December Sign-Up Bonus!!!

For everyone that signs up in the month of December and buys the Everyday Oil Start Up Kit, I'll not only send the Pocket Reference Guide, but I'll also send the following:

• 100 Clear Vegetarian Capsules for taking oils internally
• 3 Glass Droppers-for putting the oils in the capsules! Also great to get the last bit of oil out of your nearly empty jar.
• 2 Roller Filaments to convert your favorite oils into roll-ons!
• Set of circle labels for the top of your Everyday Oil Kit
• Oil Roll-Up to hold your oils in your purse!

As a bonus, the first person who signs up will get the Gentle Babies book, a guide for using essential oils when pregnant, and on young children.

The second person who signs up will get a beautiful oil pendant!

And the third person will get this Body Care Naturally Book!



This is pretty much everything that you'll need to start using your oils! What are you waiting for? Go HERE to find out how you can sign up and be a part of my team!

The Low Down on Clary Sage in Pregnancy and Labor

I recently posted about oils in pregnancy, labor, and post-partum.  I now want to expand on a few of those topics with their own blog post.  Because sometimes, things just need their own page for information!

Today I'd like to focus on Clary Sage.  Why?  Because, so far, it is the only oil I've found that needs to be used with extreme caution in pregnancy, and specifically, those trying to jump start labor.  Here is that section from my original post:

Moving Things Along
Clary Sage, Fennel, Ylang Ylang
          Rub on your belly or just open up the bottle and inhale.

Increase and Strengthen Contractions:
To increase and strengthen contractions, apply Clary Sage around the inside of ankles. Others have applied the essential oil, along with a carrier oil, directly to the abdomen. Some have found that taking one drop of Clary Sage internally in a glass of milk or almond milk every hour or so during labor is very affective for thinning and dilating the cervix. Still others prefer taking a few drops of Clary Sage in a capsule. WARNING: Do not use copious amounts! Large amounts can cause placenta abruption. May induce labor. Not for use during pregnancy.

Clary Sage is in the Botanical Family, and recent medical date indicates that it naturally raises estrogen and progestrerone levels.  One reason that it can be nice to use in labor is because it is a relaxant and very calming.  It is also estrogen-like in how it interacts with our body chemistry.  Clary Sage, in copious amounts, is an emmenagogue, which means it induces bleeding.

All of this is important to know because, due to these properties, it can cause and strengthen contractions in labor.  Personally, I found that it did seem to help some when I was in early stages of labor.  I would apply it by rubbing it on my belly and also on the pressure points on my legs.

Some people have found that it does, in fact, help a mom progress.  One doula stated that just having her clients smell it can get things going!  This mom said:

Finally at 7:00 pm Tuesday, November 17^th the labor began, we ran to the hospital and things seemed to be progressing along, I was 4 cm.   I had the Peace & Calming diffusing, was using Aroma Seize and PanAway on my back and stomach. It all seemed to be going well, but my contractions slowed down enough to stop me from getting to full dilation. At 4:30 am they told me my doctor was going to come in the morning and give me a dose of pitocin to increase contractions, so get some sleep, but I had made up my mind that if they tried to give me any medication, I would refuse, so I looked at my husband and said get me the Clary Sage and a capsule.  I heard Gary Young talk about giving Mary Clary Sage during her labor to progress contractions so I filled it to the brim and took it. You see Clary Sage will help progress labor, but will not start labor. Within one hour or so I was fully dilated. (emphasis mine)

So why am I sitting here, cautioning you about Clary Sage?  Because, there are some of you that will want to use it to start labor!  Your reasoning goes, "Well, if it can cause contractions in early pregnancy, why not late pregnancy? I'm ready to have this baby!"

Trust me.  I know!  I've had 5 babies, and they were all full-term.  Two were "late".  I know how miserable a mom can be in those last 38 weeks! ;-)

In my original article, I told you not to use Clary Sage in copious amounts, but I don't define that.  One reason is that every person is different.  I can't tell you if 5 drops is ok but 6 drops isn't.  I can give you basic information, but you need to research and make your own decisions.  I don't have any initials behind my name and I don't claim to prescribe or diagnose anyone!

The reason for my caution is this:  Tiffany Rowan gave her story about how she tried to use Clary Sage to jump start contractions after her water broke.  (her website is a no-right-click-zone, so I'll try to summarize).  She was taking 10 drops in a capsule every 10 minutes.  This caused placenta abruption and her baby drowned in her blood! Thankfully, her daughter was revived and is now a very happy child!

