Salt Lake City: Here’s What Went Dōwn

I’ll try to do it in less than two thousand words, but I don’t think I can.

I attended some amazing conferences when I worked in property management. But what dōTERRA just pulled off was magical. Something magical happens anytime you put 30,000 like-minded people together I suppose. I’m still on a high from all the good vibes and energy. The people-hangover was real, and much like a normal hangover for me these days, it seems to get worse each day this week. I feel a little more drained each day, but my heart remains full from inspiration and my mind his racing with ideas for the direction I want my business to grow in. The kind of inspiration that comes up out of the nowhere and makes you cry. The kind that sets your soul on fire.

My aunt Leslie and I made the journey to Salt Lake together, as we are both only 6 months young to the business-building side of dōTERRA. We connected with others on our team and others on different teams. We were gifted with tokens of appreciation from our uplines and had the chance to talk and connect in deeper ways than ever before. We needed this time together, and though the sacrifices made to get there were real, we made it.

We were schooled with science talk. I absorbed information over a three-day period from a wealth of super-intelligent people, from all over the world. Oncologists and dermatologists and nurse practitioners and ER surgeons and botanists and yoga instructions/wounded warriors and family physicians and RNs. I heard from other leaders within the company, founding executives and customers/builders alike. I met Billy Blanks! Turns out his wife is a dōTERRA builder, too. And he was there to share in the same incredible experience I had the honor of having. I showed him my muscles and told him how much I loved my Tae Bo VHS tapes! He agreed to this selfie, and even took it for me. 

I was filled with joy for 5 days. And I’ve been dying a little inside to sit and write out this blog to tell you just a bit about what I learned.

For starters, the growth happening within dōTERRA right now is  insane. In the month of July alone, there were one million orders fulfilled. I placed one. You might have placed one. But combined there were one million. So, people are clearly using oils. We could assume they are being used in the home, or in the business, but what about in the healthcare industry???

Currently, our medical system functions on two different models:

  1. The 3rd party payer (aka the insurance company)
    1. Natural incentives could be integrated, but they are misaligned
  2. Fee for Service (aka Medicaid/Medicaire)
    1. Incentives provider to increase QUANTITY of care over QUALITY of care
    2. No incentive offered for holistic care

So, what would it look like if we could change that?

  • What if we could introduce elements of the free market system into healthcare?
  • What if we could include holistic and integrative medicine with allopathic medicine?
  • What if medical costs were transparent?
  • What if we could eliminate the middle-man (aka insurance), along with the ridiculous markups?
  • What if our medical care included an integrative approach, with ESSENTIAL OILS being one of the potential modalities?
  • What if doctors could determine the “Standard of Care” for their patients, rather than the 3rd party bureaucrats?
  • What if doctors could devote more time to their patients, rather than to the endless reports and coding required for insurance billing, and the required overhead to support it?
  • What if you could significantly lower your healthcare costs, and include more preventative medicine, all while making medical care more accessible?
  • What if there were a way for consumers to have easier and faster access to doctors they trust?

Well, there is, my friends. A change is coming. It’s already here.

dōTERRA has a vision to lower healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes, by integrating essential oils into the healthcare system. It’s already happening, ya’ll. The first clinic will open in Salt Lake City, Utah!

You can vote for a clinic in your city by going to healthcare.doterra.com. The website is already live.  Several partner clinic locations are underway and thousands of affiliate clinics will be made possible, by YOU asking. I’ve asked, and I can’t wait for this clinic to come to Greensboro.

What a breakthrough revolution this will be! I literally shed a tear as the information was being presented to me. To be a part of a movement so powerful at a time when there are literally millions of other people also fired up to share the message. I’ve personally watched people make small shifts in their lives, just in the last couple of months since being exposed to these beautiful oils (and products). I imagine a global revolution and it feels so damn good to be a part of it.

Our current healthcare system is broken, and it needs to be revisited. Think about it…

When do you go to the doctor?

