What Smells So Good? | Diffusing 101-Young Living Essential Oils

I love my diffuser, LOVE it! And, in fact, I'm ordering a few more today! All of your oils can be diffused, singles or blends or mixed together to create just what you need. the YL diffuser creates a cool micro-fine vapor that is quickly dispersed throughout the room. 

Research indicates that when essential oils are diffused, they can increase atmospheric oxygen & provide negative ions, which in turn inhibits bacterial growth. Because of their ionizing action, essential oils have the ability to break down potentially harmful chemicals and render them nontoxic. And, of course, they smell delicious!!! I have not lit a candle in months!  {Don't even get me started on why that's great news! ;) -When you burn candles you are burning whatever is in the wax into the air that you breathe. If you are burning candles that are full of petroleum by-products, chemicals and waste products then you are breathing this in and causing more of a state of internal toxicity in the body. - See more at: http://healthywildandfree.com/breathing-toxic-fumes-candles/#sthash.58uoNMZE.dpuf}

So, What's in your diffuser? 

Right now, it's 6:15 a.m. and I've just added some more Thieves and Ravintsara to the one in the boys' room so that hopefully, they wake up refreshed and snot-free! Thieves kills 99.6% of airborne bacteria! I'm committed to using this daily! I also love to add Orange, Lemon or Peppermint to Thieves. 

Other favorite Combos:

Allergy Bomb: Lemon, Lavender & Peppermint- aside from just smelling Great, it will stop the itchy, watery eyes and throat, and sneezing in under 5 minutes!

Freshen and Neutralize the Air: Purification--gets out the toughest odors! I have 2 boys, 1 husband ;), and the stinkiest dog known to man- between them, their sports, hunting, work and play clothes and gear: imagine the odors I must have! I love to add citrus cents to this as well. 

Blues Buster: I love Joy! I use a lot of it, and my kids remind me if I forget! I also like it diffused, but it's pretty flowery, so the fellas don't love it. Instead, I diffuse a lot of Stress away... {Refer to above paragraph-- Stress Away is a daily requirement} Another to try is Lavender, Orange and Frankincense. 

For school: I use Lemon, Cedarwood and Vetiver. Helps with calming, focus, and retention. {Forrest gets an extra dose of Vetiver and Cedarwood on his wrists... this has changed our lives!} Sometimes we switch it up and use Lemon, Rosemary and Basil. Smells better and has similar results!

Share your favorite Combinations in the Comments! :)

{Direct from YL}

Young Living's Essential Oil Diffuser gives you the benefit of diffusing essential oils throughout your home or office. Diffusing is a simple and effective way to use essential oils. With Young Living's innovative air pump, oils are dispersed in a micro-fine vapor, allowing them to remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time. The diffuser disperses the oils without heating them so they retain their therapeutic benefits. When inhaled, the oils are easily absorbed through the lungs. Depending on the oil used, diffusing can cleanse the air of odor, calm overactive children, and support respiration.*

OverviewYoung Living’s newly designed Home Diffuser combines the multifunctional benefits of a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one easy-to-use product. Its ultrasonic technology breaks the mixture of essential oils and water into millions of micro-particles and disperses it into the air, activating the powerful plant constituents found in Young Living essential oils. Its light-weight design allows you to enjoy these benefits in any room of your home and comes with a convenient, automatic shut-off feature (see Operating Instructions).

The Home Diffuser can be used to:

• Transform your surroundings: The ultrasonic frequency generates
  waves at 2.5 million times per second, releasing essential oil molecules into the air to help create a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere in your home or office.
  
• Eliminate odors: The ultrasonic technology gently disperses essential oils throughout a space, removing lingering smells without resorting to synthetic air fresheners.
  
• Protect your family’s health: The Home Diffuser safeguards your family’s health by replacing harmful household chemicals with effective, all-natural essential oils.
  
• Humidity: The Home Diffuser’s constant, humidified air helps keep your skin moisturized and feeling fresh. 
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

Sinus Funk is no match for these oils!! | Young Living Essential Oils

It's that time of year again. The seasons are changing, the crops are being harvested, my family is sneezing! We are mostly a fall allergy bunch. I knew all along that October would be my true test of how well the oils would work for our allergies. I am blown away! My husband and I have been married for 16 years and together for 21. I have not made it through an October yet that he didn't end up at the doctor with a sinus infection that went straight to his lungs. Unfortunately, he passed that down to our youngest child. Most often, the infection starts with an allergy that irritates the sinuses. My son was on allergy medicines, Singulair and QVar (a steroid). My husband would have no parts of medicines. Until, of course, it required a Z-Pack and a chest X-ray! I am happy to say, and feel confident that I am not speaking too soon, that we will not be needing any of the aforementioned this year!

My husband has already had a few small bouts with his allergies, that immediately causes burning sinus drainage, watery eyes, and stuffy nose. Because Young Living oils are safe to ingest, I made him a capsule of Thieves, Oregano, Frankincense, and Lemon. I made another and put in the freezer for him to take before leaving for work. He woke me up the next morning to say he thought he was already over it! I insisted that he use the oils that morning and again that evening. All symptoms literally vanished!

