Chances are that as you've grown in your own Real Food and natural health journey, there are things that you used to think sounded a least a little hokey, that you are either warming up to now, or you've all out flip-flopped on the issue. That has certainly been true for myself. (And then there are other things that still seem hokey, and probably always will!)
When I first heard about essential oils, it seemed that those who love them thought they could cure everything, kind of like how I tend to be about food I guess. I suppose it just depends on what you're into the most. But as time has gone on, and I've heard more amazing stories about essential oils from all of you, and then experienced some pretty cool stuff with them myself, I'm just now starting to “get it”. (I'd love to hear your stories in the comments!)
Here are my first (limited) experiences with essential oils:
- A little tea tree oil with some melted coconut oil is powerful against fungal infections (read about that lovely time when I had ringworm, ack!) and lice — yep, our daughter had it and we survived!
- A couple drops of peppermint oil massaged into your temples or the back of your neck really works to relieve a headache.
- Eucalyptus is good for chest congestion and for disinfecting the air.
- Many people claim oregano oil is an absolute must have because it is so useful for so many things. It's anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-mictobial and an antiseptic. Supposedly it is very good for knocking out colds/flu.
- Clove oil is good for toothaches.
- I've heard clary sage is good for balancing hormones and easing menstrual cramps.
- I know someone has told me great things about Thieves essential oil (which Plant Therapy calls Germ Fighter), but heck if I remember what it was. Hopefully one of you know about this one?
- My good friend is convinced that she falls asleep easiest when she has a little lavender on her pillow to help her relax. It's also supposed to be soothing to itchy skin and bug bites.
- Lemon oil is great to keep on hand to make your own all-purpose cleaning products, or sprinkle on your kitchen sponge to keep it smelling fresh, or to simply breathe in for a quick pick-me-up.
- The other day I ran into a friend and immediately said, “What do I smell?!” It reminded me of when I've gotten a massage in the past. I felt this odd, wonderful feeling of calm inside. (There's one of those phrases that I would've thought were hokey not long ago, until I experienced it!) When she said what it was I was floored: “Let It Go blend“, she had just massaged a drop into her hands. So I couldn't wait for mine to come and I've been doing the same every day with just a teeny drop, I love it. It really delivers a sense pf peace and calm.
- I read an interview somewhere with the president of one of the big MLM essential oil companies. He was asked if he only had access to one oil, which one would it be, and he answered, “Frankincense, because it is good for so many things”.
- Some of them (I don't know which ones though) can even be used in food.
Since essential oils are made from plants, and plants are all we used to have for medicine, it makes sense that they would be effective for a variety of different issues, but what I listed above is it. That's all I'm aware of, and it isn't much. I've got a lot to learn. But I do know that many essential oils are too strong to apply directly to skin and should be mixed with a favorite carrier oil of your choosing (coconut oil, almond oil, or avocado oil are all good choices).
If you're new to all this like I am, and you are not quite sure which oil to buy or where to begin, this kit from Plant Therapy is a great way to start. It not only has some good basic oils that are recommended for every household, but it has some great synergystic blends, as well. It's an excellent value. (Also, for some great tips be sure and catch the comments below from my knowledgeable readers. Lots of great advice and info!)
So I need you to teach me what you know, how do you use your essential oils?
Cecilia says
Here are 4 links to information regarding the claim of “therapeutic grade” essential oils. Who is the certifying body? This is a marketing claim made my certain manufacturers. https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/therapeuticgradeessentialoils.asp, https://www.cropwatch.org/Therapeutic%20Grade%20Essential%20Oils%20corrected.pdf, these next two are YL links: http://www.therealessentials.com/grade.html, https://aromatherapy4u.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/4-grades-of-essential-oils-how-they-differ-and-why-you-need-to-know-the-difference/.
I don’t like to be a party pooper, but I don’t think marketing hype helps ANYTHING. This article seemed fairly reasonable and informative. https://lmmichaluk.home.comcast.net/~lmmichaluk/GTA/ylfiles.html
The “Eva Briggs” articles are from Quackwatch, which I do NOT respect, but there are facts here that I feel people should know because, if you are to trust someone (or their marketing hype) let’s look at the whole story.
It seems that essential oils are moving from ‘aromatherapy’ to other uses and I believe in those uses, I just think it is safer and better to get your information from a source that isn’t using ‘hype’ and emotional ‘be one of the in-crowd’ jargon, oh, and especially the ‘trust the guru’ hype. IOW, not YL. This guy and organization bothers me more that more I look into it!
Tara says
I always say, the proof is in the pudding. Do you get the results you are looking for or not? Whether its via nutrition, homeopathy, body work or this oil or that one. Speaking from first hand experience is a viable way to share. That is what was done in tribes of people all over the world. Leaving grace for the things that I may not resonate or agree with makes sense. I “get” oils, they work for my family well. I’ve personally seen them work in hundreds of people.
I don’t “get” homeopathy, but I have an MD who does. We dial it in and I get guidance from someone I trust and therefore get results. I believe in having grace for the things/beliefs I may not agree with. It’s okay to disagree, it’s just disrespectful to put others down for what works for them.
I believe in the information age we can find anything to justify or dispute anything we want. Having first hand experience with a company, products and farmers is vital. If I don’t personally check something out myself, and just listen to others, then shame on me for missing the boat or buying something that is ineffective. The pie is big enough for us all, and if it’s not, then we can bake anther pie. 😉
Another key is to learn to discern for ourselves and to respect each other’s right to their own experiences.
So glad we have so many forums to do this in.
KitchenKop says
I love this perspective, Tara!!
Kel
Joy says
I know this is really late, and probably no one will read it, but I need to vent my disappointment. This oil (Peace Calming) is priced about $34 for 2 oz. I debated a long time, then finally yesterday decided to give it a try. So I signed up at YL and placed my order. I was so surprised to see a handling charge of $8 ($7.99) in addition to the shipping costs. All of which brought the total to over $50 for 2 ounces! I cannot fathom why the almost $8 handling! I cancelled and did not submit my order. I guess it would have helped if they would have mentioned the extra cost up front. What do they do to incur $8 to the total? I felt violated and do not want to continue any relationship with companies who keep their fees hidden.
Tara says
Joy,
Kelly is great about reading her bloggers comments. She has a lot to manage so she isn’t able to get to them right away. I have a been using YL for over 8 years so she asked me to address your comment. Here we go…
As you learn more about essential oils (from seed to seal) you will see that various factors come into play affecting the price of each single oil and blend. (ie: rose oil is very expensive, while lemon oil is very inexpensive) They are also extremely concentrated so the 15 ml bottle can easily last you 2-3 years. One drop diluted with your favorite carrier oil is all you’ll need for most uses. Peace and Calming in particular is that way. Great for children and animals too. I have a ton of stories about uses for it.
I have my own small business and one small product is usually going to be $4-$6 at least to ship. This is in a padded envelope, not even a box which the oils are shipped in, and doesn’t even cover paying an employee to take it to the Post Office. That said, Young Living goes to great length to pack in such a way that you get your glass oils bottles intact, and if they are broken you can call and they will send you another. They have also moved to more environmentally friendly form of packaging.
Since I am a distributor and use many of their products they have an Essential Rewards program where I buy a certain amount (and can change what I order monthly) and I get a discount on shipping. So that gives me a wholesale price as well as discounted shipping. And on top of that for being on this program I accrue points with every ER order. At the end of the year I cash in those points to either buy Christmas gifts or like this year, donate towards a charity (we put together small oil gift bags for a spa day for TheCupcakeGirls.org) It’s like “green Stamps” were in the old days.
Another thought is to order more than one thing at a time. One bottle of oil is going to likely cost the same as 3. If you don’t have that much to order, go in on an order with friends or maybe just order as a customer and not a distributor if you aren’t going to be ordering very much. If that is the case, not sure why you signed up as a distributor if you aren’t using oils regularly.
Shipping/Handling is pretty clear in that sense and documented on your receipts and disclosed before you every hit the final return button. As you were able to cancel before you committed. I don’t know any companies that charge much less then $5 to ship or don’t charge shipping if it’s under a certain amount.
If you are not sure how to use the oils, there are a ton of resources. I blog about oils regularly and there is a great website called Oils testimonials.com https://www.oil-testimonials.com/866847
As always, mail order is always going to have a shipping and handling fee, If I found oils in a store I could trust as well, I’d buy them. I have just wasted money over the years buying oils that were not therapeutic quality.
I hope this helps, and don’t ever feel like no one is going to listen. I’m not sure who you are signed up with as a distributor, but that person can always help you find answers. If it is Kelly, I have agreed to help her field questions and am happy to help. Kelly doesn’t take promoting products lightly. She stands behind what she trusts and isn’t quick to “sign on the dotted line.” She also has created a great forum here for us all to support each other.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara Rayburn
theHealthyHabitCoach.com
Zusa says
Wondering if I missed a post as discussion seems to have gone from plantar warts to plantar fascitis. Not at all the same thing.
Tara says
Zusa,
The Manuka oil is a good one for staph topically. Not really that viscous. And the honey internally would be good. Different oils will have different viscosity levels. ie: Myrrh is really thick, sacred frankincense is quite thin.
The oils are distilled which does make them highly concentrated. Some blends come mixed with a “carrier oil” while most I with mix as needed.
I like to compare distillation to old fashioned fermentation. The process adds stabilty and makes a much more potent version. Also much like properly sprouted seeds keeps enzymes in tact, properly harvested and distilled plants yield an amazing source for healing.
The oil that was poured on Jesus’ feet was called Spikenard (or referred to as Nard sometimes) Interesting that one of the uses for that oil is as a relaxant. A great resource by Dr. David Stewart (minister, scientist and author) is Healing Oils of the Bible
Zusa says
Manuka Oil:
Manuka oil comes from Manuka honey, which reminded me that good raw honey is an incredible healing agent and can help with staph as well! And it’s a whole food as well.
E.O.s are so concentrated and this conversation has made me wonder, do we know that in ancient times, it was this concentrated? When oil was poured on Jesus’s feet, it was “poured”. We can’t pour with our thick E.O.’s — so just wondering.
Zusa says
WARTS:
If you google the words “wart images” you will find all kinds of pictures of all kinds of warts. Wiki has some too. I question whether plantar’s warts are viral because way back in my early 20’s, I had them very badly on my feet, started taking vitamins and within 2 weeks they totally disappeared.
Other kinds are known to be viral. Well, maybe plantar’s are too and the vitamins helped remove the virus? At any rate, I was clearly vitamin deficient.
Zusa says
Rene, unfortunately I am not an expert yet on the clay, though I have read quite a bit. I wouldn’t see any harm in keeping a diaper on but if you want to make sure, I would contact Perry A at the http://www.LivingClayCo.com site. She is an expert and a wonderful person.
I totally agree that EO’s have their place but one has to be so careful that you don’t burn and make matters worse. Not only that, but a person may be sensitive to a certain oil, no matter how diluted. I cannot do lavender, even though it is one of the most useful and common. The clay is inexpensive (buy dry and add your own good water) and can’t do any harm. I’m not saying that’s the only thing you should do, but it will help the healing process.
