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Everything Extract: How To Make Your Own Natural Antibiotic

Everything Extract: Make Your Own Natural Antibiotic | The Family That Heals Together

In a time when it’s becoming rapidly clear that antibiotics are causing gut health problems that lead to chronic disease and creating drug-resistant bacteria that no longer respond to treatment, one may wonder what to do in the event of a serious infection. You already know I’m a fan of DIY supplements, so it will come as no surprise that I’ve created a DIY natural antibiotic for just such occasions.

When my oldest was a baby, I practically demanded a prescription for every cough and sneeze, without realizing that the use of antibiotics have long-reaching, negative health consequences.

I know now that antibiotics should be a last resort choice when nothing else works… but thankfully, since learning about herbs, I’ve found that there are better options.

Why antibiotics should be avoided

Here are a few reasons you might want to avoid conventional antibiotics in favor of natural herbal antibiotics:

1. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Duh. That’s why we use them. But- our bodies are filled with both good and bad bacteria, and antibiotics aren’t picky.

Antibiotics take an unbiased sweep through the body, killing off every type of bacteria they encounter, including the good stuff your body actually needs.

Where do antibiotics hit first? The stomach, where they damage healthy gut flora. Once that good bacteria gets diminished, the bad guys have an opportunity to get stronger and take over.

2. Antibiotics cause disease. Because the majority of your immune system is found in your gut, your gut bacteria controls how healthy you are and how well your body can fight off invaders.

When antibiotics change the gut terrain for the worse, opportunistic bacteria becomes strong enough to wreak havoc throughout the body, causing everything from autoimmune diseases to bowel disorders.

Antibiotic use has even been linked to autism (read Gordon’s story of healing from autism here, and learn about how several rounds of antibiotics preceded his diagnosis of autism).

3. Antibiotics create superbugs. This is becoming more and more apparent all the time, as drug-resistant infections become more common.

We have let our profligate use of antibiotics reshape the evolution of the microbial world and wrest any hope of safe management from us…

Resistance to antibiotics has spread to so many different, and unanticipated types of bacteria, that the only fair appraisal is that we have succeeded in upsetting the balance of nature. -Marc Lappé, When Antibiotics Fail

The evolution of life-saving medicines has had unintended consequences, as the frequent and overuse of antibiotics has left us with persistent and recurring infections that are harder and harder to treat.

Natural antibiotic herbs

Thankfully, there are lots of herbs that are effective for treating a variety of infections and illnesses. Here, I’ve created what I call “Everything Extract” because it contains a few key herbs to target anything and everything.

Our family recently used it as part of a protocol for a particularly nasty respiratory infection that went through all of our kids, and it did its part to help them recover.

Here’s what you’ll find in my natural antibiotic.

Everything Extract: The Players

Oregano- A long-time, go-to remedy for our family, oregano has been a powerful ally in our house for battling everything from strep throat to PANDAS and oppositional defiant disorder.

Oregano is high in vitamin A, which has been found to help in recovery from measles. (source) The high level of vitamin A may be part of oregano’s immune-bolstering magic, along with vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K, and iron.

Oregano is also antibacterial and contains antioxidants. The essential oil is especially powerful against particularly nasty infections, which is why I use Oregano Spirits (the only time I’ll use essential oils internally) sparingly for serious infections like strep throat or when an illness isn’t responding well to other herbal treatments.

Get Oregano Spirits here and organic loose leaf oregano here.

Thyme- like oregano, thyme is one of my favorite herbs for cooking, but it’s also powerful for fighting infection

Thyme is anti-fungal and may help to battle candida infections and restore balance in the gut and body.

It is also has powerful antiseptic and disinfectant components and has been used to break up mucus, fight colds, coughs, fevers, headaches and sore throats.

Get organic loose leaf thyme here.

Rosemary- Perhaps my favorite culinary herb, rosemary graces everything from sweet potatoes to chicken in my kitchen, frequently.

