Why I Use Essential Oils

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS ?

Essential oils are volatile (easily evaporated) liquids and aromatic compounds found within shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds that are usually extracted through steam distillation.

In their pure state essential oils are some of the most concentrated natural extracts known. Have you ever thought of a plant having its own immune system? Each plant contains unique oils protecting it from pathogenic microorganisms (think, fungi, bacteria, etc.) and plant injuries. Essential oil have been around for thousands of years. Mentioned in the Bible some 200 times and in ancient medical tests; today they are fast becoming much more than the aromatherapy of the 1970's. Science is continually the multifaceted aspects of true 100% therapeutic, medical, clinically potent and pure essential oils.

WHY USE ESSENTIAL OILS ?

To enhance your physical and mental wellness:

I truly believe in looking after our whole selves not just parts; in creating a Wellness Toolkit. For me, essential oils are an integral part of my kit.

While some essential oils may uplift the spirits, others may empower you to release negative thoughts and habits.

Essential oils can be your key to a more fulfilling and balanced emotional life. From cleansing and weight management to supporting every system of the body, essential oils and essential oil-infused supplements can provide the balance you need to get your health back on track.

If you want to see how I've used essential oils on my journey with PCOS see here.

To clean and purify your home:

I am slowly eliminating harsh chemicals from my home and in particular in cleaning products and replacing them with natural cleaners. I use essential oils every day in my cleaning routine. Not only do I get therapeutic benefits from using these oils while cleaning, but I am saving so much money too!

If you're interested in learning How To Create A Toxin-Free Home Without Breaking The Bank (Or Using Much Effort) then register for our FREE online event  on 9th November here.

Prevention:

We use essential oils for the prevention of illness.

Whenever my kids are exposed to bugs at school, or in the community, I turn to Thieves oil (and many others) to give them some immune support.

I also use essential oils in my daily beauty regime and to keep my body looking and feeling healthy!

Essential oils are a tool to be used in preventing illness and in turn promoting health. You can check out my 'Living With Oils' pinboard where I pin all of my favourite remedies and recipes.

WHY YOUNG LIVING ?

YOUNG LIVING INSPIRES WELLNESS, PURPOSE AND ABUNDANCE BY DISTILLING NATURE'S GREATEST GIFTS INTO PURE ESSENTIAL OILS. WITH A COMMITMENT TO PLANT PURITY AND ESSENTIAL OIL POTENCY, YOUNG LIVING CONTINUES TO GROW; INSPIRING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES. WHAT STARTED OUT AS A SMALL BUSINESS IN 1993, HAS BEEN PROPELLED INTO THE HIGHEST ACCOLADE OF 'WORLD LEADER'S OF ESSENTIAL OILS'. YOU CAN BE ASSURED WHEN YOU ARE USING YOUNG LIVING PRODUCTS THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE BEST OF THE BEST ! YOUNG LIVING OWN THEIR OWN FARMS, ALL OVER THE WORLD...AND THEY TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THEIR FARMING PRACTISES, WHICH ARE BEYOND ORGANIC. 

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR FARMING PRACTISES AT WWW.SEEDTOSEAL.COM

If you would like to learn more about essential oils, then browse this site, feel free to get in contact with me and check out the 'Wellness Toolkit' page.

Spotlight On: Thieves Household Cleaner

Are you looking to create a toxin-free home ? Do you worry about letting the kids help you clean because of the chemicals ? Then register for my free online training event today - REGISTER HERE


Have I told you lately how much I love Thieves? 

Did you know that there is a whole range of products containing Thieves?

I use all of these products, as do my family. But I have a love affair with the Thieves household cleaner. I love that I only need one cleaner for everything, I don't need to wear those oh so flattering marigold gloves, I'm breathing in essential oils that will benefit my health, not chemicals that won't.

Why use Thieves Essential Oil Household Cleaner to do all your Household Cleaning?

