ACCIDENTAL WEIGHT LOSS
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Faith Teo
Ah never did I thought that I would be writing a post on weight loss especially when I wasn’t looking to lose weight but ok here I go!
I have always been a foodie. Food is my pleasure, food is my life. Probably too much.
So what changed? When I went to Ecuador last November for the Platinum Retreat and was told by Dr David through my bloodwork analysis that I have candida in my body. Its a kind of fungus, a common one that grows with the luxuries of modern lifestyle… you know, the sugar, the additives, the processed food. I was also Vitamin C deficit. Very deficit.
Dr David asked me to take more greens. Among other things. And that I could use Thieves and Juvacleanse to help cleanse and detox me so I wouldn’t feel so tired most of the times. Imagine having a kind of fungus traveling through your blood and (eep!) up your brain? Definitely will cause brain fog and tiredness for anyone!
So when I came home, I made teeny tiny changes as time goes by. I have a hectic lifestyle with 2 young and demanding kids who I called Queen Ju and King Sol (yes Jonathan Teo and I are their slaves hahah!).
I first began to use Thieves. Over time I incorporated Juvacleanse too.
Then I started to add more vegetables to our family meals. I LOVE LOVE salads but I didn’t want to spend so much time in the kitchen cooking for the family then make a salad for myself. So I just double the greens and add them to our family soups. Eating more greens also mean that I cut down on my grains intake (rice, noodles) since the vegs filled me up.
Then I reduce the late night snackings. You know… the time of the day where finally (!) the kids are asleep and you and your hubs have some blessed me-time. I used to snack. Ate all kinds of food *blink blink*. I found this hard to stop so I switch to drinking tea at night. Water too. Never mind that I peed more at night too. Hahaha.
Recently I added Progessence Phyto Plus to balance my hormones. I started on it because my face was beginning to break out and I noticed that it was around Aunty Flow time of the month. Then I added Dragon Time too when a recent Zyto scan shows me that I needed it.
For these 2 years, our family have also switch our household cleaning and personal care products to non toxic ones ala Young Living! Do you know that toxins from plastics, SLS, parabens etc are stored into fats? So it makes sense to go chemical free as much as possible at home.
(Please look out for the Thieves campaign and chemical free homes coming in May and June! We would be sharing more details on that real soon!)
And so… I present my photos to you. 
The left one is taken when Sol is 1 year old and the right one is taken last month. Sol is turning 2 next week so you get a sensing on the time passed.
The left one is taken when Sol is 1 year old and the right one is taken last month. Sol is turning 2 next week so you get a sensing on the time passed.I guess I could go shady and tell you that I use these magic dinky oils and tadah, I’ve lost weight! But the truth is that long term weight loss is made up of a series of small sustainable changes in lifestyle. I don’t starve myself. In fact I just ate potato chips just now!
Anyway I didn’t believe when folks keep telling me I have lost weight thru my FB photos cos you know, FB photos can be staged. And when my mom told me I’ve lost weight, I pfft pfft at her words. But when a distant friend saw me in real life and told me the same, that’s where I sat up and take notice. Ahahaha.
I hope this lengthy post helps shed some light! I never dared to weigh or measure myself but so many of you told me in this group through my photos that I have slimmed down so I thought I’ll share with you what I did to achieve ACCIDENTAL WEIGHT LOSS. 
P.S. I’m still chubby! I haven’t completely slimmed down yet! Really! 
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.
OIL TO ABUNDANCE
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Faith Teo
I’ve said earlier in my group that I will share about my story on BIG MONEY BIG MONEY with Abundance. This is a heart felt sharing and I hope this will touch you, inspire you to live the life that you want.
I was very happy working in an international bank previously. I love my work, I treasure the friendships in my team and my manager and his manager are SO AWESOME. I never wanted to leave this place.
However these all change when I gave birth to my firstborn, Juvia in Sep 2012. Those who are FB friends with me would have probably seen her photos around.
Juvia and Motherhood transformed me. I’m not one of those women who knew right from the start that they wanted to be mothers. I was unsure whether I could be a good mom to Ju. In fact it took me 10 years of marriage to decide whether to have a child.
