Winter Wonder

Winter Wonder

As we enter the heart of winter and are right at the tail end of the holiday season we contend with a cold world even as we enjoy a warm hearth and the warmth of family and friends. The brutality that is winter in the northern climes of North America is a harsh reality to face. But it is a reality that we must face nonetheless. At this writing, I cringe at the thought of going outside to fetch firewood and later this evening driving through the dark, winter evening on frozen roads to a meeting. In recent posts I have discussed the importance of family and making choices in the best interest of those that we care for. I have referenced different strategies for dealing with winter ailments. But at the risk of sounding like a broken record, perhaps it is time for a bit more on the topic.

One thing that winter brings is dry, cracked skin. It can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful. While lotion is a go to for most people, one of the best strategies is using a simple carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil. The coconut oil will not only moisturize the skin but is also vitamin rich and is good for the skin. The coconut oil can be supplemented with a number of essential oils such as a touch of Lavender or Lemon. This also works on cracked skin on the feet as well. Peppermint is also quite effective in this regard. Better yet a mixture of Peppermint, Melaleuca, and Geranium in coconut oil is yet another option that should work well. On a related note eczema and dry itchy skin is another common winter problem. Lavender can relieve itching, Geranium will sooth and heal the skin and Melaleuca will help with infection. As of late I have been as of late been trying Cedarwood on dry skin and that seems to be working out as well. I have high hopes for Cedarwood.

Of course, winter brings cold, coughs, and sniffles to mind as well. I have found Breathe and Peppermint to be very effective for nasal congestion. I find that just a dab on the foot or nasal passages clears thing up nicely. Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Peppermint, or Lime are nice for chest congestion by rubbing them onto the chest or lymph nodes, I find Eucalyptus in particular to be helpful for breathing. For a sore throat I gargle with a drop of On Guard, sometimes with a drop of Lemon as well. Any oil with analgesic qualities should be effective but I have been quite happy with On Guard. Oregano is very effective in this regard, but is very strong and quite bitter so I am more sparing myself with it.

Ultimately with winter ailments prevention is the best medicine. Boosting the immune system is your first line of defense. That is what On Guard does best. A bit of On Guard on the thyroids, in the drinking water, or diffused in the air staves off and weakens bacteria and viruses. Supplement this with regularly putting a drop of citrus oil into your drinking water and your immune system will be greatly strengthened. 

The next line of defense is killing the pathogens that cause illness in the first place. While you cannot put a stop to all harmful viruses that you might be exposed to, being able to destroy or weaken the lions share of them is desirable to say the least. A glass spray-bottle with several drops of On Guard, Purify and perhaps a citrus will keep your home clean and comparatively germ-free. The less viruses that your body is fighting the stronger your immune system will be.  

Winter in the north is a long and sometimes brutal ordeal. We often find ourselves struggling with cabin fever and sometimes our sanity. Even if you do get out there and ski, snowmobile, or ice fish it is still short days and long nights which makes for a very long winter. We need strategies to deal with the long periods of time inside as we ride out the winter.

If you have questions about doTERRA product and how they can help you please contact me.

educatorunderground@gmail.com

or Ben Doing doTERRA on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Finding What You Need

Finding What You Need

It is a strange thing to realize that you do, at this reading, have, for the most part, the whole of human knowledge at your disposal. In a matter of a few clicks you can be learning about any subject in all fields of human understanding. Think about that for a moment. Anything that you want to learn about, see, hear, or experience is there to discover in one form or another. With a small amount of time, effort, and perhaps some guidance, you have the ability to master any number of areas.

Navigating through all of that information can be difficult though. Yes, the opening salvo is simple enough. It is a small matter to go to the Internet and type a few keywords into a search engine, but what to do with the results. The untold thousands of results will vary. There will be wikis, blogs, and advertisements. There will be sites, of all types, dispositions, quality, and accuracy. And they will be there by the millions. How to wade through all of that?

