Giving Wellness

Funny how much has changed in the 7 months I've been using essential oils.  Over this past holiday weekend, I diffused oils at my parents house, both to clean the air and to make it smell holiday-ish (I diffused a blend called Christmas Spirit which I LOVE!!)

I brought a travel bag of oils with me that I wasn't comfortable leaving home without, including Thieves, Lemon, Deep Relief, Sleepyize, and Stress Away.  I can honestly say that we used all of them as well as several others in the short weekend we were there.  And I learned, when my sister spattered her favorite shirt with bacon grease, that you can use lemon oil or eucalyptus oil to get out grease stains.  Who knew??

Anyway, I am excited to share wellness with my friends and family this year as gifts.  I have a bottle of Stress Away and Christmas Spirit to give the sitter, Stress Away Roll-Ons for the teachers, Mister for my husband, and Gratitude for myself.  And apparently I'm talking about how I use my oils non-stop, because suddenly several friends and family members are asking about buying oils and signing up for memberships.  I'm so grateful for these oils, and how they've changed my life and my family's level of wellness!  I can't wait to see what they do for us in the upcoming year!

'Tis the Season

I can't say enough about these products.  I feel confident heading into the winter season knowing I have so many of these gems in my essential oils stock at home.

 If you have any questions or would like more information about these products, please send a message.  And if you are interested in a membership that allows you to purchase essential oils, supplements and beauty products of exceptionally high quality, at a 24% discount, click here to get started!

Reminder: I am not medically trained, and the information I write in these posts are based on my experiences with essential oils.  If you have questions about oils for medicinal purposes, please talk with a trained medical professional.

Your Body's Not Meant to Run on That. . .

I recently listened to an online webinar as part of the Young Living Essential Oils Summit, which touched on a lot of topics around healthy eating and healthy living.  One metaphor that really stuck with me is when the speaker said the following (paraphrased): If your car was out of gas, you wouldn't fill it with diesel fuel would you?  Because your car is not built to run on diesel.  Just like your body is not meant to run on chemicals, synthetic and artificial additives, or genetically modified foods.  So why would you put that in your body?  Your body is meant to run on foods directly from nature - plants and animals that have not been altered, chemically treated, or taken out of their natural environments.  That's what we should be feeding our bodies!

Admittedly, I am far from fully clean in my eating habits, but every small change I make is another change in the right direction.  A lot of those changes have come from removing toxins from my home by replacing toxic cleaning products with natural, non-toxic ones,

I've also started making my own beauty/skincare products using all natural ingredients,

And some of it involves just a greater awareness of what I'm putting into my body and where it comes from.

In this season of increased gratitude, I am so grateful to have resources, information, and products available to make healthy changes in my life and in the lives of my husband and sons.

 If you have any questions or would like more information about anything I have discussed in a post, please send a message.  And if you are interested in a membership that allows you to purchase essential oils, supplements and beauty products of exceptionally high quality, at a 24% discount, click here to get started!

Reminder: I am not medically trained, and the information I write in these posts are based on my experiences with essential oils.  If you have questions about oils for medicinal purposes, please talk with a trained medical professional.

Supporting your Endocrine System

This one is near and dear to me, as someone who has an auto-immune disease of the endocrine system (Graves's Disease).  For years I was on medication for my condition, but have been determined to be "in remission" now for the last 2 years.  My various thyroid levels keep checking out ok, so I don't need my medication anymore, but I still occasionally experience some of the symptoms that accompany Graves and Hyperthyroidism.  I support my Endocrine System with many of the oils listed above, in particular EndoFlex, Cinnamon Bark, Rosemary, and Progessence Plus.  These oils smell wonderful, whether in the diffuser or used topically (I don't diffuse Progessence plus as it is a serum, not an oil), and I appreciate having them to help keep the symptoms at bay. . . 

 If you have any questions or would like more information about anything I have discussed in a post, please send a message.  And if you are interested in a membership that allows you to purchase essential oils, supplements and beauty products of exceptionally high quality, at a 24% discount, click here to get started!

Reminder: I am not medically trained, and the information I write in these posts are based on my experiences with essential oils.  If you have questions about oils for medicinal purposes, please talk with a trained medical professional.

