This post is contributed by One Drop Founder – Kai Tan.
Yup.
You heard right. Your commercial laundry detergent, hand wash, household cleaners ARE affecting your health.
Just really quietly. Stealthily. And that is what is disturbing.
Have you last studied the ingredient list on the packaging? Have you wondered what the long complex compound names really are? Or entertain the thoughts if the Zesty Lemon or Natural Cherry Blossom “scents” are really from those nature sources?
After all, when you do smell a freshly picked real flower or the real zest from the lemon peel, the fragrance did not punch you fiercely in the face (like that from the cleaners) and leave a heavy cloud moulding over your brain. So what did they put in there really?
One of my favourite information site is http://www.EWG.org.
I’ll leave you to venture through this amazing site and learn more about who they are and what they do. But here are just some of the information that you and I can pull off from this site to begin to empower ourselves as users to understand what marketers of commercial brands may not reveal to us. You may want to click on the image below to enlarge it and surprise yourself with just some of the results collated from studying cleaning agents under the brands of TIDE, DYNAMO, PALMOLIVE, AJAX, CLOROX, LYSOL (these are the ones shown here).
Skin is our largest organ—adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. (source: national geographic.com). The dermis layer which is hidden under your top layer of epidermis – contains nerve endings, blood vessels, oil glands, and sweat glands. Your skin is one of the means by which your body is constantly helping you to detox and rid materials inadequate for your body, OUT of the body (through the sweat glands).
Yet at the same time, while our skin is also known to protect ; it also is NOT impenetrable . “Your skin is enough of a barrier to keep fluids within your body,” writes Samuel Epstein, MD, and author of Toxic Beauty (BenBella Books, 2009), “but it also readily absorbs many things with which it comes in contact.” Did you realise that clothes washed with chemical-laden laundry detergents often still carry traces of the chemicals on your clothes. So as you wear them, inevitably an opportunity is created for a contact point for the infiltration through the skin.
And beyond the fact that skin can absorb chemicals, is the danger what these chemicals can pose within the body. Many experts agree that absorption through the skin is more dangerous than through the mouth. Substances absorbed into the digestive system go through the kidneys and the liver where enzymes break them down and often detoxify them. Substances absorbed through the skin do not enter into such process. And these chemicals have direct access to the nerves and blood systems.
That was pretty depressing.
Given the toxic-crazy world we live in, it possibly is true that we may never be without exposure. The next best thing we can do is to actively make informed choices around what we decide to use at home that will directly impact ourselves and our loved ones (and we are talking about children, elders and fur-kids!)
Many would already be familiar with the Thieves Essential oil – a blend of Clove, Lemon , Cinnamon, Eucalyptus radiata and Rosemary. The legend was that a group of 15-century thieves were robbing the dead or the sick during a European deadly plague outbreak. When they were caught, they offered to exchange their secret recipe, which had allowed them to commit the robberies without catching the disease, in exchange for leniency. The secret recipe included these very same spice and herbs.
Studies conducted at the Weber State University (Ogden, UT) during 1997 demonstrated the killing power of these amazing oils against airborne micro-organism. The Thieves blend has established its credibility for being highly anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-infectious and antiseptic. And because of these natural properties, Thieves blend was used to formulate a line of safe, green home-use /cleansing products ranging from toothpaste, mouthwash to all-purpose household cleaner.
I’ve cleaned EVERYTHING in my home with the Household cleaner – wash the floor, wash the laundry, wash the dishes, clean out stubborn oven stains etc etc.
Common ratios to use:
- All-purpose cleaner in spray bottle: 1 capful in empty bottle
- Light degreasing: 1 capful to 3 cups (720ml )
- Medium Degreasing: 1 capful to 2 cups water (480ml)
- Heavy degreasing: 1 capful to 1 cup water (240ml)
- Window, glass, floor cleaning: 1 capful to 2-3 litre water
(add half-cup of white vinegar may enhance the cleansing)
You will have to get over the less than luscious foaming cleaning scene, the cleaning power is brilliant and I personally choose safety and peace of mind over squeakiness! Try it.
