Cleaning

I don't know about all of you, but I love making sure my home is clean before decorating for the holidays.  I dust everything with a microfiber duster that the dust clings to, or I spray a paper towel and wipe things down, as needed. 

Today my hubby decided it was time to turn the heater on, much to my disapproval.  I try to push off the yearly event as long as possible, but this morning it was a little bit chilly here in southern Georgia.  

As I was dusting, I suddenly felt the dust I was taking off all the surfaces being breathed in to my lungs!  Oops!   

So, what does this do to me? 

With all the extra dust particles inside my lungs, I get tired because my body is trying to expell the foreign bodies and recover.  This is the biggest reason I use diffusers as well as Thieves Household Cleaner when I clean my home.  

In my kitchen diffuser I added 6 drops of Eucalyptus Radiata, turned it on, and breathed really deep before moving on to the living room diffuser.  In it I added 6 drops of Christmas Spirit, turned it on, breathed really deep and continued dusting.

What does this do?  

Looking at the benefits of all the oils from the Eucalyptus Radiata, to the ingredients in the Christmas Spirit blend, there is Northern LIghts Black Spruce, Orange, and Cinnamon Bark.  With each of those oils, there are different benefits that our body's receptors will take in and work to help our bodies in a variety of ways.  With each of our bodies, of course, each of these oils will work with varying degrees.  Each of us are "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God, so what works in a certain way for me may be just a little different for every single one of you!  This is how absolutely MAGNIFICENT our creator is!  

I've been to many doctors, ENTs, allergists, and I've been on medications for the last 30 years of my life.  I've used Albuterol, Steroids, a plethora of antibiotics for upper respiratory infections, bronchial pneumonia, bronchitis and it all comes down to one thing--environmental sensitivities.  To some it's something to "poo-poo" as all in one's head, but when you've dealt with this type of thing for so long with NO answers from the western medical community, it not only gets frustrating, but exasperating when someone does not understand the frustration and continues to operate as if what they are doing is not or will not bother my breathing.  

The exasperation is real, the frustration is real.  Breathing is the most simple elemental thing we do.  To walk in to a room and smell something that is not noticable by others; a chemical, smoke, black mold, something burning, a synthetic perfume, ammonia, bleach, dust, or dirt from traveling next to the plethora of farms here in rural southern Georgia during planting or harvest times, sends me in to a type of asthmatic breathing issue.  I've been driving down the road and seeing smoke or dust flying in the distance, to grab a tissue or a bandana to cover my nose and mouth after making sure the windows are completely closed.  It's almost to a point where I feel like I need to have an air purifying aparatus strapped to me at all times.  It truly is frustrating!  

Changing filters in our home occurs on a monthly basis, cleaning the floors, washing the dogs, the rugs, the bedding, dusting, everything occurs on a schedule.  

So, my own personal defense against all things toxin related is using essential oils in the air, on my body, and internally.  I clean with Thieves Household Cleaner to ensure there isn't a synthetic toxic cleaner in my home. 

The quest for breathing easier has been a lifelong pursuit.  It's seriously a huge concern for me.  If you've dealt with breathing issues much like I have, send me a personal message and we can talk.  

As I prepare for the holidays, my preparations may look a little different than many, but to ensure my house is clean before I take out decorations is a necessity.  

How about you?  If you're feeling the need for greater breathing support, I might have what your looking for! 

Love & God Bless,

Regina Graham

Yes!  You could say I'm nuts, or something!  LOL  I promise I will not "squirrel" away this knowledge!  Keep reading! 

Seriously though, there is some cleaning POWER in these plant juices and it's absolutely mind blowing!  

First of all, I'm a science nut.  I loved teaching science to our kids when we homeschooled for 17 years!  We incorporated the love of science in God's world through everything we could possibly add it to.  What an awesome way to show our kids the fantastic world around us than with how much the Lord loved us by giving us this beautiful wonderful world to not only explore, but experience!  

In the Bible it tells us how the leaves of trees and plants are to be used for medicine, like in this verse:

And all trees for food shall go up by the torrent, on its bank on this side, and on that side. Its leaf shall not fade, nor its fruit fail. It will bear by its months, because its waters come out from the sanctuary. And its fruit shall be for food, and its leaf for healing.(Eze 47:12)

Isn't the Lord magnificent for thinking of us to make a way for the plants to help heal us?!   Here is another one to see:

In the midst of its street, and of the river, from here and from there, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit according to one month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.(Rev 22:2)

God is awesome! 

But, what about cleaning?  

It's the same thing!  When you add a plant based soap to essential oils, you not only disburse the oils through the water, but you get a great cleaning agent!  This is what Young Living Thieves Cleaning line is all about!  All plant based materials  make a super powerful cleaning agent!  

Great question!   If you remember your science, vinegar is an acid.  Acids are one of the things that degrade the power of essential oils.  Sunlight is another thing that degrades the power of essential oils.  It is for this reason that when you buy Young Living essential oils, the bottles are amber brown color.  It keeps the oils shaded.  When you make a roller bottle for someone, it's good to use either cobalt blue, amber, or another shaded color (they come in rainbow colors, too!) to keep the oils as powerful as possible!  