My son just this week has tested how well they will work also. Monday afternoon, he began with the stuffy nose and drainage that caused a sore throat. I rubbed his feet with the Thieves, Oregano and Frank combo. I also used the Breathe Again Roll-on on his back and feet on the sinus and lung Vitaflex points.  I diffused Melrose, Lavender, Lemon and Ravintsara all night. He gets Lavender daily behind his ears, but I tripled this on Tuesday, and repeated the feet and back routine a few times. Today, he's still a little "snotty", but he's all better. In the past, this has never not resulted in a  doctor's visit, and Albuterol. No Wheezing, no crying, no heart racing steroids.

We've decided to do the Thieves rub every night for all of us and keep that diffuser running all winter hoping to ward off any more bugs! I've had some naysayers argue that we are still getting sick. First of all, I must say that what we've had so far, is not sick! We have been sick before, really sick. These little blips are not even close! So, I do feel as if our immune system is getting stronger. However, since I believe when you have children (aka germ toters!), nothing will prevent everything. But, I am thrilled that when something does pop up, we have a natural method of dealing with it, and from what I've seen so far, better and quicker than any "modern" way has dealt with us in the past.

The more that I read and learn and use, the more convinced that I am. I also believe that as we continue to cut things out of daily use (toxic cleaning and personal care items), the stronger our immune system will become as well.

Sinus Infection {Kicked in TWO days!} | Young Living Essential Oils

Whew! I'm glad that's over!

Over the weekend, I could tell that I had "something" coming on. I had a sinus-like headache and my ear seemed to be "clogged". I haphazardly applied Melrose and Lavender for the ear thing, and of course, Peppermint for the headache. All of that kept it at bay, but I could still tell it was there.

Monday morning, I awoke with a pounding Sinus Headache. Both eyes felt like they might pop out! My ear was aching and just clogged up. My nose was stuffy and my throat was starting to hurt. Oh....that old familiar feeling... I have a sinus infection! :(

I immediately began diffusing Thieves, then Lemon and Lavender and then Thieves again. I also applied Thieves to the bottoms of my feet first thing and took my morning shot of Lemon and Peppermint Water. I put Lavender under both cheek bones, down both sides of my nose and across my forehead. More Peppermint on top of that for the headache.

By noon, I could tell I had to up my game. So, Melrose around the front and back of my ear. (They say not to put oils inside your ear). And, also down my neck to encourage draining. More Lavender. And, then I filled a capsule with 6-7 drops of Thieves, 5-6 drops of Oregano, & a few Frankincense. I felt it helping, but by dinner time, I was waning again. So, I ate dinner and turned in early. Thieves in the diffuser and on my feet, and another capsule, plus the same Melrose, Lavender and Peppermint routine. And, a big glass of Lemon Water, with lots of Lemon! Oh, and Ravintsara (Nature's Vick's Vapor Rub!) inside both Nostrils!

This morning, I could breathe!!! I was so relieved to also not have a headache or that burning throat that I had when I went to bed. However, just to be safe, I followed the same routine today. Plus, first thing I took an extra capsule of Citrus oils (Orange, Grapefruit and Lemon). I feel 1000X better today! And, I am over the moon about not having to get an antibiotic as I normally would have!

Lavender {Swiss Army Knife of Essential Oils!} | Young Living Essential Oils

There are several oils that I hope never to have to be without again, but Lavender truly is the "everything oil"! I use it every day several times a day, usually for different reasons! 

Taken from Youngliving.com "Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The French scientist René Gattefossé was among the first to discover these properties when he was severely burned in a laboratory explosion. "

It's a part of the Allergy Trio (Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint)...but a lot of times, I don't even use the Lemon and Peppermint, as the lavender will do the job! Part of my daily routine includes a shot glass of water with Lemon and Peppermint in it, so that may explain why I don't need to layer those two when using Lavender for allergy. Although, my very allergic son does not do the Lemon Peppermint shot and Lavender is his best friend! He can go out and roll in the grass and come back covered in red splotches, swollen eyes and sneezing....most of the time, Lavender behind his ears fixes him right up. If it's extreme, we will swipe the inside of his mouth.  My resistant husband is also using Lavender at night. It's helping with the allergies (that he refuses to admit he has?!) and the sinus drainage as well as being calming to help him sleep! 

I use it in my bug spray, and for insect bites and stings. 

I love, love, love to diffuse it!

I add it to my homemade laundry detergent, and many of my homemade bath products (more to come on that!) use in your shampoo to help combat dandruff!

It's supposed to help with lowering blood pressure although I have no personal experience with that. 

Lavender is so great for your skin! Use it in your face or body cream, mix it with coconut oil for eczema and sunburn!  It's great for itches rashes too. And for cold sores or chapped lips!

