Period relief

Woohoo! It's that time of the month.  At least I don't have to work again till Tuesday.  The worst thing is having to stand in front of a room full of people for hours and teach while having cramps, feeling bloated, tired, and bleeding out of your vagina.  Ughhhh.

So today I will post a few tips to reduce menstrual cramps!

-Elevate legs by putting a pillow under your knees

-Use a heating pad on your lower abdomen

-Try to avoid chocolate/greasy foods and eat more cleansing foods like fruits/veggies to restore some balance.  Also avoid sugar and flour based products, pastas and stuff with preservatives if you can!

-Light exercise is good.  Even though all I wanna do is lay on the couch with my compter, some low impact moving around is actually good- light yoga, walking, pilates, etc

-Drink some tea.  Chamomile helps you relax. **if you have excessive bleeding you should stay away from tea.

-Sleep ;)

Board #2: Insomnia Cure

Today was my first day back at work after more than 2 weeks of break.  During the break I was staying up all night and sleeping till 1.  Today I had to get up at my usual 6:15am work time...and last night I was feeling the pressure to make sure I got a good night's sleep.  I went to bed at 11...but sleep was just not happening for me.  I was tossing and turning, looking at the clock every half hour, etc etc.  Basti was so sweet and got the computer so we could watch Fantasia in bed, in hopes that this would help me.  Still nothing.  Basically the last time I remember looking at the clock it said 5am.  Next thing I knew my alarm was ringing.

I know how you're supposed to make to-do lists and do something calm before going to sleep so your mind isn't racing with a million thoughts all night.  And how you should do like 45 min of exercise at one point during the day.  But none of that mattered after my 2 week stint of being on "spring break time."  And I was so worried about sleeping, that I just couldn't sleep.

Anyways, it's now 9pm and my eyes are burning and I'm preparing to try to pass out.  I was just googling the things I should have (and very easily could have) done last night to remedy my situation.  I had a perfectly willing-to-help husband who didn't have to work today, and he could have drawn me a lavender bath and made me a cup of chamomile tea to drink while relaxing and listening to Enya, and then given me a lavender oil massage.  Ahhh that sounds like heaven.  Why didn't I think of any of this last night??  I think those things could have definitely helped.  Oh well...I made another board to help me remember this for next time I get the insomnia bug.  Just looking at these images is making me sleepy now...

Tea Tree Oil

The other day we got an awesome care package from my sister in the States, filled with lots of fun products she picked up from Whole Foods.  It's funny to think how 10 year old me would have seen the contents of the box and thought "wtf is this crap" and the 28 year old me sees oils, soaps, and hand creams and thinks "squeeeeee!"

Anyways, I'm really bad at buying oils so I was super glad to see a bottle of tea tree oil in the care package.   Therefore, I am inspired to make a list of all the things this lovely oil can be used for.  Feel free to add anything I didn't include :D

-as a natural antiseptic (apply a few drops directly to skin..diluted with water if you're sensitive)
-inhale to treat coughs and colds. can also rub a drop or two along the outside of your nose/chest/throat
-has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal benefits when applied topically too
-fights mites and scabies
-fights acne (diluted)
-in shampoo it helps treat dandruff (add a few drops to your shampoo)
-helps treat herpes cold sores, chicken pox, and shingles blisters
-treats warts
-fights lice
-athlete's foot
-treats stretch marks
-insect repeller (15 drops + 1 quart water in spray bottle)
-ear aches (rub 2 or 3 drops along the outer ear)
-in a mouthwash (diluted..do not swallow) fights bad breath, gingivitis, plaque and inflamed gums
-gargle to help fight laryngitis (diluted...do not swallow)

Awesome huh?? But don't forget about safety when using tea tree oil.  The American Cancer Society says: "Tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed. It has been reported to cause drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, unsteadiness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, blood cell abnormalities, and severe rashes. It should be kept away from pets and children."

Benefits of bath salts

We all know that bath salts create a relaxing bath with aromatherapy and exfoliation.  But on top of being a great way to pamper yourself, bath salts can also make you healthier! Check out some of these health benefits listed on the Epsom Salt Industry Council website:

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.
• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
• Improved oxygen use.
• Improved absorption of nutrients.
• Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches

Who knew you could get so much goodness from sitting in a bath?? Make sure to check out my post on DIY bath salts so you can make your own custom salts and start relaxing (being healthy) today!