Sandrock Apothecary

Tag: pots

  • Finding a Multipurpose Cleaner I Can Actually Use: doTERRA abōde

    Finding a Multipurpose Cleaner I Can Actually Use: doTERRA abōde

    Finding a household cleaner used to be pretty simple. Does it clean well? Does it smell good? Great.

    Living with MCAS, POTS, and Interstitial Cystitis (IC) changed that for me.

    Now I pay much closer attention to the products I bring into my home. Something being marketed as “natural,” “green,” or “clean” doesn’t necessarily mean that my body is going to tolerate it. And I’ve learned that the products that work for someone else with sensitivities aren’t automatically going to work for me.

    One cleaner that I personally use and tolerate well is doTERRA’s abōde Multi-Purpose Surface Cleaner Concentrate.

    What is doTERRA abōde Multi-Purpose Surface Cleaner?

    The first thing that always makes me laugh is the size. Those little bottles in the photo really are the cleaner. 😂

    Each bottle contains 1 fl oz (30 mL) of concentrated surface cleaner. Rather than purchasing another full-size bottle every time I run out, I dilute the concentrate with water in my reusable abōde spray bottle.

    I like concentrates for a practical reason: I’m not storing bottle after bottle of mostly water. The concentrates take up very little room, and I reuse the same spray bottle.

    The cleaner itself is formulated for everyday household cleaning—things like grease, grime, spills, fingerprints and everyday messes.

    And with a busy kitchen, there are plenty of those around here. 😂

    Why I Use It in My Home

    For me, a cleaning product has to check two boxes:

    It actually needs to clean, and I need to be able to tolerate using it.

    That second part has become increasingly important.

    I don’t exclusively use doTERRA products in my home. I recently shared some of the Rustic Strength products I use, I still use alcohol for certain cleaning jobs, and I make several of my own cleaning products.

    I’m not interested in making everything in my cleaning cabinet match.

    I’m interested in finding individual products that work well for my home and work well for me.

    abōde happens to be one of them.

    A Note About MCAS & Product Sensitivities

    This part is important.

    When I say that I tolerate a product, I’m talking about my personal experience.

    MCAS triggers can be incredibly individual. A fragrance, essential oil, botanical ingredient or cleaning ingredient that doesn’t bother one person may be a problem for someone else.

    That’s why I don’t like labeling household products as universally “MCAS-safe.”

    Instead, I’ll tell you what I use, what has worked for me, and why I’ve chosen it—and you can use that information as one piece of your own research.

    I’ve Actually Used doTERRA for a Long Time

    doTERRA isn’t something I discovered after developing sensitivities.

    I’ve been using doTERRA since 2012, through a lot of different seasons of life. There were years when I bought more and seasons when I could afford maybe one thing that month.

    Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful that I already knew these products by the time I became much more limited in what I could comfortably use.

    That doesn’t mean every doTERRA product is right for me, or that everyone else will tolerate the things I do.

    It simply means that abōde is one of the products that has earned a place in my home.

    Where to Find It

    If you’d like to read more about the abōde Multi-Purpose Surface Cleaner Concentrate, including the current ingredients and product information, you can find it through my doTERRA shop.

    Whole sale link below and free 1 year membership.

    https://link.doterra.com/UtcA_t

    Don’t want a membership? I totally get it, here is the link just to purchase below.

    https://link.doterra.com/kuZmw2

    Disclosure: I am a doTERRA Wellness Advocate and have been with doTERRA since around 2011/2012. If you purchase doTERRA products through my shop, I earn commission from your purchase. The experiences shared above are my own and aren’t a guarantee that another person with MCAS, POTS, IC, or other sensitivities will tolerate the same products.

  • 🌿 Living Between the Lines: Navigating Life with POTS, MCAS, and IC

    🌿 Living Between the Lines: Navigating Life with POTS, MCAS, and IC

    Some days, it starts with a flutter. A racing heart when I stand, a wave of heat, a fog thick enough to forget why I walked into the room. Other days, it’s an itchy throat, a flush creeping across my skin, or a sudden reaction to a food I’ve eaten a hundred times before.

    This is the delicate dance of living with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), and Interstitial Cystitis (IC) three conditions that have changed the way I move through the world and taught me to embrace a slower, gentler way of living.

    🌬 The Body That Won’t Stay Still

    POTS is more than a fast heartbeat. It’s dizziness, fatigue, nausea, brain fog, and a nervous system that sometimes forgets how to regulate the basics, like standing upright. For many of us, the simple act of getting out of bed can feel like climbing a mountain.

