How Lemon Changed My Life - The End of a Series

So I didn't reckon on the fact that when I decided to chronicle "head to toe" how essential oils have made a difference in my life, that I actually don't have a lot of experiences with them from my thighs on down. I mean, besides the fact that you can apply oils (diluted or neat, depending on the correct indication) to the bottoms of your feet for quick absorption, the only thing I've done is use some Deep Blue to get some cramps out of my legs. (Yes, it worked, and quickly too!)


So instead of making stuff up for the legs and feet (you're welcome!), I thought I would give a bit of a grab bag with how I've incorporated oils into the way I live my life from day to day now!

Two big ways I've incorporated oils into my routine is in cleaning and cooking. This might start to sound crazy, but stay with me!

Photo Credit: Leigh-Anne Eagerton, painting via Compfight cc

I have to be honest and say that, in the beginning of this adventure, "green cleaning" was really the last thing on my list of reasons why I wanted to try essential oils. I was perfectly happy with my Method Grapefruit spray and my Windex, thankyouverymuch. I thought it seemed like a waste of money to pour precious oils into a spray bottle and go to town all over my counters. But once I got my hands on some of the oils, I really couldn't wait to try them everywhere and in every way! 

Now, dōTERRA actually has some products specially formulated for cleaning, such as the OnGuard cleaning concentrate. However, I have found it effective to simply put 1-3 drops of oil in a smallish squirt bottle from Dollar Tree and use that on my countertops, range top, bathroom counters, kitchen and bath fixtures, and my glass shower doors. I used Lemon because I like the clean scent and I know it is antiseptic, anti-fungal, and antiviral. The other reason I like to use lemon is that it is one of the least expensive oils that dōTERRA sells. Remember this cool post from Stockpiling Moms about the "price-per-drop"? Talk about good value for money...I'm cleaning half the rooms in my house with a $1 squirt bottle full of water and 12 cents worth of oil!! And the VERY best part of all is, I could spray this stuff on my face to combat oiliness, I could spray it on my dinner if I didn't have a lemon, and yes, my son could get his hands on it and drink the whole lot and the only thing that would happen is that he would smell lemony-fresh!! You cannot say that about a spray bottle of bleach or other store-bought household cleaner! (Would I actually do all those things? Maybe. OK fine, yes. Yes, I have.) 

That's all well and good, but...does it WORK? I mean, water is cheap and I could just put that in a spray bottle, too. I decided to test out my lemon cleaner on my range top the other day. It had baked-on grease and general gross-ness that a range top gets from a few days of cooking and not cleaning it (whoops). I sprayed my mixture on, waited about 20 seconds (yeah, I'm not too patient) and started wiping. I was shocked at how quickly that stuff cut through the grease! There was no streakiness, no grimy residue, nothing. Then I though to myself, self? What is the grimiest thing in your kitchen? I remembered how the top of our coffee maker has that gnarly grease that you just can't wipe up ever and it collects dust and gets even grosser and you just ignore it because it seems impossible to clean...and I decided to spray on some lemon water. Guess what? Clean as a whistle. No joke. I just wish I had thought to take a before and after photo! I couldn't have been more pleased! 

Another one that people like to use in cleaning is OnGuard. Good for protecting against illness, and it smells divine (cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary and wild orange). 

Now, on to cooking! 

Photo Credit: ArtMind etcetera via Compfight cc

I never, ever thought about this when trying out essential oils. If green cleaning was last on my list, cooking didn't even enter into my consciousness! However, I have found it yet another fun way to incorporate oils into the life of my family. Also, it works great in a pinch when you don't have certain ingredients on hand!

Remember, there are some that caution against taking oils internally without the approval of a licensed aromatherapist or other health care professional. I'm going rogue on this. Another thing to remember if you do join me in cooking with oils is that heat can mess with the benefits of the oils, so the best time to add them is towards the end of whatever process you are doing. This blog is purposed to educate and entertain, not to prescribe or give medical advice. =) OK, disclaimer over. 

The main ones I've used so far are lemon and oregano in food and OnGuard in a very delicious chai-like drink that I will introduce to you in a minute. 

Oregano essential oil, as I've mentioned before, is quite potent and very strong-tasting in its pure, essential state. Therefore, when using it in cooking, measurements call for a "toothpick" of oregano, which literally means to stick the end of a toothpick in the vial and then use that to swirl in your food. Don't even put a whole drop in there to start with! I used two drops for a whole batch of homemade spaghetti sauce, and I probably could have made do with just one. That's eight cents' worth, if we're still counting price-per-drop. 

