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.

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:

I’m sure you know someone who suffers from asthma, maybe even you yourself.  The American Academy of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology found that 70% of asthma sufferers have allergies.  They also stated that 34.1 million Americans will be diagnosed with asthma sometime in their life.  Last fall I became one of those statistics as I experienced the perfect storm resulting in  asthma.  In November after raking some leaves I had a full blown asthma attack.  Combined with a previous history of allergies, stress, lack of sleep, overworking and not fueling my body with optimal nutrients I had the ideal conditions to develop asthma.   Since I am familiar with stress management techniques as a yoga instructor, I quickly retreated to a hot bath with some Eucalyptus essential oils, then went to bed.  This did help alleviate the symptoms at the time, but over the next 2 months I had to work on reducing stress, exposure to allergens (artificial fragrance included) and adding even more nutrient dense raw foods to my diet through gentle daily cleansing.   I’m almost fully recovered, but not totally.  A visit to the bank the other day set me back a bit as I stood in line with someone wearing a strong perfume.  The fragrance filled the room and the minute I breathed it in I began coughing.  I have managed my symptoms with some essential oil blends though my doctor continues to try convincing me to take the standard regiment of asthma inhalers/drugs.  During the couple of visits to my MD it was never suggested that I avoid asthma triggers or allergens.  In the past month I discovered some food allergies that were bringing on these symptoms.  Now I am equipped to avoid allergens and any adverse reactions.  Here are some oils that I’ve used to deal with my asthma symptoms:

Breathe Again Roll-On – a Young Living blend of eucalyptus globulus, peppermint, eucalyptus radiata, copaiba, blue cypress, eucalyptus bicostata and myrtle oil.  This combination of oils are of great support to the respiratory tract.  Several, including copaiba are anti-inflammatory.  Simply apply the roll-on oils to the chest area or VitaFlex points for the lungs on the soles of the feet.  Breathe Again Roll-On is even more effective when you apply Raven essential oil blend afterwards.  Wintergreen essential oil is helpful for opening up the respiratory tract but is a very hot oil.  Always dilute Wintergreen oil, using only 1 drop of essential oil to 5 or 10 drops of a carrier oil.  This blend of oils has worked well for me when I’ve been exposed to airborne or food allergens. 

Lavender essential oil is a natural anti-histamine.  Apply lavender oil (therapeutic grade) directly to the chest, sinuses or on the cheekbones, being careful to avoid the eyes.  Food grade lavender essential oil can also be taken in a capsule as a systemic anti-histamine. Lavender essential oil is excellent for relieving itching, especially when applied directly to the area you need.

RutaVaLa essential oil blend is useful for relaxing the entire body.  This is especially helpful in times of distress.  I have used this blend for asthma brought on by or worsened by stress.   If you’ve ever experienced an asthma attack during difficult circumstances, an argument with someone or other situation you have little control over, RutaVaLa could help reduce symptoms. Just one drop of RutaVaLa applied to the base of my skull was enough to relax my chest and ease my breathing.    

Essential oil Blends that I have found helpful in asthma situations include R.C , Raven (when layered over R.C), Breathe Again Roll-On. 

Single oils that may open up the airways:  eucalyptus globulus, eucalyptus blue, Copaiba, wintergreen, peppermint, myrtle and Idaho balsam fir.  Many oils can help with managing stressful situations which can have a direct impact on asthmatic symptoms:  lavender, chamomile, citrus and tree oils (frankincense, sandalwood, spruce) can be very calming.

I believe our bodies were designed with systems in place to protect us:  pain receptors in the nerves, coughing or sneezing to eliminate bacteria and a fever to fight against germ invaders.  The problem is we have so many substances in our environment that could be causing  these symptoms that we don’t always take the time to find out what the root cause is.  I am motivated to do this, partly because I am stubborn and don’t want to be tied to daily medication.  The FDA has actually urged doctors to hold off on prescribing common daily asthma medications as they have been linked to severe and fatal asthma attacks.   More importantly, I want to clean up my environment because I want to live a life of quality  – wellness, purpose and abundance.

I am seeing results, but it won’t be easy.  I could continue my path of exposure to harmful things in my life and just take the daily meds to mask my symptoms.  For now I’ve chosen the natural route, and I know my family will be healthier too.  I have found a balance of managing stress, providing my body with optimal nutrition, avoiding allergens and using Young Living therapeutic essential oils has helped me eliminate my asthma symptoms. 

