It's that time of year-

The time of year when colds, coughs and flu bugs are flying around. Here are a few tips to treating them the natural way. 

  
      My Mommer had a persistent cough that she has had for months, it wouldn't go away, I think she should have bought stock in a cough drop company because she was using so many of them! So when she ordered the OnGuard throat drops, which I have yet to try, I wasn't surprised. A few weeks later though when we were chatting on the phone she told me that her cough was gone, the only thing she has done differently was the OnGuard Throat drops and OnGuard hand soap. Needless to say I think those will be the only cough drops she will be buying again  :) 

 One of our favorite ways to deal with an oncoming, or sore, scratchy throat is a hot cup of our "sore throat" Tea. That is what my Kiddos ask for when they wake up with a sore throat. Here is a recipe for that- 

Sore Throat Tea

1.  Pour hot water into a mug with a chamomile tea bag, after that is done steeping add 2 drops of  OnGuard Essential Oil.  

2.  Add 1 drop of Lemon EO for flavor and additional anti-bacterial properties.

3.  Add a teaspoon of raw honey to help soothe (don't use raw honey for kids under 2.) 

 This tea with OnGuard, honey and lemon is a gentle, soothing remedy that really helps to sooth sore throats.

Another great essential oil  that acts as a cough suppressant is Lime, it's excellent to use at night when you need your sleep.  Add 2 drops to a glass of water before bedtime.

Coconut ColdCare Rub

1)  1 drop ea. Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Melaleuca

2)  1 drop ea. Eucalyptus, Clove, Lemon
3)  2 drops Breathe, 1 drop Lime

4)  2 drops Myrrh or Rosemary (to reduce mucous)
       

        Mix a group of oils from the list above with 3-4 T. of coconut oil and apply every 2 hours to your chest, back or on the bottom of feet and cover with socks. 

Gargle Recipe
1 drop of Oregano

1 drop Lemon

1 drop Peppermint

Add to a shot glass of water and gargle for 1 to 2 minutes and swallow, do this as needed.

We have had one very minor bought of stomach flu this year, not of us was sicker than 12 hours. At the first hint of Nausea DigestZen was rubbed onto the stomach, and I put OnGuard and Lemon EO's in my diffuser.  I also used a disinfecting spray for cleaning to kill of any lingering germs. 

Disinfecting Cleaning Spray

2c. distilled, or boiled and cooled water

10 drops OnGuard EO blend

4  drops Lemon EO

Put in a cleaning spray bottle, shake each time before using. 

Chest Cold Rub 
1/8c. Avocado Oil
1T. BeesWax
1/2t. Vitamin E oil
15 drops Cypress EO
12 drops Eucalyptus EO
8 drops Lime EO
5 drops Peppermint EO

   Heat Avocado Oil and Beeswax in a class container in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, heat for 30 seconds more. Stir until beeswaxis melted, add in vitamin E. Let cool until it starts to get cloudy, stir in the Eo's. Store tightly covered. Rub onto chest and back over lungs. 

Some Great EO's to diffuse are-  Breathe, Eucalyptus, or OnGuard.

I hope this info will be of help to others I know it has 

been for my family : )

Homemade Chest Cold Rub

Did you know the leading chest rub for colds on the market contains petroleum and turpentine oil?? Yuck! 

Petroleum in products can clog the pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They have also been implicated in causing cancer and disrupting hormones. Turpentine is a paint stripper, need I say more....

So, why not make your own cold vaporizing chest rub using organic, natural ingredients? It’s cheaper and your family will be safe and toxin-free.

This is what you need:

1/4c. Coconut Oil (make sure you choose a quality oil that is raw, organic and virgin.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Peppermint Essential Oil

Lemon Essential Oil

Or you could use doTerra's blend- Breathe-for all 50 drops

* Use good quality essential oils like doTerra to get the best benefits.

This is how you do it:

* Melt your coconut oil by placing the jar in a bowl of hot water

* Pour the coconut oil into a glass jar or container. 

