Keeping it pure and simple: Essential oil FAQ

Before jumping onto the essential oil bandwagon, or any other health product, for the matter, it is important to be an informed consumer.
The better you know what you're getting yourself into, the more convinced you will be about a product you are paying for.
By spending a not-so-small sum of money on these Young Living oils, you want to fully maximise their uses to get a bigger bang for your buck.


So what exactly are essential oils?
Essential oils are concentrated organic compounds, obtained by distillation of raw plant materials such as leaves, stem, roots, resin, flowers, seeds or peel.
Essential oils are not the same as perfume or potpourri oils, the latter which are commonly found in many soaps, shampoo, car fresheners and perfume.
Perfumes and potpourri oils can be made from synthetic ingredients and still be labelled as "aromatherapy".


What is alternative or complementary medicine?
Alternative or complimentary medicine is any range of therapy that is not regarded as conventional by the medical profession.
Contrary to their name, alternative and complementary medicine are not actually medicine, but can be used alongside, or as an alternative to medication in the treatment of disease or ailments.
Essential oils are not categorized under any medical or pharmaceutical classification.
Because essential oils are not medicine per se, there is no "overdose".


Are essential oils safe for use in pregnancy?
Yes and no. Generally, most therapeutic grade essential oils are safely for pregnancy if used correctly and with discretion. Below are a list of safe oils to use in pregnancy.

source: Pinterest

According to Young Living website safety guidelines, do not use wild tansy, clary sage, sage, fennel, wintergreen, or hyssop during pregnancy. This is because clary sage, sage and fennel contain phyto-estrogen and phyto-progesterone properties, and may stimulate uterus contractions.
Wintergreen has anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) properties.


Are essential oils oily? And can I still use them on my face if I have oily skin?
Despite its name, essential oils are not "oily" because they are not made up of fatty acids. They are lipid-soluble (fat-soluble) but that is not the same as being a fatty acid like carrier oils (jojoba, grapeseed, coconut oil).
Essential oils are of thin viscosity and are volatile liquids (meaning they have the ability to vaporise readily).
That said, there are several essential oils which can be applied as skincare for oily skin.

source: scentsableliving blog

How are therapeutic grade essential oils beneficial to health?
Essential oils are made up of very minute molecular size, which allows them to pass through the blood brain barrier.
Blood brain barrier (BBB) works like a sieve, to separate circulating blood from the brain extra-cellular fluid (ECF) in the central nervous system, to prevent potential neurotoxins from entering.
Its job is to allow certain materials to pass through, while blocking others out.
BBB allows the passage of small molecules, and lipid soluble molecules to pass through.
Essential oils are lipid soluble and have very, very tiny molecular size, they is why they are effective in achieving healing for medical conditions or disease.
For eg. Sacred Frankincense being used in cancer treatment, and Peace and Calming, Valor for treating ADHD and Autism (see photos below).

source: Pinterest

source: Pinterest

There are tons of articles and testimonials on Sacred Frankincense effectively curing or reducing cancer.
One such article is found here: Frankincense: Research on its healing properties against cancer.

source: http://gianelloni.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/young-living-essential-oil-testimonies-part-3-autism-adhd-asthma-allergies-eczema/

One single oil has uses for many conditions; yet one condition can be treated by so many oils.
For example, Lavender can be used for skin care, mood relaxation, and help to bring down high blood pressure.
For high blood pressure, Majoram, Ylang Ylang, Lemon, Aroma Life (an oil blend) can also be used, not just Lavender alone.
Please refer to the diagrams below for better illustration.

source: Young Living by Tracy blog



source: Pinterest

I will have to stop here because I need to get the family to LEGOLAND!

If you have any questions pertaining to Young Living essential oils, feel free to email me.

See you soon!

Beginning my journey as an oily mummy: About Young Living essential oils

Hi all! I received requests from some readers who are on my FB list, to share more about my experiences on Young Living essential oils. I hope this will be beneficial to you if you are considering using alternative healing methods for your health instead of the conventional drugstore method.

 

A couple of months ago, I began my journey into using essential oils.

Every one of us are no stranger to essential oils. We burn them, we diffuse them, we use them in spa and facials.

My knowledge about these oils were limited to that - burning, diffusing and using them during spa.

