Medicine Cabinet Makeover

When I first joined The Pretty Oil Team, I read about the 'medicine cabinet makeover' challenge. I admit, I was a bit skeptical when I first started hearing about essential oils. Growing up, we took benadryl for allergies, tylenol for headaches, and pepto for tummy aches. And, they helped minimize symptoms. So, I am not standing on a podium preaching the hault of western medicine. There is a time and place, and I completely understand this. I currently take Humira (an injected medication) for an autoimmune disease with no plans to stop, because it is critical to my health and wellness. But, I was curious, and desperate for a lifestyle minimizing the use of OTC drugs. I want to start getting to the root of the problem instead of masking the symptoms of the problem.

Over the past few days, weeks and months, I have slowly started integrating essential oils into our home. I do it slowly, cautiously, and after a litte (ok a ton) of research to decide what is best for our family.

Here are a few very honest, personal ways we have started the Medicine Cabinet Makeover:

• Replaced Mederma with Frankincense on c-section scar
• Replaced Icy Hot with Panaway for sore muscles after gym time
• Replaced prescription cortisone with Peppermint for eczema
• Replaced OFF insect spray with homemade Purification insect repellent 
• Replaced soft drinks and energy drinks with Nixia Red or Lemon Oil
• Replaced Z Quil with Lavender and Valor
• Replaced (expensive) Bobbi Brown night cream with coconut oil and frankincense

 

 

I am not a doctor, I just love using essential oils. Any information or advice given on this site is meant to help educate and inform, not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements made on this website about Young Living oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. You should always check with your health care professional before starting something new.

Spring Cleaning Time!

Last night, Justin and I sat down and decided to conquer our spring cleaning strategically this year. I fully understand it’s the middle of May and might possibly be too late to do ‘spring cleaning,’ but we are. And it’s fine. We work full time, are raising twins, entertain out of town guests often… and therefore spot clean our house regularly. But it’s hard to do deep-cleaning in areas that aren’t staring us in the face. Our kitchen and bathrooms stay pretty dang clean, and most of the time I am OK with that.

So,we’ve decided to deep clean one room in our house a night. Starting tonight. Insert groan.  The babies go down at 7, so that’s when our fun spring cleaning adventure will begin. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t kiiiiiinda excited for this deep clean, because I am using my oils. Shocker, right?

Here’s a few ways we are eliminating toxic cleaners and replacing them with all-natural cleaning methods using  essential oils:

1.       Purification Oil

a.       Add 3 drops of purification oil to washing machine before a load of laundry.

b.      Diffuse purification in each room as we go.

c.       Drop purification oil on a cotton ball and place in game room and guest room to cleanse the air in rooms where air can get stale from infrequent use.

2.       Lemon Oil

a.       Use lemon oil and water mixture to clean hard water stains on stainless steel appliances. I never, ever remember to buy the fancy ‘wipes’ at the store and this works JUST as well.

b.      Mix white vinegar with 10 drops lemon oil as a floor cleaner OR window cleaner!

c.       Overnight, place sponges or dish clothes in a glass bowl of hot water with lemon oil to kill germs.

3.       Thieves Oil

a.       Mix 5 drops thieves with baking soda to clean tubs, showers and sinks.

b.      Mix thieves in a water bottle and spray on outside plants to deter bugs and spiders.

c.       Put 2 drops in a cup of hot tea for flavor and to maintain health. (Not a cleaning tip, but tea will be critical post-cleaning….)

 

These three oils (and 8 others!) are all available in the premium starter kit. This kit has catapulted my family into leading a healthier lifestyle, and I’m not turning back.