Young Living Essential Oils - Updated

I have SO much to write about and one day I will be able to sit down and express everything that is going on in our lives and in my heart.  Today, though, I need to update my essential oil post that I wrote about 8 months ago.  Since the evening I attended my first Young Living Class, I have learned so, so much about these incredible little healing tools.  God is so good and He gives us what we need for healing - we just have to be willing to give it a shot.  No, it is not always the cheapest way, but it is most definitely the most valuable.  No side effects, no liver damage, no danger of overdosing, and you are treating the root of the problem and not just your symptoms.  You are truly healing instead of conventional medicine's tactic of simply covering over the problem and adding layer upon layer of bad health.

*Now, I am not one who is completely opposed to conventional medicine.  There is a time and a place for it.  There are emergencies and I would never refuse emergency treatment for myself or any of my children - BUT, we always, always try this route first - and 95% (or more) of the time - it works!!

Since I wrote the last post outlining the uses for the oils that come in the Premium Basic Starter Kit many things have changed.  First, I have learned SO much more about the uses of these oils and next, Young Living has added even more amazing things to the sign on package.  So, this is my update.....

In the Premium Basic Starter Kit you will receive TEN (I need to update again, because now it is ELEVEN bottles - Stress Away is also included - and its uses are self-explanatory, so I will leave that for now).  These are 5 mL bottles of oils, several samples packets of various items, AND a diffuser!  Plus, you become eligible for 24% off of retail price, essential rewards, and the capability of sharing these wonderful little powerhouses with all of your friends and receiving compensation for it.  So, let's talk about the oils and what our day looks like.  An  asterisk (*) by the name of an oil means that it does not come in your basic kit, but it is an oil that we use on almost a daily basis and I highly recommend adding it to your collection.

Every morning I use a combination of oils on Graham.  These are formulated to help balance his emotions, concentration, and asthma.

I use one drop of Cedarwood (*) on the base of his skull, I apply one drop of Vetiver (*) to his big toe - the vitaflex point for the brain, and I rub one drop each of Lavender and RC (*) to his chest.  Then, I give him a capsule made with 3 drops each of Peppermint, Lemon, and Lavender.  This is known as YL's "allergy shot."  Now - he is ready to start his day.

For myself, my "oily" day looks like this - I wash my face with my face soap and then add one drop of Frankincense to my moisturizer and rub it all over my face.  Frank is great for smoothing out skin tone.  Then I use one drop of Aroma Siez (*) on my abdomen.  This oil has worked an absolute miracle for me in the area of my monthly cycle.  Then I head downstairs and add 3 drops of Lemon oil to my first glass of water and 2 drops of Joy on my wrists like perfume.  Now, I am ready to go.

Every night before bed, I rub one drop of Melrose (*) on Patrick's feet for cold/flu prevention and one drop of Peace and Calming on his wrists.  Sometimes I diffuse Peace and Calming in our bedroom.

For illness prevention at college Joshua and Bryce use 3 drops of Lemon oil in their water and a drop of Thieves on their feet each night.  They also diffuse Brain Power (*) for concentration, Lavender for stress relief, and Purification for all of those nasty chemicals from new paint and carpet.

These are the oils we apply daily and if someone is sick, we ramp it up.  I'll have another post about that.

Now, let me go through each of the oils you will receive in your sign on kit and a couple of others that I consider "must haves."

Thieves - This is your basic go to oil for prevention and treatment of colds, flus, infections, and really just about anything.  It is a powerhouse of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungals. Clove oil makes it potent enough to wipe out just about anything you can encounter.  We use a drop on the feet each night during the flu season for prevention.  You can also use this oil to gargle with for strep, you can take it internally, rub it on your spine, or your feet.  It is a hot oil because of the cinnamon and clove - so it can be mixed with a carrier oil (olive, coconut, almond) before application.  Thieves has been shown to kill MRSA, can be diffused in a room to kill mold, and you can clean with it.  I add it to my towels if they just smell like they need to be freshened up a bit.  I also was able to recently recommend this oil to someone for Scabies - which is just a mite - you can get it from a dog, it is similar to bed bugs, etc... just mix with coconut oil and rub all over the skin - then put in a bottle of water to spray carpets, sheets, etc.. to prevent recurrence.

Lemon - I drink Lemon in my water every day - it is great illness prevention and also will alkaline your water.  You can also use it for acne, you can put it in a steamer, mop water, or the laundry for that fresh citrus smell.  I use one drop in hot water with some raw honey for a sore throat or a cough.  It smells great in the diffuser.

Peace and Calming -  This oil is blended to do exactly what it says and it works.  I put a drop on Patrick's wrists every night before bed or diffuse it in the bedroom.  I have to check on him to be sure he is breathing he sleeps so soundly.  This oil is great for those days that just refuse to end.

