For the love of Thieves!

During the month of February, most people turn their attention to all things we love.  For many it is date nights, roses, chocolates, and family time.  But today, I would like to take some time to express my love for one of my favorite Young Living products.  (I'll post more throughout the month)  

Young Living has a ton of products that I really love from basic essential oils to personal care products that show love to our bodies.  And don't forget products to take care of our home; where our hearts reside.

Thieves.......you were one of the first Young Living blends I fell in love with. Your Christmas-like spicy scent comforts me but I know I can diffuse you any time of year and rub you on the hands and feet of all my family members including the kids!  And, now I can enjoy you in the handy premade roller bottle as well!

I love adding a drop or two of Thieves Vitality to teas, apples, and sweet treats for a boost of wellness.  My mother gets a drop in many of her morning protein smoothies to support her immune system.  My feet see Thieves often at night and in the morning to boost my immune system.  You can also drop some in your Ningxia Red drink to give you a double whammie of immune support.  

To get Thieves for yourself, contact us using the contact form to the right!  With the winter months, you can use all the immune support you can get!!

Say No to Moldy Pumpkins!

Here is a great way to keep your pumpkin perfect!

You know the drill..........You search for the perfect pumpkin (and spend two hours doing it if you have kids), you carve it to perfection and display it on the porch only to find that it is full of fuzzy mold or black mold within a week.

Well, there is a way you can avoid the mold and save your creation from becoming trash!!

1.  Pick your pumpkin and carve it just like normal.  Sorry, I can't do anything about the two hours it takes you kids to find the perfect one.

2.  Make a spray with Thieves Essential oil or Thieves Household cleaner and spray the inside of your pumpkin making sure you get all cut surfaces.

That's it!  Your pumpkin will stay beautiful and it was such an easy fix!!

Search the blog and you'll find all kinds of great things Thieves can do!

Foaming....but not at the mouth!

I used to use Ivory pump soap.  It had no fragrance and was pretty low on ingredients.....THEN Ivory in their infinite wisdom decided to add fragrance.  I was very unhappy and complained.  So what did they do?  They asked me if I would be on a team of regular people to review their 'new-improved' pump soap.  I tried.....really I did.  But they didn't remove the fragrance, just changed it and it was still awful.  So I used Ivory bar soap in its place for a long time.

When I decided that I would go chemical free, I just wasn't finding a hand soap that I was happy with.  THEN in came the essential oils and I'm happy now!  I've been making my own pump soap and really like it.  I improved pump soap though and made it FOAMING pump soap!

Here is a combination that I really like and I hope you try it and like it as well.

Use an empty foaming soap container.  You can get them off Amazon.  This is a super easy way to save money too.  The cost to make your own foaming hand soap is just pennies!!  Foaming hand soap is basically watered down soap.

Do you have kids? Liquid soap is truly misunderstood by kids......they pump that baby until there is a pile of soap in their hands and your money is just washing down the drain.  With the foaming soap it looks like they are getting a ton and actually using a little!   Hello savings!

So here is your handmade foaming hand soap recipe to save your money and help you live naturally.  The essential oils in the soap help to not only keep your hands clean but to leave a beautiful light scent once they are dry.

Thieves Foaming Hand Soap  (there are other options below too)

Ingredients
1 cup distilled water
8 drops Thieves Essential Oil
1-2 tablespoon unscented Castile soap (I've even used up to 4 tablespoons!)
Refillable foaming soap dispenser
Directions
In the foaming soap dispenser, add the water and essential oil.
Then add the soap.
Put on the pump and screw to attach.
Swirl to combine.

Use like you would any foaming soap!

Now.....Thieves is an amazing essential oil blend but there are times when you just want something different.  Here are some favorites that I've heard about.

Frankincense and Orange: Some think it smells like heaven!
Elemi and Lemon:  Very sunny and bright.
Lavender and ANYTHING: Really....Lavender goes good with almost any other essential oil!

If you would like to learn more about Essential Oils, comment below for times we give local and online classes.  Interested in Thieves Essential Oil?  We can get that for you too!

Dirty Dozen - Cleaners

Last week we talked about the Dirty Dozen of Cosmetics.  I hope you got a chance to read through it and go to your bathroom and check your own stash of products to see if they contained the bad stuff.

Well.....today we will talk about the Dirty Dozen of Cleaners.  Actually there are WAY more than a dozen Toxic chemicals in your cleaners.  You shouldn't have to use protective eyewear, rubber gloves and a mask when you clean.

Recently I found the attached article from the Environmental Work Group about some of the worst cleaners you can have in your home.  Let me tell you that I was shocked to see some products on the list that I thought we okay!!  You can see that list HERE.  They call it the Cleaners Hall of Shame.

Before we start to talk about the Chemicals in y our cleaners, get on your phone and download the app called Think Dirty.  It is has a database that is growing everyday.  You can scan the barcode on your products and it will rate it from 1 - 10 on a toxin level.  10 is the worst.  You are also able to click on the ingredients of a product and see the individual ratings of each ingredient.  Baby Shampoo......rates around a 9!!  Dish soaps like Dawn are also rated high.  Many times because of the fragrance!!  So, in the picture to the left is a starter list for you.  10 Dangerous Chemicals that you really need to BAN from your home!  Go to your cupboard and grab the cleaners that you are using.

