Today's world is filled with toxins that affect our bodies in uncomplimentary ways. They can cause weakness, exhaustion, stiff muscles, stiff joints, swollen lymph nodes, and make us feel lethargic. There are herbal combinations that can be taken to detoxify our systems, and they work; but, there are also essential oils that can help eliminate toxins from our bodies.

Juniper is a very powerful detoxifier. It helps reduce nervous tension, is antiviral, antiseptic, a diuretic, and reduces pain. It also helps get rid of uric acid, a major toxin.

Helichrysum works well for drug or alcohol detox because it helps stimulate liver cells and thins out mucous. It also seeks out free radicals.

Lemon stimulates white blood cells to guard against infections. It also is beneficial for the liver.

Grapefruit assists in the recovery from substance abuse. It also is a diuretic, digestive aid, is good for the skin, and helps chase away negative energy.

Laurel thins mucous secretions, is an expectorant and works well on swollen lymph nodes. Pregnant women should not use Laurel.

You can use these oils in a massage by combining 4 drops grapefruit, 4 drops juniper, 4 drops cypress, and 6 drops laurel in 2 Tbsp of sunflower oil. Mix well and store in a brown bottle. Coax someone into giving you a good back rub with it or massage some into the bottoms of your feet and into your hands before going to bed.

You can use as a bath soak by combining 10 drops grapefruit, 10 drops juniper, and 4 drops helichrysum into 1 cup Dead Sea salts. Store in an air and light tight container. Add to warm bath water and soak for 20 minutes or longer.

The holidays are over and the amount of food consumed is probably a shock to most and an embarrassment to a few. Outside of over eating, how many new things did you try over the holidays. Many cooks use the holidays as a time to experiment on their unsuspecting guests.

One that appeared at our own table was "Mashed Potato Fudge". It's very good and extremely simple to make. The ingredients are: 3 squares of unsweetened chocolate (milk chocolate or dark chocolate will work), 3 Tablespoons of butter, 1/8 Teaspoons of salt, 1 Teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 pound of sifted powdered sugar. The directions are very simple. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a pan over water (Using a microwave safe bowl and a low power setting works just fine). Add the potatoes, salt, and vanilla, then stir in the sugar. Mix it all thoroughly. Knead it until smooth and press the mixture into an 8 inch buttered pan, or use a non-stick cook spray. Cool and cut into pieces. This recipe makes about 1 1/4 pounds of fudge. You can add raisins, nuts, chocolate chips or anything else you would add to a fudge recipe.

This isn't the recipe that was used in our preparations but it still sounds like a good one. I was surprised to find several "Mashed Potato Fudge" recipes when I typed it into my search bar. This is just one recipe that I discovered in my mother's recipe box. I'll have to keep that box handy as I think of different things to make for my grandchildren and tell them stories about their great grandma Gladys.

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Many people make New Year's Resolutions. There are many that you can make but there are ten top ones. Over 50% of resolution makers put spending more time with family and friends at the top of their list. This includes family dinners, lunch with your best friend, and getting reacquainted with friends you haven't seen for a while.

Numbers two and three sort of go hand in hand. Number two is getting fit and number three is losing weight. Both of these will help you feel better, add years to your life, lower blood pressure, improve arthritis, and help you look better.

Number four is quitting smoking. With the availability of nicotine replacement therapies quitting has been made easier. Just imagine a new year without smoke smelling clothes, car, house and breath. Make yourself someone nice to be close to.

Number five is enjoying life more. Eliminating stress from your life can help you enjoy your life more. So can spending time with friends and family, and learning something new. There are several ways you can decrease the stress you have. Exercise, good diet, and enough rest are key things in eliminating stress. You can also get massages use essential oils to eliminate stress, help you relax, and uplift your mood. When you feel good, you enjoy life
more.

Number six is to quit drinking. Quitting drinking isn't easy for most people. Most heavy drinkers do better if they taper off. Quitting cold turkey can put you into a nasty withdrawal, which in itself, can bring its own set of problems. Having a support circle is important in quitting drinking. AA has chapters nation wide where drinkers and their families can get the support they need. There are also medications that can be taken to help you over the
worst part of quitting.

Number seven is getting out of debt. This might entail budget counseling. Whether you do it on your own or get help with a budget, getting out of debt will repay itself over and over during your lifetime.

Number eight is learning something new. If something has had your interest for several years and you haven't pursued it, maybe now is the time. Check with your local college or technical school to see if they have courses in your interest. If language is your interest check into Rosetta Stone.

Number nine is helping others. You can volunteer or help others in several ways. You can give donations to a worthy cause of your choice. You can also help out at soup kitchens or visit the elderly or people in hospital. Also, donating good used furniture and clothing will be of great help to many.

Number ten, though last on the list and still important, is getting organized. Knowing where things are and that they can always be located is important in running your home or your office. Visit your local office supply store for ideas, check out your friends' homes, or hire a professional to come in and get you organized. Any way you approach it, you'll be happier in the long run. Of course, if you are in really bad shape, you can call "Clean House".

The first day on a new job can give most anyone a case of the jitters. I'm no exception. Today was the first day on my new job and I didn't know if I was nervous, excited, or a combination of the two.

As often happens, I didn't have to be nervous at all. I was made totally at ease and was told to just do the best I could with the training I had and ask questions. Today was day two; it went much better.

Being nervous over starting a new venture is common to many people. Many cope with the jitters by meditating and quieting their minds; others exercise to wear it off; still others spend time in prayer and ask for guidance and peace of mind. Still others use a combination of the three to overcome nervousness.

Meditation will help you calm your mind by focusing on something, or nothing, to clear your mind of they thoughts that make you nervous. Exercise will help you work to increase endorphines that will help you feel better about situations. Prayer will help you home in on your source of strength, ask for help, and feel the deep peace that believing in prayer can bring. I try to combine all three to round out my jitter control.

No matter what you do to ward off the jitters you will feel better if you just do it. Sitting around thinking about a situation that makes you nervous will only make matters worse. The more you think of it, the more nervous you will become. So, meditate, go for a walk, and say a quick prayer for strength and peace. The nervousness will not go away entirely but taking these steps will make it easier to deal with.

That's right, we were without internet service the entire weekend. We have a bundle from our cable company that has television, phone, and internet all in one. When one part goes down, the whole thing goes down. It happened to be late enough in the day that they couldn't schedule anyone to come out until this morning.

It really was a downer for me because I couldn't write any articles, and I couldn't share my good news with all of you. I have a new full time job. I'll be cashier at the 55 Plus park we live in. That means I'll be collecting the rents, making bank deposits, and whatever else they come up with for me to do. Don't worry though. I'll still be writing articles for this site. I enjoy doing that because it encourages me to research things I might not otherwise do.

You might wonder if being without internet and television for 48 hours did any damage to us. Not hardly! We actually sat and talked with eachother like we hadn't done for quite some time. We got a few projects done around the house because we weren't glued to either machine. I got some devotions read, and started a very good book. We spent time with some good friends and got acquainted with new neighbors. We took walks and enjoyed the white squirrels that live in our park. (This park was written up in a wildlife magazine a few years ago because of all the white squirrels that live here.) Yes, we both missed having the TV and the internet but I think it actually did us good to be without it for a couple of days. Your family should try it sometime, you might be surprised at what you find.

MySquirrelBait.com

Detox with Essential Oils

Different Holiday Recipes

New Year's Resolutions

First Day Jitters

OMGosh!! No Internet!!