The appeal of the familiar and lively scent of orange makes it one of the world’s most popular scents.

The scent of orange or orange essential oil adds an uplifting quality to blends and combines especially well with lavender, rose, and spices oils like clove bud.

And this is just my theory, but I think it’s impossible to be sad or depressed while smelling the scent of orange!

Aromatherapy Benefits of Orange:

• Refreshing
• Uplifting
• Cheering
• Flights Depression & Winter Blues
• It’s The Scent of “YES!”

Another one of my favorites around the holidays is the scent of clove, which just so happens to go perfectly with orange.

Clove buds or clove bud oil is a sweet, spicy aroma that’s familiar and comforting. Clove bud adds warmth to blends containing lavender, bergamont, and clary sage.

Aromatherapy Benefits of Clove:

• Warming
• Anti-microbial
• Sense-enlivening
• Comforting

It’s also an excellent oil for diffusion especially with the scent of orange to create a cheerful, positive atmosphere.

Here’s my favorite recipe for easy at-home holiday comfort aromatherapy if you don’t have a diffuser machine, or if you just want a fun project with kids.

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 orange (sliced)
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon orange essential oil
1 1/2 clove bud essential oil

Instructions:
Place orange slices and cloves in a pan and simmer water.  Add orange  & clove essential oils to create a comforting homespun atmosphere. TIP: add more water as needed as it evaporate

Enjoy!

P.S. Want to Use This Article in your E-Zine or Website? You can, as long as you include this complete tag with it:

Holistic Nutrition Coach, Rose Cole, publishes the Wellness With Rose “Natural Health & Nutrition Tips” email newsletter.  If you’re ready to lose the last 10-20 stubborn pounds without dieting, and increase your energy all-naturally, get your free subscription at www.RoseCole.com!

Minor health issues can deteriorate into major dilemmas more quickly, memories become less clear, relationships become harder to maintain – all due to stress.

How can we take time out to slow down? Is it possible to take a step back to a simpler existence? How can we learn to slow down and really enjoy life, get our health back, and renew our spirits? It’s a radical thought, one that requires radical change.

That’s where a Radical Sabbatical comes in. I’m sure you’ve heard of a sabbatical – it’s taking time off from your job, without pay, with the intention of returning at the end of a specified time.

But what is a Radical Sabbatical? The goal is to radically change your existence. Change your body, your mind and your soul. You get a chance to reconnect to your inner voice and discover what the important things in your life are.

Life is too short to spend slaving away working for someone else. Or slaving away for yourself for that matter!

If you’re looking for a change, I’ve got the perfect place for you. I just got back from Costa Rica, and let me tell you, it was the perfect place to reconnect with my inner voice.

The beautiful beaches, lush vegetation and lots of yoga retreats and wellness centers make it the ideal place to slow down and get back both your health and your sanity. Here’s an interesting blog about Costa Rica: http://www.costaricaviews.com/.

But if Costa Rica isn’t your thing, find your version of Costa Rica. Where have you always wanted to go? Make it happen!

Question From A Reader:

Dear Rose,

I’m tired all the time unless I drink coffee in the morning. I can’t seem to lose this 10 pounds to save my life, even though I exercise and eat pretty healthy. I think I have adrenal exhaustion or adrenal fatigue, but how can I tell?

~ Anna, from Chicago

Rose’s Answer:

Seems like everybody’s under stress nowadays. When you’re body is under too much stress it causes your adrenal glands to be exhaustion for being on overload, and it can make it literally impossible to lose weight, cause depression, and cause you to have little to no energy.

80% of all doctor visits in the US are from stress related conditions & 90% all diseases are caused or complicated by stress.

Adrenal exhaustion in the #1 cause of the problems that people come to me for, and I’m not just talking about work stress here.

Stress & Adrenal Exhaustion Causes:

- Weight gain – even on a low calorie diet
- Tired or low energy – rely on caffeine for energy
- Speeds up the aging process – Look & feel older
- Depression/Anxiety
- throws off your hormones
- suppresses your thyroid

I can’t tell you how many of my clients will tell me that they started gaining weight 6 months to a year after a traumatic or stressful event like losing a loved one, or a divorce.

