In most cases, doctors do not know the cause of restless legs syndrome; however, they suspect that genes play a role. Nearly half of people with RLS also have a family member with the condition. Other factors associated with the development or worsening of restless legs syndrome include:

• Chronic diseases. Certain chronic diseases and medical conditions, including iron deficiency, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy often include symptoms of RLS. Treating these conditions often gives some relief from RLS symptoms.
• Medications. Some types of medications, including antinausea drugs, antipsychotic drugs, some antidepressants, and cold and allergy medications containing sedating antihistamines, may worsen symptoms.
• Pregnancy. Some women experience RLS during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. Symptoms usually go away within a month after delivery.

Other factors, including alcohol use and sleep deprivation, may trigger symptoms or make them worse.

Good sleep routine. Throwing off your sleep pattern can make your RLS symptoms worse. Try going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning. To get deep sleep, it may help to go to bed a little later and get up later. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable. Keep the TV and computer out of the bedroom.
Change your temperature. Try a cool shower or a soak in a warm bath before bedtime. Experiment with either a heating pad or an ice pack on your legs. Sometimes just a change in temperature helps.
Massage. Rubbing your muscles, especially your calves, may help ease your pain and symptoms. Try massage right before bed to see if it helps you get a more restful night's sleep. I make an amazing oil massage blend that could really help with this! Also a 10ml essential oil roller that you can take with you, for on the go relief! 
Exercise. Regular, mild exercise during the day may help. Take a short walk or try some simple stretching exercises before bed. Be careful you don't exercise too hard, even if it's early in the day. Too much or too vigorous exercise can make your RLS symptoms worse.
Stress relief. Stress can cause your RLS to flare and make symptoms worse. Find ways that help you relax and calm your anxiety. You might want to try deep breathing, yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or tai chi.

Below are some great starting points for you if you are looking to try to incorporate some supplemental nutrients into your daily routine! Nature's Sunshine has amazing quality products, and are always on hand to answer any questions you may have! Here in the next month, I will have my vitamins and supplements module complete with school, so I will be able to assist you even further! Everyone is unique, and has different goals/needs! But everyone deserves to be the best, healthiest version of themselves! I can help you on that journey!  

Lavender is an essential oil that I always keep in my stash! It is so versatile, and smells so yummy! But here are some ways to use Lavender; 
Burns, cuts, scars: Topical Application diluted 5% in carrier oil. If the wound is open, use undiluted in minute quantities. Helichrysum is preferable for larger injuries.
Sore muscles: Topical Application diluted 3-5% in carrier oil.
Anxiety: Diffusion, Topical Application diluted 5% in carrier oil, Aromatic Bath.
Sleep disturbances: Diffusion, Topical Application diluted 3-5% in carrier oil.
Safety Precautions
Generally non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and nontoxic. Be confident you are using true Lavender Oil, as Lavender is one of the most frequently adulterated essential oils.

ssential oils can have so many benefits for our pets, but we have to be safe when using them! Here are a few things to remember for safety first:

• ​DILUTE! It is very important to always dilute for topical use with cats/dogs. You will want to start out with your essential oils more diluted then you are used to, using a carrier oil such as coconut, almond or olive. You can always increase the intensity of the essential oil, once you are familiar to how he/she will react to it. Just like us, they have the potential of having a reaction to an oil. So we have to be observant after an application, the behavior will tell you if anything needs to be adjusted! 
• ​A cool mist diffuser is great to use around pets, but always use in a open room, and be sure to allow your pet to have the freedom to roam in and out. 
• Be aware of your pets health, and any medications they may be on. General rule of thumb for essential oil use topically, is to avoid using them if your pet is already using a topical medication or dermal patch. This includes any topical flea&tick preventatives also. Caution should be used around pregnant, nursing or young pets. 
• Do NOT use essential oils in, on or around the eyes, nose, ears, or genitals of your pet. 
• ​In the event of an adverse reaction, dilute with a carrier oil – skin irritation is the most common, and most reactions resolve within 24–48 hours after oil exposure. Discontinue use of an oil if your pet shows signs of distress, drooling, squinting, rubbing their face, vocalization, shaking, vomiting, or diarrhea. ​

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So glad you asked that question! :) A wonderfully diverse essential oil to start with for your animals, would be Lavender. 
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​Why Lavender? What is it good for? ​​Well, just like us, animals can get anxious about a change that is occurring in their life, or be stressed about a new move... maybe a new sibling? It can also help soothe "stressed", irritated or damaged skin, as well as ease muscle tension. Lavender is an over all "calm" for the sensory system as well as the physical system. 
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So we know that whenever using essential oils, especially with animals, we DILUTE them before applying topically, right? :) 

• ​Typically for dogs, you could use a ratio of 1 drop of lavender to 20-45 drops of a carrier oil. You could then apply directly over the area of concern, (avoiding the eyes, nose, or genitals). The pads of the paws and in-between the webbing are a great place to apply, as well as along the spine. 
• With cats its typically 1 drop of lavender to 100 drops of a carrier oil if applying topically. You can also apply along the spine, or just by petting gently over the area of concern (avoiding the eyes, nose, or genitals). If you have a diffuser, this method for cats is generally preferred. This way they can roam freely around the diffuser. 

