everyday oils; the blends

third post about essential oils and how amazing they are!!!
if you need to catch up, you can read a basic intro HERE, and a post about a few of the more common single oils HERE.
last week-ish, i did a post about the 4 single oils that come in the "everyday oils" kit from young living. there are 5 blends in this kit as well, which i'll go thru in this post.

let me first share with you what i've been able to use essential oils on since i last posted:
sunburn (lavender)
knee pain and inflammation (frankincense and peppermint)
bug bites (lavender)
stinky shoes (purification)
scrapes (lavender)
headache (peppermint)
muscle pain in my lower back (valor, panaway, peppermint)
mouth ulcers (thieves)
help with sleep (peace and calming)
stomach ache (di-gize)

im sure there are other things that have come up that i cant think of right now.
some of the oils listed above are unfamiliar to you. i'll get more specific below.....

Purification

the individual oils in this blend have some powerful antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, and sanitizing properties. this blend is therefore used to kill odors and their bacteria, molds, and fungus. it kills anaerobic bacteria. it purifies and cleanses bacteria on the air and neutralizes mildew, cigarette smoke, and other noxious odors. it repels bugs, insects, and mice that like to lice in homes, offices, and other confined areas. it has also been beneficial in neutralizing poison from insect bites, such as those from spiders, bees, hornets, and wasps. it is good for first aid in sterilizing wounds and cuts.

single oils contained in this blend:
citronella, lemongrass, rosemary cineol, melaleuca, lavandin, myrtle



Peace and Calming

the oils in this blend have historically been used to help reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and tension. this blend may help hyperactive children get off ritalin. it may also help children with hypertension. it may be useful at the end of a stressful day to promote relaxation and peace or to relieve insomnia.

single oils contained in this blend:
tangerine, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, blue tansy


Thieves

the highly antiviral and antiseptic properties of the single oils contained in this blend help protect the body from the onset of flu, candida, colds, etc. it may also help with sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, coughs, strep, sore throats, periodontal (gum) disease, teething, cold sores, canker sores, bruises, cuts, infection, slivers, and splinters (pulls to the surface). it is considered antiplague, as it was used by thieves in england to protect them from the plague when stealing from the sick and dying. this is where is gets its name.

single oils contained in this blend:
clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary cineol


Valor

this blend has been used to help empower the physical and spiritual bodies. it helps us overcome fear and opposition so we can stand tall during adversity. it may help build courage, confidence, and self-esteem. it brings a feeling of calmness, peace, and relaxation. it may be used in place of Peace and Calming for hyperactivity and ADD in children. it has been found beneficial in helping to align the physical structure of the body, relieving pain along the spine. it also balances and aligns electrical energies within the body. it has been touted as a chiropractor in a bottle.

single oils contained in this blend:
spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense

contains almond oil as a carrier.


PanAway

due to the aspirin-like properties of wintergreen and the powerful anti-inflammatory properties of the other oils, this blend helps to reduce pain. it also stimulates quicker healing by the induction of oxygen into the tissue site. it has been used to relieve pain during surgery with no anesthetic (helichrysum and clove were also used). it alleviates the symptoms of sciatica, relieves bone pain and pain from arthritis and rheumatism, and promotes healthy circulation. it also helps with sports injuries, sprains, muscle spasms, bumps, and bruises.

single oils contained in this blend:
wintergreen, helichrysum, clove, peppermint


Di-Gize (isnt in the "everyday" kit, but ive been using and loving it, so i wanted to share)

this blend may be useful for improving digestive function. the oils in this blend have been found to be beneficial in digesting toxic material and for alleviating indigestion, stomach cramps, upset stomach, belching, bloating, and heartburn. placing a little of this blend behind the ears may help alleviate morning sickness. it has been found to rid animals and people of parasites when applied to their feet. it has also been reported that this blend helps to alleviate discomfort from parasites by massage and compress applications across the stomach.

