Delicious Cream Cheese Mints, Any Flavor!

Love this recipe from a friend! Easy and wonderful, and stores well frozen. 

Cream Cheese Mints

1 - 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
1 - 2lb bag of Powdered Sugar
¼ C Butter
Flavoring (EO’s) and Food coloring

(Make sure your essential oil flavor is one that can be taken internally. If it is DoTerra brand, it will tell you if you can take it internally right on the bottle.)

1. Melt butter and cream cheese in a saucepan over low. When combined, stir in powdered sugar. You might not need ALL of the sugar, but most of it.
2. Divide the mixture into however many flavors you want.
*When using Essential Oils start out with one drop and taste it. It can get too strong very quickly.
3. Add the flavor and coloring and mix. Roll into quarter sized balls and then press down with a fork.
4. Let rest for a few hours or overnight uncovered.

**Pictured is Wild Orange with orange food coloring.  I used 5 drops of Wild Orange, and they were a little strong.  When I made Peppermint (colored them blue), I flavored the whole batch with 2 drops of Peppermint, and it was perfect! (EO's vary one from the other as well--some taste stronger.)

I have also eaten Lemon and Lavender mints, and they were fabulous!! 

Enjoy!

Essential Oils to Fight Illnesses in Families: One Mamma's Strategies

 It is cold and flu season in the United States, so I was happy to hear how one woman uses essential oils to help her family in a fantastic webinar about doTERRA essential oils!  Here is my write-up of the webinar called Mammas Speak Out!!

Two things first:
1. To use oils with children, I  highly recommend buying a Modern Essentials Book and reading the section on children.  Also, since doTERRA has oils that are the purest that I know of (because they use guidelines above the industry standards) I would only ever use doTERRA oils on my children.

2. All the oils mentioned below can be purchased at mydoterra.com/oils2you.  (You only have to sign in if you have a wholesale account, which, if you'd like more information on that, please leave a message on the website.)

Mammas Speak Out! Cachay Wyson and a panel of Mammas July 23, 2013

(also with Nicolette and Tonya)

Cachay does the following with children and oils:

Kid Basics

• 1 to 2 drops of essential oil to start
• After 10 minutes, try a new location, or a new oil (Modern Essentials book is a great reference for helping to know which oils and where.)
• Always dilute “spicy” or “cool” oils (like oregano, or peppermint) with a “carrier oil”
• Use Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) to wash out/off (if an oil irritates skin, put another oil like FCO or another oil like olive oil (or another oil) over the top, and it will take care of it)
• Explain what oil and why you are putting it on to teach the children about oil
• Rash=body's way of saying it's too fast/strong detox. Decrease oils or stop and increase nutrition.

Sickness: 007

(007 helps you to remember O for On Guard, O for Oregano, and L (7 upsidedown) for Lemon)

• On Guard: 1 to 2 drops diluted with FCO on spine
• Oregano: 1 drop on feet “neat” (undiluted) and then apply socks (most feet can take oregano undiluted; if a drop gets somewhere else, simply apply a layer of FCO or other carrier oil.)
• Lemon: 1 to 2 drops diluted with FCO applied on neck and chest.

*For older children and adults: 2 drops each of On Guard, Oregano, and Lemon.

• You don't have to use the oils where indicated here, you could put them all on the bottom of feet or something else; she has just found that this works best for her family.
  
  
  
  
  

“These are strong oils; we have the highest grade essential oils and they are so pure. We are dealing with some amazing strength, so save your money and just use one to two drops.”

At first symptoms, you can use this regimen without worry of overdose or negative side effects.

“We don't have to wait and go 'I'm going to see if this is the flu that's going to knock me down for three weeks. I'm going to see...' Jump on it! Knock it out before it even has a chance to take you down!"

If 007 isn't quite enough:

Sickness: THE BOMB!

• On Guard: 1 to 2 drops diluted with FCO on spine
• Frankincense: 1 to 2 drops diluted on spine

• Oregano: 1 drop per foot neat (undiluted)
• Peppermint: 1 drop per foot neat. Apply socks after oregano and peppermint.

