Here in Minnesota, we are experiencing quite the cold snap. Temperatures finally made it out of the negative numbers today to hit a balmy 17 degrees! Yikes! It's going to get so cold, that our governor actually cancelled school for all K-12 districts in the state.
The definition of "hardy" is: robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions. Yes....Minnesotan's are hardy...but not THAT hardy! JEEZ! Check out the image below. This is the wind chill forecast for Minnesota this coming Sunday. Ummmm, yeah. To figure out the "feel like" temperature. We take the projected high (-15 degrees F) and subtract the windchill projection (-50 let's say for the Twin Cities)....You do the math. It's COLD! REAL COLD!
This blog post is dedicated to all of those crummy ailments that come with this dry, cold weather. Let's get started!!
DRY SKIN
Dry Skin is one of the worst things to deal with during the 9 months of winter we experience here in Minnesota. I'm certain we aren't the only people in the nation that experience the horrible scaly skin that itches to no end... right? My favorite solution is All Purpose Healing Salve. I got this recipe from Camp Wander, one of my favorite blogs. The ingredients are cheap and this stuff WORKS! It includes melaleuca, lemon and lavender. It smells lovely. I have been using the salve I made since August (faithfully) and haven't had a single scale or crack all winter! This has never happened before. I've posted this recipe several times, so here is the link to that post:
All Natural/All Purpose Healing Salve Recipe
COLD TOES AND FINGERS
Cold toes and fingers are a constant issue in these cold temperatures. On Wednesday, my husband (Burty) went ice fishing for 10 hours....in -10 degree weather. This doesn't factor in the wind chill....but it was COLD. He wore his warmest coveralls, new Ice Armor boots, wool socks, heavy duty gloves...you name it. But, when he came home, he was still cold. It was radiating off his clothes. I wish I would have had some, but I didn't; Black Pepper Warming Salve! Another wonderful creation from Camp Wander.
This uses the same basic recipe from the Healing Salve above, but instead of putting in the melaleuca, lemon and lavender into the 4 oz. jars, you add 90 drops of black pepper essential oil. Simple as that! Rub the Black Pepper Warming Salve onto your fingers and feet (or any where else really) to instantly warm up. Black Pepper essential oil is a "warm" essential oil...NOT HOT. It is safe for kids, too. So think about slathering their hands and feet in this salve BEFORE they go sledding or play outside in the cold. If they get it on their face or eyes, no worries. It WILL NOT burn. BONUS!
CHAPPED LIPS
Chapped lips make my "lips hurt real bad," as Napoleon Dynamite would say. My son, Jamie always seems to get chapped lips around this time, especially if he gets a runny nose. The best solution is either, apply some of the All Purpose Healing Salve to the lips (recipe link is above) or, whip up this SUPER easy anti-chapped lip roll on. Here's the recipe:
Add the frankincense and lavender essential oils to the roller bottle, fill the rest of the roller bottle with Fractionated Coconut Oil. Gently shake and apply liberally throughout the day. All of the ingredients listed above are also LINKS to Spark Naturals website so you know what to order.
Use coupon code: CURLY
To Save 10% on Your Order from www.sparknaturals.com
Keep in mind that frankincense, lavender and fractionated coconut oil are STAPLE essential oils to have in your arsenal. They can be used in SOOOO many other natural remedies. If you are just getting into essential oils, consider these your "go to" essential oils.
WINTER BLUES
Winter Blues are pretty common once we hit January and February here in Minnesota. The cold weather and lack of being outdoors to get the Vitamin D we really need can lead to the feeling of sadness and issolation. Fear not, oh sad ones! I have something for you! I recently started using an aromatherapy diffuser. They give you the choice of what kind of essential oil you would like to diffuse into the air, make your house or room smell lovely without burning or spraying cancer-infused aerosols...they also work wonders for people who may be feeling a little sad this time of year.
The essential oil I recommend for fighting off the Winter Blues is Ylang Ylang. Ylang Ylang also has historical roots in the, uhh um, bedroom. It was used long ago as a aphrodisiac. Well, back to the winter blues issue....Here's what you need:
Add the 4-6 drops of Ylang Ylang to your diffuser and turn that baby on. Oh yeah! It smells lovely. It has a soft floral scent, but isn't over powering at all. The list of ingredients above are also LINKS to Spark Naturals website so you know what to order.
COLD AND FLU
Cold and Flu constantly plague the cold weather months. I can't tell you how important it is to take care of your immune system, especially in the cold weather season. I STRONGLY recommend Spark Naturals Shield blend. I have been consuming it 2-3 times a day since August....and guess what...haven't been sick once! SERIOUSLY! This has never happened. Last year I had several...okay, A LOT of sinus infections. So bad that some of them turned into bronchitis and pneumonia. Not FUN! At this time, last year, I had been sick with 3 sinus infections and was in the process of being treated for pneumonia. Each time, missing a week of work. I have posted about this before, but it's worth repeating. So here is the link to how to get on a Shield schedule. It's easy, cheap and WORTH IT!
Down with the Sickness....Shield Schedule Blot Post
I hope these help you take care of your self throughout the winter!