Rosemary also helps stimulate the immune system and promote healthy digestion.

It’s been used as a remedy for coughs and colds, as well as a wash for mouth, gums, and sore throat.

Get organic loose rosemary leaves here.

Ginger- a synergistic herb that helps to strengthen the benefits of other herbs it’s used with, ginger is one I use almost every day.

I use it in this herbal pain killer for headaches, as well as to help drain the lymph system anytime I’m fighting a cold.

Ginger is high in vitamin C, B6, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. It’s helpful for pain, nausea, and has anti-bacterial properties, which make it a good choice for including in your recovery routine regardless of the illness.

Get organic dried ginger root here.

Everything Extract: The How-To

If you’ve read about how to make an herbal extract, you know it’s really simple to do.

To make this herbal antibiotic “Everything Extract,”

  1. Combine the herbs in equal parts in a large jar, filling the jar halfway. (For my Everything Extract, I used 1/2 cup each oregano, thyme, rosemary, and ginger, to equal two cups total.)
  2. Fill the jar the rest of the way with vodka (I use a gluten-free vodka in a glass bottle).
  3. Tighten the lid and label the jar with date and contents.
  4. Place the jar in a cool, dark cabinet.
  5. Shake the jars once or twice a day for 6 weeks before straining into a clean dropper bottle.

I use a dropperful in a small amount of water 1-3 times a day during illness.

This natural antibiotic is safe for children and pregnant or nursing mothers, though oregano can dry up breastmilk, so should be used carefully.

Do you know a friend who’d like to hear about natural antibiotic options? Sharing is caring!

Everything Extract: Make Your Own Natural Antibiotic | The Family That Heals Together

Herbal Pain Killer Shot for Headaches & More: Stop Taking NSAIDS!

Herbal Pain Killer Shot for Headaches & More: Stop Taking NSAIDS! | The Family That Heals Together

Migraines have been my longest-standing, most life-disrupting health problem since I can remember. And while lifestyle changes have helped tremendously, as soon as my diet lags, my sleep gets disrupted, or my stress levels rise, headaches are the first thing to get worse. I recently created this herbal pain killer shot and have been pleasantly surprised at how effective it is.

Do you need an herbal pain killer?

The big question is: why wouldn’t you just take an over the counter pain killer? They’re cheap, readily available, and easy to pop down with a little water.

However, taking these over the counter pain killers (aka NSAIDs- non steriod anti-inflammatory drugs), has serious consequences for your health. As a long-time migraine sufferer, I have taken more NSAIDs than I care to admit.

Why you should avoid NSAIDs:

  • increased risk of heart failure- by 19%! (source)
  • kidney damage (if you have any level of kidney disease, you SHOULD NOT take NSAIDs)
  • gut damage and GI distress, as well as ulcers and internal bleeding (source)
  • liver damage
  • muscle regeneration delay and reduction of ligament, tendon, and cartilage healing (not ideal for post-workout pain!) (source)

I used to take them like they were candy. Headache? Down a couple 200 milligram ibuprofen. Full-fledged migraine? Take three or maybe a couple acetaminophen.

In the last year or so, it was taking 800 mg at once to take the edge off of my worst migraines, and I was still taking over the counter pain killers on occasion even recently… until I discovered this herbal pain killer shot.

I whipped it up on a whim knowing each of the components alone can be good for relieving pain. I had a monster migraine setting in and I was feeling the pressure. My natural attempts at relieving the pain weren’t working but I didn’t want to take a toxic over-the-counter drug.

Out of desperation, I made my concoction and downed it… and within minutes, my pain began to ease. I was astounded!

A little while later, when the pain threatened to return, I made and took another shot, and this time the pain stayed gone for good.

Now, anytime I feel like I could possibly have a headache coming on, I take my herbal pain killer shot, and I’m happy to say I haven’t had a headache, let alone a migraine, since I first took this shot.