Another great question!  Remembering science class from elementary school, when you did the experiment with water and oil, what happened?  Did the water and oil mix?  No it didn't!  

This is what will happen in your mop bucket or spray bottle.  You need what is called saponification.  In purest form, soponification is the soap part of the cleaning agent.  You could get heavy in to science with this, but for those of you who glaze over with the science of it all, I've simplified the definition.  Those of you who thrive on research, go ahead and look up the definition of the word "saponification."  

What is in Thieves Essential Oil Blend that makes it so powerful?

Quite simply, there are 5 essential oils in this powerful blend: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) bud oil, Lemon (Citrus limon) peel oil, Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) bark oil, Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata) leaf oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaf oil.

Referring back to our scripture verses above, where the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations, each of these wonderfully aromatic plants have specific properties that help our bodies with various issues we may be having. 

 Clove:  This oil is steam distilled from bud and stem--originating in Madagascar & the Spice Islands  HIstorical uses were skin infections, digestive upsets, intestinal parasites, childbirth, and most notably toothaches.  The Chinese also used cloves for diarrhea, hernia, bad breath, and bronchitis. (61)   There are many many other uses for this particular oil that science has proven to help our bodies with since the 1900's.  It's fascinating learning about all the different current day uses!  

Lemon: This oil is one of my favorites.  We use it so much that I order it every other month with my Loyalty Rewards order!   Lemons are cold pressed from the rind ( requires 3,000 lemons to produce a kilo of oil)--usually from California and Italy.  HIstorically, lemon has been used to fight food poisoning, malaria, and typhoid epidemics, and scurvy.  Lemon has also been used to lower blood pressure and to help with liver problesm, arthritis, and muscular aches and pains. (91)    This oil has so many more uses to help with our health and support a healthy immune system!  Interestingly, Lemon essential oil also helps get anything sticky off kids, garage hands, or old paint off things!  I love using this oil in addition to Thieves Household Cleaner when there's something particularly sticky to help clean up!  

Cinnamon Bark Oil: This oil is steam distilled from the bark, which makes it so very much more aromatic and stronger than the ground cinnamon we get in the baking aisle at the store!  It's from India, Madagascar, & Sri Lanka.  Historically this was used in just about evry presciription issued in ancient China.  It was regarded as a tranquilizer, tonic, and stomachic and as being good for depression and a weak heart. ( 58)  I have used this particular Vitality Oil in my pumpkin and blueberry pies without an issue.  They turn out very flavorful and I only have to use a toothpic twirl to add the oil to the batter!  

Eucalyptus Radiata: This oil is steam distilled from leaves and originates in Australia. (71)  There isn't historical research on the uses of this oil, but suffice it to say that this oil helps with every breathing concern I've ever experienced.  This oil, along with other oils have helped with repeated use over a few weeks to a month or more time frame.  This oil is invaluable and is a wonderful asset in Thieves Essential Oil Blend! 

Rosemary: This oil is steam distilled from flowering plant and originates in France, Tunisia, and USA.  Historically the rosemary plant was regarded as sacred by many cifilizations.  It was used as a fumigant to help drive away evil spirits, and to protect against plague and infectious illness. (118)  This oil has been known to help with hair regrowth, also.  It has wonderful help also with Immune, Respiratory, and Nervous systems.  Rosemary Vitality Oil can also be used in food preparation.  I've used a 2 drops in a marinade for steaks as well as over salmon.  It has a wonderful flavor!   

Of course all 5 of these oils combined in a specific way makes up Thieves Essential Oil Blend.  This is the BASE of all the Thieves Line of Products.  There is Thieves Household Cleaner,  Thieves Whitening Toothpaste, Thieves Cough Drops, Thieves Chest Rub, Thieves Laundry Soap (I have a super frugal recipe that stretches this out to  make it last up to 2 years!!!), Thieves Dishwasher Powder, Thieves Hand Sanitizer, Thieves Dish Soap,  Thieves Wipes, Thieves Fruit and Vegetable Soak, Thieves Mints, Thieves Dental Floss, Thieves Mouthwash, and Thieves Foaming Hand Wash.  You can click on any of the products to read about them.  I have used all of the products except the Thieves Mints.  I can attest to their effectiveness and I love the fact that they're all completely plant based and grown without any toxic chemicals.

Disclaimer:  In many cases, when switching from toxin filled, chemical laden products, there is a bit of a learning curve that needs to occur.  You alone are the gatekeeper of your own home.  It is up to you to research the toxins that are in the products you currently use.  I am not a medical professional, nor can I prescribe, diagnose, or treat anyone.  I can educate you in the dangers of the industry's waste products and toxins that you are currently putting on your skin and your loved one's skin as well.  In most, if not all, cases the products you're putting on your skin and in your body have been banned everywhere else in the world except in the US.  The US bans 15 known toxins.  The European Union bans 1,300 known toxins.

  Young Living bans a whopping 2,500 known toxins!