There’s sooo much great information on incorporating essential oils for back-to-school success, I had to break it in to two posts.  (Check out Part 1 HERE.) I saved the best for last…supporting those immune systems! Once they are back in school, we want them to STAY there. As a busy, working mom, there’s nothing worse than a 3am wake-up call and knowing a kid is going to have to stay home the next day. Mom and dad immediately start trying to shift things and reschedule in the middle of the night. But, did you know you can use essential oils to support all the systems of those precious little bodies to help them stay healthy (even in the midst of all the hacking and cooties around them)?

Essential Oils for Supporting a Healthy Immune System

Let’s face it, our littles are back to sharing EVERYTHING and bringing stuff home too.  Ewww…no thanks. Keeping them healthy is the name of the game. Essential oils are so easy to use with kiddos and they are powerful allies to have on our side when kids are back in school! They help oxygenate cells, support the body’s natural detoxification process, and help defend. When applied topically (i.e. on skin), essentials oils absorb rapidly. It takes roughly 2-3 minutes for them to reach the bloodstream and 20-30 minutes to impact every cell. Important stuff! These are a few of our favorites to use this time of year.

• Thieves blend: This is the first oil I reach for as soon as school starts! We keep diluted bottles of Thieves with rollerball tops by the kids’ beds. Before bed each night, we rub it on the bottoms of their feet. And if there are rumors of the creepy-crud at school, we use again in the morning as well!
• R.C. blend: Hello, happy chest! This blend includes cypress, spruce and 3 types of eucalyptus oils. All great for healthy lungs and chest! We like to apply a drop in some coconut oil directly on the chest. We also diffuse at night, some times with lavender. {Mama Tip: My favorite way to use R.C. is a few drops in a cup of Epsom salts for a soothing, therapeutic bath soak!}
• Peppermint: Peppermint has long been regarded for it’s ability to soothe a tummy. One drop in some coconut or olive oil rubbed directly on the belly. Peppermint is also cooling. We use a drop on the bottoms of the feet or in the belly button to help their natural response to an elevated body temperature.
• Lemon: Such a simple oil, so many wonderful benefits! We use lemon as a little added helper during the winter. I keep a diluted rollerball of lemon oil and like to swipe along the spine. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
• SniffleEase: This is part of the KidScents collection of oils…made just for little ones and ready to use right out of the bottle. And I love that their names take away the guess work! We apply SniffleEase on the chest, the bottoms of the feet and use in the diffuser.
• TummyGize: Another KidScents oil, this is a favorite in our house! One or two drops rubbed directly on the tummy. AHHHH…
• Lavender: What is lavender oil NOT good for? I haven’t found anything yet! Lavender is known for being safe and gentle. But with that, many assume it is meek and mild. Not so! Lavender is a powerhouse and often called the Swiss Army Knife of essential oils. When in doubt, grab some lavender. I like to rub a drop on the forehead of my little ones for extra support. Ears needs some extra love? We put a drop of lavender on a cotton ball and place the cotton right in the ear. If they will sit still, I like to leave it there for about 10 minutes.  {Safety note: Never drop essential oils down inside the ear.} We also apply lavender oil around the outer part of the ear.

One of the best things about essential oils is their amazing versatility! So don’t be overwhelmed, just pick something that resonates with you and start incorporating it at home.

Diffuse!

There is no easier way to use essential oils with kids!  Cold mist or cold water diffusers have a reservoir to fill with water, and then add essential oils. A good rule of thumb is about 6-8 drops of oil for a 100-200 ml diffuser. Once activated, the oils are diffused in to the air through a fine mist. Because the oils are highly diluted in diffusers, you are able to diffuse for 4-8 hours at a time (depending on the size of your reservoir). Diffusing maximizes the benefits of oils by inhalation. And it’s more than just a pretty scent. Did you know that when you smell an oil, it is the molecules of the oil triggering your sense of smell? When you inhale essential oils, the molecules of oil enter your system and are transported to the brain in less than 30 seconds! (Our bodies are amazingly efficient!) Guess what else that means…you don’t have to pin down those crazy littles to apply oils. Simply drop oils in the diffuser and turn it on! Even the most stubborn subjects will unknowingly inhale the benefits. 😉 Sneaky, Mom, very sneaky.

