Top 10 | Favorite Medicine Cabinet Swaps
We have been taught to be scared of using natural ways to support our body through illness. It’s time to unlearn that and feel confident in helping our families when one of our little ones is sick or you have a headache. Below are my Top 10 favorite medicine cabinet swaps, I use these remedies for multiple things and that’s why they are my favorite!
1 | LAVENDER
This one is kinda a no brainer, right? It is the swiss army knife of oils. It is calming to the skin and brain. If you burn yourself in the kitchen, go straight for lavender. A bee sting happens, pull out that lavender! When you diffuse lavender overnight, it helps with sleep and it decreases cortisol. Making up a pillow spray or applying topically can be helpful to get you sleepy, but diffusing overnight will be more helpful to KEEP you asleep. Lavender also has anti-histamine properties that help my family so much with pollen issues. I like to combine with lemon and peppermint in a roller or diffuse them together.
2 | PEPPERMINT
Yep, you guessed it! This is my all time favorite for headaches. Immediately, this took the place of ibuprofen for me.. you can run your fingers through your scalp with peppermint on your fingers (just don’t touch your eyes! ;) ) or put a drop of peppermint in a personal diffuser and feel the cool mist on your face. Peppermint is helpful to help open your airways up, so it is great when you are coughing or congested. You can make a chest rub with eucalyptus, peppermint, Raven, so many great respiratory support oils! Peppermint is also helpful for a sore muscle or menstrual cramps. Peppermint relaxes smooth muscle, so if you have a sore neck, grab some coconut oil and a drop or two of peppermint and massage it into the sore area. As well, peppermint has been used for many years for digestion. Again, with the smooth muscle relaxation…. It is so helpful for a tummy ache! With kids, I usually opt for diluted Digize or KidScents Tummygize. But for an adult, you can make a roller with Digize and Peppermint or make a cup of peppermint tea! Only need a drop though!
One more thing, peppermint is also super handy to draw a tick out if you have a tick still attached.
Okay, I lied. One last thing. I use diluted peppermint on back and bottom of feet with high fevers. I typically let the fever go, but if they are miserable or it gets too high, I will use this. Some will also put on the belly button, diluted!
3 | LEMON
Lemon thins mucus, is my go to with any sticky situations and is so wonderful for lymphatic drainage. If one of my children is coughing, I grab Thieves, Raven, and Lemon and throw it in the diffuser. I will dilute Raven and Lemon with coconut oil and rub on back and bottom of feet. For babies I stick to just lemon and lavender diluted or KidScents Sniffleease. Lemon is considered nature’s goo gone. Drop it right on sticker residue and it will come right off. Or if you have kids who like temporary tattoos, it works better than anything else to get the old tattoos off their skin. Just wash away afterwards and dilute with carrier oil if sensitive skin. Lemon is also helpful for lymphatic drainage. Put a drop of lemon in your water daily and you will be supporting your body’s garbage disposal system and facilitating drainage. Last tip, put a drop of lemon in a spoonful of local, raw honey if you or your older children are coughing. Let’s break that mucus up!
4 | DIGIZE
This was my “gateway drug” into oils. This oil blend made me a believer. It immediately replaced TUMS in my home. Now, don’t say I didn’t warn you...it does not smell good. AT ALL. But it is WORTH IT! Just trust me on this one, okay? Digize is helpful for any stomach issues. Essential oils are balancing to the body, so this blend will help whether you have diarrhea or constipation. Dilute with carrier oil or use neat and use topically on your tummy, rub clockwise! With children, I make a roller and roll on as often as I need to for upset stomach, needing to go to the bathroom, etc. My favorite way to use this blend is a drop under your tongue with indigestion or upset stomach. Some people like to put in a capsule for daily digestion support. One last thing, this blend is great for stinky laundry. Crazy, right? I know. But really, I put a few drops in the washer where my clothes have set for days and they come out smelling clean again. Now, you are ready for all of the stomach bugs and stinky laundry!
5 | COPAIBA
This oil is helpful in so many ways. It has anti-inflammatory properties, so this makes it a great one to add to a roller for anything that hurts. Whether it is a hurting knee or tooth this one helps! For teething babies, I dab right on the gums or on the outside of the jaw line. Try on yourself first! It really is amazing! I used this after dental work and I was shocked at how well it numbed my gums. This is an oil that is helpful for anyone who has immune system issues and might need some extra support. Add a drop or two to a capsule and take daily! Last but not least, this oil is so helpful for skin and is a great addition to your diy glow serum!
6 | FRANKINCENSE
This beautiful oil is steeped in history and has so many uses it is a staple in my home. I love to diffuse frankincense with lavender for a deep sleep. Frankincense is also helpful for anxious thoughts, it is very grounding. Frankincense is my one of my go to’s with illness. I will put right on the chest for anyone who is sick. If I have a headache and peppermint isn’t cutting it, put a drop on your finger and stick it to the roof of your mouth and hold there. It is so so helpful! Another thing.. frankincense is THE anti-aging oil. Go on and throw out any toxic skincare products and just use frank! Frankincense is in our daily wellness roller and helps to keep us healthy with the antioxidant punch that it brings!
7 | OREGANO
This is the herb that has all of the anti-viral properties. I roll diluted on the bottom of my girls' feet during times of illness. I will take internally to support my immune system as needed as well. This oil + Thieves are my go to oils to come to our rescue when we are sick!
8 | BREATHE AGAIN or KIDSCENTS SNIFFLEEASE
Breathe Again for any respiratory illness, coughing, congestion. I love the roll on to go on chest and over sinuses but also diffusing it overnight has been so helpful for those nights the coughs just won’t stop. I love Breathe Again for any sinus cold or respiratory illness in my family. With children, I diffuse Breathe Again and use KidScents Sniffleease or Thieves Chest Rub topically. Snotty noses and coughing is no fun and these things make all the difference!
9 | THIEVES
This oil blend is made up of cinnamon bark, clove, lemon, rosemary, and eucalyptus radiata. The oils that make up this blend pack an antioxidant punch and is the best thing to stay above the wellness line. Add a drop of Thieves and Lemon to a cup of warm water with some local honey and soothe your sore throat. Diffuse Thieves in your home and make it smell amazing + get the air purifying benefits of this blend. I diffuse this overnight to prevent illness and use in a roller with Frankincense and Lemon daily to help our family stay well!
10 | TEA TREE
This oil has anti-microbial properties and has long been used for issues with skin, hair, and feet. Other helpful uses….yeast infections. You can make a spray for down there or a sitz bath to ease the discomfort. For skin fungal issues this is my go to as well! For kids, make sure to dilute with a carrier oil. It can be helpful for blemishes as well as sinus issues. I have a wonderful sinus rinse recipe that combines tea tree and rosemary that can help so much so you can BREATHE! This is definitely an oil you want to have on hand! Diluted lavender + tea tree in front of and behind the ears is helpful for ear congestion and was so helpful with my youngest while battling an ear infection.
Oh, and one more just in case someone is bleeding (minor). Cypress is my go to! This one has been known to be helpful for hemorrhoids and varicose veins too... might be helpful one day!
I have a passion for education. I want you to know your body, how to support your body, and help you to begin to LIVE WELL. What one change could you make today to impact your health and well-being?
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