single oils contained in this blend:
tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, patchouli


***information on oil blends comes from Reference Guide for Essential Oils, By Connie and Alan Higley, copyright 1996-2012 by Abundant Health***


if you have any questions about specific oils in these blends, please let me know. also, there are some safety and application guidelines that i'm not listing just for the sake of time.
when people order from me, i go over how and where to apply the oils they are purchasing. i'll also say again, i only recommend the use of Young Living oils due to the quality and purity of the product. please do not go to a store and purchase the oils you see listed to use in the ways i have typed here. you may hurt yourself or someone you love.


i'll probably do a couple more posts over the next week or so (one on just lavender and one on just peppermint), but this is the bulk of what i wanted to get out there. i just got in the mail a few new oils, one of which im using on colby for his asthma in the hopes that he can stop his inhaler and nasal spray. i'll share as needed on that.

i also ordered a book i'm really excited to start (i may go do that now!) called Healing Oils of the Bible. i'll share some info from that, too, as i feel led.

if you're in this area, and interested in attending an oil class, please let me know. i'm hoping to have one in the next few weeks. it will basically be the info you've been reading here, but its different, i think, to actually hear it live, and have the oils in front of you to smell and use.

as always, let me know if you have any questions. i'm happy to help!!

blessings!!

threesixfive, week 26

i'm feeling my age this week. :-/ we got back from youth camp yesterday afternoon and i just havent recovered yet. i've been dragging all day. ugh. curse you, birthdays!!

here are some of the pics i took at youth camp this week. 

sunday

allen and i went down a day ahead of the group because he was asked to do the staff devotion sunday night. he did a ministry time for them where he had different stations set up around the room that they could interact with. one of them was this "take what you need." he had 3 each of 24 different words, and by the time the night was over the staff of about 40 had taken pretty much all of them.

monday
our senior class was pretty small this year, and with work and other things going on, only two of them were able to come to camp. awesome kids.

tuesday
late night event was a concert by KB and Andy Mineo, two christian rap artists. this group wasnt terribly excited about going, but once they got there they had a good time.

wednesday
allen (the camp director this week) had a student pray over the service each night before we started. this is one of our students, a freshman in high school. he's such a godly kid, and is called to be a pastor.

thursday
the last night of camp, allen has the pastor, the worship band, and a couple representatives from the camp staff come to our church time and allow us to pray over them. this is one of my favorite times to watch our students participate in.

friday
i came home to find a delivery of essential oils i ordered before we left. yay! these are for congestion, allergies, digestive problems, and the rosemary is for my dads blood sugar levels related to diabetes.

saturday
we got the kids back from my inlaws on saturday. i was so ready to see them!!! we got out and washed the cars after lunch; a good family activity on a hot day!

i'll get another essential oils post up this week when i'm done with laundry and getting my house put back together! :-)
we have a week of nothing and i'm so happy about it. i look forward to the mundaneness. is that a word? it is now.

link up below if you have pictures!!
be blessed!

threesixfive, week 25

LOTS of pictures!! we've been "VBSing" all week at our church, and i was one of the two photographers on site, so thats pretty much all you're gonna see!! :-)

sunday

our theme was "Turn It Up!" with kind of a rock n' roll theme. sunday night's kick-off was a talent show called Central's Got Talent complete with eccentric judges. i was Presleigh Paige, a character i imagined up. she was a no-name singer from England, and a bit bored with the whole thing. i had a lot of fun being her for a few hours on sunday night, and again for the wrap-up on friday.

monday
heres molly and her friend, falon, from the neighborhood.

thats molly in the middle, of course, and falon is on the right. the little girl on mollys left is her friend avery, who we met thru the gym where i work out. we also brought her with us each night. they're wearing trash bags to keep from getting wet in the game they played at REC.

they played a game called "Drip, Drip, Splash." its like "Duck, Duck, Goose'" but with water.

the older kids apparently chose not to wear trash bags. thats colby dumping the water.