• Lemon: 1 to 2 drops diluted on neck and chest.

*older children and adults, recipe for taking it internally (blog author note: again, oregano needs to be diluted or in a capsule): 5 On Guard, 2 Frankincense, 2 oregano, 2 peppermint, 2 lemon

*If child is running a fever, she doesn't put it on their feet. She dilutes it and puts it on the forehead and the back of the neck, she puts the residue on the feet.

“Peppermint knocks out a fever great!”

Proactive Approach to Sickness Prevention:

• 1 drop On Guard mixed with 6-8 oz. Un-filtered Apple Juice (she gets hers at Trader Joes) (Try to avoid sugar-filled juice) (start with less until they get used to the taste.)
• 1 drop On Guard applied to bottom of feet after bath.
• Do this 1 to 7 days, depending on if it's the sick season.

Other ways to use On Guard:

• On Guard beadlet in honey
• On Guard throat drops, sometimes she smashes it to use smaller pieces
• Washing with On Guard hand wash
• Make hand sanitizer with On Guard
  • Uses pump 1/3 Aloe Vera, 2/3 pure water, 3 drops On Guard

Other uses of oils:

• Nose Bleeds: Imortelle on the bridge of the nose or helichrysum (mentions that she pinches the nose as well)
• Cuts: helichrysum (the “liquid bandage”)
• Eczema: Lavender internally (in honey or melt dark chocolate and put lavender in there) or Thyme (follow dilution directions)
• Skin irritation of any kind: Small spray bottle filled with: ¾ full of fractionated coconut oil, 3-5 drops lavender, and 3-5 drops Melaleuca. (saves on bandaids because the kids love the spray)
• Severe Diaper Rash: Small spray bottle ¾ full of fractionated coconut oil, 3-5 drops lavender, 3-5 drops Melaleuca, 3 drops thyme
• Sleep: Lavender, Balance, Serenity: Puts one of them on bottom of feet, or back of neck and chest. Usually Lavender does it, but if not she moves to Balance
• Nightmares: Give a sense of security and helps with nightmares. (Again, use on bottoms of feet or dilute; if you get irritation, put an oil like fractionated coconut oil over it. Do not use Oregano for more than 10 days straight.)
• When all else fails: Frankincense! Head bumps, teething , tantrums, wounds, fat lips
• Teething: little bit of clove (dilute with carrier oil) and apply to gums, and little bit of deep blue rub diluted on the outside of the jaw line.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The Effect of the Essential Oil Blend, Balance, on Red Blood Cells

I have so much to share with you!!!! I have attended a health summit on oils, and an on-line, week-long symposium on oils, and THERE WAS SO MUCH EXCITING INFORMATION!!! I hope I get to blog most of it!! But here is a tidbit that I was alerted to during the online symposium.

 This is a video of red blood cells clumping (stressed, explained the class) before the oil blend Balance, and also only 30 seconds after applying only one drop to the bottoms of the feet of the subject (oils are readily absorbed through the feet).

 Red Blood Cells without and with Balance

Note the clumping of red blood cells in the first sample, and the free-flowing blood cells in the second sample. I went on a little bit of a search to find out more about this, and came up with this link:

Info on red blood cells

(I found out some interesting things about red blood cells, especially in relation to SODA.) Sorry I am not very complete in my explanations this morning--I am in a hurry (like always!). But I had to share because I feel this is so remarkable!!

An Introductory Video Explaining Essential Oils

Lavender For Burns

Silly me, for two reasons: First for touching a hot pan, and second, for not taking a before picture. =)  This is the after.

 I was camping Saturday (two days ago) and grabbed a hot handle on a pan while serving hash browns.  Immediately I could see white ridges on the lines on my fingers and knew it was a bad burn.

What did I do?  I instinctively ran for the water and ran it over my fingers. Then I remembered: "Oh yeah, I have lavender in my tent!"  and ran for my tent.  I put several drops on the affected fingers (three of them) and let it soak in.

