Liver Lovers Anonymous.....

  

Years ago, in our first pastorate, we hosted a social gathering in our home for married couples in our congregation.  We called it “Liver Lovers’ Night.”  The idea was to provide those who enjoyed the taste of liver to experience it, while those who didn’t particularly like the meat were served pizza. It was always a fun night.

When I was a child, nutritionists taught that one of the most important meats for children to eat was liver.  Organ meats hold higher levels of nutrients than muscle meats; by as much as 100 times more!  Because of these teachings, most parents in the sixties believed that minerals and vitamins were found in the liver in greater quantities than in other meats. Our family ate liver once a week.

These days, there is even more information available. Now, in a new millennium, health advocates remind us to eat liver from younger calves; calves that have been grass-fed, raised without anti-biotics, hormones or chemicals. And, when healthy, the benefits of plentiful. Liver meat is loaded with iron, vitamins, minerals, proteins and healthy fats.

Now, I have to say that these days, I don’t eat as much liver as I used to. I’m not sure why. I think I just got out of the habit.

There was a season when a nasty, and untrue, rumor was going around that liver meats should be avoided. The idea was based on discoveries made at that time about the human liver. The human liver serves as an “end of the line” in the body for toxins. When the liver is overloaded, the body reacts with one or more of the following symptoms:

1.    Feeling bloated after eating, or digestive discomfort

2.    Difficulty losing weight

3.    Moodiness, frequent irritability: unexplainably stressed

4.    Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

5.    Itchy skin or other symptoms of allergic reaction

6.    Frequent illness; weakness/ low immunities

7.    Craving salty, starchy or sweet foods

8.    Having a hard time staying focused on a task, or concentrating; brain fog

9.    Unexplained headaches or other pains

10. Dark circles under the eyes; skin blemishes

11. Chronic fatigue

12. Yellowish skin or sclera (white of the eyes)

If a person identifies with two or

more of these symptoms, it is a pretty reliable

indicator the person’s liver is working too hard to purify their blood completely. Such symptoms are signs your body is struggling with an overload of toxins, and probably needs to be detoxified.

If you think your health is in a similar place to my own experience, let me encourage you to do the “first things first.” Choosing to regularly detoxify my digestive system and liver function was one of the first things presenting itself after my diagnosis. Do the first things. Begin making choices to cleanse your liver and digestive system.  Try not to use a quick, all-at-once cleanse. Rather, make some life adjustments: 

a) make sure you eat enough fiber and raw foods (fruits and veggies) to keep your colon and digestive system clean,

b) take Vitamin C each day,

c) exercise

d) drink 100 ounces of water each day,

e) take a supplement that contains Milk Thistle (to normalize liver function), and Glutathione (a natural enzyme that fights inflammation). Such a product enables a daily life-style of detoxification, especially as we are getting older. (I like “Synergy7” or “Liver Detoxifier and Regenerator” from NOW Foods.)

f) try to eat “clean” food – organic, not processed, sugar and preservative free

When I learned the importance of liver maintenance, it opened an entirely new door for me. Suddenly, I had a voice in determining how much energy I was going to experience on a day-to-day basis. I didn’t have to go through a week or two of cleanses, feeling awful every six months or so. I could maintain a detox on a full-time basis, and continue to build my health and recovery.  Learning how to take care of my own health and energy levels meant taking time to understand the signals my body was sending me. I had to become a liver lover – for real.

Are you willing to become a liver lover?

Next up:  Keys to Experiencing Healing with Essential Oils



©2016 Debbye Graafsma/Awakened to grow. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer: Although I am a counselor, and hold a doctorate, I am not a medical doctor. So, the views and suggestions which have helped me in my own healing journey may or may not work for you. While I hope that my stories and suggestions will help and encourage you, nothing I post here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  This blog is published for educational purposes only. Information contained herein has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  If you are concerned about your health, please seek the advice of a professional.

Remember When the Well Ran Dry?

Remember when the well went dry?

Recently, our grandson discovered the sprinkler. In fact, he learned how to lay down on his belly, take hold and get a drink; water spraying in his face, giggles, with his eyes closed. Is there anything better than a drink of really cold, fresh water on a hot day? Or a snow cone? Or a frozen lemonade?

For as long as I can remember, the first thing I do in the morning is make myself a glass of iced water. (Now that I’m older, I try to add a little lemon…) Come to think of it, I take a glass of water to bed with me too! (And no, if you’re asking, I don’t have half-glasses of water abandoned in key places all over the house...)

