doTerra in Action

Since my last update I have put 9 doTerra essential oils to the test!! You all know that I am always brutally honest and here is my evaluation of the products so far.

OnGuard - This is a doTerra blend. I am putting this on the bottom of our feet at night to boost our immune systems. We have not been sick since starting it. (by chance? or oils?) My biggest surprise here was that Everett (age 8) truly didn't mind it or fight me on it.

Lemon - I made an all natural surface cleaner for kitchen and bathrooms in the house. Zero chemicals and it is getting things extremely clean. I have been very pleased.

Citrus Bliss - I used this for mastitis and It worked amazingly. I have had two other bouts of mastitis since I started nursing. For each of those times I had to take a 7-10 round of antibiotics. I used Citrus Bliss this time and it was gone in 48 hours. I was shocked. I am so glad I didn't have to put those antibiotics in my system again.

Past Tense - This is a doTerra blend. My husband Dave is using this every night applied topically to his temples, forehead and back of neck. This has been INCREDIBLE. HE was so skeptically and he told me today he can't believe what a difference it makes. IT relieves tension, as well as promotes sleep through aroma therapy. He is sleeping more sound and deeper. He is waking up feeling rejuvenated as opposed to what it used to be. He used to get up and not feel like he slept well and still feel tired. We DEFINATELY will be ordering past tense every month!!!

Lavender - I am using this for Noah and myself at night to help promote sleep. I put it on an aromatherapy pillow that I put near our heads. I know it is helping me with relaxation and sleeping more deep then before. As far as Noah, I am going to check with the pediatrician on Friday at his check up to see if I can put it on his feet.

Serenity and Breathe - We have also started to diffuse these two blends in the house but it is too early to tell.

Coriander and Cinnamon - My dad has started using this for diabetes. It is said to effect the systems that regulate and process blood sugars. I will give an update on him after he has used it for a longer period of time.

I realized as I was going through this that some of you don't know my story with essential oils. Last year we lost my brother-in-law Tom very quickly to melanoma. During this process, he was given a diagnosis and the options for treatment were not abundant. One thing that was brought up was essential oils. At that point in Tom's disease he was suffering from pain that was tied to the marble and golf ball sized tumors under his skin. These tumors were visible to the eye and you could also feel them.

In just a little over a week of using a regiment of essential oils Tom was in visibly less pain!!! It was incredible!! I to this day feel that it made his last months more bearable. At that point I decided to start doing research and truly looking into what essential oils are all about and what is the science and proof behind them.

This adventure is going to be a challenge and I am excited about it. Do you have a favorite oil? Is there someone in your life that uses them

DoTerra Essential Oils

I received my oils!!! I am so excited. SO ..... When I decided on what I wanted  my DoTerra kit to be, I choose carefully!! I truly decided on the oils I wanted to try and implement with my family daily and with fidelity. How many of you use the following oils? Do they work for you and your family? do you have any other usages for them? I choose the following single oils:
(As the true skeptic I am I of course had to do my homework first) :-) I picked the following oils based on the research I found for the corresponding ailments.

Peppermint - for allergies, tension headache, fever, heartburn, and congestion
Lavender - insomnia, diaper rash, ear infections, cuts and scrapes, stress and insect bites
Oregano - infections, bronchitis, strep throat as well as to cook with
Melaleuca - cold, cuts, ear infections, chapped skin, rash or irritated skin
Frankincense - arthritis, fatigue, inflammation, mental fatigue
We are going to use these as things come up instead of over the counter medicines.
With statics like these I decided I had to give it a whirl. I have signed up as a doTerra Wellness Advocate.  

Childs fever                   Cost                    Time
Peppermint oil                33 cents              5-10 mins
Fever medication            50 cents              30+ mins

Upset Stomach       
Digestzen oil                   39 cents              5-10 mins
Over the counter meds    70 cents              15-30 mins

Ear infection
Lavender and
     Melaleuca oil              64 cents               1 day

Dr visit and antibiotics    28.99                    7-10 days

I also decided on the following blends
On Guard: to boost immunity we are using daily. Also used for common cold, sore throat, strep throat, viral infection, flu and bacterial infections.
Digestzen - all things digestzen, including heartburn, upset stomach, nausea, IBS ect...
Breathe - allergies, asthma, breathing problems, congestion, cough, and sinus infection

I also chose
Lemon - I will be using this to cook and also to use to create all natural disinfecting cleaning supplies. I can use this on laundry, dishes and surfaces.

Ok friends out there, Please give me your feedback. Anything I am missing? Any other things that are on your "MUST HAVE" when living naturally list.

I am excited to see how these changes work for my family.

Navigating the Grocery Store

How do you navigate the grocery store and balance between being financial responsible and buying the best? I put it to the test. This week I bought 14 different fruits and vegetables. It is a weekly assortment that is representative of the norm in our house. I wanted to compare my grocery receipt. Last week my focus was to buy local and lowest cost. This week I wanted organic first and foremost and local would be a bonus. I honestly thought the bill would be high erby 25-50%. Much to my surprise the price difference was not unreasonable when the benefits are weighed out. Yesterday with an all ORGANIC shopping cart, my produce only cost $6.48 more. My question to you is this: Do you buy all organic produce or partially? If so which do you prioritize as needing to be organic? Where do you shop for great local organic produce? Do you have stores that you find that are more reasonable or have better selections?
Tomatoes
lettuce
spinach
carrots
cucumbers
purple onion
sweet yellow onion
cilantro
peaches
apples
bananas
corn
berries
potatoes

The beginning!

I have decided to make a change. A BIG ONE!! I am going to give my family a makeover. By October 1st, 2015 - one year from now my family will be living a more natural life. There is going to be three parts to this challenge.

 First, we are going to take a more holistic approach to health. We are going to incorporate DoTerra essential oils into our lives. We are going to try out the oils and their claims and share the results. I am going to not only use the oils for medicinal purposes. I want to try it for things like skincare, sunscreen, bug spray, deodorant ect... We truly are looking to remove chemicals, preservatives and environmental toxins. I have to admit that I am extremely excited about this. I have been doing my homework for a while. I also was able to see essential oils at work with a family member. I can't wait to explore all of the options and really see what changes we can make that are simple but extremely impacting.

Second part to this challenge is leaving a smaller environmental footprint. I am going to try and incorporate more ways to recycle as well as be more environmentally conscience. This could include things we buy as well as things which are consumed.

The third part to this challenge is to makeover how we eat. Eliminating toxic foods and replace them with healthy alternatives. I am already blessed with an eight year old who makes pretty good food choices. I want to challenge his range of foods he enjoys and expose him to some great healthy options.

Now, before I sound like I am about to go crazy, understand that we as a family understand everything in moderation causes success. I am sure there will be challenges, setbacks and obstacles to overcome. We are excited as a family to try new things that may be good for us, delicious and contribute to healthier, happier lives.

I am hoping through this blog I can share my experience as well as hear from many of you about your successes and struggles.