tuesday
on tuesday night we got individual pictures of all the kids for them to take home with them on friday night as a momento from the week. this is izaiah, and one of my favorite pictures from the individuals. hes such a cutie.

wednesday
one of the rotations the kids did was faith skills. 4 of our pastors each taught a faith skills class. this is our senior pastor and one of the kindergarten groups.

thursday
our 6th graders get a special treat for VBS before promoting to youth group in the fall. they get to go to a home of one of the families in our church each night (the same family has hosted each year for....more years than i can count!). they swim for about an hour, then they have a home cooked meal, followed by teaching from allen. its something each group looks forward to.

friday
here are colby and mollys pictures from this year. they'll stay on the fridge until next year's replaces them.

saturday
we took the kids to meet my inlaws today, where they'll spend next week while we're at youth camp. molly caught me trying to take a picture of her resting. she is wiped out after a week of late bedtimes due to VBS each night.

thats our week!!
i hope you had a great one! please link up below if you have pictures to share.
if youre keeping up with my essential oil posts, i did an introduction post, as well as some useful information about a few of my favorite single oils. check those out if youre interested!

be blessed!

everyday essential oils

as i promised, heres a list of some of the more common EO's and a handful of things they can be used for. this is only a sampling. i could type all day about just peppermint oil....maybe i will, but another time. :-)

if you're wondering what you missed, check here and get a brief overview of essential oils (EO's) and why i'm on this fascinating adventure of health and wellness for my family and friends.

theres a kit that Young Living puts together called Everyday Oils. this box contains 9 of Young Living's most popular oils. some are single oils, and some are blends. below, i've listed the single oils contained in this kit and some of the uses for them. the lists are not all-inclusive. as i said above, its only a sampling. i dont want to bore or overwhelm you; just give you an idea of whats out there.

oils can be diffused, applied topically, inhaled, and in most cases (i only recommend with Young Living oils) ingested,  but i also say "when in doubt, on the feet", because we absorb things into our bodies very effectively through the soles of our feet.

i apologize for any typo's. i'm flying thru this thing!!

Frankincense (yes, as in what the wisemen gave to baby Jesus)

this oil is considered holy in the middle east, where it has been used for thousands of years.

diffuse into the air for congestion, voice loss, to calm asthma symptoms, or reduce mental strain.

add to a natural lotion or cream to help with general skin tone, provide circulatory support, to help wounds heal, or reduce the appearance of scars.

a drop on the tongue or a few drops taken in a capsule is effective in fighting strep, high blood pressure, tonsillitis, and staph infections, among other things

this is the number one oil recommended for improving vision, treating arthritis, warts, wrinkles, and prostate problems

has been used medicinally in france for asthma, depression, and ulcers

Lemon

GREAT for removing household stains, cleaning countertops, and refreshing laundry.

diffuse in your home to protect it from airborne bacteria, or put a drop or two in your water to keep your liver clean (only use essential oils in glass containers; never plastic!!).

historically, lemon was used to fight food poisoning, typhoid, scurvy, and malaria. also to lower blood pressure, and help with liver problems, arthritis, and muscular aches and pains.

has been used medicinally in france for anemia, asthma, fever (reduces), heartburn, intestinal parasites, rheumatism, ureter infections, 

some other common uses include anxiety, constipation, kidney stones, postpartum depression, varicose veins, and water purification

this is the number one oil recommended for anemia, sluggish digestion in children, antidepressant, oily skin, removing stains, 

Peppermint

has SO MANY uses. it is one of the highly regarded herbs for supporting digestion, relieving headaches, and has been shown to improve concentration and mental acuity.

i have a list of 50 things to do with peppermint oil. i may do that as a single post in the near future, but heres what you get for now....

