5 Days of Wolfberry Recipes

As I’ve stated in my other blog, Outside the Cave, I am done with weird food restrictions. So hear me out on this new thing I’m doing. Better yet, listen to an expert: https://youtu.be/KG3dLZ1gwtw. In this video, Marcella Vonn Harting explains the health benefits of the wolfberry, which Young Living sells in the form of dried berries as well as in a delicious juice blend called Ningxia Red. Vonn Harting holds two PhDs (integrative health and psychoneurology). These were my biggest takeaways: “…it takes 180 days to regenerate your liver… people who did the 180 day challenge experienced improved physical and emotional health, increased energy, weight loss, and improved sleep.”

I couldn’t sign up fast enough for the 180 day challenge. I’m expecting a shipment of Ningxia Red tomorrow, but I started the challenge 5 days ago using the wolfberries in my pantry. The challenge is to drink or eat one serving a day of wolfberries for 180 days. It only makes sense to not sabotage the good stuff with unhealthy eating. So I am resolving to keep it as healthy as possible while adding the good stuff. No crazy restrictions, no avoiding social gatherings. (Wishful thinking for post pandemic life). Eating wolfberries lends itself beautifully to healthy eating, as one meal a day will revolve around them. This is what I’ve cooked up so far. According to package directions, 1/4 cup is one serving.

Day 1 – oatmeal with wolfberries (cook the berries with the oats

Day 2 – wolfberry tea (Pour boiling water over dried berries. Drink the tea, then eat the berries.)

Day 3 – wolfberry pancakes (use whole wheat or grain free “flour”)

Day 4 – chocolate chia pudding with wolfberries.

Directions:

Whisk 1/4 cup cacao powder with 4 Tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1.5 cups unsweetened milk alternative, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 cup dried wolfberries, and 1/2 cup chia seeds. Let it set overnight in refrigerator.

Day 5 – wolfberry porridge

Directions:

Combine 3/4 c milk alternative with 3 Tbsp almond flour and 1/4 cup dried wolfberries. Bring to boil, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in one beaten egg until thickened. Season with salt and honey.

Yum!

Who’s ready to join me on this journey?

Summer Must-Have Oils

I am SO ready for summer!  The sun is out, the mosquitoes are biting, it’s a beautiful thing. 

It is easy to reach for the chemicals for that sun kissed, bug free lifestyle, but there is a much better way.

Young Living has you covered. Here are my summer must have oils.

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Lemon is a natural cleanser.  Start your day with a drop in your water or tea to protect your body against toxic food and environmental pollution. It boosts mood and helps with concentration. Perfect for a road trip.  And forget about hair lightening products. Use nourishing lemon instead for the beach blonde look.

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Peppermint is also great for road trips.  It feels wonderful on the temples for fatigue.  It will combat headaches and nausea.  Got bugs?  They don’t stand a chance against peppermint.

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Purification is your bug spray.  Make your own by adding several drops to a pinch of Epson salt and combining with distilled water in a small glass squirt bottle. It keeps the mosquitoes off me.  You can also diffuse it to keep bugs away.

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Lavender is my burn and scrape oil.  Sunburn soothing  and wound healing are just a couple of its many uses.  Also great for insomnia, anxiety and allergies.

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Thieves is always a must because the last thing you want is a summer cold. Sore throats and other viruses are quickly wiped out with Thieves at our house.

So far, all the oils mentioned are included in the Premium Starter Kit, which also comes with a diffuser and wholesale membership (www.youngliving.org/hollydoodle2013).  There are a couple of other very valuable summer oils I use for sunscreen.  They are myrrh and carrot seed.

Unpacking the Premium Starter Kit

Premium Starter Kit

If you have been following me at all or happen to know me in person, you know I am really into these oils and that there’s something called a Premium Starter Kit I think everyone should have the privilege of owning. Today I would like to give a quick overview all in one place of what comes in this kit and how I have personally benefitted from it.

The Premium Starter Kit automatically comes with a wholesale membership. There are no further obligations as a wholesale member. You will simply be able to start purchasing the best essential oils in the world at 24% off retail price. When purchasing the starter kit, you will be asked for your social security number because you will be eligible to participate in the compensation plan.

The Premium Starter Kit includes the Home Diffuser, 10 individual samples (2 lemon, 2 Thieves, 2 Peppermint, 2 Lavender, and 2 Peace and Calming), 2 NingXia Red individual serving pouches, Stress Away Essential Oil blend, a roller fitment, a complete catalog, product usage information, and the Everyday Oils Collection.

Essential oils can be used topically, internally (when labeled “supplement”), and aromatically. For inhalation, nothing beats a good diffuser. We keep one going almost constantly at home. I’ve also been known to diffuse in my classroom. The Home Diffuser is a huge perk. The retail price for this item alone is $98.68.

I love the samples. They are so great to keep on hand for those times my friends start to sneeze, complain of a headache, experience anxiety, have a cold coming on, or have a hoarse voice. I’ll just pass them out to help people, which I love to do. You may not be interested in starting a business, but when those friends decide to order more, you may just get a thank you check in the mail from Young Living. Sounds like a win win to me.

