Recently, several friends have asked me "What oils can help with...?". I always love this question. If I don't know the answer off the top of my head, I love researching for them to find out the different options they might have. Here are a few that people have asked me about recently... 

Insomnia can be caused by many different things, and can manifest in many different ways. Some people may have a hard time falling asleep, others might have a hart time staying asleep, while even others might not get the deep and restful sleep that they need. 

There are several oils that can help with insomnia. Clary Sage, Frankincense, Lavender, Serenity and Ylang Ylang are some. Others that may help are Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Rosemary and Wild Orange. 

Personally I use Lavender and/or a blend of Serenity and Balance. Every night I rub Lavender mixed with Coconut Oil on the bottom of my children's feet to help them relax and calm down after a day of activity at school and martial arts. After a full day of work, running around with the kids and trying to keep up with the house, my mind just cfan't stop. I rub a few drops of Serenity and Balance on my pillow case, sheets, forehead and temples, and I am off to dream land, usually within a few minutes. Not only does it help me fall asleep, but I get a deeper, more restful sleep as well. 

Another option as well is to difuse any of these oils in your room while you are sleeping. DoTERRA just introduced a new difuser, and I'm so excited about it! 

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis can both be very painful and debilitating, and originate from an inflammatory condition of the joints. 

Oils that can help with arthritis are Birc, Deep Blue, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Myrrh, Oregano, Peppermint, Vetiver and Wintergreen. Also, Eucalyptus, Geranium, German Chamomile, Ginger, Lime and Sandalwood. Other products that can help are AromaTouch Technique, Deep Blue Rub, GX Assist and Life Long Vitality.

Equal drops of Wintergreen, Lemongrass, Frankincense, and Eucalyptus blended with a 50% carrier of coconut oil has been found by some to be the effective formula for arthritic pain. An oil or blend should be applied directly to the affected areas using light massage. Use a hot compress after massage application for deeper penetration and relief. For further relief use a local bath for the hands or feet. Fill a bath bowl with hot water. Add 3-4 drops of the oil or blend and soak your hands or feet till the water begins to cool. Agitate the water often to keep the oils well mixed with the water.

Essential oils are not a cure for health issues. They aren't medications. However, with that being said, I have used them and have seen first hand how they allow the body to heal itself. Whatever the health issue might be, there is probably am essential oil out there that can help. If one oil doesn't work for you, or one protocol doesn't work, try another. We are all different, so essential oils work differently for each person. I invite you to try them for yourself and see what works for you. 

For more information on what essential oils have been found beneficial for different health issues, I enjoy going to Everything Essential website or my Modern Essentials App. Both list health concerns and what oils can help, as well as different uses and benefits of each oil and blend of oils from doTERRA. 

Last week I posted a survey and asked for ideas on what subjects people might want to see in my future blog posts. One of the requests was to see ideas on how to use the essential oils that I love so much. 

There are many essential oils out there, and each has a multitude of ways you can  use them and what they can help with. As we get into flu season, one of my favorite oils is OnGuard. Made up of Cinnamon, Clovebud, Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Wild Orange, this blended oil addresses bacteria, immune system support, mold, topical disinfectant and viruses. Below are 52 uses for this antimicrobial blend of essential oils. 

1. Mix with a Tbsp of water, gargle for 1 minute then swallow at the on-set of a sore throat.

2. Put 5 drops oregano and 5 drops on guard in a 00 capsule and take 3 times daily at the onset of cold or flu symptoms.

3. Put on the soles children’s feet at night during cold & flu season to support immune system.

4. Put several drops on a bowl of hot water and breathe in the vapors as it begins to volatilize when you have lung congestion.

5. Put 50 drops in a spray bottle with 30 oz of distilled water. Shake often and use to sanitize kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

6. Add to your dishwasher for micro clean dishes.

7. Add to your laundry cycle for micro clean clothes.

8. Add to your mop water for cleaner floors.

9. Apply to bee and insect stings to neutralize the toxin and relieve the pain.

10. Gargle and brush daily for healthy teeth and gums and to prevent and treat gum disease.

11. Apply to gums and teeth, or swish with 5 drops of On Guard & 1 Tbsp of water for pain relief from toothaches and after dental work.

