10 Benefits Of Sweet Orange Essential Oil

I love the scent of oranges, so it is no surprise that sweet orange essential oil is my favorite essential oil. The benefits of sweet orange essential oils are vast and do not differ from the bitter orange essential oils also available on the market in its application.

What is the difference between bitter and sweet orange essential oil?

The difference lays in origin and preparation. While the bitter orange essential oil is derived from a hardy bitter orange tree’s fruit, via cold-pressed technique, while the sweet orange oil comes from a smaller tree, that surprisingly yields  larger fruit than the former tree. Because their chemical compound is almost identical, their therapeutic uses are no different, as I mentioned above.

There is however,  a third orange oil, the orange blossom oil, which has different uses. It is derived exclusively from the flowers of the bitter orange tree. Its therapeutic uses are for skincare, anxiety, stress and shock – via Aromatherapy.
I personally prefer the scent of the sweet orange essential oil.

Here is a list of ten benefits of sweet orange essential oils:

– mood-lifting
– relaxing
– helps in creating emotional and physical balance
– promotes detoxification
– used to clarify skin in skin care preparations
– Use several drops to the palm of your hands, and inhale for a more positive outlook
– Add several drops to bath water to calm the nerves, and enhance your immune system
– Add several drops orange oil to a clean damp washcloth and toss in the dryer to freshen your clothing, you can also add the oil to your homemade non-toxic laundry detergent.
– Add 10 drops orange oil and three drops peppermint oil to a spray bottle for a great non-toxic air freshener.
– Add orange oil to a diffuser in your office in order to ensure a calm working environment

 

Questions: What is your favorite essential oil, and what are your favorite ways to use it?

If you want to learn more about essential oils, check out bestselling book Essential Oils Natural Remedies: The Complete A-Z Reference of Essential Oils for Health and Healing by Althea Press 

Homemade Fruit Tea Recipes

I love fruit tea, preferring to create my own homemade fruit tea recipes, over those who you can find in most grocery stores, simply because most of them have either green or black tea. I am a purist when it comes to fruit teas. I like the recipes simple and easy, and adjustable. With small changes, like adding some spices like cinnamon or coconut flakes to the mix, you can create interesting flavor combinations without all of the unnecessary additives and fillers many commercial tea blends and mixes have.

Here is a great base recipe you can work from

250 grams of strawberries
Organic pears, apples and peaches – five each
10  organic oranges
10 organic lemons
2 sticks of lemon grass

Remove stems and seeds from the pears, apples, and peaches, cut all fruit and lemon grass in same size, small pieces
and place into a dehydrator. Dehydrate according to the manufacturers instructions.

Mix well and place into an sealed container, storing it for up to 6 months in a dry and cool place.

To prepare:

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the tea mix into an infuser, reusable tea bag, or your favorite tea ball. Steep until desired
strength is reached, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the infuser, tea bag or tea ball, or strain. Sweeten with your favorite
sweetener.

Variations:

Add a half of cup of dried coconut flakes and a half of cup of dried pineapple to the mix for a Hawaiian flavor.

You can also add extra flavor like cinnamon, or ginger.

Add a handful each of your favorite dried berries to the mix, for a berry blend.

You can also skip the citrus and add a cup of dried hibiscus leaves to the mix instead.

 

Available on Amazon now!

I highly recommend this beautiful tea cup with enclosed infuser/strainer from Teaveli decorated with ancient Chinese symbols this pretty cup makes a perfect tea. I love the fact that it has a lid, which keeps the warmth of the water, while the tea is brewing. This cup is perfect for homemade fruit tea blends, or any green or black tea. It is dishwasher safe, microwavable, and comes with a saucer. Makes a great gift for birthdays, or just any day! Buy it on Amazon today!

Disclaimer: I have received this cup for free in return for an honest review.

Meal Prep Made Easy – Portion Control Containers by PrepRx

The following blog post is a sponsored post

As I have mentioned before in this blog  I deeply believe in meal planning, not only because it much
more convenient for our family of different food preferences, but because it is easier to make sure we all have access to
healthy food option at all times. So when I had the chance to receive the “7-Pack of Reusable Portion Control Meal Prep Food Containers” by PrepRX,  I was eager to try them out

Here is what I found:
Pro:
Tight seal lids. I have had no problems with spillage whatsoever even after taking it with me just about anywhere.
Perfect fit for the microwave. While other meal prep boxes are often a little too large for smaller microwaves, Not this one,
It’s almost square design making it a perfect fit
Easy to clean – while they are really easy to clean by hand, I especially love that they are dishwasher safe, saving me
not only time via the meal prep, but also in the clean up
Freezer safe. Perfect for leftovers or prepping ahead!
Easily stackable – they truly do not take away much space in my already cramped kitchen. Perfect.

