The Best Essential Oils for Mood and Sleep Support

Have you ever used aromatherapy or experienced a boost in your mood after you’ve encountered a familiar smell that triggered a fond memory? If so, then you know how smell can directly affect how you feel. In fact, it’s smell that often triggers memories and emotions. And it’s smell–more so than the other senses–that can best influence brain activity and help us calm down.

So when it comes to feelings of overwhelm and anxiousness, it makes sense that aromatherapy can help.

Science backs this up, too. In a study conducted at Ruhr University in Germany, Professor Hanns Hatt suggested that, “Essential oils may affect a number of biological factors, including heart rate, stress levels, blood pressure, breathing, and immune function.”

And in a 2014 study conducted by the American College of Healthcare Sciences, “58 hospice patients were given hand massages once a day for one week with an essential oil blend in 1.5 percent dilution with sweet almond oil. The essential oil blend consisted of equal ratios of bergamot, frankincense and lavender. All patients who received the aromatherapy hand massage reported less pain and depression, concluding that aromatherapy massage with this essential oil blend is more effective for pain and depression management than massage alone.” [1]

When it comes to calming your mind and de-stressing, here are 7 essential oils I recommend:

Bergamot:

With both calming and uplifting abilities, Bergamot can dissipate anxious feelings while simultaneously providing cleansing and purifying benefits.

Cedarwood:

With properties that help to soothe the mind and body, the warm, woody scent of Cedarwood promotes a relaxing environment.

Frankincense:

Often called the “king of oils, ” Frankincense promotes feelings of peace and overall wellness when used aromatically.

Lavender:

Lavender is often considered a must-have oil to keep on hand at all times due to its versatile uses, including calming and relaxing properties that promote peaceful sleep and ease feelings of tension.

Roman Chamomile:

While providing a sweet, floral aroma, Roman Chamomile can soothe body systems as it supports calming effects for the skin, mind and body.

Vetiver:

With a unique, exotic aroma, Vetiver is known to provide a calming, grounding effect on emotions, promoting restful sleep.

Ylang Ylang:

Derived from unique star-shaped flowers, Ylang Ylang is often used to support healthy skin and hair, while simultaneously providing a calming effect and promoting a positive outlook.

I suggest diffusing these oils during the day, and applying a couple of drops to your wrist, chest, and back of neck while you’re out and about.

You might be wondering, if essential oils help calm your mood, then can they help for sleep? The answer is ABSOLUTELY!!!

Quality sleep is essential. If you’re not sleeping well or sleeping enough, you simply can’t be your best self. Your energy tanks, your mood is off, you get sick easier, you crave unhealthy food, and you just don’t feel well.

Experts recommend that adults get at least 7–8 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, about 33 percent of Americans are not getting the recommended amount of sleep per night, and approximately 1 in every 5 adults in the United States experiences occasional sleeplessness or difficulty sleeping.

Depriving your body of sleep has been linked to many health risks and places a tremendous burden on virtually every organ system in your body. Lack of adequate sleep affects our ability to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight; influences how we feel, learn, and behave; negatively impacts our cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing; and can reduce reaction time and interfere with our ability to drive.

All of the oils recommended above have powerful calming properties and are perfect to diffuse in your bedroom to support restful sleep. You can also consider adding a few drops to an epsom salt bath before bed or applying a couple of drops to the bottom of your feet before bed.

All of these practices will help calm and relax your mind, so you can easily drift off to restful sleep.

Whether you are overwhelmed with grief or sadness, need to be energized and motivated, or need calming and peaceful feelings throughout your day, essential oils can be helpful in supporting your mood and your sleep.

I would love to hear from you! Do you use essential oils for mood and sleep support? Please share your favorite oils and how you use them!

Found this Interesting?

Jen Broyles is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and essential oils educator who helps people regain their health and vitality naturally through nutrition, stress-management, essential oils, and natural solutions.

Jen has a special interest in gut health, detox, mood, and hormone imbalances. You can visit her website for healthy living advice, practical essential oils tips, and delicious recipes at www.jenbroyles.com.