Day 9: Thieves Oil

Oh my goodness, I don't know if there are enough word to describe how amazing Thieves oil is!!  It smells like fall and holidays and baked goods.  It cleans wonderfully, and it is a great support to your immune system.  Thieves was one of the first oils that I learned about when I was just starting to discover essential oils, and it's easy to see why it hooked me!  I love using Thieves, diluted in carrier oil, on my children and myself at night, as we're working to avoid the back-to-school-bugs that we're all being exposed to.  We put it on our feet and up and down our spines.  As I type, I have Thieves diffusing in the kitchen.  I have added it to warm water with honey for a delicious and comforting tea, and I have added it to my washing machine to freshen our clothes.  

This is an amazing oil, and one that every oil user I know loves!  If you would like help getting this or other oils, please send a message.  And if you want your own PremiumStarter Kit (which includes all of the oils we're looking at during this challenge) click here to get started!

Reminder: I am not medically trained, and the information I write in these posts are based on my experiences with essential oils.  If you have questions about oils for medicinal purposes, please talk with a trained medical professional.

Day 7 - Purification

I am not exaggerating when I saw that not a day goes by when we don't use Purification in our house!  It is a fantastic oil and has a fresh, clean smell.  It works wonderfully to deodorize - shoes, garbage cans, musty basements, bathrooms, you name it!  It makes a great addition to DIY deodorant, and it gets rid of "left over cooking smells" that hang around long past the end of the meal!  I add a few drops of Purification to my dryer balls to help my laundry smell fresh and clean.  I put a cotton ball with several drops of purification in a plastic bags with my shoes if the're needing a little freshening, and we diffuse this in the car with a USB diffuser to clean and freshen the air in there.

If you haven't tried Purification Blend, I can't stress enough how versatile and effective this oil is!  Give it a try and I'd bet you'll fall in love, too.  If you would like help getting this or other oils, please send a message.  And if you want your own Premium Starter Kit (which includes all of the oils we're looking at during this challenge) click here to get started!

Reminder: I am not medically trained, and the information I write in these posts are based on my experiences with essential oils.  If you have questions about oils for medicinal purposes, please talk with a trained medical professional.

New Thieves Cleaning Products

With every day, I fall more in love with Thieves for cleaning - in July I tried Thieves Cleaner for the first time - we used it to make shower scrub, added it to the laundry, and used the spray to clean the bathrooms, kitchen, and floors.  Both my husband and I agree, we have never seen our showers cleaner, and we love that it doesn't hurt our skin, lungs, eyes, or make us nauseous!

At Annual Convention this past month, Young Living revealed three new Thieves line products - Laundry soap, Fruit and Vegetable Wash, and dish soap.  Now you can literally clean everything in your house with a safe, non-toxic, natural, product that smells AMAZING and supports your immune system at the same time.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Ready to try the Thieves Starter Kit or any other Young Living Products? You can send me a message to let me know how I can help you get started, or you can subscribe for a membership here.

New Starter Kit and Wholesale Membership

In case you're just starting out in exploring oils (which was me a few months ago!) it is important to know that there are many EO manufacturers and suppliers out there.  Oils range in availability, price, and quality.  I always recommend that everyone do their own research to figure out 1) if essential oils are right for them and if so, 2) who to choose as a distributor for oils.  That being said, I have made no secret of the fact that I have chosen Young Living as my oil supplier.  I am happy to have individual conversations with anyone interested about how I arrived at that conclusion if you would like to contact me directly.  So as a result, this post is specifically about Young Living Oils and Membership.

Anyone is able (and welcome) to purchase Young Living products without any commitment or membership, simply by ordering through their website.  This is a nice feature for anyone needing just one individual type of oil, or just wanting to try one thing.  There are other options, though, for those looking for a more economical option.  Anyone with a wholesale membership with Young Living has the ability to purchase products at wholesale pricing (24% discount).  So if you want to try some oils but don't want to pay full price, you can ask a member (like me!) to order for you and ship them to you - even with the shipping cost they will be cheaper than full price with shipping.  Otherwise, you can sign up for a membership of your own.  You need to select a starter kit (ranging from $45 - $160) which includes information about the oils and the company in additional to the products (varying based on which kit you choose).  Then you have access to the same pricing and benefits as I do.  The Starter Kits are not available for individual sale.  They are only available with a membership.

