After glancing at our town's 10 day forecast, I realize summer is upon us! It's time to get those water bottles out and filled with water! 

Consider these incredible facts about water: 

• At 4% water loss, muscle endurance diminishes and you start to get  dizzy 
• At 5% water loss, headaches begin, drowsiness, loss of concentration and unreasonable impatience occurs.
• At 6% water loss, body temperature is impaired and your heart begins to race.
• At 7% water loss, there is a good chance you will collapse​
  • ​statisticbrain.com

How Much Water Should I Drink?

• Half of your body weight (lbs) in ounces of water per day.
• Drink an extra 8 oz of water for each cup of coffee, tea or soda that you consume.

Tip: Adding 1-2 drops of lemon or wild orange essential oil to your water makes it more enticing to drink for those who don't like water. 
​
To celebrate the coming of summer: SAVE $2 on any Glasstic water bottle now through June 1st at the Country Cupboard. 

Food can bring comfort, at least in the short-term. Therefore, we often use food to "heal" emotional problems. Lately I've been having a problem with eating all the time, even when I'm not hungry. I gained a little weight, felt lousy and knew I was wasting money on food I didn't need.

I knew there was an underlying cause of why I was eating all the time. I did some research and here's what I learned:
 
Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger is gradual. Emotional eating and leaves behind feelings of guilt or shame; physical hungry recognizes when you are full and stops.

Wait 5 minutes before you give in to a craving. Drink a glass of water. Don’t tell yourself you can’t give in to the craving; remember, the forbidden is extremely tempting. Just tell yourself to wait. Check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What’s going on emotionally?

Here are some essential oils to support your emotions:
*Grapefruit:  helps heal relationship with body and cur emotional eating
Patchouli: supports restoring connection ton and acceptance of body
*Bergamot:  balances hormones and promotes sense of self-worth. If you deal with stress, this is the oil you need!
*Cinnamon: balances glucose levels and metabolism; promotes sens of safety
*Slim & Sassy:  balances metabolism and insulin, helps curb appetite
Balance:  balances emotions and promotes feelings of tranquility
Purify:  encourages releasing of toxic emotions
*These are internal oils. Put 2 drops of oil in your water.

What I did:
*Put 2 drops of Slim & Sassy in my water bottle at least 3 times a day. This really curbed my appetite.
*Recognized when I was stressed and used Bergamot in my water (instead of food).
*Only allowed myself to eat when I was hungry.
*When I had an emotional hunger moment, I allowed myself something fun - like 10 minutes of reading or a short walk.
*Used the Life Long Vitality Pack to help balance my overall nutrition. I've experienced and heard from others this product is great at helping to maintain weight.

What Happened:
It took about two weeks of some tough saying "no" and using my plan consistently. I dropped a few pounds, became more aware that eating doesn't help me feel better or handle life better and love that I can wait to eat until I'm hungry.

Let me know if you have a food craving victory story!

Drop In On: Siberian Fir

Last week I went on a walk for 1 1/2 hours. By the time I was finished, my feet said NO MORE WALKING! I had a little problem though. I committed to another walk later that day.

I came home and happened to open my Modern Essential book to Siberian Fir. Wow! It was perfect for my feet as it's helpful for overexercised muscles, muscle pain, energizing, and relaxing.

I rubbed 1 drop on the ball of each foot and massaged it for a bit. About 30 minutes later I did the same and then again 30 minutes later. It worked! I was amazed. My evening walk lasted 1 hour and my feet were just fine! Incredible!

I also am excited about Siberian Fir because it helps with emotional balance. It can also stimulate the mind while allow the body to relax. How many of you need mind stimulation and a relaxed body? Try diffusing this oil. And if you'd like a sample, just let me know. I'd love to share!
  Here's How I Use it: Topical: Place 1 drop on location and massage for 10 seconds. Aromatic: Place 2-3 drops in diffuser. Combines well with Frankincense and Lavender.

Available in:  15 mL undiluted bottle

Spring is the season of new beginnings. Flowers are blooming and the air is fresh. We often need a little push to get out of the gloomy winter slump.

dōTERRA Cheer Uplifting Blend is an amazing combination of citrus and spice oils that will brighten anyone’s mood. This uplifting oil can be applied to the skin to counteract negative emotions and provide a boost of happiness and positivity when feeling down.

My favorite way to use Cheer is to apply the touch oil to my wrist in the mornings when I feel sluggish and grumpy. 
 
If you would like to know more about this wonderful oil, check out the spotlight on doterra.com:
https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-doterra-cheer-uplifting-blend

I could survive Thanksgiving dinner on just side dishes and dessert alone! This is one of my favorite fall desserts and is a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving meal. 

Pumpkin Layer:
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons of almond flour
1/2 cup oat flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar (or date paste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/2 pumpkin puree
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon milk
(almond, rice, coconut will all work also) at room temperature
1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla


Topping:
1/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup pecans
1 cup additional very hot water. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. 
3. In a smaller bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin, melted coconut oil, (date paste if using) and vanilla to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until combined. The batter will be very thick. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. 
4. Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, stir together syrup, water, cinnamon until well combined. Stir in the pecans, then drizzle the topping mixture over the pumpkin batter. Pour the hot water evenly over the top. DO NOT STIR. Place in oven with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Bake for 55 minutes, just until the middle is set. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.