Now here is the most scary part...........look at the picture to the right.  If you think the FDA has your back, think again.  Many of the chemicals that they allow in our cleaning products have been banned in other countries.  It makes you wonder why we are in the dark ages.  I mean, 1976 was a long time ago and there are thousands of chemicals that have been added to the list since then.  Don't think they are working for you, because they are not!

If 84,000 sounds like a large number, IT IS!!  There were only 10 listed above.  Here are another 15!

Now you know what I'm going to say next, right?  After all, this is a blog that loves essential oils and the products that contain them.  This post is no different.  If you have been wondering what in the world you can use to clean your home when there are so many chemicals in the products that you always use, think no more.  I've banned almost all those products and replaced them with the Thieves cleaning products.  The ingredients in Thieves Household Cleaner is all derived from plant based ingredients which makes them more safe for you.  I got my first bottle of it and then it sat on my shelf........not to be used for a YEAR.  Why?  Because I was afraid.  Yup.......I thought that dilution chart was too hard to understand (it isn't) and I thought that it wouldn't be nearly as good as the cleaners I was using.  I was soooo wrong.

If you are on Facebook, there is a cool event group called 30 days of Spring Cleaning with Thieves Cleaner.  It doesn't cost you anything to join and there are a lot of ideas of how to use it.  Tell me to add you.

So.....did you grab a cleaner from under your sink?  Did it have toxins in it?  Do you feel good cleaning your counters with it and putting food immediately on top of it?  If you answered yes to the first two questions and No to the last question then you are ready for a change and Thieves is that change.  Don't delay.  Tell us today that you are ready to kick the chemicals to the curb.

After you have the Thieves Cleaner, you can also look at the Thieves laundry soap, Thieves dish soap, Thieves dishwasher soap, Thieves fruit wash and so much more!!

Bug Protection

I got an e-mail the other day about Bug Protection that was chemical and DEET free. They claim to have four different essential oils in their blend.  Their price was $9.95 plus shipping for about 10 oz. With the percentages of essential oils that were in the product I calculated that there was about $4.00 of essential oils in the blend using my cost and estimation of oil drops per type.  So, YOU can make your own Bug Protection and KNOW that you are getting pure essential oils and not oils that have no purity listed on the bottle.   Following are just two of many oil combinations that work well for bugs.

Bug Protection Recipe - ONE
4 oz bottle, add:
3 drops Lavender Essential Oil
4 drops Citronella Essential Oil
4 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil
Fill bottle ½ way with water
Fill bottle to top with witch hazel

Bug Protection Recipe -TWO
4 oz blue glass bottle
5 drops each:
     Thieves Essential Oil
     Purification Essential Oil
     Peppermint Essential Oil
Fill bottle ½ way with water
Fill bottle to top with witch hazel

 

Cold coming near you?

This is what I do when those around me are coughing and getting colds.  I support my system with Thieves and Raven.  Thieves on the bottom of my feet (morning and Night) and Raven on my chest so I can breathe it aromatically throughout the day.  Thanks to both for keeping me well!  You can even put a drop of Thieves in your tea...yum!

Proof in the pudding

Well, this isn't exactly pudding but there is definitely proof that you cannot deny.  What you see below is a piece of bread.  I helped the mold along by putting a small top off a strawberry under the bread.  Then into a plastic bag and into a dark cupboard.  It was in the cupboard for about a month. Voila.....lots of penicillin in the making! Hahahahaha.  So, in looking at this piece of bread you may be asking....hmmmm.....why is one corner of the bread without mold?  Well, do you notice the circle on the bread that is a golden color?  THAT is a couple of drops of Young Living Thieves Essential Oil.  Notice that the mold is NOT near that spot.  What does that tell you?  It tells me that mixing up Thieves with water and spraying on my kitchen counter is a non-toxic, safe way to keep it clean!!!   It tells me that the Thieves in my toothpaste and mouthwash is going to work wonders!  Don't be without it!!

Thieves History

Since our toothpaste recipe uses Thieves Essential Oil we thought you would like to read a little bit about the history of Thieves.

But first, let's talk about how criminals were punished in the 15th Century. A quick Google search got this result:

In Arthurian times, punishment was often very harsh according to our current standards. One of the most common crimes was theft. The average person in the 15th century was of lower class, thus many had to steal in order to feed themselves and their families. These offences were punishable by public torture and humiliation, which included: stoning, beating and whipping. In some extreme cases, thieves could be hanged.

Then in comes the problem of plagues in the 15th century. The plague that was most notable at the time was the Bubonic (Black) plaque, spread by fleas (carried by vermin such as rats). It had the worst mortality rate of any disease of the century at 50 - 70%! The outbreak of the plaque spread so quickly that even the Italian writer Boccaccio said its victims often "ate lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors in paradise." It started in China and by August of the same year had spread as far as England. They called it "The Black Death" because of the black spots it produced on the skin. Within five years, 25 million people were dead - one third of Europe's population!! After the worst was over, small outbreaks continued for centuries.  