* Add 20 drops of eucalyptus oil, 20 drops of peppermint oil and 10 drops of lemon oil or use the 50 drops of Breathe oil.

* Shake well

* Let it re-solidify for easier use (pop it in the fridge in summer time)

    Just a quick shout out to one of my favorite oils- Melalueca you are amazing :) Two days ago my 9 year olds big toe had a spot next to the nail that was badly swollen. We weren't sure if it was an ingrown toenail, or something fungal, when I tried to touch anywhere near the swollen area she erupted into shrieks and tears because of the pain.  Since it was the day before Thanksgiving and the kids Dr was not in I called to schedule an app. for next week, it seemed serious enough that we figured they would need to do something about it. In the meantime I thought I would put a drop of Melalueca on it to see if it would help, so on Wed. I applied a drop on her toe 4 times throughout the day. Then on Thursday I applied it once in the morning. This morning when I looked at the swelling is gone and she has NO pain at all! I'm not really sure what was going on with it and am going to apply it 2 times a day for the next couple days to make sure it doesn't come back. So I called and canceled the Dr app. saving her a trip there and probably a lot of pain from their poking and prodding. And who knows if they would have had any ideas as to what it was either! 

     So I am adding this experience to my list of things to be Grateful for this week, and alls well that ends well! 

Essential Oil Blends for Headaches

    

Using EO's for Headaches

    I have a two blends that I had written down for headaches and so that I won't lose them I am putting them in here. I have tried each of these and loved the results. It seems like headaches can be put into 4 different categories and I have a blend for each of them now :) 

Tension Headaches-
15 drops Serenity Oil
15 drops Balance Oil
5 drops Peppermint Oil
carrier oil to fill bottle

     Add to a 5 ml bottle, apply to forehead, back of the neck, or behind the ears. 

Sinus Headaches- 
10 drops Eucalyptus Oil
8 drops White Fir Oil
8 drops Lavender Oil
4 drops Peppermint Oil
 carrier oil to fill bottle

Mix all in a 5 ml bottle. Apply to forehead and behind ears. 

For Migraine Headaches I highly recommend doTerra's PastTense blend. 

For Cluster Headaches I would use their PastTense blend along with their DeepBlue blend. The DeepBlue I would dilute with a carrier oil before using. 

My friend Karen gave me permission to put her headache blend on here, it is amazing for hormonal tension headaches.

Karen's Headache Blend- 
2 drops Peppermint
2 drops Frankincense
2 drops Lavender 
carrier oil 
      Put your oils in a 5 ml roller bottle, fill the rest of the way with your carrier oil. Apply on your temple and behind the ears. 


      Before I started using doTerra oils on my family if someone had a headache the only thing I could do was hand them some Advil a warm or cold pack and tell them to go rest in their room where it was quiet. Not a lot of relief in that for my son who suffers from fairly severe migraines, where if things aren't caught early we have ended in the Dr's office many times.  He has been on prescriptions to try and keep them under control and also has stronger prescription for when they are past Advil helping.  
      Now the preventive one made him tired, ALL THE TIME. And irritable. Tired, and irritable teenage boys are no fun let me tell ya.  It was frustrating, very frustrating. 
      Since I have been using doTerra oils on him he no longer takes EITHER of those prescriptions,  in fact I can't even remember the last time I handed him Advil. It's been weeks!  And I haven't even been trying to treat his headaches, I have been trying to lower his stress and anxiety and keep his blood sugar more regulated. Which has been working!!!   How do I know this? No headaches! Yay!  This makes me very happy. And it has been so simple!  
        Each of the kiddos has a linen spray that I made up for them using EO's and distilled water, his has doTerra's Serenity oil, Lavender oil, and Melalueca oil.  This gets sprayed on his bedding and throughout his room, and I diffuse Lemon oil in a blend every morning. This is to help with his anxiety.  I put Cinnamon oil in his breakfast, either in a protein smoothie or in some oatmeal.  To help keep his blood sugar regulated. 
It's working great, and I love it :) 

   It seems like headaches stem from other problems, a side effect of something else. So  when someone in my family gets a headache it's easy for me to know what oil/s to give them because I know them, I know that my daughter's headaches usually stem from stress. That my son's migraine is from tension,  anxiety and usually low blood sugar. Another daughter generally only get headaches when she is suffering from allergy issues and her sinuses are acting up. So if I treat the symptoms first the headache usually goes away.  