When do you take medicine?

When do you go to the emergency room?

When something is WRONG? Right?!

So, what if we said that healthcare should start when there is something RIGHT with us? In our WHOLE BODY and MIND..?

I know what you may be thinking. A doctor’s office where they sell essential oils???

Nope. You’ll just get the doctor. And he/she may prescribe you to use the oils, but he will refer you to a Wellness Advocate, or to your own stash if you’ve already seen the light and made the jump to natural wellness. Maybe you just need him to tell you what oils to use because Pinterest isn’t cutting it. But the most liberating part of all,you will have an option other than a Z-Pack. And you won’t need to pay a co-pay, because there won’t be any insurance to file.

The life expectancy rate for people born in the United States has declined for the first time since the 1990s. That means, all of the sudden, the age at which we are predicted to die, is less than it used to be. Isn’t there something terribly wrong with this?…

70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese.

Of all babies born in 2015, 1 in 3 have a high probability of being diabetic later in life.

Of all the countries in the world, we are ranked 37th in overall healthcare system “performance”.

People are sick and tired of being sick and tired. People are waking up to their options. 

This collaboration between doctor and patients helps provide a better understanding of essential oils and how they work, integrates with modern medicine when needed (however its not unusual for the medicine to be phased out completely once the essential oil is introduced), and partners healthcare with other Wellness Advocates, just like me. Just like YOU.

Our voices have been heard. And to think it all likely started at Vanderbilt University when a nurse asked a restless patient if she could apply a drop of lavender to the bottom of his foot before surgery to calm him. He said yes, and so she did. That was the start of it for Vanderbilt, and they began studies that focused on stress in the workplace. Diffusing citrus oils significantly reduced the stress and anxiety of the nurses and led to less-stressed patients.

Patient blood pressure rates started to decrease. Linalool, found in high quantities in citrus oils, has been proven effective for reducing stress, likely due to lowering cortisol levels in the body.

Chief Nursing Officer at Vanderbilt University, Robin Steaban: “I think we have enough evidence. I think it’s time to take the steps toward changing our practice.” Now, the nurses at Vanderbilt are committed to diffusing at every nurses station. It made that significant of an impact on them, and their patients.

SO MUCH research has been done. And continues to be done.  So much collaboration is taking place. In fact, for the first time in history, just a couple of weeks ago, medical professionals from around the world teamed up with essential oil researchers, botanists and scientists alike for the first annual Essential Oil Medical Symposium.

And, not to mention, the newly-formed Aromatic Plant Research Center, located in none other than Winston-Salem (our back yard!). This will be yet another way for scientists and doctors from around the globe to get together, intentionally, to dig deeper into research. Adulterated essential oils are a big problem, unfortunately. Since not all essential oils are created equally, we need organizations like this one to be a light for accountability and purity.

I learned SO MUCH about how our Frankincense is sourced in Somaliland. It now makes sense to me why it’s a more expensive oil. For one, the resin is found in a tree that can only grow within an ecosystem and can’t grow alone. It needs other trees and vegetation to thrive. If it’s overharvested, it causes damage to the tree, compromising the future reproduction of the tree within the ecosystem.

I learned how farmers in decades past worked with oil “middle men” who offered substandard wages for their product. They felt so much pressure to produce mass quantities of resin and worried little about the quality of the tree they left behind for future harvests. It was the only way they’d ever known. Until dōTERRA swooped in and cut out the middle man. Upped the wages for the farmers significantly. Started to notice holes in their communities and began to rebuild their lives in unimaginable ways.

Clan elders became unified, for the first time in history. Sustainability improved, as did prosperity. Which is why dōTERRA  continues to source the most coveted, unadulterated and pure Frankincense oil the world of essential oils has ever seen.

dōTERRA is a heart-centric company.  That became evident this week. And you won’t find an oil more pure. (Try me. I will send a sample of your choice out tomorrow if you don’t believe me.)