Purification -  This oil is for anything to do with bugs.  Bug bites, mosquito repellent, ants on your kitchen counter.  It contains citronella oil and it is just a purifier as the name suggests.  Put a few drops in your laundry to remove the musty smell when you change out your clothes for the season.  Put a few drops in a water bottle and spray in a room with new paint or carpet.  You can diffuse it for the same reason.  I have my kids who are in college spray it on the air returns in their bedrooms since they live in a dorm with all of that recycled air.

Lavender -  This oil is mostly known for its ability to make you feel relaxed.  It is great for that, for stress, and to help you get to sleep.  But, it is also a powerhouse of anti-viral properties and the treatment of allergies.  You can put a drop on your thumb and press it to the roof of your mouth and get almost instant allergy relief.  You can also use it in a capsule along with Lemon and Peppermint for a daily "allergy shot."  This is THE oil for burns.  Takes the sting out immediately and prevents scarring and infection.  It also diminishes old scars, is great for scrapes and cuts, rashes, hives - really any skin issue.  It doesn't burn and can be added to bath water to relax sore muscles.

Peppermint - This potent oil has a cooling effect on the body.  For that reason, only a drop is needed.  It will help bring down a fever - rub a little on the bottom of the feet.  You can put it in bath water (remember only a drop or two for the entire bath).  It is great for a tummy ache, a cough, and infection.  I add a drop to a cup of hot water and it opens the sinuses, soothes the throat, and heals the gut.  It has also been proven as one of the top oils to kill the Ecoli virus.

Panaway - This is our pain relief blend.  Not for use in young children it works much like an aspirin.  You can rub it directly on the site of a sore joint or a bruise.  I don't use this one daily, but I do like to keep it on hand.

Valor -   This is another oil that I do not utilize as much as I should.  It has been called "the chiropractor in a bottle" and it said to promote alignment, boost courage, and promote a sense of peace. It is also used to help with bedwetting and good results have been had concerning TMJ.

Frankincense -  This is your super strong infection fighter.  It is being used in cancer research with amazing results on tumors.  It is great for any infection, and many naturopaths recommend Frank and Orange oil daily in a capsule for cancer prevention.  I do use one drop a day in my face moisturizer as it is also great for skin tone, sun spots, and overall anti-aging.  Frank is also wonderful for stress, you can diffuse it, inhale it, or rub a drop over your heart when you are feeling overwhelmed.  Finally, another use I just learned (and put to the test) is to rub a drop over the liver of a toddler or young child who is just having a melt down (we all know what those look like).  I don't have to tell you that I have had an occasion or two to try this - and it really works.  (The liver is located on the right side just under the rib cage - you guys probably knew that, but I had to look it up, so maybe someone else needs to know too) :)

Finally, you guys get a 10th oil in your start up kit - Joy -  I LOVE this blend.  It is used to promote a sense of joy and peace - as the name implies.  I use it daily as perfume - a drop or two on my wrists.  It is also recommended for illnesses that are stress induced like shingles.

So - those are your basic oils - I also just want to name four more that are not included in your start up kit that I always make sure we have on hand.

Melrose - This blend is great for fighting infection.  Patrick has a citrus allergy and so I don't use Thieves on him - this is what I have replaced it with.  One drop on his feet at night before bed.  It is also great for MRSA and works faster than anything I have ever seen for ear infections.  Do not put it inside the ear, just rub a drop around the ear and down the throat along the eustachian tube.

Digeze - Amazing oil for tummy issues.  Contains fennel and you just rub it over your abdomen.  Almost instant relief.

RC - This is a blend for respiratory infection.  I use it on Graham daily to keep his chest loose because of asthma.  It is also proven to kill MRSA.

Aroma Siez -  You guys have all read my testimony about my period.  This is the oil I can not ever, ever run out of.  It contains basil which is a powerful anti-inflammatory, so it can also be used for deep tissue pain, TMJ, and other inflammation needs.

These are the oils not in the basic kit that I make sure I always, always have on hand.  Enjoy learning!!

Be Healthy!!

Basic Essential Oils

The questions have been rolling in regarding the oils I mentioned in the last post.  Seems a lot of my Facebook friends have been looking into essential oils and wanting to learn more.  With that in mind, I have put together the basic information I learned at the meeting for those who are interested in getting started.

When you sign up with Young Living as a wholesale buyer, you purchase a starter kit.  The most commonly purchased one is the Everyday Oils Kit.  It contains 9 commonly used oils.  I am going to describe them and the basic uses for each one.

*Disclaimer - I am not a doctor and can not diagnose or treat any illness or disease.  The facts and tips I am going to give apply only to Young Living oils.  Essential oils can be dangerous if not used properly and not all essential oils can be ingested.  Almost all of the Young Living oils are safe to ingest, but we always recommend diluting the oils in a little bit of olive, coconut, or sweet almond oil for use with babies or children.