Lemon essential oil was great one night when we had three frozen fish filets in the freezer and not much else. I decided to make foil packets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and barely-hanging-in-there thyme sprigs, and put them in the oven. The best thing for a plain fish recipe is fresh lemon, and I was fresh out. So, lemon essential oil to the rescue! My husband thought I did a great job and even asked, "Where'd you get the lemon from?" Mua ha ha. 

dōTERRA sells Basil, Ginger, Black Pepper, Wild Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary, and Thyme, in addition to the essential oils I've mentioned. I can only imagine that there's a plethora of ways to use oils in cooking and baking. I've even tasted some dōTERRA Lavender brownies...delicious!

I'll leave you with a delicious drink recipe that I read over at a great blog called Venison For Dinner. She makes a mean "London Fog" with black tea, raw honey, milk and OnGuard. It tastes so similar to chai but is so easy to make at home (in about three minutes) AND boosts your immune system! I have been drinking one as often as I can...watching my OnGuard bottle get emptier and emptier in the process! Ha ha. Worth it. If I'm going to protect my immune system, it might as well be delicious and caffeinated. =)

Don't forget to join my raffle for a Free dōTERRA Introductory Kit before it ends! 

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Thanks for joining me on this journey and putting up with my endless oil rants. I hope you learned something new and maybe, just maybe, I've planted the seeds for a whole new way of looking at caring for your family and your home. One last plug for Preferred Membership (for $10 lifetime membership you can save 20% on everything you buy from dōTERRA...no monthly minimum and no recurring fees) and I'll leave you alone. =) 

There are so many avenues for you to learn more about essential oils (either dōTERRA-specific or just generally) , and I hope that your interest has been piqued sufficiently to spur you on. You can follow my Healthy Living Pinterest board to share some of the great stuff I've been learning and will continue to learn. 

I'm hoping to have some new great posts and series for you soon. Until then, Godspeed and Good Health to you all. 

Health Series: Essential Oils Head to Toe - NECK

If you're just joining me, then welcome! Be sure to check back on the earlier posts in the series: Intro, Face, and Head. If you're feeling overwhelmed and have lots of questions, I tried to stop and answer a few burning ones yesterday in "But How Do I USE It, And Other Oily Problems". There's a surprise at the end of that article, if you haven't checked it out. =)

Here we've now arrived at the NECK. This has definitely been my problem area for the past week and it is driving me crazy! I couldn't figure out whether I had allergies or if I was coming down with something else like tonsillitis.

A nice artistic look down someone's throat! 
Photo Credit: Lil' Pete // www.FAO2.co.uk via Compfight cc

I'm going to be honest and admit that I have not experienced any immediate relief with oils and the THROAT such as I had with my headaches or my skin. I think this is possibly because it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what is going on (since I'm not a doctor!) and therefore how to treat it. I've been haphazardly trying this and that based on symptoms, and I know I have a lot to learn about taking oils preventatively as well as habitually for better health. 

I think in the past week I have tried everything from Frankincense and Oregano to OnGuard and Peppermint in an effort to help cleanse myself of whatever this yucky illness is. Certain times I have felt relief in my sore throat but sometimes I haven't. I've also been concocting a "tea" made with hot water, a couple drops of Lemon and OnGuard, and sweetened with raw honey to help soothe the throat. It is definitely delicious and feels really nice on my throat as it goes down. I have felt a certain relief from that mix, so I've done it a few times. I am still hopeful I can kick this thing in the metaphorical butt one way or another!

I made yet another misstep in my big oil adventure the other day and decided to put two drops of diluted Peppermint oil on the back of my neck in an effort to help my sore throat, which I thought might be coming from seasonal allergies. That in itself was a good idea. The fact that I decided to do this right before bed was a terrible idea...Peppermint is quite refreshing and the back of my neck was delightfully tingly for about an hour and I felt rather awake and energized when I really needed to be sleeping!

So, I've been trying to use it as a pick-me-up in the morning, along with a little whiff of a citrus (Orange, Grapefruit or Lemon, depending on my mood). A couple drops of that stuff diluted (with fractionated coconut oil or another our vegetable oil) on the back of the neck is great to wake up to!

I've read a lot of directives that say to tap a drop or two of a certain oil at the base of the neck for relief from myriad complaints, so I know it is a powerful place. If you have more experience with a certain oil used on the neck or throat, please leave a message in the comments! I look forward to hearing from you.