The exciting thing is that the Premium Starter Kit, which is Young Living's most popular starter kit (and best value of the starter kits) has just received an update, and in my opinion the new Premium Starter Kit is a huge improvement on the old version (which I loved, too).
 (The information and images below, about each of the starter kits, come directly from the Young Living website)

Basic Starter Kit:
The most affordable of the Starter Kits is the Basic Kit.  It is available in English or Spanish and includes the following:

• 5-ml Stress Away™ oil blend, 
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment for turning any 15 ml. bottle of oils into a convenient roller bottle, 
• 10 Sample Packets (2 each of Thieves Oil Blend, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Lemon Oil, and Peace and Calming Oil Blend) , 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Business Cards, 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Oil Bottles for filling with your favorite oils to share with friends)
•  2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples, 
• Product Guide and Product Price List, 
• Essential Oil Magazine, Essential Edge,
•  and Member Resources.  

Premium Starter Kit Options

The best deal is the Premium Starter Kit.  There are three different versions of it, detailed below.
Premium Starter Kit with Diffuser:
This is what I started with, although it has gotten some upgrades since I bought it, and I have to say I'm a little jealous!  It is also available in English or Spanish.  Along with your membership, you get all of the following:

• Home Diffuser - you have your choice of four different models.  The one shown in this picture was the one I got with my starter kit (and I love it!) 
• Premium Essential Oils Collection: (Lavender 5-ml, Peppermint 5-ml, Lemon 5-ml, Copaiba 5-ml, Frankincense 5-ml, Thieves® 5-ml, Purification® 5-ml, R.C.™ 5-ml, DiGize™ 5-ml, PanAway® 5-ml) - I've posted about how I use many of these, and posts about the others on this list are forthcoming! 
• 5-ml Stress Away™ oil blend 
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment for turning any 15 ml. bottle of oils into a convenient roller bottle 
• 10 Sample Packets (2 each of Thieves Oil Blend, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Lemon Oil, and Peace and Calming Oil Blend) 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Business Cards 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Oil Bottles for filling with your favorite oils to share with friends)
•  2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples 
• Product Guide and Product Price List 
• Essential Oil Magazine, Essential Edge
• Member Resources 

Premium Starter Kit with Ninxia Red

If you've done some reading or research and you know you want a Young Living Membership but instead of the oils, you're interested in the Ninxia Red products, this might be where you want to start.

The kit (available in both English and Spanish) includes:

• NingXia Red 2-pack 
• 30 NingXia Red Singles (2 fl. oz. ea.) 
• NingXia Nitro 5-ml
• 5-ml Stress Away™ oil blend 
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment for turning any 15 ml. bottle of oils into a convenient roller bottle 
• 10 Sample Packets (2 each of Thieves Oil Blend, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Lemon Oil, and Peace and Calming Oil Blend) 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Business Cards 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Oil Bottles for filling with your favorite oils to share with friends)
•  2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples 
• Product Guide and Product Price List 
• Essential Oil Magazine, Essential Edge
• Member Resources 

Premium Starter Kit with Thieves

Once again, if you know you are interested in a Young Living Membership, but you're more interested in the Thieves Oil products instead of the oils, you might want to look into this option.  Also available in English and Spanish, the Starter Kit with Thieves includes:

• 15-ml Thieves Oil
• Thieves AromaBright™ Toothpaste
• Thieves Fresh Essence Plus Mouthwash
• 2 Thieves Cleaner
• 2 Thieves Foaming Hand Soap
• 2 Thieves Spray
• 2 Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier
• 5-ml Stress Away™ oil blend 
• AromaGlide™ Roller Fitment for turning any 15 ml. bottle of oils into a convenient roller bottle 
• 10 Sample Packets (2 each of Thieves Oil Blend, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Lemon Oil, and Peace and Calming Oil Blend) 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Business Cards 
• 10 Love It? Share It! Sample Oil Bottles for filling with your favorite oils to share with friends)
•  2 NingXia Red® 2-oz. samples 
• Product Guide and Product Price List 
• Essential Oil Magazine, Essential Edge
• Member Resources 

