Strange and Interesting Things are Happening in DoTerra Land......Things That Make You Go Hmmmmmmmmm

Today I was cleaning my kitchen....no biggie, right?  And I thought that I would make up a little spray bottle of water mixed with OnGuard to clean my counters.  They say it is good for fighting infection, so why not?  I made my little bottle, about 8 oz mixed with 4 or 5 drops, sprayed my counters, wiped them down, and went on with the rest of the day.  After lunch, I happened to walk past my spray bottle and noticed a dark ring had formed at the top of the water line.  Interesting.  So, I thought, maybe it was the oil.  I shook the bottle and the line went away.  Interesting.  I opened the bottle to find little black specks all through the water.  Well that is gross.  I poured the water out into a glass and looked again.  Sure enough, it looked like dirt specks all throughout the water.  It seems the oil (I'm no scientist so I don't know for sure....just my best hypothesis), attached itself to dirt and minerals and impurities inside the water and the bottle and made itself a little dirt ring.  Hmmmmm.....call me weird, but I think that is kind of cool, and gross, and interesting all at the same time.  Cool cause it as a bit of an accidental science experiment, gross because that is my kitchen water that I drink on a daily basis and because I was using that apparently very dirty water and spray bottle to clean my kitchen counters, and interesting because it appears that OnGard attaches itself to impurities and cleans them up.  It made me go Hmmmmm.......and I thought it might make you go Hmmmmm too ;)

I Have A Lot to Learn

Never before in my life, have I been a part of an organization, outside of the church, that has made me reach down and take a good hard look at myself.  This week, I have embarked on a bit of a journey listening to 5 webinars, not out of the motivation to learn, but simply because I could earn about $100 worth of free oils.  I mean, who doesn't like free things, right?  Yesterday, I found myself actually getting a little mad about the time it was taking for me to sit and listen to each one.  However, since I started....I hate not finishing things I start....I decided to move forward, bad attitude and all.

Most of these webinars are supporting and encouraging the growth of  your doTerra business, however they have a lot of good practical points in them that can be useful in every day life.  Things like being confident, don't be afraid to be different, know your mission and go for it, things like that.  As I have worked through the videos, I have come to an honest conclusion about where I am at.....and that is....I am at the very beginning, becoming frustrated because I was trying to be at the end or the finish line, if that makes more sense.  It has made me aware that I still have ALOT of hang ups when it comes to companies like these.  It has made me aware that before I move to quickly, I need to better educate myself about their mission...maybe it will help me to understand mine better.

Why am I sharing this with you all?  Because, I promised myself that I would be open and honest about where I am at for myself, but also for those that are around me AND since this blog is to help me document my journey....well this is a part of it.

So, I have made myself a promise.  I am going to go back to the beginning.  I have done outside research, which has been quite compelling.  I have experimented on myself and on my family with a, I would say, 90% success rate (one must make sure they are using the correct oil for the correct issue.  And as I found out yesterday, using Cypress oil NEAT on a hemorrhoid isn't probably the smartest idea I have ever had.  Enough said other than that I would more highly recommend combining it with Epson salt in your bath water and just soak)  Anywhoooo, moving along. 

I believe the next step for me is to begin research inside of the company.  To hear the heart of the company and to do it in baby steps.  One thing I am learning about myself, is to compare myself with those around me that are spending more time on this than I am, and holding myself up to them as the measure of my success is detrimental to my mental health.  In other words, I need to stop comparing myself and move forward at my own pace and without fear of being left behind.  (I've always had that fear, so it isn't new in this situation.)

Like I said at the beginning, I have never been a part of an organization, outside of the church and the conviction and work of the Holy Spirit in my life whom of course isn't an organization, but I hope you understand my point, that has made me dig deep into who I am, what I stand for, and find it changing me.  That intrigues me a bit.  There may be more to this than just oils and I have admit, right now, that is propelling me forward with all of this.

Testimonial Time

WARNING:  This post might be redundant....but when I come across it again for myself, it will be a good reminder for me.

I often wonder how well extra nutrition is really working.  I know I have sung the praises so for of the multivitamins and the terrazymes, but I guess I didn't realize how much they really were affecting me until I started to run out this week and my new order had not come in yet.  For about 48 hours, I was unable to consume my normal amounts of terrazymes.  No biggie, right?  WRONG!  The stomach upset came back, the pain....the abdominal pain is the worst.  It starts in my belly and climbs up into my chest cavity.  It all came back including  the heavy-in-your-stomach feeling....ugh!  Last night, it got really bad.  Thankfully, yesterday the new shipment arrived.  I took two-three terrazymes at supper, but since I had not been taking them, I still had all the abdominal pain.  Thank goodness for peppermint and digestzen....I drank that last night and it helped resolved the pain.  This morning, I feel ALOT better.  The point?  I don't ever want to run out of those bad boys again.  That was miserable and even though I can cut the pain with some of the oils, I would rather just have the pills on hand all the time so I don't go without. I didn't realize going off for such a short time would affect me that much, but apparently it does. 

