20+ Ways to Live a Healthier Life

1. Get educated. I know it’s sometimes easier to stay ignorant to the products you consume and the toxins being poured into your body. If I delve too deeply, I may drift off in despair and hopelessness. Take it slowly, researching more of the products you use and how they are affecting your health, such as your deodorant, hair products, etc.. I’m not saying to slay all non-natural products, but I do try to find better alternatives. I still use hair spray and eat meat. I’m going slowly, but educating myself is paramount in getting my health back in my own hands.
2. Use coconut oil. It is amazing for skin health and even hair health, although I find it makes my hair too oily to use on a regular basis.
3. Take detox baths. Our bodies need help in flushing out the toxins we are consuming, and detox baths are wonderful ways to do so.
4. Introduce essential oils into your daily routine. These oils can really amplify your health.
5. Cut down on alcohol consumption. I still drink, but I do so in moderation. This cuts down on the empty calories and a headache the next day.
6. Put a himalayan salt lamp in your bedroom to purify and cleanse. Check out this article by Don’t Mess with Mama on 6 Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt. 
7. Up your intake of water and research the benefits of certain fruits and essential oils for weight management. I make a concoction I call Detox Water that combines several healthy ingredients.
8. Drink 1-2 oz. of Ningxia Red each morning to boost your overall health.
9. Use empty vegetable capsules, coconut oil, and essential oils to create supplements to aid in your health needs. Add citrus oils and Peppermint to help with weight management. Use Lavender, Peppermint, and Lemon for allergy relief. Store in the freezer to help with leaking.
10. Use a foam roller to release built-up toxins in your muscles.
11. Download a pedometer app. If you know anything about me, you know I rarely get motivated enough to work out. This helps me see how much I’m really doing, or not doing, each day. It encourages me to take the stairs sometimes when I’ve been especially lazy.
12. Drink warm water first thing in the morning with lemon juice or essential oil. Add peppermint, ginger, or any other citrus oil based on your tastes and needs. This will help with digestion, appetite suppressant, and boosting your metabolism for the day!
13. Rub Peppermint, Lemon, and/or Ginger essential oil on your stomach in clockwise direction to aid in digestion and natural cleansing. This also helps if you are nauseous.
14. Stop using antiperspirant. I know it’s scary, but most commercially-available deodorant is awful for our health and in some cases have even been shown to cause breast cancer. Either way, the lymph nodes in our armpits and neck cannot do their jobs of excreting toxins when we block their removal system (sweating) with chemicals. So we clog up one of our largest detox centers in the body, building up toxic nastiness all over the place. Detox your pits and use natural forms of body odor control. I use organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with “mother”) in the mornings and then after that dries, I apply coconut oil and essential oils. Some of my favorites for a nice scent include Thieves or Purification. They don’t stop the sweating, but they control the smell. I sometimes have to apply once throughout the day, but that’s about it. It is also the middle of summer, so that could be a factor. Check out this article by Don’t Mess with Mama on the 7 Toxins Lurking in Your Deodorant. 
15. Diffuse Thieves essential oil to help boost your immune health.
16. Add a tiny bit of coconut oil (I use less than a teaspoon) to your coffee in the mornings to help with digestion and internal cleansing done naturally.
17. Dry brush before taking a detox bath.
18. Try oil pulling as part of your morning routine. 
19. Meditate. This is one I still work on, but it’s definitely worth it.
20. Get out in nature. I don’t work out much, but it’s easier to do when it’s fun!
21. Burn a smudge stick around your home, especially the entries and corners for cleansing and protection.

What are other ways to live a healthier life? Leave comments and this article will constantly be in work for all sorts of tips to living a better life.

Related Articles and Sources:

• 6 Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt by Don’t Mess with Mama
• Where to Buy Essential Oils
• How to Use Essential Oils
• Detox Baths
• Dry Brushing
• 7 Toxins Lurking in Your Deodorant by Don’t Mess with Mama

24+ Uses for Peppermint

There are so many uses for this versatile oil and I wanted to share its incredible health powers! There is no denying that this is a must-have oil for your daily routine! At first I didn’t like the menthol scent, but its plethora of healing properties is impossible to deny. So I’m going to start a list of the different ways to use Peppermint, whether fresh, dried, or in essential oil form.