Which leads me to…THESE NEW PRODUCTS!

Can I just say, that in effort to fit everything into my suitcase, I made the (seemingly smart) decision to unpack all of my beautiful convention kit items from my beautiful convention kit box. Had I kept said box, I would have taken a picture of everything for you. But instead, I tucked each of the items away in my suitcase.

Since we’re boxless, here is a quick snapshot of all my new goodies: As you can see, they haven’t gotten very far out of arms reach since I unpacked them…I am in love with these oils!

Even my sweet hubby this morning, who has never asked for oils first thing in the morning, asked for the Rose oil this morning. He woke up yesterday with what appears to be a spider/insect bite of some sort. It was my first thought to grab Rose when he told me about it. Incredible immune support, natural way to reduce inflammation and since it supports healthy, rejuvenated nerves, it can boost them up to an inch per month inside the body! He reported minimal itching and discomfort throughout the day, so it helped him for sure. Not to mention, this powerhouse mother of oils gives the kiddos a great boost in learning ability if applied first thing in the morning before school! Sadler especially enjoyed having Rose oil applied to the back of her neck in her Beauty and the Beast shirt today. And I have definitely found the winner of MY FAVORITE SMELLING OIL. Y’all. Goodness gracious, this Rose oik smells so beautiful. The whole family has legit fallen in love with it!

dōTERRA has sourced Rose oil for a while now, but normally only offered it as a special product. To know that it’s permanent as a 10 mL Touch roller is just too much to handle.

By the way, it takes about 8,000 roses to make a single 5 mL bottle of Rose oil. Because there is so much plant material required to distill a pure, therapeutic grade essential oil from these delicate petals, its naturally a pricier oil. Now I see why it’s dubbed “The Queen of Oils”. It even smells regal.

In the floral family, we also added Jasmine and Neroli. (These three touch rollers will become the Queen Bs for sure). The precious Neroli petal has been used as headpiece adornments on wedding days for centuries around the world, particularly in Egypt. Neroli oil stimulates GABA, and decreases excitatory brain signals. It reduces cortisol, which in turn reduces stress. And anxiety. I was happy to learn that this particular oil can be (and is recommended) during late stages of pregnancy to improve hormones, and even help with feelings of intimacy. Cell death is encouraged with the use of this essential oil, and did I mention it smells much different than rose? Pleasant smell, yes. But not rose, at all.

Jasmine, on the other hand. I can’t seem to get enough of this one. Emotionally, it associates with feeling liberated and FREE. Euphoria. Splendor. Joy. It’s been known to promote healthy blood pressure levels, likely due to presence of Limonene. And, like Neroli, it’s safe and recommended during labor. Soft massages promote relaxation during times of PMS and labor pains.  I cannot wait to try out both on some new mamas in the future! I start doula certification with The Labor Ladies in October and couldn’t be happier about it!

Oh, and in case you don’t know (I didn’t know)…1 drop of an essential oil affects 6.1 million molecules within your cells. Your entire body can be effected within a matter of  minutes if you use just a single drop of oil.

Diluting them is actual better than just applying more drops. Less is more with these oils. And a little definitely goes a long way. Diluting the essential oil with a medium sized carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil (either blended or layered) helps trap the volatile compounds, which minimize evaporation and enhance the penetration into the skin’s surface. Using your oils this way will give you a slower absorption rate overall, but the end result will be more effective.

Sorry, I digress…back to new oils.

Copaiba. Pronounced co-pie-EE-ba. And a unique oil it is. In the family of cannibinoids, this oil is effective because of it’s high level of beta-caryophyllene (BCP). It packs about 60% BCP, compared to just 21% in Black Pepper oil. So, what does that mean exactly?

Our Endocannabinoid System in our body is home to CB1 receptors (concentrated in the brain and central nervous system) and CB2 receptors (concentrated in the immune and endocrine systems).