All of the Starter Kits are a fantastic deal, and provide you with everything you need to get started with your own Essential Oil experience.  But what you won't find out at the Young Living Website is that there are sometimes benefits beyond the ones they offer as well.  When you enroll for a membership through an existing member, you become part of their membership organization (picture a family tree of members and all whom they've enrolled).  Most of these individual organizations have social media groups that are open only to members of that particular organization, where participants share ideas, testimonials, stories, DIY recipes, etc. This is where I do much of my learning about the oils, and where I get news and updates about new products, special deals, etc.  Many of these organizations also offer video classes, live classes, webinars, contests, and more.  Participation in all of these things is optional, but is only offered to members of that organization.

So if you're thinking about a membership. . . . let me know how I can help you.  And if you use this link to sign up for membership, you will become a part of the same membership organization as I am, gaining access to all of the additional benefits mentioned above.

Good luck!

Tea Tree Oil - Becoming a Believer

Most elementary school teachers have heard of tea tree oil - it's the one we all know to keep on hand if our schools have lice in the building (which we do every year!).  There are tea tree oil shampoos and conditioners, treatment recipes, and hair spritzes that are reported to help keep lice away and help treat existing cases.  I had no idea, though, that tea tree oil is dramatically different than tea tree hair products, nor did I know how many other uses there are for this cleansing, antiseptic oil.

Before I begin to convince you (as I have been convinced) that tea tree oil is another must have, let me reiterate that I have no medical training or background.  The statements I make in my posts have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA, I am merely sharing my experiences, both from reading I've done and what I've tried. With that being said, these are my thoughts on tea tree oil.

Here's the problem - I HATE the smell of tea tree oil!  I think it smells like mothballs.  But the more I read, the more I believe that it is worth the smell to get the benefits.  Below are some of the ways I've found tea tree useful so far, as well as some of the things I want to try with my tea tree oil next.

I live in the midwest, and at this time of the year, the basement is stale, damp, and musty. At least once every few days, I run the diffuser in the basement with tea tree for a few hours, followed by lemon for a few hours.  This makes the air feel and smell fresher and cleaner.  And studies have been conducted to show that it is actually cleaning the air of molds and fungi.  Now that I know more about the benefits, I will be adding a couple drops of tea tree oil to the homemade cleaner I made with lemon oil to add to its effectiveness.

On a whim, one day, I decided to try something.  (Sorry if this is too much information!!) I know that body odor is caused by bacteria under our arms.  After I got out of the shower, I swiped tea tree oil under my arms.  The smell was almost unbearable to me, so after about 10 minutes, I followed with a swipe of lemon oil.  This neutralized the smell a bit, and after about a half hour the smell was gone all together.  It worked way better than any deodorant I've ever used.  So experiencing this, and knowing what I know about why my running clothes retain odors, I think next I'm going to start adding a couple drops to my laundry when I have a load of my athletic clothes (and maybe my bath towels, too. . . hmmmm) to help kill the bacteria that they like to hold on to, being synthetic fabrics.  And a couple drops on cotton balls tucked into the toes of particularly stinky shoes. . . the possibilities for killing bacteria and eliminating odorsare endless!

I have used tea tree oil to disinfect minor cuts and scrapes, always with good results - I have read that it is great for nail infections, though I've yet to try that. It is also good for relieving itch from bug bites.  Anything that helps with that during summer in Wisconsin is great!!

So I'm just learning more about this incredibly useful oil.  As I read more, I have ideas of where I want to go next with this oil (once I get a new bottle in my next order, since my original one is now empty!).  I just read that it's recommended to soak your toothbrush in diluted tea tree oil once a week or so to kill the bacteria that is housed in the bristles.  I've also seen recipes for making toothpaste out of it, although I don't know how I'd do with that taste!  Check out this list of uses for tea tree oil.  And if you're not familiar with Dr. Axe, I highly recommend checking out his website!  What I love about his website and his EO recommendations is that he uses a lot of medical research and studies to back up his recommendations.  Can't argue with that!

