Essential oils 101: Day 3!

Good morning to all! So far this morning I have already gotten to use my Frankincense and Lavender on a bump that my littlest received as she tried to "fly" off our guest bed. I'm hoping it helps prevent a black eye! In the meantime, I"m off to warm my cup of wonderfulness for the morning....be back in a moment and we will get started!

I'm going to continue today with some specific oil blends that have been put together to do some VERY specific jobs. doTerra has noted that certain oils are particularly suited for internal consumption. They have put these in ready made capsule form. DDR Prime, Slim andSassy, and DigestZen are available in pre made soft-gels. They also make an OnGuard+ soft-gel, for when you are starting to get sick, and, as we saw before, they have put Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint in a soft-gel for allergies. They call this their TriEase Blend. You also can get empty veggie caps from Doterra (or online) and fill them yourself. Another option is to take the oils like a shot – a few drops in water and down the hatch! This is especially helpful if you have a sore throat or heart burn and you would like to feel the benefit of the oils as they go down.

The oil that I "shoot" most often is Slim and Sassy. It is doTerra's Metabolic Blend and is their #2 bestseller. Not only does it support your metabolism, but it helps to curb hunger and cravings. I've heard of people lose more than 50 pounds just by adding this oil to their daily oil routine.

If you are really trying to lose weight, the recommended dosage is 25 drops/day. The oils aren't time released, so it is important to spread these drops out throughout the day. The BEST way to do this, is to use this oil throughout the day in your drinking water. Some people love the flavor, I am one of them, but I know lots of people that can't stand it. You can certainly put this oil in a capsule, or use the pre made soft-gels. This oil is VERY strong tasting, it is a mix of lemon, grapefruit, cinnamon, ginger and peppermint – (the ginger and peppermint makes your lips tingle!) I personally take about 8 drops a day, and I am convinced that simply tasting it and smelling it contributes to curbing my hunger and cravings.

OnGuard is doTerra's "Protective Blend," and it is what I refer to as my "Zombie Apocalypse" oil, because it is the one oil I never want to be without. I strongly believe that this is the oil that keeps my family well. I make roller bottles of this, and since we use it daily just for prevention, my roller bottles are just 1/3 OnGuard and the rest is fractionated coconut oil. My kids love it because they get to put it on all by themselves. I have them swipe the bottoms of their feet before we go out and about or before playgroups.

Just to be really clear on this, my babies definitely would go to the doctor and take whatever medication they needed to be healthy. Its just that in the last 6 months, with the oils as our first line of defense, we haven't needed to even once! As a mom, I just LOVE that!

OnGuard has several different oils in it, including Clove Oil. Clove Oil is nature's highest source of antioxidants. The ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity scale) measures the antioxidant power of different foods. Blueberries are considered a very powerful antioxidant and they score very high on the scale at 2,500. Clove Oil scores the highest at 1,078,000! I am so glad that this is an oil we get every single day!

People often ask how I get my OnGuard every day. I really don't topically apply it, like I do for my girls. Aren't we always better about taking care of our kids than ourselves? However, OnGuard is such a popular oil, that doTerra has a whole line of OnGuard products and while I don't have all of them (I wish!) there is a good amount I have managed to work into my daily routine.

First, we all use the hand soap, my kids say it smells like Christmas! And if you wash your hands for a good 30 seconds, you do absorb a full dose of OnGuard.

They make little OnGuard beadles and (they also make these in Peppermint.) These are in my purse all the time. They are these tiny, tiny little capsules that just encapsulate one single drop of oil. You can swallow them whole or pop them open in your mouth. I love the flavors, so I pop them in my mouth.

They also offer toothpaste, laundry soap, throat-drops, and an OnGuard cleaner concentrate. It has been shown not only to kill bacteria a viruses such as the flu and MRSA, but counters cleaned with the OnGuard cleaner actually resist new growth! I am sure this is another reason my family stays so well.

Hereis an article that talks about some of the scientific studies that are being done using OnGaurd to fight super bugs like MRSA.

61. Anyone feeling overwhelmed? I know it is a lot of information! You do not have to learn it all at once. For some people, watching a class is simply easier. This is a great one that I love to share!

I have been SO intimidated to write about the Lifelong Vitality Pack. For starters, it is doTerra's #1 best seller. That's right, an essential oil company's best sellers are actually their supplements. These supplements do include 9 essential oils, including Frankincense and Clove, which are oils that everyone should use daily.

Since this feels likes such an intimidating topic, let me start with this GREAT video that will explain the Lifelong Vitality Pack (LLV) way better than I every could.

One thing that really separates the Lifelong Vitality supplements (LLV) from other supplements is that they our sourced from natural, whole foods. They aren't synthetic, so your body absorbs and utilizes them very well.

In the past when I had taken supplements of any kind, they made me feel funny, often jittery, and they always upset my gut. I don't have any of that with the LLV. They give me increased energy, I believe they have a strong role in balancing my hormones, and I have had all sorts of "happy side-effects" that I attribute to LLV. My hair and nails grow crazy fast. My eczema is gone. And, I have had all sorts of aches and pains just go away.

