OOO Aromatherapy !!

This is the time of year that we stay in doors, instead of going out. We light fires,make soup,watch great movies and enjoy friends and family. It is also a time where people are hustling and bustling with the holidays and forget to take some time for themselves. Well one answer to beating stress is implementing aromatherapy into your home life. Aromatherapy has been around since Egyptian times and was revered for it effects on physical and spiritual well-being.  You can use essential oils in so many places to give yourself a boost or to wind down. For example you can use lavender or rose on your sheets and pillow cases. Lavender is a calming oil, perfect for insomnia or anxiety and rose is an aphrodisiac and mood enhancer. You can add oil to baths , oil burners, showers or humidifiers. If you add an oil such as pine or cedarwood to your logs, you can burn them and they will release the wonderful aroma through your whole home (Sprinkle the oils a couple hours before you burn the logs.) Research the oil that will be perfect for you mood at the time. If you need a boost of energy and confidence try citrus essences such as Lemon, Lemongrass, or Orange. For anxiety try Bergamot, Chamomile, Cypress, Jasmine, Lavender, or Sandalwood. For colds and flu symptoms try Eucalyptus, Tea tree, Cinnamon, or Rosemary. Oils are highly effective and economical. You can treat your whole family just by boiling some water and adding these essential oils. They smell great and will have you feeling better.

DIY Idea # 2 (Make your own Deodorant) It works !!

Make your own deodorant with ingredients you have at home. Start with 1 1/2 cups Shea butter, 1/2 cup coconut oil ,1/5 cup arrow root powder. 1/5 cup baking soda 1/2 cup cornstarch and the essential oil fragrance of your choice. Slowly melt the shea butter over low heat. To much heat will cause the shea butter to become grainy and will strip it of its nutrients. While it still has big chunks in the pan, take shea butter off and whip it with a hand mixer or by hand until it becomes creamy. Add the other ingredients, saving the oil for last. Whip until smooth and creamy then add your essential oil. Pour mixture into an old deodorant container (you’ll need 2) or to a tupperware container with a lid. Let set and there you have it !! This really works and I use it every day. It is safer than regular deodorant that has cancer causing aluminum and I can make it unique by adding my favorite fragrance. Let me know how it works for you !!

Essentials everyone should have in their home #1

Black Seed oil. This oil can be used topically or internally and is a great multivitamin and pain reliever. It can be used as an anti-histimine and helps relieve cramps and muscle spasms when massaged into the trouble areas. You can also use black seed oil as a detox because it helps flush out toxins and research shows it can lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation.

 

 

Tea Tree oil is a great oil that is used for its immune boosting properties. Its also great for fungal and respiritory infections. You can also eliminate warts and treat sunburns. It is a topical oil only,not to be used internally.

Eucalyptus Oil is a great remedy for colds and flu symptoms. Its vapors are great for breaking up congestion and clearing noses. You can add this to boiling water for household relief or add to shea butter for a chest rub.

Lavender oil is a wonderful smelling oil that is used to calm anxiety and insomnia. It is gentle enough to use on babies and can be placed directly onto wounds and burns to help heal them without scarring. It is a natural anti-biotic and anti-septic and can be massaged into the skin for great benefits. It is not to be used internally .

Eucalyptus !!

Its getting colder outside so now is the perfect time to bring out  the winter remedies to have a safe and sniffle free winter. The first thing we need to do is make sure we have our humidifiers clean and ready to go. It is important to keep the air moist in the winter because circulated heat dries  and can cause everything from nosebleeds to dry skin. Another great thing in the winter is Eucalyptus. Ecualyptus is an amazing oil and is used in cough drops as well as vaporized chest rub. You can add this wonderful oil to a pot of boiling water to bring relief for stuffy noses and congested chests or just to ward off any winter time ailments. You can make your own chest rub by adding the oil to Shea Butter and coconut oil. To make this concotion you would slowly melt the shea butter and coconut oil down,remove from heat and add several drops of the eucalyptus while whipping the mixture to a soft consistency. Now you will  have something that is effective, but gentle enough to use on a baby. This is an amazing and effective leaf that is easy to use and very versatile. Keep checking back with us as we explore other ways to stay well for the coming months.

DIY…Shea Butter #1 !!

As my friends and close family know, I love DIY EVERYTHING !! To me it is much more fulfilling and you can make it uniquely you. I have started with my favorite head to toe product..Shea Butter !! Shea butter is the most wonderful thing because it heals you from head to toe. You can use it on hair, for eczema, cuts, burns, stretch marks, wind and sun burn and just to have beautiful, healthy moisturized skin. I make mine with the white Shea butter because its less oily and I melt it down slowly (So it still has big chunks in it). If  you melt it down too fast it will become grainy and all the nutrients will be melted away as well. I  make it unique to our family by adding almond oil, olive oil, and coconut oil  with a hand mixer and whipping it to spreadable heaven . My nine-year old has eczema so we add in aloe and tea tree oil and it combats this problem. For the baby we add in lavender and it smells almost like baby powder for baby dry skin. You can add in any kind of essential oil and get the mix whipped to your liking and for your skin type.

You can purchase Shea Butter from: Back2Africa.com

Shea Butter Benefits: all-natural African Shea Butter can be used to treat all of the following conditions: Dry Skin, Dry Hair & Scalp, Eczema, Infant Eczema, Psoriasis, Arthritis & Rheumatism, Wrinkle Prevention, Diaper Rash, Muscle Fatigue, Scar Minimization,
Skin Discoloration, Stretch Mark Prevention & Minimization and as a natural
shaving agent.

