I want to talk about an experience I had today. It was an intense one. But as all challenging experiences often do, it brought me some clarity, & actually, a bit of relief.
Anxiety. Instant panic. Uncontrollable, irrational seeming fear.
Ever been there?
For me it happens anytime I step into a doctors office. Not a dentist office. Not any other office. Just a doctors office.
And this morning I thought I was totally going to be fine. I slept well last night, I was sitting in the waiting room relaxed & calm. Until they walked me to the room & opened the door.
The piercing, sterile smell of alcohol sent me into an instant panic. Then the glaring lights hit me. Then the sight of all the familiar, yet always uncomfortable metal tables, tools, chairs, & gowns registered in my brain.
And there I was. In my usual panic.
My first thought when this happens is usually something like "UGH, not againnn. This is so ridiculous." It's as if my logical brain & emotional brain are feeling two completely separate things at the same time.
I actually get annoyed. And sometimes even laugh. Because I know there's nothing to be afraid of. But even still I just can't help but feel the anxiety build.
I was going in to have an excision done on a mole that came back pre-cancerous. I've had this done before, a couple times, so I knew what to expect: it would only take 20mins, I'd have some stitches, & that's about it. But that didn't make it any easier.
For those who have anxiety, you know that when it hits, it's hard to diffuse. And sometimes your job is just to ride it out the best you can.
I bring essential oils with me everywhere I go (which I'm pretttty sure doesn't come as a surprise). And today I brought one that has been vibing with me in such a lovely way lately - Magnolia.
It's been soothing, calming, quieting, comforting (if you're into chemistry, Magnolia is actually more relaxing than Lavender because of its high linalool content).
I've enjoyed carrying it around over the past few weeks, using it throughout the day, & finding mini moments of peace & quiet no matter what else is going on around me. Rolling it on my wrists in the morning, on my neck throughout the day & even at night before bed.
Before the doctor started my procedure, I grabbed for my Magnolia, took the cap off & I kept it under my nose. It blocked the sterile doctors office smell, but it also transported me to all those moments of peace & stillness that I had been experiencing lately.
Just as quickly as that alcohol smell shot me into panic of that familiar scene, the Magnolia pulled me out of it.
And it was just like that I was able to breathe.
I'm surprised that I still get surprised when these essential oils create such an obvious & powerful experience. But when you use them, they do. Again & again.
Essential oils act as aromatic anchors. You can create habits with them in positive situations, so that you can more quickly & easily access those feelings & states of mind whenever - & wherever - you need to.
Let this be a reminder to use your oils. Let yourself play. Grab for the oil that calls to you. Don't think about it. And see what happens.
You never know, you might find joy, or even comfort, when you least expect it.
---
What anchors have you created with Essential Oils, even if by mistake? How have they served you well?
If you're not sure, then how about this - What essential oils have been pulling you in lately, even if you have no idea why?
I'd love to hear your experience in the comments.
If this resonated with you, you might also enjoy my blog post What Your Intuition Can Teach You About Essential Oils.
Guide To Green Cleaning Your Home (Cheap & Easy)
It's Spring time & you know what that means... Spring Cleaning!
Quite literally: Cleaning out closets of unwanted clothes, drawers of unknown items that have been stuffed in & never to be thought of again, & basements of boxes that have accumulated over the years.
Basically, 'tis the season to Marie Kondo everything, including a deep clean of the house.
And while I like things to be clean & organized, the reason for getting into non-toxic cleaning goes much deeper. One of the first things I often share with people when teaching about essential oils is why I started using them myself, & why the need for non-toxic products in my life were so important.
After learning that my very sensitive & easily irritated skin was not because of food or other allergies, I realized it was the chemicals, synthetics, & fragrances in my everyday products that were causing my skin to get itchy & red. So, I went on mission to start DIY’ing my own cleaning & lifestyle products & it soon became clear that essential oils were a great ‘ingredient’ in many of my recipes. I actually researched for a year & a half as to what company to go with & based on what I learned, it was no question it was going to be doTERRA due to their unprecedented quality & purity, & the company’s commitment to integrity & giving back.
Since I have come to DIY only some of my home’s cleaning products because doTERRA does a great job of creating natural, non-toxic products that have essential oils in them which I’ve found to be much simpler & easier than choosing to make absolutely everything myself.
So, what you’ll find in this guide-of-sorts are all my favorite essential oils, products, & recipes in order to create a home environment free of unnecessary & harmful toxic chemicals.
My intention for this guide is to show you how affordable AND easy it can be to create & live in a non-toxic home.
BUT FIRST, WHY GREEN CLEANING?