Lavender will help stop the bleeding! Use it on a cut to stop the bleeding as well as help with the pain and sanitize the wound. My oldest son caught his finger in a bike chain and ripped his nail off, cutting the nail bed. It was bleeding so badly that I couldn't tell how severe he was injured. It took 5-6 drops of Lavender, but the bleeding did stop! My youngest had a nose bleed. I put Lavender on a Q-tip and he pressed it to the inside of his nose and the bleeding stopped right away. I also read that you could apply to a tissue and wrap an ice cube in the tissue and put under your top lip to stop a nose bleed. 

Lavender is an Antiseptic, Antifungal, Antitumoral, Antidepressant, Anti-inflammatory, and an Antihistamine!! 

Renewed Enthusiasm | Young Living Essential Oils

Last week, I spent a wonderful week on the Outer Banks. I had a fabulous time with my family and some of our closest friends. Being that it was a hectic week: started off with a with sick child, had a house FULL, did some partying, there was a hurricane headed straight for us, it was the 4th of July... I didn't stick to my normal routine like I should have. Well, let me just tell y'all... if I had any doubts at all {which, we all know that I did not!} about the effectiveness of these oils, then I surely don't anymore! By Friday, I was worn out, testy and on edge,  my daily headaches were back, {and no not the self inflicted kind!},  I was bloated, and ummm, not regular.

One of my friends traveling with us also uses some oils, and it seemed to hit us both around he same time, as we were searching for our lemon oil for our water!

So, moral of the story here is: don't stop your oil routine on vacation!!

I came home and immediately got a huge glass of water loaded with my citrus oils. I also took a capsule of grapefruit, and shot glass with 4 drops each of lemon and peppermint.  My morning routine starts with the lemon peppermint shot and boy had I missed that! I've done a little extra this week to "catch up" but definitely feel back on track and am even more thankful that I found these oils!

I also normally take a few YL vitamins and supplements and not taking those last week also did not go unnoticed.

There was a big box of oils waiting for me when I arrived home and it's always like Christmas! And, I now have a new favorite for my water.... LIME! If you haven't tried it, you definitely should!

The Internet is a Scary Place! {Everything is Toxic!} | Young Living Essential Oils

Before you all start screaming that everything on the internet is not true, I am well aware of that fact. However, it can't all be wrong either! And, even if only a fraction of the "Everything is toxic" scare is true, it's enough to make you seriously reevaluate every product that you use.

I've read a good bit of this information in the past and in bits and pieces, and thought about making changes. Even, actually changed a few things here and there. But, never fully committed to changing. Well, the more that I use oils and other natural products, and the more I learn about them, in addition to a cleaner eating lifestyle, and the better I feel---the more committed I become. 

Soooo, after killing flies with the same stuff that I wash my dishes--yes, the ones that my children eat off of! {eek!} -- I did some serious researching, and I'm not going to bore you with all that I found.  Simply google "toxic dish detergent" or "toxic household items" and prepare to be very, very afraid!

 I decided that if I tell you all about it, then making the commitment may be easier to stick with. The first step in that is Young Living's Thieve's Household cleaner. Now, if you've looked at this product before, you know the initial cost of this is somewhat shocking. I know it's the reason that I didn't purchase it before now. Fortunately, other kind bloggers broke it down for those of us that sometimes can not see past their own nose! The cleaner is meant to be diluted and used in many different applications, so the initial bottle goes a really long way!

To test it out,  I actually just used a few drops of Thieves oil and mixed with water in an old spray bottle and cleaned my stove top after a whole day of cooking. No elbow grease and it looked like new! I was convinced! I have to tell you that I hesitate to show you these pictures, because it was pretty YUCK!, but the "after" is worth it...so here you go-

One bottle of cleaner diluted will make 128 30 oz bottles of cleaner, at the cost of under $0.70!!!! What?! Even the best couponers among us will not get the store bought for that amount and surely not in that quantity! AND.... these are actually good for you!!!! Needless to say, my bottle is on the way! 

I will be posting "recipes" for all the ways I plan to use this to detox my home, along with other products that Plan on replacing soon, as well. 

Summer Essentials {Part 2} | Young Living Essential Oils

Good Morning!

Now that Summer is in full swing around here~ Thank goodness!!! ~ I have really been using my oils in new ways!

Bee stings

Oh! My! Goodness! I am not even exaggerating when I say that I thought I was going to have to amputate my foot! Apparently, it has been a good, long while since I have been stung. But, last week, I stepped on a bee in the yard, and literally screamed! It immediately started swelling. After I hobbled back to the house, within just a minute or so of being stung, the entire arch of my foot was swollen, red and throbbing!! Purification first to neutralize the poison--and before I could get the top back on that and the top off of the Lavender, the swelling was already going down. Then, Lavender for the pain...I put 2 or 3 drops of this because I was dying! It took about 2 minutes to notice the pain going away, but it finally did subside. I was left with a small swollen spot right at the sting location the rest of the day, but by the next day, it was gone completely. No pain, no itching. Nothing short of amazing!  Side note: both of my kids have already stepped on a few bees before now, and I used the same protocol. They both said it helped, but I didn't mention it here before because, honestly, they didn't seem to be in nearly the distress that I was! Maybe they are tougher than me!