Thieves Cleaner is:

• A non- toxic cleaner made with natural surfactants and therapeutic oils;
• An environmentally friendly product that has organic and biodegradable materials;
• A multipurpose concentrate that should be diluted for various applications;
• Highly effective in supporting the immune system and good health, since it contains the unique Young Living Thieves blend of essential oils;

As well as cleaning the house, the bathroom, carpets and all else in between, I also use it to clean windows, the car and so much more. It is very effective as a cleaner for the dishwasher and washing machine when mixed with white vinegar. A capful is also particularly effective when added to a heavily soiled load of washing.

The following is a basic guide to the Thieves household cleaner.

To purchase this, or any other Young Living product with 24% off R.R.P. please follow this link.

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Thieves Household Cleaner™

What is in Thieves Household Cleaner?

There are several natural ingredients as well as five therapeutic grade essential oils in Thieves Cleaner. 

The natural ingredients include:

• Deionized Water
• Alkyl Polyglucoside
• Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate derived from coconut
• Disodium 2- Sulfolaurate
• Soy Lecithin (a natural emulsifier)

Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate and Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate are natural plant based surfactants that do not raise any health concerns. There are no restrictions and/or warnings about these compounds - Awesome!

The essential oils are listed below along with a brief description of each oil:

• Clove (Syzygium Aromaticum) may help boost immunity,and promote oral health. Clove is also the highest ranked natural antioxidant. This is a crucial ingredient to the Thieves blend because of it has immune enhancing properties.
• Lemon (Citrus limon) Lemon consists of 68 percent d-limonene, a powerful antioxidant; and may be beneficial for the skin. It has cleansing and purifying properties.   Jean Valnet MD estimated that it takes 3,000 lemons to produce one kilo of oil.
• Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum)  This oil may help to stimulate the immune system, which helps to maintain welness and energy; and may promote a healthy cardiovascular system.
• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata) may be used to support the respiratory system; and to soothe muscle discomfort after exercise - hence it's use in steam rooms and Spa's.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis CT cineol) is one of the plants most written about in ancient texts and used throughout history. It may help to stimulate hair growth and may aid in focusing the mind.

How do I use it?

Each bottle of the Thieves Cleaner contain diluting instructions as follows:

• General Cleaning: 30:1 (water/solution)
• Heavy Degreasing: 15:1 (water/solution)
• Light Degreasing: 50:1 (water/solution)
• Glass Cleaning: 50-100:1 (water/solution)
• Dishwasher: Add 1 capful to the bottom of the dishwasher.
• Floors: Add 1 capful to 6 to 6 ½ cups water (depending on what is needed).
• Carpet: Add 1 capful to 6 to 6 ½ cups water (depending on what is needed).
• Washing Machine/Laundry: Add 1-3 capfuls depending on the size of the load.

In the Thieves Essential Rewards Kit (that came in my February Essential Rewards order) you get two bottles which are each 426ml. One of these bottles lasts me six months and as I say I use it for everything, so not only is it a natural products that benefits you as you clean but you can save money too!

This video shows how to dilute the cleaner and talks a bit about the product:

To purchase this, or any other Young Living product with 24% off R.R.P. please follow this link and to read about building a Wellness Tool Kit, see here.

PRODUCE WASH

Have you heard of the Dirty Dozen?

Not the film but the twelve fruits and vegetables most contaminated by pesticides.

    ▪    Peaches

    ▪    Apples

    ▪    Sweet Bell Peppers

    ▪    Celery

    ▪    Nectarines

    ▪    Strawberries

    ▪    Cherries

    ▪    Pears

    ▪    Grapes (Imported)

    ▪    Spinach

    ▪    Lettuce

    ▪    Potatoes

Eurgh! I so don’t want to put pesticides in my mouth. Gag.

So, how can we get rid of them without cutting these foods?

Most people just wash fresh fruits and veggies in regular old tap water. However, now that we know so much more about chemicals, pesticides and all the junk coming in contact with our produce, we should be more particular about how we clean everything. 

Simply add 2 drops of Lemon oil to your bowl of water and fruit.  Let it sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Rinse off then enjoy (clean) food !

Which step will you take first ?

CREEPY CRAWLIES BE GONE

Use a bottle of essential oil spray around skirting boards, windows and the entrance of your home.  Spray 1-2 times per week and any time you see a creepy crawly.  Using this instead of conventional bug killer, will take away the risk of harming your family with harsh chemicals.  

