Christmas giveaway

This isn't a normal post. I just wanted to get the news of a great giveaway out there for those who follow my blog... I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

http://sparknaturals.com/index.php/

Follow this link to finish your shopping :)   Spark Naturals If you qualify - my email is momseos1@gmail.com

How to use Essential Oils... Let me count the ways!

How to use those oils....

The moment is here. You open your mailbox and there it is.... Your first order of essential oils! Yipee! You open the bottle and breathe in the aroma - mmmmm. Then you think, "what exactly do I do with this stuff?" Good question. There are several ways you can use essential oils, and you just did one of the most basic without even thinking!

Aromatic use:

Just smelling oils from the bottle can be very therapeutic. There are multiple studies that confirm the health benefits of inhalation of essential oils. Here is one, and another, and another. You can search on Pubmed for more.

You can diffuse (put them into the air so you can inhale/smell them) oils in several ways. You can use passive forms of diffusing such as putting a few drops of oil on a cotton ball and keeping it in a jar or other container so you can open and smell at will. You can place a few drops on a pendant such as these, or on a stuffed animal or a hankie. 

You can also actively diffuse in a cool mist diffuser such as these.
You don't need to stand over the diffuser breathing in the mist (but that is nice at times too). However, the diffuser should be located within the same room as you and as close as possible. For example, on your desk when you're working, in the kitchen when you're cooking. I keep one in the kitchen, the hub of my home. I also keep one by my bed to get the beneficial effects while I sleep. It soon becomes understandable why you might want more than one diffuser :)

I love the aromatic use of essential oils for fighting germs, congestion, cough, moods and more. Even when there is "nothing" to be treated, I like to have the diffuser running with a season smell, or mood ,or focus enhancing oils.

Topical use:

Another way is to use oils topically. This means you apply them to your skin. Your skin is your largest organ and oils that are rubbed into the skin will be absorbed by the body. You will need to use some care in which oils can be used "neat", which means as they are, out of the bottle, without diluting them. Some oils are "hot", and should be diluted with a carrier oil (such as coconut oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil) or they can irritate the skin. *** Essential Oils should never be put into the ear or eye.

To use topically you take a drop or 2 or 3 and rub topically over the area of concern. Often times a carrier oil or salve comes in handy to help the oil cover a larger area. As I have said in other posts, EO use is very intuitive. Trust your body and what it is telling you.

If you have a headache, place the oil over the spot on your head that hurts. If you have a tummy ache, use it over the part of your tummy that hurts. Arthritis, place it on the joints. Back pain - it goes on your back (usually with a carrier oil to spread further). Wherever you put the oil, make sure to take a few minutes to massage it in. This gets the blood to the area to absorb and transport the oils - plus it feels good! Get the idea?

There are a few other good locations for general use. The bottoms of the feet have large pores and can absorb things quickly. This makes it a good spot to put oils you are taking for general systemic relief. For example, Jeddy's for ADHD/anxiety/Focus is great on the bottoms of the feet. Cold and Flu bomb is good on the bottom of your feet as your whole body is fighting the virus/bacteria. Dream sleep blend when you are trying to fall asleep works well here. My kids prefer to use this location for daily Jeddy's, cold and flu bomb, or other use. They can put their socks on and no one at school can smell they have oils on.

The base of your skull, your brain stem (where your neck meets your hairline in the back) is also a good place for getting things into your head - literally. I put my headache blend here as well as my LXR for anxiety and my Jeddy's for focus.

Finally the navel is a good place to get oils through the body, into your core. You have a high concentration of blood vessels here and they can move oils quickly. When I eat something my body doesn't like or I'm having a general allergic reaction to say, my dog. I put the LLP for allergies in my navel. Get it?

Rollers work great for this type of use.

I like topical use for just about any ailment. I find it can be very focused relief.

Dietary (internal) use:

There is controversy and caution about this one. First, let me say that you should only do what you are comfortable with and what suits you. To each his own. I will say that I do, regularly, take Spark Naturals essential oils internally. I do not recommend taking just any essential oil internally. You need to trust that any EO you take internally is pure. However, I feel the same way about topical and aromatic use. All of your oils need to be of the highest quality,  they end up internal eventually as well!.

