If you've followed our journey for any length of time you've probably seen essential oils come up a time or two. I feel like I have to hold back a little on my posts because I seriously could write about them every. single. day.

We've been using them about a year now and they are apart of our daily life at this point. From when we wake up, they help us get out the door in one piece, oils help the girls wind down and sleep for naptime and help me focus when I need to get some work done on the computer. Those little bottles help combat the witching hour crazies and help us chill out before bed. I add them to my water for digestive support, I roll them on my wrists and over my heart for emotional support.. I've replaced things we typcially get from Costco and Target and replaced them with healthier, chemical free alternatives.. I could go on and on.

Why should you try essential oils?

Sleep Support

Tried and true, I don't skip a night without oils. We either diffuse them or apply them topically. Lavender and Peace & Calming are total game changers, we use these primarily for the girls. I love Stress Away and we'll also combine Lavender with Cedarwood for a good night's sleep. I also love adding lavender to the girl's bath, which I just discovered I will do every bath from here on out - there is a study out that states the following:

"Very young infants were given a bath with or without lavender-scented bath oil. The mothers in the lavender bath oil group were more relaxed, smiled and touched their infants more during the bath. Their infants looked at them a greater percentage of the bath time and cried less and spent more time in deep sleep after bath. The cortisol levels of this group of mothers and infants significantly decreased, confirming the behavioral data showing increased relaxation of the mothers and their infants. These findings support a body of research showing the relaxing and sleep-inducing properties of lavender aroma."*



Immune Support
Winter is hard, there are so many things going around I feel like everyone has been ill. This is actually how we got into oils in the first place. Aria had an awful cough and couldn't sleep and long story short, we were introduced to RC (respiratory care).. its an awesome blend of Eucalyptus, Spruce & Cyprus that's also great for pre-workout motivation.

Thieves & Purification are also a couple blends with incredible benefits for your immune system along with natural cleaning capabilities. We use Young Living's Thieves Cleaner and it's the only one I don't mind the girls getting a hold of, and I don't worry about chemical residues on toys, trays and utensils because of the natural, plant-based ingredients.

When I go on a meal prepping spree I diffuse Purification to cleanse the air and eliminate all the onion, garlic and food odors. I also put on on the vacuum filter, in the diaper genie, garbage cans and catbox.

Emotional Support 

Baby blues and postpartum depression hit me hard after Emerson was born. I was on medication for a period of time and everything. I can't say that oils got me off the medication - that was just willpower, but I use them to support a happy mood, less stressful and anxious mindset and use them to work on the emotional roller coaster that can come out of nowhere.

Fitness & Health

I mentioned above that RC is wonderful to use pre-workout. I apply is on my chest or neck and on the bottoms of my feet. Panaway is amazing for sore muscles, (the kit comes with a roller that you can just put on this bottle and roll it on straight!). But beyond those, Young Living offers an entire line of products geared toward heath and fitness. Cool Azul gels and creams, Deep Relief roller that you can use for any and every ache and discomfort. Peppermint is another favorite for just about everything.

On top of all of that, they say the most valuable thing we have is time. So these oils offer time through a variety of ways.

First, our health.

I read something recently that said that the average woman applies 80 chemicals to herself before she even leaves the house. 80. What are those chemicals doing? Some are hormone disruptors, others affect our skin- maybe not immediately, but over time. Other's soak in and have minimal immediate effects, but build up in our bodies. Our livers can only process so much.

So what if you can replace those expensive drugstore products, even just one or two to start.. replace them with something that your body responds to in a positive way? Something that is more bio-available for our bodies to process and use? Something that has a stronger desired effect than those things loaded with words you can't pronounce? On that note, go download the "Think Dirty" app, it's free, you won't regret it.

If you replace something that's potentially harmful with something that's better for you, that improves your health, that could in-turn improve your potential longevity right?



Years ago I used to suffer with severe migraines, debilitating migraines. I couldn't function. I worked for a couple wonderful Chiropractors at the time who would adjust my neck which helped, but they didn't go away. I saw specialists, had tests done, went through all sorts of medication that had horrible side effects, and didn't see any improvement.

During this time I started to really pay attention to my diet and what I was eating because I was also dealing with chronic intestinal upset - like every time I ate I'd be in the bathroom for an hour after.