**UPDATE** Here's your too-good-to-be-true story for this post. I finally got my Veggie Caps in the mail and was able to take some Oregano internally. By the time I woke up the next morning, I was feeling absolutely 100% better from that yucky sore throat and cold I mentioned (and though he was loathe to admit it, so was my skeptical husband!) So next time I am feeling all cold and sinus-y, I know exactly where I will turn. Three drops dōTERRA Oregano in a Veggie Cap, three times a day. Maybe even a drop of Frankincense, just for good measure. Miraculous! What I've later learned is that OnGuard is more protective (use it to avoid getting sick), while Oregano is gonna get in there and kill a bug that you already have very effectively. 

(As a disclaimer, I will again repeat that many aromatherapy books and students would say that it isn't necessary to take the oils internally and they warn against it unless it has been prescribed by a professional. So I totally went rogue on the internal thing. Please do research if you wish to try it for yourself!)

 Thanks for joining me! Next, we move on to the CHEST!

PS I just learned something that can save you lots of money, my readers! I'm so sorry I never knew this before, but hopefully it will help some of you to take the plunge and get started with a few oils of your own! For a $10 lifetime membership fee (as in, you'll never pay it again), you can become a Preferred Member through my site, which saves you 20% on everything you buy from dōTERRA! If you would like to know more about this, you can leave me a comment. If you add a personal e-mail where you can be reached in your comment (if we're not friends on FB, where I can also be reached) I will not publish it. It goes through moderation first, but I can use it to contact you if you like. 

This information is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe, treat, prevent, or diagnose any disease or condition. This information is simply the personal experience and opinion of one very satisfied small-time blogger!

Health Series: Essential Oils Head to Toe - HEAD

After concentrating in a previous post on just my experiences with essential oils and the skin on my face, today I'm moving on to the rest of the head. We'll jump right in!

Let's talk about HEADACHES! I had one all day due to a low pressure weather system the day I was waiting for my oils to come in the mail. I was praying that they'd arrive so I could test them out for this specific ailment, since I thankfully don't get headaches very often! Well, indeed they did come that afternoon. I'd read that you can do a drop or two of lavender and peppermint on the back of the neck, temples and forehead for headache relief, so that's just what I did. Besides smelling glorious, I waited about five minutes and yes...I felt a significant improvement! The headache went away almost entirely. I did come back a few hours later, but the great thing about essential oils is that you can use them as needed. Unlike synthetic, over-the-counter medication, you don't have to wait 4-6 hours before applying essential oils again! Needless to say, I was pretty darn excited that my very first encounter with my oils was so positive. 

MOUTH: peppermint is wonderful to freshen breath and gives a great pick-me-up! I've also used a drop of peppermint or a drop of lemon on my toothbrush after I'm done using it to cleanse and freshen it for the next use. 

Quickly, I'll reiterate something from my previous post: dōTERRA are the only essential oils I know that are CPTG: Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. That means that most of these are able to be used safely as a supplement and internally. (Obviously there are some plants harmful when ingested and so their essential oils are not safe to ingest either.) I mention this because your TONGUE is a part of the head, and some people use drops under the tongue for quick absorption into your system. I know that people use the dōTERRA blend OnGuard for this purpose, as well as frankincense, as a preventative measure to assure their families' immunity and overall health. 

Personally, these oils are so potent that I have a hard time tolerating them right on the tongue. It's a bit intense. For instance, one drop of peppermint essential oil is so concentrated that it is like 28 cups of peppermint tea. I scoffed at this at first...it didn't seem plausible that only one drop could do much...until I decided one day to try one drop of oregano under my tongue to see what it tasted like...and my eyes started watering like crazy and I felt nauseous and I almost puked it right back up! Don't get me wrong, oregano essential oil is great in cooking (I used one or two drops for a whole batch of spaghetti sauce!), but really concentrated to put on your tongue. dōTERRA or many health food stores sell veggie-derived caplets that you can fill with essential oil and take internally as a supplement...I just bought a few from the website the other day and I think that would be the way I do things going forward! 

There are hundreds of other uses for essential oils that involve the head, but these are at the ones I have used so far. Next time, we move on to the NECK and THROAT!

Also, as promised, here is another story for your consideration. This one comes from Pure Aroma Source. Too good to be true that Frankincense effectively treats chronic migraines? You decide. 

PS Remember, if you have specific questions about oils, leave me a comment and I will tell you what I know! And as always, there's my site if you're ready to purchase some oils for yourself to try them out. 

This information is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe, treat, prevent, or diagnose any disease or condition. This information is simply the personal experience and opinion of one very satisfied small-time blogger!