Tendonitis, Rotator Cuffs, and Relief!

About a year ago I started having tremendous pain in my wrists and shoulders. This wasn't easy for a guy who prides himself on being a "go all day" kind of guy, who works outside in the garden before and after work and all weekend, who "does it all" no matter what, and who'd never had to deal with physical limitations other than asthma and allergies.

At night, my shoulders would hurt so much that I'd wake up constantly - groaning and moaning from the pain. I wasn't sleeping well, was tossing and turning, and was applying my Deep Relief and Panaway constantly. It helped, but didn't get to the root of the problem.

My wrists were swollen all day long. I thought maybe it was related to the "pre-carpal tunnel" that I'd been diagnosed with years ago. I have to wear these uncomfortable wrist braces at night when I sleep, or I wake up with my hands numb and tingling. But even with the braces on all night, my wrists were swelling, hot, and starting to get so painful and weak I couldn't even open a jug of milk anymore! I had to wear the braces all day for strength, and it was darned uncomfortable. Driving was hell, and I was starting to wonder if I had some kind of arthritis or other systemic illness. I was applying my Deep Relief all day long, multiple times per hour. I'd get relief, but it was temporary.

Finally, after suffering for months, I broke down and went to my doctor, who sent me to a specialist. This guy took XRays and bloodwork to test for all the usual suspects. He said my wrists looked great, it was not arthritis or gout or anything like that, "just tendonitis". The shoulders were hurting because my rotator cuffs were getting inflamed due to a bone spur in the shoulder. "Very common, lots of people get it."

Then he put me on this medicine (can't remember the name) which miraculously took the pain away in one day. However, and it's a big "however," my blood pressure shot through the roof. I stopped taking it, and the pain came back full force. My doctor suggested I try Aleve, which also helped a bit but wasn't a good solution, because I didn't want to stay on that stuff for the rest of my life! My poor liver wouldn't enjoy that prospect.

These bouts with pain in my shoulders and wrists cycled. Three months on. Three months off. And so on, and so on.

In February of this year, I had the great pleasure to sit in the front row in Syracuse, NY and listen to my hero, Dr. Gary Young, teaching an audience of 800 about the oils. One of the many things I scribbled down in my notes that day was that Sulfurzyme was reported to be good for allergies and asthma. I had heard about it through Lisa Losey, my distributor and good friend, and had been meaning to try it for a while, anyway.

Last month while sitting in my chair at Lisa Marie's Hair Salon, in Livonia, NY, where Lisa and I talk nonstop about our oils and new uses, etc, I happened to mention that my wrist pain and shoulder pain had disappeared completely. Dumb me, I didn't connect it to the fact that I'd started my Sulfurzyme about a month prior to that.

Lisa mentioned that this product is good for reducing swelling and such, and I suddenly made the connection. Maybe the Sulfurzyme had fixed my tendonitis and rotator cuff issues?

I hadn't researched all of the benefits of sulfurzyme at that time - and I didn't know it was supposed to help these things, according to my desk reference:

• chronic headaches
• back pain
• tendonitis
• fibromyalgia
• rheumatism
• athletic injuries
• muscle spasms
• asthma and allergies

I also didn't know at the time that MSM, one of the primary components of sulfurzyme in addition to wolf berries, is a natural sulfur-bearing nutrient that occurs widely in nature, found in everything from mother's breast milk to fresh vegetables. It's found in a variety of foods, from asparagus to broccoli, from cabbage to cauliflower. However, it is often lost in the process of cooking.

I confirmed that one may be allergic to the sulfa, sulfide and sulfate forms of the sulfur family. My wife is allergic to sulfa drugs, and my asthma acts up when I drink wine with sulfites in it. I was a little worried about this since my asthma had been acting up. But I quelled my fears with more research, and discovered it's quite different.

The sulfur compounds we are allergic to are the ones used as components of drugs and preservatives. MSM is also in the sulfur family, however, it is a nutritional form of sulfur and most people can benefit from taking it on a regular basis. I did some more research and found that this stuff was approved for use all over the place, and that there were many professionals touting the benefits of MSM especially for asthma and allergies.

