​I am SO enjoying the celebration of our feminine community this week... and  i pulled some Animal Medicine cards to get my bearings. Once I settle down and ground into the earth through my meditation, I had two cards call to me… Badger and Mountain Lion. Both powerful medicine, both were upside down.    ...Ruh-Roh.

Thinking I was going to be eating humble pie, I read the pages on each, in their inverse.  I received insights on how I have sent energetics out into my community lately, and not altogether positive. Perhaps aggressive and misplaced anger at times. Time to get some balance back into my psyche and show gratitude for my tribe!  

I like to look to the moon for context of where we are...The moon symbolizes the power of female energy with its control over tides and water around the planet and if we pay attention, can track for us a sense of our own energy as women. The cycle of the moon is similar to the wisdom in the cycle of a seed. As the seed grows, flowers, blooms, and dies; too, the moon starts anew, grows, hits its apex, recedes, and disappears.

After the magnificence of this weekend’s intense Scorpio full moon, I am conscious of holding gratitude as we move through the waning gibbous. If the full moon captures and holds an abundance of harvest for us, and all intentions that have manifest, then the five days following it holds a deep gratitude for all we have been given, all we have harvested. So I know it is but Spring, but this phase can hold much significance and meaning in our day to day energy. 

Essential oils carry forth emotions and are associated with various emotional cues which can prompt certain emotions in us. It is through aromatic use that oils are so supportive of our limbic system, and help us move from one emotional state to another, more desired state. Since our emotions create our thoughts, which creates our reality... How do YOU want to feel?

I dipped into my assortment of oils, because I want to show up differently, for my family and community. I choose based upon my desire to manifest these specific emotions:  Inspired Action, Authenticity, Courageousness, Discernment, Encouragement, and a notion of Be-Ing Buoyant. This is my intention, to hold these qualities in abundance, through the full moon phase. I have been focusing on using some of the oils which hold these desired qualities… Wild orange, Yarrow-POM, Green Mandarin, Blue Tansy, and the Joyful blend, Elevation. 

I call in energies that are consistent with these qualities, or at least complimentary of them. I seek deep down into the darkening moon as we head towards crescent, and am aware of my own desire to go within and honor those lessons lurking in my own depths. I honor light and dark, both, and see tremendous value in learning from each as they walk hand in hand.

Honoring women in a safe basket of grateful female energy, of learning and openness, of shared experience and growth, are at the core of my being. 
It can be a challenge, to have a vision and work hard despite all the other things in our lives, to make that come to fruition! It can be a challenge to grow in a consistent way with our own hearts, despite what the rest of the world may be showing us. And it is when we are each able to tap in and shine our brightest, that we give others permission to shine their brightest. 

And so, I honor both you and me, and our circle and larger community, as we move forward through this phase. I choose to hold celebration and gratitude, in sacred time and space, with joyous integrity as we grow.
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Thank YOU for all you ARE! 

GET REAL!⁣
How many things do cells do in your body?⁣ Truly, it's innumerous... when you think of all we rely upon cell functions for: breathing, digesting, rotating out old cells, replacement of cells, growing skin and hair, nervous system, muscular growth and support...the list goes on.
​This Yarrow-POM certified pure therapeutic grade nutritive duo helps to support so many of these functions.

I have been using POM internally, in a veggie cap (2 drops at a time) twice a day... as well as topically on my face and hands. You know, those years of racing road bikes and having so much sun on my hands and face, over 5,000 miles per year, has left traces!  

⁣I love feeling brain fog lifting and calmness (thank you, Yarrow POM for supporting my cognitive functions like memory and calming!), how moist my skin can feel (I've been doing this a couple of weeks but wow! In the desert? The POM oil is incredibly moistening!), smoothness and reduced sun damage on my skin (Yarrow POM actually help reverse aging effects to the skin!)...
​and I saw Emily Wright's pictures (the one female founder of doTerra) from before and after using Yarrow POM on her hands daily for two months. She lost 20 years of aging on her hands, at least!  AND... the skin's normal collagen levels decline as we get older, resulting in a more mature look. I understand Yarrow POM also reduces the decline of collagen in our skin, for a more youthful, dewy look.  This incredible nutritive duo also supports normal cholesterol levels and healthy blood pressure as well.
Could YOU benefit from these plethora of benefits too?