I will say this, I was already convinced these products were helping me, but after last night I have been 150% convinced.  Whatever my hang ups still are with MLM's (multilevel marketing companies) and whether oils are just another fad that might fade away, and whether or not they work all the time,  I cannot argue with what happened last night.  There is something behind the science of what this company has put together.....and I'm sold.

An added note to self:  It has been really easy, when I am faithfully taking the terrazymes, to get carried away with eating whatever I want, because now I can.  It doesn't hurt me anymore.  I can have ice cream and sugar and I don't get sick, PRAISE GOD!  uh, yeah......well, while terrazymes have regulated my tummy and digestive issues, it doesn't stop the fat and extra calories from said ice cream and sugary treats from depositing themselves onto my hips and affecting my blood pressure, my heart, my sugar levels, my health.......  Yes, the terrazymes help, but they are not an excuse to eat in an unhealthy way.  It reminds me of how the Bible talks about the grace of God.  The grace of God is amazing and a beautiful thing!  But it doesn't give us a license to do whatever we feel like cause after all God's grace will catch me when I fall on purpose.....Nope, it doesn't give us a license to walk all over the grace of God....terrazymes are like that ;)  They are amazing and beautiful little pills, but they do not give me or anyone else the license to eat whatever I feel like....the I-can-eat-whatever-I-feel-like mentality will eventually catch up with me and those consequences I still have to deal with.....like having a muffin whose top is getting just a bit larger and having to do funny little stretches once I'm in my now-painted-on-jeans in order to get them to fit a bit more comfortably.....and who knows, over time, other health issues that simply come from eating an unhealthy way.

These pills are a support system behind an already healthy life style.  I need to keep that in mind.

The Proof is in the Pudding

I am going to start this off by saying, I realize there are a million and one mommy bloggers out there blogging about essential oils....the blessings and the evils.  It's hard to know in the millions of voices out there, who to listen to.  I realize, I possibly am contributing to the noise :)  I want you to know....as I post things, I am in no way trying to sway you one way or another.  These are my experiences.  This is my journey.  This is what I am learning.  More than anything, if you are curious about oils, I encourage you to not take the word of others, though testimonials can be powerful, instead do your own research.  Try the products.  Give it a whirl.  That is all I am doing.  I have chosen to blog it as a way of journaling my experience for myself.  It is helpful to others along the way then that is just an added bonus.  On to the blog...... :)

It has almost been one month since I have started using the vitamins and terrazymes along with a minimal amount of oils.  I have swayed back and forth a million times....but I am finding, overall, I have been convinced.  I have seen my body change.  I have seen my husband change.  I have watched the affects of the oils on my children.  There have obviously been some things that have worked better than others and some things that take time to notice a difference, but in short here is what I have experienced with the vitamins, oils, and terrazymes:

-I sleep better
-My husbands snoring is noticeably quieter
-My digestive issues seem to have been sorted out
-My menstrual cycle has evened out
-My libido has come back from the grave

And with Oils:

-Peppermint and DigestZen without fail ease my stomach discomfort (I have had mixed reviews from my daughter, but generally it also seems to be relieving her pain)
-OnGuard seems to catch the beginning of a cold and keep it from turning into a full blown illness
-Past Tense relaxes me and helps me to sleep better
-Peppermint aides in relieving congestion and also has a cooling affect on shoulder pain....which in turn relieves headaches
-Orange (though my tummy doesn't tolerate this ingested) is fun to smell and actually is a bit energizing, though I might still just go take a nap if I feel tired :)

These are a few of my results.  There are things still out on the table that I want to experiment more with and I will continue to experiment with them and blog on the effects we as a family have from using them.  A few of the upcoming ones are:

-ClaryCalm:  I am on a new commitment to use it daily to see if it helps with menstrual cramping and PMS headaches if used on a daily basis throughout the month
-Breath:  We are going to see if this oil blend helps to clear up the rest of Rob's snoring
-Face Cleaning Products:  I have not ordered these yet, but will also be testing these out eventually

The list really could go on forever.  Now that a few products have had positive affects on us, I want to see what else might be beneficial.  I look forward to continuing on this journey.