Creating a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about eating well & exercising, it also includes the products that you use in your home & on your body. And while this might not be the first priority for many (I know, bleach is the only thing that actually gets things clean, right?), it is truly foundational when speaking of healthy living because if you’re doing all the right things with food & exercise, yet are inhaling or touching toxic chemicals on a daily basis, you’re just only seeing half the picture.
Why does this matter so much? Let’s break some of it down. Starting with the biggest & most obvious culprit - “Fragrance.”
What is fragrance exactly? It’s one of the most common ingredients in a household product. And it’s also one of the most toxic.
“Fragrance” is a trade secret word that refers to an undisclosed number (could be hundreds) of ingredients that can’t be shared under the guise of being ‘propriety’ to the brand. Many of the ingredients that fall under the “fragrance” umbrella are banned in most other countries because, well, they’re toxic - neurotoxic, endocrine disrupting, hormone disrupting, & can cause issues like migraines, allergies, asthma, skin irritations, burns, cancer, poisoning, developmental problems & more.
How do you know if there is fragrance in your cleaners & products? Read the label. Yep, just like food. And make sure to read the ingredients label, not just the front of the product packaging (aka the marketing). “Greenwashing” is a real problem, as there are many products out there labeled as '“natural” or “green” that you’ll see are full of toxic ingredients - when you read the label.
EWG has a great Green Cleaning Guide if you want to dig deeper down this rabbit hole. This is a great resource that will tell you the toxicity level of a specific product or ingredient which is super helpful when you’re questioning or vetting a product.
If you think conventional cleaning products & bleach can’t possibly be “that bad," consider this: your skin is your biggest organ, so everything that comes into contact with your skin is absorbed into your body. Similarly, any toxic fumes that you inhale are going straight into your body (as well as directly affect your brain).
Ever get a headache after smelling bleach or perfume? Yeah, that’s not so good for you.
And if you’re still using antibacterial soaps & hand sanitizers because you “need something that will the best at killing germs,” you might be surprised to learn that even the FDA admits there to be major concerns of both safety AND effectiveness when it comes to these products (and more specifically the ingredient triclosan they contain) citing there is “no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water” and that “some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”
So how bad are conventional chemical cleaners really? According to the EPA, “Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations” with cleaning products as one of the main contributing factors. And this statistic likely doesn’t even include personal perfumes/fragrance & other beauty products that are also filled with harmful ingredients.
So bottom line: chemicals in conventional cleaning products do not make them more effective, clean better, or safer than natural alternatives. That’s just what brands want us to think. I’m sure your great great great grandmother was “just as picky” as you at getting things clean & germ-free - and did so without the use of toxic cleaners.
So, what do we use then if not what’s on every grocery store & Target shelf in America? Enter: essential oils. Now essential oils are not the ONLY natural cleaning ingredients, not at all, but they are a super safe & effective ingredient to use when making your own or when looking at labels.
Why? Essential oils are naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, etc. Not because a chemist made them that way, but because nature made them that way. Essential oils are concentrated, distilled extracts from plants that - in nature - act as the plant’s natural defense mechanism against environmental threats & disease.
Point being: essential oils are not “just pretty smells” or something “some people think work, but the jury is still out.” It’s actually chemistry (if science is your jam, dig in ALL YOU WANT right here with this 82 page essential oils chemistry e-book). Essential Oils are effective at killing germs. And because the chemical constituents found in these plants are so dynamic & complex, we don’t form a resistance to them or end up creating super bugs like we do with products like the aforementioned antibacterial hand sanitizers & soaps.
And in case you’re still not so sure, this PubMed article specifically cites doTERRA’s OnGuard blend as “a possible antiviral drug for influenza virus proliferation control and treatment” & this Journal of Infectious Diseases & Preventive Medicine article from Johns Hopkins University speaks to essential oils as being the “future antibiotics” & “new weapons against emerging superbugs.” Again, fact. Not theory.
Whew. OK. Enough facts & science.
So now you’ve Marie Kondo’d every chemical cleaner under your sinks & in the basement, now what? Use this blog post as your simple guide to info, ingredients, products & recipes in how to green clean your home.
While I know not every person wants to DIY things, I promise these recipes are easy. And as I mentioned above, I only DIY the things I need to. The rest I purchase from doTERRA because the ingredients are clean & it’s just easier. Once you get the hang of using your handful of natural products, you’ll realize how diverse & versatile they are - and WAY cheaper & easier than having a different product for every single cleaning need in your home.
Need some inspiration to see how easy it can be? Check out my NON-TOXIC HOME Instagram Highlight for clips of what I’ve been making & how.