Years ago, Bill and I had the magnificent opportunity to minister in the Dominican Republic. For a season, before we moved to North Carolina, we were privileged to be asked to participate in pastoral training, serving with missionaries and ministries in the interior of the island. We returned several times, in fact. It is one of our girls’ fondest memories. So saying, let me offer this: if you have never seen the world from a view other than your own, please know that just one experience like that (a short-term mission trip) will change your life forever.  We made friends we will never forget, and would love to see again.

The campground where we gathered was in a little town called La Vega. Near the compound was an area where many people lived, called the “barrio.” The homes were very small, two-room huts, with dirt floors. Holes were cut in variegated steel, to provide screen-less windows. The toilet was a community hole, dug not too far from the living spaces. (On a tropical island, no one flushes their toilet paper – it gets buried with the evidence of a deed accomplished.) Water was collected with large coffee cans, from a fresh source supplied by the town. Personal hygiene was taken care of in-house, the old fashioned way, with a bowl of water and a rag; with soap if they had it.

Somewhere in the midst of those journeys, I became extremely thankful for clean, clear, running water that flowed at will from my kitchen and bathroom faucets. Water I didn’t have to boil before using. Water I could pay someone for supplying; that came into my house. Water that enabled the flushing of should-otherwise-be-buried substances with the accompanying toilet paper!

In first-world countries, we tend to take something as basic as water for granted, don’t we?  It’s there when we brush our teeth. We turn on the faucet and clean our vegetables. We make our coffee. We water the lawn. We fill our swimming pools. We wash our laundry. We cook our food. We load the dishwasher. It’s always available; in a seemingly unlimited in supply.

It was just prior to my diagnosis, I realized I had been treating my physical body the same way I had always treated the kitchen faucet. It was a somewhat scary discovery. You see, I had always been task oriented. In fact, I remember one semester in college where I worked, travelled with a choir, and carried 26 credit hours. You probably already guessed it. About half-way through the semester, I began to drag. I mean like behind-a-running-horse drag. I fell asleep during classes. I couldn’t keep up with assignments. I found myself doing things half-way because there wasn’t time to do them completely. I forgot things. Consequently, every moment had, by necessity, become scheduled. At one point, I really believed I was going to die early. When that sixteen weeks ended, and my finals were completed, I stayed three days in bed.

At the time, I had no idea what had been happening in my body that semester. Come to think of it, I have now concluded I must have been following the same patterns for a long time before I ever entered college. I must have always thought that way. Whatever was on the list had to be accomplished. No matter what. I remember going to work when I was sick. Or living on cold medicine when I should have been in bed. No matter what expending of energy was needed in my day, I just made myself keep going.

There were nights I just stayed up all night so I could get everything done. Come to think of it, I must have thrived on that; even after I was a young mom.

Even in college, perhaps before college, I expected my physical energy to just be available, like water from the kitchen faucet. And, when it ran out, it wasn’t like me to sit down. I would just drink some caffeine, or took some B-complex, or guarana capsules.  Sometimes, a cookie, or a candy bar, or a soda pop, or even both at the same time, provided a little pick-me-up. So much of the time in those days, I forgot to eat. At all. A lot. Some nights, I’d get to nine at night, experience an empty stomach, and grab some Taco Bell. Or even McDonalds fries. And I never ate breakfast. Unless it was a bowl of cereal in the middle of the night.

Now, more than forty years later, I am picking up the pieces of those life choices. At least three years before my diagnosis, I began experiencing unexplained, unexpected, sudden periods of fatigue. Habitual “power naps” became the rule. And, even though I had grown up somewhat; adjusted my eating patterns, and was taking vitamins and supplements, I still pushed myself too hard.

I realized since those days I had subconsciously confused God’s acceptance of me with my achievements. The more I did, the more I believed He was pleased with me. The better the results of my efforts, the easier it was to feel I was a good Christian, or even a good person.

I had no idea I was heading into adrenal fatigue.

