July 2018 – thatnursewrites

Tea Tree Oil

I am volunteering as a nurse this week for my daughter’s high school marching band. We are at an away camp in the country so the band can bond, get down to business and learn their show. The camp is rustic and everything you’d imagine an away camp to be: scary food, acres of old cabins, trees and plenty of bugs to go around.

Of course as the suburbia dwellers that we are, we bring every spray known to man, bug spray and sunscreen. I refuse to put either of those on my body much less be present when it is sprayed into the atmosphere.

In the year since I’ve been here, I’ve become oily and I am on a mission to remove as many toxicities from my life as possible. Bug spray is right up there. I hate the smell and the way it feels on my skin and I don’t even want to think about the chemicals it contains.

This year I brought Tea Tree Oil to combat bugs. I simply put some Tea Tree Oil on my arms and legs, my neck and temples. The bugs approach me and quickly leave. I’m pleased.

In addition to keeping bugs away, Tea Tree Oil has many other benefits. It has Antifungal, Antiseptic, Antimicrobial, Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory properties. It supports itching from hives and rashes. It supports inflammation from ear infections and herpes virus. You can mix it in your shampoo to wash your hair and rinse it out to help a dry scalp. You can mix lavender and tea tree oils to combat head lice. These are only a few of the many things Tea Tree Oil supports.

If you are looking for a natural alternative to bug spray the next time you are out in the woods, I’d highly recommend this.

Dewdrop Duo PSK Sale Ends 1159PM MST

Life is so precious and short. I’ve seen more sick human beings since I entered nursing school fall of 1991 than I care to admit. Now that my husband and I are in our late 40’s and our children are young adults and growing up so fast, I want to get every minute I can out of these bones of mine and I want to guide others on a journey of good health.

I first learned about Young Living a few years ago from a coworker. I kept it in the back of my mind and then it finally clicked for me. Last September just three weeks into his sophomore year of college, my son ends up with Strep Throat. We followed the instructions his doctor gave him but I was desperate to find some natural remedies to support his healing and get him back on his feet sooner so he didn’t miss any school. After that I knew it was time to join Young Living. I want to utilize everything I can to support good health, physical and well as emotional. These oils have made an incredible difference for me in just under a year and I am in the process of transitioning the products in my home to chemical free. Stay tuned for a chemical free post later this weekend and I hope that you continue to read my posts because I’ve got a lot of good oily information coming your way.

Today is the final day to take advantage of this awesome extended offer. If you are new to my blog, welcome! If you are still on the fence about beginning an oily journey, let me redirect you to some of my previous posts.

My post entitled Health Benefits of Dewdrop Diffuser Duo goes into detail about the oils and other products included in the kit and their health benefits If you haven’t already read it, and are curious, click here.

You might also like my post entitled, “Getting to Know the Oils and Getting Started.” To read click here. This post talks about some of the many usages of each oil as well as the wholesale (if you were a member price) or retail (if you were not a member price). I know, 198.25 does seem like a lot but if you were to add up the two diffusers plus the oils and other products the price would exceed 198.25.

In addition to essential oils, Young Living offers Personal Care products for men and women, KidScents, Animal Scents, Nutritional Products, and cleaning products.

If you feel like you are ready to begin a new journey into health and wellness and want to sign up click this signup link. . If you feel you need more time or have more questions feel free to email me jennycrn@comcast.net and please keep reading.

May Books

I am six books behind my coworker/reader buddy on the Goodreads 2018 reading challenge, but she’s retired and I’m not so I guess I’d better read a little faster. I still have time to get my 55 books in. I love historical fiction. I guess you can say I’ve been on a bit of a WWII kick lately.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan– NYC pre WWII a young girl’s father disappears secondary to questionable mob activity. Fast forward to this young woman’s adulthood during WWII and her efforts to help the war, she discovers what happened to her father. I discovered this from Goodreads and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a must read.

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard-1944 the lives of an 18 year old country girl, a Jewish physicist, a poor sharecropper girl, a wealthy army officer and an African American man intertwine as they work on the Manhattan Project. This was a good book but not one of my favorites.