If you have any questions about anything related to oils, uses, recommendations, information about why I chose Young Living as my oils supplier, or how to try oils without commitment, please email me..  And if you are interested in a membership with Young Living, you can join here.

The "Allergy Trio" - My seasonal best friend!

**The experience in this post are based on my personal use of oils.  I do not have any medical background or training, the statements I make are not intended to be taken as medical advice, and have not been reviewed or approved by the FDA.  I feel passionately about my own experiences with oils, so I want to share those experiences with others.  If you are new to oils or have medical concerns, please consult with a medical professional before you begin, and by all means, do your research!

If you've read my blog posts, you have heard me mention my affinity for the "allergy trio" of lavender, lemon and peppermint oils to help me handle seasonal allergies. Every May I get hammered with pollen allergies - I have the itchy eyes, the congestion, the scratchy throat, the cold symptoms - all of it.  I have always relied on a Claritin in the morning every day, but this year, I decided to try a more natural approach - the "allergy bomb" that I had heard about in posts about essential oil use.  I started with diffusing - three drops of each - lemon, lavender and peppermint - overnight in our bedroom.  Both my husband and I noticed a difference immediately!  He commented the very first morning that his eyes weren't puffy, and he didn't feel stuffed up.  I noticed that I didn't sneeze a dozen times when I first woke up.  A huge improvement on the "norm" for us!!

In the spring I sponsor a running club at our school - it is the long standing joke that after we finish our run, I sneeze about a hundred times.  I started taking the allergy trio - 3 drops of each - in a capsule before our runs, and I noticed that not only could I run better (I suppose because I could breathe better) but I didn't sneeze at all afterward.

Yesterday my husband was out mowing the lawn while I was cleaning inside the house.  I noticed that I was very congested and my throat was itchy.  I finally realized it was from the grass and his mowing.  I used my allergy trio, and within 20 minutes I was feeling so much better!  My husband came in and asked if it was a safe time of day for him to try a capsule for the first time.  I reassured him that this was one of the advantages of the oils - they didn't keep you awake like OTC allergy meds did, so you could take them at any time of day.  He tried it and within 10 minutes he said he was symptom free.

My only regret is that we have a whole bottle of Claritin in the bathroom that I have not opened up more than three or four times this season. . . . I haven't taken one in about 2 months, and I feel great!  What a wonderful feeling to know that I'm managing my allergies naturally and not with chemicals!

If you have any questions, of course, please email me.  And if you're interested in Young Living oils, which I have chosen as my oil supplier, based on the quality of their product and their impeccable reputation, let me know.  If you're interested in membership with Young Living, which allows you to purchase oils at wholesale prices (24% off of retail), you can sign up here.

Step aside, Martha!

I spent today creating DIY versions of all my go-to beauty products.  I spent hours this morning going through recipes (there are so many availab(le!) and making a shopping list (which was not terribly extensive, since most of the ingredients I needed were either things I had in the kitchen or oils that I already had from my starter kit).  Then my afternoon was devoted to making natural, healthier versions of my products  - from exfoliating scrub to eye cream.  I had SO much fun!!  The recipes were easy, the products look great, and I can't wait to see the results!  I've made my "allergy trio" and my "weight loss trio" part of my regular routine, but now I have adopted a new trio - the skin care trio.  Most of the skin recipes involved a combination of frankincense, lemon and lavender oil.  I've been using frank on my skin since I got it - it is recommended for wrinkles, scars, and uneven skin tone.  Lavender is recommended to help with skin irritation, and lemon is recommended as an anti-oxident, so this combination made a lot of sense to me.  I've done lots of reading about coconut oil, vitamin e oil, and jojoba oil, and combining them with essential oils seems like a very healthy alternative to skin care products made of a bunch of things I can't pronounce!