There are a few ways to take oils internally.  You can put a few drops in a "shot" of water or juice. One of my favorites is a drop of peppermint in a shot of water or almond milk to kick heartburn. Works like a charm - immediately! You can put oils in a gel capsule. I take a capsule of 6 drops LLP daily. I also use cold and flu bomb in a capsule to fight sickness.  There are some great ways to use them in cooking. A drop of wild orange in brownies is to die for and a drop of cilantro in your salsa is mmmmm. Spark Naturals FB page regularly posts recipes for cooking with essential oils. I've also made this great recipe for cough/immunity drops, and will drink Shield tea when I'm avoiding the sickness that is going around that week.

How do you know what oils are safe in what ways?

Spark Naturals labels all of their bottles as to which type of use is appropriate for that oil. It will say "aromatic, topical, or dietary use" on the bottle so there is no confusion as to what is safe.

I hope this helps those who are just starting with oils, or still have questions. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments too! 

Here's to your health!

Wendy

Headaches!

Let's talk headaches - 

I hate them! I've been getting headaches as early as I can remember. 

Now, I'm not a doctor. I don't even play one on TV. There are times when a headache is the symptom of some pretty serious problems. With that in mind, you always need to be checked out by your doctor if headaches are a problem for you. Please know that this post is not about a cure and isn't a replacement for medical care. It is just my personal experiences with headaches. Phew - now that's out of the way...

In my very unofficial observations and surveys, it seems people are either prone to them or aren't. I am, for several reasons. Allergies is a biggie. I'm also prone to stress causing them. Diet plays a part.  But the brain surgery I had in 1987 is a fair contender for the top reason. 

There are so many different types of headaches I couldn't go into all of them here. Plus that is the stuff for neurologists to discuss. I get migraines and numerous other types too. The biggest point I want to make in this post is that different issues take different methods. Just because they all fall under the label of headache, doesn't mean there is one single fix. 

One of the most successful things I have learned over the years in treating (and heading off, and even preventing) my headaches is learning my body. No one, no doctor, can know YOU like you can. About 7 years ago I was seeing a naturopathic doctor on a regular basis. I think the most important thing she did for me was to teach me to pay attention to what my body was saying. To be a student of me. Take notes, keep a calendar, write lists, don't dismiss a symptom as not related, it might be. If I feel uncomfortable with what a doctor is suggesting or it "doesn't fit", question it. Get a second opinion. 

The second most important thing I learned in my headache care

a moment of silence please...

was from a neurologist. He told me a headache is a sign something is out of balance, not right, or outright wrong. It doesn't necessarily even have to be something in your head! Light bulb moment. I can eat a food (diet soda, or anything with fake sugar) and get a migraine - e v e r y t i m e! Something in my digestive track was crying foul in my head. Go figure. Or I could be getting unexplainable chronic migraines for months - like 5+ a week, and then have them disappear as soon as my previously undiagnosed, infected, full of stones, gallbladder was removed in emergency surgery on a Sunday morning. True story. 

original post

As I began my essential oil journey one of the main issues I wanted to address were my headaches. I didn't want to be on a maintenance medication (horrible side effects for me. If there is a 2% who gets the side effect, I'll be it), I didn't want to take the prescription migraine medication either, and it often didn't work! The first thing I tried was peppermint topically. It worked sometimes. Then I tried lavender. It worked sometimes. Then I tried this headache buster blend from Dori at www.richestoragsbydori.blogspot.com. It worked more often. 

Then I remembered the 2 previous things I had learned and started to apply them to using essential oils with my headaches.  Ding! Ding! Ding! "We have a winner"! That was it! I haven't taken a prescription or OTC medication for headaches since. It takes a mindset change from "my head hurts, take a pill", to "my head hurts, what have I eaten recently, what's the weather, am I stressed, etc., then treat". 

Here is the process I go through and what I use. 