Researching subjects like essential oils are a good example. There are so many websites with so much information. But often it is conflicting information. Standard fact checks, encyclopedias, and so forth commonly have a lag in the timeliness of the information that they offer. Wading through data on medical trials and studies is a Herculean task for most laypeople. Blogs and websites range all over the map in what they offer. Some offer the views of skeptics and critics that will deny the obvious, others offer the views of cheerleaders embracing difference for its own sake. Often the seemingly contradictory information is based on different product lines from different companies with varying qualities. Often for example, I will come across warnings about the danger of ingesting essential oils and yet I know that almost all doTERRA essential oils are perfectly safe for human consumption. I know this because doTERRA oils are all Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. 100%. No additives, no preservatives, no chemicals, no surprises.

So what to do? The main thing is to look for sources that you can trust, and voices that you can have some confidence in. For my part, as time goes by I shall try to direct you, the reader of this blog, links to sites that can help you on your quest for knowledge in this area. It is important that we share information, ideas, and opinions. That is how we grow as individuals and as a society.

For the moment, if you have questions you can post a message to me on this site. Another option is to message us on Facebook or Twitter at Ben Doing doTERRA. Or of course, you can email either me at educatorunderground@gmail.com or Kris at kris_piaskowski@yahoo.com. We will do our best to answer your questions and refer you to an appropriate source.

Thankfulness and Family

Thankfulness and Family

Thanksgiving stands at the cusp of autumn and winter, a time of transition and reverie. While New Years is often given the credit for reflection upon both what lies ahead and has transpired, it is during  Thanksgiving that we give such reflection context. This is truly the holiday of, by, and for the family. It is the essential holiday in many ways when you look at it simply through the prism of family. Yes, Easter, Christmas, and Hanukkah are vital religious holidays and times of family. Independence Day and Halloween offer their measures of family fun and also context for ourselves in important shared experiences. Like Independence Day, we have times like Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, President's Day, and Martin Luther King Day to also serve as punctuation marks to ideals that we value. Saint Patrick and Saint Valentine have sadly devolved somewhat, so rather than being viewed as religious days by Americans they are now more akin to Punxsutawney Phil's special day; non the less we have fun with them and are glad to celebrate. I could go on, but to the larger point.

Thanksgiving is unique. While it looks to the harvest, as the roots of Halloween once partially did, it is something entirely different. Think for a moment about the rituals and actions of Thanksgiving. What do we do? We gather, we eat, we visit. We say thank you, mostly offered as a prayer. No gifts, fireworks, noisemakers, costumes, or games. At least not as central parts of this holiday. We gather with family and sup together as we offer a bit of gratitude. Sure, the details vary. 'Family' might be friends, but they are close friends. We might go hunting before of after. We might be watching football as we feast. We might dress up or we might show up in blaze orange. If you are far enough north you might be setting up an ice shanty that day. But no matter how you slice it, Thanksgiving is about a shared moment of thankfulness with family. It is what we do as a people.

We should be thankful and thoughtful about our families. It is why we do so many of the things that we do. The health, happiness, and wholeness of our families does matter to us all. It informs the choices that we make. At the end of the day it is those that we care for are what matter. They are essential to us. When we chose an activity, food, or medicine for our families, we give the matter time and consideration because we cherish our families and want what is best for them. OUR families consistent use of essential oils is because we have tried them, read about them, spoken to experts on them, and as a result we have come to see them as a valuable addition to the life of our family. DoTERRA essential oils have aided us and our children through ailments and injuries, flavored our foods and beverage, cleaned our house, and eased our minds. So while my Thanksgiving prayer did not include doTERRA essential oils they are something that I am still grateful for, as in a fairly short period in my life they have had such an impact upon us. But in the end essential oils are simply a tool for aiding and enriching our lives. As we gather with family and friends in the coming weeks for holiday celebrations, keep in mind how important they are. No matter how difficult things can be it is all about family.