Life Down a Back Road with Anna

Do you take supplements?   

Finding good quality supplements can be such a challenge.  If you are buying supplements and they are not being used by your body you are just throwing your money away, or worse yet they contain things that are not good for us.   That is why it is important to find supplements that are not only bioavailable for the body but not full of harmful ingredients that we don’t need.  

I have done some research on why Young Livings are the ones I want for myself and my family.  

First and foremost, Young Living has it’s Seed to Seal  and I love the way they produce their product with so much integrity. Seed to Seal basically means “Young Living embraces a rigorous quality control standard to help ensure our products meet strict specifications. Seed to Seal is our set of standards that helps ensure that with every pure essential oil and Young Living product your family uses, you’re enjoying the benefits of our global resources, industry leadership, and over two decades of innovation. The result? A pristine final product that you know has been created with conscientious Sourcing, Science, and Standards—the three pillars of Seed to Seal.”  

They also have a scientific advisory council.  The Young Living Essential Oils Scientific Advisory Council provides valuable insight into the development of our pioneering essential oils and oil-infused products. This professional organization comprises prominent scientific professionals from around the globe, uniting years of experience in natural products. The council’s unmatched leadership, expertise, and passion for essential oil innovation is redefining the way the world thinks about wellness.  You can read more about it here.

I also love these supplements because they are more bioavailable for your body and are absorbed better. Did you know that most supplements have only a 30% absorption rate?  Most of Young Livings supplements are infused with Essential Oils, which studies have shown increases their absorption rate to 80%. That is a whopping 50% increase!  This tells me you get way more bang for your buck and the supplements will be that much more effective!  

Whatever choice your family makes it is important to do your research and find the best for you!  And of course eating a healthy diet is always the best way to get amazing vitamins and minerals that your body needs.  We choose to supplement because it is hard to get everything we need from the food we eat.  

Blessings,

Anna

 

Being a mom was all I ever wanted from a very young age. Some people dream of becoming doctors or nurses or lawyers. Me I wanted to be a wife and a mom. Just like my own mom I knew that I wanted several kids. I am so thankful that God found a man to be by my side that I love with all my heart. Every day I say a prayer of thanksgiving for the one He chose for me. 

 

Every day I also say a prayer of thanksgiving for the children He chose to bless me with. Each and every one of them are unique and such a gift. They bring such Joy to my world. And now add that little grand baby!  

When I was in high school my mom was always late picking me up from games so our AD would wait in the school with me until she arrived. We would talk about the future and what my plans were. I always had the same plan. I would go to college because I think getting out on your own is very important for growth. Plus I wanted a back up plan in case I needed a job. After my four years of college I wanted to marry and have kids and be a stay at home mom just as my mom was. I am thankful that God provided that path for me and that I was able to stay home and raise my children. I am thankful I was there to witness all the firsts. To be there when they got home from school. And to also experience many years of homeschooling them. Being with my kids brought me so much Joy.  Not to say I didn’t have days when they drove me crazy😂. I remember the first time I went shopping without kids. Jerry took them to the sale with him. I think Donald was just a few years old. It was so weird to be all by myself. I can definitely say I truly enjoyed that shopping day!  

 

Now when I go anywhere by myself I don’t listen to anything. All the years of a noisy household has made me really appreciate the quiet. I do love a house full though and don’t mind the noise of kids talking and laughing. There’s nothing more enjoyable than having my kids home. I love when they come and bring friends. A full house is a blessing. 

 

As I look to the future and having my two youngest leaving home to find their way I wonder what it will be like to have only my husband and me. One thing for sure I’ll have to change the way I cook🤣. Seriously though it will be weird. So today I try to treasure having the last two still under my roof.  And I want my kids to always feel like they can come into our home without knocking and start digging in the pantry and fridge knowing that my home will always be their home. No matter where I am they always have a home to come to. And that includes my three beautiful exchange daughters!  And all the “extra” kids that have spent so many countless hours in our home💕. 

Happy Oiling,

Anna

Emotional Health is as important as physical health but we often overlook it or ignore it.  

Remember good emotional health does not mean you are always happy, it just means you have good coping strategies when life gets tough.

What are some ways to improve emotional health?

Good coping strategies when you are feeling overwhelmed such as:

I also find that praying helps.  I try to say a daily Rosary, faith for me is an important part of my life.  Without it I am not sure I could cope, especially during times of stress.

Exercise will help you to relax and it improves your mood.  Set aside some time everyday to get outside and enjoy nature.  Take a hike or a walk.  Enjoy the fresh air.  You will also be getting Vitamin D which helps improve overall wellness.

Get connected with friends.  Right now that can be challenging I know.  Have you tried connecting online if you can't meet in person?  I love zoom, you can see one another and enjoy a fun visit without leaving your home!

Get good quality sleep.  Have you ever noticed when you are lacking sleep you seem to be more emotional?  Here is a previous blog post I wrote on ideas to help you sleep.  

Laugh everyday!  Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine.  It also increases the level of health enhancing hormones like endorphins. This means fewer physical effects of stress. 

Don't forget to focus on emotional health.  It is an important part of our overall health!  

Blessings,

Anna

Have you seen this article?  I get so frustrated when I see things like this because I feel we should be able to go to a store and buy our products and feel safe knowing the things we buy are not destroying our health!

Unfortunately this is not the case and we need to be very careful and read the labels.  

Have you ever taken the time to research what is in the products you are putting on your skin?  It is not a pretty thing.  There are tons of ingredients and they can cause issues, like cancer or other health issues.  So many of them are endocrine disruptors.  Who needs that?  Our bodies already have to work overtime to get rid of the daily onslaught of toxins we cannot control.

Why not find products that we know are healthy and won't tax our bodies any more.  

Let me tell you a story about a job I had before all of the quarantine put us in our homes.  I had just started working at our school as a fill in janitor.  I hate using toxic chemicals but unfortunately our school, just like many others, uses some harsh cleaners.  I immediately got a headache from using them.  I also had not been sick for a long time and a few weeks after getting the job I got a respiratory illness.  I know it was from breathing in those awful chemicals.  After quitting the job I had that cough for an entire month.  Never again!  It is just not worth it.  My hope is that our schools change the cleaning products that they use and find safer alternatives for our children.   

I found a company that I trust completely. Why?  Because I have been to one of their farms, I have met some of the people that work there, and I have researched them.  Plus personal experience has shown me that my body is doing better using the products that this company has.  If you too would like to check out more about this company you can click here to learn more.  

We are the gatekeepers of our homes and because of that we get to choose what comes into our homes.  Choose better for you and your family.

Blessings,

Anna