Loving a Litte Lemon

My husband and I own a trade show exhibit company.  We have owned the company for 11 years.  There is a lot of blood sweat and tears that have gone into Total Displays.  We bought the company with an SBA loan.  The SBA had a claim on everything but that is another story probably for the Total Displays blog someday.  We weathered the crash of the economy and our numbers are stronger every year.

We have a large showroom.  The trade show industry is an interesting animal.  There are people that work out of their homes, their basement, or even their van.  Of course these "companies" have very little overhead.  But the issue is if you want to see product, unless it is portable, you can't!  We felt is was important from a service level to have a showroom where people could see a sampling of what we do and some of the products.  To me it is a touch me, feel me industry.

In 2009 we moved into a larger space to have more showroom and warehouse space (we store a lot of booths for our clients).  While moving in, we were hanging a large overhead in our showroom.  They used a cherry picker/lift to hang it from the ceiling.   During the process, some transmission fluid leaked onto the showroom carpet.  We tried everything to get it out.  Many of the products we used, I felt like I needed to wear a gas mask while using them.  The chemical smells were so horrible!

We are working with a prospect from out of town on an island booth and they came to the showroom.  The stain always bothered me and I felt like we weren't representing ourselves well.  I know, may sound crazy to most.  Sorry - impressions matter!

So what does that have to do with Lemon Essential Oil?

I have read so many times that lemon essential oil was a good stain remover.  I had never really tried it.  So I got out my lemon oil.  I put about 10-12 drops on the spot.  I took a kitchen towel and wet a corner and scrubbed.  I didn't scrub very hard or very long honestly.    I called for Judy and said, "Oh my word!  Look at this."  The stain was gone!  That stain has been here for 6 years.

We were planning on redoing the showroom this summer and we were going to have to throw away that carpet away and replace it.  This is a huge money saver for us.  Let's look at the math.

A 15ml bottle of lemon oil with tax and shipping for a wholesale member is $20.90.  Conservatively there are 250 drops in a 15 ml bottle.  That is a price per drop of: .0836.  I used 12 drops.  

That means it cost me $1.0032 to save a 20 x 20 piece of carpeting in our showroom.  

Absolutely amazing.

I have always said, as a family, we approached the oils with skeptical optimism.  I continue to be amazed by the oils and use them everyday.

Here is where I get my oils.  Young Living Essential Oils

 

Master Cleanse - Day 3 & 4 - HOLY CRAP

Day 3

Really, really, really, feeling weird.  I tried to have a rational conversation with my teenage daughter in the morning.  That is a bit of an oxymoron in it's own right.  Let's just say it did not go well.  At all.  Actually it was horrible.  We both ended up yelling and I started crying and seriously could not stop!!!!!  All day long I was weepy.  I walked out on my choir kids at church on Wednesday night.  I found I was really missing my Mom.  When the Pastor (a long time friend) at church gave me a hug I just about lost it.  When the girls I had walked out on in choir came up to join the confirmation band I hugged them and got all teary eyed.  I am sure there were more.  I WAS A MESS!

I reached out to Isa in my Young Living family.  She has done this cleanse before.  I asked her if this was normal.  Normal is not usually a word that I would use to describe myself but I felt completely out of control.  She explained to me that we carry a lot of our emotional baggage in our liver and that the Master Cleanse was detoxifying your liver!  So all those emotions were being released.  She suggested some great emotional essential oils and a baking soda/epsom salt bath.  I used some Joy, Frankincense and Believe.  I felt better almost immediately.  Of course that wasn't until we got home at about 10:00 p.m. that night.  What a day!

I took the laxative tea late morning and of course it hit, while I was driving my son home.  Really wasn't sure I was going to make it but I did!

While we were at our son's baseball game I had a huge realization.  I said to my husband, "I'm hungry" then I said, "no I'm not hungry, I just WANT  food".  Wow - I said.  I eat, not because I am hungry, but because... because why?  Why do I eat?  Emotional satisfaction, boredom, stress, frustration.  Oh yeah - all those reasons.  None of those are the right reasons!  What a mental breakthrough for me.

Ask yourself, what is your relationship with food.  I have in previous journey's identified my bewitching hour.  This is the period right after I get home from school with the kids.  Usually about 3:30 p.m.  I almost binge eat during that time. Am I really hungry?  Probably not, there is some trigger, an emotional release that the work day is mostly over?  I don't know.  But identifying those triggers have been key for me learning more about my relationship with food.