I used these recipes:

Face Wash - using baking soda, coconut oil and oils to cleanse instead of harsh chemicals
Exfoliating Scrub - honey, almond meal, and peppermint oil - so invigorating!
Eye Cream - vitamin e oil, coconut oil, and frankincense oil, which are all known to help with fine lines and signs of aging
Night Cream - lemon, lavender, frankincense oils blended with coconut and olive oil.
Lotion (non-greasy body lotion) - shea butter and jojoba oil with lemon, lavender, and peppermint oils
Foaming Hand Soap - castile soap, glycerin, thieves oil and distilled water as a hand cleanser/sanitizer

Next on my to-do list: shaving lotion, sunscreen, and bug repellent.  I'm hooked!

If you have any questions, of course, please email me.  And if you're interested in Young Living oils, which I have chosen as my oil supplier, based on the quality of their product and their impeccable reputation, let me know.  If you're interested in membership with Young Living, which allows you to purchase oils at wholesale prices (24% off of retail), you can sign up here.

Essential Oil Pocket Reference Guide

When I joined Young Living, the first thing someone sent me was the Essential Oil Pocket Reference Guide. I am not exaggerating when I say that I consult this book about a dozen times a week!

This book goes into detail about the history of essential oil use, the distillation process, common methods of using oils, and more.  The first half of the book lists Young Living essential oils by oil, providing information about the oil itself, how to use it (topically, diffused, or ingested), and what to use it for.  The second half of the book, which is my go-to reference, lists common ailments or conditions and gives suggestions for what oils or blends to use for treatment or relief of symptoms.  I have learned SO MUCH from this book, and it has helped me prioritize which oils to add to my collection now, and which to add later.

Anyone using Young Living essential oils should own this book.  I can't imagine trying to navigate all the different oils out there without it.

As always, If you're interested in trying out Young Living oils, or if you have any questions, please email me.  I'm happy to help you get started!  And if you're ready for a membership with Young Living, you can sign up at this link.


**Just a reminder that I have no medical training or background.  I am speaking only to my experience.  It is important to do your own research, and consult with your doctor before starting essential oil use.

Lemon Oil - I Can't Say Enough About It!

    Lemon oil. . . . where to begin!!

I have found many daily uses for my lemon oil.  I started using it as an additive to my water - partly to encourage me to drink more water throughout the day, partly thanks to an article (that I hope to relocate and link here!) that talked about how good it is for a natural liver and kidney detox when you drink it every day.  Then I stumbled aross this article that talked about things to do with lemon essential oil that I hadn't even thought of.

It is another oil that plays many different roles throughout my day:
When I get up in the morning, I drink a glass of water with lemon oil in it, as a way to hydrate and a little energy burst right away.  Throughout the day I have a water bottle with lemon oil in it next to me at work to help me in my goal to drink more water at work!  I have learned that you should only put essential oils in glass water bottles, as the oils can leach toxins out of plastics unless they are "hospital grade plastic" - and no one wants to be adding toxins to their water!!

Right now I start my day with my allergy bomb (2-3 drops each of peppermint, lavender, and lemon oil in a capsule with a carrier oil).  I have found it to be more effective and easier on my body than any OTC allergy medication or anti-histamine I have tried **

A few weeks ago I made an all purpose home cleaner with my lemon oil.  I combined equal parts distilled water and white vinegar (I used 1/2 cup of each for my 16 oz. spray bottle) and 20 drops of lemon oil in a glass spray bottle (found on Amazon).  You could easily adjust the amount of lemon oil to suit your preferences.  I love the lemony smell without the oily residue that this proportion gave me.  We now use this spray cleaner daily in the kitchen (appliances, counters, sinks), on the dining table (won't harm wood!!), in the bathroom (the vinegar and lemon oil combination cuts through the mineral build-up that we get from our city water), everywhere!  The best part is that my two little helpers love to help me clean, and since I know the ingredients are safe for them, I don't worry about letting them spray for me!

Those same little helpers had put a whole bunch of stickers on the wood coffee table a while back.  We had scraped, wiped, wet, picked, and rubbed, but those stickers didn't want to come up.  Two years later, I tried lemon oil to remove them.  I put it on them directly (about a drop on each sticker), rubbed it in with my fingertip, waited about 2 minutes, and then wiped.  EVERY sticker came up, as did the sticky residue underneath!!