How to Tell if You Have Adrenal Exhaustion:

The stress of the economy, of raising kids, of trying to lose weight, even flying across time zones is stressful to your body, and all this compiled is what is causing our bodies to be in a constant state of “fight or flight” and it’s wreaking havoc on our bodies.

Whether you’re in real danger, or you’re just worrying about something, your body reacts the same. And when your body *thinks* it is in danger, it releases cortisol which turns on the switch to store glucose as fat for reserves for what it thinks is an emergency, instead of using that glucose for energy, thus making us fat and tired.

I can’t tell you how many of my clients will tell me that they started gaining weight 6 months to a year after a traumatic or stressful event like losing a loved one, or a divorce.

Adrenal Exhaustion Signs:

1. Do you ever feel light-headed when you stand up too quickly?

2. Do you crave salt and/or salty foods?

3. Look in a mirror and stick out your tongue. Is it shaky? Can you hold it still? that’s a sure sign. Seriously – I know it sounds crazy, but it’s a tell-tale sign.

4. Are you jumpy or easily startled? If someone jumps around a corner and yells “BOO”! does it always scare you?

5. Do you have difficulty losing weight, even when you exercise and eat right?

6. Do you wake up tired, even after 6 or more hours of sleep?

7. Do you need caffeine to get going in the morning, or to get through the afternoon?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, there is a high probability that you are suffering from adrenal exhaustion (also known as adrenal fatigue).

So what can you do about it?

Healing your adrenal glands takes time, it doesn’t happen over night. When I do saliva testing in my one-on-one practice it usually takes 6 months to a year for them to improve. So this is a process, and requires that you use several different angles or approaches at the same time to help take stress off of them, and then give them what they need to repair and heal. The only thing I’ve ever seen work long-term is using the ‘holistic approach’.

These are just 4 of the many things I’ve used to repair mine…

4 Steps to rebuild your adrenals:

Step #1
One of the things you can do is to switch from table salt (sodium chloride) to Celtic Sea Salt. The reason you crave salt is that your adrenal glands have depleted your minerals, and you need minerals to repair the adrenal cortex. Celtic Sea Salt contains over 80 minerals that your body *needs* desperately. You can use it on your food, or add it to water to make mineral water. Us it liberally, you can’t use too much of this stuff. This is THE best place to get it: http://www.tryvrp.com/

Step #2
Next, try Alternate Nostril Breathing. It may sound silly, but it literally sends a message that calms your body and mind – making you feel safe. It balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and flips the switch in your mind that you switched on when you started worrying about whatever you were worrying about. You can check out my video about it here to see how.

Step #3
Another thing to do is to load up on B vitamins. To rebuild your adrenal cortex, B vitamins are absolutely essential. My favorite is Bio-B100 from Biotics Research. They’re a fantastic company, but you have to set up an account to place an order over the phone. Call this number (800) 231-5777 and give them this number: 05TD9354. This will allow you set up an account of your own to place the order.

Step #4
Finally, my “10 Week Transformation Program” is perfect for getting your body back into balance. This program address adrenal exhaustion, and helps to increase your energy and lose fat by getting to the root cause of your weight gain. The “10 Week Transformation” Program addresses adrenal exhaustion, hormonal imbalances, thyroid issues and cleansing your body of toxins. Call 888-898-WELL for more info, or this link for all the details: http://www.rosecole.com/programs/transformation

Please forward this to anyone you know who may be suffering with these ailments or who could benefit from this information.

Even though that’s the school of thought going ’round these days, it is absolutely not true.

Have you ever heard of flower essences? They are amazingly powerful, yet very gentle derivatives of flowers. The formula I like to use is also combined with other homeopathic ingredients, and together they can literally help you lose weight and boost your feelings of well-being.

You’ve probably heard me say this before, but I’ll say it again… you can’t permanently loss weight being calm and happy – because when you are stressed and anxious, turns on your body’s fat storing mechanism.

The reason it’s so hard to link stress to weight gain is that stress often has a delayed reacting in the body. So this mean you could go through a divorce, but not have it show up on your waistline for 6 months to a year!

