Why Essential Oils? This is my Why!

Ive had some people asking, Why Essential Oils, do they really “work”, “are they just a fad?” “Can they really help me?” “Will it be a waste of money…”

Ultimately this is a decision you must make on your own to be open to learning and the possibility of natural health and wellness … however this is my story!

Let me begin with saying, this past year + has been an amazing time of growth, education and change – in so many ways for myself and my family.

Ive made a decision to further my education and share my own knowledge and experience with essential oils.

Why?

Because the oils themselves have had a profound effect on our family and our daily life. The company Ive chosen to represent, continues to set their standards higher to ensure their oils are 100% pure with no additives, chemicals, fillers and true to the labeling of what is written on the bottle is in fact what is IN the bottle! It is extremely important to do your research, know the company and their history, before using any essential oil. Especially since there is no governing body to regulate the industry.

I love my job working within our family business dedicated to Home Comfort – whether its Plumbing and Heating or Property Rentals. This for me was a very natural fit. Since becoming an avid Essential Oil user I now feel much more dedicated to “Home Comfort” and am finally able to fully enjoy my job and life in general – because I FEEL GOOD!

I am not shy about sharing that I am living with THREE invisible illnesses. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome PCOS, Hypothyroidism and Endometriosis.

Did you know that when you have these illnesses – or other invisible illnesses for that matter – there are a LOT of over the counter meds you are not to take… I didn’t know this, I was never told this, I found this out on my own.

Did the Essential Oils cure me? No.

Essential Oils do not cure – they support the body’s natural functions.

Essential Oils are plant based and something that our body easily recognizes whether it be applied topically, aromatically or internally*.

For many, Many MANY years I suffered in silence, I felt broken, I felt so very much alone. I went through years of various “treatments”, many tests which showed I was “in the normal range” yet I felt off, unhappy, had zero energy to do anything, was extremely uncomfortable, experiencing daily discomfort and completely felt at a loss. I was losing out on fun with my family which was bringing me down even more.

For anyone else out there who has had similar feelings – you are not alone!

I was first introduced to Essential Oils from someone within our community, I was looking for a natural option for our family and after leaving my first class I knew this was it! I went home, read through all of the information, did research online about essential oils, read up on the various oils and what they could do for us… finally making my first purchase in June 2014. For the first few months I slowly began integrating the oils into our daily life, if something came up rather than doing what we had always done, I made myself think outside of the box, beyond what I was always used to.

This is when I began noticing that the oils were making a difference, not just in myself but also in my kids.

When asked what we use the oils for or how they could help someone else… my first thought is “for everything”… because we truly do use them for everything!

How have they helped ME personally…

  • Head tension.
    The head tension I used to experience all.the.time is now .5 out of 20 days – significantly less. I use a tension blend as well as our soothing blend, lavender and frankincense – depending on the type of tension. When its more severe I will use all three – however I am so happy to say that this is extremely rare now – yay!
  • Constant discomfort and pain.
    The constant discomfort and pain I had almost daily in my abdomen related to PCOS, its significantly less. I used to be in tears some days because of this pain and was taking over the counter meds all.the.time so often in fact that it began not being as effective in the past. I have not taken an over the counter med in a year now!
  • Stomach/Digestive discomfort and pain.
    For years I experienced a lot of discomfort and irregularity with my stomach and digestive health – again comes with the above illnesses I live with. With our digestive blend I have not only relief, but comfort as well as the wonderful feeling of being more “normal”.
  • I am sleeping extremely well.
    Over the years Ive had difficulty sleeping an entire night, which as we know affects our day to day activities and overall wellness. I have never slept better than I do with my diffuser and various essential oils. A few fav combinations are Wild Orange and Lavender, Cedarwood and Bergamot, Vetiver and Lavender… in the past I did try a prescribed sleeping aid – please do NOT. Your body then 100% relies on this medicine to sleep and you can become dependent on this.
  • I feel balanced.
    Anyone who has an invisible illness will know exactly what this means. Some days can truly feel like an uphill battle and regardless the various options I tried, my body was simply miserable. I truly believe feeling this balanced is a combination of the essential oils I use daily  and the supplements I take daily. These supplements are outstanding and are natural plant based – you can actually see the powdered nutrients in the veggie capsule move – they are not packed and compressed into one large multivitamin, I personally experienced stomach discomfort and ill-feelings with these types of compressed multivitamins I used to take.
  • I am not sick all.the.freaking.time !
    This is huge for me. I used to get sick all the time. Very annoying. I used to take the over the counter “stuff” to help with various issues – as I mentioned above… not many people know that with a variety of invisible illness (also including many heart issues) there are many over the counter meds you are NOT to be taking. I was never educated about this when diagnosed, I found this out on my own. Another one of the long list of warnings on the product package!