I hate to think my mileage and years are catching up. It doesn't seem like they should, and living a wellness lifestyle with reduced chemical levels in the home, on my body, and in my life, is a certain way to let that aging process linger a bit. I'm not ready for all this, and I surely don't feel my age! Haha. And this weekend, I don the body suit to transform into Loralei the Mayfly for a day. Yep, I'd better not be feeling my age! 

We are all in this together. Reach out. Let's change the world, one drop at a time.

My body responds quickly to stress.

​Each and every finals season in college, I would wind up with strep throat. More and more antibiotics, eczema, dry skin, exhaustion, adrenal fatigue. Coffee to wake up and then sometimes, to keep going. I think it was the 7 am Calculus class that clinched this nasty habit for me...

I studied Toxicology at the University of California at Davis, and while I learned about how to draw the molecular breakdown of pesticides in soil or animals, I did not ever learn about how to protect myself with natural substances or even food crops. 

*Would we not want to learn about how plants do protect animals? Would we not want to come into this global program learning as much as possible about ​how to arm ourselves with natural products?*
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My independent research on marine invertebrates showed me some amazing things. Most importantly, that the algae living symbiotically inside the animal cells was doing more protection of the animal -by breaking down pesticides in the water- than the animal itself was!

Fast forward a few years. I met my Love, finished graduate school, and had a child. Within a year, we had learned that our tiny one had a gluten intolerance - he developed a terrible rash that spread over most of his body. We began to look at allergies and found that my son had 27 other food allergies also, a wicked case of leaky gut, and a very anxious nervous system. I also began to explore information about GMO's, the lack of testing for chronic harm, and other nefarious practices that are allowed in our U.S. food industry. 

During this time, I worked full time for a local agency, kept an active lifestyle, and wrote and published a children’s book. Oh yes, and I was a new mama. I was exhausted, and found out that my exhaustion meant I had nearly zero adrenal function. Between my kiddo and me, we burned up lots of sick time, managing our allergies and various healing modalities.  He experienced so many ear infections, it was antibiotic to antibiotic for a long time. I struggled to maintain, but with the screaming pain, it was very difficult for us all. We tried ear tube surgeries, two within a year, both of which temporarily worked but then failed. My bebe had now experienced anesthesia, twice before his third birthday!  I wished for an alternative but was so busy trying to maintain our home, family life and work, I did not take time to pursue any.
 
…Until a medical emergency forced it. I went to the bottom of the well to find safe, effective healthy support for us.  We spent a scary day checked in to the pediatric unit at the local hospital with a cardiologist waiting on us, IV fluids, and numerous cardiac tests. On my five year old. Concerned that he had an undiagnosed, permanently damaging heart condition, doctors had sent us in after an extended fever. His symptoms were swollen toe joints and tongue, pock marks on his tongue, and in the end, it was simply his body’s negative response to advil and tylenol after two weeks, a histamine response.  

I sought out a natural alternative, and discovered doTERRA's Essential Oils.  These funny little bottles have become our Natural Medicine Cabinet over the last five years. And that was the last time any of us have gone to the doctor for illness!  We use this plant medicine for immune support, energy when needed, to help with sleep, digestion, seasonal allergies, and emotional, mental and physical support. And adrenal and auto-immune stabilization. I found these oils to be safe, effective and fast-acting.

Now, I love to help others find their balance between health, work, and family, providing natural solutions in wellness.  I have seen time and time again, that when we honor ourselves with self-care, we naturally open up to honoring others, honoring the environment.  I feel I have truly found my passion in empowering and educating women and their families to take health back, naturally.  And I had no idea at the time... that this would be where my life headed!

We are empowered with nature. We decide what food to bring into our homes, what cleaning products to purchase and/or make, what daily support we buy for helping us to feel our very best, and what to put into our bodies every day.  We can make a difference by "voting with our dollars".  We ARE our very best advocates for our own health.  

