Jessica Alba's essential oil chest rub

An essential oil chest rub for allergies or cold season - tried and touted by Jessica Alba in her new book The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True to You. I am putting this to work this week!

Chest Rub Recipe

Blend a few drops of euchalyptus, ginger, peppermint and tea tree (melaleuca) essential oils with a body oil (ie fractionated cocoonut oil) or balm. Rub on chest back, under nose and on bottoms of the feet.

I love, love, love that someone who has so many resources at her disposal chooses simple home remedies to help heal her children at home!

Learning about pain management with oils...the hard way

"Mommy, it feels worser," my five year old told me the other day.

Worser. Just the word a mother does not want to hear, especially when your little one has hobbled around for a day already.

The foot wasn't swollen. It wasn't bruised. But it was worser. So I made an appointment online with my pediatrician for the next day and assessed my options. Yes, there was ibuprofen, but it only did so much.

Would oils help? Yes, I've used lemongrass, Deep Blue and peppermint for muscle soreness, and while essential oils can be used for pain management, I wasn't sure how it'd work for a little guy.

So we went out on a limb, so to speak. And the good news? It worked. For the last two days I've used the Deep Blue Rub and Deep Blue essential oil blend on my little guy's foot, and he's feeling good enough to (slowly) tag along with his buddies at extended care.

Even better? The X-ray said no broken bone. Now, I just need to teach my kindergartener that tackle football with your buddies isn't the best option for after school play!

Beating sore throats with oregano oil

Sore throats that burn when you swallow and make you squeak when you talk. Not a fun thing.

But days after battling this, my coworker gave up and made me this sign this week:

And it wasn't for a lack of trying. The last several nights, I was clocking in 10 hours of sleep nightly. I was taking throat drops. Drinking fluids.

I caved and called my doctor. No luck getting in. I even tried our employee health program, too. No such service there.

Frustrated, I searched for sore throat on everythingessential.me. There, I found a suggested protocol of a few drops' oregano oil and a few drops' lemon oil, mixed in water. Gargle and repeat hourly. Unfortunately I was out of lemon oil, but I tried a mix of oregano oil, doTerra OnGuard essential oil blend and water. Needless to say, oregano oil isn't just "hot" as some describe it - it felt like it burned. But the good news is it helped resolve my sore throat! Within a matter of hours I was feeling like myself again.

My essential oil adventure

Essential oils: I always thought the people who used them were of one of two camps: those using for aromatherapy for stress and those who were, well, just plain experimental.

Fragrance has long been a part of our sensory experience. We love perfumes and wear it on our bodies, in our shampoo and hair sprays, in our cleaning products, in our candles, you name it. But far too often they're composed of chemically produced combinations, and not necessarily the best products to put on us.

The last year or so, I've flirted more and more with the use of aromatherapy as stress relief. I've bought products from esty and products from commercial chains, all with varying success. And then I finally dived into essential oils. Wow, what a difference it made.

Using essential oils meant using small amounts - a drop or two - as opposed to liberally spraying a room with a product. Using essential oils meant versatility: I can use one product for personal use, for cleaning, for disinfecting... instead of buying six different cleaning products alone.

I've been blessed that personal use of essential oils has helped my family battle a nagging cough that had lasted a year, pain from stitches and overall stress.

In the coming months, I'll be sharing some of the lessons learned in my use of essential oils. Feel free to post any questions you may have, and I'll address them too in future posts!

Everything I know about diabetes I re-learned at Girl Scout Camp

Going to Girl Scout camp for the first time in more than two decades, I had one goal: Have enough energy to make it through the day with 16 Brownies.

But little did I know I'd learn a few lessons from a little girl named Lauren.

Lauren has type 1 diabetes and was diagnosed this spring, but she never let her "condition" stop her from enjoying life. And she never stopped life from taking care of her health.

Lesson 1: Diabetes care is a team approach, and we should all look after each other.

Another leader would talk in hushed terms about her needing to sneak away for blood sugar testing or an insulin injection at the nurses's station. Having been diabetic for 15 years, I knew the more open you are about your diabetes, the easier it is for others to help in a time of crisis.

So I took her under my wing. I told her we were blood sugar buddies, and we'd check our sugars together at the nurse's station (even though I carry my meter at all times). By the end of the week, we were comparing notes and playing "beat the blood sugar." More important, she felt comfortable enough coming to me when she felt shaky so we could get her care.

Lesson 2: Take care of yourself.

Being diabetic for so long, I have been burnt out on my care on more occasions than I should count. I confess that with work schedules of late, my testing had been infrequent - going for days in some cases. (Luckily I am in fairly good control and can tell my highs and lows.) Lauren reminded me that to be your best self, you have to take care of yourself.

It's not an all-or-nothing approach. I'd been testing more frequently that week and virtually cutting out insulin since we were averaging eight to nine miles of hiking each day. The morning after our sleepover, I wrestled with the resulting morning 160 from two s'mores and no insulin. Her response? A very serious, "You need to walk more!" and starting up a funny hiking game on our route to the lodge.

Lesson 3: Who cares if you're diabetic?

Yes, there are days when blood sugars rule your day. But that doesn't mean they rule you. What I admired about Lauren so much was that she was the last to leave the pool, the most stubborn at attacking the rock-climbing wall, the first to join a group game. Diabetes was part of her, but it wasn't her. And I can't let that be an excuse for me, either.