Lavender - This is a mild oil that has an almost instant calming effect.  It is great for skin issues - burns, allergic reactions, or mild dermatitis.  It can be applied directly to the skin.  It is also good to use in conjunction with other oils for a cough as it relaxes the bronchial tubes and helps promote calm.  This is a great oil for helping babies sleep and can be added to bath water.

Peppermint - We have all heard of peppermint for a cough.  Just today I heated water and put in one drop of peppermint for Graham's cough.  It tasted delicious.  The same can be done for digestion issues.  A drop of peppermint on the temples is also great for a headache.  The caution with this oil is its cooling effect, so one drop at a time is plenty.

Lemon - A great cleanser, lemon can be used for a cough in the same way as the peppermint.  One drop in hot water with a little honey (no honey for babies).  It is also an antiseptic and has worked well for acne.  Lemon smells fresh and clean when diffused into the room.

Frankincense - Yes, the oil that the wise men brought to Jesus.  Amazing research is being done with this oil for cancerous tumors.  It is great for immune boosting, flu, and it is anti-bacterial.

Peace and Calming - This is a blend of oils sold only by Young Living.  It contains tangerine, orange, Ylang Ylang flower, patchouli, and blue tansy oils.  It promotes an almost instant sense of calm.

Valor - This is another of YL's specific blends containing sweet almond, spruce leaf, rosewood, blue tansy, and frankincense.  Valor is known as the "chiropractor in a bottle" as it helps alignment.  It also promotes a sense of boldness and has been used for bed wetting with great results.

Panaway - This blend is NOT for children.  It is a pain reliever, used specifically for arthritis and other joint pain.  It is similar to aspirin.  This blend contains wintergreen, helichrysum italicum, clove flower bud, and peppermint oils.  It can be used topically directly on the painful joint or bone.

Purification - This blend is known for its insect repelling qualities.  It contains citronella, rosemary, lemongrass, tea tree, lavandin, and myrtle oils.  It can be used topically on bites to draw out the toxin or put in a spray bottle with water (10-12 drops in a spray bottle full of water) and sprayed on the skin or clothes to repel mosquitos.

Thieves - This is our signature oil blend.  Known to build the immune system and treat the flu.  You can use it as a household cleaner by mixing 10-12 drops in a spray bottle of water.  It has been proven to decrease mold spores by diffusing it in a room.  It contains clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

These are the nine oils that come in the starter kit.  By purchasing this kit you are entitled to 24% off of retail price.

Young Living has many other oil blends and single oils and I have lots of information about how to use them.  This is a great place to start without being overwhelmed.

If you are interested in purchasing this starter kit, the one I described is $150.00.  With that you get the nine 5mL bottles.  They are small, but you only need ONE drop per application.  I know it is tempting to use more, but these things are potent.  You also get a wholesale membership which is 24% off retail price and a 40% off coupon for a diffuser of your choice.

You can follow this link and put in my ID# which is 1390244.

I am not trying to build a business, but health and wellness is something I absolutely love to talk about and my sponsor is in the business, so I will do anything I can to answer your questions - whether they pertain to how to use the oils or to Young Living specifically.  I will also periodically post "Oil Lessons" here on my blog to help you as you learn more and more about using essential oils.

Thank you so much and feel free to leave a comment with your e-mail if you have any questions and I will contact you.

Be Healthy!!

Oils

Well, I have a new hobby.  I used to call it a passion when I embarked on a new area of study in holistic medicine or nutrition.  I have come to realize however, that I only have four real passions in my life - Jesus, my husband,  my children, and the orphan.  That's it.  Over the years though I have studied herbs, nutritional supplements, made tinctures, and learned what a poultice is and how to use one.  As for essential oil, I have only dabbled.  I own a really high quality diffuser and I have a great cough remedy that I learned to make years ago, but that's about it.

Necessity drives me, though, and I have a problem that needs a solution.  My little guy has large tonsils.  When I say large, just picture two grapes on steroids in the back of his throat - remembering that he is only two years old.  He barely has an air passage and I am not joking.  He snores worse than my husband, and that is also nothing to joke about.  So, as  much because of my lack of sleep as anything else, I have got to find a solution to his tonsil issue.  Surgery is an option - I'm alternative, but not stupid.  However, I like for surgery to be our last resort, not our first.  He also has recurrent skin strep on his face, which is likely the root cause of the large tonsils, so I am on the defensive.

For the past several months I have tried a few different supplements recommended by our holistic doctor.  There is a trace amount of evidence that they may be working, but the snoring is still pretty ridiculous and even if the air passage is a tiny bit wider, it is still not good enough.  So, I have decided to go another route.

Essential oils.

