A little bit about me…I am first and foremost a mama. I love my boys and they are my world. When they were born, it really did turn my world upside down. I was living in Hawaii, had a great outside sales job, had time to work out and work on myself as well as see my friends, surf, do yoga, explore, etc...When my first son was born, I realized that I just wanted to be with him. I was exhausted by having to coordinate child care and still have time for my job and my clients. We moved to China. China was wonderful because I got to be with my son all day every day. China was not wonderful because the air quality is terrible. We started getting sick. Like really sick. Respiratory infections. Antibiotics. We stopped making good food choices and got even more sick. My son, who was 3, had a pronounced speech delay (as in just a few words in Chinese and none in English).
My youngest son was made in China, but born in the US...we never made it back to China. Being back in the US, I realized that we needed to make some changes to come back to not being sick all the time and having vibrant health. I was so stiff and sore that I could barely move. When I did try to work out, it took me 3-4 days to recover. There's no way to drop baby weight or get into any kind of fitness routine if you have to take 4 days off in between workouts! My adrenals were compromised. My joints were swollen. I paid for an expensive blood test to find out that I was basically fine. (Maybe pre-diabetic, but basically, fine.) But, I was not fine! (Synthetic hormones, which are in just about everything can cause a misread on a blood test). I could feel it in my body that I was full of toxins, inflammation and that I was not going to allow myself to age this way.
The first change we made was going to a grain-free/dairy free diet and switching to organic whenever we can. We try to avoid soy as well. Two weeks after we switched our diet, my four year old said his name for the first time.
I also realized that I needed more balance and moments of calm...I started doing yoga and meditation. I didn't have a lot of time to meditate so I started developing strategies I could incorporate in 2-5 minute intervals, fitting them in wherever I could, so that instead of reacting to my life, I was making choices to be present and kind. I stopped getting so grumpy with my children and I dropped about 10 pounds. My husband started getting up earlier to work out and meditate. He lost 20 pounds in a matter of 3 months.
I started composting and growing a garden...I was researching what was in all of our foods and then our health care products (shampoo, conditioner, medications, sunscreens, bug repellents, diaper creams, etc...) and honestly I was getting more and more distraught at what I was finding. Most of what is available to put in our bodies, is actually quite toxic. How did we get to a place where convenience is more important than health and well-being??? I tried finding toxic free everything but was pretty discouraged. If it didn't have toxins, it didn't work as well...and if it worked, then I felt terrible that I was exposing my children (and myself) to carcinogens and toxins.
And then...I got an invitation that would change my life. Here's the deal...I don’t really like essential oils. When my friend asked me if I would be interested in coming to an essential oils class, I snapped “not even a little bit…I’m severely allergic to lavender and eucalyptus, there’s no way.” I really was allergic…I broke out in hives, my eyes and throat would swell shut, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t stop sneezing…Essential oils were my definition of hell. They were definitely not on my radar, even with all the research I was doing.
But I watched her improve her family’s life with these little oils. She got rid of her son’s breathing problems. Her family stopped catching seasonal bugs. Her dog’s cellular growth went away. Her hair looked great. Her skin was glowing. And she was making money too!
Okay, fine…After a year, I called her. "Yes. I’m interested in your essential oils..." I purchased a few oils (nothing with lavender or eucalyptus, thank you very much). I used them and I was blown away. Maybe I DO like essential oils...
In fact, I love them. Everything that I was looking for, I found. Shampoo, conditioner, cleaning solution, laundry detergent, skin care, toothpaste, supplements that give nutrition to my whole family, and essential oils that are so pure with a company that gives back to their growers in such powerful ways. Part of my mission, as I was researching less toxins was to work with a company that is globally, socially, and environmentally conscious. I want to be making the world better for my children and taking care of all the children world-wide. (I told you, first and foremost a mama!) I have found that and so much more and all I want to do is to share with other families and individuals who know that the status quo is out of balance and who are searching for balance in every aspect of their lives.