Lavender Essential Oil

            Back in December of 2014 I lost my job through circumstances that I will not get into at this time. They are long and complicated, and honestly shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Since then I have been a stay at home mom to my two amazing boys and a yoga instructor. Even though we are “saving money” by not having to pay for daycare for two children 2 years old and younger, I still feel like I’m not pulling enough weight as far as finances are concerned.

With that in mind, I have been exploring different ways I can supplement our income while being a stay at home mom. For more than three years I have been using essential oils. I absolutely love what they have done in regards to supporting my family’s health and wellness! I use them singularly as well as in home made products. So I want to share with you what essential oils can do for you and your family. 

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I chose to work with Young Living for a couple of reasons. The first reason was simply because it was the first company I was exposed to.  Yes, that is rather petty, but you have to start somewhere. The second reason I chose to work with Young Living is their seed to seal commitment. This means they control the entire process of growing the plants, through harvesting, extraction, and bottling. I don’t know of any other company that can say the same. Young Living has farms all over the world so they can grow the plants in their native habitat. This is very important to ensure the highest quality plants.

So, now that there is some basic information on oils, I want to start going through some of my favorite oils as well as some of the most popular oils. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult with the appropriate healthcare providers before making any health decision.* 

 What I will do is go through scientific studies on the oils, body systems they support, safety precautions, and some of my personal favorite uses. In general, distillation is all around safe for all ages. You will dilute the oils 99% of the time. There are only a few reasons to use the oil neat (without a carrier oil), and I will make note of that at the appropriate times. I do NOT condone the internal use of essential oils without the supervision of an experienced and knowledgeable care provider. There is a time and place for internal consumption, but I do not have the credentials to say when it is appropriate and will not answer questions on internal use nor will I debate on internal use if you personally use oils internally.

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So here we go. I got the basics taken care of. Now to get into the specifics. I am choosing Lavender to start with as it is one of the most common oil that everyone has heard of.

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Common Name: Lavender
Scientific Name: Lavandula augustifolia
Part of the Plant Used: Flower
Extraction Method: Steam Distilled

Lavender is well known for its calming properties. You see many commercial products that are geared towards relaxation with lavender. The bonus of using Lavender essential oil over the other products is that you not only get the wonderful smell, but you also reap the benefits of the oil!

Lavender is a wonderful go-to if you have no idea what oil you should reach for. It supports so many of your body's systems. Lavender is wonderful for your skin, respiratory system, nervous system, and even the cardiovascular system.

However, as wonderful as Lavender can be, we do need to be careful when using essential oils. Like I stated above, oils can be diffused for inhalation, diluted and applied topically, or taken internally. Thankfully, it does take a large quantity of Lavender essential oil to cause significant damage. For the most part, continual use without dilution will cause irritation to the site. For further reading on the safety of Lavender and other essential oils, I highly recommend the book Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, second edition. It is a wonderful book that has a plethora of references on the wide use of the various oils.

My favorite uses for Lavender are inhalation and topical application. When applying topically, I like using coconut oil for my carrier oil. Coconut oil is easily available and has a wide variety of uses as well. That may be another blog post - what can coconut oil do for you?! Anyway, back to the oil...I recently made this recipe for a night time lotion for Dan, as he still isn't sleeping well at night. I haven't seen a big difference in his sleep yet, but with how long he's been a poor sleeper, anything I try is going to take a little while to have any significant effect.

With inhalation, I usually combine Lavender with other oils. Cedarwood and Lemon are two oils that I have diffused with Lavender.

If you wish to purchase any essential oils, follow the link HERE. You can sign up as a retail customer and pay full price, or you can become a member and enjoy a discount on your oils! There are several packages you can choose from if you decide to become a member of Young Living. The best bang for your buck is the Premium Starter Kit (option 1, 2, 3, 4). The various options I linked vary by the diffuse type. Each diffuser has their own perks outside of the visual appeal. If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them! Just leave me a message below.

What else would you like to know about Lavender? Let me know and I will add to this post.