So.....In step the Thieves!  

The legend is of four thieves who were captured and charged with robbing the people who had died or were dying from the plaque. When they were caught and brought to justice (if you can call 15th century punishment actual justice), the magistrate offered a lesser sentence if they would reveal how they were able to rob and not contract the disease. They shared their recipe of a special concoction of aromatic herbs, including garlic, cloves and rosemary which they rubbed on themselves before committing their crimes.  

Now, Thieves is available for your use to protect yourself! Below are some ideas for the use of Thieves, other than the toothpaste recipe. Then further below the information sheet is another link to other products that contain Thieves Essential Oil.

If you are interested in other products containing Thieves, Click Here.

Oral Health and Homemade Toothpaste Recipe

Do you know your oral health is important to your overall wellness? Good oral health can reduce heart disease and cancer. For these reasons and because 'Who doesn't want a pretty smile?', this post is dedicated to sharing a few ways you can naturally increase your oral health.
risk of serious chronic diseases

Oil Pulling
First stop is oil pulling. This is one of the oldest and most powerful ways of improving oral health. This ancient practice involves swishing vegetable oil in the mouth for 5-15 minutes. Coconut oil is now a common favorite for this practice. It is important to push the oil under the tongue and between the teeth since that is where most of the microorganisms reside. The act of swishing the oil in your mouth 'pulls or extracts' the bacteria and fungi from the crevices of your mouth. After the 5-15 minutes you spit out the oil, don't swallow it, this is because all the bacteria now in the oil. To increase the benefits of oil pulling you can also add an antiseptic essential oil such as clove.  Note: Spit into the garbage, not down the sink.  You don't want to clog up your drain!

Xylitol
Is it good or bad? People fall on both sides of this fence. We're not here to debate this topic. Xylitol while being a sweetener is also a water-soluble antiseptic. It is derived from birch tree sap and commonly found in dental products and chewing gum. We added it to our homemade toothpaste due to these reasons and because we wanted something to take the edge off of the essential oils we added for flavor.

You can read more about Xylitol's roll in oral health by clicking here.

Reducing Use of Abrasive Toothpastes
Many common brand toothpastes contain very large abrasive particles that quickly wear away your tooth enamel. Not having a thick enamel myself I felt it was time to find an alternative. Tooth enamel is not something the body regenerates and once lost, it is permanent. As you lose tooth enamel, it exposes the softer dentin material underneath it. This INCREASES YOUR RISK for tooth decay.
The particles in your toothpaste should be super fine for this reason, and yet be strong enough to scrub away the built up plaque.  Particles in some whitening toothpastes are much bigger and sharp edged than the particles in our recipe.  For those of you with the Essential Oils Desk Reference Guide, look on Page 334 for an excellent example of particle sizes.

Homemade Toothpaste

5 Tablespoons Calcium powder

3 Tablespoons Xylitol Powder

1 tablespoon Baking soda 

4 Tablespoons Coconut oil melted

2 Tablespoons Bentonite Clay

30 drops of essential oils of choice: Peppermint, Cinnamon, Thieves, Orange

20-30 drops of trace minerals
Plastic or glass bowl
Wooden spoon
Small glass container to store product.
Mask (optional) - See note below*
Distilled WATER - about 3 Tablespoons if your mix seems too hard.  We didn't add that when filming and our mix was a little too firm.

Directions:  Combine Calcium powder, Xylitol powder, baking soda and melted coconut oil. Stir until well mixed. Add Bentonite clay, stir until well mixed. Add oils and trace minerals. Mix in well and store in a glass container such as a small mason jar.

*Note: Add your powders slowly to avoid them flying into the air. You do not want the powders to enter your airway.  Using a medical mask is optional.

I didn't know!!

I just found out the sale info below and wanted you to know about it.  I have NOT had a chance to use this product but others LOVE it.  It is a concentrated form.   This is the dilution ratios: light degreasing 60:1; medium degreasing 30:1; heavy degreasing 15:1; floors 100:1; walls 30:1; upholstery, fabrics, carpet spotting 40:1; carpet 100:1; glass 320:1; pots and pans; 100:1 hand cleaner 1:1.      One of these 14 ounce bottles of thieves cleaner can make 14 of the 32 ounce bottles of cleaner!  

We will have a blog post in the near future about what Thieves is but the short version is that it is a oil blend made centuries ago to combat plagues.  The antibacterial cleaner is great at getting rid of the cooties brought home from work and school.

****************

Also.......there will be a special FB event on Monday starting at 6pm Pacific time entitled The Day in the Life of an Oiler.  Leah and I will be posting in this event along with a number of other oilers!  Enjoy from the comfort of your computer room and join in the conversation only if you want.  You need to be either Leah's friend or my friend on Facebook.  Let us know if you interested!  Leave us your FB name via the contact form to the right and we'll invite you!!

******************