doTERRA Essential Oils for Mental Health

It's no secret that the mental health system in our nation is lacking. Although most primary care physicians are willing and able to provide medications that will address a variety of chemical imbalances, there are a lot of folks who are reluctant to speak up about emotional ups and downs.

There are a lot of people who might go through seasonal lows, experience temporary periods of anxiety or mild depression, or simply get overwhelmed when life becomes exceedingly stressful. Just the daily grind itself can make you want to pull your hair out some days. Can I get a amen?

If that sounds anything like you, doTERRA essential oils may be the perfect solution to your mild emotional instabilities.

**Let me just stop right here - before I go any further - and clarify one very important point: if you are experiencing recurrent, regular, unchanging symptoms of severe depression, please seek help from a licensed medical professional. Mental disorders are most often classified by a chemical or hormonal imbalance in the brain - a biological dysfunction that may only be helped with prescription intervention.**

From my own personal experience taking a prescribed serotonin reuptake inhibitor shortly following the birth of my second child, a couple of months taking a daily pill was enough to get me back to my normal self again. I was so glad to stop taking that medicine, but I'm a mom. I'm human, and some days still just get the best of me. This is why I am so grateful to have found doTERRA essential oils.

There are a variety of blends and single oils that are great for treating mood swings, disparity, lack of motivation, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, stress and the list goes on. Here are some of my favorite EOs and how they are most often used to address common mental health concerns.

The Mood Matrix is a great tool to figure out which exclusive doTERRA oil blend is going to be most effective for your current emotional state.

Serenity has a smooth, soft, sweet aroma with notes of lavender and sandalwood. It is great for diffusing at night to promote relaxation and sleep.

Citrus Bliss is a combination of the citrus oils with a touch of vanilla. It is very reminiscent of a creamsicle.

Balance is a sweet, earthy aroma with hints that remind me of luscious trees perfectly paired with a salty sea breeze. It is the perfect blend for reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

Elevation is also a floral and citrus based blend that promotes rejuvenation. It reminds me of the first warm spring days following a harsh winter. It is a very uplifting blend that is both refreshing and joyful.

Vetiver has a very woodsy scent. It is earthy and pure. One of my friends described this oil with the following:

'Whenever I feel like I'm going to yell a my kids, I put on some vetiver to calm me down.' Truth.


For me personally, I feel that the citrus oils (lemon, wild orange, bergamot, grapefruit etc.) are great for an uplifting boost. I prefer to diffuse these oils in the morning for an instant pick-me-up.


I prefer the soft, earthy scents toward the end of the day when I need to regroup, unwind, and relax from a busy day. Lavender, cedar wood, sandalwood, Roman chamomile are just a few.

Another source of emotional ups and downs for a lot of women is their menstrual cycle. Although this is another topic entirely, I do believe that addressing your cyclic swings and sexual health is a key component for overall mental health. doTERRA's Clary Calm rollerball blend is excellent for addressing hormone fluctuations, mood swings, PMS symptoms, menopause and more.

I wasn't a huge fan of the sexual side effects that occurred from the prescription medication I took shortly after having Simon. Once I got my hormones back under control, I have found that these oils help to keep me in check. They ease my frazzledness, calm my stress, and help me to relax when I'm wound up.

If you have days like my momma said...like my momma said, check out these great blends and single oils from doTERRA. They just might change your life!

Pinwheel Taco Salad

I threw together a quick lunch on this beautiful snow day that was originally inspired by a recipe I had seen on Pinterest, but not very far into the construction of the bite sized taco bites I realized that my attempts were yielding something that looked nothing like the ones in the picture.

Instead of being frustrated that my plan was not going the way I wanted, I ran with it. These unintentional, palm sized pinwheels were perfect under a simple, southwest inspired salad and were incredibly filling.

These would also be very easy to make ahead and freeze for a quick snack, lunch or dinner on the fly.

*tips: allow cooked meat to cool significantly before topping the crust. Warm meat will cause the dough to become soft, stretchy and difficult to handle. Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the pinwheels.

