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My kids have always been pretty healthy and March - December we have had little to no sickness. But for the past couple years once we hit January/February, we couldn't avoid the multiple viruses that seemed to be everywhere around us. So last winter I determined to study out better precautions as well as effective treatments without medicating everything. I began to hear of "essential oils". What are these hippy potions?!! :) One thing I began to learn as I found friends that have used them, was that NO ONE that used them had anything negative to say about their uses. Everyone who used oils seemed to find them powerful & effective, and highly recommended them. . I will share below what oils & remedies I have found, but first let me share, since we began using the oils last winter, what a difference it has made! We had no major viruses throughout our winter and sniffles could be cleared up with a day or two. With 4 kids under 5, I did not even think that was possible! I have become a 100% believer and we continue to see the benefits and help of using the oils.
I am always looking to grow my stash!
This contains essential oils of: Lemon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon cassia, and Rosemary
My second favorite oil has become Respir-Aid. For congestion, runny or stuffy noses, spreading on your nose/sinus passages and chest also brings instant relief.
Contains the 100% pure, undiluted essential oils of: Eucalyptus, Pine, Peppermint, Lavender, Spruce, Cypress, Marjoram.
A few months ago, my son woke up with a hacking cough & horrible congestion. I immediately began using these two oils on his chest, throat & nose. I did this several times throughout the day and within 24 hours he was completely symptom free. If you ask my 5yo, he will tell you how much he loves using oils! :)
Someone recently introduced me to PlantTherapy.com. They were kind enough to send me a few oils to try as well as answer some questions about their oils.
Frankincense is another oil for which I am still learning all the uses, I have heard several friends recommend it for multiple uses. Plant Therapy's site says, this essential oil is used to treat chronic ulcers, ringworm and menstrual pain. The anti-inflammatory properties of Frankincense serrata make it ideal for joint pain and for menstrual pain. One friend said her husband has suffered with terrible allergies and putting a dot of frankincense behind his ears each morning has given him complete relief. Sometimes with the oils, it's a matter of trial & error and different people may find different oils work for them in a variety of ways!
Oregano is another oil that came highly recommended to me. Oregano essential oil is said to have the following properties: analgesic, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, antiviral, bactericidal, carminative, choleretic, cytophylactic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, fungicidal, parasiticide, rubefacient, stimulant and tonic. Due to high carvacol content, Oregano essential oil is considered to be "nature's cure all" as it is reputed to have one of the best antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties.
Tea Tree Oil (also sometimes known as melaleuca) is another favorite oil for any type of skin irritation. Cradle cap, acne, rashes....it helps so much! Used in vapor therapy, Tea Tree Oil can help with colds, measles, sinusitis and viral infections. For skin and hair, Tea Tree has been used to combat acne, oily skin, head lice and dandruff.
Here's my conversation with Retha of PlantTherapy.com who has her certificate in aromatherapy.
What oils have you used the most and for what purpose?
There are so many I could choose from. But if I am only going to pick a few I would have to say Lavender: sleeping issues, burns (sunburns or other types of burns), in the laundry, and in lotion for skin issues. Tea Tree: Laundry (it's great for getting rid of mildew smell in towels!), homemade cleaning products, acne (have use it in a carrier oil for a daily moisturizer and in a facial cleanser.) I did this mostly in my youth and not as much as an adult. I have also used Tea Tree for skin issues. Since Plant Therapy I would also add Germ Fighter: Homemade cleaning products, when sick (I gargle one drop in a mouthful of water and diffuse), I use it in my laundry, diffuse it during the holidays :), and have used it to make homemade hand sanitizer.
What can you tell me about the new KidSafe line Plant Therapy offering?
We are so excited about this new line of synergies! We have been working on this new line for over 10 months with the help of Robert Tisserand. We wanted to make sure that these synergies were the absolute safest for young children so we went straight to the most well known, world renowned essential oil safety expert, Robert Tisserand. Working together, we came up with 19 new synergies that were specifically created for ages 2-10. Some people ask if these synergies can be used on children younger than 2 and the answer is yes. Most experts don't normally recommend the use of any essential oils on children under 2. But if used very sparingly and if diluted correctly, our KidSafe synergies can be used on children under 2. We also are asked if these can be used for adults and again the answer is yes. Although these oils are the safest for young children, they are still therapeutically very strong and you will find all of these oils in synergies and blends from every company being used for adults.
Why are your prices so much cheaper than DoTerra?
Sherry: I use Young Living oils and love lavender, lemon, thieves, frankincense, valor, orange, peppermint and a few blends that have worked well for so many things from mood to bug bites and everything in between. I've had great success using lemon topically to relieve cough/itchy throat. Lavender to relieve menstrual cramps and to treat skin irritations. Peppermint for stomach discomfort/nausea and headaches. Thieves for cleaning, preventing viruses/promoting health. And I LOVE a blend called purification (don't recall all that is in it) for antibacterial qualities for home and things like cuts and it works wonders on bug bites.Amy: My "can't live without" oil is lavender, but I really like tons of them!
