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Wednesday, January 9, 2019
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Monday, December 31, 2018
What Happens in a Borderline Man’s Brain When He Gets Mad?
An inability to control intense rage is one of the hallmark qualities of borderline personality disorder (BPD). When their rage explodes into violent actions, people with this disorder can suffer a number of negative life consequences, from losing their close relationships to jeopardizing other people’s physical well-being and possessions. If you’ve ever been in an argument with an individual who has this disorder, you know how quickly the disagreement can devolve into violence. As much as you may care for this other person, you know that to protect your safety, you’ve got to get out of there — and fast.
Men with borderline personality disorder who are prone to becoming furious at small provocations can be particularly dangerous, both to themselves and those around them, due to having greater physical strength than that typically possessed by women. The enraged borderline man may throw and break whatever objects he can get his hands on and threaten to hurt, or actually hurt, the people around him whom he perceives as thwarting his needs. According to University of Heidelberg’s Katja Bertsch and colleagues (2019), men with borderline personality disorder who act angrily and aggressively toward others can end up in jail due to their impulsive and uncontrolled behavior. The consequences, then, can be severe and life-changing.
The German researchers believe that there may be neural mechanisms which underlie the tendency for men with BPD to show such extreme, anger-related aggression. The so-called “fast emotional biases” that lead them to overreact may, Bertsch et al. believe, reflect deficiencies in the area of the brain known as the lateral prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain that evolves later in development and is designed to send signals to the more primitive areas of the brain that respond quickly to potentially threatening stimuli. These subcortical, lower-order areas of the brain do a good job protecting you from actual threats to your safety, such as getting you to run out of the way of an oncoming car. However, they will also fire up when triggered by the perception of an emotionally threatening situation. It’s up to the higher regions of the cortex to keep your behavior in check when there is no actual threat. The instinctual prompt to run or hit back occurs first (hence the idea that it’s “fast”) and only secondarily gets turned off when the more advanced cognitive processes in the cortex show that the threat is not real.
If the lateral prefrontal cortex is in fact deficient in men with BPD, this would explain why they act on their initial instincts in a potentially threatening situation, rather than taking a more measured approach in which they determine whether such action is indeed necessary. Previous research by the Heidelberg neuroscientists identified deficiencies in the lateral prefrontal cortex in emotional processing by women with BPD and by psychopathic male criminal offenders. The purpose of their study on male BPD patients was to determine whether a similar lack of inhibition by the higher brain regions occurs in these individuals as well.
To determine whether the brains of men with BPD would react differently to threatening stimuli than the brains of non-clinical men, Bertsch et al. devised an experimental manipulation to test their reactions while viewing either happy or angry faces on a screen while their brains were scanned in an MRI machine. At the same time, they held a joystick that recorded their reaction times to the experimental instructions. These instructions took two forms, yielding “incongruent” and “congruent” conditions. In the incongruent condition, the men were told to push the joystick toward the screen when an angry face appeared and to pull it away from the screen when the face on the screen was happy. In the congruent condition, they pushed toward the happy face and pulled away from the angry face on the screen. Because people tend to approach happy faces and avoid angry ones, it should take more cortical control to resist the impulse to push toward the happy face and instead pull away from it. The difference between the affect incongruent and affect congruent conditions therefore became the measure of the individual’s ability to suppress those “fast” emotional biases (i.e., to be drawn to a happy face).
Having established diagnoses of the participants from standard measures, as well as controlling for depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, impulsiveness, and anger, the authors were then able to compare the activation of the key parts of the brains between men with and without BPD in this experimental manipulation. The sample consisted of 15 men who met the diagnostic category for BPD and 25 age- and intelligence-matched controls.
Consistent with studies involving female BPD patients and criminal men with high psychopathy scores, the men with BPD did not engage part of their lateral prefrontal cortex in response to incongruent trials to the same extent as the controls. Furthermore, on the self-report scales of anger control, BPD men with lower cortical activation reported higher levels of angry acting-out. Another piece of the puzzle was a subcortical area of the brain involved in anger, the amygdala, which exhibited more activation in BPD men who reported a strong tendency to act out when angry.