And so much of the time, managing our stress looks like recognizing that we need help, we need tools, and taking a pause to use them. Even if it’s just taking a few drops in hand and rubbing the shoulders or back of the neck, to lessen tension. Even if it’s simply refilling the diffuser to lighten the mood and help with focus. Even if it’s just opening a bottle, closing eyes and taking some deep breaths.

I love to share this wellness lifestyle with others. If you long to be making an impact, on the world around you on so many levels, please reach out! The world needs a lot of help right now and I’d love to share this highly impactful path of hope with YOU.

All the lightest and brightest health for YOUR Spring,
L

Today I want to explore the duality of holding onto a desire, a dream – and allowing the Universe to deliver it easily, despite the fact that maybe you live in a different dream (for now).
 

When we lean into trust acceptance of our present moment, and fully appreciating where we are, here and now- the energy of the universe lines up to deliver our true desires. To such an extent, we ask ourselves, “is this what I truly want?”
 


I find myself wishing my current situation were different. If only this, then I will be contented. If that, then I can relax and create. How about instead, focusing on our core desired feeling, rather than the material thing we believe to help us get there? Perhaps our own feelings of connectedness and wholeness are all we really need in order to be fulfilled. So- what can we do today- to give these gifts- our own core desired feelings- to ourselves? How do we find ways to do things that make us feel this way, even more? If we feel the way we want to feel…we give the Universe permission and support to bring that in even more. (what do I do that makes me feel the way I want to feel?)
 
For me, I want to feel light. I associate a lightness, playfulness, as I dive headlong into growth in my business. After sitting with these feelings, and these ways I wish to feel, I realize I can feel these things now.  By finding things for me to schedule into my life now, to help me feel this way – I am calling in my new life by Living Into It.
 
Silly play. Art. Playdates with my kiddo. Whipped cream and fruit pancakes: breakfast for dinner more. Movie night with family. Date nights with my sweetie. More travel. A cheeriness that is not heavy...this can only come from setting clear non-negotiables in my business and self care, and allowing the Universe to rise and meet me. Daring mySelf and my Team to Live Greatly!

The most personal, very poignant tale of this phenomena- was leaning in, really visualizing a natural home birth, despite a multiple situation, high-risk pregnancy. We had already experienced a ghost twin, and through the weeks that followed our experience with her, found out through ultrasound that I had placenta previa. This term names the condition where the placenta lies over the opening of the uterus. It is a term that necessitates a hospital birth via C-section.
 
Not. My. Dream.
 
So while my doc watched skeptically, I spent seven months visualizing a home birth. I saw it, felt it, dreamt about it, even played out how we would give birth in front of a raging fire in our basement living room. The spicy woodsmoke, the coolness of ice water sliding down my throat, how yummy my smoothie cubes would taste. My doc never discouraged me, but took a “well, it won’t hurt” for you to visualize… point of view. And just two weeks before our prescribed “birthing date,” he ok’d our home birth. With the caveat that if we went a week over, he would induce… I was that high risk.
 
I had by this point, resolved the previa status. My heart felt as if it would burst~! Here, I had seen both the midwife and MD the whole term, holding trust and vision for our dream.  He gave us the green light.
 
I truly believe now, that it is absolutely possible to live in one reality AND hold a dream for a different ending. Both being present to what our current experience is, and leaning into our dream –hard. My visualizations were blessings, for now I see this as a great metaphor for all of life.
 
Being Present. Feeling, seeing, sensing, dreaming, being content. Perhaps
anticipating a shift, but being content - despite that.
 
So we registered with the hospital, shortly before the “birth date” – just in case. And affirmations abounded that birthing at home would support our dreams and family best. The little nurse who walked us through the labor and delivery ward said, “operation, c-section, or surgery” more than 8 times in less than 10 minutes! That was a deal breaker for us.
 
This is a decision that I would never prescribe for someone else, but home birth turned out to really be right for us.
 
And all this after we enjoyed the heck out of our pregnancy. We were sexy, silly close, supportive – my guy was an incredible gate keeper and guardian for this journey. And hot too.
But I digress.
 
If I did it, YOU can do it too!
Anything you BELIEVE in and put your mind to… believe it, keep the faith, and do the things. It Will Happen.
 