Through a long journey of cutting out various things I learned gluten was off limits, dairy should be limited and processed food was no longer an option. As I cleaned up my diet and became mindful of what I was eating, I noticed I wasn't dealing with my migraines as often. My stomach troubles became less severe.. then I'd go days, then weeks, then months without a migraine or stomach distress. All I did was cut out the junk. I'd love to say that oils cured my migraines, but what happened was that my eyes were opened to what we consume on a daily basis. Everything is so processed and full of chemicals. Things that are by nature gluten free are no longer gluten free once they've been through a factory. Most of the food in a grocery store has items that are bodies cannot break down.

I feel like this has actually became a movement. We as people are demanding better quality, we want to know what we are eating, where it came from, what our food consumed as it's food and so on. We want real ingredients. It's a movement that's not going anywhere, so jump aboard!  This is where I get excited, because Essential Oils are as REAL as it gets, with Young Living at the forefront of pure oils.  From their distillation methods and the entire Seed to Seal process. No other company can say that. The essential oils at the store are not the same. You can't consume them or apply them to your skin, let alone use them on your children like you can with Young Living's oils.

Second, financial freedom. 

I never, ever ever ever thought I would become part of an MLM. It's like a dirty word. But before you bail, think about this - multi-level-marketing has simply taken the store concept - Say for example, Target, they have removed the physical building, the storefront, removed the overhead such as electricity, employees, benefits, etc and in place, have offered individuals like you and I to become independent distributors that they pay generously to share and distribute a product if you love it.

There is no pyramid scheme - (that's where someone orders a product and it's never delivered - that's illegal). Your growth is not stumped by anyone "ahead" of you. There's not gimmicks and schemes - there are rules and guidelines you follow just like any other business.

Now that that's out the way, I want you to know that there is through-the-roof potential to make money with essential oils. But you don't have to either. If you get a kit, there is never any obligation to pursue the business side of things. You get the wholesale discount forever if you spend $50 in a year (so just restock your favorites and you're golden!).

We've been using essential oils for a year. I've spent that time researching and getting to know a few favorites and just decided to pursue the business side just this year. Mainly because I want every home to have oils.

You can continue to take Tylenol, absolutely, but you can also try something else first. Try Panaway, a blend of Wintergreen, Helichrysm & Peppermint when you need some relief, or RC when you're under the weather.., I'm sure you'll prefer it. It's just adding to your tools as a mom, wife, sister.. caring friend.

I can be a bit intimidating and scary to try something new, but if you're ready, CLICK HERE, it'll walk you through getting your Premium Starter Kit. The value of the premium starter kit is incredible, it is the ONLY thing Young Living offers that is half off! You get the diffuser of your choice, I actually prefer the two at a lower price-point - the Dewdrop or Home (my preference), 11 (eleven!) full size essential oils, the most used and loved and the ones I can't live without. You'll also get all sorts of samples to share, reading material and Ningxia Red to try (aka super-mom fuel). If you were to buy all the oils & diffuser separately it would be over $300.. that's why the kit is such a steal!

We are launching a new website with members-only resources, and you can also view this page for more info - I'll show you all the ways to use them and be there to answer your questions. Ready! Let's do it!

PS: If you are still not sure, or have more questions, I'm an open book! Leave your questions below, or send me an email.. or leave your email below and I'll send you more details.




Studies: 

Lavender bath reduces crying and enhances sleep for babies & mamas

One week postpartum

6 weeks postpartum

Now that my second pregnancy has concluded, (and I'm squeezing our new bundle of joy as you read this) I'm thrilled to report that I was able to maintain a fit and healthy pregnancy all three trimesters. Each trimester, and each pregnancy were different, so the key for me was listening to my body.

I remember the very first doctors appointment when we found out we were expecting our first baby...  I asked my OB-Gyn 'can I still work out and lift weights?'. Her response, 'Absolutely'.

So that's what I did. I was an avid Crossfitter at the time and spent those 9 months hurling the barbell into a rack position of a squat-clean until my belly proved to be a speed-bump. I continued to deadlift, backsquat, run, row, and do kettlebell swings, all of it, as long as I felt good.