For men with BPD provoked by emotional situations and stimuli, the German findings suggest that their tendency to act out may reflect a diminished control by the parts of the brain that function to reduce such aggressive reactions. Whether such deficits are programmed into the brains of these individuals or become manifest over time is not clear from the present correlational study. Furthermore, the experimental manipulation involved comparing congruent and incongruent responses to happy or angry faces without determining the actual moods of the participants in the study at the time. If a man was feeling angry, pushing the joystick toward the angry face could have been a mood-congruent action.
To sum up, and with these caveats in mind, the German study suggests a potential approach to understanding the rage that can overwhelm the man with BPD. Whether these deficits are the cause or the effect of a lifetime of defective anger control, it appears that there may be something biological involved in his lack of inhibition when he becomes provoked. Information such as that put forward by this study could provide a novel approach to intervention, perhaps allowing men with this very difficult disorder to identify their potentially damaging fast emotional biases and, over time, gain control over them.
References
Bertsch, K., Krauch, M., Roelofs, K., Cackowski, S., Herpertz, S. C., & Volman, I. (2018). Out of control? Acting out anger is associated with deficient prefrontal emotional action control in male patients with borderline personality disorder. Neuropharmacology. doi 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.12.010
Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Friday, December 21, 2018
KETO Alfredo Sauce
Who says KETO has to be blah? Not me. Some of my favorite foods in the world are KETO, like CHEESE! And fettuccini! Just Kidding. Fettuccini is not KETO but I have recently discovered Low Carb Fettuccini Noodles at Lindas Diet Delites. They are overall, pretty good taste wise however they do fall apart when over tossed. I say who cares. When you have been avoiding pasta for any length of time you do not care that it falls apart. Of course maybe I have not found the trick to cooking low carb pasta…yet.
Anyway I just found this wonderful KETO Alfredo Sauce in Allrecipes top 10 favorites and thought I’d share as I will be making it for my son and his girlfriend tonight. I’m intrigued by the addition of cream cheese and I already know this one is a winner. Perhaps cream cheese is in all Alfredo recipes but I have never used a recipe for Alfredo sauce. I usually just throw some whipping cream and parmesan cheese together and have recently discovered that in a pinch you can use mozzarella and the shaker kind of parmesan cheese in those clear canisters. LOL
Easy Keto Alfredo Sauce
Prep 5 m
Cook 10 m
Ready In 15 m
“Treat yourself and guests to creamy homemade Alfredo sauce with this easy recipe. This sauce pairs well with pasta or zoodles (spiralized zucchini). You can even add chicken or shrimp. Sauce will become very thick if stored in the refrigerator. Simply heat the sauce up for it to be pourable.”
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste
- 1 pinch ground white pepper, or to taste
Directions
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and cream cheese. Slowly add Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until well incorporated and sauce thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
Mmmm. Nutmeg.
Bon appétit
Monday, December 17, 2018
10 Important Symptoms of Depression
I am posting this article as a result of my unsuccessful attempt to get off anti-depressants after 30 years. The holidays make depression worse, especially when you are alone. After a MAJOR downward spiral I post this for awareness. Clinical depression is not to be taken lightly. That being said, here is the article in it’s entirety…
Axel F. Sigurdsson MD
Major depression affects more than 16 million American adults each year (1). It can occur to anyone, at any age. And, importantly, depression is not a personal weakness but a severe medical illness.
Of course, we all have times when our mood is low. Gloom, heartache, melancholy, woe, desolation. These are all parts of life’s journey and fortunately most often normal temporary reactions to daily events. But, at what stage should such feelings be defined as clinical depression?
The British writer and poet, Giles Andreae who himself has battled depression once said: “Thinking you’ve had depression makes about as much sense as thinking you’ve been run over by a bus. Trust me – you know when you’ve got depression (2)”
Although this is not entirely true, it emphasizes the difference between clinical depression and occasional episodes of low mood. However, unfortunately, too many people don’t acknowledge their depression or think it isn’t serious or even believe that it is some personal weakness.
