Melaleuca and the Pressure Washer

Melaleuca......quite a name huh?  Did you see that word on your SATs?  Word of the day calendar?  Ever heard of Tea Tree Oil?  Same thing.  

DoTERRA's official definition:

Melaleuca Essential Oil 
Melaleuca alternifolia

Recognized by its more common name, ‘tea tree’, melaleuca has been revered for its cleansing and regenerative properties*, especially for the skin. Composed of more than ninety different compounds, melaleuca has limitless therapeutic applications.

I was first introduced to "tea tree oil" in Paul Mitchell shampoo.  My head tingled so nicely when I used it.  My scalp felt revitalized.  My hair looked great....for the time period.  

Melaleuca is a great for skin conditions like dandruff and psoriasis.  It is anti-fungal so it will help with all skin issues that can stay warm and moist festering yeast and other gunk. 

There are hundreds of uses for this wonderful oil. 

Fast forward to the present.  I wake up with all the indications of a sinus infection.  Last weekend's fun followed by a newborn growth spurt have left me a bit rundown.  I became a prime target of the germs that always lead to a major sinus infection.  

Before I found the oils, I would have dosed myself with an OTC or head to the doctor for and evaluation.  This time is different.  I am nursing a baby. I have natural remedies to try to take down the germs in my doTERRA oil bag.  If they don't work, I can do the same as before.

Consulting my trusted Modern Essentials book.....anyone using oils should really have one.....and other suggestions from doTERRA IPC's around the world I thought about a using my sinus "pressure washer" and adding a few drops of the Melaleuca oil to the saline wash.  

I avoided oils like peppermint because of the fear of burning the delicate tissue of the sinus cavity.  It didn't give me the tingly feeling my head once felt but it did help open my head up and clear out my sinuses.  The biggest change to this time, I took ZERO OTC medicines this time but felt good all day.  I won't say I felt fantastic, my body is fighting off this junk.  With the help of the awesome Pinterest recipes, I am confident I will beat these bugs without any antibiotics or doctor's visits!

It is day two of the pressure washing and oil combos and I have to tell you I feel so much better.   I will call this a success.  After a typical start to my sinus infection...and I have had enough I ended up with sinus surgery....I have never felt great day 2.  

Now to teach this baby boy to sleep in his crib!  

Mighty Max & Melissa

It has been a whirlwind of a weekend around my house.  We celebrated a 4th birthday, first dance recital and loads of family in town to experience it all with us.  It was fantastic!  Oh, and I taught an oil class on Friday with a bit of help from my family.  You should come to one!  Really!  

With so much going on, I felt stressed and didn't get the right amount of sleep.  Pair that with the fact I am nursing a 6 week old and it is amazing that I was not a zombie the entire time.  I only went on 2 cups of coffee per day as well and no sweet tea!  "Scarlet, I do declare!"

What saved me this weekend?  Mito2 Max  

The official description from doTERRA is:

dōTERRA’s Mito2Max is a proprietary formula of standardized plant extracts and metabolic cofactors of cellular energy. Mito2Max supports healthy mitochondrial function and aerobic capacity, and improves stamina naturally without the use of harmful stimulants. Use Mito2Max as a healthy long-term alternative to caffeinated drinks and supplements for increased energy and vitality.*

My definition.....the amazing life saver!

Saturday was the busiest day.  We had the birthday party with about 30 adults and children that morning.  My idea of a bounce house was fantastic if I might say so.   It was just sad the opening of the bounce house was so small.  Sorry parents!  That afternoon was The Wizard of Oz presented by some really cute and awesome dancers.  

I decided since Friday night was long, Saturday would be a 2 dose Mito 2 Max kind of day.  You can take up to 4 per day but I have only ever needed 1 per day.  The 2nd pill was just what I needed.  I ended my day feeling tired but not exhausted.  Since I am nursing, caffiene really wasn't an option I wanted to risk.  Mito  2 Max is safe for nursing mothers so I thought heck ya!  This is my new go to energy sustainer.  I never felt "buzzed" or jittery.  Just calm, sustained energy.  

