My history with essential oils goes back over a decade. When my family lived in Colorado my mom attended a Young Living party and bought a few oils, Peppermint and Grapefruit. We used them occasionally but certainly not to their potential and we didn't really study their capabilities. Fast forward over a decade, to when my crunchy life began, and I was introduced to a whole different way of living. All of a sudden I began to realize how crucial and amazing EOs are. I dug. I bought. I researched. And I began to kick pharmaceuticals out of my life. My mom did the same and signed up as a Young Living rep to get the discount (saving money, please!). She loves me, so she spoiled me, and bestowed upon me what I now call my survival kit. I keep on me at almost all times (or at least close to me) this little survival kit, which has tiny bottles of 11 different oils. Additionally, this summer when visiting my parents and in-laws for vacation, I got my fingers on several more. I'd like to go into some detail what I use and why I use them.
First and foremost, let me explain. No, I'm not receiving commission from Young Living. Nor am I going to criticize someone's choice for using DoTerra or another brand of oils. It just so happens that I use YL. I like their blends, and what they've done for me, and when you have a mommy that gets a discount like I do...yes, please. I also am not even close to a professional on essential oil safety; the only ones using these oils are myself and my son (occasionally my daughter) so I decide how we handle it. There are many articles that talk about essential oil safety, so I recommend that you look them up and choose how you want to handle your family before you take my word as truth.
Lavender- Lavender has a calming effect, but it's also wonderful for killing the pain in small burns and scratches, while simultaneously healing them faster. I am the mother to a little boy. Hence, bumps, scrapes, and bruises are an almost daily factor of my life. J has gotten more than one abrasion on his face and I ALWAYS put lavender on it to help with the sting and pain, and to heal it faster. I've never been disappointed. Before I got a blend for it, I also used it to help him sleep easily and peacefully.
Thieves- I know many mommies (and daddies, I'm sure) who swear by Thieves. Known as the panacea of sickness, also as a wonderful bouncer against oncoming sickness, I confess to having rubbed a blend of Thieves and coconut oil on J's and G's chests and even throats when they have coughs and sore throats. I've rubbed it on my own. I was also given a spray that I use on my bug bites, which seem to be cropping up a lot more lately, as we seem to have a lot more mosquitoes in our monsoon season here in west Texas. Darn skeeters. Thieves is one of the oils that is not recommended for children, so please read the safety articles before you make your choice.
Pan Away- I don't honestly use this one as much, but for someone who frequently has body aches, I understand it does wonders. I did use it a couple months ago for a headache that just didn't seem to want to go away. I would probably use it on sore knees, stiff muscles, etc. I recently was at an oil information meeting and one of the ladies that tried it said that she'd arrived at the meeting that night with a stiff neck so bad, she couldn't turn her head, and within 5 minutes she felt great.
Lemon- There was a time when we were in the car, away from soap and water, and since I'm not the biggest fan of hand sanitizer, I pulled out my bottle of lemon EO and rubbed a drop on each of my kids' hands and made them rub it around. I felt more confident in clean hands, as lemon is an antibacterial, and isn't a funky chemical. I've heard of people using it to cleanse their cutting boards as well. I also add a drop of this to coconut oil for oil pulling, because I have texture issues that can be overridden if the taste is good enough. I added a drop of it plus a drop of lime EO to a glass bottle of water, and it's like healthy, non-fizzy Sprite. :D
Purification- This one is also beneficial for taking the pain out of bites and stings. It removes the poison from the site. I've used it a couple times on bug bites, before applying Thieves. I've also started diffusing it in the bathroom....;-)
Joy- One of my favorites. When my kids are throwing tantrums or someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed (including myself), I use it. A quick swipe across the forehead. Several months ago G was in a terrible 'tude. Grumpy, snipey, downright rude. I rubbed some Stress Away (to be discussed further down) and some Joy on her, and within 10 minutes her attitude had completely changed, and I'd convinced her of the success of oils. When she's at my house she asks for oils when she has an issue.
Peace and Calm- I will never take my son anywhere overnight without Peace and Calm around. He won't go to sleep without it anymore; it has become what calms him down after a nightmare, and part of his routine when it's time for bed. I've used it on G a few times too, when she's upset at night. It's the first EO I've bought a full bottle of, and I love it. I also keep a tiny bottle with my keys, so that I always have it on hand for a tantrum.