Almond Oil Benefits: It contains vitamin E in abundance. Vitamin E also known as  the food for our skin. Vitamin E is protects our skin from damaging ultraviolet lights. It prevents cell damage and  also fights with some skin disorders. Some studies have shown that vitamin E is helpful to reduce stress.

Olive Oil Benefits:EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and
phenols, because it is less processed.

Coconut Oil Benefits:Coconut oil can help to cure and prevent acne by encouraging a pH balance that  allows one’s natural oils to combat infection. The lauric acid in coconut oil  has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.  Thus, coconut oil can be used to  help heal infections, such as athlete’s foot and ringworm.  Coconut oil also aids in healing cuts and minor burns.

Aloe Benefits:Aloe gel, extracted from the plant’s leaves, is a natural moisturizer and  conditioner for the skin.  Place the gel directly on your skin or use a topical  ointment, cream or cleanser that contains aloe.  Although aloe vera does not  provide protection from the sun, it can enhance the use of sunscreen lotion.  Additionally, you can use aloe to get relief from insect bites, itches, rashes  and acne.

Tea Tree Oil Benefits: Tea tree oil can help treat skin infections, since it’s known to be a natural  antibiotic. It heals the skin, and can be treated on cuts, eczema, dermatitis,  blisters, boils, and cysts. It also can be successfully used to treat acne  problems as well. If you have any fungus or yeast, tea tree oil can treat it.  Tea tree oil has been useful in eliminating odors and athlete’s foot. Since it  is antibacterial and anti-fungal. You can also use tea tree oil to reduce pain.

Lavender Benefits : Lavender essential oil is especially popular as it has a pleasing scent and it  has antibacterial, antifungal properties and is so gentle, it can be used with  infants.

RELAX

It is so easy to get overwhelmed or even sick in our current roles as superwoman, but even she took a break to recharge. As mothers (or fathers) we must take that time for ourselves, life is not about working yourself to the bone, we deserve some” Me time” as well. (P.S. Having “Me Time ” does not make us selfish, it makes us more efficient♥)

Some ideas I have are:

Putting the kids to bed at the same time every night.

Something so simple could give you hours of time that you could read a book, update your blog, take a hot bubble bath, play Xbox or Wii,watch a favorite show, journal,talk to your mate, etc.

Exercise

Making time at least 3 times a week to take care of yourself is so beneficial. Not only does it enhance your health , it boosts your self-esteem and overall wellbeing. So try yoga, zumba, swimming, running,walking,martial arts etc.

(With your docs permission of course ☺)

Meditation

In the  morning when you rise and wipe the sleep from your eyes Give a proper moment to Bless the day in front of you Give it praise and give it love and it will return that energy to you tenfold.

Just a little rhyme to remember to stop and meditate . It’s nice to stop thinking sometimes about all the work and responsibilities you have, even if it’s just for 1 minute or 30 minutes. Your brain needs that time to recharge, just like your phone or computer. Sometimes it needs to turn off to work properly and benefit from any updates ☺.

These are just a few ideas that can help you RELAX. I will have more ideas in coming blogs and if you have any please feel free to share them with us !

Thanks, Earth Stars

Breastfeeding…..in PUBLIC !!??!!

It has been 7 years since I had to breastfeed, so now that I’m doing it again here are some thoughts and dilemmas I go through on a daily basis if I have to leave the house !!

• BreastFeeding ROCKS !!

I am an advocate of Breastfeeding but it seems lately that there have been so many stories about the backlash that breastfeeding mothers get when they are feeding their babies in public. I commend women that “whip it out” in public and get the job done. Me on the other hand I get shy about it and usually find my way to my car to “take care of business”. I am working on being better about feeding my son in public, and I will get to that point because in the end it’s not about what people think or how they feel about it,its your job as a parent to provide for your child.

At the hospital when I had Knight he latched right out of the womb. I was so relieved because he was only 4 lbs 8 oz. Within 3 weeks of his birth he had already gained a pound and that was with breastfeeding only.

 

• The Benefits are astronomical

The don’t call Breast Milk liquid gold for nothing !! With Antibodies and nutrients perfect for newborns and preemies, it is the ultimate newborn food. The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness, and so many other great benefits(To many to list here ) . Check out WomensHealth.gov for more info

• Bonding

To be able to go through the process of being born(and giving birth) and then be put on your breast has a calming effect for baby and mom…You start the bonding process right away. The first face they see is yours and the first nutrients they receive to start their lives ,you supply.

• Benefits for US moms

Breastfeeding  saves so much money compared to buying formula. All you would need is time a breast pump and milk storage bags  !! Oh yea you will also need a breastfeeding wrap or a baby blanket for those times when you are in public !!

 

Breastfeeding to me just fits and it makes sense. Not everyone will be able or willing to breastfeed, but we should all respect and cheer on a mom who is doing what nature intended.

 

For the Earth Star Mamas to Be ♥♥

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/04/the-pregnant-goddess-is-an-electrified-being-carole-westerman

Why do pregnant women GLOW ?

One of my Favorite Quotes

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
―    Marianne Williamson,    Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”

Welcome Earth Star Mamas !!

Greeting Earth Star Mamas !! This Blog is just for YOU !! This will be a lighthearted and motivating romp to help inspire and motivate you in your day to day life. We will have creative ideas for family life, phenomenal ideas for relaxation, beautifying and embracing your wellbeing, awesome DIY ideas and so much more. So welcome home and please visit often !  We will always have something special for you.

Peace and Love Earth Stars