I was so entranced with the little girl that God bestowed on Jon and I. To say I love her is an understatement. Juvia taught me what BIG LOVE really feels like. It is sitting for 3 hours straight nursing her despite feeling stiff and achey in my bones. It was going thru 5 months of very little sleep because Ju doesn’t sleep very well. And still doesn’t.
It was also considering seriously to give up my well paid job to be home for her DESPITE the fact that I’m the sole breadwinner. Time away from her was like living a life with half a heart. I missed her. I cried when Jon sent me photos from home.
But I couldn’t give up my job right? It’s irresponsible. We don’t have much savings. It’s a well paid job. All these thoughts ran through my head.
I deliberated for 5 months. I’ve been using the Young Living oils since I was pregnant, during labour and for the whole of Juvia’s life. The oils gave me what every mother hoped for. A healthy happy child. A beautiful natural birth. Food for my little nursling. I love the oils and in time, I shared about them with my friends and they too, love the oils.
I thought, why not try build a business out of it. And in July 2013, I told my boss of my intention to resign.
I thought I’ll scrimp and save meanwhile so I have more time to try this business thing. I set my goals with my awesome uplines, Jacq and Gennet. Executive by end July (monthly sales volume of usd4000). Silver by end Sep (monthly sales volume of usd10,000). The race was on.
I began to use these oils in the photo daily. Cedarwood for clarity and precious oxygen to my brain. I need ideas ideas ideas to grow grow grow! Believe on my crown (top of head) because I have to believe I can do it. Transformation. An oil that works on releasing old beliefs and install new ones that support me in my quest. Such a powerful oil. I kept praying for Silver Silver Silver because I thought that’ll be when I can secure the minimum income needed to feed my family.
At that time, the original Let’s Add Oil group was young and small. There’s around 10 of us. We are a group of mommies who have kids in Sep 2012 and I was teaching them daily on using the oils. Excitement was high. Friends helping each other out. Moms who want natural wellness for their kids.
I kept praying that I could do it and began to add Abundance to my daily used oils. I prayed for so many things. For money to provide for my family. Time was ticking. I have only 2 months till when I’ll be jobless. I prayed for wisdom. For flexibility to shift and adapt to whatever I need to do to grow my business.
Then the BIG THING happened. My boss called me.
“Please don’t resign. We have a better offer for you.”
I cannot go into details here on what exactly happened because I’m also sworn to confidentiality on this. But I will say that in the end, I was able to walk away from my job without any financial worries and went into YL full time as of 1 Oct 2013.
It has been such an amazing journey. The Let’s Add Oil organisation grew from strength to strength for the next 2 years and I am blessed to have dedicated, wonderful, loving, caring people in my team, sharing about the oils, building our own businesses. In Nov 2014, we officially became Platinum (monthly sales volume usd100,000) and since then, the LAO organisation is on track to hit a million dollars sales year to date.
So even though this is a Young Living product fb group, I wanted to spread the message. What do you want for your life? What is that inner quiet timid voice whispering to you?
Wherein lies your joy?
Use your oils. And DON’T GIVE UP!
Ask for support.
You are here for a purpose.
Take a baby step today and with all my blessings, have a wonderful amazing life. 
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.
YOUNG LIVING FOR MOMS
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Charlene Tan
I’ve been sharing with mothers how to incorporate Young Living into their family’s lifestyle for the past 8 years, so with the arrival of Baby Aven, I was really excited to put my ‘theory’ into practice!
Baby Aven arrived through a drug-free birthing journey, and into a room filled with Joy essential oil. His daddy @RockstarPapasan (link to www.facebook.com/rockstarpapasan) eased him into our world by anointing him with Frankincense, Myrrh and Trauma Life the moment he was out. As our obstetrician remarked – a vaginal birth is the first and probably the most traumatic process for a human being, we wanted him to feel the security and love even though he was out of the womb. The aroma from the oils worked directly with his pineal and pituitary glands, allowing him to calm down despite the new and unfamiliar environment.