For the next two or so hours I soaked it in ice water, and put on lavender about four more times and went back to the ice water because when I took it out of the ice water, it was burning again.

Saturday and yesterday I had blisters.  The biggest blister was on the the middle finger (on the left in the picture).  It was raised about an eighth of an inch, and was about a half inch across (almost round) and the blisters were tender to the touch.  They remained yesterday, but became less tender.

This morning: this!  The picture above, and no tenderness.  I was so excited I decided to blog about it!! =) In fact, I dug with a shovel in my yard for 45 minutes without discomfort!!  (At least not from the burns, haha!)

So that is my experience.  

I so love lavender for burns!!!

I

Peppermint For Children

The information for this post comes from my Modern Essentials Usage Guide (see my last post) in the Children and Infants section.

 (A personal note: I personally would only use doTerra essential oils on my family because of the purity and consistency of doTerra oils.  They go above and beyond the term 'essential oil' and do further testing for quality than is required.)

OILS FOR CHILDREN

Dilution: It is "always best to dilute the pure essential oil with a carrier oil" when using oils on children and infants. (The carrier oil sold by doTerra is fractionated coconut oil, but I use cooking oils as well.)

     Recommended general dilutions:
               For older children: 1 to 2 drops of essential oil in  1/2 to  1 teaspoon carrier oil
               For newborns and infants: 1 to 2 drops in 2 Tablespoons carrier oil
       
     If essential oils are used in the bath, "always use a bath gel as a dispersing agent..."

PEPPERMINT

For specific aliments: 

      FEVER: Diffuse peppermint into the air.

This is the only one listed.  I have not had the good fortune (bad fortune) to test this one out yet, but it would have made a few of my really long nights with my children much easier!!  If I'd only known  about oils then... 
 
 
     
 

THIS BOOK!!

 

This IS my favorite book for oils!!   

ANYONE WHO IS USING ESSENTIAL OILS NEEDS THIS!!! 

The hardbound is recently in its fourth edition now.  It is very complete guide to usage, with many scientific tests cited and sections on aliments, cleaning, cooking, children, pets, women specific problems, etc.  So complete!!

This one pictured is my quick reference, and I will use this for referencing throughout my blog until the blessed time that I get my new forth edition hard copy!! 

Dances With Spiders

Very unwise of the spider to parade across my family room floor the day after I posted about citrus oils repelling them...my curiosity was high-- high enough to secure the spider in a tote and see for myself. :)

*Animal activists: I had no intent on torturing him in any way.  Just wanted to REPEL him.* :)

So I put him in one side if the tote, and DoTerra Lemon Oil on the other side, just smeared it on the tote with my finger. 

I checked it about every half hour for a about six hours.  Every time he was on the opposite side of the Lemon Oil!  I even tilted it so that he would slide closer to it several times.  He always ended up on the opposite side!

Oh, and the tote smelled great. :)

So, in my little test, CITRUS OIL REALLY DOES REPEL SPIDERS.  Good to know!

Soon after that trial, I read that PEPPERMINT OIL also repels
spiders...
and mice...
and ants... (I also tried this one and rid my driveway of ants.)

So watch out spiders, the peppermint trials are next!!

Essential Oils in Gardening

Gardening--it calls to my heart more each year.   But I don't want to use poisons on it, and that used to mean that my garden didn't do very well.  But I've gone organic, and it's doing better, and this year I discovered in a video that

Peppermint 

can  be a huge help in the garden!!  I'm so excited, and have already  begun to try it  as I've planted my tomatoes.

I saw the video on DoTERRA Pro but didn't see any links to post it on my blog or face book page, so I will do a write-up here. 