The symptoms included:
1.             I never felt like I’d been asleep long enough, even after a long night’s sleep
2.             Brain “fog”
3.             I had difficulty processing my personal stress
4.             I felt a sense of alert, all the time; high stress
5.             Forgot to eat, so blood sugar got low
6.             I snacked late at night
7.             I couldn’t gather enough energy to complete normal, simple tasks
8.             I felt lethargy, and a lack of enthusiasm in day-to-day life
9.             I developed a low level of constant anxiety
10.      I was unexplainably irritable, without warning
11.      I craved salty foods
12.      I had very little energy in the day, and would experience a burst of energy in the evening.
13.      I struggled with more frequent sinus infections
14.      Understandably, I gained weight. Again. And, it was all in my mid-section.
15.      My lower back would hurt so badly, I found it a problem to move
16.      I experienced dizziness when I stood up too quickly
17.      I had pain in my joints: knees, hips, hands and shoulders
18.      My fingers would go numb for no reason
19.      I urinated more and more on a regular basis
20.      I experienced muscular weakness periodically

There were a few additional symptoms, but this generalized list might help you to nail down an answer if you think you might be dealing with Adrenal Fatigue. Truthfully, I wasn’t able to put all of these issues together as part of the same problem until much later.

In order to deal with Adrenal Fatigue, one of the first things I had to do was deal with the illusion of earning God’s grace and acceptance. I was flat on my back one day when a wave of guilt swept over me. Nothing that needed doing was getting done. The incomplete task list was mounting in our home, and there was nothing I could do about it. It seemed as though the more I did, the more I uncovered that needed to be done. I began to apologize for not “meeting” my own standards and expectations.  It took a little while to allow myself to admit that I was the only one upset.

They were all concerned. They didn’t say much, because they didn’t know what to say.

It was during that time, I was forced to accept a new reality. Self-care and self-compassion are important elements of learning to receive the love of God. The received and applied love of God are the only antidote for Performance Orientation. And let’s face it, we all need a break from conditional life and relationships.

I am learning now to limit my caffeine intake. I drink protein shakes, and eat raw foods. I juice. Most importantly, I don’t over-schedule my life. Therapists in my field call it the “Principle of Eight.” That means; we all have 24 hours in a day. Those hours must be balanced between, Work, Rest and Play (or Re-creation). For our lives to be balanced, we must learn to accept limitations of each of those three elements, and honor an 8-hour pattern, divided three ways.  Eight hours of work, eight hours of rest, eight hours of recreation.

In the midst of our hectic and over-stimulated culture, please take a moment and consider. Are you living your life in balance?  If not, begin with the Principle of Eight. What small change would you be willing to make in order to avoid Adrenal Fatigue? Don’t let your well run dry before you do something about it.


Next up:  Are you a liver lover?

©2016 Debbye Graafsma/Awakened to Grow. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer: Although I am a counselor, and hold my doctorate, I am not a medical doctor. So, the views and suggestions which have helped me in my own healing journey may or may not work for you. While I hope my stories and suggestions will help and encourage you, nothing I post here should be taken as a diagnosis or medical opinion. If you are concerned about your health, please seek the advice of a professional.

Killing the Zombie?

 A zombie? Really? Where?

Do you ever feel that way?  You know, totally out of it, without being down-and-out sick.  Tired;
deeply tired.  Brain-fog.  No energy, or completely depleting all of your energy reserves in an hour
or two.  Taking a nap, sometimes two in the middle of the day -- just because normal tasks need to
be broken into segments in order to complete them.  Blood pressure? Well, that becomes a roller
coaster; rolling from really, really UP there, to DOWN to an elevated normal and then back again.

I just couldn't figure it out.   I felt like a zombie. All the time.

I remember experiencing shortness of breath for no reason.  I had difficulty sleeping.  There would
be at least one night a week when I wasn't able to sleep at all.  I remember feeling unexplained
aches and pains, that would move like phantoms from one part of my body to another.

Then there were the headaches. Usually starting on the left side of my head, with pangs at my temple. Tension would extend from my neck, into my shoulders and back; lasting anywhere from
12-24 hours.  Many times, I would put an ice pack on my neck or head, drink a couple of caffeinated
beverages, gobble down a few Excedrin Migraine, and try to keep going. Now, eight years later,
I wonder.  Since it was the left side of my body which eventually froze in the middle of the night, I
wonder why I didn't stop in my daily busy-ness to think about how I was feeling physically.  Or even,
how the symptoms were lining up to indicate something serious.

I just kept working. I kept pushing myself.  Looking back, I can see many indicators that I missed;
indicators that could have helped me to recognize what was happening inside my body.

