It’s a dream come true for Blake and I

Amanda (Noel) Roedel My son Blake was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 1.  In that moment we asked ourselves “Where do we go from here…. What’s next….?”  There were so many unknowns as new parents and we were overwhelmed.  We did a lot of research and a lot of trial and error and we are proud to say that we see Blake’s progress every day.   Blake’s Mother Earth Pillows have become ingrained in our daily activities and have enhanced Blake’s life in many ways, 5 of which I would like to share:

1.) Coping Strategies Autistic children/adults can be very easily over stimulated or under stimulated. It could be things such as a loud environment or the feeling of a tag on their back. There are tools that can be used to help soothe them. Blake uses his Mother Earth Pillow as a way of release when his mind is being over stimulated. When we place the pillow on his lap, the weight grounds him and acts as a great form of security for him.

2.) Essential Smells We all have certain smells that make us relate to something or someone and they help us breathe better or even want us to a take deep breath and fill our lungs with certain scents. Mother Earth Pillows are filled with different blends of organic fill, including the highest-grade flax seed, proprietary 100% organic herbal blends, Himalayan sea salt and buckwheat hull.  The proprietary scents of: 1) Soothe; Calm; and 2) Relieve touch the mind, body, and soul.   Blake will hold his pillow and take deep breaths when frustrated to bring him back down to a more calm state.  It’s exactly what he needs that nothing else can provide in that moment.

3.) Imagination Blake loves to envision new things in his head. He has a Mother Earth Pillow in the shape of a snake and, he will not only use it on his lap, but he imagines stories about this snake. Children with Autism have the gift of turning items they want or need, into something others would have never have imagined.

4.) Sensory Anytime Blake eats, we will set his Mother Earth Pillow on his lap to make him feel grounded before trying new foods. My son’s diet is very limited so trying new foods can be stressful. So by simply placing his pillow on his lap he knows the comfort is there. He can squeeze it, hold it, or take deep breaths. Blake’s snake pillow has a red tag on it for the tongue which has a different texture than the rest of the pillow. Things like this will help with their tactile skills to feel different textures of material.

5.) The struggle is Real When I first heard my son had Autism, I didn’t even know where to start. It can be very overwhelming, but at the same time, it is also very rewarding. Each child is different in their own way, but I can honestly say that Mother Earth Pillows have changed not only my son’s life, but mine as well.  I am excited to be a part of the development of their new Sensory Pillow Line.  Sensory Pillows not only provide weight, heat and cool therapy, but now they also provide texture therapy with covers that are removable.  The extra tags around the edges add additional sensory therapy and the internal pillows if filled and segmented with the various fill ingredients for even more texture variation. It’s a dream come true for me and Blake.  Anytime weight or pressure is applied to the body, combined with aromas, the result is instant relief.   I will leave you with this…. Life is not designed to be easy, but it’s what we do with it that makes all the difference in the world. We are all unique in our own way and that’s what makes us stand out. As they say in one of my favorite movies Wonder, “Never blend in when you are born to stand out.” Be your best you and LOVE life! Please help support Autism with a Mother Earth Pillow and forever change you and/or your child’s life!

Noel and Blake      

Customer Spotlight: Barbara Vedder

At Mother Earth Pillows, our products offer natural approaches to relieving pain, tension or discomfort. One of those such products is our variety of pillows that help soothe aches and pains throughout the entire body. Our newest customer spotlight features one of our customers who used our pillows to relieve her discomfort: Barbara Vedder of Madison, Wisconsin.

Ellen Turgasen, Barbara’s massage therapist, contacted Mother Earth Pillows in June 2018 about creating a custom-made bolster pillow for Barbara to help her sleep better. Barbara is a quadriplegic, who is someone that is paralyzed in all four limbs of the body, and every night she needs to sleep in a specific sleeping position to maintain comfort. The position requires her to sleep with her upper body semi-side lying and her lower body completely side lying.