Essential oils are basically the part of the plant that drip out when you cut open the stem.  They are potent, and can be dangerous if not used properly.  Here seems like a good time for my disclaimer - I am not a doctor.  I love to research and learn, but I can not diagnose anything.  I love to tell you about what works for our family, but you must make the decisions for yours.  Ok, with that out of the way....

I went to my first oil class this week and I have to tell you I was impressed.  I have been studying alternative medicine diligently for over a decade now, so honestly, I am not often that impressed.  I didn't expect to be with this either.  I expected to go to the class, buy the oils I had already decided I needed for Patrick's throat, and come home.  Two hours later, I was still there, thumbing through research books and chatting with the representative.

I came home with a plan of action and a wholesale account to buy my own oils.  I love the way this company does their "parties."  There was no pressure whatsoever to buy anything.  The representative just shared information about the oils, let everyone sample them and shared some testimonials, then opened the floor to questions.  At the end, she shared how each person could place and order and what the options were (customer or wholesale account).  You go home and order online yourself.  So, there is no pressure to buy at the party.  I love that, because I am one who loves to share information, but I am not a salesperson.

My goal truly is to help people on their road to better health and wellness.  It takes a balanced approach to truly find optimal health.  You can not pop any pill or rub any oil and then go on with horrible eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle and expect wellness.  It just can't happen.  Hence the term, "holistic" medicine.  It is an entire lifestyle change, not a miracle product.  Too many people in America don't understand that, and like everything else, we want the drive thru cure.  It has taken me ten years to get my family to where we are today - ten years!!  Now, because we have a "clean"  lifestyle and proper exercise and nutrition, we can use certain products and get almost instant results.  I am going to share a story on that in a minute.  Our bodies are ready and able to heal themselves.  This did not  happen overnight.  It took time and tears to get my children to where they are as excited about guacamole as they are about cookies.  It can happen for you, but you must be diligent and firm.

Anyway, I decided to become a wholesale buyer with Young Living Oils.  I believe they are pure, high quality oils, I believe it is a good company.  But, there are other companies.  I will never try to convince you that these are the best.  I don't know enough yet to say that.  Plus, I have been in network marketing before and I learned one thing.  We live in a free market system and no one company has the market on the research.  Each one may have a few patented products, but the beauty of America is that anyone with the desire can gather a team of scientists and create an amazing product.  Other oil companies have done it.  Young Living is not the only one.  (I told you I am a terrible salesperson, but I am just being honest).

In your quest to better health, pick a company and learn about the products.  For supplements, I prefer Beeyoutiful and for herbs I prefer The Bulk Herb Store.  They are both small, family owned companies.  I like supporting them, I trust them, and if you call them on the phone you get to talk to the owners.  If I found an essential oil company like that, I would probably prefer buying from them.  In fact, Beeyoutiful does sell essential oils and I think they are high quality, but oils is not their main business.  So, for now I am going to use Young Living for my oils.

In my family, my kids constantly give me opportunities for testimonials when I start something new.  As soon as someone suggested to me that I use oils for Patrick's tonsils, he immediately proceeded to catch a cold.  It progressed into a double ear infection and the strep on his face flared up.  Leave it to us to put the oils to the ultimate test right out of the box.  According to the doctor, his ear was "gross."  So, we used Melrose Oil from Young Living.  We rubbed in on his ear lobe and down his neck, following the line of the eustachian tube.  This was on Wednesday of this week.  Friday, I took him back for her to look at his ear again.  I had not repeated the oil application because my Melrose oil has not come in yet.  She looked in his ear, did a double take, and looked again.  90% cleared up.  From "gross" to barely there in less than 48 hours.  We applied the oil again and I am assuming that the ear is clear now.  Meanwhile, I ordered my oils and the representative was kind enough to give me some of hers to get started on our treatment for his tonsils.  He has only had one full day of oils for that, so I don't have a testimonial yet.  I am expecting one soon.

One more thing happened.  The night I arrived home from the oil party, my ten year old was having a really bad night.  He has a lot of emotional issues anyway, and he was tired from a trip he had recently taken.  He was melting down (all you moms know the term).  I rubbed some Young Living Peace and Calming oil on him and told him to go to bed.  Normally, he would have fought me on going to bed when others in the house were still up.  He went.  I went to check on him ten minutes later and he was sound asleep.  Only those reading who know my Graham can fully appreciate this, but I promise you something was up and it had to be in that oil.  This is not his normal behavior.

These are our two testimonials so far.  Graham now has a cold and we are working on Patrick's tonsils, so I am expecting to have more to share soon.  If you are interested in learning more about how to use essential oils or you would like to purchase your oils at wholesale, just send me a message.  I am not trying to build a business with this AT ALL.  But, I absolutely love sharing about the things that God made in nature that heal.  Our bodies are amazing creations and if I have learned anything over the past ten years of studying it is this - we do have the ability to heal when our bodies are in the right condition.  I would love to help you on that journey with your family.