#1 WHAT are Essential Oils? It starts with a seed! #swapped4yl

A SEED – The Starting Point - WHAT are Essential Oils?

Essential Oils start with a seed. When a friend offered an outdoor spray made from Young Living Essential Oils my eyes were opened to a chemical free lifestyle that I did not know existed. I thought we were taking care of our wellness and honoring God by caring for our bodies, but now I know about chemicals and I know better. I've spent hours reading and researching and experimenting - here's what I've learned, essentially growing from Seed - to Sprout - to Bloom - to Sharing oils. 

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?

 Essential Oils are the natural organic oils of the plant (pulled from roots, petals, rind, leaf, or bark). – some call oils the ‘lifeblood’ of the plant or the 'essence' of the plant- thus the name essential oils. 

Since Biblical times, oils have been used to support every system in the body including muscular system, skeletal system, circulatory system, endocrine and hormones, respiratory system and immune system. An oil in a diffuser can promote restful sleep and support respiratory function. An oil massaged on the abdomen can support digestion. Oils on the chest and feet can improve respiratory function.  Oils can be added to beauty products, household cleaners, and air fresheners to replace synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Oils can add natural flavoring in food and drinks.

I primarily use essential oils instead of store bought chemical toxins in our home. I use Thieves cleaner (a plant based cleaner) throughout our home. I diffuse an oil blend named "Raven" when our noses get stuffy from Kentucky weather changes.  I rub lavender oil and cedar wood oial on our feet at night to support sleep. I roll peppermint and lemon oil on my wrists and behind my ears when I need a boost of energy to make it through the day. 

Essential oils work by penetrating cell membranes to travel quickly in the body (something man-made medicine can't achieve). Oils are introduced into our bodies the same way as other products:

*Topically- the English primarily add to a bath, rub or massage on the skin which is our largest organ and readily absorbs what we put on it (which is why the Nicoderm and other medication patches work). Oils applied topically reach the bloodstream in 26 seconds.    

*Ingest – the French cook with oils and apply to foods/drinks (some oils are ingestible- check the label first! Young Living marks ingestible oils with a white label - like a chef's apron!)

*Inhale – the Germans diffuse oils into the air. This is a very easy way to enjoy the smell and benefits of oils (diffused in the air, sprayed like perfume or sniffed straight from the bottle). If you order a starter kit, they give you a free diffuser!!!  I have a diffuser in every room of our house and one in my office. I also have a necklace with a locket that contains a felt pad that diffuses oils throughout the day. And I have a bracelet of lava beads that also diffuse oils. Inhaled oils reach the heart, liver, and thyroid in three seconds.

There are over 300 oils, and Young Living is one of the oldest oil producers and offers the widest variety of oils, but an average family only needs 10-20 oils to build a great kit. 

So WHERE do you purchase oils?

As oils are becoming increasingly popular, they are becoming available at local drug stores, big box stores, and online retailers. As you compare products, you’ll begin to find the ones at the stores aren’t just a ‘generic’ version – but in some cases a watered down version. There’s no rating system for Essential Oils in the United States. The closest we get is an FDA requirement that in order to label a bottle of essential “pure” or “therapeutic grade”, the contents of the bottle must contain at least five percent essential oils. 

    ONLY 5%! Which means 95% can be filler. 

You can think of oils ranked as follows:

-Grade A = Therapeutic Grade oil, made from organically grown plants and distilled at low temperatures. Young Living ensures no pesticides or herbicides are used during the growing process. They have also refined the distilling process to ensure the oils don't come into contact with plastics (that would leach chemicals into the oils) or solvents. Distilling at the right temperature for the right amount of time give a quality product with the highest level of therapeutic value. Young Living leads the way in this line of research and has set the bar for other oil companies. 

-Grade B = Natural Grade Oils are food grade but may contain synthetics, pesticides, fertilizers, chemical extenders or carrier oils (like almond, olive or other vegetable oil).

-Grade C = Perfume Grade Oils are perfume grade, often containing other chemicals or solvents left over from the harvesting/distilling process and may be diluted 80-95% with alcohol.

-Grade D = Synthetic Grade is also called ‘floral water’ and is aromatic like an oil but usually a byproduct of a higher grade distillation (the water that is leftover after the oil is pulled out) and is sold to companies that fill bottles with 5% of this water and fill the rest with carrier products and synthetic products, but often labeled as ‘pure’.                      
         A fraction of the oil = fraction of the price! 