Because they are sourced from whole foods, these are bulkier than most synthetic supplements. The LLV pack is composed of three different bottles of supplements: Alpha CRS, Microplex VMZ, and EO Mega. The daily dosage is 4 pills from each bottle. That shocked me at first, but it is a great reassurance that these are whole foods and not synthetics. Because I have a normal diet rich in veggies and fruits, and because I am trying to save where I can I actually take a half dose everyday (so two of each daily) Even on the half dose I have felt a great improvement! 

This is a great link to learn more about doTerra's Lifelong Vitality Supplements. You can click on each bottle to see a brief overview. From there, you can also click on the "Product Information Page" to download in depth information about each supplement. You will notice there are 4 bottles listed. This is because EO Mega comes in two forms: xEO Mega, the original formulation, and vEO Mega, the vegan formulation.

The main resource that I use when learning more about using my oils is my Modern Essentials book. This book is not made or sold by doTerra, but it certainly caters to doTerra oils. It compounds a lot of oil research in a user-friendly format. It talks about the history of using essential oils, how to apply them, the science behind why they work and then it goes through all of the oils one by one and talks about how they are used and what their chemical property is. Then it also has a section where you can look up ailments and learn suggested oil protocols. And everything is cross-referenced. I love it.

Not really as an incentive (though you are welcome to consider it that if you like!) but more as a key resource, I do want to let you all know that if you sign up with a whole-sale membership under me (with an order of 200pv or more – we will talk about what that means in a little bit), I am happy to gift you a Modern Essentials book! I think it is just such an amazing resource, and truly important to have as you start your journey.

This is where I buy my book:  or you can also get it from amazon.

This is a video all about the book:

I also use the site http://neweverythingessential.me/ all the time – several of you will probably recognize it since it is my #1 resource while doing research on specific health concerns online.

When you enroll as a wholesale, our team also has a wonderful Facebook page where you can ask questions and converse with others who have potentially dealt with the exact same concerns you will be addressing for you and your family. On your computer, there is also a "search box" at the top right-hand corner of all Facebook groups. This is so helpful on our Facebook page, because you can search past posts and read past conversations that people have had months before. It is a huge time saver for me. And, it is nice to know that the group is private and I have some sort of connection to everyone in the group.

This wraps up the education portion of our class!

We will now enter into your purchasing options for the oils. Like I said before, I LOVE being a part of educating. So if that is all you are here for then I am so glad you were a part of this journey. But if you are interested in getting some oils to use for yourself, then please keep reading – and as always, please ask lots of questions!

There are two main ways to purchase your oils: retail and wholesale. There is also a 3rd option, known as the preferred member. The attached image explains the difference. Honestly, I have never had anyone choose the preferred member option. Most people enroll as wholesale members and most of them get their membership for free. So, that makes it a bit of a “no-brainer."

I think of the wholesale membership as a Sams Club or Costco membership. It is an annual membership that gets you 25% off retail prices. There are further discounts and opportunities for monthly free products. You can also choose to enroll in Loyalty Rewards and you earn money back on your purchases towards purchases in the future.

To get your wholesale membership you can either pay $35 (and then get whatever you would like for 25% off) or enroll with an enrollment kit. That math works out that when you enroll with an enrollment kit, your enrollment fee is basically waived. This is a link to the different kits that count as enrollment kits.

These are my three favorite enrollment kits...

The smallest kit that I find to be really popular is the Family PhysicianKit + Slim and Sassy.

A lot of people love the Family Wellness Kit. It has the Family Physician Kit and the Lifelong Vitality Pack, along with a few more great items to get you started. This is the kit I started with, and I love that it gives you a great start in taking care of your family with oils.

The other kit that I love is the Natural Solutions Kit. It gets you some of the most popular oils, your supplements, and even your diffuser. Its a great option for someone who really wants to start out with a broad experience of the oils and how to use them.

Every Wellness Advocate has their own retail site. Mine is www.mydoterra.com/SBethuel. You can buy retail directly from there if you feel that fits you best.

If you are choosing to get a wholesale pricing, we can walk through that together.

But - if you are anxious to join ASAP, here are some basic instructions:

1. Go to your http://www.mydoterra.com/SBethuel/

2. At the top, right corner, click "Join."

3. When you do, on the righthand side of the page, choose to enter into the new enrollment process. There is an picture with flags on it.

4. Select your country and select "Wholesale Prices."

5. On the first page, you fill out your personal information.

6. You also need to enter your Enroller's ID. Make sure that this is there! My number is 866006.

7. On the second page, you choose whatever enrollment kit you are choosing to enroll with. If you would prefer to just pay the $35 you can choose to get the "Introductory Kit." The following section allows you to add individual products to your order.

8. When you are done with that, you enter your payment information.

9. When you are enrolled, it will pop up a screen that will give you your order number and your Membership ID. Make sure you write down your Membership ID for future reference, though I think they will also e-mail it to you.

Remember, you do not have to walk through the enrollment process on your own. I'm more than happy to go through it with you!

 Ok - this last picture is just for fun:

 But in my case, it really has been true! My heart is to share these oils, and in many ways it has felt really blessed. I have not tried at all to make money with Doterra, but I have found that it truly fits a need that so many people are missing. I have taken the time to simply answer questions, do research and be an example of what these oils can do and I have been overwhelmed by the interest. If anyone is interested in sharing with their friends, I would be happy to help you! If you sign up as a wholesale member and want to hold your own online class, I can provide all the info (Any new members would be signed up under you, unless you don't feel comfortable following up on training, then I am happy to sponsor them!) or if you wanted to have friends over for a girls night, I would love to come and do all the teaching in person. (provided I can get to you.) And then we get to play with all the oils hands on! Just private message me and we can schedule a time (I also offer a free citrus oil to those just wanting to host a class).