peppermint has been used medicinally in france for asthma, flu, heartburn, indigestion, menstrual irregularity, migraines, motion sickness, itchy skin

other common uses include but are not limited to, skin and airborne allergies, halitosis, carpal tunnel, cold sores, fatigue, morning sickness, ringworm, 

this is the number one recommended oil for treating symptoms of crohn's disease, indigestion, IBS,  hot flashes, headaches, overcoming inferiority, motion sickness, itching skin, treating shock, 


Lavender

this one may get its own post, too. regarding health and wellness i've heard, "when in doubt, use lavender," because there are so many things its effective for. its been said to work wherever theres a need.

its highly regarded as a skin and beauty tonic, and is helpful for facial blemishes (put it on your pimples!). its also helpful for soothing and cleansing common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations.

just a handful of the common primary uses: acne, ADD/ADHD, skin and airborne allergies (works great with peppermint for this purpose), blisters, burns, insect repellant, dandruff, diaper rash, high blood pressure, nausea, stress, sedative, stretch marks, sunburn, teething pain....

used medicinally in france for pretty much all of the above as well as indigestion, premenstrual and menopausal conditions, and water retention.

this is the number one recommended oil for ADD, rosacea, hayfever, calming animals and treating parasites in animals, treating blisters, tachycardia, diaper rash, reducing fever in children, teething, improving concentration (lemon is also excellent for this), insomnia in children, irritability, mastitis, relaxation, restless legs, 

once again, this isnt everything, but ive typed way more than i intended to when i started this post.

Young Living makes a lot of blends as well, and theyre an excellent option for conditions in which several oils have been highly effective. Young Living puts all those oils into one bottle, so you can reap the benefits of all of them! i'll share some of those with you soon!!

you can of course check the Young Living website by clicking on the "oil" picture under my information to the right. 

i'll be placing an order tomorrow evening, so if theres anything you'd like me to get for you, please let me know.

have a great week!!!!!

essential oils, a basic introduction

ive been recently sucked in to the world of essential oils and all they have to offer.
essential oils are the volatile liquids that are distilled from plants. when using essential oils for personal health and wellness, as i'm doing with my family, its important to use the purest oil possible. anything i state on here about oils and what they can be used for, is done only with Young Living Essential Oils. i do not recommend using anything else. this is based on reviews ive read and research ive done.
the trouble with oils is that they are not regulated by the FDA, so there is currently no standard for quality control. anyone can walk into sprouts, whole foods, or their local grocery store and get a bottle of essential oil that will most likely claim to be "pure," maybe even "therapeutic-grade." based on what, though?
i've found a couple of different articles noting what the standard is for a company to label their oil "pure", and the percentage has ranged from 3% to 10%. either way, its not pure.
this is why i can go to the health and wellness department at my local grocery store and buy a bottle of frankincense, one of the most expensive oils, for less than $20. the real stuff, 100% pure frankincense is about $100. quite a jump in price, but you get what you pay for.

so if what you're buying at the store is only 3-10% pure, what else is in there???
carrier oil: such as grapeseed, vegetable oil, etc.
synthetic oil: an artificial oil made to mimic the real thing
pesticides: often sprayed in large amounts on crops
petrochemicals: nasty stuff; found in a lot of cleaners, cosmetics, plastics, etc.

essential oils, in their purest form are organic. they come straight from the earth that God created, and if they're grown and processed correctly and with care, they are our best resource for our overall health.
there are close to 200 references to essential oils in the Bible; frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, hyssop, and spikenard, to name a handful. these were used for anointing and healing the sick.

i find it fascinating that God provided these oils thousands of years ago for the healing of our bodies, minds, and spirits, and theyre still available for us today. i completely believe there is a place for modern medicine. doctors work so hard to get where they are and most are very good at what they do.
however, in my opinion, modern medicine isnt always the best option. pills and injections and syrups have so many chemicals and compounds in them, that a lot of times while they're 'fixing' one problem, they're causing others.

drugs are engineered to solve a specific problem.

i get a headache, so i take 400mg of ibuprofen. i may only need 300mg, though, and so the other 100mg gets stored in my body as a toxin, or its used anyway and my body begins to develop a resistance to the drug.

