Back To School Must-Haves
Thoughtful Thursday
Back to School Must-Haves
September is around the corner, and we’ll spend our last few weeks of August getting ready to send our children…Back to School! These words are met with either excitement or dismay that summer is over. Either way, preparing to go back to school is inevitable.
What are the activities we do to prepare? Most parents have a list in their hands from the different teachers and schools itemizing the books, supplies and tools needed for the upcoming year. They may shop for new outfits, backpacks, and comfortable shoes. Others may have their children in pre-term tutoring sessions or seminars designed to prepare them for the subject material they will soon learn.
It is equally important to prepare their bodies as we get them ready to go back to school! When their bodies are properly supported, we provide our children with a foundation for an ideal educational experience.
Importance of Daily Routines
Many authors focus our attention on our daily actions and the results that ensue from those choices. For example, in The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson says: “Simple daily disciplines – little productive actions, repeated consistently over time – add up to the difference between failure and success.” We see the importance of our daily choices most profoundly in our experience of health and wellness. In the Fall 2014 issue of the dōTERRA® Living Magazine, Dr. Hill, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board, wrote: “Many lifestyle factors can weaken our immune system, including stress, lack of sleep, exposure to toxicity, and poor nutrition.”
While all these lifestyle factors impact our experience of health, let’s review three of the most common areas of focus for families as they prepare to send their children Back to School:
Enhanced Immunity
Focus & Concentration
Emotional Health
When we talk about the topic of immunity, it is important to distinguish between prevention and protection, and to incorporate activities that support both outcomes. While we must focus on killing viruses and bacteria or taking steps to reduce exposure, enhanced immunity must also include proactive measures to improve the body’s ability to protect itself. Benjamin Franklin said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And the key to prevention is to support the immune system.
Since the gastrointestinal (GI) system plays a key role in the proper function of our immune system, one of the most effective ways to enhance immunity is to create a daily routine that promotes a healthy digestive system.
A probiotic supplement is an excellent choice to populate the GI tract with important microflora, especially one that also delivers prebiotic fiber directly into the intestines. I love PB Assist+ ProBiome Gut Complex. This great-tasting strawberry melon–flavored powder combines 13 probiotic strains and one prebiotic fiber to encourage friendly bacterial growth. Your whole family will love this “pixie stick” for microbiome support.
Essential oils which support overall digestive health are Coriander, Ginger, and Fennel. These plants historically known to aid digestion are often eaten after a big holiday meal. Simply apply a few drops of the essential oil to your child’s abdomen or to the bottom of their feet daily.
Apply Clove, Cinnamon, or Tea Tree essential oils to the bottom of their feet every morning before they go off to school.
Protect yourself and your children from seasonal and environmental threats with onGuard® essential oil blend in the diffuser. This blend helps freshen the air when diffused, providing an energizing and uplifting aroma.
Studies show pencil sharpeners, drinking fountains, sink faucets, light switches, doorknobs, and paper towel dispensers are some of the dirtiest surfaces in classrooms! Eliminate unwanted exposure and sanitize wherever/whenever you need it with the doTERRA onGuard® Sanitizing Spray or Gel.
Proper rest, managing stress and reducing toxic load can also greatly enhance the function of our immune system. There are many essential oils which support all these areas; I’ve included a few easy ways to make them part of your daily routine. And did you know, these simple, daily routines also support focus & concentration, as well as emotional well-being?
For mental clarity and improved focus, use Peppermint, Basil, and Rosemary essential oils. Grapefruit essential oil also helps reduce mental and physical fatigue.
Intune essential oil blend is great for kids to stay on task especially when feeling mentally tired or overwhelmed. This blend encourages being present, focused, and to take things to completion. Apply the roller bottle to your child’s temples and back of neck to promote mental clarity, focus, and retention.
Encourage feelings of connection and safety with Peace® essential oil blend. When your child needs a boost of reassurance or is feeling anxious, simply roll onto hands, rub together, cup over face, and inhale deeply. You can also apply this blend over their heart and on the bottoms of their feet as part of your morning or bedtime routine.
To promote more restful sleep, apply Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Vetiver, or Frankincense essential oils to the back of their neck or the bottom of their feet and/or add a few drops to a diffuser.
I am sure that as you prepare your child to go back to school, your child’s teacher is also preparing as well. Favorite essential oils for teachers include:
Wake up a sleepy class with Peppermint, Lemon, Lime, or Wild Orange essential oils.
Increase focus and concentration with Rosemary, Peppermint, Frankincense, Vetiver, and Wild Orange essential oils in the diffuser.
Diffuse Lavender or Roman Chamomile essential oils to help keep things calm.
Use a few drops of Lemon essential oil to clean the whiteboards and surfaces.
Remember, natural solutions offer a powerful way to maintain your health and wellness and enhance the immune system. Essential oils are safe, effective, and very affordable. However, not all essential oils are created equal! There is no industry standard that validates statements of purity and even those labeled “organic” may not be pure or a therapeutic grade. Essential oils easily absorb into our skin and diffuse quickly into the bloodstream. Therefore, it is particularly important to be an educated consumer and use only certified pure, tested grade essential oils for your family!
Back to School…How Are You Getting Ready?
Come discover simple ways to support your families’ health! Our Back to School workshop highlights preventive lifestyle choices which enhance immunity, promote proper rest, and improve mental clarity and focus, and is available to watch for free on my vimeo channel.
Watch this workshop between now and September 30, 2024, to win a sample of our Rise & Shine blend. This blend is designed to take the “cranky” out of your child’s morning wake-up call! Simply send an email to simply.natural@outlook.com with one thing you discovered or loved as you watched the workshop, and it is yours FREE!
Want a copy of our handy resource page, Back to School Must Haves? Send an email to simply.natural@outlook.com and I’ll send it your way! Or simply reply to this post!
Visit this website for more information on other upcoming events and articles: http://oils.link/TerriPace.