March 2016 – Earthy Girl Living

What Would Jesus Do?

Posted on March 27, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Happy Easter to you all! The song linked above is one that I often hear on the radio and absolutely love. Because it is Easter Sunday, I thought that it was fitting and I wanted to share with you all. If you have never heard this song before its called “Your Name is Glorious”, by Jesus Culture, featuring Kim Walker-Smith. I think you’ll like it!

You know the saying, “What goes around, comes around.??” Well essential oils for healing are making their way back around!! Did you know that essential oils and plants used for healing were mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times? Do you know the first oil mentioned in the Bible? If you do I’m impressed. I will give you a hint: You can find it in Genesis 37:23-28. “And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.” Its Myrrh Oil!

In the Old Testament oils were referenced in 36 out of the 39 books and in the New Testament they were referenced in 10 out of the 27 books. Plants have been used medicinally since the beginning of time. Essential oils, as we know them today, are not the same as they were then, due to advancement of extraction and distillation processes. Now we are benefitting from a much purer form of oil.

The same chemical procedure still enables oil to pass through the skin and into the body. It passes through the cell membrane and within 30 seconds it can be in your bloodstream. For example, If you place a drop of peppermint oil on your foot, you will taste it in your mouth within 30 seconds. Crazy right?! Try it out! Then within 30 minutes that oil will be in every cell of your body. Bam! That’s awesome! It is mind blowing that the healing properties from essential oils can happen that quickly!

Back in the day, 2016 years ago and many years even before that, when spring arrived, as it does each year, what did the people do for seasonal discomfort? Seriously WWJD? People had to use natural sources from the land to help them with any problem they had. They used holistic, plant-based solutions. The oils were essential in every aspect of their lives. Haha get it?” Essential?” Man I crack myself up!

There is evidence dating back before the Egyptians, of people using Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Cassia, and Lavender oils to help with wounds, upset stomach, cleaners, skin care, perfume, religious ceremonies, bug repellant, embalming, and promoting health and well being. I mean the list goes on and on! Oils were so valuable that they found gallons of them in the tombs of the Pharaohs to be used for their afterlife.

When Jesus was born, the Three Wise Men even brought him the offering of Frankincense and Myrrh. Too cool! These oils were more valuable than gold and only used for royalty. Frankincense is called “The King of Oils”. It has been used in religious ceremonies as they would burn the resin. It was used a salve for skin as well as a perfume. Frankincense is great for your skin and promotes a feeling of well being. The saying is, “If in doubt, use Frankincense.” You can’t go wrong with it. I use it daily!

Myrrh was also known to be as valuable as gold and was used in many religious ceremonies as well. It was often used in the embalming process, and as a health aid. It has great healing properties for the mouth and throat. Do you ever get an itchy throat? You can add it to a cup of water to gargle with it, or add a drop to your toothpaste to promote healthy gums. This oil can also be used topically, specifically on the face, to get rid of fine lines and imperfections.

We are so lucky to have access to these oils today. We need to take advantage of them and add them to our daily health regimen! They are an alternative that we should reach for first!!

As I have started my holistic approach and journey to wellness, I try not to take anything unless it is all natural.

I rarely even take Tylenol or Advil unless it is the last resort.

There are several essential oils that can help support seasonal threats. The best threesome (no, not that kind haha)…. for seasonal discomfort are: lavender, lemon, and peppermint oils. Put 2 drops of each of these three oils in a gel cap and ingest. You can diffuse them together or rub them on your feet too! Add a drop of each to a steaming cup of water and just inhale. It will help clear your breathing and aid in healthy respiratory function.

There is a product that has made this super easy for you. All three oils are combined for you in a gel cap ready for you to take. All you have to do is swallow. The product is available and I would love to hook you you up. Contact me if you would like to know more. You can take 1-2 a day as needed for seasonal discomfort. Keep out of reach of children and if you are pregnant, get your doctor’s approval first.

Have you ever had that drippy nose in the spring? Lemon oil might be able to help with this problem. Rub a drop right under your nose. If you have sensitive skin you will need to dilute with a little fractionated coconut oil or olive oil. I also love using lemon oil in my water. Just a few drops a day and it supports healthy digestion as well as adds some energy to your step! Tip: Glass containers work best for your drinking water when adding oils.