In closing, I would like to address what I started with.  I have read a lot of blogs trying to find proof that doTerra is superior.  I can't find a single bit of proof, outside of doTerra itself, that proves to me it is the best.  There are blogs for it and blogs against, so I have been left with personal experience.  In my own experience, I have not once received oil burns from using the oils NEAT.  I have ingested them, and other than the awful taste, they have been healing to my body.  I leave you with this.  I have come to trust this company and it's products.  The claims others have made about the dangers of using oils, I have not personally experienced.  I encourage you....EDUCATE YOURSELF.  KNOW YOUR BODY.  AND RESEARCH THE PRODUCT.  There are of course different uses for different oils and proper application....please know these things before using them. 

If this feels overwhelming to you, please contact me....and while I am not a doctor, I can share with you what I have learned and hopefully point you into the right direction.

Disclaimer:  DO YOUR RESEARCH!  In no way am I diagnosing or able to treat illnesses.  The above comments are purely my own research using doTerra products.  Make sure you pick a pure essential oil and do not settle for something you are not sure about whether it be doTerra or any other product.

Vitamins and You: A Skeptics Point of View

The following is what I presented at the oil class last Saturday: 

Vitamins and You

First and Foremost I want to thank you for coming out today to join me in exploring the benefits of vitamins and minerals.  Secondly, I want to emphasize that I am NOT a doctor…simply a mom, wife, and woman who has embarked on an exploratory journey into more holistic living.  If you have been following my blog at all, you will know this journey has been a little hard for me to admit to and that I am highly skeptical.  However, I have opened myself up to trying some things out in order to see if they would improve the health of myself and my family.  I will say, that my trying  of these products took a bit of arm twisting for me ;) and when I was approached by a dear friend again about trying them to see if they would help me, my response was something like…”well, I don’t think they really work for me, but if I was going to try something else I will try the vitamins and digestive aides and go from there.”  I was very prepared to call her in a week or so and tell her that none of it had worked.  I was not fixable.  J 

A little about myself:  Food has always been a large part of my life.  I have struggled with eating disorders, found healing, got stubborn, went back to hold habits….anyway, you get the picture.  So, eating healthy and doing the best for my body has been a life long journey.  Several years ago, I had my gall bladder taken out and about 18 months ago or so I was diagnosed with MENS 1 which is a genetic disorder of the endocrine system that often can reak havoc on your digestive system.  Basically, since then, I have always been searching for the answer to help with some of the symptoms I struggle with.  I have taken supplements throughout my life, but never have really stuck to one thing or another, even though some of them, I found helpful.  Basically, I had just given up on finding much relief.

Several weeks ago, due to the prompting of a friend who wanted me to try ONE MORE THING to see if it would help, I began digging a bit deeper into the aspect of using supplemental vitamins.  This is nothing new to me and because of my health issues I have been on a search for a long time for something that would help my digestive issues.  I would find things here and there that would help, but nothing I ever stuck with.  I have tried everything from eating clean, including gluten free, to supplements, to giving up!  About four weeks ago, I started again and have had some positive results both with supplements and oils.  Keeping in mind, there are some things I have tried that haven’t worked while other things have.  My health issues, which take on the form of upset stomach, body aches, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids have seemed to been improved since starting on vitamins.  Since beginning taking supplements, my potty issues have evened out and though, I still need to watch what I eat (lets face it, my body REALLY doesn’t like sugar, refined flour, corn, potatoes) the supplements have offered relief.  I have also found healing in other health related areas (these were not areas I was looking to fix by taking the vitamins as I didn’t realize I could find a solution for the issues.  It was more of a happy side affect.  I would be happy to share more about that privately after the class if you are interested in knowing more.)   I still take a vitamin d, because I only take a half dose of my vitamins (it’s an experiment and my husband is on them too, we wanted to save some money) and a half dose doesn’t offer enough vitamin D for me because of my hyperparathyroidism, but I have not had to take added calcium or magnesium for the leg cramps as the new supplements have been enough to deal with those issues.   Soooo, because I’m a skeptic, I had to ask why, but; because I am a skeptic ;), I wanted third party information. This is the way my mind worked as I received information from specific companies:  “Their doctor says it is the best, but of course he does.  What else is he going to say about a product he wants to sell?”  So,  I began looking up some information and this is what I have found:

 

In short, vitamins and minerals help our bodies work properly.  There are two kinds of vitamins.  Fat soluble (A, D, E, K) which are dissolved in the fat and stored in our bodies and water soluble (C and B complex vitamins) which are dissolved in water before being absorbed.  Water soluble do not store in our bodies as well and need to be replenished.  Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, support growth, and helps cells and organs do their jobs.  For example, vitamin k helps blood to clot and carotenoids, found in carrots, are converted to vitamin A which helps prevent eye problems.