GREEN CLEANING SHOPPING LIST
Essential oils & doTERRA products:
OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate
OnGuard Foaming Hand Wash
OnGuard Laundry Detergent
Lemon essential oil
OnGuard essential oil
Melaleuca essential oil
Purify essential oil
Lavender essentail oil
Diffuser
Other essential oils I like for cleaning include: Lime, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Wild Orange
Purchase my Non-Toxic Cleaning Starter Kit here. Even if you already have a doTERRA wholesale account, you can still order the items from this kit if you like.
OR just browse & purchase what you like here.
Tools & other products:
Baking Soda
White Vinegar
Witch Hazel (or cheap Vodka)
Citric Acid
Silicone Mold
16oz Glass Spray Bottles (I like one for kitchen + one for each bathroom)
8oz Glass Spray Bottles (if you choose to make room or yoga mat sprays)
Wool Dryer Balls
16oz Wide Mouth Glass Ball Jars (various sizes, probably need at least 6 depending on size of your home)
64oz Glass Ball Jar
Metal Funnel
DYMO Label Maker
RECIPES ROOM-BY-ROOM
KITCHEN
COUNTER TOPS
All-purpose cleaner, two ways:
Recipe 1 (my favorite!):
16oz Glass pray Bottle
1T OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate
10 drops OnGuard essential oil
10 drops Lemon essential oil
Top with water
Recipe 2:
16oz Glass pray Bottle
Fill 1/3 White Vinegar
10 drops OnGuard essential oil
10 drops Lemon essential oil
Top with water
FLOORS
Mopping - Use either All-Purpose Spray recipe, but a scale up the ratio to fit your bucket, mop away.
Swiffer - Use either All-Purpose Spray recipe & spray right onto the floor, then swiffer.
DISHES
Use OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate just like you would dish soap! Keep in mind it doesn’t have the toxic ‘foaming agents’ so it won’t foam the same as you might be used to. And since it’s concentrated you don’t need much. It might seem a little bit different at first, but you’ll get used to it :)
DISHWASHER TABS
What you need:
1 cup Baking Soda
1/4 cup Citric Acid
1T OnGuard Concentrate
5 drops Lemon essential oil
Silicone mold
What to do:
Combine ingredients in a bowl
Add mixture to silicone molds - note: the mixture will continue to expand, so keep pressing down into the molds. It’s actually super fun & feels like middle school science experiment
Let sit for 4 hrs
Pop out & add to to a glass ball jar
Extra tip: Add an extra drop or two of Purify, Lime, or Lemongrass essential oils into the dish tab section of the dishwasher before running it
RINSING AGENT
Add White Vinegar to the rinsing agent compartment so dishes come out sparkling clean
SINK SCRUB
What you need:
Baking Soda (I like to keep a Ball Jar full of it under my kitchen sink)
1T OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate
1/4 cup White Vinegar
Few drops Melaleuca or Purify essential oil
What to do:
Scatter ingredients around sink
Let fizz
Scrub
Rinse with water
Extra tip: Finish off a clean sink by adding one drop each of Peppermint, Lime & Lemongrass essential oils into the drain for a super fresh, clean smell
TRASH ODOR-EATER
Add few shakes baking soda + few drops Purify (or Lemongrass or Lime) essential oil to the bottom of the trash can
*You can even use a few shakes of the Carpet/Mattress Deodorizer for this
HAND SOAP
OnGuard foaming hand wash, perfect for sensitive skin!