essential oils are living. they're not created in a lab for one purpose only.
for example, if i use myrtle oil to help alleviate a cough, my body will use what it needs for that purpose, and if theres any 'left-over' it will make itself useful; perhaps to fight off the beginnings of a UTI, or clear up my oily skin. if it looks around and doesnt have anywhere else to go, it gets flushed out of my system, not stored up over time.
every single oil has multiple uses. there are over 100 different uses for lavender, from allergies to laryngitis to sunburn.
i like to say that oils have side benefits, whereas pharmaceuticals have side-effects.

now, i'm not trashing my medicine cabinet. yet.
i have a prescription dependent condition, and take 2 medications daily. my son uses an inhaler and a nasal spray for asthma. over time, though, and under a doctors supervision, i hope to wean us off of the medications, and treat our conditions holistically.

BUT, i will be using oils for our day to day first aid; insect bites, scrapes, runny noses, insomnia, etc.

i know this is a lot of information, and i'm sure i left out a lot of what i wanted to say, but this will do for now.
my next post will be a few common oils and some of the things they can be used for.

if you have specific questions, please feel free to ask.
i'm a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils, and will be happy to order anything you'd like and ship it to you. you can click on the icon to the right to go to their website. my purpose in all of this, though, is not to make money off of you. i only want to share what i'm learning!!

threesixfive, week 24

we were at a camp all week near huntsville, where allen was pastor to a group of about 250 students. we had a great time, and were even able to see some friends and family while we were there. we didnt have internet access at all, so i apologize for not getting to visit your blogs this past week.

sunday

this is the wig i'm wearing as part of my costume for a thing we're doing at VBS. i had a couple of wig options, and molly wanted to try one, too.

monday
we got to camp and colby of course wanted to start exploring immediately. we found these really cool mushrooms under some bushes. he's so good at spotting things.

tuesday
one of the rec teams invited colby to play ultimate frisbee with them. see him out there with all those middle school girls?

wednesday
we drove into huntsville at met our friend lauren. she was part of the staff at camp zephyr for a few summers, and one of the people we really connected with over the years. shes in huntsville at SHSU going to school.

thursday
we drove back into huntsville and met up with allens mom and stepdad. they live about an hour away from where we were. allen took us to see the statue of general sam houston; the second largest statue in the country (the first being the statue of liberty), standing at 77 feet.

after we saw the statue and took some pictures, papa bought ice cream for the kids.

friday
we came home friday and molly went to a little dance clinic at the church that some of the girls in the youth group hosted to raise money for the youth mission trip.

saturday
the kids wanted to give allen his fathers day present a day early (a pair of shoes hes been wanting) so he  can wear them to church tomorrow. they made cards for him as well.

stay tuned for a post on essential oils. The Bug suggested i do a post each week on what i'm learning, so i think i will! i have to decide what to share, though. i will tell you this.....i got hot pink nail polish out of my carpet with lemon oil last week. awesome!!!

link up if you have pictures to share.

threesixfive, week 23

hey all!!

i didnt get a picture every day this week, but i have multiple pictures on multiple days, so really it all balances out. :-)

sunday

i've prayed about and am starting the process of using essential oils for the overall health and wellness of my family. colby and i both have prescription dependent health issues, and im not saying that we'll be cured with the use of oils (although, im not denying that possibility either, because ive heard of it happening), but i would love to get away from using benadryl, tylenol, motrin, etc. and several of them can be used for calming effects, treating bug bites, burns, etc. pretty much everything. anyway, i got my book in the mail over the weekend, and signed on to be a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils. im really excited, though a bit overwhelmed.

monday
the kids asked if they could make an aquarium in the bathtub. heres what that means....

tuesday
one of our former youth graduated from college and is back home looking for odd jobs here and there until he figures out what he wants to do. he came and pulled out some bushes in our front yard on tuesday. colby loved getting out there and "helping".

wednesday
the public library had a kickoff the summer concert on wednesday morning. we saw many of our friends there.