12. Diffuse in homes or business to kill air borne pathogens, inhibit mold and build immune systems.

13. Put a few drops on air filters when changing them to kill pathogens in the duct work.

14. Add to Emergen-C or orange juice to help congestion and fight flu and cold.

15. Put a drop in your mouth and push or squeeze it around to relive smoking urges. (enhance with an extra drop or two of clove.)

16. For warts, apply topically, rotating between oregano & frankincense.

17. Apply a drop on a pets sore or wound to enhance healing.

18. Have the diffuser going in your home when the kids come home to ward off germs.

19. Make an antibiotic blend using On Guard (12 drops) Oregano (6 drops) Frankincense (2 drops) in a 00 gel cap.

20. Add 15 drops to every cup of corn starch, mix and sprinkle on carpet. Rake, leave for 1 hour then Vacuum for micro clean carpet.

21. Mix a 2-3 drops of on guard and 2 drops of lemon essential oil with honey or agave in a teaspoon for a cold or cough relief medicine for kids.

22. Gargle with 1 tbps of water and 1 drop each of lemon and on guard hourly for laryngitis.

23. Put several drops on the HVAC vents of a hotel room or office to kill airborne pathogens and germs.

24. Mix with baking soda to clean bathtubs.

25. Apply neat to the toes and nails to combat fungus.

26. Combine 2 tbps of water with 5 drops of on guard in a small glass and store your toothbrush overnight to sanitize.

27. Use a 50/50 mix of on guard and purified water and spray onto oven interior. Leave for 15 minutes, then wipe away greasy spots.

28. Apply to hands to remove stubborn, sticky substances like tree sap.

29. Add to the water in your vacuum cleaner/steamer to disinfect the carpet.

30. Put a few drops in your vacuum bag to kill pathogens.

31. Put 15 drops in a 6oz spray bottle, shake and spray rooms, desks, or bed sheets to protect against pathogens.

32. Clean the upholstery and dashboard of your car.

33. Gargle with on guard and 1 tbsp of water prior speaking engagements or singing performances.

34. Rub on stains as a pre-wash stain remover.

35. Add 3 drops to your tooth brush and brush every day for a healthy mouth and to prevent cavities, gum disease.

36. Apply to teeth that have been damaged or broken to help them heal.

In a glass bottle, make an on guard spray with 15 drops for every 6 oz of water – use the spray for…

37. Wipe doorknobs and other things touched by the public.

38. Wipe dirty piano keys to clean and disinfect.

39. Use to clean children’s hands when traveling.

40. Use on the steering wheel and gearshift of your vehicle.

41. Use on public telephones to remove germs.

42. Use on public computer keyboards and mice.

43. Use as an underarm deodorant.

44. Spray on hands before and after shaking hands with a lot of people.

45. Spray in public restrooms on airplanes to reduce airborne bacteria.

46. Carry for protection in countries with cholera, malaria or dysentery.

47. Use as an air freshener for cooking odors or other unwanted smells.

48. Take to the gym and spray all the equipment you use.

49. Take to the supermarket and use to disinfect shopping cart handles.

50. Use in the classroom for desks, tables and other items handled by children.

51. Spray in your mouth and throat at first onset of cold or bronchitis.

52. Spray on shower stalls and bathroom walls to disinfect and remove mold.

Want a sample of OnGuard to try? Complete the form below and I'll mail you a free sample! (while supplies last, no purchase neccessary)

After dropping the kids at school this morning and doing a few morning chores, I sat down at my computer and was browsing through Facebook posts, when I came across one from an old friend from elementary school. (Yes, I still keep in touch with people 30 years later. My husband thinks I'm nuts.) In the post, she talked about how she went to the nail salon for the first time after having a double mastectomy, and the reactions of people there, and how she felt. Throughout the post, she and other friends who have also fought breast cancer, talked about their different treatments that they went through, some of the side effects, and just how they felt in general. 

This is such an important topic to me. You see, not only do I have these beautiful friends who have fought cancer, I also have several family members as well. Not just breast cancer, but leukemia, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and several other types of cancer. I, myself, have even been diagnosed with cervical dysplasia (pre cancer).

Being who I am, I want to do anything I can to help. Unfortunately I am not a doctor. I don't know the latest treatments out there. I don't know what is the best option for my family and friends. It is so frustrating for me to not be able to do anything. So I research... 

