Deep Blue Comes Through!

Into my 40's I still have a 20's mindset - thinking there's no way I shouldn't be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. The reality is, my body doesn't recover like it used to, nor does it maintain muscle gain as it once did without a more concerted and consistent effort. The added effects of birthing two kids back-to-back in less than 18 months nearly eight years ago, wreaked havoc on my abdominal wall and dependable core strength. 

Running was always my go-to fix, as well as my peaceful place when my husband took over baby duty after work. But three years ago, when training for the Bolder Boulder 10k throughout late winter and early spring, I suffered some majorly debilitating overuse injuries caused by structural mis-alignment and core instability. I ran the race in surprising fair time despite searing and gimp-inducing knee pain starting at mile three.

I took the rest of the summer off, unable to muster even a jog, and in the fall, at the encouragement of a dear friend, tried ZUMBA and more mindful ways to strengthen.

And with that lengthy prologue, the point is, I maintain a moderate level of fitness to do the things I love, like hike up and ski down mountains, bike, and juke the soccer ball on the field with our kids. However, up until this most recent experience, frequent little injuries just seemed to linger despite my usual ibuprofen dosing and icing.

Super Bowl Sunday, I joined the last-minute masses in the aisles of the local grocery. Amazingly, I remembered to stuff under my arm a few reusable bags to avoid the $.20 fee. I do love the fact that sturdy reusable bags can hold nearly twice as much as plastic grocery bags, but when I got home, like a BOSS, I still grabbed a fistful of handles, and proceeded to back-arm the heavy-duty truck door closed. Crap. The initial twinge in my posterior deltoid caught my attention, and by half-time, I had no use of my left arm. I had fearful flashbacks of two years ago, when I tore the cartilage in my right shoulder and was semi-functionally unilateral for months. 

Sunday night, the synthetic anti-inflammatory dosing ensued as normal, but after experiencing the power of essential oils in so many other ways over this past year, I broke out doTerra's Deep Blue blend, and added a light massage of 3-4 drops of this earth-harvested mix of oils over my shoulder blade. I gingerly rolled into bed onto my good side, and set the vibes to positive.

I did manage to "single-handedly" (pun intended) teach ZUMBA to my group of regulars on Tuesday, glad that they already knew the routines when moves called for both arms. And by miracle or better yet, the magic of Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Helichrysum, and Osmanthus, I was 80% functional by Thursday's Zumba class, and 100% bilateral today - just over a week later! My gals couldn't believe it. 

With support from essential oils, I feel like I'm 20 again... but hotter and smarter!  Ha! No leaping tall buildings needed... I'll just go hike up an 11,000 ft. hill. 

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Deep Blue is a remarkable blend containing oils that are revered for their ability to reduce swelling, diminish discomfort, and alleviate soreness. For larger areas, use with Fractionated Coconut Oil. Other options of application include the Deep Blue Rub and Deep Blue Roll-On. For my shoulder, I applied 3-4 drops directly with light massage twice a day for 3-4 days. In your case, apply as needed to soothe discomfort and support a healthy tissue response.

Find your relief. Order at www.mydoterra.com/mountaingaia.