Kick Toxic Ingredients to the Curb

This is one of the most important things you can do for the health of everyone in your home and most often overlooked. Unfortunately, most conventional cleaning, air freshening and personal care products contain ingredients which are KNOWN hormone disruptors, carcinogens, interfere with natural body processes, and more. Even those marketed toward children. Bummer, I know. And take antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers…there is NO evidence that they work any better than soap and water. And yet they contain triclosan (more on this below) and are sold to us to protect our precious little ones!

Check to see if your products contain any of the following:

• Parabens {methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben} – endocrine disruption, development and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity, linked to cancer
• Phthalates {Bisphenol A (BPA) DBP (dibutyl phthalate), DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate), DiNP (diisononyl phthalate), DEP (diethyl phthalate), BBzP (benzyl butyl phthalate), DEHP (di 2-ethylhexl phthalate), DiDP (diisodecyl phthalate), DnHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate), DMP (dimethyl phthalate), DnOP (di-n-octylphthalate)} – hormone disruption (including early development in kids), reduced fertility, ADHD, learning disability, behavior problems, asthma & allergies, premature birth & birth defects, heart disease (Also watch for these in lunch boxes, water bottles and baby teethers!)
• Triclosan – disrupts thyroid hormones, linked to heart disease (due to interference with muscular tissue), organ system toxicity and irritation, allergies & immunotoxicity, and again thought to be likely linked to cancer.

 

You can see why these are bad news, ESPECIALLY in little, growing bodies.  And this list doesn’t even address many terrible ingredients in cleaners! These toxins build up in our bodies over time (called the body burden), create health issues ranging from annoying to serious, and definitely interfere with our body’s normal ability to keep itself healthy. Sooo…we want those littles to stay healthy all winter long, right? An important step is ridding the home of products with toxic ingredients that get in the way of staying healthy.  If you want to learn more about removing toxic ingredients and replacing with healthy options, you are welcome to join my Healthy Home ➜ Toxin Free Facebook group HERE for 30-days of practical info!

Thieves It Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thieves to the rescue! (If I had a nickel…) Thieves is one of Young Living’s most popular oil blends and there is an entire product line of oil-infused products designed to protect/defend our wellness. And OF COURSE effective and completely safe and healthy for everyone in my house! Love. Here are some of my go-to necessities…

• Thieves Household Cleaner: MUST. HAVE. Period. This is the ONLY cleaner I use or need in my house. Crazy effective and completely safe around my littles. Added bonus – no awful fumes and no need for rubber gloves! Thieves Household Cleaner is concentrated, so you only need about a teaspoon (or one cap full) in a large spray bottle. Making it (are you ready for this?) the MOST cost effective cleaner!!! Boom! Plus, you can mix up a more concentrated blend as a degreaser, add some lemon oil and vinegar for a glass cleaner, and add to baking soda for a scrub.
• Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier: Necessity for winter time! Soap and water with good scrubbing will do the job, but many times they don’t have access to wash their hands. My kids keep a travel-size Thieves Hand Purifier hanging on their back packs so they can use it any time they can’t wash their hands. I also keep one in my car, purse, gym bag, pretty much everywhere! The large size makes it easy to refill the travel bottles and also makes a great teacher gift!
• Thieves Spray: A portable essential oil spray for cleaning on-the-go. Another one that is always in my purse. I use it to spray down shopping carts, toilet seats, toys, door handles, hotel remotes, counters, etc. Also perfect for school desks and cafeteria tables.
• Thieves Wipes: I always keep these on-hand to wipe things down, especially when “stuff” is going around during the winter months. Infused with the power of Thieves, they make it super convenient for a busy mom to grab and wipe down counters, light switches, door knobs, anything little hands have touched.
• Thieves Laundry Soap and Dish Soap: Two of my absolute favorites! These are super effective and smell wonderfully fresh. Safe, plant-based ingredients. I ditched the harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients and now use these instead to reduce the chemical burden on my sweet ones.

 

I also like to use a little extra Thieves essential oil. Like a drop of Thieves oil in my dishwasher or sink dish water with whatever dishes and water bottles those little germ-magnets have used.

More info HERE on Young Living Thieves goodness. AND…did you know you can get started with Young Living with a Thieves Premium Starter Kit? This is a great way to start replacing products in your home with safe, healthy, effective alternatives AND get all the benefits of a Young Living wholesale account (check out all the benefits and Premium Starter Kit options HERE).

As if this isn’t awesome enough, check out Part 1 of this post for ways to use essential oils to wake them up, get them going, help them focus (hello, homework), get good rest and more! Here’s to a great school year!

You may also want to check out how to make Essential Oil Infused Tissues HERE.