I made an announcement the other day on Facebook that I had, in fact, become one of “Those oil ladies.” I don’t normally consider myself one who feels the need to make personal announcements or post check-ins on social media, but this turn of events warranted an announcement. You see, signing up for Young Living Oils was something I had indeed announced I wasn’t going to do, every Monday in fact in my How to Live the Little Way posts (formally called the Daybooks).
In those weekly How to Live the Little Way posts, under the “Self Care” header, I link to a post explaining why I buy my oils direct from Edens Garden or Amazon, Where I’m From: Smells Like Home. I still like those oils and never had or will have anything but praise for them. But now I’m in a season where I need more than just a “Buy Now” click and a promise of free shipping.
Observing From a Safe Distance
My blogging friend Candace at His Mercy is New started talking about Young Living a couple of years ago and I listened when she posted something because I have always known Candace to be a genuine blogger. I also knew Candace struggled with her moods and emotions and when she started looking different and speaking differently, I knew she was moving in a much healthier direction and I knew this new journey she was on was directly related to lifestyle changes she was making.
The beginning of this year I ran into a post of Dr. Edie Wadsworth on Bullet Journaling for Mommas. After watching her video and thinking, “Wow, this girl gets it!” I started using her bullet journaling method and so did two of my daughters. As a matter of fact, we loved Dr. Edie’s personality and information so much, if she was talking about it, we were listening! Food, bullet journaling, essential oils, health, and wellness, even how to apply false eyelashes! Although none of us have ever worn false eyelashes!
A couple of months ago my daughter Anna and I took a month long challenge Dr. Edie led. I don’t remember the name but it was about living our best life. Isn’t that funny I can’t remember the name right now. Anna and I were especially intrigued every time she taught something, no matter how small, about the benefits of using essential oils. Part of what was so intriguing was the fact that a professionally trained medical doctor, a Family Practice MD, was extolling the virtues of essential oils.
The unique thing about Dr. Edie is not her love of essential oils; we all have a friend or friends who love their oils. It isn’t even her knowledge of oils; again, we all have that friend who has spent hours researching oils. It’s her medical and scientific background infused into her oil research, her teaching heart, her love of God and His creation and realization that God made plants for our benefit and thus the oils from the plants. She is the whole package. And to me, the whole package looks very familiar.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
When my babies were little, little and I only had a couple of them, my health was rocky for a bit. After my second baby in two years and tandem nursing, my body was just not working right. I went to my doctor and had all the blood work drawn only to be told everything was normal. I knew everything was not normal, not for me at least.
I had heard about this woman who ran an old health food store in an old part of town who looked in your eyes and could tell you what was wrong with you. By nature, I am extremely skeptical. But at that time in my life, I was a youngish momma of two little girls who knew something was not right with me physically, that trumped my skepticism.
One morning I loaded my two littles up and we headed to town. The old store was run down and smelled like health food stuff. Connie was an older woman who I guessed, had lived a well-lived life, that’s the nicest way I can think of putting it. I told her something didn’t feel right with me and wondered if she could help. Connie looked into my eyes and told me my thyroid was sluggish. I told her I had had my thyroid checked and it was perfectly situated right in the middle of the ideal range.
I left the health food store that day a little discouraged and feeling a little foolish for thinking that woman could have given me any insight into my healthy just by looking into my eyes. Almost a month later, I went back, feeling even worse than before. Connie didn’t remember me and I didn’t tell her anything about my symptoms other than the fact that I just didn’t feel right.
Just like the first time I had visited the health food store, she looked into my eyes and told me my thyroid was sluggish. She started asking questions and the fact that I had been pregnant and nursing for two solid years at that point made her even more adamant my thyroid was sluggish; even with the “perfect” bloodwork. I left with a couple of bottles of this and that. Two weeks of taking the recommended supplements and I felt back to my old, healthy self.
Connie continued to help keep me healthy through a couple of more pregnancies before she retired. She taught me to trust my mothering instinct when my children weren’t feeling well and taught me natural ways to build not only their immune system but mine as well. But then she retired, I had a house full of homeschooling kids and life moved on. Soon, it was just easier to reach for the Tylenol or the cough medicine that to research alternatives and trust my research.
Back to the Oils
Enter essential oils. This year, the more I have heard and read about essential oils, the more I long for that time years ago when I was more intuitive with our health and well being. I’ve checked out some books this year from the library and read articles shared on Facebook, but haven’t really felt knowledgeable enough about essential oils to really use them other than put some drops in a diffuser or put some Lavender on my pillow.
Although, when I had my hysterectomy a year ago, I did message Candace and asked about some oils that would help keep my mind and body steady after the surgery. She was so helpful and I credit some of the oils recommended with helping me through recovery–physically, mentally, and emotionally. This year though, my desire to learn more about essential oils kept rubbing against my limited time and uncertainty in the what and where to learn more. Google “essential oils” and the amount of information is overwhelming and who knows how accurate???
Enter Candace and Dr. Edie again. Candace has an amazing health journey under her belt now and continues to learn and grow and support her mind and body. Not only have I been quietly taking note, but I’ve also been quietly cheering her on. I completely understand when our emotions are out of whack, our entire life is out of whack. I learned this the excruciatingly hard way when I suffered with out of control anxiety and obsessive thoughts.
I’ve virtually sat in on a couple of Dr. Edie’s essential oil teachings via Facebook and am astounded by the amount of information she shares and the manageable way she shares it. This group definitely doesn’t lack well-researched information! Some people are overwhelmed with where to start for lack of help, I almost feel overwhelmed with so much information! I want to start everywhere!
An Oily Commitment
I decided this week it was silly for me to chase every link on the internet or check out the latest essential oil book when I could join Young Living with Candace and immediately begin learning and growing in my essential oil knowledge from Candace’s personal experience and Dr. Edie’s medical perspective. So yes, I have become “One of those oil ladies.” Proudly. And my 17-year-old daughter is standing right next to me, actually, truth be told, right ahead of me learning more and quicker than me!
As one of “those essential oil ladies” I will share my love for essential oils, just like I did when I purchased from Edens Garden and Amazon. But now I will also choose, at times, to share a greater knowledge and understanding as I learn from Candace and Dr. Edie.
If you would like to learn more about essential oils and learn about them from a medical doctor’s perspective, click this link here and I will happy to help you learn more, alongside me. Don’t worry, clicking that link won’t sign you up for anything formally. It will just let me know that you’re interested in learning more, so when Dr. Edie or Candace offers a free essential oils class online, I’ll shoot you an email letting you know when and how you can sit in on it virtually.
Kellie Marquez says
We visited Connie many times. My MIL introduced me to her.
Jenny says
Really! She was so helpful to me when the girls were little♥