Can essential oils help you lose weight?

I read that the top New Years resolutions are typically around losing weight, eating healthier, and going to the gym; and to be honest I am not surprised. This is always the busy time of year for fitness facilities! But did you know essential oils can help you with your New Years resolutions? Yep, you heard that right! I’ve got an oil (or ten) to help you with that. So lets explore some oils and doTERRA products to help you with those weight loss goals.

I know we have talked about the Lifelong Vitality Supplements in the past, and we will look at those supplements, and the Slim and Sassy line later. But today we are going to look at some oils you probably already have around your house that can help you!

Lemon

Not only a natural grease fighter, and all around awesome oil – lemon also naturally helps to break down fat cells! Lemon oil will help to  detoxify and eliminate toxins in the body that can get stored in the fat cells, prevent parasites in the intestines, and improve overall digestion. When combined with grapefruit, these two are super powerful natural fat fighters!

Try putting one drop of each lemon and grapefruit in your water each morning to help with weight loss.

Cinnamon Bark

This may be one of my favourite oils to use daily. 1 drop of this in your tea, and it tastes like fall in a cup. SO GOOD. But why is cinnamon good for you, you ask? Well darling, let me tell you. This little oil is amazing for helping to kick start that metabolism. Various studies have also suggested that cinnamon can help to regulate blood glucose levels and the glucose tolerance factor in the body as well.

Not only great for helping to regulate your glucose levels, cinnamon is also great for helping to regulate and reduce cravings! This is because in the oil there is eugenol, which is a component that helps to regulate your neurosensory perceptions, which change how we taste and smell food. Even just inhaling the smell, through diffusing or directly out of the bottle, can help to curb these cravings!

Grapefruit

I am sure we have all heard that many diets include grapefruit in the morning because it is known to help boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. So why should grapefruit essential oil be any different! In fact grapefruit essential oil is often much better, because it is extracted from the rind of the fruit which contains the highest concentration of nootkatone. If you don’t know what nootkatone is (because I didn’t either!) it is a component of the fruit which helps to stimulate activated protein kinase (AMPK), which ultimately stimulates the body to use up sugars and help to reduce the accumulation of fat.

The other important thing to note about grapefruit essential oil is because it is extracted from the rind and not the fruit itself it doesn’t actually interfere with medications, which is often a common concern with this fruit! Try adding a couple drops to your water, or even in your morning smoothie for a nice refreshing taste that will have some great benefits for your metabolism.

Ginger

Ginger as I am sure we have all heard, helps to aid in digestion and weight loss. This is because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties, ginger helps to reduce inflammation which leads to better absorption and digestion of nutrients. Gingerols, a compound found in ginger, has been shown in many studies to reduce inflammation in the intestines, which improves overall absorption of vital nutrients. This has also been shown to help prevent some diseases as well. During weight loss, ginger is a great oil to use because it will help to ensure the vital nutrients and vitamins are being absorbed from your food to help to boost cellular function and energy which supports weight loss.

Ginger is great to take in your water in the morning with lemon, to help ensure that everything is being cleansed and absorbed correctly.

Peppermint

As I am sure we all know peppermint is great for soothing indigestion and upset stomach. And doTERRA peppermint is some strong and powerful stuff (remember: 1 drop is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea!). But did you guys know that menthol, which is found in peppermint is very powerful at helping to control appetite and reduce cravings! Much like cinnamon, menthol helps to regulate your neurosensory perceptions, which change how we taste and smell food. Studies have even shown that just inhaling peppermint (diffusing or directly from the bottle) have helped to drastically reduce cravings and overall daily calorie intake by preventing overeating.

Putting 1-2 drops of peppermint directly into your water before or during a meal will help to prevent overeating, and will also aid in digestion of the food.

 

Until next time,

Kelsea

Behind the Blog; Meet Kelsea

I just realized for a lot of you reading this blog and following the page, you don’t really know me. So for those of you, welcome, it is nice to meet you. My name is Kelsea and keep reading to learn who it really is behind this blog.

