It's Really A No Brainer If You Ask Me

It has been 5 days since Zachary started using a Mental Focus lotion in the morning before school and an inhaler at school (a blend of Basil, Lemon, Peppermint and Clove)

I was eager to see what his teachers had been seeing from him so I started flipping through his agenda and saw so many previous comments about how hard of a time Z has been having or that he had a really bad day, not listening, not being able to sit still ect. So, when I got to yesterday's note, it said "Z had a great week" She didn't go into further details so I am going to call her to see how he has been doing and what changes she has seen in him since starting the Mental Focus but just seeing that positive note was amazing!

I finally have hope that there is something that we are able to do for him and his ADHD symptoms besides more meds.

I am also doing more research and have found a company called Native American Naturals that has an oil blend that was designed for ADHD and they have a supplement that is supposed to work wonders. I was emailing the owner back and forth and he said that one of his customers put her son on this supplement and after 1 month, her son was put into a typical classroom because his behavior had improved so much. AND they have insanely reasonable prices! But they are an American company so shipping will probably cost more then the order it's self but the way I see it.... I could forget about all of this and stick Zach on a typical ADHD med. Yes, it will take away the bounciness but will it help him concentrate? I'm not so sure. Will Don and I get a break from his constant whining? Yes, but because he has isolated himself in his room. Also, he is not his happy, social self. You can see it in him that these pills make him miserable. I would still be paying $100+ a month for these pills or I could be paying that for something that also works but is natural and doesn't take our happy go lucky boy away from us. It's really a no brainer to me.

 ~Keep Calm And Oil On

A Happy & Calm Blend With Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang & Tangerine

Okay, my eyes are seeing double from all the reading I have been doing. Between books, blogs, websites and forums, I am trying my best for form an unbiased opinion on EO's and EO companies.

There was a great blog that I read today where a mom took about a year to compare companies. The research and dedication that she put in is amazing! I learned alot but realized that there isn't a perfect answer. All companies are going to have their pros and cons, it's up to you to decide what it the most important to you when choosing an EO. Make sure to read all 7 parts! It's worth it and you learn a ton!
http://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/natural-remedies/the-great-essential-oils-showdown-in-search-of-the-best-essential-oils/

I unexpectedly have a kid free afternoon to myself so off The Apothecary I went. I could spend hours and tons of money in there.... both of which I did lol I was talking with a guy who is in the middle of completing his certification from the same school that I am looking into. So it is encouraging to see how knowledgeable I will become in about a year.

We talked about what I want to accomplish for Zach (I'm looking for something to use after school in between the Mental Focus for school and the Sleepy Time blend that I put together and something that I can use of weekends) We talked about different oils and combos and what types of smells that I know he does and does not like. In the end, we came up with a great blend that I call Happy & Calm. It is a blend of Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang and Tangerine. Apparently, Tangerine is called the Children's oil because kids love the smell. It does smell great if I do say so myself.

Both cedarwood and Ylang Ylang are calming oils while Tangerine makes you happy so combined you got Calm and Happy... hence the name. If my mind wasn't so full from all the info that I am trying to absorb, I would come up with a more clever name.... maybe tomorrow.

I made this combo into an oil to use on his feet and big toes when he gets home from school and an inhaler for emergancy tantrum situations. The guy I was talking to even said I could make a room spray and when they are in middle of a tantrum, I can just spray them like you would a cat LOL Just picturing that makes me laugh.

So, I have made the combo and put it on Zachary's feet when he got home as he seemed wound up. About 5 minutes after putting it on, our family room was quiet noisy so he went up to his room to play but noticed that he returned with his toys about 15 minutes later once things down here calmed down. He is still bouncy and looks like he is trying to fight the calming agents so will see how he is after dinner.
I'm wondering if the Tangerine was too much for him as he really doesn't need any uppers at all, he is a very happy, social and overly active kids. I just added the Tangerine to help the scent. But Ylang Ylang has a good scent on it's own so I might try a combo of just the Cedarwood and Ylang Ylang.

My intent was to get a bottle of Vetiver as I have heard great things about it to control anger and outbursts which Zach has but the smell isn't the greatest so we will see. A lot of the blends that Young Living and DoTerra both have for ADHD contain this oil as well as a blog that I read abut a mom finding the right blend for her ADHD son.
http://www.younglivingsuccess.com/2009/08/essential-oils-for-add-and-adhd.html

Zach's temperament has been up and down all evening so I'm not sure about this current blend. I will do more research tomorrow to see if I can tweak it.

