I'm Diffused!

Typically, most people think of essential oils and immediately think of Aromatherapy.  They imagine gorgeous scents that help them to relax, sleep or conjure up visions of happiness and tranquility.  And, yes, it can do that!  It is just one of the many things I love about the oils.

The nose is an amazing organ where just a scent can activate the olfactory system.  It can trigger great memories and feelings.  

I spent many years buying the candles scented with Vanilla or Christmas cookies or spring flowers.  And they were nice, don't get me wrong.  My mother once burned this lovely candle in the house and the bird she had sitting near it fell over dead.  Why?  Birds are very sensitive when it comes to respiratory issues.  This candle was labelled all natural and was actually a bundle of chemicals manufactured to smell great.

But think about this.....if burning a candle is so toxic it can kill a bird, do you think that is great for you as the human as well?  

An article in How Stuff Works reports, "Indoor air pollution, the degradation of indoor air quality by harmful chemicals and other materials, can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution [source: Dunn]. This is because contained areas enable potential pollutants to build up more than open spaces do. "

Not just candles can increase this pollution, the Teflon cookware you use daily, the stuffing in your sofa, pesitcides you use in the garden all get trapped under your very energy efficiently sealed home.  

This type of pollution can lead to a toxic build up in your body leading to headaches, allergies, asthma and even worse.  It all depends on the toxins you are exposed to daily.

There are many simple ways to help improve the air quality of your home.   During nice weather, open the windows.  It can really blow out the junk including cold and flu viruses!  If you live in a high humidity area like I do, make sure to keep your levels inside 30-50% and use good air filters in your HVAC systems.

"But I want that great smell of fresh flowers I got for my candle, how do I get that?"

Diffusing essential oils!  That's how.

If you don't have a diffuser, I highly reccommend one.  Anywhere you are allowed to use air freshener or candles, you should be allowed to use a diffuser.  Chemical free fabulousness!

Citrus oils are a great economical option and used in many hosptials including Vanderbilt ER.  They are expanding the use throughout their healthcare network and patients are loving it.  Citrus oils are a great disinfectant and anti-depressant.  

Other great oils to improve air quality would be OnGuard, Breathe & Frankincense.

Some combos that smell great:

OnGuard & Lime

Cassia & Citrus Bliss

Frankincense & OnGuard

Breathe & Lime.

Your house will smell fantastic and you can get the health benefits for cleaner air as well as the health benefits from the oils themselves.

Since it is Spring, I am loving combining my floral oils together.  A little bit of heaven is the combination of Lavender, Geranium and Jasmine.  I earned Jasmine last year and hope to again this year.  It is truly a precious oil!  I really want to earn Rose too.  Fingers crossed!

Check out this video on how they harvest those precious Jasmine flowers.  About 30,000 flowers are needed to make 1 5mL bottle!  

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.