A Natural Goo-Be-Gone!

At church on Sunday, I had a good friend that needed some wipes to get some gum off of one of the benches. I gave one to my husband to take over, but told him to grab the Lemon oil as well.  

Lemon is an all-natural goo-be-gone! 

Did you know that? I've been trying it lately. I've heard it is great for gum and sticky labels. I have used it on bottles recently to get the label off and it worked pretty well. So I told him to put a drop or two right on the gum and scrub away. He came back a few minutes later to tell me that my friend said I was amazing! :) Wahoo! Next time you got something sticky, get out your Lemon essential oil. Put a drop or two on it and scrub. If it doesn't come off the first time of scrubbing a bit, add another drop or two. 

If you have ever tried that or if you do try this, leave a comment and let us know how it works for you and what you used it on! :)

Some Cleaning Ideas...

I was relaxing in the tub and reading my All You magazine the other day (All You is a couponing magazine and has lots of fun tricks and tips for doing things well for cheaper - LOVE it!) and I came across a couple of pages with some recipes for cleaners. I started reading them because is one of my new subjects that intrigue me. Guess what? They include ESSENTIAL OILS in them! Wahoo! I was so excited to find that! This year, my goal is to become natural in my cleaning products. This includes making my own laundry detergent and cleaners and whatnot. So these few pages really caught my eye. So just as an idea for some of the recipes, here are a couple of them. These recipes are word-for-word from the magazine, then beneath you will find my comments about them.

Antibacterial Spray

*Use this germ killer on sinks, vanities and toilet seats. White thyme oil (or in this case, doTERRA's Thyme oil) although expensive, inhabits bacterial growth. *

Prep: 2 minutes Cost: $11.57

Yield: Approximately 18 oz (a 2-3 month supply)

Ingredients- 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp liquid castile soap, 1 Tbsp white thyme essential oil, 10 drops lavender essential oil.

Instructions- Using a funnel, pour water, soap and oils into bottle. Shake. Spray and let sit for 20 minutes. Wipe down surfaces with damp cloth. 

Toilet Bowl Blaster!!

*This recipe harnesses baking soda's gentle abrasiveness, vinegar's acidity and the stain-lifting power of the fizz created by mixing the two, plus tea-tree oil's antibacterial capabilities.*

Prep: 2 minutes Cost: 48 cents Yield: 1 cup, enough for 1 use

Ingredients- 1/2 cup baking soda, 10 drops tea-tree essential oil, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar.

Instructions- Pour baking soda directly into the toilet bowl, add oil, then vinegar- in that order. Let water effervesce for several minutes, then scrub bowl with brush. Flush. 

 *doTERRA's oil is Melaleuca, not tea-tree oil. They are same thing. Melaleuca is great for killing off bad germs and infections and stuff. I really like this REALLY EASY recipe! *

Furniture Polish

*Apply this formula to clean and restore luster to wood furniture. It also may be used to help remove superficial water rings on wood tables.* 

Prep: 1 1/2 minutes Cost: 34 cents Yield: Approximately 2 1/2 oz.

Ingredients- 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 tsp lemon oil (or fresh lemon juice).

Instructions- Using a funnel, pour olive oil, vinegar and lemon oil into a 8 oz plastic squirt bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Squirt polish onto a microfiber cloth and rub onto finished-wood furniture. Always go with the grain and even distribute polish. Remove any excess polish with a clean cloth. 

*I do not use furniture polish because I don't have nice enough furniture to use it on. Ha ha! But it sounds like a GREAT recipe. If you use it, let me know how it works for ya!*

If you want more, I encourage you to check out this magazine. I know that our local library has this magazine to look at and I think even check out. Of you can try looking it up online at allyou.com If you are using natural cleaners, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT! I am going to start myself a notebook soon and write all of these recipes down so I have them in one spot to quickly reference to them. So I'd love to hear your recipes. If you are using a natural cleaner, try adding some essential oils to them and I want to know what you think. I'd love to feature you on a post with your great information and experiences! 

 

Recipes

I had someone ask for the recipe of the Orange Julius that we made, so here is what my husband used:

1/2 sugar

1/2 container orange juice concentrate

1/4 milk

1/4 water

1 tsp vanilla

and like 12 ice cubes 

(give or take a few depending on your size of cube and how much ice you like in it) 

then 3-5 drops of whatever oil you want. 

