Young Living Essential Oils

So, the oils….we use them almost daily. Actually, we do use them daily. And I continue to have the privilege of telling more and more women about the blessings we have found through essential oils. I thought it might be good, as time allows, to share what we’re learning and how we’re using some of our favorite oils.

This month I would like to introduce you to one of my best friends in the oil line up –

Peppermint oil was another oil that I did not expect to live up to the hype. But, friends, it went over and above and has become one that is almost always by my side.

Peppermint oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, pain relieving, digestive stimulant, and more. It can be used to treat everything from rheumatism/arthritis to respiratory infections to cold sores, headaches, nausea, and more.

Some of the ways we have used it include:

Headache relief – apply to the back of the neck or temples
Gas and bloating – this one may bridge into TMI, but it’s too amazing not to share…..sometimes I have gas (that’s not the amazing part). Sometimes it gets so severe and painful that I cannot get out of bed, cannot even move. And I’m stuck there until the episode, well, passes. Recently I had one of these episodes and was searching for ways oils could help and came across peppermint. I gave it a try and I was floored! Two drops under my tongue and within ten minutes my stomach pain was gone. I was up and moving around and making dinner for my family. This has consistently been the case each time I’ve used it. That instantly made me a fan for life.
Muscle aches, pains, and tension – as a runner (or quasi-runner presently), I often have muscle soreness or fatigue. Add to that the general pain and discomfort so many of us carry around in our back or neck or shoulders, and I’m regularly looking for some pain relief. Enter the peppermint oil, again. Massaged onto sore, tired muscles, this oil works like Icy Hot, but better.
Fatigue and mental fog – a couple of weeks ago I was driving to Minnesota with Chandler. We left early and somewhere in Iowa I was already tired. And my shoulders hurt. So I pulled out my Peppermint oil and applied it to my tired shoulders and neck and found that the invigorating aroma also served to clear my head and waken my tired brain.

Peppermint is considered a “hot” oil. Get it too close to your eyes and you will likely feel it. It may even burn a bit on the skin. That said, if applying it directly, you may want to try diluting it first with olive or another vegetable oil. I use it neat with no ill-effects, but that’s not to say it will be beneficial for everyone that way.

As I said, Peppermint has become one of my best friends in my oil drawer. And if I sound excited, it’s because I am. I am still a skeptic through and through on these oils. Every time one alleviates a symptom or solves a problem for the first time, I’m shocked and impressed. These oils really are incredible.

If you would like to order, or would like more information, click here to browse the Young Living website, and click here to order.

As with all things like this, my words are our experiences. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv. I am someone who uses the oils and has been greatly impacted by their benefits. If you would like more information, I’d be happy to talk to you!

For His Glory ~

So a couple of weeks ago I posted about my on-going battle with depression. Over the years I’ve tried a variety of methods for treating this shadowy illness. I’ve tried a variety of prescription anti-depressants. I’ve tried light therapy (in the form of tanning beds). I’ve used St. John’s Wort as recommended by my physician. And I’ve tried just waiting for winter to pass (as that is when I struggle most).

All of these methods have been successful to varying degrees and with varying long-term effects. Prescription meds work, I won’t argue with that. But they come with a multitude of side effects and a variety of long-term consequences that are just beginning to be understood. I am thankful for modern medicine and pharmaceuticals and believe God has given us this knowledge to be used for our benefit and His glory. I have no issues with someone who uses prescription anti-depressants or with using them myself if necessary. However, I believe God has given us in the created world what we need to treat and care for our bodies in times of sickness or health and we all know we are beginning to see how the overuse of man-created compounds and chemicals is causing a plethora of unintended consequences (cancers, antibiotic resistant bacteria, etc). Therefore, as much as possible, I would prefer to find more natural ways to treat myself and my family.

Enter my current treatment plan, and a little backstory…..

In July, as I think I mentioned, I was desperate, drowning, and hanging on by merely a thread of hope. I cried out to the Lord for some kind of relief because I knew I couldn’t go into the new school year, much less the winter, already so far behind emotionally. And through completely “random” circumstances (a phone call from my husband to a friend about something completely unrelated), I was told about essential oils. I’ll be honest, on a normal day I would have politely written the idea off as “not for me”. But this came at the end of a day of dedicated prayer for help, so I listened and started reading and asking questions. I ordered two oils and expected absolutely nothing. I kept praying and hoping and committed to trying the oils (and St. John’s Wort – more on that momentarily) for the month of August. It was decided that if I was not feeling noticeably better by the end of the month, I would go back on prescription meds for the first time in 13 years.

Sidenote – I added in the SJW because, as I said, I was desperate for relief. I have used SJW many times for seasonal depression and have found it helpful, enough to get me through the winter months, but not life changing. I thought, if nothing else, it might provide a boost to my fragile mental state. 🙂

And so I faithfully used my oils and my SJW for a couple of weeks and really didn’t think much of it. We had a birthday in the family and there was no mama-meltdown (a miracle in itself). Then we had a birthday party complete with sleepover friends and I actually had fun. We started school and I felt peaceful instead of overwhelmed. Our schedule picked up pace and I did not panic. And that’s when I realized it, I felt better. I felt more free, whole, and human than I had felt in months, maybe longer. It took about two weeks, but the change was amazing. I don’t know if it was “just” the oils or “just” the SJW or the combination of the two , but I’m not eliminating one right now to find out. I have found something that is working incredibly well, and I’m sticking with it. I may try to taper off of the SJW in the spring, but for the next several months, I am staying the course, Lord willing.

So here’s my treatment plan:

Lots and lots of this…..

Combined with daily doses of these…..

I take the SJW according to the directions on the bottle (in this case, 1 capsule, 3 times daily). I put a drop or two of the citrus oil in every glass of water I drink. And I put a few drops of Valor in the palm of my hands, rub together, and inhale deeply three or four times a day (more if needed).

I was impressed enough with the oils that I signed up with Young Living to be a “distributor”. Now let me say this – I am not a fan of MLM. I don’t like home parties and tend to find MLM products over-priced and not significantly better than their locally found competitors. That said, there is a wide variance in qualities of essential oils, these are shown to be good, quality oils, and, as I said earlier, I have something that is working. I’m not interested in rocking the boat. If I can sign up and get it at a discount – woot! If God chooses to do something else with this and grow something out of it, then that is His prerogative.

Since signing up and ordering my oils, I have been trying all the ones that came in my kit and have had great success with many of them. One daughter has used Purification for blemishes. I diffuse Peace and Calming at breakfast, lunch, and dinner to help keep our gaggle of girls under control as we transition to different parts of the day. We have used Lavender for a multitude of things – rubbing on feet and pillows at night, soothing burns or scrapes on skin, helping our very distractible child to focus during school (night and day difference when we use it and when we don’t), and even alleviating one of the most severe allergy episodes I’ve had in years.

So, to say I’m a fan is probably an understatement. I’m still very overwhelmed by the abundance of information and possibilities with these oils, as well as the sheer number of them, but I am learning as I go and am excited to learn more.

For His Glory ~

****If you are interested in placing an order with Young Living (www.youngliving.com), my distributor number is: 1484727. As I said in my post, I am not actively trying to grow any sort of a business; I’m just completely amazed at how beneficial these oils are and I love that the only “side effects” are good ones, so I am happy to share that with anyone who wants to know more. It’s always all for God’s glory.

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where the days are long, but the years are short

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