Serenity now for my Mast Cells

by FamilyTable | Apr 14, 2020 | Healthy Body

I’ve struggled with allergies since I was little.  First to animals.  Then to pollen.  Then to anything else that came along with stress.
But a few years ago I had a reaction to some meds I was prescribed.  The meds caused my gut flora to be off and I had a bad rash on my neck.  I went to an ENT who explained it was from the drugs.  This all happened during allergy season.  So the next time my body felt allergy season come along, it decided to break out in the rash again.  My friend who loves oils AND is a nurse told me about mast cells.  This helped me connect it all.

What is a mast cell?

A mast cell is a cell filled with basophil granules, found in numbers in connective tissue and releasing histamine and other substances during inflammatory and allergic reactions.  They’re best known for their role in allergy and anaphylaxis, but they also protect us.  They’re involved in wound healing, angiogenesis, immune tolerance, defense against pathogens, and blood-brain barrier function.  So we would like to keep them happy.

Mast cells are part of your immune system.  When something comes into your body that isn’t supposed to be there, your mast cells dump a bunch of histamines to alert you.  The rest of the body then responds by rushing to the scene.  This is an inflammation cascade.  Your body is looking for something to attack.  You have mast cells that destabilize easily and one major reason for mast cell degranulation is STRESS.   And holy moly was I stressed when my mast cells overreacted.
Serenity Softgels from DoTERRA help stabilize mast cells.  I’ve been using them daily for a year.  This has definitely been my best and most allergy symptom-free Spring since moving to the South.

Here’s what I use daily during high pollen:

Serenity Softgels

Lifelong Vitality Pack

Tri Ease

PB Assist  (You’ve GOT to use a good probiotic to keep that gut healthy!)

I also drink:

Kombucha

And lemon, lavender, and peppermint in my ice water ALL DAY LONG

Here is more information that will help you understand the role of mast cells:

https://media.doterra.com/us/en/pips/doterra-serenity-softgels.pdfhttps://www.holtorfmed.com/novel-treatments-for-mast-cell-activation-syndrome/

Drink Your Essential Oils

by FamilyTable | Apr 7, 2020 | Healthy Body

Opinions abound on this issue. There are a lot of voices saying all kinds of things. I am going to tell you what I do and not what you should do. I am comfortable drinking doTerra oils. Here are some details.

The cautions on drinking essential oils are founded. These are the precautions I take for ingesting oils:

• I will only take doTerra oils internally. I know and trust the source. That is vital and it means I do not buy oils labeled doTerra from anyone but doTerra. When you buy doTerra oils on Amazon or eBay it is common to find that someone has refilled their empty bottles with an inferior oil. Just get them straight from the source.
• I take 1-3 drops at a time, not an entire bottle. One of the principals of using oils that I follow especially at the beginning of using a new oil or protocol is the idea that less is more. Say that with me, LESS IS MORE.
• Not every oil can be taken internally. You have to do your research here. A good rule is that if the oil comes from something you would eat, then it is probably safe to ingest. But be sure to look up every oil before deciding to take it internally, just to be safe.
• Use the appropriate container. I use glass glasses and water bottles because essential oils can degrade plastics over time.

All the ways to “drink” your oils

1-Add them to a beverage

This means adding a drop of a citrus oil to your water. Lemon is the most frequently used, but I like to switch it up with some lime and tangerine or wild orange. I add them to tea just as often as I add them to my water.

Here is my recipe for a really yummy cherry limeade tea:

16 oz of brewed tea sweetened to your taste
1/4 of a lime
1 drop of doTerra lime essential oil
a shot of cherry extract
(The amount of extract will vary based on the quality and flavor of your extract. I make my own so it’s delicious and does not taste fake.)

Stir and enjoy! Then play with some variations, lemon, orange, and mint are also delicious in tea.

I also add a drop of essential to my hot beverages. I crave a drop of ginger in my hot tea or cinnamon in my coffee when fall arrives. Be careful with the steam when using a “hot” like those two if the steam gets in your eyes it will hinder your coffee fix that morning.

I put a drop in my smoothies. I will bump up the flavor with a citrus oil or I will add a drop of frankincense, copaiba or turmeric to help my body fight inflammation.

Slim and sassy is a great oil to drink in your water to help you manage cravings.

2-Take them in a shot glass

My daily shot: one drop each copaiba, turmeric, and frankincense, DDR prime and ginger

This is my go-to method for helping my body fight environmental threats and systemic inflammation. I put one gulp of water in a shot glass and add my oils, then I take them all in one swallow.