I personally started using flower essence when I had bouts of depression and anxiety for years, and I keep using different formulas because I love the way it makes me feel.

They are very subtle, and have absolutely no side effects. In fact you probably won’t even feel them working, you’ll just notice one day the emotional issue you had isn’t there anymore. They can be a great natural alternative to prescription meds for anxiety, stress, and depression.

For more information on what flower essence are and how to pick the right one for you check out this page I put together on the different essences offered through Apex Energetix in their Futureplex line, my favorite place to get flower essences.

With all of the planning that goes into taking a trip, it’s easy to be exhausted before the trip even begins!

Try these super easy tips to make sure you’re rested and ready to go when you get there. (or so that you don’t feel like a train hit you when you get back!)

#1: Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!
Drink plenty of water, especially if the trip is a long one. It will not only help you stave off fatigue, but it will keep the muscle aches at bay. The conditioned air of cars, trains & planes will leave your skin and body dried out. Stay away from alcohol, which will increase the dryness even more. Find a good skin tonic and spritz your face to keep your skin healthy. If you are on a plane, make sure you drink at least 8 oz of H2O per hour to ward off dehydration!

#2: Take a Walk
Sitting for long periods of time will not only cause your legs to cramp, but can actually cause a dangerous condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis. If you are in a car, stop at a rest area and walk about a bit. If you are on a plane or train, try to walk up and down the aisles at least once an hour. Make sure to bend and stretch your legs while you sit, and roll your head and shoulders around to avoid a stiff neck.

#3: Ear Plugs!
That might be a bit excessive, or maybe not. Kids, engines & chatty neighbors can wear you out and leave you on edge. Pop your ipod in your ears, or wear some noise-reduction headphones. As soon as I get on the plane, I put in my ear plugs. You will not regret it when you get there with your sanity intact!

#4: Get Lost with Lavender
Lavender is known to help with relaxation. A neck pillow or even a sachet will calm your stress levels and your soul. Or try dropping just a couple drops of lavender essential oil to your palms, cup over your face, and take 3-4 deep breaths.

#5: Book a Spa Date Before You Get There
There is nothing like a good massage to rejuvenate the weary traveler. Think ahead and book the appointment before you get there; busy resort spas often book up fast. It’s well worth the extra cash.

Have a great trip!

I’m lying there trying to go to sleep, and all I can think about are the things I have to do the next day – and if I forget one thing, or if something doesn’t work out right, I could lose my house, or who knows what else. It tends to spiral from there. And then, next thing I know it’s 3am and I am still not asleep.

And the thing is, I know that there isn’t any point in worrying. It doesn’t get me anywhere, and I sure as heck have realized that 99% of the stuff I worry about never ever happens.

And I also know that this kind of behavior does nothing but simulate a “fight or flight” mentality in my body. See, my body (and yours too, when you let anxiety and stress rule your life) can’t tell the difference between real danger and imagined danger. And when your body thinks it is in danger, it goes into panic mode.

The results of your body being in panic mode is that your body produces an excess amount of cortisol which causes your body to store excess fat. It also keeps you from losing weight, and can make you both depressed and excessively tired. None of that is good, right?

So, here’s what I do to counteract this part of my personality.

First, I practice Alternate Nostril Breathing. It helps your body calm down naturally, and tricks your mind into thinking you are “safe”.

Second, I use something I learned from Bryan Tracy (an amazing psychologist). I think about the thing I’m worried about, and I ask myself – worst case scenario, what if it does happen? Will I live? And, yeah, I generally will. The results may suck, but I will live through it, whatever it is.

Also, thing Bryan Tracy says is that you should put whatever you need to into place to make sure whatever it is that you are worried about cannot happen! This may or may not be possible in every case – but you’ve got to do your best. Then you have a clear conscious.

And finally, I keep a notebook and pen by my bed to make sure that I’m able to write down anything that pops up, so I don’t forget to deal with it the next day. Then my mind can relax.

Trust me, anxiety doesn’t do anything good for you. Learn can learn to overcome it, and it may be the missing puzzle piece to losing the extra weight.