Her previous back pillow had worn out so she resorted to sleeping with rolled blankets and a Mother Earth Pillows heart pillow. But, the blankets kept shifting in the night so she would need to wake someone up to readjust her sleeping position and the blankets. Ellen noticed that the heart pillow held it’s shape due to our use of golden flaxseed and buckwheat hulls. She contacted our staff, and we began building a prototype pillow to help alleviate Barbara’s sleep difficulties

The prototype pillow weighed nearly 30 lbs containing 175 cups of buckwheat hulls and 45 cups of flax. After she tested the prototype, we reduced the amount of buckwheat and added more flax to help the pillow mold better to her body during sleep.  Once the testing was complete, our staff created the customized back pillow with one of our washable navy blue coverings.

A few months later, Ellen was happy to tell us that Barbara was doing well with her new pillow:

“Barbara is completely satisfied with the pillow in every way. It is exactly what we had envisioned. She is sleeping much better and her shoulders are getting better now that she does not have to sleep directly side-lying and can recline onto the pillow.”

We are so proud to have been a part of this story. Many thanks to Barbara and Ellen for sharing their product experience with us! For more information about customized pillow orders, please contact our offices at 1 (800) 344-2072 or email us at contactus@motherearthpillows.com.

Ellen and Barbara

Barbara and her husband, Luciano.

 

Customer Spotlight: Brookdale Senior Living Centers

 

Don’t let the name fool you!  At Mother Earth Pillows, we sell more than just pillows. We also sell aromatherapy products such as Essential Oils and spritzers. These products can help refresh your pillows, encourage relaxation, promote sleep and provide comfort to those who use them. 

At Brookdale Senior Living Centers, they provide for seniors at the independent, assisted, memory care and skilled care levels. With over 1,000 locations nationwide, they strive to give their residents the best possible care with opportunities for them to improve their wellness, stay connected with friends and family and enjoy life to the fullest. They truly believe that while everyone does age, it should not prevent anyone from living. 

Brookdale’s Memory Care facilities have been using a special morning and evening blend of our essential oils spritzers for three years. Prior to using Mother Earth products, their Memory Care residents had trouble with rashes and other skin problems when using certain products during pre-meal washing. Because of this, Brookdale wanted to find a product that was all-natural, safe and well-tested.

Today, they use our Day-Time and Evening Essential Oil blends prior to meals and in the rooms of some of their residents especially with their residents who have Alzheimer’s and dementia.  

Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia and it’s symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Caregivers of this disease provide an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care, which would cost over $323 billion dollars. 

Our Day-Time and Evening essential oil blends contain a mixture of herbs that are diluted with distilled water. The Day-Time blend contains sweet orange, lemon, and lemongrass, which invigorates, energizes and wakes you up. The Evening blend contains lavender and marjoram, which soothes, relaxes and gets you ready to sleep.

Brookdale’s Senior Director of Dementia Care and Programs, Juliet Holt Klinger, said the residents enjoy the scents of the blends and it helps relax them during the meal preparation process. 

“We wet warm washcloths prior to every meal,” Klinger said. “The residents really like the washing process because it makes them feel like a VIP prior to the meal.”

Brookdale Senior Living Centers takes wonderful care of all of their residents. We are proud to be partners with Juliet and the Brookdale team!

 

 

 

Our Herbal Blends

When you first walk into the Mother Earth Pillows office, you are greeted by a wonderful, hardworking staff, the whirr of sewing machines and the smell of our relaxing herbal blends. Each of our three blends is designed to serve a different purpose.

Our BREATHE herbal blend helps ease congestion and minimize aches associated with asthma, sinus infections, bronchitis, colds, and flu. It contains Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Lavender, Anise, and Clove. The mixture of herbs opens up the sinuses and airways, soothes throat irritation, relaxes the muscles of the respiratory tract and reduces inflammation. This blend is used in our Sinus Pillows, children’s Cuddle Pillows and our Little Comfort Heart Pillows to help people relax and breathe easy.

Our RELIEVE blend is designed to clear and energize the mind while also soothing the soul. It contains a blend of Lavender, Lemon Balm and Peppermint that helps relieve migraines and aches in the hands and feet. These three scents help reduce anxiety and depression, achieve better sleep and relieve basic aches and pains. Lavender specifically helps improve brain function while Lemon Balm and Peppermint reduce nausea and cramping. This proprietary herbal blend is used in our Migraine Pillow and Eye Pillows to help relax and soothe headaches, and it is also used in Shoulder Triggerpoint Pillows and SPABoots to help relax muscles in the shoulders, hands, and feet.