What’s in it?

Just three simple ingredients. It doesn’t taste too bad at all, and takes just a minute to mix up.

Herbal Pain Killer Shot: The Players

#1. Turmeric- extensively studied and found to be beneficial in relieving respiratory illnesses, including asthma, turmeric is also a powerful anti-mucosal.

You already know it’s great for dental health if you’ve tried my tooth powder recipe (if you haven’t, you should!).

But what about turmeric for pain relief?

The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Curcumin is known to inhibit inflammation by suppressing nuclear factor κB (NF-kB), a protein complex responsible for creating cytokines (some of which are responsible for pain responses), restricting various activators of NF-kB as well as stemming its expression. (source)

Because black pepper increases the efficacy of turmeric up to 2000%, I keep a bag of bulk organic turmeric on hand with a little black pepper already mixed in. (I mix with a small amount of whatever ground black pepper I have on hand- less than two teaspoons of pepper per cup of turmeric.)

Buy the organic ground turmeric I use here.

#2. Ginger extract- theoretically, you could use ground ginger along with the ground turmeric, but I haven’t tried that, and I’ve had great success with ginger extract for a variety of conditions, including pain and swollen lymph nodes.

According to one study,

Ginger and its constituents also show a vital role in anti-inflammatory processes. Earlier studies on in vitro investigations of ginger preparations and some isolated gingerol-related compounds showed the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger such as inhibition of COX (the enzyme blocked by pain killers) and inhibition of NF-kB.”

Buy the organic ginger extract I use here.

#3. White willow bark- one of my recent favorite discoveries, white willow bark is an old folk remedy that was used for pain relief prior to the invention of Aspirin, and has been found to be as effective without the side effects.

Like Aspirin, white willow bark is a nonselective inhibitor of COX-1 and COX-2 (those enzymes targeted by pain killers), used to block inflammatory prostaglandins. (source)

I make my own white willow bark extract by combining white willow bark and vodka in equal parts in a glass jar and allowing to sit in a cool, dark place for at least six weeks. I shake the jar as often as I can remember during this time.

Get white willow bark here.

Keep in mind, white willow bark may not be safe for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. For use with children, you can replace the white willow with meadowsweet. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, these ingredients are best left out of the formulation.

In addition, those exhibiting symptoms of chicken pox or flu, those with asthma, or those who are allergic to aspirin should not use white willow or meadowsweet.

Get meadowsweet herb here.

Note: Due to the natural blood thinning effects of this combination of herbs, people with blood disorders or taking anti-coagulants should talk to their care provider before taking them.

Herbal Pain Killer Shot: The How-To

When I’m in need of some pain relief, I fill a glass with about a quarter cup of water, add a dropper-ful each of ginger and white willow bark extract, and about 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric and give it a stir before drinking it down in one gulp.

I generally feel relief within minutes.

Who needs NSAIDs?

I’ve been so thrilled to finally be able to ditch over the counter pain meds once and for all. This herbal pain killer shot has been so effective, I can’t imagine ever needing to go back, as it stops pain in its tracks every time.

Best of all, the ingredients are non-toxic and even promote long-term health benefits and overall wellness.

Are you ready to ditch your toxic pain killer pills? Share for a friend who needs relief!

Herbal Pain Killer Shot for Headaches & More: Stop Taking NSAIDS! | The Family That Heals Together

How to Have More Energy: Five Ways to Start Your Day Better

How to Have More Energy: Five Ways to Start Your Day Better | The Family That Heals Together

Do you struggle with fatigue? If you’re like most of us hanging around here, you want to know how to have more energy. You’ll be glad to know I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve and I’ll share them below!

Why so tired?

We all struggle with fatigue for various reasons, but I’m a firm believer that being a mom doesn’t have to be one of them. I can attest that even after becoming a mom to four busy boys, my energy levels are better than they were when I was a teenager!