PRODUCE WASH
Fill up a clean sink with cold water
Add a couple drops of Lemon essential oil OR OnGuard essential oil OR 1 pump of the OnGuard Foaming Hand Soap
Add produce, let soak for 10mins, & rinse
GOO-BE-GONE
Add a few drops of Lemon essential oil to any stubborn label or sticky stuff & wipe away. If really stubborn, soak first in hot water with OnGuard Concentrate & few drops Lemon essential oil
DIFFUSER or ROOM SPRAY* BLENDS
Lemongrass + Peppermint + Lime
Lemon + OnGuard
Purify + Lime
Wild Orange + Peppermint
*If making a room spray, add 60 drops total to an 8oz. glass spray bottle, 1T Witch Hazel or cheap Vodka, & top with water
Follow my #diffuserjams Instagram Story Highlight for more ideas
LIVING ROOM
VACCUMING
Add a few drops of Lavender or Peppermint essential oil into the vacuum filter to create a natural diffuser as you move around the house
CARPET DEODERIZER
What you need:
16oz Glass Ball Jar with metal lid (or any size really)
Baking Soda
Add 20 drops Lavender essential oil
Add 20 drops Purify essential oil
What to do:
Mix well
Poke holes with a screwdriver or knife through top of the jar
Shake over carpets (or on mattress) & let sit for 10mins up to a few hours
Vacuum
WINDOWS + MIRRORS
16oz Glass Spray bottle
1/3 cup White Vinagar
1/3 cup Rubbing Alcohol
10 drops Lemon or Peppermint essential oil
Top with water
DIFFUSER CLEANER SPRAY
30ml Spray Bottle (recycle an OnGuard Hand Sanitizer Mist bottle or buy new from doTERRA)
10 drops Lemon essential oil
1T White Vinegar
Top with water
Spray inside diffusers & wipe out every couple of weeks. Use a Q-tip if you need to get into corners. For a deeper clean, every once & a while run the diffuser with a couple drops Lemon essential oil, tablespoon or so White Vinegar & water. Then wipe clean with above recipe,
DIFFUSER or ROOM SPRAY* BLENDS
Peppermint + Wild Orange
Peppermint + Siberian Fir
Siberian Fir + Douglas Fir + Grapefruit (the “Anthro Blend”)
Holiday Peace + Grapefruit
Frankincense + Balance + Wild Orange
Elevation + Balance + Serenity + Citrus Bliss (my “Rainbow Blend”)
Any combo of oils to support the vibe you’re going for :)
*If making a room spray, add 60 drops total to an 8oz. glass spray bottle, 1T Witch Hazel or cheap Vodka, & top with water
Follow my #diffuserjams Instagram Story Highlight for more ideas
BEDROOM
MATTRESS DEODERIZER
*same recipe as Carpet Deodorizer!
(keeping it easy, remember?)
DIFFUSER or ROOM SPRAY* BLENDS
Serenity + Cedarwood + Ylang Ylang + Bergamot + Vetiver (this is my go-to! I make a 1 oz master blend in a glass bottle with dropper top)
Serenity + Balance
Serenity + Vetiver
Lavender + Breathe
Lavender + Frankincense
*If making a room spray, add 60 drops total to an 8oz. glass spray bottle, 1T Witch Hazel or cheap Vodka, & top with water
Follow my #diffuserjams Instagram Story Highlight for more ideas
BATHROOM
TOILET, TUB, SHOWER, SINK SCRUB
*same as the Kitchen Sink Scrub — except I substitute for Melaleuca/Tea Tree when cleaning the bathroom
Again, I like to keep a Glass Ball Jar with Baking Soda under each sink in the bathrooms, just like the kitchen
TOILET TABS
*same recipe as Dishwasher tabs, except — add 15 drops Purify or Melaleuca/Tea Tree essential oil instead of 5 drops Lemon
TEETH
OnGuard non-flouride whitening toothpaste
OnGuard mouthwash
HAND SOAP
OnGuard foaming hand wash, perfect for sensitive skin!
FLOORS
*same as the Kitchen Floors & for any floors in the house!
DIFFUSER or ROOM SPRAY* BLENDS
Eucalyptus + Rosemary (this is my go-to!)
Breathe + Peppermint
Peppermint + Rosemary + Grapefruit (the “Aveda Blend”)
Eucalyptus + Lime + Breathe
*If making a room spray, add 60 drops total to an 8oz. glass spray bottle, 1T Witch Hazel or cheap Vodka, & top with water
Follow my #diffuserjams Instagram Story Highlight for more ideas
Extra tip: Check out my Be Well Bath Ritual blog post for more tips on oils in the bathroom.
LAUNDRY ROOM
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
OnGuard Laundry Detergent
Extra tip: if you’re adding smelly laundry to the machine, add a few drops of Lemon, Lime, or Purify into the detergent cup of the washing machine with the detergent
STAINS
Use OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate to spot treat or soak clothing or linens
FABRIC SOFTNER
What you need:
48oz Epsom Salts
12oz Baking Soda
30 drops Lavender essential oil
30 drops Melaleuca essential oil
30 drops Lemon essential oil
64oz Glass Ball Jar + measuring cup
What to do:
Mix everything together in the jar
Add 1/4 cup to small loads or 1/2 cup for large loads to the drum of the washing machine with clothes before washing
Wash clothes as usual
WASHING MACHINE CLEANER
What you need:
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup White Vinegar
20 drops Lemon essential oil
20 drops Melaleuca essential oil
What to do:
Add Baking Soda to drum of washing machine
Combine the rest of the ingredients & add to the bleach cup of washing machine
Run cycle with extra rinse, then leave door open to air out
DRYER
What you need:
3 Wool Dryer Balls
Couple drops Lavender or Purify essential oil
What to do:
Add a couple drops Lavender or Purify essential oil to each Wool Dryer Ball
Toss Wool Dryer Balls in dryer
Run dryer as usual
FITNESS + YOGA ROOM
FLOORS
*same as the Kitchen Floors!
