Sunday, December 30, 2012

How to Stimulate Memory with Coconut Oil and Essential Oils


Memory loss is a broad and worrisome subject for many, it affects us all in one way or another.  Memory is a precious ability and one that we should take great care to protect and stimulate.  

Recently, I read some important dementia/Alzheimers research by Dr. Mary Newport, who was able to show very positive results in restoring memory simply by incorporating large amounts of coconut oil in the diet (sipping coffee w/ coconut oil right now!).  

My own parents are seeing positive results with using a blend of doTERRA essential oils and ingesting daily.  This is the information I want to share today, spread the word if so inclined!




In 2008, Dr. Mary Newport published her own study, a very personal one.  Her husband had been suffering from dementia for several years, while researching and looking for answers she ran across a published article written by Dr. Richard L. Veech in 2001, "Ketone bodies, potential therapeutic uses".   I believe this to be ground breaking information, I hope you'll take the time to click on this link to read her story and results with organic, extra virgin, cold pressed coconut oil.

http://www.coconutketones.com/whatifcure.pdf



Over the last 2 or 3 years my sweet Dad has been struggling with his memory.  My personal opinion is, the degeneration of his memory has much to do with the "many" prescription drugs he's been given over the last few years.  My Mother, who has become quite the healer in their home began giving my Dad a blend of Rosemary, Frankincense and Peppermint daily to stimulate his memory.  Here's the lowdown on why this blend is so beneficial.


Rosemary, considered an elixir of youth and among it's many healing properties, is said to help improve memory (see study), relieve headaches, sooth sore muscles, ease digestion, clear nasal passages, tone the nervous system, enhance circulation, invigorate the body and alleviate depression!




Now, consider the addition of Frankincense to Rosemary.  Frankincense is an amazing regenerative essential oil.  Frankincense contains sesquiterpenes which enable the oil to pass the blood-brain barrier.  Sesquiterpenes also increase the number of certain receptors in the brain that makes it ideas for dementia or Alzheimer's sufferers.





Peppermint and Frankincense together are powerful for clarifying the mind as well as calming fear and confusion.  

Dr. William N. Dember, of the University of Cinninati studied Peppermint's ability to improve concentration and mental accuracy.  When it was diffused into the classroom, students scored a 28% improvement in memory and mental accuracy.


The following is a protocol that's been working for my Dad:


Daily:  3 drops each of doTERRA Rosemary, Frankincense and Peppermint in a gel capsule.

Daily:  The Life Long Vitality Pack by doTERRA, a vital part of his improvement as it contains omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients essential to brain cell health.

Diffusing the Balance Blend of Spruce, Rosewood, Blue Tansy and Frankincense has been helpful too.



The information I present here is a very small summary of ways to improve the memory loss condition.  My hope is, now that you're armed with this small amount of knowledge, you will continue to research the powerful healing abilities of essential oils and, coconut oil.

Memory loss is a very complex subject fueled with much emotion that affects entire families.  It's an increasingly worrisome condition in the United States with no real answers.  However, I'm convinced that with better diet, holistic living and the addition of coconut oil and essential oils there's a chance to reverse some of the damage or at least improve the quality of living for those diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimers.  


Blessings to the Care Givers!

Rebecca


Thursday, December 27, 2012

December 23, 24, 25 & 26

December 23
Sketching. :)

December 24
Tradition: Christmas Eve soup buffet.
(also tradition: Grandma's Mush. Soo yummy.)

December 25
Morgan and I played a game of "Age of Empires" on Christmas afternoon.
It took us 3 hours, but we pwned. :D

December 26
Distant smokestacks.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Holiday Giveaway! The Whisper Diffuser


It's coming on Christmas...

...and Holiday Joy Blend is filling the house with the festive scents of Cinnamon Bark, Nutmeg and Vanilla!

It's my pleasure to offer you the experience and many benefits of diffusing in your home too with The Whisper ~ a much loved diffuser by many Camp Wander friends!


 
To ENTER! 
(with giddy anticipation...)


1.  Answer on Camp Wander FB Page:  What's your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?

2.  LIKE & SHARE the Holiday Giveaway Facebook Post on FB

3.  Send an email to rebecca@campwander.com with your contact information in case you're the WINNER!


Wishing you a Merry & Bright Holiday!

Rebecca



Pssst!  Through the end of December, there's more gifts for you!  Learn how you can receive a FREE bottle of Frankincense and, my favorite reference book, Modern Essentials ~ a reference guide to the use of doTERRA essential oils. {CLICK HERE}

Contest ends Christmas Day at When the Clock Strikes Midnite MST




Saturday, December 22, 2012

December 18 - 22

December 18
Snowy day.

