Why Essential Oils Don't Work.

WHY ESSENTIAL OILS DON'T WORK.

Im not trying to be negative here at all, I just want to stress the importance of buying GOOD oils vs buying what you THINK are good oils. 

Let's face it, there are a lot of essential oil companies out there, you can see it if you just type "essential oils" into Amazon and BOOM! I just did and got 

273,846 results for "essential oils"   

seriously, that's A LOT! I even Google searched it and the results are overwhelming. 

Several years ago, when the kids were much younger, one of them came home with head lice. Yeah, it's disgusting, embarrassing, mortifying, nasty.... you name it! But with 5 kids in the house and 4 of them girls with long hair, all close in age, (4.5 years separate all 4 girls) you can bet it was probably only a matter of minutes and they all had it!

After trying to treat it several times with the chemical stuff at the store, washing kids, nit picking, and countless loads of laundry, you would think we were able to get it under control. But sadly, no. It always seemed like it WAS, for about 3 or 4 months but then something would happen and we had to start the whole ugly process all over. This actually went on for years. 

Then someone asked if I had tried essential oils to treat it. It sounded like a great idea, and it seemed like the chemical stuff had stopped working or the lice had morphed into super lice and were actually FEEDING on the chemical stuff or something so immediately I jumped on the internet. I researched, ok, it was Melaleuca essential oil or Tea Tree, the more common name. Then I started looking for where I could buy it. 

I never thought that something called essential oil, 100% pure, or just pure would be anything other than what they claimed it to be. I couldn't have been more wrong! 

Needless to say, as I searched on Amazon I noticed some of the oils were CRAZY expensive while others were as little as 1/6 the cost. Naturally I bought on the cheaper end of the spectrum from a company that sounded good. They offered a whole set of 10 or 12 bottles for $150. "What a deal!" I thought, and they were 15 ml size bottles! The expensive ones were only 5 ml. So with that many kids to treat, why WOULDN'T I get the big cheap ones?

The oils arrived, I added it to shampoos, laundry soap, squirt bottles for misting the mattresses and sofas and chairs. I concocted natural homemade shampoo treatments, hair sprays to mist their hair so lice would find them unappealing, all with the Tea Tree essential oil in EVERYTHING.

Did it work? NOPE! So right there, I knew. Essential Oils just don't work!

Years have gone by, I gave up trying to treat it naturally and went for the big guns and bought pyrethrin from the farm store. We tore out four rooms of carpet and replaced thousands of dollars worth of furniture but we totally eradicated the problem probably to the deprimental health of my children. But the lice are gone. 

Frustrated and disappointed that we had to go to such lengths to kill the pests and rid them from our lives, I continued to search for and learn about the essential oils. 

I bought some of the expensive ones, I tried a few different companies. I tested a variety of oils for different purposes and noticed that the results were pretty drastically different then when I conducted the same experiment using the "cheap oils". I guess what I want you to take away from my experience is that just because it says essential oils, 100% pure, or organic, it isn't always so. 

There are different grades of oils and the cheap ones are "Fragrance oils" or "Perfume oils" and I am just suggesting to you that these are the ones to avoid. Maybe you know that already, maybe everyone already knows that, but the companies that sell them are tricky, they won't TELL you it is a fragrance oil or just a perfume. They are cheap because they are synthetic and not designed to do anything therapeutically. Watch out for the term "Great for Aromatherapy" If you want to get them to add to a fragrant wax warmer so your home smells like cinnamon rolls instead of kitty litter, well then they are just fine! 

If you want the oils to actually work on a therapeutic level for a physical ailment or emotional issue or even on a spiritual plain, you MUST get the good oils! I'm not saying you "CAN" or it's "BETTER", I am saying you MUST.

With that said, you are probably wondering what are the GOOD oils and WHERE do I get them? Well, I have good news for you, they aren't as expensive as you think either.

If you bought a lawn mower to do a snow blower's job, you would be disappointed with the results, you would be frustrated with the expense of the lawn mower and its inability to do the job you want it to do. The same is true for the Essential Oils. 