• I first determine if it is a "headache", or impending "migraine" (I've had to learn to go further back in my search for migraine symptoms. Sometimes the nausea begins 12 hours prior). This determines how aggressively I attack it. 
• I decide if my seasonal allergies are bothering me. If yes - I apply LLP to my face and head where it hurts and some in my belly button. This can often eliminate the headache for me with no further treatment needed. 
• I try to recall if I have exposed myself to any of my food sensitivities. If yes - I take a capsule of digest and apply LLP to my belly button. Amazed me the first time this worked. I had done it on a hunch.
• I assess if I am stressed, anxious or tense. If yes - I apply LXR to my brain stem and temples and a little to my wrist (so I can smell it at will). This will relieve a tension headache for me often. If I am extra tense/stressed/anxious or the first application doesn't work, I layer Jeddy's blend on top.
• I check the weather. These are my toughest headaches and the most frequent cause of any migraines I still get. Any low, or quick change in pressure will cause a severe headache for me due to my prior brain surgery. For this I will apply LXR, then layer the Headache blend (SN Relief) on top. Often it is wise for me to apply these again in a 1/2 hour to kick it from the start. I will also re-apply in a few hours if I even have an inkling that it is coming back. I also make sure that the weather change didn't trigger seasonal allergies as well and cause a double whammy. If it has, I use LLP too. 
• If I am thinking I have a hormonally induced headache - Zen and Clary Sage over my heart and on my brain stem, then lavender on a warm rice bag on my head works wonders. (this requires me laying down for 10 min. hard to make myself do sometimes, but so worth it)
• Think about the cause you are treating. What is causing the head pain?

If it is a migraine (any of the previous headache causes can trigger one for me)- I hit it heavier from the get go. I wait less time between the first try of an oil and the second try or repeat layer.

I would love to say I don't get headaches anymore. Unfortunately, I do. Not quite as often now that I studied my body and its reactions. I have eliminated the diet Coke headaches for sure. Like I said, a headache is a symptom, the above list merely treats that symptom with a natural, pure product that has no side effects for me. 

The process, or the oils may be different for you. Remember YOU are the expert on your body. If one doesn't work, keep trying until you find what does. I had read several other's posts on how they treat a headache naturally, and used that as a starting point. I experimented from there. 

I can't tell you enough, trust your instincts when it comes to your health! Our body is very intuitive. Now and then I will just stand at my oils and try a single oil that "just seems right". Remember to check how it is used - the side of the Spark Natural's bottles state "for aromatic and topical use only", or "for aromatic, topical, or dietary use". You will get to know your oils and their properties by using them. 

If you decide to try any of these oils for your headaches - each are linked (affiliate link) to the Spark Natural's website. If you put in coupon code BENDERBOYMOM at checkout you will get 10% off your order.

If you have found an oil helpful to your headaches, please share in the comments!

Wendy

Containing the Chaos: Essential oil storage & organization

*****First things first... I'm sorry. I know I've owed you a blog post for quite a few days now. I was just not able to bring myself to write it. Even though I really like this blog, sometimes my fear (read paralyzing terror) of writing gets the best of me. However, if you are ever searching for information you may always just message me on FB. That's easy! Now, on with it...

Storage...Where to start....

For starters, my location and system has morphed and changed as my EO usage and needs have changed and grown. I wish there was a good answer of "this is how you organize your EOs, and it will always work great"! But *sigh* it is not that easy. You need to do what works for you at this moment. Then give yourself grace to change it when your need changes. For this reason I am going to show you several stages of my storage journey.

In the beginning I had a few bottles on my kitchen counter. That’s it. They just sat there out in the open. I then gathered them and the few more I bought into a small plastic box that sat on my counter.

Bonus! The box made my oils easily portable so that I could move them around. Then the box was moved into my kitchen cabinet once I learned that sunlight (and curious hands) are not really good for oils. So, whenever I needed one I would reach into the cabinet and pull out the whole box, get what I needed, and return the box to the cabinet. This worked pretty well for my small box. 

But as I've stated in previous posts, once I start something....I had to move into a bigger shoebox because I had grown my oil collection, as well as the accessories I used with them. Now pulling the shoebox out every time became inconvenient, as it was heavy and less sturdy. I feared for the safety of my oils! This became an issue and started the search for a better answer.

Setting up your system

The first thing you need to decide is location.