Only about a third (35.3%) of those suffering from severe depression seek treatment from a mental health professional (3). Hence, it is estimated that as many as two-thirds of people with depression do not realize that they have a treatable illness and do not seek treatment.
According to The American Psychiatric Association, “depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and home” (4).
Hence, we might conclude that depression reflects long and persistent periods of low mood without reason? But, that’s a misinterpretation. The truth is that there is a reason. That reason is the disease we call depression.
The British actor and writer Stephen Fry has talked openly about his depression. He says: “Why should I be depressed? I’ve got enough money. I’ve got a job. People like me. There is no reason to be depressed. That’s as stupid as saying there is no reason to have asthma or there is no reason to have the measles. You know you’ve got it. It’s there. It’s not about reason.”
Depression is often considered to be a mood disorder. Fry says: “To me, mood is like the weather. Weather is real. It is absolutely real: when it rains, it rains – you get wet, there is no question about it. It is also true about weather that you can’t control it; you can’t say if I wish hard enough it won’t rain. It is equally true that if the weather is bad one day, it will get better and what I had to learn was to treat my moods like the weather.”
1. Depressive Mood
Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood is an essential feature of major depression.
However, frequently those who have suffered from depression describe their depressive mood in a more specific manner. It is not just about feeling sad all the time. It is somewhat different and usually much worse.
In fact, people with depression not always feel sad. They may be able to speak with their friends and have a laugh. On the outside, it may look like there’s nothing wrong. But inside, there is something missing. There is an emptiness, so hard to describe and so hard to understand unless you have experienced it yourself.
Let me quote Stephen Fry again: “There comes a time when the blankness of the future is just so extreme, it’s like such a black wall of nothingness. Not of bad things like a cave full of monsters and so, you’re afraid of entering it. It’s just nothingness, the void, emptiness and it is just horrible.”
Fry even goes further and says: “It’s like contemplating a future-less future and so you just want to step out of it. The monstrosity of being alive overwhelms you.”
Some patients with depression express intense sadness and emotional distress whereas others have a sense of emotional numbness (“blahs”). Hence, the magnitude and nature of the depressive mood may vary between patients.
2. Anxiety
Depression is often associated with anxiety. Both are facilitated by stress, either recent or dating back to childhood (5). Up to 70 percent of patients with depression experience anxiety (6).
Anxiety may be described as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
Today, many experts believe that depression and anxiety are not two disorders that coexist but two faces of one disorder (7).
Often, anxiety precedes depression, sometimes by several years. Typically the onset of anxiety is in late childhood or early adolescence. Depression usually begins a few years later with typical onset in the mid-20s (8). But, of course, depression may occur at any age.
One person suffering from depression and anxiety wrote (9): I’ve always lacked self-confidence, even before my anxiety disorder was identified. I try to mingle with the best of them, but at the same time on the inside, I’m an intolerable nervous wreck and always wish I was at home watching repeats of “Friends” with a slab of fudge cake, even when I’m socializing with my nearest and dearest. Sadly, I don’t think this will ever change. So when I’m at that point where I’m trying just to leave the house, let alone do anything adventurous, my fragile mind always says “But, why? Why bother? You’re going to fail at this anyway?”
In fact, isolation may become quite severe. Simple tasks such as going to the supermarket may become a major hurdle.
3. Loss of Interest or Pleasure in Activities Once Enjoyed (Anhedonia)
The word Anhedonia describes the inability to experience pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable, e.g., exercise, hobbies, and social interactions. In Greek, anhedonia directly translates to “without pleasure.”
Most patients with depression have anhedonia. It is a crucial feature of major depression. Events and activities we used to enjoy become less interesting or fun. We may even lose interest in our friends. Libido and interest in sex often decrease as well.
Some experts suggest that anhedonia comes not from a reduced capacity to experience pleasure, but instead from an inability to sustain good feelings over time. In other words, maybe pleasure is experienced fully, but only briefly, not long enough to sustain interest or involvement in life’s good things (10).