Root Causes of Hashimoto's with Dr. Eric Osansky

Dr. Eric Osansky is a chiropractic physician, clinical nutritionist, and Functional medicine practitioner. He is back on the show in the event of his new book coming out called "Hashimoto's Triggers". In this episode we talk about Hashimoto's disease & its triggers, the connection between thyroid & SIBO, and essential oils.

Here's what you'll hear:

Min 01:05 Introducing Dr. Eric Osansky's new book
Min 02:55 What are Hashimoto's triggers?
Min 04:25 Food triggers
Min 08:00 Estrogen dominance
Min 12:10 The connection between thyroid & SIBO
Min 18:10 Blood sugar as a trigger for Hashimoto's
Min 21:55 Blue light exposure
Min 23:45 Dr. Osansky's book
Min 24:05 Using essential oils

To learn more about Dr. Osansky, visit his website here and follow him on social media:
Facebook 

Resources:

Hashimoto's Triggers book 
Addressing Hashimoto's and Graves' Disease with Dr. Eric Osansky 
Receive a FREE CHAPTER from Dr. Osansky's book "Hashimoto's Triggers"

Here's a video version of the interview with Dr. Eric Osansky:

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Ready to Support Your Thyroid?

Check out my free guide on simple hacks for thyroid support!

You want help for your thyroid symptoms ASAP! Cut to the chase with this straight-forward guide, outlining the exact techniques I use to help keep my Hashimoto’s in remission.

Let me help you start addressing your symptoms now!

Healing Gut & Oral Infections With Herbs with Dr. Rachel Fresco

Dr. Rachel Fresco is a doctor of Chinese Medicine out of California. She's also the founder and President of Bio-Botanical Research. In this episode we talk about her formulations, biofilms, gut infections, essential oils, oral health, and eating healthy.

Here's what you'll hear:

Min 02:00 Introducing Dr. Rachel Fresco
Min 03:58 Dr. Fresco's Biocidin® formula
Min 09:40 Biofilms
Min 14:55 Microbial blends
Min 20:30 Olive leaf extract & essential oils
Min 25:00 Using Biocidin
Min 29:00 Binders
Min 32:15 Biocidin Throat Spray
Min 38:20 Marcons
Min 40:15 Dentalcidin & oral health
Min 46:53 Amalgam filling & detoxifying
Min 52:45 Eating healthy
Min 64:40 Dr. Fresco's resources

To learn more about Rachel Fresco and her company Bio-Botanical Research, visit her website here and on Facebook 
 

Resources:

Bridgit’s shop
Leaky Gut Solutions Webinar
Dentalcidin toothpaste
MegaSporeBiotic
Cyrex Labs

Here's a video version of the interview with Dr. Rachel Fresco:

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The Five-Day DIY Detox Guide

Do you wake up groggy and tired, turning to coffee or pastries to get you going?     

Add in a simple 5 minute routine to have more energy for the day!    

Grab our Five-Day DIY Detox Guide and get some spring back in your step, naturally.  

Essential Oils that Balance Sleep, Mood and More with Jodi Cohen

Jodi Cohen is the founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, an essential oils company, and the best selling author of "Healing with Essential Oils". She's a nutritional therapist and essential oils expert. In this episode we talk about the nervous system and how to get into parasympathetic rest mode, getting a good night's sleep, the adrenal glands, and histamine.

Here's what you'll hear:

Min 01:35 Introducing Jodi Cohen
Min 03:25 Jodi's health history
Min 08:40 Essential oil formulas
Min 11:00 How essential oils work
Min 17:45 Jodi's first approach to helping clients: improving sleep
Min 22:55 Mold & clearing the sinuses
Min 23:40 Melotonin and how it detoxifies
Min 25:40 Effects of stress on the body
Min 28:50 The adrenals & HPA
Min 34:10 Detoxifying estrogen
Min 35:45 Using binders
Min 38:40 Mood adjustment with essential oils
Min 45:15 Histamine balance for air cleaning
Min 46:05 Jodi Cohen's essential oils
Min 48:30 Jodi's resources

To learn more about Jodi Cohen, visit her website here and follow her on social media:
Facebook page 
Facebook discussion group 
Pinterest 
Twitter 
Instagram 
YouTube 

Resources:

Buy essential oils 10% off using the code "womenswellness"
Leaky Gut Solutions interview with Kiran Krishnan
Free gift: Download a free chapter of Jodi's book, Healing with Essential Oils

Here's the video version of the interview with Jodi Cohen:

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We have lots of valuable, free resources for women's health we share weekly.