Of course, my research leads me to essential oils. This is what I know, this is what I trust. And I find some options. I find hope. 

I find that there are several essential oils that can help with different types of cancer, as well as the pain and other symptoms that go along with it. My first stop on my road to researching is the new Everything Essential. I love this site. Here is what I found...

The site goes on to talk about a protocol that was provided from someone else doing research. It talks about how when you go through chemotherapy, not only do the medications kill off the cancer cells, but they can also kill off the good ones to. They found during their research that when using the essential oils during chemo treatment, the rate of the healthy cells dying was less than 25 per 100 healthy cells! The essential oils were inhibiting the cancer cells by 50% or more, but the healthy cells by no more than 25%! This is phenomenal!

(Oils in BOLD inhibited cancer cells up to 70%, sometimes up to 90%)

• Cervical Cancer:  Galbanum, Hyssop, Patchouli, Douglas Fir, Thyme (linalol), Tsuga, Tarragon, Nutmeg, Geranium, Sage, Sandalwood, White Fir, Dill, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Tangerine, Melaleuca, Ravensara, Thyme, Valerian
• Prostate Cancer: Western Red Cedar, Myrtle, Thyme
• Breast Cancer: Myrtle, Sandalwood
• Skin Cancer: Tsuga, Grapefruit, Hyssop, Tarragon, Thyme, Thyme (linalol)

    
The following oils inhibited two or more cancer cell lines: Hyssop, Myrtle, Sandalwood, Tarragon, Thyme, Thyme (linalool), Tsuga

There are many other websites out there that provide information on essential oils and how they can help fight cancer. I may not be a doctor, I may not have any miracle that can cure cancer, but what I have found gives me hope. This is what I can do for my family and friends, share this hope with them. 

For anyone reading this who is fighting cancer, or has a loved one fighting, this is my gift to you. I give you my hope and prayers. 

I have learned so much since I started looking into essential oils and all they could do for my family. I didn't start out knowing everything right away. It took some research and a lot of great suggestions from others to learn what I know now, and I still have a long way to go. 

I thought today I would share some great places to find important information on Essential Oils with you. 

One of my favorite go-to sources for information on essential oils and what health concerns they can help with is my Modern Essentials App. It is available for both iPhones and Androids. 

This app lists all the doTERRA single oils and what they can be used for. It also lists many health concerns and what oils are helpful for them as well, including many protocols or how to use the oils to help. 

The app is $6.99, but I found that it was well worth the money spent on it. 

Another of my favorite go-to spots for information on essential oils it Everything Essential. This is a great website to visit to learn more about essential oils, both single oils and blends, and what health concerns they can help with. You can search by the oil itself, or by the health concern. 

Also included on this website are suggested protocols, experiences and testimonials from others who have used the essential oils for the specific health concerns, and information on diet and nutrition. You can also find out more about how to apply the oils, the history and science behind them, as well as hints and tips. 

There is also a free app that you can download for this website as well. A convenient way to access the site whenever you are on the go. 

doTERRA blog is a terrific place to find all kinds of information on essential oils. Here you will find spotlights on specific oils, DIY projects, recipes, ideas on healthy living and much more! 

There are even links to the Living Magazine and Leadership Magazine on the website as well. These magazines include lots of great ideas, tips, recipes and information on the doTERRA business as well. Both definitely a must read if you want to learn about essential oils or are thinking about starting your own doTERRA business. 

And finally, my personal favorite site to find and purchase essential oils, of course, is doTERRA. I know there are several other companies that sell essential oils, and I am sure that they are wonderful, but doTERRA is what I feel comfortable using for my family. These are the oils that have shown me, without a shadow of a doubt, that essential oils and natural healthcare are my first line of defense with my family. I can't tell you how grateful I am for them, and what they have done for my family. I personally use these every day, for myself, my husband, my children (diluted of course) and even for our dog Nellie. I encourage you to try them out and let me know what you think. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or even for samples. I'd love to share with you. 

You've heard a lot about Essential Oils and natural healthcare. Now you want to try it for yourslef, but you aren't sure where to start. My best suggestion is to start with the 3 basic oils, the ones that are most commonly used. Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. Here are 101 uses for these oils to get you started... 

LEMON

Home Use

1. A Cure for Laundry Neglect. Lemon essential oil takes out ALL odor when you forget and leave your load of laundry in the washer way too long!

