Winter brings holiday celebrations, cozy times inside with family members, and the pleasure of snuggling up with a great book. Depending on where you live, it can be a beautiful time of year, perhaps with pristine snow falling and making everything around you feel fresh and new. Winter also brings some health concerns, such as environmental threats, emotional lows due to decreased sun exposure, skin dryness and irritation, and brittle hair. The recipes that follow will help support an uplifted mood and physical wellness for you and your family.
When you wake up feeling a little under the weather or when you've been exposed to potential threats, you'll want to reach for the "bomb." Make up a couple of rollers so they are handy when needed, and for maximum results, use the oils all three recommended ways.
A warm bath with salts and oils is a great way to soak your wintertime stress away. The Epsom salts and essential oils provide natural detoxification as well as a calm mood to get you ready for restful sleep. (We like to include the ascorbic acid to prevent the absorption of chlorine from tap water through the skin.) For more information about sleep support, check out this post and the educational video and handout links included in it.
Winter weather often brings dry, cracked, irritated skin. We frequently get questions about skin and often refer to the following recipe:
When breakfast time rolls around, do you have something healthy and easy to grab for those days when you're running late? We suggest making several of these parfaits in advance to be sure your family members get the nutrition they need, even when they're rushed.
Apple Cinnamon Refrigerator Oat Parfaits
Add to 8 oz jars in this order:
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup almond/coconut milk
1/2 tsp honey
dash of salt
1/4 cup Greek honey yogurt with 1-2 drops Cinnamon essential oil (no substitutes!)
1/4 cup chopped apples
dash of ground cinnamon
Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. These will keep for up to 1 week (but they will probably be gone before then!)
Did you know that you can use essential oils for hair? As gentle, natural components derived from the earth, certain essential oils can promote healthy-looking hair. While many hair products on the market are filled with chemicals, using essential oils for hair provides you with a safe, natural way to support beautiful locks. We recently made a DIY Deep Hair Conditioner at home using some of our favorite dōTERRA essential oils–Peppermint and Geranium. With only a few ingredients and your choice of essential oils, you can easily make an amazing conditioner at home to give your hair a smooth, healthy shine. Take a look at this DIY on the dōTERRA product blog, and try it today!
Do you have any favorite wintertime recipes? If so, please share!