embracing winter season self-care
'Tis the season of the holidays and all around us we are reminded of things to be thankful for. We celebrate and honor the culinary traditions of our family, light candles and sing. This time of year is rich in tradition and spiritual practices. The birth of Jesus is celebrated throughout the world on Dec. 25… stories of goodwill, peace on Earth and of Santa Claus are shared with our loved ones during this celebrated season of giving.
No matter your religion or spiritual practice, we can all benefit from inner reflection, festive meals, celebrations with loved ones and incorporating the use of essential oils into the holiday season. doTerra certified pure therapeutic-grade essential oils can offer you and your loved ones stress relieving benefits, uplift mood, provide immune support and improve sleep in a safe and effective manner. I am inspired to share with you highly regarded essential oils relative to this festive season in hopes they will enlighten, inspire and support your needs during this most celebrated time of year.
Aromatic pleasures are a cornerstone of the holiday season. Meats are flavored with herbs, potpourri simmers, candles burn, desserts bake and cocoa brews. We can look to ancient times once again to understand the pleasures and value of using CPTG essential oils during the various seasons for informed self-care and culinary delights.
Let’s begin with the “king of oils” — frankincense, a holy oil of the Middle East and a main ingredient in holy incense. Frankincense was believed to improve communication with the creator. It has long been revered for its immune supportive quality. It’s also a powerful anti-aging essential oil. Its woody, earthen scent offers a grounding quality, making it a top oil for meditation and spiritual practices. This powerful tree resin is found in Somalia. Frankincense has a chemical make-up featuring sesquiterpenes, which enables it to cross the blood brain barrier and make it quite an incredible essential oil. I recommend diffusing frankincense for its mood supportive benefits.
I use it each day topically for its anti-aging, skin-enhancing benefits. I also diffuse frankincense during the winter months for mood support. For internal use, I swipe a drop over the roof of my mouth to support my central nervous system.
I also love frankincense in body scrub. Try my simple DIY coconut oil and sugar scrub… Mix equal parts coconut oil with equal parts sugar. I like to make a big batch, about a quart. I prefer to make a larger batch and then fill a smaller glass jar for my shower. This way, I have the option to vary essential oil combinations each time I refill. During the winter months, because of its grounding, mood-enhancing benefits, frankincense is always a go-to essential oil for my body scrubs. Due to its powerful anti-aging qualities, it is also an excellent essential oil to use for skin care.
Frankincense, myrrh, lavender and copaiba are some of my favorite essential oils for fall and winter body scrubs. Drops will vary based on the size of scrub and your preferences with aroma. These essential oils also work very well as a diffuser blend because they aromatically promote emotional balance. Diffusing these oils during the holidays can help maintain feelings of peace throughout the home.
Add in other kitchen ingredients to your body scrub, such as fresh coffee grounds for a rich aroma and antioxidant benefits for your skin. You can search DIY recipes online too. A general rule of thumb would be 1 cup of coconut oil, 1 cup of sugar and ½ to 1 cup of fresh coffee grounds. Most importantly, have fun!
The essential oil myrrh also contains sesquiterpenes. It is native to Africa, and Arabia is considered a holy oil, used in holy incense. Like frankincense, myrrh has been used for thousands of years because of its anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory and beautifying benefits. It’s no wonder The Magi gave these prized oils to baby Jesus.
Myrrh offers great skin benefits due to its ability to reduce scarring as well as its beneficial anti-aging qualities. During the winter, I enjoy diffuser blends with myrrh, especially in the evening hours and at bedtime.
As a holistic skincare professional, I strive to encourage my clients to care for their skin at home. Setting aside as little as 10 minutes a day for a skincare ritual with some certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils and facial massage techniques can provide a noticeable difference in the appearance of your skin. I massage myrrh into my skin after a warm bath.
Myrrh and frankincense are part of my nightly skincare rituals that also include traditional Asian skin care techniques of gua sha and jade rolling. My skin care ritual of using these amazing essential oils combined with the transformative modalities of both gua sha and jade rolling provides my skin with a more radiant appearance. The grounding aromatic benefits of both frankincense and myrrh also support good sleep hygiene, which also plays a significant role in the health and appearance of skin.
After a certain age, women can suddenly find age has caught up with their appearance. The emotional struggle with this can be difficult for many. It’s best to look at your face each day, develop a simple skin care ritual and use your skin care routine as a practice of self-love. Aging gracefully is something to practice — it’s a mindful way of being, and growing older is a gift many don’t have the chance of doing. Rather than paying big bucks for Botox and synthetic fillers to help you look 10 years younger, I encourage you to embrace your unique beauty and create healthy, holistic skincare and lifestyle habits. You’ll be amazed at how you look and feel when you have a mindful approach to embracing your natural beauty.
The Magi also gave baby Jesus gold. Some biblical scholars suspect gold might have actually been turmeric, which has a vibrant, orange-like gold color. Its powerful benefits are because of its chemical components: turmerone and curcumin. Just as frankincense and myrrh were highly revered thousands of years ago, turmeric was also equally revered and suggests that it possibly might have been the “gold” given to baby Jesus. Even if this powerful healing root was not given to baby Jesus, it has incredible benefits.
Turmeric has long been used in India for its potent anti-inflammatory properties and notable immune support. It is a highly regarded herb in Ayurveda, the traditional medical model of India. Ayurveda is considered the sister science to yoga. Turmeric is a powerful essential oil used to promote healthy skin by reducing the appearance of blemishes. It is used internally for antioxidant benefits and metabolic support. When diffused, turmeric aromatically uplifts the mood and encourages positive mindset.
For internal use, you might want to try some warm golden milk. The base of this super-healthy drink consists of your milk of choice, honey or maple syrup, and turmeric (ground as directed in recipe, or use one to two drops of doTerra turmeric essential oil per 8 ounces of milk).
Before bedtime is a perfect time to cozy up with a warm beverage jam-packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. I encourage you to try a turmeric mild beverage this holiday season with your loved ones.
There is one more essential oil, peppermint (one of my favorites) that I feel is of great importance to share this time of year. Peppermint is energizing and stimulating, a must for every home. It has many supportive benefits; most notable are its ability to awaken the senses, clear and open airways, reduce head tension, soothe tummy upset and skin cooling benefits.
Peppermint is also delightful in the kitchen. Traditionally in my home, doTerra peppermint essential oil is used in buttercream frosting. It would also work well with icing for cookies and other holiday treats. Or add some drops to chocolate brownies for a delicious chocolate mint treat. Use it in peppermint bark instead of artificial flavoring for a healthier and safer alternative.
It is always a pleasure to share my knowledge of CPTG essential oils with you. If you’re interested in learning more about how essential oils might be useful in your life, I would be happy to consult with you. Currently, due to COVID-19, my in-person services and yoga classes are temporarily closed. I do have virtual services, workshops, classes and retreats planned for the winter season.