We get this question a lot and I don't always know the answer. I believe one of the biggest reasons there is such a huge price difference is because Plant Therapy is not a multi-level company. We do not have reps that sell our oils and have to pay them a commission. We actually don't really do any form of advertising and without having to pay commission to reps, are prices can be a lot lower. Plant Therapy also has one warehouse in Twin Falls, ID where we bottle and label all of the oils ourselves. We do everything we can to keep the quality the absolute highest and the prices the absolute lowest.
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Be sure to check out the full line of Therapeutic Synergies (Blends). If you have more questions about Plant Therapy or the use of oils you can contact them at aromatherapist@planttherapy.com.
I use a combination of sprays & roll-ons.
I use a combination of sprays & roll-ons.
But don't just take my word for it....a question posted on my personal facebook page revealed that mamas everywhere are using oils for many purposes!
Valerie: DigestZen (DoTerra) is amazing. Cures any stomach ache. My daughter has acid reflux, so whenever she has a "hurt tummy", I give her one drop with a teaspoon of honey (orally) and it is better within minutes! I tried it the other day for myself on an upset stomach, and it was amazing!
Charis: We have used clove, lemon, tea tree, and peppermint some, but we use lavendar and eucalyptus almost every day. Lavender for insomnia and headaches. Eucalyptus for congestion.
Casey: It's kinda gross, but we've had success use YL oils Melrose & Thieves to remove planters worts. Also using lemon, peppermint, &thieves as a combo to rid off colds.
Sarah Jo: I used peppermint oil for the first time in my third pregnancy. The past pregnancies I've struggled with hyperemisis Gravidarum (severe morning sickness in 3% of women) and I felt it helped a lot with the sickness.
Keara: My daughter gets terrible diaper rash from teething, I put a drop of lavender on the palm of my hand and mix it with the diaper creme I'm using. It totally clears it up by the next time I change her diaper! I clean my face with tea tree oil at night. I diffuse eucalyptus at night in my kids rooms when they are sick. I had a couple weeks of tension migraines and peppermint oil/coconut oil on my forehead and temples really helped. Also, we love bananas, but this time of year they attract fruit flies in our house - diffusing lemongrass keeps them away - they don't like the smell.
Laura: I use Serenity, Balance, Citrus Bliss & Elevation. Frankincense is AMAZING for migraines & Past Tense is great for the normal headache. Melaleuca in water is great to get rid of a cough & lavender is good for sleep trouble.
Lisa: I've used EO from Heritage Essential Oils. My husband was suffering from major back spasms and pain. He has 3 ruptured disks. His pain was so great he could hardly stand and felt like his back would give out at any moment. My sister-in-law recommended we try firepower and Muscle relax. (forget what's all in it) But the results were amazing. In less then a week, he was able to start feeling like himself again and we apply anytime he starts to feel tight in his back and he rarely suffers with pain.
Desiree: I love Young Living oils! Lavender is my go to for just about anything, even during pregnancy. I put a drop or two of Purification in the soap of each load of laundry to get rid of any funky odors. I drop Lemon or Purification on new air filters when I change them to make the house smell nice and distribute them throughout our entire home. I could go on and on!
Shelly: I like making creams/salves to make the oils go further. We use a healing salve for cuts, burns, bites, etc and body cream and lotion for feet to help sleep. I follow a blog campwander.com that has lots of recipes.
Kim: I've used essential oils to make my own hand sanitizer using on guard and grapefruit and terra shield bug spray (both mixed with vodka alcohol).
Jen: My quick go list for oils are: deep blue for bruises, direct application, lavender for skin abrasions, fevers, calming, sleep, sinus issues, direct application, on guard, lemon and oregano blend for antibiotic blend, apply to bottoms of feet and throat for coughs, colds, infections. Purify in spray bottle to clean the air, dilute and apply for coughs. Rosemary diffused for wheezing. Breathe blend for respiratory issues, dilute and apply to chest, back of neck, spine and bottoms of feet. Digestzen applied to stomach and bottoms of feet for vomiting and or diarrhea. Add some lemon or grapefruit to water for liver cleansing.
And fellow Pittsburgh blogger, Stephanie, shares her wit & wisdom using Essential Oils here! :)
That is a little of what I have learned and am learning! I love not having to choose to medicate or not medicate. (For the record, I am not anti-medication and will use meds when I feel my kids need it, but using the oils has greatly reduced our need!) I no longer fear that we're going to pick up every virus every time we go to a museum or indoor play place in the winter. I encourage any moms to continue to study & research this out. Heading into germ season, just using Breathe / Respir-Aid or OnGuard / Germ Fighter will help your kids in big ways this winter. Mamas unite for a healthy year ahead for everyone! :)
Still skeptical? You might want to indulge in my hubby's "helpful" suggestion: My favorite oil is Hershey's chocolate oil. I melt a bar for 20 sec in the microwave then drink it. It helps cure my tummy needs.
We don't take ourselves too seriously around here. :)
Have you found oils to be helpful in your daily life?