Tips on Essential Oils

Today's guest blogger is Krissa, from More than mundane. She has so much good stuff to share, check out her blog for recipes, recipe reviews, ideas for learning with young kids at home, book recommendations, and so much more! Really her blog is AWESOME! For now we pick her brain on Essential Oils and how to incorporate them into our lives:

"Hi, I'm Krissa--wife, mom to two beautiful children, and teacher. When I'm not busy grading papers I enjoy trying new recipes (especially Andrea's), learning with my preschooler, and blogging about it along the way. I also love learning about ways to use natural remedies to improve my family's health and daily life. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about using essential oils, and I'll do my best to answer...or if you have a favorite use for essential oils to share with me, I'm always looking to learn more!"

My Top Ten Uses for Essential Oils

For the past six months I’ve been using essential oils in a variety of ways in our home. Here are my top ten:

1. Lemon Oil in my Water-I put lemon oil in my water every day to build immunity and because it tastes great! However, not all essential oil brands are safe for internal use, so please make sure you read the label carefully before using any essential oil internally. I use a brand called DoTerra, which is CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) and is safe to take internally. Learn more about the health benefits of lemon here.

2. On Guard for Immunity-On Guard is one of my favorites. I mix it with a carrier oil and apply it to my children’s feet at bedtime. For myself, I put a few drops in a capsule and take it that way. Read more about On Guard and how it can protect you from getting sick here.

3. In my Homemade Deodorant-I use Melaleuca (Tea Tree) or a blend called Purify in my homemade deodorant to scent it. Learn more about how to make your own deodorant here.

4. In my Husband’s Facial Toner-I make a facial toner for my husband and use Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Oil in it. Tea Tree helps with acne, but you can also use lavender.

5. Breathe for a “Vapo-rub”-When my kids are congested or have a cough a use a blend called Breathe mixed with a carrier oil and rub it on their chest and on the bottoms of their feet. It’s a great natural alternative to Vapo-rub.

6. For Cleaning-I often take Lemon essential oil or a blend called Citrus Bliss and drop a few drops on a sponge to wipe down my counters. Not only does it clean but it also smells great!

7. Lavender for a Calming Room/Linen Spray-In a small glass spray bottle, I mix water with Lavender essential oil and use it as a room and linen spray. Lavender has calming properties so it’s great to use at bedtime.

8. To Soothe a Sore Throat-Add a drop of Lemon to honey and take it to soothe your throat. Or use On Guard: rub (diluted) on the throat externally or take a few drops internally to relieve sore throat.

9. In Bath & Body Care-I’ve made body oils, body scrubs, bath sachets, and lotion and scented them with lavender, ylang-ylang, wild orange, and other essential oils. I also enjoy dropping a few drops in the shower before I hop in.

10. Aromatherapy-I use a diffuser to diffuse essential oils in our home, especially in the kid’s rooms. It purifies the air and smells great.

For information on using essential oils to build immunity, check out my previous post on essential oils here.