That concludes our online class! You all have made this a truly wonderful experience. I have had so much fun! I will leave all this info up for another week if you need to catch up, please do so at your own pace. No hurry! And of course let me know if you have any questions at all.

May you all be truly blessed - and happy oiling!!

Essential Oils 101: Day 2

Good morning! My children have started this morning in a rampage, so I apologize that I am getting a late start. Come on coffee, come on! (I added the lovely picture of coffee to help wake us all up. I know I need it this morning!)

I'm going to start this morning with Melaleuca Essential Oil. Melaleuca is commonly known as Tea Tree Oil. It is anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. This makes it wonderful for cold sores, acne, athletes foot, and the common cold. I have known people that have gone into the doctor for toe-nail issues, and they are prescribed regular ol' melaleuca. This oil is so versatile, when one of our fish (yes, you heard that correct) started acting sick, I went to the pet store and got the top recommended medicine to add to the water “This stuff is amazing!” the store owner told me. “I have seen fish make a complete turn around within a day of adding this to the tank.” Surprise surprise? I added it to the fish tank and the whole room began to smell of melaleuca, I checked the active ingredient? Yup.

People also love to add this to their shampoo and conditioner for scalp health. It aids in healing dandruff and lice will avoid the head that smells of melaleuca!

Check out this very high-tech image of a cell. :) 

 As you can see, viruses reside within the cell membrane. Bacteria live outside. Synthetic drugs cannot typically cross the cell membrane, but essential oils can! This is why you can treat an infection with antibiotics, but you have to ride out a cold. In our family, even when we start to get a virus, we can knock it out very quickly with the oils!

Breathe is doTerra's Respiratory Blend, and it is the first blend that I will highlight in this class. Personally, the blends are some of my very favorites, they tend to be a little more user friendly. Their names pretty much tell you what they do so there is not too much guesswork: Breathe helps with respiratory issues, DigestZen helps with tummy issues, OnGuard protects you from nasty germs and bugs, etc.

If I were sitting next to you and holding a bottle of Breathe, I would invite you to rub just a drop between your palms, cup your hands over your mouth and take a deep, strong breath. the experience is powerful. Several of my friends have gotten themselves and their children off daily nebulizer treatments for their asthma. Though they still own their rescue inhalers, none of them have reported having to use them since they started using Breathe.

We use Breathe in our house primarily for congestion and coughing. We rub it on our chest and our feet. We diffuse it and put it in our cool mist humidifiers. One of my favorite ways to use it, is to simply put a drop in the kids’ bath when they are congested. This can be so helpful for the little ones who cannot blow their own noses!

This is a great blog post about Breathe! I want to add to it that I have recently heard several testimonials that snorers who rub Breathe on their big toes before bed have seen it alleviate their snoring. Amazing! 

Alright – on to the different ways you can use Essential Oils. First, why and when we would use an oil aromatically. An aromatic application of the oils can profoundly effect our mood, memory and even our hormone levels. Our nasal passages connect directly to our olfactory bulb, which is the part of our brain which registers smell. The olfactory bulb is one part of the limbic system of our brain, which also controls mood and memory. Ever had a smell bring back a memory? That is the limbic system at work!

When you inhale the oils, chemical compounds are delivered directly to your limbic system. It is a powerful way to affect your mood, your emotions, your alertness, and your memory. The limbic system also sits right in front of your pituitary gland, which is your body's master gland! So, an aromatic application of the oils could also have a profound effect on your hormones (thyroid included).

There are several ways to get the oils aromatically. Well – technically they all involve smelling. But you know what I mean... The most logical (and direct) is to just smell them from the bottle. In fact, if you open a bottle of oil, you should take the time to smell the oil and receive its benefits. Of course, this becomes increasingly difficult when there are small children living in your house. In that case I suggest hiding while smelling the bottle, which actually creates quite the comical mental picture!

You could rub the oil on your palms, cup your hands over your nose and deep breath. My kids love to get the oils this way.

I like to rub the oils on my wrists and my chest so I can smell them easily. Just be careful, because citrus oils can cause photosensitivity, so you don't want to rub those oils on your chest and then go out into the sunlight, or you will be much more susceptible to being sunburned!

This brings us to my favorite method: diffusing. I love my diffuser. A diffuser uses ultrasonic vibrations to break the oil up into a mist. (You never want to use heat with the oils or it can damage them). The oil particles are light enough to stay suspended in the air for up to 7 hours! I never have to burn a candle anymore. In fact 99% of candles now give me a terrible headache. I have become a scent-snob!

My diffuser is this one: 

This diffuser is good for a small area. It runs until the water is out-a couple of hours. I have heard it called the R2D2 diffuser. Mine works great – but I have heard others say theirs stops working after a while. So it's a gamble. Order at your own risk.