Sunburn/blistered Lips

A friend came over this past Friday night, after having been on the boat and had really bad sunburned lips. They were a bit swollen and looked as if she had multiple cold sores. She said it was awful and hurt so bad that nothing she had put on them had helped at all. I immediately mixed up just a tiny bit of Coconut Oil and Lavender. (probably a 3-1 ratio Lavender to coconut) and she just dipped her finger in it and applied to her lips. Within seconds, she said the pain was gone. I sent her home with the mixture and The next day, she said it truly helped! No more pain and healing quickly!! Lavender truly has so many uses! 

Hangover

So, this isn't necessarily a Summer only problem ;o) but regardless, let's talk about it! The morning after too much fun, take a shot glass and fill it with water, add 3-4 drops of Lemon and 3-4 drops of Peppermint, shoot it down. Peppermint across your forehead, on your temples and if you had a LOT of fun the night before, a drop on your thumb pressed to the roof of your mouth. Di-gize applied directly on your stomach. (You can also use Peppermint if you don't have Di-gize. But, Di-gize is Awesome for stomach issues!!!) And, then make sure to rehydrate all day with lemon in your water!

Road Trips

Summer vacation usually means travel in some form! In addition to taking your Thieves with you to make sure you ward off all the new germs you'll be encountering, make sure to not leave home without Peppermint or Di-gize for motion sickness, nausea, upset stomach. 

Up Next:

Adding this here as it came about from a Spring/Summer Pest. House flies! The worst! Now, apparently, Peppermint oil keeps them away. I haven't tried this yet, as Spraying my peppermint oil stresses me out LOL...I use too much of that ON me to think about it as fly spray!! So, I read on Pinterest that a spray bottle with dish detergent and water would kill the fly. Of course, I didn't really believe this, but still had to give it a try. Well....it works! I was so excited and killing flies left and right... and then: I start to think about this. I'm washing the dishes that we eat off of with something that makes insects drop dead. Can this be good? So, up next will be homemade, natural kitchen products and cleaners! Stay tuned!

Summer Essentials ~ Lavaderm Cooling Mist | Young Living Essential Oils

My family and I spend a lot of time on the beach during the summer. My oldest son and I both have dark, easily tanned, rarely burned skin. My husband and youngest... do not! Even with my summer skin, I still usually get a little pink or burn a spot here and there at the beginning of the season. Well, this week was no exception. I simply mixed in a few drops of Lavender in my regular lotion and by morning it was tan, and all the tenderness gone!

The second day, I wore a new suit and there were spots that hadn't seen the sun in a while and I didn't realize it. Needless to say, a little more than pink! And, my youngest also got red shoulders. I was about to repeat the lotion application when I remembered the Lavaderm Cooling Mist. I sprayed his shoulders first and he LOVED it! So, I also gave it a try. I, too, was a fan! I still applied the Lavender in my lotion, but the Cooling Mist is awesome!!!

I've not peeled and the burn went away and turned into tan almost overnight!

The Lavederm Cooling Mist can also be used for diaper or heat rash, just regular itchy skin, and even 1st or 2nd degree burns. At $13.75 (the wholesale price), it's a bargain and a must have for the summer skin!

I also never go out in the sun without my Lavender Lip Balm.

Monthly Promotions | Young Living Essential Oils

Now I've told you how to sign up, how to order, how to get points for free product, but there's one more thing! :)

Each month, YL offers a Monthly Promotion for free product with a specific purchase. For the few months that I've been purchasing the minimum purchase requirements have been 190PV, 250PV and 300PV. 

You do NOT have to buy this amount. Only buy this if A) you want this much stuff and/or B) you see the value in what the free stuff is. You have total control here. 

For Example: June's Promotion

190PV level earns you 1 15ML each Purification, Lemon and Citrus Fresh (a $59.54 value)

250PV earns you the above plus a $25 ER credit to be used later (Value of $84.54)

300PV earns all of the above plus a 300 count bottle of Sulfurzyme capsules (Value $160.53)

So, assume that you are ordering this on ER. You spend the $300 -You earn $30 back in ER points, plus the $25 that's added back with the 250 level. You get the $300 worth that you actually ordered, plus all the free goodies! 

Essential Rewards {the basics} | Young Living Essential Oils

So, you're all signed up...now what?

Now, you can do nothing. Use what you have. Run out. Order again. Never Order again. whatever you want to do. However, I *know* that if you use what you have, you will see how great they are and you will definitely want to order more!!!!