People always warned about the sleepless nights but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. No one prepared me for the motherhood journey. I was hoping to feel the warm, fuzzy feeling of love and joy but there was none. With the hormonal changes, I went through an emotional rollercoaster after birth and experienced postnatal depression. The essential oils came to my rescue during this extremely challenging period. Peace & Calming, Joy, Harmony and Sacred Mountain balanced my emotions, allowing me to feel centered and safe. I also applied Geranium and Progessence Phyto Plus to keep my hormones happy.
As a first time mum, I’m literally transformed back into a beginner. Everything had to be learned, unlearned or relearned. I had gained a new post partum body – loose skin, brain fog, memory loss, hard breasts, hair loss and backaches were all but some areas which I had to get used to. Ningxia Red, Super Cal, OmegaGize, Super C, Sulfurzyme were my best friends daily. I did not have to worry about my daily nutrition with our amazing Young Living supplements.
Surprisingly, caring for a baby was not tough at all. Pee, poop, nurse, sleep, play were the basic and easy aspects of motherhood; even sleep was not the issue. The crucial aspect no parents share publicly is the emotional stress that comes with parenthood.
“Are we doing enough? Are we doing it right?” These two questions kept coming up in the minds of both myself and my husband daily. We know for a fact that accidents happened with an active baby, but this prior knowledge did not ease the guilt or the self-blame when he fell down, knocked his head, or scratched his face. It was especially tough for RockstarPapasan who struggled initially with his new identity as a full time working father. We diffuse oils like Stress Away, Harmony, and Gathering essential oil blends while we had our daily conversation about our new role as parents.
Motherhood is a humbling journey of unlearning, discovery, embracing and empowerment. Too often, we fill ourselves with doubts, guilts, fears and worries. We focus on what’s wrong with us rather than the amazing miracle in our arms. Nurturing a baby from conception to birth and then embracing a lifetime of motherhood is a gift. You are the perfect mother to your child and you are doing enough. When you feel those negative emotions creeping in, try the following – apply Gathering on the crown of your head, Joy on your heart, Release on your chest, Forgiveness on your abdomen and Grounding on the base of your feet. As you apply these oils, affirm yourself by saying the following statements in your head or aloud – I forgive myself. I embrace myself. I am enough.
To all mothers-to-be and mothers young and old, we are all creators of miracles. Take a moment to celebrate yourself. Have a happy mothers’ day!
Charlene is a trained ontological coach who partners women in discovering and embracing their innate giftings and strengths. She has incorporated Young Living into her profession, and home. Today, she travels extensively to empower women in achieving balance and help other mothers embrace the Young Living lifestyle. Follow her adventures at www.mygiftroom.me or @minimomma on Instagram. If you like Charlene’s articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils, please feel free to get in touch with Charlene or sign up directly here.
DIY SUNSCREEN
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Yvonne Zee
OUR RESEARCH
Why I avoid commercial sunscreen is to stop exposing my skin to toxic chemicals used in sunscreens, several of which are endocrine system disruptors, increase the risk of cancer, and more. Remember, our skin is our largest organ, and what we put on it gets absorbed into our body.
Unfortunately, many of the oils that we have only block UVB rays and not UVA; Except for Red raspberry seed oil, many research has found this oil to have both UVA and UVB qualities. So at the end of 2013 , I made my first batch of face sunscreens with some basic essential and carrier oils (which is a very important component of the formula) and gave them as Christmas presents to my Oily pals. They were very well received because many felt their skin improved !
So in early 2014 , I decided to do more more research and came up with what I hope as improved versions of sunscreens for the face , body and children. But do remember, these are at best screens and not sunblocks because there were no lab experiments to come up with the formula and definitely no chemicals to totally ‘block’ off the sun rays. We have used the trial and error method to have come up with our suggestion. You may need to adjust the quantity/combination to suit your own skin type better! Also the quality of the essential oils ( we only use Young Living oils ) as well as that of the carrier oils are equally important .
Tips
- Reapply every 2 hours if exposed to high sun or after Swimming
- Do not bathe before going outside for an extended period of time .
What we are doing to our skin by washing off natural oils is causing it to be more susceptible to the sun’s rays . We are leaving our largest organ with no protective barrier . Human sebum has a natural SPF of 6 – 8 . Why would you want to wash that off ?
