Essential Oils for Energy and Raw Ginger-Date Balls : Feel Good Friday

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” Benjamin Franklin

(Companion essential oil: Young Living En-R-Gee™)

Energy and persistence may well conquer all things, but what happens if your get up and go got up and went and all you feel is exhausted and dog-tired to the core?   Your idea of persistence might be pulling the bedclothes over your head and planting a Do Not Disturb sign on your door with Liquid Nails® rather than Blu-Tack.

I’m all for the metaphysical slant on things. By going straight to how you want to feel and simply choosing to feel that way, we really can use the ‘mind over matter’ philosophy to our advantage.

‘Act as if,’ has a more enlightened manner than the ‘Fake it ‘til you make it,’ which can feel like you need to fist pump and chest bump the nearest object. (If it’s a brick wall, reach for the lavender fast!)

But have you ever had those days when try as you might, you just aren’t able to muster up the effort? I’m talking about physical energy, here, where you’re struggling to get through the afternoon productively and dragging your heels over taking your pooch for a walk when you get home.

Let’s reach for some essential oils, since that’s what you’re probably here for. (It’s not called The Good Oil Daily for nothing.)

As far as single oils go, one of the handiest and most versatile oils you can keep nearby is peppermint and it’s tremendous for energising and invigorating. Young Living includes it in the Everyday Oils Collection which is a bunch of 5mL oils that create a core mainstay on which you can build.

Authentic mentha piperita is steam distilled from the leaves and stems of mint. Peppermint is refreshing and when we feel refreshed, we automatically feel more energetic. If you’re a peppermint tea drinker, you know full well how it clears the head in the middle of the afternoon and is better avoided later in the evening unless you plan on dancing on tables at midnight o’clock.  Peppermint tea is a welcome beverage all over the world.  In Morocco, for instance, minty green tea is a traditional welcome refreshment offered to visitors. Rather than using a dried herb, fresh mint is crushed and added with sugar to green tea to revive flagging spirits.

HOW TO USE?

Genuine peppermint essential oil can be inhaled directly from the bottle. Or a drop can be rubbed together between your palms then cupped over your nose for inhalation which gives the quickest response versus rubbing on the soles of your feet. (Don’t let it get near your eyes!) That said, I love to rub peppermint oil on my calves and shins, too, as the invigoration of its cooling sensation is generally energising along with making tired legs feel sparkier.

So if you only have a small selection of single oils to play with, peppermint is your first port of call for energising at any time of day.

When you’re ready for a targeted oil that’s been especially orchestrated for the job, Young Living En-R-Gee™ is a beauty!

Once you’ve tried it, you’ll make sure you always have it in your oils collection, as it’s really pretty remarkable with its fast and long-lasting effects. But don’t take my word for it. Its actions speak louder than my words.

En-R-Gee™ includes the essential oils of:

• juniper (elevates awareness)
• nutmeg (awesome for energising)
• black pepper (another all-over energiser)

If you have a USB diffuser for your essential oils in the car and office, En-R-Gee™ is definitely one you’ll love inhaling, and it has a rather fresh and spicy smell that’s very appealing, too.  And it’s ideal for standard room diffusers. Please click here to learn more about why diffusing is a ‘Must Do’, not a ‘Maybe Sometime’.

HOW TO USE?

Rub a few drops of En-R-Gee™ on the soles of your feet and up your shins then hold your hands over the back of your neck for a few moments to allow it to absorb there as well. As always, follow the labels and usual safety guidelines.

As I’m writing, last night’s lack of sleep is catching up with me, so I’m about to practise what I’m encouraging and crack open a bottle of En-R-Gee™ myself. That To Do List isn’t getting any shorter on its own.   And I want to whip up a batch of Raw Ginger-Date Energy Balls to eat on the run. You’re welcome to do the same.

Raw Ginger-Date Energy Balls

Recipe adapted from Organic Connections Magazine

Makes 18 to 24 balls

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw almonds
• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses or switch 1 tblsp or the molasses for Young Living Blue Agave Nectar
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla bean paste or organic vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• Shredded coconut for rolling, spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet

Instructions

• Place all ingredients into a food processor
• Mix until blended and smooth
• A “dough ball” will form. Wet hands and roll dough into 1ʺ (2.5cm) balls
• Roll balls through the coconut until coated
• Store balls in a sealed container, separating layers with a sheet of greaseproof paper
• Try to save some for tomorrow

Have a great weekend, and enjoy the good oil daily.

The information on this site does not constitute advice. Please consult with your health practitioner. When using any of the products mentioned throughout this site, please be sure to read the labels and follow their suggestions for safe use.