That Month in Tuscany by Inglath Cooper. I saw this on Barnes and Noble’s recommendations and wanted to be in Italy in my head for a spell so I went for this book. A little predictable story about a woman married to a man that’s always disappointing her. She decided to go to Tuscany for their anniversary vacation by herself after he told her he can’t miss work. The book takes the woman on a journey of self discovery when she faces unexpected surprises. Meh it was ok. Nice to read about Italian culture and food.

Stay tuned for June and July.

Muscle Support

One of the things I love most about being part of the Young Living Essential Oils Community is the sharing of product use that goes on. I share with coworkers, friends and people I follow on Facebook and Instagram.

These products in the picture are used for muscle support.

The Ortho Ease was recommended to me by a friend who’s son is in my daughter’s high school class. Both of our kids do marching band in the fall and play sports in the spring. My friend’s son plays lacrosse. My daughter runs track. My friend told me about Ortho Ease at the beginning of the season and how much her son enjoys this massage oil after practice and games. So I purchased some. My daughter enjoyed using it after track and I use it regularly to soothe my leg muscles after my 4-5 mile walks. It’s a must have.

A few weeks ago I fell asleep with my right arm behind my head. Ouch! My shoulder was not a happy camper and it hurt to even lift my arm. From sharing, I learned of a 5 oil blend that an oily friend of mine uses. I did not have 2 of the oils they used but I did have Peppermint, Copaiba and Panaway, which are included in the Premium Starter Kit. So, I mixed these three oils with the Ortho-Ease, massaged my shoulder, did some quality stretches and my shoulder was back in business in no time. Before my oily life, I would have popped some Ibuprofen and hoped for the best. This time I didn’t use any Ibuprofen. As a matter of fact, since I discovered this gem of a blend, my Ibuprofen use is nearly nonexistent. Just saying.

April Books

Here I am on July 17 writing about the books I read in April. Lol oh well. It’s never too late to find a good book.

Hikertrash: Life on the Pacific Crest Trail by Erin Miller. It took me a few months to read this book. This is a personal account of a married couple who thru hiked the 2659mi Pacific Crest Trail 5 years ago. It was interesting but it was more like journal entries instead of actual chapters. When I started getting tired of it, I read other books and came back to it when I wanted an escape in my head.

Weekends at Bellevue by Julie Holland. This book is a true story and details the experience of the nine years Dr Julie Holland, a board-certified psychiatrist spent working in the psychiatric emergency room at Bellevue Hospital in NYC. If you are not medical and easily offended, don’t read this book. This is this woman’s personal EXPERIENCE. It is not to be judged or psychoanalyzed. I was extremely angered to read the very first review from 4 years ago listed on Goodreads and the several reviews that follow. The first review was written by a “psychology major and a human being”. All I can say is Bitch, don’t judge until you’ve walked in that person’s shoes.

I’m sorry but I have to stand on my soap box for a moment. I am a Board Certified Emergency Nurse with 13 years of Emergency Nursing under my belt. The general public has no idea of the experiences at work that we have on a daily basis that either harden our hearts, break our hearts or both. They have no idea how each one of us has experienced burn out at some point in our careers. Burnout that makes us feel like we are in an uncontrollable downward spiral as our own sanity circles the drain. Sure, burnout heals and can lay dormant for a spell until we have another experience that triggers it and then we pray that we don’t snap and circle the drain again. Burnout was one of the reasons I left the Emergency Room. The Emergency Room that I was able to refine my knowledge and skills as a registered nurse. The Emergency Room where my intuition came alive and I could tell someone was going bad by looking at them. The Emergency Room where I saw lives begin and end. The Emergency Room where I saw people bleed out and swallow their brains. The Emergency Room where I cleaned up more shit, piss, blood, snot and puke than I care to recall. The Emergency Room where I used to puke in the sink if the stench got to me too much. The Emergency Room where I was threatened with physical violence and sexually harassed on multiple occasions. The Emergency Room where hospital security frequently had to physically protect us when there were dangerous patients that we had to sedate and restrain. The Emergency Room where I took care of murderers and rapists. The Emergency Room where I made lifelong friends. The Emergency Room that I shared weekends, holidays, and snowstorms with my ER family. The Emergency Room where we as staff shared each other’s triumphs and defeats. The Emergency Room that built a foundation for the rest of my career and gave me the confidence to try any other nursing afterwards. The Emergency Room that I was proud to work at. I remember shortly before I transferred out of the Emergency Room, one of the ER Attending Physicians said to me, “Nurses are lucky, they can leave when they want to and when they need to. Physicians have to stay.”