The lemon oil is such a versatile product. I use it to clean my house too! I put about 15-25 drops in a glass spray bottle with some vodka, or rubbing alcohol, and water, and it works fantastic to clean sliding glass doors, mirrors, and stainless steel appliances. No toxic side effects and it deodorizes as you clean! It has such a refreshing aroma! Remember that lemon oil is not lemon juice. The oil comes from the rind of the fruit. It is very potent! You can also use it as furniture polish. Good ‘ol Lemon Pledge, move over!

One last oil that is also great for seasonal discomfort, (and I think every household should have) is called Respiratory blend. It is a blend of oils and helps clear airways eases breathing. It supports your respiratory system. There are also Respiratory drops (like a cough drop) that help clean and sooth the airways.

I love all these products so much and I could go on and on! You really have to give them a try and you will see for yourself! They will change your life just like they have mine!

Please let me know if I can help you in any way! I would love to get you started on your own holistic journey and would be happy to send you some samples so you can feel the difference yourself! Please Contact me with any questions!

Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is He..”

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day! Be kind to someone and always be kind to yourself!

Happy Easter! WWJD

Naturally, Lisa

Spring is Sprouting, So Can YOU!

Posted on March 20, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Happy first day of spring!

The flowers are bursting out around here and it is so beautiful!! Spring has sprung! I decided I wanted to get on the bandwagon too!

I have started to grow my own sprouts. It is really super easy to do and it only takes a few days until you have sprouts ready to eat! I double dog dare you to try it!!

Last week I spoke about the rise of diabetes in our country. If you didn’t read my blog from last week, make sure to check it out! I listened to Dr. Greger’s book on Audible. It’s called How Not To Die. It was very in depth but well worth listening to; if you are really serious about making a change in your diet and your health. I highly recommend it!

One key idea I picked up on in the book was how beneficial broccoli is to our health. It helps with many types of cancers. He suggests to eat it every day. He also mentions that broccoli sprouts help reduce the risk of type II diabetes. He recommends 1/4 cup of broccoli sprouts a day.

So you want to get started!?!?! You only need a few things: You will need a couple of ball jars, a screen for each jar to put over the top of the opening to strain the water off, and some seeds of your choice. I started with broccoli and sunflower seeds. They are yummy!

You can, of course, order a set that includes everything you need, but I wanted to try it with what I had available. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this whole sprouting seeds business and I didn’t want to invest much money if it was awful. I have to say I like using the jars and they are super easy. Maybe one day I’ll get the trays and the set, but right now I like using the jars.

To start, you will need to rinse the jars and place a little bit of the seeds in the bottom of the jar. The broccoli seeds are so tiny only about 1 teaspoon is needed. I just usually guess and pour. Screw on the lid with the screen in place. Rinse the seeds and place upside down to strain the water off. I place mine in a bowl upside down at an angle so the water can continue to drain.

I put them in a dark spot for the first 24 hours. You could throw a towel over them if you want. I usually put mine in my pantry. Then after 24 hours, bring them out, or uncover, and let them sit on your counter. I rinse them several times throughout the day and follow the same procedure.

Rinse, strain, place upside down on counter. I do this for several days until they sprout and completely fill up the jar. Then, they are ready to eat!!! I take them out of the jar and place them in a container and keep them in the refrigerator. Add them to your salad or to any meal. You can even juice them! Who knew right?

Here’s a great Caesar salad dressing recipe from Dr. Michael Kluper. This recipe was from the book How Not to Die.

2Tbsp almond meal
3 crushed garlic cloves
3Tbsp dijon mustard
3Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2Tbsp white miso
3Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup of water

Blend and enjoy! If you have a high speed mixer it might be best to use whole almonds in place of the almond meal.

Here’s another way to use your sprouts. Try this stir fry recipe.It’s yummo!

Cook 1 cup of white rice. While it’s cooking, scramble an egg. Add oil to a pan, add rice, shred a bit of carrot, a little onion, add the egg, salt and pepper to taste, and of course add your broccoli and sunflower sprouts. Add a little dab of butter while this is all cooking. Stir and brown, Add Bragg’s Liquid Amino (soy sauce alternative) and you have a fabulous meal! It’s super easy! You of course could add some chicken or steak too!

Here’s a great diffuser recipe to try this spring. It will take you to paradise!!

2 drops citrus or wild orange

2 drops Sandalwood

3 drops Grapefruit

If you need a diffuser, or any oils, I would love to talk with you about them! Just let me know!