For some reason yesterday while I was driving, I noticed the skin on my hands.  The top of my hands were wrinkled and I felt like they belonged to a 100 year old.  I have very long fingers and always thought I had beautiful hands.  I was kind of sad to notice the signs of aging in my hands.  How is that for a random thought and observation.  See below for more on this.

Day 4

Oh my....

I woke up this morning and felt absolutely horrible.  Beyond horrible.  I was clammy, nauseous, and shaky.  Of course my family started on the, "you need to eat today", "this diet isn't healthy" routine.  I made a lemonade and drank it on the way to school.  I started feeling better almost immediately.

As I was thinking through the chaos that was yesterday.  I believe I only had 3 cups of the lemonade.  I am sure my blood sugar was way way way way out of whack and that is why I felt so horrible.

I pinged Isa (what a lifesaver she has been through this process). She agreed I needed to drink more and I needed to do a "salt flush".  Here is my recommendation if you decide to try the salt flush in your journey.  DON'T BE FAR FROM THE BATHROOM.  Holy crap!  Literally - Holy Crap.  I have never gone to the bathroom so much.  Of course, I guess, that is what you are supposed to do.  That is a good thing.  You are cleaning everything out.

 I was just about ready to move a table in the bathroom and just work in there.  Seriously crazy stuff.

While at work today, an employee said to me that she thought my skin looked brighter and clearer.  I hadn't noticed but I looked at my hands.  Seriously - they looked better!  Cleaning out your systems, ingesting a lot of clean water all seem to be making a difference.  I actually read a review from someone that thought that their eyes looked bluer when they had completed the 10 days.

Drinking my tea, hoping to sleep through the night.  Stay tuned.

Master Cleanse Days 1 & 2 - True Confessions

I AM BACK!  Did you miss me?

A little background.  I completed my 30 day challenge a while back and felt pretty good.  I was going to continue on with some exercise classes.  I went to two of them and tweaked my back.  Actually did a number on it.  I could barely walk and could not get up and down from a chair.  I should point out, that I am not a young chicken, but you are never too late to start a more healthy lifestyle.  Period.  Next month I will be 54 years young.

I lost 3 weeks of exercise and 3 of the 5 weeks I had paid for.  Ouch - that hurt.  Of course along with that, my eating habits went out the window or maybe I should say they went to restaurants and non-healthy food.  I was eating so much garbage, I felt sluggish, I wasn't sleeping and of course I gained some (not all) of the weight back that I lost.  I felt gross.

I study and read a lot about essential oils because of my use of Young Living oils.  I am always reading and educating myself on their benefits.  I heard about a program called Master Cleanse.  Master Cleanse is a lemonade diet (more details to follow).  I am supporting some systems with essential oils too.  I have done some 3 day juice cleanses in the past and they are pretty easy.  But I sure wasn't sure about this lemonade diet.

I will tell you my protocol, but honestly if you are considering doing this, you really need to get the book, read it and follow it!

If you are interested in the book here is a link to it on Amazon.  I have it on my Kindle.  http://www.amazon.com/Master-Cleanser-Stanley-Burroughs/dp/1607966077/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431025882&sr=8-1&keywords=master+cleanse  It was all of $3.99 for my Kindle.

If you are uncomfortable or squeamish reading about someone's bodily functions and elimination processes, don't read any further.  The master cleanse is all about detoxifying and cleaning things out!

Protocol

Drink 6-12 cups per day (please read the book and don't just follow what I did)

• 2 Tbps fresh squeezed organic lemon juice
• 2 Tbps Grade B Maple Syrup (honestly I don't know why the grade B - the book lists many options)
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Distilled or Spring Water

Laxative tea - I used Smooth Move Chocolate 1-2 times per day.

Water and herbal tea - DRINK LOTS!  Be sure it is spring or distilled water.  Of course if you are putting oils in your water, use glass!

This is my new favorite water bottle made from recycled glass.

I got mine at Lakewinds.

The first two days were pretty non eventful.  Everyone can survive 2 days of liquid diet.  Things start to get interesting day 3 - so stay tuned.