Alternatives to Nasty Chemical Products in Your Home by Teresa Jungling

How many chemicals are you being exposed to on a daily basis? Probably more than you can imagine! When it comes to personal care products, it is estimated that the average woman typically uses 9-12 personal care products each day (including cosmetics). This exposes her to between 125-168 different chemicals. In addition to personal care products, there are other items you come in contact with throughout the day such as cleaning chemicals, plastics, flame retardants and more.

Chemicals used in household products are taking a toll on us. For the sake of your health, it’s important to take steps to reduce the amount of chemicals you are being exposed to everyday.

When It Comes to Household Products Consider the Following:

• There are roughly 85,000 chemicals registered for use in the United States and only a small percentage of those chemicals have been thoroughly tested for safety.

• Roughly 1,300 chemicals used in everyday products are considered endocrine disruptors

• “The law does not require cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, to have FDA approval before they go on the market.” “Neither the law nor FDA regulations require specific tests to demonstrate the safety of individual products or ingredients. The law also does not require cosmetic companies to share their safety information with FDA.”
  

Ditch Toxic Household Products!

So what are we to do? Is it possible to ditch everyday household products filled with nasty chemicals and opt for more natural alternatives? Yes, it definitely is! 

When it comes to household products, the following natural ingredients provide great alternatives to costly, toxic chemical products.

Vinegar:

Vinegar is a weak acid that disinfects, sanitizes and deodorizes.  Therefore it is a great natural cleaning substance. Vinegar is proven to be effective against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and mold. Vinegar has a wide array of uses and can help clean everything from your carpet and tile to your bathroom and laundry. 

Personally, I add vinegar to my laundry instead of using fabric softener and I keep a spray bottle of vinegar in my bathroom to help clean my shower.  After showering, I spray vinegar on the walls and in the corners of my shower to help reduce the growth of mildew. 

Baking Soda:

Baking soda is 100 percent sodium bicarbonate and helps regulate pH.  When you think of baking soda, you might think of it as an ingredient in a baked good. However, baking soda has many other beneficial uses and is a great deodorizer, neutralizer and cleanser. It also has anti-fungal properties.

Baking soda can be used as a scouring agent on your kitchen counters. I use baking soda as a scouring agent on my shower floor. You can make it into a cleaning paste by adding a little water. Baking soda is also great to keep in your refrigerator as a deodorizer. In addition to the above, baking soda cuts grease so try it when you clean dishes or want to remove an oil stain from clothing.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are great to add to your cleaning recipes. Different oils offer different benefits. Tea tree oil is a popular option when it comes to cleaning since it has powerful antimicrobial properties. It also has antiseptic and anti-fungal properties.

Tea tree oil is distilled from the Australian tree Melaleuca alternifolia and can help fight mildew. Use it in your laundry to help remove the smell of mildew from your clothing and use it in your cleansers to help with disinfecting surfaces.

Eliminating chemicals from your household products is possible and is a huge benefit to you and your family!
 

FOUND THIS INTERESTING?

Teresa Jungling is the owner of the healthy living blog, Living Natural Today and the previous radio show host of Living Natural Today - Out with Toxins, In with Your Health. Living Natural Today is a resource for those looking to create a more natural home and live a healthier lifestyle. Download her free guide to discover ways in which you can create a healthier, more natural home for you and your family.

The Parasite Hormone Connection

 

Do you think parasites have nothing to do with hormones? Or that parasites are very rare and only found in places like rural Africa?

You would be wrong on both counts. In this article, I'll explain:

• What is the connection between hormones and parasites

• What are the symptoms of a parasitic infection

• Why are parasites so common

• What you can do about it

The Link Between Parasites and Hormones

A parasite is dictionary defined as “an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.” 