So, if you're like me and you're needing stuff monthly, it's silly to not join Essential Rewards (ER). Simply, this is an autoship option. You have to order 50PV per month, but you get 10% back in reward points to be applied toward a future purchase.  PV=Personal Volume. All products are assigned a PV. Which is in most cases equal to the Dollar Value. It's all labeled and very simple to understand once you are in it and seeing it for yourself.

You have to accrue points for 3 months before you are eligible to redeem. But, say you order the minimum of 50PV. You have $15 to spend! So, personally for me, it made zero sense to not sign up for ER. Because I was definitely going to order each month, why not get a portion of that back each month?

Again, to sign up, go here:
SIGN UP

Questions: please email me, I'd love to help you! (tbkea@charter.net)

Initial Experiences {Part 3} | Young Living Essential Oils

Whew! It's crazy town around here this time of year... well, let's be real... every time of year! But, baseball season, and the start of summer is insane!

This time of year also comes with it's own set of challenges for which I can pull out my Oil Toolbox!!

Poison Ivy

My husband needs only to walk by Poison Ivy to have an outbreak...and because he is sooooo skeptical, he must've been reallllly itchy to ask for my help!! Lavender to the rescue AGAIN! Seriously, it immediately stopped the itching! I also put Melrose and Purification on it and two days all of the spots were gone and no spreading! I only put all of these on once a day.

Bug Repellant: 

I know that I already mentioned Lemongrass as a bug repellent. I have finally tried it here at home and it's even helping with the GIANT mosquitos that we have here in Virginia! I did actually mix up a spray. Normally, the rule is to only use glass containers. I only had a plastic bottle when I needed it. Since I only mixed up enough for that one evening, I didn't stress it too much, and I've since ordered a glass spray bottle. Nearly fill a 2 ounce spray bottle with Witch Hazel, a pinch of Epsom Salt and 10-15 drops of Lemongrass. I also had about 5 drops each of Lavender, Purification, and Peppermint! No bug issues the whole night! I love that I can douse my kids in it and not worry about killing them with chemicals just to keep the bugs at bay!

Thyroid/Adrenals

Nearly 12 years ago, I had my thyroid removed. I've had issues ever since. Even with "normal" bloodwork, I feel exhausted, in a fog, my metabolism has slowed, irritable, etc.  At the suggestion of a fellow oil user, I tried some of YL's supplements. And, I can slowly feel myself coming around. This is a personal journey and you should do your own research, and I will document this more myself, but just wanted to mention that it's worth a try!!! I'm currently using the Thyromin Supplement, and the B vitamins, as well as Endoflex oil blend. I'm getting ready to add a few other things as well. Again, I will go more into detail in a future post. :)

Heartburn/Indigestion:

This time of year also brings cookouts and food that sometimes causes reflux type issues. As you know, I've been drinking lemon daily, and I noticed that I can eat a cheeseburger and not suffer. I did recently have a meal that brought on that old familiar feeling... a shot glass of water with a few drops of lemon and a minute later, I'm all better!

More on Allergies:
If you're like us, this is the worst time of year for the itchy eyes, congestion, allergy issues. I'm still doing my LLP , but on really rough days: I also add a drop of Valor to my throat and between by eyes. As crazy as it sounds, I can feel the congestion melting away!

Initial Experiences {Part 2} | Young Living Essential Oils

This will be my last bulk/catch up post. After that, I will try to keep up with how I'm using my oils regularly to share with all of you, and also to post other ideas and information that I find!

Headaches:

I think that I mentioned that Peppermint helps a headache, right? :) Well, it works so well that I ran out of it! How, you might ask, would I let such a travesty happen?! And, I'm afraid that I really do not know, but rest assured it will not happen again! Although, if it does, I do have an alternative! And, NO! It's not Advil!! For my "regular" stress/tension headaches: I pulled out the Stress Away blend. For me personally, it does not work quite as well or as quick as Peppermint, but it does work! Depending on the headache, I may have to reapply after about 10 minutes or so, but usually that does the trick.

(*Stress Away is the one bottle of oil that is found in all the Starter Kits...even the $40 one!...and also helps with neck pain, stress/anxiety, and promotes sleep!)

 I also have the Deep Relief Roll-on and that also does a fairly decent job on a mild headache. For a tougher one, again-just reapply!

For a sinus/allergy headache.... Lavender helps a lot! Also, Copaiba. I ordered this little gem on my first order and I can't even remember why. However, I will not be without it now! It's a little pricey, but it has all kinds of uses!! I'm going to write an entire post on just this one day soon! I had a terrible Sinus headache, and so I rubbed Cobaiba under my cheek bones and down towards my jaw line... helped almost immediately! Pair that with the Lavender and you have a 1-2 Knockout Punch!

Tick Bites:

We live in the country, and I have dogs and boys. Therefore, I deal with tick bites. Purification Oil will repel ticks, kill ticks and neutralize the poison from the bite.