In anhedonia, the simple and satisfying sensation of joy seems to be lacking.
Following his experience with depression, Giles Andrea wrote: “And if depression has taught me one thing, it is this: what a rare and beautiful treasure is the simple human gift of joy. For me now, joy – our capacity to delight in one another and the world – is the reason why we are here. It is as simple as that. And I feel compelled to spread the word (2).”
Anhedonia may promote social withdrawal and negative feeling towards yourself and others. Emotional abilities may be reduced, and there may be a tendency to show fake emotions. We may struggle to adjust to social situations and our interest in intimacy may diminish.
Sometimes, anhedonia is divided into social anhedonia (a general disinterest in social contact), and physical anhedonia (an inability to feel pleasure from things likes eating, touching or sex)(11).
4. Fatigue or Loss of Energy
Contrary to many other medical symptoms, fatigue is an entirely normal phenomenon in particular situations. We all become tired, but it usually gets better by rest or sleep. However, chronic fatigue as a medical symptom is typically persistent and not relieved by rest (12).
Chronic fatigue is prevalent among patients with depression. It is often described as feeling tired all the time, exhausted or listless. Some people with depression experience total lack of energy sometimes called ‘anergia’.
Fatigue and depression seem to have a circular relationship. For some, fatigue will come first; for others, depression will come first, but for most, it will probably be unclear (13). The fatigue may lower self-esteem and make the depression worse, leading to more fatigue.
If the fatigue that comes with depression becomes overpowering, basic tasks such as getting out of bed and walking may be exhausting.
The symptoms of fatigue can affect physical, cognitive, and emotional function, impair school and work performance, disturb social and family relationships, and increase healthcare utilization (14).
5. Feelings of Worthlessness or Excessive Guilt
A study of patients with major depression published 2015 showed that self-blaming emotions occurred in more than 80% of patients with self-disgust/contempt being more frequent than guilt, followed by shame (15).
The majority (85% of patients) reported feelings of inadequacy and self-blaming emotions as the most bothering symptoms compared with 10% being more distressed by negative emotions towards others.
Patients with depression often tend to misinterpret events or minor setbacks as evidence of personal failings (16).
A patient with depression has described her feelings in the following manner (17):
“I should be a spy; I am so good at leading a double life. I can put on a smile, muster up a good conversation (after ignoring a few calls and messages), but the reality is, all those “normal,” happy interactions exhaust me, and for that, I feel guilty.
I feel guilty that I want to scream at my boyfriend who is just trying to be understanding. I feel guilty that I cause those closest to me to worry. My parents, my partner, my family, and friends, all of them try to support me, to ensure I don’t get too low. How do I tell them it isn’t them and no matter what they do often I just feel low? I feel guilty that their efforts to help sometimes just make it worse.
I feel guilty for canceling plans last-minute. I mean to go, I want to go, but often I just don’t have the strength. I am brilliant at making excuses, but the shame I feel for letting people down is ever-present.
I even feel guilty for feeling guilty. Maybe some other people understand this warped way of thinking. I would tell anyone else with depression to not be so hard on themselves, to acknowledge their efforts. But to me, I just feel guilty.”
6. Sleep Disturbance (Insomnia and Hypersomnia)
Several types of sleep disorders may occur in patients with depression. The term insomnia is used often used to describe the symptoms associated with these sleep disorders.
Insomnia may be a difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep, waking up too early in the morning, or merely an unrefreshing sleep. It is not defined by the number of hours slept but reflects the satisfaction with sleep. Insomnia is often associated with tiredness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.
Depression may be associated with difficulty getting to sleep (initial insomnia). Waking in the middle of the night (middle insomnia) or earlier than usual (terminal insomnia) with difficulty turning to sleep is common. Prolonged nighttime sleep or daytime sleeping (hypersomnia) may occur as well.
About three-quarters of depressed patients have insomnia symptoms, and hypersomnia is present in about 40% of depressed young adults and 10% of older patients, with a preponderance of females (18).
Disturbed sleep is a very distressing symptom which has a significant impact on quality of life in depressed patients (19).