It is not normal to always be tired, even if the demands of motherhood are high.

Fatigue can be caused by a number of factors, including:

  • autoimmune disease
  • chronic infections
  • vitamin and mineral deficiencies
  • poor sleep habits
  • poor diet
  • high stress levels

For most of us, the above factors tend to overlap and feeling energized feels like an uphill battle. Let’s lay out a few things you can start doing right now so you can learn how to have more energy.

How to have more energy and start your day off better: five tips

These are things I personally have prioritized in my own life and have had great results in improving my energy levels.

1. How to have more energy: go to bed earlier

This seems like a no-brainer, but how many of us don’t make it a priority to go to bed earlier? It’s too easy to stay up once the kids have gone to bed to catch up on housework, spend time with your hubby, or just mindlessly zone out on Netflix (I’m guilty of all of the above!).

I have been able to go from going to bed between midnight and 1 am every night to going to bed between 10 & 11 most nights, and often before 10. Here’s how I did it:

  • I got the kids on a better bedtime routine. Instead of letting them sit around and watch TV because I’m tired and need a break, I try to focus on quiet games and books and avoid TV in the evenings. I started putting them to bed earlier, and, surprisingly, it doesn’t take long for kids to adjust to an earlier bedtime.
  • I make myself get in bed. Even if I didn’t get the kitchen spotless. Even if I think of things I need to do. I honor my body’s need for rest above other things.
  • I take a hot epsom salt bath and rub down with magnesium lotion, as magnesium helps induce relaxation.
  • I put my phone away. Even though I want to watch one more episode of Gilmore Girls. Even when Lorelai’s love life has me on the edge of my seat.
  • I take herbs or practice counting methods to get to sleep quicker if I need to. You can read about the herbs I use to help me sleep better here.

2. How to have more energy: take adaptogens

I’ve written pretty extensively about how adaptogens have improved my health because they support the adrenal glands. I went from having insomnia, being constantly exhausted and cranky, and losing handfuls of hair, to reversing all of those symptoms.

I fall asleep easily and sleep through the night (if my kids are nice enough to let me, that is); I have more energy and am more even-tempered and patient; my hair grew back and I now have awkward baby hairs to show for it.

Adaptogenic herbs have been one of the main reasons for all of these improvements, and they are uniquely capable of increasing energy when mama needs it, while simultaneously inducing calm when mama’s stressed out. They adapt to your needs.

My favorite adaptogenic herbs include:

  • Rhodiola- Reputed to be more powerful than other adaptogens, rhodiola supports mental and emotional health by improving the ability to deal with stress, as well as increasing  blood flow to the brain. It also combats the effects of excess adrenaline.
  • Astragalus- Another effective adaptogen, astragalus is helps to support the nervous system and negate the effects of stress. It is quite nutritive, as it contains protein, calcium, magnesium, silica, iron, and vitamins, all of which help to strengthen the body as a whole and impart energy.
  • Ashwaghanda- Also helpful for calming the nervous system and promoting restful sleep, ashwagandha boosts strength and vitality. It modifies the harmful effects of stress on the body and promotes calmness.
  • Eleuthero- Known as “Siberian Ginseng,” eleuthero increases vitality, improves mental and physical performance, and protects against stress. It lowers blood-pressure and has powerful anti-fatigue effects.

Make your own powerful adrenal support extract using these easy instructions. I take a dose of adaptogens first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon if I start to feel fatigued.

How to Have More Energy: Five Ways to Start Your Day Better | The Family That Heals Together

3. How to have more energy: eat liver

Yup. Unless you are in the baby boomer crowd, you likely didn’t grow up eating liver, and therefore, probably consider it yucky. However, liver is packed full of nutrients that will have you feeling more energized in no time!