Do you have to have an illness for your body to positively benefit from the use of essential oils? Of course not…

The essential oils assist us and within our home in:

  • protecting against environmental and seasonal threats,
  • deterring insects,
  • promoting healthy cell function,
  • powerful cleansing and purifying agent,
  • creating a sense of calm and well-being,
  • promoting whole-body relaxation,
  • soothes sore muscles and joints,
  • cooling the body,
  • enhances memory function,
  • promotes mental alertness,
  • reduces stress and tension,
  • soothes minor skin irritations,
  • maintains clear airways and breathing,
  • supports overall respiratory health,
  • soothes and balances the digestive system,
  • promotes healthy, clear skin,
  • and so So SO much more!

I am in no way anti-doctor, my kids are vaccinated, they’ve had all of their check ups etc, our medical system in Canada is one we are extremely lucky to have – when its required. We have never received the flu shot and I am confident we never will. There is most definitely a time and need for prescription medication, however my personal experience is they tend to be over prescribed.

In January of this year I began taking plant based supplements, beginning with a lower dose and a few months later upping to the full recommended dose. I have honestly never felt better. These supplements are scientifically made up to assist the body in finding its natural balance with optimal levels of the various vitamins and minerals required for the body. They provide essential vitamins and minerals to support normal growth, function and maintenance of cells; fights free radicals with antioxidant vitamins A, C and E; supports healthy metabolism and cellular energy (huge for someone with PCOS); supprots bone health, healthy immune function and healthy digestion (also important); promotes healthy cardiovascular and nervous system function; supports healthy joint function and comfort; protects against lipid oxidation and supports healthy function of the brain and much much more!

About 10 months ago I began making our own cleaners – simply with water, vinegar and essential oils – its all we use in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room – everywhere in the house. I change up the scents with the season, for the fall and winter we use a protective blend, which has a wonderfully spicy, warm scent which is extremely powerful. In the spring and summer we will use a citrus essential oil such as lemon or orange – the smell is simply amazing – so fresh, uplifting and invigorating!

Ive also been making our own foam soaps – Ive quite honestly found that since using essential oils in our daily life, the “fake” scents are extremely over powering to me. To make your own foam soaps its also easy by using water, liquid castile soap and essential oil. Again they can be scented with whichever essential oil you would like. Typically its similar to our cleaners, citrus in the spring and summer and the protective blend in the fall and winter.

I even make my own deodorant… do you know how many chemicals are in many of the deodorants at the stores?! For most people with invisible illnesses these are things you should stay far far away from! Deodorant is so simple to make with aluminum free baking soda, arrowroot powder, coconut oil and essential oils. It may take your body time to adjust, however when you do, you will not miss the sticky, waxy residue of deodorant left on your skin and clothes and much like the soap and cleaner you can scent it to what you enjoy!

My kids were on board immediately after getting our first order of oils and are still just as excited as I am when our monthly order arrives! They have loved experiencing the smells, learning about what each of the oils do and have even begun sharing on their own with their teachers and friends. The kids have become their own little wellness advocates and I am proud to say that they are learning to be pro-active for their health vs relying on synthetic based alternatives which may only temporarily mask what is happening in their bodies.

Another great thing about essential oils is one oil has SO many capabilities and uses… also if you do not like the smell of a certain oil, there will be others which will assist and support your body for whatever your need may be.

Why did I decide to represent an essential oil company, because I believe in not only the company but in their products. The company I have chosen to represent and be a part of prides themselves on the quality of their oils, from the locations and farmers who grow the plants which are then made into the essential oils, to the testing to ensure what is in the bottle is only essential oil with no other additives, fillers, chemicals etc. I also love the fact that we are essentially one big family, the resources available, training, education etc is amazing.