My son had a tick seized on his belly. I put one drop of Purification on it and the tick let go! Now, there are two schools of thought on this: some say pull the tick off and then clean the area, because putting something on it will make the tick inject more poison into you. And, others say pulling it off risks leaving part of the head embedded into you skin. I have pulled a lot... more than you can probably ever imagine...and can't remember leaving part of one in someone. So, I think that I had rather do it that way instead of chancing the other.

My Lab --the one that is about to make me a cat person!---had a tick bite on his shoulder and it was very inflamed and irritated. I had to take the tweezers to remove it. (He was not a fan of this!) The knot was about the size of a dime! I put a drop of Purification on the bite immediately and again that afternoon, and again sometime the following day. By the third day, it was almost healed!

Both Lavender and Purification help with the itch associated with a bite!

In my water:

The other sample given to me was Lemon. I used it right away in my water and loved it! I was told that it breaks down the plastics that we consume daily (from drinking bottled water, or eating off plastic utensils, and foods that come in plastic containers!) as well as a gentle daily detox. Lemon's aroma is also supposed to be uplifting and the oil is a powerful antioxidant. I love it in my water and now drink it daily! As do my children and my husband! Important to note: I drink it all day with no ill effects, but I would advise starting with one or two drops.

Also, to test the plastics theory: I blew up a balloon and put one drop of lemon on it....it POPPPED! (the balloon has to be blown up all the way for this to work)

I have also been drinking Grapefruit and Citrus Fresh in my water, primarily because I like the taste, and I try to drink a ton of water each day so by using two or three oils, it mixes up the taste! Both of these have similar benefits to lemon. Grapefruit is said to also break down fat and cellulite!! I wonder if I can get this by the gallon!?

More Initial Experiences {Part 1}| Young Living Essential Oils

The plan for this blog is to regularly post my experiences or information that I find. However, I've been using oils daily for the last two months and have already had so much success that I feel like I ned to summarize those experiences before moving on!

I've already told you about my headaches and Peppermint Oil. Honestly, if not another thing worked for me, that alone would have left me with a positive experience. but, the more that I tried and the more that I learned and the more that worked, the more I wanted to try!

Allergies/Sinus:

Our house is full of allergy-sufferers: 3 out of 4 of us deal with seasonal allergy problems. My youngest son, who is 7, has fought allergies since he was a baby. He has been on medicine for several years. Fortunately, we have a pediatrician who is of the mind that if he only suffers November through April, then he doesn't need the meds the rest of the year, but still: that's a lot of medicine for a little guy! So, the possibility of a natural solution for him has me over the moon! This has been a crazy weather year so far...winter was awful! (read: COLD!) And, Spring has just now decided to show up, so he is still showing signs of being affected. This would typically mean staying on the Singulair and Q-Var (Inhaled steroid) longer than normal. However, his medicine has not been refilled since it ran out the last week in March, and we have had no problems!!!! Can I get an Amen?!  

I read somewhere that the "Allergy Bomb" is made into capsules using Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint. I'm not even going that far. I'm putting one drop of lemon followed by one drop of lavender behind each ear. And, if he's particularly sneezy, i'll add the peppermint, but I don't do it every time because it's a pretty strong oil, and he's not crazy about it. I don't even do the Lemon and Lavender daily....just as needed. I am using the same thing and it's absolutely amazing! My husband has been a long time sufferer, but won't admit it and never takes medicine. Of course, he's very difficult and won't try this either! So, I diffuse the heck out of it when I can tell he's having trouble, and it's definitely easing his suffering as well! 

I've had a particularly rough season--again: this crazy weather is to blame, I'm sure! the LLP regime was only knocking back my symptoms there for a few days. So, I did some more digging, and someone suggested swabbing the inside of each nostril with Thieves and Lavender. They warned that it burned so badly that you would need an ice pack. It was a little strong, but I surely did not need an ice pack! :o) Maybe is the was the elation over being able to breathe? Seriously, in two minutes, I could breathe through my nose and the pressure in my face was gone! Just this week: the pressure in my face seemed to be causing me an earache. More searching, and I was told to take Melrose and rub the front and behind my ear and down my neck to encourage draining. It was also suggested to take Lavender and rub on cheek toward ear if it was allergy induced. I kid you not--within minutes, I could feel it draining. 

Sore Throat:

My oldest son is rarely sick, so when he wakes in the middle of the night crying because his throat hurts: he's serious! I had already read up on Thieves begin the go-to for a cold or any kind of "bug". Since it was the middle of the night, I went with that. I put Thieves in the diffuser and rubbed some on the bottom of his feet. That morning when we woke up, he still wouldn't eat or drink. I did some more reading, and it said to put a drop of Thieves under his tongue or make a hot tea. I had lemon herbal tea, so I made a cup of that and put a drop of Thieves in that. I put more in the diffuser and more on the bottoms of his feet. And, I rubbed Purification on the outside of his neck at his throat. Within a few hours, he was his normal self and eating lunch. No one else got sick and he never had anymore problems. 