You might be thinking, “well shouldn't my body prevent parasites?” You are right; it should but it doesn't always succeed. Parasites can enter through the skin or the vagina but the most common area of entry is the mouth.

When you eat something or put your hands in your mouth you expose yourself to potential parasites and their larvae.  Parasites are found in soil and feces and do a great job of spreading themselves around.

When you swallow a parasite, your stomach acid should burn off the pathogen. However many of us have low stomach acid production from a thyroid condition, because of aging, or because we were eating on in a rush and we didn't get our bodies into “rest and digest” mode.

If a parasite survives the stomach it can live in the intestines or move to other areas of the body. Parasites can remain for decades. You may also be wondering, “isn't it somewhat normal to have parasites?”

According to Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman in her book Guess What Came to Dinner?, some amount of parasites could make for no noticeable symptoms. It really depends on the type and quantity of parasites and the strength or weakness of the host.

You are the host and the environment you create in your body helps determine if a parasite finds a good home or not. If your intestines are out of balance because of eating inflammatory foods, leaky gut, antibiotic use, other infections, or eating a high-sugar, high-refined flour diet you are providing a welcoming home for a parasite.

So now you understand how having a parasite is indeed possible. But why would this affect your hormones?

Having a parasite will cause inflammation in the gut and a potential loss of nutrients going to you, the host.

Hormones stay in balance through:

• Production

• Clearance

• Communication

Parasites will contribute to the overall poor environment in the gut. And your gut is an important location for hormone production and clearance.

The nutrients you absorb in the gut are the ingredients to make hormones: B vitamins, amino acids, fats, etc. That's why I consider it not only very important to eat nourishing foods, but also to take high-quality supplements to 'mind your gut'.

Parasites can contribute to an imbalanced bacterial environment in your gut. (Other contributors are sugar, alcohol, white flour, genetically-modified foods, and antibiotics.) That imbalance can lead to a re-activation of used estrogens getting back into circulation in your body, possibly increasing your risk of breast cancer. (source)

In a healthy gut, used hormones that have been rendered inactive in the liver will be expelled in the intestines through the bile. In an unhealthy gut, an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase will be produced, making estrogen active again. This happens within a set of gut bacteria called the estrobolome.  

Dr. Izabella Wentz, in her book Hashimoto's Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, connects many parasites to the "triggering and exacerbating" of the autoimmune thyroid condition Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. These include: Giardia lamblia, Dientamoeba fragilis, Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica, Blastocystis hominis, Bartonella henselae and Cyrptosporidium.

Hormones are made in response to the needs of your body. If your body is chronically fighting an infection in your gut and dealing with the inflammation there, hormones will be made to combat that stress, namely stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

As a woman, you want a balance of stress hormones and more restorative hormones in the Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) family like estrogen and testosterone. If your body is making a lot of cortisol in comparison to DHEA, you could have symptoms like overwhelm, low sex drive, infertility and loss of muscle mass. Menopause and peri-menopause can be more difficult.

The above are just a few ways that parasites and an unhealthy gut can lead to hormonal problems.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a parasitic infection are numerous. This list is by no means a way of diagnosis but rather examples of the diverse ways that a parasite could manifest:

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Gas and bloating

• Muscle pain

• Anemia

• Autoimmune diseases

• Skin rashes

• Insomnia / Waking up too early

• Anxiety

• Fatigue

• Teeth grinding

• Frequent colds and flu

In this article, I am focusing on parasites but we often see parasites in our clients like Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and candida. Parasites can also help house and protect things like Epstein-Barr virus, mold mycotoxins, and Lyme infection. So in complex cases is often important to clear the gut of these pathogens.

But sometimes our clients are fairly healthy have lots of good habits, they are just stuck in one area of their health. They can't get pregnant or they're chronically bloated. These are cases where we've been able to address the gut and get good results overall.