I'm no longer a dedicated Crossfitter, but I am currently weight-training 3 days per week and mix in light cardio for endurance.  There are days I go in and feel great and get 5 minutes into a workout and stop, I no longer feel good. I just try again the next day.

It's inevitable that you will modify workouts. I found that rowing became more of a squat-butterflied-belly-sandwich-style row, running is more of a fast-shuffled jog or I use an elliptical.   I lightened my weights on the barbell, increased my reps (when possible) and quit working my abs after the first trimester.

Even though it can be tough to find motivation, especially in the first and even the third trimesters, there are SO many reasons to stay active, even if it's just walking 30 minutes every day.


..can I add a 6th? You'll feel less guilty when the ice-cream craving hits (insert raised-hand emoji here).


Many newly pregnant women, including myself early on, find themselves afraid of over-doing it. I has already been active prior to both pregnancies. My experience working out while pregnant was good.  I was able to continue until I was 38 weeks pregnant with my first, and delivered Aria at 39 weeks.


It is recommended that you seek the counsel of your physician before starting any new exercise regime while pregnant.  I am not your doctor, everyone and every pregnancy is different. Just pay attention to your body and how you feel. If you run, run, if you enjoy yoga, do yoga.  Unless there are risks that develop for you or the baby, or your doctor tells you to stop, maintaining an active lifestyle is always a good choice.

Guest Post by: Arielle Bertolone

Yoga is a wonderful way to weave movement into your pregnancy. For women brand new to yoga, most prenatal yoga classes being offered will be the best option. Prenatal classes tend to be gentle, but offer low-impact movement, relaxation techniques, and breathing that is very beneficial for mom’s-to-be. A good prenatal instructor should be knowledgeable about the risks throughout pregnancy and will help you modify each pose so you are comfortable.
As a yoga instructor myself, I wanted to explore maintaining a home yoga practice, and a more active practice than your typical prenatal class provides. These are tips for each trimester of pregnancy for yoginis that had a regular yoga practice before pregnancy (or other physical practices).

First Trimester

When I found out I was pregnant, many things crossed my mind- what to prepare for, what would change. As someone who cherishes physicality and movement, how that would be effected came up as well. I learned I was pregnant very early on, so at first everything was great! I was pretty sure I would never get morning sickness, and my energy levels were fantastic. Yoga, pilates, hiking all felt wonderful. I remember thinking I was stronger than ever.

Two weeks later, after throwing up an entire organic salad on the side of the road, I laid down on my yoga mat for home practice, and decided, this is it. This is my practice today. I am going to breathe, I am going to rest.

Throughout pregnancy the body’s wisdom and connecting to your intuitive sense grows. First trimester is especially tricky, because you look perfectly fine, your body seems the same, and most people have no idea you are pregnant. Yet, how you feel in some cases changes immensely. The body is working especially hard before the placenta implants. Though I wanted to be superwoman and rock my yoga practice, some days I physically just could not bring myself to do more than legs up the wall. Some days I was able to rock an entire flow practice with inversions and arm balances. It was dramatically different one day to the next.

• Many women will feel deeply exhausted, or sick during these first few months. Take those days off, do a restorative practice or go for a light walk. The body feels exhausted because it is working really hard, and sometimes the healthiest thing to do is rest. On some of those days even a restorative practice was torture because I felt nauseous. Netflix was just the better option;)
• The poses themselves do not need to change much if you were practicing previously. Cross body twists are warned against- if they feel fine in your body, keep on keeping on. Prone backbends (locust, cobra, sphinx, etc.) will eventually be unbearable. Right now baby is a wee little lentil, and unless you are high risk, a little tummy time is just fine. 
• This is not the time to try your first handstand, or master a new arm-balance. If those poses were solidly in your practice before, they should still feel good. Remember, you are growing a life! If there is any chance you will fall out a pose, trust me, it’s not worth it. 
• The days you feel great, practice with glee. Tomorrow may bring a whole new adventure. Make sure your sequence is still balanced with some seated poses and relaxation. Tomorrow, your body will thank-you. 

Second Trimester

This is often called the honeymoon phase of pregnancy. What’s great about pregnancy is it is totally different woman to woman. Some mamas report the sick and exhausted phase will go right on through second trimester. I was lucky enough to have that part cease
completely right around my 11th week. This is my experience, I have had a low-risk pregnancy without much complication. I would talk to my midwife or doctor if sickness continues and see what they recommend, especially in reference to physical activity.  Here is what worked for me.