Day 1

The taste of the lemonade is actually refreshing.  I didn't have cayenne pepper so I used chili powder in the first drink.  I really did not feel that hungry throughout the day.    I have read differing opinions on the water, some say, not hot and others say warm.  I have been using room temperature water.  As recommended by the plan I drank a laxative tea at night.   When I went to bed that night, my stomach was really gurgling.  Oh yeah big time.  About 3 a.m. I was awake and made the mad dash to the bathroom.  Let's just say that the tea worked.

I supplemented with Grapefruit oil rubbed on my abdomen.  Peppermint oil on my abdomen when my stomach was gurgling and Endoflex on my thyroid.  I added grapefruit oil to my water.  Now before someone gets on the "you shouldn't ingest oils" bandwagon.  Let me just say it is a personal choice and it is MY choice.  Nothing you say will convince me that Young Living oils are not safe for ingestion.  I know they are.  Check out www.seedtoseal.com for more information on Young Living quality.  I will be getting my Ocotea this week in my oils shipment and will add that to the routine.

I did have a bit of a headache today.  May have been some withdrawal from all the crap I have been consuming!  A little Peppermint oil and M-Grain oil did the trick.  Poof - headache gone!

Of course I dropped some water weight.  I have read a couple of places that this plan may (there is nothing scientific here folks) actually shrink fat cells in your body.  This is not so much about losing weight as it is about cleaning things up!

I do have to say though at the end of day 1 my stomach felt smaller.  That is a bonus.

Day 2

Again, not really that hungry.  I didn't want to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom so I skipped the tea.  You will find out in the next post that was a mistake.  I am really surprised my energy levels seem good.  I am not terribly tired.

Stay tuned tonight or tomorrow morning for day 3 & 4!

I Graduated To The Big Line - Arms, and Chest and Back Oh My! - Wellness Journey Post #9

I must be getting stronger.  Actually I know I am getting stronger.  Does that mean the workouts are easier?  No - not really but I am able to take fewer breaks and my endurance is better.

I must be getting stronger.  The other day one of my classmates came up to me and told me, "I just want to tell you that you look visibly smaller.  I know how hard you have been working."  I gave her a huge hug!  There is nothing better than having people notice that your body is changing.  You stand taller and prouder.

I must be getting stronger.  Also on Monday I was told my running form and stride was looking much better!  Oz is always telling me, "longer stride Lori, longer stride".  I nod and smile and my head tells my body, longer stride but my legs don't want to do it!

I must be getting stronger.  During our 20 minute warm up today (read work so hard that you think you are going to throw up) we did a lot of running.  Remember I am always over the the slow lane (note:  I used to call it the pathetic lane - but decided to change my language!).  Today he moved me over to the fast lane.  Yes these young, fit skinny people may have passed me but I was there!!!

Read this post for where I started!  Day 2 - Where it all started

I must be getting stronger.  During rope work, Oz is moving me to make the exercise more challenging, he is increasing my weight and not modifying so much for me!  I'll take it!

I must be getting stronger.  Monday we did a TON of arm work - a lot of triceps.  I was sore yesterday. Not unbearable but that nice - 'I worked out hard' sore.  Yes I actually like that feeling as long as I can still move.  So today I expect a little bit more legs - UH NO!  I WAS WRONG.  More arms, chest and back.  I pushed - but I am expecting to be sore.

Break out the oils because I don't want to lose any momentum.  I know the soreness means I am getting stronger but I can't quit or back down at all here in the home stretch!  Read here to see how the oils help me with muscle soreness!  They are little miracles in a bottle.

 Essential Oils for Muscle Soreness & Recovery

I know that end of this journey is just the beginning of the next journey.  I still have a lot of changes I want for my body.  

I WILL DO THIS

I'm Not Perfect. Children and Diet - Wellness Journey Post #8

Our daughter is an athlete. She is a fast pitch pitcher.  She is a freshman in high school and she has coaches that believe in her.  They want to push her and to help her succeed.  As a 9th grader her coach has had her pitching against 18 year old teams and she has been very successful.  She has already had college coaches express an interest in her.  Yes I am a proud Mom.

Here is where I am not proud.  Our diets have gotten out of control. She loves sugar and carbs.  Yes I know she is young and that she can burn of the calories.  That is not the point.  I am not worried about her caloric intake I am worried about what she is putting in her body.  Cookies and chips will not fuel the kind of athlete she is and what she wants to become.

Even with my own poor eating and exercise habits this is something about which I am very passionate.  I have know for years what is the right thing to do and how to eat healthy, I just made the choice not to.  This is really important to understand.  It is not that I didn't have will power, it is not me saying, I can't".  It was I WOULDN'T.  I didn't care about myself enough to want to do it for me.  As a result I didn't do it for my family either.  I let them develop horrible habits.