At one point, I was experiencing such hoarseness that I sought out a specialist in eye, ear, nose and throat. The doctor found no nodules on my vocal chords. However he did find another symptom. I
was unknowingly experiencing acid re-gurge while I was asleep. He also tested for allergies, and
subsequently began a regiment of shots for several years. Now, I have learned to consider I might have considered something else. A hoarse, raspy throat can be an indication of thyroid issues.

Who knew?

At the time, I thought everything could be relegated to just getting older. You know, menopause.  In fact, it became a family joke.  "Mom can't find her phone, again."  "Mom can't find her keys again."
"Oh, it was so funny! Mom asked me to help her find her glasses, and they were on top of her head!"

I laughed too. It made me feel better, at first. But then, after a while, it wasn't so funny anymore.

I forgot meetings. I double-scheduled myself. A lot.  Most of my clients were understanding. But the problem created more stress in my own heart. And that added to the cycle I was in. I began to think I was going a little nuts.  Suddenly, I wasn't managing my life as well as I had been.

Oh, and then there was the blood sugar aspect of things. Back before I was diagnosed, I would wake up feeling exhausted and extremely thirsty.  As the day wore on, I would always feel drained in the late morning and mid-afternoon.  Back then, I believed the problem was that my blood sugar was too low.  To fix it, I would eat something for quick energy, or drink something filled with caffeine.  

The immediate results I experienced from those bad practices did produce a desired result.  I had energy and focus. But then, within twelve hours, I would crash.  Always physically; sometimes emotionally.  It was a definite pattern.  At first, I was oblivious.  I wrote it off to imbalanced hormones.... or menopause.... or just to "getting older."

But the issue turned out to be much deeper.

It was more than two years before I discovered the patter to what was happening inside myself.  In fact, I didn't see it until after my diagnosis. 

A lot changed that day.

Statistics gathered in 2012 tell us that almost 10% of the American population are affected by diabetes.  That's 29 million people.  The stats also indicate that 25% of those 29 million are in a similar state to my own in the past; unaware of the unseen "land mines" being laid in place, triggered to explode in one unforeseen, unexpected moment -- like mine did.

There are days when a person battling Metabolic Syndrome, (or syndrome X, as it is called by some), will struggle with many symptoms, all at once.  For me, just the fatigue would stop me in my tracks; literally.  I hate to admit it, but there was a season when I concluded that what was actually occurring had to indicate a form of laziness in me, and required a "little more personal discipline."

In 2011, studies were released indicating that Diabetes Miletus, or Type 2, as well as Metabolic Syndrome should be reclassified as an autoimmune disease, originating from inflammation in the body.  Based on those findings, new treatments for diabetes are emerging; treatments which focus on the body's immune system, rather than just seeking to lower blood sugars.

When I began learning some of these things, I eventually began looking into natural methods to trigger healthy metabolism.  And I have to say here that my motive wasn't to lose weight.  I was just tired of not feeling good; of feeling exhausted; of making myself walk through my days. One of the first helpful things I discovered was a connection between citrus fruits and metabolism.

Did you know that a person's resting metabolic rate can be raised by eating citrus?  Also, the natural acidity in many of the citrus family fruits, such as lemon and grapefruit, actually help bring a balance to the body's Ph levels.  These fruits trigger alkalinity, which is also an important element for health and healing.

It turns out that the zest and the fruit of each of the citrus fruits are good catalysts for our physical metabolism.  And, even with diabetes to consider, I made a change.  Once a week, I now make what I call a "chunky smoothie."  It just requires blending a little longer, and the addition of a little plant-based sweetener.

Oh, and its really good, and energizing too!  Here is the recipe:

DEB'S CITRUS SMOOTHIE

Peel the following fruits, leaving as much zest attached to the fruit as possible. Then, cut the fruits into chunks and drop into a blender.
1 peeled grapefruit
1 peeled lemon
1 peeled lime
1 peeled navel orange
1 tablespoon xylitol or stevia (optional)
1 cup of ice (more or less as desired)

Pulse until liquefied, then blend on high speed for three minutes.  This recipe makes about thirty ounces.  I  usually drink it throughout the morning on Mondays.  Note:  This recipe needs all the ingredients in order to synergize well.  It doesn't freeze well either.  If you try it, I'd love to know if it helps.  I know it's helping me.

Next up:  Can I wear out my adrenal glands?  If so, what can I do about it?