But as with any stressful event in my life, I could feel a tingle on my lip.  I was really not in the mood to deal with some giant sore on my mouth so I called on Melissa.  Oh sweet Melissa.

Melissa Essential Oil 
Melissa officinalis

Our most expensive and rare oil, melissa essential oil has a sweet, fresh, citrus-like fragrance and is steam distilled from the fresh flowering tops, leaves and stems of the Melissa officinalis plant. With a wide range of therapeutic properties, melissa can be used for calming the nerves, addressing stomach discomfort, mood support, and seasonal bugs. Because the Melissa officinalis plant has an oil yield of less than 1/10 of 1%, it is one of the most commonly adulterated oils.

I applied 1 drop twice a day for 3 days...it was a busy weekend....when I felt that tingle.  For anyone who gets a cold sore,  you know what I mean.  By the third day, the tingle was gone and no cold sore has shown up.  Triumph!!!!  I am quite certain that had I applied the ointment I had always used in the past, I would still be applying it to a painful cold sore that woud "have a shortened" life span.  With Melissa, it never really had a life span!  

Melissa is an amazing oil!  

Topically, Aromatically, Internally Oh my!

One of the most common questions I get about the oils is "how do you use them?"  I try to explain that you can take them internally, apply them to your skin topically or diffuse them in the air.  After attending the East Coast Conference and learning and sharing with many others, I thought I might expand on this topic.

Let's take on common oil with hundreds of uses....Lemon oil.  On the doTERRA everyday website they have a link to the 101 Uses of the Intro kit.   The intro kit includes Lemon, Peppermint and Lavender.

Personally, I love the lemon oil in my water.  It is one way I take it internally.  I usually add 2-4 drops to my water for flavoring.  You have different taste buds, so you might want more or less.  But that isn't the only way to take an essential oil.

To get an oil into your system like an IV, place the drops under your tongue.  I do this daily with Frankincense.  No, it isn't the best tasting event of my day but the benefits outweigh the taste for me.

Now if you can't take the taste of some of the oils, there are veggie caps that will allow you to take them in pill form.

Back to lemon oil, you can use it topically.  They oils will absorb into your skin within seconds and enter your bloodstream shortly after.  Many of the citrus oils are great at boosting mood.  Applying it as you would with perfume can help you feel happier.  A few of my friends call Wild Orange their happy juice!  Lemon also works as the best goo gone I have ever seen!

When in doubt on where to put the oils topically, there are basically two things I tell people.  Bottoms of your feet or location location location.  If you have a pain, rub the oil where the pain is located.  Avoid putting the oils IN your eyes and ears though.  TRUST me on the eye one!  OUCH!  Peppermint is hot!

Aroma is the most common way people think to use the oils.  There are lots of ways to do this as well.  Many places sell diffusers.  We have 4 in my house and honestly, they are on a good portion of the time we are at home.  Stressful day, Citrus Bliss can help everyone chill out.  Need better sleep, Serenity it is.  Everyone getting sick......you know it is On Guard.  

By diffusing them, the oils can clean and purify the air.  As you breathe them in, you take those tiny droplets of oils into your body through the nose, skin and mouth.  The room not only smells better, it benefits you health wise.

There are options to wear the oils in jewelry.  They allow you to take the scent with you and be stylish.  Many kids with ADHD and autism have benefited from this method.

What do I do daily?
Topically I apply Lemongrass & Myrrh over my thyroid to help with my hypothyroidism, and Elevation as my perfume.  I swear everyone is nicer to me when I wear it.

Internally, I take 2 drops of Frankincense under my tongue, 10 drops of Grapefruit in a Veggie cap as well as my Long Life Vitality vitamins.

Throughout the morning and evening we often diffuse Citrus Bliss, Serenity, OnGuard and Lavender depending on how everyone in the house is feeling.

In my house I have noticed my family is less stressed, happier (sillier if you are my kids), and less likely to pick up every germ at the daycare.  We invested in our health naturally and I couldn't be happier.