Here's a bit more from the Young Living website: Sulfurzyme® combines wolfberry with MSM, a naturally occurring organic form of dietary sulfur needed by our bodies every day to maintain the structure of proteins, protect cells and cell membranes, replenish the connections between cells, and preserve the molecular framework of connective tissue.* MSM also supports the immune system, the liver, circulation, and proper intestinal function and works to scavenge free radicals.* Wolfberries contain minerals and coenzymes that support the assimilation and metabolism of sulfur.* FOS is added to this formula to support normal digestive system health.*

It's been another month now, and no pain. I haven't had my usual headaches, either. And I'm finding that I'm healing a bit faster from long, grueling bouts with weeding. I'm loving that!

I'll keep you posted, but I'm starting to love this Sulfurzyme and I do believe it will be part of my daily regimen for the rest of my life.

Have you had experiences with this product? Let us know, below.

Aaron Lazar

P.S. If you're interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site:

 http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com.

(You can save some serious money this way as opposed to buy them on your own)

Breathe Freely with Young Living Essential Oils

I've always had problems with asthma and allergies. I'm not here to tell you my oils have "cured" me or allowed me to completely eliminate my traditional meds for these issues. However, I do believe a balance is sometimes necessary between current day medicine and ancient methods. Apparently a lot of other very bright people in the field agree with me, based on how many hospitals around the world are now blending both types of treatment.

I truly love the way these oil blends open up my lungs and sinuses when I'm suffering, so I wanted to share a few favorites with you.

I'm still searching for a complete combination of oils and vitamins/supplements that may help me reduce my meds altogether. (have recently added Sulfurzyme to my regimen!) Remember, however, that asthma can kill you quite quickly, so don't mess around with any reductions in your meds unless you go over it with your pulmonologist and keep good track of your breathing!


Raven is my favorite oil for chest congestion, tight breathing, colds, or anything to do with the lungs and sinuses. I think part of my passion for this oil are the minty elements, peppermint and wintergreen. They are simply delicious. I use it diluted with V6 oil on my grandchildrens' chests when they have colds, and they love it.

The ingredients are ravensara, lemon, wintergreen, peppermint, and eucalyptus radiata. Try it, and it will probably become your favorite, too.


Breathe Again - this is always in my pocket when I'm in an asthma flare-up like right now. I haven't had an episode for 3 years (thanks to my great doctor, Dr. Michael Kallay, and my oils!). But lately with the insanely lush and early spring, the pollen counts have been off the charts. Not only are they high, they are all coming TOGETHER, so the air - while laden with sweet fragrances from flowers - is just chock-a-block full of pollen. I basically live outside in all my free time, working in my gardens, hiking, or swimming with the kids, so I need this with me at all times. I apply it to my chest, shirt, inhale it from the bottle, and again (don't laugh!) apply it to my mustache so I can smell it for a long time. ;o)

In the official Essential Oils Desk Reference (online version) they call it the "supercharged version of RC."

From the Young Living website: Breathe Again™ Essential Oil Roll-On is a proprietary blend of oils specially formulated to support respiratory health. Breathe Again contains four powerful eucalyptus oils: Eucalyptus staigeriana, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus radiata, and Young Living's original Ecuador single, Eucalyptus blue. Eucalyptus oils contain high amounts of cineole, which has been studied for its potential to support healthy lung function. The essential oils peppermint, myrtle, and copaiba also play an integral part in this blend.

RC is another fantastic blend of oils that are great for breathing. Look at all the eucalyptus types in this one!

Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil, Myrtle oil, pine leaf oil, marjoram leaf oil, eucalyptus radiata leaf oil, eucalyptus citriodora leaf oil, lavender oil, Mediterranean cypress oil, Candadian hemlock leaf oil, and peppermint oil. 

You can also buy all of these eucalyptus varieties individually from Young Living.

Eucalyptus Blue
Eucalyptus Dives
Eucalyptus Globulus
Eucalyptus Polybractea
Euycalytpus Radiata

Let us all know about what you use for these issues in the comments, below. ;o)

Thanks for listening.

Aaron

P.S. If you're interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site:

 http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com.

(You can save some serious money this way as opposed to buy them on your own)

Anxiety, Depression, and Stress-related Insomnia

Hi, folks.