This post is contributed by Steffie Sam
It’s annoying when pimples appears, however it’s also giving some insights on our health condition. We can dab some Lavender, Melrose, Geranium or Frankincense on the pimples to soothe the area and let the pimples disappear sooner. At the same time we can look a little deeper and decipher the SOS messages our body is sending to us in the form of pimples. So we can work on the respective body system.
Pimples appearing on area 1, 2 & 13: Digestive system
Eat lesser fried and processed food. Increase intake of water, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Recommend to use Di-gize to support the digestive system. Apply on the stomach and also ingest 5-10 drops in a vegetable capsule. Di-gize is an essential oil blend that contains a powerful blend of single oils that support a healthy digestive system.
Recommend to take Digest & Cleanse supplement. 1-2 capsules daily after food. Digest & Cleanse helps to support a healthy gastrointestinal system and also helps with a gentle detox.
Pimples appearing on area 3: Liver related
Cut down on alcohol, caffeine, sugar, dairy and greasy food. Increase intake of water and get sufficient sleep daily, so the liver can rest.
Some recommended essential oils that support liver health are Ledum, JuvaCleanse, JuvaFlex and Geranium. Apply 1-2 drops over your liver area and on your soles. Apply a hot compress over the liver area. If you can only choose 1 oil, make it JuvaCleanse. It’s a blend of essential oil that with celery seed, helichrysum and Ledum.
You may want to ease into a gentle liver cleanse with JuvaPower and JuvaTone. These 2 supplements helps with detoxing and cleansing the liver.
Pimples on area 4, 5, 7 & 8: Kidney
Increase intake of water. But down on alcohol and caffeine as these will cause further dehydration. Any blemish around the eye area including dark eye circles are related to dehydration.
Recommend to use lemongrass essential oil and Juniper essential oil. Layer both oils over the kidney area follow by a hot compress. Or add 1-2 drops to drinking water and drink up.
Pimples on area 6: Heart
Check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Eat light and cut down on spicy and greasy food. Replace bad fats with good fats, Omega 3 & 6, in your diet.
Recommend to use Aroma Life over the heart and on the neck arteries. Use Lemongrass and helichrysum over the heart and along arms.
Recommend to take Omegagize which contains omega 3, vitamin D, DHA fatty acids and coenzyme Q10. The fish oil in OmegaGize3 is harvested from small cold water fish such as anchovy, mackerel and sardine which have a higher amount of Omega-3’s and a lower level of contaminants. These contaminants tend to concentrate in higher amounts in the larger fish
Pimples on area 9 & 10: Respiratory system
Take more alkalizing food like fresh vegetables and reduce acidic food like meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Recommend to add lemon essential oil to drinking water. And take AlkaLime supplement.
Apply essential oils like Idaho Balsam Fir, Wintergreen, Ravintsara and Frankincense over the lungs areas. Also diffuse essential oils that support the respiratory system, RC, Raven, Dorado Azul, Eucalyptus Radiata, Eucalyptus Blue, Eucalyptus Globulous, and etc
Pimples on area 11 & 12: Hormones
This is a sign of stress or hormones changes. Breakout in this area also indicate that you are ovulating.
Recommended to use Progressence Phyto Plus, Lady Sclareol, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang and Dorado Azul. Apply on ankles, lower back, thyroid area and side of the neck.
Pimples appearing on area 14:
This is an indication that you are falling sick. Drink up and rest up.
Recommended oils to support the immunity system, thieves, immupower, oregano on soles, frankincense, lemon and cistus on spine and soles.
Also recommend to take Inner Defense and Longevity.
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Faith Teo.
At the grand old age of 22 months, my little boy Sol started school. 😉 This mama is so looking forward to him playing and making friends and learning in school but she also knows that Sol is deeply attached to Papa, Jie Jie and herself.
To prep him for school, here is what we do.
Physical Health
To make him strong and robust for school since its so easy to catch any invited guests there, this is what we offered to him daily:
Super C Chewable. He takes one a day. Honestly because he loves the taste so much, he does beg for more!
Ningxia Red. Ah he loves drinking it in his shot glass and going cheers with us at the same time. He loves it neat and takes 30 ml each day. Sometimes he ask for another serving too.