      When I first got the chance to try out one of doTerra's oils that I hadn't used before, PastTense, I was immediately in love with it.  One of the girls came home with a headache, so I rubbed a drop of PastTense across her forehead under her hairline, and behind each ear. I told her to put her school stuff away and wash her hands then if her head still hurt we would get her some Advil. Five minutes later no sign of her so I went looking, she was sitting at her desk doing homework. When I asked how her head felt she said- It feels good! It doesn't hurt anymore!
      I have since then used it on myself and love how quickly it works! Needless to say I had to order a bottle for myself and was very excited to get it. No more trips to the Dr. office for migraines for us  :) 

20 Ways to Use Essential Oils

        I find more ways to use my Essential oils everyday, they are wonderful for so many things. Actually as I sit here typing this I am sipping some sparkling water with Lemon EO in it, delicious!! The essential oils that I have enjoyed this way are Lemon, Lime, Wild Orange, Grapefruit, Cinnamon, and Slim &Sassy. 

So I made a list to share of 20 ways I like to use my EO's-

1.  Sparkling Dishes:  Instead of using Jet Dry anymore I just drop 2 to 4 drops of Lemon or Wild Orange EO onto my sponge and run it through the dishwasher with the dirty dishes for clean, lemony fresh dishes. It will disinfect your scrubber, your dishes will shine and the steam coming from your dishwasher makes your kitchen smell wonderful! 

2.  Replace Fabric softener sheets-   Apply 5 to 10 drops of Lavender, or Citrus Bliss EO to a clean cotton sock, roll it into a ball, fit the balled sock into the toe of a 2nd sock, twist end and pull the tube of section of the sock back down over the balled end.  Make it into a tight ball and throw it in the dryer with wet clothes.  This will last for 20+ loads, what a great way to save money  :) 

3. Homemade Febreeze Spray-  Place 1/2 t. baking soda in a misting spray bottle (about 16 oz) add hot water to fill. Shake well to dissolve the baking soda. After letting your mixture cool down add 8-12 drops of EO, I love trying different blends in this, my current mix is 5 drops Lemon, 4 drops Eucalyptus.  Use on curtains, furniture, bedding, carpets- always shake before using. 

4. Enhance Your Skincare:  Add a drop of Geranium, Frankincense  or Melissa EO to your favorite moisturizer  for supple skin. I have heard the Geranium calms redness, and Frankincense reduces wrinkles. 

5.  For Cough or Sore Throat:  Add 1-3 drops of Lemon, or 1 drop  OnGuard EO to a teaspoon of honey.  This one is good for kids as well. 

6. Make Your Own Fabric Softener:  This recipe is not only cheap, green and great at getting soap residue out of  your clothes while softening them, it's free of ALL chemicals. Talk about your win-win.  Using a glass quart of white vinegar,  add 20 drops of your favorite EO  and 1 t. of rubbing alcohol to the vinegar. Shake well.  To use add about 1/2 cup of your scented vinegar to the  rinse cycle or fabric softener ball.  Reuse your glass container and refill when empty.  I buy my vinegar from Costco in the HUGE jugs, super inexpensive. 

7.  Oral Health Care:  Add a drop of Frankincense, or OnGuard to your toothpaste upon brushing every night and morning.  Frankincense contains sesquiterpenes that enables the oil to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, it helps with memory, irritability and restlessness.  OnGuard is great for your oral health, and boosts your immune system. I make my own moulthwash- 10 drops OnGuard to approx. 1-1/2c, distilled water, in a glass stoppered jar. I swish with this each morning and night. Shake well before each use. 