If you prefer to make bite sized pinwheels, cut the crust in half before topping and rolling so they make two smaller spirals rather than 1 large one


Ingredients:

1 canned pizza crust flattened.
1 lb ground meat of choice - we used turkey.
1 c. Shredded cheese
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
salad toppings of choice
we used lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, salsa, avocado, and sour cream.

Other options include corn, black beans, rice, raw onion, you name it.

Cook meat, drain of necessary, add taco seasoning. You don't want this mixture wet or it will cause the dough to become soggy.

Spread out the crust and top with seasoned meat and cheese. Tightly roll the crust into a log and slice into approximately 1-2 inch pinwheels.  Bake at 350 on a lightly greased cookie sheet until crust is browned.

Top with salad fixings and serve. Enjoy y'all!

My Oil Story

Six months ago our family battled endless runny noses, lingering coughs, virus after virus, and symptom after symptom, many of which I had no ability to address or safely treat with traditional, over the counter medications.

Seeing your child sick and being able to do absolutely nothing about it is such a helpless feeling. 

I didn't seek out essential oils - they found me - and we hit it off rather quickly.

Six months ago I had seen relatively few posts about essential oils, and even when I did, I didn't understand them and I had no clue what they were capable of. Truth be told, I was a skeptic. With a strong background in science, mechanisms of action, and a general understanding of how pharmaceuticals work, this entire platform just seemed...silly.

Until I tried them.

Even the sales pitch didn't really have me sold. It wasn't until I got the chance to sample some oils from my mom's kit that I started to see just how quickly they get to work, how efficiently they address problems, and how versatile they truly are.

Within a few days of using oils, I knew I wanted some for our family.

I decided on the doTERRA Family Physician Kit for a number of reasons, but the top two are:

1. It offered a wide variety of oils that would address our family's most common ailments and issues.

2. It is one of the most affordable starter kits available.

As someone who has never been involved in a tiered marketing company, I am still learning the ins and outs of this sales business, but so far, the free inventory that I have earned and the income has been completely worth it - in just the 6 short months that I have been a Loyalty Rewards Program following Wellness Advocate, I have earned well over $500 (retail value) worth of products, and each month, I have more coming. I've been able to drastically expand our inventory and even try some of the health/beauty/wellness products that doTERRA offers outside of essential oils.

Perhaps the most outstanding thing that we have gained from essential oils is more wellness. In the past, we would sit back and watch mild symptoms slowly progress into something worse, still without many options for treating them. Eventually, over the course of weeks sometimes, the symptoms would reside, and then the bug would move on to the next member of our family. We'd start all over again.

With essential oils, I can treat the initial symptoms and give our own immune systems the boost they need to fight off colds and viruses faster. Instead of allowing a runny nose to end in terrible chest congestion, I can diffuse Breathe and literally see my kids' symptoms begin to clear up.

We've found sleep aids, stress reducing blends, air purifiers, first aid treatments, and protection through the use of essential oils, and luckily, we've avoided the doctor's office for a sick visit this cold/flu season. Most people I know can't say that.

Essential oils are not a miracle cure, and I personally do not think they should completely replace modern medicine, vaccines, or a prescription medication if severe symptoms continue to progress. Oils are a supplement that offer balance, purity, detoxification, and homeostasis so our bodies can proactively defend and heal - faster and with more efficiency.

I love that we finally have a safe and effective option for addressing our family's common issues without making a trip to the doctor's office - from headaches to tummy troubles - essential oils are completely natural. EOs are incredibly potent and powerful, so if you are new to them, be sure to read up on their safety so you can avoid an unwanted reaction or sensitivity.

Sharing my love of oils with others has become a bit of a passion, so if you'd like to learn more about them, please let me know. You can also visit my website at www.mydoterra.com/maggiebohannon



The Reason I Will Probably Never Shop at Harris Teeter Again

In preparation for a pending blizzard (~ 4 inches) I knew I needed to run by the store on the way home from work and grab a loaf of bread. Not just to fit the stereotype of the South, but we truly were out of bread.

