CAREGIVING: Tips on How To Cope

Anyone involved in caregiving could use tips on how to cope. If you’re reading this post chances are you are already familiar with how stressful caregiving can be both for the patient and the caregiver. It’s not uncommon for caregivers and patients alike to experience a range of emotions- stress, anger, guilt, agitation, and resentment just to name a few. Below you’ll find some powerful tips to help everyone concerned deal with the common range of emotions and issues that surround this topic.

First and foremost, please remember you can’t pour from an empty vessel. Its vitally important for you to take care of yourself as well as your loved one. When you take on too much responsibility and become overwhelmed it easily leads to stress, resentment, guilt, illness and even damaged relationships. When you take time to nourish yourself both physically and mentally you’ll be better equipped to deal with everyone’s needs with a more positive attitude, and have the energy to do so. Putting yourself first in this situation benefits not only you but your loved one too, and others around you. You’ll have more energy and be more relaxed, and less likely to overreact. It’s a win-win for all concerned.

YOUR SENSE OF SMELL

Essential oils have the power to change the vibes of any atmosphere!

Aromas have a profound impact in your mind. The sense of smell is the only one of your senses that has a direct connection to the limbic lobe, or emotional control center, of your brain. The limbic lobe is made of structures that play a major role in controlling mood, memory, behavior, and emotion; it is connected to the olfactory bulb in the nose. When a scent arrives to the limbic system, your body responds by releasing unique chemicals into your brain, causing different reactions depending on the aromas detected. Knowing this helps us to understand why smell plays such an important role in memory, thought processes, mood, perception, emotions, and overall cognition. The use of essential oils delivers far more benefits than just providing a nice smelling scent!

 
PREPARE FOR THE DAY

-Apply STRESS AWAY upon waking, or after showering behind ear and below ear lobes. Stress Away is the first Young Living blend of oils to contain the unique stress-relieving combination of lime and vanilla essential oils. Stress Away also includes copaiba and lavender to reduce mental rigidity and restore equilibrium. Featuring powerful plant constituents, such as the cedrol found in cedarwood and the eugenol that occurs naturally in vanilla, Stress Away can help induce relaxation and reduce occasional nervous tension.*

-Apply VALOR to the top and bottom of your spine, and feet to help strengthen you physically and spiritually. Valor is one of our top-selling blend of oils. It was formulated to instill feelings of courage, confidence and self-esteem, which in turn helps to overcome anger and negative emotions, thus promoting a sense of self-control.

-Begin each day with prayer and meditation to help connect with God and center your thoughts and emotions. There are many different oils or blends that work well in this area. You might want to try diffusing and/or applying one of the following to the crown of the head, on the forehead and temples… 3 WISE MEN, FRANKINCENSE, AWAKEN, SACRED MOUNTAIN, WHITE ANGELICA, HUMILITY, JOY, or HOPE.

 
NOURISH YOUR BODY WITH HEALTHY NUTRIENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY

Eating healthy is a key component to making sure that you’re giving your body all the nourishment it needs. I know, this can be easier said than done when you’re a caregiver, right? Trust me… I get it! If this is a problem area for you set aside one day a week to plan and cook healthy meals for the coming week ahead. The internet is a great tool to use to find quick and healthy meals. Ask your social media friends and family for recipes. Prepare and then freeze some or all of your meals in advance. It’ll help reduce the stress of trying to figure out what’s for dinner or just grabbing some junk food to eat, especially on those days when you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

…NINGXIA RED: Infused with Lemon, Orange, Yuzu, and Tangerine essential oils, NingXia Red is a delicious daily supplement that includes juices and extracts from superfruits such as aronia, plum, blueberry, pomegranate, and—best of all—exotic Ningxia wolfberries. This delicious supplement packs a big punch, offering benefits that include support for normal eye health, cellular function, and energy levels. Add the benefits of NingXia Red to your life by drinking 2–4 ounces twice daily to support overall wellness.*