8. Sweet Sleep: I love using doTerra's Serenity oil to make a sleep inducing bed spray for me and my Kiddos. One of my girls has decided it makes a great perfume as well and often comes out of her room smelling Serene :) The "recipe" for this will be in the Spa recipes I am posting in Dec. Since we began using this the 3 members in my family with sleeping troubles are no longer troubled, works for me :) 

9. Stomach problems-   We have come to LOVE an EO blend that doTERRA makes called DigestZen. It is amazing for ALL kinds of tummy troubles, indigestion,  vomiting, and cramping.   Rub 2 to 3 undiluted drops on stomach, a carrier oil will help it spread better if needed.  For more violent symptoms you can take 3 to 4 drops on tongue.  

10. Hair and Scalp-  Melalueca oil does wonders for dry itchy scalps, you can use it straight . Just rub a drop at a time on troubled areas. Also Rosemary oil is great if your hair is thinning out. It encourages it's growth and strength.  I am experimenting with making my own shampoo.  Until then I have some unscented shampoo I purchase at our pharmacy, it's about 24 oz, I added to 20 drops Rosemary, 20 Melalueca and 10 drops Peppermint oil to it. Smells amazing and the Peppermint makes my scalp all tingly.

11.  Hand Sanitizer :  We go through a ton of this in the Fall and Spring when my kiddos are in sports. I make up a mixture of OnGuard, aloe vera gel, and vit. E oil that I keep in my car and a peppermint one in my purse. I cannot use any commercial sanitizers, they dry out my hands way to much and the smell is awful! Our homemade version though smells wonderful  :) 

12.  Mold/Mildew Cleaner:  1 c. white vinegar, 1 c. distilled water in a spray bottle, then add 2 drops Lemon EO and 2 drops Melaleuca.  Shake well before each use, spray on area needed and  let stand for 30 minutes before wiping.
 
13. Acne and Skin Care:   Add 15-20 drops of Melaleuca oil to about 8oz bottle of Dr. Bronner's Castile soap for an effective wash for facial or body acne. You can also dab Melaleuca oil on straight, or neat, onto blemishes. With a teenage boy in the house this one has been much proven to be a winner : ) Also a misting spray of 8 oz distilled water, 10 drops Melalueca and 10 drops Juniper Berry oil works wonders and is easy to apply. As with all Eo's avoid your eye area. 

14. Breathing troubles:  Put a drop or two of Peppermint or Breathe Blend EO in the palm of one hand, cup the other hand atop the palm, put mouth to cupped hand and inhale deeply, air passages and lungs will open up immediately. 

15. Unwanted Visiters:  It's that time of year when the weather is cooling so spiders and mice try to move in.  Put 2 drops of  Purify oil and/or Peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place in areas that are known places of entry. 

16.Vaginal Yeast Infection:  5 drops of Melaleuca, 5 drops Lavender, and 1 drop Geranium oils in 5 ml (1t.) carrier oil.  Apply topically, and repeat as needed.

17. Strep Throat: I have used a blend of 10 drops Oregano, 12 drops OnGuard, 10 drops Lemon, 8 drops Melalueca in a roller bottle with 5 ml avocado oil to get rid of Strep throat. Also using the 2 drops Lemon oil, 1T. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, 1T. Honey helps too. 

18. A Great Way To Use Your Empty EO Bottles:  Next time you are taking a bath, fill up an empty EO bottle with warm water and empty it into your bath water.  A great way to use up the last little bit. 

19. Kitchen Cleaner:  Fill a 24 oz spray bottle with distilled water add 10 drops Lemon or Lime oil and 1o drops Grapefruit or Wild Orange oil. Shake well before spraying. I use this to clean/disinfect my counters, table, sink, floor, fridge and microwave.  Love the way this one smells and the citrus oils get rid or stubborn grease spots and smells. I have kiddos that OFFER to clean the kitchen just so they can use this spray. 

20. Bathroom Cleaner: This is the only cleaner I use in my bathroom, occasionally I break out some baking soda for a little extra scrubbing action but this mixture works perfectly for my everyday bathroom cleaning. 1 c. white vinegar, 1c. distilled water, 1 drop of dish soap, 10 drops OnGuard or Peppermint oil. Shake well before using.  I have also used this to clean my outdoor grill, worked wonderfully.    