Our SOOTHE herbal blend is meant for complete relaxation with the scents of Lavender, Marjoram, and Clove. Lavender is the ultimate scent for relaxation, Marjoram enhances the cardiovascular and circulatory system and reduces inflammation, and Clove helps control blood sugar and relieves inflammation. This proprietary herbal blend is our most popular blend and is used in our Shoulder Triggerpoint Pillows and virtually all of our other pillows to help soothe the entire body from ailments and soreness.

We are proud to purchase all our dried herbs from companies in the United States and to mix our blends on-site at our facility in Arnold, MO. We care about the people who receive and use our pillows for natural pain relief and relaxation. From spas to hospitals to the comfort of your home, our pillows are filled with the herbs that will give you the relief you desire.

 

Product Spotlight: Natural Pain Pack Pillow

Do long days spent staring at your desk computer have your neck in a knot? Do your joints get sore after a long workout or swell from everyday activities? Never fear! Our Natural Pain Pack pillow’s wrap-around design will bring instant relief to your aches and pains. As one of Mother Earth’s most versatile pillows, it can be heated or chilled to provide therapeutic heat or cold to sore spots along the cervical neck, joints, and other areas of the body.

With so many little muscles in the neck, this pillow can gently wrap or drape around these muscles without being uncomfortable. While our trigger point pillow provides relief to shoulder and lower neck muscles, it leaves the upper neck muscles untouched. The pain pack pillow specifically wraps to relieve these smaller neck muscles with a gentle and light-weight touch. It has 6 individual pockets to hold our golden flax seed and herbs and give it the flexibility to wrap around your pain areas.

The pain pack pillow can also be used for alleviating pain in the joints. The pillow’s flexibility can wrap entirely around the ankle, knee, wrist, or elbow and provide comfort to all sides of those joints. It can also wrap entirely around your head to help with a headache or a migraine.

Mother Earth’s pain pack pillow comes with removable washable covers, and it is also available in the relieve blend (lavender, peppermint and lemon balm) herbal blend and no herb blend. Don’t go through your days sore from everyday aches and pains, visit our website to order your pain pack pillow today!

https://www.motherearthpillows.com/product/natural-pain-pack/

Employee Spotlight: Angie Wetherell

Our first employee spotlight highlights Angie Wetherell who has worked with Mother Earth Pillows for a number of years. She comes to St. Louis from Michigan, where she spent her childhood growing up next to the Great Lakes. She has been married to her husband for 18 years and has three children after having 20 miscarriages. After the  miscarriages, she became greatly involved with a national organization called Share (http://www.nationalshare.org), which “serves those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life.”

Q: How long have you worked with Mother Earth Pillows? 

A:  I have worked with Mother Earth Pillows for about four years. 

Q: What is your main role at Mother Earth Pillows? 

A: I have been called a “jack-of-all-trades.” I feel like I can fill-in for someone no matter if their role is an accountant or a seamstress. Originally, I started here as a part-time seamstress during Christmas season. It was during those first few weeks that I realized that I really do well under pressure, no matter what type of job it is. 

Q: Since you started out as a seamstress, how did you learn how to sew? 

A: The original owner, Karen Kowal, taught me how to sew. I am left-handed so it was a learning curve for her to teach me because she had never taught a lefty before! 

Q: I read your article in Sharing Magazine, called “Chasing Rainbows.” It was so beautiful. What was it like writing that story about your miscarriages? 

A: I never really thought about writing it until our owner, Jeff Evenson, and one of my co-workers, Bernadette Ringwald, mentioned the idea to me. I had been holding onto the story for so long, so I decided to talk about it because it is very real. At first, I had many reservations because I didn’t know what to say. The support I received from Mother Earth helped me to write it, and I was honored to do it. 

Q: Do you think you will write again? 

A: I hope so. In my first story, I didn’t talk about the challenges I had and how I dealt with them. I hope to talk more about that in my next story. 