According to the Center for Disease Control, millions of people in the United States are affected by parasites every year. How much of a problem parasites depend on who you ask. The colleagues of mine who treat complex cases are quite convinced of the efficacy of parasite treatment. You can hear my interview with parasite expert, Dr. Todd Watts here, and you can register for the Parasite Summit here (and more information is below).

Parasitic infections do seem to be on the rise because of these factors:

• International travel

• Contaminated public water supply

• Household pets

• Daycare centers

• Eating at restaurants

• Food imported from other countries

• The use of antibiotics

• Factory farming (including farmed fish)

A Personal Story

When I was in my early twenties I lived in a village in South America. All the pathogens there were new to my body and even though I tried to drink clean water I got very sick a few times. After that, I lived in Mexico and while there I was chronically constipated. I didn't know much about parasites back then but I suspected them I looked into getting a test run but opted for a kit I could buy at the store to clean parasites in my colon. Later my boyfriend at the time, who also lived in South America, passed a long worm out of his stool.

I forgot about parasites for a while but during a stressful time in Chinese medicine school, I developed IBS that would not go away. I attributed it to stress. If my diet is “really perfect” with all fresh, clean foods my digestion can be pretty stable. But cheating at all on corn chips or a beer would make me have loose stool again. This pattern went on for many years and I even had to stool test and treated H pylori infection with still no improvement.

One of my parasites that came out in my stool.Trust me, I was really grossed out when I first saw this too. Toothbrush somehow makes this picture grosser. I did not touch it to my toothbrush, just put it on top of bag for size comparison.

This past summer I interviewed Dr. Todd Watts office about parasites. Perhaps with that awareness in the back of my mind, I noticed a parasite in my stool the next day. I quickly ordered a stool test from a leading company we use and the test came back positive for a type of parasite.

I have been treating my parasite and, though I'm just beginning, I have passed another worm and some larvae which, while gross, is also pretty exciting to know that I am getting something out of my body that was likely stressing it for a long time. I know that my white blood cell count has been low for years and no one was able to explain it but I think this helps explain it.  

Besides coming back from South America with a probable parasite I also came back with a lackadaisical attitude about sanitation. I thought that here in the US we were too paranoid about cleanliness. We have also learned in the last decade a lot about the microbiome and we are often encouraged to 'eat dirt and go barefoot.’

After reading Guess What Came to Dinner? by Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, I have quite a different perspective. We DO want to be clean and careful to prevent parasites. It is much easier to prevent parasites then test and treat for them later.

Prevention Tips

Luckily there is a lot we can do to prevent parasites:

• Always wash hands prior to eating

• Keep your fingernails short and scrub under them with a brush

• When you use a public toilet seat squat over it rather than sitting on it

• At home, keep your bathrooms clean and sanitize toilet seats and bowls*

• Keep the interior or your car clean*

• Avoid kissing your pets or letting your children do so

• All family members should wash their hands after petting the family pet

• Pick up pet waste and don't let your kids play in areas where they can be exposing themselves to residual pet waste

• Get a report on your local water quality and drink only filtered water (Filters need to be very fine a size of 3 microns or under to filter microorganism cysts.)

• While hiking, never drink out of streams and carry a fine pore filter of 3 microns or under while camping

• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating

• Be very careful with cooking meats and fish to ensure that any larvae in them are killed

• Cook beef to an internal temperature of 160° f

• Cook chicken, lamb and pork to 170° f

• Cook fish until flaky and do not cook in a microwave

• Avoid eating raw Pacific salmon and rockfish (Flash frozen fish are safer.)

• Eat fiber such as raw nuts, beans, greens berries; these sweep your colon

• Avoiding sugars and simple starches that parasites thrive on

• Avoid swimming in freshwater lakes

• Always sit on a towel in a sauna

• Be aware that public mud baths and spas can carry the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis (This happened to me the only time I used a mud bath!)

• If you are pregnant or immunocompromised, avoid changing your cat's litter box and have someone else and household do it

* Please note that you don't need to use potent chemicals for cleaning.  You can use potent essential oils instead!  Dr. Mariza Snyder is my to-go resource on essential oils, and her book, Smart Mom's Guide to Essential Oils: Natural Solutions for a Healthy Family, Toxin-Free Home and Happier You has many great cleaning recipes.