Tara says
Hi all,
I love the Essential Oil dialogue! I was blessed about 8 years ago when Weston A. Price Foundation principles AND Young Living Oils entered my family at the same time. Literally in the same week. (thank you Sarah Pope and Kelly Wilson) After changing our diets and adding Raven and R.C. blends, my son went from being on 2 different breathing treatments 3 x’s a day, and a ton of meds, to no meds within a month! It wasn’t just diet, and it wasn’t just oils. It was the combination of the two and still is.
Since that time I have been to YL’s lavender farms and to Finca Botanica (their farm in Ecuador). Just like any of our farm fresh foods, I encourage you to get to know your “farmer” and his farms. I’ve learned how harvesting and distillation effect the potency of oils. I have used YL oils in every way possible and encourage folks to simply follow their hearts for truth and not operate from any place of fear or hype.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Zusa says
Someone mentioned inhaling directly into lungs. I need to share this experience: Years ago I was using YL oils regularly, especially with their diffuser. (In this case, I don’t think it matters which brand.) I noticed that after difusing into the air, I would find little circles of oil on my walls and I could peel it off like some kinds of glue. It has to go someplace, right? Apparently, a diffuser doesn’t actually transform the oil into a vapor. Because of this, I would not recommend trying to inhale it directly into lungs. I know from experience that it’s not easy to remove from hands, refrigerators, etc. and I cannot see having a little glob of essential oil in our lungs as being a good thing! We need healing materials that do their work and can pass on through without harm, not stick to our membranes and clog things up.
Rene,
I wouldn’t put an essential oil on a baby’s sore bottom. Even if in a carrier oil, they could still burn since the skin is already compromised. A pure calcium bentonite clay, like that from http://www.LivingClayCo.com, would be much safer to try. The right clay is known to work miracles with Staph.
Warts can be viral or a vitamin deficiency, among other things.
Quite honestly, while the GAPS diet is fabulous, I would see a nutritionist, Homeopathic Doc or N.D. who could also work on these specific issues. While they may well start in the gut and the GAPS diet is the right track, the child may need a specific diagnosis and more potent professional supplements or treatments that can speed the process of healing and get them on solid ground faster.
I applaud and respect you for taking these dear children into your home and hearts and doing this healing work with them.
Rene says
Zusa…thanks for your insight on the Staph…I need to research that one for our little one’s bottom! Perhaps you don’t have experience with this, but do you know if it is something that you can put on and then diaper the child or would she have to be bare bunned for a while??? I wish I knew who else to go see. We do have a great chiropractor/kineisologist that we see, but we are buying ourselves poor in supplements combined with all the speech and occupational therapies that we do…so I really need to discern what is best to work on from all the issues our kiddos face…they are such little treasures though…all of them are priceless!
Thanks again for your insight!
Rene says
I have purchased a bunch of essential oils and then end up not doing anything with them because I don’t really know what I am doing… Anyone have any suggestions for the following issues:
1. plethora of warts on my adopted 4.5 year old son’s hands. We have tried homeopathic remedies and are using zinc (oral) and iodine (oral and topical) right now, but nothing seems to work…he probably has 20 or so on each hand and they just keep on getting bigger and bigger and multiplying…so sad to see!!! He has had these since he was 2 years old. This same kiddo has severe life threatening food allergies and some developmental delays. His system is very fragile!
2. My 3.5 year old daughter (african american adopted) has extremely sensitive skin and has bumps all over her eye lids. No one can tell me what these are from except possible food allergies (our house is GF, DF, and nut free). She also has had a swollen lyph node on her neck for over 2 years.
3. Our foster daughter, who is 15 months, keeps on having staph infections in her diaper area. We have to be very careful what we give her as we are highly regulated, but if it were some type of topical EO, I think that would not be a problem.
All of our children had very rough in-utero experiences with their respective birth mother’s drug/alcohol use/high levels of stress, so perhaps this is why their systems are fragile. Any suggestions on getting these kiddos healthy would be greatly appreciated!!!
KitchenKop says
Maybe someone here can help you with topical/essential oil suggestions, but my best advice to you, in order to treat the source of the problem and help your kids with all their issues in one fell swoop, would be the GAPS Diet. It’s not easy, but people with kids pull it off all of the time. Here’s a link to get you started: https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/08/gut-health-101-6-questions-and-answers-about-a-strong-immune-system-and-the-gaps-diet.html.
Good luck!
Kelly
Rene says
Thanks Kelly…I really need to better understand the GAPS diet to see how we can make that work with my son’s severe nut and egg allergies. We are moving more and more towards a paleo lifestyle…do you know what the difference is? From what I have read, they seem almost the same.
Also, I am local in GR, and did not make it to the Nourishing Ways meeting that was rescheduled due to weather…I love Anne Sergeant and her family. We go to the same Church as they do. I was seriously bummed to miss her presentation. I hope to make it to the next one to meet you and like minded folks! Thanks for what you do!
Martha says
We’ve used straight raw ACV with success before. I’m trying it now on our youngest who has half a dozen warts on one of his hands and now one on the other hand. It’s too early to tell if it’s doing anything yet.
I second the GAPS recommendation.
Rene says
I personally have tried the raw ACV with the mother on a wart I had and it did not do it for me unfortunately. Let me know if it does for your little guy. Best to you and your family!
Diane says
Coconut oil is antibacterial and antiviral and can be used by itself or as a carrier oil. It’s great to eat and cook with. Warts are caused by virus.
Staph is very persistent and I would think you will need a dermatologist to help you with that. When my son was five he had a sore for which he needed an oral med, a topical cream, and a special shampoo. We had a very complicated and exact dosing schedule. Sometimes antibiotics are not needed, and sometimes they work miracles.
Rene says
We LOVE coconut oil in our home…I will definately use that as a carrier if I can ever figure out how to even get started with Essential oils! Thanks!
Layce says
Rene, Your house sounds like my house, a mixture of all types of kiddos. Two of my kids are adopted. One of my daughters gets bumps if she uses certain types of lotion. It’s solved if she sticks with mostly natural lotions, we used some Burt Bees with some success. She has to apply it often however because her skin gets ashy.
I know this is an essential oil topic, but for the warts, get some SilverBiotics (with SILVERSOL, not calloidal or ionic). You can find it on line or you can get it at http://www.naturesgateways.com. It is inexpensive, around $25 for 16 ounces but you use very little for maintenance doses. We are never without this….or our essential oils. For warts (we’ve used it for this at our home actually, I actually took pictures of it, it was amazing. Took about two weeks. I’ve had several family members and clients use it for the same with varying time frames. The secret is to scuff up the top and break the skin so it can penetrate. My daughter just picked at it with her fingernail. We put it on twice a day and kept it covered with a bandaid. We did use the ASAP Silversol gel, not the liquid, it seemed to stay in place better. We use the gel for everything, we use it many times as a base for some oils actually. They work wonderfully together. SilverBiotics CAN be placed inside the ear canal where oils cannot for ear infections (been a life saver…it just has to sit for SIX minutes). It can be put anywhere…..literally anywhere. We’ve killed Staph and Streph with it along with Melaleuca. I’d do a diluted mixture of the ASAP Gel with a drop of Melaeuca on your little gals diaper rash….poor thing. It is cooling and feels good, especially on burns and be patient, it will kill it. We use it with lavender, double awesome. My foster kiddo that is autistic responds VERY well with some essential oils when he’s stressed out, it’s almost instantaneous and amazing to watch. I would use the SilverBitoics gel on your 3.5 year old’s face. It’s non-toxic, FDA approved. We’ve used it for about 3 years. You can read about it on the above website or the http://www.americanbioteclabs.com (I think that’s it), they are the manufacturer and the man that holds the patent. BOTH of my african american daughters have responded very good to the Silver on their face, they apply it once a day.
Feel free to email me directly if I an help. [email protected]. The Silverbiotics will improve your little 4.5 yr old’s system….and for sure kill those warts! Some wart remedies are like miracle grow! crazy…..my daughter’s teacher told her to put apple cider vinegar on hers and it doubled in size in two days. Side note, really address the intestinal flora, that helps SOOOOO much with immunity issues. I’ve found a good product from Ultimate Flora by Renew Life called Buddy Bear, not all probiotics are created equal. 🙂 they are fairly inexpensive also. http://www.renewlife.com is their website. Oh and one other thing that helps African American (and all of ours) skin is a good ‘quality’ fish oil and Vitamin D. My girls were VERY deficient when they were tested, apparently that is common with darker skin. Who knew….I didn’t.
There are so many oils that will be soothing for the emotional and physical stresses these kids deal with. Find ones that work with your family, they may vary. Best of luck!
Rene says
Thank you all for some great insight into my kiddo’s issues.
We are very close to being on the GAPS diet already (we are moving more and more towards faithful paleo lifestyle) but since my son is nut and egg free it is really tough to come up with things that he likes to bake with that don’t contain these. He is already on a very low sugar, low empty carb diet. We are very blessed that they all miraculously eat real food very well…though they still crave the junk that they see everyone else eating! I almost thank God for our son’s life threatening allergies because had this not happened I can only imagine what I would be feeding my kids right now!!!
All of the kids are on a prescription required probiotic by Klaire Labs called Ther-biotic Complete Powder which contains 100+ billion CFU’s Multi Species….but question is should you switch brands every once and a while to change things up because my son, who used to have daily BM’s is going several days in between lately and that is very, very, very unusual for him.
The two older ones are on Green Pasture’s CLO and they all take a fair amount of high quality Vit D, Zinc, and other supplements…we are buying ourselves poor in supplements to try to combat what is going on!!! Cannot get our foster daughter to take the CLO without making raspberries with it…any suggestions…we have tried to hide it in everything with the same results!!!
Also, as far as the silver suggestion for his warts, my 3.5 year old daughter’s eye issue and for our foster daughter’s staph infection…all GREAT ideas!!! I am ordering that product tonight!
We almost exclusively use EV Coconut oil as our oil of choice in our home and every day each child consumes at least a little bit of it…our son even likes to dip his finger in the container and eat it straight out of the jar!!!
Finally, I still struggle with the original question of this post…how to use EO’s. I don’t even know where to start especially with all of my kiddo’s concerns. Is there a particular method of delivery and basic oil kit that anyone would recommend. I don’t have a ton of time to do research unfortunately and rely heavily upon our local kinesiologist and homeopathic Pediatrican DO that we travel 300 miles to go see for insight as to what to do. They both indicate that our son has a very lacking thyroid and adrenal systems which was likely due to the prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol…
So much going on…where to start…I feel like we have already come a long way, but in the same moment I feel like we have a LOOOONG way to go and I don’t know what to focus on next as the priority!!!
Loving the insight and feedback!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!
Tara says
Hmm, lot’s going on here.
Rotation: Yes. I am a fan of rotating probiotics, oils, foods etc. You know, the seasonal thing. I think our bodies plateau and with probiotics, too many of the the same beneficial guys and throw us off too.
Cod Liver Oil: Monica Corrado taught me about making a game out of taking CLO. We called it the “Spoon of Eternal Stench” and who ever made the funniest face after eating it won! Didn’t even win anything other than the right to say we won. Made it fun!