Q: Will you stay involved with Share after writing this? 

A: I have been involved with Share since my first walk in 1999, but it was a slow start because it was so hard for me after the miscarriages since a lot my friends and family did not understand the emotions I was going through at the time. 

Q: What is your favorite Mother Earth product? 

A: I have two. They are the Large Flax Pillow and the Natural Pain Pack.  

Q: Do you have any hobbies? 

A: I enjoy gardening, hiking, music, bonfires, and going into downtown St. Louis to check it out. My family did a stay-cation last year with our kids, and it was great. 

Q: What is one thing you miss about Michigan? 

A: I miss the water. I am so used to the Great Lakes and not rock beds and dirty water. I worked really hard to find the natural beauty within Missouri when I moved here, and I did find one particular spot. 

Q: Where is that one specific nature spot for you in Missouri? 

A: It is called Rocky Falls in Winona, Missouri in the Ozarks. It has a shallow body of water with a waterfall and molten lava rock called rhyolite porphyry. It is truly a hidden gem, but I also have native gardens on my own property. 

Q: What is one fun fact about yourself? 

A: Celebrating Earth Day is also an important day for me and my family. Not only do I love nature, but it is also my anniversary with my husband.  

http://nationalshare.org/chasing-rainbows/

Vendor Spotlight: Stevens Family Farm

For this spotlight, we chose to feature our golden flax seed vendor, Stevens Family Farm. Stevens Family Farm is a small family-owned farm in Glenburn, North Dakota, about 40 miles from the Canadian border. It’s been run by three generations of farmers, and currently, grows golden flax seed along with a variety of small grains such as wheat and canola.

Golden flax seed is a food and fiber crop that is produced in cooler climates such as the regions of North Dakota and Canada. Today, North Dakota is the largest producer of golden flax seed. The state’s cool and arid temperatures allow for flax to grow its best. The farm plants the crop in early spring after the long North Dakotan winter. During their growth, the crop produces periwinkle blue flowers, which mature into tiny pods filled with golden seeds. Once the flax is fully matured around October and November, the Stevens family harvests the flax to be distributed throughout the country.

Golden flax seed can be used for nutritious purposes, linen creation, and our Mother Earth Pillows. Stevens Family Farm has been Mother Earth Pillows’ golden flax seed provider for over 8 years.

Marla Stevens said,  “the partnership was formed under Mother Earth Pillows Founder, Karen Kowal, and Stevens Family Farm’s owner, March Stevens nearly 8 years ago.”

Since then, Mother Earth Pillows has used hundreds of pounds of golden flax seed to produce our various styles of pillows.

Our company uses Stevens Family Farm’s golden flax seed because the seeds hold both hot and cold temperatures better than any other type of flax seed. The seeds’ fresh scent also goes well with our variety of herbal blends: breathe, soothe and relieve. The most important characteristic of these seeds is their ability to provide therapeutic weight to increase circulation, help improve lymphatic efficiency and provide pain management and comfort to those who use our products. The flax seed conforms to your body giving you the best relaxation and comfort possible.

Mother Earth Pillows Owner Jeff Evenson said he greatly appreciates the relationship the company has with Stevens Family Farm.

“I am so glad to be partners with Stevens Family Farm,” Evenson said. “They give us high-quality product, and we hope to continue this partnership well into the future.”

Stevens Family Farm plays a huge part in the production of our pillows, and we would not be successful without the periwinkle blue flowers that produce golden seeds for our products. We are happy to be partnered with them, and we hope it will remain for many years to come!

https://www.stevensfarm.com

 

The Benefits of Aromatherapy and Deep-Pressure on Children with Autism

The month of April is National Autism Awareness Month. In light of this national awareness, we wanted to research the benefits that aromatherapy and deep-pressure items can have on children with autism.

According to the Autism Society, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is “a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others.” It is known as a spectrum disorder because the variety of symptoms and severity level differ from person to person. Typical symptoms are difficulty communicating or interacting with other people, limited interest, and symptoms that hurt a person’s ability to function at school, work, or throughout life.