At work, I browsed through the weekly Harris Teeter ad and naturally, some of their specials caught my eye. There was also a printed $10 off store coupon that I cut out to help save me a few extra bucks. In the past I've gotten some decent deals with their B1G1 or two or three free sales so I made a short list and after work, I pulled into the very crowded parking lot. Had I not seen the sale add, I probably would have stopped at WalMart instead. Both are located along my route home. In hind sight, I probably would have saved more money there...

There is a large open cooler to the right side of the store, near the produce, where most on-sale items are kept. Generally the same item spans across the width of the cooler. Price tags are located along both sides and occasionally a sign is positioned right in the middle of the cooler highlighting the specials. I'm visual, so I drew a fancy little diagram to help describe what I'm talking about:

I approached the cooler with the intent of calculating the price per pound on two items: frozen chicken and shrimp.

I came up to the cooler from the right side, so I saw the cheapest shrimp option first (see yellow area, letter A - $25 and some change per bag of shrimp). Keep in mind this is the B2G3 free, so ultimately, after tax each bag would come to roughly $11 each. Or at least that's what I thought. I did happen to notice that there were two types of shrimp directly beside each other - item B - with a slightly larger size and larger price tag. The packaging looked identical, except for a number representing the amount of shrimp in the bag. Even that option would have only increased each bag by about $1. I assumed that because the sign was in the center, it applied to all present shrimp varieties - at this point I only saw and assumed that two different types were available. I was wrong.

At the checkout, the 3 free bag discount was not applied, and a kind associate offered to go exchange them for the correct ones. Sure, I thought, it will be the $27 bags and it should only add a few extra dollars to my total.

The store was busy, my mistake was causing a lot of people to have to wait in line, so I just went along with it. Only after getting to my car and reviewing the receipt did I discover that each bag of shrimp was almost $36 each! That's a $20 difference on my total bill. I furiously returned in the store carrying my receipt, walked to the cooler to review the price tags only to find the above labeled section C which contained a completely different size of shrimp. Mind you, the bags still had the same design, color scheme, etc. The only difference in the packaging was the number under the larger logo and print. Nearly identical.

Ok, so yes, this is a minor issue that could have been prevented if I had just passed on the shrimp. I reluctantly left the store, but I knew that had I paid more attention the first time around, this price difference would have been apparent. I can't help but think though that these shrimp were strategically organized as such to promote this exact scenario, or something similar. People rarely approach this cooler from the back side, and the sign itself was placed so that it indicated all shrimp in that section were applicable to the discount. Wrong.

Maybe I'm just being crazy, but every other product in the cooler was positioned so the same item could be reached from either side of the counter. Why were the shrimp the only item in this case that were arranged differently? Very misleading.

Speaking of some other products in that open cooler, bags of frozen chicken on the B1G1 sale broke down to $2.20/lb when you can ALWAYS get fresh chicken from the meat counter for $1.99/lb. Explain to me how that B1G1 is saving me any money?

A few aisles later, I came across the BBQ sauce that was on sale. I couldn't help but question the advertising tactics and the actual prices offered with these products. The sale price on a smaller bottle was actually cheaper per ounce than the more enticing idea of B1G1 free in the larger size.

Basically, do your math, folks. Sometimes sale signs are just used to get rid of inventory that's been sitting...amIrite?

Finally, Bird's Eye frozen veggies in the steamable bags were on sale as well for B1G1. The retail price for one bag was listed at $2.26. That comes to $1.13 for each bag. Most other grocery stores sell this same product for no more than $1 each. Sale? I think not.

I probably could have spent more time picking apart Harris Teeter's inflated price tags and not-so-great featured weekly sales, but I'll stop with these. It's retailers like this that make grocery shopping entirely more complicated than it should be. It's retailers like this that make consumers question honesty and integrity. I feel like customers are being taken advantage of here, and it sucks. I'm not so naïve to believe that Harris Teeter is the only store pulling these kind of stunts, but I just wanted to point out that if you are trying to make the most of your grocery budget, be careful and don't allow yourself to get sucked into the sketchy and misleading tactics of sales advertising. Live and learn, y'all. Live and learn.

I'm not really sure why I keep insisting on visiting different grocery stores and forcing myself to buy things when I know I can get better deals elsewhere. Can someone please develop a grocery retailer that offers double cart seats, great prices (like Aldi), but a bigger selection, and produce that doesn't rot in 48 hours? Is that too much to ask?

