patient myself I am passionate about bringing not only awareness to Womens heart health but, also showing how we can incorporate healthy habits plus natural options to better care for our hearts.
If you’re building a house, one of the first things you do is build a foundation which will hold up your house. The same is true for our bodies, we need a proper foundation to build our way to a healthier you. ( I say “you” as in, collective you, I’m speaking to myself too.) To help build a strong foundation for our health, high quality supplements are a good place to start.
Meet doTerra’s number one selling product, Life Long Vitality Supplements. Backed by a 30 day money back guarantee these supplements are the building blocks for our foundation and the start of healthier habits.
These essential oils may also be beneficial:
Cinnamon Bark and Cassia essential oils can promote healthy circulatory and cardiovascular function, as well as Marjoram and Copaiba. Take 1-2 drops of oil into a veggie capsule and take internally, if heart health is a concern for you. And it should concern you, especially as a woman. You can learn more about heart health and essential oils here.
doTerra’s wellness pyramid is the basis for everyday health, including your heart health. Reducing toxic load. rest and managing stress can be achieved with the Life Long Vitality supplements and essential oils.
Informed self care is so important, like I mentioned earlier you have to become your own health advocate especially if you feel like something is off in your body. Proactive medical care is important for catching things sooner rather than later, like getting your yearly physical, Pap smear, Mammogram, Colonoscopies, etc can hopefully catch things before they become an even bigger issue.
When I first started to get sick I felt like a fraud to be preaching a healthy lifestyle with essential oils while my own health was spiraling out of control. I still have the same feelings and insecurities pop up but, I know that my healthcare is better when I incorporate natural alternatives along with traditional medicine. It doesn’t have to be a this or that, but we can mesh them together to take control over our health and our lives.
This February I challenge you to start building your foundation to a healthy lifestyle and schedule those check-up appointments. I have to remind myself often that I can’t pour from an empty cup.
Ready for a complete overhaul of your health? Doterra has released a new enrollment kit for just that- The Foundational Habits Enrollment Kit. This kit includes:
Chocolate protein powder
Doterra fiber
Doterra greens
Doterra On Guard 5ml- protects against environmental and seasonal threats
Doterra Balance 5ml- Creates a sense of calm and tranquility
Frankincense 5ml- Supports healthy cellular, immune, nervous, and digestive function when taken internally. When diffused or inhaled it promotes feelings of peace, relaxation, satisfaction and overall wellness.
Lemon 5ml- Provides cleansing and digestive benefits and supports healthy respiratory function.
Lavender 5ml- Swiss army knife of oils, calms and relaxes when taken internally, use in a bath, massage or inhale/diffuse to ease stress and help sleep.
Deep Blue Rub- This is one of my most used products. This rub helps soothe tired and achy muscles.
Doterra Lifelong Vitality Pack
TerraZyme and PB Assist- Supports digestion and optimizes your gastrointestinal tract.
There are TONS of enrollment kits so if this one doesn’t work, please reach out. I’d love to help you find the perfect products for your unique needs.