I was asked recently if I was offered thousands of dollars for ALL my essential oils and could never touch them again (from our company) would I? Hahaha NEVER! These are a staple in our life in so many ways.

Essential Oils have truly changed my life and I know they can also have an impact on yours!

The best way is to experience them, I would be happy to share a sample with you!

*All essential oils are not created equal, there is no governing body over the quality or disclosure of ingredients within any essential oil bottles. If an oil is labeled “For external use only” this generally means what is in the bottle is not a 100% pure oil – typically this means there are fillers, additives, chemicals or the oil listed on the bottle isn’t even the oil in the bottle. The company I have chosen to represent have set a standard for themselves to ensure every single batch is tested 3 times and meets their standards. They pride themselves in quality. Their labeling reflects topical, aromatic and internal use – if the oil is not to be ingested their will not be supplement facts. When used topically and aromatically essential oils can quickly begin benefiting the body and are absorbed into the blood stream within seconds. This is why the use of a quality essential oil from a company which is transparent in their testing and procedures is extremely important.

spoon of dry lavender and aromatic lavender oil
spoon of dry lavender and aromatic lavender oil

Winter Has Arrived – The First Snowfall of Winter 2015/16

Winter has finally arrived in the most beautiful way!

Im certainly not a cold weather person, however this is a wonderful way to start winter! Being the end of November is even better ;)

Such a gorgeous sky I woke up to early this morning.

Combined with the diffuser blend of Cassia, Douglas Fir and Wild Orange its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas !

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My boy enjoying the snow :)

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Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Today I stepped out of my comfort zone and into something that I have never been very comfortable with – I presented my first class all by myself!

Surprisingly enough I was not nervous, not worried and was incredibly comfortable.

Why? Because I was sharing our life with essential oils. I was telling my story about why and the story behind the products. I was sharing about our REAL life, the good, bad and how we have chosen to live more natural – best of all that it works! Feeling truly empowered as a mom within our own home, knowing that I am making the right choices for us.

I truly am so very excited for this *new* chapter in my life, complimenting my love for our family business in Home Comfort, I am able to provide my take on true home comfort and living a well life! A journey which I never thought I would see myself, yet I am now seeing myself clearer than ever before! I am very excited to have two upcoming classes Friday night (which is also a fall launch for cooking spices!) and Saturday afternoon. If you would like to attend either please connect with me!

On my way home I enjoyed the gorgeous fall scenery, beautiful colours and content farm animals. Being a photographer isn’t about finding the beauty to photograph, its about seeing the beauty in everything all around us!

The best part of this journey isn’t just that we are now living a healthier life, its that I am connected to me and who I need to be!

If you are interested in living a more natural life please connect with me, I would love to share with you!

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So very much to be thankful for ~ Family, Fall Weather, Diffuser Blends! | Thanksgiving 2015

I love reflecting on the past year at every holiday. A true reminder of how far we can come and the happiness we can open our lives to.

I simply adore the fall season! The colours, how rich and deep they are. The air is so fresh and crisp.

What an amazing fall evening!!! #Autumn #FallColours #OilyPhotographer

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From my family to yours – take a moment this weekend and truly count your blessings! Life isn’t about what we have, its who we have in our lives. Spending time with our loved ones enjoying life! Living in the now and appreciating what is to come. Capturing the love and fun, creating memories for years to come. Take time to reflect on yourself. What is holding you back in life and what can set you free. Everyday is a gift and an opportunity to create a memory <3

I am so very thankful for our family, our friends and the life we have been given. Filled with love and growth.

I am especially thankful for my own little family of 4. They truly are my world and what I was meant to be.

Happy Thanksgiving and all the best!

Fall Diffuser Blends

Enjoy some of these fabulous diffuser blends this fall! I just LOVE the way the deep scent of the essential oils cleanse and fill the house !

Pam

Meatloaf Mania & Fall Weeds

This morning while driving to work I was almost drooling over the light and the gorgeous fall weeds!

Yes weeds, you know that you see driving down the road in gorgeous fall colours of deep green, yellow, purple, reds.

My latest Essential OIls order arrived – YAY! Its like Christmas every month. This month I purchased Black Pepper!

Tonight for dinner, we had to make something with ground beef without having to cook in the house – love the BBQ and the lowering gas prices. Then it hit me – MEAT LOAF!