At school I work in a beautiful room with custom made wood tables.  When students got permanent marker all over the gorgeous tables, I was heartbroken.  We tried several chemical solvents to remove it and it dulled the ink a bit, but the damage remained.  I figured it couldn't hurt to try some lemon oil, since I knew it wouldn't hurt the wood, and the worst that would happen is the dulled ink would still be there. After applying the oil and letting it sit for a few minutes, when I scrubbed, the marker came up.  So I kept going, and used it to remove glue, ink, and all sorts of other junk from the table tops, too.  And the added bonus, of course, is how good the room smelled afterward.

I love cooking spicy foods!  But I don't think to wear gloves when cutting up peppers, and I inevitably remember too late, when I go to take my contacts out later and get the oil in my eyes!  Now I've started rubbing a couple drops of lemon oil on my hands after I work with the peppers, and it takes the hot oil right off of my hands!

Lemon oil is also used in conjunction with other citrus oils and peppermint oil as a weight loss combination, it can be used as a sanitizer when rubbed on the hands, it is great for a bad mood, as it brings a bright and happy smell when diffused, and of course it is a great addition to a cup of hot water or green tea!

I could keep going, but I think you get the picture!


If you're interested in trying out Young Living oils, or if you have any questions, please email me.  I'm happy to help you get started!  And if you're ready for a membership with Young Living, you can sign up at this link.


**Just a reminder that I have no medical training or background.  I am speaking only to my experience.  It is important to do your own research, and consult with your doctor before starting essential oil use.

Getting Started - Do your research!

The world of essential oils can be very overwhelming.  There are so many companies out there, so many oils, so many blends, and so many opinions!  In some ways, the internet is wonderful, since the information is right there at our fingertips, but at the same time, how do you know who to trust?  I have done hours and hours of reading and research in the last few months in order to learn about oils and formulate a plan for myself (more to come on that in future posts!)  One of the things that I liked about Young Living oils was their starter kit.  I felt like it gave me the oils and the information that I needed in order to "dip my toes in".  Looking back now, I see that the oils they thought I would use the most are indeed the ones that I am constantly reordering!

https://static.youngliving.com/productimages/large/4672.jpg

There are many bloggers out there who are ready to take you under their wings and welcome you to the world of oils by providing the resources and accessories you need to get started, and the support you need to move forward.  I've also started seeing posts and articles in some of my favorite magazines, fitness and health blogs singing the praises of essential oils.  Listed below are some of my favorite blogs and sites for information about oils and other health issues.  If you're not familiar with them, check them out!

Dr. Mercola
The Total Wellness Doc
Dr. Axe
Mind, Body, Green
Health Magazine
Women's Health

Every person is different, every body is different.  In the end, you need to do what is right for you. For me, that was supplementing my efforts toward healthier diet and exercise habits with essential oils.  I wouldn't be sharing it if I didn't feel strongly about it, but make your decisions based on you, not on what anyone else says!

If you're interested in becoming a Young Living member, click here!

Choosing a Supplier

If you read my first post, you know that I am relatively new to the world of oils.  When I decided to really do some research into what they might do for me, I saw one message over and over.  It's the same message I give to you right now - DO YOUR RESEARCH!  There are many oil providers out there, and anyone who is committing to a lifestyle that includes essential oils needs to go with something they trust.  If you're doing it right,  your initial switch to oils will require some time and some money up front, so it's worth it to do the initial legwork.  I started out looking at what other bloggers said about their research.  Admittedly, I did not purchase from every company I researched, but I did try a few different types of oils.  No matter where I looked, a few names popped up repeatedly:

DoTerra 
Native American Nutritionals
Rocky Mountain Oils
Young Living

I also tried some oils from
Now Foods
Healing Solutions

I initially headed into my research completely opposed to any company that had a MLM structure, and determined to find the cheapest way to integrate oils into my life.  What I learned was completely consistent with what I read on other sites:
-you get what you pay for
-some companies have a very transparent "trail" from where the products are grown to where they are distributed (including all phases of the manufacturing process)
-not all oils are the same
-there are lots of deceptive terms out there regarding purity and oil grades
-there is no right answer to which oils are the best.  Everyone needs to make that decision individually based on their needs and their preferences.
-things like customer service, ease of ordering, clarity of descriptions, and testimonials from people like me are valid considerations.

