Essential oils and pure, truly natural fragrance are today what organic foods were 25 years ago.  Decades ago, those eating organic foods were thought of as radical, tree-huggers, paying too much for organics for no reason.  A frivolous luxury that wasn’t really necessary.  At least the organic food industry was self-regulated.  Today, the U.S essential oil industry is unregulated – no standards.  A company could include 5% pure essential oil and a chemical filler for the rest and still call it “100% essential oil”.

Greenwashing is when a company uses words like “natural”, “pure” and “green” in products that also contain questionable ingredients, many companies are not even required to disclose all ingredients. For example, one of the most common questions I get is what do I think about Aveda? For a while, it made me uncomfortable to answer specifics about another company’s products because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.  But this is not about sharing with you what I “feel”, it’s about facts that are written on product labels.  No one can dispute that.  Unfortunately, there are many who are uninformed about what they are consuming. All you have to do is read the labels on your products , look up a few ingredients at www.EWG.org and you’ll have the answer.

A lot of this is a personal process, and not everyone is ready to let go of products, because they have an emotional connection. Often, love is blind.  It may be just a matter of time before you can open your mind to seeing the truth in the labels, and that’s ok.  I see my site as a place to direct you to resources that will answer your questions. It’s up to you to take action.  I have had my share of personal battles over things I was using, but knew they weren’t the best choices. And I haven’t figured it all out,yet. I am still looking at ways to continue to improve, downsize and remove hidden chemicals in our home.   All that said, when you replace chemicals in your personal and home care products, make sure it is with products of quality.  Otherwise you may just be replacing one inferior product for another. Here are some simple steps to take when you’re ready to minimize your consumption of home and personal care items:

1. Clean out the cabinets – just what do you have lurking under the kitchen sink or in the linen closet?  Toss out anything that is expired, broken or leaking. Start a box of products that you do not use that can be disposed of properly at a local waste management facility. Many communities have special collection sites for toxic cleaners, solvents, prescription and over the counter drugs.  DO NOT dump anything down the drain. Antibiotics, drugs and household chemicals dumped down the drain will eventually enter the water supply.

2.  Take inventory of what you have left and plan on using up and donate unopened products you want to get rid of. Start to research what you will replace.

3.  Be authentic  with yourself.  Why do you love that mango body wash or Brazilian scented room spray (who exactly determined what that smells like, anyway?). Are you drawn to the graphics on the labels or was it an ad that first caught your eye? Marketing giants reach us through our senses and an entire industry is built on the Psychology of Scent. Starbucks isn’t a coffee giant by chance, they serve coffee with atmosphere, including sandalwood infused coffee cup insulators. Sandalwood essential oil is an earthy fragrance that has been used to uplift the senses. It’s also an ingredient in perfumes as a musk-like stimulant. If you want to minimize your consumption,take this critical step to realizing why you purchase products so you won’t be tempted to just replace one chemical cocktail for another. When you see advertising for what it is, you can better understand your true needs and desires and make the best choices for what you really need. You’ll naturally reduce your consumption.

4.  Choose healthy alternatives to chemical products. Better yet,  do without when you can.

5.   Enlist your family. Change is never easy, and may be grounds for a mutiny if you instill too many changes, too quickly, without everyone’s enthusiasm. Use this opportunity to have real conversations about what is important in your family.  Lorilee at Loving Simple Living has some great points on minimalism and it’s dynamic in relationships. She also just released her first book, 3-2-1 Stop. Check it out if the concept of minimalism is new to you.

6.   Enjoy the extra space you have and breathe deeply the purer environment you’ll have by eliminating some more chemicals in your home.

What are you eliminating in your home right now? Has it been easy or difficult? I’d love to hear about what you are discovering!

Watch for my upcoming posts for more simple tips to continue creating a Pure Home and Body.

My most recent check on Amazon for “cough medicine” indicated 1242 options. Expectorants, suppressants, decongestants, non-drowsy,  you get the picture.   The back of the label will most likely be filled with side effect and cautionary information.  Our family deals with coughs from colds and allergies naturally without all the man-made chemicals found in these over the counter drugs.  Essential oils have been our best form of defense with taming coughs.  The first thing we do when a cough occurs is to have a spoonful of agave nectar with a drop of lemon essential oil added to it.  The lemon soothes a dry, scratchy throat  and can boost your immune system as well.  For adults, add a drop of  Thieves to this spoonful for a super charged boost in immunity.  The Thieves will also relieve any soreness in the throat.

There are specific essential oils that are helpful for coughs: Eucalyptus Radiata, Eucalyptus Globulus, Ravansara, and wintergreen are especially effective.  Young Living has made a couple of essential oil blends that we use for coughs and colds in the winter.  R.C. is one of the most used oil blends in our home – it has four different kinds of eucalyptus in it  plus peppermint, lavender, cypress and pine essential oils.  At the first sign of a cold or cough, we apply a drop or two to each foot.   Commercial Eucalyptus oils on their own can be too potent for children, but when it is combined with more gentle oils of lavender and cypress it is a great choice for kid’s colds & coughs.  For children under 3 dilute a drop with a 1/2 teaspoon of a carrier oil and massage onto the feet.

