If you regularly read my blog, you have heard me going on essential oils. You probably think I'm crazy...I am, but not because of oils! You might be intrigued or maybe you think they offer no value to you and are just the latest fad or craze. I can assure you they are not. They have been crucial in my effort to move our family to a more "natural" lifestyle. Combining whole, real foods with all-natural healthy living has greatly changed our quality of life.
What started with simple intrigue on my part and some convincing of my husband, has turned into a life-changing crusade to rid our home of harmful chemicals and toxins. The phrase "I have an oil for that!" has become our new mantra! Even the kids know to ask for oils before anything else!
The most important thing:
We are taking charge of our own health.
Here are some ways I've gone all-natural over the past year:
- I've switched to an all-natural, plant based cleaner for everything. Yes, you read that correctly. I use 1 cleaner for all of my cleaning needs. Windows, toilets, granite, etc.
- I use essential oils as my first "go-to" solution for all things. If they don't work, then I move on to something else. But most of the time, oils are all that we need.
- I make smarter, healthier food choices. I no longer read nutrition labels and only read the ingredients. If I can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, I don't buy it. We are buying more whole, locally-sourced, wild caught, organic foods than ever before.
And oils jump started all of this for me.
What are essential oils anyway?
Essential oils are the life blood of every plant. A plant cannot survive without it's essential oil (that's why it's essential!!). When you rub your hand on a herb or smell the sweet aroma of a flower, it's the essential oil that you are smelling.
How do they extract the oil from the plant?
The essential oil can be extracted a few ways, but the most commonly used method is through distillation. Young Living distills a large amount of plant material and as the steam rises, they collect the oil which has separated from the water. Some essential oils are located in the rind of the plant, such as lemon, and need to be extracted through cold pressing. A method that literally presses the oil from the plant material.
Why did I choose Young Living?
We find essential oils in many of the products we buy on a regular basis from the grocery, health food, and online stores. Candles, cosmetics, perfumes...all can contain some level of essential oils. But most of those essential oils are synthetic. Meaning they are created in a lab to replicate the scent and makeup of the plant. While they may smell great, they can actually be harmful to our bodies. Our bodies process these oils as toxins and it is difficult for our bodies to remove them from our systems.
What is the Seed to Seal Guarantee?
They are involved in the oil process from start to finish. From the seed that is planted in the ground to the label placed on the bottle. They follow strict quality standards and have third party testing done on their oils to guarantee their quality. They won't ship me an oil they deem "below grade". Not only are they invested in their products, they are invested in their customers.
They own or co-op all of their farms and they make sure that every farm follows their strict quality standards. Their practices are completely organic (they actually go above organic standards) and they hand-pick their weeds...I mean, how crazy is that?!!
Here's a presentation I've put together to further explain the benefits of essential oils and why Young Living is my brand of choice:
Be sure to check out my other essential oil links and recipes:
Hello,
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