The Chapdelaines

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Seasonal support

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Last week, residents at my apartment complex woke up to find a dusting of pollen covering the ground. The fine powder resembles turmeric, and the extra chore of sweeping it off of the porch reminded me to make my seasonal support roller. This is a simple way to support the body when it faces these new challenges, when the beautiful blooms and changes of Spring induces discomfort in many.

I was not always naturally minded. This is one of many transitions we have recently made in our household. I was actually one of the oil skeptics and this blend is the one that “made me a believer.”

Growing up, I reached for other things to cover any discomfort. It was “normal” and I hadn’t given much thought to the way things used to be. How did people manage before we had a synthetic for every symptom? Surely they found ways to cope. These thoughts allowed me to investigate those things that have been helpful for thousands of years. Plants and herbs have always been known to help us and to heal us. Eating real, whole foods (mostly plants) does more for the body than most want to admit. Sometimes a mindset shift is all it takes to change a lifestyle, change an outcome, and break a cycle of unnatural habits whenever we feel uncomfortable. This roller recipe is one of my favorites for this time of year, and has definitely changed our habits.

To make this roller, you’ll need:

+ an empty bottle. Preferably 10-15 ml. I love recycling my used oil bottles and just adding a fitment from young living for the top. You can also purchase a pack of roller bottles here.

+carrier oil. This is a quality fatty oil like olive oil, fractionated coconut oil, grape seed oil, Young Living’s V6 etc.

+essential oils: lavender, lemon, peppermint, and copaiba. I have plenty of info on the oils that I use here.

How to make a seasonal support roller:

+for an adult: hold the essential oil bottles (one at a time) over the empty bottle. Count 15 drops of each, so 60 drops total.

+top off the bottle with carrier oil, and apply the roller top. Mix gently by inverting the bottle.

+For kids, further diluting is recommended. Here is a great resource for using oils with little ones and babies.

  • You could also diffuse these same oils (4 drops of each) and receive the support via your respiratory system, but I have found the most support from the topical roller.

  • Apply to your wrists, neck, and spine as needed. Best to start this in the morning, before going out, as well as bringing it along with you.

  • Safety tip: you are using a citrus oil in this blend, do not use on skin that will be in direct sunlight. Citrus can make us more sensitive to sunlight, causing redness or irritation. Apply to the spine/ skin that won’t see the sunlight, diffuse as directed above, or make a vegetable capsule and add your YL vitality oils (2 drops fo each) for ingestion.

Local honey is my next recommendation for seasonal support. This is an amazing way to prep your body for the challenges of Spring. We buy ours from our farmers market or a natural grocery store. Opt for raw (unrefined) honey that has vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and just may help with your seasonal symptoms too! I love adding honey to my tea, using it as a natural sweetener, and as “cough syrup” when needed.

I hope these two tips will help you out this Spring, so you can get out there and enjoy the beauty in every single new bloom.

Our goal here is to find simple ways to reduce the toxic burden on our bodies, and find natural living options. These two items can easily be incorporated into any lifestyle. Toss that roller in your bag or purse, and trade your honey for a raw, locally sourced batch.

Let me know how they make you feel!