So, as you can see, this is why I am VERY cautious about recommending Clary Sage to laboring women.  It can be helpful, but PLEASE be wise and do your research!

Models of Aromatherapy-What's the Difference?

I think that there can be a lot of confusion when we talk about oils, and specifically, aromatherapy.  Just the name makes it sound like we are talking about inhaling oils.  But there is a lot more to it than that!

 One person said:

Therapeutic treatment using essential oils follows three distinct frameworks known as the French, British and German models of aromatherapy. To summarize:

• The French model with an emphasis on medical aromatherapy, advocates the ingestion and neat (undiluted) topical application of therapeutic grade essential oils. In France, aromatherapy is a specialized field of medicine. Up until 1990, all phyto-aromatic prescriptions filled by pharmacists were reimbursed by the government health care system. Today that policy is determined by each province within France.
• The British model advocates diluting a small amount of essential oil in a carrier oil and massaging the body for the purpose of relaxation and relieving stress.
• A third model of aromatherapy comes from the Germanic countries – Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Known as the German model, it focuses on inhalation of essential oils for healing purposes.

In the United States, we can and do incorporate all three models for therapeutic use of essential oils. Each model has its purpose and strengths depending on the oil used and the effects desired.

One other website that has some great information is Experience Essential Oils:

The essential oils safety is not compromised and certainly the ones that absolutely require dilution are diluted and the ones that are not for internal use are not used in that manner.
But, the French do rely on strong scientific studies an emphasize the use of therapeutic grade essential oils. This is important because once again there really is not a safety concern when using the correct oil that is of therapeutic quality. Most of the problems come in when we use adulterated oils.
So those of us (me included) who do Raindrop Technique, put essential oils on our bodies NEAT and place them in our water to keep us cool and hydrated are partnered up with the French Aromatherapy school of thought!
The United States doesn’t really prescribe to one method and we really haven’t led the charge when it comes to Aromatherapy, so sorry there isn’t a “US school of thought” for the moment.
So, for me when it comes using essential oils (and riding in great saddles) I have to side with the French!

So, information on this website will be given based on the French model.  This is important for you to know, because it also means that I am only referring to the highest quality of oils.  Gary Young spent many years studying about plants, oils, and all of the benefits from high quality (a.k.a. Therapeutic Grade) essential oils.  Oils in the British model have been adulterated and diluted with carriers, and I would NEVER use them on me or my children.

I'll be posting more in the next couple of weeks about the quality of oils, but I wanted you to know about the difference in mindsets of many people in the aromatherapy world :-)

Allergies

Over a year ago, I was tested for allergies. I don't remember all of my allergies, but suffice to say that I have MANY environmental allergies.

My first line of defence was, of course, OTC drugs. Those helped some, but not a lot.  And I don't like taking drugs.  So most days, I just go without anything.

My symptoms are not usually too bad, but recently I had noticed that I was constantly stuffy.  The kind of stuffy that you can't blow out.  I tried the neti-pot, but that didn't really work.  My problem was farther back than that.

At some point I found this video:

So, I ordered some of these oils and tried a recipe. I decided to use 5 drops of Dorado Azul, 2 drops peppermint, and 2 drops of wintergreen in a capsule. 

Note: I only recommend Young Living Essential Oils as I'm sure of their quality and are safe to take internally.  I also recommend that you not take this on an empty stomach, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.

About an hour after taking the capsule, I could start feeling everything drain, and I COULD BREATHE!!!  It was amazing!  In her video, Tiffany suggests that you might need to take it every 3 hours or so.  I found that I didn't need to take it that often.  I take it about twice and day and have found that I can breathe, and my husband hasn't complained of any snoring either :-) 


Interested in purchasing any of these oils? Click HERE to see how easy it is to get started!

The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is your responsibility to educate yourself and address any health or medical needs you may have with your physician. Please seek professional help when needed. The essential oils described in this post refer only to therapeutic grade essential oils. I only recommend Young Living essential oils, as I am certain of their high quality. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

5 Ways to Afford Essential Oils

Today's blog is by Stacy McDonald, who has been using essential oils for many years to help her family stay healthy!

