Are you drinking enough water?

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Drinking water does not come easy for everyone, even me. I keep a water bottle on my desk all day and I still find the need to 'make myself' drink it.

Water is the second most popular drink among Americans today, following soft drinks. Go figure! Drinking 8 glasses of water a day has been a guideline for Americans for years. New studies have shown that drinking 8 glasses of water a day is not based on any significant scientific evidence but rather serves as just that, a guideline.

Drinking water is essential to our health. Water is a nutrient. Our body needs that nutrient to replenish the large amounts of water our body uses and recycles each day. “Kaiser Permanente nephrologist Steven Guest, MD agrees: “Fluid losses occur continuously, from our skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health,” he says.” I couldn’t agree more… but that doesn’t make drinking water any easier for me.

The majority of fluid losses occur when the weather is oh so beautiful out (aka 'warm weather' in WI). In addition to warm weather, exercising, old age and high altitudes can also play a factor in fluid loss.

One of the main reasons I drink water more regularly is because I am enjoying it more. I can add a couple drops of YL Essential Oil to my water and wa-la, it has flavor, without the calories, sugars or cancer causing additives. Young Living offers a line of vitality essential oils that are great additions to your everyday routines.

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It can be easy to share a post on Facebook or Pinterest about the “top 10 reasons to drink lemon water” but the majority of those people don’t actually drink lemon water on a regular basis. If you are new to Young Living or just getting started on your path to living a Happy-Healthy-Life and feeling better, adding a glass of lemon water to your morning routine may be the perfect start to your journey.

Although most people think about Oranges, lemons are also a source of Vitamin-C, which is important for normal development. An orange can provide about 80-90 mg of Vitamin-C, whereas a single lemon can provide 30-40 mg of Vitamin-C. It’s not quite as Vitamin-C abundant as an orange, but when talking about adding to water, lemon is often the preferred flavor choice. Maybe you'll even enjoy a couple drops of YL Orange in your water as well!

So what are these benefits everyone talks about?

    1.       Maintain Body Fluid Balance: “Your body is composed of about 60% water.” We need to keep our body hydrated!

    2.       Calories are low: Water can help control your calories in one big way, being a substitute for those high calorie beverages. Lemon contains “about 29 calories per 100 grams”. I’ll take that anyday!

    3.       Detox: Being a natural antioxidant, lemon helps remove toxins from our body. This is a huge reason lemon water is so beneficial in the morning, when your body needs to flush out those toxins.

    4.       Digestion: Drinking warm lemon water can improve your digestion by lowering fat, reducing insulin resistance and helping prevent fatty liver. “This has to do with it’s ability to inhibit certain synthesis of fat in the body.”

    5.       Energy: Water in general helps to energize the muscles by decreasing their ability to “shrivel”, which can happen as a result of dehydration.

    6.       Healthy Skin: Our skin is made of an abundance of water because it acts as a ‘protective barrier’ for our body. The natural antioxidant in lemons is linked to anti-aging properties. Hydrating your body and skin won’t erase wrinkles over night, but it will surely aid in the process of naturally tightening the skin.

    7.       Alkaline vs. Acidic: Acids can build up in your body, causing negative side effects (upset stomach, acid reflux, acidosis, etc.) “If you’re new to the concept of alkalinity, it’s the process of neutralizing acid in the body.” Lemon water is a great way to keep the pH levels on target. “Achieving healthy alkalinity may benefit in bone health, reduced muscle wasting, improved memory and improved cardiovascular health”.

    8.       Kidney Support: Having a good water intake can have a positive effect on your kidneys. If you’re from my neck of the woods, you may like to enjoy a beer every now and then. Okay, maybe it’s considered a tradition in Wisconsin, but making sure you are consuming enough water can help carry waste products in and out of cells; through your kidney.

    9.       Appetite Suppressant/Weight Loss: Don’t quote me on the fact that you will lose weight by drinking lemon water alone. It's not that easy, nothing in life is. “Pectin and polyphenols are the main substances found in lemons that have more research available showing weight loss and appetite suppressing qualities.” Studies have shown that these two ingredients have shown an increase in fat metabolism as well as an increase in the ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL). It also shows a decrease in LDL (the bad cholesterol). Young Living essential oils and essential oils products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Just as some antibiotics work for some people and not for others, essential oils work different with each individual.

So, what’s your take on drinking more water, maybe even adding some lemon into that routine? 

I have a challenge for you!

Lemon Water Challenge:

    1.       Review the benefits of incorporating lemon water into your daily routine in my article 

    2.       Commit to 14 days of lemon water

    3.       Write down how you feel on day 1, then on day 14 -or everyday if you want

    5.       Let me know what you experienced

   Rules:

   *Let me know your start date

   Why? So I can keep track of entries & avoid cheating!

   *Complete Lemon Water Challenge steps 1-4

*Complete all 4 steps of this challenge and have your name entered into a drawing to win a free 15 ml bottle of Young Living Lemon essential oil! Drawing February 29^th. 

This could be yours, absolutely FREE!