If you would like to learn more about parasites, I encourage you to attend the Parasite Summit hosted by Dr. Jay Davidson. This event is an eye-opening journey into parasites and their effects on health, hormones, detox and more!

Learn more here.

Accurate testing for parasites cannot be conducted at your local doctor's office. The technology is just available in this setting and paradigm. We do conduct these tests with our private clients and develop protocols to help them eradicate gut pathogens. If you are interested in talking to us more about it you can check out our coaching options here.

To Your Health! 

Bridgit

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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.

Top Ten Podcasts of 2016

As the year comes to a close, I want to celebrate ALL the guest experts we had on Women's Wellness Radio this year, and our listening community.  It was a great year of growth, both in knowledge and in community building.

Today I'm sharing the top ten most downloaded episodes, in case you want to catch one or two that you missed.  Here we go:

1. Why Your Probiotic Supplement Isn't Working With Kiran Krishnan

This episode I saved for many months to make it out 100th episode! This interview with Kiran Krishnan, microbiologist and founder of Megaspore Probiotics, is super fascinating. This conversation breaks through confusion about the gut and myths about probiotics.

2. Natural Solutions for Hormonal Problems with Dr. Carrie Jones   

This was a very popular episode right away!  Dr. Carrie has great insights on hormone labs and why our hormones go haywire. She also shares some of her favorite supplements. Don't miss the free handout on the page.

3. The Hormonal Imbalances That Make You Gain Weight With Cammi Balleck  

Well, I didn't know this show was so popular 'til today!  It suggests to me that lots of women in our community are dealing with hormonally-based weight issues, so I'll bring more resources to you on this subject.

4. Seven Keys to Fertility Into Your 40s With Dr. Anna Cabeca       

This was an interesting one for me too!  I am fascinated with the topic of optimizing fertility at an older age, and Dr. Cabeca is both an inspiring and knowledgeable expert in this area.

5.  The Autoimmune Fix With Dr. Tom O'Bryan   

This was less of a surprise.  Dr. Tom O'Bryan is a well-known expert in the field of gluten intolerance and autoimmunity, and many women in our community are dealing with autoimmunity. What wowed me in this interview was what a talented presenter Dr. Tom is.  

6. Easy Essential Oils for Women's Health with Dr. Mariza Snyder   

I had no idea this episode was creeping up the ranks.  It suggests to me that you all are hungry for more practical, simple solutions. Let's do it!

7.  A Holistic Approach To Adrenal Healing With Kelly Graham 

I also did not know this one was faring so well!  But adrenal dys-regulation is so prevalent today, I shouldn't be surprised. What I loved about Kelly's presentation was her insight on how we put ourselves into this box.

8. Nutrition And More For A Healthy Cycle With Caroline Zwickson   

Y'all love to learn about your cycles!  Caroline brings some clear explanation and great tips with this one.

9. Why You Need to Support Your Mitochondria With Susanne Bennett    

We have a tie for #9 with the exact same number of downloads.  Dr. Bennett gives a rarely-heard and much-needed explanation of the importance of our mitochondria.  This one is good for chronic disease and infertility.  

9. Interpreting Your Period Symptoms with Rachel Eyre      

I loved this episode with Rachel Eyre and I'm so glad it made the top ten.  We cover some detailed stuff like uterine positioning and clots in menstrual blood...and vaginal steaming!

10.  A Healthy Dose of Productivity with Laura McClellan  

And I'm so happy this episode squeaked in there, because I'm a big fan of Laura. She is not in the 'health space', but she an incredibly wise teacher on the important subject of getting sh*t done with wearing yourself out.  She has great presence. 

I am filled with gratitude as I write this for our experts and our listeners. Looking back and remembering all these amazing conversations gives me energy for the year to come!

If you are not yet a subscriber, you can subscribe by searching 'womens wellness radio' on most podcast player apps. Here is the iTunes link. Get a new episode very week!

If you want to share a favorite episode, speaker, take-away or memory from the podcast this past year, I'd really love to read it below!