When we can remember, we apply a dab of Thieves on his soles. I also like oils like Frankincense, Lemon, Oregano, Basil, Thyme on soles too to keep him healthy!
Emotional and Mental Health
While this mama can’t wait for him to go to school (cos she can then work in peace, hehe), we knew that it would be a period of stress for him as he adapts. So this is what we apply on him before school:
A swipe of Tranquil and Joy on his chest and back of neck. Please be calm and happy for school, little one! Sometimes I add White Angelica too to give him good vibes.
I was able to sit with him for the first 3 days and there were times he threw a tantrum in school (cos he wanted something that was out of reach). So out came the Tranquil or Gentle Baby and a discreet rub at his head / chest again! If tantrum still continues, this mama rub Tranquil on herself to BREAAATHEEEE.
As a special treat, we rub a little Rose on him for a couple of days. The teachers love sniffing him (“Sol smells so good!”) and I guess they love carrying him too! He calms down very quickly when he is carried in school.
At the start of the third week, we noticed that he stopped crying while entering school and coming out when school is over. Yaaaaay!!
Faith is a member of OneDrop. She and her team supports oil users via their facebook group – Let’s Add Oil and their blog – School of YL. If you like Faith’s articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils, please feel free to get in touch with Faith or sign up directly here.
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Marissa Loh.
Are you:
Looking for a natural way to keep yourself and your family healthy and happy?
Looking for a higher purpose in life?
Looking to build a rewarding and fulfilling business while spending quality time with your family?
Looking for a natural way to keep yourself and your family healthy and happy?
Looking for a higher purpose in life?
Looking to build a rewarding and fulfilling business while spending quality time with your family?
I most definitely was! What I didn’t realise was that it could all be found in one company! Wellness, Purpose and Abundance – the 3 key pillars of Young Living that is transforming and empowering millions of lives around the world so we can live our lives to the fullest – physically, mentally, emotionally, financially and spiritually. How, you may ask? Here’s my story…
Wellness
It was 2013 and as with many mummies of young children in childcare centres, I was sick and tired of being always sick and tired. I was desperately searching for a natural solution to improve my family’s health, especially since my children were hospitalised 3 times within the previous year! I thought there had to be a better way, and there is!
It was 2013 and as with many mummies of young children in childcare centres, I was sick and tired of being always sick and tired. I was desperately searching for a natural solution to improve my family’s health, especially since my children were hospitalised 3 times within the previous year! I thought there had to be a better way, and there is!
When my dear friend Malti introduced me to Young Living essential oils, I jumped right in and became a member in June 2013, which was also the height of the haze crisis when the 3-hour Pollution Standards Index (PSI) in Singapore reached a record high of 401. I was very grateful that diffusing Purification at home really helped to remove the smoky odours and purify the air, while supporting my family’s respiratory systems too.
Inspired, I started attending classes and reading up to learn how to leverage the power of essential oils and Young Living’s oil-infused products to work with and support our body systems naturally to achieve total wellness in body, mind and spirit. In the last few years, my family’s health has been completely transformed for the better, helped also by a healthier lifestyle of eating right and living mindfully. We are such ardent fans of Young Living’s 100% natural and chemical-free products that we use the entire range from essential oils and oil-infused supplements, to household, personal care and beauty products! Now my friends say they can smell my family (in a good way!) before they see us! Haha!
Of course, as people started noticing that my family was getting healthier and happier, they were curious to know what’s our secret. I was more than happy to share our discovery and I was even more delighted that they also reported the same health benefits. In turn, they started actively sharing with their friends and family too! Unintentionally, we created a virtuous circle of passionate sharing and greater wellness for everyone, and it is awesome!
Even friends who have been using essential oils from other companies noticed the Seed to Seal quality difference of Young Living’s therapeutic grade oils. This is something that really sets Young Living apart and why I continue to choose and trust Young Living’s products. I have been blessed to be able to personally visit a few of Young Living’s farms and had the amazing opportunity to touch the beautiful plants and trees, understand the stringent cultivation and harvesting process from the very same dedicated people who work the farms, observe the proprietary machinery, and breathe in the wonderful aroma of freshly distilled essential oils. Heavenly! I also learnt how small batches of plants are distilled and the essential oils tested before Young Living even starts harvesting in bulk, and how every batch of essential oil is tested again after they are distilled so we can be assured that each precious bottle of essential oil we receive from Young Living contains only the purest form of God’s wonderful creations.