On a side note, I picked up a bottle of Rose for myself. This oil has too many benefits to list but considered the "crown jewel" of EO's. Did you know it can take around 220lbs of Rose to make 1 liter of 100% Pure essential Rose oil? That is why it is sooo expensive.

I am going to work on a blend for a lot of my friends and family that keep asking me about an anxiety/stress blend for themselves and thought I would add Rose to spoil us. The mental and health benefits for Rose is incredible and would be a wonderful addition to any blend and I'm excited to work on one for me and my friends.

~Keep Calm And Oil On

Helping A Mommy Out

I am so excited from the responses that I am getting about how many people are interested in EO's for themselves and their kids.

First off, I am NOT an expert or a professional (yet ;0) I'm just a Mommy who is trying to find a way to help my family move through life without the nagging symptoms that they carry with them everyday.

Secondly, I promise to do my very best to research and recommend EO's that are safe for your kids and if you are pregnant or nursing. As there are oils with safety warnings for these groups but from what I have been seeing, a lot of people don't take this seriously. Obviously, you can take whatever you want and yes, it probably is not going to hurt you but there are certain products that I would be wary of for certain people and I wouldn't want to be in a situation where someone I know is saying Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda... But if there is something that you just have to try, then great but it's on you.
There, that's my disclaimer lol Professional wasn't it ;0)  

Okay, so the main request I am getting from parents is helping their kids ADHD. And I can honestly say, if it was someone else doing it, this is the one I would be asking about first as well. Zachary has horrible episodes of ADHD and I say episodes because there are times that he will sit and focus.... it's usually while he is playing on the Ipad but hey! it's a start. This is also the very first question I asked about in the workshop that I took last weekend. I said, tell me everything you know about this and can I make it stop?

So through the knowledge I gained at my workshop and research I have done online thus far (as I am learning new blends everyday), this is what I would recommend and is using for my son.

The very first EO I was ever introduced to ever was Peace & Calming by Young Living.
It sounds like a great oil and we have a good experience with it. This is what got me believing in that EO's could really work. But when I attended my workshop, my insturctor who I believe has an insane amount of knowledge and experience said because of one of the ingredients, Blue Tansy, that it should not be used on kids.
I brought this to the attention of a group of moms who use YLEOs on their Autistic kids and none of them had a concern about using it and swear by it. I have been given alot of 3rd party research (that I am still going through) that also states that Peace & Calming is safe to use. So, at the moment, I would say it is most likely safe to use if you wanted to try it and I may go back to it in the future after I have gone through all of the research. I will attach the link but even of the Young Living website, it states that it is safe to use on kids.
And for being such a large respected company (for those of you new to the EO world, Young Living has the reputation of having the BEST, most pure oils in the world) I don't think they would be able to post that an oil is safe for kids when in fact its not. But when I form a more informed decision, I will let you know.
For now, I would say it would be a good one for older children to try if you wanted.

The very first oil blend that I ever made is a Hyperactivity Blend for Kids. I made it into a massage oil and a room spray.
It is a blend of Lavender and Chamomile. Lavender is sometimes called the "Universal Oil" because it has so many uses for our minds and bodies. It can heal, be calm and soothing but invigorate as well. Roman Chamomile is relaxing and soothing to both the mind and the body as well. So these two EO's together make a great blend for hyperactive kids.
I used 2 drops of Lavender and 1 drop of Chamomile (as Chamomile is the stronger of the two oils) and mixed it in 2 tablespoons of Sweet Almond Oil. You can use other oil bases if you want as Sweet Almond Oil would have an allergy reaction to anyone with a tree nut allergy.
I put 1 drop of the blend on Zach's feet especially concentrating on his 2 big toes as those are the brain reflexers in the feet. I also use 1 drop on the back of his neck at his hair line (in the indent) where the brain meets the spine. Then I finish off with 1 drop for his back but focus mainly on his spine.

As for the Room Spray, I called The Sleepy Time Room Spray, I used the same EO blend of Lavender and Chamomile. I used 10 drops of Lavender and 8 drops of Chamomile, 36 drops of Emulsifier (a bonding agent between oil and water) and 120 mls of water. I put it in a spray bottle and add 1 spray each to all 3 of my kids pillows, beds and rooms.