I have heard wonderful things about the Whisper, sold by aromatools: 

This is a very popular diffuser because you put the water and oil in and when you turn it on you decide if you want that oil out in the air within the hour, do you want it to run all night long, and you can choose all sorts of time intervals in-between. It does well in large areas, and you can turn the light off. This is what I have in the bedrooms for overnight.

doTerra recently came out with theAromaLite, I don't have one but people love them, and I think they are a strong competitor for the Whisper.

Now, for what I consider the Cadillac: the Arroma-Ace. 

These are what were used in the Vanderbilt Study You just screw the bottle in and you can set how much comes out and at what time interval. No water involved like the others – but very much more expensive!

Well worth watching: 

After school grumpiness got WAY better after we started diffusing Citrus Bliss every afternoon!

There are tons of other diffusers available at amazon.com. Just read the reviews to choose what will fit you best - you can spend anywhere from $25 to $250.

Next! 

Deep Blue is doTerra's blend for pain. It works great on muscle pain, joint pain, and even nerve pain. You can get it in oil form, or as a muscle rub. I have struggled for years with terrible neck pain from an injury I received as a child. For several weeks after I got my Deep Blue rub, my husband would use it to rub my neck and shoulders. When I used Deep Blue, I thought it would simply be a replacement for Advil, but it is more than that. Not only did it take way the pain, but I now very rarely need him to rub my neck at all. I am amazed by how therapeutic these oils can be. Oftentimes, they go well beyond treating the symptom and actually address the cause. I personally will use the rub or drop a few drops into a soothing bath with epson salts. Then I'll take that time to say a prayer of healing and do some deep breathing. It can be a very peaceful experience.

When using the oils topically, often you simply apply wherever the pain is, the wound is, etc...If we have a belly ache or a sore throat, we apply the oils right over that area. The oils absorb into our skin really easily. Think about transdermal patches like a hormone patch or a nicotine patch. Our skin is our largest organ, and the oils reach our bloodstream very efficiently.

To get the oils systemically, the bottoms of your feet are a great place to apply the oils. The pores are large and the skin is less sensitive. The oils can then circulate throughout your bloodstream in as little as 30 seconds. A friend of mine did an experiment in her health class once, where the teacher had them put a clove of garlic between their toes. She said it was the weirdest thing, because in just a short while, she could taste the garlic even though it was no where near her mouth! This is a great example of how our system works. If it's on you, it's in you!

When diluting the oils for a topical application, you mix them with what is called a "carrier oil." This is any natural, plant based oil: coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, etc... The carrier of choice is coconut oil, because coconut oil has its own therapeutic benefits. Any organic coconut oil is just fine, but it is usually solid at room temp. It quickly melts in your hand, but can be a bit cumbersome in certain situations. doTerra makes a CPTG Fractionated Coconut Oil that has some of the fat taken out so it is liquid at room temp. What do I use? Both! I use the solid a lot and the fractionated for convenience.

There are 3 main reasons to dilute the oils: dosage, sensitivity, and to spread over a large area.

The average dose for an adult is 1-3 drops of oils. This is great, because our 15ml bottles of oil contain >250 drops. These oils go a long way. The average dose for a child is 1 drop, and the average dose for an infant is half a drop. It is not that you are going to overdose on the oils (Though I accidentally got 3 drops of Roman Chamomile once when I was going for 1 and was groggy all day!) you would have to consume an extreme amount of oil for that to happen-but you also don't want to waste your oils!

So, how do I get that "half a drop" on my little ones? I have roller bottles that I have made up that are half essential oil and half fractionated coconut oil. Just a swipe is less than a full drop of the oil.

This is where I get my roller bottles. Or they also have them on Amazon.  

Or, I'll do one drop in my hands with a carrier oil, rub it first into my own hands and then onto their feet or chest.

Another reason to dilute is for skin-sensitivity. If using an oil that could cause a skin irritation, you just mix it with a carrier oil. Often a 1:1 ration is all you need, so 3 drops of essential oil would only need to be diluted with 3 drops of carrier oil. For the record, I am never that precise. I just squirt some Fractionated Coconut Oil in my palm, add my essential oils to it, and slather wherever I would like.

The third reason to dilute is to spread the oil over a large area. For example, you might want Breathe all over your chest and back. You will not decrease its efficacy by diluting it. So, dilute the appropriate dose in whatever amount of carrier oil you would need to cover the desired away and rub it all in. Enjoy!

The last oil we will highlight for the night is lemon. You know how it is recommended that you start each day with a squeeze of lemon in hot water to balance the ph level of your body and help rid yourself of toxins? Trust me, one drop of lemon oil in a glass of ice-water is the way to do that! (and maybe add a drop of peppermint to make it the perfect “beat the heat” summer drink.)

Lemon in my water was my very first introduction to essential oils and I'll admit it hooked me right away. I almost never crave sugary drinks anymore. Instead I keep my citrus oils close and pick and chose based on what I happen to be in the mood for that day.

All of the citrus oils are detoxifying, but they also have some unique benefits. Personally, I think of lemon as being particularly detoxifying, grapefruit curbs cravings, orange is a mood elevator, and lime is known to increase mental acuity. Goodness, I think I may need all 4 in my water tonight!

Of course, that detoxifying quality also means that while citrus oil can pull unwanted chemicals out of your body, they can also pull petrochemicals out of plastics a styrofoam. So, whenever you drink your citrus water, make sure that you drink from glass, stainless, or ceramic.