YOGA MAT SPRAY
8oz Glass Spray Bottle
20 drops Melaleuca/Tea Tree or OnGuard essential oil
1T Witch Hazel (or cheap Vodka)
Top with water
DIFFUSER or ROOM SPRAY* BLENDS
For fitness:
OnGuard + Breathe
Peppermint + any citrus
Breathe + Eucalyptus
For yoga + meditation:
Frankincense + Anchor from the Yoga Collection
Sandalwood + Align from the Yoga Collection
Elevation + Arise from the Yoga Collection
Balance + Wild Orange
*If making a room spray, add 60 drops total to an 8oz. glass spray bottle, 1T Witch Hazel or cheap Vodka, & top with water
Follow my #diffuserjams Instagram Story Highlight for more ideas
GREEN CLEANING doTERRA STARTER KIT
QUICK LINKS:
Browse & choose your own doTERRA products & oils to purchase
Purchase Green Cleaning products from my Amazon Wellness Shop
My #DiffuserJams Instagram Highlight for diffuser blend ideas
My Non-Toxic Home Instagram Highlight to see some of these DIY’d recipes
Blog Post: Essential Oils (& more) for Sporty & Active People
Article: FDA - FDA issues final rule on safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps
Article: EPA - What are the trends in indoor air quality and their effects on human health?
Essential Oils (& more) for Sporty & Active People
Being healthy & ‘fit’ has less to do with what you look like, & more with how you feel& how you take care of yourself.
Because true health is a life-long lifestyle, not a destination.
So this one goes out to all my sporty peeps, gym rats, yoga chicks, & all those who move their body & want to up their game in a major way.
Here’s a peek into my routine + my must-have tools to create a more holistic — & sustainable — fitness lifestyle.
AND make sure to scroll down to the bottom & check out my custom Fitness Favorites Kit from doTERRA Essential Oils with (almost) everything from this blog post!
What’s in my gym bag:
PEPPERMINT BEADLETS
Fresh breath, invigorating, & helps open your airways. Peppermint essential oils has also been proven to help oxygenate the blood which results in better athletic performance. Read more on that with this peer reviewed study here.
CORRECT-X
I use this as lip balm, & because it has immune supportive oils like Frankincense & Melaleuca in it, it also acts as a protective barrier from any germs that I might encounter at the gym. I often rub a little under my nose as well for the same reason. And if you tend to get cuts & scrapes as you’re moving your body, you’ll definitely want this too. Think of it as your natural neosporin.
ONGUARD HAND SANITIZING SPRAY
I take this stuff EVERYWHERE, but especially to the gym (& offer it to others too!). I do a spray before & after so I don’t bring in any germs & so I don’t take any out with me. This stuff is the best.
SLIM & SASSY ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND
This is my go-to essential oil blend for my water bottle. It’s a blend of Peppermint, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, & Cinnamon which makes it great for supporting the metabolism, cravings, helps maintain already healthy blood sugar levels, energy, digestion, respiration & of course hydration, all of which are super helpful in having a great workout. And dudes: while the name of this blend might seem like it’s not for you, I promise you will like it.
Try this when your muscles or sore or recovering:
DIY Pain Roller Blend
10 drops Deep Blue (soothing & anti-inflammatory for muscles & joints)
10 drops AromaTouch (supports circulation & soothing)
5 drops Frankincense (anti-inflammatory)
5 drops Copaiba (soothes aches & discomfort, calms nervous system)
5 drops Lemongrass (supports ligaments & strains)
Add oils to 10ml glass roller bottle, top off with Fractionated Coconut Oil
Roll on & massage in where needed, as needed
Extra Strength: Add a pea-sized amount of Deep Blue Lotion layered on top for more of a boost of pain & inflammation support
Beyond the gym, take your health to the next level:
SELF-CARE
EPSOM SALT SOAK - Step up your self-care by adding my Be Well Bath Ritual into your health & fitness routine. Yup, this mean you will need to slow down for a few minutes. Like literally sit down. In a bathtub. Epsom Salts contain Magnesium which not only help muscles, but also support digestion & release stress that can lead to pain in the body. Grab the Epsom Salts I use on my Amazon Wellness Shop.
SUPPLEMENTS
LIFELONG VITALITY TRIO - A trio of daily supplements including a Food Nutrient Multi-Vitamin Complex, Omega Complex, & Cellular Complex.
Nutrition is truly the foundation of health with proper hydration, consistent physical movement, & limited toxic exposure being necessary pieces of the puzzle too.