Many patients with depression wake up prematurely in the early morning hours, unable to get back to sleep. This early-morning awakening is often associated with dysphoria and depressive thoughts, and sometimes there is an agitated, even a panicky feeling. This may often get better during the day and the evenings are often more comfortable.
7. Neurocognitive Dysfunction (Difficulty Concentrating, Remembering or Making Decisions)
Neurocognitive dysfunction is common in patients with depression (20).
Memory loss and an inability to focus or concentrate may be pronounced. Working memory, fluency, and planning and problem-solving abilities may be impaired.
People with depression often feel like they can’t focus. Comprehending what you are reading may become difficult and affect the ability to store information. This may negatively impact enjoyment when reading for pleasure.
The ability to receive information or directions may be impaired. We may appear easily distracted. This may affect performance at school and work. Sometimes these symptoms may be misinterpreted as lack of interest or consideration.
In most cases, neurocognitive dysfunction in depression is readily distinguished from that caused by dementia.
8. Change in Appetite and Body Weight
Reduced appetite and weight loss are common in patients with depression. However, increased appetite and weight gain may also occur.
Changes in eating habits are often related to other symptoms of depression, such as lack of energy and interest or pleasure from activities.
While a loss of appetite is common in depression, the sadness or worthlessness experienced by many patients may be associated with overeating (emotional eating). Emotional eating is eating in response to emotional rather than physical hunger.
9. Psychomotor Disturbances (Restlessness, Irritability, Retardation)
Psychomotor disturbances that are common in depression include both agitation and retardation (16).
Psychomotor agitation is a series of unintentional, nonproductive or purposeless motions. In patients with depression, this may present as hand-wringing, pacing, and fidgeting.
Psychomotor retardation is a slowing down of thought and physical movements and may include slowing of body movements, thinking, and speech.
10. Thoughts of Suicide or Death
Depressed patients often experience recurrent thoughts of death. Suicidal ideation often occurs and there is a risk of suicidal attempt in some patients with depression (21).
Sometimes, suicidal ideation is passive. Patients often consider life not worth living and that their closest family and friends would be better off if the patient were dead.
In contrast, active suicidal ideation is marked by thoughts of wanting to die or commit suicide (16). There may be suicide plans and preparatory acts (e.g., selecting time and location, choice of method, or writing a suicide note). Such behavior indicates the patient is severely ill.
Suicidal ideation is usually preceded by hopelessness and negative expectations for the future. The patient may regard suicide as the only option to escape a never-ending and intense emotional and often physical pain
Alarmingly, many patients with suicidal ideation have not been recognized as having depression. In a large Canadian study, 48% of patients who had suicidal ideation and 24% of those who had made a suicide attempt reported not receiving care or even perceiving the need for care (22). The investigators concluded that future research should be directed toward finding better ways to identify these individuals and address barriers to their care and other factors that may interfere with their receiving help.
The annual suicide rate in the United States is approximately 13 per 100,000 individuals. Suicide is the tenth leading of cause of death. In 2014, the total number of suicide deaths in the United States was 42,773 (23). This equals 117 suicide deaths every day.
It is recognized that certain occupations and professions may be more susceptible to depression and suicide. Occupations that require frequent or difficult interactions with the public or clients, and have high levels of stress and low levels of physical activity seem to be at highest risk (24).
The medical profession has the highest risk of death by suicide of any profession or occupation. Other high control and highly regulated professions such as law enforcement, military, and the legal profession may be more likely to experience depression and suicidal behavior, and less likely to seek intervention because of the associated stigma and possible licensure implications (25).
Recent research suggests that suicide is three times more likely in individuals who have experienced a concussion, so occupations that might result in head injuries may be predisposed to suicide, with or without concomitant depression (26, 27).
A few patients with depression have described their thoughts concerning suicide on the website The Mighty (27). Here are a few examples:
“It feels like you’re all alone and no matter what’s said to you, you feel like it’s not true or doesn’t matter. It feels like you just need to end it all because you’re so tired of fighting every single day.”