Plants provide us with 3 different types of cannibinoids:

CannaBidiol, or CBD oil as you may have heard it called. It doesn’t directly impact either receptor.

TetraHydroCannabinol, or THC. Obviously poses a legal challenge as cannabis is currently illegal in many states. It does directly impact both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, thus giving a “high” sensation to both the mind and body. THC offers incredible therapeutic benefits to the whole body and has been used as medicine for centuries.

BetaCaryoPhyllene, or BCP, however…it directly impacts CB2 receptors, but does not interact with the CB1 receptors. Therefore, the body gains full therapeutic benefit but the mind remains unaffected. So, all of the same benefits from other cannibinoids, minus the hallucinogenic effect.

It will offer incredible support to the liver, as its a great antioxidant for the body. Cardiovascular health will be supported, as will the digestive system, respiratory system and immune system. Heavy, heavy hitter for sure.

This oil will become popular very quickly I think. I’ve already used it by adding a few drops to my water, and even to my coffee. Very calming to the body and has helped me relax and stay calm. The last few days have been recovery days for sure. Back in the saddle of life, adjusting to the new normal of life with a Kindergartener. I actually added a drop to her water bottle today…shhh! If I tell her, she won’t drink it!

Next up is Blue Tansy. And yes, it stains your hand when you use it. So I recommend diluting. It will eventually evaporate off if you don’t dilute (I’ve  used it at least 3 times already and been fine). But, it offers a very nice warming sensation similar to White Fir. I can see it pairing up well with Lemongrass in a roller for pain after exercise.

Aromatically, this one will be great to diffuse to uplift the mood. For the skin, combine it with Cedarwood or Frankincense to get a little more vitality in your face and neck.

The On Guard sanitizer spray is nice, and I’ve already used it on the kids and on my yoga mat. I’ve been making a version of this myself for a year or so now, it’s nice to see one available for less than $7.

And last, but most certainly not least in the world of all things certain…THE YOGA COLLECTION.

“The body achieves what the mind believes.”

Three NEW blends, each designed with the yogi in mind.

Anchor, The Grounding Blend: Lavender, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Black Pepper, Patchouli, FCO. I applied to the bottom of my skull at the back of my neck, and behind my ears in the soft spot under the lobe.

Align, The Centering Blend: Bergamot, Coriander, Margoram, Peppermint, Geranium, BAsil, Rose, Jasmine, FCO. I applied this one directly over my heart.

Arise, The Uplifting Blend. MY FAVORITE. Lemon, Grapefruit, Siberian Fir, Osmanthus, Melissa, FCO. I’ve been diffusing this one on my necklace, and before yoga I applied it to the center of my forehead.

These three blends are each powerful and speak to me in their own way. I cannot wait to use them daily for meditation and my yoga practice. And to share them with others!

One of my favorite takeaways from convention comes from dōTERRA founding executive Emily Wright:

Man cannot improve upon what nature creates so beautifully.

If you didn’t know, dōTERRA means “gift of the Earth”. Let me show you how precious these gifts really are. It would be my honor to help you start your journey. There is much to be gained from starting a journey with dōTERRA: health and wellness improvements in a natural and holistic way, much gentler than what we’ve been accustomed to in the past; financial freedom, simply by sharing these gifts with those you love; empowerment through education and resources.

Your mind, body and spirit will thank you for taking a first step.

 

Balance.

Day four of Kindergarten is in the books. Sadler couldn’t be happier right now in these moments of her life.

 I’ve had all the feels this week about this whole starting school thing.

Filling out the form, using only 5 words to describe my only 5-year-old…my baby. I had never truly thought of words to describe her before. Just last week as we rode in the car, Reid and I gave our input on who we saw our daughter to be; I was filling in her name, and her strengths and weaknesses, and her “hot buttons”. It was heartwarming to come up with the best five words that we thought described our girl, together: STRONG-WILLED, KIND, TENDERHEARTED, LEADER, INTELLIGENT.