2. Tame Oozy, Sappy Trees. Whether the sap is on your carpet, clothes or seeped into your skin, lemon oil is excellent for removing pine gum and tree sap.

3. Stop Grease in its Tracks. You just fixed your bike. Your hands are black and greasy. Soap alone won’t remove the grease, but lemon oil mixed with your soap will.  Lemon oil is a great de-greaser!

4. Disinfect the Disgusting. You can add lemon oil to a spray bottle of water and attack what may be living in your range hood, on your tables, countertops and other surfaces. For some extra chemical-free firepower, a little vinegar is a traditional favorite.

5. Lose the Gas Mask. When you clean the gunky build up in your shower, do you practically have to wear a gas mask to survive the fumes? Go gas mask free and clean with lemon oil. Just a small amount of lemon oil will go a long way in removing hard water build up.

6. Nourish Your Leathers. Whether you ride a Harley in style or cherish the patina of your leather sofa at home, your leathers are not maintenance free. Use a lemon oil soaked cloth to preserve them, and prevent leather from splitting.

7. High Ho Silver. A lemon oil treated cloth is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver or other metals. You may not eat on silver every day, but bracelets, earrings, necklaces often need some love.

8. Deactivate the Sticky. Lemon oil can help you avert a hair cutting crisis the next time you deal with gum in hair. Got kids with obsessive addictions to stickers or temporary tattoos? Works for those too. Not for wide receivers.

9. Love Your Luster. Bring your furniture back to life with lemon oil! Just add a few drops of lemon oil to olive oil for a non-toxic furniture polish. Lemon oil leaves a beautiful shine, prevents fine wood finishes from drying out, and replaces lost moisture in antique woods as it penetrates worn finishes.

10. De-Smudge Your Stainless. You don’t need to hunt down that “single use” stainless steel cleaner anymore. Multi-use lemon oil is great for cleaning stainless steel appliances. You’ll love the way stainless looks and smells!

11. Clean Granite or Porous Stone. What is living in the pores of your natural stone counters or floors? Lemon oil cleans deeply, seeps into stone and leaves you with a “real fresh lemons” aroma, rather than that fake lemon chemical smell.

12. Energize your Brush.  If your toothbrush seems a bit tired, add a drop of lemon and peppermint oils to chase away that run-down feeling.

13. Quarantine Pungencies. Moldy kid’s sneakers, a baby’s blowout, potty training … it all adds up to an less than desirable aroma. Diffuse or spray lemon oil and neutralize odors at their source!

14. Take the Spine Out of Scuffs. Got a scuff mark that just won’t go away? Lemon oil lifts scuff marks in remarkable ways!

15. Curtail the Dank, Musty or Mildewed. Things get stored away. Things get old. Things don’t see the light of day. Chase away that “old smell” and inject new energy with a good lemon oil wipe down.

16. Stop Cutting Board Bacteria Palooza. Cutting boards can harbor bacteria in your kitchen.  Nobody wants to taste the chemicals you have in your cleaning closet, yet most people love the taste of lemon!

17. Control an Aphid Invasion, Naturally.  Aphids — those pesky little bugs that dine on your roses and other plants.  Lemon oil (or peppermint) with water in a garden spray bottle are a natural pesticide that kills aphids and their larvae on contact, but leave your plants looking lovely.

18. Spot-Free Dishes. Add a few drops of lemon oil to your dishwasher soap container with each load.  Your dishes will come out looking like new… spot-free!

19. Refresh Bad Smelling Washcloths. When your kitchen washcloths smell foul and could use a boost, add lemon oil to your detergent, soak overnight, wash, dry and your kitchen will smell so much better!

Cooking & Food

20. Energy Boost. For a quick, refreshing energy boost, combine a couple drops each of lemon essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a glass of water and drink up. Add a lemony taste to your bottled water.

21. Zest Up Your Sugary Indulgences. There are an infinite number of ways lemon oil can add a bit of freshness to your sugary savors: Lemon frosting • Lemon meringue • Sour cream lemon pie • Lemon cakes • Lemon tart glaze • Lemon squares • Lemon cookies  • Breathtaking, awe-inspiring lemonade

23. Pep Up Your Entrees. With lemon oil, there are countless ways to make the bland zippy, or the blah peppy:  Roasted salmon & asparagus with lemon oil, Linguine & shrimp with lemon oil, Lemon oil drizzled over vegetables (especially broccoli), Lemon garlic shrimp… or to add a fresh kick to an already great salad.