I hope you have a fantastic week! Get out there and move around! Spring is here!!

Naturally, Lisa

Shocking News!!!

Posted on March 14, 2016May 17, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

We need a reality check folks! I was watching TV the other night, which I don’t do very often. The news can be so depressing!!! What I have to tell you this week fits right in under that category……DEPRESSING! Did you know that 46% of adults in California have diabetes?!?

If California has these statistics, I really worry about the south. California is so trendy and health conscious. They drink their green drinks and do yoga while we love fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Now I know that is an overstatement but it makes me wonder.

The CDC says that 1 in 3 Americans have pre-diabetes or don’t even know they have full blown diabetes. This is mind-blowing! As of right now, 33% of 16-39 year olds, have pre-diabetes. How can that be? We are all in need of a change.

(If you did not catch this quick little clip about the population in California and are interested in hearing it, click the video link below. It’s only about 2 minutes but worth watching. http://news.yahoo.com/video/study-almost-half-calif-adults-001107233.html. )

Diabetes is a big issue and needs to be taken seriously! It can cause so many complications such as blindness, kidney disease, or possibly death. And whats even scarier is that pre-diabetes shows no symptoms!

To find out if your blood sugar levels are high, you must go to your doctor and get a simple blood test. They recommend you do this first thing in the morning after fasting from midnight the night before. I encourage each of you to go get your sugar levels checked! Better yet go get a full blown physical! Technically we should have one done every year! How long has it been since your last physical?

Now the really good news is that if you happen to have elevated sugar levels, you can lower them through diet and exercise!!! If you are interested, watch a great video on NetFlix called Forks over Knives. Go to www.forksoverknives.com to see the trailer.

The Film

This disease does not have to progress and it is totally preventable! First off, you have to take responsibility for your health. It’s not all genetics folks! Start by eliminating sodas, now I love a real Coke but I know it’s not a wise choice. There have been studies showing how bad diet drinks can be. You need to also watch your carb intake and get out and exercise!! Just make small changes!

They say to stop a habit, change your actions for 21 days! You can do that! That is only 3 weeks! You will feel so much better too! Remember New Year, New You!

Exercise is the bomb! It’s really weird but the more you lay around the more lethargic you feel. You would think it would be the opposite. Like if you laid around all day you think you should feel well rested and great. Wrong!

I know first hand. Sometimes I’ll be so tired after working all day that I just want to come home and sit. Once I stop, it’s over. If I push through and go for a walk, it always makes me feel better! I sleep better and my digestive system works better too! (TMI) ha ha . It’s good for mind, body, and soul! So get moving!!

Essential oils can also help you remain healthy too!! Who knew, right? The hard part is that you of course have to make diet and lifestyle changes. It’s a package deal!

Coriander oil and Cinnamon oil help promote a healthy metabolic function as well as circulatory function. Read here to find out 13 Health Benefits of cinnamon. I love cinnamon so I hope you check it out!

Here is a daily routine to help balance the body. Rub 1-2 drops of the grounding blend oil on the bottoms of your feet in the morning. Rub 1-2 drops of lavender oil on feet at night prior to sleep. You can make a roller ball using:

3 drops Coriander oil or Basil oil
3 drops Metabolic Blend oil
1 drop of oregano oil

or drop all these oils together in a Veggie gel cap capsule and take 3 times a day.

Last week I touched on Essential oil cellular complex. If you are not taking a multi-vitamin you really need to start. It will change your health and make you feel so much better! I also started adding more greens to my diet by using the fruit and vegetable supplement powder. We all need more greens in our diets. I add these greens to my chocolate meal replacement shake every morning! You can’t even taste it!

This is a great month to get started with essential oils. If you are interested in receiving $167.00 worth of free products, this is the month to get involved with my favorite oil company. I would love to help you get started using essential oils as an alternative health care. Please let me know if you would like some information or samples.

I would love to share them with you so you can experience how great these oils are too!

They can change your life too!!

Have a great week! Be kind to someone and make their day!

Naturally, Lisa

Sick???…You Need Bone Broth!!

Posted on March 7, 2016May 16, 2016 by lisawilkins15@yahoo.com

Well it’s a bummer when someone gets sick in your family! If someone does come down with a cold, flu, or sinus infection……the best thing in the whole world is to cook a whole chicken and make some bone broth. I’d like to share one of my family’s favorite recipes!! It has been passed down for generations and this recipe is always requested when someone is under the weather! It is so easy and it’s packed with nutrition!!!! It’s a healer for sure!