We all go through tough times. It's natural. It's part of life. And anyone who says they haven't dealt with stress or some level of anxiety in their life is probably delusional.

Right?

When I think back to some of our toughest times in life, I remember when my wife almost died last New Year's Eve. (see story here) Or when one of my dear daughters was being diagnosed with bipolar and lupus. Other scenes come to mind, like the time my grandson Gordie had asthma so bad he was hospitalized for days, or when I had to rescue another daughter from a very nasty situation from a nightmarish relationship. In 2009, I lost my job of 28 years with Kodak. Talk about stress and anxiety! That was a real tough one, one that wasn't truly resolved until a year later when I landed my current (fantastic) job. However, that happens to be when I was able to take the time to learn about and become passionate about Young Living Essential Oils, so it truly was a nudge from God. Don't you think?

Some stress is due to positive happenings in our lives. Like moving. Or an upcoming wedding. Or the birth of a child. Even though you know these things are GREAT, you may stay up at night a few days before the ceremony or passing papers with all kinds of questions on your mind that keep you from resting easily. Right? I know I do, and that's when this guy who usually sleeps like a log stays up for hours with heart pounding and mind racing.

Just yesterday, one of my three daughters called me with some serious issues of depression and anxiety due to her imminent job loss. The school is closing, so it's nothing to do with her performance, but she's very upset, rightly so, and has a lot of angst about the future. I shared with her my own techniques that I use with the oils when times are tough. I'm going to detail them below.

Over the past three years I've learned so much from Dr. Gary Young, Lisa Losey, Jill Young, and Kathy Kouwe, and I will always be grateful to them. Here are some of the tools we use in my family when stress levels peak:

The Stress Away blend is one of our favorites, not only for its lime and vanilla fragrance that seems to make everyone who uses it happy, but for its convenient little roll-on bottle that's easy to use and carry in your briefcase, car, or pocket. Each of my daughters has their own bottle provided by yours truly, and they use them religiously. I've let scared-to-death people use it on airplanes, rolled it on wrists of complete strangers to help them through their crises, and use it myself all the time before a presentation or talk or book signing. (if you didn't know, I'm a mystery author, too, who writes about essential oils in some of my books! lazarbooks.com)

One of the great aspects of this product is that it's only $20 bucks and it lasts a long, long time.

From the Young Living Website: Stress Away: This unique blend of vanilla, lime, copaiba, and other pure essential oils relieves daily stress, encourages relaxation, and reduces nervous tension.


The Peace and Calming blend is another mainstay in our home. Its a citrusy/sweet blend that even my four year old granddaughter adores, including tangerine, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli  and blue tansy. I drop it on my pillow when I can't sleep, rub it on my chest (and don't laugh, my mustache!), and put it in the diffuser at night on the "three hour" setting. Works like a charm!

From the Young Living Website: Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.

Rutavala

This is another wonderful blend for calming and sleep. I keep it alongside the bottle of Stress Away in both of my cars, in my briefcase, at the office, and of course around the house. I tend to do this with all my favorites (like Peppermint and Thieves). I may have 5-6 bottles of each favorite at any one time, just so I'm certain I won't "miss out" when I need them!

From the Young Living Website: Rutavala is a proprietary blend of Ruta graveolens (rue), lavender, and valerian essential oils that promotes relaxation of the body and mind, soothes stressed nerves, and induces sleep.


Lavender is one of those all encompassing oils that works on multiple levels. It's good for almost everything, much like Frankincense. We use it to calm our pets, to help us sleep, to prevent scars and heal skin, for stamina, in the bath for a relaxing mood, and for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. I guess that's why it's part of the basic starter kit - it's essential!!

From the Young Living Website: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The French scientist René Gattefossé was among the first to discover these properties when he was severely burned in a laboratory explosion. Lavender may also be used to enhance the flavor of foods. Lavender has an approximate ORAC of 3,669 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.