Some oils are safe for internal consumption and others are not. This mirrors how, in nature, some plants are safe for consumption, and others are not. If they are safe for consumption, the bottles will be labeled with a "Supplemental Facts" label, as shown below. 

 If they are not safe for consumption, then they do not have this label.

That is it for now - I'm tired! 

Goodnight all! Tomorrow we will talk about the #1 and #2 top sellers doterra offers, and then go over the different ways you can get the oils if anyone is interested. May you all sleep blissfully!

Essential Oils 101: Day 1

Today is the day! Ok – it is kinda sad how excited I am to share all this with you guys. But really, this is such a passion of mine. Whenever I see anyone hurt or sick, I really just want to sit them down and beg them to let me try some of my oils on them – and a few times people have actually let me, and the joy I feel when they feel better is tremendous!

HUGE AND SUPER IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
I am NOT a medical doctor nor do I have any medical training or certifications. Anything that I have learned about the oils has been through my own extensive research, my own experience and from the testimonies of others. I cannot encourage you enough to dig in and do your own research. My heart would be, that what I have to share will truly empower you to get to know your own body and take control of your own health with the purpose of knowing as best we can how to care for ourselves and our families. I also am NOT anti-western medicine. I feel very strongly that western medicine is a huge gift from God and absolutely needed. But I also feel these oils are a gift from God and we would be foolish not to use every tool in our belt to be the best we possibly can be. NEVER stop using medication unless you have talked with your doctor first. This is important people!

I ask now for your humble forgiveness for all my future grammar and/or spelling mistakes. It is a terrible plague of mine, and it breaks my heart you have to suffer through it. If something truly bothers you please let me know and I will fix it! We could even make a game of it? Whoever can catch the typo first gets a free oil! Ok, maybe not...?

What is an essential oil? Look at this image of a magnified peppermint leaf. 

That little white sac contains the oil. This is the plant's immune system. Just like our immune system, it helps the plant fight off bacteria or disease and it helps the plant reach optimum health. A healthier plant is going to have a more robust immune system, which is why doTerra proudly sources their plants from around the globe, where the plants indigenously thrive. (More on that later...)

Oftentimes, we turn to teas or herbs when we are looking for a natural medicine, and we do get relief. The plant has been cut up and dried, and if we are making tea, we then heat it, altering the plants chemical constituency. Still, even with all that, a cup of peppermint tea is known to calm an upset stomach (My husband sometimes asks for some after a large dinner). However, 1 drop of doTerra Peppermint Oil is equal to 28 cups of peppermint tea. Crazy huh? Oils are 50-70x more powerful than herbs and a little goes a long way.

Speaking of Peppermint! It is known to relieve nausea, which we already touched on when we compared it to peppermint tea. I have had it take away severe nausea in about 20 seconds. On long car rides my kids sometimes will get a little carsick, I actually carry an “emergency clean up the car/kid” kit in the back because this has happened so many times. Since I started using the oils, I keep some peppermint handy every time we go on long trips. The moment I hear “mama, my tummy hurts!” I pull it right out. The car smells great and no more stopping to clean vomit off of children and carseats!

Peppermint is also wonderful for headaches. Headaches are one of those things that I almost hate to talk about. I have found that headaches, sleep, adhd and eczema can all be very tricky. I think it is because everyone has such different causes of these things. Do you have a headache because you are tense? Maybe you are dehydrated? Do you have allergies? Why aren't you sleeping? Is it anxiety? It could be your hormones (I get terrible hormone headaches) You get the picture.

So, while peppermint oil is awesome for headaches, sometimes you have to experiment a bit to find out what works best for you. Past Tense is doTerra's "Tension Blend" and it was created for migraines. Some people prefer to use Deep Blue, which is doTerra's "Pain Blend." (I like to take a bath with a few drops of Deep Blue. It does wonders for muscle aches and menstrual cramps!) Still others swear by a drop of Frankincense on the roof of the mouth. Peppermint is in both Past Tense and Deep Blue, so I think it is a great place to start.

Where should you apply the peppermint? Often times our bodies let us know where we intuitively want to apply an oil. Many people will rub it on their neck or shoulders if tension is to blame. Other people like it across the forehead and others prefer to rub it on their temples. If you apply it on the temples, make sure you keep it back into the hairline. You really do not want to get the oils in your eyes. Trust me on this one!

This picture can help identify what oils will best help what type of headache. I have also found that when a headache is due to stress – a blend of Balance and Serenity (both emotional health blends), can help me immensely.

Peppermint is a vasodilator, so it increases oxygen absorption. It also lowers your body temp. Runners love peppermint for these two reasons. It increases their endurance and keeps them cool. If you are a runner, you can put peppermint oil in a spray bottle with some water, shake it up, and spritz your legs before or during a run. I also use it in my After Sun Spray (very useful since we are usually at the beach 2-3 times a week) here is the recipe if anyone is interested!

Last, but definitely not least on peppermint, in our house peppermint is our fever reducer. We have only had one fever in our house since starting the oils. I applied peppermint to my daughters feet every 20 minutes. After the second application the fever broke. After the third application, the fever didn't come back. That is likely due to some other oils I was using to boost her immunity! By the next day she was completely back to normal and had zero signs of ever being sick. We beat it!