The results that we have seen from this combo has been great! We used to have a horrible time at bedtime. Grumpy, screaming kids that would not listen and just run all over the place. Then add on a hour of knocking on the door onto that after we actually got them in their rooms with "I want this and I want that" We were exhausted by the time it was our turn to go to bed and e were feeling exhausted as we were never getting any down time... it was all catering to the kids all the while trying to keep them from waking the baby up.
But since using the oil and room spray, there is no knocking and the kids are willing and able to go to bed. When I come in to see them, the big kids actually go and lay down waiting for me to apply the oil.
I have been applying the oil to Zach in the morning as well before school on his back and spine.

The other blend I am using on Zachary is a lotion and an inhaler I blended called Mental Focus. The EO is available at The Apothecary in Inglewood in Calgary. The lotion I made consisted of 8 drops of Mental focus in 30 mls of lotion. I use about a nickle sized amount on the bottoms of his feet while paying extra attention for his big toes. I also use a small amount on his spine and his wrists.
I used 20 drops of Mental Focus in an inhaler that he is using at school for times when he feels like he may be losing a bit of control or feeling foggy.

So, this is Zachary's protocol that we have been using. Another EO that I would recommend and still want to try is Tranquil Touch. I will probably replace my blend of Lavender and Chamomile with this one in the near future. Tranquil Touch is a calming and soothing blend of Lavender, Chamomile and Mandarin and was formulated specifically for babies and children at The Apothecary in Inglewood.

I have been reading and learning more about different oils and what they can do for us. One blend that I will be looking into alot more for ADHD is a combo of Vetiver, Cedarwood and Lavender. Not sure how that would smell but from the research that I was reading ( I will include the link) Vetiver was shown to help 100% of ADD/ADHD students in a study.

I know that this is alot of info and I have alot more to share but I will finish off with this one right now.... Alexis is pulling me off the computer for her time now.

But here are some links to the information that I have posted about today. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything!

Links for references ( I don't have a link for the Mental Focus but will include The Apothecary and you can contact them for more information)
http://www.youngliving.com/essential-oils/Roman-Chamomile
http://www.youngliving.com/essential-oils/Lavender
http://www.youngliving.com/essential-oil-blends/Peace-And-Calming
http://www.allthingsjill.ca/peaspod/tranqtouch-syn.htm
http://the-apothecary.ca/
http://www.younglivingsuccess.com/2009/08/essential-oils-for-add-and-adhd.html

~Keep Calm & Oil On

Mental Focus

Oh! There is just so much to talk about! Don't know where to start.

Basically, if you have an emotional or health issue, it's about 99.9999% certain that there is an oil or oil blend that can help. Anything from a flaky forehead to assist with labour pains to relieving symptoms associated with cancer treatments... and everything in between.

One oil I wish I knew about as a teenage was Tea Tree oil! A dab of this very versatile oil can clear up acne!
When you get a burn for the stove or curling iron (I've done both) reach for the Lavender... one drop over the burn with stop inflammation and seal the skin so there is less chance of infection and scaring.
Seriously, I could go on and on from all the information that I am learning.

But for this post, I will explain the protocol that I have started for Zachary.

In the morning we are starting with a Mental Focus lotion foot rub. I made a lotion combing 1+% (or 8 drops. 6 drops is 1% but I added 2 more for an extra little kick ;0) Mental Focus blend which contains Basil, Peppermint, Lemon and Clove.  This oil is meant to provide clarity and supports concentration and memory retention.
Zachary has a lot of trouble quieting his mind to be able to concentrate in school and at home so I thought this would be a good blend for him.
I have given his teacher an inhaler with 20 drops of Mental Focus in it as well to use during the day when they feel like he is getting off track. 1-2 inhales in each nostril is plenty as these oils work very fast and are very effective.
When he gets home from school, depending on his mood, I will be doing either another Mental Focus foot rub or will be using 1-2 drops of Tranquil Touch oil. Tranquil Touch is an oil that consists of Lavender, Chamomile and Mandarin.
When Zach got home from school today, he was still in a very happy place and calm so I didn't use anything on him.
At bedtime, I have been using a combo blend that I made consisting of a 1% blend of Lavender and Chamomile (This is 4 drops of Lavender and 2 drops Chamomile in 30mls of Sweet Almond Oil)
I have been giving him a foot massage with just one drop on each foot and 2 drops on his back.
I finish off with a Sleepy Time Room Spray that I created as well. This consists of Lavender and Chamomile as well. (10 drops of Lavender, 8 drops of Chamomile, 36 drops of Emulsifier and 120 mls of water)
I do one spray on his pillow, one spray over his bed and one spray in the middle of his room for fun.
I have been using the oil and spray in the girls rooms as well and finding it very helpful in settling them down and falling asleep.
I am still doing some research on finding the right combo to get Isabella to sleep through the night but I'm not sure if there is even an oil for that one ;)

We have been seeing a calmer, more manageable and happier Zachary. It hasn't completely brought him down to a comatose level but at least now I can reason with him most of the time. And for the times that he has passed being manageable, I give him another Mental Focus foot rub and within 15 minutes, he's back.
I will be making another Mental Focus inhaler for home as well for emergencies where I can get him to sit for a foot rub.