I’ve been using essential oils for about twelve years and I have learned to appreciate many of their amazing qualities. However, a few years ago, I started using Young Living’s therapeutic grade essential oils and was amazed by the difference in quality—the difference between therapeutic grade essential oils and cheaper brands claiming to be “pure.”
As I learned more about their powerful healing abilities, and began to rely on them for my family’s health, the next thing I wondered was how I was going to afford them; because frankly, just like any valuable product, you pay for what you get. Since I wanted to use my oils medicinally to improve my family’s health, I knew I needed the good stuff.
However, as a mom on a budget with a large family, I wondered how I could afford to regularly purchase all I needed. One of our goals right now as a family is to become debt free. How, I wondered, can I keep using essential oils when there just isn’t anything extra in the family budget? I’m going to share with you five simple ways to help you afford the oils you need.
1. Balance Your Budget with Transfer Buying
I got out a pen and paper and started to write out the various personal care products I had been buying: Antacids, headache pills, anti-inflammatories, allergy meds, decongestants, anti-fungal creams, sore muscle creams, tooth ache medicine, burn creams, natural bug repellents, air fresheners, bite creams, toothpaste, supplements, lotions, etc.
Then, I looked up the ingredients in many of these items and considered their risks and side effects. I spent a few hours one day purging my medicine closet. I couldn’t believe the amount of products that not only did I not need, but I didn’t want in the bodies of my husband and children! Not only could my essential oils do the job, they could do a better job! And they could do it without harming our bodies with toxic chemicals!

I made a separate list of all the essential oils that I could use instead of what I had been using. CLICK HERE to download my handy “Natural First Aid Chart that details what “I used to use” and “What I use now.”
I found that I could use peppermint for congestion, staying alert on a long drive, turning a posterior baby (read what happened HERE), freshening stale rooms, soothing an upset stomach, motion sickness, and the list goes on. I was able to wipe out a number of household products with just that one oil!

2. Give the Gift of Health
In addition to improving my health and saving $$$ by not buying all the junk I used to buy, I began to use my oils as gifts for friends and family. Birthdays, Christmas, hostess gifts—essential oils became my new favorite act of kindness! I could drop a bottle of essential oil, or a homemade essential oil-based gift, into an organza bag and I had an instant present! I transferred the money I would have spent at Hallmark, or wherever, to my Essential Rewards order…and earned points for more free products! In addition, I introduced friends and relatives to the pleasing benefits of essential oils!

3. Get FREE Oils! (AND discounted shipping!)
Would you like to know how you can get free oils? Essential Rewards (ER) is a program that offers discounts and reward points based on your monthly purchases. It is free to join and there is no obligation to continue; you are simply agreeing to purchase at least 50 PV (approx. $50.00) per month of whatever oils or YL products you’d like. This is a great way to budget, so that you can slowly and steadily build your family’s “natural medicine cabinet.” And, of course, you’ll want to change your order each month, so that you’re not always getting the same thing – there are so many amazing oils and health products to choose from!
Essential Rewards Benefits

• Discounted shipping
• Discounts on exclusive product packages (I love this!)
• Essential Rewards credits redeemable for FREE products (Even better!)
• Change your order each month to include whatever products you’d like (minimum 50 PV)
• Choose your processing day, and change it whenever you like
• Qualify for additional compensation and bonus rewards*

4. Make Your Own Personal Care Products and Household Cleaners
While I discovered that Young Living made a number of household products and cleaners that were natural and safe for my family (as opposed to the popular brands found in the grocery store) I decided that what makes YL’s products so amazing are the essential oils in them! So, I decided to save a few dollars by making some of my own products from scratch using these fantastic oils!
I came up with my own recipes for room sprays, toothpaste, deodorant, perfume, window cleaner, facial cleanser, diaper cream, insect repellant, tub scrub, dusting powder, bath salts, and even breath spray! Though I enjoy many of Young Living’s personal care products and cleaners, I also know how to make my own essential oil-based products for a fraction of what I was spending at the grocery store! This saves me even more money—money I am able to invest in my Essential Reward order, which helps me to earn more points for FREE oils!

5. Refer a Friend and Earn Cash!
Your Young Living oils will sometimes pay for themselves because, as you use them, your friends will notice. And when they notice, they’ll want to use them too. And when they want to use them too, they’re going to ask you where they can get their own. And when they sign up under you, you may qualify for significant commissions and bonuses without even having tried.
In some ways, becoming a YL distributor is more like a well-organized referral program than a business. I don’t have to keep inventory, sell products, exchange money, deal with shipping, or handle book keeping. Young Living does all of that for me. I get to do the fun part: Use the oils with my family, as well as write and talk about them whenever I have the chance. Feel free to contact me if you’d like more details on how you can earn commissions and bonuses by referring others.
As you can see there are plenty of creative ways to afford essential oils; however, because of what I’ve learned about them over the years, and because of the wonderful way I’ve seen them improve my family’s health, it wouldn’t matter to me if I was paying a little extra for them. Thankfully, though, because of what I shared above, I’m not. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you would like help in figuring out a good plan to get started!
*Certain bonuses and commissions may require a minimum of 100 PV.