I really liked the Citrus Bliss more than just the plain grapefruit! :)

Also, at my house we try to do green smoothies periodically. I, myself, am trying to do one at least once a day for one meal. So for an idea to use with the oils, add a 1-3 drops of your favorite oil into a green smoothie. You could do lemon, grapefruit, lime, Citrus Bliss or Wild Orange. Give it a try and leave a comment with your recipe and how you liked it! :)

Ylang-Ylang huh?

I have this bottle of oil that for one reason or another, I wanted to make sure that I had in my stock. But, due to my busy-ness, I have never actually used it or even looked it up to see how I could use it. I figured this post was a good enough reason to do that. It is called Ylang Ylang. I think it is pronounced ee-Lang ee-Lang. The oil comes from a greenish-yellow flower that actually is native to Asia. I love that I am learning about this oil now, during these winter months because guess what this oil can help with? It is an anti-depressant! There are so many people who unfortunately suffer from depression during the long, dark, cold winter months because of the lack of sunlight. This is a great oil to diffuse in your home if that is your case. It smells great and can also help with anxiety and releasing anger. It is also said to be an aphrodisiac and a great antiseptic. doTERRA gets their Ylang Ylang essential oil from the plants grown in Madagascar and is steam distilled from the flower.

To get the best benefits from this oil, it is said to take it in aromatically. So it is great to inhale and diffuse. Though it is a gentle oil to use topically. I love this part especially though. Ylang Ylang is a great oil to use in baths and massages!! I just might have to try that out this week. I start my semester this week and I'm sure that the stress will start building up (look at me pretending that it hasn't been stressful already just getting ready for school to start! ha!). It is also great for the skin so if you have any sort of skin problems, give this oil a try! 

A random fact about Ylang Ylang is that is commonly used in flavoring of bubble gum!! Cool huh?

Ylang Ylang comes in a 15mL bottle and costs $47 retail 

and only $35.25 wholesale.

My information came from: http://www.everythingessential.me/Oils/YlangYlang.html

Do you guys make New Years resolutions? If you do, what are some that you have made for the year 2012? Some of mine are to read some of the classics like Pride & Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. I also want to use an oil in my water at least once a day. I have been slacking on that big time and I know that I would be so much healthier if I did do this. To do this, you can add a drop of Lemon, Grapefruit (my fav), Lime, Peppermint, Slim & Sassy, or Citrus Bliss. Leave a comment with some of your New Years Resolutions. Do any of them involve the oils??

Don't Forget To Listen...

One of the things I wanted to post about, especially before we get too far into the holiday season, is about knowing your body and listening to what it is telling you. Now, I know that by saying that, some might roll their eyes and think, "This woman is a nutcase!" But let me tell you, since I learned more about this concept, my life has changed. Sounds too simple and crazy, but it is true. I have learned to realize it is I'm feeling like when I am full, when I am hungry, when I am bored, when I need more sleep, and when I need to get my butt moving and exercise! So I urge you all to do the same through this holiday season. This is the time of year we all love, but we all dread because of all of the treats and stuff. We tend to be busier with chatting and snacking and forget to take a walk, or eat a handful of carrots. (silly example, yes, I know! ha ha.)
Back in October, when I went through that long space of no blogging, I was getting into the middle of my semester (I go to school full-time, for those of you who don't know that), life was busy with my kids and I was just struggling keeping up with it all. I stopped getting enough sleep because I was trying to get everything else done, I was eating too much candy and drinking too much pop (it was Halloween and that sugar was just too readily available), and I was stressing which was giving me a headache. Oh, and since I wasn't exercising, my arms were falling asleep while I was sleeping. Crazy! I know! Then one day is really hit me that I wasn't taking care of myself and listening to the signals that my body was giving me to tell me that it was being strained. The headaches were from a lack of sleep. The sleeping arms were because I was not exercising. The lack of energy was from not eating the right foods and not taking my daily Lifelong Vitality Pack and my Cranberry pill. From the signals I was receiving, it was evident I needed to take better care of myself. After all, especially with being a mom, if I don't take care of myself, how can I expect to be able to take care of everyone else? It is not selfish. In fact, taking care of yourself is the best thing that you can do for everyone else. It has taken me some time to get to know myself, in a sense. But it has come over time and it has had lasting impressions that I know will help me in the present and in the future. So here is my challenge to you this holiday season: Listen to your body. When you feel full, stop eating. If you are tired, go to sleep and get more sleep. If you have a headache, maybe you need to take a breather and eat a bite of chocolate. If you are starting to feel really stressed or sluggish, get out and take a walk or head to the gym to pump some iron. Whatever it is your body is telling you, listen. It is as simple as that. For your brain to operate correctly and effectively, it needs oxygen. Make sure you take a few deep breaths during a stressful moment. This will help you get through the season with a better attitude because you will feel your best.

