Losing weight in a healthy manner is an individual journey. For most people this journey must center on balanced nutrition (eating appropriate portions of the right high-quality foods at the right times), burning enough calories (for example, through regular exercise), drinking enough water, getting enough quality sleep, and other important lifestyle adjustments.

Without such key puzzle pieces in place, losing weight in a healthy way isn't really feasible.

However, if you're struggling with your weight loss journey either emotionally or physically despite properly following established weight loss guidelines, there are other tools you can use to help!

One such tool is essential oils.

Certain essential oils can provide a host of health benefits -- such as the ability to reduce anxiety and depression, improve digestion, relieve muscle pain, and reduce inflammation --  that can help you lose weight and become healthier and happier overall.

Using the following essential oils topically, diffusing them, adding a couple of drops to a glass of water, and/or taking them in an enema or suppository can energize you, help curb food cravings, and support you in balancing your body and mind.

Each essential oil listed below provides your body with different benefits, so read about each one carefully in order to choose the oil(s) that will help you the most.

1. Peppermint Essential Oil
   
   Peppermint is widely known to boost mental and physical energy.
   
   A 2013 scientific study on the effects of peppermint on athletes notes that "Mint is one of the most famous natural herbs for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antioxidant, and vasoconstrictor effects." Because of this, peppermint essential oil can be used to soothe sore muscles and reduce fatigue after a workout. The study found that peppermint essential oil supports respiratory function, and has a positive effect on heart rate, blood pressure, and overall exercise performance.
   
   Use this oil in a diffuser, add a few drops to your bath water to relax and help muscle aches, or rub topically on sore muscles or your stomach. (You may want to dilute with coconut oil or another carrier oil.)
   
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2. Grapefruit Essential Oil
   
   Grapefruit essential oil is a wonderful tool to help you lose weight because it contains limonene, which help break down body fat and support your metabolism.
   
   A study conducted in 2005 found that "The scent of grapefruit oil, and particularly its primary component limonene, affects autonomic nerves, enhances lipolysis through a histaminergic response, and reduces appetite and body weight." Specifically, the study found that a 15-minute exposure to the scent of grapefruit oil three times a week can reduce food intake and body weight.
   
   Apply the oil topically (dilute with a carrier oil first) and/or diffuse daily. You can also add 5-10 drops of this oil to your enema or coffee enema solution, or to a suppository.
   
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3. Lemon Essential Oil
   
   Lemon essential oil is able to enhance your body’s detoxification capabilities, supports healthy digestion, boosts energy levels, reduces inflammation, and promotes the breakdown of body fat.
   
   Additionally, breathing in the scent of lemon is known to improve neurological activity, and has a calming and mood-boosting effect.
   
   Diffuse this oil at home or work, rub on your temples to keep your mind alert, or add a couple of drops to a glass of ice water each day.
   
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4. Ginger Essential Oil
   
   Ginger has been used for centuries to support digestive health. It is an antioxidant, and improves your body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals from the food you eat.
   
   Ginger contains gingerols, which reduce inflammation throughout your body, most importantly in your gut. Keeping intestinal inflammation down helps reduce the risk of acquiring certain diseases.
   
   Finally, ginger can also reduce sugar cravings.
   
   Rub ginger essential oil on your stomach, neck, arms, or bottoms of your feet (dilute with a carrier oil first), diffuse, and/or drink a couple of drops in a glass of water daily.
   
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5. Cinnamon Essential Oil
   
   Cinnamon has the remarkable ability to help regulate your blood sugar levels, and can also minimize sugar cravings.
   
   Take a couple of drops of cinnamon in a glass of water before eating a meal, diffuse, or rub on your stomach, back of your neck, or arms (dilute first with a carrier oil).
   
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6. Bergamot Essential Oil
   
   Refreshing and uplifting, bergamot is a wonderful stress reliever and mood booster. Being in a healthy emotional state is an important aspect of losing weight.
   
   Diffuse this oil or rub on the back of your neck to help reduce your stress and anxiety.
   
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7. Sage Essential Oil
   
   Sage (Salvia) has a long history in traditional medicine as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and pain reliever. According to a 2013 study, sage may prove to be an effective treatment for many common health concerns and illnesses, including obesity, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
   
   Diffuse sage oil, or rub on the bottoms of your feet, back of your neck, or arms.
   
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8. Lavender Essential Oil
   
   Lavender is the essential oil that is perhaps best known for helping you relax and sleep well, both of which are important if you wish to optimize your health and lose weight. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’ll have less energy to work out and live your best life.
   
   There are many ways to incorporate the calming effects of lavender oil into your life: rub a drop or two of lavender essential oil on your temples before sleep or if you’re feeling stressed out or anxious; diffuse in your bedroom or office space; add a few drops of lavender oil to a pre-bedtime bath; rub a couple of drops on your pillowcase or into the collar of your pajamas; or add a few drops to your favorite lotion before applying.
   
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9. Fitness Essential Oil Blend
   
   Several of the essentials oils listed above are combined for you in Rocky Mountain Oils’ Fitness Essential Oil Blend. This blend is formulated to assist in managing the appetite and stop cravings between meals and impulsive eating. Stimulating but grounding, it can lift your mood and relax your stomach. It gives a delicious flavor to water and supports hydration with exercise.
   