    Pair that with MCAS, where the immune system can react to foods, fragrances, stress, or environmental triggers, and life becomes wonderfully unpredictable in all the wrong ways. Then there’s Interstitial Cystitis, adding another layer of challenges that often aren’t visible to anyone else.

    These illnesses don’t always announce themselves loudly. Sometimes they whisper. Sometimes they roar. And often, they ask us to slow down when the rest of the world keeps moving.

    🌿 Listening to the Body’s Whispers

    Living with chronic illness has taught me to listen more closely to my body than I ever imagined I would.

    My body isn’t my enemy, it’s communicating in a language I’m still learning. Every symptom is information. Every flare is an invitation to pay attention, adjust, and extend myself a little more grace.

    Through it all, my faith has reminded me that even in seasons of weakness, there is purpose, grace, and hope. Those quiet moments have shaped not only how I care for my health but also how I care for my home and my family.

    It’s what led me toward slower living, nourishing foods, herbs, and creating a home that supports healing rather than constantly overwhelming the nervous system. Not because I believe there’s a perfect cure, but because I’ve found peace in living more intentionally.

    🍃 What Helps Me Feel More Like Myself

    Over time, I’ve discovered that the smallest, most consistent habits often make the biggest difference.

    • Whole, homemade meals prepared with simple ingredients while avoiding many of my personal triggers.
    • Herbs such as quercetin, nettle, and ginger have become part of my wellness routine alongside the guidance of my healthcare team.
    • Daily grounding rituals, time in nature, quiet moments of prayer, gentle movement, foot baths, and creating space for my nervous system to rest.
    • Clean electrolytes without unnecessary additives have become one of my lifelines on difficult POTS days.
    • Reading ingredient labels carefully because preservatives, sulfites, artificial dyes, and hidden ingredients can make a real difference for me.

    What helps me may not be what helps someone else, and that’s okay. Every journey is different. These are simply the practices that have brought greater peace and stability into my own life.

    🌾 You’re Not Alone Here

    If you’re walking this road too, I want you to know something.

    Your symptoms are real.

    You’re not imagining them.

    You’re not alone.

    Living with chronic illness isn’t easy, and healing isn’t always a straight path. But even in the hardest seasons, it’s possible to create a life filled with beauty, purpose, and moments of peace.

    Sandrock Apothecary was born from this journey, not simply as a place to share recipes or herbal traditions, but as a place where we can embrace slower living, support one another, and remember that our worth isn’t measured by our health.

    My hope is that whether you’re here because of POTS, MCAS, IC, fresh-milled baking, herbal education, or simply a desire for a quieter way of life, you’ll find encouragement, practical ideas, and a reminder that you don’t have to walk this path alone.

    If you’re just beginning your journey, start small. Stay hydrated. Keep a food and symptom journal. Celebrate every little victory. And above all, be gentle with yourself.

    Thank you for being here. I’m grateful our paths have crossed.

    With heart,

    Lacey
    Sandrock Apothecary

  • The Beginning of Something Honest

    The Beginning of Something Honest

    Out here, between the trees and the hum of the earth, there’s a cottage where old ways are honored and nature still has a voice.

    Not so long ago, I began to feel like a stranger in my own body.

    After being diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Interstitial Cystitis (IC), I had no choice but to slow down and pay attention. The dizziness, the fatigue, the racing heart, the reactions to foods and everyday products, and the constant discomfort made me question everything I thought I knew about health. Those diagnoses didn’t just change how I moved through each day, they changed the way I saw the world.

    I began looking more closely at the things we bring into our homes and our bodies: the food we eat, the ingredients we put on our skin, the products we clean with, and the choices we make every single day. The more I learned, the more I realized how disconnected we’d become from the simple things that once nourished us.

    What I found was unsettling, but it also awakened something in me, a quiet determination to return to a slower, more intentional way of living. One rooted in real food, herbal traditions, and caring for both our homes and ourselves with greater purpose.

    That journey became the foundation of Sandrock Apothecary.

    This blog is where I want to share more than recipes and remedies. It’s where I’ll share the stories behind them, the lessons I’ve learned, the mistakes I’ve made, and the little moments that continue to shape this life.

    My hope is that you’ll find a piece of yourself here. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness, searching for balance, learning old-fashioned skills, or simply longing for a slower, more intentional way of living, you’re welcome here.

    This isn’t about perfection.

    It’s about coming home to ourselves, to the land, and to the quiet rhythms that remind us what truly matters.

    Thank you for being here.

    — Lacey