Valor

I just love this blend. There's something about the combination of the spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, and of course the frankincense that drives me wild. You know it was said to be based on a blend used in ancient times for the Roman soldiers just before battle to increase feelings of strength, courage, and self-esteem in the face of adversity, right? I can see why. Whenever I smell it or roll it on my wrists or shoulders, I feel like I can take on the world. ;o)


Frankincense truly deserves an article of its own. Or a whole book dedicated to it, which is why my next Tall Pines mystery (Sanctuary, coming soon) features Sacred Frankincense. You can read more about it on the YL website, but man-oh-man is this one versatile oil. I think of it as the depression oil, the well-being oil, the skin oil, the youth oil, the bump reducer oil, etc. but it does so much more. I suggested to my depressed/anxious daughter to rub it liberally every night on the soles of her feet, and rub it on the back of her neck in the morning and as many times during the day that she needed it. I know it will help her.

From the Young Living website: Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) has a sweet, warm, balsamic aroma that is stimulating and elevating to the mind. Useful for visualizing, improving one's spiritual connection, and centering, it has comforting properties that help focus the mind and overcome stress and despair. Frankincense is considered the holy anointing oil in the Middle East, where it has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years. More recently, it has been used in European and American hospitals and is the subject of substantial research. Frankincense is also a valuable ingredient in skin care products for aging and dry skin. The ancient Egyptians used it in rejuvenation face masks. Frankincense has an approximate ORAC of 6,125 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.
Dr. Cole Woolley / The Frankincense Journey: A Seed to Seal Story
Click here for the latest frankincense research (PDF)

Well, folks, there are many more oils and blends we can use to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Why don't you add your own stories, below?

Thanks and have a blessed day.

Aaron Lazar
pureoils.blogspot.com

P.S. If you're interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site:

 http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com.

(You can save some serious money this way as opposed to buy them on your own)

Wake Up and Focus!

I'm in love with a few blends of Young Living Essential Oils that just blow me away in the mornings when I first wake up.

My routine is to sprinkle a few drops of something bright and sharp like lavender or rosemary in the shower. The whole room fills with the aroma.

Next I decide which of the following I'll use in my ceramic oil diffuser necklace (it's very manly, don't laugh!). Each work perfectly alone or together:

Australian Blue:

There's just something about this blend that wakes me up and makes me feel wonderful in the morning. I feel joyous and focused, and it is one of my all time favorites.

It includes:

Blue cypress, ylang ylang, cedarwood, blue tansy, and white fir, and has sweet, earthy undertones reportedly responsible for its calming and stabilizing effects.

Mister:  

Here is another very energizing blend. I wear it often and am crazy about the combination of scents. I think it's probably better than any cologne you can buy out there, not that I buy or wear them. LOL.

Sage, fennel, lavender, myrtle, peppermint, and blue yarrow (Mister™ is beneficial to men. It also helps promote greater inner-body balance and many have found it soothing when stressed. Mister is recommended for men age thirty and over.)


Cedarwood:

Cedarwood has a warm, balsamic, woody aroma and is one of the ingredients in Australian Blue. My daughter caught the fragrance on me one morning when she hugged me, and said it smelled like a very expensive men's cologne. Better, I say! But thanks, anyway, Alli. ;o)

I use this all the time and feel charged and ready to start the day when I wear it in my diffuser or on my skin. Wonderful stuff!



Of course there are many traditional oils you can use to wake up and feel energized. Here are just some:

Energy Blend
Peppermint
Rosemary
Any Spruce, Fir, or Balsam Oil

There are TONS more to choose from, and they all work.

Which oils wake you up and give you focus? Let us know,  below.

Aaron Paul Lazar
lazarbooks.com

P.S. If you're interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site:

 http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com.

(You can save some serious money this way as opposed to buy them on your own)

The Nose Knows

Hi, all.

Okay, that's a weird title, and this is a little bit of an unusual remedy. But why shouldn't your nose be as clean as the rest of you?

You've probably heard about Neti-Pots or saline nasal sprays, right? Have you tried them? Do you think they're scary or odd?

I was one of those naysayers way back when. I cringed at the idea of shooting water up my nose, because I hated going underwater in the pool without holding my nose! That feeling of water getting in there and gagging me really drove me nuts. So I avoided it for many decades.

My allergist and GP had long ago (and frequently) recommended saline rinses. But I'd resisted, until last year when I finally went out and bought a generic saline rinse kit from Wegman's.

Above is a picture of the type I bought, but you can purchase any type, and you can also buy premixed saline packets. When mine were gone, I just started added a very small amount of table salt to the bottle, along with a very effective cleaning oil - ROSEMARY.