…MASTER FORMULA: Master Formula is a full spectrum, multinutrient complex, providing premium vitamins, minerals, and food-based nutriment to support general health and well-being. By utilizing a Synergistic Suspension Isolation process – SSI Technology – ingredients are delivered in three distinct delivery forms. Collectively, these ingredients provide a premium, synergistic complex to support your body.* -Cert’d vegan, non-GMO, free of sugar, wheat, gluten & dairy

…ESSENTIALZYMES-4: Daily use enhances nutrient absorption, unlocks food minerals, improves critical energy uptake derived from food, and supports the generation of vital amino acids needed
for healthy cells and organs. Each capsule is infused with essential oils such as lemongrass (which is use in many teas to soothe the minor digestive discomfort.). ginger, and fennel to soothe and assist with minor intestinal discomfort.*

…SUPER B: A comprehensive vitamin complex containing all eight essential, energy-boosting B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12). Recently reformulated, it now Features Orgen-FA®*, a natural folate source derived from lemon peels, and methylcobalamin, a more bioavailable source of B12. It not only assists in maintaining healthy energy levels, but it also supports mood and cardiovascular and cognitive function. B vitamins are essential to our health and well-being, and each B vitamin performs a unique and separate function in the body. Unfortunately, they quickly depleted by stress and must be replenished daily, as they are not stored in the body.

…MINERAL ESSENCE: It’s a balanced, full-spectrum ionic mineral complex enhanced with essential oils. According to two time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling PhD. “You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.” Ionic minerals are the most fully and quickly absorbed form of minerals available.

…CORTISTOP®: A proprietary dietary supplement designed to help the body maintain its natural balance and harmony.* When under stress, the body produces cortisol. When cortisol is produced too frequently, it can have negative health consequences such as feelings of fatigue, difficulty maintaining healthy weight, and difficulty maintaining optimal health of cardiovascular systems. CortiStop supports the glandular systems of women.*

 
OILS FOR THE STRESS AND EMOTIONS

When stress levels go up, cortisol goes up. When cortisol (aka The Death Hormone) goes up and stays up bad things happen. Elevated cortisol levels are toxic when they’re left circulating in our system for prolonged periods of time. Secreted by the adrenal glands, cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” because it is produced in high levels as the body’s as the body’s natural “fight or flight” response to stressful events.

The following tips for keeping your emotions in a healthy place are a good starting place but certainly not the end all, be all. Give them a try. If they don’t work for you then try another, and another, until you find what works for you and your body, or situation. Generally speaking, try applying 3-5 drops undiluted on lower back, abdomen, ankles, wrists, neck or feet. After applying cup hands over nose and take a few deep, slow inhalations.

ANGER / AGITATION: Try diffusing PEACE & CALMING, STRESS AWAY, JOY or CARDAMON. If you’re out and about and can’t use a diffuser try applying behind ear and below ear lobes.

ENERGY BOOST- Give EN-R-GEE, IMMUPOWER or PEPPERMINT a try. Try diffusing, or if you’re out and about and can’t use a diffuser try applying to bottoms of feet or at top and bottom of spine.

OVERWHELMED- The “tree” oils can be very strengthening… IDAHO BLUE SPRUCE, NORTHERN LIGHTS BLACK SPRUCE, IDAHO BALSAM FIR, PINE, and EVERGREEN ESSENCE (contains a variety of aromatic pine, cedar, and spruce trees). Try applying over the kidney/adrenal gland area and bottoms of feet to help ground yourself.

MOOD SWINGS- Try diffusing 3 WISE MEN, JOY, IDAHO BLUE SPRUCE, NORTHERN LIGHT BLACK SPRUCE. If you’re out and about and can’t use a diffuser try applying behind ear and below ear lobes.

 
Give one or more of these tips a try throughout the day for at least a couple of weeks and see what happens. I’m confident that it could make a big difference and work out a lot better than you might imagine.

Please let me know if you try any of these and share your results.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Young Living products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.