Today, 1 in 68 children have been diagnosed with autism in the United States, and the prevalence is rising. Since the release of this statistic and many others, various research has been conducted on the benefits of aromatherapy and deep-pressure products on children with autism.

Many aromatherapy techniques help improve the sensory system of children with ASD. ASD children tend to have low attention spans, trouble sleeping, and high reactions to stress. According to the Autism Parenting Magazine, essential oils can help reduce stress levels, help them sleep and increase attention. Essential oils such as Frankincense, Lavender, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Peppermint, and Chamomile can help ease these daily stresses by rubbing a small amount on their hands and feet or using a plug-in that goes into the wall of their bedroom.

Deep-pressure stimulation increases endorphin production, and other hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine can help improve mood and decrease stress. Deep-Pressure products such as weighted blankets, vests, and pillows can also provide ASD children with comfort and ease their stress. These products allow for deep-pressure stimulation in ASD children because they make them feel like they are being hugged, cuddled, or comforted, which is relaxing to both ASD children and other children alike.

At Mother Earth Pillows, we carry both weighted pillows and essential oils that can bring comfort to all children, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We have a wide variety of pillows that come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and animal friends! Shop our children’s pillows here at https://www.motherearthpillows.com/product-category/mep/for-the-kids/.

This month, we are also running a special on our various essential oils! Visit https://www.motherearthpillows.com/shop-sales/ to view our selection of oils today.

To learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder, view our list of sources below.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml

http://www.autism-society.org/what-is/

https://www.autismspeaks.org

https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/essential-oils-for-autism-adhd-add/

https://www.mosaicweightedblankets.com/asd-autism-spectrum-disorder/

https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs/deep-pressure-therapy

 

Monthly Special: Sinus Therapy Pillows

Here comes spring!

It’s almost springtime, and you know what that means. The birds start singing, the weather gets nicer, the days get longer – and allergies get stronger! According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies plague at least 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children. They also explain that the most common indoor/outdoor allergies are tree, grass and weed pollen, mold spores, dust mites, cockroaches and animal dander. Allergic reactions can cause itchy eyes, runny nose, congestion, coughing, sneezing and breathing trouble.

At Mother Earth Pillows, we strive to create products that help alleviate the symptoms that come with springtime flowers and sunny days. Our golden flax seed Sinus Therapy Pillows can be used for allergies as well as colds and general sinus pressure. These 9″ x 5″ pillows weigh approximately one pound and cover the entire sinus cavity. The weight of the pillows on the sinuses can help relieve any pain or pressure caused by your sinuses or seasonal allergies. It also helps the muscles to relax and bring a new sense of relief to your sinus cavity.

The pillows are sold either with our BREATHE herbal blend or without herbs. BREATHE is specifically designed to help ease sinus pressure, seasonal allergies, asthma, bronchitis and flu-like symptoms. The blend contains herbs such as eucalyptus, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, rosemary, lavender, anise, and clove. These herbs provide relief as well as a sense of relaxation that can be used at any time throughout the year. We also sell the pillows in a NO HERB blend.

For best results, heat your Sinus Pillow in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or place it in the freezer until chilled (probably 30 minutes or more). After heating or cooling, place the pillow across your eyes, nose, and cheeks for instant relief and relaxation from your aches and pains.

This month we are running a special on these pillows in light of spring allergy season. Visit our current monthly specials at https://www.motherearthpillows.com/shop-sales/, and place your order today so you can enjoy your warm spring days!

References 

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) – http://www.aafa.org/page/allergy-facts.aspx

 

Welcome to Pillow Talk!

Hello World! I am happy to announce the launch of our new blog, “Pillow Talk!”

We will provide new relevant content twice a month. Topics will include Customer Spotlights, Employee Spotlights, Product Spotlights, Innovative Use of Pillows and Essential Oils, and other topical/newsworthy items. If you have ideas or would like us to focus on something in particular, please reach out to me directly with your thoughts.

Additionally, we will be sure to point out MONTHLY SPECIALS or other offers.

I hope we can offer valuable insights and education to the entire Mother Earth Pillows community and beyond!

All the Best…Jeff Evenson