Do supplements make your head spin?

Do supplements make your head spin?

Supplements, Supplement, Supplements….

We post about all these phenomenal supplements and they all sound fabulous, but do you need all of them? How do I take them? Can I take too much? These are some common questions asked when wanting to start a supplement routine. However, with all the options, it can be so overwhelming!

Everything I am about to write is based on personal experience and my own research. I AM NOT A DOCTOR!

I am always going to tell you that you want a plant-based or whole food-based supplement. This allows your body to absorb the nutrients the way it was supposed to. I like to use our supplement Illumineyes as an example. Rather than an isolate or synthetic form of Vitamin A, this supplement contains purple carrot. These carrots contain beta carotene which convert to Vitamin A as we consume the supplement. This Vitamin A helps with the eyes ability to adjust to various light and help the eye to process it. (just one of the ingredients in that supplement).  I saw the difference with a food-based supplement vs. prescription iron meds. I had much better luck with the whole food-based supplement and less side effects.

Moving on…

You do not want to take a supplement just because it looks good! You want to do your research and take what your body needs. For instance, if I am not deficient in B vitamins, I am not going to take Super B. One, because I have B a multi vitamin (Master Formula) that contains these vitamins, and two, since I am not deficient, I do not need to load up on them. As you start to develop a supplement plan, you need to ask yourself some questions.

  1. What are you trying to target?
  2. Are you aware of any deficiencies?
  3. What does your family history tell you?
  4. Do you have any targeted areas of support that need addressing now? 

I heard Dr. Lindsey Elmore speak and she enforced a Core 4. Consider a CORE 4 based on your needs. Keep in mind, you may not take some of our supplements every day. For instance, I use Alkalime as needed, when I have an unsettled stomach, heartburn, or indigestion. Someone who suffers from chronic GI issues may take this as a daily supplement.

For example, here is what my plan looks like:

Foundational Support: Master Formula. If you want to remove multiple bottles of supplements from your countertop, go with this guy. I could write an entire blog post on how fabulous this supplement is but today, we will stick with foundational support.

Gut: Life9 Probiotic

Targeted Support: Olive Essentials (family history or cardiovascular and neurological issues.)

Those three are my constants! My fourth tends to change based on my current needs. If I feel like I need hormonal support, I will choose a supplement to support those issues. If I am doing the Whole 30 or looking to support a diet change, I reach for Juvatone. Right now, I am switching my fourth item to AgilEase. I have been running consistently and this is just what my body needs.

You may only have 2 or 3 Core supplements that you stick to. You know your body and you need to listen to it. Please look at the ingredients on your supplements. Often times, ingredients can overlap.

If someone was looking to support the immune system, their core routine may look like:

Ningxia, Life 9, and Inner Defense, Vitamin D or C

If someone was looking for hormonal support their core routine may look like:

PD 80/20, Ningxia, Master Formula, and Life 9

If someone is struggling with inflammation, their core routine may look like:

Sulfurzyme, AgilEase, and CBD oil

(All of the above are just examples!)

When to take your supplements? 

Your dosage and timing should be on the bottle. Life9, should always be taken at night, an hour after eating. If you are taking an enzyme, you will take that an hour before your meal. Depending on why you are taking your enzyme, this may be a once a day thing, before a couple of meals a day, or an as needed when you indulge thing. Everything else can be worked into your day based on the directions on the bottle.

I hope this write up helped to guide you and was not too overwhelming. Please let me know if you have any questions!!

I also HIGHLY recommend The Supplement Desk Reference by Jen O’Sullivan.

Starting from the Inside!

Starting from the Inside!
Immune support! 

I don't think I have ever said those two words more, than I have in the year 2020. The word that immediately comes to mind when someone thinks Young Living and immune support is Thieves. Boy, do I LOVE me some Thieves! However, Thieves and it's product line, are tools to support your immune system and a toxin-free lifestyle. There is an even bigger piece of the puzzle when it comes to supporting your immune system and it starts on the inside! 

I want to keep things simple because a lot of people will run and hide when I mention the word "supplement". With all of the processing, all of the additives, all of the pesticides, and all of the additional sugars that end up in our food these days, our bodies are not getting the nutrients they need from the food we are eating. It is so important to incorporate whole-food based or plant based supplements into our health and wellness routines. Why? Our bodies simply absorb it better. Our bodies are meant to absorb nutrients from a whole food source rather than a high dose of isolated vitamins or minerals. For instance, we eat carrots that are high in beta carotene. This is an antioxidant that our bodies converts into vitamin A. This is completely different that isolating a synthetic form  vitamin A and taking it in high doses. This can result in decreased absorption and varying reactions to the supplement. 