December 19
Lilia, Amalia and I wrapped a mountain of presents. :)

December 20
Birthday hair. :)

December 21
Just some of my birthday loot.
Mhm, that is a TARDIS beach towel. :D

December 22
I was inspired.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Daybook 37

Outside my window- The trees were lovely and frosty today.

I am thinking about- It's my golden birthday tomorrow! The world ends (according to the Mayan calendar) on the 21st, so I've been telling my family all year that they ought to buy me lots of presents, but I'm not sure that I've convinced them. ;D

From the kitchen- Rice and chicken for supper.

I am creating- Last week I made that Rapunzel doll for Amalia's birthday...

I am reading- I'm about halfway through re-reading The Hobbit.

I am hearing- Christmas music.

I am planning- We're (finally) going to see The Hobbit tomorrow! :D

I am wearing- A black t-shirt, denim skirt & a grey and white hoodie.

My hair is- Up, with a million bobby pins. :)

Around the house- We went Christmas shopping this afternoon, and then Lilia, Amalia and I wrapped presents in my room. :)

Hello Scented Coconut Oil ~ Bye Bye Candle Wax Cubes!


I confess, I love my candle wax warmers!  

Especially my campy one, it suits me to a tee but, I couldn't tolerate the synthetic scents that came along with!  Do you know what I mean?  I really loved the "idea" of the wax warmers though, the soft light, the on and off switch rather than a flame, it was a sad day when I cleaned them out and took them downstairs to the "dun da dun dun"...storage room!

A few weeks ago I wrote about repurposing forgotten candle wax warmers by adding water and essential oils...brother!  Better than the synthetic stuff but hardly wonderful...water evaporates, hello?
 

While slathering this super hero of a product on my face this morning (w/ Frankincense of course), a freaking light bulb went off!

  
Scented Coconut Oil In Candle Warmers!
{with doTERRA essential oils}


Most of us have it in the house right?  Whoa baby!  I was so excited to try this I was running around in PJs much longer than usual this morning! "ahem"



One of the exciting aspects of the whole idea?  Coconut oil hardens when cool.  Jeeez, I feel like I've hit the motherlode!  I saved my campy candle wax warmer from the storage room and brought it back to life with coconut and essential oils ~ without bothersome evaporation!  As you know by now, I love my EOs too, so there's a double dose of happy goin on at Camp Wander today, let me tell ya!



A most exciting fact to consider and be happy about is the ability to create scent in your home that's completely toxin free!  This is always a good thing, especially for allergy and asthma sufferers.

  The basic recipe is simple:  1 to 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil, 
6 to 12 drop of doTERRA essential oils


The skies the limit when choosing your scents.  This time of year, of course a few drops of Holiday Joy Blend is fabulous!  A Christmas tree scent combination of 6 drops White Fir, 4 drops Frankincense and 1 drop of Wild Orange rocks it too.  There will be a slight coconut fragrance in the mix but I love it



If you have any of these sweet plug-ins, they're great in the kitchen, bedroom or bath!  Here's some essential oil combinations to try...

For the Kitchen:  

For the Bedroom or Bath:
Lavender & Lemon
Balance & Lavender




Happy, Merry Heavenly Scented Holidays!


  Rebecca


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

15 Ways to Use Frankincense!



Frankincense has been used in religious ceremonies and for medicinal purposes for centuries.  It was once considered so precious that treasuries were built to house and protect this valuable commodity.  The Roman Empire once coveted the Frankincense trade so much that Augustus Caesar ordered 10,000 Roman troops to invade the region in order to control Frankincense production.  However, the troops never made it through the desert and had to turn back.


Of course, the most famous reference of all is found in the Bible, where the story is told of a long journey under a bright star and gift of Frankincense brought by the Three Kings to the baby Jesus.  This stands as the greatest testament to the value and sacredness of Frankincense.

Frankincense was of great value then and even now as the challenges of sourcing Frankincense from it's indigenous home continue to make it one of the most expensive essential oils. 


Remember, it's critical that essential oils are extracted from their source gently, harvested at just the right time and, respected as nature provided it in order for any essential oil to retain it's greatest benefits!  When you personally experience and reap the many benefits of doTERRA's essential oils that were carefully harvested for your benefit, you will know that every penny spent was worth it!