This is my version of bone broth. You of course can make bone broth using beef or chicken. I really like making chicken broth because of the simplicity of it! I find the best way to make the broth is to throw a whole chicken in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. I season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and bring it up to pressure. I cook the chicken for 20 minutes. Then bam it’s done! You can let the chicken sit there and cool and then debone it.

I like to take the pressure off the pot with a quick release method and then open the lid. (You will of course need to read the instructions for your pressure cooker to learn how to do this.) Click here to see an overview of how to use a pressure cooker. There is enough meat from the whole chicken for 2 meals for my family of 4. I stick the other half, that I am not using, in the freezer for later use.

Typically what I do is divide the broth that is in the pressure cooker after it has cooked. Usually there are about 3 cups of broth in the pan after I have pulled out the chicken. I measure out 2 cups of broth and set the other cup aside. I usually store the 1 cup of extra broth in a ball jar and freeze it. This way I can use it for another meal at a later time without having to go through the cooking process.

I take the 2 cups of broth and put them back in the same pressure cooker (haven’t washed it yet) and add 1 cup of rice. I have found that Mahatma works the best. I salt and pepper the rice. I stir in about half of the shredded chicken and close the lid to the pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes after it comes up to pressure. I do a quick release on it again and there is a nice hot steaming meal that it absolutely delicious! Serve with a salad and you are all set!

So you still have 1 cup of delicious bone broth in the freezer and the frozen chicken. When you are in need of another delicious meal, thaw them both out and get out your pressure cooker or a big stock pot. Add the bone broth and about 4-5 cups of water to the pan. Remember the bone broth is super concentrated. Cut up 2 carrots in slices, 2 celery stocks chopped, 1/2 of an onion chopped, and the other 1/2 of the chicken meat, which I like to chop up. I like to add either 1/2- 3/4 cup of elbow noodles or rice to my soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put all ingredients in the pressure cooker and cook for about 3 minutes, after it has come to full pressure. Use the quick release method and of course your noodles will not be quite finished. I place the glass lid over the pressure cooker and let it steep for about 10 minutes. The noodles continue to cook. Make some cornbread and Yummo!! You have another meal ready to go.

I use to think the gelatin in the soup was fat and it was bad. I remember spooning out the gelatin after I had put it in the refrigerator overnight. I actually threw it away thinking it was fat! Oh my! Little did I know that was the best part and filled with nutrition. Don’t throw the gelatin away!!

Of course you can make bone broth on the stove in a regular pot and let it simmer. There are recipes out there where you cook the stuff for 24 hours. If you are hanging around the house and you’ve got time, this works. I just always do it the quick way, with a pressure cooker. I think the flavor is better too! Now I have to say I have not tried the broth that has been cooked for 24 hours. I’m sure it is probably fantastic too!

So let me tell you…….all pressure cookers are not created equal. I have had many over the years. I started with an oldie that had the rocker on top. It use to scare me to death! I always thought it would explode. I worried using it around the kids.

I have since gotten a Fissler brand and I love my new pressure cooker! I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to start cooking with pressure. This new cooker does not have a rocker on top and it is super quiet! It’s a little expensive but a great investment.

Here’s another recipe that you might want to check out using a Fissler pressure cooker. It goes over how to use the pressure cooker and you can see how easy it is!

I bought a 2 piece set . The set came with both a 6qt and a 4 qt pan, a glass lid that fits both pans and then of course the top that you use to seal the pans to go under pressure. I use them both constantly in my kitchen. They can be used like regular pans too.

Please do not be scared off from these recipes if you do not have a pressure cooker! They are so yummy and worth making. Just get out a pan and start cooking! We need to get back into the kitchen! If you make these 2 recipes, you will have made 2 meals with nothing artificial added and you know exactly what is in them! This is the way we need to be cooking folks! This will heal any ailment out there! Just try it!!

One thing I have to add here is that I hope you are all taking vitamins! This will keep your immune system in check!! I’d love to tell you about the best vitamins I’ve ever taken. I can totally tell a difference when I take them. I have more energy and I feel fantastic! They have a money back guarantee and you really should try them! Please let me know if you would like to try them for 30 days, and feel the difference.

Hope you have a great week! Be kind and make someone’s day!!

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Naturally, Lisa