“I didn’t realize what I was feeling until I came out of it. It felt like I wasn’t breathing, I was drowning, and someone was holding my head under water. I was lost, alone and there was no other way out. No one understood me and no one ever would. When I finally broke free of the deep suicidal thoughts, I was able to see them for what they were, not before or during. I felt choked by the emotions and blinded by them.”
“A constant ache in my heart, my lungs, my wrists, my legs, my mind and the pit of my stomach. The ache that tells me nothing is sacred; everything is pointless. That nothing ever has or ever will matter. Why must I continue breathing? Why must I keep getting out of bed every day when I am so incredibly tired? Feeling utterly worthless, to the point that you wonder if your own children would be better off without you around.”
“The thought of death formed as a monster in my head. It is after me; I cannot run away from it. I don’t want to die, but I don’t want to live, either. The pain is too much strong, so I desperately think I cannot take another day. But deep down inside of me, I always have a tough wish to see another day — as a human instinct, I guess. I grabbed this very little feeling to go on. I hope everyone else will [too].”
Diagnosing Depression
Symptoms of depression may include the following:
- Persistently sad, anxious, or empty moods
- Loss of pleasure in usual activities (anhedonia)
- Feelings of helplessness, guilt, or worthlessness
- Crying, hopelessness, or persistent pessimism
- Fatigue or decreased energy
- Loss of memory, concentration, or decision-making capability
- Poor abstract reasoning
- Restlessness, irritability
- Sleep disturbances
- Change in appetite or weight
- Physical symptoms that defy diagnosis and do not respond to treatment – (very commonly pain and gastrointestinal complaints)
- Thoughts of suicide, death, or suicide attempts
- Poor self-image or self-esteem
To establish a diagnosis of major depression, a patient must express one of the first two items above and at least five of the other symptoms listed. Such disturbances must be present nearly daily for at least two weeks (25).
The Bottom-Line
Dear reader. If you have read this article, it may be for general information purposes or because you fear or believe that you may be suffering from symptoms associated with depression. If the latter is true, I want to remind you that depression is not a personal weakness but a serious medical disorder.
Because depression is a disease, it can not be “willed” or “wished away”. Unfortunately, that is a common misperception by the public and some medical professionals.
Patients with depression often feel terrible. The combination of physical and emotional symptoms may be overwhelming. The tiredness, darkness, and emptiness may seem unbearable. However, depression is a treatable disease. Almost all people who have suffered from depression will tell you that things will get better. And that is true.
And, remember; Never be ashamed of your depression. You wouldn’t be if you had a brain tumor, heart attack or leukemia.
Oh, and finally; Don’t try to deal with your depression by yourself. Seek professional help.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Monday, December 10, 2018
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Saturday, December 8, 2018
DIY Perfume with Essential Oils
Scents carry with them a wave of memories and associations. Maybe a classic department store perfume reminds you of your grandmother or the squeaky clean scent of bar soap reminds you of your mother. Our essential oil perfume opens up options for personal scents you’ll be remembered for, without scary ingredients. Plus, this DIY perfume is easy enough to make, tweak, and remake for years to come.
First, let’s dive into a couple essentials that you should know, like the “notes” of the essential oil blends that make up your perfume. Typically, you’ll smell the quick-evaporating top notes first, followed a moment later by the middle notes—the heart of the perfume. Finally, you’ll catch the base notes, which complement the top and middle notes.
When selecting botanicals for your perfume, start with the base note, soften with a middle note, and finish with a top note that makes a positive first impression.
Base note essential oils:
Middle note essential oils:
Top note essential oils:
Supplies:
- Empty 5-ml essential oil bottle
- V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex
- AromaGlide Roller Fitment
- Top note essential oil
- Middle note essential oil
- Bottom note essential oil
- Custom labels
- Transparent tape
Instructions:
1. Combine 10–15 drops each of your selected oils in the empty bottle until your essential oil blend is balanced.
2. Once you’re happy with the blend, fill the rest of the bottle with V-6.
3. Put the roller fitment and cap on.
4. Print custom labels.
5. Wrap the label around the bottle and apply transparent tape.
5. Roll on to your neck, wrists, or anywhere you apply perfume.
Which combinations are you excited to try? What would you name your blend?