Going into the fall and winter months, I wanted to share one of my favorite multi-vitamin/mineral powerhouse supplements, called Master Formula. This supplement, allows you to forfeit the row of a piecemeal supplement bottles sitting on your counter top, for one pouch of all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and vegetable complexes you need in a multi-vitamin. 
If you have been watching the news lately, you may have heard a few vitamins and minerals emphasized. Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc. Master Formula contains all three of those with 100% of the recommended daily value! It has Micronized Nutrient Capsule that contains Vitamin A, eight B vitamins, Magnesium, Iron, Selenium, Copper Maganese, Chromium, Molybdenum. Master Formula contains a Phyto Caplet that contains Vitamin C and a Spectra Fruit,Vegetable, and Herb blend that contains nutrients such as Vitamin C, prebiotics, and Potassium.It also contains a Liquid Vitamin Capsule that contains Vitamin K2, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin A along with an essential oil blend that contains Turmeric.

I can absolutely, 100%, tell a difference in the way I feel when I take this supplement pouch. A simple yet powerful routine would be Master Formula paired with LIfe 9 Probiotics! Talk about an Immune Support powerhouse!!! With Young Living's Free Shipping option at 100 PV coming in September, this is the perfect time to set this supplement routine to be shipped to your door, for free, every month! 

One of my favorite resources, Dr. Lindsey Elmore, had this to say about Master Formula: 
1. Broad spectrum vitamins and minerals, all extracted from food. Plant based nutriment (not a typo, look it up), at its best.
.
2. Vegan vitamin D3. Almost impossible to find D3 (which you neeeeeeeed, NOT D2) in a vegan form. 
.
3. Organic FOLATE (NOT Folic acid) extracted from the peels of lemon skins using nothing more than water. 
.
4. Prebiotics (rare in a multivitamin) feed your healthy gut bacteria, supporting your immune system.
.
5. Unique SSI technology combines similarly beneficial ingredients, and separates ingredients that may break down over time.
.
6. Unique essential oil blend (never seen this over the counter), including turmeric essential oil. 
.
7. Vitamin K2 is more bioavailable than K3 and supports bone health.
.
8. Convenient sachets make travel a breeze. No isn’t bottles needed.

9. Chelated Minerals provide building blocks for tons of critical chemical reactions. If you just don’t feel good and don’t know why, add minerals to your routine.
.
10. The B12 is methylcobalamin, not cyanocobalamin. Because no one wants a dose of cyanide in their vitamin. 

Forget the endless amounts of individual supplement bottles! Give Master Formula a try! 

The Red Juice

The Red Juice

Let's talk about the product my husband told me I need to be telling everyone about....Ningxia Red! 

How many of you received your kit and were clueless on what did to with those red packets?

Step 1: Put them in the fridge.

How many of you were totally thrown off by the name you couldn't pronounce and just pushed them aside?

Step 2: Get your shot glass ready.

How many of you thought we were all a little off because we were taking shots of some juice you couldn't pronounce?

Step 3: Add a drop of your favorite vitality oil and send it down the hatch!

What is this stuff???
Well to make the pronunciation easier, I am going to keep it simple and tell you it is Wolfberry juice! Major super food shot here! It can also be called goji berry. Not so scary anymore?

HOW ABOUT SOME FAST FACTS ON THIS WOLFBERRY? You ready for this?!
• It has over 15% protein by weight
• It contains over 21 essential minerals
• It contains 18 amino acids
• 67 times the vitamin b1 of brown rice
• 2 times the vitamin b3 of bakers yeast
• 3 times the vitamin c of raw oranges
• 5 times the calcium of raw cauliflower
• 2 times the beta carotene of raw spinach 100 g of Ningxia Wolfberry contains 1600 mg of potassium!!

1-2 ounces of Wolfberry juice a day is all you need.

Where does the word Ningxia come from? Location! Location! Location!

The wolfberries for our juice, actually sourced from a location that gets flooded with important minerals. The NingXia Wolfberry is native to the Ningxia Hui Autonomous region of Northern China. Its botanical name is Lycium Barbarum L and is the most highly esteemed for its medicinal and healing properties of all of the Lycium species that exist in China. The highest concentration of the NingXia Wolfberry crop is located in the Yellow River Flood Plain. This flood plain derives its water from the Himalayan Mountains. This water flows through the mountain snowpack and lower Himalayan foothills and becomes charged with an INSANE mixture of minerals and organic nutrients. By the time that it reaches the NingXia province it is a mineral-rich, super-fertile silt water…the likes of which you will find nowhere else on earth. YEAH. THAT GOOD.

Want to hear just one of the reasons why you should be taking a daily shot?

This NingXia wolfberry also has a pretty incredible ORAC score. ORAC is Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. It’s essentially a test that attempts to quantify how powerful the antioxidant capacity is of a food. So, for example…blueberries are a known high-antioxidant food, and they rate just under 5,000 on the ORAC scale. Ningxia Red comes in at a whopping 30,000 on the S-ORAC (same thing as ORAC - just specified for supplements)! 😮

Want the science to back up all of the benefits of this Wolfberry juice?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92756/

YL gives new members the opportunity to try our Wolfberry juice at a stellar price point through the Ningxia Premium Starter Kit! 

