The most important steps include frequent hand washings ( Thieves foaming hand sanitizer), washing bed lines and towels (I add a drop of Thieves or Purification essential oil to my laundry soap for extra disinfecting), cleaning my bathrooms with Thieves wipes (you can make your own wipes with Thieves household cleaner and tough paper towels, store them in an old baby wipes container for convenience) and diffusing highly anti-bacterial blends like Thieves, Purification, Christmas Spirit and Frankincense to kill airborne bacteria.    Young Living essential oils are also the most important items in our medicine cabinet.  In fact, we really don’t have anything else in our medicine chest – no ibuprofen, acetaminophen,  or over the counter cough syrups with artificial flavors & colors.  This is what  we use for colds & flu symptoms:

1st onset:  For adults, make up a  capsule of Thieves:  2 drops of Thieves essential oil plus 3-6 drops of lemon in gel cap.  For kids  under 6, a spoonful of agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil added and 1-2 drops of R.C applied to the bottoms of feet.  Use Thieves hand sanitizer to keep germs from spreading.  Keep mouth clean where germs multiply with Thieves mouthwash.

Cough medicine -  1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil.  For adults add 1 drop Thieves for extra boost. Suck on Thieves lozenges.

Fever – Adults, 3-5 drops peppermint essential oil on each foot.   Repeat as needed until fever is gone.  Children under 7 – Lavender & Frankincense on bottoms of feet or along spine – repeat as needed until the fever is gone.

Sore Throat – 1 tsp agave nectar with 1 drop of lemon essential oil (Lemon essential oil contains many more nutrients and antioxidants than just lemon juice as the essential oil is distilled from the rind – use only food grade lemon essential oil for ingesting) .  For adults and children over 6 add 1 drop of  Thieves oil to the spoonful of lemon/agave nectar.  Thieves lozenges are also helpful.   Gargle with Thieves mouthwash.

Sinus & Chest congestion – R.C. applied to the bottoms of feet, rubbed on the chest or inhaled.  Add a  few drops to bath water and breath deeply.  Frankincense supports the respiratory tract and viruses.  Apply to the chest and throat area on lymph glands.  Place a drop of frankincense on the tongue to fight viruses.  Raven is a Young Living blend made of Ravensara, wintergreen, eucalyptus radiata, lemon and peppermint.   It is especially effective when layered with the R.C blend.  Breathe Again Roll-on is a convenient blend to apply directly to the chest or Vita-Flex points for breathing relief due to cold and asthma.

Cold/Canker Sores – suck on a Thieves lozenge or apply a drop of Thieves essential oil directly to the spot to alleviate pain and speed healing.  Peppermint oil also may help when applied directly.

Headache /body aches – Raindrop Technique, apply peppermint or Panaway on the forehead and temples or  lemon essential oil on the big toe.  Soak in a mineral bath like Ancient Minerals with 3-4 drops of lavender essential oils added.

Vomiting/diarrhea - peppermint essential oil applied to bottoms of feet, on the belly and 1 drop in water to sip.  Children under 6 should not use peppermint oil, instead use Frankincense or ginger essential oil on the feet and belly.  After 1 hour of no vomiting, gradually introduce liquids. Dilute 1 oz. Ningxia Red with 4-5 ounces of water is a gentle way to start adding nutrients.

Inner Defense is a supplement that contains 4 different types of Oregano.  This is highly antibacterial, research shows this blend is as powerful as some antibiotics.  When using Inner Defense, 10-12 hours later take a probiotic likeLife 5.   For example, Inner Defense in the morning, Life 5 at bedtime to replenish healthy intestinal flora.

In addition to some of these suggestion make sure to add some homemade chicken soup, drinking plenty of  high quality fluids, rest and some common sense to ensure a quick recovery.  Always seek the advice of your doctor for serious illness.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are meant for educational purposes only, they are not a substitute for medical care.

Recently, I’ve found some great directions on making your own lotions at WabiSabi Baby.com.  I’ve had the how-to  information for years but never ventured out to try it until I read the clear directions from WabiSabi Baby.  Packaged lotions are convenient and you don’t have to worry about shelf life, but if you’d like to try making your own lotion, I recommend this recipe.  When you add your pure essential oils from Young Living you’ll have the purest lotion customized to your skin’s needs.  I mixed together this batch of simple ingredients and had a very emollient lotion in 15 minutes.  I used Young Living’s V-6 oil one time and coconut oil the 2^nd.  The coconut oil version was amazingly emollient.  I have used Young Living’s lavender lip balm (made with coconut oil) for dry patches and the coconut oil  version was very similar.   If you can heat up a can of soup, you can make this recipe.  The first time I did this, the water separated a little.  I reheated the mixture in the double boiler and it turned out much better.  I look forward to trying this recipe with glycerin (making sure it’s vegetable glycerin) for even more moisture.   Mountain Rose Herbs carries a large selection of lotion making supplies including beeswax pastilles and glycerin.   Let me know if you’ve made your own lotions and what has or has not worked for you!