After work I picked up a couple mums for our front porch and saw and fell in love with a gorgeous tall, leafy plant – I have NO clue what it is but its my colours, deep red, deep green and brown. Fills the void next to my new (to me) office space. Its a little rough on the edges but Im determined to keep this sucker alive!

Meat Loaf time! Here is what I used…

Essential Meat Loaf
2lbs of ground beef, some garlic, some dried onions (or fresh if you have), Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Basil Essential Oil, 1 drop of Oregano Essential Oil, 2 drops of Black Pepper Essential Oil, 2 eggs, mixed all together put in a BBQ safe pan and then top with some beer.

Well lets just say there is NO left overs! NONE!

The flavour was SO smooth, rich and deep! You HAVE to try cooking with Essential Oils! Even my hubby was blown away at the taste!

All those dried spices of each individual spices ALWAYS expire in my cupboard – these oils don’t!!! Well if they do (some do have an expiry) its years and not months PLUS you can do SO much with the oils next to cooking! I enjoy using some spice blends along with the essential oils – which the oils are going to replace my individual spices such as Oregano, Thyme, Cilantro, Dill, Basil etc… We use the dried spice blends for SO much with cooking including dips!

While supper was cooking, I took the kids out for a drive to get some shots down by work… where the gorgeous weeds are!

These kids totally blow me away, they don’t exactly enjoy posing for mommy or going alone with every idea, – however ice cream is excellent incentive – but they certainly were so incredibly well behaved tonight – even venturing into the store themselves to choose dessert! My mommy heart was so full – also thankful for living in a small town.

Love these littles!

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Another Year Wiser… Our Birthday Boy | 2015

Looking back on this past year, has been amazing! The absolutely best part is seeing how much our children have grown, physically and emotionally.

This week we celebrated our little man for his birthday and this weekend will be with our extended family and his good friends!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY To this amazing 9 year old little man!!! #HappyBirthday #FamilyLove #FamilyFun20150824-328C2396-WM

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This boy continues to amaze us everyday, even through struggles and challenges he shows us true love, caring and that smiling is always better than a frown! He is thoughtful, energetic, creative, athletic, imaginative (even more so thanks to his lil sis!), determined, family oriented, laid back and so very smart!

This boy of mine has been by my side absorbing the wonderful Essential Oil information since the very beginning. He was excited and interested to hear of the new oils announced this week. Prior to having Essential Oils in our life, he typically followed his own body’s cues to what he needed if he was feeling ‘off’ and was never a child who enjoyed any type of medicinal support, it is because of this boy of mine that I began my oils journey to live a more natural life!  I am so proud of him in his own personal development and positive growth over this past year.

Some of his favourite oils are Spearmint, Lemon, Wild Orange!
Interesting enough Spearmint is known for its primary benefits of promoting digestion, cleanses the mouth and promotes fresh break and promotes a sense of focus and uplifts mood.

Lemon is an oil that he was naturally drawn to and enjoys wearing and diffusing! Lemon is also known as the Oil Of Focus! “The delightful citrusy aroma of Lemon oil nourishes the mind and aids concentration. While Lemon supports the emotional body, its major effects are experienced in the mental field. The crisp scent of Lemon oil improves one’s ability to focus.” (Emotions & Essential OIls Third Edition 2014).

Wild Orange is a citrus oil that absolutely everyone can benefit from and enjoy with its fresh and invigorating natural fragrance! Wild Orange is known as The Oil of Abundance, “It inspires abundance, fosters creativity, supports a positive mood, restores physical energy and aids in transitions. Wild Orange also reconnects individuals with their inner child and brings spontaneity, fun, joy and play into one’s life.” (Emotions & Essential OIls Third Edition 2014)

World Suicide Prevention Day and Emotional Aromatherapy

For anyone who knows me knows my life now involves the daily use of Essential Oils for myself and my family.

The natural, potent capabilities of Essential Oils can have such a profound effect on your heart and soul in a variety ways emotionally and the unique ability to cleanse your entire body, your heart, your mind and your soul!

Emotional Aromatherapy can provide each individual with their own unique experience. For example uplifting, calming, energizing and elevating, excitement, intrigue, passion, soothing, clarifying, grounding, balancing and comforting.

