The Ingredient Geek

Swapping Toxins for Healthy Options

Essential Oils

How I’m Coping with Stress and Anxiety Naturally

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Coping With Stress and Anxiety NaturallyAnyone following me for very long knows I’ve been dealing with my Shih Tzu Ginger’s health. Today was her oral surgery. A few months ago she fainted at the groomer and that started a bunch of tests ~ cardiac, blood, urine, etc. She is about to turn 14, has a heart murmur, and also has loose teeth and periodontal disease. As an Ingredient Geek I had to figure out how I could be coping with stress and anxiety naturally.

Thankfully we’ve already been going to a great holistic, homeopathic vet who’s been able to find ways to support Ginger’s little body. We are huge proponents of the raw diet, as well as giving her good water to drink. It took months, and finally our vet felt she was healthy enough to go under anesthesia.

Of course I was happy that she would finally get her mouth taken care of, however it started my mind going to the anxious “what if” places. Do you know that place? What if she’s not REALLY healthy enough? What if being under anesthesia is too much for her heart? What if this? What if that? Argh!

The Natural Ways I’ve Used to Cope with Stress and Anxiety

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Avoid Synthetic Fragrances and Make Your Own Scent

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Avoid Synthetic Fragrances and Make Your Own ScentIf you’re like me with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (thank you menopause!) with a chance of a migraine, you’ll need to avoid synthetic fragrances and make your own scent (or go without).

Fragrance is everywhere and it’s not just in your perfume, it’s also in your personal care products. Because it’s classified as a “trade secret” companies DO NOT have to disclose what’s included and usually it’s hiding toxic chemicals.

Why use synthetic fragrances that can contain hundreds of toxic chemicals, when you can create your own? I like to put the scent blends that I create in a rollerball for ease of use.

Create Your Own Signature Fragrance

My current favorite personal scent recipe:

Base Note ~ 10 drops Organic Cedarwood (Rich, woody aroma… calming, soothing, grounding for mind & body)

Middle Note ~ 6 drops (USDA certified) Organic Peppermint (Cooling sensation … calming effect on the body, boosts energy, improves mental focus)

Top Note ~ 4 drops (USDA certified) Organic Sweet Orange (Citrusy yet sweet smell … helps uplift and energize the mind and body)

Fill rollerball with Organic Jojoba Oil (Jojoba is the perfect “carrier” to mix with any essential oil or oil recipe that comes into contact with the skin. The properties of Jojoba closely resemble the body’s own natural skin)

Here’s a great chart about Top, Middle and Base “fragrance notes” in the classification of essential oils. Let me know if you’d like get together to experiment making your own fragrance.

Be an “Ingredient Geek” and check the labels on all your home and personal care products ~ even so-called “green” companies often hide behind the word “fragrance”! My previous blog post What’s Hiding Behind the Fragrance Ingredient? gives you more information about this.

I recommend & use Pure Haven products because they disclose all their ingredients.  You will not see the word “fragrance” used in any of their products. They use unadulterated essential oils, tested for purity, at recommended safe levels in combination with time-tested, beneficial botanical butters, powders, extracts, oils, and waxes, to create a well-loved line of safe products. (More about why I chose Pure Haven here).

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My passion is to help families with Swapping Toxins for Healthy Options. I can send you a list of the top ingredients to avoid. Let’s start the conversation about ingredients in products with others ~ Contact me to speak to groups, companies, or a few friends gathered together online or in person. Making small steps CAN make a big impact.  Let’s continue the conversation in our Natural Non Toxic Living Group.