Con:
When they say tight lid, they mean tight lid! Sometimes it is hard for me to open those containers, and even harder for my 12-year-old.

If you love meal prep, take lunch to work with you, and want to stay overall healthy, these containers are for you.
I love filling them with already cut up fruits and veggies, making sure that when I am getting hungry, I am not grabbing
for those snacks that are not so good for me. what is not to love? Available on Amazon now! 

Product Dimensions are 9.8 x 4.3 x 5.9 inches

Made out of FDA-Certified BPA-Free Polypropylene

Wordless Wednesday: Sir Richard Branson

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

No Rules Blog Party
Happy Spring WW
Be Inspired
Share With Me

Homeschooling Parents, Teach Your Kids To Code!

My coding skills are minimal and basic on a good day. But that does not stop me from making sure my homeschooled kids
are learning important coding skills.

I know that there are many homeschooling parents out there that are not choosing to teach their kids to code.
Some of it is out of fear of teaching a subject matter, they have no knowledge off, for others, it is the fact that they
do not see the relevance. Both of these sides need to be debunked right now.

You see, we desperately need people who can fill the positions that need coding in this country. In order to stay
competitive with other nations, it is important that all of our kids have the skills to secure themselves a good job
and with that help our economy grow. Yes, I am oversimplifying things at the moment, but I am not trying to make a point
about raising the economy one person at a time, but rather giving that one person – your child – the chance to be one
of the successful ones. For that, these skills are needed, skills that as a homeschooling parent, you are responsible for sharing with them. Coding is one of them.

Now, if you, like me, have no idea how to do more than basic coding, how in the world are you going to teach your children?
Simple, invest in a good program, like “Simple Coding”. Just like you would and probably are investing in language lessons and music teachers, you can use Simple Coding to teach them, and yourself this important skill.

Why do I like this program so much?

1. Because they have multiple learning options, like my current favorite the “Game Design Software for Kids“, which is
what my son is working through right now. .Other options are their Summer Camps and in person live classes.

2. It is affordable. There are no hidden fees, high up-front costs, or minimum purchases. You simply buy the program that
fits your kid, and that is it.

3. Online support. With an access to support and a forum, you are not on your own when you are teaching your children.

4. Incentives. Simply Coding gives away scholarships, like their 2016 JavaScript Game Design Competition, that is
currently going on, and ends May 21st.

But don’t just take my word for it, watch these testimonials right here:

Check out the Simply Coding JavaScript Platform details:

• ✓ LIVE MENTOR ASSISTANCE: Unlike other programs that offer you a “how to” sheet and let you go, we offer live chat assistance to make sure you or your child know exactly how to best use our JavaScript software. Also, on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month we conduct an hour of live question / answer with our mentors!
• ✓ SCHOOL APPROVED CURRICULUM and STEM CERTIFIED: The Simply Coding program has been approved by school systems throughout the country, both as part of their course catalogs and as an after school program. It has been in operation in classrooms for the last three years!
• ✓ DESIGNED BY PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMERS: Our software has been designed based on the feedback of thousands of kids who have helped us test, refine, and perfect our system.
• ✓ CODING EDUCATION: Our educational software is not only meant to teach children how to build games and learn coding, it’s about expanding their critical thinking skills and ability to innovate. Your kid has done Scratch, Khan Academy, Code.org, Codecademy, Hour of Code and now this is the NEXT STEP!
• ✓ WORKS ON ANY PC OR MAC: Unlike other programs that require strict system requirements, you simply need to access our online class via the provided registration access code, create an account and start using our videos and tutorials to receive a solid JavaScript education through creating computer games.

So, dear homeschooling parent, what are you waiting for? Give yourself and your child the gift of coding today!
Disclaimer: I was given the Simple Coding Javascript Platform at a discount in return for an honest review.

Take 2 Steps Toward Success – Learning And Taking Action

A willingness to learn new things is the first step to success. The second step  is to turn what you have learned into actions. 

Finding information and the willingness to learn new information is important, even if it can be overwhelming. Thanks to the internet, and instantly available ebooks, there are not many true excuses anyone can have for not finding the answers to a problem you have. There are facebook groups, forums, and networks on just about every subject. Peer support is a click away, courses on every subject are available, in many instances those are free. Gathering information is time-consuming, yet easy and possible.

Taking action, however, even if they are laid out in front of you, in workbooks, course assignments, daily assignment threads, or action prompts are often ignored, or “postponed” until a later time. I have heard so many excuses, real or imagined why someone could not follow through upon what they learned – from, lack of time to kids, to other responsibilities. Yet, we find time to talk about our favorite television shows, follow our favorite sports team, or leave comments on funny youtube videos.

If you want success you have to take both steps. 

