Holistic Home
You have probably seen or smelled oils on my person at some point in our relationship, and if you're new here, you'll very shortly begin to learn that about me. Essential oils have been a HUGE part of my life since I was about 14 years old. I used to suffer from chronic migraines and I remember dumping peppermint oil on my neck like it was brushing your teeth in the morning, it became so habitual. It was the only thing that would give me instant temporary relief, and therefore I relied on it. In high school I would carry my peppermint oil and anytime I would get a stress headache, the whole room would soon smell minty-fresh because I'd be massaging it into my scalp.
In the last several years I have continuously purchased oils from the health food store, amazon, and even been gifted oil sets from miscellaneous people. I would go to oil parties and learn about the highest-grade oils but then try to cut corners by buying "cheaper" online because how different could it really be? I "couldn't" afford the oils at the parties-- in reality I wasn't letting myself afford them. It wasn't worth it to me! Recently I purchased a kit from Young Living, because after SO much research, I really found out the importance of the company and how unrefined their oils are. How untouched by different additives; how utterly pure they are. Whats been incredible is taking a non YL oil and doing a smell test with the oils I have accumulated over the years. How different it smells, how raw it smells is SO amazing. I never quite understood the difference until now.
I wanted to put this post together to show you a little peek into how I incorporate oils into our everyday lives. To give you a handful of examples of just how simple and holistic these can be and can replace different things we use in our everyday that are filled with additives and chemicals.
Diffuser Cocktails:
If I am home I pretty much always have the diffuser going with some kind of blend I'll put together based on what I feel I need. Today I have Frankincense, Thieves, and Lavender.
Frank for stress and the woodsy smell, thieves to fight bacteria in the air, and lavender because I'm running around the house cleaning and its keeping me and George calm (also good to fight bacteria!).
George + Anxiety:
When we were trying to crate train George when he was a baby, we would come home to puddles-- yes PUDDLES of drool all around his crate. He had such bad crate anxiety when we would leave, we ended up just taking him with us everywhere. It was awful. Last year when I got my first diffuser, and began to read into EO for dogs, lavender was everywhere. So we decided to try and diffuse lavender next to the crate when we would leave, and it was night and day. The drooling stopped but only if the diffuser was going! We began rubbing the oil on his ears at night and on his collar during the day, and it would just chill him out.
We had a vet visit yesterday and he just turned 1, so yes still insane sometimes. I put lavender on his collar right before the appointment, and everyone at the vet-- "He is so calm and tame!". Its THE LAVENDER I SWEAR. IT is a dog whisperer.
Cleaning:
I have been walking around our house and looking at the Clorox wipes and even the Method sprays (!!) that have so many chemicals in them. When I find one, I try and think of how I can make my own concoction to replace it. I just made one that had a splash of Braggs ACV, ten drops of YL tea tree oil, 1/4c Dr. Bronners tea tree 18 in 1, and warm water to top off my spray bottle. It smells amazing and its 100% natural.
Other Uses:
- Sunburns: In Haiti, I realized when I returned home that the sunburns I got on my leg were 2nd degree, and since I wasn't nursing them there, when I got home they were turning blister-y, inflamed and red-purple color. I mixed vitamin E oil with lavender, rubbed it on there two nights in a row, and the burn was gone by that third day.
- Flea + Ticks: I DO NOT want to put George on flea and tick meds (chemicals, hello.), and this year, pre-oil application, we had found two ticks on him after he was outside for a long period of time. We began researching and found that a lot of holistic vets said Rose Geranium oil was one of the best tick replants (fleas too!). I made a spray with RG, cedar wood (second highest recommended), and a few others too, to spray all over him before he romps around outside for long periods of time. We haven't found any ticks on him since!
- Winter Colds: I ALWAYS get at least one bad cold in the winter, but this past season I was rubbing thieves on my feet anytime I was feeling the pre-cold symptoms as well as using a roller blend that I made that was good for fighting bacteria, AND! diffusing thieves and wild orange in the house to boost immunity, I didn't get sick once. NOT ONCE!
- Bed Bugs + Lice: In Haiti, my blonde hair was gold to the babies, therefore they were always touching it. We didn't have access to showers most of the trip, so every night I was rubbing tea tree on scalp, and thieves on my pillow.
This is literally just a FEW things! Anytime I am looking for something to fix or cure or clean with, these days I stop and think, how can I make something that I know all the ingredients in, and all are natural instead of something I bought at the store and have no idea half the ingredients. Its amazing how often we use typical store bought products not just because they are convenient, but what I find is people don't opt for a natural method because they don't know one.
Do your research, weed out the bad, take the time to care about YOU, YOUR FAMILY and YOUR HEALTH. Its SO worth it.
Contact me if you want any more info on oils or how to incorporate them even more in your everyday!
treat yourself to health.
i love you, Liv
YL has a seed to seal policy, every part of their process is done within their fields, warehouses, etc. They do everything themselves from planting the seed to sealing the bottle. They are the ONLY EO company that does that!
