Saturday, May 30, 2015

Antmageddon 2015

Written by Leah

Every year our house is attacked by these tiny little ants that I now know are Odorous House Ants. For the first few years they only came in our kitchen. My husband can attest that when I see them... alright when I still see them... I go a little nuts... alright, alright, I go flat out ape S*^t when I see them. My opinion is if they are dumb enough to show their shinny, black stinky bodies in my house they are flirting with their own fate. Yes, I do understand that I am judging the intelligence of an ant. I will stalk the area, checking back every few minutes to catch all the stragglers. Even my cat is in tune with my feelings about them and acts as my early warning system. It is probably the smell they emit which drives him nuts, like the smell of bleach. But in my eyes he is my ever faithful warrior. He is also my spider killer.


Each year I would put out those black bait traps, smash all visible bugs and they would retreat for a month or so. We would carry on with this back and forth war all year until winter.

Then a few years ago the ants got smarter. They found a way through the bathroom and laundry to where the cat food was kept. Late last summer I finally threw in the white flag and called a exterminating (poison) company to come take care of them. To my joy it worked like magic, until about 3 months ago.

I was reading through some ideas online for how to use the essential oil (EO) kit I had recently purchased and read came across a post in which someone used peppermint EO to repel ants and spiders with success. Not long after when I saw the first ant in my kitchen I thought, 'what the heck, I'll give it a shot.'  I filled a small spray bottle with water then put 8 drops of essential oil in and gave it a vigorous shake. I sprayed around my kitchen and around my whole foundation, windows etc. The subsequent invasion that was customary didn't happen.

Fast forward a month. After some rains and regular cleaning the peppermint had worn off and I found another ant in the kitchen. This time I decided to use some of my original oils, you know the ones I purchased cheaply online before I knew anything about oil purity. It didn't make sense to use my nice oils to just spray around the house.
I grabbed my trusty spray bottle and put the same mix as before in except with my bargain brand peppermint sprayed my kitchen and thought all was well. About 15 minutes later I went into the kitchen again and found a full invasion. There were ants everywhere!!!!!
It was as if the oils I had sprayed were attracting them. The ants were even congregating around the heavier sprayed areas. I went nuts. Hulk smash. Even after cleaning all the surfaces, the ants were still coming. On the verge of breakdown, I washed out my spray bottle and loaded it with my good oils. (Heavy sigh here. I had really hoped to save it for a different use but I figured it is only 8 drops). I sprayed until I could spray no more. Good bye ants.

I have found some stragglers here and there since then but at this point...

I HAVE WON THIS BATTLE!

I learned a very powerful lesson about cheap oils this day. They are cheap for a reason and not even fit for the health of my house, let alone me or my kids. I poured them out and washed the bottles to use for making blends and sharing with friends.

Have you had success in eliminating bugs or pests? What did you do? I'm interested in knowing.
Do you need to eliminate some from your home currently? Send me a note and I will use my resources to brainstorm for you and help you find a natural and chemical free way. I recently had a Facebook contact mention that her husband used Vetiver EO and it killed ants on contact and completely repelled the rest. I can't say I blame those ants. Vetiver is not high on my list. Others have added Purification EO (a Young Living blend) to the Peppermint EO with good success. Depending on your pest and climate, different oils will work better than others. So please don't give up on your first try if it isn't completely successful.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

We interrupt the show with this short message.

I know....this isn't Leah's Peppermint Ant Story but we thought it was important that you know about Young Living oils that are sold on Amazon or Ebay. This is a safety warning!! Everything is not always as it seems!! Only purchase them directly from Young Living to ensure a pure unadulterated product.



Friday, May 22, 2015

The super versatile Peppermint

Peppermint is one versatile oil that you just should NOT be without. This is also one piece to the Allergy Trio.  It can be also be used in your cooking!  Try about 15 to 20 drops in your brownie recipe for yummy goodness!

Stay tuned......in a couple of days you won't want to miss Leah's Peppermint ant story.  Her brand comparison will really get your attention!!


Thursday, May 7, 2015

Lavender

Lavender is part of our Allergy trio! Allergy relief isn't the only benefit for this versatile oil!


Lavender happens to be one of the very safe oils for children. When in doubt how your child will react, you can add Lavender oil to some carrier oil to start with. Test on a small patch of skin and wait at least a day. Some have questioned about Lavender's safety.....you can read an article about this by David Stewart, PhD, DNM, IASP. His article is the third article down on the page. An interesting read.

The information below is from the Essential Oils Desk Reference Guide.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The French scientist René Gattefossé was among the first to discover these properties when he was severely burned in a laboratory explosion. Lavender may also be used to enhance the flavor of foods. Lavender has an approximate ORAC of 3,669 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.

How to use: For dietary, aromatic or topical use. When using as a supplement, put one drop in a capsule or in 4 fl. oz. of rice or goat's milk.
Possible skin sensitivity. If pregnant or under a doctor's care, consult your physician. Dilution not required; suitable for all but the most sensitive skin. Generally safe for children over 2 years of age. 
Ingredients: Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ lavender essential oil
(Lavandula angustifolia)
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.




Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Allergy Relief

Written by Leah

Congestion, itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, all around ick.

The 2015 allergy season has been pretty brutal in the Pacific Northwest and we are still in full bloom. In the last few years my allergies have gotten increasingly worse. Growing up I never had them so I'm am digging up research to see what the cause may be (chemical overload, diet, etc.) I'm certain there is an answer though I haven't figured it out yet. As soon as do you will be the first to know.

In the mean time I have been searching for relief outside of traditional medications. So where did I turn this year? Oils! Yea, Yea I know I might sound like a broken record but I found personal success using essential oils and now my first question is, 'Is there an essential oil to help with that?' It didn't take much research to find the Allergy Trio. I saw many testimonials where the trio helped others so I mixed myself some and tried it out. The trio did well in helping me cope with my congestion, runny nose and scratchy throat especially while I slept so I want to share it with you.

The first star of the Trio is Peppermint! The second is Lemon and the third is Lavender. The three mixed together are wonderful at soothing your sinuses and making breathing a little easier. I personally liked the 'pick me up' I got from the smell.

There are several ways you can use this trio so here are a few.

Put one drop of each on your palm,
rub your hands together and cup them over your nose.
Breathe in for several minutes (I found this to work well at work)

OR

Put equal drops of each in your diffuser to
fill the room and help everyone at once.

OR

Put in a roll-on bottle with or without a small amount
of carrier oil and apply to your wrists, behind your ears,
and on the back of your neck.  Roller bottles are
a great way to travel with the trio.