You are powerful beyond your wildest Imagination. Be You. The best You that you can be. You got this. And if you need a reminder, do reach out. I’m just…right here. Drop me a note. I’ll ping you back. I promise.
 
To Joy! To dancing with the Universe!
-L

I was fortunate to have grown up in a small town in Northern California, where everything I ate was either home grown, organic, seasonal or at the very least, local. We grew our own eggs and beef, grew fruits and harvested vegetables from our own gardens. We had small markets to purchase from, and sometimes bought fish from fisherman's boats in the nearby coastal harbors. I moved out of the house to pursue my studies at first a community college and then at the University, and have always strived to follow health, wellness, and any local cooperatives or natural food sources. 

​In my 20s, I raced bikes, and put my competitive nature ahead of my true health. My time was spent commuting on my bike to work (3-4 times each week), stashing clothes and food at my office, and going to the gym before the day began.  I grew so skinny, my clothes were falling off, and yet I still tried to maintain a vegan lifestyle. I ate all the time, but was not getting what my body needed.  My 8,000 miles per year was causing me to digest my own proteins from my muscle!  I had a big wake up call (a pre-cursor to significant troubles) and began looking into eating right for my blood type.  I am still amazed how much my body seemed to need high levels of protein. It was true, after I incorporated lean meat back in to my routine and focused on recovering, I felt SO much better. I stepped away from the long miles and leaned into having balance in diet and activity.
​
Years later, when I traveled overseas and lived in Nepal for three months, I found pharmacies there where there was no doctors prescription needed for help, and found hospitals there where treatment was pennies on the dollar compared to our U.S. way of recovering our health. I bristle now, at the high cost of insurance and the subsidized pharmaceutical products that attempt to keep us hostage to a life of chemicals. 

​My chosen career after graduate school was in the environmental sciences. After working as a public servant, and seeing dis-ease and un-wellness all around and within me, I found that I prefer a balance between personal wellness and environmental health. I had become sick from pressure, stress, internal expectations, and my responses to these things.  I needed to find the freedom that this path is. My path in this world of wellness, is to help educate others about a life filled with natural alternatives to the chemicals. I Love to teach, I always have, and I get to empower others to step into their own sense of what is right and true and available. And FREEDOM is within. And I have truly found, if we do not feel well and whole ourselves, we cannot help others, protect our watersheds, nor truly be effective in our community or work lives.
​
This stressful lifestyle and my anxious responses to it, depleted my adrenals completely; I was in the chiropractors office five times the week of a fast half marathon four years ago. My endocrine system was running on empty. I looked ok, but my ligaments and tendons no longer could hold my joints in place.  

It took me over three years to recover from this.  I have completely eliminated gluten from my diet and am dairy free.  I take really good supplements.  I eat lots of healthy fats, cooked vegetables and moderate amounts of pasture-raised meats and wild fish.  I make self-care a priority, daily.  My home is free of toxic "cleaning" products, make-up and self-care products.  Did you know that the list of harmful ingredients that are banned for use in the US has not been updated since 1938 (plus hundreds of new ones have been introduced since then). Companies that make cleaning products are not required to list all their ingredients on their labels.  Many of these are endocrine disruptors and very harmful! Now that I have a kiddo, I think about how these chemicals affect those closest to the floor – kids and pets.

On my journey to recovery I discovered doTERRA's Essential Oils and they have become my Natural Medicine Cabinet.   I use these Essential Oils, a.k.a. "plant medicine" for immune support, energy when needed, sleep, emotional and also physical support.  I no longer have synthetic medicine in my home, and I get to help others find Freedom in a natural life.
These days, I am a more present mama for my son, and find more balance with the freedom I have between my work in protecting our waters, writing kiddo books, empowering women and men to take their health back into their hands.  This blog will be about all of these things, and I hope you join me on my journey!

Where to start?  It can be simple. We get to decide what food to bring into our homes and bodies, what "cleaning" products to use and what to put onto our skin and hair every day.  We all affect each other with our choices. We can make a difference every day by what we choose to buy. We NEED to be advocates for our health and our community.
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Join me!