With the use of pure essential oils one can customize their experience based on their needs and what brings a sense of emotional feeling they require. Many times our bodies are naturally drawn to scents or specific essential oils which will support our emotional need.

I personally love how our lives have changed with use of Essential Oils in so many positive ways!

Open your heart, open your mind and you will be amazed at what you will experience and how you will live!

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“Everyone will go through some hard times at some point. Life isn’t easy. Just something to think about. Did you know the people that are the strongest are usually the most sensitive? Did you know the people who exhibit the most kindness are the first to get mistreated? Did you know the ones who take care of others all the time are usually the ones who need it the most? Did you know the three hardest things to say are I love you, I’m sorry, and help me? Sometimes just because a person looks happy, you have to look past their smile to see how much pain they may be in. To all my friends who are going through some issues right now–let’s start an intentional avalanche. We all need positive intentions right now. If I don’t see your name, I’ll understand. May I ask my friends wherever you might be, to kindly copy and paste this status for one hour to give a moment of support to all of those who have family problems, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind and just needs to know that someone cares. Do it for all of us, for nobody is immune.”

A song hit me hard the other day when leaving work, a song I had heard SO many times but for some reason this day the words were speaking to me – each and every word. The song was about how she felt so alone and that no one understood. I didn’t just listen to the music, I heard every single world.

It was a strong reminder that too many people suffer in silence or are treated so very poorly when they do reach out for help.

Depression and any mental illness can happen to ANYONE. Judging someone, treating them poorly or encouraging someone to end their life,  does and says nothing for or about the person battling their depression or a mental illness. Treating someone with a mental illness in these ways is down right cruel and heartless. 

Reach out and be a friend to someone in need. Mental Illness affects EVERY single one of us at one point in our life… and is no different than breaking a bone in our body!

Mental Illness and Suicide is no joking matter, its real life for many people. Many people who ARE worth the life they have! If you are reading this and you are struggling, you have SO much to live for – so much ahead of you. If you are nervous or scared to go speak with anyone, I highly recommend giving Essential Oils a try to assist you with your emotional needs.

If you desperately need help now... Please call one of the Crisis Hot Lines or find one at http://suicideprevention.ca/thinking-about-suicide/find-a-crisis-centre/ or The Canadian Mental Health Association https://ontario.cmha.ca/mental-health/services-and-support/crisis-support/ and the Ontario Mental Health Helpline http://www.mentalhealthhelpline.ca/

Much love…

The FIRST Day Of School | Back To School 2015

 

Well today was the day, I feel like we were lucky and had an extra week of “summer break” and a fabulous end to summer holidays with a wicked hot weekend! Lucky for us we got to spend it with a whole lot of family at our family cottage swimming in the water and relaxing on the sand! I love our little impromptu “shoots” they seem to truly capture them, right down to their clothes, the way they stand or sit. Of course with a little direction from mommy ;) This is what I truly love about lifestyle photography – capturing them, in the now and everything beautiful around! The miss and I decided to go for a walk down the beach, the lil man came down and met us, completely impromptu, not perfect, but the perfect moment with two of the best kids I know.

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Now that we’re back into our school routine – the first thing I did tonight when I got home (and the afternoon at work) was load up the diffuser with my On Guard Essential Oil Protective Blend! This blend gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling – yes even when its 30 C outside! When used in a diffuser it is excellent at cleansing the air – a must especially for fall and winter! This also protects against environmental threats and can also be very calming and relaxing. With kids back in school we all know how fast germs can travel – especially on their little hands! Add the On Guard Protective Blend to fractionated coconut oil or even water for a natural hand cleanser! Add the blend to some water and vinegar for a very effective all purpose cleaner! Our family has only been using water, vinegar and oils for cleaners for almost a year now and they’ve even stood up to raw chicken and have passed the test!~ On Guard

Here is our little’s on their first day back… the nerves were already on edge. Mommy reassuring them that its OK – even I was nervous for back to school, or other days for that matter. The sun may not have been shining, but we were blessed with another warm day.

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…and they are off!
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I hope all of your little’s had a great day back! I was so excited to hear about their first day, who their teachers are, all the other exciting things that happened. Looking forward to a successful school year for them (and us!) :).

Your Life As Art Photography by Pam

Artist & Intuitive | Pamela Zmija

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