In a 4 oz bottle, combine the following:

1/2 oz of grain alcohol (avoid the temptation to drink it;-)
3 drops blood orange essential oil (EO)
3 drops black pepper EO
3 drops cedarwood EO
3 drops bergamot EO
4 drops ylang ylang EO
4 drops rose absolute EO

Shake bottle vigorously to emulsify the EO’s and then add a 1/2 oz. of vegetable glycerine, shaking again.

Lastly, top off with your choice of rosewater, lavender water or plain ole distilled water.  And one more time: “Shake, shake, shake señora!”

The oils I chose for this mix contain sedative and / or anti-depressant properties, so every time stress approaches, just bust out the bottle, shake and and spray!  As your heart rate slows down,  close your eyes and count backwards from 10.  Life will be all good again! Since I live in Florida, where November highs are still between the mid 80’s & low 90’s, I keep my bottle in the fridge, but that’s not necessary.

BTW, this spray has many uses. Besides being used as a body spray, it can be also be used as a room and / or car freshener, a doggie odor blaster or a linen spray; and the EO anti-bacterial / anti-viral properties give it enough chutzpah to work as a hand sanitizer too – how’s that for all-purpose?!

Enjoy in health,
barbara-ann

At nearly $30 for a 4 oz bottle, it’s definitely an investment. But if you follow the directions exactly as specified, the plaque and tartar will dissipate in a reasonably short time period.   And since it’s used less over time, the cost per use will substaintialy decrease (thank goodness!)  Veterinary teeth cleanings typically start at $180….and the cost goes WAY up if there is plaque buildup, gum disease and / or tooth removal.

Not only will your pooch’s teeth be healthier and look nicer, but dog breath may also improve with the removal of plaque and tartar. Speaking of dog breath, be sure to checkout Sweet Kiss, which is a natural, effective treatment for dog breath now available in my new online store!  Formulated with an effective chlorophyll concentrate and peppermint essential oil, it alleviates doggie breath (and body odor) in the short and long term.

Oral care is an extremely important part of your dog’s overall health.  Even just rubbing a dry gauze om his molars every other day can be beneficial.  Every little bit helps!

In Health,
barbara-ann

In health,
barbara-ann

If you want your 4-legged fur baby to be part of the family long term, preventing plaque and tartar buildup on teeth (that icky-looking brown stuff typically seen on back molars) is critical. A good oral hygeine program includes brushing their pearly whites a few times weekly with a toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs, feeding a high quality crunchy dog food and providing hard chews, like nylabones.  These three things will go a very long way in preventing that yucky buildup on their teeth. Not only is it unattractive, but it may ultimately result in heart problems and a host of other health conditions. Oral health is directly linked to the health of many other body organs, so please take care of Fido’s teeth!.

For a quick, easy, temporary “breath freshening remedy”, here’s a quick recipe for natural breath drops most dogs LOVE:

1) In a 1/2-oz glass bottle with dropper, dispense 4 drops of peppermint essential oil and then top off with vegetable glycerin.

2) Shake well and then dispense a few drops into your dog’s mouth. The first time, you may want to let Fido smell the dropper before dispensing the drops ino the mouth so he can become familiar with the “new treat”. Often, the dog will start licking the dropper, which is your cue that he’s “ready to receive”!

3) You’ll be amazed at how fresh his breath smells immediately after! While only a temporary solution for freshening breath, it’s a delightful treat for your dog. As peppermint essential oil helps increase energy levels, your dog is likely to be elated afterwards (and may run around as he does once his bath is over)!

This recipe is safe for humans too, so you may wanna whip up a couple batches:-)  If you’re not into mixing your own products, check out Sweet Kiss, which reduces bad breath and body odor over the short and long term.

Enjoy in good health!
barbara-ann

Chlorophyll is often included in breath mints, gums and mouthwashes because of its breath freshening properties.  Because of the potential health risks associated with using anti-perspirants (AP), I have wanted to give up my AP habit and try a safer solution, like Dr. Hauschka’s for years.  But living in Florida AND not wearing AP results in profuse sweating AND stinkies, which have created “barriers to entry”, so to speak!

I can attest to the fact that daily supplemention with high quality chlorophyll reduces body odor in my 2 dogs (I use Sweet Kiss) who spend hours playing in the dirt everyday!  So as we head into fall and Florida temperatures start dropping into the 80’s (bbbrrrrrrrr!), it may be high time for me to toss my AP to the curb and add some chlorophyll to my daily supplement arsenal!  After all, why should the doggies be the only ones smelling fresh sans anti-perspirant?!

1. Cut up 1/2-inch thick slices of organic sweet potatoes with a serrated edge knife (or use a food processer with a similar attachment).

2.  Mix together natural herbs of chamomile and lavender (both uber-calming) and add to some veggie broth.

3.  Soak the sweet potatoes for a couple of nights in the herbal broth mixture.

4.  There are several ways to slowly dehydrate them.  One is to use a food dehydrator.  Some ovens have a dehydration setting as well.   Another is to place them on a cookie sheet with air holes or openings (anything to allow air in) and then set the oven temp to the lowest setting and cook until hardened.  Time varies, but the “oven version” typically takes anywhere from 4 t o 8 hours.  You can shorten the time between 30% and 40% by using the convection setting on your oven.   It may take some trial and error, but my dogs haven’t turned down a batch I’ve made yet!

“If it’s safe to eat, then it’s safe to put on the body”, says barbara-ann!  Not that I advise drinking the stuff, but if some accidental ingestion occurs, no worries.  LOVE that!:-)

Treat your left wing lab to Democratic donkeys packaged in a stunning cobalt blue foil bag! As for your conservative corgi, perhaps the Republican elephants packed in a power red foil bag would be more appropriate. Either way, these treats pawsitively fit the bill!

Check ‘em out below.  Have a happy, healthy Labor day!

http://www.capitoldogbakery.com

All of their products are made from unbleached, organically grown fibers and the dyes are actually extracted from plants.  SimplyFido toys are safe, soft and sweet.  In terms of gift-giving to my pets on every holiday imaginable, I plead guilty.  Along with an iced easter bunny cookie from the local health barkery, my spoiled li’l ones will each be getting a toy from SimplyFido this Easter – a lamb for my old Holly and a bunny for my energetic Jonah.  Arf!