Using Essential Oils: The best fastest resource is “Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing. You can look up issues and see uses. This helped me when I first started using them 8 years ago. I still use it as a reference, but mostly use what ever I have with the intention that it will know what to do in our bodies (this is an over generalization to some degree)
Most importantly with ANY of this health puzzle is to “Learn to DIscern” Pray for guidance and trust your mommy gut! Nobody knows our kids like us. Usually where there is a hunch, there is great wisdom. I think it’s a job perk God gives us to do our jobs.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Tara says
Correction Joette Calabrese taught me the CLO spoon trick. Both Joette and Monica are great though! 😉
Tara says
Forgot…staph. My son (8) got a staph infection on his leg last year. I worked with my MD who uses mainly homeopathy and they gave me a remedy and ok’d us using oregano oil. We made capsules: took three times a day for three days and then twice a day for a month. Cleared it all up. Many believe that staph, as well as other viruses and such, will stay in your body and that when you get run down it can resurface. So important to follow my friend Mary Vars Mantra “Eat, Sleep, Drink” Eat nutrient rich, get plenty of rest/sleep and drink hydrating fluids.
Tara says
Regarding Warts and other viruses:
Rene, it’s important to find out whether the warts are Planters Warts (which usually affect the hands) or something called Molluscum Contagiosum. I’m not a doctor, but went through these and other skin afflictions when my kids were little. At one point my daughter had over 100 warts on her body. Because she had eczema, the molluscum, which normally stays in one area spread everywhere. The bumps on your other child’s eyes might be these. I worked with a doctor in W. Va on a protocol for this and can send it to you. Silver products and essential oils worked along with extracting the core of the wart (disregard if your child has planter’s)
I encourage you to look at the Whole Picture. When multiple skin and viruses are running rampant (I went through it with my family) start becoming a master of ongoing lmyphatic system support, healthy anti microbials like essential oils, and make sure your guys are eating and absorbing foods rich in zinc, A & D! Cod Liver Oil is your Friend!
Sending love and prayers for Your discernment for how to support your children and keep yourself healthy in the process!
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Rene says
Thank you Tera for your kind words and prayers…much appreciated! So how do you know if a wart is a planter or not? If they are not planter warts, I would love the protocol…perhaps this is what I need to get me started with EO’s. Thanks again for your insight!
Tara says
Rene, Manuka oil is said to be another great oil for staph, especially MRSA. It is mild enough to put on topically whereas you would NOT want to use oregano oil topically on a young child especially in the diaper area. Are you sure it’s staph and not yeast? Candida can make fierce looking blisters. YL doesn’t carry Manuka yet, but I purchased some from manukaoil.com I think for a friend a few years ago. It comes from New Zealand.
Rene says
The doc did a swab and it tested positive for staph…that was about 2 months ago. She has what looks to be the same appearing again for the 3rd time. Because she is a foster baby I had to follow her traditional doc’s advice…antibiotics, antibiotics and more antibiotics. That obviously has not worked and is killing her gut, I am sure. I will look up Manuka. Thanks for the wealth of info and help! God bless!
Layce says
I talked with my doc about giving the SilverBiotics and Melaleuca oil for Staph, he was okay with it. We’ve used those two in combination to kill a couple confirmed staph infections. Foster kids, you have less leeway with unless your doc is okay with it. i just gave him the company’s website, https://www.americanbiotechlabs.com/products.php. He liked that the solution has actually been already FDA approved and doctors can write prescriptions for one of their solutions. It isn’t Colloidal or Ionic silver.
Different liabilities with foster kids and some hand tying…..but if you have a good social worker and doctor that is open to listening, you can do some things.
Tara says
Rene,
I sent Kelly a PDF file on what we did for Molluscum it uses a product called SilverCure (based in silver and Melaleuca Alterfolnia – which is true tea tree oil) Important to discern if the warts are planters or MC…a doc should be able to tell you. Important: doc’s don’t always tell people how contagious MC are to the whole family. They are contracted usually poolside or my sharing showers/tubs. The brochure will help explain them better.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
KitchenKop says
Rene, I’ll email it to you, and if anyone else wants a copy, email me and I’ll forward it to you from Tara.
(I’ll probably do a post on this at some point and include that doc…)
Thanks Tara!!
Kel
Naomi says
My herb shop person blended some immupower knockoff for me to try to help my husband and me with our colds. She said she just places a drop behind each ear, so I did that as soon as I returned to my car because I wanted it to begin working as quickly as possible. When I got back home to my computer I searched online for more info, learning to massage it into bottom of feet or on spinal area. I did both. The next day I began having extreme itching issues behind my ears and on my back, plus some other skin areas I had apparently touched while the oil was still on my hands. By the way, it doesn’t necessarily wash off for a while either! I’ve taken to applying it with latex-gloved fingers. Someone mentioned to me the fact that I am fairskinned, and I’m betting that would come into play too.
I wanted to mention also, that most of us cannot afford to be skipping all over the country/world visiting herb farms and speaking with the farmers. I for one am on SS pension and such things would be preposterous. Most folks are just looking for someone they can trust to get products that will help them on their road to recovery of better health, and hopefully they can scrimp and save to pay for it.
Commenter via Facebook says
I realize I’m a little late to the party on this one,but I have been trying to find the answer to. My questions for awhile. Maybe someone here can help? Here goes: I have just started using EOs but I’m wondering how effective they will be for my daughter who has a trach. Is it safe for EOs to be breathed directly into the lungs? Her nose is almost completely blocked by bone and tissue, but even if some scent is getting through, she may not actually have a sense of smell as it is quite common in kids with her syndrome. I know my questions are way out of the realm of “normal” but just tying to figure out if I’m wasting my time using them with her or worse, actually harming her with them. Thanks!
Tara says
Regarding Daughter with a Trach: As always I start with the fact that I’m not a doctor, but a mom-on-a-mission 😉 The actual “smell” aroma of therapeutic grade quality essential oils is a nice benefit, it isn’t the only thing that makes them effective. Distilled plants have been medicine in our world far longer than anything created in a lab! What is dangerous is using something with fillers, less than food grade/therapeutic grade in and on the body. Using a cool mist diffuser keeps the medicinal qualities of the oils in tact. Do not use synthetic “scents” that use a heated method of delivery. My son’s Achilles heel is his lungs. We use a cold water based diffuser called the ARIA by YL. I like to rotate oils that support his lungs like Eucalyptus Globulus, R.C. Raven, Purification (Do NOT use a Humidifier- these get mold in them and can cause even more issues)
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Commenter via Facebook says
@Kellene – What oils do you use now?
Commenter via Facebook says
Young livings oils that you have pictured are already extended with a safe carrier oil.
D. says
Bingo. And that’s part of the problem with YL.
Commenter via Facebook says
I love essential oils but they are right you have to be careful many brands are extended with synthetic chemicals which are dangerous. be careful what you use. and some oils can be used neat (directly on the skin ) but keeping oil to dilute if you need on hand is a good idea.
Commenter via Facebook says
Kellene–would you message me with info about your book?
Commenter via Facebook says
@Susan, actually, whether or not an essential oil is “safe” to apply on the skin has to do with two different aspects. One is whether or not there are any harmful adulterants added to the essential oils and the other is whether or not the oils are diluted. There are a few essential oils, in their purest form–which is what you want–that you should NOT BE ABLE to put on your skin directly as they will be hot (mostly due to the fact that they devour bacteria. The action of doing so causes an exchange that’s can be very warm or irritating on the skin.
Oregano for example, SHOULD be too “hot” to apply directly on the skin, Palmarosa, Thyme, and others, when they contain the maximum amount of beneficial constituents, should be uncomfortable to most skin areas (although the bottom of the feet are very tolerant.).
If you use an oregano that’s not hot to the tongue or high circulation areas, get rid of it. It’s been poorly distilled and/or diluted. Better that you dilute it yourself at the time of use than store it with dilution materials in it which erode the oil of the years.
Commenter via Facebook says
Sorry, but that’s actually no correct, Amy. I just finished a 10 year study on essential oils and Young Living was definitely not at the top of the ladder, neither was Doterra, I’m afraid. I ended up writing a book about my findings (where I ended up, the scientific reason behind the fabulous effects of essential oils, etc.) It was one heck of a journey, but I’m grateful I took it. (I ended up selling my huge stash of Young Living oils after the book. I couldn’t bear to use them any longer knowing what I did.
Oh, and by the way, there’s NO SUCH designation as “therapeutic grade essential oils”, folks.
Cecilia says
True: this is what I found too. “Therapeutic Grade”; ANY standardized and over seen grading system of essential oils is non-existant: it is a Marketing Ploy.
https://www.auracacia.com/asktheexperts/?p=58
Layce says
your book title? and what did you conclude?
lisa says
Was this book ever publised?
Cecilia says
re: YL: MLM companies are known for their ‘proprietary’ claims. I am self-employed for 25 years, and as such I am always looking for another ‘income stream’. I have never found a product of an MLM company to be truly proprietary or superior to those of other companies, they just have really good “be one of us” marketing systems. I am glad this came across my desk today, because I am definitely headed into the use of more essential oils and a number of my associates are ‘into’ YL. But I can tell that it is not for me because my choices are not based on one-of-the-gang marketing. Sorry if I sound grouchy about this, but it is a pet peeve. “Marketing messages” are NOT the thing to base decisions on.
Cecilia says
P.S. in Marketing language this is called “name it and claim it”. Just because one company claims “X” does not mean, although it is implied, that another company does not have it or that it is ‘proprietary’.
There is a string of articles in “Countryside” magazine on essential oils. The author of which gives you a web address to another ‘exclusive’ company for essential oils, and makes similar claims of lesser quality about certain other brands of oils.
So I have just been investigating the marketing claims of different companies, this is not a YL exclusive, nor exclusive to any product but a ‘modern times’ problem: Too Much Marketing. (imo)
D. says
I don’t care for the “be a part of the TEAM” marketing messages. Right off the bat I know it’s MLM which turns me off instantly. If I were going to sell something I would do it on my own, not be a part of some MLM and make money for the top doods and take the scraps for myself. No way. It takes effort and know-how to be a salesperson and I would surely never do it for the sake of someone else’s profits when I have the ability to be a do-it-myself-er!
Zusa says
I think I’ve read most of the posts and didn’t see anyone mention that they are very flammable so use with caution.
I once spilled a bottle in the frig and didn’t know about it until it had dried. It was worse than resin trying to clean it up and took over an hour because I wasn’t about to use a chemical thinner. After that experience, I would never consider taking it internally. I can hardly imagine it passing through our bodies without attaching to something and I know too much about things attaching themselves to the intestinal walls.
Another good use — I was able to clear up toenail fungus with tea tree oil. I will say, however, that until I found out the root cause, it would return. And I like to deal with root causes so if you’re having a lot of migraines (as an example) I’d say it’s not a deficiency in essential oils like it’s not a deficiency in aspirin. Something to think about.
Jenn Jennings says
Thanks for mentioning flammability – some distributors won’t ship during the summer because of oil volatility.
D. says
Olive leaf tincture (not EO) works wonderfully well for nail fungus.