So who is Kelsea, why do I love this business so much, what have essential oils done for me, and what are some things you should know about me.

If you like formalities, here they are, my name is Kelsea Dale, I grew up in Barrie Ontario and recently started living in Orillia Ontario. I hold an Honours Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration… okay that is boring and formal, which lets be honest are two things I am typically not.

You want to see the real Kelsea and know who I am? Lets see, I am hard working and honest, I am fun and loving, I can be quiet and inquisitive, I love animals especially dogs and horses, but I will be the first to hop in a pen with any animal to play with it or take care of it. I am always learning and honestly love school, I can be impulsive and spontaneous, I am loyal, and I am always sassy and sarcastic (you’ve now been warned). I like to be the best at what I do, I am strong and brave at times, I am neat and organized and I love creativity and art.

My closest friends would say I am (this is complied from lists they sent me of words that describe me):

  • kind/ thoughtful /giving / understanding
  • fun/ witty / sassy
  • smart/ intelligent
  • strong
  • honest
  • beautiful
  • hard working/ dedicated/ ambitious/ determined / driven
  • loyal
  • creative
  • resourceful
  • straight-forward
  • passionate
  • competitive
  • persistant
  • meticulous

I guess they know me pretty well, because there were a lot of doubles on these lists and they all describe me quite accurately.

Here are 5 things you may not know about me.

  1. Few things relax me more than; horses, long drives, colouring, and reading a good book.
  2. I love chocolate, any kind of chocolate, but I especially love orange chocolate.
  3. I love fresh flowers and plants in the home, and I also really love cacti, they are so beautiful despite they prickly outside.
  4. As much as I love going out with friends, I tend to be very shy and quiet when I first meet people. But once you are my friend, I am very loud and outgoing and treat you like family. Oh and my mom is like my best friend.
  5. Theres nothing I love more than the open road, and a good adventure to places I have never been before. I especially love waterfalls and have a book of where to find all the coolest waterfalls in my car at all times.

So, now that you know a bit more about me, here is a few reasons why I love essential oils and doTERRA so much.

Essential oils have been in my family my whole life. They were always a staple in my home; I couldn’t swallow pills until I was almost 18, so I took natural remedies most of my childhood and still do.

As long as I can remember, if I had a headache my mom handed me some peppermint, or a roller bottle with peppermint and lavender. If I felt like I was getting a cold I had oregano slathered over my feet and thick socks pulled on, once I got older I also had to try to stomach taking some oregano under my tongue. It worked but I hated the taste and smell. As a kid, I could never fall asleep without fresh lavender or lavender oil sprayed under and on my pillow. Oh and I never left the house for school without tea tree oil in my hair, but I never had lice. If I had a really bad cold or chest congestion, my mom boiled water and put some eucalyptus in the water and had me breathe in the steam. It always worked and made me feel better.

When I learned about doTERRA I was intrigued. The purity of these oils was so much stronger than any other oil I had every used. I could tell instantly by the smell that they were strong and pure. When I used the oils and realized how little I had to use to get the same effects, I was hooked. I then became intrigued by the business. It seemed like a perfect fit for me. These oils have been a game changer for me. I use them for everything now from cleaning, to baking, to natural health remedies because I know they are safe and pure. I’ve even switched my skin care, vitamins, and my personal care products to doTERRA products and I feel so much better (there will be reviews for these products coming up soon!).

So what are some of my favourite things about doTERRA?

  1. The sourcing of the oils. I love how ethically responsible doTERRA is and how well they take care of the farmers who make the business possible.
  2. The knowledge behind the business. Every oil has a purpose, which is heavily researched and sourced before it is brought to us to buy. The board always makes sure the products are the most pure to provide the best results.
  3. The people. I love the people on my team that I work with. The mentoring is outstanding, and it really is like a small family. Above that the people on other teams that I have connected with, the people of this company are really and truly amazing people who are so passionate.
  4. The product. I have said it once and I will say it over and over and over again; these products are truly the best. There isn’t one thing I have tried that I haven’t loved.