Ultimately, I surprised myself by choosing Young Living oils.  I had many reasons for this decision, which I'm happy to share if you would like to message me for more information.  There has not been a moment since making this decision where I've questioned or regretted it.  One reason I chose Young Living is because I could try it out without a commitment of any kind.  Members like myself can purchase oils at wholesale prices and share with those who just want to try it out.  So if you're tempted or curious, and you want a commitment free way to try the oils, message me and we can make that happen!  If you're interested in becoming a Young Living member, click here!

My Story

Welcome! Chances are, you found this blog because you're interested in learning more about essential oils.  That's where I started, too.  I have known about oils for the last few years - a co-worker swore that putting peppermint oil in her water helped as a digestive and an appetite suppressant (sounds good to me!) and I gave it a try.  That was about as serious as I got.

Meanwhile, a couple years went by, and I went from being a person with very few health concerns and a fairly healthy lifestyle to being someone who was taking 3 prescription meds daily, fighting virus after virus, and watching helplessly as every bug out there knocked the whole family out from the first day of school throughout the winter and well into the spring!  I knew that the OTC meds we were using helped alleviate symptoms when they came up, but something more proactive needed to happen to help us get ahead of these health problems that seemed to be never ending.

About a year ago, I noticed posts all over the health blogs that I follow regularly about the benefits of various essential oils.  I marked them all to read later and moved on.  Then, about 6 months ago, another coworker mentioned the oils she is using, and I started asking questions.  I decided to just dip my toes in, having NO IDEA what the world of essential oils would teach me, and ordered my first two oils: peppermint (the old, familiar friend), and one called Stress-Away - I had been struggling with some anxiety issues and was feeling exceptionally stressed about work related issues, and was ready to try anything.

 I started putting the peppermint in my water during the day and noticed a change in how my body felt after lunch (less bloating, less feeling of sluggishness!).  I followed the guidelines for the Stress-Away oil and applied some to my wrists and neck and IMMEDIATELY fell in love with the smell! (I'll post more about Stress-away in a future post)  It was fragrant and calming, without being overpowering or offensive to others (you should know that I am extremely sensitive to smells, and am the first one to complain about other people's scents bothering me - everything from headaches to sneezing fits!)  I started using the Stress-Away more regularly and found that I started feeling like something was missing on days that I didn't use it.


Around that time, my coworker mentioned that she was ordering some more oils, and invited me to add to her order if I'd like.  I felt like I was ready to try some more, so I ordered lemon and valerian.  I had read about both - lemon as a detoxifier and valerian as a sleep aid.  The only thing I knew was either using oils topically or in water, so I used my lemon in my water, alternating with the peppermint (because I had NO IDEA you could or should mix them!) and valerian in my tea at night - NOT a good taste!  To quote my husband, "It smells like peaches and feet!".  I liked the lemon well enough, but wasn't fully sold on the valerian.  My coworker started asking about what I thought about the oils, and sharing thoughts about the oils she was using.  I asked her one day, in desperation, about what she used for menstrual cramps.  She listed a couple of oils and a blend that I was completely unfamiliar with, and I knew I needed to start doing some research.  And one afternoon, when I could barely swallow because of what I was certain was strep, she introduced me to Thieves oil and Thieves spray.  Intrigued by the effect it had when she sprayed it on my throat, I dove in to my research even further!

Not long after, I was in a friend's house and she had a diffuser running - she shared that she diffused Thieves oil 24 hours a day, and she swore that her family had been the healthiest they've ever been since she started.  For me, I still just loved the smell and didn't understand what was really happening when she diffused it.  These are both friends that I trust, and that I feel live their lives similarly to me, so I was ready to learn more.  One weekend I glued myself to the computer and read everything I could find about oils, and thus began my journey.  I have learned so much in such a short time about how to use the oils, what oils to combine in order to maximize effects, what uses the oils had beyond fragrance, and the science of why the oils worked.  I very quickly became hooked!

Look for future posts about how I decided what kinds of oils to use and what oils are now a part of my regular routine!  And if you're interesting in trying oils for yourself, email me at wkharrop@gmail.com.  If you're interested in becoming a Young Living member, click here.