Essential Oils

My mom started using essential oils about a year ago, but I wasn't sold right away. Honesty, I though it was another one of Mom's 'things'! :)But, after using them a few times, I had more faith in them, and now I love to use them!

What are Essential Oils?
Each essential oil company has it's own standards in regards to the way them make their oils. We use a brand called, Young Living , and we love their Seed-to-Seal standards! Essential oils are simply the oils from botanicals. They can be use in so many ways, to promote healthier living in all aspects of life!

Oils I love!
Lavender: I love this one, and it's probably the oil I use the most! Here are a few ways you can use lavender to promote healthier living!

Burns: Appling a few drops to a burned area of skin can help relieve some of the discomfort.

 

Bug Bites and Stings: A few drops on a bug bite or sting can help to relieve some of the pain or itching.

 

Sleep: Smelling the oil or applying some to your sheets and/or pillows can help to calm you and help you sleep!

 

Thieves: This one is probably my Mom's favorite oil, for good reason too! Here are a few ways we love to use this oil!

 

Disinfectant: Thieves can be used to clean anything from the countertop to you hands, and it can help to disinfect the area.

Bug Repellant: Applying a few drops, or spraying it on your skin and clothing can help repel the bugs!

Cold/Canker Sores: My sister has used a few drops of this oil on her canker sores to help relieve the discomfort.

 

 

Purification: This is another one of my favorite oils to use, and I use it quite a bit too!

 

Acne: This is how I use this oil the most- Applying a drop of oil to a skin blemish or acne spot can help to relieve discomfort and some redness.

 

Insect Bites: Much like lavender, purification may used to soothe bug bites.

 

Stinking Shoes: A few drops into your shoes can help to, well, purify them and make them smell nice!

 

 

Lemon: This one smells so nice, I love to use it whenever I can!

 

Energize: A few sniffs of this oil can help to energize you and can be uplifting!

 

Cleaning: Adding a few drops to your cloth to clean, or diluting it in a spray bottle can be a wonderful way to get your house clean, without using harsh ingredients.

 

Essence Water: Add a few drops to your water for a nice, refreshing drink!

 

 

 

Please Note!

I am not making any health claims, but I am sharing with you the  ways some essential oils can be used. They don't work the same for everyone, so some things might work for a certain thing for me, but not for you!

 

 

Obviously there are a ton more essential oils out there, so I encourage you to try a few out and learn as much as you can about them and the way you can use them! Going to a website like, Young Living, can give you some more info!

 

Please share this blog with a friend and family member! You can follow the blog via email, Google, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett and on Twitter @ SpinachisGood.

 

I'm going to change my post schedule from every Monday and Friday to just every Friday! Hopefully this will give me more time to put more into each post!

 

Keep Healthy and Safe!

H.Banana



 

 

 



21 Day Cleanse

Three weeks ago my sister and I decided to go on a 21 day cleanse. I had been wanting to do one for a while, and I was glad my sister wanted to join me! At first I thought 21 days was a long time, but as we got going with the cleanse, time flew by!

The Plan
So, how did we chose, out of tons of programs, which cleanse we were going to go on? I decided to combine a few of the programs I found, into one suited to our needs. The most inspiration came from the book Clean by Dr. Junger. I had done a shorter version of this cleanse before, so I was familiar with the program.
To sum it up, we cut out all processed foods, refined sugars, wheat, dairy products, soy products, corn products(all but a little fresh corn), deli meats, condiments, and stuck to a very fruit and vegetable based diet. We had at least two liquid meals a day, drank a lot of water, and practiced portion control.

Week 1
We started the cleanse on a Monday and by that next Thursday I was already seeing and feeling the effects! One of the first things I noticed was I wasn't bloated at all! I never realized how bloated I had been until then. My skin also started to clear and I was sleeping better at night.
There were, of course, struggles too. I couldn't have cream, so if I wanted coffee I had to drink it black. This has since become my preferred way to drink coffee. I also had to watch my family eat things I couldn't eat(but wanted to!). I was glad to have my sister there so we could keep each other on track!

Week 2
By week two I was feeling great and surprised at how fast the time had flown by! By this time we had had a birthday in the family as well as it being Easter Sunday, so we had 'cheated' a few times because of that. But, for the most part, we had stayed on track. I had already lost some weight and was feeling 'cleaner' (if that makes sense!)
Over Easter I made a few healthy things to keep my sister and I on track. First I made some healthy Carrot Cupcakes when my family had regular Carrot Cupcakes, and second I made my Honey Roasted Carrots which were amazing! I have to say, it wasn't as hard as I thought with healthy options  to chose over the 'unhealthy' ones!