Kitchen Sink Quiche

I've never attempted to make quiche before, but last night, I got a craving for something savory...with sausage...and bacon, so quiche it was. With the addition of some extra veggies, I felt like this was the ultimate western omelet, on steroids, with a flaky crust.

Can I get a amen!?

I'm delighted with how this recipe turned out. It was fluffy, full of flavor and the kids ate it right up. So, here ya go!

Ingredients
1 uncooked, prepared pie crust
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk or cream (I only had milk on hand)
8 slices of bacon (we use the turkey variety because it's cheaper) cooked & chopped
1 1/2 c. ground sausage (I did a mixture of 1/2 mild and 1/2 maple flavor)
spoonful of minced garlic
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese
veggies of choice (I used diced onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms)

Cook and crumble sausage on medium heat until ~1/2 way cooked. Add garlic and optional veggies and sauté until veggies are cooked.

While meat and veggies are cooking, thoroughly whip eggs and milk. Add salt and pepper along with the cheese. Mix in meats & veggies. Unfold pie crust into deep dish pan. Pour egg mixture into pie crust and loosely top with foil. Bake at 400 for ~1 hour covered, followed by ~10-15 minutes uncovered to brown the top. Adjust cooking time if necessary - our quiche was incredibly thick so it needed quite a bit of time to cook up completely in the center.

We actually ate ours for dinner, but this makes a great breakfast or brunch treat too. Enjoy!

 

 

7 Ways to Make Money & Earn Free Stuff

Let's face it - people like making money and earning free stuff. I know I do. We have a very tight budget right now, so even if I'm not able to spend a lot of money when I go shopping, it just makes sense that I'm taking advantage of opportunities to rack up points that can be applied for free stuff, right?

Right.

In addition to being a proud doTERRA Wellness Advocate, I also do quite a bit of freelance writing on the side to supplement our income. These two platforms alone have helped our family tremendously.

1. doTERRA What can I say? I'm an essential oil junkie. Being a doTERRA wellness advocate has not only given us a little extra income, but I've been able to acquire quite the oil inventory....for free! Free product earnings depend on purchases and sales, but ultimately, I'm able to keep our family's oil box stocked with a little extra at no cost to me. If you'd like to learn more about oils in general, see my post Essential Oils 101. To earn wholesale price, free product credit, and income through this platform, visit this site and be sure to choose enroller ID: 1158991.

2. Fiverr - From childcare costs to Christmas presents, my earnings from writing are sent directly to my PayPal account which makes it super easy to conduct my online shopping, send a payment to friends/family, or transfer straight to my bank account. Fiverr's platform is set up so you can solicit your gig - be it graphic designing, content writing, voice overs, videos, photography, editing etc. Basically any skill that you can conduct using your computer is acceptable.

Newbies start off with limitations - they can only earn $5 per each gig, but as you earn clients and complete more work, you earn the ability to charge more, offer larger gigs, do bigger projects, and best of all, earn more money. Fiverr is a platformed designed to help you get paid for your work - it's not a get rich quick scheme, and you have to put forth the effort to see the earnings. If you have a digitally marketable skill, this is a great way for you to earn some extra money on the side. See my referral link here.

3. ShopKick app - ShopKick is a smartphone app that gives you points for visiting stores, making purchases, or scanning certain items. Most places do not require a purchase - simply walking into the store earns you points. You can also earn points for scanning certain items within the store. Points can then be redeemed for gift cards to a variety of different retailers and restaurants. It's a very easy way to rack up points if you need to go run some errands. I highly recommend this app, especially if you're out and about a lot so check it out here.

4. Survey Mini app - similar to shopkick, SurveyMini is a mobile app that uses location-based pings to generate short surveys about your shopping experiences as well as your household. Earn points that can be redeemed for retail/restaurant gift cards AND certain surveys give little freebies like a free BoBerry Biscuit from Bojangles, free menu item at Church's Chicken, or even a free DVD from the local pawn shop. Although it will take us some time to build up enough points for a gift card, it doesn't require much effort.