To me, essential oils were widely and readily available, at very cheap prices. Heck, even car perfumes claim to use essential oils! Lavender, lemon, peppermint, who hasn't seen them?!

 

So who would spend hundreds of dollars on essential oils?? Are you out of your minds?!

That was exactly my reaction when I was first introduced Young Living essential oils.

I came to know about Young Living through my home-massage lady, who uses them in her massage regimes.

Out of small talk, she let me try different oils and told me about their different uses.

And out of curiosity, I enquired about their prices and my eyes nearly popped out of my sockets.

*$66 for a 15ml bottle of Geranium?! $111.50 for a bottle of Frankincense!?!?! What!!!

*prices quoted are wholesale member price.

 

 

Being the kind of stubborn shopper I am, I did a search on my favourite website www.iherb.com and Google, and found that there were tons of different types of essential oils at a tiny fraction of the price.

 

Still unconvinced about YL, I did further reading-up on shared materials by online YL users, which made me realise that there are different types of essential oils and their differences can be illustrated below:

source: Pinterest

 

What is the difference?

The difference is quality.

 

 

 A light bulb lit up in my head and I decided to give YL oils a go.

 

My family and I have been using Young Living oils for a couple of months now and we all love it.

Andy drinks 2 drops of Lemon and 2 drops of Grapefruit in a glass of water every morning on an empty stomach. I use Frankincense/ Lavender/ Geranium on my face for a trouble-free complexion.

Adam and Ashton use Thieves for their immunity against germs (especially in pre-school!), and Lavender, or Peace & Calming for bedtime massage.

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During the first week of June holidays, Ashton was circumcised so for his wound care and pain management, I needed something which was hardworking and does all the job at once without having me to fuss over a cranky toddler. Imagine fumbling with the different bottles of EOs on a raw, freshly-circumcised penis. Not fun! 

It should also come in a handy spray bottle for easy dumping into diaper bag for on-the-go power during diaper changes.

 

 I came up with the following recipe:

To put my faith of Young Living essential oils to the test, I decided to stick to my guns (or oils, in this instance) for the healing of Ashton's circumcision.

I diligently sprayed my Da Bomb concoction on his penis every now and then as long as I am free/ can remember. I did not at all rely on any antibiotic or Panadol medication which was prescribed, and the result was a text-book style healing where his Plastibell ring fell off after 1 week and his penis has since healed beautifully, without the use of any medications.
*Sorry, no photos of penis to show!

 

I also found the Da Bomb to be super useful for any imaginable condition! The spray bottle also makes it so convenient to use.

Antiseptic for grazed knees? No problem.

Nappy rash? No problem.

Cuts and wounds? No problem!

On some nights out of sheer laziness, I spritz it on my face as skincare (after using on the kids) since Frankincense and Lavender are in my skincare regime to begin with!

I would recommend diluting the EOs with carrier oils when using for young children and babies. 

 

I hope the above write-up has been beneficial to you, whether you are new to the deeper usage of essential oils, or are already an expert in it.

Will try to share more if I have time. As you also know, I have a full-time job and a blog on the side, with 2 pesky children whose jobs are to prevent me from having any available me-time.

 

Till then :)

 

[Sponsored event] Vaby official launch at Rochester House.

If you enjoy receiving monthly sample boxes with lots of different products for you to try, here's a new kid on the subscription-box block - VABY!

 

It will officially be launched on the 28 June, so we got invited to a nice preview brunch on Vaby.

 

The event was brilliantly held at Rochester House, with almost half the venue being children-themed.
There are trampolines, a water play area, and indoor and outdoor playgrounds.

Bloggers who attended the event get a welcome pack each!



Listening to Eliz and Shirley brief us on the Vaby boxes, age group suitability for products, and different vendors involved.

Everybody so serious!

The range of baby and mummy stuff to expect in the Vaby box is making me excited!

After the briefing, yummy lunch was served.

Mum-blogger Serene (http://xavvy-licious.blogspot.sg/) and I. It's such a small world because I "know" Serene not from blogging but from the use of Young Living Essential oils!

The world is just a small little circle!
*sudden realization: I think Serene looks like a tan version of Anita Mui! with her hair, sharp nose and face.. LOLssss.