So I say, thank you Dr Julie Holland for sharing your experience.

The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve. I started reading this book years ago and returned it to the library unfinished because I wasn’t feeling it. Shortly before I read this book in April, I’d read Anita Shreve’s latest book and decided to give it another go. This book is about the after effects of the death of a Pilot who perished in a plane crash. The Pilot’s wife uncovers his secret life. It was good.

How About Some Better Sleep?

Sleep is so important to our health. I, for one, am someone who needs adequate sleep to function. Some people can get away with not getting enough sleep, not me. One of my favorite things about being part of the Oily Community is the sharing that goes on. I saw this oil combination on a social media post and I’ve used it a few times now. I absolutely love it. Last night I used this oil combination in my Desert Mist Diffuser.

4 drops Lavender. 4 drops Vetiver.

Lavender is used to support insomnia, nervous tension, emotional support and calming. You can diffuse it, you can put it on your body or you can put it in your bath. If you don’t know what Lavender smells like, lol walk into a spa.

Vetiver. This is a new favorite of mine. It has a real woodsy smell too. I totally dig it. This oil has multiple purposes but to support a good nights sleep it supports anxiety, depression, insomnia.

Sunday night I did not sleep well. Yesterday I was outside all day in the heat, I walked 5 miles and by the end of the day my body was ready to crumble. I slept a beautiful 10 hours with this Lavender/Vetiver combo last night and I am good to go!

Health Benefits of Dewdrop Duo-Extended Offer until 11:59PM MST 7/20/18

Great news! Young Living has extended the Dewdrop Diffuser Duo offer until 7/20/18. To me, wellness means following the instructions your doctor gives you and and adding what nature provides to lead a healthy, balanced life. I’d like to discuss the health benefits that each product in this kit and give you a little food for thought.

Peppermint Vitality
Lemon Vitality
Copaiba Vitality
Thieves Vitality
Digize Vitality
Citrus Fresh
Frankincense
Raven
Lavender
Panaway
Stress Away
Tangerine
Peppermint

Within these 13 oils listed, here are some of the supports to our bodies that they provide:

Are afraid you are going to get sick because your coworker is in the next cubicle is hacking up a lung and not washing their hands or covering their mouths? Immune system support and Respiratory Support.

Did you eat something you know your tummy isn’t going to like? Gastrointestinal Support.

Want to take care of your muscles before and after exercise? Anti-Inflammatory and Muscle support.

Want to freshen up your home? Air Purification.

Want to get better sleep and feel more relaxed? Emotional Balance and Sleep Support.

Want to flavor your water or tea? Want to have a relaxing bath?

Also included: 10 Sample bottles and business cards, An AromaGlide roller fitment, 2 Ningxia Red samples, A Thieves Household Cleaner sample, a product guide, a recipe book and a wholesale membership to the finest quality essential oils.

Ok now let’s talk about Ningxia Red samples. These little packets are LOADED with all natural ingredients to help sustain energy and provide health and wellness support. If you listen to your body on a daily basis, it’s going to tell you what it needs.

Here’s how I use Ningxia Red. As you know, I am a preop nurse. I wake up 0415 to report to my 0600-1530 shift four days per week at the hospital. I never get enough sleep before work…..ever. On mornings where the night before I had something to attend outside of the house in the evening or I really really didn’t get enough sleep for whatever reason, when I wake up my body is screaming for extra nutrients. Insert Ningxia Red.

Thieves Household Cleaner. Do you ever spray your countertops or your bathroom with a product that contains bleach or some other horrible chemical and think, “what am I putting into my family’s bodies?” I cleaned my kitchen a week ago with this for the first time and I feel much better knowing that there are no toxins near the food my family and my dog eats.