For me, this was the kitchen. This is where our “medicine cabinet” had been located; Where my family was used to going for Tylenol, allergy meds, first aid, etc. My start with EOs was to replace those OTC meds. The kitchen is in the center of our home so it is convenient, and a gathering place. I will mention, though, I DO NOT have the added challenge of little hands exploring in my kitchen. If I did, my plan may have been different. My youngest is 13.

When I started to think about this post I figured I would show you my oil drawer, where I keep “all my oils”. Honestly, as I really thought about it, I’m more spread out than that. Below is a picture with labels of my essential oil drawer.

Some closer pictures so you can see better...

This is the main location where I keep the majority of my oils. I work out of this drawer (located in my kitchen island) several times a day. It started with a regular silverware tray organizer in it, then I finally acquired this adjustable bamboo tray – works soooo much better! 

I do have to tilt my oils to get my drawer to close, but hey – I don't get everything I want… My girlfriend has a custom drawer in her kitchen that is deeper. Her oils can stand up in there. I remind myself regularly “thou shalt not covet my girlfriend's kitchen drawer”.

I keep several things in my kitchen cabinet still as well.

My bee's wax, empty bottles, capsules, summer bug and sunburn sprays. Extra salve I've made for gift giving, empty jars, peppermint spray for spiders/bugs, the list goes on. Basically stuff too big for the drawer.

Didn't clean it up for you - I'm real

This shelf has my FCO, alcohol free witch hazel, rose water, empty lip balm tubes, empty 4 pack containers (I know they are good for something, someday).

I keep a few things on my bathroom counter (welcome to the real me… no OCD organizing gene here), 

and two by my bed. (yes, those are the bobby pins I forget to take out every night before I'm already in bed, oh and my hearing aides. I'm sorry, what did you say? :)

I've already shown pictures before of what I keep in my purse, but here it is again for good measure.

Holds 30 bottles

If you are a on the go person - SN offers these great travel bags for your oils too. The possibilities of how you store your oils is endless.

I have found that the key for me is to keep things where I can easily grab them and use them. If I have to go to the kitchen to get my dream blend before bed – I don’t. That simple. This means that I do keep some doubles also. There is healing salve and pain salve in both the bathroom and the kitchen. I keep a Relief roller and LLP roller in both my purse and the kitchen. You get the idea.

I hope this has helped you get ideas on how to create your own, usable system for your oils. Once they are easy to get to, and convenient, you will find yourself incorporating them into your life more often. If you have ideas on how to store your oils, please share them in the comments! We'd love to learn from you as well.

Happy organizing.

Wendy

Oils on a budget

How to build your oil collection on a budget

FYI – sort of a long winding post…..

So you've tried a few essential oils and decided you like “this”, this thing called essential oils. But, they aren't cheap. I mean, that’s a lot of money for a little tiny bottle. I get it, I do. But once you start to realize the unbelievable versatility and natural power that bottle holds – you are drawn to them. Then, the next step happens; you realize that you haven't taken ___________ (insert over the counter medication you used to live on here) in over a month. Now you know they are worth every penny, especially since you are saving money on OTC medications. That’s it, now you're hooked! Every time you read an EO ‘recipe’ on-line, you try to figure a way to get the oils to make it. When there is an “Item of the Week” special, you want it. When you smell a new oil at your friend’s house, you know you need it. You also know (I hope) that high quality, pure essential oils are critical if you are going to begin using them for your health. It's a safety issue.  A plan is needed….

 O.K maybe that was just me. I'll admit, once I decide to do something, I jump all in. Just my nature. But I will say that this time, it was different. Unlike jewelry making, scrapbooking, sewing, or even crochet, this was more than a hobby. More than a pastime or something to keep my brain moving. This was deeply affecting the quality of my life, my health. Essential oils changed the way I was thinking about health, illness, and how to treat it. I wasn't just collecting oils like beads or scrapbook paper. I was wanting to build my “medicine” cabinet for my family. How was I going to do that on a budget?

First, let me explain what I mean by a budget. My husband (Bob) and I run a pretty tight ship on our spending. It needs to be that way in order to feed/house/feed/insure/feed/support 4 teenage boys. That means, I have free reign to buy the necessities, but I don’t just buy that really cute purse at Target because it is on sale and a great deal.  I have a certain amount I spend on certain categories weekly. Outside of that, it needs to come from my “allowance”, or I have to ask (he’s sweet, he says yes if we can – but I try not to ask for non-necessities often).

