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Acupuncture Ally: Thieves Essential Oil

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young living thievesTo continue our talks about the season of autumn and colds and flu, an essential oil I’m sure to never go without is Thieves from Young Living Essential Oils. 

Thieves essential oil includes clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary. It’s known to help support the immune system at the onset of colds, flu and candida. It may also help with sinusitis, coughing and sore throats.

I really like diffusing thieves in the diffuser, as it smells amazing and reminds me of Christmas. If you don’t have a diffuser, you can put a drop on a cotton ball and inhale it periodically.Others will apply thieves topically to their feet with a carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil or coconut oil.

I also will add 1 drop to about 16 oz of water in a glass bottle (do not use plastic with essential oils, as the oils break down toxins, and will break down the plastic). This can have quite an intense taste, but when paired with peppermint or lemon essential oils, it dilutes it down a little. I will start using Thieves the moment my throat becomes sore, which can be a pretty good sign that an illness may be attempting to break through. Usually after one day of use my throat is relieved and I’m feeling better.

Please note: repeated use can result in extreme contact sensitization and can cause extreme skin irritation. Use with caution during pregnancy.

***The posts, testimonies and information provided on this site are not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease or illness. Please be sure to always check with your health care professional before altering any prescription medication or starting a new health care regiment regardless. The suggested use of essential oils on this page are YOUNG LIVING EXCLUSIVE. We cannot be held responsible for damage done through the use of off brand or synthetic essential oils, supplements or homeopathy suggested on this page. INGESTING SYNTHETIC or PERFUME GRADE essential oils is highly dangerous. These bottles are labeled “NOT for internal use”. Young Living essential oils are MEDICINAL grade, used internally in over 50 U.S. Hospitals and, will be noted on the label as “GRAS” by the FDA for internal use or as a food additive.

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Acupuncture Ally: Lemon & Honey in Warm Water

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We all know it’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the day, I mean, roughly 50-75% of our bodies are made of water! But a common complaint I hear is that water is boring or people just don’t like it.

IMG_2115A fabulous way to make water a little more flavorful is to add lemon and honey. When I make this I use about a teaspoon of local honey (I love supporting local bee keepers!) and a couple drops of Young Living Lemon Essential Oil, which is a high quality therapeutic grade oil brand that is safe for ingestion.* Another option to incorporate lemon is to add a fresh slice right to warm or hot water.

Lemon: the temperature is cold; the taste is sour; the channels of the body it affects are the gallbladder, liver, kidney, lung and spleen. This promotes Qi and blood circulation, clears heat, removes toxins and transforms phlegm.

Honey: the temperature is neutral; the taste is sweet; the channels it affects are the spleen, stomach, large intestine and lung; the effects are: nourishes Yin, tonifies Qi, supplements Qi and blood, promotes blood circulation and removes toxins.

Lemon and honey are great additions to your daily habits year round, but especially in the autumn and winter since these seasons are Yin in nature, as opposed to Yang. Yin has to do with thicker, denser, more liquid substances throughout the body. According to Chinese medicine, when you combine foods of sweet and sour properties you have a wonderful mixture to tonify the Yin of the body. With the season of autumn being dry in nature, it is so important to be sure you’re nourishing and hydrating yourself.

Temperature: It’s also important to drink room temperature or warm water. This is one of the biggest differences between western and eastern theories. While western theories may say ice cold water boosts your metabolism to burn calories, according to eastern medicine, the cold may be hard on your digestive system.

Think of the spleen and stomach as a melting pot; food and liquid needs to be warmed and mixed in order to be digested. When you eat or drink warmer temperature items, you are helping the work of the spleen and stomach. When you eat or drink cooler temperature items you are making the spleen and stomach work harder. In today’s age with diet and lifestyle, many peoples’ spleens are already a little weak, so the ice and cold temperatures add to the problem. You may be experiencing bloating, gas, or loose stools if your spleen is deficient or weak.

This is one simple change you may add into your daily life. I will say it is a tough transition, and there will be foods and drinks you always want to be cold, but if you could incorporate more room temperature to warm things in your life your spleen with thank you for it! I promise you eventually get used to it! Just remember, small steps. Change takes time, but it’s worth it to feel more well and balanced.

*The suggested uses in the above post apply only to the use of therapeutic grade, Young Living Essential Oils. Not all essential oils are the same! Be sure to consult with the product label or healthcare professional for correct usage of other.