 (also wednesday)....
one of the concert halls in austin hosts an event called austin sound and cinema in the summer. they show a movie preceded by a band that plays music from the movie or relating to the movie in some way. this week it was Labyrinth with a david bowie tribute band. it was a really cool event, but SOOO crowded. i'm glad we went, but we wont be doing that again. at least, not until theyre older.

no picture thursday. booooo.


friday
my mom came in town for a couple days to see the kids before our summer gets out of control busy. we took her on one of our texas nature challenges, this one to the lady bird johnson wildflower center. it was pretty fun; not as fun as the capitol grounds challenge we did last week, but still. i did get this ridiculously awesome picture of probably the prettiest dragonfly ive ever seen.

and this is a plant ive never seen or heard of. its called eve's necklace. the fruit pod looks like beads strung together. isnt that cool??

that night (look how light it is outside the window behind them; its almost 8:30!!) my mom told each of them their '3 things' story. she started this when they were really really little and asked her to tell them bedtime stories. she lets them pick three things, anything they want, and then she somehow works the things into her story. i love the look on mollys face; mom had just finished her story.

saturday
this is kristen, who i have mentioned on here numerous times. she and her brother shayne come at the beginning of every year and pray over colby and molly as fellow big brother/little sister. we've known them since they were in middle school and have had the pleasure of watching them grow up. shayne got married in january, and kristen is getting married in august. molly and colby get to be the flower girl and ring bearer. today molly and i went to kristens bridal shower.

allen is pastoring a youth camp this week, so we'll be heading out to spend the week with him there. we're taking lots of books and our bicycles!!

have a great week!!

link up if you have pictures to share.

threesixfive, week 22

i posted twice this week besides the weekly 365 post!!! what?!?!? one of them is just a video, so im not sure if that counts, but its still worth watching. 

we've got company pulling up any minute, so i'll get right to the pictures.

sunday

after a hot sweaty day at the park on saturday with my parents, colby was convinced that a hair cut would be in his best interest for summer. he cried a little but, bless his heart, but he got over it, and actually told me yesterday that he likes short hair better now.

monday
happy memorial day!! we ended up throwing together a last minute lunch with our friends the barners, and our neighbors the stroups. allens mom and stepdad drove in from houston that morning to bring us their grill they were getting rid of (we've been grill-less for about 2 years, so we were super excited!!), so they stayed and ate with us, too. it was a really fun afternoon full of screaming kids...the good kind.

tuesday
we went to the mennings house for dinner. they have triplets, 2 boys and a girl, that are colbys age, and when the three boys are together, they get mistaken for each other, especially from behind, because they have the same color of hair. their mom has tried to corral colby at church on more than one occasion, thinking he was one of hers.

wednesday
i think all the delicious junk we ate over the last couple of days got to molly, because she woke up wednesday morning by throwing up. she wasnt running any fever, and she wasnt really complaining about feeling bad, but we stayed home all day just to be safe. she helped me with school stuff to take us into the summer.

thursday
this was part of our Texas Nature Challenge adventure on thursday morning. you can read more about it in my previous post.

friday
we drove down to camp zephyr friday afternoon so we could be there for their summer dedication banquet. allen was asked to speak at it. the kids went to bed late, but still had a little reading time.

saturday
a little play time at the zephyr pool saturday morning before heading home. Price Hill (our youth worship band) led worship friday night, so they hung out with us, and molly got to play with her friend ramona.

and now, as i said, we're awaiting out of town company who will be staying with us tonight. its actually the director of camp zephyr and his family. they needed to get away for a couple of days before summer officially starts monday, so they're heading here. double date night and a sitter for all the kids. should be a lot of fun! :-)

hope youre having a great week, and enjoying some beautiful weather. we're soaking it up before it gets too hot!!!

link up if you have pictures to share.