 (c)2016 Debbye Graafsma/Awakened to Grow.  No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. 

Disclaimer:  Although I am a counselor, and life coach, and hold my doctorate, I am not a medical doctor.  So, the views and suggestions which have helped me in my own healing journey may or may not work for you.  While I hope that my stories and suggestions will help and encourage you, nothing I post here should be taken as a diagnosis or medical opinion.  If you are concerned about your health, please seek the advice of a professional.    
  

What Inflammation Got To Do With It?

 When I was fifteen, I rode my bicycle everywhere.  It was a red, ten-speed, Schwinn, with the wide comfy seat. It had a flat shelf attached to the rear mudguard. It was equipped with a headlight, a squeeze horn, and a basket in front of the handlebars. Its funny, but I can still remember the road rules published by the State of Oklahoma for cyclists; as well as the hand signals! (Back in the early 70’s, so many teens rode bikes to our particular Junior High School, an entire section of the parking lot was designated just for us.)

Come to think of it, not only was my bike red, but my combination bike-lock chain was red too.

One evening, I rode my bike to a babysitting job. The home of the four children I would be watching was only three or four blocks from our house. It was dusk when I headed that way, and I failed to see a large, fresh divot in the asphalt. Riding blindly into it, my bike suddenly dipped, tipping me over. I faltered, and then fell. On the way down, somehow, my right foot ended up stuck between spinning spokes.

Immediately, the foot began to throb. When I raised my bike up, taking the saddle once more, I quickly realized I was unable to put pressure on the foot.  Within an hour, a nasty red, blue and purple line was clearly visible where the offending spokes had made contact with my foot. By morning, the foot was three times its normal size. In fact, it was so swollen, that ex-rays were inconclusive as to whether any bones had been broken. Later, thankfully, when the swelling subsided, the radiologist was able to determine no bones had been broken.   

“You see,” he told me, “when a part of the body is injured, the brain instructs the circulatory system to send water, hormones, and platelets to the injured area. The swelling serves as a natural pad of sorts, protecting the foot from further injury until it heals. However, you might always have a little bit of squishy tissue on the top of that foot. It was badly bruised, and some bruises take a long time to heal.”  

He was right. Today, some forty-five years later, there is still a little scar tissue under the skin on the top of that foot. And it still hinders me wearing shoes with constriction in the middle of the shoe (like athletic shoes.)  In fact, there have been times in the last forty-five years when I have been out, shoe shopping, and have been unable to purchase a pair of dress shoes because the right foot couldn’t accommodate one style or another.

Since my diagnosis in 2010, I have been on a learning journey. One of the largest discoveries I have made in the process has to do with chronic inflammation. Did you know?  The human body responds to harmful stimuli (like viruses, infectious bacteria, cellular damage, allergens/irritants) with swelling?  The proper term for this swelling is “inflammation.” The same simple explanation I was provided when I was fifteen (in regard to my foot) can be used to explain the basis of almost every chronic condition emerging in our physical bodies today.

In its creative design, inflammation is an initial protective response to injury, sickness, or disease. As it did with my foot injury, the body sends immune cells, blood platelets and molecular mediators to the source of the problem. The purpose?  To cleanse and eliminate the primary cause of injury, removing damaged and dead cells from the area, beginning the repair of tissues and organs.  

Years ago, the medical field did not yet know that the majority of major diseases begin with the same systemic problem: that there is one systemic cause for major diseases.  Now, it is generally understood that most disease begins with inflammation. (The pre-cursor to such inflammation is 
now recognized: chronic stress, which the leads to inflammation. Some diseases have now become linked to a person’s emotional responses to stress overload, which lead then leads to a build-up of toxins and sleep deprivation, which in a majority of cases spark the onset of a chronic disease.)

Inside the nucleus of a cell, each person’s individual genetic code, is designed in twisted, ladder-like strands of molecules.  This artistry of chromosomes is commonly referred to as DNA.  The “cross threads” of each ladder are called “telomeres.” It is telomeres that guard the thousands of “files of genetic code.”  They keep the ends of the DNA from “fraying” at the ends. It is telomeres which keep the chromosomes from sticking to each other, scrambling/destroying vital information.

Each time a cell divides the width between the two “outer strands” of each DNA ladder gets smaller.  This shortens the cell’s telomeres. When those “cross threads” become two short, the cell is unable to divide, and it dies. This shortening process of telomeres has been likened to a lit fuse on a bomb, simply because they shorten naturally with the onset of aging.