As I wrote the words in the paper, I began to cry. Who were we talking about here? Sadler, or me?

It’s so hard as a parent (at least for me at this place in my journey) when you see things in your children, qualities about them, similarities in their behavior, predictability in how they’ll answer questions…and you feel like you’re looking in the mirror.

I’ve coming to learn and accept that I am my own best teacher, but this little girl runs a real tight second. She teaches me things about myself, and I try to teach her things about herself because I just know how she sees life. Sometimes it’s as if we share the same eyes.

She speaks my language. She gets me and I get her. I feel so incredibly lucky that she is mine. 

But I want her to find her way in her way. I don’t ever want to be a tug of influence, but rather a beam of guidance that just leads her there, on her own.

She’s a 1. I’m a 1, too. 

So I know for her, it can seem like we are the only ones with the only way. Our hearts are protected yet open, and our ideas are bigger than us it seems. Yet we know we can always push harder. 

It’s been a struggle this week. Finding balance between being a good stay-at-home-mom and a servant leader/CEO to my newly-blossoming essential oil business. Can’t I do both?

Time-blocking. When I have (let’s be real, when I make) the time to actually block the time. It happens sometimes. We’ll call it 50 percent.

Meditating (actually just discovered Light Sourcing by Rebecca Campbell in her INCREDIBLE BOOK, “Light is the New Black”). My mornings have become my favorite time of the day for more reasons than this one. 

Hot yoga when I have someone to watch the girls (aka – when Reid gets home from work or really early on Saturday mornings). I’d go every single day if it were possible. It’s my sanctuary. 

  Lots of oils. I love and find comfort in knowing than whenever things get heavy, I can count on my oils for safety and solace. They usually change the game for me so profoundly that I’m moved to tell someone or make a Facebook live video about my experience. 

Affirmations. Written on a whiteboard, to be repeated each morning. Out loud. Because I know the power of the spoken word. 

Lots of deep personal development through books. Mindset transformations about money and budgeting.  Journaling.

I’m doing so many of the things. I’ve created so many positive habits. Yet, I still find myself feeling out of balance. 

Unsteady. Ungrounded. 

Flailing. 

I’m learning to soften into who I am. We all need to. 

I’m so worried about getting it all done that I can’t lose sight of what I’m doing it all for. 

I’ve prayed for answers for quite some time now. Shortly after (and sometimes during), I look up to see a squirrel balancing along the power line right in front of me. It’s like he comes out of thin air. I see that as God telling me to keep my footing, just one in front of the other. Slow and steady. 

Because as the old Chinese proverb goes, “Be not afraid of going slowly; be only afraid of standing still.”

21 Ways We Use Essential Oils in Our House

I feel compelled to make a list of all the ways we use essential oils in our house currently (or have used them in the past). I love sharing my experiences with oils with my friends and family and hope that this list will educate you, if even the slightest bit. I didn’t have all of these oils on hand in the beginning. I started building a stash over time and before long I had found the “staples” to my collection that we most frequently use and share. Perhaps something on this list will be useful to you and your family. There really are a lot of random lifestyle changes we have made by replacing common household products on our shelves with these little brown bottles.

41101925 - essential oil with natural herbs , alternative medicine
41101925 – essential oil with natural herbs , alternative medicine

In no particular order, in fact I will start how my day started. Everly was burning up…