These are all oils that I have purchased from The Apothecary in Inglewood in Calgary. Young Living does have a few blends that are aimed towards calming, concentration, and lifting that mental fogginess and I will be doing more research on those as well to see if there is something that is a better fit for us. But for now, I am happy with the combo we are working with. But the goal is to keep learning and evolving to find what works.

This was taken 15 minutes after a meltdown.

I did a Mental Focus foot rub over the tops and bottoms of his feet. 

Don't mind the pink socks, they were the closest socks

I could find to cover the lotion on his feet.

It is very rare to see him with eye contact like that!

I was AMAZED! 

~Keep Calm & Oil On 

   

And My Journey Begins...

I am so excited to start discovering Essential Oils (EO) and how they have been healing people for thousands of years.

I was introduced to EO's totally randomly by a fellow mom on a community facebook page. I had mentioned that I had been having issues with my 7 year old son Zachary who has autism. I guess she had come past a FB post about using EO's to treat Autism symptoms.

At first, I was like, ya right, just another product slapping "Autism" onto their product to get desperate parents to buy it. But something inside told me to look into it. I was a skeptic as first but the more I read and the more testimonials that I came across, I started to realize that there is something really here. And this was the same week that I took Z back to the doctor to talk about putting him back onto ADHD medication.

So, I am beginning this journey in the EO world and already really impressed with what I have learned and the vast amount of information and possibilities to help everyone and anyone that is open to the idea of alternative medicine.

I completed a EO workshop this weekend and learned sooo much that I am now taking steps to obtain my certification in Aromatherapy. I would love to specialize in kids but would love to help anyone who would lie my help as well.

At the end of the workshop yesterday, we were asked what was the one single most important piece of information that we learned? And for me, it was to question everything that you buy in an EO! If you are buying an oil called Peace & Calming for your hyperactive child, it sure sounds great BUT do you really know what is in it combo of oil? And are they safe for everyone?

I will admit, this was my very first mistake. I had heard about an oil called Peace & Calming, it had great reviews and a ton of testimonials of parents swearing by this oil for their children. So of course in all my excitement, I went and bought a bottle and oiled all 3 of my kids up at bedtime. I will admit that it worked well and I was a happy camper and going on my merry way of looking into more oils that I could use on my kids.

In the workshop that I attended, our instructor is a seasoned vet in the world of aromatherapy. She has been a licensed practitioner for over 25 years and taught the aromatherapy program at Mount Royal for 15 years. I asked her about the oil that I was using and she asked for the ingredients in it. Shyly, I didn't know off the top of my head cause honestly, I never checked. I did have the info with me though, she looked at it and within 5 seconds said I should not be using this on a child. I was in shock, but everyone else is using it on their kids, well, I guess there are alot of guilty people out there like I was, who never stopped to see what was actually in it or do know and don't think there is enough in there to do any harm. There is an ingredient called Blue Tansy that has a hormonal agent to it and should not be used by children or pregnant women.

But the teacher was proud of me for taking action to learn about aromatherapy as a fragile balance between nature and science and how I can apply it to help treat Z's Autism symptoms and anyone else who will let me.

And I did learn that the shop where I took the workshop (The Apothecary in Inglewood) DOES carry an EO line just for babies and kids! So, I have stopped using the Peace & Calming on the kids and have a new protocol that I am using. ( I will post it in it's own blog posting)

This afternoon, I'm off to make a few blends for friends and my husband. For my hubby, an EO lotion containing Lavender and Peppermint to help his very dry forehead that has been bothering him for years with no relief from a ton of different soaps and moisturizers that he has tried. For one of my friends and for Zachary, an EO lotion containing a blend called Mental Focus to help her son with concentration and studying and an inhaler to use on the go. And another EO lotion containing Peppermint, Spearmint and Rosemary for a friends emotional wellness.

I am really excited for this adventure to begin!

~Keep Calm & Oil On