As always, I am not here to sell you anything. I am here to guide you into a journey of wellness and healthy living. Click here to start your journey.

Young Living Dewdrop Duo Diffuser 7/14-7/16 Special

If you’ve been on the fence about joining Young Living, this is an incredible deal to consider, so think fast because supplies go quickly during these deals. I’ve always found in life that sometimes random and quick decisions are well worth your while.

In honor of their Live Your Passion Rally, Young Living has a promotion from 7/14/18-7/16/18 1159PM MDT. This deal is exclusively for NEW MEMBERS ONLY. That could be YOU!

Included are:

2 Dewdrop Diffusers and 13 oils. (Note: The original Premium Dewdrop Diffuser Premium Starter Kit comes with one diffuser and 11 oils. If you are new to my blog, please refer to the post entitled, Getting to Know the Oils and Getting Started for more information on the oils in the Premium Starter Kit.

The 13 Oils Included:

Peppermint Vitality
Lemon Vitality
Copaiba Vitality
Thieves Vitality
Digize Vitality
Citrus Fresh
Frankincense
Raven
Lavender
Panaway
Stress Away
Tangerine
Peppermint

Why is this such a good deal? Because 1 Dewdrop Diffuser Premium Starter Kit costs 160.00 and an extra diffuser costs $63.75 wholesale and $83.88 retail!

Here’s something I learned rather quickly when I joined Young Living and received my Dewdrop Diffuser Premium Starter Kit. With my Essential Oils Pocket Reference in hand, I simply thought about which systems of my body needed the most support and went from there. I read the pocket manual, I read the Young Living blog, I read Facebook and Instagram posts and messaged my mentor constantly.

As always, I am not a salesman, I am a Registered Nurse who uses essential oils, loves them and feels the benefits they have on her own body and health. My goal is to share what I know and be your guide. I am here to be your Enroller/Sponsor and your mentor as you begin your journey into Young Living. If you choose to join today, simply click this link that will take you directly to the sign up page that has my Enroller/Sponsor number. After you enroll I call Young Living to get you a $25 credit to your account to use for future purchases AND I mail you for free, your very own Essential Oils Pocket Reference Seventh Edition. Please feel free to email me with any questions about oils or this special offer.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

When my kids were little we used to enjoy Sunday mornings with them in the kitchen. We’d have the Paul Harvey show on AM Radio 1360, my husband would cook a delicious breakfast and we’d eat, drink coffee, read, and enjoy our children. Back then we couldn’t even imagine what it would be like when they were older. Now the kids are young adults, a junior in college and a junior in high school and we don’t have as many of those Sunday mornings anymore. So when the kids are home on Sunday mornings and we can be lazy, one of my favorite things to do on Sunday mornings is to put the diffuser on in the kitchen.

Amongst the many benefits of essential oils, some of my favorites are the support of emotional wellness and stress relief they provide. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy precious family time than to insert aromatherapy into the picture. The first time I inserted aromatherapy into family time was Christmas dinner. I always host my parents and my mother in law. I diffused Christmas Spirit. It was a huge hit!

So let’s take about this combination in the picture. I have recently treated myself to the Desert Mist Diffuser. This thing functions as a humidifier, atomizer and aroma diffuser all by simply pressing a button. It can diffuse 5-6 hours on high mode, 8 hours on low mode or 10 hours on intermittent mode. In addition, it has 11 different light settings with colors! Personally, I love everything about this diffuser. The oils in the picture next to the diffuser are Peace and Calming II and Citrus Fresh. Peace and Calming II is a blend of 10 different essential oils. It supports calming the mind and providing a sense of well being. The other oil, Citrus Fresh, is a blend of six essential oils. It acts as an air purifier as well as provides support for anxiety, and helps to promote feelings of creativity and well being.

More about the oils themselves. I use Peace and Calming II a few days a week. Life is messy and I take what I can get to feel centered at all times. Citrus Fresh is great for when you are cleaning your house and you want to top it off with a fresh scent in the room.

So many oils, so many uses. Keep reading. Happy Sunday.