- Also try not to bathe immediately after coming in from a day in the sun.
Your body needs time to finish processing the Vitamin D and UVA/UVB rays. Try to wait at least an hour before showering .
- And some studies have shown some foods like fermented Cod Liver Oil ( high in Omega-3 acids ) can help reduce the excess inflammation induced by UV tissue damage , hence reducing sun damage .
UVA + UVB : the long and short of it
- The sunlight that reaches us is made up of two types of harmful rays: long wave ultraviolet A (UVA) and short wave ultraviolet B (UVB). Basically, UVA rays can age us and UVB rays can burn us. Overexposure to either can damage the skin. There’s also a third type of ray, UVC – these are the shortest and strongest, but thankfully they’re absorbed by the ozone layer and don’t typically reach the Earth.
- UVA rays are constantly present, no matter the season or the weather. If you think you can’t get sun damage on a cloudy day, tell that to the UVA rays. They are so powerful that they also penetrate some clothing and even glass. (When was the last time you applied sunscreen before getting behind the wheel?)
UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis, the skin’s thickest layer. Unprotected exposure can lead to premature skin aging and suppression of the immune system. And when your skin’s defenses are down, you’re at risk for skin cancer.
- UVB rays are the rays you can blame when you get a sunburn. Unlike UVA rays, these rays aren’t always the same strength year round – They’re more prevalent in the summer months, however they are able to reflect off of water or snow, so it’s always important to protect yourself year-round.
UVB rays will usually burn the superficial layers of your skin. The intensity of UBV rays vary by season, location and time of day, with 10am to 4pm being the peak hours. Sunburned skin doesn’t just feel awful, it can cause permanent damage over time.
Thus, my reasons for using the oils in the various sunscreens blends are…
(Note the different oils used for the face or for children’s more sensitive skin)
Essential Oils:
- Carrot Seed Oil
One of the highest UVB protection 35 to 40 SPF plus good for oil control on face. Has significant antioxidant, antiseptic, antifungal and fragrant properties with high levels of vitamin A. When applied topically to the skin diluted with a carrier oil, carrot seed oil also provides one of the highest UVB . - Lavender
Low level SPF 6 but highly anti-inflammatory and good for skin repair - Helichrysum
Has been selected for its ability to effectively filter out some of the sun’s rays. Helps with many skin conditions - Myrrh
The ancient Egyptians protected themselves from the powerful desert sun by generously applying this essential oil to their skin; and myrrh was the secret that kept their skin so lovely - Sandalwood
Heals our skin, scars and wrinkles; improves the youthfulness of our skin - German Chamomile
Soothing, powerful antioxidant (inhibits lipid peroxidation) and anti-inflammatory. - Geranium
Helps with many skin conditions, anti-inflammatory and controls oily skin and revitalizes our skin cells.
Carrier Oils:
- Red Raspberry Seed Oil
Contain exceptionally high levels of alpha and gamma tocopherols (vit. E), vit. A and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. This provides the skin with significant broad spectrum protection from damaging UVA and UVB rays. SPF 28 to 50.
Its high level of Vitamin E is known to be give it an important role in skin repair and conditioning. It is known especially for its prevention of gingivitis, rashes, eczema and other skin lesions. Raspberry seed oil is emollient, lubricating, conditioning, creates a lipid barrier providing protection to the skin and provides moisture retention for the skin.
It has superior anti-inflammatory properties and works well on rashes, eczema and other skin lesions. It has a long shelf life because of its high phospholipids content, and may increase the stability of other carrier oils when blended with them. - Cranberry Seed Oil
Light in texture, quickly absorbed.
Cranberry seed oil is the only available carrier oil with a natural ratio of omega 6 (linoleic), omega 3 (alpha-linolenic) and omega 9 (oleic) fatty acids. Cranberry seed oil aids in the absorption and utilization of the essential fatty acids in the skin, and is said to moisturize the skin as no other oil can.
Cranberry seed oil contributes to the lipid barrier protection of the skin and assists in moisture retention.
Cranberry seed oil is a wonderfully moisturizing addition to any formula for cream or lotion for rough, dry, or mature skin. Some sources say it aids in the relief of scaly, itching skin conditions, and may be helpful for both eczema and psoriasis.