Video Write-up: 

In the video a lady named Connie Boucher, who is an expert at using essential oils in the garden, gives advise on gardening.  She had been gardening with essential oils for 18 or 19 years.  Here are some main ideas in the video:

• Peppermint  in water in a spray bottle will  take care of a large percentage of garden pests, misting the plants lightly.
•  DoTERRA is the brand of Essential Oils she uses now, because, while other brands worked, she found that they left a "sticky, filmy residue; with DoTERRA I don't have that."
• A good "General Good For Everything Spray" is 
•  8 oz. spray  bottle with water
• 18 drops of peppermint
• 2 drops of white fir   
• Use more or less oils as needed  

•  She starts  by spraying essential oils in the hole or furrow where she is planting.  Then she sprays the actual plant.
• An interviewer commented that she personally used one drop of oil per one ounce of water as a general rule.
• As a general rule, she uses Peppermint first; if that doesn't do it she uses thyme (in a different spray  bottle); if that doesn't do it, she will try cinnamon, clove, cassia, or On Guard.
• You can also mist your fruit trees, but not with the expectation that it will kill all the worms.  Oils will cut back a large number of worms, but she said that worms are a natural thing, and you can cut around them--it's 'better than  putting poisons on your tree.'
• When she cuts off a branch, she sprays the cut part with oils.
• Connie Boucher sends her grandkids out with a peppermint spray bottle to spray ants, with no fear of poisoning.

I am so excited to use essential oils in my garden this year, and I'm sure I will share the results with you!!!!

Peppermint In My Pocket

The Story of the Day I Carried This Little Bottle With Me:

Peppermint is WAY useful!!!  Besides just smelling great and being useful in foods for flavoring, it can do A LOT of other things.  Here is the story of the day we visited a farm.

There is one week a year in the spring that I sneeze my head off due to seasonal allergies.  Sometimes I resort to  antihistamines, but usually I just suffer through because I am a mom and I am already drowsy enough, thank you very much!!  Even the ones that are not supposed to make you drowsy. ..well not so much with me.

So we were going to a farm  in this very sneezy week, so I took this little bottle of peppermint.  Why?  Because I've found that putting a little just inside my nose takes care of the itchiness and sneezing for several hours --no drowsiness!!!  I am so excited!!!!  (Since then I have decided to put a drop on a cotton ball and breathe it in through my nose,  because I believe it is the diffusion of it into my sinuses that calms my sneezing.)

USE # 1: It calms my  seasonal allergies!

Also, I woke up with a headache.  I applied some to my temples (not too close to my eyes) and across my forehead.   (In general if that doesn't stop my headache, I put a little on the back of my neck.)

USE # 2: It stopped my headache without the use of my usual pain killers!

This was more than enough to convince me that taking my peppermint to the farm was a good thing, but then another, unexpected use came up.  As we were enjoying some time that evening with some family members, my son came to me complaining of itchy legs.  (He has eczema, so his skin is frequently itchy.)  I put a little water in my hand to dilute it (it is recommended to dilute it for children and sensitive skin, but usually with a carrier oil) and put a little in the water.  I rubbed my hands together and applied it to his legs.  Within five minutes, his legs were no longer itchy.

USE # 3: It stopped the itching of my son's legs!

I LOVE MY PEPPERMINT!! 

Post post note! ;)  I now use the cotton/peppermint idea for allergies. If I breathe it in too fast, it can be irritating to the inside of the nose and sinuses, so I breathe slowly and deeply.  I've found that a few drops on cotton, even allowed to dry,  works wonders when breathing it into sinuses.  I carry my little cotton in a ziplock snack baggie in my pocket all day long and use it when needed. :)  )

YET ANOTHER POST NOTE (new year, new note!): Honestly, I felt silly breathing cotton, so now I use peppermint beadlets, which I let dissolve at the back of my throat and then breathe deeply through my nose to infuse the peppermint into my sinuses.  It works almost as well as sticking peppermint just inside my nose and breathing deeply, but I feel silly doing that, too, and then have to wash my hands...  Also, just putting peppermint into a diffuser works great!

*My reference book Modern Essentials Usage Guide cautions that peppermint possibly should be avoided with high blood pressure, and that oils containing a high proportion of phenols should be diluted and/or used only for short periods of time.

