April is Parkinson's Awareness Month

Being the unfortunate recipient of a Parkinson's diagnosis in 2012, this month takes on a particularly significant meaning to me. I'm getting ready to make some changes to my Parkinson's protocol, and hopefully, kick PD in the behind! I can't think of a better month to start.

Just to tell the truth right up front, I got into essential oils looking for an answer to my PD symptoms but then realizing it was going to take some work and research to figure out the answers. I think I got lazy.

I don't want to be lazy anymore. I want to know the answers. I want to see improvement in my symptoms. I want to get better.

So, I'm making my commitment openly to research and figure it out. I'm committing to not being lazy anymore, but to be diligent and not to give up.

AND...I'm committing to report my findings and the results of the new protocol, and any revisions and/or additions I make as I go along. I promise to let you know if I make progress, or if I don't.

My first report:  I've looked in my resource book and also online, and have some oils coming this week that I'm going to try. Here's what I have to figure out:

• Which oils?
• Does each oil treat a particular symptom, or does it treat Parkinson's as a whole?
• How much of each oil?
• How often for each oil?
• How do I take each oil? Diffuse, take internally, or apply topically?
• How long will it take to show results?

So watch for me to report and keep me honest, okay?

Today's Remedy: Back Strain

My husband recently strained his back severely while doing yard work. He was walking gingerly, stoop-shouldered and stiff, like a little old man. My husband has a high pain tolerance -- much higher than mine -- and when he looks and acts like that, it's time to stop and take note.

Advil and BenGay-type rubs only treat the symptoms of discomfort, and you have to re-apply repeatedly until the body heals itself. That sounded like a road we'd been down before (somewhat unsuccessfully) so I thought we'd try some oils on him instead of Advil this time. It proved very successful.

Here is the feel-better solution we chose for his back strain:

1. Applied 2 drops each of AromaTouch massage blend, Deep Blue soothing blend, and peppermint oil, cut with equal parts fractionated coconut oil since we needed to cover a large area. Cutting the oil helps it spread more easily and cover more area. Be aware, though, that it also takes a little longer to penetrate and get through the body this way. 
2. Let those oils soak in for about 60 seconds
3. Covered the whole area with about 2-3 drops of Frankincense-- it intensifies the healing power of whatever oils it covers. I did not need to cut the Frankincense with coconut oil; it spread easily over the other oils we had already applied.
4. Put a hot wet compress over everything, and left it on until the towel cooled, about 5-7 minutes. The compress drives the oils deeper into the muscle more quickly.

We did all this shortly before bedtime, so it's hard to know exactly when he felt better, but when he woke up the next morning he was 80% better, and by the end of the next day, he was pain-free!

Needless to say, we have a new sore-muscle remedy at our house! I hope this is something you can use, too.

Happy healing!

What's Your "Why?"

Why? 

Every step in our journey starts with a "why."  You started homeschooling your children...there was a "why." You moved to a new community...there was a "why."  You begin looking at your own health differently than you used to...there is a "why."

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in October of 2012, I found my "why." Traditional medicine had no answers for this incurable degenerative disease, so I began looking outside the box for answers I could live with.

My journey took me to holistic medicine, supplements, dietary changes, therapeutic massage, exercise, and finally to essential oils. 

I'm still learning, growing, and adding new pieces to my protocol. And guess what? It's working!

Whether you have health concerns like me, or you're trying to go green in your home, or you're simply trying to improve your quality of life, essential oils can be your one-stop answer. 

So please....make yourself at home here. And, by all means, contact me if you need help or suggestions about which oils might be best for you. 

Here's to discovering the "whys" that make us tick!