 

Adam, Ashton, Andy and I had a dandy time at Rochester House this morning meeting up with the other Mummy bloggers for the event.

Thank you Shirley and Eliz for inviting us. It's been an honour!

 

Stay tuned for the official launch of Vaby which is happening on the 28 June!

However, that weekend we will be at LEGOLAND and therefore have to give the launch a miss.

 

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to using and reviewing the products from Vaby boxes!

 

 

UPDATE! You're invited to VABY's Official Launch on 28 June, which is happening next Saturday!!

credit: VABY

 

***All you need to do is to simply REGISTER HERE, and then LIKE Vaby's Facebook page HERE.

 

You will be given a Vaby box on that day (limited to one box per attendee) and your kids get to play at the Playhouse for free!

 

My favourite buys from www.iherb.com

My friends and family would already have known me by now - I am an organic junkie!

Although it is impossible to go 100% organic, I try to include organic and natural products in my life as much as I can.

I have been using organic shampoo and bodywash, skincare, toothpaste, and food for as long as I can remember. My kids have also been using and eating organic and natural products ever since they are born, or in-utero, if I may say!

 

Why do I love organic products so much? I have already written an article here.

The initial reaction I get when people (my own family members included) find out that I am so crazy about organic food and products is always the same "If you always let your children eat organic then they have no immunity to germs!"

As a matter of fact, the opposite rings true.

Ever heard of the saying "You are what you eat?" If doctors always advise mothers to eat healthily and to avoid alcohol during pregnancy and breast-feeding, then what makes you think babies and children will grow "strong" by eating insecticide laced vegetable and fruits?

 

I would like to share the common (non-food) items I buy from my favourite organic online store: www.iherb.com

 

 

Organic Jojoba oil, grapeseed oil and virgin coconut oil are what I keep on hand to use as carrier oils for blending with my Young Living essential oils for different viscosity and texture.

 

Grapeseed oil has the thinnest viscosity, and is easily absorbed into the skin. Suitable to use on the face and body due to its light texture.

 

Jojoba oil is useful as a makeup remover or as a hair moisturiser. Add 1 coin sized amount of Jojoba Oil into your shampoo and lather into hair, leave on for 5 min before rinsing.

The texture of Jojoba oil is slightly thicker than Grapeseed oil.

I used it often when I travel due to the dry air on planes and harsh aircon in hotels, or simply due to the climate change.

 

Virgin Coconut oil has the thickest texture of them all. Do not apply it to your face as it is comedogenic (meaning it can cause pimples and breakouts by blocking pores).

However, it functions as a good sunblock when mixed with Myrrh essential oil and as a body moisturiser.

Coconut oil has indefinite shelf life and is rich in fatty acids.

I love buying from www.iherb.com because their prices are much lower than our local supermarkets, and also shipping by Speedpost takes only 4-8 days.
My orders usually arrive within 6 days.

 

If you wish to purchase from www.iherb.com, you can enter this code for $5 off your first purchase!

LRT711

Will try to share about the uses of essential oils in my next post :)



June holidays 2014 part 2: Visit to Farmart.

Hello from the animals of Farmart!

 

Adam hand-feeding the conures. Lovely birds :)

 

 

We brought the kids to Farmart today. Having not been there for many years after I shifted from Woodlands (my mum's) to the eastern side of Singapore, I must say sometimes, oldies are goodies.

Am glad that most of the anchor shops are still around, like Uncle William's, which sells farm fresh chicken and quail eggs. The petshop which sells chicks and quail chicks is also still around.

I remember when I was little, my mum bought us chicks in a brown paper bag. My brothers and I reared them till they were big and we barter-traded them for vegetables at a nearby kampong farm.

Yes those were the days! I am still very much a kampong girl at heart! Which means, I am really tempted to buy the quail chicks home!!

Kids of this era do not have the luxury of being surrounded by nature and animals, and that is a shame.

At the end of the animal-feeding session, Adam was already complaining of how hot it was, and kept pestering me to buy him a glass of ice Milo. Brat.

My Mom-in-law bought some farm eggs from Uncle William's, and we left after a quick lunch.

The weather was indeed very unforgiving, and I was dying for some ice cold drink myself.

 

Here's the website for Farmart. They have eateries and shops that sell their produce and even a prawn fishing corner. Do support our local businesses :)