Share your ideas in the comments below!
Click here to get your own wholesale account. No sales required.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
12 days of Christmas diffuser blends
Christmas music, twinkling lights, and the gift of family and friends—the Christmas season truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Wishing you could fill your home with the fresh scent of a pine forest? We have a blend for that! Looking for a way to make it smell like you baked Christmas goodies? We have a blend for that too! We have all your holiday bases—and scents—covered so you can focus on making holiday memories with those you love.
While we can’t promise a white Christmas when you try these diffuser recipes, we can guarantee they will make your home smell like a winter wonderland!
Day 1: To Grandmother’s House
“Over the river and through the woods” to diffusing bliss you go! This essential oil blend smells like a frost-covered pine forest. Mittens and down coats are optional.
Day 2: Dasher and Dancer
If a sleigh ride with Santa is on your bucket list, you’ll love this seasonal diffuser recipe. The smells of citrus, tea tree, and spruce with a dash of peppermint will have you feeling like Kris Kringle’s co-pilot on Christmas Eve.
Day 3: O, Tannenbaum
While decorating your tree can take hours, filling your home with that fresh evergreen scent takes mere seconds. Try this blend for that amazing Christmas tree scent without all the work!
Day 4: Winter Wonderland
You don’t have to live where it snows to feel like you’re walking in a winter wonderland. A Christmas essential oil diffuser recipe like this one will have you and your loved ones dreaming by the fire in no time!
Day 5: Candy Canes and Silver Lanes
It wouldn’t be Christmas without the classic candy cane! We love its festive red and white stripes that burst with delightful peppermint flavor. Try this diffuser blend for a calorie-free way to enjoy the nostalgia of this favorite holiday candy!
Day 6: Better Not Pout
This delicious essential oil diffuser blend brings the comforting scent of holiday goodies to the air! Sweet citruses and warm spices will make your home smell like your favorite bakery; whether you decide to actually bake is entirely up to you.
Day 7: A Letter to Santa
There’s nothing like the Christmas joy in a child’s letter to Santa. Bring that happiness into your home with a diffuser blend that combines the brightness of citrus, the fresh scent of a forest, and a warm floral aroma to keep things cozy.
Day 8: Reindeer Games
You’ll be shouting out with glee once you try this diffuser blend! Diffuse this blend of Christmas essential oils, and you might become as famous as the red-nosed reindeer himself!
Day 9: Deck the Halls
Haul out the holly—because we need a little Christmas! As you deck your halls, don’t forget to deck your home with the scents of the holiday season!
Day 10: The Gingerbread Man
That gingerbread man is mighty quick! And while you may not be able to catch the cookie, you can catch that fantastic gingerbread scent with this holiday spice-filled diffuser recipe.
Day 11: Sugar Plum Fairy
Let those sugarplums keep dancing as you diffuse this sweet-smelling holiday essential oil blend. We promise we won’t judge you for diffusing it every day from now until next Christmas—it’s that good!
Day 12: We Three Kings
Make sure to remember the most important gift of Christmas. Keep the reason for the season at the center of your thoughts by filling your home with the cozy scents of Frankincense, Myrrh, and warm spices.
If our holiday-inspired diffuser blends haven’t satisfied your sweet tooth, try one of these dessert-scented diffuser blends. If you’re in the mood for something else but not sure what, take this quiz to find out which diffuser blend you need right now.
Which of these holiday diffuser blends will help you get into the Christmas spirit?
Share with us in the comments.
Click here to open your own wholesale account.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Monday, December 3, 2018
Snuggle up with Cinnamon Bark
Opening a bottle of Cinnamon Bark essential oil might be the best form of time travel we know. The warm aroma immediately transports you to a night sipping hot cider by the light of a bonfire or a bright Christmas morning, eating a cinnamon roll fresh from the oven.