Commenter via Facebook says
ohhhh….my soapbox!! LOVE my Young Living oils…I use Thieves, Valor, Progessence, stress away, and grapefruit daily. We use all the citrus oils in our water, orange and clove in my hot cider and tea. Lavender on everything and anything! I just discovered Rocky Mountain Oils also. Alot cheaper than YL since they do not have the overhead of downlines to support. I use oils topically as well as in capsules internally. (not call can be taken internally) I mix oregano, Thieves and frankinscence in capsules for use as an antibiotic….ok…this could go on all day. My YL ‘mentor’ has a meeting at her home once per month so teach, share etc…love it!
Commenter via Facebook says
I’m just getting into them as well. I have had some success with what i have tried. I would love to read a good book about essential oils of anyone knows of a good one please share!
Layce says
There are so many books on the essential oils. I don’t use the YL oils exclusively, I have a few of them, but I use the reference book quite a bit. I have enjoyed this one also https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Essential-Oils-Aromatherapy/dp/0931432820/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1327933990&sr=8-9. Look on amazon, read some reviews. I have a large library of books on oils. I wanted to know the truth about oils, be open to all types and let the proof be in the pudding. I’ve tried several lines. I am a massage therapist. I have an issue with “we have the best”. I’ve found some incredible oils from different companies. Dr. Christopher’s has some great one’s (their peppermint knocks the socks off doTERRA’s or YL and others…it’s amazing), they are out of Utah and I trust their source, they are great people in that company with much integrity. I do use quite a few of the doTERRA, they don’t seem to bother me personally where some of the Young living did. I have a hyper sensitivity to chemical smells and something just doesn’t set well with the YL oils and many others for me, but I’ve not this issue with some of doTERRAS and have seen some great results with my massage clients and that is what I look for, not the brand, what works. People get their panties in a bunch over who’s is better, but you need to do your own research and use what works. I do use a couple of the young oils, a couple Natures Sunshine’s oils, and a couple from other places. Keep focused on what works, not claims because at the end of the day, MLM is just that….marketing. There are many resources out there from people that just use and know the chemistry behind oils, that is what they are. They react chemically in your body, they are fast, and effective and there is a huge learning curve. You need to have respect for the oils, they may be natural, but they are also very potent and need to be used with education. It’s a great journey! Enjoy!!
Commenter via Facebook says
Young Living’s website is the absolute CADILLAC of essential oil information. 🙂
D. says
Don’t be so sure about that. There are many good, reputable companies producing quality essential oils and personally I don’t care for the YL oils or their “philosophy”. Sorry, just me being me!
Commenter via Facebook says
Jennifer, many of them have natural antibacterial, antiviral, and even antifungal properties. I work so hard to support good gut flora in my kids that I prefer to avoid antibiotics if possible so they are great for treating things like ear infections, pink eye, etc! However they are also great for relaxation, headaches, heartburn, dandruff, nausea, diaper rash etc! You can apply them topically, diffuse them, or ingest them depending on what you are using them for. I was VERY skeptical at first, but I’m a believer now, and they are awesome!
Commenter via Facebook says
omgosh!!! i know nothing! What is the best place for a newbie like me to start?? And specifically why would I use them? (Sorry, I told you I know nothing!)
Commenter via Facebook says
Kelly!!! I love them! I am an independent distributor for them. I just helped a skeptic with gout…and called to tell me it was a miracle…he finally found relief using Young essential oils!!!
Commenter via Facebook says
my above link about children and essential oils was originally posted by Debbie Lapeyrouse. Our household exclusively uses Young Living Oils because of their high quality oils. They have a great product and distributors get 24% off the retail price, so they are affordable as well.
Commenter via Facebook says
This is another amazing site, recipes, how to use, I have also ordered from them. https://www.birchhillhappenings.com/
Commenter via Facebook says
Here is some valuable information about using essential oils with your kids. We have been pharma free for over 2 years now. It is so nice to be able to reach for an effective, natural cure for common ailments! https://www.facebook.com/notes/kerry-mathes/essential-oils-raindrop-technique-for-children/10150625588310330
Commenter via Facebook says
Yes! Diffusing is wonderful, and I often put a drop or two in the palm of my hands, rub them together and then cup my hands over my nose and breathe them in. I had a migraine last night, and doing this with peppermint oil gave me so much relief!
Jen says
Honestly I’m not crazy about Young Living, their oils, their company or their founder Gary Young. I prefer the essential oils from Mountain Rose Herbs and Snow Lotus. In my experience they are noticibly stonger and more effective. They also cost a little less. Young Living makes a lot of claims with the raindrop technique and in the Essential Oils Desk Reference (which is published by them and contains a lot of in accurate chemistry) that are not backed by tradition or science. As an herbalist, I use essential oils at times but they are not the be-all-end-all like many from YL would have you believe. They are excellent for aromatherapy, household uses, or the occassionaly topical use. Pregnant women should be cautious about using herbs but EXTRA cautious about essential oils. Essential oils are very anti-bacterial but they also kill the good bacteria in the gut and promote resistance similar to an antibiotic. For example, tea tree as an herb tea or tincture will kill pathogenic bacteria whereas tea tree as an essential oil will kill any bacteria it comes in contact with. Sorry for the negativity but I get really bothered by a company that uses emotion to try to “scare” you into limiting yourself to just their products. YL would have you think that there is something so wonderful about their oils that you can use them all without diluting and you can take them all internally. That’s reckless and if it’s true about their oils then they are not as strong as others. The best reference for essential oils is The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Worwood.
Wendy (The Local Cook) says
I’m also a huge Mountain Rose Herbs fan. I trust their commitment to sustainability and fairness.
Martha says
Can you link to a reference/study that shows that eo’s kill the good bacteria as well as the bad?
Sera says
Yes. They ARE backed by science and MANY medical doctors and even hospitals now. NOTE: that these doctors and hospitals do NOT trust other essential oils as the Young Living essential oils DO have medical and scientific proof to back them up!
Some of the best cancer researchers in the U.S. and oversees have published peer reviewed studies on how the Young Living Frankincense essential oil DOES in fact kill cancer cells (one study is on bladder cancer and the other on three different types of breast cancer). Here are the links to the studies on PubMed.gov… the nation’s data base for medical studies.
Bladder cancer and Boswellia Carteri – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2664784/?tool=pubmed
Breast cancer and Boswellia Sacra – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22171782
I have personally talked to the lead medical scientist, Dr. HK Lin, and asked him if he has tested other brands of essential oils in his research. He said that, yes, many many companies have sent him their essential oils and he has tested them all. NONE of them produced results like the Young Living Frankincense! He is also conducting studies on essential oils and Alzheimer’s and other various advanced stage cancers – prostate, lung, pancreas, colon and breast (as has already finished being published… see link above) – with VERY positive results! Those studies will be published within the next few years.
You need to know essential oil chemistry YOURSELF and produce peer reviewed studies on pure, authentic essential oils (not synthetics… and, yes, there are many dangers of synthetic AND improperly distilled essential oils) before you make sweeping statements and just regurgitate what others have said.
Vivienne says
Aren’t you regurgitating what YL and Dr HK Lin said?
Why are you getting so worked up?
D. says
Touche!
Cecilia says
Jen,
I appreciate your input, because I am always concerned when any company or person is followed with Religious Fervor. There is No Way YL has a corner on the market of purity, information, and usability. God made the plants, herbs, and oils and they have been in use for a lot longer than this one company. Thanks again!
Sera says
Cecilia, yes, God DID make the plants and He DID show His people long ago how to distill the plants/resin to get the quality they needed for all their purposes – anointing, healing, embalming, etc.
It is unfortunate that the knowledge or the art of distillation was lost hundreds of years ago. When the benefits of essential oils were rediscovered and with “man” getting in the way of mass producing essential oils and distilling them all the same, the essential oils did NOT have their full health benefits.
Distilling really is the final key. Did you know that most commercial distilleries distill their essential oils at the SAME temperature and for the SAME amount of time? There is a problem with this as God did make millions of different species of plants and man cannot assume to treat them all the same and expect for them to have ALL the healing properties (chemical constituents) from the plant that they are supposed to have and all at the right percentages and balance. There are some essential oils that if not properly distilled for the EXACT amount of TIME, heat and pressure, have little to no effect.
One of the things I like about Young Living is that they went back to the basics and studied ancient distilleries that were found and that are at a university in Egypt to see how plants/resins were distilled in ancient time. Then, they kept researching to find out what is wrong with modern distillation practices that leave essential oils with much to be desired… basically just a perfume grade.
I have found NO OTHER essential oil company that has studied each essential oil to see what time of the year and time of the day is best to harvest the plant and then exactly what temperature, pressure and time to distill the essential oil. The only way they could do this much study is to own testing equipment themselves and spend millions of dollars on research to get the very best quality. Did you know that they have EVERY batch of essential oils tested 5 times? Ask around and tell me if you find another essential oil company that does this.
It took Young Living 2 years just to figure out how to get the best quality of Dorado Azul (a plant discovered in Ecuador). They had to figure out what part of the plant, what time of the day and time of the year to harvest and how to distill it. This took several harvests and 2 entire years of research and testing to get the most chemical constituents out of the plant so that it could be the most effective essential oil it could be.
I like knowing that there IS a company out there that has gone against the grain… against the “norm” in the essential oil industry to make essential oils even better! And to get them a lot closer to the quality that they had in Bible times!
I have learned far too much about essential oils, the chemistry of essential oils and the process to just settle for mediocrity for my family.
You find a company that is doing all of that and is challenging the essential oil industry to give us the best quality of essential oils, and I will check them out!
Jen says
This is the kind of mis-information that’s irresponsible. The knowledge of how to distill and use essential oils was not lost hundreds of years ago. It might have gone a little quiet in the US but they’ve been used around the world dating back to 3500 BC especially in Auyurvedic and Chinese medicine.
Companies like Mountain Rose and Snow Lotus have extremely strict standards for sourcing their raw material and distilling their oils. Just call them up. They will tell you about it all day long, you can visit them, etc. Young Living advertises their testing and standards as if they invented them and have some kind of exclusive thing going. They don’t. Other companies just don’t market it as much but all you have to do is ask. They let their products speak for themselves.
We have family that use YL oils and are quite happy with them. I have used oils from a variety of companies. I am continually struck at how weak the YL oils seem to be in both aroma and effectiveness although I didn’t realize it at first. They aren’t completey ineffective are harmful, they just aren’t as strong. My very first experience with essential oils was with YL oils. Their lavendar oil seemed pretty effective. I thought about buying some myself. In a pinch I had to get some so I bought a bottle of Wyndmere brand from Wholefoods. When I opened the bottle I was struck by how I could immediately smell it and the aroma was so calming and felt complete and pure. I realized I did not have that same experience with the YL brand previously. The difference was obvious. I can put one drop from the Wyndmere bottle on a bandaid over a cut and I can smell it all day long.
Recently a family member who is a big fan of YL had a C-section. We visited her in the hospital and I noticed throughout the visit she was smearing YL peppermint oil all over here face and neck CONTINUALLY, like 10 times during the 1 hour visit. She was doing it to help with the itchy neurological reaction to the epidural. I have Mountain Rose peppermint oil and I wouldn’t even think of smearing it directly on my skin without diluting it. It’s just too strong. I was sitting across the room and I got a small whiff of it just one time during the visit. When I open my bottle of Mountain Rose peppermint oil, everyone in the room knows it.