There are no short-cuts around that fact – no one will learn what you need to learn for you, and no one will turn off that television or gaming console that distracts you from taking action. YOU have to make that commitment, YOU have to make that choice, between continued stagnant existence or success. Those two steps are the prize you have to pay, in order to become the person, I know you want to be.

Take those two steps and you will find, that the harder you work for your success, the less competition you will come in contact with. You see, too many choose the couch, the video game, the excuses, leaving a lot of opportunities open for those who are willing to work for it. They choose convenience over success.

Which one will you choose?

Blessings!

Claudia

P.S. If you are interested in growing now, and taking action now, join me at Wealthy Affiliate Network for free. Taking the first step to creating a first-rate online presence takes knowledge which can be sometimes elusive and confusing. Wealthy Affiliate has created free step-by-step lessons on how to build a website, how to find your niche, how to create great content and more. With incredible peer support, you can ask for as much or as little help as you need. What are you waiting for? Join now! 

 

 

How To Accommodate Different Food Tastes And Needs – 7 Tips

— This blog post contains affiliate links ——

We are a miss-matched family when it comes to our eating habits. My daughter has an illness that gets aggravated by some food additives, and she is a Vegan. My son is a vegetarian, my husband a dedicated meat-eater, but who needs to watch his blood pressure, and I, well I am healing my thyroid naturally – that means no soy or soy products, and a long list of other foods, including some veggies, I should and will not eat. (I wrote more extensively on my allowed and disallowed food list here) Oh, and my dogs are allergic to commercial dog food, so I cook for them as well. Tired yet? I am.

Making meals that all of us can enjoy is a challenge. My over-the-road truck driving husband, is thankfully cooking mostly for himself, when he is driving, making food prep at least meat-free. That leaves us three people and the three animals. Thankfully the cat can (and will) eat whatever I put in front of him.

So what do we do to make it all work?

1. We meal plan. Once a week, my daughter and I create a meal plan for our entire week. We have some go-to recipes, but are always searching for something new, and are not afraid to look at foreign language websites to get inspired. Which also makes for a great homeschool lesson.

2. We look for or I create our own recipes that are easily adjusted (from vegan to vegetarian, or the other way around). I have shared some of these recipes on this blog, and will share some more on occasion.

3. We communicate. There is no shame in speaking up and saying that one of us did not like a meal or an idea. Suggestions on how to make a meal easier or better are always welcome and openly encouraged. We are a team here.

4. We have meals, where we share our space but not the same meal. Use today, as an example. All three of us had Mexican food. My son ate a bean taco, my daughter a tofu,carrot and cabbage quesadilla, and I ate a Mexican style zucchini wrap. It was relatively easy to adjust for our individual tastes, and most importantly we still had a complete meal as a family. (My husband is currently driving over-the-road, otherwise, he would have joined us with a traditional taco)

5. We are not afraid to try new things. None of us are afraid to try new recipes, flavors, and techniques. The kids are used to our trial and error system, and will speak up when something did not work for them.

6. We do not expect perfection. I am not a Five-Star chef, and I did not grow up cooking vegan or even vegetarian meals. Because of that alone,I do not expect that every meal will come out as planned. Letting go of creating that perfect meal, made my life a lot easier, and cooking a lot more stress-free.

Meal Prep Containers By Prep RX Available on Amazon

7. We use meal prep containers. I have a collection of meal-prep containers in different sizes, some with sections, others without. Not only do they make it easy for me to make meals ahead, freeze, and then reheat in the microwave, but they also make wonderful containers to prepare healthy snacks for each of us. Mine often contains a boiled, egg, veggies, and maybe some cheese, while my daughters will be filled with some nuts, veggies and an individual container of hummus.

I will introduce you to one of my recently acquired containers in more detail in an upcoming review soon, meanwhile, you can check them out on Amazon – Spoiler alert: They have a tight seal, and are wonderfully stackable, I love them! 

Question: How do you plan your meals? Do you meal prep? I would love to hear from you! Just leave a comment below!

 

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil For Dogs

——– This post contains affiliate links ———–

When administrating natural products to our pets, there are – for a good reason – some serious questions that come up
Today, I am answering the top 4 questions asked related to the health benefits of coconut oil for dogs.

Most common questions people ask me, when the topic of adding coconut oil to a dog’s diet comes up are:

1. Is coconut oil safe for dogs?
2. Why should I give my dogs coconut oil?
3. What is the best type of coconut oil for dogs?
4. How to administer coconut oil to the dog

Is coconut oil safe for dogs?
Generally speaking, it is safe for most dogs. Like people, animals can present allergies, so as with all new medication, remedies and food changes, watch your dog very closely.The most common side effects of giving coconut oil is  some greasy stool and upset stomach, which occurs most often because it was introduced too quickly to the dogs diet. If your dog shows severe signs of upset, is vomiting or has excessive diarrhea contact your vet, and disclose that you are introducing coconut oil.