What is calendula? Well, have you heard of Pot Marigolds... Beautiful bright shades of red and yellow petals! That my friends is what is most commonly cultivated and used to source calendula flowers, to make calendula oil. 
​So what can we use calendula oil for? Just to name a few different things with skin care...

• ​Skin issues such as dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis along with other skin issues can be nourished and soothed by using calendula oil, when applied topically in the form of a lotion, oil or salve. 
• Antifungal properties that are naturally present in calendula oil are wonderful for helping to treat ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch.
•  Antimicrobial and antiseptic action of the calendula oil helps heal wounds and minor cuts/scrapes. With that being said, those healing properties also help relieve acne, insect bites and bed sores. 
• Dry chapped skin will soak up the nourishing moisturizing properties of calendula oil. It will reduce the pain and soothe severely chapped or even split/cracked skin. 
• Anti-Inflammatory properties of calendula aids in the treatment for spider veins, varicose veins, and leg ulcers. Also works wonders on sprained muscles, bruises and reducing swelling from injury. 

​Those are all great ways to use calendula, and generally it is safe to use, however as with anything there are some precautions to be aware of.  If you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding you should avoid calendula. If you have a sensitivity to ragweed related plants (example: daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds) before using calendula, you should consult your health care provider. Also certain medications will interact with calendula, such as CNS depressants and sedative medications. Calendula plant may cause sleepiness, and taking a sedative along with the use of calendula could result in excess sleepiness. ​

Ok... so who here has laundry to wash? Ummmm I know I do! (quietly raises hand) And the laundry that I wash daily... well it is pretty dirty! For those that don't know, my husband works in the construction field, so does my eldest son, my middle son still plays football down at UofL, and visits when he can (with his laundry), and my youngest is an avid athlete who trains hard in the offseason from football, plays baseball, then goes right into the regular season of football (so all year round sports, & lots of dirt!)
​With that being said, I always sought out the diverse things to clean the laundry the best I could. Someone once gave me the nickname in my house as the "Laundry Fairy", and it has stuck! I mean I had the good name brand detergent, all the oxi cleans, fabric softener, those fragrance beads... everything to make them "SMELL" clean! Until one day, I was doing some research about the product I was using, and attempting to figure out what the actual ingredients were that were inside this bottle.... well let me just tell you that all that "smell good" in the bottle, is there to cover up formaldehyde. Yes, you read that correctly formaldehyde.

So... that is why so many synthetic materials/ingredients have to be added to the detergents, to make it have that "clean" smell, and cover up the FORMALDEHYDE!
​I think my mind was just so overwhelmed at that point, trying to figure out why these things are allowed to be used, and how can companies market things as "natural", or "green" when it has such harmful additives that have short and long term health issues tagged to those ingredients/additives??? Crazy right??
​So what do we do? We need clean laundry, we don't want to walk around smelly and dirty, right? I was then on a mission to find a solution. Do I make my own soap from natural products? Are the other organic laundry soaps pre-made on the market best to buy? Well... In my quest, I came along a little product called the Magnetic Laundry System! Check it out below... It explains to you why you don't need detergent! And how the magnetic force from the magnets will breakdown the water molecules, the same way the detergent was designed to do!!! With no chemicals. Imagine that. I will admit, I was very skeptical, ok I really didn't think they would work. But I had to try. That was in September 2017, and I have not purchased detergent since the MLS showed up at my house! They work... on my very dirty laundry that I have to wash!
​I will say, once you get over the fact of mentally needing to smell that "CLEAN SMELL", to think your clothes are clean.. you will be good to go! All of those synthetic smell good additives are so bad for your health anyway.
​Truly, clean laundry should not have a smell... that took a while for me to buy into! But it's true. Now, I will say that for antibacterial purposes' as well as a natural fabric softener, I use 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar in each load! It is also great to put in a spray bottle and use it as a pre-soak on bad stains. If it is a load of towels, or extra dirty clothes, in the drum I will add a scoop of my borax/baking soda mix.
And please... for the love of all that is good in the world, stop using dryer sheets!!
​Instead, try some wool balls with a few drops of essential oil on them!
​Much healthier option. Not to mention all the $$$ you will save by not having to buy... detergent, fabric softener & beads, oxi clean, bleach, dryer sheets..... yeah, that a lot of money to save! Just something to think about :) ​