Lemon Essential Oil and some recipes

I love lemon essential oil! It has such a bright, happy scent and it just makes you feel good! It is a very versatile oil that integrates into daily use in every home in a myriad of ways. 

If you want some recipes that use lemon, here are some great ones:

Blood support blend: Lemon 4 drops, Melissa 1 drop, in capsule 2 times a day

Preoccupied with detail: Frankincense 3 drops, Vetiver 2 drops, Lemon 1 drop.

Memory support: Lemon 1 drop, Rosemary 1 drop, White Fir 1 drop.

Improve Sense of Humor: Lemon 2 drops, Frankincense 1 drop, Rose 1 drop, Lavender 2 drops, mix and wear on bones behind the ears.

Anti-Belligerant-Tension Blend: 1/8 ounce coconut oil, Lemon oil 2 drops, Bergamot Oil 4 drops, Ylang Ylang 3 drops, Sandalwood Oil 2 drops, Melissa 1 drop.

Energizing Body Oil: 2 ounces of coconut oil, Lemon Oil 3 drops, Geranium 3 drops, Coriander 2 drops, Rosemary 4 drops.

Gum Therapy Oil Blend: 1/8 ounce coconut oil, Lemon 3 drops, Myrrh 6 drops, Melaluca 10 drops, Peppermint 1 drop. Massage into your gums after you brush your teeth once a day for regular gum maintenance.

Occasional Head-Tension Relief with Mood lifting: Lemon 4 drops, Roman Chamomile 2 drops, Lavender 2 drops, Marjoram 2 drops, Rosemary 1 drop, White Fir 1 drop, Coconut Oil 8 drops. Mix gently in a roller bottle and roll on the muscles at the back of the neck and shoulders and allow to work for 5 minutes. Then stretch head from side to side gently.

Warm Compress for Vein support: 2-quart glass bowl, 1/3 teaspoon of Epsom Salts in bottom of bowl – add: Lemon 1 drop, Rosemary 1 drop, Geranium 2 drops, Pour 1 quart Warm Water into bowl, mix gently. Soak a clean cloth in the water and apply the compress to the affected areas. Elevate your legs for fifteen minutes. Follow with a Cool Stimulating Compress for Vein Support.

Cool Stimulating Compress for Vein Support: 2 quart glass bowl, 1/3 teaspoon of Epsom Salts in bottom of bowl—add: Cypress 2 drops, Ginger 1 drop, Peppermint 1 drop, add one quart of cool water, blend gently, soak a clean cloth in the water and apply it to the legs. Elevate your legs for 15 minutes. Follow with Vein Support Massage Oil

Vein Support Massage Oil: combine 1 ounce coconut oil, Cypress 3 drops, Patchouli 2 drops, Rosemary 2 drops, Lemon 1 drop and Geranium 1 drop. Gently blend in bottle and the begin applying directly above the veins that need support, massage your legs with oil, using strokes directed upward toward the heart. Repeat once or twice daily.

Mouth Sore Compress: 1-quart glass bowl, add 1/3 teaspoon Epsom salts, add oils to Epsom salts before adding water, 1 drop each of Lemon, Melaluca, and Bergamot… add the water to the premixed salts/oils and blend. Soak a clean cloth in the water to make a compress; apply the compress to the affected area frequently during the day.

Immune-Boosting Massage Oil: 2 ounces of Coconut oil, Lemon 3 drops, White Fir 2 drops, Frankincense 2 drops, Myrrh 1 drop, Wild Orange 4 drops, Geranium 4 drops, Thyme 1 drop, Lavender 2 drops. Blend gently and then apply over body a few times a day after exposure to seasonal threats or when heavy stress is happening.

Sweet Dreams Personal Blend: 1/8 ounce of Coconut oil, Lemon 2 drops, Sandalwood 6 drops, Ylang Ylang 2 drops, Coriander 1 drop and Vetiver 1 drop. Apply a few drops of the blend to your wrists and rub together and inhale.

Pasta Sauce From Scratch with Essential Oils

Tonight for dinner, I made past sauce from scratch to serve over tortellini. Mmmm. So yummy and so simple! Cooking from scratch has a much more fresh and real taste to it. And I love finding more ways to get these healthy, healing oils into my family's bodies!

Here's what you need!

 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 large tomatoes (next time I would use more and allow enough time to simmer more of the liquid out)
1 small onion, diced fine
1 bell pepper, diced fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
High quality essential oils of your choice (some ideas are basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, clary sage)

Brown the meat in a saucepan, add the onion, cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper, cook for 2-3 more minutes, process the tomatoes in a food processor to a consistency you like, add to pot. Use a toothpick to add a tiny bit of the oils you choose. Trust me, a drop of each is WAY too much!Three to four different oils is best so you don't overwhelm the other flavors in the sauce. Then add salt to taste. Simmer until it is as thick as you want it (or, if you're like me and you wait until the last possible second to get dinner ready, just simmer it until the rest of dinner is ready). Serve over the pasta of your choice!