A producer has seen evidence that cranberry seed oil is an effective barrier of UV rays, thus helping to protect the skin against sun damage. They are now in process of testing to find proof of this claim. - Coconut Oil
Coconut oil (cold pressed) has an amazing ability to heal the skin and block the damaging effects of UV radiation from the sun. One of the reasons why it is so effective in protecting the skin is its antioxidant properties, which helps prevent burning and oxidative damage that promotes skin cancer. There have been several recent studies done on the use of coconut oil as a sunscreen but there are fluctuations in the SPF rating of coconut oil. One study “proved” a rating of only 4 while another rated coconut oil at a 10. - Wheatgerm Oil
Wheatgerm is one of the best sources of natural vitamin E and is also a good source of vitamin K, B vitamins and choline. When applied to the skin, wheatgerm oil helps to moisturize tissues and acts as an antioxidant to prevent free radical damage. Wheatgerm oil has a natural SPF rating of 20.
Note :- Use at a proportion of maximum 5% to 10% of wheatgerm oil in a blend; also a preservative in other carrier mixtures + prevent deterioration. - White Camellia Oil
White camellia oil was traditionally used by Geishas to keep their skin flawless and their hair lustrous and healthy. This camellia oil is a precious cold-pressed certified organic oil containing exceptionally high levels of antioxidants to prevent free radical formation; soothing properties to help calm sensitive skin; nutrients to nourish devitalized skin; and emollients to create a healthy dew-like complexion. White camellia oils is also one of the rare ingredients that is wonderful for all skin types, including mature, ultra sensitive, oily, combination and acne prone. - Grapeseed Oil
This oil is said to be rich in oligometric proanthrocyanidins or OPC. These are like the sesame seed oil components which hunt down free radicals that cause aging, with the purpose of eliminating them from the body system, Studies show that the OPC in grapeseed is twenty times more effective than vitamin C in eradicating free radicals in its function as an antioxidant. The antioxidating capabilities also promote the self-repair process of cells, which is important when the skin becomes affected by the sun’s UV rays. The SPF rating for this oil as a sunscreen ingredient is 4.
Yvonne is a member of OneDrop. She supports oil users via her facebook page – Your Daily Rebirth. If you like Yvonne’s articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils, please feel free to get in touch with Yvonne or sign up directly here.
SPIDERS HATE…
This post is contributed by One Drop member – Ranna Seah.
Last Sunday, I was cleaning up my daughter’s room (which is seldom occupied as she co-sleeps with us) when I discovered quite a few spiders crawling around the walls, on her bedsheets etc. Eeekkkkk! Luckily I remembered this image:
So I pulled out the diffuser quickly and started to diffuse Peppermint and Purification! (Keeping mozzies away as well) I was whining half the time…”Eeek Spiders! Yucks! Spiders!!!” while wondering how long do I need to diffuse the oils for? Then the hero of the household appeared with … TADAH – A VACUM CLEANER!!!!
The daddy appeared with a hand-held vacuum cleaner and sucked away all the spiders in sight. Sigh. Relief. Our Hero 
For more information why we should keep spiders out of the house with a safer and more organic option: http://www.deadpestz.com/does-peppe…
I shall be diffusing Peppermint and Purification more diligently from now on. The scent is just so heavenly calming. 
I’ve also started to develop a habit of carrying Peppermint and Lemongrass around with me when we go to the beach, walks in the garden and etc. Singapore is a lovely green city with plenty of greenery and healthy active mosquitoes and ants. Just a drop of Peppermint on our picnic mat, keeps all the ants away. It’s really a miracle to witness. I used to hate picnics as I would be busy fighting ants off half the time, but not anymore!
And Lemongrass? It works awesomely at discouraging the mosquitoes from kissing us as well as relieving the itch from their kisses. Never have I enjoyed outdoor time so much as before Young Living came into my life.
If you like my articles and would like to purchase the Young Living oils or have further clarifications, please drop me a message here or email me at fabulana@gmail.com. If you are ready to sign up as member to purchase, you can click here🙂 I would love to support you in using the oils for yourself and your loved ones.