1. Peppermint essential oil (EO) is amazing for all things inflammation and pain. Add a few drops to your hands and rub on sore muscles to ease tension.
2. While it’s on your hands, rub behind your ears, at the base of the skull, temples, neck, and forehead to ease headaches and migraines. (Be careful when getting close to eyes!!)
3. Add anywhere from 3 leaves to a handful of fresh peppermint to a pitcher of detox water.
4. Add fresh leaves to detox bath to help with sore muscles and to give you a boost of energy.
5. Add fresh leaves to ice cubes for a refreshing and unique twist.
6. Use mint leaves as part of a smudge stick to aid in protection, purification, and cleansing.
7. First thing in the morning, drink a glass of hot water or tea with Peppermint EO, ginger, cinnamon (optional), and honey (optional). This will aid in digestion and internal cleansing. It will also boost the metabolism and give you loads of energy for the day.
8. Dry mint leaves. Ground down as much as you can using mortal and pestle. Add to mason jar, adding your purposeful energy to the ritual by saying a protection spell or chant, such as, “Peppermint, plant of protection, I call on you now to protect this home and hearth from all who seek to harm. Cleanse this home while banishing all negativity.” or you could even say something as simple as “Peppermint, protect.” over and over while you add sea salt to the semi-grounded peppermint. You can then add something about the powerful properties of sea salt and cleansing, but just do what feels right. Take this mixture and sprinkle at all entrances to your home and all corners of each room. If you have some left, great, keep it! This is what I call Protection Salt. The great thing about this empowered Salt is that it also…
9. Repels insects, especially spiders!! Add Protection Salt (above) to all doorways/windowsills and the corners of each room. You can also add Peppermint EO to ribbons and hang around the home and porch to repel insects. Rub on your body to help with the biting insects.
10. Inhale Peppermint EO to boost energy and motivation.
11. Peppermint helps relieve upset stomachs. Diffuse for nauseousness and apply peppermint EO to the torso in clockwise direction to ease tummy issues. This has helped me in tons of situations!!
12. Inhale deeply to ease car-sickness.
13. Add Peppermint EO to an all-natural toothpaste of baking soda, coconut oil, and water. This will also help with dental health overall.
14. Mix together EOs Lavender, Lemon, and Peppermint to help ease allergies. Add to a roll on bottle with witch hazel as the base and shake before use.
15. Add Peppermint EO to a spray bottle of water and vinegar for a healthy cleaning product free of chemicals. Add other essential oils to add even more cleaning properties! (Lemon, Thieves, Purification, etc.)
16. Hang dried leaves or sachets in windows to repel negativity.
17. Add several drops of Peppermint EO, along with other oils of your choosing and coconut oil as a base, to vegetable capsules. Freeze and take to aid in digestion, weight management, and as an appetite suppressant.
18. Diffuse Peppermint EO, along with other minty oils such as Eucalyptus and R.C., to aid in sinus congestion and cold symptoms.
19. Add 5-10 drops to coconut oil, coffee grounds, brown sugar, and other essential oils (Lemon, Ginger, etc.) and apply mixture to body as exfoliator to and help tighten skin, removing cellulite. 
20. Inhale Peppermint EO before an exam or stress-inducing scenario to calm your mind while boosting your memory and cognition.
21. Diffuse to purify your home and remove stale odors.
22. Add a drop or two of Peppermint EO to a cotton ball and drop it in the canister of your vacuum cleaner before you clean. It will make your home smell amazing effortlessly while you clean!
23. Add a drop or two of Peppermint EO to a cotton ball and insert in your car’s air vent. This will help your car smell great!
24. Add a few drops to Ningxia Red to boost your health.
25. Add fresh peppermint leaves in a mason jar nearly filled to the top. Then add a 40-60 proof vodka to the top of the leaves. Keep in cool, dry place for a few months, shaking every few days. Eventually, you will have a peppermint-empowered tincture.

I want to hear all the ways YOU use Peppermint as well! Comment here and I will update periodically!

References:

• “Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing

Related Articles:

• Where to Buy Essential Oils
• How to Use Essential Oils
• Detox Baths
• Headaches / Migraines
• Joy Essential Oil

How to Cleanse and Charge Stones

To Cleanse & Charge a Stone

It depends on the stone as to what method should be used. Some stones cannot be put in sunlight or submerged in water, so make sure you know what the stone prefers before attempting to cleanse it.

Cleansing

Cleansing Methods:

• Under running natural water, such as ocean, stream, river, or creekPoint the stone downward with the flow of water so the negative energy flows out and away.
• Full moonlight
• Full sunlight
• Buried in Earth/soilWill absorb negative energy
  • Deep cleansing
• Smudge
  • Sage
  • Cedar
• Amethyst clusters
• Herb “Baths”
  • Submerging in loose herbs
  • Rose Petals
  • Sage
  • Mint
• Sea Salt “Bath”
  • Can be used with other magical tools as well
  • Submerge in dry sea salt or salt-water bath
  • Deep cleansing

Before you use your gems and stones for magic, you should charge them to match you intent.

Charging Spell

Bless the stone with the 4 elements. Place the stone on your Third Eye Chakra and say:

In the name of the Divine,

I conjure thee,

O stone of earth, to assist me in my magical working.