Therapeutic Grade

Many experts are very concerned about the fact that some oils are adulterated, engineered, or “extended” with the use of synthetic chemicals. For instance, according to the Essential Oils Desk Reference:

“Pure frankincense is often extended with colorless, odorless, solvents such as diethylphthalate or dipropylene glycol…unfortunately, a large percentage of essential oils marketed in the United States fall in this adulterated category. When you understand the world of synthetic oils as well as low-grade oils cut with synthetic chemicals, you realize why unsuspecting people with their untrained noses don’t know the difference…
Anyone venturing into the world of therapy using essential oils must use the purest quality oils available. Inferior quality or adulterated oils most likely will not produce therapeutic results and could possibly be toxic.”

What do you mean by “Therapeutic Grade” essential oils and how important is it that we only use this category of Essential Oil?

Taken from the Bio/Tech News newsletter:
About 98% of essential oils produced in the world today are not intended for serious, therapeutic and/or medicinal use. Most are produced for the perfume, cosmetics, and food industries. Therefore, criteria like purity, potency, organic, etc. are not important for these uses.
Because the raw materials and the extraction process for Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils are so expensive, many oils on the market have been cut, diluted and adulterated in various ways. Sad to say, some marketers bottle these poor quality oils and sell them for therapeutic purposes to unsuspecting consumers.
A Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil is more than a “certified organic” oil. It is an oil that is complete in the makeup of its constituents, having the fragrance, frequency, and chemistry that are necessary to give it all of its unique, therapeutic qualities and effects.
As we have already mentioned above, a quality, Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil is chemically complex and all of its sometimes fragile components need to be present after distillation of the final product. This requires not only a lot of understanding of the makeup of the oil on the production side but also a great deal of time and expense to care for the proper species of plant.
To insure proper potency, plants should be grown on virgin land, uncontaminated by chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides and away from pollution sources. The plant materials must be kept free of petrochemical herbicides and pesticides, since these can react with the essential oil during distillation.
The soil should be conditioned with enzymes, trace minerals, and organic bio-solids, since plants lacking in certain minerals and nutrients yield oils low in therapeutic value. Irrigation should be done with reservoir, watershed or mountain stream water.
Plants need to be harvested at the proper time of the season to insure highest potency. Sometimes even a few hours can make the difference. For example, German Chamomile needs to be harvested in the morning since it then yields an oil with far more azulene than when it is harvested later in the day.
The steam distillation method of extracting the oils from the plants requires careful and proper low temperature and pressure monitoring. Too high of temperature or too much pressure can be deleterious to the fragile aromatic molecules of the plant. In addition, batch sizes need to be kept small and the distillation chamber must be made out of food-grade stainless steel instead of copper or aluminum to avoid reactions with the oils.
Producing pure, Therapeutic Grade Essential oils is a costly venture. The methods required are time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it often requires several hundred, sometimes even thousands of pounds of raw plant material to produce a single pound of essential oil. For example, it takes 5,000 pounds of rose petals to produce one pound of rose oil, and it takes three tons of Melissa to produce one pound of oil.”

Today, using gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, the phytochemical profile of every batch of Young Living essential oils is measured to evaluate each specific plant compound. Certain plant compounds must meet or exceed specific levels to ensure the essential oil is natural, pure, and meets Young Living therapeutic-grade standards (learn more about quality ). Only then does Young Living guarantee the oil will provide the desired results and label it Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ (YLTG).
Young Living essential oils are:

• 100% pure
• Sourced only from known botanical species
• Sustainably grown and harvested
• Grown on chemical-free lands in carefully nourished soil (organic)
• Unmatched throughout the essential oils industry
• So pure and natural, they’re used and recommended by integrative health professionals around the world

We are finding ourselves more frequently approached by competing essential oil companies to sell and promote their brand. They always claim to have "pure therapeutic grade" oils that are as good as or better than those of Young Living." HERE are some questions to ask when approached by another essential oil company.

Shop now for high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils! Go HERE

A family friendly business

Many times, when people first consider making Young Living a business for themselves, instead of being positive, they come up with all kinds of reasons why they can’t do it.  “I don’t have the time,” “I don’t like blogging,” “I don’t know enough about the oils,” “I don’t know anyone who would be interested in buying essential oils,” “I tried things like that before and I’m not good at selling things,” etc.