NingXia Red is amazing. Enjoy those samples yourself. Find out how yummy it is and skip that cup of coffee. When I drink NR (as in as often as I can get my hands on it), I notice an improvement in my hair and nails, increased energy, elevated mood, and better digestion. It contains wolfberry puree from China’s Ningxia province, essential oils, and vitamin-rich whole fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, and pomegranates.

Stress Away is heavenly. It is a great oil to keep on hand with the roller fitment. Just roll it on as needed. It lives up to its name, I can tell you. Cedarwood is an amazing grounding oil, which helps with focus and combats negativity. And I mean, who wouldn’t get a boost from smelling like lime and vanilla? It also contains copaiba, ocotea, and lavender.

The Everyday Oils Collection contains 10 (5 ml) bottles of essential oils. Here is how they have benefitted my family and me.
Joy contains bergamot, lemon, palmarosa, ylang ylang, mandarin, rose, geranium, jasmine, Roman chamomile, and coriander. It puts a spring in my step. I apply topically right over my heart. Thanks to rose in particular, this oil has a very high frequency. This is no doubt part of my secret for staying happy and healthy even when surrounded by illness and stress.
Valor is my confidence blend. It’s a toss up between Valor and Stress Away, but I love how it smells. These oils are not to be confused with perfume, but I’ll tell you it is nice to smell good while enjoying all the benefits. I also use Valor to relax sore muscles. I like to roll it on or add it to Epsom salt for a relaxing bath. I put it on my jaw before bed to eliminate teeth grinding. I put it on my spine to help with alignment. Valor helps with physical and emotional balancing. I also apply to my wrists and hold them together to gain balance. Valor is a blend of spruce, frankincense, and blue tansy.
Thieves is a university tested blend that will combat and kill bacteria, mold and viruses. It is great to diffuse during cold season. I put it on my son’s feet when he starts getting sick. It stops nighttime coughing immediately. I take internally when sick or exposed to illness. I like to put a drop on my tongue or drink in a tea. Thieves contains clove, cinnamon bark, rosemary, lemon, and eucalyptus. I have whitened my teeth with Thieves, used it for healthier gums (just ask my dentist), and used it as a powerful household cleaner.
PanAway reminds me of Icy Hot except it’s all natural and beneficial. You get the tingly feeling, but it is not just a temporary relief. It will actually help the body heal. I use it for pain, bruising, and irritation. It is very powerful against muscle tension and headaches. This blend contains wintergreen, clove, helichrysum, and peppermint.
Purification is my go to for skin issues. Acne, bug bites, and cuts and scrapes are all covered with Purification. Even my teens use it for acne, and let me tell you, they don’t blindly take my advice. I used it on my dog to keep ticks away in rural Tennessee. I spray it on to keep mosquitos away. It is also a great deodorizer. Diffuse it to freshen the air. It smells like ginger to me but contains lemongrass, rosemary, melaleuca (tea tree), myrtle, and citronella.
Peace and Calming lives up to its name and smells delicious. It contains tangerine, ylang ylang, blue tansy, orange, and patchouli. We use it for anxiety and focus. ADHD anyone? I diffuse it when people are stressed. It is also helpful for insomnia. Apply on wrists, at brain stem, on chakra points (forehead is a good one), or on the bottom of the feet. The feet are an excellent entry point into all your cells by way of nerve endings.
Lavender is great for allergies, sleep, anxiety, and laundry care. I also use it for first aid. It goes on the Bandaid and heals skin very quickly.
Peppermint is a wonderful pick-me-up. It keeps me alert while driving. I keep some in my purse to freshen breath or rub on my temples when fatigue or head tension kicks in. It’s just awesome, what can I say? Also, great for nausea. Make a tea or rub on your belly for a quick turn around.
Lemon is another workhorse. It’s my favorite water flavor. Instead of filling up on unhealthy drinks, I drink lemon water and enjoy the uplifting and detoxing benefits of citrus oils. It smells fantastic in the diffuser and also helps with fatigue and focus. Lemon will clean anything too, at least anything I’ve tried. Imagine how that works in your body! For a hoarse throat, make a tea or rub some right on your neck.
Frankincense is another reason the Premium Starter Kit is such a fantastic value. I use it for pain and to kick illnesses quickly. Most notably, I used Frankincense along with the natural progesterone serum, Progessence Plus to completely eliminate my fibroid problem.

Do you have a kit yet? If so, please share your stories with us. If not, you can order it right here: http://www.youngliving.org/hollydoodle2013.

Enjoy!

Purification: part 4 of 9

Outside the Cave

Purification is another exceptional essential oil blend included in Young Living’s Everyday Oils collection.  It contains citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, melaleuca (tea tree), lavandin, and myrtle. 

These are powerful oils which combine to create a pleasing gingery smell.  One of Purification’s best uses is as a deodorizer.  Lingering kitchen odors, smelly sneakers, and cigarette smoke can quickly be neutralized by diffusing Purification.  You can also put it on cotton balls and strategically place them in shoes, cars, air vents, etc.

I’ve also used it as an insect repellent for myself and my dog.  Instead of Frontline, I put a few drops of Purification on the top of my dog’s spine after her bath.  This got us through tick season without any issues.

Other uses include :
Cleanses and disinfects air (EODR 5th edition)
Clearing blemishes
Soothing the throat
Removing venom from insect bites
Ear mites in pets

There are still five…

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