Neck Pain:

After photographing an 8 hour wedding...outside, in the rain and mud, with no assistant!....I had the worst kink in my neck. I knew as soon as I sat down in my car to drive home that I had done something.  I got home, kicked off my muddy boots, put my camera bags down, and immediately went to my oil box. I picked out PanAway, which as of yet I had not used on myself, only on my boys' growing pains (Leg aches). I put a drop directly on my neck and on the top of my shoulders and rubbed it in. I then put the memory cards in the safe, changed into my PJ's, brushed my teeth and got into bed. The. Pain. Was. Gone. GONE! I could not even turn my head all the way to the side when I walked in to my house. FIVE minutes later, it was GONE! And, I slept like a baby and woke up the next morning with NO pain. I have since used this A LOT! :)

Sunburn:

Our family took a road trip in early April to Georgia. I was so happy to see the sun and warm temperatures that I did not consider sunscreen. Well, of course, I ended up burned to a crisp! Normally, I do not burn too badly, but considering again that I had not been outside in 4 months (not literally...but close...did I mention that it was COLD?)... anyways... if I do burn, I usually itch to death and then peel. Obviously, this is not preferred. So, I had my Lavender with me. I mixed in a drop or two with each handful of lotion that I applied for three or 4 days. I had no pain, no itching, and the best part: I did not peel, and it was awesome to come back to Virginia sporting a nice tan! 

Bug Repellent: 

As you've no doubt figured out, I 'm a summertime girl. However, I am not a fan of Bugs. And, in Georgia, the mosquitos and these most irritating knats were already out in full force. Fortunately, I also brought Lemongrass with me. The pool was unbearable unless you were in the water, and even then they were swarming in your hair and around your face and ears. NOT FUN! I put one drop of Lemongrass on each wrist and behind our ears and on the back of our neck. The bugs immediately picked on someone else! I have not yet tried it here at home, and also have found a recipe for a spray (will post later!) that I intend to mix and try. Last summer our mosquitos were the size of small birds, so this will be a good test! 

ADDITIONAL ORDERING OPTIONS | YLEO

So now that your head is spinning on whether you want to buy a kit or not... :) ....let me offer you an option that will give you time to obsess over what to do.

Buying retail is silly. Really. So,  if you really do want to try a few things first, don't buy from Amazon! (It's more expensive AND there's no guarantee how old these are, how they've been stored, etc, etc) -Email me and I will allow you to put one order on my order (at wholesale)--- I make no money from this option! I am willing to do this for several reasons. Primarily, because I *know* these oils work and I know that once you try them, you will want to jump in....with BOTH FEET! And, also: because I understand the skepticism, and it's really not that big of deal for me to add your stuff onto my order. I'll split the YL s/h charges with you (or between however many people are ordering) and you'll of course need to pay the charge needed to ship out to you once I get it, but that will still be less expensive than Retail. 

Also, I have ****ONE**** $20 off enrollment coupon. It will be on a first come basis! But, it will take $20 off the Premier kit, dropping the price to $130. Email me for the info! **Expires June 30, 2014!!!***

Sign me up! |Young Living Essential Oils Starter Kit

So, that's all it took! One little bottle of Peppermint Oil and I was a believer! Well, that's not entirely true... but I was sure willing to give it a try at that point! So, I do some more research and get all the ins and outs on ordering, etc. It's at this point that I realize that YL is a Multi Level Marketing (MLM) company. Now, for some people, and for reasons unknown to me, this spells Evil. I honestly do not understand the mindset that *just* because a company is a MLM it *must* be a scam. Seriously, that makes no sense to me.  However, I did want to do quite a bit of reading and questioning prior to "signing up". In the end, it was a no brainer.

So, this is the thing. You do not have to sign up as a "distributor", you can buy retail, but it's 24% MORE expensive to do that. And, signing up only means that you are "required" to purchase a "kit" and then agree to purchase $50 per year (in PRODUCT) to keep the discount.  Now then, the kits: there are several options. The least expensive is $40. To be honest; this really doesn't get you much of anything, and is not really a "bargain", unless you consider that you are buying the rights to make future purchases at 24% off!  You do actually get a Stress Away and some samples, so it's not totally useless. :) The next package up is $75 and is basically, the $40 kit with the diffuser added to it. The Diffuser is GREAT! I love it and use it every single day...usually all day....and sometimes into the night!! This is a pretty good deal, as the diffuser alone is $75 (wholesale) and you will at least get the samples, the Stress Away AND the rights to buy at a discount.

 But, the best deal, by far, if your budget allows is the Premium Starter Kit. It's $150, but includes the diffuser, the samples, AND the Everyday Oils kit. The Everyday Oils Kit includes 10 of the most versatile oils (Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, and special blends: Thieves, Joy, Valor, PanAway, Peace and Calming and Purification). I wasn't 100% sure that I wanted the kit when I first started considering this. Primarily because I wasn't informed enough to know the benefits of the oils included in the kit. Now, I have to say, it was definitely the way to go! there's not one oil in this kit that I don't regularly use or will not reorder. (Some I've already reordered!)