Sources

Mark. "The Real Benefits of Lemon Water According to Science." Roots and Sprouts Science Based Health The Real Benefits of Lemon Water According to Science Comments. N.p., 02' Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

Zelman, Kathleen M., MPH, RD, LS. "Why Drink More Water? See 6 Health Benefits of Water." WebMD. WebMD, 08 May 2008. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

New Members

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I'm always happy to announce when we add new members to our growing team of knowledgeable Young Living members!

As a part of this team, we are always trying to learn new information about YL oils and products as well as teach each other what we already know, how we use as well as share our stories (the good, the bad and the ugly). It's a great way to meet new people while learning to live a Happy-Healthy-Life!

Take a look at our Member News page to learn more!

2016 Product Guide

Have you seen the 2016 Product Guide?

It's now available on the Young Living website. Take a look! You can order one for your home too. 

Retail: $4.61

Wholesale: $3.50

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Happiness is Chips & Guacamole!

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Young Living offers one of the 'best' recipes for Guacamole you will ever let your taste buds experience. Take a look!

Featuring YL Citrus Fresh Vitality and Lime Vitality

Ingredients:

*2 avocados

*2 drops Citrus Fresh Vitality

*1 drop Lime Vitality

*1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

*1 clove garlic; minced

*2 Tbsp. red onion; chopped

*1-2 Roma tomatoes; seeded & diced

*1 Tbsp. cilantro; chopped

*pinch of salt

*pinch of black pepper

Directions:

*Remove the pit from the avocados and scoop the flesh into a bowl; mashing roughly with a fork.

*Add all other ingredients and stir until mixed

*Garnish with cilantro

*Enjoy with tortilla chips or with your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes!

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DIY Dishwasher Detergent

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Looking for a more natural dishwasher detergent? As you may already know, I use Thieves dish soap. It is by far the best dish soap I've ever used, and I loved Dawn. It cuts through grease without hours of soaking and leaves your hands soft every time.

Now, you can make your own dishwasher detergent that leaves the dishes sparkling clean too! 

Peace at last

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No better time for a peaceful blend than during a Wisconsin snowstorm! 

FDA Compliant

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That's right, Young Living is now FDA compliant. This is fantastic news and a great incentive to keep drinking your water. 

Did you know?

According to Medical Daily, as much as 75% of Americans may be suffering from dehydration. 

Dehydration is commonly brushed under the rug. It's important to stay hydrated and adding a little healthy flavor to your water might just motivate you do drink more! 

My favorite oils in water are:

Citrus Fresh

Lemon

Tangerine

Try any of these FDA compliant oils or a combination!

Citrus Fresh

Lemon

Tangerine

Lime

Grapefruit

Orange

Jade Lemon

Berganot

Win a free Dinner Basket

Longing for a chance to win something? Now is your chance to get entered into a drawing. 

Not wanting to become a member but want to get entered? Sure, we can make that happen! Refer your friends and family and get your name PLUS their name entered into the drawing. 

Young Living is offering 10% OFF all new premium starter kit purchases. It's a great time to dig into essential oils with this one of a kind sale. You'll also receive over $20 in exclusive deals when joining my team, in addition to being entered into this drawing!

What's the prize?

Young Living Dinner Basket

Featuring:

Gary's True Grit Einkorn Spaghetti; 8 oz.

Young Living Black Pepper Essential Oil

&

All the essentials to making a great spaghetti dinner!

Over $30 value

You could earn $50 in exclusive rewards just for becoming a member and enjoying Young Living essential oils with your Happy-Healthy-Living family!

Click here to begin the short process of becoming a member!

February Sale

Why I love essential oils

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As many of you know, healthy living doesn’t come in a nicely wrapped present at Christmas time, like we all would love! I believe that living a happy healthy life requires the body to dedicate itself to exactly that, itself. Lifestyle change is difficult and takes time, but it needs to be something you can be dedicated to do over time.

I have always continued to search for better ways to stay well and fit. That is when I found myself starting to be a fan of Young Living essential oils. My sister-in-law introduced them to me about 3 years ago. All it took was using them a few times before I knew I wanted to invest more time learning about them, which is exactly what I did. 

As many of you know, I love baking. I don’t skimp on rich foods, as we all should enjoy our favorites. After all, we are human. But that comes with regular exercise and a realistic approach to living the life you want. I use these oils in many of my baking recipes because they are FDA compliant and such a wonderful aide to an already positive lifestyle. 

I believe in the power of essential oils because they are a natural byproduct of plants, which many consider God's medicine. They are not man-made products but instead tiny molecules that are easily absorbed into the skin. Once they begin absorbing, they know what to do; deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. They also remove toxins without those often times, harmful side effects of medication. Although Young Living is not intended to prevent, cure or diagnose, I personally use these oils in replace of a physician prescribed migraine medication. I ask myself, why take medication that makes me feel side effects of sleepiness, dizziness, etc. when I can use an all-natural substitute with no side effects? 