Peppermint- This is easily my most used oil, which is fortunate since it's not overly costly. I use peppermint for my headaches, for stomachaches and nausea....and have used it on both Hubs and G. G even asks for it if her belly hurts. It disappears quickly in my house because headaches are a frequent visitor to me.
Stress Away- Also one of my favorite oils. If you know anything about my life you know that there is no shortage of stress and anxiety that can appear almost daily, if not several times a day. Stress Away is my go to when I feel like I'm losing my grip on my temper; a drop of it rubbed on the back of my neck and I feel quite capable of calming down and looking at the situation as docile as possible, with logic and understanding. Thank you, YL people, for creating Stress Away. You have no idea the balm on my emotions that you've given me. It's possibly a big contributor to why my children are still alive. JOKING.
Valor- I've used it when I'm feeling nervous about the situation. It makes me feel brave, which may seem silly considering it's an oil, but it's true. When G feels upset and scared over how her life is going I might rub a bit of Valor on her and have a Mommy/daughter conversation with her. She perks right up.
Frankincense- There was a time when the only oils I had were in tiny little bottles, and at one point I ran out of Stress Away and was having a hard time. Through research, I learned that Frankincense was a suitable replacement for the time being, so I began using it during my bad moments, and pulled through just fine.
Citrus Fresh- Known as a mood-lifter, it helps with creativity, joy, and boosts the immune system. My mom sometimes diffuses it; she did while I was home and I felt like I was wandering through an orange grove in FL. I loved it.
M-Grain- What a wonderful product for those who suffer headaches. My dad gets them a lot and I know he uses it frequently. I've used it many times too and I find it works much faster than any of the pain pills like aspirin, ibuprophen or naproxen. I also feel better taking it, knowing that I'm using something healthy to help my pain, and not something that could be jeopardizing other parts of my body.
Ocotea- My mother was the one that seemed most interested in this, as it's been shown to help with high blood pressure, and it has a higher content of alpha humulene, which helps the body resist injury or irritation. I've not used it yet but I can think of a few members of my family (ahem, Hubs and MIL) that maybe should consider it.
Melaleuca alternifolia- Also known as tea tree oil. I LOVE melaleuca oil. It's wonderful for the occasional ear infections that J gets, as an antifungal additive for his cloth wipes, and to keep dandruff at bay. It may smell a little funky...but it's worth it.
DiGize- I've used it a few times when I feel like I may be eating something that needs a bit of help being digested, as this EO supports the digestive system.
Lime- Oh, yum. Lime is one of the key oils in the Stress Away blend, it's my favorite color, and it smells amazing. I've learned that I gravitate to lime anything. It's good for respiratory issues and itchies.
Cedarwood- I have a good friend who diffuses it or applies it topically to her son when he's doing his homework (which is increasing in volume) to help him focus on it better. I diffused it for the first time today to help my son not be an Energizer bunny on crack. HA!
Dragon Time- Ponder it. Just ponder. What could Dragon Time refer to? If you're a woman, you probably know. Dragon Time is a blend aimed towards controlling the mood swings and other issues during "that" time. It can also help with some of the painful physical symptoms as well.
Surrender- J, bless his pea-pickin' heart, has his daddy's stubbornness. He can be very aggressive and angry, and is not shy in voicing his indignation. Not long ago we were engaged in a battle of wills and I wished desperately for a drop or two of Surrender to chill him out. I even asked my mom if she had some, and she didn't but she ordered some. :P I suspect I will bombard everyone with Surrender when there is a family disagreement.
Additionally, my first self-chosen adventure into EO world was due to a stiff neck that I had for 3 weeks. It got bad, and a dear friend of mine suggested a Korean remedy that was available at the Korean grocery store a bit north of us, known as White Flower. I rubbed some on my neck and the pain relief was quick and wonderful. Upon closer inspection, it's a blend of EO's. I keep it around and have used it on John's stiff neck. It smells a lot like Icy Hot, so I often compare it to that, considering it's a similar effect and purpose. Just less...lotiony.
I've been eyeing a few other oils, like Acceptance, Breathe Again (super-charged RC in a roll bottle), Forgiveness, Gentle Baby, Grounding, Harmony, Raven, and maybe Sensation. and, goodness, maybe some singles too, though I do tend to gravitate to blends.
None of my comments about these oils are endorsed by Young Living, so don't hold any possible misconceptions against the company. It's simply my vision of them, and how I use them. Additionally, some people would rather use a different brand, and that's fine, as long as they don't force me to. :-P
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