 

Island Fresh Organic Coconut Oil Buy It Now!

Why should I give my dogs coconut oil?
Coconut oil has a wide variety of health benefits for your pets as well as for you. The health benefits for your dogs
are the following:

– antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties
– aids in recovery and prevention of allergic reactions
– balances thyroid and weight issues
– reduces doggy odor
– improves digestion
– aids in healing from wounds and scrapes
– aids in the reduction and healing of dry spots
– helps reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis and joint dysfunction
– reduces bad breath
– prevents diabetes

What is the best type of coconut oil for dogs?
Make sure you read the label of your coconut oil closely. You should always use organic coconut oil that is
non-gmo (I would highly recommend that you choose the same if you are planning to use it for cooking human food)
Coconut oils vary in their flavors – some of them greatly. For your pet, you want to look for a coconut oil that has little
or no coconut flavor, like this Island Fresh Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, which is my dogs favorite. It is also cold-pressed, which assures that it is of highest quality
How to administer coconut oil to the dog:
While some dogs are eager to try new things, others – like one of my own – need a little bit of convincing. But there
are some ways to make giving coconut oil a little easier to your dog, by making your own dog treats or by purchasing
dog treats made with coconut oil. Some dogs love the taste so much so, that they will enjoy licking it off a spoon!

Coconut Smiles – Dehydrated Organic Coconut Treats for Dogs Buy It Now!

 

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER – DO NOT START WITH THE RECOMMENDED DOSE!
Gently introduce coconut oil to your dog’s diet, by including it into your homemade dog food or treats. Start with a fourth
of the dose, then slowly increase the dose over the next 4 weeks. This will prevent stomach upset, and the dreaded greasy
diarrhea, that comes from introducing coconut oil too quickly. The recommended dose of coconut oil for your dog depends on its weight:

Coconut Oil Dosage: 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of your dog’s body weight

 

 

 

Do you have any additional questions regarding coconut oil for dogs? Leave me a comment below!

 

Wordless Wednesday: Artist

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

WW Happy Spring

Be Inspired

Share With Me

No Rules Blog Party

 

 

A Deodorant For People With Aluminum Zirconium Sensitivity – Cruelty-Free And Vegan

——-This post may contain affiliate links – see disclosure page for details ——-

As many people who are allergic to certain product ingredients are aware of, it is often a hassle finding a product
you can safely use, one that does not leave bumps, redness, and itchy irritation behind. For a long time, that was my
major problem with commercial deodorants.

There are some wonderful folks on Etsy and various local shops that create perfect handcrafted beauty products for people like me, and while I am forever grateful to them, I am often left looking for another alternative after a shop closes,
or we move, which has happened rather frequently throughout the years.
So finding a deodorant that does not include Aluminum Zirconium or any other ingredient that I might have a reaction to,
and being able to order it from Amazon makes my life so much easier.

Natural Sea Spray Deodorant by Skin2Spirit  does not only fit my sensitivity needs, but is also cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, paraben free, and 100 % natural.

Instead, it contains the following wonderful ingredients:

Purified Water, Organic Aloe, Magnesium Chloride, Witch Hazel (alcohol-free), Essential Oils and / or Natural Flavors / Scents,Glycerine, Potassium Sorbate, Silver Dihydrogen Citrate, Citric Acid (Vitamin C), Water
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE OIL: Pure and natural from the Dead Sea, antiviral, antimicrobial, helps reduce odor from bacteria

ORGANIC ALOE: Moisturizer, emollient, and excellent for scars, burns, rashes, and dry skin.

WITCH HAZEL (Alcohol-Free): Soothing, natural astringent to help alleviate stinging for sensitive skin. Antibacterial & anti-inflammatory

ESSENTIAL OILS: Including Tea Tree, a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal solution from the Melaleuca tree

SILVER CITRATE / POTASSIUM SORBATE: When combined make a powerful broad spectrum
antimicrobial that helps stop odor in its tracks

I have been using this deodorant for more than a week now, and I am very happy with the result. I  must say, that people
who use natural deodorants for the first time – which is not the case for me – should expect a detox period, meaning that
it will take about two weeks before this deodorant or any natural deodorant will bring full the full effect you may
desire. This is normal and should not discourage you from making the switch – your skin and health will
thank you for making that decision.

I highly recommend this product for anyone with allergies and sensitivities to standard and mass-produced
deodorants, even more so if you are vegan, and want to live a cruelty-free lifestyle.

Disclaimer: This product was given to me at a deep discount in return for an honest and unbiased review. See the
disclosure page for more details.