Essential Oils


If you’ve had a chance to take a peek around the blog you are probably already aware that we are pretty focused on health and wellness around here.  We’ve spent the past 8 years transforming the health of our family through diet and lifestyle changes.  (Read Our Eczema Story here.)  Throughout that time, we’ve seen remarkable healing through simply removing toxins from our home and choosing to eat only real food.  Along the way, we fell in love with this more natural lifestyle, so much so that we decided to pack up and move out here to the country where we have the freedom to grow our own food in a sustainable way.

Little by little, over the years I’ve learned to care for my family’s needs without the use of harsh chemicals or over-the-counter medications.  I am SO THANKFUL for the knowledge and resources I’ve collected over the years.  It makes my heart so happy that to go out and snip a bit of chamomile or plantain from my own backyard whenever we have need for it.

There’s just one downside to all this natural remedy knowledge – it can be a lot to think through in the heat of the moment.  It’s not impossible, and with practice one does get quicker, but still… sometimes I wish for simple.

Because as much as I wish I had all the time in the world to forage for plantain and burdock, dry and store it carefully away, and remember to pull it out at just the right time… real life is staring my right in the face – and it looks a lot like a pot boiling over on the stove while a child waits (not too patiently) for help on the potty, while his sister is having a complete and total break down over a stubbed toe.

I just really need simple.

Take a middle of the night tummy-ache for example.  I’ve got a little one crying (or worse), I’m deliriously tired, and I’m fumbling through my kitchen cabinets trying to think through exactly which remedy would be most appropriate for this type of tummy ache.  Would activated charcoal or bentonite clay be best?  Maybe I should chew a bit of ginger or make some peppermint tea?  Should I go with the digestive bitters?  It’s almost enough to make a girl desperately grab back into the recesses of the cabinet for the 8 year old bottle of Pepto Bismol… almost, but not quite.

Essential Oils to the Rescue!

Essential Oils have solved this problem for us, almost completely.  I do still use and love many other natural remedies, but oils are almost always our first line of defense (after proper nutrition, rest, and exercise of course).  There are primarily   5 reasons for this:

  1.  They’re Affordable – Now I know what you’re thinking… those little bottles aren’t exactly cheap.  And you’re right.  They’re not.  But here’s the thing.  A “dose” of essential oil is usually 1 drop.  There are approximately 80-250 drops in each bottle (depending on the size).  That’s an awful lot of doses per bottle!  Compare this to the price I’ve paid many times over for little bottles of tincture that require a teaspoon every few hours!
  2. They Almost Always Solve the Problem – They just plain work.  (Now this was not the case with the essential oils I’ve occasionally purchased from the local health food store.  I kept them on hand for random DIY projects, but never really took to using them on my people.  They always seemed to be more irritating than soothing and I didn’t like the smell.)
  3. They’re safe – I hesitated to start using oils as remedies for a long, long time.  I’d heard so much controversy over safety, seen so many dilution charts.  It just seemed so overwhelming.  I figured what I had going was easier than keeping track of charts for each individual oil and size/age of each child.  Who’s got time for that I want to know!  But Young Living oils are pure and safe.  Using a bit too much of a certain oil can be uncomfortable, but not unsafe.  Even that discomfort can be quickly remedied by applying a bit more carrier oil.  No charts needed.  Just follow a few common sense guidelines and do what seems right for your family. Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t educate yourself about oils.  Do your research.  But there’s really no need to be overwhelmed or fearful.
  4. They’re simple –  Hooray!  We still have cupboards crammed full of every last herbal remedy you can imagine.  And I like it that way.  But you know what, sorting through a few roller bottles labelled “tummy,” “sneezie,” “itchy,” and “ouchie” is a whole lot easier to manage in the middle of the night!  In fact, it’s so easy that we’ve given our kids freedom to use the oils that they need whenever they need them.  Do you realize how many times a day I’ve got to stop and tend to somebody’s ouchie???  Of course you do.  At least, if you’ve got more than a couple of kids you sure do.  Decision fatigue is REAL!  But now I just point to the oils and say, “help yourself!”  Woohoo!  * Cutest thing ever is to overhear big sister saying in a nurturing tone to little brother, “Does it feel itchy?  Or does it feel ouchie?” as she finds him just the right bottle.  😍
  5. They’re Life-Giving – What if the kids use them several times a day?  Will they be using too much?  Nope.  All the better.  These little bottles are full of the life-giving energy of plants.  Does that sound hokey?  I know.  But it’s TRUE!  For more information on how exactly essential oils work to improve overall well-being check out this post.  I love knowing that I’m giving my kids access to remedies that, as we say, “can only help.”

 

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Young Living Essential Oils Sale

 

 

Other Posts in this Series:

What are Essential Oils and How Do They work?

 

Why I Choose Young Living Essential Oils for My Family

 

Making Sense of Essential Oil Safety Guidelines

 

Buy Young Living Essential Oils at Wholesale Prices – 24% Off Retail

 

Starting an (Optional) Home Business with Young Living Essential Oils