**Be sure that when you cook with essential oils, you only use the highest quality oils. The quality and purity maintained by top end oils makes them uniquely safe enough to ingest. Other oils are not intended for this purpose, but you can always be sure that your oils are safe to ingest if they have supplement facts on the label.

Internal, Topical, and Aromatic Applications

One of the things that I got hung up on when I was first learning about oils was knowing how and where to apply oils. How do you know if you're using them right? How much is too much? Where do you put it? What oils can you take internally, if any? There was so much to learn! I felt overwhelmed. But with just a little bit of knowledge and some experience, it wasn't long before I felt completely confident and competent. So here is your "How to use oils" reference guide!

With the oils I choose, there are 3 ways to use them: topically, aromatically, and internally (this last one is exclusive to only the highest quality oils due to the purity. Most brands should not be used internally). Before I go into each of those, here is Rule #1--keeping it simple:

When in doubt, go to the soles of the feet. You can never go wrong applying oils to the bottoms of someone's feet. The pores there are large and the oils are absorbed very readily into the body from there. As an added bonus, the nerves that run throughout the body end in the bottoms of the feet, so you can affect various parts of the body by applying oils to the feet. This is why reflexology works. 

Topical Use:

Oils can be used topically anytime, but this application is most beneficial for reduces occasional localized discomfort. Anytime you are experiencing localized discomfort, topical is going to be the best way to treat since it's very direct. Just go right to the area where you are experiencing discomfort and put the oils there.

Aromatic Use:

Aromatic use is the most familiar way people know of to use oils. They are effective when used in this way because inhaling the constituents of an oil gets all those powerful, supportive molecules into the body so they can start doing their work. This is one of the fastest ways to impact things going on in the brain because the olfactory receptors are seated in the brain. Diffusing oils is a wonderful way to uplift mood, clean the air, and open airways. If you don't have a diffuser, that's okay! Put a drop in your hands, rub it in, cup your hands over your face, and breathe deeply--it's your own personal diffuser!

Internal Use:

As mentioned above, this method of using essential oils is exclusive to only the highest quality oils. You want to choose a brand that has a commitment to quality and purity that is uncompromising and ironclad (ZERO contaminants, fillers, or adulterations, AND the best levels of therapeutic benefit). If you'd like to ask about that or try a sample, email me (button in the sidebar). To take oils internally, you can put a couple of drops in your water, in an empty gel or veggie capsule (these can be found at your health food store or on amazon), under your tongue, or in a teaspoon of honey. You can even cook with your oils (though try to add them at the end since too much heat damages the therapeutic constituents)! 

How much?

This was the last thing that had me so confused at first. I thought that I would have to memorize a million different dosages for every different discomfort I might want to address. Not so! Top quality essential oils, while perfectly safe, are also potent! One to three drops is generally all you need for everyday uses. I tend to use one drop for topical issues (unless they cover a large area in which case, a few more drops might be necessary), 3 drops for internal uses, and I follow the manufacturer's instructions when using them in diffusers. The key, however, to having success with oils, especially for injuries and illness, is FREQUENCY! Less oil more often is the motto. That means that each time you use the oil, use only a drop or two, but apply that small amount of oil as frequently as every hour. This is particularly effective when you are facing some type of seasonal threat. 

Do I have to dilute?

No. This is another unique element of top-end oils. Because of the purity of the oils I choose, they are safe to use neat (undiluted). Though, it is smart to dilute anyway because the carrier oil helps slow the volatility of the essential oil so that they don't go off into the air as quickly. They stay on the skin longer so the body can absorb more of their therapeutic molecules. 

Essential oils are also very potent, meaning they have a LOT of the constituents that give them their therapeutic value, so if you want your oils to last you longer, they will still be effective if you dilute them. To dilute oils, you add a drop or two of essential oil to a teaspoon of a carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil or other oil that is easily absorbed into the body. Coconut oil is the lightest and least greasy and is therefore the most often used carrier oil. 

What about on children, babies, and pregnant women? Are they safe for them too?

Yes! This is the big reason I choose only the best oils. I have 5 children. I want to be able to support their little bodies and minds in a safe and healthy way for all of the different things that come up with raising kiddos! If they weren't safe for them, I wouldn't use them. My first oils mentor was my midwife and she used oils with all her moms and all her babies. Brand new babies would often get anointed with frankincense and a tree oil blend to help them transition to life outside the womb. It was wonderful for them! Personally, I don't dilute my oils for my babies, but I recommend that you dilute them at first until you are familiar with how your family responds to oils. As you gain experience and confidence, it will be clear to you whether it is best for your family's unique chemistry to dilute or use oils neat.

There you have it! Now you know how to use oils effectively in your family! If I left anything unanswered, please comment below!