Raven is another Young Living blend of ravansara, wintergreen, Eucalyptus radiata, lemon and peppermint essential oils.    The ravansara encourages expectoration and the wintergreen, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils open up airways.  We find just one application of the oils onto the feet at bedtime is enough to settle a cough for sleep.  For children and those with asthma apply the oils to the soles of the feet.  For adults, massage the oils into the chest, add to bath water or place a drop in a bowl of warm water and breathe deeply.

Alternating application of R.C with Raven may be a powerful remedy with coughs.  Layering the oils increases the synergy between the oils.  For adults, apply 2 drops of R.C. mixed with V-6 oil to the chest area, then 2 drops of Raven on top.  This can also be done on the bottoms of the feet concentrating on the lung area points of reflexology.  For children, mix 1 drop of essential oil with a tsp of V-6 carrier oil or olive oil (or lavender essential oil which acts like a carrier oil), massage onto the bottoms of feet, cover with cotton socks and rest.   If you are using Young Living’s therapeutic grade oils you may not even have to dilute oils when applying to the soles of the feet.  Last week my 8 year old had a cough that started with fall allergies.  I rotated oils, one day applying them every hour (the time it takes for the body to metabolize the oils).  I took 2 drops of 2 different oils  (RC & Raven , for example), rubbed them between my hands and held my hands on the soles of her feet a few minutes.  Her face would light up as she said she could feel her chest relaxing.  Within minutes she’d have a healthy cough to expectorate the junk.

Frankincense also offers powerful respiratory support and it has the benefit of reducing anxiety, often associated with violent coughing spells.  Frankincense is also a very gentle oil as long as it is not filled with chemicals or synthetics.  I use Young Living’s Frankincense neat (undiluted) on the chest or soles of the feet.  Frankincense is very soothing to the respiratory tract especially when diffused.

Drinking plenty of fluids and foods rich in vitamin C are essential to feeling better.  For those with asthma, always apply essential oils to the soles of the feet.  For any persistant cough or difficulty breathing make sure to seek medical care right away

This information is not meant as a substitute for medical care, if you are sick, contact your doctor for advice.

Farid A. Badria, Eman A. Mohammed, Mohammed K. El-Fadrawy, et al (2004).  Natural Leukotriene inhibitor from Boswellia (frankincense): A potential for treating bronchial asthma. Altern & Comp Therapies. 10 (5) 257-265.

Inouye S, Takizawa T, Yamaguchi H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact.  J Antimicrob Chemo. 47: 565-573.

Larrondo J, Agut M, Calvo-Torras M. (1995). Antimicrobial activity of essences from Labiates. Microbios. 82: 171-172

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.

1.  Breathe!  Yes, we need to breathe to survive, but often in times of stress we tend to hold our breath.  This deprives our body of much needed oxygen and causes physical stress.  Breathing is one way our body eliminates toxins, especially as we exhale.  Practice regular breathing patterns when you realize you are getting tense.  Diffusing stress relieving essential oils like frankincense and sandalwood can  keep your thoughts focused and grounded.

2.  Laugh - a joyful heart is good medicine.  Research proves time and again that those with a positive outlook on life are healthier. Find what tickles your funny bone: watching a comedy, reading a joke book or watching kids or pets play can lighten your mood.

3.  Play with a baby or child.  If you don’t have your own children or are empty nesters, volunteer at a local day care or church.   Life is so simple for these little ones and when you bring yourself down to their level, the stress of adult life can be put into perspective.  Spending time with pets can help too.  Visit a local animal shelter and give some TLC to animals in need.

4.  Take a walk – simply getting a change of scenery can help diffuse stressful situations.

5.  Take a hot shower or bath - water is very therapeutic.  Add some lavender, breathe deeply and allow your physical body to relax.

6.  Listen to some music – just make sure it is soothing music that will calm your nerves and sooth your soul.  Classical, spa-type music or easy listening tunes can change your mood in an instant.  Choose music to suit your personal preference, check out iTunes samplings or visit your local library if you are looking for new sounds.

7.  Pray or Meditate – Read something inspirational, a devotional or scriptures from the book of Psalms.  Diffuse tree oils like frankincense or cedarwood to increase your spiritual awareness.

8.  Stretch – try some stress beating poses.  Apply Valor to the soles of your feet to improve muscle memory and keep muscles relaxed.  Applying oils like PanAway or Peace & Calming to your shoulders can help alleviate tension in the shoulders that might aggravate stress headaches.

9.  Find a hobby you like – arts & crafts, gardening, reading, playing an instrument to name a few.  Volunteering to help others can take the focus off your stressful situation.

10.  Count your blessings – even writing them down and journaling can be helpful at all times, but especially helpful to work out your feelings on paper.

Lastly, get help if you can’t cope – talk with a friend, pastor or counselor if needed.  It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or sad at times, but if these feelings continue over time or begin to cause physical symptoms that won’t go away it would be wise to seek professional help.  Hopefully with some foresight and taking time to restore your body and soul amidst the holiday bustle, you can avoid any stress related ailments and have a Merry Christmas!