Now how does the oils tie into this? Well, first of all, I cannot say enough about the Lifelong Vitality pack. I take these vitamins everyday and can definitely feel a difference if I don't. I love how they help me feel better and get through my day. I am giving them the credit as to why my milk is so good, since I am nursing my 7 months old daughter. Just wonderful. If you are interested in learning more, I will post about it soon, but feel free to email me at corinnehoyt@yahoo.com and we can talk more about how it would help you out. Another oil that is great to carry around with you this holiday season is Elevate! Elevate is great for any feelings of depression. Whether we like to admit it or not, depression can hit people really hard this time of year. Take a few deep breaths of Elevate or diffuse it in your home and I'm sure you will feel better. Some of those holiday treats leaving your stomach unsettled? Use a drop of digestzen. 20 minutes later, if you don't feel good yet, use another drop. Just put a drop directly on your stomach and rub it in. I like to take a couple deep breaths of it when I am really not feeling good. If you have a headache from the stresses or the commotion, put some Peppermint behind your ears and rub down your neck. Headache will be gone before you know it! Having some heartburn? Rub a drop of lemon on your chest and you will feel some relief. There are so many options for you. Feel free to email me or comment here with any questions.
Has anybody else had any experiences with this whole "listen to your body" type of thing? :) Please leave a comment and tell us all. We can all learn from each other. It is better than me ranting and raving all of the time! :)

And The Winner Is....

Quick reminder: My giveaways are done at random, there is no favoring. I use a random picker that does the work for me. :)

The winner for the 15mL bottle of Lemon is.....

Alisha!! 

Thank you for everyone who participated. Be sure to keep referring this blog so we can get more followers. More followers = better giveaways! :)

You Want Some Lemon?

To make up for my lack of posting, I think it is time for a GIVEAWAY!!!

Today I am giving away a 15mL bottle of Lemon (that is the biggest DoTERRA sells - the regular size of every bottle usually). So here are the rules to entering:

Follow the blog and leave a comment letting me know you are following- 1 entry

Refer someone else to the blog and let me know - 1 entry
Tag this blog in your Facebook, twitter, blogs, or somewhere and let me know in the comments that you did so - 2 entries

Giveaway ends Saturday night at midnight. You have two days...ready....GO! :)

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

Lemon --> Yellow ---> Today's title. Ha ha. 

So I got emails from my up-line periodically and when I got this one, I knew I HAD to share it with you. Some information about the Lemon Oil. If you want to be put on the email list from my up-line, let me know and I can send them your email address. They have meetings, classes, send out information and lots of fun stuff periodically. This one came from a girl named Kellie. Here is what she taught this month about Lemon: 

"Lemons Uses: Aromatic, Topical, Internal -Make sure it is a CPTG oil if you are wanting it for medicinal uses.

Very Family Friendly! Wahoo!!

Illness, Colds, Flu, Fevers, Kidney Cleanse, Immune Booster, Natural Pick-Me-Up, Parasite Cleanse, Toxin Cleanser, And Household Cleaner!

(just a few drops in 8oz of water several times a day keeps the kidneys flushed clean, the liver happy, the blood vessels clear of arterial plaque, and gets the lymph flushed out.)

-I used Lemon to remove paint from the side of a car!

-I use lemon to remove gum and stickers (I know it is a pricey little cleaner, but I love the smell, and I love that I can use it with my hands and not feel worried about toxic crap getting into my system!)