     So there you have it, 20 ways to use Essential oils in your home. I hope these are helpful, I love using these oils. And love how MUCH use I am getting from them. 

doTerra Spa Event

A friend  and I are putting together a doTerra Spa Event in about 2 weeks. It's a hands on event and should be a lot of fun. Here are a few of the items we are offering-

Hand Sanitizer 



Soaking Salts



Linen Spray



Luxurious Foot Scrub



And Body Butter 

  After the event has past I will post our "recipes" for all of these on here. And possibly some free printables for the labels, that my amazing friend put together  :)

Essential Oils

   I have a new found love for an old friend, Essential Oils. For many years, over 18 years actually,  I have used them aromatically, I have very carefully used ONE of them topically (my melaleuca). About 6 months ago through a good friend I was introduced to a company that produces and sells essential oils that go through  rigorous testing. Not just testing it themselves, they have their oils tested by another party as well. 

 

      So these oils can not only be used topically, but internally as well!  I was a bit wary so I ordered  melaleuca from my friend first.  I was really happy with the quality of it. Then everyone (all 6 of us) in my family came down with a really bad cold/sinus bug, it was awful!  My friend gave me samples of 2 oils, a blend called OnGuard and Oregano Oil.  So the Oregano oil sat untouched on my dresser but the blend I put to use on my kiddos. I carefully rubbed it on the bottoms of their feet a couple of times through out the first day. By that evening I could already see a difference!! I used the sample up on the kids over the next 2 days and  they all were quickly over it. I on the other hand was still miserable, I had only used the oil once that first day I got it. And now it was gone :( 

      So as I got ready for bed, debating in my head whether I needed sleep badly enough to take  NyQuil, which I hate, I noticed the bottle of Oregano oil sitting on my dresser.  At that point my head was so congested I was ready to try anything, I put a drop of Oregano, which I should have diluted, on the bottom of each foot. Then rubbed it on the middle of my forehead where I felt congested. Then I climbed into bed prepared for a miserable night.  Much to my surprise within MINUTES I could breath through my nose! And the stuffiness in my head begin clearing, I was able to sleep very well that night.  And woke up with a new found love for Oregano oil :) 

       Since that time I have found several oils that I have added to my collection, oils that have greatly helped my family. Since this is where I began collecting all of my notes and info on herbs and natural healing I wanted to began keeping a record of the oils I have used  and what I have found them helpful for. Also oils and blends I have found that I want to try and have record of in case I need them. 

       The oils that I am using and loving are from a company called doTerra. I am aware that there is a lot of controversy on this subject and between companies. But doTerra is the one I have researched, used and will be using for the unforeseeable future, because I believe they are the safest for my family.  

Here is some info from doTerra talking about their oils. 

    The CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® mark* represents the internal standards used by dōTERRA for sourcing and testing pure aromatic botanical extracts using  independent testing laboratories. The dōTERRA brand and registered CPTG mark represent the dōTERRA guarantee of pure essential oil extracts that meet high standards for both purity and material composition and accurate product labeling.

dōTERRA therapeutic-grade essential oils are pure, natural aromatic compounds carefully extracted from plants. They do not contain fillers or artificial ingredients that would dilute their active qualities. Proper extraction and quality control methods also ensure that dōTERRA essential oils are free of any contaminants, such as pesticides or other chemical residues. In addition to being pure and natural, CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are subjected to additional quality testing that ensures the correct composition of the active natural compounds found in each oil. Even though an essential oil may be pure, if the right species or part of a plant has not been used, or if the plant has not been grown in the right environment, harvested at the right time, or not distilled under the right conditions, the natural chemical makeup of the extraction will not provide as predictable and powerful a benefit. In some cases, the wrong plant part harvested at the wrong time may result in an extract that contains harmful levels of some constituents.

    For more info on this you can leave a comment, I will be checking them about twice a week. Or you can email me- kbkmsmom@yahoo.com

Wishing you and yours- Good Health :-)