If you have not visited a Young Living farm before, I highly recommend going at least once to personally experience the Seed to Seal process for yourself. Young Living rewards qualifying members with all-expense-paid retreats to its various farms around the world so you can even go for free! Or you can also make your own way there as the farms are open to the public. Some super enthusiastic members even pay to visit and work at the farms during planting or harvest time. You may know some of the fearless One Droppers who braved sub-zero temperatures to contribute in the winter harvests! Now that is utter dedication!
You can read about their awesome winter harvest experience here. But that’s not all, Wellness is just one third of my story. Join me next time as we delve into why Purpose and Abundance are even more important reasons of why I choose and continue to stay with Young Living!
If you had enjoyed Marissa’s articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils, please drop Marissa a message at marissa.loh@gmail.com or sign up here to purchase. 🙂
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Marissa Loh.
Welcome back! Previously, I had shared about why Wellness was the reason I started with Young Living and how it has changed my family’s life. That was a most logical reason. Now, here’s the reason from my heart and why I continue to consciously choose Young Living.
Purpose
With a healthy and happy family, I could start to focus my energies on higher-level needs like self-fulfilment. I have always had a strong desire to change the world and make it a better place. I didn’t know how but I was very inspired by quotes like this one which has been attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“To laugh often and much; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
This was always the missing piece, the hole in my heart, even as I succeeded in my previous jobs in media, marketing and sales. The financial rewards and high life couldn’t fill the higher purpose I was seeking to make my life count. I wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and with Young Living, I’m finally doing it!
It is so empowering and such a joy to be able to help someone in their time of need, and in very practical ways too! I love answering questions from members and sharing openly whenever someone needs advice on improving their health, and in turn, empowering them to do the same for others too! Little by little, we can create positive ripples of change! I also enjoy taking time to visit friends and family who are unwell at home or in hospital, to pray with them while I use the essential oils to support their needs. My favourite item to bring for them is a bottle of Ningxia Red – it is an excellent health tonic to support and strengthen all their body systems!
Besides my immediate sphere of influence, it warms my heart to know that I am also part of a much bigger movement. In 2009, Young Living set up the Young Living Foundation that is creating significant change in the world by empowering underserved individuals to achieve their potential and defy limitations! From building and operating a school in Ecuador, to providing mosquito nets and shoes to children in Uganda, to rebuilding homes in Nepal, impassioned Young Living members (including 2 of our One Drop founders!) voluntarily pour out their hearts to serve alongside the Young Living Foundation staff, even the founder of Young Living himself, Gary Young, to make a sustainable difference in the world. Check out the Young Living Foundation for yourself and feel your heart stir with compassion and pride at the amazing work that is being done. But more is needed!
Did you know you can sponsor a child at the Young Living Academy in Ecuador for just US$75 a month (less than US$3 a day) and you’ll give a child a bright future. You can also make a donation directly to the Young Living Foundation via the Virtual Office to help a child have access to all the resources needed for them to achieve their full potential. The easiest way is to tick the option in Virtual Office to round up your orders to the nearest dollar. If every member did that when placing an order, the few cents from each person would be compounded to generate more than US$500,000 per month in donations for the Young Living Foundation’s carefully selected projects and partnerships. In less than a second, and with one click of the mouse, we can make a difference in the world with every single order!
“To laugh often and much; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Now when I read this quote, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore – I am living my life purpose!
My wish is for YOU to also be living YOUR life purpose, because once we understand our reason for being, life is so much more fulfilling! We go from merely existing, to really living a full and abundant life. Join me next time to understand how Young Living not only fully supports our Wellness and living our life Purpose, but also empowers us with Abundance!
If you had enjoyed Marissa’s articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils, please drop Marissa a message at marissa.loh@gmail.com or sign up here to purchase. 🙂