24. Preserve What You’ve Got. Use lemon oil in a spray to keep your cut fruit fresh until serving.

Body & Mind

25. Ease Respiratory Gunkity Goop. When used with a humidifier, it’s a great way to slow wheezing, colds, cough, and other upper respiratory problems.

26. De-scratch Your Scratchy Throat. Adding a couple drops of lemon essential oil to warm water & honey can change that yucky sore throat feeling, slow a nasty cough, and douse a fever. Lemon oil fights bacteria, as well as viruses.

27. Honeylicious Hair Highlights …Chemical Free. Skip the expensive salon highlight treatment, and use lemon oil to create your own hair highlights.  Just go in the sun after using with your hair product, and it will lighten your hair.  Be careful, it works well!

28.  Fight the Fungus Among Us. Tired of seeing that unsightly nail fungus?  Lemon oil is great for nails, and can help fight against nail fungus.

29.  Halt the Nervous Nellie, In You. When combined with lavender oil and diffused into a room, you’ll find you feel less anxious, a better mood, more even keel, and well … linear.

30. Clear Thinking & Clear Focus, Made Visible. A clear mind, a clean slate, a fresh outlook.  It’s all good.  Real good. Diffuse lemon oil and you got it.

31. Take the Heat Out of Cold Sores. When you have a gnarly cold sore that’s just begging for attention, douse it with a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll have a new best friend.

32. Nice Mood … No Really.  Chase away the moody blues (not the band), with a bit of blah-reducing lemon oil. Whether you choose to diffuse it or apply topically, it’s hard to not improve your outlook with lemon oil around!

33.  Was That a Crusty? Next time you notice hard, crusty skin on your feet, (e.g. corns, calluses or bunions) regularly add a few drops of lemon oil and you’ll soon have softened skin!

34.  A Brighter Complexion. Lemon oil can help remove dead skin cells and exfoliate.  For a homemade exfoliant, add 4-5 drops to a small amount of oatmeal and water for a homemade scrub.  Feels great!

PEPPERMINT

Home Use

35. Calm a Tempest.  Just one drop of peppermint oil rubbed on the stomach or taken internally can calm indigestion, an upset stomach or other internal digestive commotion. A must-have when traveling!

36. Restore Vitality in the Mouth. When your breath is sharp and your mouth feels furry, peppermint oil with water (and lemon oil) creates a healthy, refreshing mouth rinse that leaves a lasting crisp, clean feeling.

37. It’s About Air Flow. When sinuses seem to be clogged, and throats swollen and scratchy, diffuse peppermint oil (or apply topically on the chest) for almost immediate relief and revitalizing air flow. Peppermint acts as an expectorant and may provide relief for colds, cough, sinusitis, asthma, and bronchitis.

38. Cool the Joints. When the ravages of time wreak havoc on your joints, leaving that hot and achy feeling, peppermint oil mixed with lavender oil cools like an ice bath, but you to stay warm and dry.

39. Feel Full, Faster. Satiety. It’s about feeling full, and not overeating. The aroma of peppermint oil has the ability to make you feel full, faster…especially if you breathe it in during a meal!

40. Cool Your Tootsies. If you’ve been on your feel all day or religiously wear hard soled shoes, just add peppermint oil to a cold water compress to cool your overworked, over heated tootsies.

41. Perk Up. The invigorating aroma of peppermint is a wonderful, non-stimulating way to perk up on long drives, in school, during late night homework or any other time you need to “burn the midnight oil.”

42. Energize Your Lather. Some shampoo and conditioner combos can make you want to go back to sleep. No energy. No pep. No fun. Not good. Add peppermint to your potions to stimulate the scalp, energize and wake up! The oil is an antiseptic in nature, and can also help remove dandruff and lice.

43. Allergies Beware. Peppermint oil has the ability to relax smooth muscles in the body — the same muscles that line our airways and become affected in allergy season. Peppermint oil (with lemon) should certainly be another arrow in your allergy treatment quiver!