Acne and Oils

A recent experience we had with oils was  with acne with a young friend.  Again, we looked up in a guide what might work for acne.  We used all three recommended oils in a roller bottle with water.

Recommended in my A-Z guide were Melaleuca, Lavender, and Lemon grass.  I put 5 drops of each in the roller bottle with water.  It was a little strong, so we decided in the future to use much less lemon grass, or remove lemon grass all together.

My young subject was instantly very excited when it was realized that the pores were smaller immediately after application!

It was used it for 5 days two or three times daily for this experiment, and here are the before and after pictures:

We are extremely encouraged with the results!!  We will continue use!!

Itchy legs!!!

My husband and I have a weird thing happen sometimes--our shins itch for a few days at the same time.  Apparently allergy related, this happened a few weeks ago.  So I looked up in my little guide what is good for itchiness.  Listed were PEPPERMINT OIL and LAVENDER OIL.

So that night I tried both.  I rubbed lavender on my right let and peppermint on the left.  The lavender seemed to work faster, but within 5 minutes both had worked.    

It worked!  Hopefully I won't have itchy legs very often,  but when I do, I know how to fix it!

Essential Oils + Culinary Endeavors = YUM!!

 My husband is a chef.  He's actually a computer administrator, but I'd give him an honorary degree for his food knowledge.  He cooks like nobody's business.  So in our house, consequently, we enjoy lots of great food, and embark on many culinary endeavors.

So imagine my *great joy* when I found out that most essential oils (I would personally only use doTERRA oils for their extensive testing to make sure the oils are all the same and absolutely pure) can be taken internally and MANY CAN BE USED IN FOOD!!

So here are some things I've tried:

WILD ORANGE FUDGE:

I added 5 drops of Wild Orange to a fudge recipe.  The result: heaven in an orange-tasting chocolate!!!!

Then I tried:

PEPPERMINT BROWNIES:

 

This was a zucchini  brownie recipe we love, and all I did was add 3 drops of peppermint to the frosting.  That was all I needed to do to turn this into a delicious peppermint treat!!

And my new:

LEMONADE RECIPE: 

 

2 CUPS COLD WATER

1/4 TEASPOON CITRIC ACID

1 TABLESPOON SUGAR

2 DROPS doTERRA LEMON OIL

The result: Yummy lemonade goodness, with all the benefits of lemon oil!!  I'd go into the benefits, but I must run for now.

PS: Citric Acid is a canning ingredient, available where canning supplies are sold. (See picture)

I have so much to share and so little time to do it!!!  The life of a mom, right?? ;)  Until next time...

  

The Scent Mostly Likely to Sell Your House More Quickly and For More Money IS...

I was listening to the radio in the car one morning (K-Love) and the DJs started talking about a real estate study done in which it was determined which scent present in a house at the time of viewing was likely to sell the house more quickly, and for more money.

They took turns guessing, and all were incorrect.  After the commercial break, they revealed the answer:

LEMON

I was super excited that this is a product I sell through doTERRA!!  More than that, I am finding that the virtues of lemon are many, in health and cleaning, weight loss and reducing cravings...the list is long!!!  And many other posts!  I am getting so attached to lemon, and it is one of the least expensive things doTERRA sells.

I see lots of LEMON in my future!!

See you next post!! 

 

 

Why Essential Oils? Why doTERRA?

Just a short introduction to my WHYs of Essential Oils.

Why Essential Oils?
A few months ago I had not even heard of them, and now I sell them and will have them always in my home.  Why this drastic change?  Because I have tried some and they really do work and improve my health and the health of my family.  Simple as that.

 I am a very analytical person.  I have tried to approach my assessment of Oils in the most objective way.  I was even skeptical at first.  I will be sharing some of my findings and thoughts here on this blog.  I hope you will see why  I am so excited about them and I hope you will get excited, too!



Why doTERRA?

Purity, consistency, and quality:






That's all for today.  Hope you'll join me on my journey!