The essential oil collection I've built has happened over the past 10 months. It moved very slowly in the beginning... I used my allowance to buy a bottle here and there. Usually ingredients to a “recipe” for one of my ailments.  At this point in my addiction journey, I knew Bob didn't see the medicinal side of essential oils. He still saw it as a new hobby. Sure, they smelled nice but…

I started my collection with almost all 5ml bottles (this killed me because I knew the 15ml bottle was a better deal), but it enabled me to get started. That is one of the distinct advantages of Spark Naturals. They want oils to be affordable, especially to those new to oils, so each oils is offered in both a 5 ml and 15ml bottle. 

Last Christmas and birthday (December 23rd and 25th) I asked for oils. My mom ordered me $50 of oils and sweet hubby got me the OOTM club for Christmas – score!.

By March I had signed up as a SN affiliate so that I got the 10% discount on what I bought, AND I earned commission on the same purchase. Legitimate double dipping? Why yes, yes I will, thank you very much! Once a month a check would come and I would spend the whole thing (minus tithe)and plus my allowance, on oils.

By May, Bob and I were both using the LLP allergy capsules daily. He was a believer in those at least. I figured out the monthly cost of them, and asked him if he could please pay that amount out of our joint money because it was a medical expense and my allowance wasn't covering it. Good news was we had cut the medical expense of RX and OTC allergy meds and Tylenol.  

Then in the end of May I had to resign my job and my essential oil buying slowed because my allowance substantially diminished. Now I only had commission check to spend so the wait to purchase sometimes killed me! But patience is good. (Plus I still get the OOTM from Bob, it was my Christmas present after all).

Bob now believes in essential oils as he has seen them work for many things (the pain salve and cold and flu bomb were the other ones that won him over). Since we have been able to cut several medical expenses due to the oils, when I NEED an oil I can ask for family budget money to cover it. However, I've built a good collection so usually, they are wants.

When I want an oil here are some ways I can make them fit my budget….

1. Ask for them as a gift for Christmas/birthday/holiday
2. Split the cost of a better value 15ml bottle with a friend then split the bottle (if you live close and need an empty bottle to use – I'm happy to give you one)
3. Buy the smaller 5ml bottle for the time being - some oils I use infrequently and this is plenty
4. Share the cost of other accessories or carrier oils with a friend. Another person starting out with you will often be trying to cut costs too. 
5. Pool an order with some friends to get free shipping (shipping on orders over $55 is free)
6. Take advantage of OOTM club and weekly specials.
7. Spend my commission check (here is how you sign up as an affiliate)
8. Substitute a lesser expensive oil with similar properties (great list here)
9. Keep track of money I used to spend on other medical expenses and reallocate it to the EO budget
10. Make your own blends. Camp Wander did some great recipes here  in this post. or DIY Dream, or mix equal parts Zen and Bliss to make LXR. 
11. Sell old craft supplies I no longer use and put that money towards building my oil collection
12. For that matter, have a garage sale to build funds for oils
13. I share about oils all the time with people and sometimes they use my code and I earn a commission
14. Honestly, I really look at what I spend money on. I think, “do I want this more than an essential oil I was wanting” for me, the answer is often no. So then I go spend it on the oil instead of the purse/shoes/lunch out etc. 

If you have ways you have built up your oil collection on a budget, please share in the comments. I would love to hear additional ways!

Wendy 

Oil of the Month Club

Why participate in Oil of the Month Club (OOTM)?

First, let's go over what is OOTM with Spark Naturals? Per the web site

"The Oil of the Month Club is the best value out there - all oils are 15ml bottles - shipped out to you once a month (on the same date you ordered the product). The price is $US 15.99 a month and includes shipping and tax. This is a great way to collect oils at a discounted price."