44. Chase Away Tension Headaches. Got a mind numbing headache? A few drops of peppermint dabbed on your temples, neck and sinuses can quickly spring into action and chase that headache away!

45. Help Kids Get on the Ball.  The next time Junior is a little unresponsive to all that is going on with school and homework, try spritzing a little peppermint on his shirt before study time, placing drop on the tongue or under the nose for improved concentration and alertness.

46. Seep, Soak & Revitalize. After a long day, apply peppermint, let it seep in and then soak in a warm bath or shower. The refreshing peppermint vapor will make you feel cool, relaxed and energized again.

47. Add a Refreshing Kick to Your Tea.  Just one drop of peppermint oil can add life to any herbal tea (without having to add lots of sugar) while also aiding in normal digestion or to relieve heartburn.

48. A “Should I Work Out Today?” Antidote. You ask yourself this question. It’s OK. Using peppermint oil prior to exercise immediately awakens your senses and gets you in your right mind so you can crank.

49.  A Snack Vendor’s Nightmare. When you get that mid-morning craving, diffuse peppermint oil to reign in the urge to snack on junk food, or anything else that might appear before you.

Cooking & Food

50. Add Zip to All Things Chocolate. Enhance your chocolate in a gazillion ways: gourmet hot chocolate, mint brownie frosting, peppermint bark, peppermint patties, peppermint brownies, peppermint chocolate Bundt cake, red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint cream cheese, yum!

51. Brisk, Delightful Confections.  Peppermint chiffon cake, homemade candy canes, butter mints, peppermint ice cream, peppermint glaze over pastries and cookies, homemade peppermint patties.

52. Unforgettable Beverages. Peppermint water on ice, peppermint mocha, peppermint tea, peppermint hot chocolate, that’s right … it’s all delish.

Body & Mind

53. Wake Up Your Mind.  Peppermint oil activates the limbic function in your brain.  The limbic function helps control things like emotions and long-term memory and is related to olfactory structures in your nose.

54. An Itch Fix. If you have the after effects of a sunburn where skin is a little warm and itchy, apply a drop of peppermint oil (mixed with lavender) to cool, soothe and stop itching.

55. Theme Park Relief.  If you’ve got that “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just went on a spinning ride” feeling, four or five drops of peppermint rubbed on the stomach can calm smooth stomach muscles and help dispel discomfort.

56. Travel to the Arctic, Without Traveling. When you add a few drops of peppermint to your ice water, it not only improves the taste, but also leaves you with a feeling of cool, refreshing arctic wind in your airways!

57. Burrow No More. If you find a tick has decided to make your skin its home, just give that tick a nice bath of peppermint oil with a cotton swab. The tick will stop burrowing, remove its head and then he’s yours.

58. Don’t Make It Easy on the Critters. Many household bugs do not like peppermint oil — ants, aphids, beetles, plant lice, mice and cockroaches try to steer clear of peppermint. Just add to water in a spray bottle and spray where you think pests grace you with their presence!

59. Clean Naturally. Peppermint oil is a wonderful natural cleaning agent because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Spray on countertops and bathroom surfaces, scrub, and enjoy cleaner clean.

60. Sleep Like a Baby. If you find you are having a hard time sleeping, peppermint oil helps activate cold-sensitive receptors in the skin and mucosal tissues.  When used this way, it may help with insomnia.

61. Quell Apathy. When you’re with someone who feels gloomy or like they “just don’t care”, ask them to try peppermint oil (aromatically, topically, or internally) to stimulate their mental sharpness and focus.

62. It’s About a State of Mind. Someone’s mental outlook can be a game changer.  If they are shocked, stressed out or nervous, peppermint oil may help restore feelings of normalcy and balance.

63. Tame a Toothache. Peppermint oil can act as a concentrated natural pain killer and muscle relaxant, especially with painful gums, teething or recent dental work.

64. Alleviate Internal Strife. When used topically or internally, peppermint is a favorite for fresh relief from cramping, indigestion to diarrhea. Skip the antacids and go with peppermint oil!

65. For That “Marathon in Clogs” Feeling. When you feel like you’ve just run a marathon in clogs, and your feet are a hot mess of ouch, massage peppermint oil onto aching feet, joints, and strained muscles.

66. Leap from Lethargic.  Feeling lethargic or in a brain fog? Peppermint has been known to improve blood circulation and awareness, leaving you with an energized, awake feeling.

