by Kami | Feb 26, 2019 | All Essential
This is what makes a real marriage. A man who isn’t afraid to clean! There are quite a few things I cannot do right now due to my back injury and I am so grateful that Dan is willing to pick up the slack, and a mop or the vacuum when needed.
I also love that we have strict requirements for what we use when we clean our home. Toxin-free is the standard around here and it makes cleaning so much more enjoyable without all the fumes! I remember the days of opening the windows because I would start to get a headache after bleaching or dousing my house with Lysol…and I thought that meant clean. What it really meant was the potential for lung damage, and sickness, and for Jeffrey-migraines.
Out the chemicals went so that we could regain our health, and we have never looked back! With a few simple ingredients you can find a better and safer clean for your home too.
by Kami | Feb 22, 2019 | All Essential, Death, Grief, Life
September 10th, 2017…a hard day for our family. This is our precious furbaby, Summer. I had just arrived from a week away at my first doTERRA convention and as soon as I saw her I knew something was terribly wrong. Her big brown eyes were asking for help and she was panting. Dan threw her in the car and took her to the emergency vet. While there they found she has a liver tumor that had ruptured and she didn’t have long. I grabbed the kids and my bottle of serenity and went to say our last goodbyes.
I remember grabbing the Serenity oil bottle and feeling a little foolish. How could anything help her at this point? But I trusted my instincts and threw it in my purse.
When we arrived and I saw my sweet girl it was clear she was uncomfortable, breathing heavily and restless. I grabbed the bottle and applied some to my hands and rubbed her all over while saying goodbye. Her breathing immediately calmed and she was able to lay her head down and rest. This was my last gift to her and I am so grateful I had something to make her transition easier.
One of the many reasons I love Serenity 💗
by Kami | Nov 4, 2018 | All Essential
Our daughter started college about 2 months ago. She is loving it but boy is it a HOTBED for germs!! Many of her friends have been struggling with feeling less than awesome. The lack of sleep, late nights studying, difficult courses, and communal living are definitely catching up with them.
A couple of weeks ago she called to say she was coughing and had lost her voice, she sounded miserable. She rarely ever got sick at home so she seemed a little concerned to be feeling badly and not have us around to care for her. Luckily we sent her with tools!
I was able to walk her through our “at the first sign of not feeling well” protocol and within two days she was back to 100%. A couple days later I was getting texts from my mom friends with the same issue so I decided to get this down on paper for everyone to benefit!
Generally speaking, when we are exposed to germs our bodies know what to do. The immune system of a healthy human is highly intelligent and effective and can combat most of the organisms we come in contact with. When we aren’t getting enough rest, are over stressed, or not taking care of ourselves it can produce a less than optimal immune response. Essential oils can support your body at the cellular level so that you can return to homeostasis and proper immune function! I have seen the benefits over and over again in my own family, friends, and customers when they follow these simple recommendations:
- Get out FLOOM: Frankincense, lemon, oregano, OnGuard, and melaleuca. This the blend of oils that is first line support when my immune system is taxed.
- Frankincense supports healthy cellular function*
- Lemon supports healthy respiratory function*
- Oregano is a potent antioxidant that helps to maintain a healthy immune system*
- OnGuard is a blend of oils that supports healthy immune and respiratory function*
- Melaleuca protects against environmental and seasonal threats*
- I place all oils in a 10ml roller bottle and dilute with Fractionated coconut oil. If you do not have the roller bottles place one drop of each on the feet!
- Diffuse Breathe for respiratory support and/or OnGuard for immune support. I recommend diffusing for multiple hours during the day and all night if possible.
- Add a drop of lemon to warm water with honey to soothe the throat. Or add one drop of OnGuard to tea to create a immune support tea.
- If throat or ear discomfort is present, topical application of melaleuca is effective. Just one drop applied around the ear (never inside) or to outside of throat is all you need.
I know this will help you. Get your immune support toolkit ready now so you are prepared!
Here’s to health, Kami
by Kami | Oct 27, 2018 | All Essential
On my 40th birthday I sat expectantly in the orthopedist’s office. I was finally going to get the answers I needed to move forward. You see, just 6 months earlier I had undergone back surgery for herniated discs and during my recovery and intense physical therapy I started to experience extreme knee pain. I was having a hard time walking up or down stairs, getting into my car, or bending down to help my kids without pain. I was certain that I had something torn because of my over-training as a runner (hence the herniated disc situation). I anticipated the need for a quick arthroscopic procedure and I would finally have my life and body back after a year of frustration.
I had brought MRI results with me so my doctor could see the damage. To my surprise he found them unremarkable and wanted an x-ray instead. Luckily they had one right there and off I went. When the doctor came in the room I was still was sure he was going to tell me about some tear somewhere…but he didn’t…”Kami, you have advanced arthritis of both knees, but the right knee looks like the knee of someone at least 25 years older than you. All I can offer is a total knee replacement, but since you are so young we need to wait as long as possible.” What? Excuse me? Are you in the wrong exam room?