There are a lot of "good" companies out there, I haven't tested them all but the two I did test and like are doTERRA and Young Living. I plan to keep testing other oil companies and update this post as I find more quality Essential Oils but for now, I highly recommend these. When it comes to your family and your pets, you really need to go with some quality trusted oils. 

Jan 8, 2015. Lavender.

The temps have dropped to "way beyond reasonable" below zero. School has been called off for two days. I have my 9 month old grand daughter with me most of the time and she is starting to try many new foods. With new foods being introduced to her little tummy we have had some nasty digestive issues and the results have been some not so fun diaper issues. Because of the weather outside and my affinity to warm places, I refuse to leave the house and drive 46 miles round trip into town for diaper rash ointment. Being the creative, awesome, yet extremely modest Grand-mom that I am, I decided that I probably have some great ingredients to make a nice diaper cream that will work as well or better than the store bought kind.

Sticking to my resolution of addressing one essential oil per week (started out as once a day but let's get real)  and gathering as much information about it, it's uses, and it's application for said uses Lavender has hit the radar today in light of the diaper issues with the baby. So first I will tell you all about Lavender, and then I will share with you my awesome diaper rash cream recipe.

Lavender is commonly used to treat burns, inflammation, cuts, wounds, eczema, dermatitis, fainting, headaches, influenza, insomnia, hysteria, migraine, nausea, nervous tension, infections bacterial conditions, sores, ulcers, acne, boils, asthma, rheumatism, arthritis and it smells absolutely amazing. As you can see Lavender is probably one of the most versatile essential oils so it has a ton of uses from cleaning to treating physical ailments.

PHYSICAL: Lavender has been known to effectively treat Insomnia. You can rub a few drops of Lavender on your palms and then apply some on your pillow and the soothing smell will help you to have undisturbed sleep.

Lavender is also useful for treating Dandruff and Regrowth Just rub a few drops Lavender with a tablespoon of coconut oil into your hair at the scalp level, massaging it in well to the scalp so that the oil gets absorbed in the scalp. Lavender oil helps to eliminate dandruff and will stimulate regrowth while keeping your hair healthy.

Lavender essential oil is also used for treating Sunburns. Mix a few drops of lavender with distilled water and gently apply to the sunburned area. This will decrease the pain and give a soothing effect.

Lavender oil can also be used for treating Sinuses and Allergies. Take a few drops of lavender oil and rub on the back of your neck, chest, and between your eyes to reduce the pain and discomfort caused due to these issues.

Lavender oil is one of my very favorite oils for treating Anxiety. Rub a few drops of lavender oil on the back of the neck and within a few minutes it will calm you down and reduce anxiety. I have a child who was diagnosed with ADHD and this is how we treat her anxiety. She loves it and it helps tremendously!

Lavender essential oil has another fantastic use. Its very effective for treating Eczema and Dermatitis. A few drops of Lavender with coconut oil and apply it to the eczema affected areas and this will help you treat eczema as well as other skin diseases successfully.

You can even use Lavender as Deodorant! Just put a few drops under each arm to keep the sweaty smell away in summer.

How about those Cold Sores? Put a couple of drops of lavender on a cold sore every few hours and it will disappear in DAYS!

Lavender oil also helps to relieve Fatigue. Just add a few drops to your hot tea on a regular basis to stay refreshed.

Naturally it makes a great Air Freshener. Add a few drops of Lavender essential oil to a spray bottle of water and keep your whole house fresh and clean smelling, especially the kitchen and bathroom!

Lavender is a great essential oil to keep in your home medicine kit for Wounds as you can put a few drops directly on those Scratches and Scrapes to heal them faster.

Lavender can be used to keep away Flies too, just add a few drops to a spray bottle of water and spray that around the house. It will keep the flies away to a great extent.

If you get cut and are unable to stop the Bleeding you can then apply lavender oil to stop the bleeding instantly.