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

Anxiety, depression and attention disorders are on the rise. I believe the causes are two-fold, first simply because we live in a culture saturated with unimportant things. We have thousands of choices we can make every day, from the foods we eat to products for our home and health. Marketing campaigns reach for our hearts, showing that we will be happy if we just purchase their goods and services. We can have instant gratification: on-demand movies, fast food and drugs to take away our symptoms in an hour. These are solutions targeted at making us content for the moment. It’s easy to fall into habits that can be harmful to us if we only have a short term fix in mind, leading to anxiety with so much information or depression from lack of contentment.

I believe a second cause of the increase in these health issues is the vast amount of chemicals we are exposed to every day. Some have even said today we are exposed to more chemicals in a day than people 100 years ago were exposed to in a lifetime. This does not even include chemicals we choose to subject ourselves to: over the counter & prescription drugs, plastics, untested cosmetic ingredients, perfumes and artificial fragrance. All of these chemicals can wreak havoc on our bodies and may cause hormonal imbalance which also may contribute to anxiety & depression.
I saw a mom with a newborn baby in the home fragrance aisle at the store the other day contemplating which “home scent” to purchase, I couldn’t help myself and I just told her to avoid using any of it around her kids, for their sake. Our children’s bodies and ours are being bombarded with chemicals, many of them we consciously are burning and “plugging in” to our homes, poisoning our air. We are chemical beings and all these fragranced products are causing chemical reactions in our bodies – the evidence is mounting that these chemicals are linked to anxiety, depression and attention disorders to name only a few. Over the counter and prescription drugs are even worse, with these and other health issues listed as potential side effects. I’m actually surprised at how many people ask if essential oils will interact with the drugs they are taking, yet don’t give a thought to using a home cleansing wipe labeled “harmful to humans and domestic animals” or consider how common household products and cosmetics are interfering with their prescriptions. Perfumes and artificial fragrance are known to disrupt hormones and the endocrine system making us more vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety, depression and attention disorders.

If you are truly looking for help with issues like anxiety, depression or attention disorders, you seriously have to consider cleaning up your environment, diet and personal care products. Essential oils may offer some promise for dealing with these but they cannot compensate for a lack of common sense and poor choices. I myself have used essential oils to deal with anxiety and depression but I have been careful to assess what might be triggering these symptoms in my body. 

Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs, with prescribed usage doubling in just one decade: 1996-2005.  Some studies have even shown that their effects may be questionable.  Dr. Mercola offers some insight into this research and alternatives to prescription drugs even suggesting that placebos have as great an impact on improving your mood .   Keeping this in mind, essential oils may be a great side-effect free option to try before going on medications.   These suggestions have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

Lavender essential oil helps balance the body, may help with insomnia and is calming. Simply smelling something pleasant can have a positive effect on our psyche. Make sure you are using only a pure, food grade lavender essential oil. I met someone the other day who had a bad experience with lavender. After applying a drop to her pillow, she developed a horrible headache. If an essential oils is altered or diluted with any chemical, one can never really know what side effects may occur from fillers. It is always best to use essential oils from a trusted source that verifiies the ingredients of their products. Mine is Young Living essential oils because I know they have the highest quality control standards in the industry.

Frankincense essential oil may be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression. I apply Frankincense to my face every day, it’s excellent and nourishing to the skin plus it gives a boost to my psyche. Frankincense can be diffused to improve concentration and mental clarity. Because of this quality, it would be a great choice for using when a student needs to get homework done. This is an excellent oil to use for anxiety – when you have a lot of things going on and you don’t know where to begin. This oil is clearly evidence of divine creation – one breath in and your mind is clear and focused for the most important task at hand.

Valor is a Young Living essential oil blend that has similar qualities to frankincense – simply because frankincense is one of it’s ingredients. It also contains spruce which is grounding and helps create positive memory. I used this in one of my yoga classes and afterwards one student commented that at the beginning of relaxation her mind was running in several directions. She said that the second she smelled Valor, her mind was completely cleared and she could just relax. This blend may also be a good choice for helping focus and dealing with attention disorders.

Peace & Calming is a Young Living blend of essential oils. It’s a blend that appeals to most people, it’s a sweeter smell with tangerine essential oil. Some think it evokes thoughts of childhood. Just applying a drop to your carotid artery as a natural perfume can be calming. When it is applied to the soles of the feet it can help move you into a peaceful nights rest. This would be a good choice for overactive children and pets, or adults who suffer from nervous tension.

Stress Away – Roll-On is a Young Living blend that contains vanilla & lime essential oils. This is another blend that works well as a natural perfume with positive side effects of calming you when you are experiencing anxiety.

Peppermint oil is the first choice for mental clarity for attention disorders. Simply applying the oil to the temples can improve concentration and focus. Diffusing peppermint oil when you are studying can help improve memory retention. Peppermint may also be useful in treating headaches brought on by anxiety or depression.