Just add 2 drops of Young Living Rosemary Essential Oil, a quarter teaspoon or less of table salt, and warm water.

Lean over the sink and squeeze into both nostrils two times. Gently blow your nose, and you'll be astonished at how clean it feels when you're done!

I'm convinced that this helps with allergies, too, because pollen gets in there and irritates all those tender places, right? And if they're washed out several times per day, you're less likely to feel itchy and need to sneeze.

I do this twice daily now and don't feel "right" unless I've gone through the process in the morning. ;o)

Try it and let me know what you think.

Aaron Paul Lazar

P.S. If you're interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site:

 http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com.

(You can save some serious money this way as opposed to buy them on your own)

Treating Sunburn with Essential Oils

 Hi, folks.



I try to put on sunscreen religiously. Especially since I'm outside as much as possible, often planting, weeding, or mulching my extensive gardens. Here's a picture of some of the recent gardening activities that led me to have a few facial sunburns already!

 Sugar Snaps ready to pick!

 Raspberry Sorbet poppies after the rain

 beautiful chive blossoms - see my chive blossom vinegar recipe on FB! (aplazar)

 Salmon Poppies, greeting the morning

 Centaurea Montana - gorgeous reseeding "annual."

 Tree peony - fragrant and as big as a dinner plate!

 Early May, 2012

 Peas are twice as big now and we're eating the sugar snaps!

Okay, enough garden pictures. Once you get me going, it's hard to stop me from talking about or sharing pix of my gardens! (so you can see where I get my passion for all natural, organic essential oils from my favorite Young Living company)

Let's get back to that sunburn remedy.

I researched oils that were supposed to help burns or sunburns and have combined them all together for my special blend. I used it all last summer and again this year (last weekend, to be exact). Here's what I include:

Lavender - 6 drops
Melrose - 6 drops
Helichrysum - 6 drops
Pine - 6 drops
Peppermint - 1 to 2 drops

I combine these in my hand with a small amount of V6 oil. (you can use anything that is a natural oil like EVOO or Miracle II gel, too). I swirl them together, then layer on my burned skin - usually my face and arms.

The soothing, cooling sensation is phenomenal. Even if my face is bright red at night, by morning it is back to normal! I've experienced this phenomenon many times and even though I don't recommend getting a sunburn (LOL), if it happens to you, now you know what to do about it!









Let me know what remedies you use if you have a chance, below.

Warmest regards,

Aaron Paul Lazar

PS If you are interested in trying a starter kit or something like that, head over to my distributor site, http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com. You can save some serious money this way.

Catching up

Hello, folks. 

I've been so swamped with my mystery writing career that I've shamefully neglected this blog for a year. It's embarrassing!

But I'm proud to announce the first piece of fiction that uses essential oils as a key plot element. ESSENTIALLY YOURS, my first Young Living Essential Oil mystery set in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, was released this spring. I was honored when I was able to present Gary Young with a copy on stage in Syracuse in February when he came for the conference. What a thrill!

Here's a synopsis:

Marcella’s first love has been MIA for eighteen years. Callie, her best friend and Sky’s sister, flips out when a mysterious package from Sky arrives on her doorstep. Inside his old backpack are bottles of precious essential oils, a memory stick, and a bag of emeralds. Are these his final effects? Or is Sky alive?

When Marcella’s husband Quinn hears about it, his jealousy spikes. He and Marcella have been married for seven years, and he’s not about to let some punk from the past mess that up.

Drug company goons want the data on the memory stick, which links a newly discovered essential oil with a leukemia cure. They kidnap Callie, hoping to lure Sky into the open. Marcella’s not so sure how she feels, but she remembers her scalding relationship with Sky and wonders about him.

Marcella and Quinn track her to the wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains, where against all odds they fight to save Callie and preserve the proof that could change the world.

The book has been well received, and I'm almost done with the next in the series, entitled SANCTUARY. This also features the oils, specifically Sacred Frankincense, and I hope you love it as much as I've enjoyed writing it!


Hold tight as I try to disgorge all the new info on oils that I've learned this year!

Warmest regards,

Aaron Paul Lazar
lazarbooks.com