I have a lot to say about how I dilute the oils for my kids and what I use to make that process more convenient. It is hard not to blast you all with information! I will save it for when we talk about topical application tomorrow.

I'm going to take a break to let all of this peppermint information sink in. If you are wanting to know more, check out this great blog post! 

Lets talk about Lavender! Lavender is one of the first things people think of when offered “essential oils.” I used to hate the smell of lavender, until I smelled the real stuff! It is known as the "Swiss Army Knife of Oils." It is good for all things calming: it is great for stress, for sleep, for burns, for bruises and it is a powerful anti-histamine so it works great to sooth bug bites. We go through lavender very quickly in this house!

See the two pictures of a bump Kaylee got a few months back? She fell down some stairs and hit the edge of an open door. Poor baby, it was the biggest bump I had ever seen! The first picture is right after she got it (after calming down on moms lap.). Moments after she received it, I put lavender and frankincense on the bump. You can see from the second picture that in a couple of hours it had almost completely disappeared. I was shocked! Needless to say, I keep lavender with me at all times!

before

after

My poor Taylor (8 years old) suffers pretty bad from allergies, especially when we lived in the CA valley. For 3 years she was on a nightly dose of Singular to help her not to cough all night long, and the girl can sneeze! I once counted 15 sneezes in a row. No joke. One of the reasons I wanted to start using oils is to help her allergies. I took the Allergy Three (lemon, lavender and peppermint) and did about 15 drops of each in a roller bottle, and diluted it with coconut oil. I had her rub that mixture on her feet every morning before school and every evening before bed. A few weeks in, I realized that her singular had been empty for a while, she hadn't mentioned it and she wasn't coughing! I gave it a few more days, paying very close attention and noticed ZERO signs of allergies. And this was springtime in the valley! Now she just uses the oil as needed and still shows no signs of coughing at night. I couldn't believe it. She had been using this medication for years and in the past, I could always tell within a few days if she had been forgetting to take it. I have shared this combination with several of my friends and have seen significant results every single time. I know several people that have gone off their everyday allergy meds that they have taken for decades. Luckily, this is such a popular remedy, that doTerra now sells this blend already made up in capsule form. It is called Tri-Ease and I have heard amazing things about it.

If we are going to talk about Lavender Oil, then we need to talk about sleep. Ah sleep, such a beautiful thing! For many people, Lavender is a powerful sleep oil. A couple drops on each foot, and they sleep like a baby. Sleep is one of those issues that is different for everyone, so it can take a little trial and error to find the mix that works best for each individual. Some of my favorite sleep blends are wild orange and cederwood (this is what I use while massaging my husband's feet every night). Roman Chamamile (My 8 year old's favorite) and Serenity. The feet are probably one of the best places to get the oil systemically, but sometimes the smell can be very soothing, so I'll put it either on my kids chest or their wrists. Other popular sleep oils are Vetiver, Balance, Clary Sage, and Ylang Ylang. One more note, for some people a topical application is all they need. For others, they really need to have to oils diffused. We will cover both methods of application tomorrow.

Here is a similar post on Lavender Oil so you all can read up! 

Now that we have seen how many things just a couple of oils can do, lets talk about why this is and how it stacks up to pharmaceutical drugs. Of course, many people needs pharmaceutical medication. Never go off of a medication without talking to your doctor. However, essential oils do have some advantages over these drugs.

When you look at a pharmaceutical drug or an OTC medication, you will often see only one active ingredient. For example, turn over a bottle of Tylenol. The active ingredient is acetaminophen. That is a synthetic chemical compound that they have found does all the things that Tylenol does: pain reliever, fever reducer, etc... With these drugs, the chemical compounds are created in a lab. Sometimes, they were discovered in a lab. Often times, however, these compounds might have first been found in nature and then synthetically replicated in a lab. When we talk about melaleuca, we will have a great example of the differences in how our body responds to natural, plant based compounds as opposed to synthetic ones.

When we look at the oils, one drop can contain hundreds of different chemical compounds that our body readily utilizes. This is amazing. That is why peppermint can be your fever reducer and your anti-nausea remedy. It is why lavender can soothe a burn, help your allergies, and relieve your stress.

What does this mean for you? First, you do not need to start with every oil in the catalog. Just a few bottles can help with such a wide variety of concerns. Second, one concern or ailment can be addressed by a wide variety of oils. Even if you don't have an oil that you think you need, simply use what you have. You might be amazed at the results.

Frankincense: the KING OF OILS. Trying to write a post about the wonderment that is Frankincense is actually more than a little intimidating. Let me start by saying that if I could afford to bathe myself in this stuff every day, I totally would. Frankincense is good for just about everything. "When in doubt, use Frankincense." In my house, this often translates into, "When someone is screaming and you don't know what hurts...or why it hurts...or if you're in a panic...or if you just want to feel good about life...use Frankincense.” It is no accident that Frankincense was given to baby Jesus first thing!

 Frankincense has sesquiterpenes in it. These molecules are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier. (The blood-brain barrier protects your brain by not allowing diseased blood to pass into the brain, but it also keeps out many other things.) The sesquiterpenes in Frankincense makes it very helpful for autoimmune diseases and other sorts of disorders of the brain: memory loss, Alzheimers disease, dementia, Parkinson's diseases, M.S. and seizures.