• I felt great. I felt strong, I was sure glad not to be craving french fries and hating salads! If you are feeling good, have fun! What an amazing, powerful time. Feel powerful. I went to two days of yoga workshops, did backbends and inversions. I had a blast and my body was up for it. Here is where that intuitive sense comes into play. Enjoy it. Enjoy your body feeling just about how you are used to it feeling! That doesn’t exactly last. 
• Prone backbends and cross body twists will stop being an option at some point in your second trimester. I knew exactly when that point came. If it feels like you are smashing that sweet baby- stop! I stopped doing prone backbends around 16 weeks, cross body twists soon after. 
• While my practice stayed similar, I changed the focus of my practice. I started thinking about poses that would support giving birth. I also put a lot of emphasis on stabilization. Your body may feel tight at times during pregnancy, but will start to release relaxin- a clever hormone that relaxes the ligaments in the pelvis and helps allow a baby to make it’s way into the world. The only problem is it can destabilize other joints. I have been very enthusiastic about squats and light weight-training throughout pregnancy. Hip stabilizing poses like goddess squat and warrior 2 are great. I have also focused a lot energy on balancing poses since your sense of equilibrium shifts. Use this time to get strong.

Third Trimester

Third trimester was much like second at first for me. Once that bump really starts to grow is when things start to change. I really didn’t feel like I hit dramatic growth until about 28 weeks or so. The increase of blood flow was a big shift for me, as was the heartburn. Apparently shifting your head above you heart, then below your heart REALLY irritates that. Energy levels changed a lot for me again, but increasing my iron intake helped. I do appreciate an afternoon nap quite a bit these days.

• As in first trimester, some days are just not practice days for me. I love a short restorative practice with meditation on days I’m not feeling an active practice. 
• I do not do any core work- besides planks and side planks. 
• I am still loving stabilizing, balancing practices. Squats. Wall squats, goddess squats. 
• Hips swivels are awesome, also just rocking side to side between poses.
• Days I have bad heartburn, I try not to bring my head below my heart repeatedly. 
• I have felt light-headed (probably from increased blood flow) That’s a good sign to slow down. 

Go with the flow! Step wider, make room for this baby that is rocking it out in there, slow down when you have to. This part of pregnancy comes with some dramatic shifts, allow for them, honor them.


Bio
My name is Arielle Bertolone- I love yoga, hiking, pilates, running, jumping, playing and delicious food. My husband runs a cold-pressed juice company (lucky me!), and we are a part of an amazing co-parenting team for my almost 13 year old stepson. We decided to start all over again, and are expecting a sweet little girl mid-April! I have been teaching yoga since getting my certification in 2011. I am constantly evolving my teaching and personal practice. I love mixing in many forms of movement and exploration. Pregnancy has been an incredible journey and has taught me how to meet my body exactly where it is in the moment. 

Disclosure: I was given the dress pictured above courtesy of PinkBlush. All opinions expressed above are my own and not swayed by our arrangement. This giveaway will be fulfilled by Pink Blush Maternity. 

While I was pregnant with Aria I had all sorts of time to make cute chalkboards and document my pregnancy - not so much this time around, haha! Keeping up with a toddler, along with everything else in life has 1. made this pregnancy go by so fast, and 2. left no time for chalkboards! (Sorry baby girl, you'll just have to fill in the gaps ;))

One of my favorite food & lifestyle programs is the Whole30. It's are not a typical diet plan.. but a focus on a healthy lifestyle. I've done the 30 day program (ahem, minus a few days once or twice) on four occasions, plus "mini 30's" for days/weeks at a time.  It's my reset button when I can literally feel my dietary choices making me feel awful.

Currently, I'm 28 weeks pregnant on my second pregnancy.  I'm not one for resolutions (other than these), but I have been planning to get my diet back on track with less than 3 months left until my due date..(eeek!). I enjoyed the holidays and all the treats it has to offer, so now without further procrastination, here's the top 5 reasons why I do the Whole30 while pregnant:

1. I don't count calories.

I'm not one to count/log/track every crumb I consume - it's exhausting. Stressing over if I ate too many calories, too much fat etc, is not healthy. Whole30 recommends making 'good food choices', consuming food that makes you healthier.