OK, so you want to know how to order, right?? :) It's pretty easy!! Follow this link:

  ORDER

And, you can decide if you want to sign up as a Retail customer or as a Wholesale distributor and purchase one of the kits above. A few extra points to note: if you sign up as distributor, they do ask for your Social Security Number. This is simply because some people do this as a business and as such, they will be required to pay income taxes.  Follow future posts about Monthly Promos and Essential Rewards. Also, as far as the "business" end of this goes: there is NO pressure. You have tons of options, and it is totally up to you how you approach this. Many people sign up SOLELY for the discount, they never tell another living soul about it and they simply order for themselves and go about their lives... :) Many other people, work at it hard, and make a pretty good living promoting natural health solutions. More still fall somewhere in the middle.

I will be quite honest in that I had absolutely no desire to do this as a business. I already have one business to run, and all of the other things that come with being a stay at home, homeschooling mama of two boys! I certainly did not have time to add another "job" onto the pile. However, the more I have used and benefitted from the oils, the more I wanted to share it with the people in my life, and now with all of you! In such a short time, we have been helped so much by these oils, and I want others to experience the same. I have learned that from a business end, there's very little "work". It's mostly sharing your experiences, and knowledge...and being willing to help. there's no paperwork, no  inventory, no delivering product. So, essentially, if someone signs up under me (or under you), I will make a little bit of money. (Not a lot...this is not a get rich quick scheme!) I provide the link and help answering any questions in the sign up process and from there that person orders their own product, it's paid for and shipped directly to them. There is nothing more for me to do. So, that certainly makes sharing a good bit easier. 

If you have any questions about this: please let me know! you can email me at tbkea@charter.net and I will try to help you! 

Welcome!

If you have happened upon this blog by accident or if you went looking for it, welcome! It was born as a result of answering the same questions over and over and I thought a consolidated place for those answers would be easier for me and beneficial to those asking me directly as well as those searching for answers on their own.

A friend of mine introduced me to Young Living Essential Oils a few months ago. I am the world's biggest skeptic. I truly had no faith that any of this was "for real". Three things made me give it a try:

1) the person sharing is legit. What I mean by this is that she has 6, yes S-I-X, children. She works and she home schools all 6 of them. She has her stuff together and I do not believe that she would have introduced these products into her home without diligent research.

2)I have seen modern medicine FAIL... miserably, and repeatedly. My faith in the medical "establishment" is virtually nonexistent (except for all the amazing nurses that I know and love, of course!), and truly, I only see it getting worse from here.

3) What do I have to lose? Seriously, I have felt like pure crap for the last year or so... this stuff was worth a try!

So, here we are! I tried it and so far: it is working for me and for my family! It all started with a  little sample packet of peppermint oil! I plan to document all that I've used so far with results on this blog. I hope you will follow along with me and give it a try for your family!

Peppermint Pain Relief | Young Living Essential Oils for Headaches

Here goes my very first YLEO testimonial! I was so skeptical when I first began reading about these oils and then a trusted friend shared her stories and a few sample packets with me. I had nothing to lose to try! 

As an adolescent and teenager and into my 20's, I suffered with migraine headaches.  The only "diagnosis" that I ever really received was that there was a "chemical imbalance", and pretty much: "too bad!" Once I got pregnant, I have not add any more true migraines {KNOCK ON WOOD!}- however, I do still have headaches. Nearly every day! And, I do not like having a headache, so nearly every day, I take Advil! This can not be good for me! So, having shared that with my friend, she suggested that I try the peppermint oil for a headache, which, I of course had at that very moment! 

I did as she instructed and put a drop ---1 drop!--- on my finger and dotted it on each temple and put another drop and rubbed it across my forehead. I proceeded to photograph her 2 year old, who was Not at all interested in being photographed, I might add! Normally, at the end of that, I would be dying to get some Advil. This day: the headache was gone! Honestly, sometimes I don't believe it myself and it's actually happening to me! ;) But, I solemnly swear that my headache not only did not worsen, it was GONE! 

A few days later, my husband came home from work sick with a headache. In the 20-odd years that we have been together, I can count on one hand how many times he has had a headache (that was not self inflicted!) --he immediately went to lie down, complaining of nausea and dizziness.  He does not take medicine...EVER! After about 10 minutes, he said he was going to have to take something. I remembered the Peppermint. I asked him to try that first, and he (surprisingly) agreed.  I did the same thing that I did, plus put an extra drop on his thumb and had him press it to the roof of his mouth.  In 5 minutes, he was out of bed and back outside. 

In the weeks that have followed, I have not taken one single Advil. NOT EVEN ONE! Pinky Promise!!  I'm also drinking a shot of water with 3 drops each of lemon and peppermint in it each morning (along with a few other things that may be helping), and I feel that my headaches have decreased in occurrence. But when I do have them, peppermint oil is my go-to. I have had some pretty tough ones recently and sometimes it takes more than one application, but it has never failed to work!