Frankincense is also considered to be very anti-cancer. It is being studied all across the country in research hospitals and universities for its anti-cancer properties. Here are a couple of popular sources:

Source 1: Implications for Treatment of Breast and Prostate Cancer
Source 2: Composition and potential anticancer activities of essential oils obtained from myrrh and frankincense

Frankincense is a very effective anti-inflammatory. Because inflammation is a leading cause for disease, it is really important that our bodies are able to manage inflammation. Frankincense is effective for both chronic inflammation as well as inflammation due to an injury. Many people therefore take a drop or two under the tongue daily. I believe very strongly that using frankincense consistently, aided in my recovery from my Hashimoto's symptoms. Right now, I know I get Frankincense internally every day with doTerra's Lifelong Vitality supplements. We will talk more about these later this week.

If you have 40 something minutes to spare, here is a VERY informative video on the benefits of Frankincense:

Almost done, I promise!

What does it mean that doTerra oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade? It actually means a LOT. About 90% of the oils available in the US are synthetics. Glade with Lavender Oil? What they have done is synthetically replicate some of the aromatic compounds. These products do not have any therapeutic value. 

Next, we have our food grade oils, such as peppermint and vanilla extract. With an extract, alcohol has been used to distill the oil. This changes the chemical constituency and greatly affects any therapeutic values. I have actually replaced several extracts and herbs I've previously used in my kitchen with oils, for a cleaner and fresher taste. And it takes VERY little.  I put one, and ONLY one drop of oregano oil into my big crock pot of chili, and even that was almost too much! doTerra does include vanilla extract, or vanilla absolute, in 3 of their blends. Whisper, Serenity, and Citrus Bliss are designed with their aromatic qualities in mind, and that hint of vanilla makes those smells more pleasant. doTerra is very open about this and does not recommend ingesting these oils. We will cover later which oils are recommended for ingestion and which oils are not.

There are some essential oils you can buy in your health food store or on-line. They are even now in some grocery stores. These are considered Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, but they are significantly different than a doTerra CPTG oil. A label can read, "100% Pure Organic Lavender Oil," but that bottle only has to contain 10% actual lavender! The rest can be a synthetic oil or the oil can be diluted with a carrier. This is why you might find an ingredient list on the back of the oil and why you will be warned against ingestion! Now, if you have some of these oils in your home, don't throw them out. Even diluted, they will still have a therapeutic effect. Simply do NOT ingest the oils and do not expect the same results that you will get with a doTerra oil.

doTerra oils are simply the pure and honest oil in the bottle. This does raise the cost of the oil, but remember just a drop or 2 can go a very long way. doTerra oils are extensively tested for purity and potency. The attached video explains this better than I can.

When it comes to purity, we are very proud that we use a 3rd party lab to test our oils. The lab has no incentive to alter results, so the consumer knows that their oils have successfully passed all promised testing procedures. Each liter is tested to insure no contaminants or foreign materials are residing in the oils.

Potency is another big issue when looking at an essential oil. We talked earlier about sourcing oils in their indigenous climates vs. growing your own plants in a green house. Remember that the oil is the plants immune system, and a healthier plant is going to have a more robust immune system. These oils are going to have a more complex chemical profile, and our testing also checks to be sure that when you purchase a doTerra oil, you are getting the most potent oil available on the market.

Oh goodness I am tired!  I think that is enough for one day, what do you guys think?  Is your head spinning yet? 

No? 

Goodness I need to up my game! 

Tomorrow I will talk about application, as well is spotlighting a few more oils.  I bid you all goodnight for now.  May you be well until the morrow! 

Essential oils class 101 - My History

My journey began with me going crazy – as all good journey's do!

But truly, right after my third baby girl was born, I was pretty certain I was going crazy. Things were showing up where they didn't belong (“why did I put the ketchup in the freezer...again!?!”) And even more so then they should, just because I had a newborn and two small children.

The world around me would spin. I couldn't focus, I was so tired it hurt to breath. Every joint in my body ached, my ears buzzed constantly and my blood pressure would sky-rocket at the first point of stress. My poor husband had no idea what to do with his previously emotionally stable wife gone completely insane, and I felt like I was failing my family. I had a large lump in my throat that made it feel like I had swallowed a pill incorrectly...all of the time. I would forget things, important things, like buckling my small one into her car seat or the fact that I was currently cooking dinner. I gained 30 lbs in a matter of about 6 weeks, all while exercising regularly and eating well – and having changed nothing. Scratches wouldn't heal, my hair was falling out, my nails were all breaking. Something was WRONG.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with a pretty bad thyroid problem. I was put on medication, that helped some. My numbers went back to where they were supposed to be...but most of my symptoms remained in one way or another. Apparently, that is pretty common. Sure, your body wont physically eat your thyroid so long as you are on medication. However, those nasty symptoms? Yeah, there is nothing we can do about that.

So I started looking for alternatives. I have always had pretty “hippie” leanings, I come by it honestly as my mother is much the same as I. You can read more in depth about my journey here, and here, and here.

But to make a long story shortish, I found my way to trying out some essential oils. I was certain they would not work – after all, these things are just all hype and placebo right? But seeing as I had a huge goiter, I figured that couldn't be fixed by the placebo effect, and I was willing to try anything.

