Going for the Gold

Going for the Gold

As the Winter Olympics take place and again conclude in a far corner of the world, we are reminded of the quest for excellence. While most of us are not elite athletes, we all aspire to greater things, and when we see the dedication and degree of excellence that these fine people exhibit it is hard not to be impressed. But considering a bit deeper, there is the consideration of who these Olympians are. Some come from countries with ways of life or beliefs that we cannot quite understand. Some come from wealth while others have known squaller. Some come from families, programs, or countries with a legacy in a particular sport, others not so much. And some come from backgrounds and families not unlike our own. That is part all of the drama of the Olympics, whether we are from a big city, a small city, the mountains, the plains, the tropics, the tundra, no matter our language, religion, government, hobbies, interests, or politics there are people competing at this elite level that we see a bit of ourselves in. And that is inspiring. There is a bit of fantasy that take place in the imagination. Imagining and remembering the crunch of the snow under your cross country skis or boots, or feeling the rush as you catapult down a hill on a sled, inner tube, downhill skis, or snowboard you sometimes have a moment of understanding. 

It is also fun when we see that these Olympians have interests, likes, and habits like our own. Even with the intense focus, dedication, and regimen they are a reflection of those of us that are a bit more common. We are made of the same kind of stuff as these great competitors. 

Recently quite a few users of doTerra essential oils smiled after seeing a glimpse of the contents of Australian snowboarder and Olympic medalist Torah Bright's suitcase. Prominent items included quite a few doTerra products, including Deep Blue and the Lifelong Vitality Pack, among other things. On the one hand, it is not terribly surprising to learn that a very diet conscious and health oriented athlete such as Bright, would be using essential oils to deal with muscle fatigue and other issues. But it is, non the less, reassuring to see some of the things that you so value highly for health and wellness used by people competing at this elite level. On some levels Bright is someone that is very different from myself. Bright comes from a family full of snow based athletes that tend to be very holistic in their lifestyles, with a mother that is natural health therapist. When you add to that the fact that she is a Mormon, an Australian, as well as other factors; Torah Bright seems to be someone that is so very different then what I am. Yet despite differing lives, backgrounds, and perspectives we both have found the value of doTerra essential oils and how they can help you perform to a higher level and go for the gold. 

If you have questions, contact us here, on Facebook, Twitter, or at bendoingdoterra@gmail.com

Working Together

Working Together

It is reassuring to know that you are not alone. While I personally crave some time on my own, so that I can think, exercise, and be creative, I also like to be part of a larger whole. It is good to have a sense of belonging and to be part of a greater community, particularly when that community is working toward a greater good. At this writing, I am in the process of meeting with and working with a several people that have chosen not only to use essential oils in their lives, but to share their knowledge with others. We are meeting to go over a great number of things, ultimately we are sharing information and insights about our own journeys and listening to the perspectives and experiences of others. 

I am in the process of sharing with this group my insights about using the Internet and digital media to share information about doTerra essential oils online. It is difficult on some levels to do because there is so much information in such a limited amount of time to share it in. But you pass on what you can in the hope that it helps others. Lisa Skrzypczynski is teaching us about essential oils, how to use them, why, and how to share them and succeed. Ann McCotter is talking about us about positive attitude, dream fulfillment, and goal setting. There has been a lot of sharing going on and it is grand. It is so important to share with others when and where you can. It is also so nice to hear the experiences and insights of others.

I love growing, I love helping others grow. It does not matter what the subject is, growth is always the desired goal. At least it always should be for all of us. The alternative is stagnation, and stagnation is the road to decay. We go through life seeking new knowledge, improved skills, and better ways of doing things. It is when we help one another that that we grow the most. Cooperation and shared experience is a powerful thing. No matter what you do or are involved in, I encourage you to engage others, share with them, learn from them, give to them. Those are the steps that we need to take so that we can work together.

Thank you to all that took part in this great event. If you are interested in future dotTerra events in the Oshkosh, WI area, contact Marge Woodfill at margewoodfill@gmail.com

New Challenges

New Challenges

It is exciting when we find ourselves acquiring new skills and knowledge. As we build our skills and knowledge, new challenges arise, and we learn yet more as we face those challenges. Recent weeks have been exactly that. As I have read and communicated with others I have begun to gain new insights. I have also found new ways to challenge myself. 

It is not any one thing, but many in my case. I am part of a group that trains youth to run 10k runs, and while many of us are fairly dedicated runners it does become difficult to get the outdoor miles that one would like due to lack of daylight. As an additional measure to cross-train and condition ourselves by taking yoga classes at Northwoods Yoga in Gillett. What a fun new way to challenge ourselves both physically and mentally. 

As we have been busy putting together new content and ideas to share we have had to learn new ways of thinking, seeing, and communicating. In many cases these are small issues, but cumulatively these bits and pieces of new ideas and how to implement them turn in to larger challenges as well.