I have also tried YL rosemary oil on sore muscles as I am prone to lactic acidosis due to my lung disease. No dilution necessary. I HAD to use it full strength to at least get a little relief. When I use Mountain Rose rosemary essential oil, I dilute it and my soreness is completely gone by morning.
So here’s the deal, every YL fanatic I have met has a really hard time believing that another brand could even come close to YL and it usually turns out that they haven’t even really tried others. They seem so blinded by the scare tactics used by YL. Every really good herbalist or alternative health practitioner I have met that has any experience with essentail oils says YL is okay but other brands are better.
Jenn Jennings says
Love the eloquence, Jenn, and your choice of Mountain Rose is a fine one – their peppermint is exquisite!
Jenn Jennings says
Thanks for mentioning Worwood’s text ( It had slipped my mind) – it’s a great resource, and I don’t think the info is out of grasp for the newbies to essential oils.
Jeanne Rose’s website (https://www.jeannerose.net/) also is a good resource, and for those into the chemistry end, she posts the gas chromatography of the oils she distills. You can watch the process on youtube as well.
Vivienne says
Cecilia and Jen,
Thank you for your calm, reasonable responses. Up until I saw all of Sera’s 3,000 word posts, I was considering purchasing YL oils, but she scares me and turned me off of them. I will check out Mountain Rose Herbs instead and search my local library for V Worwood’s book.
D. says
Sera is an apostle of Gary Young, apparently. But I agree with Jen and Cecelia. Mt. Rose Herbs is a wonderful source for EO’s and a lot of other things. I use their variety of clays for a lot of things, too. I won’t recommend the use of EO’s internally but I will advise the use clay internally if I feel the need or someone else in my family does. Clay is about as natural as it gets. Has anyone else ever used their facial oils? I use the classic rose for everything including lip moisturizer. When I am really desperate to heal my fingertips and cuticles, because I wash my hands about a gazillion times daily, I use their oil for that. I also have used Solar Oil (not a Mt. Rose product though) and it also works very well for healing rough, sandpapery fingertips and ragged cuticles.
I love Worwood’s book, too. I’ve have had that thing for about 10 years now and the pages have dog-ears already!
Commenter via Facebook says
What I did learn about EO’s is that we have a very thin membrane way up inside the nose that separates nose and brain. Aromatherapies are effective because the tiny little compounds that give an EO their scent permeate this membrane and act right there. Interesting!
Commenter via Facebook says
I agree that it is good to use essential oils in a carrier oil especially for young children, but I use lavender, peppermint, thieves etc, straight on my skin, and I haven’t had an issue. I’m not affiliated with Young Living, but they are what I use, and I love them!
Jo @ Jo's Health Corner says
Congrats!
I use Young Living Oil as an Aromatherapist and I have tons of recipes and tips on my blog.
I use them for lots of things, I don’t know where to start. Hormonal problems, pet care, children, respiratory problems, pregnancy, pain relieve..
The Thieves blend consists of some of the most powerful anti-microbial oils available. The blend is founded on the legend of a group of thieves in the fourteenth century France. The thieves rubbed themselves with aromatics to stay immune before they robbed the plague victims.
Commenter via Facebook says
I studied them for 10 years, took many classes in NYC & have used 100’s of blends. There is so much to know & learn, if you have any specific questions please ask. Young Living is a great oil, but veyr expensive, my daughter tested 12 different brands of oils in the labs & I would go with Mountain Rose Herbs oils as they are 100% therapeutic (pure) oils & the price is very good for the quality. Essential oils work for many many ailments & relaxation.
Commenter via Facebook says
Vintage Remedies offers a course! I’m not affiliated and haven’t taken the course myself, but I have the book, and am a fan of the page and founder. Good, solid information.
Commenter via Facebook says
Most essential oils are not safe to apply straight on the skin, they need to be diluted in a carrier oil, olive, coconut, jojoba, etc, otherwise they can burn the skin. Some brands aren’t safe for topical use at all, just for aromatherapy. Make sure you get a safe brand and then they are wonderful!
Commenter via Facebook says
I have some specifically formulated for cramps/PMS and I make bath salts with them. I always feel better after a bath in those.
Commenter via Facebook says
I love essential oils! I have treated colds, ear infections, pink eye, heart burn, headaches, nausea, etc all with essential oils! Young living oils are amazing!
Commenter via Facebook says
Me too!
Commenter via Facebook says
I have somuch to learn too! Can’t wait to hear what others have to say. I know I love my diffuser!
Annette says
I’ve been using essential oils for years, here are a few of my faves:
Lavender, a must if you have kids 🙂 also marjoram does wonders for relaxing. I use a few drops of each mixed with almond oil then rub it on my kids feet and they fall quickly to sleep.
Peppermint us great to wake you up in the morning. A few drops in a steamy shower does wonders. Also great for headaches.
I use eucalyptus like Vicks vapor rub. Just mix with carrier oil and rubon chest.
I rub a little orange oil mixed with carrier oil on the back of my sons neck before he goes to school. He loves it. I find that if I do it before I have to go to a social event where I don’t know a lot of people it calms me.
I clean my floors with a little tea tree and lemon oil added to soapy hot water.
Great article. Will be bookmarking for later reference. I have children in grade school I’m sure we’ll have a bout of lice at some point.
Martha says
I use YL lemon in my yogurt. I put peppermint on the boys stomachs when they are upset. Thieves on the bottom of the feet before going out when something is going around. RC does a great job of staving off infections for my hubby when he gets a cold. I use oregano and pepper in cooking. I second (or third) the recommendation that you get a copy of the Essential Oils Desk Reference. When something comes up, I look up the condition and then choose which oil to use. I use the air freshener recipe from the book as well.
Fran K says
I’ve been using Young Living essential oils for well over 10 years. In that time, I have used them for burns, flu, skin tags, rashes, psoriasis, bumps bruises, sunburn, ADHD, insomnia, and my garden!!! These are just the ones that came to mind quickly, I’m sure if I took more time to think, I’d have many more. My daughters, sister, and niece use them regularily, yet many of our family and friends consider them hokey too. Look forward to hearing how you use yours and the results you have! Happy Oiling!!!
Michele Z says
I use Young Living as well! =) Clove works great for a toothache. Used it on myself as well as my daughter
Beka says
My mom has been a believer in Young Living essential oils ever since I was a child, but didn’t know a whole lot about them until recently when I signed up last year. I LOVE them! And you are right, they are the best quality oils you can get. Thieves oil is amazing because it was used by a group of four thieves during the black plague when they would raid the houses of those that died and they never got the plague. Thieves oil is the blend they would wear when they were exposed to the disease. It is the ultimate antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti everything that may harm you. I suggest wearing it when you know you are going to be exposed to someone who is sick and it will help you not get sick. Also I rub it on the bottom of my feet or my babies feet (always dilute any essential oil 20-80 with olive oil) when we are sick. And you’re right! Peppermint oil is the BEST cure for beating a headache instantly. Putting it behind your ears as well as behind you neck and on your forehead is excellent. Lavender oil and Sacred Mountain oil, 10 drops of each in your bath is the ultimate all around feel good relaxer for your mind and your muscles. I have also found that I LOVE their thieves toothpaste and my teeth have never felt cleaner and it less abrasive for your enamel than normal toothpaste. A diffuser is a great tool to diffuse the oils into the air to recieve the benefits as well. If you have mold anywhere in your home due to a water spill or anything diffusing thieves will kill the mold and protect you from the dangerous health effects mold can have. I also have tried their lip balm and love it better than any other natural lip balm I’ve tried. I recently tried their Thieves household cleaner as well and it’s concentrated so you mix one cup of water to 1 tsp of the cleaner in a spray bottle and it will degrease or clean any surface as well as disinfect and works on cleaning glass. The supplements that I’ve tried from their company are also excellent and of the highest quality. I especially love their fish oil supplement Omega Blue and they put essential oils in it to keep it from going rancid quickly which is a problem with fish oil. Hope that helps! I highly suggest the healing benefits of Young Living essential oils to anyone!
Beka says
Oh I meant to say always dilute any essential oil 20-80 with olive oil for babies! Not adults. Some are very strong and dilution is recommended for adults, but with babies sensitive skin it is recommended to always dilute any oil you put on a baby 20-80. Had to clarify that.
jay says
There is a great organic peppermint farm in St. Johns Michigan. http://www.crosbymintfarm.com The online store is http://www.getmintshop.com
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
Hey Kelly! I signed up w/ YL this past year too. :-).
1. Thieves killed an infection for me and a friend’s sinus infection.
2. They have some great helps for sleep.
3. I have used lavender often for cuts and burns
4. Peppermint for stomach issues.
5. Numerous oils for muscle and tendon issues
I could go on…but I am really happy with them.
Tracey says
I love YL oils, signed up a couple years ago, no desire to sell them, just for my personal use. You need to get the Essential Oils Desk Reference manual. It’s like an encyclopedia with what oil does what for your health. You can look up different ailments, and find the right oils to use.
The most popular uses we use is-
Peppermint- headaches, stomachaches (drop in water to drink or rub on belly)
PanAway- relieves pain for muscles, also relieved sore gum pain for my kids with retainers/braces. They told me the pain went away almost on contact.
Lavender- very relaxing, also, get this it works on our dogs! When they are too excited, hyper, just put some lavender on your hands and let them smell it, they lie down!!!
Oregano- I had a wart dissolve on my thumb using it for a couple weeks consistently.
Thieves- a must have! disinfectant, kills germs, I like the spray, and use in my throat the minute I feel a sore/tickle, and never get a full blown cold, also good for cleaning, mixing in with vinegar/water.
Lemon- love to mix in with my cleaning solution
I love the citrus scents- orange and grapefruit, invigorating!
There are SO many I love, but these are some of the must haves!
Amanda says
I’ve never purchased Young Living – but I often use Lavender for headaches. I most often get stress headaches, so the relaxing properties of lavender are ideal for my headaches.
I also use rosemary in a homemade cleaning solution.
Diane says
You can get something called Migrastick that is a tiny bottle with a roller applicator. It contains peppermint oil and lavender oil and it does work for migraine or tension headaches.
Rose says
When you click on the YL link, the first item that comes up is a juice (not essential oils) that contains Agave. I thought that a no-no? Most families that I know could not afford to pay $52.00 for one bottle of juice, regardless of the small amount needed. And, why do you have to keep it out of the reach of children? I am just not a fan of MLM, which I assume this is. I agree with Zusa, there are other excellent essential oils out there.
Zusa says
YL oils are good, though not as pure as claimed. I prefer to buy from an ethical company and would rather not give Gary Young my business. I buy from Native American Nutritionals.
D. says
Yes! I second this opinion. YL oils are not what they’re cracked up to be and neither is D. Gary Young. My motto is “never put all your eggs in one basket”. I use various companies whenever I purchase the oils and that way I can test them myself. There is little truth in advertising these days. People will say anything to make a buck and, in my experience, no one more than a committed user/seller. Be careful what you learn and from whom.
Diane says
When I had surgery in November, whatever they gave me to keep me unconscious made me extremely sick to my stomach. My stomach of course was empty, but my friend who stayed with me said I was wretching for about two hours in the recovery room. The next day, my abdominal muscles and ribs hurt each time I moved, and getting in and out of bed was very difficult and painful. Finally I slathered some almond oil mixed with a little peppermint oil all over my front. Instant relief! I did it maybe three times that day, and after that I was fine. So for any kind of sore muscles, peppermint oil in a carrier oil WORKS!