This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. For medical treatment, see a doctor.

Combine:

1/4 cup of Fine Celtic Sea Salt or Organic Sugar (Use only the purest ingredients, NO IODIZED SALT!  Remember your skin will be absorbing some of this!)

2 T vegetable oil – I like the V-6 oil for lighter coverage, almond or avocado oil for more

2-3 drops of essential oil of your choice – use a blend like Peace & Calming before bed or a drop of lavender & peppermint to perk you up in the morning or for tired feet.

Store in a glass jar with a lid.   I like to use small pyrex containers with lids.

Essential oils offer many of the same benefits to pets as they do to people.  They can support the immune system, bring balance to the mind and body, help heal  injuries and offer  natural cleaning options.  As with humans, it is imperative that only the purest essential oils are used on your pets.   I have listed just a few of the many uses for pets taken from oils in the Everyday Oils Collection.  These uses are recommendations from Dr. Mary Hess, DVM.

Lemon essential oil:  Used to increase awareness in training or cognitive issues.  It is an anti-parasitic and can be combined with others safely, excellent for skin conditions.  Use topically, diffused or ingested.

Lavender essential oil:  Use for injuries while hiking or riding. Gentle but anti-infectious.  When combined with peppermint, healing is increased and infection and pain is decreased.  Repels parasites and calms nervous system.  May be helpful for masses and tumors.

Frankincense: Safer, gentle oil that is a favorite for smaller pets and birds.  Used in every aspect of pet care: wounds, tumors, behavior, infections, bacteria and fungal control. Dilution recommended with lavender.

Peppermint: Use with PanAway for any injury. Most used oil for overheated horses and dogs, provides cooling quickly. Used on long hikes, placing a drop in water for internal cooling. Peppermint must be diluted for cats, 1 part oil to 4 parts vegetable oil

Purification: Use for parasites such as fleas, ticks and mosquitos for dog and horse. Dilute 75% for cats. For birds, mist the cage with oil instead of applying directly to the bird.

Valor: Useful for all pets for fear, behavior and training. Especially useful for pet rescue. Use for skin masses, itching, allergies and infections. Diffuse or apply topically. Place around collar or leash.

Peace & Calming: Main calming blend of this collection. Use for fear, anxiety, behavior problems, car rides, excitement. Builds confidence.

PanAway: Best oil blend for injury. Can be used with cats if diluted. Used for urinary issues, osteo-arthritis pain, dental extraction or post surgery. Use topically in warm compresss, in raindrop technique or vita-flex points on feet.

Thieves:  Strongest anti-infectious blend in this collection. Can be used on all pets if diluted properly. Provides significant pain relief, particularly for dental problems. Has anti-parasitic properties, especially for ticks. Can be used topically to location of injury, vita-flex, raindrop, or internally.  Diffuse

Using essential oils on pets is similar to people as there are precautions you should take.  Because pets are much smaller, essential oils should be diluted more than for an adult person.

Dilution guidelines:  when in doubt contact your DVM.

Horses require minimum to no dilution ( 1 drop essential oil in 1 tsp carrier oil to help disperse)

Dogs:     0-25lbs – 75% dilution (1 drop essential oil to 4 drops carrier oil)

26-45lbs -50-75%

46-75lbs – 50%

76-90lbs – 25-50%

90-150lbs-25%

+150lbs – 0-25%

Cats, ferrets, rabbits, reptiles – 75-90%

Birds & Amphibians – 90-95% or hydrosols (1 drop essential oil mixed with water in 8 ounce spray bottle)

Lemon

Lavender

Peppermint

Frankincense

Purification essential oil blend: contains citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, Melaleuca alternifolia and myrtle.

Peace & Calming essential oil blend: Blue tansy, patchouli, tangerine, orange, ylang ylang.

Valor essential oil blend: Rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense, spruce

PanAway essential oil blend: Helichrysum, wintergreen, clove, peppermint.

Thieves:Clove, rosemary, lemon, cinnamon bark, Eucalyptus radiata.

See 110 uses for the Everyday Oils Kit for specific usages of these oils.

You can purchase the Everyday Oils Kit for $115 wholesale or    $150 Retail

Or for $150, you can get wholesale pricing on any Young Living products when you purchase the Start Living with Everyday Oils Kit  (select Independent Distributor and order the $150  Start Living With Everyday Oils Kit for lifetime wholesale pricing, and no monthly minimums)  or retail (select customer).  If your cookies are not enabled, enter #1003003 as your sponsor & enroller, Pure Home and Body.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

R.C is a powerful blend of oils designed to support the respiratory system.  It contains Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus radiata, Eucalyptus citriodora, myrtle, pine, spruce, marjoram, lavender, cypress and peppermint.

Dilute R.C. 1 part EO to 1 part vegetable oil (V-6) and apply to chest, throat, sinus area or Vita-Flex points.  Soothing when diffused or inhaled. For inhalation, place 1-2 drops in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water.  Also effective when used in the Raindrop Technique.  Alternating R.C. with Raven and Thieves can enhance the effects of the essential oils.  Apply the oils at the first sign of cold or congestion.