This past week, I’m just going about my day and one of my sons says,

“Mom, can you do that thing where you put the coconut oil in my ear?” (This is how I treat ear infections without antibiotics) I said, “Why, does it hurt? Do you think you have an ear infection?” He said, “No, I just think it feels good.” Me: “Then, Ummm, No.”

Then he proceeds to tell me about his dream from the night before where someone was performing chiropractic work on him to cure some illness he was having. In his dream it was like magic and he felt amazing. (I didn’t even know he knew about chiropractic work…he’s certainly never been to one…)

Anyway, it just made me smile and made me realize that despite the skeptical faces they sometimes make at me, my kids are listening and learning and that they don’t just think I’m a crazy holistic mama. They know that natural solutions work, because they have worked for them. I love the way my family is on board with this lifestyle and supports me when I try new things, even when it means experimenting on them!

Of all our “experiments” over the past year, without a doubt, my favorite is essential oils. To be honest I’ve been a little wary about posting about essential oils because I’m certainly no expert yet and people are so curious about them and have lots of questions! I put off learning about essential oils because I felt like I still had so much to learn about nutrition and cleansing and coaching, and thought I would be overwhelmed learning about oils too. But I started to get questions from friends and clients about them and frankly it was a bit embarrassing to admit that as a holistic health coach I knew NOTHING, I mean ZERO about essential oils, especially when I was preaching so much about reducing toxic load and cleansing! So anyway, late last year I went for it and ordered a starter set of oils. I’m still learning about all of the benefits and different ways to use the oils and I still have a lot to learn. But this blog is all about sharing with you exactly what I am doing in my own life to support my health and well-being physically, mentally and spiritually and I’m definitely HOOKED on using these oils to support my familiy’s health in so many different ways.

As part of a natural lifestyle I can no longer live without them.

And I’ve realized I don’t have to be an expert to share the ways I’m using them, so I’m just going to tell you about my experience!

As fun as it is to just smell them, there are lots of other ways to use them too. Here are a few of my favorites:

Immune and Respiratory Support- My entire family managed to avoid getting sick this winter, even though our systems were under attack several times. The combination of a protective blend and a respiratory blend is a powerful force against colds. The protective blend supports immune system function and the respiratory blend opens up the sinuses when you’re getting stuffy! We were pretty impressed with the results. No cold medicine necessary and we were able to kick colds quickly and naturally!

Sleep Support- I use lavender oil to support my sleep and I have never slept better. Lavender has calming properties which help relax both the mind and body, creating the perfect conditions for quality sleep. My oil ritual at night is my favorite! I put lavender oil on the bottoms of my feet (the oils are easily absorbed into the body through the bottoms of the feet!) or I put a combo of lavender and frankincense into a diffuser by my bed for a sweet dreamy scent to fall asleep to. These oils are my natural sleep aids and they work like a charm. I highly recommend them if you have sleep issues!

Cooking– Essential oils are amazing for adding flavor and spice to any dish. They impart the same fresh, all natural taste as fresh herbs and spices, but are more concentrated and can be used year-round when fresh herbs are not available. They have a concentrated, pure flavor since they are extracted naturally from the plant itself. Since they are so concentrated you get a lot more flavor from one tiny drop than even using fresh herbs (though I’ll never stop using fresh herbs!).

Smoothies– As a huge smoothie lover, I am always experimenting with my smoothies! I love using oils to boost the flavor in both my smoothies and also my water. My favorite “boosters” are wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime and peppermint. Yum!

DIY skin care– I have always used coconut oil to moisturize my skin, but now I can make it smell even more delicious using my favorite oils. I add them to shampoo, and make all natural skin care products like chemical free body wash, skin creams and all natural bug spray (that really works!)

Chemical free cleaning– Most of the household toxins in our homes come from cleaning supplies. Many essential oils have disinfectant properties that make them a great substitute for chemical cleaners. I’ve been making my own natural cleaners in minutes and they make the house smell amazing and get the job done!

Mood/Emotional support– Essential oils can be diffused or used topically for mood support and I use them both ways. Just as lavender has a calming effect, citrus oils and oils like peppermint, have an energizing effect. I also use blends that were scientifically combined to support mood, like a joyful blend when I need a lift and a balance blend when I need to feel grounded.

All natural Perfume- Traditional perfume is basically poison in a bottle, so I have typically reserved wearing perfume for special occasions, but I like to smell nice! I love making my own all natural perfume blends. There are endless combinations to blend and create scents that are unique to me. This is becoming a bit of a creative outlet for me!

These are just a few of the ways we’ve been using oils at our house! I could go on, but for your sake I’ll stop now!

What are your favorite ways to use essential oils? Let me know in the comments!

Live nourished,

Heather

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