I also eat as much as I need to. If I'm hungry, I eat. I don't use the excuse "oh, I'm eating for two", because the baby doesn't need too many more calories. But I make sure I get enough protein, carbs and fat and will add some extra healthy fats like coconut milk, avocado, olive oil or almond butter if I feel like I'm getting hungry soon after eating.

Knowing that I am offering the baby the more nutrient rich diet I can is also important to me. Healthy fats, protein and complex carbs along with all the vitamins & minerals that go with those foods can only make the baby healthier as well. I have spoke with my doctor who fully supports this. Baby number two is growing perfectly and is slightly ahead of schedule size-wise, so I know I'm on the right track.

2. Sleep!

Every. single. time, that I do the Whole30, I sleep SO much better. It's my favorite part and more of a motivator knowing that after several days of eating GOOD food, I will sleep GREAT! Even being 7 months pregnant, I started sleeping better - getting quality sleep & sleeping longer periods - over the past few nights. I occasionally sleep with a Fitbit on, so I know that I was averaging being awake 15 times per night. Over the past 4 nights, I tracked my sleep twice, and was only awake 5 times one night and 7 times the other.

3. Energy.

I have a toddler to run after - I mean literally run after.. each time I do her hair we play a version of nascar & rodeo - me running behind Aria keeping a light hold on her hair, trying to rope it into a hairband while she runs and giggles. So energy is a big one.

My workouts feel great.  I don't feel like I NEED a nap by late morning. I feel like I can tackle the four loads of laundry that are in baskets throughout the house and in our bedroom after Aria goes to bed at night. I am fueled with good food.  I don't experience the sugar spikes & crashes when I eat food that promotes a healthy metabolic response. I still have cravings, but they aren't so much for sweets. In their book, It Starts with Food, Melissa Hartwig calls this 'slaying the sugar dragon', breaking the mental stimulation that comes from processes, unnaturally sweet foods and ending the cycle of "oh, I'm stuffed from dinner, but I really need a piece of chocolate cake".

4. Healthy Skin, Hair & Nails.

There is no such thing as a pregnancy glow - it's crap. Besides not losing much hair - or hanging onto it better and noticing thicker locks (I do count my blessings), I don't notice anything improve because I'm pregnant. With each pregnancy I've broke out like a teenager the first trimester and then battle a gamut of skin issues the rest of the time.

Recently, I've been battling really oily areas on my face, only to have my cheeks and forehead become extremely dry and flaky - gross. But over the past night or so when washing the day off, I've noticed less oil and less dry skin, and I haven't changed anything but my food choices.

5. I'm happy. 

It was hard to decide where to place this reason. It's probably more important than being ranked 5th, but ending on a super positive thing is always fun. I know there's more to this than I probably realize, but making good choices with food, feeling like I'm in control without being restricted and normalizing my hormones with those food choices play a huge role in my overall feeling & outlook on life.

I can eat without feeling restricted = happy
Energy= happy
Sleep= way happy
Less cravings =happy
I'm less stressed = happy

..you see where I'm going with this. The snowball effect is huge and so, so important.

I do 'fall off the wagon'. There will be things that come along that are worth it to me, where I feel like I can enjoy something guilt-free, and then either resume my Whole30, or relax with it for a bit until the need to hit that reset button comes along.

For more information check out their books here: It Starts With Food & their 30-day guide The Whole30. A little update: I found they launched an 150 recipe Cookbook since I wrote this, please don't miss out on this one, it prevents a the so called food rut. 

I also love this forum, it provides feedback from Whole30 creator Melissa Hartwig and offers real feedback from moms who have done the Whole30.

And here is a whole list of current discussions. I've done the Whole30 with friends, so we all had to hold each other accountable, but when you are doing it for yourself without anyone else participating, it it great to be able to reach out to people all over the world for support and their feedback.

Also, provided for free is a never ending list of lists. (I love lists!) All the shopping guides, food, templates & meal plans that you could ever dream of right here!

Feel free to shoot me your questions, comments or experience and let me know when you're starting your Whole30. :)


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