  1. High Body Temperature – I rubbed Peppermint oil down her spine every half an hour, basically all day long. Her temperature never went over 101 and she remained comfortable for the most part throughout the day. I put 10 drops in a roller bottle and filled it to the top with fractionated coconut oil. Any carrier oil will do, it doesn’t necessarily have to be this kind.
  2. Teething – I rub Clove Bud oil directly on the gums. I put 10-15 drops in a roller bottle and top it off with fractionated coconut oil. I put a little bit on my (clean) finger and rub it directly on Everly’s gums. She loves it, and it keeps her gums from itching and driving her nuts.
  3. Immune Boost – during the season when anyone in my house is sick (feeling unwell and clammy, vomiting, night sweats) I rub everyone down with a mix I can’t live without. This is 7-10 drops each Lemon,  Oregano, On Guard ( Protective Blend), Frankincense and Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil), topped off with fractionated coconut oil. Each of these oils has different properties that make it useful and although this blend doesn’t smell the best, we live by it during sick periods and generally speaking to keep everyone well. I also put 3-4 drops of On Guard in a veggie cap (basically I make my own supplement) and take it daily to help keep my immune system strong. I’ve only been doing this for about 10 days and have felt 100% aside from a migraine yesterday.
  4. Head/Neck tension – depending on the kind of head pain I am having will determine which oil I grab. Yesterday’s head tension was a whopper and I tried several things before I got it right. First I grabbed Past Tense, a blend that is a mix of peppermint, lavender, wintergreen, chamomile and lots of other yummy smelling plants. I carry this in my purse and use it frequently; I put a dab on my temples and behind my ears, sometimes on the back of the neck, too. It really all just depends on where my head tension is coming from. Next I grabbed Deep Blue (a blend that acts similarly to Icy Hot or Ben Gay — you get a yummy cold and then warm sensation). When this didn’t offer much relief, I put a drop of Frankincense on my thumb and pressed it in the roof of my mouth. This usually works all of the time for and did offer some relief for a little while. The final straw yesterday was Clary Calm, a blend that is filled with Clary Sage (my favorite), lavender and bergamot. This blend is fantastic for menopause, period cramps and unbeknownst to me until yesterday MIGRAINES. I slathered it across the back of my neck and on my forehead, and finally found relief after almost 2 hours of pacing around my house pulling my own hair, throwing up and wondering how on Earth I would survive with a 14-month-old needing me, too! Thankfully, after essential oils combined with a dark room, a warm therapeutic pillow and a little peace and quiet, my head tension went away.
  5. Mood/Aromatherapy – this one really does depend on who has what going on. Liquid Xanax is currently the front-runner around here. It’s equal parts Balance (Grounding blend) and Serenity (Calming blend) , topped off with fractionated coconut oil. When Sadler (age 4 1/2) is being a jerk, I rub this on the back of her neck and put a dab on each wrist. It smells so good that I tell her it’s perfume. Then I usually put some on myself. We all use this one, a lot. Wild Orange is a favorite also for just calming down if I’m feeling stressed or just need “to take a chill pill”. Literally opening the cap, closing my eyes and taking a big whiff will calm me down every time. This one is nice to diffuse when you work with a bunch of difficult people, it generally will make everyone pretty happy (and if no one else, it will make YOU happy as it blows in your face as you sit at your desk).
  6. Seasonal Threats – Lavender, Lemon and Peppermint combined with fractionated coconut oil in a roller bottle are great to have on hand for seasonal allergies, bug bites and any other time when you would tend to reach for an antihistamine. Admittedly, my husband still believes that his over-the-counter allergy pill works best for him, but if you put these three oils in a veggie cap and take one daily it will do the same thing without all of the harmful side effects of a man-made pill. But we are programmed to reach for pills and it takes a village to re-program ourselves and our loved ones.
  7. Seasonal “Blues” – I tend to feel some blues in the colder months and last year was the first time I tried this. I put equal parts Wild Orange, Frankincense and Lavender in a roller bottle and applied it to my wrists and the back of my neck. It  smelled so yummy and really made a difference. I shared this one with co-workers and they fell in love with it, too.