Already a member? The Essential Rewards Ningxia Red Kit is a way to get the biggest bang for your buck! 

Quarantine Hair

Quarantine Hair
Alright friends! 

When is the last time you had your hair cut? I chopped my hair off in the fall and had my last cut the first week in December. With all of life's events and now the stay-at-home orders, I have absolutely no idea when a haircut will make it onto our schedule. To be honest, I wanted to start growing my hair out after my last haircut. This mama missed the ease of putting her hair in a ponytail. However, I knew I was in trouble with these color treated ends and no haircut for sometime. Over the last few months, I changed a few things in my routine and my hair has absolutely taken off and is looking super healthy! 

I am here to share that with you as I know switching to a plant-based hair care routine can be so tricky! First, in the fall, I started taking an MSM supplement, after attending Silver Retreat. Lindsey Elmore spoke about Sulfurzyme and how beneficial it was for our bodies. She said it should be incorporated into everyone's routine. This got me digging. I started googling MSM and WOW! I get it, we should all look into an MSM supplement. The list of benefits go on and on. MSM has been studied and may support things such as:

  • Inflammation/Arthritis
  • Cartilage Preservation
  • Range of Motion & Physical Function
  • Reduce Muscle Soreness Associated with Exercise
  • Reduce Oxidative Stress
  • Seasonal Allergies
  • Skin Quality & Texture 
I found this article helpful! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372953/ . Rather than go down the rabbit hole of all the supplements available, I went with what I knew and trusted, Young Living. After about three weeks of taking Sulfurzyme, I noticed a difference in my nails, hair, and muscle tightness/soreness post workouts. If you are looking for a starting point with supplements, here is a great one! 

Onto nourishing my actual hair! 
My hair is growing. There is no doubt about that! The question now was how to nourish and make it through all of these months without a haircut.  The big key here, is a plant-based formula. We are trying to nourish the hair and stay away from harsh chemicals and toxins. However, if you have ever tried to make the switch, you know it can be tricky! 

Step 1: Cleansing
I recommend everyone start with Young Living's Lavender Shampoo! It is light and you get a great lather. Another bonus, it ALSO contains MSM. You need no more than a nickle-sized amount! My husband uses less. Only cleanse your SCALP! Unless you have product in your hair, you only need to wash your scalp. Leave those natural oils that are nourishing your hair alone. If you find you need more moisture in your shampoo, then try the Lavender Mint Shampoo. If your hair is extremely dry, over-treated, or breaks easily, I would look into the Copaiba Vanilla. 

Step 2: Conditioning
If you have fine hair that is prone to oil and grease, go with Young Living's Lavender Conditioner. I have color treated hair so I want something with more moisturizing components. I go with the Young Living Lavender Mint Conditioner. You are going to wring your hair out and gather in your hand like you are putting your hair in a ponytail. Massage a dime to a nickel-size amount into the hair you gathered, staying away from the scalp.  The conditioners are as thick as body butter so you do not want to over do it.  Leave in your hair while you finish your shower and then rinse. 

Step 3:  Leave-In Conditioning (optional)
If you have short or thin hair, you may want to skip this step or use a lighter conditioner, such as the Lavender Conditioner. I like to use the Copaiba Vanilla conditioner because my hair is color-treated and my ends need extra nourishment.  A bottle will last you months and months and months if you are only using it for this step.Take a pea-sized amount in your hands and massage conditioner into the ends of your hair. Leave it in and wrap hair in micro-fiber towel. 

Step 4: Healthy Scalp (optional)
I love this step year round. I change the oils I add to this recipe based on my scalp health. If I am dry, itchy, or irritated, I grab Lavender, Melrose, and Cedarwood. If I am looking to promote healthy growing conditions, I grab Rosemary, Cedarwood, and Geranium. If I want an added boost, I add Ylang Ylang. Start with half a dropper to one dropper full of Mirah Lustrious Hair Oil. Drop into two ounce spray bottle. Add 5 drops each of three essential oils of you choice. Top the bottle with alcohol-free witch hazel and shake to mix. Before drying hair, lift hair and spritz mixture on the root of your hair. Comb through and style as usual. 

That is it folks! I swear by this routine. My hair feels AH-mazing. My ends look healthy and my hair is growing. If you aren't ready to jump in at once, start with the Sulfurzyme and Lavender Shampoo. Then slowly build your haircare collection from there. This would be a great time to jump on Essential Rewards, ease yourself into the routine, and earn points back to spend on your oils! 

You will love the results. Here is a YouTube video of me talking about my routine!