Liver is

  • an excellent source of high-quality protein
  • nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A, all the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
  • one of our best sources of folic acid and a highly usable form of iron
  • a good source of trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium (liver is our best source of copper); an unidentified anti-fatigue factor; and CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
  • a good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA

Don’t like eating liver? No problem. You can easily take it in capsule form.

When I’m really on the ball, I make my own liver capsules using this tutorial, but more frequently, I stock up on pre-made liver capsules. These are what I’m taking right now, and I take four capsules every morning before breakfast. (Use code FAMILYHEALS10 for 10% off!)

4. How to have more energy: wake up with magnesium

While some types of magnesium, like Epsom salts and transdermal oils and lotions, can bring calming and relaxation, other types of magnesium provide energy.

I’ve recently been using an awesome type of magnesium that contains not one, not two, but three types of superior magnesium, along with the important cofactor boron for better absorbability. It’s called Wake Up Maggie and it does just that- wakes you up.

Wake Up Maggie is better than coffee to start your day off right. The unique combination of magnesium malate, taurinate and orotate is designed to pep you up and keep you alert for the day ahead.

One scoop of Wake Up Maggie provides 200mg of highly-absorbable magnesium as:

• Magnesium malate
• Magnesium taurinate
• Magnesium orotate
• PLUS 1.5mg of Boron

Get Wake Up Maggie here.

5. How to have more energy: cut sugar

Finally, if you want to start your day off more energized, ditch the sugar.

While it’s best to eliminate sugar altogether from your diet (read about the best natural replacements for sugar here), if you are concerned about starting your day off with more energy, cut out the pastries, breads, and cereals for breakfast and replace them with a high-protein breakfast with good fats and carbs.

For me, the perfect breakfast combo includes pastured eggs, clean bacon or sausage, and a sweet potato.

Find what works for you and fuel your body rather than fatigue it by kicking the refined carbs and sugar to the curb.

And if you want to sleep better, keep the sugar away late in the day as well, as it will prevent you from getting proper rest.

Small changes= big results!

Want to have more energy? Prioritize your sleep, support your energy levels with herbs, eat liver, take the right kind of magnesium, and keep the sugar away.

You’ll see big improvements in energy by making these small changes.

Have a friend who needs to know how to have more energy? Be sure to share using one of our links below!

Why I’m Just Not That Into Using Essential Oils

Why I'm Just Not That Into Using Essential Oils | The Family That Heals Together

Sometimes I say things that tick people off, because I don’t shy away from controversy and I tell it like it is. So I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I have to come clean: I’m just not that into using essential oils.

I’ll stand here while you get the rotten tomatoes ready.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used essential oils for years, but when it comes to keeping my family healthy, they’re not really at the top of my list. Let me explain.

There are a few specific reasons I’m not that into using essential oils, and below, I’ll lay ’em all out for you.

Why I’m not that into using essential oils

Before I get into my specific reasons, I will tell you this: I do use essential oils. I mean, they smell nice. And they do have their strengths (which I’ll tell you about below). However, when it comes to keeping my family healthy, I’m just not that into them. Here’s why:

Essential oils are a bandaid

While they are natural and smell lovely (ok, some of them do- have you ever smelled vetiver? Stiiinky!), I feel that a lot of people simply replace their over the counter meds with essential oils.

Instead of Rolaids, they rub a digestive blend on their tummy. Instead of acetaminophen, they rub a little peppermint on their temples (I’ve even written about doing that here). Allergy meds have given way to popular “allergy bombs,” aka essential oil cocktails.

It is good to get away from pharmaceuticals and over the counter drugs; don’t get me wrong. But if you’re simply swapping one out for the other, you’re not healing the underlying condition.

Essential oils are not a substitute for a healthy diet. You cannot go on eating sugar and processed foods and just essential oil harder to make up for it.

Using essential oils can’t replace using a good probiotic, which will actually change the bacterial content of your gut, and thereby create lasting change in your health.