  8. Deodorant – I am slowly but surely learning how harmful deodorant can be to our bodies and sweating in the armpit area is an unfortunate thing for me. I’ve been blending equal parts Patchouli and Ginger in a roller bottle and applying it to my pits in the mornings rather than use deodorant — I call it “Patchouli Pits”. It keeps me from sweating and smells very nice (I realize Patchouli is an acquired smell to love, and it happens to be on my favorites list these days. Smells like a dirty hippie and I can’t get enough of it.)
  9. Congestion –  Breathe (Respiratory blend) is one that we use religiously. It is a blend with Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Cardamom and Lemon that will legit open your nasal passage the second you inhale it. This is our go to when anyone is snotty, has a cough or showing signs of a cold. I use this one straight from the bottle and don’t always dilute it (especially on myself and Reid). I apply it to the chest, down the spine, bottoms of the feet, under the nose…and I diffuse it almost every single night in our bedrooms. It’s great for people who snore and makes your bedroom smell nice while you’re sleeping.
  10. Rest/Relaxation – diffusing at bedtime is a great way to increase your chances of getting a restful night’s sleep. We have a diffuser in each bedroom and may not always diffuse the same things in each room. Almost all the time, I diffuse Serenity at bedtime. It’s a blend with Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Vetiver, Vanilla and Cedarwood (it’s the same blend that goes in Liquid Xanax). It has such a great calming effect and is even great to diffuse in rooms where your pet sleeps. I also have a roller bottle of Serenity, about 15 drops, topped off with fractionated coconut oil. I use this on Everly at nap time and will use it myself if I feel a restless night of sleep ahead. I’ve given this blend to friends to use during times of sleepless nights and they have also reported better nights’ sleep.
  11. Muscle Aches – if Reid has a back ache or I am sore after hot yoga, I will grab Deep Blue. I have a bottle of this oil, and it also comes in a lotion that has a full bottle of the oil in it already. It’s just easier to apply if you want to cover a larger surface area, but both are good to have on hand. Similar to Ben Gay or Icy Hot, once you put this stuff on you feel a cold sensation, followed by a really warm one. It feels very nice and offers immediate relief. I’ve recommended this product to friends who Cross Fit and they swear by it. I also know some firemen who use it and think it’s good stuff for muscle soreness.
  12. Germs/Unwanted Pathogens – when I was pregnant with Everly, I developed a very temperamental climate downstairs. I started using Melaleuca in the shower, just a drop on my wash cloth before I washed my lady parts, and it kept me free from anymore nasty yeasties. (Sorry if TMI – you will always run that risk reading my blog). Doing this daily became more of a preventative measure rather than treatment and I have told several friends about the benefits of this one.
  13. Cooking – since essential oils come from plants, I was pleasantly surprised to learn all of the different oils that you can purchase to use when cooking. These are a few we have cooked with before or that I have on hand to cook with when I need that ingredient: Dill, Cumin, Oregano, Ginger, Lemon and Lime. We have even used Ginger to spice up some “white liquor” we were gifted; added a few strawberries to the jar with just about 5 drops of Ginger essential oil…tasty stuff.
  14. Splinter Removal – Sadler got a splinter in her foot over the summer. I immediately went on Pinterest just to satisfy my curiosity and searched for an essential oil to remove a splinter. Turns out, you can make a paste with baking soda and Lavender essential oil that will draw out/dissolve a splinter. I tried this, and it worked! I mixed about a thimble-full of baking soda with 3 drops of lavender and used my finger to spread it over the splinter, put a Band-aid on it and the next morning it was gone! Granted, this was not a very big splinter and I realize we might not have been so lucky if the splinter were a little worse, but thankfully this did the trick for us when we needed it. I knew better than try to use tweezers (or even my finger) to pluck that thing out of her foot. That would have sent her straight over the edge and I pick my battles 😉