No essential oils or magical products are going to make you healthier & more well if you’re skipping past the basic building blocks & not fueling your body from the start.
While I once thought supplements were only for professional athletes or those who were sick, I’ve since learned that we ALL need supplementation. No matter how organic, local, & clean your diet, you are most likely not getting the vitamins & nutrients you need because our soil has become so over-farmed & depleted. The apple or kale our grandparents ate 50 years ago, is unfortunately not the same as the apple or kale we eat today.
The Livelong Vitality Trio are doTERRA’s #1 selling product (believe it or not, more than even Lavender essential oil) because they simply allow our bodies to do what they do best: come into balance & function optimally. And when we’re functioning optimally, we often notice a positive shift in things like digestion, immune system, mental clarity, mood, pain & inflammation.
Get the ingredient list & every detail you could possibly want about these supplements right here. And they have a 30 day money back guarantee — so definitely worth giving a try.
MYOFASCIAL RELEASE, STRETCHING & YOGA
Some of my favorite fitness recovery tools are from a company called Rad Roller. They have a variety of rollers, balls, & sticks that are game-changing, in my opinon, for when you find tight muscles & knots in the body, but can’t get to a massage (if you can, GREAT, do that too!). In fact, I even travel with these too (& currently have one on my back as I type this on an airplane). You can find these Rad Roller tools & more on my Amazon Wellness Shop.
Tip: Keep these tools & a yoga mat somewhere easy to access in your house. If they’re stuffed in a closet or the basement, you’re not going to use them. You don’t need a dedicated room, but even a basket in the corner can encourage you to so some rolling & stretching as you watch TV rather than sitting on the couch, for instance.
Adding yoga into your fitness routine is so helpful in allowing your body to not just be strong, but gain flexibility that can reduce pain or potential injury. And perhaps even more imporatnt? Yoga is stress-reducing, which we all can use. When there’s stress in the mind, there’s stress in the body.
If you don’t have a yoga studio near you or one that you resonate with, my favorite online classes can be found on YogaGlo.com & Gaia.com. These are seasoned & dyanmic teachers that have levels & styles for everyone.
TOXIC LOAD
This one is a biggy for me, & the main reason I started using doTERRA essential oils & products, because I found that the more I was exposed to toxins in my everyday products (cleaning, lifestyle, beauty), the more my body (skin specifically), reacted.
The ‘results’ from lowering your toxic load may or may not come in the form of weight loss, but certainly have an effect on hormones, emotions, inflammation, respiratory system & more which attribute greatly to your overall health & wellness.
So just like food — read labels. Check for the word ‘fragrance’ or other known toxins that linger even in those ‘all natural’ products. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) website or app is a great resource to plug in a product or ingredient to check it’s level of toxicity & risk.
Coming soon – Non-toxic cleaning & lifestyle blog post!
Other things you might like, if you’re sporty:
You’ll want this for foot/toenail fungus or to spray down your yoga mat - Melaleuca (aka Tea Tree) essential oil
Use in a sports massage to soothe muscles & repair ligaments - AromaTouch essential oil blend or Deep Blue essential oil blend
Roll on your wrists & back of neck for motivation to get to the gym - Motivate essential oil roller blend
Add to your water throughout the day for immune support & gentle detoxification - Lemon essential oil
Add a drop to the bottom of each foot & rub together daily for baseline immune support - OnGuard essential oil blend
Rub on chest, neck & below nose before a run - Breathe vapor stick or Breathe essential oil blend
As always, know that all recommendations are based on my personal experience & are only in reference to doTERRA Essential Oils, not any other brand on the market. What I share on this blog is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose any kind of health ailment.
Want to get my Fitness Favorites Starter Kit at 25% off
AND get a 5ml Deep Blue oil + Deep Blue Lotion for Free ($65 value)?
Want to browse other Starter Kit Options?
As always, know that all recommendations are based on my personal experience & are only in reference to doTERRA Essential Oils, not any other brand on the market. What I share on this blog is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose any kind of health ailment.
Be Well Bath Ritual
One of my most favorite ways to relax & restore my mind & body is by taking a bath. When I begin this ritual process I know this is my time & helps to anchor my week (even if I do this in the middle of the week!) with a sense of calm & intentional self-care.
My tub takes about 20 minutes to fill, so I set a timer as not to overflow the tub & so I can do all the bath prepping during that time. This list I’m sharing might seem like a lot when written down, but it's really not once you get your own routine down.
Tip: make sure to keep all your favorite bath time essential oils & tools handy right in the bathroom so that you don't need to go running around the house collecting everything.
This is just my personal ritual, so please allow yourself to find your own process, & in the meantime I hope mine might help you create or inspire yours. Tag me on Instagram at @mere_jane in your posts & use #BeWellBath so I can see yours!