My journey began when I bought my kit in February, 2011, right before my husband accepted a job in the middle of nowhere.  I didn’t really know much about essential oils, but a friend of mine had been telling me about her experience with them. She and her family had used Thieves in their drinking water all winter long, and had avoided getting sick. That same winter, our family had been very sick; so, I was impressed and curious. Slowly, I began experimenting with the oils.

Two months later, we moved. During that time, I packed a 3400 sq. ft. home (mostly by myself) and repainted it to make it ready for selling. Note: I also packed my oils away for another day.

In May, I bought Progessence Plus because a friend highly recommended it.  At the same time, I started on two different supplements. We were in a high-stress living situation at the time, so I was looking for help to balance my hormones. Everything was happening at once, and the stress seemed to alter something in my brain. I was on overload, so I slowed way down.

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

In July, my husband was let go under extremely stressful circumstances. We had to move immediately. We were jobless and homeless. We stayed with my parents (1000 miles away) for the next 4 months.  Somehow, in the few things that we packed, I grabbed my essential oils.

Because of how quickly we had to move, and the stress involved, my 6-year-old son was quite upset and started having stomach problems during the time with my parents.  The only thing that helped him sleep at night was lavender on his head and peppermint on his stomach.

We moved 1000 miles for a new job in mid-October. Did I mention I was pregnant?  By the time unemployment and moving expenses had finished with us, we were scraping by for food.

My hormones were all over the place. Finally, in desperation, I remembered my Progessence Plus. I immediately began to apply it—a lot of it. About 15 drops, twice a day. I started noticing that I was doing much better at controlling my emotions. (Go HERE to read more about my using PP!)

I also began reading a lot about using essential oils during labor. I put together an order and placed it at the beginning of December, 2011. A day or two later, I got a call from my up-line, Stacy McDonald. She told me that I could have earned points for free product if I had placed my order under the Essential Rewards (ER) program.
I vaguely remembered hearing about a program that earned points for free oils, but I didn’t know much about it. And I wasn’t sure if we could commit to a monthly expense. I listened to what she said and then talked to my husband about it later that night.  We decided that, since the PP and the Thyromin was over the $50 amount anyway, I might as well sign up and earn free stuff!

She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. (Proverbs 31:18)

I placed an ER order that month; but, I made sure to tell Stacy that I was not interested in making this a business. I had been involved in other business models before and had grown tired of empty promises (like a new car) when I couldn’t even make an income of $100/month.  I had been involved in five other direct sell businesses with NO success.

I continued to use my oils and they continued to work! After a while, I started talking about my success with people I knew—people who had begun asking me questions. All I was doing was sharing my success story with PP. Then, anytime I used particular oil with success, I would talk about how it helped my situation. I used Facebook a LOT because, well, I update my status at least twice a day anyway.
Pretty soon, people were asking me questions about how to get the oils. I remember going to Stacy at one point and asking about the compensation program. I said, “People are asking me about these oils; and, if I’m going to be ordering every month anyway, I might as well see if I can get some of it back in commissions!”

By the end of December I had seven people in my downline. My very first check was $127.00!

By the end of January, I had 16 distributors under me! One was on the ER program. My check from January was $366.00! Stacy told me I should do a blog. I don’t like blogs because I don’t keep them updated.  But, blog I did. Front Range Scentsabilities was born!

Note from Stacy: I’ve often said that Young Living is hardly a side business; it’s more like a glorified referral system. I don’t have to keep inventory, ship products, handle book keeping, or deal with any of the headaches of a regular business. I get to do the fun part – use, talk, and write about essential oils. And chances are, I’d be doing that anyway! But, with Young Living, they pay me for it!

My first blog post was on January 7th, 2012. My goal was to communicate to others basic information about Young Living and the oils. I started by blogging about the 9 Everyday Oils, since that’s what most people were buying when they signed up. I was also able to attend a Young Living event where Gary Young spoke about the new Slique products! I was most impressed by the care that Young Living takes to ensure the quality of the oils.

I was due with our 5th baby in February and he was born on February 20th! February is also the first month that I made the $100.00 bonus by having 6 more people sign up for ER! My income was growing, as well as my knowledge of the oils.




Now it’s November; and, last month, just 10 months after I made my first ER order, I became an Executive in Young Living! All of this while homeschooling and caring for 5 kids; running a small sewing business; teaching piano; hosting multiple family and friends; ministering to my hubby who is in school full-time (as well as working full-time); and not knowing many people in the area near me!

 Tell me again why you can’t do this? If I can do it, you can too!