Essential oils have the potential to even out moods, balance our emotions and help improve our mental clarity. But first, it is important to clear your environment and personal exposure to man-made chemicals that may be contributing to these issues. If you are on a lot of medications, have intelligent conversations with your doctor or pharmicist about potential side effects. There are many natural, drug free solutions to anxiety, depression and attention disorders for those willing to do some research and tune into themselves to figure what might be triggering these symptoms in the first place.

I on the other hand, I like to let a low fever work on bacteria and viruses.  I am not a medical doctor and am not diagnosing or treating any medical condition.  I’m just a mom with a lot of kids and have dealt with non-emergency situations in a natural way.  I do know a fever is one of the body’s defenses for fighting infection and viruses.   This is especially important in children whose immune systems are just developing.   I do realize there are differing views on this, and I choose to follow a natural approach to treating a fever.  Each time I have a child with a fever, I hesitate to give them an over-the -counter fever reducer as I read through the list of ingredients.  For a moment I’m not sure which is worse, the fever raging in their little body or the list of chemicals and artificial colorings and flavorings in the drug.  Most recently, one of my daughters had a low fever.  My first reaction was a fleeting feeling of panic because this was an unknown.  I didn’t know why she had the fever – she did not have other symptoms – and I didn’t know how long this would last.  After talking with her pediatrician I was instructed to keep her hydrated, comfortable and rested.  If the fever continued for longer than a designated period I should call back.  Your doctor may treat things differently, so it is important to know and discuss these things with your pediatrician.

My  first line of defense is to look at natural ways to treat a fever such as keeping hydrated with high quality drinks like  Ningxia Red, cool compresses under the arms, behind the knees, on the forehead or peppermint essential oil applied to the bottoms of the feet. Peppermint oil is not safe for children under 3 as it is a very strong oil and can cause respiratory distress if not diluted sufficiently.   Last spring my daughter (6 1/2) developed a fever.  She is petite for her size so I decided to use Lavender  instead, also effective for a fever.  I applied Young Living lavender essential oil to the bottom of her feet.  I also applied lavender lotion to her cheeks which  really soothed her.  In a half an hour her fever was gone!  I repeated this several times over the next few hours until the fever had passed.

If using essential oils to treat a fever, they must be pure therapeutic grade oils with nothing added and nothing removed or you cannot be sure of it’s potency.

The FDA has not evaluated these statements and it is not the intent of Pure Home and Body LLC  to practice medicine.

Most recently, lavender from Provence is in danger due to an insect which transmits a phytoplasma to the plants ( a bacteria ) and destroys them.  This is due in part to climate changes including winters with no snow and drought during the summer.  No pesticides exist today to save the lavender plants and more and more plants are sick. Researchers are working on hybrids but those are also sensitive to this bacteria.   At this point, the Young Living Lavender farm in Utah has not been affected by this virus.  For the time being, Young Living has a 3 year supply of lavender but the demand for pure lavender essential oil and lavender products will most likely be increasing as supply drops in the coming years.

Lavender is beneficial to tissue regeneration and useful for cuts, scrapes and burns.  It is antiseptic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and a relaxant. Lavender is a very calming oil and can be helpful in combating anxiety and insomnia.

I recommend only using Young Living’s lavender oil neat on the skin – 1 drop at a time since it is highly concentrated.  Here are some uses:

• Insomnia – apply a drop on your pillow or rub onto soles of feet before bed
• Anxiety – we use lavender when flying
• Sunburn – mix 8-10 drops of lavender in a 4 ounce spray bottle – glass preferred – add 1 drop of Young Living’s unscented bath gel.  I get my glass spray bottles from www.abundanthealth4u.com .  This gel helps emulsify the oil so it mixes in the water.  This chemical-free lavender spray is soothing for itchy skin and sunburn especially if kept cool in the refrigerator.  This spray is also a convenient way to lightly mist your pillow before bed.
• Nosebleed- apply it neat to the bridge of the nose to stop a nosebleed
• Antihistamine – apply lavender neat to the nose, around the eyes (careful not to get in the eyes) and on itchy spots or hives to decrease histamine reaction due to allergies.  Young Living lavender can also be ingested as a systemic antihistamine.  Follow dietary guidelines on your YL lavender bottle for recommended dosages in a gel cap

Young Living Lavender essential oil  15ml  - wholesale -  $20.75        retail – $27.30

You can order Young Living oils at wholesale (select Independent Distributor and order a $40 Start Living Kit for lifetime wholesale pricing, and no monthly minimums, enter sponsor #1003003)  or retail (select customer). 

The information in this article is for education purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.