Allergy season: one each of lemon, lavender, and peppermint

Immunity booster: 1-3 drops of on guard, gargle and then swallow

Inflammation: one drop each copaiba, turmeric, and frankincense

3-Take them in a veggie cap

The shot glass method takes some getting used to. I did not start there. I started with veggie caps. You can put a drop of all the oils mentioned in a little capsule and take your oils that way if the taste bothers you.

4- A drop right under the tongue

This is a great rescue method when timing is everything. Sometimes I have to swish with coconut oil and spit to calm the sensation of the oil but it is worth it for relief from a headache or stomach distress.

If I feel a serious headache coming on, I can put a drop of turmeric under my tongue at the first sign and the anti-inflammatory properties kick in and rescue my day from the grip of that tightening vice.

If my stomach is upset from something I ate this a great way to find quick relief. I use a drop of Digestzen if I ate too late, too spicy, too much and my system just needs support and calming. I use a drop of lemongrass if I had too much dairy. My system has trouble with certain dairy products like ice cream. Lemongrass has lots of detoxing power and it helps me so much.

5- Don’t forget your supplements

I can feel the difference when I neglect my daily supplements. When I take my supplements consistently my body is like a fine-tuned machine. I had to figure out when is the best time for me to take them and it is with lunch.

6- Add them in your food

Let me tell you, a drop of lime oil in your avocado is just amazing. If you use herbs in your cooking, you should think about ways to add a drop of essential oil to boost the flavors of your dishes.

Breathe Respiratory Blend by doTerra

by FamilyTable | Apr 7, 2020 | Healthy Body

Do you have trouble breathing sometimes? I do. DoTerra’s respiratory blend, Breathe was probably my first daily use oil. Just before I put my head on the pillow, I put a drop in the palm of my hand and then rub my hands together and cup them around my nose and inhale deeply. Let me warn you now, it’s addicting.

What makes Breathe so powerful?

It is a blend of oils that soothes the tissue of the respiratory system and has powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties to help your body fight environmental threats. Several of these oils also have anti-inflammatory properties and act as an expectorant.

Oils found in doTerra’s respiratory blend and how they help your body:

Laurel Leaf: antiseptic, anti-fungal
Peppermint: antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, cooling, soothing, dilating
Eucalyptus: profound antiviral properties, reduces inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane
Melaleuca: antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, expectorant properties
Lemon: antiseptic, invigorating
Ravensara: antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, dilating
Cardamom: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, helps with congestion

Ways to use Breathe:

-Apply with a carrier oil to the bottom of feet and the chest or the back
-Apply with a warm compress and a carrier oil to the chest or back
-Put a drop on your pillow so that as you move in the night that smell is released into the air and you get another hit just when you need it
-Diffuse into the air with a diffuser (links to diffusers bellow)

I want to make this personal note about diffusing Breathe. I love this oil. I use it all the time, but I don’t diffuse it. The smell of oils can change when they are diffused and this one changes for the worst in my opinion. When I need to diffuse something that will open me up and soothe my nasal passages, I use peppermint. You can add a drop of eucalyptus or wintergreen to bump it up a little like I do when someone at my house is fighting congestion. I have a friend who has been struggling with her sinuses for years and she always sleeps with a diffuser beside her pumping out peppermint. It really helps her breathe while she sleeps.

A photo tutorial on Breathing:

1. drop in hand
2. rub hands together
3. inhale
4. smile

Diffusers options:

The amount you put in the diffuser will be up to you but start with the premise that less is more. Between 3-10 drops is all you need. But you will need to experiment to find what is exactly right for you.

Large room diffuser
small room diffuser

This information was compiled from personal experience and research. My favorite go-to for oil research is Modern Essentials. Please see our disclosure statement on how to use this information. We are not doctors. We are moms who like to help people make life nicer with oils.

More information and resources to learn more about Breathe

This is a great article from doTerra about Breathe. Click here to read it.

There are lots of products in the Breathe line:

Don’t go another winter without Breath drops in your cupboard. They are the best cough drops you can have on hand when you feel that post nasal drip irritating the back of your throat. They are so soothing and the vapor action opens up your sinuses like no other cough drop on the market. I always have some of these in my purse and in the medicine cabinet.

Do you use a menthol vapor rub? Well, the Breathe Stick will be your new favorite. It is in a push up stick so it is easy to apply to the chest and under your nose. I love to have this on hand when my people are suffering from a stuffy nose or a cough. This is a great rescue that soothes and opens airways.

There is also a Breathe Touch rollerball. I love the touch oils for lots of reasons. They come diluted with coconut oils which makes it easier to grab quickly when my kids need them. They are easy to carry around in my purse. This rollerball can be applied on the chest or under the nose, or on the balls of your feet. It is so quick and simple and makes my life easier!