  15. Cuts/Scrapes – my littlest is crawling and pulling up on anything that she can get her hands on and has bumped her head a time or two in recent weeks. The most recent incident left about an inch long scrape on her head that did not bleed, but the skin was cracked. I put a drop of Frankincense on it immediately when it happened and have done so every day since. It quickly scabbed up and the scab has almost fallen off completely; you can barely see the spot and I feel pretty good about it disappearing completely in just a few more days if I keep doing this. On Guard is also great to use when you have a fresh scrape, simply to keep the risk of infection at bay.
  16. Skin Care – I have not always had a good skin care regimen. In fact, I am guilty of going to bed without washing my face on a nightly basis – unless I shower at night, which happens but isn’t that common. My point is, I haven’t always done the best job at taking care of my face. I just turned 35 earlier this year so there isn’t a better time to start taking care of myself, right?!  Frankincense is great for wrinkles. You can put a drop directly into whatever product you have on hand, or you can use dilute it with a carrier oil and apply it directly to your neck, forehead, around your mouth – any part of your skin that you want to take care of, just careful not to get it in your eyes. (One thing to note about using essential oils, if you get them in your eyes remember: oil and water do not mix. You will naturally go to water for rinsing out whatever oil you get in your eyes but will definitely want to grab your carrier oil instead. Using another oil will assist the oil that’s in your eye with leaving your eye as quickly as possible.) Rose is also good for your skin and I have used it personally. There are other oils that greatly benefit your skin that I have not tried personally. However, I do use the anti-aging skincare line that the company sells and have found it to be pretty amazing stuff.
  17. Breath Freshener – a drop of Peppermint oil on your tongue is a great way to freshen your warm, afternoon mouth. It’s great to do after you’ve had too much coffee, or even when you need just a little afternoon pick-me-up. I’m thankful that these come in a nifty beadlet form; basically a drop of Peppermint essential oil inside a little tiny capsule like a breath mint that you just pop between your teeth – it’s powerful stuff and really will wake you up! I’ve heard that others use Peppermint on the tongue for allergies. It makes sense to me, considering that an effective blend I’ve been using personally and mentioned earlier has Peppermint in it. These little beadlets are just easier to take, compared to turning a bottle of peppermint up in your mouth (which is totally doable, by the way).
  18. Room/Air Freshener – diffusing essential oils has really become by standby when the house stinks. I use a great blend called Purify (Cleansing blend) that is fresh like clean linens; this one has been handy since we got the new dog 😉 Lemon and Lime are also great odor neutralizers. My hubby loves the smell of lemongrass, so we tend to diffuse that
  19. Nausea/Vomiting – whenever I have a tummy ache or someone is puking God forbid, I always grab the Digestive blend — its blended with Ginger, Peppermint, Fennel, Coriander and Fennel (it smells very similar to licorice). I rub it clockwise around the belly button (I don’t recall why I do it this way but it has something to do with the direction in which our digestive tracks flow).
  20. Mosquito Repellant – hands down best bug spray I have ever used. TerraShield (Outdoor blend) combines Lemon, Eucalyptus, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla and other essential oils and it doesn’t smell nearly as awful as your common bug spray. This comes in a 15ml bottle or a pre-mixed spray bottle that use for simplicity sake.
  21. Cleaning – I make my own cleaning supplies generally and have been for a couple of years now. A quick and easy recipe: equal parts white vinegar and hot water with 10-20 drops of whatever essential oil I am in the mood for: Wild Orange, Lemon, On Guard, Purify, Lavender, Lemongrass…I also love making my own vacuum powder by using an empty glass jar. I poked some holes in the lid to the jar, filled it about 3/4 full with baking soda and 20 drops of any of the oils mentioned above. I sprinkle this on the rugs and couch about 15 minutes prior to vacuuming — it really does help to deodorize in my house at least! I make my own furniture polish with equal parts olive oil and vinegar and 15 drops each Wild Orange and Lemon. I also make an all-purpose cleaner with borax, washing powder, blue Dawn dish soap, white vinegar, hot water and 15 drops of your favorite essential oil. All of these items are safe for my kids and pets, I know exactly what is in them and they actually do work to clean.

 

Feel free to leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments! Happy oiling!