Week 3
By this time we were counting the days to the end. When we could go back to a still healthy, but more normal diet! I have to say that by this last week by weight-loss stopped, but that's fairly normal for people who don't have a ton to lose anyway! My sister(who doesn't drink coffee black) was craving some coffee! We had another birthday in our family so we had to 'cheat' a little for that. Sadly the result of that was a stomach ache!
I was still feeling great and energized and 'clean' even if I didn't lose weight in the last week.

Results
The results of the cleanse were visual as well as nonvisual. I did lose weight, not a whole lot, but enough. In total I lost 5 pounds but, because of the strength training I added to my workout schedule ,I gained some muscle weight. Losing weight wasn't even half of it though! I felt so much better, my skin was clearer, I wasn't bloated, I slept better at night, and I had the satisfaction of knowing my body was healthier! Would I do it again? YES! I am already thinking of doing one later this summer, but let me enjoy my cheese, chocolate and biscuits first!

Main Diet
We had a few things that we ate a lot! Fruits and veggies had a place in every meal(which is something I will continue to do),  we made a lot of salads some with meat( normally grilled chicken) and some without and we got really creative with our smoothies. Thankfully we fixed a lot of 'cleanse approved' meals as a family.  A few things I learned to love were, black coffee, avocado( I put it in everything from smoothie to salad!), nuts(by themselves for a snack or in a smoothie.) and steamed broccoli!

I hope this post as given you a few ideas on what to expect, should you go on a cleanse yourself. This, of course, was my personally experience, and every one is different so your experience will more than likely be different that mine!
Please make sure that you are in a position health-wise to complete a cleanse, if you should chose to do a cleanse.

Please share this post with a friend and give the blog a follow. You can also follow the blog on Twitter @ SpinachisGood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

Keep healthy and SAFE
H.Banana

Getting Ready for Spring Part 2

  

With Spring just around the corner, its time to start getting ready for the warmer weather! Soon(hopefully!) we will be getting out the spring clothes, planting our garden and watching the grass and trees turn green!

My last post (Getting Ready for Spring Part 1) was all about cleaning out the fridge and pantry and getting rid of food you don't need or want and making sure that what you do have in your fridge and pantry matches your healthy lifestyle!
This post is going to be about cleaning up your diet and making some changes! It is so important to examine you diet every once in a while to make sure that you aren't missing something!

#1
Detox or Cleanses. Spring is a great time to do a bit of deep cleaning for your body. Its a fresh start for the trees, grass and animals, so why not for you? Going on a Cleanse or Detox is a great way to do this. They focus on flushing out the toxins that have built up in your body and allows your body to heal it's self. My family and I went on a week long cleanse roughly based on the book Clean and I saw some great changes! There are of course plenty of cleanses and detoxes out there so look around to find one that works for you! Going on a detox or cleanse can seem a bit complicated, but it is all worth it when you feel and look so much healthier! The first 2 days are the hardest in my opinion because you aren't used to it yet, but after that it is pretty smooth sailing! I encourage you to try a cleanse or detox( 3 days is even enough to get started!) and do some Spring Cleaning for your body!

 

#2
Making a Plan, Setting Goals. While Cleanses and Detoxes are a great way to jump start your healthy diet, maintaining can be a task in itself! Making a meal plan is a great way to stay on track because, with a meal planned, you are less likely to grab for an unhealthy option! It doesn't have to be all cooking at home, but making your own food is the best way to eat healthy. Having premade snacks and meals is perfect for those who eat most of their meals away from the house. Pick a day to make all the meals you need for the week. Setting goals is a great motivator to eat healthy because you want to reach your goals. A few goals of mine this season are; Participate in Meatless Monday, complete a cleanse program and add yoga to my workout routine. Once you make a meal plan  and set goals for yourself, you will see the effect they have on your health and you will feel so much better! Make it a goal to do some Spring Cleaning for your diet!


I hope this encourages you to do some Spring Cleaning for your diet and body. Once you experience the benefits of a healthy diet you will never go back! Please share this with a friend and look for 'Getting Ready for Spring Part 3'!

Keep  Healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

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