Another way some companies cut corners is using pesticides (to have more crop to distill), using a chemical solvent to extract oil (so there’s more oil pulled out of the plant) and then diluting with a carrier oil (to stretch the oil they distilled). If you are using oils to support healthy functions, then using a low-grade oil would be as helpful as eating a salad that is 5% greens and 95% croutons. The value is in the oil, not the filler.

WHY Young Living?

Young Living has a “Seed to Seal” guarantee which means they control the process from farmland to the sealed bottle. Founder, Gary Young, said he never makes an oil for profit- but for a purpose. Young Living’s oils are Grade A. They control the seeds used, soil/farms chosen, plants are hand-weeded, oils are used to repel bugs (not chemical/pesticides), harvested at their peak and put through vigorous testing. Learn more about the process at seedtoseal.com.  

HOW to purchase Young Living Essential Oils and Oil products:

Young Living has compiled a starter kit of the most commonly used oils and samples of their popular products, and offer this bundle at a discounted rate to get you started. Below is a picture of the bundle I started with, and it includes a diffuser of your choice, 12 oils, a sample of Thieves Household Cleaner, small bottles to mix your own blends, 2 NingXia Red antioxidant drink samples and lots of informational booklets/magazine/info cards. This is how I got started. 

To become a Young Living member you must have a current member to Enroll/Sponsor you. Oils come with a learning curve, so your sponsor is there to share their experience and offer ideas to effectively use the oils. I would love to be your sponsor! Enter my sponsor number # 10089755 

         Purchase your starter kit and get oiling!

Visit GraceFull Day on Twitter our Facebook Page to see how I use the oils. 
                                          #Swapped4YL 
                         Wishing you a Grace Full Day Oiling!!

Navigating a New Year

Here's a post from 2014 that still applies today- 
I've definitely made improvements, I'm proud of the progress,
 but there's always work to be done.
Here we come 2018!  

This year we welcomed in the New Year in the warm breeze of the Florida Keys. This was a much-needed vacation from work and the cold Kentucky temperatures, with time to rest and visit with family.

At the end of our dock, I looked out at an anchored sailboat. I saw it floating on the smooth water day after day. I thought the water seemed so calm and clear that it looked like the boat didn't even need an anchor to hold it in place.

Sometimes I start similar thinking about my daily life; when things are running smoothly and life seems calm, I think "I'm fine without anyone's help", "I'm good!", "I can do this on my own"....who needs an anchor....

But the inevitable day arrives when the breeze picks up, I'm blown off course, a surprise storm changes everything, or it just rains for days. Sometimes it takes a traumatic event to make me reach for the anchor line (and there have been times I was too disoriented, and someone else brought the anchor line to me).

Why can't I hold fast to the anchor line ALL the time? Can my grip on Christ, and His plan for my life, stay as strong when the waters are calm as when the waves are crashing?

As others spend time talking about what to CHANGE for the New Year, I've decided to focus on what to HOLD on to this year. It's taken the whole month of January to truly think and pray about what anchors me, and what I can do to strengthen myself and my family.

Here are a few of my plans:

• Enjoy THIS moment! My husband is much better at this- and I'm determined to improve this year. My mind is constantly going to the next task before me. When I'm driving home I'm developing a plan of action to tackle the tasks of the evening. As I feed my daughter, I'm already thinking about what I need to gather for her bath time. I'm task oriented by nature and get satisfaction from completing a job and crossing it off the 'to-do' list. However, I'm often too busy thinking and rushing the next task, that I forget to enjoy the one at hand. I need to stop and appreciate the everyday moments - snuggle longer, savor the flavor of food, dance, play peek-a-boo while folding laundry, and take in the smell of a freshly bathed baby. My daughter will be 1 year old in a short month from now, I want to hold on to each fleeting moment. 
• Purposely create more sanctuary in our daily life. This means making a safe haven, a place to live and rest, in the presence of God. I must evaluate what music, TV, social media, people, books, etc. are allowed in our daily life, and hold on to ONLY the positive ones. One easy step is taking the 30 days challenge to listen to only Christian music for 30 days! As I drive to work, when I listen to music at the office, as I drive home, as I clean around the house, during bath time....I need to fill my mind and mouth with positive and encouraging words. I already listen to Christian music frequently and mix in a little country and oldies. But when I'm channel surfing between stations, am I missing a message the Lord meant for me to hear today? And now my daughter is beginning to understand words and I need her to be surrounded by positive language. 
• Honor my priorities. In my professional life, I often tell clients that one's priorities are obvious if you look at where they spend: 1) time and 2) money. So, if you look at how I've spent my time and money, what would it point to? I consider both a true gift from God- two things I can't create on my own. I must be deliberate with my decisions on how to spend them. I'm sure I would feel ashamed if someone totaled the time I've spent on my phone and other electronics. So, I will be putting my phone down and leaving it out of reach while I'm interacting with my family and friends. And I will replace time spent playing on social media with reading devotionals, the Bible App, and other positive blogs. I recently read a blog that went viral about distracted parenting and that mom's story heightened my awareness to risks created by living in a world with electronics at our fingertips. Don't get me wrong, I love my smartphone and use it as my calendar, camera, address book, etc. But just because we CAN read and respond to an email within an instant, why do we feel that we MUST. I have turned off most of the notifications on my phone so I don't hear constant dings and vibrations that interrupt MY TIME and what is truly important and urgent in my life. Also - I will continue to live a frugal lifestyle, saving money, clipping coupons, and re-purposing items. But this year I'm going to study my giving habits and see what opportunities are available to support my Church and community. I plan to continually evaluate and honor my priorities this year.
  
  So, I must enjoy every moment, hold tight to the positives, and weed out the low priorities so the true priorities can flourish.
  
  Despite what 2014 brings, I know my anchor will hold!
• "There's a peace I've come to know
  Though my heart and flesh may fail
  There's an anchor for my soul
  I can say, 'it is well' "
  -Chris Tomlin (Song: I Will Rise)
  
  
  What are you doing to navigate through this New Year of 2014?

More About Me

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I’m a southern girl, born and raised in Kentucky. I love the Lord, our family, my hilarious husband, sweet tea, and UK basketball. I was always taught to fix things when they are broken, cherish old things, and be proud of the new creations. I created this blog to share my thoughts, spread sheets, plans and adventures. Enjoy a view into my world as a social worker, wife, new mom, eBay seller, and Christian gal, trying to find God’s grace in every day. I hope to help you have a GraceFull Day!    

 

 

I’m a new, first time, mom---

On July 4^th 2012 I learned our prayers had been answered and we were going to have a baby! My excitement quickly turned anxiety- “where do we start to prepare for a new life?!?” I come from a family of planners, detailed thinkers and organized minds. So I turned the anxiety into creating a plan and becoming educated. I spent a lot (a whole lot!) of time online reading articles and blogs. I signed up for weekly emails from everything from feeding to saving for college. I’ve pinned my favorite articles and printed the ones I really wanted to keep for the future. Yet frequently I could not locate exactly what I was looking for. I wanted more spreadsheets, more details, more advice. So, I decided that if I was going to have to create the spreadsheets myself- I needed to share them with others. Hopefully I’ve done some work for you!    Our baby girl was born in March 2013 and now we spend everyday learning new things and watching this little miracle grow!  

 

I’m an Ebay seller with my store: Gracefull Collecting---

 

My dad is a handy man who can fix anything (seriously, my parent’s dryer is older than me because he keeps repairing it!). My mom is a collector of anything old. I’ve spent my whole life around antiques, old dishes, crocks & furniture (Cracker Barrel has nothing on her!). As a child, I never paid attention to the old items displayed around our home. Then I moved out and began decorating and collecting items for my home and realized moms style has worn off on me. Additionally - I had the opportunity to spend time with my grandparents as they packed their items to move closer to my parents. I assist them in creating an “inventory” of their dishes, glassware, collections and prized personal items. We photographed particular items and they told me what they remembered about each item, which I populated into a spread sheet. Before it became forgotten, we documented who gave the item to them and the story behind each item. That sparked my interest in vintage items even more! I began spending free time at local thrift stores or yard sales looking at other people’s collections and completing ours. I enjoy looking for pieces that match my family’s collections or are unusual. Additionally, I now purchase items and sell them on Ebay in hopes of getting them to your collection! Visit my store at: http://stores.ebay.com/gracefullcollecting

 

I look forward to your thoughts, ideas and feedback as I share my adventures.  Wishing you a GraceFull Day!