Once in London I tried to buy decongestant pills for the airplane trip home, since I felt some congestion and was worried about my ears. The pharmacist wouldn’t sell them to me unless I saw a doctor, but suggested Olbas oil. It’s a mix of oils. I bought that and now each time we go to London we buy some. You put a drop on a tissue and put in under your pillow case, or just open the bottle and sniff it. Some people say it smells like Vicks Vapo Rub, but I think it’s much nicer. It works quite well and is safe even for babies.
Jennifer Jennings says
Cedarwood and rosemary also work great for muscle ache, just be careful with the concentration, as it can be irritating to the skin. And don’t use if you’re pregnant. And Olbas has a great tradition of good products.
Jeanmarie says
Olbas is available at any natural foods store or pharmacy in the U.S., too! I use their inhaler when I (rarely) get a cold, so I can breathe at night! Great stuff.
jen says
I’ve been using YL oils for a little over a year now after I was convinced (from having tried various oils of my friend’s suggestion) to sign on! My top favorites (and what we are use them for) are:
Thieves –
— I mix a capful with about 20 oz of water (purchased a spray bottle) and use it for cleaning. I have one in each of my kids’ bathrooms, one in our general cleaning supplies area, and one in the kitchen. I feel good knowing my kids are using all natural ingredients when doing their chores and it leaves behind a pleasant smell for a short time.
—Get the Thieves little “hand spray” bottle and when you feel a sore throat or trickling in your throat coming on, spray the Thieves back there once or twice. Helps kick a cold early!
—Use the Thieves spray as “sassy spray” for little ones who get mouthy. 😀
—Apply Thieves oil to bottoms of feet before bed to help ward off any oncoming sickness.
Peppermint:
—add a couple drops to water for a minty water that is great for aiding digestion.
—massage into feet (especially arches and do it with a little force) to help alleviate headaches (if rubbing it on your temples or base of neck doesn’t work)
—put a drop or two on your finger and apply it to the back roof of your mouth with some pressure to help with headaches
—add to tea for a peppermint infusion (again helping with digestion)
—rub a couple drops on belly to help with digestion
Digize: (I keep a bottle of this in my purse for when we eat out…you just never know!)
—amazing for helping with digestion issues. At the first sign of a tummy ache, apply a few drops to the abdomen/intestinal area. Or I’ve been known to slosh it on if I have a really bad tummy ache (usually from eating something my body does not want in it!).
—apply a drop or two in the belly button to help with heartburn
Peace & Calming: This stuff is amazing for relaxing a stressed out being. My son (9 yo) sometimes gets very rambunctious and a quick application of P&C to his ears or collarbone area quickly (within two minutes!) calms him down. Husband also uses it before laying down to sleep at night – helps ease him into good sleep when his mind is polluted with work junk.
Lavender: also wonderful for inducing a peaceful sleep. I sprinkle it directly on our pillowcases and sheets and settle in for a great night. You can mix it with some water and a bit of all-natural dish soap (think Meyer or 7th Generation), and use it as a room or linen spray also.
Pan Away: my absolute fave oil for helping painful joints and muscles. I did Couch to 5K last year and I was never a runner. My knees would get pretty sore so I’d apply pan away to my knee area and my shins and my legs would feel so much better after. I really feel it helped me complete the running intervals too since I wasn’t in pain. Not to mention, the coolness and crispness of it is very invigorating.
Stress Away roll-on: ’nuff said eh?! Keep a roll-on in the purse and apply when feeling anxious or on edge (helped during the Christmas shopping season!).
Deb D says
Hi Kel,
There is a local lady who is a Massage Therapist and also has a degree in Oils. She does home “parties” where you invite your friends over and she will educate you on oils and send you home with a few scents. Let me know if you want additional information
Jennifer Jennings says
We use essential oils every day in our massage practice, but that being said, I think there’s some important info you might be missing. Essential oils are fantastic to use for almost every area of life, but nothing is a cure-all. Many of YL’s beliefs run absolutely opposite of what NAHA (National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy) believes, so I encourage you to research beyond the retailer at https://www.naha.org/. If world reknowned aromatherapists like Jeanne Rose, who have spent a lifetime with herbs and oils, take issue with things like internal use of essential oils, then perhaps you should ask yourself, why?
Finding out what essential oil works best is not just based on the oils basic properties – it also depends on the individual the oil is to be used on. Because we all have diverse ethnic backgrounds and physiology, not everything works on everyone the same way. The only way to truly test how effective an oil is on you, is to try it – properly diluted, of course. Very few oils should be used “neat” on the skin. Essential oils are extremely concentrated; just like the cyanide in apple seeds, you can eat a few with no ill effect, but concentrate them and it could kill you. The American notion that “more is better” does not apply here – it only helps sell more bottles of essential oil, sometimes at ridiculously high cost.
Sera says
I would check out these articles written by someone who was with the NAHA and who has an internationally recognized certification program.
“Answering the White Paper” https://www.raindroptraining.com/messenger/v5n6.html#whitepaper
“The British vs. The French: Two Schools at Odds” https://www.raindroptraining.com/messenger/v2n2.html
Jennifer Jennings says
I am familiar with both these articles, Sera, and they do make specific points in the many arguments circulating in the aromatherapy world, just like this one: https://www.aromaticsage.com/GYRDT.html.
Many of our clients use YL oils in their personal life and swear by them, so I’m not out to witchhunt YL, I assure you. Because we have a professional ethical responsibility to our clients, we cannot endorse – we can only relate what has worked for other clients and let them decide for themselves. Once you cross that boundary from therapists to salesmen and involve money, things tend to become, well, NOT altruistic.
YL aside, I would just encourage folks to buy organic, NEVER synthetic, do their research, and see what works for them.
Sera says
As for your statement of “therapists to salesmen” are you saying that you work as a therapist for free, and you do not involve money in your practice? If so, I could send a lot of free clients your way!
I don’t understand why you said “involve money”. Are there free essential oils out there? Does not every essential oil company sell their oils? How do the farmers pay their farm hands and pay for their farming equipment? How do the distilleries pay their employees or maintain their facilities? How can as essential oil company who knows they have the highest quality of essential oils out there (and prove it with documented medical studies such as the frankincense vs. cancer medical study done in 2009 with the Young Living Frankincense… here’s a link to that published peer reviewed medical study… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19296830 ) actually get their essential oils to the rest of the world except by one of the best business models, network marketing, as taught at Harvard and other major universities?
I would not bring “money” into the discussion as nothing in this world is free, and we all have to earn money to afford basic necessities in life.
As for “NOT altruistic”, how is having to subsidize a farm that has the highest quality of lavendula angustifolia with millions of dollars a year just to be able to continue to provide the world with a lavender (St. Maries Lavender) that has such a broad scope of health benefits not altruistic? This doesn’t make sense in the business world to people only out for money!
I could go on and on with “altruistic” examples.
As for the article you cited, I would not cite an article by someone who is only re-posting outrageous statements made by other people who, themselves, have no legs to stand on.
Instead, I would go to the source and become an eye-witness to the quality of a product and the integrity of a company. My family members have made it a point to be involved as much as possible in learning Young Living’s process in making essential oils by going to the farms (both in the U.S. and in Ecuador) and the distilleries and by learning as much as they can about the essential oil industry, essential oils themselves and the chemistry of essential oils.
As for the link you posted and how they just repeat allegations made by other people, if I were questioning the owner of a company, I would go to the source, ask him myself, talk to his family members and people who have worked closely with him for years, talk to friends of his ex-wives, etc., which my family members have done. I would work hard to get the FACTS and hear from the horse’s mouth. And then, only then, would I proceed to even consider publishing an article that tries to defame the person let alone the company.
I agree with you that people need to be informed and educated and do their own research, but to fully understand the world of essential oils, they really need to understand farming, growing, harvesting and distilling… and even understand the chemistry of essential oils. To tell people to only get oils that are “organic and never synthetic” is easier said than done, especially in the U.S. and especially since organic doesn’t mean that an essential oil is automatically the best quality. So much has to do with the harvesting and distilling of an essential oil BEYOND being organic and free of synthetics.
I encourage you to dig a bit deeper and learn more about essential oils and the process it takes to get the very best quality of essential oils. I would encourage you to visit a farm and distillery and a testing facility, especially since essential oils are such a part of your job. Ask to help with the processes and ask if they would teach you more about how to grow, harvest and distill so you can understand quality even better.
The added knowledge you would receive could help your clients in even greater ways as a therapist.
Sera says
Jennifer, I also think it is quite ironic that you would cite someone who is working with a group out to put you and your industry… and the entire natural health industry… out of business. They think that ANYONE using any “natural” means (including good quality food full to improve health) outside of prescription drugs to get healthier are “Quacks”.
In your efforts to help your clients and help inform people, you really need to double check your sources that you cite. Someone going to that cite could then be directed to someone else who says you and what you do to help people are “Quacks”.
Jenn Jennings says
Sera, I think you missed the part where I said, “I’m not out to witchhunt YL, I assure you,” and “things tend to become, well, NOT altruistic.” I was simply stating that too often a product becomes a magic bullet and its properties become hyperbolized to magical levels, especially when things are profit driven by corporate advertising (not unlike Jo @ Jo’s Health Corner commented below). Yes, we all need money to live, but our responsibilities as healthcare professionals is to be exactly that – responsible. One of the most responsible paths is to encourage your patients/clients to become their own health advocates, and “look beyond” the surface information to make their own decisions. Not to push any one particular viewpoint. If my massage clients don’t respond to massage, I may refer them to an acupuncturist, or a nutritionist, but I won’t continue to encourage them that my modality is the best or the only choice for them. If they decide massage is quackery, fine – at least I know I didn’t coerce them.
Considering that I have quite good knowledge of all those resources you suggested, and have even distilled a few EOs myself, I, and many of the readership here, have little time or money to go chat with Gary Young or any other essential oil distillers – and that’s my point. Folks in this forum may have very little essential oil experience, and are relying on responsible, unbiased information, so that it why I encourage individual research. There’s tons of info for all sides to dig thru, and some of the best stuff is the stories they share here – which is why Kelly asked for this input at the end of her blog. To share, not to lambast or flame. Methinks you protest too much, Sera.
Jo @ Jo's Health Corner says
The French doctors use essential oils internally, but I can see why there are authorities out there that are not promoting internal use of essential oils. There tons of brands out there and most people don’t know how to test the oils they buy for purity. One of the biggest problem I see today is irresponsible advise being given, many of them being from YL distributors. It gives companies and other distributors a bad name..I see the internal use of essential oils being carelessly recommended, in huge amounts that is not healthy..
It was nothing in my aromatherapy education from American College of Health Care Sciences that said oils could not be used internally. The biggest problem I see is people without proper knowledge about essential oils are promoting to use them internally. I’ve seen people on facebook taking about how they add lots of drops of one or two oils to capsules to ingest to counteract the bad food they ate earlier etc..
