Illness, injuries and other random ailments are all quite common in parenthood and life, in general. The only thing worse than being sick ourselves is our children being sick. Not only is having a sick kiddo heartbreaking and difficult, but it can also be extremely inconvenient, complicated and expensive. While modern medicine is obviously incredible in many ways, it’s also nice to use simpler and more natural remedies when we can. I happen to be the type of chick that waits until the headache is pretty darn bad before I take any medicine for it. I use as many home remedies as possible when I’m sick with a cold. And I also have a low tolerance for prescription pain medicines or even over-the-counter anti-histamines like Benadryl (seriously – one dose and I’ll be snoring in about 15 minutes). So when my dearest and oldest friend, Teah Tracy told me that she was becoming involved with Young Living Essential Oils, I was very intrigued. Teah has made excellent effort to become extremely educated on Essential Oils, and has such a passion for the products themselves as well as spreading the knowledge to anyone and everyone she can. Because Teah regularly uses these oils, not only on her husband and herself, but also on her children, I just knew I had to do a post about it. I asked Teah to answer some questions about Essential Oils. Here’s what she said.
KK: What are Essential Oils?
TT: The essential oil of a plant is the lifeblood of the plant and it’s immune system. Essential oils have been around for centuries, used for medicinal purposes long before pharmaceuticals were discovered. There are references to essential oils in the Egyptian hieroglyphics and 188 references in the bible.
KK: How are essential oils actually used?
TT: The oils are safe to be inhaled, ingested and applied topically.
KK: Why should someone try Essential Oils if they’ve never tried them before?
TT: Essential oils can be used to support general health and wellness, as well as treatment for a huge variety of specific illnesses, ailments and conditions. If you’re interested in approaching your general health in a more natural way, you should definitely give the oils a try. I personally only use Young Living Therapeutic Essential Oils. Lavender, the most versatile of all the oils, is a natural anti-histamine that should be used to treat allergies, among other things. Peppermint is known for aiding in digestive issues, and is also great for soothing headaches. One drop of Peppermint Oil equals about 28 cups of peppermint tea. Young Living also provides “blends” which are two or more oils mixed to achieve a certain therapeutic quality.
KK: What types of oils do you use on your kiddos?
TT: I most commonly use Lavender, Peppermint, Thieves (known to kill 99.6% of airborne bacteria) and Peace and Calming on my kiddos. I’ve found Lavender and Peppermint work great for runny noses and mild fevers, while Peace and Calming is excellent for high stress days or even to promote calmness in the evening before bed. Even my husband takes Peace and Calming most nights before bed to help him relax. He rubs the oil on the bottoms of his feet and on his shoulders. I also rub the oil on the bottoms of my children’s feet when I give it to them. For myself, I take some oils topically and others in a capsule.
KK: Any closing thoughts you’d like to share?
TT: It is so important for all of us to take responsibility for our own health and wellness. Essential Oils are an excellent and natural way to promote good health in your household. A Start Living Kit starts at just $40. Plus, you get so much bang for your buck with Essential Oils because most of the time you only need a drop or two. For more information on ordering Essential Oils or to ask me more questions check out my Facebook page, Body Mind and Soul Essentials. There is so much to learn and so much that these oils can do for you and your family. And please remember that you should always consult a doctor when you feel necessary.
Kind Kiddo 