5. BestMark mystery shopping - BestMark is a legit mystery shopping company that offers mostly automotive, beauty counter, and restaurant mystery shops - in my area that is. There is an occasional electronics store shop too. I have gotten several free oil changes and tire rotations for Blake's vehicle, and best of all, they pay CASH on top of the service reimbursement. We've also been out to dinner a few times and had the tab paid back to us for completing a fairly simple survey. Most shops do not allow kids, so if you are a parent, you'll need to arrange these outings solo. Regardless, it's a very quick and easy way to get a little extra cash for the places you likely need to go anyways. BestMark offers referral bonuses too, so be sure to sign up here and then share your own referral link to your friends!

6. Zulily - Zulily offers tremendous discounts on major fashion brands for men's women's and children's clothes. They also sell tons of toys, educational materials, household items, and decor. I've been shopping on Zulily for about three years now, and honestly, even though I've had a few issues with late shipping or a cancelled order, the customer service department is probably the best that I have ever dealt with.  I browse inventory regularly, but really shop the most right before Christmas or when they have major seasonal blowout sales. If you refer friends and family (and they place an order) you earn an extra $15 shopping credit for ever successful signup. If you haven't set up a Zulily account yet be sure to take advantage of their excellent deals here.

7. Influenster - Influenster is a great platform for getting free stuff! They have a large product database for leaving reviews and asking questions. Fill out surveys and answer questionnaires about your consumer habits, favorite products etc. for chances to qualify for VoxBoxes - completely free samples of things like food, cosmetics, cleaning products, beauty supplies etc. It's completely free to sign up - no obligations and no requirements. Check it out here.

So there you have it folks. The seven sources that our family uses to earn free stuff and additional income. Have fun!

Making Your Food Choices Go Further

I'm going to take a second here and be a little geriatric. There was a time in our lives that we didn't really have to think too much about our purchases. We didn't worry about expenses nearly as much, we ate out a lot, and I didn't think twice about making that unnecessary, but very fulfilling purchase of new shoes.

The economy, job changes, two kids - life happens, and perhaps now more than ever, we have to be very cognizant about our spending habits. Although it takes time and dedication, meal planning has truly saved us a ton of money when it comes to the grocery bill. In addition to making wiser choices about what we eat, I've developed some tips and tricks for making your food budget go a little further.

1. Keep it simple - Unfortunately, I was blessed with a very spontaneous and sporadic set of taste buds. I would not classify myself as a picky eater because I'll try and eat almost anything, but it's my current cravings and preferences that get in the way. Truth be told, I don't like to fix the same recipe twice. I like to make it different, change it up, be a rebel.

Part of minimizing our grocery bill includes the necessity for simple meals. A basic protein + veggie + starch kind of plate or even those quick fix skillet meals or single dish entrees. I typically meal plan for 2-week spans, and at least 3 of the meals within that list (of 14+ dinners) are usually something like frozen lasagna or skillet chicken teriyaki. Many of these other dishes include a more involved recipe for the protein portion along with canned or frozen veggies and a box of mac & cheese, quick fix mashed potatoes, or instant rice.

Basically, I focus my attention on the main dish aspect, and fill in the holes with side items that can be thrown in the microwave or a saucepan.

I have had to get over a lot of my persnickity preferences, but ultimately I have become more satisfied with simpler meals knowing they are saving us money.

2. Cut up the meat. I have also found that slicing and dicing our protein not only preserves portion control, but we waste less and save more. For example, instead of preparing 4 chicken breasts for our family, 2 large pieces that have been cut up are more than enough.

3. Add bulk to your meals with extra veggies and occasional grains. For example, a classic skillet meal with 2-3 servings can feed our family of 4 with leftovers when I add 1 extra bag of veggies and 1-2 servings of rice.

4. Meat isn't always a necessity.  I love my bacon, but the idea that every meal needs a meat is a misconception.  Every now and again I will fix a flavorful vegetarian meal, and I only get minimal complaints from my carnivorous husband. He gets over it and ultimately we save some money in the process.


I'm always trying to find new and creative ways to stretch our food budget. What are some ways that your family makes the most of a limited grocery budget?