I watched her team as 12U players at a State tournament.  Well meaning parents brought, cookies, ice cream, and cupcakes as snacks (read - rewards) for their hard work.  They had been playing really well and progressing through the tournament.  They had just won a game to progress to the next level.  They started the game really well.  As the game progressed, they started making mistakes.  These were mistakes that they had not made all weekend long.  I personally watched almost the entire team go through a sugar crash.  They ended up losing.  It was a tournament and season ending loss.  From that point on we made it very clear with our daughter that those sugary snacks/treats were not acceptable for her.  She hates to watch everyone else eat cookies,or cupcakes.  Or even worse... breakfast.  Watching players eat waffles with sugary fruit sauce and topped with whipped cream?  Oh my.  Protein, fruit and whole grains for our baby girl.  She has learned to appreciate it.  We won't even talk about what sugar does to your body, inflammation, disease and much much more.

If you want to read more about sugar, here is a good place to start.  www.hungryforchange.tv/article/what-eating-too-much-sugar-does-to-your-brain

This is the key.  Because we allowed these bad habits to creep into our lives and our children's diets, it is REALLY HARD to change these habits.  If I could give one word of advice to parents of young children it would be to stick with it!  It is too easy to grab a sugary granola bar or a cookie as a treat for your kids.  Treats should be that, a treat, not a multiple times a day experience.

My diet has completely changed.  Now I am working on my family.  One step at a time.  We have eliminated sugary sodas and drinks, eating more whole foods.  We will continue on the journey and learn to make better choices with the occasional "treat".

We stopped at a restaurant the other day in between softball events.  This is not a normal occurrence for us since I have been on this month long challenge.  I ordered a house salad with oil and vinegar on the side.  My husband ordered a salad, my son ordered a salad. My daughter wanted chicken fingers and french fries.  She felt guilty and ordered a salad.  I will take it. I prefer to look at the guilt as my being a good role model.  Change takes time and patience.

I WILL DO THIS

Sneak Peak Ahead - The Energizer Bunny - Journey to Wellness Post #7

As I said in my last post, I am massively behind in publishing blog posts!  Yesterday was the start of the last week of this program.  I have mixed emotions about this.  I have worked out harder the last three weeks than I ever have in my entire life.  I am tired - the schedule has been hard, but I don't honestly think I want the program to end.  I will have decisions to make when I am done.  I know one thing, I WILL NOT QUIT.  I said before and I will say again, I am not going to go through this and have to do this again.

I have done other programs, I have done other bootcamps, I have worked with personal trainers, lifted weights, and done the dreaded cardio (maybe someday I will like cardio?).

So you may want to know how I have done so far?  I am down 12 pounds in 3 weeks.  There are many other changes (some you may not want to know about) :)

• My clothes fit better!  This means my fat clothes are too big!
• The belts I got for Christmas fit now!
• I have more energy
• I don't have incontinence issues anymore (BIG BIG BIG YAY!)  There is nothing worse than cough or sneeze dribble.  The last thing you want to do in public is stop to hold yourself before you sneeze :) (Sorry TMI)
• There is actually definition in my arms!
• When I stand for 2 hours for a softball game, my back doesn't get sore anymore.
• I am able to get up from the floor much easier!
• My right hip pain is gone.
• I sleep better

My routine has been intense.  There is no doubt.  But I am a 52 year old Wife, Mother & Business Owner.  I really was not in shape - so if I can do it - SO CAN YOU!

Here was my basic routine.

Monday - HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Tuesday - Hot Yoga & Cardio (30 minutes)

Wednesday - HIIT

Thursday - Cardio

Friday - Barre Class & Cardio if my body could take it!

Saturday - Bootcamp Class

Sunday - Usually a rest day.

Now let me tell you about Oz the Energizer Bunny.  The man has boundless energy.  He is patient, yet pushes.  I need the push sometimes.  These classes are hard!  HIIT classes start with 20 minutes of cardio type exercises to get your heart rate going.  After the 20 minutes it is a combination of strength, core and cardio moves for the remaining 40 minutes.  There really are no breaks.  