I mixed up ½ this amount the first couple times just to get comfortable with the technique:

¼ C vegetable oil (Young Living’s V-6 oil blend, coconut, jojoba)

¼ C emulsifying wax (I used local, organic beeswax. You can also get an emulsifying wax specifically for cosmetics)

1 ¼ C hot water (almost boiling)

Melt vegetable oil and emulsifying wax in a small sauce pan.   Pour in hot water (this step is critical to avoiding a mess!) and stir until well incorporated, the consistency should be like milk.  Pour the entire mixture into a glass canning jar or other glass bottle with a tight lid.   Make sure you temper the glass first by running  it under hot water to warm the glass slightly.  I found it convenient to sterilize the bottle first, filling it with lotion once it has cooled a little, taking care to use hot pads for hot surfaces.  Pour the lotion mixture in slowly as a dramatic temperature change will break the glass.  Gently shake the bottle about every 10 minutes until the mixture sets.

Add 8-10 drops of essential oils when the lotion cools to customize to your needs:

Calming lotion: Roman chamomile, lavender & frankincense

Acne prone: Melaleuca alternifolia

Eczema: Myrrh

Cooling Foot Lotion: Peppermint

Sunscreen: Add 1 T non-nano zinc oxide plus lavender to protect and support skin health (I ordered mine from WabiSabi baby.com)

Insect Repelling Lotion: Purification, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Thieves, Citronella (make sure it is not a chemical citronella oil, but pure plant extract).  Add non-nano zinc oxide to make a bug repellent sunscreen

I made half this version for a couple days use and keep it in the fridge since there are no preservatives.  You could also add some Vitamin E oil or essential oils that would act as natural preservatives.  Make sure you don’t use citrus oils in lotion you will be putting on before sun exposure.

Watch for an upcoming post on (making your own facials at home) with pure ingredients and essential oils customized for your skin type.

The first step in battling mosquitos is to lessen your exposure: Remove standing water from your yard where they will lay their eggs.  If you have small ponds or bird baths keep the water treated or empty containers and clean weekly to keep larvae from hatching.  Check out some natural insect control products from an organic garden supply for your yard.  Wear light colored clothing, long sleeves and pants in particular after dusk or when walking in wooded areas.  Check your window and door screens for holes or spots mosquitos could invade your home.  Consider replacing outdoor lights with a yellow bug light that does not attract mosquitos like traditional lighting.

Essential Oils are some of the most powerful mosquito deterrants available.  Fragranced oils will not be any help against pests like mosquitos so make sure you are using a Therapeutic Grade Oil that will offer the best defense.  Essential oils are pure plant extracts that protect the plants and trees from natural pests.  These same plant extracts can offer protection to people as well.  For the best results use a combination of oils to create a powerful blend.  Here is a list of the most powerful oils mosquitos hate, followed by recipes I’ve used as natural mosquito repellent.  Many of these oils are safe for use on everyone, including children and pets. 

• Lavender - safe for everyone, young and old including infants. Simply apply therapeutic grade lavender (I only recommend Young Living food grade lavender) directly to exposed skin (Neat).
• Peppermint – safe for children over 4 diluted with a carrier oil.  Peppermint is stimulating so avoid using right before going to bed.  Also has a cooling effect on the skin, good for hot days.
• Lemongrass – powerful oil that should be diluted before applying to the skin.  Effective when applied to clothing from a spray bottle. Do not apply to the face.
• Citronella – make sure you use pure therapeutic grade citronella oil, not just a fragranced oil which will not repel mosquitos.  Dilute before applying to skin. 
• Cedarwood- adds a woodsy fragrance to a mosquito repellent, helps repel other insects in addition to mosquitos such as sand flies.
• Thyme – anti-parasitic oil, has a very strong aroma that may be softened when blended with other oils.
• Purification Essential Oil blend – Young Living exclusive blend of citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, melaleuca & myrtleessential oils.  This is a powerful blend that mosquitos and other flying insects dislike.  We mix 8-10 drops of  purification blend with a teaspoon of vegetable oil and apply to exposed skin.  This blend is also excellent for bringing relief to any insect bites and stings.  Apply undiluted 1-2 drops directly to the location as soon as possible after a bite or sting to lessen itching & swelling. (test first on a small area for sensitive skin).
• Thieves  Essential Oil blend - Young Living’s exclusive blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata & rosemary essential oils.  Helpful when mixed in a spray bottle and misted on the skin.  Also a good option for treating an insect bite when applied topically.  Dilute Thieves 1:1 with a carrier oil or witch hazel and apply on location as needed.
• Melrose Essential Oil blend – Young Living’s exclusive blend of melaleuca alternifolia and rosemary essential oils.  Apply neat or diluted 1:1 onto location to relieve pain and itching from stings and mosquito bites.  Mix in a spray bottle and apply to clothing or exposed areas of skin.