 

So thats basically it for me.

Until next time.

Kelsea

Oil of the Week: On Guard

Now that we have talked about all the single oils in the top ten oils with doTERRA, lets take a look at the blends. This oil that we are starting with is one you are going to want to have on hand at all times in your home as the kids are going back to school and cold and flu season is starting up. On Guard is such an amazing blend. Smells great, tastes great, and works AMAZING.

With a blend of wild orange, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, and rosemary, this oil blend has a spicy and woodsy smelling aroma. On Guard is a great oil to use aromatically, topically, as well as internally to help support a healthy immune system function and also to promote an energizing and uplifting environment.

This is one of the oils that I keep with me at ALL times. I usually have this one diffusing in the house to help keep the air pure as well as energize the environment. Every morning I put a drop of this on the bottoms of my feet to help support my immune system. If I feel a cold coming on or a lot of people around me at work or home are sick I will even take 1-2 drops of On Guard in a glass of water to help ward off any germs and help boost my immune system. This is also one of my favourite oils to mix into multi-surface cleaners, as it is antibacterial and anti-fungal and smells great!

As always lets check out doTERRAs educational video for On Guard!

So many great uses for this oil. Some of my favourite ways to use this oil I have listed below. Since this is the oil of the week, there will be a couple more spotlight posts about it with some recipes as well.

  • Mix with water into a spray bottle for a great multi-surface cleaner.
  • Add two to three drops in a veggie capsule for an immune boost.*
  • Mix with fractionated coconut oil for a natural hand sanitizer that smells great!
  • Put 1-2 drops into oatmeal or soak sliced apples in water and a few drops for a healthy, immune-boosting snack that tastes great!*
  • Diffuse for an uplifting and energizing aroma.
  • Mix into laundry soap for a great smell and antibacterial wash (or just buy the pre-made soap!)
  • Add two to three drops in a veggie capsule to support healthy cardiovascular function and circulation.*

doTERRA has a whole product line of On Guard products from toothpaste to laundry soap to  hand soap and throat drops. All of these products are AMAZING and work great! I will be honest that I was a bit skeptical of the toothpaste at first but I completely love it and would never switch back to another one now, not only are my teeth whiter, but I also feel better about knowing that it is all natural and helping to support my immune system. Be sure to check out the full line available here!

Until next time,

Kelsea

 

 

Thirsty Thursday: Tea Tree

I did manage to find a recipe that includes Tea Tree. Now this is not a drink you would want to have any night, but it does work great if you are starting to feel a cold coming to to help kick it goodbye!

Cold and Flu Kicker

Ingredients:

  • 2 drops doTERRA lavender oil
  • 2 drops doTERRA lemon oil
  • 2 drops doTERRA peppermint oil
  • 2 drops doTERRA tea tree oil
  • 1 cup hot water

Instructions:

  1. Mix oils into hot water.
  2. Stir well.
  3. Drink!

On a slightly related note, I have another great recipe for you using tea tree oil. Cold sores can often be passed through drink glasses. So this week we have a recipe for you to help get rid of those nasty little cold sores.

Cold Sore Roller Bottle

Ingredients:

  • 6 drops doTERRA peppermint oil
  • 6 drops doTERRA tea tree oil
  • 1 drop doTERRA helichrysum oil
  • 2 drops doTERRA clove bud oil
  • 3 drops doTERRA lavender oil
  • 2 drops doTERRA cinnamon bark oil
  • doTERRA fractionated coconut oil
  • 5ml roller bottle

Instructions:

  1. Add oils to 5ml roller bottle.
  2. Top off bottle with doTERRA fractionated coconut oil.
  3. Apply to area until healed, and apply for 1-2 additional days to help prevent further sores.

Well thats all for today, be sure to check by tomorrow for some amazing cleaning recipes!

Kelsea