I love my YL oils but they are not a magic pill, it all need to starts with diet and lifestyle and essential oils or herbs for that matter, should only be used when needed…
Maggie says
We have been using YL oils for years now. My MIL is into them. Hubby and I both suffer a lot of sinus issues. We use peppermint a whole lot. I also have thieves cleaner and Hubby uses Thieves on his neck when he starts to feel unwell (He gets everything that comes down the pike. )
My ADHD now-16 YO has used Peace and Calming, but very inconsistently. My MIL loves YL oils.
Linda says
Anyone have a suggestion for treating torn ligaments? Looking for anything… arnica helps a little, but not enough.
Sera says
Young Living’s essential oil from their farm in Ecuador called Palo Santo is AMAZING at helping repair ligaments!!! It has similar properties to the Young Living Frankincense but has some unique qualities with one being for ligaments.
Linda says
Do you rub it on topically, or need to mix it with anything? Thanks so much!
Sera says
As I am not a doctor, I cannot answer specific questions on exactly how to treat. I can, however, direct you to a great resource to know specifically how to use them. It is called the “Essential Oils Desk Reference” (the latest edition is the 5th edition/Legacy edition) published by Life Science Publishing. It has all the details on the Young Living essential oils and a GREAT A-Z symptoms guide. This is where you would learn how, how much, how often, etc. to use specific essential oils for specific health issues. The reference book is quite large but there is a pocket version as well. You can get either at the publishers site at http://www.LifeSciencePublishers.com. The smaller pocket version was out of stock yesterday but I heard that it will be back very soon. Another website that stocks it is http://www.abundanthealth4u.com.
Now, I CAN tell you how my sister used it for a blown out knee due to a college basketball injury. She applied the Palo Santo directly to the knee over the affected ligaments. She used 2-3 drops on location several times a day. It is a very mild oil, so she didn’t need to dilute it with a carrier. Also, she did ingest some in capsules as well. But mostly direct on location.
Lucinda says
RC is awesome for “unstuffing”. I also love Aroma Siez with Ortho Sport for sore muscles. Sacred Mountain is good for grounding, and in people who do not get calm from Peace and Calming, Sacred Mountain seems to work.
Virginia says
Hello! I love Thieves Oil. It is a broad spectrum antimicrobial. You can use it as a cleaner around the house AND spray it in your mouth when you start to feel sick. They make it in hand soap, throat losenges, a concentrate to use in laundry, and for cleaning around the house. When my 5 year old has a cold I rub it on the soles of her feet, spray along her spine and diffuse her room with it. I have staved off a cold numerous times by spraying Thieves in my throat. It is wonderful! 🙂
Beka says
Hi! It is the thieves household cleaner that you can use as laundry soap? Can you tell me how much you need per load? And if you need to dilute it? I just bought it recently and would love to know. Also, do you know how to use it for the dishwasher? Thanks!
Valerie H says
I got into herbs in the 90’s. It seemed really big then with people starting to look for alternative remedies. I have made salves, decoctions, teas from fresh and dried herbs. Wildcrafting is also fun. Recently someone showed me a few plants growing wild in my yard are edible and deliciious. (lambsquarters and purslane) I love to read about herbal wisdom. Over milennia, through trial and error, ancient peoples developed wisdom about plants in their vicinity. They know what grows where, when to pick it and how to use it. It was passed on in every generation and it does take a lifetime to master. It is so wonderful that in every place humans live, there exists a few cure-all plants that have uses for almost every situation. It is a great loss that most of the european and north american herbal wisdom was lost. In Europe it was lost through the advent of universities and “witch” burnings. In North America it was lost through the persecution of the native peoples. Both of these were about consolidation of power. We have to reinvent the wheel through scientific discovery.
Essential oils are very interesting as well. This book was helpful – Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child by Worwood. I also learned a lot from Nature’s Gift company. A few years ago I bought an oil kit and used it for baths, balms, diffusers. I love Dr. Bronner’s soap and I add essential oils to various dispensers of that soap in the house. Geranium is a beautiful scent. it surprised me because I dislike the flowers. From what I understand, Young’s essential oils encourages people to put essential oils on straight. There is the Raindrop Technique. Everything else I have read advises caution except for the mildest oils – such as lavender perhaps. Essential oils are said to be very powerful due to the concentration. I’m confused about that practice.
Both of these modalities require extensive knowledge and a huge inventory to really enjoy and flourish in the field. Yet with only a handful of plants or oils, one can try and learn. It can be overwhelming at the amount of variety and knowledge. It is also freeing to know which local weeds are edible or make great tea.
Sera says
As for being confused about essential oils and why Young Living’s can be used directly on the skin (diluted for a few “spicy” ones like Oregano) and can even be ingested while most on the market canNOT be ingested and have to be highly diluted, it all has to do with the growing, harvesting and distilling of the essential oils. The majority of the essential oils in the world (about 99% of the essential oils in the U.S.) are distilled according to perfume grade practices, which leaves out important chemical constituents that make them safe to use directly or safe to ingest, and are even often cut with synthetics to extend them and to change the smell which also makes them dangerous to use topically directly on the skin (“neat”) let alone ingest. Young Living has truly reinvented the distillation process and also the process by which each herbs is grown and when and how it is harvested. In the essential oil world, especially in Europe, the world’s top essential oil experts are baffled at how Young Living gets the quality that they do.
So with decades of essential oils around the world being processed by means that at best make them perfume grade, most of the literature you will see outside of those experts who know how to use the Young Living essential oils, will say to use them with high dilution or just smell them and will NOT say to ingest them.
But with the Young Living essential oils, you can be confident in the fact that they CAN be used as supplements and can be used directly on the skin as in the Raindrop Technique.
If you would like to learn even more about how and why the Young Living essential oils can be used with such versatility, then I would highly suggest getting a book called “The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple” by Dr. David Stewart. Or you can go to his website at http://www.RaindropTraining.com and read his archived articles where he has written about the topic you alluded to… the difference between the English model, German model and French models of using essential oils and what the science is behind being able to so extensively use the Young Living essential oils.
I hope this helps in taking the confusion out of the essential oil world. 🙂
Paula says
I plan to start processing through getting my holistic wellness professional certificate through http://www.vintageremedies.com sometime this year.
over the counter and prescriptions just do not work well for me, and I know this is true of so many out there.
Beth says
I’ve been using Thieves Oil for years but I’m sure that I’m not using it to its full potential. My lymph glands swell a lot (not like they use to though!) and I rub it on my neck glands for relief. I also rub it on my feet when I remember at bedtime with a lotion.
For my chronic ear issues and sinus issues I use something called Tei Fu for congestion. I cringe when I see my Mom’s Rx decongestants that she’s constantly using and just want to tell her to toss them and use this oil. I haven’t told her yet but I might just buy her a bottle (it worked with switching her salt over!). Last weekend I saw a new box of yucky decongestants plus a codeine cough syrup – yikes! They have a peppermint oil that I’ve been using also.
https://tinyurl.com/756zdq9
Oh, about the Young Living Thieves Oil – a few years ago I had been extra sick and my glands were going crazy so I was applying it a LOT for several days. I was thrilled to see one of my skin tags just dry up and fall off! Warning though, then I thought I was so smart and did it on purpose on another tag, covering it with a band-aid. Big mistake. The oil interacted with the sticky strip and really really irritated my skin.
Thanks for the tip about Tea Tree Oil in the VCO for ring worm. We’re dealing with it right now. Last night I put VCO that had peppermint oil (left over as a chest rub when other dd had a bad cough last week instead of Vicks) all over dd’s leg where it’s spread from her arm. I’ll add in tea tree oil. I’ll go back and read your link but plain VCO cured my ring worm years ago after I tried all of the conventional ointments and wasted money and another dd’s that she caught from some lambs at a county fair when she passed out ribbons (petting and loving on every lamb as she awarded them).
I’m looking forward to more comments from your readers and learning more about EOs. The Thieves Oil has been so incredibly helpful to me. I’m glad you decided to go with them since they’re who I use :).
Ann Marie @ CHEESESLAVE says
Wow I’m going to try that on a skin tag I have — thanks!
Diane says
I bought my first bottle of essential oil this week, lemongrass oil, to rub into my foot because I’m suffering from plantar faciitis and a heel spur and someone on the MDA forum said that it helped them with that problem. I’ve tried everything else and am desperate for relief so I figured why not?!! I’ll let you know if it ends up helping.
Maryjane says
Diane — I suffered from plantar faciitis for years until my doctor suggested that I try the detoxing foot bath that some practitioners do (I’m not sure of the official name — it’s the kind where you stick your feet in warm water with this little motor-like thing). I was highly skeptical, but my doctor said that he personally had experienced relief from plantar faciitis using this treatment, as well as several patients. I had a friend who did this, so I tried it; after TWO treatments, my pain from the plantar faciitis was GONE, and has not returned. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t experienced it. However, I’m not sure it would do anything for your heel spur . . .
Diane says
Thanks Maryjane, I will definitely look into that!
Virginia says
What was IN the foot treatment?
Maryjane says
As far as I know, nothing was in the foot treatment — only water and the little motor-thing (I wish I knew what it was called). I do not know how it works, but it is amazing to see the results — all the stuff that is in the water when you are done. I do not believe that all that stuff could come out of that little motor.
I saw the preparation of the water bath — just water, and then the little machine is put in the water. I totally trust the person who did the treatment — she is an old friend, who truly desires to help people and is not just trying to make money.
I’m usually pretty skeptical and not prone to quickly accept the latest alternative fad, but I cannot deny the results I experienced. I paid a lot of money for shoe inserts and expensive shoes before I tried this inexpensive solution.
Beka says
I think it’s called an ionic foot bath and some massage therapists, chiropractors and people who perform colonics own the machine and you can pay a fee to get it done. I would call around to the local practitioners in your area and see if you can find one. Hope that helps
D. says
I’m sorry, but I think ionic foot baths are a bunch of bunk. I do, however, believe that magnesium oil in a foot bath will aid your whole body. Seems everyone is short of magnesium. Just my PO. But, as the first poster in this particular part of the thread mentioned, just a plain water bubbly foot bath is helpful too, because it aids in relaxation.
But I do know about plantar fasciitis. A good chiropractor can adjust your leg from hip to knee to ankle to toes and get rid of it. A good massage therapist can help, after the chiropractic treatment, to keep it from returning.
Laurel says
I get total relief from PF using a $50 ultrasound machine. You can get them on amazon. My chiropractor offers these treatments for $10 each but I really needed to do it everyday so I bought my own machine. You need gel or ky jelly to put on the bottom of your foot and 10 mins per day with the ultrasound machine will knock it out.
Diane says
The laser helped my left foot when I had PF several years ago, but with my right foot it doesn’t seem to work, and I think it’s because of the large heel spur that I have on that foot. As far as using the lemongrass oil on my foot, does anybody know how long you need to use it before you see some kind of relief? Days, weeks? I’ve been using it for 2 1/2 days now and nothing yet…
Layce says
Massage therapy can also help with the PF, quite effectively. Try peppermint oil, there are many oils you can use and if one doesn’t work, move to another, you have to find one that works with your chemistry. Address emotional issues that might be calling as well. OIls are amazing but people often make the mistake of stopping because one didn’t do something when there are many that are in the same family or have a certain therapeutic benefit but you have to keep trying. What works for one doesn’t always work for another, you’re deal with with chemistry, both in the oils and the body. Don’t give up, try, try, try again. 🙂 Something antinflamatory, which there are many. I use them in my massage practice very effectively.