They also can’t replace healing a child’s behavioral disorder like ADHD from the inside with diet changes like the GAPS diet. In fact, I’ve tried lots of essential oils for calming and they have never had any affect on my hyperactive kid.

Essential oils are not as effective as other herbal solutions

Just like I’ve never had any luck with using essential oils to calm my child, I’ve never had luck using them to heal an infection, get rid of a cough or cold or the flu, or improve gut health. It’s just not what they do.

When I need to tackle an illness, I reach for teas and tinctures.

Using herbs in tea and tincture form has been much more effective for our family than essential oils for clearing a respiratory infection or calming a cough, balancing neurotransmitters and calming a child, and kicking everything from sinus infections to Lyme disease.

My favorite ways to use herbs include

  • scooping loose herbs like nettle and horsetail (both very nourishing herbs) into my French press and pouring boiling water over them to make a tea, which I drink after steeping and cooling
  • making or buying herbal tinctures and extracts, which involves steeping herbs for many weeks in alcohol to release the herbs’ constituents before straining them out
  • or taking herbal capsules, which contain an herb or herb mixture and are easy to quickly swallow for quick and simple usage.

Based on my personal experience of using herbs in these ways and getting outstanding results, healing my family, and never having had any significant improvement with essential oils, I just can’t say that essential oils are as effective as other herbal remedies.

Essential oil marketing makes me batty

Here’s where things get dicey. I have always been turned off by the marketing ploys of essential oils companies. Everyone who uses X company says their oils are the best and purest, and everyone who uses Y company says the same about theirs.

The problem with this is that there are a lot of wonderful essential oil companies making excellent products for reasonable prices, and no one trusts them because the bigger companies have done such a great job marketing their oils as the best, and convincing you that buying cheaper oils isn’t safe.

Hogwash.

I’ve used tons of essential oils from lots of different companies (including the expensive ones) and guess what? No one brand has been any more effective than another. They all smell nice. They all perform the same minor tasks in my overall health routine. Some just cost way more than others. (Psst… you can even find certified organic essential oils for good prices, which I am all about!)

I think it’s great that I have friends who have been able to make a living selling essential oils and that those products have really improved their families’ lives. I don’t fault anyone for that. And if you’re most comfortable with and already love one brand, I don’t see anything wrong with that.

But I don’t find it necessary to get involved with an MLM and pay higher prices to enjoy the benefits of essential oils.

P.S. I love using this inexpensive, high quality brand!

Essential oil misinformation is rampant

When I first started using essential oils, they weren’t very well-known. I used them to scent homemade lotions and soaps. That was about it.

These days, everyone uses essential oils, and for all kinds of things. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, but I’ve never felt comfortable with some of the information and “education” floating around about essential oils.

Lots of people promote taking essential oils internally, which I have personally never condoned, as they can be hard on the liver to process, and even do damage to tissues and organs.

I’ve seen children get burned by them due to improper dilution or failure to dilute. (Read: Essential Oil Safety for Kids.)

And, of course, there’s the promotion of using them to create a healthy lifestyle, which, as discussed, cannot be accomplished without major lifestyle changes.

Here is what is telling to me: members of popular MLMs frequently promote using essential oils internally or to heal various ailments, while personal friends and family members of mine who are trained in aromatherapy and essential oil usage have told me they would never take essential oils internally, nor do they promote them as a solution to health problems.

I wonder if essential oil safety is always the top priority with so much misinformation floating around.

