Deep Blue, I think I love you.

I've been using doTerra's line of EO for a while now and love it.  I carry several oils on me all the time. I put lemon in my water, keep peppermint on me if I need to be in public (not as many problems with perfume induced migraines) and for minor aches and pains and sinus congestion. This week was the first time I got to try an oil I've had for a while, but I haven't had a reason to try it.

I was getting ready for the day and torqued my back pretty good while in the shower. I could barely get dried off and dressed. Knowing I had some Deep Blue with my other oils I reached for that first, thinking that if it didn't work I could always take the ibuprofen next. I didn't need the ibuprofen at all!  I just rubbed in some of the oil, I think I used about 2-3 drops, and the relief was instantaneous. The relief lasted about 6 hours and then it was time to reapply.

When I did the same thing to myself about 18 months ago I ended up with a prescription for lortab, because the ibuprofen just wasn't cutting it and this time I didn't even need it. I think that alone speaks to the power of the essential oils in the Deep Blue.

What's in it, you ask? It contains a blend of wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, blue tansy, German chamomile,  helichrysum and osmanthus. The smell reminds my a lot of Icy Hot or Ben Gay. I've used Icy Hot in the past but it doesn't hold a candle to what Deep Blue can do. I'm thoroughly impressed with this blend, and would recommend it to anyone with joint or muscle pain.

Provident living or being a hippie?

I got to thinking over the last couple of days, dangerous, I know... What is the difference between living providently, and healthily and being a hippie? I'm certainly not going to draw the line but it's an interesting question.

When I think of provident living I think of things like knowing how to make your own food and cleaning products. I think of buying the necessities when they are the cheapest and stocking up. I think of home remedies for things like colds and allergies.

I certainly fit all those descriptions, especially now that I am using essential oils in the place of some of the others things I used to use. In the last couple of months I've made other changes as well. I've moved to a plant based diet. I don't consume dairy any more and the only meat I eat is emu (once a week or less). I've found fabulous recipes and ways to use my EOs that I never though possible before. I make my own granola bars and learned how to make my own almond milk. 

If that makes me a hippie, I'm happy to be one. Being healthy while still living within your means is very freeing.

So where do you put the line? 

Update on Frankincense or Life Changer!

Back in November I wrote that Monster has been having a hard time with school. At the time of writing that post we had been using the frankincense on his feet for about a week. It has changed my life! I haven't had a report of a bad day from his teacher at school when I put it on him. He sits in his primary class (our church's version of Sunday School for kids aged 3-11), and doesn't act up there. He'll sit and read a story with me now where before he couldn't sit still all the way through Goodnight Moon! He actually asked me to spike his hair this morning, and then stood still so I could put product in his hair and blow dry it.

The best part about it? I don't have to worry about his building a tolerance for the frankincense. Keep in mind he has not been formally diagnosed with anything but the changes that I see in him from using the frankincense is going to keep me buying it for the long term.

Since we've found something that helps Monster to be the sweet loving little boy I know he is more often than not it's time for a nickname change don't you think? Monster is now Thinker. He has the biggest imagination I've ever seen, and I'm sure his imagination will take him on some fabulous journeys!

How has one (or several) essential oils changed your life?

Multivitamins: Are they really worth it?

If you are anything like me you get more than the daily recommended dose of folic acid from all the crackers and cereal you snack on. What about the other nutrients that our bodies need? Even with eating a full and balanced diet I was still lacking B5 or panothenic acid. How do I know this? Canker sores! I used to get them at least once a month. My mom told me that my grandfather used to take panothenic acid to prevent them so I tried it. I used to take a once daily womens multivitamin, potassium glutamate, a B-vitamin complex, and Biotin. Most of these are huge horse pills.

That stopped about 2 months ago. Why? you ask. My first package from my mom with doTerra products included Lifelong Vitality. The pack includes three bottles, one is a replacement for the multivitamin Microplex VMz, one is a blend of EO's, xEO Mega, and Alpha CRS which includes things like Co-Q 10 and carotenoids and other minerals and botanical ingredients that have been shown to prevent inflammation and cellular degeneration.

The instructions say to take one of each with your three big meals and one each at bed time. I don't follow the instructions because I'm awful with remembering to take pills at meals. It's a really good thing I'm not the diabetic in our family. I take these pills at night before bed when I take my allergy pills. Since I started taking the Lifelong Vitality pack I have not once had a canker sore, my joints have ached less and I feel like I can concentrate more, which for me is huge especially since I am in an online degree program. The best thing for me though is the lack of insomnia. I used to have at least one night a week where I would be awake all night long, but now I don't have that problem.

I'm loving the results I'm getting from my EOs and other doTerra products. If you haven't tried them yet what is stopping you?

Essential Oil Basics

So I just realized that many of my readers are familiar with essential oils but that many are not.That means to me that maybe a primer or a post on the basics that I have encountered so far is needed.

Essential Oil (EO) is oil made by plants that contain many of the fat soluble nutrients that our bodies need. 

Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) means that this oil is free of any additives or chemicals that could be absorbed with the EO.

Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) most of doTerra's line of products are labeled as GRAS. The oils have this label are generally safe for ingestion. This doesn't mean that they will taste good going down though.

Carrier Oil (CO) any oil that you choose to use to dilute the EO. Some use coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or any other vegetable oil. I've used both of those oils and sunflower oil with great success.

How do yo use the oils?

I follow the recommendations made in my aroma tools book. Most oils can be applied topically neat, topically with dilution, ingested or used in aromatherapy. As I use them and write about it the way I use the oil will generally be included with each post.

When applying an oil I tend to apply it to the bottom of my feet or the bottom of the kids feet. The next location I use is the pulse points on my wrist.

Any basic tips that you have learned? 

If you spill oil on yourself don't use water to clean it up! Use another oil and soap or milk. The fats in the milk and other oil will bind to the EO that you spilled. Water will just carry it further.

Keep your oils in a cabinet away from sunlight and heat. They will last much longer if you do this simple thing.

What one oil would I recommend for some one just starting out?

Peppermint or Lemon. They both have a wide variety of uses and most people have been around those two scents enough to know if they will have a sensitivity. If I had to only keep replacing two oils that would be it. The next one for us would be frankincense. Followed by the other citrus oils and oregano.

Hope this helps anyone who feels like they are drowning in information! As I find more tips and tricks I will add them.