And of course regarding essential oils there is always a new story to share. I have been reading about specific issues as I talk with friends, family, and colleagues and learned so much. I came across an interesting, if small study from Australia that suggests that melaleuca may have a role intreating skin cancer. I also was told that a spray that we put together consisting of 15 drop melaleuca, 15 drops eucalyptus, 15 drops lavender and an ounce of fractionated coconut oil caused fresh scabs to heal and fall of within a day. It seems like every couple of days I am hearing about something like this and it really pumps me up to keep sharing with you. 

That said, I want to let you know that if you are in the Oshkosh area on Saturday, January 

25th, 2014 come look for us at the Country Living & Natural Health Expo in the Sunnyview Expo Center. There will be hundreds of exhibits and activities and family fun. It is the largest health, fitness, nutrition, and green living expo in Wisconsin and we will be there. Admission is free. We are very excited to be part of this event. Marge Woodfill, Pat Birschbach, Cari Erickson, and Kris Piaskowski will be there to answer any and all questions that they can regarding essential oils. They are all very knowledgable and will be thrilled to help you.

We learn new skills, new ideas, new ways of doing things and strive to put them together in new and innovative ways. And in doing so we change the world. 

Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

One particularly beautiful thing about essential oils is that they add to your quality of life. And this is particularly true with doTERRA. Unlike many other brands of essential oils, most doTERRA essential oils are ingestible. One reason for this is because doTERRA oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. That means they are guaranteed to be 100% pure, which gives a whole extra dimension of possibilities to your use of oils. Think about it. No chemicals, no additives, no preservatives. Nothing but the best. 

Aromatic use of essential oils is a well known method of using the scent of purified oils extracted from plants to elicit a physical or psychological response in dealing with ailments. This is a practice that is age old and well documented. In addition to physical ailments, aromatherapy can be used for cognitive functioning and mood enhancement. This is what people often think about when they think of essential oils. There is mounting evidence in the form of studies regarding this. Peppermint stimulates mental awareness and wakefulness. Lavender aids in relaxation. Lemon is effective for mood elevation and relief of stress. And so forth. Moreover, it is pleasant. But regardless of citing studies on the correlation between aroma and various responses the real beauty of essential oils is that in addition to what they do for you, they are pleasing. How often can you say that about medicine.

The bigger thing to highlight though is taste. My family consistently uses essential oils in our food and drink. If you look at my Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest aptly titled 'Ben Doing doTERRA' you will see a few pictures from time to time of dishes and drinks that we have crafted using essential oils. Generally it is pretty simple, a drop of something like lime or lemon in a drink, any drink. Adding a drop or two to just your drinking water works wonders. Water becomes something that you look forward to. In addition to hydrating your body, which most of us fall well short on, you are selecting compounds that serve a beneficial purpose for your health. A small amount of time on everythingessential.me can help you select oils that work for you and your needs. In the case of water the flavor that you are adding is not overbearing, sweetened, false and carries with it the benefits of the oils that you have selected. In any number of recipes simply substituting an ingredient for a few drops of oil is so simple. Ranging from dips to desserts and from marinades to marmalades adding essential oil to your food is fun, simple, and delicious. How often can you say that about medicine. So in the case of doTERRA essential oils, you can have your cake and eat it too.

If you have questions please contact me on this blog, on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Also you may email me at educatorunderground@gmail.com. 

Good Medicine

Good Medicine

Cold season comes. What to do? First and foremost is to not get sick in the first place. One common preventative measure is to consistently put a drop of lemon essential oil into your drinking water. If I feel concerned about a cold coming on I will rub a drop of OnGuard on my thyroids. If I feel like the immune system needs a bit more help then I make a "magic bullet". A magic bullet consists of two drops of melaleuca, tho drops of oregano, two drops of OnGuard, and four drops of lemon, all in a vegetable capsule. These steps seem to work very well. I get sick less often and with less severity since I have started doing this. OnGuard is an immune system booster, and the "magic bullets"deliver a double whammy to the viruses that cause the common cold. Oregano is particularly effective as an antiseptic and anti bacterial agent. Melaleuca is great for dealing a variety of fungi and bacteria.  And lemon is an excellent antibacterial agent. Put all of these items together and you have a powerful medicine. These measure help prior to a cold in staving it off but also with minimizing and shortening the cold itself.

Despite trying to be on top of things sometimes you get sick nonetheless. Essential oils can help with that also. Breathe helps clear the nasal passages brilliantly. Lacking Breathe, peppermint is a great standby. The other day, my nose was really clogged up and I happened to have a sample bottle of peppermint which I placed by my nostril and inhaled directly. Clear nostrils for the rest of the day. I also had a mildly sore throat. I placed a drop of lemon and a drop of OnGuard in a shot glass and filled it with water. I then gargled with a bit of it to ease my throat.  It worked nicely. Overall though, I felt somewhat miserable, miserable enough that I was concerned that I would not be able to sleep well. Two drops of lavender essential oil in a glass of water before bed and I slept like a baby. To top it off, I even have some not quite perfect, home made cough drops, made from honey and OnGuard.

I could go on, but the point is that I and my family have found some simple, effective, ways to deal with basic illnesses at home thats to doTERRA essential oils. You can too. That is a good thing to keep it mind as the cold weather approaches. If you have questions contact 'bendoingdoterra' on Facebook or Twitter. We are happy to help.