The suggested protocol for Hashimoto's (or low thyroid) is clove oil, lemongrass oil and peppermint oil applied topically on the thyroid twice a day – and for auto-immune: Frankincense oil, I did one drop under my tongue morning and night. (But if you are not comfortable taking it internally you can also just put a drop on the back of your neck.)

I got my first oils on a Monday – I was due to start my period on Wednesday and usually start one day early so I was expecting it on Tuesday...I didn't start until Saturday. I am NEVER late. (Well, unless a new baby girl is on the way. And that was truly not the case!) That was my first hint that these oils were doing something to my hormones.

It took about a month to see the beginning of what would be truly staggering results (according to my research, while some things feel better automatically, most hormone based issues take about a month to see results). And even then it was gradual. I realized one day that I kept starting big projects around the house...ones that had been bothering me for a really long time. And I was finishing them! Then one morning it dawned on me, that I had not felt the goiter in a while. You know how when you have a really bad headache, that is all you can think of? And then when it finally gets better, you don't always notice right away? It felt like that, I had gotten so used to dealing with it, that it took me a bit to realize it had gone away.

Then one day, I woke up in the mood to run. Yeah, I am not crazy, I just wanted to run! I was so used to every joint in my body aching constantly that exercise had gone from something I enjoyed to something I physically couldn't do...and that pain was gone! So I learned to run, just because I could, and the motivation was there for the first time in my adult life!

About 6 weeks into using the oils everyday, every single one of my low thyroid symptoms had almost entirely disappeared. I was feeling better then I had in years, and the goiter was 100% gone (And has not returned).

So yeah, I started believing in these hippie oils just a little bit. I decided to sign up, not to sell them or make money, but to just be able to get them at a good price. (I started with Doterra, only because that was a company I trusted, and I knew I could get the starting support I needed from someone locally. I have loved the company far more then I ever expected! I am not against other oil companies at all – Doterra is just whom I happen to use.) After I signed up, I started taking the multivitamins, just a half dose and wow, they have made a HUGE difference in my energy level during the day and my patience level with kids! They have also reduced my water retention and bloating, and I believe they help keep my whole system running a lot more “smoothly” if you know what I mean.

Since I signed up, I have used essential oils to:

End sickness in my kids before it even starts – first sign and I oil them up! Even when all three were in school (three different classes) and when everyone around us is sick, my kids have been healthy. We have not gone beyond the first signs of sickness since I started using the oils. I am amazed! A few weeks ago, Kaylee started showing signs of pink-eye (lots of eye goop, etc) and I used melaleuca around her eyes (not in them!) and on-guard on her feet a few times a day. Her eyes were 100% better in two days and never developed beyond those starting symptoms.

They have helped my husband to sleep – and he loves that he gets a foot-rub every night! It has become my ministry to him.

They have calmed my toddlers' tantrums (“Mama, can I have Balance oil? It helps me not to cry!”)

Calmed my 8 year old's anxieties (She loves Roman Chamomile and asks for it almost every night.)

They have completely taken away my terrible menstrual cramps. This has been remarkable!

Quieted my regular stress headaches.

Calmed the painful buzzing in my ears

Soothed tummy-aches (in all of us)

Helped to take away sore muscle/joint pain (Apparently I have arthritis at the ripe old age of 32)

Healed sunburns (very useful since we get them a lot now that we live by the beach!)

And so much more (that I wont bog you down with at the moment...there is time!)

But truly, one of my favorite things – is that as a mom, I was constantly listening to my kids ailments and had to say “I'm sorry your ______ hurts or you are not feeling good, but there is nothing I can do about it. You are just going to have to deal with it” Now there is ALWAYS something I can do about it. They feel loved and taken care of, and I don't feel like I am helpless to make my kids feel better. 

These oils are tools. Tools to help us feel like there is something we can do to make life BETTER. Instead of waiting on doctors, or feeling like depression, pain or sickness is taking over our life, there is a tool to help! Not all of them work the same way for everyone, and it can take some trial and error to find out what works best for you. But oh, when that balance is found, it truly can change your life! I feel like they have helped my body become what God intended it to be – and no, I am not trying to be overly dramatic or “sales-y” I promise. I truly feel that way. After all – The Bible does tell us to anoint the sick with oil (James 5:14, Mark 6:13, Exodus 30:25 – and dozens more)

My desire for all of you in the next couple of days, is that you can take the info you learn here and channel it into empowerment to find a way to truly feel your very best. Even if that is just motivation to add exercise, drinking more water and other healthy habits into your life that you have been putting off for way to long. I truly pray that this can be a launching point to not just accept a life riddled with pain and exhaustion, just because of a diagnosed condition or a world that feels out of your control. I would love to be a part of your journey to feeling better everyday. Don't take “you will just have to deal with it” as an answer.

Through-out this class, please feel free to ask as many questions as you like. I ask that you always do your best to keep things respectful, know that if you have any concerns that you would like to keep private you can message me and I will do my best to answer as soon as I can.

I will post multiple small snippets of info a day, some video's – some links to articles, some pictures or useful (or funny) things I have collected. (If you want links to any references, then please feel free to private message me and I'll get that info to you as soon as I can) I'll number my posts so that you can read them in order – or if you would like to see them all in one place, I'll post them all in order on my blog www.thebottomrail.com by the end of everyday

Take a deep breath, you are not alone in this. Let us delve into this adventure together. Are you ready?