We all have our own history that’s stirred up by the sweet scent of cinnamon, but this sought-after spice has an interesting story of its own—as well as uses that go far beyond baked goods!
1. It comes from a tree.
Just in case the “bark” part of the name didn’t give it away, all cinnamon—not just our oil—comes from the bark of a tree! Cinnamon trees are in the genus Cinnamomum. Our Cinnamon Bark oil comes from Cinnamomun zeylanicum, a tropical evergreen native to Sri Lanka.
2. And it’s different from the cinnamon in your spice rack.
Here’s where Cinnamon Bark essential oil differs from the cinnamon sticks in your cider or ground cinnamon in your french toast. Cinnamon Bark oil is distilled from the outer bark of the cinnamon tree. The cinnamon you buy in the spice section at the grocery store is made from the inner bark, which is harvested in rolls and then dried out.
3. But it still tastes incredible.
It’s no secret that cinnamon is delicious. Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil is labeled for internal use, so it’s just the thing to add to your favorite recipes!
Cinnamon Bark Vitality is stronger than the ground cinnamon you may be used to, so start with just a little bit of oil in your recipe. We recommend the toothpick method: Dip the end of a wooden toothpick into your bottle of oil, and then swirl the toothpick through your wet ingredients. Get more tips for cooking with essential oils here!
YL Tip
Try Cinnamon Bark Vitality in these recipes:
- Swirl some through a fruit smoothie or Pure Protein Complete shake for a delicious twist.
- Try our Cinnamon Fruit Dip for your next party—or anytime, if we’re being totally honest.
- Spice up your autumn mornings with our Pumpkin Spice Protein Bars.
4. It’s great for topical application—but remember to dilute.
Cinnamon Bark is a “hot” oil, which means it causes a warming sensation on your skin. That’s important to remember when you use this oil topically, because you don’t want to ruin a should-be-cozy moment with a negative skin reaction! We recommend diluting Cinnamon Bark oil 1:1 with a carrier oil and doing a patch test before you dive in to topical use.
YL Tip
Here are some of our favorite topical Cinnamon Bark oil usage tips so that you can get the most out of its warming properties:
- Mix three drops of Cinnamon Bark oil with some V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex, and use it for a warming foot massage. Then put on a pair of warm socks to keep your feet cozy and moisturized! We recommend completing the picture with a nice book, a cozy fireplace, and a warm mug of herbal tea—but we’ll leave those details up to you!
- Treat yourself to a warming scalp massage with four drops of Cinnamon Bark and a dime-sized amount of your favorite hair-loving carrier oil. Our favorite for this use is coconut oil. Using your fingers, massage the sweetly scented blend into your scalp for several minutes. Then wash and dry your hair as usual.
- Give tired muscles and joints some TLC—Treatment Laced with Cinnamon. Add a few drops of Cinnamon Bark oil to your favorite massage oil. Then relax and let the aroma wrap you up in comfort.
5. And it makes your house smell good enough to eat.
There’s a reason cinnamon is often an ingredient in potpourris and air fresheners. Skip the store-bought solutions and go straight to the source with Cinnamon Bark essential oil—or any of the Young Living blends it lends its spicy-sweet scent to, like Thieves® essential oil blend.
YL Tip
Refresh your home with these fresh-baked ideas:
- Make a room spray by filling a spray bottle with 3 ounces of water and four drops of Thieves essential oil blend, which features Cinnamon Bark as a main ingredient.
- Use Thieves Household Cleaner on everything from doorknobs to bathtubs. Read our blog post for tips on this amazing all-purpose cleaner.
- Diffuse this cozy blend to get rid of musty odors and fill your home with an inviting fragrance.
So whether you swirl Cinnamon Bark Vitality through hot cocoa, make a Cinnamon Bark foot rub part of your hygge time, or diffuse a cinnamony blend to make your house smell like a baker’s dream, you’re going to want this sweetly scented oil at your side all year long.
Want to learn more about other spice-rack faves? Check out our post on tips for using Oregano oil, and find out why we’re in love with Clove.
We have to know—where does the scent of Cinnamon Bark take you?
Tell us in the comments!
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