Combine any of the following oils in a spray bottle, mixed with Witch Hazel:

    •    Peppermint

    •    Citronella

    •    Cedarwood

    •    Lavender

    •    Geranium

    •    Tea Tree

    •    Purification

    •    Lemongrass

    •    Rosemary

THIEVES CLEANER

Thieves Household Cleaner is simply amazing.  If creating all sorts of different cleaners isn’t your thing, try purchasing the large container of this cleaner that harnesses the power of Thieves essential oil blend.

This cleaner contains Lemon, Clove, Cinnamon, Rosemary and Eucalyptus.  It is incredibly versatile, on top of being all natural, plant based and toxin free.  It comes in a concentrated bottle that you then dilute and use according to desired strength.  

Here are some good basic guidelines for diluting and using the cleaner:

    •    General cleaning: 1 capful to 3 cups water

    •    Medium messes: 1 capful to 2 cups water

    •    Really greasy: 1 capful to 1 cup water

    •    Also combine with bicarbonate of  soda for an excellent scrubbing paste.  

I use Thieves cleaner for absolutely everything: bathrooms, windows, counters, laundry, dishes, oven, showers, toilets, carpets and more!

One 64oz bottle lasts me just over a year. That covers cleaning EVERYTHING in a mid-sized three bed house with two adults and three children. 

WHY BE GREEN (in our homes and environments, not with envy !) ?

There are so many pollutants and toxic chemicals in our world today.  Most of which we have no control over.  However, we can control what is used in our homes!

Did you know that:

    •    Fumes from some cleaning products may induce asthma in otherwise healthy individuals. A large and growing body of evidence links frequent use of many ordinary cleaning supplies at home or on the job with development of asthma and other respiratory problems. It is already known that cleaning product fumes may trigger attacks in persons previously diagnosed with asthma.

    •    Common cleaning ingredients can be laced with the carcinogenic impurity 1,4-dioxane. Independent tests have detected the presence of 1,4-dioxane in numerous name-brand cleaning supplies. Other products contain preservatives that release low levels of cancer-causing formaldehyde.

    •    Children born to women who held cleaning jobs while pregnant have an elevated risk of birth defects, according to a 2010 study by the New York State Department of Health.

    •    Some cleaners can cause chemical burns and poisonings as well as less severe irritations and allergies. Severe physical reactions signal that consumers should take care anytime they use these products.

    •    Despite these health concerns, cleaning product labels often do not give consumers enough information about their ingredients to allow people to make informed decisions on which ones are safer and which ones might harm their health.

    •    Although government scientific and regulatory agencies have focused considerable attention on chemicals suspected of causing cancer, they have devoted far fewer resources to evaluating substances that may be toxic to the brain and nervous system, the hormone system and other organs. Investigating the full range of risks of cleaning products to public health and the environment should be an urgent priority. Yet the problem remains largely hidden from the view of the American consumer.

Chemicals used in pesticides and in synthetic veterinary drugs - including antibiotics and growth hormones - are prohibited under ORGANIC regulations, but not for non-organic meats. These then enter our own bodies and effect us without us really knowing how.

On average women will use or come into contact with 168 potentially dangerous chemicals, daily and men 85 !

You can find more information on the Environmental Working Group website. 

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

CLEANING TIPS

Our tips and safety guidelines do not include any dangerous or harmful warnings.  However, there are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning with YL products, including essential oils:

    •    Shake products before use.

    •    Test cleaners in small areas first.

    •    Spray nozzles fit perfectly onto old vinegar bottles.  Use these to create cleaning sprays.

    •    Store products in airtight glass or stainless steel containers.

    •    Keep away from eyes.

 It’s really important to say here too, that this journey does not need to be overwhelming. Take small steps. My best piece of advice, and one that I followed myself, is to change out one product at a time. Whether that’s your hand wash, your shampoo, your beauty products or your cleaners, it doesn’t matter. Just start somewhere.

Check out the RECIPES page for a growing list of tried and tested recipes.