67. Go Eight-Leg Free. When you diffuse peppermint into the room, you’ll notice fewer spiders.  Why? They don’t like it.  It’s safe, contains no harsh chemicals or pesticides. It doesn’t kill the spiders, but forces them out.

LAVENDER

Home Use

68. Chase Away Stagnant Closet Air. You know that smell. Fabrics of all variety, shoes for every occasion, plus a dirty clothes bin and no fresh air can only equal one thing…you need lavender essential oil.  Whether diffused, drizzled on earthen ware, or dripped on cotton balls, chase stagnancy away!

69. Take the Bite Out of It. Insects, creepies and crawlies are not too fond of the smell of lavender. In fact, they hate it. If you forget to go the prevention route, lavender soothes bites, itching and inflammation.

70. A Multi-Purpose Spray. Next time you sitting in traffic, pull out a spray bottle filled with a lavender and water mixture and freshen your car. Who wouldn’t prefer a car smelling like lavender?

71. Kids Won’t Go Down? Lavender drops on their pillows … it’s like magic. It will help ease their mind, calm them down, make bedtime a bit more rewarding, and best of all … lull them into a restful sleep.

72. Skip the Aerosol Chemical Sprays. Next time you are deodorizing the bathroom, think of lavender and water in a spray bottle. Lavender’s antibacterial, antibiotic, antiviral, antiseptic properties can only help.

73. Take the Acrid Out of Vinegar. If you clean with vinegar, but can barely stay vertical while using it, lavender is the answer. Just add lavender and vinegar together in the spray bottle and you’re set!

74. Therapeutic Dish or Laundry Soap. If your liquid soap smells a bit flat, you can add lavender for additional aromatherapy benefits and antibacterial properties. It transforms your cleaning experience!

75. Lovable Linens. What does your linen closet smell like? Probably cotton. Maybe old cotton. Energize your linens with lovely smelling lavender.  It leaves no oil marks and leaves things invigoratingly fresh.

76. Lavender candles. Ahhh the long lost art of candle making. If you’ve ever made candles you know how fun it can be. When you add lavender, the smell that is released is intensely therapeutic!

77. Wood Floors, Like New. A tired wood floor is, well … tired. Commercial floor polishes often contain harsh chemicals. Woods love oil.  Just add lavender to your cleaning system and your floor can look like new!

78. Help That Trusty Ball Cap. A well-worn, much loved ball cap can look great, but smell like a wild animal. Add 4-5 drops of lavender to make it bearable. It will be your favorite hat if you have a headache too!

79. Change Your Sheets, Refresh Your Mattress. Unfortunately, your mattress can be neglected, and have that “wires, foam and fabric” smell. Add lavender when you change your sheets and neglect no more!

80. Homemade Room Freshener. Put baking soda and a 5-6 drops of lavender oil in a small Mason jar. Punch holes in the lid. Place in smelly areas (near garbage can, dirty clothes), shake jar often. Smile.

81. Pet Smells No More. Add a skiff or two of your baking soda and lavender mixture to carpets and vacuum up!  If you have pets, (especially the un-potty trained variety), fight back with lavender!

82. Extra Potpourri Mileage. If you have a pot of potpourri that has seen its day, try refreshing it with a few drops of lavender essential oil.  You’ll love the way lavender can change the feel of your home!

83. Sweet Smelling Vacuum Bags. Your vacuum can be your nemesis when it comes to keeping your home smelling clean.  As you well know, it can even blow microfine dirt! Pin some cotton balls (soaked in lemon and lavender oils) on the inside of the bag and let your vacuum blow!

Cooking & Food

84. Soften Citrus Flavors. Use in delicate lemon sauces for chicken or fish or in powerful orange marmalades, citrus salads, real lemonade and more!

85. Amazing Marinades and BBQ. Baste chicken or fish on the grill with honey or a garlic and rosemary blend, spread over roasted vegetables, marinade chicken pieces in honey and lavender, yum!

86. Bake Like the Best. Lavender is a nice addition to lavender blueberry banana bread, lemon lavender cookies, baked salmon, lavender sugar cookies, lavender muffins, lavender cakes, oh yeah!