Most pain and diseases have chronic inflammation at their core. The DNA telomeres begin to shorten, sometimes causing a fragmenting of the genetic code as the “cross threads” thin and weaken.  Inflammation begins unseen,

1.       in the liver (which is the purifying organ, where excess toxins and chemicals are stored);

2.       in the digestive system (the feeding and fueling organs, causing re-gurge and/or irritation);

3.       in the endocrine system (the hormonal and energy providing organs – breakdown causes thyroid issues, pancreatic issues, etc.);

4.       the circulatory system (the healing and oxygenating organs – breakdown causes blood pressure issues, heart attack, etc);

5.       the renal system (the liquid processing/cell waste expelling organs – breakdown causes kidney failure);

6.       the respiratory system (the air processing organs – breakdown causes such diseases as emphysema).  

7.       The skin system (the toxin expelling organ – breakdown causes cancers, age spots, liver spots, etc.

8.       The skeletal system (the bones; blood regeneration occurs within the bone marrow)

In the past few years, people in the health and exercise industries have begun taking HGH (or Human Growth Hormone.) It is currently marketed as a steroid, and banned in athletic competitions.  

It has been shown that people who systematically utilize de-toxifying supplements (liver and/or colon) experience greater health, more energy, as well as a greater positive outlook.  And in the same studies, subjects who were given anti-inflammatories and/or antioxidants experienced a rescue of unhealthy tissues, enhanced autocrine and paracrine feedback, which stabilized DNA damage.

Now, here’s what all that boiled down to for me, in my situation, dealing my own diagnosis.

First: all of the issues I have been dealing with in my physical body have their basis in chronic inflammation. Now, I am fifty-nine years old (a few months from sixty.)  I am now trying to work with my body, cooperating with what is healing.

Second: every time I put a processed or artificially constructed food into my mouth, I am encouraging my body to react with inflammation – within one system or another. This includes processed flour products and sugars.  (I have come to believe that the “choke and gag” reflex was one such signal my digestive system was trying to send me. (It was a mistake to “force myself” to take them.) Organic and/or natural is better.

Note: There are alternatives to processed cane sugar, that can be used sparingly. (Stevia, Agave syrup, Xylitol plant extract, and Palm Coconut sugar).  Each of these have low glycemic indexes, and do not affect blood glucose a great deal. I have to rotate them, because after a while I become aware of an aftertaste.

Third: Dealing with my health to rebuild from the core outward, (cellular health first), is more effective than treating the more apparent outward symptoms, no matter how strong the medicine.

Fourth: It is good to supplement with a few herbals for cellular heath. I do have a couple supplements I take daily….. 1) NAC (N-acetyl Cysteine) …  2)Turmeric and Bromelain (NOW Company capsules) … 3) Dr. Tobias Probiotic Capsules

Fifth:  If you find your appetites are more accustomed to sweets or salts than they should be, it is better in the long run to make small changes incrementally, eventually coming to a place where your appetites are healthy. 

There are several oils I use each day for inflammation. I use the recipe below morning and evening. I put it on the bottoms of my feet, in the middle of the arch (foot reflexology point for the pancreas and liver.)  I also rub a few drops on the right side of my belly, just outside the pancreas and liver areas. If you want to use it aromatically, drop a few drops on your hands, and rub them together. Hold your hands like a cup, covering your nose. Take a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds, then breath out slowly.  Do this 5-6 times.


                                                ANTI-INFLAMMATORY BLEND

                Drop these oils into a dark, glass 3 milliliter roller bottle.


                10 drops each:                  thyme                   wintergreen                       turmeric
                                                                Rose                      eucalyptus                          chamomile
                                                                Copaiba                bergamot                            clove
                                                                fennel

                 Fill the remainder of the bottle with fractionated coconut oil. Store in
                A cool place, out of the light.  



Next up:  Using citrus for metabolism


©2016 Debbye Graafsma/Awakened to grow. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer: Although I am a counselor, and hold my doctorate, I am not a medical doctor. So, the views and suggestions which have helped me in my own healing journey may or may not work for you. While I hope that my stories and suggestions will help and encourage you, nothing I post here should be taken as a diagnosis or medical opinion. If you are concerned about your health, please seek the advice of a professional.