Doterra Essential Oils

Do any of you out there dabble with essential oils??

A couple of years ago, I attended my first essential oils ‘party’, where I was introduced to a multitude of oils, their origin, their uses and benefits, and I decided to invest a bit into the oil phenomenon. While oils seem to be the newest ‘craze’ to take over the area, if not the country, (I see them sold in stores from WalMart to Hobby Lobby – as well as multiple brands being out there), I really wanted to know if they were worth the investment.

I started with one of the family kits that Doterra offered, and signed on the become a consultant. I also bought a textbook on oils, their origins, and their uses, which has been extremely helpful. But, I am not comfortable selling a product that I am not sure about, so I decided to do my own research – on myself, of course!! As many of our prescription medications are made from plants and their oils, including the most ‘famous’ drugs, opioids, which are derived from the poppy, and digoxin, which comes from the foxglove plant, it seemed to make sense that perhaps oils would be of benefit, right?

Peppermint is my absolute favorite! This is my liquid xanax. And for me, it works! I am an anxious soul. My childhood was less than idyllic – my step-father was not loving towards me, and my real father was essentially non-existant in my life. As a young child, I was so fearful of my step-father, that I was perpetually nauseated (anxiety!), which blossomed into a crazy fear of vomiting, which remains to this day. As a child, I frequently relied on pepto-bismol to curb my symptoms, which contains peppermint of course, and I graduated to peppermint candies and life savers to keep the nausea at bay – to the point where I’d lodge them between my teeth and gums as a way to cope.It sure helped with the anxiety, but I destroyed my teeth in the process. So, now, as an adult, I LOVE my peppermint oil. I only wish I had discovered it about 30 years ago.

As a career paramedic and now nurse, I have done a number on my back and hips through the years, including a significant back injury due to a motor vehicle accident in my younger years, leaving me with intermittant back discomfort. I cannot take NSAIDS (they cause wicked abdominal pain) and I refuse to get caught up in narcotics, so my relief tends to come from heat and – yep, essential oils. Doterra has a blend of oil named Deep Blue, which has been my salvation.

I also am a migraine sufferer, and I am still working on finding the best relief from those with oils…any suggestions, anyone?? I’ve yet to find the perfect oil or combination of them…

I am also having some luck with a new oil, named Copaiba – I mix it in an unscented lotion as a carrier and apply it to my back and hip, with seemingly good, but temporary effect. But, I’m good with that – I can’t expect it to cure 20 years of lifting, but the pain relief has been rather remarkable. (I know, in my 40’s and I’m falling apart already…)

Finally, another tried and true oil is terrashield. I bought this in a spray bottle form – it’s mixed with unfractionated coconut oil for dilution, and used it on one of my infamous evening swamp walks here in the south (I seek out and photograph wildlife – especially snakes – but that’s a story for another blog) – and it worked beautifully. Not one insect bite for the two hours I was out there. I was suitably impressed!

So, those are my essential oil success stories so far. I’m always looking for more, if you have any to share! I would someday perhaps like to be able to offer these products to others, but I still have way too much to learn. I’d love to hear our stories about oils if you have them!!

Have you ever used essential oils? What did you think??