   Fitness Blend contains: pink grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, cinnamon bark, celery seed, and ginger root essential oils.
   
   You can add 5-10 drops of this oil to your enema solution or suppository; diffuse the oil in your home; apply topically; or add a couple of drops to a glass of ice water.
   
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Safe Rate of Weight Loss

Whether your goal is to lose a few pounds or 100 pounds, essential oils can play an important role in supporting a successful weight loss journey. Whatever tools you use to support your weight loss, it is essential to lose weight at a safe and steady pace. If you lose weight gradually and steadily, you are more likely to be able to maintain the lower weight you reach. Losing weight slowly also comes with far fewer health risks, such as nutritional deficiencies or losing critical muscle mass.

Depending on initial body weight, a reasonable rate of loss for overweight adults is 1 to 2 lbs (up to 1 kg) per week, or 5 to 10% of body weight over 6 months. Example: For a person weighing 250 pounds (113 kg), a healthful 5 to 10% weight loss over 6 months would be 12 to 25 lbs (5 to 11 kg).

▶︎ Learn more about how to healthily lose weight and cleanse your body of toxins using enemas

Need Support with Your Healthful Weight Loss Journey?

For a personally tailored weight loss program, including individualized dietary support if needed, I would be happy to assist you via a scheduled phone consultation. First complete any relevant sections of my secure online intake form pertaining to your concerns. Upon submitting the form, you will be prompted to set a consultation time with me via my online booking system.

▶︎ SCHEDULE CONSULTATION

Labels: anxiety, blood sugar, depression, essential oils, inflammation, metabolism, weight loss

Periodically Optimal Health Network will offer a blog post about what supplements we recommend and why, our recommended source of the supplement, and guidance on the best way to take the supplement.

FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS

Fish oil supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential cornerstones of human nutrition. It is essential to understand that we do not produce omega-3 fatty acids in our body, therefore we need to provide these fatty acids through diet and supplementation.

Omega-3 fats are a key family of polyunsaturated fats. There are three main omega-3s:

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) come mainly from fish, and are called marine omega-3s.
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the most common omega-3 fatty acid in most Western diets, is found in vegetable oils and nuts (especially walnuts), flax seeds and flaxseed oil, leafy vegetables, and some animal fat, especially in grass-fed animals. The human body generally uses ALA for energy, and conversion into EPA and DHA is very limited.

Omega-3 is an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affects the function of the cell receptors. These healthy fatty acids provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. They also bind to receptors in cells that regulate genetic function. Likely due to these effects, omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, support healthy brain function and cognition, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.

Optimal Health Network recommends a minimum of 750 mg per day of combined EPA/DHA as a good place to start for all adults. Higher dosages of fish oil supplements need to be considered for issues such as high triglycerides (2000-4000 mg), depression (10,000 mg), Crohn's disease (4000 mg), and lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (6000 mg).

With over 10,000 published studies in the last three decades, omega-3 from fish oil is among the most researched natural ingredients available, and has a long history of safety and efficacy.

BUY ORTHOMEGA 820 FISH OIL CAPSULES

If you need individualized support with your supplement protocol, call us at 608-242-0200 or set up a personal consultation.

Labels: cellular health, Crohn's disease, depression, fish oil, high triglycerides, lupus, omega fatty acids, omega-3, supplements

by Kristina Amelong

As I share in my book, Ten Days to Optimal Health, I started my healing journey in the 12-step programs Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. These resources were crucial in tackling my drug and alcohol addictions. Being  part of these programs was one of the best things that I have ever done. Yes, I worked the steps, read the Big Book. Another book that I was introduced to those 20-plus years ago was Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life. Reading her book, I was introduced to the concept that what I thought mattered, and not only mattered but might just determine how my life went, how good my health was, how good my relationships were, and how I was doing economically. Since my thoughts were consistently negative at this time in my life -- nobody likes me, I hate myself, I'd rather die than live this life, pain, pain and more pain -- I felt I would give these unlikely healing tools a try. After all, I felt life had to get better if I was thinking "I love myself'" rather than "I wish I was dead."

My body now restores itself to its natural state of good health.
My income is constantly increasing.
I do the work I love.
I am passionate about life.
I am well.

I did these affirmations and more hundreds of time a day. It felt silly but now, 22 years later, I offer here that what I think absolutely makes a difference to the quality of my life. I created OptimalHealthNetwork.com and the Optimal Health Center coming from an earlier life where my highest aspirations were to some day own a McDonald's. Yes, I recommend Hay's book, You Can Heal Your Life. And now you can watch her entire movie, You Can Heal Your Life, on YouTube, in which she is joined by many other healers such as Esther Hicks, Greg Bradden, Candace Pert, and Christian Northrup, who all share their own experiences with changing their thinking to change their life. Please watch it and post your experiences here or on our Facebook page.

Funny, but after writing this blog post, I realize that throughout my book, Ten Days to Optimal Health, and my website, I repeat over and over again: You Can Heal. Yes, Louise Hay's work has had a profound influence on my life. Yes, I have experienced tremendous healing on many levels in my own life, creating this business and recovering my body from a chronic illness of celiac disease, multiple chemical sensitivities, depression, and more.

Labels: alcoholism, chronic illness, depression, drug addiction, healing, life change

by Kristina Amelong

Labels: AA, depression, diet, niacin, nutrition, vitamin B3, vitamin supplements