Vitamins and minerals are best obtained through the food we eat.  However, these foods need to be high quality foods.  In other words, you can get vitamins and minerals in processed foods, but they will not affect your body in the same way you would get them from eating whole foods.  The quality of food is important.  And in my experience, the more whole a food is the better.  An example of obtaining vitamins through food would be vitamin c.  In order to receive vitamin c through food is low fat yogurt, low fat cheese, sardines, salmon, perch, soybeans, spinach, and oatmeal….to name a few.  Getting everything you need through food takes careful meal planning.  As I looked at some of the meal plans suggested in order to get the proper vitamins, I had to ask myself, realistically, do I eat like this?  Is this a sustainable plan for me?  Honestly, for me, though I do what I can to eat healthy and for my family to eat healthy, the truth is we are busy, life gets crazy, food becomes fast, family meals become less, and meals become more processed.  One of the concerns I have found as I researched, was that too much of a good thing, including vitamins, can be also detrimental to ones health.  However, as I look at my current lifestyle, I am beginning to doubt that I or my family get too many vitamins at this point.  But, I will say, I think it is something to be watchful of just like you would be in eating too many cookies…..I think it would be safe to say that too much of anything is harmful to us.

 Click on the following link to see a recommended diet for getting your vitamins and minerals through diet:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/getting-your-vitamins-and-minerals-through-diet

 

 

As I have done a bit more research, I have found that minerals and vitamins do help our bodies heal because they support our cells and cell function.  The stronger our cells are, the better they can function and therefore help our bodies heal.  They can do their jobs much better.

In light of my inability to eat completely clean all the time, I am finding that supplements are helpful for me.  THOUGH SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT a substitute for a healthy diet, but they can help fill in the gaps we have.  I listened briefly to a woman named Melissa Guthrie who has studied nutrition for 20 years and is a triathlete.  I think what she said kind of sums it up…..Our bodies can heal themselves because of our lifestyles and choices.  Not saying that doctors are not beneficial!  They are!  I need my endocrinologist. But  His plan of attack for me though in dealing with MENS 1, hemmroids, diarrhea, upset stomach, and hyperparathyroidism?  Eat clean, take Vitamin D supplements (this fall I had added Magnesium and Calcium to help with painful leg cramps I was getting) Sounds familiar and quite holistic.  Be healthy and take what you need to fill in the gaps.  What I have been finding over the last several weeks, is the taking a supplement has been helpful to some of my issues.  My husband has also noticed a difference in his energy levels.

 

Out of curiosity, I also looked up  links between depression and proper vitamin and mineral levels in our bodies.  I have heard testimonies of others who have gone off of anti depressants as they began using supplements (though I would treat this as an experiment as going off of anti depressants, from my experience, can be hard business.  I suffered greatly for about a week when I went off cold turkey in my 20’s.  This was a spiritual choice.  That might be a different class)  But, I did find there is a connection low levels of b-12 and other b vitamins as well as vitamin d.  A study was done on women with low vitamin d levels we were severally depressed.  For 12 weeks, they were given vitamin d orally which brought their vitamin d levels up to normal.  The women reported that they felt better and were markedly less depressed.

Another study I recently read about the use of essential oils involved a study by the USDA on chickens.  96% of the antibiotics used in the US are consumed by livestock and 70% of them are considered medically important for human beings.  A resistance to these antibiotics are beginning to emerge and according to the CDC, 2 million illnesses in 2013 were due to antibiotic resistance along with an estimated 23,000 deaths.  This amounted to an extra $20 billion spent on healthcare.  The study I mentioned already, was to help find an alternative to the amount of antibiotics that are being given to chickens.  The study that was conducted was published in Poultry Science and their findings showed that chickens who consumed feed with added oregano oil had 59% lower mortality rate due to ascites, a common infection in chickens, compared to their counterparts who do not receive the oregano oil.

All of these studies I found to be very informative and pointed me into the direction that this oil “obsession” and alternative to health care might actually have something to offer me.