Mood Support

I've been using a blend composed of frankincense, lavender, helichrysum, sandalwood, myrrh, and rose on my tummy to try to support elasticity in my post-5-baby belly skin. Lots of powerhouses is this little bottle!! 

I noticed a side benefit--it is an incredible mood oil! Looking at the list of ingredients, that makes total sense. Frankincense, the oil of truth; Lavender, the oil of communication and ideas; Helichrysum, the oil of pain (both physical and emotional); Sandalwood, the oil of sacred devotion; Myrrh, the oil of Mother Earth; and Rose, the oil of divine love.

When I use this beautiful blend, I feel like a powerhouse. I feel a lot more drive than usual. My goals for the day line themselves up and I feel clear and focused about them. Try it! You'll be amazed!

Why sourcing of oils is important

The best essential oils are extracted from plants that are grown all over the world in their indigenous climates and soils. It’s part of what gives them their potency and power. Their therapeutic benefits are at their peak when they are grown in the soils that are best for them, in the weather that is best for them, and harvested when they are perfectly ripe. This is how I make sure I use the most effective, potent, safe, and powerful oils on the market today. 

Lavender in France

Frankincense from Oman and Somalia are the best quality

Two places produce the highest quality sandalwood: India and Hawaii

Wild Orange is grown best in the Dominican Republic

I choose oils that are guaranteed to be the BEST and have absolute purity AND potency. They are tested by a third party to be absolutely pure and free from fillers, pesticides, crossover, and contaminants. They are also grown and harvested in a very specific manner in order to ensure that all of the constituents that give the oils their therapeutic value are present in the perfect quantities. Every batch is tested. This company is unique in the essential oil industry. Email me by clicking the button in the sidebar if you would like to learn more or try an oil!

The science behind aroma, emotions, and oils

How is it possible that essential oils can affect our emotions? The olfactory lobe in our brains sits inside the limbic system which is the seat of our emotions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfaction). Due to the anatomical positioning of our nose’s processing plant, smells always trigger an emotional response. Another influential factor is that all cells are vibrating all the time.

 Cells that have a high vibrational rate are happy cells and ones that are vibrating more slowly are damaged and unhappy. 

Oils all vibrate at a high frequency, especially rose, which tops the chart at 320 MHz. By inhaling the constituents of the oils (or applying them to the body), your cells vibrate faster and you start to feel happier! All the cells in your body start to vibrate faster, thereby making you feel healthier. A healthy body vibrates between 62 and 68 MHZ. Below 62 MHz, human cells start to mutate. When you have the flu, cells vibrate at 58 MHz. At 42 MHz, cancer starts to appear. Death begins at 25 MHz. Keep your vibrations UP! Use oils! J 

Turning Around a Bad Attitude

My 7 year old has had one crazy, rough year. The move to Phoenix did not agree with him and he's had a really hard time making good choices at school when he feels that he's the only one trying to follow the rules. He's been in trouble a lot because when he snaps, he really loses it. While I'm well aware that he needs to learn some serious self control, lately we have just felt like he needs to come home and feel loved and okay about himself. He needs to feel like he's a good boy because he is. I want to see that spark in him again. Homeschool has been going quite well! But everyone has an off day. Today was that day.

My guy refused to do his work and sat at the table crying and arguing. We discussed things at length and then I got out my oils. He refused to let me put them on him. Much too grumpy to want to be helped. So I opened several bottles I felt would help him and set them on the table in front of him. I sat across from him and blew the vapors across the table towards him. It made him laugh/cry at first but then he cried and pouted. I left him alone for a bit and let the oils and his goodhearted self do their work. 

 After a few minutes, he leaned forward and quickly hovered over each bottle and breathed all the oils in deeply.

 Within about 10 minutes of me putting the oils on the table, this guy was working and getting more and more cheerful by the minute! I love that you can see such a huge shift in his body language! He quickly finished his work and moved on with his day in good spirits! Love my oils and my boy!

What oils did I use? Well, I'll tell ya. 

Rosemary is the oil of knowledge. I wanted him to feel like his work wasn't too hard and that he was perfectly capable of completing the task. I wanted him to know of his innate goodness and value in the lives of those around him, especially when he is in a good mood and lighting up the room.

I have a citrus blend that is his favorite. It helps him feel cheerful and it smells like candy.

I have another citrus-y blend that is a little heavier. It has more base notes and is a joyful and uplifting blend. It seemed like a good choice since he was in such a funk.

Frankincense helps bring you closer to God and to your father. Anytime we partner with God, whoever you believe that to be, we will be more successful and stronger. He'd also been contending with his daddy through schoolwork efforts this morning so I wanted them to be able to get along.

Geranium is the oil for the heart. I don't quite know why I added this one. I guess I just felt like he needed to know in his heart what was true about him so he could get out of his funk.

If you want to know more about oils for emotions, here is one of my favorite videos:

http://vimeo.com/30193924