Lavender oil is also very beneficial for treating Menstrual Cramps. Apply a few drops of lavender to your abdomen area and gently massage the area whenever you are suffering from cramps.

You can even use Lavender oil in your Cleaning products to fight germs.

Stay refreshed with a few drops of Lavender oil in your Bath water daily to wash away fatigue and tiredness. Add it to the baby's bath water and it will calm and relax the baby for a restful night.

Lavender oil is great for reducing a high Fever. Whenever you are suffering from high fever add some drops of lavender oil to a cool washcloth and rub gently on your forehead, neck, and trunk to reduce the body temperature and to keep your body cool.

Lavender oil also helps to strengthen the Immune System of the body. Use lavender oil regularly to build up your immune system against a variety of harmful diseases.

Lavender essential oil can help Chapped Lips and clear up Scars with just a few drops on the effected area and they will clear up in a matter of days!

Use Lavender essential oil to treat Headaches and Motion Sickness too. Massage a few drops into your temples for the headache and put a drop on the tip of your tongue, around the navel or behind your ears to reduce motion sickness.

You can even use Lavender essential oil for treating Acne and Pimples, Bug Bites, Bruises, and Burns! All it takes is a couple of drops on the effected areas and healing begins immediately!

Inhaling lavender essential oil through out the day can lessen the effects of Hay fever too!

Alright, how about Teething Pain for babies? Apply 1-2 drops to a teaspoon of carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil) and apply to the gums. You can also add a couple of drops of lavender to a cup of water, wet a washcloth with the solution, freeze and allow the little one to gnaw on the frozen cloth.

Because lavender can be added to a diffuser, sniffed from the bottle, or topically to help ground and balance you, its great for Vertigo!

Wrinkles, and whom among us doesn't want to control THOSE?? Now you can easily fade the appearance of wrinkles by massaging lavender essential oil into the skin around the eyes, but be careful not to get it IN the eye.

I just want to mention right here that these treatments are for use with Lavender essential oil ONLY and if we started looking into the combinations of Lavender with OTHER essential oil combinations?!  OMG, this post would never end!!! Yeah, its THAT versatile!

Well you get the idea about all the things you can treat with Lavender, and there is a lot more too, but I would really like to move on toward some of the awesome benefits using lavender can do for you EMOTIONALLY.

Emotionally: Lavender offers calming, relaxing, and balancing. It also eases anger and frustration.
Lavender essential oil addresses blocked communication, the fear of being unseen or unheard. It opens the voice to the insecure. It aids verbal expression and calms insecurities that are felt when one risks their true thoughts and feelings.

One of the most commonly enjoyed benefits of Lavender Essential Oil is its stress reducing, tension relieving, relaxation inducing properties. Lavender oil is a sedative and helps with depression by improving mood and outlook. It's calming scent eases the nerves and feelings of anxiety.

Lavender can help you to feel more grounded and focused, helping you concentrate and think clearly
when used aromatically (with a diffuser) throughout the room or home, or just on your body. Uses of lavender essential oil for its calming and soothing effects can help balance overwhelming emotions in healthy ways.

Soooooooo, within all the lavender research and learning, I decided that I could make the baby some diaper rash cream and avoid a cold trip to town and 46 miles of gas would cost more than the purpose of the trip. I also promised you at the beginning of this post that I would give out the recipe for that.

Here is what you need:
Coconut Oil or Coconut Butter 1 cup
Cacao Butter 1/2 cup
Bees wax 1/2 cup
Aloe Vera 3 TBS
Vitamin E Oil 1 TBS
15-20 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
15-20 drops of Melaleuca Essential Oil (Tea Tree, common name)

1. Mix all your ingredients except the essential oils in a jar or glass bowl above a pot of water on the stove top. Bring it to a gentle boil and stir the ingredients until everything melts down and starts to mix together.