  

25 Ways to Use Frankincense!

1.  Anti-Inflammatory:  Studies show Frankincense has anti-inflammatory properties, much like (NSAIDS) like Advil.  
  • Combine Frankincense with Deep Blue or Marjoram to reduce muscle, joint and bone pain.  Massage 2 drops of each with fractionated coconut oil into large joints like knee and shoulder.  Half dose for smaller joints.  Reapply as needed.
  • Relieve inflammation in the respiratory system by diffusing Frankincense or inhaling vapors from a bowl of hot water.
  • Place 2 to 3 drops of Frankincense under the tongue 1 to 2x daily for core anti-inflammatory reduction and nerve issues as well as overall health.
  • Reduce gum disease, slow recession of gums by Oil Pulling with Frankincense.  Add 1 drop ea Frankincense and On Guard or Melaleuce to 1 to 2 T. of fractionated coconut oil.  Swish for 20 min, spit into garbage and brush teeth!  Great practice and worth reading about {HERE}.
  • Get rid of stubborn headaches by placing 1 drop of Frankincense on pad of thumb, pressing the essential oil on the roof of mouth and holding for several seconds.
  • For Restless Leg Syndrome, apply 2 drops Frankincense with carrier oil to the bottom of each foot and massage each night.

2.  Anti-aging:  Frankincense is beneficial for various skin conditions including the lessening of wrinkles and reduction of age spots.  Many have found a bonus side effect of applying Frankincense on the face, improved vision!
  • To reduce fine lines around eyes, blend equal parts Frankincense, Cypress, Lavender and fractionated coconut oil in a glass roller bottle.  Dab on facial bones surrounding eyes morning and night after washing face.  Careful not to get too close to the eyes!  Dilute with carrier oil if you have an accident.
  • Apply Frankincense neat, (undiluted) to uneven skin tone.
  • Add a drop of Frankincense to your moisturizer with every use!
  • Apply undiluted to acne or occasional breakouts.
  • Apply with a little fractionated coconut oil to wounds to reduce scarring.  Great for stretch marks while pregnant!

3.  Immunity Enhancer:  Whether it be from bacteria, virus or external toxins that we come in contact with on a daily basis, we all need the immunity enhancing quality of Frankincense.
  • Frankincense supports the production of white blood cells, especially beneficial after chemo treatments.  Take 2 to 3 drops under the tongue twice daily, for severely depleted white blood count, drip and massage 2 drops of Frankincense with carrier oil along the spine and back of neck daily.
  • Apply to temples for stress relief.
  • Apply to the brain stem and neck 2x daily to help with depression.
  • Add Frankincense to Breathe blend, massage on chest and throat for a persistant cough.
  • Add Frankincense to ANY essential oil to ENHANCE that oils properties.  Think of it as a "kickin it up a notch" essential oil because it is and it DOES!




While this is a VERY short list of all the benefits of Frankincense essential oil, it's a pretty good representation of just how broad and deep it's properties go.  If I had one essential oil to depend on, Frankincense would be the one!

And last but not least, I can't say goodbye until I share doTERRA's fantastic offer for the month of December.




This offer is for absolutely everyone!  From Customer to Independent Product Consultant and good thru December 31st.  If you and your family members could benefit from this very special essential oil, please take advantage of this limited offer!  But wait, there's another bonus!

When you make an essential oil purchase of 200PV or more and enroll as a new Independent Product Consultant, not only will you have your FREE bottle of Frankincense ($93 retail value) and wholesale pricing on all doTERRA products, you'll be sent a FREE copy of doTERRA's favorite reference book, Modern Essentials in hardback ($25 value!)   

Please {CLICK HERE} for more information and a step by step tutorial to guide you through the online application!

Happy, Healthy Holidays!

Rebecca



Monday, December 17, 2012

December 14, 15, 16 & 17

December 14
 Strawberry malt + Kdrama. :)

 December 15
 On Saturday it rained, and then snowed.

 December 16
Tea.

December 17
Remember that felt I dyed? 
I used it to make a Rapunzel doll for my little sister's birthday.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint Giveaway!


Merry & Bright Giveaway!
WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations Susan Wade!!

I would love to give this Fabulous and Powerful trio of Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint essential oils to a new friend out there.  This is my small way of reaching out to humanity after such a dark day.

To Enter...


*Initiate a Random Act of Kindness Today*


1.  Go to Camp Wander on Facebook and SHARE your act of kindness on the Merry & Bright Giveaway post!

2.  Send an email to rebecca@campwander with your contact info so I can contact the winner!


Ends Sunday @ midnite MST

Thursday, December 13, 2012

December 10, 11, 12, & 13

December 10
It's cold outside!

December 11
Selfie.

December 12
Boiled eggs.

December 13
This morning I dyed some felt, using food coloring.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Daybook 36

Outside my window- It's fairly overcast, and the sun's starting to sink behind the trees.

I am thinking about- Buying Christmas presents... I'm about halfway done. :)

From the kitchen- This morning, Amanda and I cleaned out the fridge.