And I’ve also added my bath time faves to my Amazon Wellness Shop, check that out here.
BE WELL BATH RITUAL
Start to fill up a hot tub
Make a beverage
Hot Cacao (see my recipe here)
Hot Tea
Big glass of water with a drop of doTERRA Lemon Essential Oil
Diffuse Eucalyptus + Rosemary
These two oils together create that fresh, relaxing, spa vibe.
Burn Palo Santo or Sage
The earthy aroma makes me feel super grounded.
Light some candles
This creates a great ambiance, especially when you can turn the lights off.
In a glass jar, make your Be Well Bath Salt mix:
8oz Epsom Salts
1oz Baking Soda (Aluminum Free)
4-6 drops doTERRA Essential Oils
1T Fractionated Coconut Oil
(measurements don't need to be exact!)
My favorite blends
Cedarwood + Serenity + Geranium
Vetiver + Yarrow|Pom + Lavender
Frankincense + Clary Sage + Roman Chamomile
AromaTouch + Lavender + Copaiba
DIY your own blend
Oils for Happy, Healthy Skin - Frankincense, Myrhh, Sandalwood, Lavender, Cedarwood, Yarrow|Pom
Oils for Hormone Balancing - Geranium, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Clary Calm
Oils for Total Relaxation - Serenity, Balance, Roman Chamomile, Copaiba, Lavender
Oils for Grounding - Vetiver, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Copaiba, Balance
Oils for Body Aches & Pains - Helichrysum, Marjoram, Lavender, Frankincense, Copaiba, AromaTouch, Deep Blue
Dry Brush with DDR Prime + Pink Pepper Essential Oils
WHY DRY BRUSH?
- Unclogs pores & gently exfoliates to the skin = promotes smoother brighter skin
- Decrease cellulite by increasing circulation to the area, distribution of fat deposits, & supporting more muscle tone
- Assists in lymphatic drainage & increase blood circulation
- Rejuvenates & stimulates the nervous system through contact with all of your nerve endings in your skin
HOW?
Get a brush with natural, soft-ish bristles. Your brush should NOT scratch or leave marks, however your skin could get a little temporarily pink from the stimulation (that’s a good thing!). Especially those with sensitive skin (like me), make sure to get a brush that feels invigorating, not painful.
Skip over any cuts, broken skin, sunburns, eczema patches, or anywhere you think it might otherwise get more irritated
Skin should be totally dry, before a shower or bath.
I like to put 1 drop each doTERRA’s DDR Prime blend & Pink Pepper Essential Oils in my hands, rub them together, then rub my hand on the bristles to distribute the essential oil.
Key here is you always want to be brushing in long soft strokes towards your heart. The lymphatic fluid flows through the body towards the heart, so it's important that you brush in the same direction.
Start with the bottoms of your feet, then move upwards from ankles to knees to thighs to bum. You can pause & focus in any specific areas you need.
Moving to midsection, I go upward, followed by clockwise strokes on the belly. Make sure not to forget your sides from your waist up to your armpits.
Then chest going down towards the heart.
Then palms of hands, followed by long strokes from tops of hands towards shoulders.
And lastly you back, you’ll actually go down from neck area to your lower back.
Don’t dry brush your face ;)
Whether taking a bath or not, you do want to at least rinse after Dry Brushing since you’re eliminating lots of skin cells
WHY DDR PRIME & PINK PEPPER?
Now there are a number of Essential Oils you can use with Dry Brushing (or none at all), but with my personal history of not-so-normal-acting skin cells (know what I mean?) I want to use Essential Oils that specifically support cellular health & oxidative stress. DDR Prime is formulated just for this & Pink Pepper is high in Limonene, which is a chemical constituent that is germ-destroying, anti-inflammatory & supportive for stress in the body too.
Now hop in the tub slowly (make sure it's not too hot!)
Soak for 15-20minutes
Turn on a podcast, a meditation, or simply enjoy the silence.
Drain the tub & shower as usual
Then the best part: finish your shower on ICE COLD. If you're new to this (or it's winter time), it's going to take some adjusting, so ease into how cold you make it & stay in it as long as you can. I promise it will get easier & you will learn to crave it. Even if all you can do is run the cold faucet over your feet & splash your face a few times, do that.
WHY ICE COLD?
- Increases alertness & energy
- Promotes better circulation = better cardiovascular health
- Immune boosting
- Tightens skin pores & hair follicles which helps keep moisture in your skin & dirt out
- Speeds up recovery from exercise & muscle soreness
- Stress reducing, boosts mood, combats depression
- Weight loss! Cold water activates the brown fat, which results in an increase in energy & calories burned to keep your body warm
- Builds your ability to do & endure difficult things which makes you stronger mentally & emotionally (I find this to DEFINITELY be true)
Don’t have a bathtub?