Jenn Jennings says
Layce’s right – we see a lot of PF folks, and most were suggested surgery as a fix. The essential oils that have worked the best for us have been the anti-viral, anti-bacterials: oregano, rosemary, tea tree (which also fights athlete’s foot), and lavender. We switch them out because, like Layce said, everybody is different.
Tara says
Weird Lemongrass Story: I had a friend in N. Va with a son with major issues going on such as skin rashes and autistic behaviors. He was under two at the time. We suspected parasites/yeast/other unruly culprits. We put lemongrass essential oil on the soles of his feet only. The next morning her husband was surprised to find a diaper full of squiggly “worms” — YUK! Well, as Shrek says, “Better out than in!”
Beth says
Were they dead or alive? In his stool? Gross, but glad to hear your story :). I tried looking up lemongrass and parasites to see more info but gave up before I found anything. I understand if you don’t really want to answer my questions, lol. I’m just always on the lookout for natural parasite help. I was really surprised when I read how the lemongrass just on the soles expelled them so I was wondering if they were killed or just expelled.
Tara says
They told me they were “moving” and he had more than one diaper like this. I remembered at the time that Lemongrass was a good anti-fungal and good for digestion. It just happened to be an appropriate oil I had with me at the time. A great resource is “Essential Oils Pocket Reference” by Life Science Publishing. It says this, “Lemongrass is used for purification and digestion….applied topically it’s powerful anti-fungal.” Uses: bladder infection, respiratory/sinus infection, digestive problems, parasites, torn ligaments/muscles, fluid retention, varicose veins, Salmonella.
I thought of it because it’s used a lot in areas of the world that are very moist and humid which are usually high parasite areas. Going back to that WAPF looking at old world ways of doing things.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Elizabeth Bozard says
Diane,
See a massage therapist for your plantar fasciitis. Knots in your calf shorten the muscles that pull on the attachment sites on the bottom of your foot where it hurts. It hurts because your muscles are so tight that they are pulling away from where they attach filling the gap with bone causing your heel spur. In time once the muscles are released the bone spur can go away on its own without surgery. It only appeared due to the increased stress on the bone from the conically contracted muscles. you have a 50 50 shot with surgery. often times surgeries makes it worse due to the unavoidable scar tissue. Same goes for carpal tunnel syndrome but the knots or (trigger points) for that is are in the forearm and shoulder.
Linda says
No experience, but would like to try them, especially the calming one. Would you consider doing a giveaway?
Patti says
Heartland Renaissance has a post and recipe for thieves oil. I bought the ingredients, now I just need to make it.
Sera says
You might end up with something that MIGHT smell similar to Thieves, but you won’t end up with something that has the INCREDIBLY diverse health benefits and microbial activity of Thieves… unless you take your blend to have it tested by GC/MS machines calibrated to high essential oil standards…. and do this 5 times!
You could use your blend to make the house smell nice, but you will have NO way to know if it kills the many different microbes such as bacteria, viruses, mold spores and dust mites like Thieves does.
The art of blending is quite an exact science (read “The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple” by Dr. David Stewart), and you need the highest quality of essential oils when blending.
When I use my Thieves essential oil blend from Young Living, I KNOW it has been tested 5 times for its SPECIFIC chemical constituents. I KNOW that it can be used internally as a supplement. So I KNOW that when I put a few drops in some honey or Grade B maple syrup to give to my children to soothe a sore throat, it is not only going to help take the soreness away and kill the microbes causing the sore throat, but it is going to be completely safe for them to ingest!
I love knowing that when I diffuse the Thieves in my bathroom that sometimes gets mold in the corner of the shower, that I am going to be killing the mold spores and ALSO the mold spores in the air because I can read all the scientific case studies on mold remediation using the Young Living Thieves blend in a book called “Nature’s Mold Rx: the Non-Toxic Solution to Toxic Mold” by Edward R. Close, PhD and Jacquelyn Close, RA.
When I put the Thieves on one of my children’s cuts or scrapes to keep infection away, I love knowing that it has already been tested for its antimicrobial benefits and will safely help the wound heal with no infection.
As a wife and mother of 4 children, I love the peace of mind that I can safely use the Young Living essential oils and the Thieves blend in so many different ways for my family because of all the studies already done out there and the fact that they have been tested by their own equipment AND by independent labs 5 times!
I also love the fact that Young Living lets me come to any of their farms and teaching me the process of growing, harvesting and distilling and lets me get involved in helping with those processes (which I have at their farm in St. Maries, Idaho farm… and my parents have at their Ecuador farm and St. Maries farm).
Most other companies don’t even know where their oils were grown let alone where or how they were harvested or distilled.
I LOVE being able to trust my source for essential oils!!!
Dr. David Stewart, author of “Healing Oils of the Bible” and “The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple” has a great article on how to know if you have the best quality essential oils and what question to ask an essential oil company regarding their quality. Here is a link to that article… https://www.raindroptraining.com/messenger/v6n4.html#questions
Vivienne says
Are you employed by Young Essentials?
Sera says
Vivienne, no I am not an employee of Young Living. I just use their oils and passionately believe in trusting your source for your food and “medicine” and getting to know as much as you can about them and the process by which they make the end product that you are getting.
I am a wife and homeschooling mother of 4 blessings in Texas. Once upon a time, I fed my family nothing but processed and fast food (I call myself the “Former Fast Food Queen”) which caused two of my children to have chronic health issues…. which I did to them by feeding them toxic junk. But thankfully, several years ago, the Lord opened my eyes to see what I was doing to them and their health and set me on an amazing journey toward abundant health and learning what God has provided us for our health and wellness.
Because of all of this, I take my family’s health VERY seriously!!!
As for our food, I like to support local farmers and get to know where our food comes from and how it is grown. We are getting ready to visit a few of the local, organic, sustainable farms in this area very soon in the spring and be a part of their CSA’s.
As for our medicine (essential oils), I take it even more seriously and that is why I needed to TRUST my source for essential oils and have gone to the extent of visiting two of Young Living’s farms here in the states and getting involved in harvesting and distillation and this summer, my husband and I are going to visit the Young Living farm in Ecuador.
I am now VERY passionate about my family’s health and I take full responsibility in helping them be the very healthiest that they can be and creating lasting, healthy eating habits and knowing why they need to eat healthy food and use the best quality “natural medicines” (essential oils).
Once upon a time, I was ignorant and uninformed about how to feed my family and take care of their health and wellness….
but not any more!!! 🙂
Kathy Atkinson says
All essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-tumoral, anti-biotic, etc. Some may be more of one than the other, but all essential oils contain these qualities.
I appreciate Gary Young’s contribution to the science of essential oils and YL oils are wonderful as are doTERRA and Butterfly Express.
Learning about the health benefits of THERAPEUTIC GRADE
Kathy Atkinson says
essential oil is a wonderful place to start and much more important than pledging alegiance to a particular brand.
D. says
You might want to look a little closer at the Young Living stuff.
Tara says
Again, I just love all this great dialogue.
With essential oils, simply put…It’s Just like any of the wonderful real food we all love. Know your farmer visit the farms. Find out if the company even has their own farms or do they outsource everything. Find out if they know how to distill properly. Meet the farmers, Ask some questions, visit some of their farms or talk to the people who have done so.
I’ve walked to a Palo Santo forest with Gary and Mary’s children at their farms in Ecuador. I’ve planted lavender at Young Living’s farm in Utah. I’ve talked to Gary Young, eye to eye about the quality of seeds, soil and distillation. I plan to be a part of a harvest as soon as my kid’s get a little older. I know my farmer!
Harvesting and Distillation…
Oils not distilled properly can have a range from non-effective to harmful outcomes. Oils with fillers and synthetic impurities used along with petroleum based lotions or things like baby oil can actually burn the skin.
Educate yourself on how to use them properly. A good essential oil used properly is a powerful thing. It is distilled which means VERY concentrated. Less is usually more– much like homeopathy in that sense.
Kelly will be posting some of the educational materials I’m creating until then here are some great sources: The Essential Oil Desk or Pocket Reference, just about anything written by Dr. David Stewart and Dr. Peter Minke and his wife have some amazing information about the Science of how/why essential oils work.
I personally am not a science/research buff, I’m results oriented. Does is work or not? Are they doing thing the right way? (organic, non-GMO, harvesting, distilling, etc)
As always “Learn to Discern.” Your body will help you decide what is right, real and uplifting.
Peace and Be Well,
Tara
Jen says
No, blending is not an exact science. Start out with good quality essential oils from Mountain Rose or Snow Lotus and you’ll end up with your own wonderful version of Thieves oil, too.
You could even buy those same herbs (from a place like Mountain Rose or Frontier) and make your own thieves vinegar or infused oil that is just as effective.
The wonderful thing about herbalism and essential oils is that dosing and formulas don’t have to be done by so called experts to be effective. A little home knowledge goes a long way! Heck, if you live in the right climate you can even grow the herbs yourself.
D. says
I prefer the oils from Mt. Rose, too. I would rather make up my own blends and I like the idea of buying things in bulk. The shipping is so much less. I’ve been making up my own blends of oils for some time now and my version of the Four Thieves is what I use on my wood floors (a few drops in a bucket of warm water). It sanitizes and I don’t need to use soap at all – and my floors just shine and the smell is wonderful. I also use a couple of drops in my dish water (I don’t use a dishwasher except to store my dirty dishes until I can wash them by hand!). Dishwashers, in my experience, are a wonderful place for germs to hide and dishes NOT to get clean. If the edges of the glasses aren’t clean and the silverware still has food on it, I don’t consider them clean just because they went through a “sanitizing” dishwasher cycle, although I have friends who think exactly that. Arg.
I have one of those oil burner thingys where you put a tea light candle under the “bowl” – I burn sage in it (not the oil, the actual herb) and it helps purify the air if someone is ill. Smells kinda like burning grass, but it does work.
I’ve never been a fan of Young Living – long story. But I do like to clean with essential oils. I use the Mt. Rose Herbs EO’s for skin or internal uses, and the el cheapo brands for cleaning and just perfumy stuff. Not that any of them are cheap, but I mean I don’t insist on USP grade for cleaning, etc.
Soli @ I Believe in Butter says
I love essential oils but have never gotten much further than using tea tree oil and lavender oil for calming.
Stephanie says
We use oregano oil when we feel a cold coming on. Either in a capsule, or for the kids diluted in olive oil and rubbed on their feet. Seems to do the trick, we haven’t had many colds this winter. Unfortunately we keep getting the stomach flu. I’ll have to find something that works for that now!
Peggy says
We keep a bottle of peppermint eo on the school table (dining room table) for math time. Perks us up! I love orange oil in my homemade cleaners and ylang ylang mixed with rosemary is my “perfume.”
Wendy says
I’m learning about herbs at the moment, and many salves/moisturizer recipes call for essential oils. I’m hoping to make my own lip balm too soon. I like lavender best, I think, and usually buy the Dr Bronner’s with lavender essential oils in it.
Soccy says
I’m with you. I want to know more. I’m looking forward to the comments and follow ups on this post. Thanks!