I am creating- I got some pens for inking drawings, so I had to do some sketching to try them out.
I like. :)

I am reading- I'm hoping to re-read The Hobbit before we go to see the movie.

I am hearing- A playlist of some of my favorite-est songs.

I am planning- Weeell, I have plans... but they're a secret. :D

I am wearing- A purple sweater and a gray wool skirt.

My hair is- Side pony + purple flower.

Around the house- It's been a pretty normal week so far. :)

Sunday, December 9, 2012

December 5 - 9

December 5
My younger brother mid-jump. While on skates. 'Cause he's cool like that.

December 6
Bubbles in the ice.

December 7
I strung lights around my ceiling bookshelf. :)

December 8
Uh, excuse me, kitty. I'm kinda trying to put my skate on here...

December 9
So, one of my brothers told me that my feather hair flower looked like an African Jumping Spider.
Yes, this is the same brother who told me it looked like a tarantula died in my hair the last time I wore it.
Somehow, I'm getting the vibe he doesn't really like it... ;D

Saturday, December 8, 2012

My Secret to Perfect Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies!




It's snowing, the Christmas decorations are strewn all over the place and it's time to take a break and bake!  I have a few secrets up my sleeve when it comes to the beloved Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie.  Just two simple revisions make all the difference!
Stick around and find out how to make your own celebrity status chocolate chips cookie!


 YUM!   





In my world, everyone knows the Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe by heart because we grew up using this recipe and so have my kids and so will theirs!  Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies have been a comforting tradition in our family and over the years I discovered two easy steps to tweak this otherwise perfect recipe for a better cookie.  Let me know what you think!



 THE FAMILY SECRET 


  • Replace the shortening with a combination of 1/2 butter (softened) and half shortening.


  • Toast pecans for 5 minutes at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet for a toasted nutty crunch, rough chop and add to dough.



Years ago, The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten shared a brilliant suggestion on one of her Food Network episodes.  When adding nuts to a cookie recipe, always toast them first.  The flavor of toasted nuts in a cookie knock them outta the ballpark!  I always use pecans in my cookies recipes, their flavor is such a good compliment in baking.





Just two small changes make stacks of thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies with a richer, deeper taste.  Try this, you'll like it!



Last but not least...



Bake a few dozen cookies this weekend and share a delicious gift! 

Fill a wide mouth canning jar with your thick, chewy Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies and make some people happy today.  Who wouldn't love that??

  Bake & Take Cookie Jars!


Rebecca


Friday, December 7, 2012

How to Keep Spirits Bright This Holiday Season!


Not everyone loves this time of year, it can be a struggle for many!

I'd like to show you how you can brighten your mind, body and living space with essential oils during the crazy Holiday season and beyond. 


What's so great about Essential Oils anyway?


Essential oils are Nature, in one of it's most powerful forms and one of the greatest untapped resources of the world.  Because essential oils are carbon based, our bodies recognize this and readily welcome their chemistry vs. synthetic drugs that confuse and upset our bodies natural rhythms.  If possible, always welcome natural solutions into your life first and foremost, it's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and your loved ones!



Diffuse! * Diffuse! * Diffuse!

The idea behind diffusing essential oils is to release their molecules into the air.  The beauty of diffusing?  Everyone in the room is receiving the benefits of breathing in minute particles of whatever essential oil you're diffusing!  

Cranky partner?  Get your stealth on and diffuse one of the following Happy Blends!



Blend #1:  1 drop Bergamot, 1 drop Grapefruit, 1 drop Clary Sage, 1 drop Wild Orange, 3 drops Frankincense

Blend #2:  3 drops Grapefruit, 1 drop Lavender, 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Blend #3:  4 drops Lavender, 4 drops Bergamot




You can even hit the road with your essential oils!  Put 1 drop of your favorite "happy" oil on a cotton balls and wedge into your air vent.  Got kids?  Wedge a cotton ball into rear vents with a drop of Lavender or doTERRA Balance blend!  Works like a charm for harmonious Holiday road trips :)


A Cup of Heaven...


Treat your senses to an aromatic, essential oil infused, beautiful cup of tea.  It's important during the hustle and bustle of the Holidays to slow down just long enough for a treat like this, not to mention boost your immunity!

Add 2 drops of On Guard blend, 1 drop of Lemon essential oil and honey to taste to a cup of very warm water.

Stir with a cinnamon stick and sip slowly.  Inhale the steam for added benefits!  Wonderful remedy for the kids too, they love it!





Don't forget to share the gift of your time and talents with your loved ones, lose yourself in service to others!  





May Your Days Be Merry & Bright this Holiday Season...



...Much Love!

Rebecca