87. Give Your Sugars a Delightful Twist.  Use as a substitute for vanilla extract (in creams, custards and sugars), use it in lavender icing, add to honey for extra flavor in tea or toast, and even maple syrup!

Body & Mind

88.   The Oatmeal Secret.  Fill a baby food jar with oatmeal, and add 5-8 drops of lavender oil.  When it’s time to wash your face, add water and it becomes an excellent natural scrub! A little goes a long way.

89. Minor Burns, Major Relief. When you’ve slightly overdone it in the sun, a little lavender oil is helpful in preventing peeling skin. It aids in your skin’s healing without scarring as well!

90. Boo Boo Relief. Lavender has disinfecting properties. It’s great for the skin, and wonderful for relief from cuts and scrapes, especially if the cut or scrape is located wherever it’s difficult to keep covered.

91. Alleviate Feelings of Earaches.  You can warm lavender (don’t scald it), mix with olive oil and gently massage around the ears (not in the ears) and near glands in the throat.

92. A Dry Climate Answer. If you suffer from dry, itchy skin, and don’t want to mess around with chemical smelling lotions, add lavender to fractionated coconut oil and comfort will be yours!

93. Horrific Heels & Foot Fatigue. If you’ve been wearing sandals all summer, and your heels look like the Atacama Desert, 6 drops of lavender in a hot foot bath is the answer. Your porous feet will thank you.

94. Neck & Wing Relief. When you have neck and scapula tension, apply lavender with fractionated coconut oil, breathe it in and massage those knots out!

95. A Hood of Wonder. Next time you have a cold or the flu, remember the lavender steam hood. Add 4-6 drops to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head, and inhale the vapor slowly and deeply.

96. A Woodworker’s Friend.  Do you work with wood or handle wood? Rather than dig a hole in your finger trying to catch that splinter, add a few drops of lavender, let the splinter swell and slip out.

97. Allergies, Sinuses & Congestion Oh My!  Lavender can calm down unruly sinus issues, defiant allergies and other respiratory issues. Just apply on the back of your neck, chest, and between your eyes.

98. Fortify Your First-Aid Kit.  There are many dōTERRA products that would be tres glam additions to your First-Aid kit, but if you could only pick one, lavender should be it.  Why? Basic First-Aid kits are often geared toward minor skin irritation, scrapes, rashes, and so forth.  Lavender is great for all those, not to mention its calming properties!

99. Rub a Dub Dub. Rather than using regular soap and warm water at baby’s bath time, add about five drops of lavender oil to the warm water.  Your tot’s skin will be pampered and smell great!

100. Soak Away Stress. Your muscles are tight. Anxiety and deadlines are eating at you. Your heart is racing. Where’s the pressure release valve?  Right here, with lavender. Add to a warm bath, soak it in, soothe.

101. Let Vapor Talk. Wet your hair in the shower. Add 4 drops of lavender to a handful of water and work it into your hands and hair. Tilt your head down, under the water and capture the aroma instilled vapor as it melts off your hands and hair. You’ll love how it smells, and how your hair feels!

Bonus Tip!

Target Acne, at the Source. Bacteria thrive in sebaceous glands that over produce sebum…that waxy stuff that can be associated with acne. Lavender helps balance sebum and control break outs.

 The doTERRA Intro Kit comes with a 5ml bottle of each, along with other great information about essential oils. 

I remember being in my teens and early 20's, and thinking that I wasn't as thin as I wanted to be. Looking back now, I can't believe I thought that way. I was only about 125 pounds then, probably thinner than I should have been. But I was so much more active than I am now. Not that it is an excuse, just a fact. I worked for a local theme park, and walked all day long, alround the park. On the weekends I would go line dancing. Talk about a cardio work out. 

So what am I going to do about it? Certainly not sit here and complain, or feel sorry for myself. I have done that too many times in the past. Now I am going to get up off my rear, and get active. No more making excuses. "My joints hurt" - I have an essential oil to help with the pain. "I like food too much" - fine, then limit the portion size. "I'm too tired" - I always will be if I don't push myself. "I don't have the time" - the Coffee Break Workout has only been taking me about 5-10 minutes a day. "I hate my body" - well DUH! That's why I'm doing this. "I don't have the will power" - it's not my power that will sustain me, it is God's!

Thank you to Back On Pointe for this picture and inspiring this post!