His advice in a nutshell was to stop all activity that caused pain, take ibuprofen for pain relief, and when the pain got too bad we would schedule surgery. I WAS 40!!!!! I drove home in complete and utter shock. The back surgery at 39 was enough I thought. The inability to exercise like I wanted to was enough to lose. Now this? How is that even possible? And I might also add that when my neurosurgeon looked at my MRI after my back injury he also noted how advanced my arthritis was for my age.
I cried and drowned my sadness with wine for a couple days. Then I got down to business. I started researching and was determined to find an alternative to surgery/being in pain. I realized that inflammation was a problem. Obviously I was under an extreme amount of internal inflammation to be causing such significant changes in my body, but why? I started looking at internal and external sources of inflammation (food, alcohol, stress levels, etc). First step was to cut out inflammatory foods (dairy, gluten, and alcohol), then I started taking stress seriously and put into place some better self-care habits (sleep and yoga).
While these strategies helped some I was still suffering from daily pain and my ibuprofen intake was concerning, last thing I wanted was to end up with an ulcer. So I went looking for alternative to ease the discomfort. This protocol was born from some trial and error but it has changed my life over the past 5 years. No longer do I suffer from daily discomfort, my knees will ache when rainy weather comes but that is about it!
- LifeLong Vitality-this is a MUST! If you do not take a foundational supplement you have to. We just cannot get adequate micronutrients and antioxidants from our available food supply. Antioxidants are so beneficial to help you body function and decrease inflammation! These 3 bottles are also a great value-if you were to buy each ingredient separately at the health food store it would cost you over $250 a month!! It is a no-brainer.
- Deep Blue Polyphenols-polyphenols are another plant based source of potent antioxidants and have a myriad of health benefits. In the beginning I took two capsules twice daily and I was able to wean completely off my ibuprofen in about 2 weeks! It was incredible. Now I take 1 capsule twice daily for maintenance.
- Copaiba essential oil-work on the endocannabinoid system and has potent anti-inflammatory properties. I take two drops every morning. Now that we have it in a softgel form I made the switch for convenience (each softgel has 2 drops-perfect!)
- Frankincense essential oil-also love the anti-inflammatory benefits so 2 drops internally every morning!
- Turmeric essential oil-I get the herb from the Deep Blue polyphenols, but now that we have the essential oil I added this as well. Antioxidant! There is some research to suggest that it may enhance cellular antioxidant enzymes (i.e. glutathione)-these are critical for chemical reactions in your body. Read up on all the benefits of glutathione and grab that Turmeric essential oil!! 2 drops internally
- Layering of lemongrass and deep blue essential oil for topical relief. On days that I feel stiff or achy (very few and far between now) I use one drop lemongrass followed by one drop deep blue onto the area.
What you must do is be consistent. Hear me when I say, if you have significant pain or advanced issues it will take time to feel better. Do not give up. The longer I have used these products the better things have gotten for me. I know they can for you too!
Here’s to health, Kami
by Kami | Sep 22, 2017 | All Essential, Running
R&R (Ragnar and Respite)
Respite “a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant”
Ragnar- 200ish mile running race with teams of 12 and 2 vans
Life is hard and I don’t want this blog to become a source of complaining or negativity, but the struggle of day to day life can be overwhelming at times, for any family. Years ago I started running. I needed an outlet and a way to shed some extra pounds. It was around the time that Jeffrey was 2, Meg was 5, and I was exhausted. Between my job as a nurse working night shift and two young children and all that came along with Jeffrey’s special needs (sometimes weekly doctor’s appointments) I had let myself go and I needed something to take care of me.
The story of my running is very typical for how I live my life and make decisions. I was doing a 12-week body challenge and as I progressed the elliptical wasn’t cutting it anymore so I took up running on the treadmill. One day in January, I was able to run two straight miles and I felt like I had completed a marathon… and in typical Kami fashion I decided that if I could run 2 miles then clearly the next step was a 1/2 marathon. So I went home that day and signed up! When Dan came home from work I informed him of my decision and just like any good husband he signed up as well! In all fairness he had been trying to get me to run since our college days and I couldn’t go 1/4 mile without feeling like I might die.
As my running journey continued, I came across a relay series called Ragnar Relay, and I KNEW I must put together a team. The general idea is that 12 runners, in two vans, run 200-ish miles in different areas of the US. My first thought was “who wouldn’t want to do this!”, Dan’s was “who would want to!” Luckily I have a wonderful girlfriend who is just as crazy, and we decided to go for it. Dan eventually agreed as well and last weekend we embarked on our 7th Ragnar in New Hampshire.
So, what does this have to do with respite? Dan and I just aren’t “drinking umbrella drinks by the beach” type people. We recharge best by being active and laughing A LOT. Ragnar gives us both and we have made so many wonderful friends along the way! They are our teammates and the only people who understand how awesome and terrible running is, and there is nothing like 30+ hours in a van together to really bond!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to my fellow Happy Pheet team members for giving Dan and I opportunities for respite!