No problem, you can create the same experience with a relaxing & soothing Foot Soak. Just grab a bucket! And in that case, I highly recommend choosing some oils from the Body Aches & Pains or Grounding category 👌🏼.
Safety with Essential Oils in the bath
Some essential oils can be hot or spicy, therefore I do not recommend using in a bath the following oils, but not limited to: Cinnamon, Clove, Cassia, Oregano, Thyme, Ginger. I also do not recommomend any citrus oils due to their potential to be photosensitive in the 48hrs following contact with the skin. If you’re using an essential oil blend, just make sure to read all the oils contained in that blend.
Coming soon - Be Well Face & Body & Be Well Haircare blog posts!
Don’t have Essential Oils yet? Hop over here for more info on how to get them at 25% off.
As always, know that all recommendations are based on my personal experience & are only in reference to doTERRA Essential Oils, not any other brand on the market. What I share on this blog is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose any kind of health ailment.
What Your Intuition Can Teach You About Essential Oils
in·tu·i·tion / noun
INTUITION: the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.
The more I dive deeper into my practice (& yes, I'd call it a practice) with Essential Oils, the more I realize that our body & emotions are often onto something well before our thinking brain is.
While I really do like thinking of Essential Oils as being prescriptive - How do I want to feel? What do I want more of? Less of? Target the need or want & choose an Essential Oil (or oils) to use. Mission accomplished.
On the other end of the spectrum, I also like to respect & let run free, the intuitive relationship I have with Essential Oils.
This relationship is a bit more nuanced, & certainly seemingly less "logical" on the surface, but trust in this relationship is where major ah-ha's & breakthroughs can happen.
So naturally, intuitively selecting an Essential Oil (or oils) stems from a slightly different line of questioning - What Essential Oil am I drawn to right now?
And without yet asking "Why" or attributing any reason, practicality, or prior knowledge around this decision, just choose an oil & choose a way to integrate it.
How does this look in action? Just walk up to your stash of oils & grab one (or two, or three)...
How would you integrate? Some examples might be: creating a diffuser blend, applying to your wrists, rubbing over your heart or the back of your neck, adding into a body oil blend, putting a drop in your hands & breathing it in before a meditation, or a meeting, or whatever it is you're about to go do, and so on.
Don't allow for too much brain chatter, just integrate as your intuition tells you to integrate. Even if it doesn't "make sense."
And before any brain interrogation begins, take a moment to experience the Essential Oil you’ve chosen. And I mean EXPERIENCE it - What do you smell? How does that aroma make you feel? Where does your mind go? How does your body react? Are you breathing deeper? More fully? Does your mind feel clearer? Mood brighter?
It's sometimes immediately that I feel or know why my body chose that Essential Oil. Perhaps I've chosen this oil in a similar situation before, or perhaps I've reached for it a number of times recently.
And other times it's less clear. In that case, I'll take it to a resource like my Emotions & Essential Oils book to look up the energetics or emotions of the Essential Oil (or oils) I chose or maybe something more clinical & look to my apps or resource books to read the health benefits & what systems of the body it supports to see if I can find any connection to either how I currently feel or what I might need - mind, body, or spirit.
It's often then that I say "Ahhh, yep, that makes sense."
Occasionally I might dig in to my resources & still see no real connection to why I chose it. It's in those times I trust that it was just what I needed in that moment. And leave it at that.
As our emotions, energy, surroundings, physical body, etc, changes, that which we're attracted to changes. Today might be different than tomorrow, which night be different than next month, & next year.
Truth time: I actually did NOT like the smell of Frankincense when I first opened the bottle. But I felt pulled to keep opening that bottle & smell it every so often. Now it's my most favorite Essential Oil & go-to happy place to de-stress & reduce anxious feelings.
Along those lines, allowing myself to work intuitively with my Essential Oils also meant releasing judgment or opinion on the smell of an Essential Oil, more specifically: if I "like the oil" or "don't like the oil." Just like my Frankincense example, but also because our intuition often knows what we need before we do.
When we create this judgment around what we '“like” or “don’t like” - & believe it - is when we step further away from our intuitive power. Again, it's a practice - so follow what's guiding you, trust it & integrate accordingly. Get excited when you see the patterns & don't worry about it when you don't.
And most importantly… have fun :)
Do you use intuitively choose & use Essential Oils? What has been your experience?
Don’t have Essential Oils yet? Hop over here for more info on how to get them at 25% off.