Here are a couple of mosquito blends we’ve used in our family.  You can mix up your own combination of essential oils to have on hand.  Add the essential oils to a glass spray bottle, the same method as making your own air freshener.   You can also add the essential oil blend to a vegetable oil and apply to the skin before exposure to mosquitos.   Making your own mosquito repellent makes sense if you want to live a life with less toxins.  These combinations are quick and easy to mix and you’ll know what ingredients you are putting on your body.

Mosquito Blend #1, mix together in a 4 ounce spray bottle and shake before each use, or add 1 drop castille soap or bath gel base to emulsify the oil

• 15 drops Purification essential oil blend
• 8 drops peppermint essential oil
• 8 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 drops cedarwood essential oil
• enough purified water to fill the bottle

Mosquito blend #2, mix in a 4 ounce spray bottle, shaking before each use, or adding 1 drop of catille soap or bath gel base to emulsify oil:

• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 10 drops melaleuca essential oil
• enough water to fill bottle

Alternatively, apply lavender or purification oil directly to exposed skin, mixing with a vegetable oil if desired to extend the time between applications.  The oils in these blends may also be used for pets. 

This information has not been evaluated by the FDA and Pure Home and Body LLC does not intend to diagnose, treat or cure any diseases.

My recipe?  A combination of peppermint essential oil and Young Living’s Purification oil blend.  I added 2 drops of peppermint and 2 drops of the Purification blend to 2 teaspoons of olive oil.  You could use any vegetable oil, I just happened to have olive oil on hand.  Blend the mixture well, then simply apply the oil along the floor and baseboard of any potential ant entry.  I did this once and this application worked for at least 3 weeks.  A couple of ants started to return, I repeated this and they are still gone.  Peppermint oil is a strong pest deterrant, the Purification blend contains some other oils little critters dislike, like citronella and lemon.  I’m glad I found this natural combination to repel these ants and have once again avoided the use of a harmful chemical in my home.

Lavender – spray your pillow at bedtime, freshen your bathroom, spray on sun-burned skin

Purification essential oil blend – neutralizes odors from shoes, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.  Kills bacteria in the air and on soft surfaces like furniture.  Spray on the skin to soothe insect bites.

Thieves essential oil blend – Create your own disinfecting spray powerful enough to kill bacteria in the kitchen and bathroom.  Replace harmful bleach (linked to cancer) with this spray.Use this spray to disinfect sinks, toilets, countertops and produce.

Watch this video to see how quick it is to make your own spray with ingredients you trust:

The Purification blend cleanses the air and neutralizes odors when diffused.  It disinfects and cleanses cuts and scrapes and alleviates itching and redness from insect bites including spiders, bees, hornets and wasps.  The sooner you can apply Purification to a bite the smaller the reaction will be.  The essential oils draw out the sting toxins and keep them from spreading through the body.  In the case of an allergic reaction to a sting, apply Purification neat (without diluting) to the site of sting every 10 minutes while you are on the way to seek medical attention.

I like to mix up a spray bottle of Purification – in a 4 ounce glass bottle (www.abundanthealth4u.com) mix 10-12 drops of essential oil with 1 drop of bath gel base (I also use Dr. Bronner’s baby mild soap). Fill the remainder of the bottle with water.  I keep this spray bottle in my yoga bag to freshen up the fitness room.  This is also a great way to deodorize shoes, just spray inside each shoe at night time to let the oils deodorize.  Purification does not mask the odors like some synthetic deodorizers, but kills odor causing bacteria.

This diluted spray can be applied directly to the skin as a natural skin repellent, safe for babies & toddlers too.  For a longer lasting application, mix 2 drops of purification to 4 drops of vegetable oil like Young Living’s V-6 massage oil and apply to exposed areas.

Purification essential oil 15ml     Wholesale $17.75     Retail $23.36

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