Oz has springs in his feet (you should see him jump).  All I could do was keep moving and try to improve my form, range of motions, weight and reps.  When I would try to cheat and use a lighter weight, he would challenge me.  When I just had to say no (like to doing handstand push ups) he is still supportive.  Note:  Handstand push ups are now on my fitness bucket list - more on that later.

Oh - and I should mention, other than the all natural essential oils I used for pain relief, I used no wraps, no pills, no pink drinks, no shakes, no magic potions.  Just sweat and a good diet.

Pretty great stuff huh?  And guess what - I worked hard - and I deserve it!  Am I done?  No, it is a journey.

#I WILL DO THIS

The Bewitching Hour & Barre Class- Wellness Journey Post #6

I have been very behind on writing this week.  You will find out why a little later in the post.  I actually have at least 6 posts started but can't seem to get to finish any of them.  I tend to write in my head and then try to at least get the concepts on paper before I lose them.  There are some essential oils that are supposed to help support your memory and motivation maybe I need to try them!

So this update is actually from late during the first week of my exercise and healthy living journey.

So read on my friends - I am continuing on and will update some other posts here soon!

PLANNING

The first part of this week my son was home with just a little icky something for the first 3 days. I guess if there's good news about that is that I was at home. So eating well and eating small meals frequently was actually quite easy. When he went back to school on Thursday things changed a little bit for me.   This meant that I had to bring all of my food to the office with me.

I'm kind of a last minute person to be honest. So having to do a lot of planning is a bit of a challenge for me. Fitting in the classes, working out,  getting lunches ready the morning. prepping food for the day, having a dinner prepared (or at least planned) and getting the kids to school can be a real challenge.  Welcome to Motherhood!  I am envious of the families that can afford to have a stay at home parent!

It requires me to be organized. That is not exactly in my nature.  I guess that is a good thing and maybe it will become a habit. That is my hope. I have to plan for dinner the night before I have to make the lunches I have to get all of my food prepped and have everything ready to go to make my shake in the morning before I go to class.  Yikes.  This is a real challenge for me!  I see the prize down the road so I am committed to making it happen.

BARRE CLASS

Friday I took my first Barre class.  I went into the first class thinking this would be a little bit of a recovery from the HIIT & Bootcamp classes.  BOY WAS I WRONG!  It was all about strength, flexibility and core.    We started with squats for a LONG PERIOD OF TIME.  It felt like forever.  My legs burned like I don't think they ever have before.

OK - I have long legs, I am not flexible. Once again I WAS PATHETIC.  We did some stretching exercises where I had a partner.  You sit with your feet together, legs straight and hold hands to pull on each other and stretch your legs.  HAH!  What a riot.  Just sitting in that position was a challenge for me.  FORGET STRETCHING.  The poor woman I was paired with had her arms stretched beyond her feet, because I couldn't even get close to my feet!

This was kind of the theory but without the bands.  We were holding hands.  All I can say to my partner is I AM SORRY.

All these people on the floor looking like dancers and gymnasts.  And then there is me!

Ok - I know how important this is and as awful as it was. I actually liked it.  How weird is that?


BECOME AWARE.

a·ware

əˈwer/

adjective

1. having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.

   "most people are aware of the dangers of sunbathing"

   synonyms:

   conscious of, mindful of, informed about, acquainted with, familiar with,alive to, alert to; informalclued in to, wise to, in the know about, hip to;  formalcognizant of;  archaicware of

   • concerned and well-informed about a particular situation or development.

     "unless everyone becomes more environmentally aware, catastrophe is inevitable"
   • 
     

   
   

Part of this journey is to become aware of my body, of my eating habits, of my emotions and of my physical activity.  One of the things I discovered in the first week is that I absolutely have a "Bewitching Hour" !

After picking up the kids from school, we come home and they need a snack.  They both eat lunch fairly early.  So when they get home they are hungry.  In the past I would snack with them.  But my snacks were certainly not good for my body or my brain!  Chips were my go to.  Crunch, salty, yum!!!!  The activity of having to write down what I am going to eat made me stop, think and make a better choice.

BE AWARE.  Finding and knowing your triggers is one of the keys to your success.  Instead I grabbed some protein and some veggies.  I was satisfied very quickly and did not have that horrible - oh crap - what did I just eat feeling.

Be aware of your body, and of  your cravings.  When you find something like this you can plan for it.  Have a good healthy snack ready for you when this happens. This will help you make good choices.

Week one is done - stay tuned for a wrap up post on that.

I WILL DO THIS!