I've been getting OOTM for almost a year now. So cool, it is like a monthly gift! Even if I didn't have the funds to otherwise expand my collection that month, I knew I would get at least one new oil.  Once I knew I was an essential oil 'believer' I wanted to start building my collection. This is a  great value way to do it. This past year each of the oils was retail priced more than the $15.99 price I paid, and shipping was included (so it's like free shipping). Awesome deal! 

They post a list of the oil for each month for the year, so you know what is coming and you can plan accordingly. For example, I use LLP monthly, but I knew it was coming in April and I didn't have to place an extra order that month (did I mention it was discounted too!). Also, there are no contracts, so you can cancel at any time. 

This was the awesome 2014 list :)

January - Peppermint 

February - Marjoram 

March - Lavender 

April - LLP 

May - Geranium 

June - Respire 

July - Oregano 

August - Melaleuca 

September - Bergamot 

October - Coriander 

November - Basil 

December - White Fir

I've gotten to learn about oils I may not have researched otherwise. I've found how versatile some oils can be. I've also learned alternative oils for certain properties. For example, I learned I can use Basil as an anti-inflammatory as well as Frankincense. I didn't even know what Bergamot was but I like it diffused to lift moods. I didn't know that Coriander is the seeds of Cilantro and they have different properties. 

FYI - Since the oils are already discounted AND they include shipping you cannot use any coupon code for them.

In order to qualify for the current Oil of the Month, you’ll need to sign up on or before the 25th of that month! So right now 10/31/14 - your first oil would be Basil.
No risk - You can cancel at any time. 
$15.99/mo. no surprise costs. 

If you are looking to build your collection at a discounted rate - this is a great place to start. Just follow this link OOTM

Updated: The 2015 list is below!!
All oils are 15ml bottles 

January - 5ml bottles of Lemon, Peppermint, Lavender and Melaleuca 
February - Cedarwood 
March - Peppermint 
April - LLP 
May - Rosemary 
June - Lavender
July - Birch 
August - Shield 
September - Oregano 
October - Melaleuca 
November - Respire 
December - Clove

Wendy

Improved Health....

Blood test results 10 Months later...

Just in case this information looks familiar, I posted this information to my Facebook a while ago. But for all of you who didn't know me back then, I figured I would share again. And honestly, I am behind on posting and just don't have the time at hand to re-create the wheel right now. Truth. There it is. 

So my husband's work asks us to get a biometrics test annually. If we comply, they give us a discount on our health insurance. Um, yeah. We can use that. So, for the past few years I let them weigh, measure and take blood from me. Of course they expect you to make lifestyle changes to get healthier. This past year, their evil plan worked! In all reality, I'm regularly trying to be healthier, have been for years. My heredity didn't deal me the greatest cards on this one. Anyway, This is the first year my efforts have actually shown in my biometrics! Can I get an Amen?!

Funny thing is, I saw less doctors and took fewer medications this past year. Hmmmmmm, let's think about that for a minute. 

I have been making little life changes as I can. I am not eating fully --- organic, grass fed, grain free, or sugar free but I live with the mentality that anything little I do today is better than before. I'm working on all of those things.  My biggest diet change was to try and eliminate processed foods, preservatives, and chemicals. Progress not perfection as we say in recovery. 

I followed the same "progress not perfection" premise with essential oils starting in about October of 2013. I started with LLP for allergies and lemon
in my water. 

I have been able to get off of most of my medications (that I now believe were causing more harm than good - but please know I am not a doctor, you should consult your doctor before any medication changes). 

I use Pure Essential Oils for most everything in my life. They are just part of my daily routine and my first go to when ANY issue arises (physical and emotional health, personal care, cleaning, etc). Below is a picture of the blood test results from last year and this year. The flower this year's results. I was not following any specific "cholesterol lowering" EO regimen. But I will tell you that using essential oils for my different medical conditions' symptoms allowed me to wean off the prescriptions. (I can't stress enough you need to talk to your doctor first on that). 

I cut out some of the personal parts of the report, but suffice it to say my height & weight have not changed and neither has my activity level. My BMI went down .1% (read 1/10th) and I lost 2 inches in my hips. 

I wanted to share how much "little changes" can help. Thank you Camp Wander for getting me started on a journey of health! 

What little changes are you starting to incorporate? Please share with us in the comments so we can all be encouraged.