BackToSchool

Two segments of our student population deserve a back to School post all their own - college students and athletes, because of the specific needs that they each have. Check out this 11 minute video to learn more, then scroll down for some additional information that you don't want to miss!

Last year, our son, Nehemiah, shared ways he, as a football player, uses Young Living products. You can find that 3 minute video, along with some additional suggestions and a great recipe for freshening gear, cleats, and athletic bags on this earlier blog post. 

Did you know that Young Living has several Brand Ambassadors including 3 powerful athletes? Olympic Gold Medalist, Bryan Clay, Two-time Guinness World Record Holder, Ironman, Triathlete, James Lawrence, and former NFL player, Stevie Baggs, Jr., each love YL oils and products. Find out more about their favorites and learn more about their stories here.

Here are a few tips for staying healthy this school year. Having a fractured wrist necessitated a vlog for this post!

An article in News In Health (NIH) states, "When you learn something new, the best way to remember it is to sleep on it. That’s because sleeping helps strengthen memories you’ve formed throughout the day. It also helps to link new memories to earlier ones...'We’ve learned that sleep before learning helps prepare your brain for initial formation of memories,' says Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. 'And then, sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.'” 

It's safe to say, then, that sleep is crucial for students to be able to learn optimally.  Here are some oily suggestions that may help kids (and adults) have a more restful night's sleep.

What are the best ways to use these oils? With the exception of RutaVaLa roll-on, they can each be diffused at bedtime. Try different combinations to see which works best with your child's chemical make up.  SleepyIze has been specially formulated for younger children and is pre-diluted for their use. As much as littles love it, so do adults, so don't be afraid to try it yourself!

They can also be applied to the feet, bottoms of the big toes, on shoulders, chest and / or neck, and even on the crown of the head or center of the forehead. You may have heard me say that I like to apply Cedarwood to the bottoms of my big toes and rub a drop or two of Lavender between my palms, then over my pillowcase, as my preferred bedtime protocol. Lots of people love to apply RutaVaLa to their feet before bed.

Try adding 10-15 drops of your preferred oil(s) to 1/2 - 1 cup of Epsom salts for a relaxing bath before bed. Sweet dreams indeed!

Sometimes, sleep can be disrupted because of normal stressors or occasional anxiety. That was certainly true with our daughter, who throughout the years has had to implement learning strategies related to dyslexia. I've held her in my arms before bedtime as she's gasped for air through tears streaming down her face, thinking about a test that would greet her the next day. She's found tremendous comfort and peace using Tranquil roll-on  (applying it as she would perfume) and always carried it in her backpack. Its combination of Lavender, Cedarwood, and Roman Chamomile  (another seasonally available, bedtime favorite) are great for supporting emotional balance.

Oils like Stress Away, Peace & Calming, and Lavender can also be helpful in supporting healthy emotions and bringing a sense of calm and relaxation. If you find that your child is restless at night, try using any of these at bedtime.

The NIH article also offered this advice.

What do kids (or adults) need to make the most of each day? A good diet, restful sleep, exercise and a healthy immune system is a great start. These are the topics that we’re going to start digging into, beginning with diet.

You may have heard me say that the tissue that makes up your brain is the same tissue that makes up your gut. More and more research are finding strong connections between gut and brain function, as well as your gut and your emotions. 

A healthy gut is key to a healthy brain, so how do we support healthy guts, especially for our kiddos?

The favorite oily digestive system support combo for the older kids and adults in our house is DiGize, Lemon, & Peppermint Vitality oils. We take 4 drops of each in a capsule that’s topped off with a carrier oil. If you’re just starting out with your oils or if your kiddo is old enough to take a capsule, please begin with 1-2 drops of each. Older kids and adults can instead apply DiGize or Peppermint topically to their abdomens or our younger oilers can apply KidScents TummyGize, which has been specially formulated for them.

We also want to get the most out of the nutrients our foods contain, which is where enzymes come into play. If you haven't already, you can learn about the important enzyme supporting properties of Essentialzymes & Essentialzyme-4 on our blog. Those are perfect for older kids and adults. Younger kids have their very own KidScents MightyZyme Chewable Tablets and they love them! Check out the graphic below to learn how this supplement helps support our kiddos' healthy digestion, enabling them to derive the greatest amount of nutrition from the foods they eat!

This year, YL released KidScents MightyPro, which is a “pixy stick” tasting, synergistic prebiotic and probiotic formulated just for kids. (All the kids are raving about it and asking how many they can have in a day!) It supports gastrointestinal and immune health (2-in-1 bonus!) and maintains gut health in kids, which means fewer missed days of school. YEA!!!

Adults (including college students), would take Life 9 (check out our blog post for more information on this awesome supplement).

Our bodies are fueled by the foods we eat, so eating as many “whole” foods as possible, along with limiting processed foods and sugar, is important. But…that can be harder to do when you’re packing lunches and are constantly on the go with sports and other after school activities, not to mention just trying to get them out of the house with their most important meal filling their bellies. YL has us covered! Did you know that YL has some fantastic food products???

Kids can start their day with Einkorn Flakes Cereal ,Einkorn Granola served with yogurt or berries, or if you’re really ambitious, you can make Einkorn Pancakes & Waffles! (Freeze some ahead and reheat them to make it easier during those early mornings when no one seems to be functioning...)

Not in the mood for any of those? Change it up with your favorite smoothie and add in Pure Protein Complete in either Chocolate or Vanilla Chai flavor. SOOO good and a total favorite in our house! Oh! And send them off with a Ningxia Packet to go or tuck it into their lunch box, especially if they’re needing additional immune system support.

Need a healthy snack to tuck into their lunch bag or to grab on the go? Chocolate Covered Wolfberry Crisp Bars are absolutely AMAZING! They taste REALLY good!!! (And they're a healthier alternative!)

Want to learn more about the benefits of Einkorn? Check out this 2-minute video. It’s super cool! 

Here’s one last idea that you can make ahead, freeze and grab as a yummy snack  during or after school. This is SO delicious that we promise you’re going to have to double the recipe!

Here's to a nutritious, new school year!