2. Remove from the double boiler and stir in the essential oils.

The first time I did this, I just poured it into my jar and it was done. Then later, after it had cooled it formed a crust on the top and the softer substance was under the crust. Not exactly what I was going for. So I had to bring it back to the stove top and pour all my jars into a glass bowl and remelt it all again. But now I have the third critical step in the process:

3. Beat the warm mixture with a hand mixer on high for about 2-3 minutes. Just whip it. Then:

4. Pour the warm, whipped mixture carefully into short jars that your fingers can easily reach the bottom of.

It should turn out like a soft but not melted butter consistency, creamy and easy to apply to baby's bottom with a coating or protective layer on the skin. Within a couple of days you should have a happy healthy baby's butt to diaper, making your days go much nicer!

Good Luck and please SHARE!

One last thing I would like to point out, and its important too, so listen up! Get yourself some GOOD essential oils, use only Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade oils. They might be more spendy, but you can't and don't want to use anything on your body or a baby that is Fragrance or perfume grade oils. These are almost 100% synthetic and won't do any of the benefits that I have listed above. Here are a couple of places where you can get some good oils. 

Good Oils  or More Good Oils

The Oily Beginning

I am embarking on a journey that began over 31 years ago. I was 17 years old, wondered into a gift store and meandered over to some essential oils on a shelf. I marveled at the tiny little bottles and delicious fragrances. Right there, standing in that store, little did I know where this all would lead me. I didn't know what the oils were for, the number of uses, the smell was just wonderful so I carefully chose 8 tiny little bottles with cute wooden caps that's fragrances appealed to me and happily continued on with my unaware blissful life.

Years went by, two failed marriages, moved probably around 20 times (no exaggeration here!) making my way across the country and back "finding myself" and living the adventures of dreamers. Twice I had picked myself up and left everything behind except for the clothes on my back. I finally ended up in south eastern Minnesota, about 20 years later with 5 kids in tow.

It's the home I live in now, the one I have been in for the past 15 or so years. Kids in school and sports, the day to day activities, the busy life of a mom with 5 over active children. I was alone in my kitchen that day (about 10 years ago) I opened a cupboard up to make a cup of tea and a bottle of vanilla fell out onto the counter. So I pulled a chair away from the table and pushed it over to the counter. "I guess it's time to clean and reorganize this cupboard" I thought out loud.

Pulling everything out on to the counter and wiping the shelves down, I carefully put each item back and declared it a "wanted in my kitchen now" item. One by one, teas, honey, vanilla, some other extracts and what was this? I held a small, clear container with green lid. It was dusty, needed washing. So I pulled off the lid and was ready to fling it into the sink when I saw them. After all these years and all that had come and gone in my life to this point, I was staring at those 8 original little bottles of oil.

It didn't occur to me at the time, what a miracle it was, as I took out each oil and handled each bottle. I read the name of each oil, admired the little wooden lids. I can't recall exactly but I think I cleaned the container, carefully put the oils back in it and put the container away as a "wanted in my kitchen now" item. I pondered the passed, what had inspired me to walk into that shop in the first place. A time so long ago, like a life removed from clear memories, and still, what does one do with the oils other than just smell them and apparently, keep them forever?

So now, after 31 years, the oils have found me, by way of some unknown miracle. I shouldn't have these, they should have been lost and forgotten along my crazy path and after all this time. But here they are. Pause for thought, there must be a reason for this. The oils found ME. So all the wondering and all the interests that have come and gone, rocks, crystals, arts and crafts, energy work, meditations, I have come full circle back to the oils who found me. So I begin this late journey with new interest and I plan to fully explore all that there is to know about the oils and promise to share with you, my dear readers, what I find along this path as I realize now the oils were speaking to me so long ago and waited for me to catch back up to them. 

This is January 7, 2015 and so close to new years as we are I decided to tell you about my oils story and my new years resolution of taking one oil per week to read and research and share with you as I go all that I find. I plan to discover the physical uses, mental uses and spiritual uses of each oil as well as the most effective application of each oil for best results under each of the uses. That was a mouthful, huh? Anyway, one by one we will learn about the oils as we go from this day forward because anything that has fought so hard to be in my life deserves the attention I should have given it over 31 years ago!