In our house, we don’t just use essential oils. We have a multitude of great Young Living supplements that are now a part of my families’ daily life. My favorite is NingXia Red. NingXia Red is the sole reason I don’t need caffeine every morning to keep me going. This was a single life changer for us. Some fun facts about NingXia Red:

-Enzymes and co-factors in the digestion system are found in the minerals and vitamins in NingXia Red

-Endures energy levels throughout the day- plus it has a great taste

-Stabilizes blood sugar as well as help lower blood sugar

-Fights dementia and other forms of memory loss by strengthening the brains neuro-transmitters against pervasive free radical activity

-Adds the essential B-vitamin complex into the body

-Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial support due to containing solvetivone

-Inflammation reduction due to the Wolfberry containing beta-Sitosterol

-Contains the NingXia Wolfberry; high in protein

I could probably go on and on about why we use NingXia Red as a part of our everyday diet. Every Young Living member finds their own favorite products and benefits from those products. The benefits of these oils and their products are beyond amazing. It's true, using them a couple of times is the best way to become a life-long fan.

Of all the oils we have in our home, we use a handful of the same oils 'the most'! Thieves is probably one of the top 2 oils in our house and here is why:

 “Thieves was created based on research about four thieves in France who covered themselves with cloves, rosemary, and other aromatics while robbing plague victims. This proprietary essential oil blend was university tested for its cleansing abilities. It is highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health.” (Source)

This is another product I could go on and on about. We use it in our diffuser to keep our immune system good and strong, apply to our feet, throat, and neck; especially during the fall and winter when people really start spreading those sicknesses. It is proven to kill over 99% of all airborne bacteria. 

We also enjoy some of these other Young Living’s Thieves products; Thieves foaming hand soap, Thieves household cleaner,  breath mints,  tooth paste, Thieves waterless hand purifier, mouthwash,  dish soap and laundry soap.

We leave Thieves foaming hand soap in our kitchen year round and replace our YL Lavender foaming hand soap in the bathroom come fall. 

In our kitchen, right next to the hand soap you will find the Thieves dish soap, to remove those hard to clean muffin tins, grease splatter and burnt cheese on the pizza pan. I've had pans soak for hours trying to get grease marks off with little success. By using Thieves dish soap, I can merely let the dishes soak for a few minutes and wash clean! It is soft on the hands and all natural. 

Beyond that we use Thieves laundry detergent on all our fine linens and bedding. Knowing you are hopping into Thieves cleaned sheets never felt better! It has the same great smell, which is a pleasure in any room of the house.

In addition to those great products, we use Thieves toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash to keep our mouth nice and clean. Never want cotton mouth again? Try Thieves toothpaste and mouthwash. It's a great addition to your family when the dreaded 'strep throat' come around. By no means is this a replacement to medication, but it sure soothes those sore throats and helps you to a faster recovery.

Without hesitation, my favorite Thieves product of all is the Thieves household cleaner. If you haven’t tried this, you are missing out. It is the simplest way to clean everything. And it is the most cost effective cleaning product you'll ever purchase. Here’s how I use it:

-Add 1 capful of Thieves household cleaner to the hot water of your carpet shampooer. The house smells phenomenal and the carpets get cleaned, the safe way.

-Add 1 (1/2 Tbsp.) capful to 6 ¼ cups of water to wash your floors. Keep that smell going throughout the house!

-Add ½ cap to 5 quarts of water and clean your windows and mirrors. Window cleaner is made of an abundance of chemicals that draw dust back. No wonders you wash your windows so often.

-Add 1 capful to 2 cups of water to wash your walls during spring cleaning.

-Add 1 capful to 1-2 cups of water for medium to heavy decreasing.

-Add 1 capful with 1 cup of baking soda for a great shower and tile cleaner. Freshness at its finest! 

-Add 1 capful to 3 ¾ cup of water and put into spray bottles for a light degreaser. I also use this for everyday cleaner for cleaning the counters, sinks, door handles, refrigerator, etc.

*TIP: Add a drop or 2 of your favorite citrus oil to add a twist on the clean scent. I like adding Orange and Lemon best!

By cleaning everything, I mean everything. Replace ALL your cleaners with this one products. 

Bottom Line:

You can purchase Young Living essential oils retail from my site by clicking here and choosing 'retail customer'.

To purchase these oils in the most economical way (the way I recommend) you can become a ‘wholesale member’. Before you run for the hills, let me explain what 'wholesale member' means. You receive the exclusive wholesale discount (24% off) all Young Living products and oils. When you sign up, you can simply enjoy the oils for yourself or share with family and friends. No strings attached. No fine print. No required monthly orders. I recommend starting with the Premium Starter Kit because you get an abundance of oils and a diffuser. (And a few free gifts from me for reading my story!) 

Here is the game changer! Young Living isn’t your typical essential oil distributor. Like I mentioned above, there is absolutely NO regular purchase commitment. You don’t need to maintain a certain order amount, and you are not locked into purchasing every month! This was the golden ticket for me. I don’t ever want anyone to HAVE to purchase something when they don’t NEED it. It is all up to YOU.

If you are interested in joining as a wholesale member, click here. If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me via email, facebook, or using the 'Contact Form' on the left side of the blog! 

Want to learn more? Visit the Questions & Answers page. I hope that page helps you as you consider whether Young Living is right for you.