Go Green, Get Fit: The importance of a plan B

The Go Green, Get Fit challenge begins today, and it's the worst possible timing for me.

• I am recovering from a back strain from overdoing it at work. (Take more trips next time!)
• My kids are off schedule from two week's at scout camp and evening Vacation Bible School - we're still not back to regular bedtimes, and I'm worn out by the time they're in bed.
• Tomorrow my 4 year old, the one who's worst at bedtime, has his first corrective visit for a cross-bite, and we're bracing for a week or more of continuing poor sleep and cranky boy.
• We're facing another week of 90-degree heat.
• And we're planning a fairly impromptu road trip this weekend to see my sister, her husband and our niece at my parents' home.

Which means that I need a Plan B. Stat.

My workouts tend to lean toward the mornings before the kids wake up, all good unless you're wiped out and struggle to get up at the alarm. And the idea of hiking to the park is out with a foreecast of 92.

I could just throw up my arms and say I'll start next week. But that is another week wasted.

So this week's Plan B:

• Focus on strength work to slowly work back my core.
• Use a few nights of "walk away the pounds" type videos, which won't result in a lot of bouncing but will raise my heart rate.
• Children's behavior permitting, use that neighborhood swimming pool!
• Write down my eating, and focus on eating fruit on a daily basis (my toughest thing to do).

Do you plan for your "Plan B" when workouts get derailed? What works best for you?

Go Green, Get Fit!

Twenty miles in three days. You'd think I was a fitness buff.

But no, I'm truly just a tired mom working a week at scout camp.

I've carried the idea of getting in shape for years now. I haven't had a consistent workout routine since I walked a half-marathon, pregnant with my 4 1/2 year old. First it was new mom exhaustion. Then it was not having money for a fitness class since my husband was out of work for a few years. Then it was time.

But I finally realized have to stop making excuses. My health, my family is far too important for that.

My turning point was sheer exhaustion...as I could barely make it through the work day. I've slowly made changes the last several months, reducing my starchy carb intake (I truly was eating far too much), introducing meaningful exercise (like taking a walk instead of sitting in a chair to discuss something at work), making sure I get enough sleep and getting my blood sugar levels back in check.

Yes, I'd love to love 20 pounds. Thirty or forty would make my doctor happier. But my first goal was simple: Having enough energy to survive Girl Scout camp each day. Halfway through the week, I can tell you I've succeeded. I'm sore, but I've succeeded.

All this hiking has reminded me I have the potential to be stronger, and it's a great kickoff to the Go Green, Get Fit blogging challenge that starts June 18. I'm excited to be part of a diverse group of bloggers, from the experienced athlete to the aspiring exerciser.

Here are my goals for the coming months:

1. Exercise each morning. I am honest enough to realize that although I hate getting up in the morning, it's my best window for real exercise--a mix of aerobics, stretching and strength training. I am committing to 30 minutes each morning. Even more so, I am committing to slipping in exercise even if I hit the snooze too many times or my kids wake up early.

2. Incorporate my kids. We are blessed with walking trails and a pool nearby, not to mention a plethora of balls, lacrosse tools and other outdoor toys. Taking advantage of these things means I'm setting a great example for fitness and telling them, yes, I will play with you!

3. Build my aerobic fitness. I do well with the little things, but I need to push myself more. My dream? To  run a 5k this fall. I know I have a lot of work to get there, but I'm rooting for myself!

4. Eat seasonally. As much as I love gardening and attending farmers markets, when I'm busy eating seasonal produce admittedly falls by the wayside. I want to recommit to that for our family's health.

I know these steps seem minor. But if there's one thing I've learned this week, it's that goals can be achieved, one step at a time. Are you with me?

I’d love to hear about your fitness or health goals for the coming months! And please join us on June 18, when the Go Green Get Fit Challenge begins!

In the meantime, join us on Facebook to get details and updates!

You can also follow the Go Green, Get Fit Challenge on Pinterest, Healthy Home Magazine, and Twitter.

Battling bugs

Mucinex. Benadryl. Antibiotics. Dinatep. Ibuprofen. Even honey I think I've tried it all the last two mnonths in trying to put an end to my daughter's cough and congestion. She's tired of her cough, tired of not sleeping well and tired of the kids' comments in the classroom.

Yet I admit being nervous about natural remedies, particularly untested ones and use in children.

Today at the Green Phone Booth, I'm seeking answers. Are there any safe remedies for kids that work?

Landscape for health: Green you neighborhood, keep kids healthy

A local research study making headlines this week shows that the greener your neighborhood is, the more likely your children are to be healthier and less likely to be overweight.

Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine, IUPUI and the University of Washington found ties between higher neighborhood greenness and slower increases in children’s body mass. The study focused on inner-city children, which demonstrates that you don’t have to live in the country or large lots to reap benefits from making green changes.

The government-funded research study used satellite images to identify and measure greenness, defined as on the amount and health of vegetation in the area.

"For children, physical activity is active play and that usually take place outdoors. We need to encourage them to go outside and play,” said Gilbert C. Liu, M.D., senior author of the study, which recently appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Trees and other urban vegetation improve aesthetics, reduce pollution and keep things cooler, making the outside a more attractive place to play, walk or run.

“I love the idea that we can landscape for health," Liu says.