By the moon and the stars,

You may be blessed and empowered to (name intent).

So mote it be.

You don’t always have to empower them with certain properties or jobs. One saying I use frequently is “I cleanse this stone of all negative energy and prepare it for my personal use.”

Sea Salt

  
Sea salt is another necessity in my detox baths. Sea salt is salt produced by the evaporation of seawater. When combined with hot water, sea salt helps to open up pores, hence the need for baking soda, to help neutralize any toxins being expunged. The baking soda also helps to cleanse your pores, opening them up to accept the nutrients from the great ingredients in the detox bath.

It is encouraged to put 1-2 cups in a detox bath.

Properties of sea salt include:

• Improves circulatory system
• Reduces heart disease and heart attacks by regulating blood pressure and minimizing irregular heartbeats
• Antihistamine; clears sinus passageways; cleanses lungs of mucous
• Improves muscle strength and tone
• Eases muscle tension
• Strengthens the immune system while increasing your energy output

Detox Baths

We come in contact with toxins all around us on a daily basis and they build up over time, causing a myriad of side effects.

1. Sick
2. Muscle aches; soreness
3. Migraines and/or headaches
4. Fatigued
5. Not getting enough sleep
6. Stressed

A detox bath can be amazing when you’re sick and is also nice even if you aren’t feeling under the weather.

This bath will help eliminate toxins in your body while also absorbing the minerals and nutrients in the water. I think it’s amazing how I can literally feel the salts pulling the tension out of my feet.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups Epsom Salt
• 1-2 cups Sea Salt
• 1/4-1 cup Baking Soda
• Ginger (fresh or ground)
• Coconut Oil (optional)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (containing “Mother”) (encouraged)
• 1-4 cups Hydrogen Peroxide (optional)
• Essential Oils
• Flowers/Herbs (fresh or ground)(optional)
• Chunk of Himalayan Sea Salt (optional)

1. Run the water as hot as you can handle it. Don’t scald yourself, though!
2. Dry brush your skin before getting in to increase detox properties. (optional)
3. When adding ginger, whether freshly grated, dried, or ginger essential oil, keep in mind that the more you add, the more you’ll sweat. That is the main ingredient in the sweating, sauna-like feeling of the intense detox bath. If you can’t handle a ton of heat (me!), tone down the ginger to an appropriate level based on your tolerance. I would say start with less, such as a dash or two of dried ginger and see how it goes.
4. Set a timer for 20 minutes. You can take a longer bath if you’d like, but 20 minutes is the minimum time for the detox to work. It is encouraged to work up to 40 minutes, if possible. I have a hard time staying in that long. I normally stay in about 30 minutes. Some sources say that the first 20 minutes are used to help your body remove the toxins, while the second 20 minutes are for absorbing the minerals in the water. I think it all kind of happens at the same time, so go with as long as you want.
5. Light candles. Turn off the lights and get in the tub. Your eyes will adjust to the darkness and the light from the candle will become enough. Feel free to light more candles if you wish. My favorite candles for this meditative bath are the wood-burning wick candles.
6. With your hands and/or feet, mix the ingredients into the hot water and relax.

Optional and Advice:

• I like to grab a clean hand towel to keep near the tub to pat my face. This bath is designed to sweat out toxins, so be prepared to sweat. That’s why I have the hand towel near.
• Play calming music in the background. I like Native American drumming meditation.
• Have water within reach during your bath. You are sweating and will need to replace those fluids with healthy, clean water to aid in the detox process.
• Wine. Ok, so this is actually NOT helping you detox, but it does help with the relaxing part, so why not?
• To further encourage the cleansing, wrap up in a robe or blanket right after getting out. You will lock in the heat and the ginger will continue to make you sweat, allowing you to detox even after you are out of the tub. I don’t usually do this, but you can if really trying to beat a sickness.
• Sometimes, if I’ve added too much ginger or if I’ve sweated a ton, I take a cool shower right afterwards to wash off the lingering toxins and salts.
• After you’re dried, apply some coconut oil to your skin with your choice of essential oil to aid in your needs.
  • Skin Health (dry skin, moisturizing, itchy, etc.)
  • Sleep
  • Meditation

*BEWARE: This bath can make you very tired and weak, as your body has been expunging itself of toxins through sweating. The removal of toxins in any way is an exhaustive process, such as massage (you know how tired you feel afterwards, even though it feels much better), dry needling, digestive detoxing, etc.

It is best to do this bath before bedtime as it can make you drowsy afterwards. It is important to drink water during and after. Any time your body detoxes, it is flushing out toxins and if you don’t replace the fluids with clean water, you could feel sick.

Other Great Articles:

• Where to Buy Essential Oils
• How to Use Essential Oils
• Epsom Salt
• Coconut Oil
• Dry Brushing