Why I'm Just Not That Into Using Essential Oils | The Family That Heals Together

How I do use essential oils

I’m not anti-essential oils, I promise. I’ve got a pretty extensive collection of them sitting in a lovely wooden box Mr. Incredible made me just for the purpose of housing them. I don’t reach for them in the case of battling illness, but I do use them for lots of little things, including:

  • keeping my home smelling nice. I stopped using candles and other toxic fragrance sources years ago, so I switched over to using a diffuser, which allows me to let the subtle aromas of essential oils keep my home smelling like four little boys don’t live here (although they do). I have an inexpensive diffuser that I’ve used for years and love diffusing this germ-fighting blend, and this super calming and soothing blend.
  • keeping my home clean. I make a simple all-purpose cleaner from water, germ-fighting essential oils, and a tablespoon or two of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap and keep it in a spray bottle for cleaning everything from toilets to counter tops. It’s inexpensive, effective, and it smells really good.
  • minor skin conditions. I love using an all-purpose salve for everything from stings, to scrapes, burns, and bruises. If I burn myself cooking, I slather on a little salve, which contains both herb-infused oils and essential oils, or I’ll use a combination of lavender and frankincense essential oils, which I have actually found to be very effective for soothing the skin and promoting healing.
  • headaches. I’ve mentioned in this post about getting rid of migraines that I do use a little peppermint oil on pain points when I have a headache or migraine. However, if I’m eating well and getting plenty of sleep, as well as minding my stress levels, I rarely get headaches, which I why I suggest healing the underlying conditions through lifestyle changes rather than relying on essential oils to mask the problem.Plant Therapy Essential Oils

I’m just not that into essential oils.

To each their own, and my own is not turning to essential oils when illness strikes. That doesn’t mean they’re bad or that I don’t have plenty of uses for them, I’m just not sure they are worthy of the pedestal they’re placed on in the healthy living community.

Do you like using essential oils? Share this post and generate a conversation!

How to Use Essential Oils for Stress Relief: Try This Soothing Blend!

How to Use Essential Oils for Stress Relief: Try This Soothing Blend! | The Family That Heals Together

I’ve been candid about what a stressful holiday season it’s been so far for me, and how I like to use herbs to help my body handle stress better. Here, contributor Heather will tell us how to use essential oils for stress relief, which is a perfect example of how I personally like to use essential oils. -Jaclyn

During the busy holiday times of year, stress can take over. We can run ourselves into the ground by trying to do too much in too little time, eating more sugar in treats than normal, and getting less sunlight and rest than we do other times of the year. (Jaclyn’s note: a quality cod liver oil is perfect for making up for lack of vitamin D in the winter!)

There are often huge meals to shop for and make, kitchens to clean up, families and friends to host and a plethora of other things that keep our lives busy. We need to take time and relax.

And, that’s where aromatherapy comes into play here. Basically put, aromatherapy is the art and science of inhaling scents that are relaxing, comforting, calming, or even energizing. When you go into a coffee shop and smell the freshly roasted beans, or if you go into Bath and Body works and smell the lotions, you are essentially experiencing aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is a great way to get the benefits of essential oils in a very safe manner. Although some may feel ingestion of oils are safe, I generally advocate that people shouldn’t take essential oils internally. And not all oils are safe to use on the skin, especially “neat,” or undiluted. Aromatherapy helps to avoid the possible reactions, such as sensitizing the skin, burning the skin or possible damage to inner tissues, while giving you the benefits of the oils.

I like this blend, because it’s calming and energizing at the same time. When life hands you lemons, make this essential oil blend!

Citrus oils are very energizing, as well as “cleansing” to the mind. Rosemary is great for helping to remember things,  which is why many of us are stressed in the first place trying to get it all done, and lavender is a calming oil that helps to relax. Together, they create a beautiful blend that anyone can be around.

To use essential oils for stress relief, you’ll need:

Carefully blend the oils in a small bottle and add 5-6 drops to a diffuser, diffusing for an hour at a time. OR, add 2-3 drops to an essential oil necklace that you wear. You can also place this blend in a roller bottle to roll on the skin. If you choose to do that, you will need to add 1 1/2 teaspoons of a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil.

Not sure which types of essential oils to use? I’ve been happy with these high-quality essential oils, many of which are organic!

What are your favorite essential oils for stress relief?

How to Use Essential Oils for Stress Relief: Try This Soothing Blend! | The Family That Heals Together