My next question has been…..why one company over another?  How do I know I am getting the best of the best?  And you know, the best answer for this that I have come up with is my own personal experience which I have shared with you a bit already.  I have tried several different supplements and companies and so far, the product I am currently on has been the most successful for me.  I have vacillated so much, especially in the use of oils, because if you google oils you come up with articles for it and articles against it.  You find success stories and you find horror stories and each company says it has the best and most pure of the essential oils.  It left me at a place of not knowing what I should believe  and, quite frankly, even more skeptical.  The best research I have done on this has come from the experiments I have done on my own family and they have been successful.  Now, I will add, ONE MUST KNOW THEIR BODY!  There is one oil in particular, because I have a more sensitive stomach, that I cannot ingest, but I have not had a problem with using it NEAT which is using it in an undiluted form, when I rub it into my skin.  So, again, why one company over another?  Go with the one that works.  Go with the one that you have researched and tried.  It is just like anything else in this life.  We have to be responsible.  We have to do our research.

 Overall, my point of view is this.  Supplements are beneficial to help fill in the gaps.  Diet is of foremost importance with quality foods, but supplements are helpful in giving us a good foundation for our health.  Just as our food must be of high quality, so must our supplements.  Just like in the study on children’s vitamins, just because it says vitamins on it doesn’t make it a healthy vitamin to take.  Just cause a processed food says it contains a daily dose of our vitamin and mineral requirements, doesn’t make it a healthy food to eat or a good source of those vitamins and minerals.  Also, I believe I is paramount to know your body well and to know what the root cause of your issues are in order to treat them affectively either through modern medicine or through a holistic approach.  I personally like the idea of bringing the two together…..I believe they can go hand in hand.  As far as oils go, I have also found them to be beneficial and therapeutic.  Lets be honest, there are certain scents that help reduce stress….Calgon did a good thing and were headed in the right direction when they coined the phrase, “Calgon, take me away.”  Why, because there just is something about certain scents that relax you.  I for one, love peppermint and lavender….I smell them and they instantly whisk me away to a Mexican spa and an hour and a half massage in view of the ocean.  But, like I said about the vitamins, one must know there body and their product.  I have read articles about people who have used or ingested oils only to find themselves in the ER.  Scary stuff for sure.  But what I don’t know from those articles is What kind of Essential Oil were they using?  What kind of quality was it?  Was it pure?  Was  it for incense or was it for holistic health care?  Did it have additives?  How long did they ingest it? (there are limits on that just like there are limits on how many asprin you should take in a 24 hour period and for how many days it is recommended that you use it.  I am finding oils are the same way.  In my experience, you use the oils like you would a medicine….you don’t take pain killers a daily basis in hopes of keeping headaches away, neither do you take Nyquil every day in hopes of warding off a cold.  You use it as you need it.  I am finding it is the same with oils.  Joanna, might have a bit more to add about this.)  My opinion on the topic of oils?  Be educated.  I for one, would not go to Walmart and purchase their Peppermint oil they sell in the candle aisle, add a drop to my water, and drink it to help my tummy or even rub it on my tummy.  That is not what that oil is intended for.  It would hurt me, but that doesn’t mean that all essential oils are detrimental to my health.  I would however, go with a company I have researched and experimented with.  I would also do my research and find out the proper way to use oils.  I have personally found a company that I am learning to trust.  If you are interested in learning even more about oils and how to use them and/or are interested in obtaining vitamins and oils to try in your own home….there was not enough time today to address that topic, please talk to me afterwards. 

 

Resources:  www.mayoclinic.org

www.webmd.com

www.psychologytoday.com

www.healthykids.org

www.familydoctor.org

www.greenmedinfo.com

www.theatlantic.com

www.health.harvard.edu.com

OnGuard

This morning I woke up with a bit of a sore throat starting and stuffy nose.  I have been using On Guard with seemingly good results already, but I thought I would kick it up a notch this morning and try something new.  I had heard you could gargle with OnGuard to help with sore throats, so I did.  I also inhaled  peppermint to clear my nasal cavity, anointed my toes with Onguard to work with my sinuses, and dabbed some on the side of my neck where I could feel the sore throat beginning to start.  For extra measure, :)....why not, I was on a roll anyway this morning, I added about 4 drops of the oil blend into my tea kettle with water, brought it to a boil, and let it steam for awhile..... I don't have a diffuser yet.  The verdict?  The sore throat seems to have lessened and is completely gone, however; I can still feel the left overs of it....if that makes sense.  I am pleased, though, with the way it seems to have helped already this morning.  Since the suggestion for using EO's is small amounts, but frequent application, I think I will continue to dab it on.  I am looking forward to good results!  By the way, a friend posted this on my facebook page yesterday and I thought it was hilarious, mainly because it is so true...... LOL!  Also, keep in mind, for those of you who would like more info, I am teaching a class on Saturday Morning at the Nottawa Township Library at 10:00.  Feel free to join us and if you bring a skeptical but curious friend along with you, you will both receive a free sample of oil ;)