I believe it is one of the most important oils. It is simple to use, safe for every one in the family, and covers a whole myriad of problems, concerns or ailments. Plus it tastes DELICIOUS!

And beautifully it is cheaper than most of the oils because it is an abundant resource.

I believe this oil fits EVERYONE'S Budget. And should be used daily.

Use it to clear the air and freshen up a room instantly.

Use a few drops in the tub for a refreshing bath that also helps dull skin, and to pull toxins.

Use it for cuts, and wounds (it heals, cleanses and numbs.)

Use it to shine up a dull complexion, try my Lemon Coffee scrub recipe below...it is fabulous!

Use it in frosting and baking

Lemon Pie...YUM!

One of my favorite uses is in a warm tea.

Honey Lemon Tea

Use "Just Warm" water (remember not to heat your oils past body temperature, we want to keep the therapeutic properties in it.)

Fill a cup 3/4 full

Add Honey, about 1 1/2 tbs to 2 tbs  and stir until blended (honey is a natural healer)

Add 3-7 drops of Lemon Essential Oil in water

Stir and drink.

Kids love it, adults love it, and you can drink as much as you want. (Sure you are going to notice more frequent bathroom visits, but that is the cleansing and flushing power of Lemon. It is doing its job!)

Lemon is a natural pick-me-up, and a room deodorizer, also it kills the airborne germs and viruses, so........DIFFUSE IT BY GOLLY!

Keep oils  like Lemon circulating in your home through oil diffusers and you will notice, better moods, less illness, and the place just smells darn good! 

Lemon Coffee Scrub

-Use some used coffee grounds, whatever was in the filter (if you don't have used grounds, you can use fresh grounds straight from a package about 3 tbs worth.

-Use one tbs olive oil or fractionated coconut oil for facial scrub, or 4 tbs for body scrub (more or less grounds and oil can be used to fit the consistency of product you like)

-Use 1 drop Lemon Oil

Mix together

Gently scrub face and body

Allow to sit on skin for several minutes

Rinse with warm water and towel dry yourself

Gives a natural healthy glow to skin you will love.

If you are super sensitive to oils and scrubs, I don't recommend using this recipe because it works really well."

Isn't this information amazing? I did format it a little bit to make it look appealing to read, ha ha, but all of the credit goes to her.
I don't buy coffee, so if you don't either, maybe you could switch out the coffee in her scrub recipe and put in oatmeal or something? Do you have any other ideas on that?
Lemon is  $13.33 retail and only $10 wholesale. It definitely is budget-friendly and so easy to use! Everyone needs to have at least one bottle of Lemon in your house. I have about 2-3 in  my house, plus one in my diaper bag. Where is yours?

Tuesday's Top Ten

Top Ten Oils to Use Daily

1- Balance

2- OnGuard

3- Lemon

4- Peppermint

5- Frankincense

6- Citrus Bliss

7- Lavender

8- Serenity

9- Elevation

10- Purify

Dr. David Hill, the world-famous doctor that is one of the head people in doTERRA has mentioned many times that this is his daily routine with essential oils:

* Apply Peppermint and Frankincense to the soles of your feet when you awaken. This will get you fully awake, energized, and ready for your day.         * Diffuse Citrus Bliss or a blend of any of the other doTERRA citrus oils mixed with Purify or OnGuard  

* Apply Serenity to back of neck and temples midday. Use anytime you're feeling stressed 

* Add Peppermint and Lemon to water during the day. This is detoxifying. Be sure to use an oil every time you refill your bottle (make sure it isn't plastic). -My personal favorite is Grapefruit rather than Lemon-Corinne :)  
* Apply Lavender to bottom of feet at night. This helps to alleviate insomnia and encourages a restful sleep. 

Now I would add Balance if you have any sort of imbalance problem in your body. If you suffer from any sort of depression of any kind, I would be sure to add some Elevation in there as well. It will help lift your mood. I know a lot of people, especially during the winter months, will suffer from a seasonal depression. So be sure you are taking care of yourself to try to prevent that as much as possible. Elevation is my favorite oil to diffuse because I love the smell. 

What are some of the oils that you love to use on a daily basis?